《Even After Death》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 On the day Olivia Fordham was diagnosed with stomach cancer, her husband, Ethan Miller, was taking care of his first love¡¯s children. In the hospital corridor, Keith Rogers said grimly while holding a biopsy report, ¡°Olivia, the results are out. If the surgery is sessful, the five-year survival rate for a 3A malignant tumor is 15 to 30 percent.¡± Olivia gripped the strap of her sling bag tightly with her slender fingers. Her petite face was pale and solemn. ¡°Keith, how long do I have left to live if I don¡¯t do the surgery?¡± ¡°Six months to a year. It¡¯s different for everyone. In your case, it¡¯s better to do two rounds of chemotherapy first before the surgery. It will prevent the risk of the tumor spreading or undergoing metastasis.¡± Olivia bit her lip while forcing out, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I¡¯ll arrange for you to be admitted to the hospital right away,¡± said Keith. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I don¡¯t n to receive treatment. I won¡¯t be able to get through it,¡± Olivia said. Keith wanted to say something more, but Olivia tipped her head at him. ¡°Keith, please help me keep this a secret. I don¡¯t want my family to worry.¡± The Fordham family was bankrupt. Olivia already had to bend over backward just to cover the medical expenses of her father, Jeff Fordham. If her family knew about her illness, it would undoubtedly make the situation worse. Keith sighed helplessly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep my lips sealed. I heard that you¡¯re married. Your husband¡ª¡± ¡°Keith, please take good care of my dad. I have to go now.¡± Olivia seemed very reluctant to talk about this and left quickly before he could answer. Keith shook his head. Rumor had it that she had dropped out of university and gotten married. The top genius in medical school had fallen from grace into devastation. Throughout the two years of her father¡¯s treatment, she was the only one who took care of everything. Even when she had copsed from illness and was sent to the hospital by passersby, her husband had never shown up. Thinking back, Ethan had truly treated her well in the year they had gotten married. s, when his first love returned to the country pregnant, everything changed. There was once when Olivia, who was also pregnant, fell into the water with Marina Carlton, his first love. Amidst her struggles, she saw him swimming toward Marina with all his might. Due to the ordeal, she and Marina both went intobor prematurely. Olivia had been rescued toote and missed the optimal window for receiving treatment. By the time she arrived at the hospital, her baby had died in the womb. Seven days after the death of her baby, Ethan asked for a divorce, but she had not agreed to it. Now that she knew about her illness, she could not deny it any longer. She dialed his number with shaking hands, and he picked up after the third ring. He said coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t see you unless it¡¯s to get divorced.¡± Tears filled Olivia¡¯s eyes as she forced herself to swallow her words about her illness. Marina¡¯s voice suddenly came over the phone in the background. ¡°Ethan, it¡¯s time for the pediatric check-up.¡± The tears that Olivia had held back for a long time flowed down her face that instant. Her child was gone and her family was ruined, but he now had a family with someone else. It was time for all this to be over. She no longer begged him like before. Instead, she said weakly, ¡°Ethan, let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± Ethan was obviously stunned for a moment over the phone. Heughed coldly and said, ¡°Olivia, what tricks are you ying this time?¡± Olivia closed her eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at home.¡± It took all of her strength to hang up on him, and she slid to the ground against the wall. The rain blowing into the corridor drenched her as she gripped her phone and bit her sleeve while crying soundlessly. Ethan stared at his phone nkly after she hung up on him abruptly. After a year of the silent treatment where she refused to divorce no matter what, why had she suddenly changed her mind today? Her voice sounded tearful as well. Gazing out at the heavy rain, Ethan walked out of the ward. ¡°Ethan, where are you going?¡± asked Marina while chasing after him with the babies in her arms. When she saw him walking away quickly, her gentle expression immediately grew frighteningly dark. Olivia, that bitch! She still wouldn¡¯t give up! It had been a long time since Ethan hadst stepped into the house they shared during their marriage. He had expected to see the dining tableden with his favorite dishes prepared by Olivia, but the vi was dark and empty. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The sky always darkened too early during autumn. Night had fallen although it was only 6 pm. Ethan spotted a vase of wilted flowers on the dining table. Knowing Olivia, she wouldn¡¯t leave wilted flowers sitting on the table, so there was only one possible exnation. She hadn¡¯t been home recently and had most likely been taking care of her father at the hospital. When Olivia opened the door, she saw a tall man standing by the dining table in a suit. The expression on his handsome face was as cold as ice and his dark eyes were filled with deep hatred. Olivia was soaked from the run from the car to the house in the rain. When his icy gaze fell on her, a chill went down her spine. ¡°Where were you?¡± Ethan asked frigidly. Olivia¡¯s eyes, which always gleamed in the past, were dull at that moment. She looked at him indifferently and said, ¡°Since when did you care about me?¡± Ethan sneered and said, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to sign the papers if something happened to you.¡± His words stabbed her heart like sharp needles. She dragged her feet forward, dripping wet. She did not cry or make a fuss but calmly pulled out the documents from an envelope. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already signed them,¡± she said. She put the document on the dining table, and Ethan realized that he had never found the word ¡°divorce¡± so displeasing in his life. Olivia only had one request, which was an alimony of ten million dors. ¡°I was wondering why you would suddenly agree to divorce. Turns out it¡¯s for money,¡± he mocked. His scornful expression filled her vision. The old Olivia would have defended herself, but she was just too exhausted now. So, she only stood where she was and said softly, ¡°By right, I could have taken half of your worth, Mr. Miller. But I only asked you for ten million dors. When ites down to it, I¡¯m still being benevolent.¡± Ethan stepped forward, casting a long shadow over Olivia. He held her chin with his slender fingers and said in a deep, cold voice, ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, if you don¡¯t like this form of address, then I don¡¯t mind referring to you as my ex-husband. You can leave after signing the papers.¡± Her arrogant expression displeased Ethan. ¡°This is my house. Who gave you the right to ask me to leave?¡± he said. Olivia smirked and said, ¡°Indeed, I do not have the right. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. I will move out after receiving the divorce certificate.¡± With that, she pped his hand away and looked him right in the eye. She said icily, ¡°Mr. Miller, bring your documents to the City Hall at 9 am tomorrow. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 In the dark of night, Olivia stood alone in the bathroom. The hot water chased away her chills. She rubbed her swollen red eyes and walked to a room. When she opened the door, a warmly furnished children¡¯s roomy before her. She pressed a button lightly, and mellow music from a music box filled the room. The room was lit with yellow lights. The atmosphere was undoubtedly homely, but Olivia wept unstoppably. God must have decided to take her life because she had failed to save her baby¡¯s. She climbed onto the cot that was barely more than three feet long and curled up into a fetal position. Tears from her left eye flowed to her right eye, down to her cheek, then finally wet the children¡¯s nket she was lying on. She hugged a plushy tightly while murmuring, ¡°Sorry, my baby. It¡¯s all my fault. I failed to protect you. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll be with you soon.¡± After losing her baby, her mental health had deteriorated. Olivia was like a pretty flower slowly wilting away. She gazed out into the night, thinking as long as she could leave her father that sum of money, then she could go and be with her baby. Before dawn the next morning, Olivia was already fully dressed as she looked down at her own smiling face in the photo they¡¯d taken outside the City Hall after they registered their marriage. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed since then. She prepared a breakfast that was good for the stomach. Although she didn¡¯t have much time left to live, she wanted to live longer to take care of her father. As Olivia was about to leave the house, she received a call from the hospital. ¡°Ms. Fordham, Mr. Fordham had a heart attack. We¡¯ve already sent him into the emergency ward.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away!¡± Olivia rushed to the hospital, but the surgery was still ongoing. She waited outside the operating theater with her hands sped. She had already lost everything. Her only hope was for her father to live on in good health. A nurse handed her a receipt. ¡°Ms. Fordham, this is the total bill for your father¡¯s emergency treatment and surgery.¡± Olivia scanned through the details and found that the total bill amounted to more than 100 thousand. Jeff¡¯s daily treatment expenses already cost 50 thousand dors per month, and she only barely managed to make ends meet by working three jobs. After paying off his hospitalization fees earlier, she only had five thousand dors left in her card. How was she going to afford his surgery? She had no choice but to call Ethan. He answered in a cold voice, ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ve already been waiting for 30 minutes.¡± ¡°Something urgent came up, and I can¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Olivia, is this funny to you?¡± Ethan sneered in response. ¡°I was thinking why you would change your mind all of a sudden. Do you take me for a fool, making up lies like this?¡± He actually thought she was lying. Olivia exined, ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I was reluctant before this because I thought you must have had your reasons for treating me this way, but I see things clearly now. ¡°There¡¯s no point to a marriage like this, so I¡¯m getting this divorce willingly. I couldn¡¯t make it because my father had a heart attack and had to undergo surgery¡ª¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Is he dead?¡± Ethan interrupted. It sounded weird to Olivia. Who even spoke like that? ¡°No. The doctors are treating him. Ethan, the surgery costs more than 100 thousand dors. Can you give me that ten million? I promise I¡¯ll get the divorce!¡± He responded with a snort. ¡°Olivia, I hope you know that I, of all people, wish your father dead. I can give you the money, but only after we make the divorce official.¡± The line went dead after that. Olivia¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. She remembered that Ethan had treated Jeff with respect when they were still together. However, the hatred in his voice earlier did not sound like a joke at all. Why did he want her father dead? Everything made sense when she connected the dots with the Fordham family going bankrupt two years ago. How could there have been such a coincidence? Ethan must have caused their bankruptcy, but how had her family offended him? Olivia had no time to dwell on it. The most urgent matter at hand was to gather 100 thousand dors to pay her father¡¯s medical bills. The doors to the operating theater opened, and Olivia quickly stepped forward. ¡°Dr. Herbert, how is my father?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham. Mr. Fordham made it, but he¡¯s still mentally fragile. Be careful not to trigger him in the meantime.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Olivia replied. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Herbert.¡± As Jeff was still unconscious, Olivia asked the nurse, ¡°My father was quite healthy. Why did he suddenly have a heart attack?¡± The nurse answered hastily, ¡°Mr. Fordham has been in good spirits recently. He even said that he cravedmb shank. ¡°I thought that Al Palphino was just 15 minutes away, so I went to buy him mushroom soup. When I came back, he had already been sent to the emergency ward. It¡¯s all my fault, Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°Did you see anyone before you left my dad?¡± ¡°No. Mr. Fordham looked normal before I left. He even said that you like the carrot cake from Al Palphino and asked me to buy a slice. I never thought that this would happen ¡­¡± Olivia felt that things weren¡¯t that simple. After asking the nurse to take good care of her father, she rushed to the admission desk to check the visitor records. ¡°Ms. Fordham, nobody came to visit Mr. Fordham this morning,¡± the nurse working at the desk replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°By the way, have you cleared the bill for Mr. Fordham?¡± Olivia did her best to hide her embarrassment as she replied, ¡°I¡¯ll pay immediately. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She left the admission desk and took a taxi to the City Hall, but Ethan was nowhere to be seen when she got there. Olivia called him in a panic and said, ¡°I¡¯ve reached the City Hall. Where are you?¡± ¡°My office.¡± ¡°Ethan, can youe and settle the divorce procedures now?¡± Ethan sniggered and said, ¡°Which do you think is more important? The business deal worth hundreds of millions that I¡¯m about to make, or you?¡± ¡°I can wait till you¡¯re done. Ethan, I¡¯m begging you. I need that money urgently for my father.¡± ¡°If he dies, I¡¯ll pay for his funeral.¡± With that, he hung up. When Olivia called him again, she realized that he had switched his phone off. The heavy rain beat down on her, and she couldn¡¯t breathe as she crouched under the bus stop sign. Olivia felt nothing but regret as she gazed at the busy street. If she hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant and dropped out of university, then she would have graduated with a degree by then. With her capabilities and academic talent, she would have had a very bright future. Who could have guessed that the Fordham family¡¯s sudden bankruptcy would cause Ethan, who had always loved her dearly, to change? She had lost everything in the blink of an eye. One year ago, Ethan had asked someone to take away all her jewelry and luxury handbags. The only valuable item she had left was her wedding ring. She took it off and walked into a high-ss jewelry shop resolutely. The salesperson eyed Olivia, who was drenched and dressed in cheap clothes, up and down for a moment. She then asked, ¡°Hi, did you bring the invoice and proof of purchase?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia pretended she hadn¡¯t noticed the salesperson¡¯s judgmental stare and hurriedly handed the invoice with her head lowered. ¡°Thank you, miss. We have to send the ring to be verified. Can I contact you tomorrow?¡± Olivia licked her dry lips and said in an urgent tone, ¡°I¡¯m in urgent need of money. Can you speed it up?¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try. Please give me a moment.¡± Before the salesperson could take the ring away, a fair hand mped down on the box. ¡°This ring is very pretty. I¡¯ll buy it.¡± When Olivia looked up, she found herself face to face with the person she hated the most¡ªMarina. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Marina wore a white cashmere coat. Her white pearl earrings made her look gentle and charismatic. Just the shawl around her neck was already worth more than a thousand dors. The salesperson went up to her and greeted her at once. ¡°Mrs. Miller, is Mr. Miller not here today to pick out jewelry with you? There are some new arrivals. Each one of them would suit you great, Mrs. Miller. The emerald piece you asked me to reserve for you is here. Try it onter. I¡¯m sure it would suit yourplexion very well.¡± The salesperson punctuated almost every sentence with ¡°Mrs. Miller¡± just to butter Marina up even though she and Ethan weren¡¯t legally married yet. Marina looked at Olivia with a smile and a proud look in her eyes that showed off her victory. Everyone knew that Ethan treated her like the most precious treasure, but they did not know that Olivia was his legally married wife. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Olivia clenched her hands into fists. Why did she have to bump into the person she least wanted to see in her most embarrassing moment? Marina said mildly, ¡°You¡¯ll lose a lot of money trading in a good quality ring like that.¡± Olivia reached out and snatched the box away with a steely expression. ¡°I¡¯m not selling it anymore,¡± she said. ¡°No? What a real shame. I like that ring pretty much. I was even nning to offer you a higher price for it since we know each other. Weren¡¯t you in a rush for money, Ms. Fordham?¡± Olivia¡¯s hand stiffened. Yes, she was in need of money, very desperately too. That was why Marina was insulting her so relentlessly. The salesperson advised her. ¡°Miss, this is the fianc¨¦e of the Miller Group¡¯s president. You¡¯re very lucky that your ring struck her fancy. She¡¯ll surely pay you a good price for it, and you won¡¯t have to wait for us toplete the procedures before you get your money.¡± It sounded like mockery to Olivia when the salesperson kept mentioning ¡°Mrs. Miller.¡± A year ago, she had told Marina confidently that she would never divorce Ethan and asked her to give up. In just a year, everybody, high and low, knew who she was. Olivia felt more and more convinced that her marriage with Ethan was nothing but a scheme. Noticing her hesitation, Marina smiled brightly and said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, why don¡¯t you name a price?¡± That bitch¡¯s cocky expression disgusted Olivia. She said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not selling it anymore.¡± However, Marina wouldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you¡¯re already at the end of your rope. Don¡¯t tell me that you still care about dignity. If I were you, I would sell it immediately. Has no one ever told you that stubbornness isn¡¯t a good look on you?¡± ¡°What a joke, Ms. Carlton. Robbing other people of their things has made you think you really own them. Why don¡¯t you go and rob a bank?¡± While they were fighting, the ring flew out of the box in a graceful arc and fell to the floor with a soft clink. Olivia immediately rushed toward it, but the ring rolled to a stop by a pair of elegant leather shoes by the door. When Olivia bent down to pick it up, a drop of water dripped onto the back of her neck and sent chills through her. She looked up slowly into a pair of cold, emotionless eyes. Ethan was still holding an open umbre, and droplets of water dripped from it onto her head. The ck wool coat he was wearingplimented his figure and made him look stylish. Olivia stared at him nkly and recalled the first time she had seen him. 20-year-old Ethan had been wearing a white shirt as he stood on the sunbathed field, but it was as if he had been standing right inside her heart. That image was branded in her mind ever since she was fourteen. Now, she was wearing a sweater that made her look even skinnier with its fuzzy material. Her chin was sharp, and she looked thinner than she was three months ago. He looked grand and unparalleled, while she looked miserable and pathetic. Olivia¡¯s hand, which was about to pick up the ring, stopped in mid-air. While she was in a daze, Ethan expressionlessly raised his foot and stepped on the ring on his way past her. Olivia remained crouched. That ring had been designed ording to his taste. Its design wasn¡¯t exaggerated, but it had a unique style. There was only one ring like that in the whole world. After he had put it on her, Olivia had never taken it off except when she was showering. If it wasn¡¯t because she was really in desperate need of money this time, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to such measures. However, what was a treasure in her eyes was just worthless rubbish to him. He hadn¡¯t just stepped on the ring, but also the past that she treated so preciously. Marina smiled and went to him while exining, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re here. I just happened to be picking out jewelry when I saw Ms. Fordham selling her ring.¡± Ethan¡¯s cold expression betrayed no emotions. His icy gaze rested on Olivia while she tried her best to suppress her fury. He then asked, ¡°You want to sell that ring?¡± Olivia held back her tears and bit her lip to stop herself from crying. ¡°Yes. Would you like to buy it, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan smirked mockingly and said, ¡°I remember you telling me how important that ring is to you. I can see how sincere you were now. Anything that is disregarded by someone else is worthless to me.¡± As Olivia was about to answer, she felt a burning pain in her stomach. As the tumor grew, the pain went from a slight ache to a piercing pain. She looked at the couple, who looked like a match made in heaven in their matching ck and white coats under the bright lights. She suddenly lost the strength to exin herself. A man whose feelings had changed wouldn¡¯t be bothered even if she gave him her heart. Olivia fought against the pain and picked up the ring. Then, she slowly walked back to the counter to retrieve the box and certificate. She didn¡¯t want to show weakness in front of Ethan. Although the pain was enough to make her pass out, she still maintained a steady gait. When she walked past him, she said mildly, ¡°Just like you, I treated it like a treasurest time, but now, it¡¯s just a piece of metal I can exchange for money.¡± Ethan felt that something was off with her. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, and her face was as white as a sheet. She looked like she was trying her best to fight against some sort of pain. Suddenly, he gripped her arm and said in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia shook off his hand and said, ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± She did not spare him another nce and did her best to keep her back straight as she disappeared from his sight. Ethan watched her leave. He had been the one to let her go, but why did his heart still ache? Olivia went to a deserted corner and dug her painkillers out of her bag in a fluster. She knew that all the treatments and cancer medicine had side effects, so she only bought some painkillers and regr stomach medicine, which was better than nothing. Gazing out at the heavy rain, she thought, ¡°Is that the only choice I have left?¡± That was thest person she wanted to meet, but she had no choice but to take a gamble for her father¡¯s sake. Olivia went home to clean herself up before taking a taxi to Hawthorn Vi. When she had returned to the country more than a year ago, that person had called Olivia once. They hadn¡¯t met in more than ten years, and Olivia had no idea how she was doing. Judging by the grand vi, Olivia guessed that she had been doing pretty well. After stating the purpose of her visit, a maid led Olivia into the living room, where a graceful woman was sitting. She was as beautiful as Olivia remembered her to be. ¡°Liv,¡± said the woman as she looked at Olivia with her pretty eyes. However, Olivia couldn¡¯t bring herself to call her ¡°Mom.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chloe Parker had left when Olivia was eight. It was Jeff¡¯s birthday, and Olivia had been in high spirits, eager to return home and celebrate her father¡¯s birthday with her family. She never knew that what awaited her was her parents¡¯ divorce. Olivia had chased after her mother, scrambling down the stairs and falling. She did not even realize that she had lost her shoes. All she cared about was clinging onto her mother¡¯s legs and crying, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t go!¡± The graceful woman bent down, stroked Olivia¡¯s cheeks, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m first in my grade. You haven¡¯t seen my test papers yet. You have to sign them. Don¡¯t leave me, Mom. I¡¯ll be a good girl. I promise I won¡¯t go to any more fun fairs. I won¡¯t make you mad. I¡¯ll listen to you. Please ¡­¡± Hastily, young Olivia blubbered everything she could think of in hopes of making Chloe stay. In the end, Chloe simply told Olivia that her marriage with Olivia¡¯s father was not a happy one and that she had found her true happiness elsewhere. Later, Olivia watched as a man she had never met helped Chloe ce her luggage in a car, and they both left while holding each other¡¯s hands. She chased after their car for a mile without wearing any shoes before crashing heavily onto the ground. Her feet and knees were scraped, and they bled as she stared at the gradually diminishing outline of the car that she could never reach. At that time, she could not understand what had happened. Now that she was grown up, she knew that it was because her mother had been caught cheating on her father and simply decided to file for a divorce, leaving him with everything, including Olivia herself. Chloe had never contacted Olivia, and thetter hated her with every fiber of her being. She even hoped that she would never have to meet Chloe again. However, fate worked in mysterious ways, and Olivia could do nothing to stop it. Her throat went dry and her feet turned to lead. Chloe knew what was on her daughter¡¯s mind. She approached Olivia and pulled her to sit beside her. ¡°I know you hate me. You were very young back then. Lots of things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed, so I wasn¡¯t able to exin them to you.¡± She caressed Olivia¡¯s cheeks and continued, ¡°Look at you, all grown up now. Liv, now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll be staying here permanently. I know something¡¯s happened to the Fordham family. It doesn¡¯t matter, though, because I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± It was then that Olivia knew the so-called hatred she harbored toward her mother was not worth mentioning at all. Her voice cracked as she called out, ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°My dear, since you¡¯re here already, you should stay and have dinner. Chris has taken good care of me for the past few years. He has a daughter who¡¯s older than you by two years. She¡¯sing over with her fianc¨¦ for dinner. I¡¯ll introduce you to herter.¡± However, it was not in Olivia¡¯s ns to make herself part of Chloe¡¯s new family. She hastily interrupted her, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m here this time for my dad. My family¡¯s bankrupt now, and Dad just had a heart attack, but I don¡¯t have the money to pay for his surgery. Can you help me? I promise I¡¯ll return the money to you.¡± Chloe had not yet replied when they heard a familiar voice. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you truly are short of money, aren¡¯t you? Going so far as toe to my house for it.¡± It was like a p to the face. Olivia looked incredulously over at the people standing by the door. Who else could it be except Marina and Ethan? Apparently, fate was toying around with her again. She never thought that her very own mother would be Marina¡¯s stepmother! Olivia¡¯s husband and mother were now Marina¡¯s family. To make things worse, those two had caught her in the act of asking her mother for money. Ethan noticed her uneasiness, but he remained calm and indifferent toward her. Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced through the awkwardness in the air. Olivia noticed a maid pushing in a twin stroller. The moment the babies¡¯ cries started, Ethan was already picking up and soothing one of them skillfully. They formed an eye-catching picture of a happy family of four. Olivia¡¯s child would have been this age too if it were alive. She started regrettinging here. She felt as if she was being embarrassed and humiliated over and over again. Strangely, one of the babies could not stop crying today. The maid rushed to prepare the milk, yet the cries worsened instead. Patiently, Ethan continued soothing the baby. ¡°Be good, and don¡¯t cry.¡± The sight of a tall man like him holding a baby gently in his arms was heart-warming. Seeing this patient and gentle side of him, Olivia suddenly had a thought. In just a few strides, she approached him and picked up the child. Somehow, Ethan did not stop her from doing so. Even more strangely, the child stopped crying and started to smile the moment Olivia held it in her arms.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The corner of its lips curved into a smile, and its eyes twinkled as it looked at her. The child then started chuckling and mumbling, ¡°Ama ¡­¡± Its tiny hands reached up in an attempt to grab the fluffy ball-like ornament on her cap. The child was all smiles, which was the exact opposite of Ethan. It was like a de had ruthlessly stabbed into her heart, and it was thest straw for her, crushing any bit of persistence left in her. She once thought that Ethan truly loved her. He had been kind to her during their first year of marriage. She could still remember him whispering to her, ¡°Liv, let¡¯s have a baby.¡± How could she refuse him then? Even though she had notpleted her studies, she did not hesitate to conceive a child. Only now did she realize that for all the time he spent with her, he did the same with another woman every time he went abroad for business. Nausea overtook Olivia. She returned the baby to Ethan and darted into the toilet. Then, she locked the door behind her. She did not eat much today. When she puked, all that came out was a mixture of her blood and the medications she took. Crimson liquid filled her sight, and tears started flowing down her cheeks. ¡°Great, just great,¡± she thought. Her marriage had been a joke all along. Everything had an exnation now. It turned out that everything had been nned from the beginning. So, this was the reason he chose to save Marina instead of her when they both fell into the water that day. It also exined why he apanied Marina when they both went into prematurebor. It was because the children in her womb were his! After quite some time, Olivia heard a knock on the door. ¡°Liv, are you alright?¡± It was Chloe. Olivia cleaned up the mess, sshed her face with water, and stumbled out of the washroom. Chloe was unaware of the events between them. She asked Olivia, ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°I just feel sick looking at those two. I feel much better now that I¡¯ve vomited.¡± ¡°Do you know Marina? She¡¯s always been abroad. Is there some kind of misunderstanding between you two? This is Ethan¡ª¡± ¡°I know.¡± Olivia interrupted her, her voice cold as ice. ¡°Ethan Miller, the president of Miller Group. Who in this world wouldn¡¯t know him?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s a brilliant and aplished young man.¡± ¡°Indeed. He hasn¡¯t even divorced yet, but he¡¯s already eager to remarry. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be as bold as him.¡± This left Chloe rather confused. ¡°What are you talking about? He isn¡¯t married, so why would he get a divorce?¡± The smile on Olivia¡¯s face did not reach her eyes. In a mocking tone, she said, ¡°Who am I then, if he isn¡¯t married? Mr. Miller, why don¡¯t you tell my mom just who I am?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chloe looked at Ethan with a puzzled gaze. She never knew that he was married. ¡°Mr. Miller, we stayed overseas for many years and are unaware of what goes on here. What does my daughter have to do with you?¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes were calm. His expression remained indifferent as he said, ¡°Even if there was something between us, it¡¯s already in the past. I¡¯m settling my divorce soon.¡± Olivia never thought that he would take things so lightly after all their years of marriage. She had given him her heart, yet this was all she got in the end. Needless to say, she was furious at him. However, she felt more disappointed than anything else. It was the disappointment of finding out just how blind she had been to treat trash like him like something precious. Olivia took out the ring box and hurled it at Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°Fuck you, you scumbag! My deepest regret is marrying you! See you at the City Hall tomorrow! Whoever fails to show up is a coward!¡± The box hit him squarely on his forehead, leaving a trail of blood dripping down his face. It opened and fell together with the ring onto the ground. This time, Olivia did not look back. She stepped on the ring as she left and mmed the door shut. Too many things had happened over the past two years, and this was the final straw. She did not manage to go far before passing out by the roadside. It started pouring from the sky as if the world itself loathed her. Olivia thought that it would be better to just die like this. For her, there was nothing worth remembering in a world full of schemes and lies like this. When she woke up, she was lying in an unfamiliar room. The dull, yellowish light from amp chased away the darkness in the room. The warmth here was like a soothing breeze in spring. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes fluttered open to see Keith¡¯s eyes staring back at hers. ¡°You saved me?¡± ¡°I was on my way home when I saw you passed out by the roadside, so I brought you back. You were thoroughly soaked, so I had the maid help you change,¡± Keith said, his eyes clear and sincere. ¡°Thank you, Keith,¡± Olivia thanked him. ¡°I made oatmeal. You should have some warm water first,¡± Keith told her. Olivia removed the nkets and started to get off the bed. ¡°No need. It¡¯ste, and I don¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± She was frail. The moment her feet touched the floor, her body tilted forward helplessly, making her fall to the ground. Hurriedly, Keith rushed to her aid by supporting her with his arms. Olivia could smell the light fragrance from his clothes. It was simr to theundry detergent she used at home. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Ethan also had the same scent back then. She could not help but feel her heart break when she thought of him. ¡°You¡¯re too frail right now. Stop pushing yourself if you want to live for a couple more days,¡± Keith warned her, yet his tone was gentle. ¡°Think of it as you¡¯re doing this for your father.¡± Only then did her dull and dispirited eyes flicker with a sliver of hope. ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± She watched as Keith busied himself in the kitchen. In truth, she and him were not that close. At most, he had given her a reward when she was nominated as the best student in her freshman year. That time, he was her senior by four years and had been doing his internship at a prestigious school elsewhere, so he did not spend much time in college. Later, she met him again in the hospital, and they started contacting each other more frequently. Still, their rtionship was not close enough for her to always impose on him. After finishing her meal and taking some medication, her stomach finally settled. Keith then brought up the issue of her chemotherapy. ¡°Medicine nowadays is advanced, and you¡¯re only in the middle of thete stage of cancer. Even some patients in the final stage survived, so you must have faith in yourself. Chemotherapy is a highly effective treatment.¡± Olivia lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ve studied medicine before. I know its pros and cons.¡± Keith continued giving her advice. ¡°The chances of remission after that are high. Even if the side effects are severe, you can do it with some determination¡ª¡± Olivia raised her head to look at him with tears in her eyes. She was spending every ounce of her strength to force back her tears as she muttered with trembling lips, ¡°But I can¡¯t do this anymore ¡­¡± Keith wanted to console her, but the words were now stuck in his throat. He stared at her red-rimmed eyes and felt himself die a little inside. After a while, he asked, ¡°Is there truly no one else in this world that you care about anymore?¡± Startled, Olivia took some time before replying, ¡°The only person I care about is my dad.¡± ¡°Then you should live even if it¡¯s only for him.¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°Thanks. I feel much better now. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± It was then that Keith realized that the ring on her finger she had always cherished was missing. He started to speak but swallowed back the words. Eventually, he asked, ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll drive you there.¡± ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ve called a cab. It¡¯sing soon.¡± She refused his help so swiftly that he could do nothing but go along with it. Still, he thought that he should still be concerned. Her face was full of sorrow when they talked just now. He was worried that she would end her life, so he tailed the cab she took. The cab drove and stopped beside a river. Olivia stood alone and stared at the water. Even though it had stopped raining, the weather was still cold. Keith wanted to stop her from doing anything rash, but he saw a ck MPV stop beside her. The car door opened, and out came the person whose face was always seen in finance magazines. Keith was shocked. Could that man be Olivia¡¯s husband? The wind tousled Olivia¡¯s hair, highlighting the agony on her already pale face. Ethan subconsciously wanted to raise his hand and tuck the strand of hair behind her ear. However, he quickly retracted it and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Olivia nced over at him, her eyes cool and indifferent. She looked as if she wanted to make sure that the person standing before her was indeed him. ¡°Were you behind my family¡¯s bankruptcy?¡± she asked. She did not beat around the bush, so he too went straight to the point and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are the children yours?¡± This was her second question. She stared unblinkingly at him. She could have been overthinking things. However, it was never in his ns to deny this. ¡°Yes,¡± he said with his usual nonchnce. Olivia approached him and pped him across the face. ¡°Ethan Miller, you scumbag!¡± He grabbed her wrist easily in one hand and brushed the tears on her cheeks with the other. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± he asked. ¡°You asshole! How could you treat me like this? What did my family do to deserve this?¡± The look on Ethan¡¯s face remained as calm and indifferent as ever when he spoke. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your father about what he did?¡± Olivia swallowed before asking him. ¡°Have you ever loved me, Ethan?¡± There was not even a ripple in his fathomless gaze. Slowly, he said, ¡°Never. Since the beginning, you¡¯ve always been nothing but a pawn.¡± Her tears slid down her cheeks and fell onto the back of his hand. The breeze blew, taking away any lingering warmth that was left. ¡°You hate me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. This is what you Fordhams owe me! You should me yourself for being Jeff Fordham¡¯s daughter! I¡¯ll make you suffer every day to pay for what you¡¯ve done to my little sister!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your sister go missing long ago? What does this have to do with my family?¡± He looked at her in disdain as if he were a rulerying down judgment. ¡°Did you know that my sister was being tormented while you were enjoying the affection of the people around you? Take a guess. I won¡¯t tell you the truth. I want you to suffer and live a miserable life without ever knowing what happened! You¡¯ll get a taste of what my sister went through!¡± Ethan got in his car after saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting at the City Hall at nine tomorrow.¡± Olivia rushed over to his car and started hitting the car door. ¡°Tell me, what happened to your sister?¡± However, the driver mmed his foot on the elerator, and the car zoomed out of sight, making her lose her bnce and fall to the ground. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The wind blew bitingly cold on her face. Olivia was frozen to the core, but she pushed herself up and continued chasing after the car. She overestimated the current condition of her body and only ran for a couple of feet before crashing back to the ground. The car door opened. She saw a pair of shiny, tailored leather shoes halt before her. Slowly, she moved her sight from the shoes and up the trousers until she met Ethan¡¯s cold and unnerving gaze. ¡°Ethan ¡­¡± Olivia muttered weakly. A pair of slender hands reached out to her. In a trance, Olivia thought she caught a glimpse of the young man she had fallen head over heels for all those years back. She could not help but stretch out her hands to him. Just as their hands touched, Ethan pulled back, extinguishing the light in her after giving her false hope and causing her to fall once more. She had not injured herself before this, but when she slipped this time, she cut her palms on the pieces of shattered ss on the ground. Blood started trickling down her palms to her arms. A shadow seemed to flit across Ethan¡¯s face, but he stayed motionless. Olivia was stunned. Back then, he would rush her to the hospital in the middle of the night even though she merely had a cut on her finger. She remembered the doctor chuckling and saying, ¡°Thank goodness he brought you here in time. Otherwise, your wound would¡¯ve healed on its own.¡± The man before her and the one in her memories were the same person. He had the same eyes and face. Looking back, she realized that the concern he once showed for her was nowhere to be seen, reced by a shade of icy indifference. In a cold voice, Ethan said, ¡°Olivia, do you really think that I don¡¯t know you? You could easily run a mile and do a somersault. Do you expect me to believe you¡¯d fall after running just a couple of steps?¡± He stared at her, the mockery in his eyes like a knife cutting through her. Olivia bit her lip and tried to exin. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m not lying to you. I¡¯m just a little weak because I¡¯m sick¡ª¡± Ethan did not wait for her to finish. He crouched and tilted her face upward to face him. His rough fingers brushed her dry, chapped lips. ¡°You truly are your father¡¯s daughter. You two are pretentious to the extreme and would put on a stupid act just for some money.¡± Those words stung more than the cold wind, and they stabbed at her heart repeatedly. She swatted his hand away from her face. ¡°My father is an upright person. He would never do anything to harm anyone!¡± Ethan sneered. He decided he no longer wanted to discuss this matter with Olivia and plucked a check from his wallet instead. He carelessly wrote on the check, held it in between two fingers, and ced it in front of Olivia. ¡°Do you want this?¡± he asked. Five million dors certainly was not a small amount. It would spare Olivia the headache of securing funds for her father¡¯s medical bills. However, she did not take the check because Ethan would not be so kind to her. ¡°I have one condition, though,¡± Ethan added and whispered in her ear. ¡°This money is all yours if you repeat after me. Jeff Fordham¡¯s an asshole.¡± The look on Olivia¡¯s face changed instantly, and her hand shot up in an attempt to p him across the face. Ethan stopped her by grabbing her by the wrist, and as Olivia struggled against him, she left a bloody handprint on his shirt. Ethan¡¯s grip on her tightened, and his tone became harsher. ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t want to do it? He¡¯ll have to die in the hospital then. I¡¯ve already picked a burial spot for him anyway.¡± Tears streamed down Olivia¡¯s face as she asked, ¡°Why did you be like this?¡± The man who had once swore an oath to protect her and cherish her for the rest of her life was long gone, reced by a ruthless person who found joy in making her break down in tears. The dim light from the nearbymp post illuminated his face, further emphasizing his annoyance and impatience. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to say it, right?¡± He released his grasp on her and slowly tore the check into pieces. Olivia rushed forth to stop him, but he shoved her away and told her in a tone devoid of emotions, ¡°I¡¯ve given you a chance.¡± The paper shreds fell from his hands, just like the hope she had had for him. ¡°No! Don¡¯t!¡± Clumsily, Olivia hurried to pick them up as her tears continued to flow. She looked like a child who had lost everything she valued, anxious and helpless. Ethan turned to leave, and just when he was about to get in his car, he heard a thud. He turned around to see her figure lying unconscious on the ground. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Kelvin, the driver, had an anxious look on his face as he asked, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller¡¯s passed out. Should we send her to the hospital?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze was unsettling when he looked at Kelvin. ¡°Are you worried about her?¡± Kelvin was confused. He had been working for Ethan for a long time. It was clear as day that Mr. Miller had been head over heels for Mrs. Miller in the past, but his entire personality seemed to change after going to identify his sister¡¯s corpse. Nevertheless, this was his employer¡¯s family matter, so he dared not probe further. He simply drove away. The car drove further and further away. Ethan looked at Olivia through the rearview mirror and found that she still had not gotten up. The look of disdain on his face deepened. Apparently, her acting had improved in just a few days. Despite letting her live a sheltered life, Jeff had Olivia participate in various fitness programs since she was young to prevent her from being a target of bullying. She had a ck belt in Taekwondo and was an expert in self-defense. There was no way someone as fit and healthy as her would faint so often like this. To him, Olivia was putting on an act for money. As this thought crossed his mind, he averted his gaze from the rearview mirror, refusing to spare her another nce. Seeing Ethan¡¯s car gradually disappear, Keith finally came to Olivia¡¯s side. When Olivia awoke once again, she found herself in the room she had left not too long ago. A needle was stuck in the back of her hand, and the IV fluid slowly seeped into it. Her left hand was bandaged. She looked at the clock that hung on the wall and saw that it was already three in the morning. Before she could react, she heard Keith say in a gentle voice. ¡°Sorry. I followed you because I thought you would do something stupid.¡± Seeing that Olivia wanted to sit up from the bed, Keith rushed to her aid by cing a pillow behind her. Then he gave her some water. She finally opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Did you witness everything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± Keith was so earnest and sincere, while Ethan was the exact opposite of him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m his wife. There¡¯s nothing to hide, anyway.¡± Keith¡¯s expression seemed to freeze for a second. Olivia noticed it and smiled bitterly. ¡°Right. Everyone thinks Marina is his fianc¨¦e now. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe¡ª¡± ¡°No. I believe you. I recognize the design of your wedding ring. It was an SL limited edition. That¡¯s the only pair that exists. The magazines mentioned that SL¡¯s boss designed it specially for his wife. And I know that Ethan Miller is the one behind SL.¡± Back then, Keith suspected that Olivia and Ethan were together, but he dismissed the idea after hearing the gossip between Ethan and Marina. Ethan rarely came to the hospital after that too. Olivia subconsciously touched the ce where she usually wore her ring. Her finger was bare now, and the skin where the ring had once been was a bit fairer than the rest of her hand¡ªas if it was reminding her of her ridiculous marriage. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m his wife. We¡¯re getting a divorce tomorrow at nine.¡± ¡°Does he know about your condition?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the right to know about it.¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Olivia sounded unnaturally calm when she said this. It was as though she had thoroughly let go of Ethan. However, Keith knew that letting go of someone you once loved was not as simple as this. She was like an injured animal that would hide her wounds in front of others but tended to them when no one was around. Still, Keith did not probe further about it. He tried changing the subject. ¡°I know you haven¡¯t paid for your father¡¯s surgery. Since we¡¯re friends, I¡¯ll lend you some money for now. You can pay me back in the future.¡± It was not a simple matter for Olivia to obtain such arge sum of money. He had offered help multiple times before this, but she always refused. Today was no different as Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°Olivia, your father¡¯s condition is serious. Would you rather be humiliated by that scumbag than ept my help? I have no conditions. I just want to help you. My family might not be as wealthy as the Millers, but this sum isn¡¯t much to me. So, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Olivia was holding a ss of water with both hands. He thought she looked pale to the extreme when she nced over at him. It made him rather upset to see her in such a state. ¡°Keith, I know you¡¯re a good person, but ¡­ there¡¯s no future for me anymore.¡± Whether it was money or his kindness, she couldn¡¯t repay any of it. Noticing the fluid in the IV bag was almost finished, Olivia forcefully pulled the needle free from the back of her hand. Blood gushed out from the wound since there was no gauze to stop the bleeding. However, she did not seem like she cared. Picking up her jacket, she told him, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the money. He¡¯ll give me ten million dors when I divorce him. My father just had surgery yesterday. I¡¯m going to visit him at the hospital.¡± She was as stubborn as a mule, just as had been when she suddenly decided to give up her studies to marry despite being dubbed the college genius. Even her mentors would sigh in grief while talking about her when Keith joined them for meals. Olivia seemed to expect that Keith would suggest driving her to the hospital. Before he could say something, she was already gesturing to her phone and cutting off any chance of letting him speak. ¡°The cab is here.¡± Olivia then put on her jacket. As she ced a hand on the doorknob, she heard him ask, ¡°Olivia, did you ever regret letting go of everything to marry him?¡± Did she regret it? Ethan was the cause of her family¡¯s misery. Her father was hospitalized after suffering from a huge shock right after a car ident, while Olivia herself lost her darling child. Logically speaking, she should be regretting her decision, but when she closed her eyes, she would remember the shipwreck and the man who had rescued and dragged her back from the storm. He was the youngster she once met at school. She forced her tears at bay and said to Keith, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Keith watched her leave with mixed feelings, and the door closed with a click. When Olivia arrived at the hospital, Jeff was still in the ICU. She could only watch him from afar. The questions she had for him were lodged in her throat. In her memories, her father was a person who was both kind and humble. Before her parents¡¯ divorce, they never raised their voices at each other. He never remarried after Chloe left. All the spare time he had, he would spend it apanying Olivia. Ethan kept mentioning her father, which meant the person he hated was not her. When they were still together, he had mentioned having a little sister that went missing. Her disappearance took a toll on his mother¡¯s mental health, which was why she stayed overseas all the time. What was the connection between his lost sister and her father then? Olivia decided it was best to start investigating those who worked for her father. She rushed off to find Harvey, her father¡¯s chauffeur, and Victor, their butler, at their respective homes. The two of them had worked for her father for many years. Strangely, one had gotten into an ident and the other had gone overseas, and she was unable to contact them. The only thing she knew now was that her father was still unconscious. She spent the day in a daze, not knowing what to do. Still, since things hade to this, the only exnation was that none of this was a coincidence. Clearly, someone had devised this. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. But Olivia was no fool. Since she did not manage to obtain any clues from her family¡¯s side, she shifted her target to Ethan¡¯s chauffeur, Kelvin, and his assistant, Brent. She checked her wristwatch for the time. It was only seven in the morning, so they should be on the way to Ethan¡¯s ce. Olivia dialed Brent¡¯s number. After some time, he answered the call and said in his usual polite tone, ¡°Mrs. Miller?¡± Olivia tried to suppress her bitterness when she heard him addressing her that way. ¡°Mr. Ingram, I¡¯ve made an appointment with Ethan to settle our divorce. Can you pick me up so we could go to the City Hall together?¡± Brent fell silent. Just like Ethan, he did not like any sudden change of ns. Hastily, Olivia added, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand. I don¡¯t have other intentions. I¡¯m just afraid that something might happen and stall us from getting divorced. I still haven¡¯t settled my father¡¯s medical bills¡ª¡± In truth, she was pretty close with them both. She was never rude to them, so when she spoke gently, Brent did not refuse. ¡°Where are you, Mrs. Miller? I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Olivia stated a location that was nearest to them. This ce was along the road to Collington Cove, which was where Marina lived. Despite being reluctant to admit it, Ethan was caught spending the night here by the media multiple times. So, he must have been staying here when he and Olivia were apart a few months back. ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Miller, but we¡¯re almost in Midvale. You¡¯ll have to wait for about 20 minutes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia was quite surprised. Midvale was somewhere near the Miller residence. Did Ethan not live with Marina? Olivia quickly dismissed the thought. Whether he stayed with Marina was none of her business. Kelvin drove fast, and they arrived in no time. As always, Brent opened the door for her. ¡°Sorry for the wait, Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia nodded and got in the car. ¡°No worries.¡± Brent was a rather stoic person. Compared to him, Kelvin was more lively and talkative. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep in, Mrs. Miller? It¡¯s so cold today. The sun isn¡¯t even up yet,¡± Kelvin said. Brent shot daggers at Kelvin to shut him up. Olivia tried to exaggerate things by speaking slowly. ¡°Initially, I thought Ethan had a change of heart because of Marina. But now, it seems it¡¯s not just because of her. You two have been working with him for so long, so you should know something about his sister.¡± The car came to an abrupt stop with a loud screech. Kelvin took his hands off the steering wheel and gestured to dismiss what she said. ¡°You can¡¯t just say things like that, Mrs. Miller.¡± Calmly, Brent answered, ¡°Mrs. Miller, you know that we usually won¡¯t ask Mr. Miller about his personal matters. Even if we know something, we can¡¯t disclose anything to you. Please understand.¡± Olivia covered part of her face with one hand. A tear slid down between her fingers as she said, ¡°I know I¡¯m making things difficult for you two, but I have no choice. Ethan wouldn¡¯t tell me about it, and my dad is still unconscious after the surgery. ¡°My family has fallen into such a hopeless state, and I have no idea why. Even if I were to die, I¡¯d want to know the truth. I don¡¯t want to suffer from ignorance every day.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, what happened to Mr. Miller¡¯s sister is taboo. We don¡¯t know much about it.¡± As if knowing that Olivia would continue asking them for help, Brent started writing an address on a piece of paper and passed it to her. ¡°Mrs. Miller, since we¡¯re friends, this is the most I can do to help you.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Olivia looked at the paper in her hand. It was the address of a cemetery. Was Ethan¡¯s sister dead? Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Even so, what did her father have to do with her death? If anyone were to know what kind of person her father was, it would be Olivia. And she knew he was not one to harm others, let alone a young woman. She knew that Brent and Kelvin would not disclose more information and decided to stop probing them. It was silent all the way to the Millers¡¯ residence. Olivia had mixed feelings when they arrived. Brent politely asked her, ¡°Mrs. Miller, would you like to go inside?¡± ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll wait for him here.¡± This was the final time she would meet him, and it was only to settle their divorce. She did not want to cause more trouble for herself. Besides, every single thing in there would remind her of their time together, and she refused to reminisce about the past. He was to me for cherishing her so much back then. Even though he had be colder and more indifferent to her over time, she would never forget how kind and loving he had been. He should have been someone she hated to the core, but she could not find it in her heart to do so. The ignition was not turned off, and the inside of the car was warm andfortable. She was the only one left in the car now. Her stomach started to hurt again, and she curled up into a fetal position and waited for the sky to brighten up. After that, she shifted into a position where she hugged her knees tightly to her chest. It was winter, so the days were short and the nights long. It was already seven in the morning now, yet the sky was still rather dark. The leaves had fallen from the apple tree in the garden, making her thoughts drift off to some time in the past. During the apple season, she yearned to have a taste of apple cider. Knowing this, Ethan helped to pick the fruits for her. Back then, the Ethan she knew was amiable and approachable. He was an excellent cook, and he spoiled her like a princess. As her thoughts wandered, she found herself walking alone toward the tree. It was still there, as it had been back then. But everything had changed, including the man she¡¯d been with. Even the tree had changed; only a couple of dried leaves hung from the branches now. Its sorry state resembled her current rtionship with Ethan. As Ethan walked out of the mansion, the same sight greeted him. A woman wearing a thin knitted shirt stood watching the apple tree from below. A gentle breeze blew, gently tousling her hair. The weather was way better today than the past few days. The first rays of the sun cast its glow on her face. Her fair skin glowed under it, making her look like a fairy who would vanish into thin air in the blink of an eye. Her hands were bandaged, but her countenance was pale, and she still wore the clothes she wore last night. ¡°Ethan.¡± She did not look at him but was able to sense his presence. ¡°Mhmm?¡± He hummed. Slowly, Olivia turned to face him. They stood close to each other, yet their hearts were far apart. ¡°I want to drink the apple cider you made onest time.¡± Ethan was taken aback and took some time to respond. ¡°The apple season has passed. Stop wasting your time,¡± he said, emotionless. Olivia¡¯s eyes looked a little puffy as she muttered, ¡°Can you treat it as myst request before our divorce?¡± She seemed to have changed a lot in just three months. He turned to look at the barren tree. In a slightly softer tone, he told her, ¡°The frozen ones fromst year aren¡¯t fresh. Let¡¯s see how it goes next year.¡± Next year ¡­ Olivia brushed her fingers on the rough bark of the tree. She wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for another year. ¡°You must hate me a lot, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then ¡­ will you be happy if I die?¡± She turned to face him and spoke softly. His heart skipped a beat at her words, and his thoughts became empty. For a moment, it felt like he had lost his mind. After some time, he rposed himself and calmly said, ¡°Fine. It¡¯s just some apple cider. Come on in.¡± Olivia watched as he entered the house, the corner of her lips turning up into a smile. ¡°Are you afraid of me dying?¡± she thought to herself. All of a sudden, she thought of taking revenge on him. She wondered what kind of expression he would wear when he received the news about her death one day. Would he be d or upset? Ethan took out the box of frozen apples from the fridge to defrost. Olivia watched as he busied himself in the kitchen, thinking ruefully that this was probably thest time he would cook for her. At least it was something worth remembering. She crouched by the firece and started roasting marshmallows. The sweetness permeated the air, reminding her of how Ethan¡¯s grandmother would never fail to rush over when she smelled roasted marshmallows in the winter. The olddy treated Olivia really well, as if she were her own granddaughter. Sadly, she passed away two years ago. Ethan¡¯s grandfather then moved overseas to prevent himself from being constantly reminded of his loss. The once cozy mansion now stood cold and empty. Ethan¡¯s grandmother was no longer here to rob Olivia of her roasted marshmallows too, and that made Olivia feel empty inside. After finishing the roasted marshmallows and gulping down a ss of warm water, she felt that her stomach did not hurt as much as before. She could smell the pleasant scent of food from the kitchen. Olivia walked over to find Ethan pouring some of the soup into a thermos sk and into a bowl. Since when had she fallen from being his priority and one and only? She asked herself that question. Yet, she continued to turn a blind eye to the truth of their rtionship by reminding herself of how sweet he was to her in the past. ¡°The apple cider is ready,¡± Ethan said, unaware of her dampening mood. ¡°Thank you.¡± Olivia stared at the mug in her hands. It tasted just the same as before, but she had already lost her appetite for it. ¡°It¡¯ste. Let¡¯s head to the City Hall.¡± Ethan looked somewhat annoyed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to drink it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it,¡± Olivia said. Back then, he would have coaxed her with all the patience he had. Now, he simply nced at her and poured the cider into the sink. His face was like a nk te when he walked past her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Send this to Collington Cove,¡± Ethan said as he passed the thermos sk to Brent. ¡°Alright, Mr. Miller.¡± It was at this moment that Olivia knew that there was nothing she could do to mend the tear in their rtionship. The year she spent trying to fix things was nothing but a joke. Olivia quickly walked to the car. As she passed the apple tree, the wind blew, and thest leaves of the tree fell from its branches. Olivia raised a hand to catch one of the leaves. Softly, she said to herself, ¡°What are you even holding on to?¡± Then she tossed it to the ground and crushed it beneath her feet. She closed the door of the car. Even though it was warm inside, just the way that she and Ethan sat at both ends of the passenger seat¡ªlike the North and South Poles¡ªwas enough to have the air feel as chilly as the weather outside. The journey to the City Hall was smooth and without much traffic. It was as if God was paving the way for their divorce because the traffic lights were green all the way. As the car was taking a turn at the intersection, nearing their destination, Ethan¡¯s phone started ringing. Marina¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Ethan, Connor¡¯s down with a fever. I didn¡¯t want to disturb you, but his fever is now at 103 degrees. I¡¯m so scared. Hurry over¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± Ethan hung up, his eyes meeting Olivia¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were ssy, but the hatred in them was as clear as day. She spoke slowly, enunciating each word. ¡°What¡¯s the child¡¯s name?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 It was dead silent in the car. Marina¡¯s voice was loud as she was anxious, so Olivia managed to hear her say the name ¡°Connor.¡± She remembered the day she received her pregnancy report. She had run into Ethan¡¯s embrace and told him about it. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re going to be a father! We¡¯re having a baby!¡± Her voice was filled with enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of our child¡¯s name. It¡¯ll be Colette if she¡¯s a girl and Connor if she¡¯s a boy. What do you think?¡± Oh, how she wished she had misheard Marina, but Ethan looked her right in the eyes and told her, ¡°His name¡¯s Connor.¡± ¡°You asshole!¡± Olivia¡¯s hand was already in the air. She pped him, yet he did not flinch, letting her do as she pleased. ¡°How could you name her child after our own?¡± The thought of her child was Olivia¡¯s final straw. Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrobly, and she pounced on him as if she had gone crazy. ¡°You devil! Why did God take away my child from me? Why weren¡¯t you the one who died?¡± She landed hit after hit on him as she yelled, ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve that name!¡± Ethan grabbed both her hands and told Kelvin, ¡°Head to Collington Cove.¡± This made Olivia go berserk. ¡°We¡¯re close to the City Hall already! Settle our divorce first before you head elsewhere!¡± ¡°His fever won¡¯t go down. I must go back now.¡± ¡°My father¡¯s lying unconscious in the hospital, yet the nurses wouldn¡¯t even let me anywhere near the hospital because of the bills! Are you saying that your child¡¯s life is important, but my father¡¯s life is nothing?¡± Olivia yelled in his face. Ethan¡¯s face darkened at the mention of Olivia¡¯s father. ¡°How dare youpare your father to Connor!¡± In a fit of rage, Olivia raised her hand to p him again, but he gripped her wrist tightly. ¡°Are you done?¡± he shouted. The car took a turn, and Olivia watched as they moved further and further away from the City Hall. Ethan locked her tightly in his arms, restraining her movements and preventing her from struggling free. Long ago, she would be happy and content in his arms, but they were nothing more than shackles to her now. His arms were strong, and with how frail she was right now, she could not break free. Helpless, she hollered, ¡°Do you love Marina that much?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, Ethan was stunned, for when he held Olivia, he found that she had not only gotten just a bit slimmer¡ªshe was way bonier than she was a year ago. She was paper-thin, and he could feel her bones prodding him through her clothes. The woman he once pampered so much was now so skinny and frail. Was this truly what he wanted? He was just starting to doubt himself when the image of his sister¡¯s corpse shed across his mind. His grip on Olivia¡¯s waist tightened a little. When he raised his head to look at her again, all that was left in his eyes was an endless pool of darkness. ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ll have someone remove your father¡¯s breathing tube right now if you continue making a fuss!¡± Olivia fell silent then. Her hands clutched his clothes tightly as her tears soaked his shirt. It was funny how he was the one who used to say that he would never make her cry, but he was now the reason behind all her tears. The silence in the car was suffocating. Olivia finally managed to calm herself down, pushing him away before straightening her back. She then sniffed and said, ¡°It¡¯s your business if you want to go to your child. However, you can¡¯t ruin our n. Stop worrying about me not letting you go because I¡¯m going to divorce you no matter what. I don¡¯t have the habit of keeping someone else¡¯s trash.¡± Ethan frowned at the word ¡°trash,¡± but Olivia ignored him and carried on with her speech. ¡°I admit that I¡¯ve been too na?ve in the past to pin my hopes on you. I¡¯ve seen everything now. Holding on is meaningless, so I¡¯ll let things go. Give me the money, and we¡¯ll deal with the formalitiester on. I promise I¡¯ll be there in a call. I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Olivia looked into his dark, unsettling eyes. The tears that she wept just now made her eyes clearer than ever. Cooly, she met his gaze and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll jump out of the car. I¡¯d rather die if I couldn¡¯t save my father.¡± Only then did Ethan take out a check and write on it. ¡°I¡¯ll wire you the other five million after we¡¯re divorced.¡± Oliviaughed mockingly at him. ¡°Are you so afraid that I wouldn¡¯t divorce you? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll sooner take my own life than stay beside a man like you. Stop the car.¡± She grabbed the check from his hands, mmed the door shut, and left without looking back. Finally, she could save her father¡¯s life. She went to cash the check and rushed to the hospital to settle her father¡¯s medical fees. She then called a cab and headed to the address Brent had given her. It was a private, high-end cemetery. Those buried here were either affluent or filthy rich. Ethan¡¯ste grandma was buried here. Olivia bought a bouquet of his grandma¡¯s favorite bluebells. It was not long before she managed to find a grave that looked fairly new, which was surrounded by a circle of plum trees. The trees were full of flower buds that would bloom very soon; a name was carved on the gravestone: ¡°Leia Miller.¡± Olivia knew Ethan adored his sister and that her going missing had been a topic of taboo to everyone around him. It was exactly why she did not know anything about his sister. Leia. Was this her name? Olivia had never heard of it. She crouched down to look at the photo on the gravestone. It looked like it was taken before she went missing when she was five or six years old. Her face was chubby and cute, and her eyes were somewhat simr to Ethan¡¯s. Olivia had no idea what she could use this information for. She took a picture of Leia¡¯s photo with her phone, considering it a clue. Then, she ced the bouquet of flowers that she had bought for Ethan¡¯s late grandmother, Eugenia Miller on the ground. She knelt by the grave and started rambling. ¡°Hi, Leia. I¡¯m Olivia, your sister-inw¡ªscratch that, it should be your ex-sister-inw now. Sorry for meeting you in such a state. I promise I¡¯ll help you find the real culprit who did this to you.¡± Olivia then went to Eugenia¡¯s grave, which was not too far away. In her photo, the olddy looked as amiable and kind as ever, her smile warm andforting. Olivia fished out some roasted marshmallows from earlier in the morning and ced it in front of the grave. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here to visit you. It¡¯s winter now, but since you¡¯re no longer here to steal the marshmallows from me, they¡¯ve all be tasteless. After standing for some time, Olivia started feeling tired, so she ended up sitting by the grave. It was as though Grandma was still alive, and Olivia was reminiscing with her. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep the child. But that bastard Ethan has had two more children already. So you don¡¯t have to worry about the bloodline anymore.¡± Olivia continued, ¡°He¡¯s changed. He¡¯s no longer the person I knew. Back then, he told me that he would defend me from anything and everything, but all the sufferings I face now are brought by him. If you were alive, you wouldn¡¯t let him treat me like this, right?¡± She forced a smile and said, ¡°Ethan and I are getting divorced soon. You always said that if he wronged me, you¡¯d crawl out from your coffin and kick his ass. My days are numbered, so I¡¯ming to find you soon. Then we can crawl out from the ground and kick his ass together. What do you say?¡± Once again, Olivia looked at the photo of the olddy with a kind smile. ¡°What does it feel like to die? Is it dark? I¡¯m scared of bugs that would bite me. What should I do? How about I bring you lots of flowers now, and you¡¯ll help me to chase the bugs away when I join you on the other side?¡± She looked up into the sky. ¡°I miss you, Grandma.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Olivia stayed before the grave for quite some time before leaving. She did not have time to wallow in sorrow for too long. She had an investigation to carry out now that she had the photo. Most of the women her dad was in touch with worked in hispany, so it was natural that Olivia started from there. But just as she started to search for a way to contact them, her phone started ringing. It was one of the children from the countryside whose education her father had sponsored back then. His voice was rather anxious. ¡°Ms. Fordham, I just returned from overseas and heard that Mr. Fordham is gravely ill. Is he alright?¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern. My father¡¯s still getting treatment at the hospital.¡± ¡°Gosh! How could someone as kind as him get into such a situation? If it wasn¡¯t for him sponsoring our studies years back, we wouldn¡¯t be where we are today.¡± A thought shed across Olivia¡¯s mind. In the past, her father had helped children in the countryside to move to the city for their studies, so Leia could have known him since she was abducted and taken to the countryside. ¡°Ryan, do you know those who were sponsored by my father?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been helping Mr. Fordham contact them all along. I know most of them, but I¡¯ve lost contact with them after going abroad for the past few years. Is there anything I can help you with, Ms. Fordham? I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help you.¡± Olivia felt as though she just found herself a sliver of hope. Immediately, she told him, ¡°I have a picture with me. Can you see if she¡¯s one of the students my father sponsored before?¡± ¡°Sure thing, Ms. Fordham.¡± In just half an hour after sending him the picture, Ryan had sent Olivia the information she wanted. The girl in the picture he sent had bright eyes that were simr to Leia and Ethan. Her name was Jodie, and she came from a poor family. Olivia¡¯s father had sponsored her education 12 years ago. She had been a brilliant student from a young age and managed to get a spot in many of the top universities in the nation, so she chose to further her studies in the country. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Perhaps this was the person Olivia was looking for. In a hurry, she asked Ryan to meet up with her in a cafe. Ryan arrived on time. This was the first time in ten years that Olivia met him in person. Back then, he was still a bashful boy, very unlike the smart-looking man in a suit who was the president of his own company sitting before her. Even though the Fordhams had fallen into bankruptcy, he still addressed her courteously. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only just arrived. I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Are you still in contact with Jodie?¡± ¡°I used to be. I seldom contacted my friends in the country when I stayed overseas. We haven¡¯t talked in at least two years.¡± ¡°Do you know how she¡¯s doing these days?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only just returned a few days ago. I wouldn¡¯t have known about your family¡¯s situation if it weren¡¯t for my friends. Jodie and I aren¡¯t close, though. At most, I only contacted the others because of Mr. Fordham.¡± Ryan took a sip from the cup of coffee and cleared his throat. ¡°But since you requested it, I tried asking around in her circle. Sadly, she¡¯s dead. What a shame. Her grades were excellent, and she would¡¯ve had a bright future ahead of her if she were alive.¡± ¡°How did she die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the cause of her death, but I heard that she was fished out of the sea.¡± Olivia frowned, her forehead wrinkling. Not only did she not find the answers she was looking for, but more questions also began toe up. Leia was kidnapped when she was almost six years old, so she should have remembered what had happened to her. If her father had sponsored her studies, why didn¡¯t she ask for help? Why did she not return to the Millers when she came to the city? Besides, what did Olivia¡¯s father have to do with Jodie¡¯s death? ¡°Was my father kind to her?¡± Olivia asked tentatively. ¡°Jodie came from a poor background and was orphaned at a young age. She scored well in her exams and made her way into the city all alone. Mr. Fordham was very kind to her. I heard that she was rather reserved and was ostracized by her roommates, so Mr. Fordham rented her a small apartment so that she could excel in her studies,¡± Ryan exined. Then, he set his cup down and asked, ¡°Why are you so curious about her?¡± ¡°I just want to find out the cause of her death so that she wouldn¡¯t die in vain,¡± Olivia exined. She had nned to leave this world peacefully after getting ten million from her divorce to settle her funeral. Now, she had something else in mind. She wanted to clear her father¡¯s name and take revenge for her family. Even if Ethan refused to tell her the truth, she would find it out herself. Ryan looked as if he suddenly recalled something. He took out a name card from his wallet and passed it to Olivia. ¡°One of my friends is a renowned private detective. He could be of help if you wish to find out about anything.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ryan.¡± ¡°No worries. I know Jodie, and I wish for her to go peacefully too. I¡¯ll be staying in the country for some time, so just message me if you need anything. I have a meeting soon, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± ¡°See youter.¡± After seeing him off, Olivia called the private detective and sent the information she got over to him. Presently, she was in high spirits. When she arrived at the hospital, Dr. Freeman called her to his office. Olivia had an ominous feeling about this. Anxiously, she asked, ¡°How¡¯s my father¡¯s condition? When can he wake up?¡± ¡°Ms. Fordham, you need to be mentally prepared. Even though Mr. Fordham¡¯s surgery was a sess, he hit his head during the car crash, which triggered an aftereffect. He shows no signs of waking up, and ¡­ he may not ever wake up again.¡± Olivia thought her heart had fallen into a perpetual abyss. Her grip on the disposable paper cup loosened, and her hands started to tremble. Seeing her reaction, Dr. Freeman could not help but let out a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope. I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯s a possibility. He should be fine if he wakes up by the end of this month.¡± When she raised her head, Olivia¡¯s eyes were clouded with tears. She croaked, ¡°He¡¯ll be in aa if he can¡¯t wake up, right?¡± ¡°Yes. So, I hope you¡¯ll be prepared for this and have things nned out.¡± Dr. Freeman knew that it was not easy to earn money these days and that spending it on a person inatose was not necessary. Olivia abruptly shot up from her seat and mmed her hands on the table. ¡°No matter what happens, I won¡¯t give up on my father. I believe that miracles do happen.¡± Then she dashed out of the office. She never thought that things would take a turn for the worse. If her father couldn¡¯t wake up, she¡¯d never get to hear him speak the truth. If so, she could not die just yet! She rushed off to the oncology department. Keith had just finished diagnosing one of his patients when Olivia barged into the room. ¡°Keith, help me.¡± Keith looked at her anxious face and her hands that tugged at his sleeve. Olivia spoke calmly and firmly as though she had found her salvation. ¡°Be it chemotherapy or surgery, I¡¯ll do anything as long as I can have more time to live ¡­¡± Only by living would she have the time to find out the truth and apany her father for a longer time. Keith did not understand what she had been through, but as long as she had the will to live, he, as a doctor, was positively delighted. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll arrange your first chemotherapy session right away.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Keith scheduled Olivia¡¯s first round of chemo for the day after tomorrow to prevent her condition from deteriorating. The chemo woulde with a plethora of side effects. In the first two weeks, the patient would feel weak and experience hair loss. That was why Olivia would have to get everything sorted out before the session. Although Jeff was still in aa, at least Olivia didn¡¯t need to worry about paying off his medical bills. She made a payment at the hospital before heading back to the home that she used to share with Ethan. She was worried that she might be too weak after chemo. Hence, she booked the services of a moving company before starting chemo. She was nning to move out of this ce anyway. Olivia¡¯s best friend, Everly Hilton, showed up in office wear. She strutted around in heels while clutching a crossbody. At the same time, she happened to be carrying two bags of chips as well. Olivia immediately heard her friend¡¯s loud voice from afar. ¡°Liv, you are finally free of suffering! I just received themission from my property salest month, so let me treat you to a fun night at the Dark Horse Clubhouse today! There are so many guys out there for you!¡± Everly did not know about Olivia¡¯s diagnosis because she went abroad to visit her boyfriend in the same week Olivia hid away. She simply thought that Olivia had given it a good thought and decided to go for a divorce. Olivia chuckled in response. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work. I¡¯m scared that your beau might show up and knock on my door right away when he hears about that.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, drop it. I will never believe in long-distance rtionships anymore. I wanted to show up and surprise him, but guess what? That fucker took my hard-earnedmissions and spent it all on another bitch!¡± Everly looked vicious, yet her eyes were filled with pain. Her seven-year rtionship was over, all because they went long-distance. Olivia wanted to offer words offort, but at the thought of her messy marriage, she felt that she didn¡¯t have the right to reassure others. Instead, she remarked, ¡°Knowing you, you must have caused quite a scene.¡± Everly led Olivia over to the bench by the flower garden and took a seat. She gave Olivia a bag of chips while she started eating out of the other. ¡°My temper has long mellowed after all these years of a long-distance rtionship. I had a bad feeling about this whole thing anyway. You can fall in love for many reasons, but you only need one to fall out of it.¡± She stared into the misty sky and went on. ¡°At the beginning, he¡¯d fly across the globe just to see me on Valentine¡¯s Day, even if he only had a few days off. Now, he hasn¡¯te home once in three years. ¡°He¡¯d wished me good morning before he went to bed, but he didn¡¯t text me as much in thest few years. I thought he was busy with his Ph.D. studies, so I started working part-time as a property agent just to support him financially, all while studying full-time.¡± Everly¡¯s sadness intensified. ¡°What haven¡¯t I done for money? And with the money from my commissions, I even bought him a house abroad.¡± ¡°Liv, this storyline is right out of a soap opera.¡± She continued toment. ¡°At one point, I thought I¡¯d go mad. It was quite ridiculous, catching him cheating in the boxers that I bought for him.¡± Everly was grinning, but tears rolled off her cheeks onto the bag of chips in her hand. ¡°I had to think twice before buying coffee. I lived so frugally just to support him. But what did I get in the end? I¡¯m a prestigious med school student who was rushing between apartment viewings just to support a traitor. He might have even bought the condoms with my card.¡± Olivia reached out to hug her best friend. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t cry. He isn¡¯t worth your time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think too. Do you know how nice I was to him? I did not make a scene. I lit a cigarette and started calcting the money he had to pay me back. Thank God I put the house under my name. I evicted him and that bitch that same night.¡± Olivia was rather taken aback by Everly¡¯s decisiveness. ¡°So, did he agree to everything?¡± ¡°Of course not. He immediately fell to his knees and wanted me to forgive him when I asked for the house and money back. When I saw him crying in front of me, I wondered what made me fall for him in the first ce. ¡°Anyway, I stayed around for a couple of days to sell off the house and cut all ties with him before I came home.¡± Everly quickly wiped away her tears and continued, ¡°Liv, we¡¯re long past the age of believing in romantic love. We have to choose between love and bread, right? You didn¡¯t like it when I told you to get a divorce a year ago, so I¡¯m d that you finally thought it through. Just from your divorce settlement with Ethan Miller alone, you would be able tost for a few lifetimes and then some.¡± Everly smiled once she finished herst chip. ¡°Look, even if you lost your man, you could spend his hard-earned wealth on ten different smoking hot dudes. Isn¡¯t that awesome?¡± Olivia coughed awkwardly. ¡°Um, I only got ten million dors from Ethan.¡± ¡°What? The audacity of that cheating bastard to offer you only ten million ¡­¡± Everly gasped in disbelief. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he very generous to you? Since when did he be so stingy? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s short of money.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t exin further. ¡°When a man¡¯s in love, he¡¯ll give you the moon. When he¡¯s no longer into you, you¡¯re worse than trash. Let¡¯s not talk about him. I wanted you here to help me with moving out.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll treat you to a nice dinner after this.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Almost everything in the vi belonged to Ethan, so there wasn¡¯t much for her to pack. It was less of a move-out and more of a dropping by to pick up her belongings. A wedding photo was hung on the wall. Olivia could be seen smiling brightly in the photo. Even Ethan, who always looked serious, managed to crack a smile too. The thought of Ethan and his affair pissed Everly off. ¡°How are you going to deal with these wedding photos? I mean, you can always recycle them in exchange for some money for chips. Or maybe set them on fire.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything should be split into half in a divorce.¡± She ordered a housekeeper to take out all the photos from their frames, cut out her images, and put the photos back. The only room that she was reluctant to leave behind was her self-designed nursery that Ethan helped decorate. She didn¡¯t want Marina¡¯s child to move into that nursery. One year after setting up the nursery, she finally decided to move the cot out and had the movers remove all the decorations in there. Surprisingly enough, it only took a few hours to remove the things that took countless days and sleepless nights to create. The memories that had umted over the entire year went into the trash can alongside those things as well. Standing at the entrance to the vi, she recalled the excitement when she had first moved in. Her sorrows were a vast contrast to the joy on her move-in day. She probably hadn¡¯t imagined her marriage headed toward destruction. Taking a final look, she bid goodbye to her past self and left. She then walked up to Everly. ¡°Eve,e with me to the salon.¡± Everly patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s celebrate your new start with new hair! Time to put those bastards behind us! I¡¯m going to dye my hair a nice shade of pink! What about you, Liv?¡± Olivia replied without hesitation, ¡°I want it short.¡± ¡°Liv, you look good either way, but don¡¯t cut it too short. I¡¯m worried that you might regret it.¡± Little did Everly know that Olivia wanted the short hair because she was worried about the extensive hair loss post-chemo. Olivia smiled. ¡°No, I won¡¯t regret it.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Everly and Olivia, both having suffered from disastrous rtionships, went to the salon. Everly picked out two male hairstylists for them. One of the hairstylists lit up with excitement at the sight of Olivia and immediately rmended some trending hairstyles. She outright rejected the suggestion. ¡°I want it short¡ªas short as possible.¡± ¡°Darling, I know the cool girl look is trendy, but getting a pixie cut might limit the outfit styles you can pull off. Why don¡¯t I give you a shoulder-length cut? You¡¯ll look younger and can rock it at any event.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Your hair is long and luscious. I can tell that you have kept it for years. It¡¯s really a pity to cut it off.¡± The stylist shook his head regretfully. Olivia stared at her reflection in the mirror. Despite herck of rest, her features still looked as exquisite as ever. Her tresses, which she hadn¡¯t taken care of, tumbled across her shoulders. It made her look demure. She hadn¡¯t cut her hair in years because Ethan loved her long hair. Since the stylist was reluctant to cut it off, she grabbed the scissors and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± She cut off her hair without hesitation, sending the long locks fluttering onto the ground. It somehow symbolized her parting ways with her lovely youth and innocence. She returned the scissors to the guy and allowed him to proceed with styling her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± When Everly emerged with her new pink hair, she was shocked at Olivia¡¯s new hairstyle and marveled at it. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s true¡ªyou can really rock any style if you¡¯re good-looking. Liv, you look so cool!¡± Everly¡¯s next order of business was to hurry to the supermarket and buy some gender-neutral clothes for Olivia to match the new middle-part pixie cut. Their new styles attracted lots of attention when they walked down the streetster in the day. When night fell, Everly took a selfie with Olivia by a storefront and uploaded it to her Instagram. The post was captioned: ¡°Reborn.¡± She also splurged on a fancy steak dinner with Olivia. It was something she had wanted to devour for a long time. The nice meal put a smile on her face. ¡°Liv, doesn¡¯t this feel like we¡¯re back in high school? Our biggest worry at that time was solving calculus problems. Now that you think about it, that isn¡¯t tough at all¡ªjust use the right form, and you have your answer, unlike men. You give your all to men, and all you get in return is heartbreak.¡± Olivia had not drunk in a long time, but she decided to let it go just for that night. She took a sip and joked, ¡°That¡¯s because you sucked at math. I never thought calculus was hard.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. No one can beat you, genius. You were only thirteen when you joined us in high school. I thought someone from middle school got lost on their way to ss. I wasn¡¯t expecting a gifted kid.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Then, Everly poured Olivia a drink and lifted her ss. ¡°Genius or idiot, it doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s raise a ss to our singlehood! I can finally buy whatever I want now that I¡¯ve kicked that weasel out of my life!¡± However, tears streamed down Everly¡¯s face as she was celebrating her newfound freedom. ¡°Liv, did you know that I used to buy the lowest-grade steak on sale at the grocery store? I saved my ass off to support his studies, and I gave my all to build our future. I¡¯m only 24 this year, yet I¡¯ve never even gotten myself a proper dress! How could he do this to me?¡± They all faced challenges in their lives. Olivia, who was struggling with troubles of her own, had no better advice for her friend than to gently advise Everly to look to the future. She had wanted to send Everly home, but that tipsy girl forcefully dragged her to the Dark Horse Clubhouse. She sighed, knowing that Everly just needed an emotional release. After all, she had one full year to process the breakdown of her marriage, but Everly only had very little time to wrap up the loose ends with her boyfriend abroad and rush home. She must have needed more time to get over it. Olivia did not object to the detour because she knew that she couldn¡¯t have fun with Everly for a long time after chemo, and that was if she survived it. That night, she went to a clubhouse for the first time. The overexcited Everly patted her hand and squealed, ¡°Look at the usher! Isn¡¯t he handsome?¡± However, her attention was on the painting of a dark horse in the center of the lobby. ¡°Yeah,¡± she absent-mindedly agreed with Everly. ¡°Just let loose and have fun! If I have to pay for a man, I¡¯d rather it go to a hot one that¡¯s good at sweet talk. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± Everly, who wouldn¡¯t even pay for a cab in the past, transformed into a generous millionaire overnight. She led Olivia into a spacious lounge, where she ordered ten bottles of Armand de Brignac in one go and ignored Olivia¡¯s attempt at stopping her. The clubhouse manager politely introduced ten male models to them, each with a distinct style, ranging from sweet to chic. Everly dered boldly, ¡°Pick whoever you like!¡± The men openly flirted with them, and some even showed off their abs. Olivia was too shy to even look at them. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll just have a few drinks.¡± Everly picked two men and mmed a wad of cash on the table. She ordered, ¡°Come here! Keep her happy tonight.¡± The two men looked like boys next door, which was very different from Ethan¡¯s cool image. They took their seats beside Olivia, sandwiching her, and one of them poured her a drink. She felt uneasy and wanted to leave, but Everly pped her on the thigh. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you really going to save yourself for Ethan? Has he ever thought of you when he was sleeping with other women? What are you worried about now that you¡¯re divorced? Just let go and have fun! I¡¯ll foot the bill.¡± It was general knowledge that property agents marked up prices for a better profit margin. On top of that, Everly sold vis, and she¡¯d frequently receive hundreds of thousands inmission from her deals. Since she was young, pretty, and a smooth-talker, she raked in a lot of money from her commissions. Had she not spent that money on her ex, she would¡¯ve been considered a self-made millionaire. Therefore, she could totally afford a night of extravagant spending, and that was what she had decided on. Meanwhile, at Collington Cove, the baby¡¯s fever finally wore off after the doctor¡¯s close supervision over the day. Ethan let out a sigh of relief and tucked the baby in before tiptoeing out of the bedroom. Marina went up to him with a warm smile. ¡°Ethan, it¡¯ste. Why don¡¯t you stay the night? I¡¯m worried that the baby will wake up at night. You know he doesn¡¯t cry much when you¡¯re around.¡± He rubbed his temples, looking worn out. ¡°I still need to attend an engagement. Dr. Garcia will be around, so get him if you need anything.¡± Marina looked like she had something to say, but she knew she couldn¡¯t force him to stay. She had thought that he¡¯d have gotten divorced when she called him at 10:30 pm, but things didn¡¯t go her way. She reminded herself to take it slow and replied thoughtfully, ¡°Sure. Just be careful on your way back.¡± He nodded and got into the car. Brent immediately handed him a key. ¡°Mrs. Miller has returned the key to the vi.¡± The look in Ethan¡¯s eyes hardened before he snorted. ¡°She sure moves fast after she¡¯s paid.¡± Brent didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, but the thought of Everly¡¯s Instagram post bothered him. After a moment¡¯s thought, he blurted out, ¡°But Mr. Miller, she seems to have ¡­pletely given up on you.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 When Brent felt Ethan¡¯s chilling gaze on him, he had to exin. ¡°Mr. Miller, she¡¯s with Everly.¡± It wasn¡¯t unusual for Olivia to hang out with her best friend, Everly. Ethan had asked Brent to follow Everly on Instagram to monitor Olivia¡¯s move. While exining, Brent showed his boss Everly¡¯s Instagram post. In one of them, Everly showed off her eye-catching pink curls, but Ethan was instantly drawn to Olivia, who was rocking a different style in the photo. She had gotten a middle-part pixie cut, which¡ªcoupled with her tiny face¡ªmade her look more morose than her usual sunny disposition. Her eyes were looking downward, and her corbone was visible through her Oxford shirt in the photo. Her beauty was almost sacred. The caption read ¡°Reborn.¡± Ethan hadn¡¯t realized that his fingers were trembling slightly. After a year of being pestered by her, he should have felt relieved that she wanted to let go. But why did he feel suffocated instead? He reminded himself that his sister was gone. Olivia did not have the right to dere her ¡°rebirth.¡± He convinced himself that he wasn¡¯t feeling bad for Olivia¡ªhe just wanted revenge. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He wasn¡¯t done with torturing her yet, and he would not let this slip. Deep in his thoughts, he was interrupted by Brent¡¯s remark. ¡°Ms. Hilton brought Mrs. Miller to the Dark Horse Clubhouse.¡± Brent clicked on an Instagram post that showed Oliviazing on a soft couch in a dimly lit room while a handsome young man in white kneeled on one knee and fed her grapes. Ethan almost crushed the phone after seeing the photo. ¡°Go to the clubhouse.¡± The air turned frosty, and he couldn¡¯t take his mind off the young man in white. He knew he¡¯d make Olivia weak in the knees when he put on a white shirt, and she¡¯d sometimes sketch the image of his teenage self in a white shirt. It was at that moment he realized that he didn¡¯t want a divorce at all. Not only that, but he also wanted to keep her by his side forever. He wanted to subject her to daily torture to atone for Jeff¡¯s sin. While Ethan was fuming, Brent held his breath in the car. He was confused by the situation. In the past two years, Ethan was good to Marina and fulfilled all her demands, but he didn¡¯t seem to have any affection for her. On the other hand, Ethan gave Olivia the cold shoulder, but Brent could tell that she was Ethan¡¯s one true love. s, Ethan, blinded by hate, would do anything to hurt Olivia. When Ethan rushed to the Dark Horse Clubhouse, the two women were nowhere to be seen. Apparently, Olivia had to bring Everly home because thetter was making a scene after getting drunk. Not knowing that he missed them, he ordered his men to look around but found no one. Brent called up the hotels across the city and got nothing too. ¡°Mr. Miller, she must have found a new ce to stay in advance. It¡¯ll take some time to find a rental if you¡¯re doing it without an agent.¡± The look in Ethan¡¯s eyes darkened when he realized that she nned to leave for good once she received thepensation. ¡°Look into it! Find her, no matter what it takes!¡± The good news was that Olivia hadn¡¯t left the premises with a male escort. Still, those who entertained Olivia were tied up and brought to Ethan, who lit a cigar and stared at the two trembling men through the wisps of smoke. ¡°Lift your heads.¡± The poor men never thought that they¡¯d get into trouble with a big shot. Shaking violently, they stammered, ¡°M-Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Where did you touch her?¡± ¡°N-No, we didn¡¯t. Thedy did not like touching and kept a distance from us. She had a few drinks before leaving with her friend.¡± Ethan snickered and lifted the chin of one host. He examined the young man¡¯s face, which was caked in makeup. The man also smelled of cloying and cheap perfume. Ethan remarked, ¡°Why would she eat the grapes fed to her by a cheap, trashy man like you?¡± The young man was on the brink of tears. Ethan made it worse when he announced, ¡°Cut his fingers off.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, please spare me!¡± Thankfully, Brent intervened and showed Ethan the surveince footage of the lounge. ¡°Mrs. Miller did not have physical contact with them.¡± Two of the men were already sobbing. They hadn¡¯t expected to have their fingers cut off just because they fed their client grapes. All they wanted was totch onto some richdy, get their share of the money, and retirefortably. They finally weed a beautiful and stylish youngdy today, but sadly, she didn¡¯t even look at them despite their best efforts to woo her. Not only that, but they also had to deal with a devil after she left. Talk about unlucky! Ignoring them, Ethan went back to his car and drove around the city aimlessly. Where would Olivia go when she had no ce to crash at? After Jeff was ced in the ICU, she did not need to be at the hospital to take care of him. Her phone was turned off. Clueless, he went to almost all the ces they had visited before. After a futile search, he returned to their newlywed home. He had only stopped by shortly on that night. It had been a while since he visited the vi. Only the furniture was left behind; the interior seemed spotless and devoid of human touch. It was her habit to arrange fresh flowers on the dining table daily, but even the vase was gone. In the empty and lonely master bedroom, her presence was removed from all their wedding photos. Only Ethan was left in the photos, looking both eerie and lonely. Even after the Fordhams went bankrupt, she never took any of the branded clothes he bought for her and only packed some cheap clothes to go. He then remembered that he had ordered the luxury bags and jewelry to be collected from the vi. She had also returned her diamond ring to him. It was her only possession that was worth something. Her toothbrush, cup, and towels were gone from the bathroom. His electric toothbrush looked lonely on the shelf. Next, he shuffled to the nursery that was once Olivia¡¯s faith, not noticing that the palms of his hands were slightly sweaty. The door clicked open, and he was greeted by an empty nursery, a sight that made his blood run cold. She had cut off all her ties to him. ¡°Mr. Miller, don¡¯t worry. I checked with all the airline, train, and bus operators. There was no trace of Mrs. Miller purchasing tickets anywhere. Since Mr. Fordham is still warded, she won¡¯t leave the city.¡± Ethan btedly found out the reason he did not kill Jeff despite being fully capable of doing so. Perhaps, he subconsciously felt that Jeff was Olivia¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel. By keeping Jeff alive, he could keep Olivia under his thumb. ¡°Find her and bring her to me.¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± Ethany on the bed in the master bedroom. The nights when they slept separately were difficult for him too. Even though he knew that Olivia was innocent, he could not get over the fact that she was rted to Jeff. Her happiness reminded him of his poor sister. It was Olivia¡¯s fault for being born as Jeff¡¯s daughter, and she should be held ountable for her father¡¯s sin. He had an equally intense love and hate for her as he released his pent-up grief and anger by torturing her. Perhaps, it was time for a new punishment. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Everly was an exceptionally bad drunk. If it wasn¡¯t for Olivia, she would have gone at it with the men in the lounge. It was the first time Olivia saw her friend hugging a man and wailing about being an empty-nester. Olivia had no choice but to bring her drunk friend back to her new rental. A while back, Jeff¡¯s caregiver found out that Olivia was looking for apartments for rent and rmended the apartment of a rtive to her. Olivia settled on the apartment because she could save on agent fees. Moreover, the deal was backed by the caregiver, whom she trusted. Since herndlord wouldn¡¯t be back in the country anytime soon, Olivia had not officially signed the lease, but she received his approval via WhatsApp and moved in. Without signing any lease, she left no records behind for Ethan to track her down. The tiny apartment was a far cry from her family home at the height of their fortune, and it was no match for the vi she shared with Ethan. Still, it was cozy, and she liked it enough. She even kept her dad¡¯s favorite tropical fish in the apartment. Whenever she opened the windows, she¡¯d have a full view of the ocean. Once, she thought that Collington Cove was Ethan¡¯s gift for her. Later, she was aghast to learn that Marina had returned to the country and moved into that ce right away. The fact made her miserable for a long time, but she was finally over it. Be it living in an expensive or affordable apartment, she could still enjoy the same ocean view. The apartment came with a small balcony, where shey down some thick rugs. She had initially nned to bring Jeff home when his condition stabilized. She¡¯d like him to spend his retirement at her ce, sunbathing on the balcony and enjoying life. Too bad things took a turn for the worse. The cancer diagnosis came out of the blue, and she never thought that her dad would remain in the ICU. The drinking made her feel a little queasy, so she took some medicine andy on the mattress by the cot she ced in her room. It wasn¡¯t the mostfortable arrangement, but that was the only way she¡¯d get some shut-eye. Thanks to the alcohol, she had a good sleep and woke upte. Everly woke up earlier and made her some breakfast. No one breached the topic of the wild night. Adults seemed to be good at hiding their insecurities during the day. After breakfast, Everly rushed to the entrance with a pair of heels in her hands and a piece of toast in her mouth. She mumbled, ¡°Breakfast¡¯s ready. I¡¯m runningte. Liv, I gotta go now.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Olivia called out to her, ¡°Eve, I probably can¡¯t keep youpany for the next few days because I¡¯ll be busy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat about it. Do you really think I¡¯m so into splurging? Yesterday¡¯s celebration was a grand farewell to our youth. I woke up a new person today, ready to work! I¡¯d take money over men any day! But you have to tell me if you need help, alright? I don¡¯t want you struggling to juggle a few jobs.¡± ¡°Yeah. Got it.¡± Olivia saw her friend at the door, where they gave each other a soft hug. ¡°Eve, you¡¯ll find a better man. You have to go through the pain to find your real happiness.¡± Everly scoffed. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a bit riching from you! You can¡¯t even keep your perfect husband. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll find yourself a man as good as him in the future.¡± ¡°In the future?¡± Olivia looked at the sun and smiled gently. ¡°Who knows?¡± Everly was ready to leave but was stopped by the sight of Olivia¡¯s lonely figure. She gave Olivia a back hug and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be busy for a couple of days too. When things cool down, I¡¯ll catch up with you. Take care, okay? It¡¯s going to snow soon. Even if no one¡¯s keeping you warm, you need to look out for yourself.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After sending Everly, Olivia cleaned the apartment before switching on her phone. To her surprise, she found a missed call from Ethan. She assumed he had called to discuss the divorce, but unfortunately, she wouldn¡¯t have time for that in the next few days. Aside from Ethan, Chloe also made a lot of calls to her. Olivia called Chloe back, who picked up the call quickly. She sounded concerned. ¡°Liv, why didn¡¯t you pick up my calls? I was worried about you for days. Do you need more money? I¡¯ll make a transfer.¡± Olivia calmed down at the sounds of the ocean waves pping against the rocks. In the many years after Chloe left, she felt very aggrieved, wondering why she was abandoned. She was in denial when she learned that Chloe was Marina¡¯s stepmother. Of all people, why Marina? But no amount of pain would change the reality. Olivia was helpless. She answered, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry. Ethan gave me some money. You don¡¯t have to think about Dad¡¯s hospital bills.¡± Still, Chloe couldn¡¯t shake off the image of Olivia leaving in the rain. ¡°Liv, where are you? I need to see you, and I¡¯d like to make up for the years I wasn¡¯t around.¡± Staring at the blue of the ocean, Olivia replied tly, ¡°Mom, you wouldn¡¯t have disappeared for years without a call if you had cared about me. And you would have visited Dad when you came back if you still cared. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for going to the wrong person out of panic. I reached out to you, forgetting that you¡¯ve remarried. I will not repeat this mistake anymore.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡ª¡± ¡°Mom, let¡¯s stay the way we were before. I¡¯ll take care of Dad. You never had a daughter like me, and I never had a mother like you.¡± Rather than ming Chloe for making her feel ashamed in front of Marina, she was angry at how Chloe went abroad and never kept in touch. When Olivia was at her worst, Chloe was by Marina¡¯s side, taking care of the daughter of another man. She couldn¡¯t me Chloe for the decision, but she would never let it slip. After hanging up, Olivia called her workce to quit her part-time job. Finally, she texted Ethan, telling him to discuss the divorce another day because she¡¯d be busy. No matter what the truth was, she and Ethan were over. They¡¯d never remain friends, much less rekindle the rtionship. When she took care of everything, she departed for the hospital. Keith noticed that she came alone. Her shadows were elongated under the sunlight, and that made her look more vulnerable. He suppressed his feelings and asked her gently, ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°A little, at first. But I¡¯ll feel reassured if you¡¯re around.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m the one who worked on the drugs for your chemo. I¡¯ll try my best to make it effective with the least side effects.¡± ¡°Thank you, Keith.¡± When she arrived at the inpatient ward, she felt as though she was in a warzone. She had never seen that many patients, who varied in gender and age but shared a simrity¡ªeach wore a wig or headwear. A couple of unbothered middle-aged male patients swung past the corridors with their bald heads. Most rooms were upied by patients undergoing chemo. Some were weeping, and some stared nkly out of the window. Olivia knew that she¡¯d join them soon. The light would disappear from her eyes, and she¡¯d lose hope for life as she staggered toward another day. With Keith¡¯s help, she secured a single room. The young nurse was polite to her. ¡°You¡¯re Ms. Fordham, right? Dr. Rogers told us about you. Please get ready over here. And have your family help you with the hospital admission and make payments at the pharmacy.¡± Most patients at the hospital had at least one family member with them. She was the only one who showed up alone, which attracted many sympathetic looks. Those people must have pitied her for battling cancer and going through chemo alone. She bit her lips and said embarrassedly, ¡°I don¡¯t have a family member with me. Just get me a caregiver.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work. We need a family member to sign off.¡± The nurse looked troubled. ¡°How about your partner? Any parent or sibling?¡± Olivia stood there pitifully like a child whose parents skipped the Parent¨CTeacher Conference. That was when Keith came forward and announced, ¡°I¡¯m family. I¡¯ll sign her forms.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Olivia shot Keith a grateful look, and he nodded at her in acknowledgment before turning around to help her with the hospitalization matters. The nurse patiently exined the process to her, ¡°Ms. Fordham, you will need to receive treatment over the long term. We will inject the chemo drugs into your body each time, but all the injections and the drugs will further harm your veins. ¡°In some serious cases, you will experience exosmosis. Just so you know, the drugs used are corrosive. To avoid thoseplications, we¡¯d rmend inserting a medical port in your arm. We usually insert the port in advance to make sure that the drugs travel through your veins and into your organs.¡± She continued, ¡°The good thing is that the nurses won¡¯t struggle to find your veins down the road¡ªit¡¯s convenient and safe. But on the flip side, you can¡¯t lift heavy weights with this arm in the future.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia agreed with the nurse and went under a minor surgery to insert the port in her arm. As she was allergic to anesthetics, she turned down anesthesia. When the de slit through her thin skin, she merely frowned without so much as making a sound. The doctor couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see someone who can take the pain.¡± To that, she sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I have anyone who would care if I was hurt anyway.¡± The conversation brought her back to a year ago when she had to undergo emergency surgery after falling into the water and suffering prematurebor. Even after she was given anesthetics, she could vividly sense the pain when the de sliced through her abdomen. That day, she fainted from the excruciating pain, only to wake up to the same sensation. Throughout the ordeal, her screams fell on deaf ears because Ethan chose to stay guard in front of Marina¡¯s delivery room. From then on, she learned not to make a sound even when she was in pain. The second day after chemo, she was besieged by an array of side effects. It was Keith who helped her to get discharged. Even the short distance from the inpatient department to the underground garage made her gasp for breath, resulting in multiple breaks in between. Any slight movement would make her dizzy and nauseous, and all her energy seemed to seep away. Keith sighed and got down on his knees to scoop her into his arms. Panicking, she rejected his help, ¡°Keith, don¡¯t¡ª¡± This time, he sternly insisted on helping. ¡°Your body is weak now. If you refuse my help, I will have no choice but to call your family for your safety. And right now, Ethan Miller is your only family who could drop by. Am I right?¡± It was an absurd situation. Without the signed divorce papers, Ethan remained legally her spouse and the only family member who could take care of her. ¡°Don¡¯t let him know about my condition.¡± Olivia was already a mess. Ethan would only feel gleeful upon hearing about her diagnosis. Thest thing she wanted was to beughed at. Keith cautiously saw her back to her apartment and advised her, ¡°Olivia, you need a caretaker. You can¡¯t even take care of your meals now.¡± She nodded. ¡°I know. My friend¡¯s going to return from abroad. She¡¯ll take care of me. Keith, you still need to work your shift, don¡¯t you? I shouldn¡¯t take up too much of your time.¡± He checked his wristwatch and agreed it was about time to head back to work since he had some major surgeries scheduled. He gave her a few words of advice before leaving. After he left, Oliviay in her bed alone as she grappled with the indescribable pain. She felt pain in every inch of her body. As she fought her dizzy vision, her abdomen roiled, and she was suffering from nausea. Even the wound on her arm was thudding in dull pain. Hellish was the only word she could describe it with. To her dismay, the only person she missed was Ethan. Back when she was suffering from acute appendicitis, he rushed her to the hospital in the middle of heavy snow. Still fussy and squeamish, she cried when she was wheeled into the operating theater, but he held her hand tightly and followed her into the room. In the end, the doctor performed the surgery under Ethan¡¯s gaze. This many yearster, and she still recalled his expression when he soothed her. He said to her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± After the surgery for her appendicitis, she could not walk for a month. Ethan was next to her the entire time and was attentive to all her needs. Yearster now, he was with another woman, taking care of the children she bore for him. Olivia had to repeatedly remind herself of his infidelity and his cruelty to forget all the lovely memories she had of him. Fighting the debilitating pain, she stumbled down the bed and gritted her teeth, telling herself that she could do this. She would not let death get in the way of her pursuit of the truth. Her tears fell onto the pasta she took out to boil. The worst pain wasn¡¯t physical¡ªit was the pain that he had inflicted on her. It felt like thousands of des were cutting through her body, and the pain was suffocating. For three whole days, she writhed in pain on her bed. When she woke up on the fourth morning, she was d to find that the pain had decreased, and her nausea seemed to have died down a little. Suddenly, she heard someone drawing the window curtains. It was Keith, who had regrly dropped by after work to take care of her. He brought some fresh produce and a bag of chips that she had been craving. His ck wool coat was a little damp when he showed up in a hurry. Even his hair was a little moist. When he lowered his gaze to check on her, she spotted a snowke in his thick and longshes. ¡°Is it snowing?¡± she muttered feebly. He nodded. ¡°Yeah, it snowed for the whole night yesterday. When you feel better in a few days, we¡¯ll go check out the snow.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯m not in much pain today.¡± Olivia sat up in bed, all huddled up in her thick pajamas. However, she was devastated to see a bunch of hair on her pillow when she turned around. Even when she had cut her hair short to prepare for this moment, she was taken aback by the sight. She hurriedly pulled her nket to cover the pillow to avoid exposing the sad and embarrassing truth. A little floored, she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll wash up.¡± Keith had seen countless cancer patients who found it harder to cope with the loss of dignity than death itself. ¡°Sure, take your time.¡± She shut the bathroom door and stared into her sickly face in the mirror. A chunk of hair easily fell out when she pulled on it tentatively. As a youngdy in her prime years, she felt grim when she witnessed the hair loss. Before she knew it, she¡¯d lose all her hair. That was when Olivia decided she had to finalize the divorce as soon as possible. It would be a nightmare to meet up with Ethan to settle the divorce after she went bald. Finally, she switched on her phone and, ignoring the piling messages, went on to call Ethan. Little did Olivia know that he had been searching high and low for her in the past few days. She did not even have to wait more than three seconds for him to pick up. She could hear his seething voice from the other end. ¡°Olivia Fordham, where the fuck were you?¡± Ethan had tried to locate her for four full days. Instead of exining herself, Olivia said to him with urgency, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ll wait for you at the City Hall in an hour. I don¡¯t want to drag this out. Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Before the meeting, Olivia put on some makeup for a healthierplexion. Looking at the flurry of snow out there, she wrapped herself up inyers of clothes for warmth. After chemo, her physical functions, which included her immune system, had deteriorated, and her body was as brittle as ss. She had to test herplete blood count for the ratio between her red and white blood cells every two days. If the ratio dipped below average, she would need to take medicine to boost it. Otherwise, her life would be in danger if she caught any illness because of how she was immunpromised. She¡¯d rather be safe than sorry and pick warmth over style. After touching the thinned hair at the back of her head, she carefully put on a ck beanie. Keith wasn¡¯t keen about Olivia going out and protested, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re not in a condition to leave home. You did theplete blood count test yesterday, and your ratio is below average. As your leading physician, I¡¯m responsible for your health.¡± Olivia pleaded with misty eyes, ¡°Keith, no one wants to show up in front of an ex looking miserable. I just want to part ways with him when I still look decent.¡± He recalled the furtive manner she hid the hair on her pillow and sighed. ¡°Just stay warm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only finalizing the divorce. It¡¯ll be quick.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off.¡± This time around, she did not turn down his help. She was too preupied with getting the divorce done as soon as possible. Checking her messages in the car, she came across one from Everly, whose boyfriend flew home in an attempt to save the rtionship and even made a scene at her workce. Everly had no choice but to take a long leave to avoid his harassment. That exined why she was nowhere to be seen for the past few days. Much to Olivia¡¯s surprise, Ethan sent her a bunch of text messages as well, and in some of them, he resorted to threatening her with Jeff¡¯s wellbeing if she did not reply to him. She dismissed his actions as his urgency in seeking a divorce, which she¡¯d soon grant him. At the same time, the private detective Lee Coover did his job and sent files he¡¯d organized to Olivia. The information showed that Jeff had been very close with Jodie Ferguson because he spent a third of his time meeting up with her monthly. Surveince footage captured him staying the night at Jodie¡¯s ce frequently. Not only that, he transferred money to her on multiple asions and even registered a car worth a million dors under her name. Olivia was rather disturbed by the information. The interest that Jeff showed in Jodie and the amount of money he sent her were inappropriate. It was odd for a wealthy middle-aged man to show such concern for a female who was young enough to be his daughter. On one hand, Olivia acknowledged that Jeff, who did not remarry, needed his needs met after her mom abandoned them, and she never questioned him on that. Just like other children, she revered her dad. Even when she knew that Jeff had his desires, she couldn¡¯t picture him sleeping with that young woman. From then on, her opinion of him changed a little. Since Jodie was dead and Jeff was in aa, Olivia had no choice but to assume they were lovers. Given that Jeff had always been kind and generous, he must have cared for and doted on Jodie, who was way younger than him. Logically, he wouldn¡¯t have hurt the youngdy. If so, why would Ethan want revenge against the Fordhams? Lee proved his capability with the extensive information he gathered within three days. Olivia paid part of the deposit and asked him to look into Jodie¡¯s cause of death. After staring at the phone for a while, she felt a little nauseous, her head filled with images of the surveince footage. Before this, she had faith in her dad¡¯s moral character, but after viewing the footage, she started having doubts. The city had been enveloped in snow, where darkness lurked underneath the pristine sheet of white. When they arrived at the City Hall, Keith pulled over and held the car door for her, like the gentleman he was. In his eyes, she wasn¡¯t doing much better than she was days ago; she was as fragile as a porcin doll. ¡°Be careful now. Go slow. The streets are slippery, so be on a lookout so that you don¡¯t slip.¡± Olivia shed him a grateful smile. ¡°Keith, you¡¯re fussing over nothing. I will be careful because I want to stay alive, more than anyone else.¡± At least, she wanted to hang on until she arrived at the truth. Letting go of his hand, she turned around and immediately locked eyes with a man seated in a ck car across the street. Ethan¡¯s piercing gaze was fixed on her hand that was held by Keith moments ago. The death stare sent a shiver down her spine, for she knew what he was capable of. Even if he hated her, he would never allow another man to touch her. That was why she refused Keith¡¯s offer to help. Sensing Ethan¡¯s burning gaze on her back, she hurriedly dismissed Keith, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a surgery to perform? I¡¯ll get a cab home when I¡¯ve settled the divorce. You should leave.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush. The surgery is in the afternoon. I¡¯m worried about leaving you alone.¡± Panicked, she put on a sour face. ¡°I¡¯m not rted to you in any way. Aren¡¯t you worried that people might gossip about us if you keep helping me out?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have helped you if I were concerned about gossip.¡± ¡°Well, I am. Keith, even if my rtionship with Ethan has ended, I am still legally married to him. I don¡¯t want to be the center of gossip. Please leave me alone. My life is none of your business in the first ce.¡± Then, she left him behind with an air of indifference. Although Keith came from a family of doctors that were quite notable in the city, the Rogers were no match for the Millers. Olivia didn¡¯t want to cause a misunderstanding, which might result in Ethan giving Keith trouble. Feeling frustrated at her abrupt departure, Keith thought over her words. She wasn¡¯t wrong. He did not have the right to stay by her side. It wasn¡¯t until he left that he noticed an ultra-luxurious car parked by the street, and he instantly put the pieces together. Smiling helplessly, he understood that Olivia, still deep in love with Ethan, did not want to cause a misunderstanding. He turned the steering wheel and left the scene. Meanwhile, in the ck car, Kelvin felt a pair of eyes staring at his nape. He was too afraid to turn around and take a look. He jolted in his seat when Ethan let out a scoff, and he stammered, ¡°M-Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°What an eyesore.¡± Kelvin was close to tears when he heard the remark. ¡°I¡¯ll get out of the car and let Brent take over.¡± Seated beside Kelvin, Brent red at his obtuse little brother before giving Ethan a slight nod. ¡°Noted on that, Mr. Miller.¡± With that, Ethan left the car and walked into the flurry of snow. Kelvin smacked himself on the head when he realized that Ethan¡¯s remark was for Keith. Standing in front of the City Hall, Olivia looked at the man who approached her with fear. Ethan¡¯s ck coat stood out in the snow. His good-looking features were blurred by the torrent of snow. The sight of him made her nervous. He came closer and confronted her. ¡°Are you getting a divorce because of that man?¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Olivia lifted her head with a sarcastic smile on her lips. ¡°What a smart question. Did you forget that you were the one who wanted a divorce?¡± He ignored her jibe and inched closer with a threatening air. ¡°Were you with him for the past few days?¡± At the close distance, she noticed the iciness in his bloodshot eyes, and his face contorted into an aggressive scowl. She tly denied, ¡°No. He dropped me off because it was hard to get a cab on a snowy day.¡± Ethan smirked. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t you know that you always stare upward when you¡¯re lying? You haven¡¯t changed that habit at all. Did you suddenly agree to the divorce after one year of dragging your feet, all because of that man? Did you vanish and leave behind your dad because of him too?¡± Olivia did not bother to cook up an excuse, knowing that it¡¯d only be an insult to Ethan¡¯s intelligence and make herself look guilty. She swiftly steered the topic of conversation, ¡°That¡¯s not important. Let¡¯s get the divorce over with.¡± He grasped her wrist to stop her. Even though he didn¡¯t use force, she felt the pain shooting through her arm, causing her to frown at him. There was a streak of madness in his face. He hissed coldly, ¡°I thought that a divorce was the best punishment for you, but I have changed my mind.¡± Caught by surprise, she blurted out, ¡°What did you say?¡± He gave her a wicked look. ¡°I don¡¯t want a divorce now.¡± He brushed his slender fingers across her cheeks. ¡°Mrs. Miller, does that make you happy?¡± She would have been happy if he had brought her the news half a month ago. After learning the truth, she merely felt sick at his touch. ¡°Let go of me! Ethan, I want a divorce right now!¡± He lifted her without much difficulty. She was averse to his embrace, which was once her safe haven. ¡°Let me go! Ethan Miller, are you crazy?¡± Putting aside the gender difference in strength, she was too weak from chemo to fight against him. Olivia struggled while he ced her in the backseat of the car, and by the end of it, she looked like she just had an intense workout. Panting, she confronted him, ¡°Ethan, what exactly do you want?¡± ¡°What do I want?¡± Ethan loosened his tie, a mocking look in his eyes. ¡°Well, I want you to live in hell. Did you think I was stupid enough to set you free just for you to date another man? I underestimated you. You swore you¡¯d never sign the divorce papers, but in no time, you started dating another man. Are you this thirsty?¡± Already grappling with a headache, Olivia felt a heartache upon hearing the insult. Biting her lips, she fired back, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want a divorce too? Why are you acting up when I want to make it happen? You were the one who had an affair first. Why would you care if I want to date someone else?¡± Soon, she felt him lifting her chin, telling her with indifference, ¡°Everyone in the world deserves happiness, just not you. Got it?¡± She looked into his wintry eyes that glimmered with threat. Then, she heard him muttering the brutal words, ¡°I have the final say in our divorce.¡± When Ethan bent over her, the loose tie around his shoulders hung by both sides of her cheeks. Olivia noticed that his exquisite wool coat was perfectly smooth. He went about with his arrogant demeanor as though the people around him were nobodies. Very soon, she would bear witness to his arrogance. When their car weaved its way out of the barriers, she spotted a long queue of cars on the opposite side of the road. At the head of the traffic jam was a Porsche Cayenne that had crashed into the divider. Wasn¡¯t that Keith¡¯s car? Olivia paled when she learned that Keith had gotten into a crash right after dropping her off. She screamed desperately, ¡°Stop!¡± Kelvin was smart enough not to stop the car for her. Instead, he ignored her screaming and drove on. When she attempted to force the door open, Ethan yanked her by the wrist, and she fell into his arms. He mumbledzily, ¡°Why? Do you feel bad for him?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Keith is only paying close attention to Dad at the hospital because we¡¯re alumni! There¡¯s nothing between us. Why did you do that to him?¡± He slowly brushed his fingertips against her cheek and said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because ¡­ the more upset you are, the happier it makes me.¡± Olivia clutched weakly onto Ethan¡¯s shirt despite her rage. She tried to keep her focus and exined, ¡°Ethan, my dad sponsored Jodie¡ªno, Leia¡¯s studies. Even if they had a rtionship, I don¡¯t believe that Dad would hurt her.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression fell at the mention of Leia. The smirk on his face instantly turned into anger as he carelessly pushed her away. ¡°You have no right to speak her name!¡± Olivia felt her back ramming into the hard car door. Already feeble, she now felt like she was about to fall apart. She slumped in the corner, enduring the stabbing pain in her body. There were no more fight left in her to argue with him, so she closed her eyes and calmed herself down to reduce the pain. Curling up in her seat, she felt thankful for putting on some blush and lipstick before leaving home to hide her sicklyplexion. Meanwhile, Ethan merely took Olivia¡¯s silence as anger. He finally left her alone, but he struggled to calm down. When they arrived at the Miller residence, she was too frail to move. Once Ethan was gone, Kelvin opened the car door and whispered, ¡°Mrs. Miller, are you feeling unwell?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Before she could deny it, Ethan haughtily mocked her, ¡°It¡¯s an old trick. Did you think I¡¯d feel bad for you if you acted like you were sick?¡± In the past year, Olivia had indeed attempted to gain his sympathy by acting weak. As a result, she had be the boy who cried wolf. Ethan did not have the patience to wait for her and threatened, ¡°You¡¯d better get out now, or I¡¯ll take it out on the Rogers family.¡± Olivia had just texted Keith but received no response, leaving her in the dark about the extent of his injury. She gritted her teeth and got out of the car. When she stepped on the ground, she was instantly attacked by the biting cold. She felt her legs giving away, and she tumbled over. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Thankfully, Olivia did not fall over because Kelvin pulled her at thest minute. She noticed Ethan standing not far away, apathetic. He was unconcerned about her condition. But again, he might have mistaken her action as an attempt to gain his pity. Given his hatred toward her, she wouldn¡¯t expect him to care. It was Kelvin who inquired with concern, ¡°Mrs. Miller, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s probably low blood sugar.¡± Olivia hurriedly made up an excuse before following behind Ethan. The garden was covered in white after a night of snowing. The housekeepers were nowhere to be found, so no one was there to clear the snow. The short walk from the car to the house made her pant. Fighting against the wind and snow, Olivia craved the warmth indoors. Ethan stood by the door with a smirk on his face. ¡°I have to give it to you. Your acting has improved.¡± Back then, in order to keep him by her side, Olivia had used up all ideas, including crying and throwing threats, which she never thought she¡¯d resort to. She felt the irony in Ethan¡¯s remark, but instead of exining herself, she chuckled. ¡°Thanks.¡± She coldly walked around him to get indoors and immediately felt better, thanks to the warmth. Taking off the thick padded jacket, she poured herself a ss of water and leaned softly into the couch. ¡°So, are you getting a divorce or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯m getting a divorce. You will live here for now.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She sat there with a calm look on her face while toying with the hanging pom poms on her beanie. ¡°Ethan, you asked for a divorce on the seventh day after my preterm birth. Your urgency puzzled me for a while, but I finally got it after I came across that kid who looked like you. You wanted to leave me as soon as possible to start a family with Marina.¡± With a quiver in her voice, Olivia went on, ¡°For one year, I stubbornly put aside your coldness and your betrayal by reminding myself of how good you had treated me in the past. I thought keeping a woman was just a phase you were going through and that I would always be your wife. ¡°I even thought that you had an affair because I wasn¡¯t good enough. So, I was ready to change for you, and I was willing to overlook your mistakes. Come to think of it now, I was an utter idiot. When you were enjoying family time with another woman and your kids, I was hopelessly waiting for you in a lonely home. ¡°It took me a year to ept the reality and my foolishness. That¡¯s why I¡¯m letting you go. Seek your happiness or start your new family; it¡¯s none of my business.¡± Olivia stood up and stumbled her way toward him, tears sliding down her cheeks. She stopped in front of him and examined the calmness he exhibited. Seated upright and expressionless, he had an imposing air about him, as though he was a strict homeroom teacher who¡¯d fly into a rage at any time. In the past, he only reserved his coldness toward outsiders and treated her with tenderness. Before she knew it, she had be an outsider to him. There was no reason to cling to him anymore. With her head hanging low, Olivia spoke with a rare despair, ¡°We should let go of each other. How does that sound?¡± He felt a little sorry upon hearing the plea, and he noted the exhaustion in her expression, just like a solid dam that had given way after many years of enduring the raging waters. It crumbled into pieces, falling apart and vanishing into the floods. Giving up was way easier than staying one¡¯s ground. No one knew how long she had withstood the challenges before she gave up on her faith. Olivia was right, though. Ethan wanted a divorce as revenge and also to legalize the status of his out- of-wedlock children. Ethan was surprised to find that he wasn¡¯t as happy as he expected when Olivia gave up on him after a year. ¡°Giving up on you? Dream on! You will be staying here from today. Remember, you¡¯re mine forever!¡± Olivia¡¯s tears dripped onto Ethan¡¯s face, which made him affected by her sadness. Frustrated, he took out his phone and showed her the photo of Keith in an ambnce. ¡°If you stay in touch with him, his family will meet the same fate soon. Olivia, you¡¯d better forget about living a free life.¡± ¡°You jerk! You should¡¯vee at me! Why did you hurt Keith?¡± Olivia wanted to p him, but he grabbed her wrist. With a nasty look in his eyes, he growled, ¡°You sure care a lot for him. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re still Mrs. Miller as long as we aren¡¯t divorced.¡± ¡°I ¡­¡± Before Olivia could say a thing, she was scooped into Ethan¡¯s arms. He was blinded by anger as he threw her onto the bed. Thankfully, shended on the soft, custom-designed bed she had ordered and did not get hurt. Still, she could see stars after being rough-handled. Feeling sick, she slumped onto the bed and stared at him with fear. He loosened his tie impatiently, seemingly possessed by demons. Then, he came to her with a cruel smile. ¡°Liv, you were with him for a few days, weren¡¯t you? Did he get intimate with you?¡± He sounded more perverted when he mentioned her nickname, which he hadn¡¯t been using for a while. Goosebumps appeared over her skin. Ethan was like a shackled beast, ready to break free and lurch at her at any time. She shook her head and exined, ¡°We¡¯re just friends. Our rtionship isn¡¯t as filthy as you implied.¡± ¡°Filthy? Hah!¡± Ethan snickered and dragged Olivia by the feet. She fought against the sickness in her body and struggled to break free, but they were like David and Goliath. Little did she know that Ethan hadn¡¯t slept well for a few days because he had been searching high and low for her. Driven by hatred, he desperately needed to release his pent-up emotions. He took off her shoes and socks. After a year without sex between them, he felt an uncontroble desire rising in him, which was reflected in his eyes. Olivia knew that look too well and begged him with a shaky tone, ¡°No, Ethan. You can¡¯t ¡­¡± Chapter 19 Ethan could easily crush Olivia''s dainty ankle in his grasp. He bent over her and slowly inched closer. Her terrified face and her aversion only fueled his desires. RCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Her heart pumping wildly, she roared at him fearfully and furiously, "Keep your filthy paws off me! I don''t want you touching me after you''ve slept with another woman!" However, he quickly shut her up with a kiss. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head relentlessly to free herself. His hand traveled under her neck to hold the back of her head, forcing her to look up at him and receive the punishing kiss. His crisp breath was sickening to her, especially when she remembered that he might have kissed Marina before this. Olivia mustered all her energy to shove him away and started heaving by the bed. When she was done, she noticed Ethan ring at her with a grudgeful look. She said unflinchingly, "I told you not to touch me. You''re filthy! Ethan was simmering in anger. Olivia''s puking was an instant turn-off, and he left to take a call that had juste in. Soon, Madam Burgess rushed into the room to clean the mess. She felt sorry at the sight of an exhausted Olivia. "Hello, Mrs. Miller." Olivia greeted her feebly, "Madam Burgess, it''s been a while." "Indeed. Thest time we met each other was a year ago when Mr. Miller moved... By the way, what happened to you and Mr. Miller? He was so nice to you before. I''ve never seen him so attentive to any other women." Oliviay limply on the bed and stared at the starlights on the bedroom ceiling. Ethan had set it up to mimic a starry sky at night. Back in the good days, he would take all herments to heart. It was a stark contrast to the present day, where he''d use her of ying the victim for attention. She mumbled, "Oh, would I like to know too ..." Madam Burgess sighed. "I can tell that Mr. Miller still cares for you even when he''s doting on his mistress. He mighte homete, but he never spent the night at that vixen''s ce." That caught Olivia by surprise. After all, the media had repeatedly reported on Ethan leaving Collington Cove in the morning. Did he not stay the night? Soon, sheughed at her na?ve thinking. It didn''t matter if he stayed the night at Marina''s because the couple already had kids together. "Mrs. Miller, married couples fight all the time, but they get over it soon. Why don''t you take a step back? A couple shouldn''t be holding grudges. I ..."R As an outsider, Madam Burgess would never fully understand theplexity of Olivia''s rtionship with Ethan. He had a long -time grudge against her, and she resented him more than she loved him. Even without Marina''s presence, their marriage wouldn''t havested. But deep down, Olivia knew that Madam Burgess was being kind. She then collected herself and got out of bed. "I''ll wash up. "Okay, Mrs. Miller." Olivia went into the bathroom and scrubbed the ces where Ethan had touched her. She even carefully cleaned her hair which had gone unwashed for days. When she saw the amount of hair that fell out, she sat in a corner, hugging her knees and looking lost. 15 Finally, she picked up the hair on the floor with napkins and disposed of them when she heard Madam Burgess outside the bathroom. She would hate for Ethan to find out about her diagnosis. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 By keeping her diagnosis a secret, Olivia was making a bet with herself. If Ethan still loved her, she¡¯d turn her death into her revenge against him. Even when she was dying, she wanted to make sure that he carried the guilt with him forever. However, if Ethan did not love her anymore, it would be pointless to inform him about her diagnosis. Not only would she humiliate herself, but it¡¯d also give Marina a goodugh. With that in mind, Olivia left the bathroom and went downstairs. Madam Burgess hadid out a feast with many of her favorite types of food. Olivia invited Madam Burgess to dine with her. Thedy wiped her hands on her apron and served Olivia some soup. ¡°Here¡¯s some fruit soup that Mr. Miller specifically asked me to make for you. I told you that he still cares about you, didn¡¯t I?¡± The dishes were a little on the heavier and spicier side than what Olivia preferred. She erred toward the opposite of Ethan¡¯s pte, who preferred nd dishes. In the past, they always had different dishes for their meals to amodate their different taste buds. Now that she was ill, she could no longer take heavy foods. ¡°Mrs. Miller, why aren¡¯t you eating? I¡¯m sure that my cooking is as good as before. When Mr. Miller has his meals at home, he¡¯d ask me to make food with a little more spice.¡± Olivia shot her a surprised nce because she knew that Ethan couldn¡¯t handle spicy food. Madam Burgess must have read Olivia¡¯s mind since she exined, ¡°That¡¯s why I said he still cares about you. Even when he¡¯s not living with you, he wants me to make your favorite food. Back then, you had to force¨Cfeed him spicy food, but now, he eats them on his own. ¡°It was tough for him at first, I have to admit. He always choked on the spice and had to chug a whole gallon of water. But his spice tolerance has gone uptely.¡± Oh, the irony of it all! Ethan ended up trying spicy foods, which she had to give up because of her illness. Perhaps, that was why they would never make a good pair. She dropped the topic and pestered Madam Burgess until thetter lent her a phone. Thankfully, she memorized Keith¡¯s number. She quickly keyed in the number. A wave of relief washed over her when she heard his voice. It would be her fault if something bad happened to him. When Keith was greeted with silence, he cautiously prodded, ¡°Olivia?¡± The car crash came out of nowhere, and he had pretty much pieced together the reason behind it. ¡°It¡¯s me. Keith, I¡¯m sorry I got you into trouble.¡± A hint of excitement crawled into Keith¡¯s tired voice. ¡°Were you being hard on me when we were at City Hall because you didn¡¯t want to get me into trouble?¡± She struggled to understand what he was getting at. ¡°Keith, I couldn¡¯t call you because my phone was confiscated. How¡¯s your injury?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I wasn¡¯t hurt thanks to the airbag. Is he keeping you hostage? Do you want me to make a police report?¡± ¡°He and I are legally married. There¡¯s no way to report him for taking me hostage. Keith, I really appreciate what you¡¯ve done for me, but you don¡¯t need to worry about me anymore.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Today¡¯s crash was a warning from him. I know you¡¯re just being nice to me, but I¡¯m not worth that sacrifice. I feel more relieved now that I know you¡¯re safe. Well, goodbye for now.¡± Olivia quickly hung up, leaving Keith grinning foolishly on the other end. He was d to know that she had directed the harsh remarks at him out of concern for his safety, not because she still loved Ethan. After returning the phone to Madam Burgess, Olivia retired to the bedroom to rest. After falling asleep, she was woken up by the sound of the door closing. She picked up the pungent smell of alcohol that made her sick in her stomach. Before she could say a word, Ethan had thrown his jacket on the floor. She felt a weight on the bed, followed by his slurred whisper. ¡°Darling, I¡¯m home¡­¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 It had been so long since he called her ¡°darling.¡± Hearing that stunned Olivia, and shey still in a daze. She didn¡¯t know how much he had drunk to get to this state. He was behaving as if they hadn¡¯t argued. He pulled Olivia into his armis. Enclosed in the heat of his familiar embrace, Olivia almost could not control herself. Struggling to remain rational, she reached out to push him away but Ethan stopped her, took her hand, and brought it to his lips. His warm lips gently brushed the back of her hand as he muttered, ¡°Where did you go? I looked for you for so long.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. It seemed that she was set to spend all the tears she had that year. Fighting her tears, she asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who pushed me away?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Ethan held her tighter, drunkenly kissing the back of her ear. ¡°The person I love the most in my life is you. How could 1 bear to push you away?¡± Pushing him away, she said, ¡°Ethan, take a good look at who I am.¡± The lights were off and the curtains were drawn. Under the faint illumination from the yard, Ethan noticed that her eyes glistened with tears. ¡°Are you tired? Did I just wake you up?¡± he asked. He lowered himself and gently kissed away her tears, murmuring, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Liv. I will kill anyone who dares toe near you!¡± His child¨Clike threat only made Olivia cry even harder. She didn¡¯t know how much he had drunk to end up like this. If he was even a little bit sober, he wouldn¡¯t forget how much he hated her, let alone speak to her like that. Olivia buried her head in his embrace. Sniffling and trembling, she asked, ¡°Ethan, what would you do if I were dead?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Everyone dies. Everyone born into this world ages and eventually falls sick before dying. No one can escape that.¡± ¡°Well, then I will die with you. We will enter eternal slumber together and beid to rest at the same ce.¡± Smiling helplessly, Olivia tightly held onto his shirt. ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll celebrate with fireworks and marry someone else the moment I pass on.¡± Ethan was displeased to hear that. He sat up, grabbed her hand, and ced it on his bare chest under his shirt, his skin flush against her palm. His heart was beating fast, like a drum. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Although Ethan was intoxicated, he began to speak seriously, ¡°Do you hear it? It¡¯s beating for you. If you die, so will my heart. With tears in her eyes, Olivia nodded. ¡°I hear it.¡± His palm crept to her waist, startling Olivia. Without warning, Ethan¡¯s body pressed against hers. As he nted another drunken kiss on her, his usual aloof behavior was nowhere in sight. ¡°Liv, let¡¯s make a baby.¡± A baby? Olivia¡¯s tears streamed even harder down her face. Feeling her trembling under him, Ethan was frightened and hurriedly wiped away her tears. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t cry. I don¡¯t want you to. I only want you to be well. Stop crying!¡± He held her trembling body tightly in his arms, patiently soothing her over and over again. Olivia clung to his clothes, pressing her head against his chest. Her tears wet his shirt as she softly moaned his name, ¡°Ethan ¡­ Ethan¡­¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Why did things have to turn out like that? Olivia wanted to return to the carefree life she had two years ago. ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here,¡± he repeated tirelessly. Olivia knew that his tenderness would onlyst a fleeting moment, and she should keep a distance from him. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help wanting to hold onto that tiny, remaining shred of his warmth. She wondered how good everything would be if he were still himself. When Ethan woke up at dawn, he felt someone in his arms before even opening his eyes. Despite all the alcohol he hadst night, he figured that nothing would happen to him. His alcohol tolerance was high and he had great self¨Ccontrol. He didn¡¯t dare to open his eyes. He had a splitting headache and no recollection of what had happened the night before. It was only after mentally preparing himself that he gave in and opened his eyes. Upon seeing Olivia in his arms, he sighed with relief. However, upon recalling their current situation, he had the urge to shove her off of him. Just as he was about to withdraw his arm, his gaze suddenly fell on Olivia¡¯s face, and he stopped. When was thest time he had quietly looked at her like that? All of their recent exchanges had been filled with tension. Without any makeup on, her fair, snowy skin glowed. She was a little too pale. She could even be described as deathly pale. Olivia slept on his arm with her body curled up in a ball, defensively. In the past, her limbs would be entangled with his. A self¨Cdeprecating smile appeared on Ethan¡¯s lips as her bodynguage indicated that she no longer trusted him. At the thought of that, an inexplicable me of anger ignited within Ethan and he forcefully yanked his arm away. Olivia hurriedly opened her eyes. She was confused as she took her surroundings in. Her gaze was innocent and beautiful, like that of a kitten. The moment her gaze fell on Ethan¡¯s face, however, her expression shifted. ¡°You got drunk and you had your hands all over me,¡± she used. Just like that, the beautiful moment they shared embracing each other was gone. With a stern expression, Ethan replied, ¡°I know. Had I been sober, I wouldn¡¯t have even touched you.¡± To escape the awkward situation, Ethan took his clothes and headed to the bathroom, while Olivia quickly tidied up the hair scattered all over the bed after he closed the door. Ethan buttoned his shirt furiously, as he regretted exining why he had held her while she was sleeping. They were still husband and wife, so it should not have even been an issue. After thinking it over, he realized that he could have handled the situation better. When he was about to throw his old shirt into theundry basket, he felt strands of hair along his arm. If it were just a single strand of hair, he wouldn¡¯t have paid much attention to it. But scattered all over his arm were at least 20 strands of hair based on his rough estimation. When Olivia still had long hair, she oftenined about her hair loss, trying various shampoos but seeing no results. She even joked that she would be bald one day. At that time, mischievous as she was, she jumped on his back and teased, ¡°If I be bald, would you ever consider bing a monk?¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes flickered. Was her hair loss really that severe? ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. I¡¯m just sick¡­¡± she had said. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Thinking of her pale face and her recent, tearful exnation, Ethan abruptly opened the door and stormed toward the bed. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 The bathroom door forcefully flew open, startling Olivia, who was picking up thest strands of her hair. Watching him nervously, she said, ¡°Hey-¡± Before She could finish, her eyes were attacked by the sight of Ethan¡¯s bare, muscr chest. Even though they had spent countless nights together in the past, it made her ufortable after not seeing him for over a year. She quickly averted her gaze. Soon, the shadow he cast and his unique scent enveloped her as he approached. Olivia instinctively cowered and stared at him warily. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Ethan slowly bent over her, his deep, dark gaze eyes falling upon her as he asked, ¡°You said you were sick. How sick?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know how to feel meeting his inquisitive gaze. His eyes were devoid of mockery, disdain, and aloofness; he genuinely wanted to know about her illness. At this moment, Olivia was conflicted. She suddenly had a thought: if she told Ethan now, would he feel even the slightest bit guilty for what he had done? Sensing her hesitation, Ethan drew nearer, closing the distance between them. His gaze seemed to pierce through her. ¡°Well? I¡¯m waiting,¡± he urged. Olivia was flustered. She felt exceptionally nervous. She began to say, ¡°I-¡± Just then, Ethan¡¯s phone rang. It was a ringtone Ethan had exclusively set for Marina¡¯s calls, which had haunted Olivia for more than a year. When Olivia was still with him, he would rush to Marina without hesitation whenever he heard that ringtone regardless of what he was doing. Olivia still felt anxious whenever she heard that ringtone. Hearing Marina¡¯s exclusive ringtone hit her like a bucket of cold water, leaving her cold from head to toe. She deserved it for not learning her lesson despite getting hurt so many times. When Ethan turned back to Olivia after answering the call, the look in Olivia¡¯s eyes changed. Her conflicted feelings were gone, and in their ce was serenity. She answered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. I had a cold, and I was in the hospital for a few days.¡± Ethan thought of the withered bouquet in their home. He had also assumed that she had a cold when she didn¡¯t return home for those few days. It had been three months since theyst contacted each other after that phone call, and he knew nothing about her hospitalization. It pained him, and he even felt a little guilty. No wonder she had be so much thinner. Ethan opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say. Because of how hostile he had been, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter any words of concern. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, Ethan. We¡¯ve reached the point where we can¡¯t stand the sight of each other anymore. Why are we still holding on to this? Let¡¯s get a divorce. I¡¯m really tired,¡± Olivia said calmly.. It was a bad topic to raise. As soon as it was mentioned, he thought of her smiling at Keith at City Hall. The thought of it made anger burn within Ethan, which spread as quickly as a prairie fire. Each time she asked for a divorce, Ethan knew that she was eager to be with Keith. The answer Olivia received was a cold scoff. Grabbing her chin, he answered, ¡°I decide whether we get a divorce. Since you haven¡¯t reached the point where your current life is worse than death, how can you assume that I will let you go?¡± With that, he whipped her hand off of him and returned to the bathroom, his eyes glowering with hatred. He didn¡¯t see any hair on the bed, so he figured that he was worried for nothing and that she was only focused on getting a divorce. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Olivia found it increasingly difficult to understand him as his temper changed quicker than the weather. He was the one who had demanded a divorce, yet he would fumme whenever she brought up the topic. Had his sister¡¯s death driven him off the edge of sanity? Was he experiencing early andropause? What a hormonal man! Ethan washed up and left, leaving Olivia lying on the bed with her back facing him. Their past affectionate farewells were nowhere to be heard, and the cold m of the door was the only thing that filled the air. Olivia was aware of her weak health, so she didn¡¯t put up much of a fight. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed was Madam Burgess¡® kindness. Equipped with an apron and a spat, she still prepared delicious food for her every day. ¡°I brewed a healthy chicken stew for you, Mrs. Miller. Please eat it,¡± Madam Burgess announced softly. With a gentle smile, Olivia replied, ¡°Please make me some fish chowder too, Madam Burgess.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Looking at the weather outside, Madam Burgess asked, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of snow in the courtyard. Are you not going out to y in the snow, Mrs. Miller? I remember that you used to love ying in the snow with Mr. Miller. Wouldn¡¯t your issues be resolved through a little y?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going out. I¡¯m going to take a nap.¡± With that, Madam Burgess left and closed the door behind her. She found it strange¨COlivia disliked fish and she used to be quite lively. Why had she be so listless and sullen to the point of not stepping out of the bedroom? She assumed that Olivia was throwing a tantrum at Ethan, so she didn¡¯t think too much about it. After a few days¡® rest, Olivia¡¯s difort gradually subsided. Every day, she would consume arge amount of protein and nutrients, which helped to replenish and maintain her white and red blood cell counts. Ethan came back home to rest every night, but they did not speak. They slept with their backs facing each other, separated by the vast expanse of their bed. Olivia couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. A few dayster, her health was much better than it was before. Staring at the sky outside, she figured that he wouldn¡¯t be home anytime soon as the sky was still bright. For the first time, Olivia left the master bedroom and headed to Ethan¡¯s study. As she was entering the password, Madam Burgess called out, Mrs. Miller.¡± It startled Olivia. For the past few days, Madam Burgess had pitied her and lent her phone to Olivia. Hence, Olivia had not lost contact with the outside world, but Lee still didn¡¯t know the cause of Jodie¡¯s death, which spurred Olivia to take a risk and search Ethan¡¯s study. As Madam Burgess approached her, Olivia thought that her n had failed. However, Madam Burgess said, ¡°The lock has been changed, Mrs. Miller. You¡¯ll need to use your fingerprint. Let me help you.¡± Then, Madam Burgess wiped her hands on her apron and ced her finger against the lock on the study door. Olivia was speechless. To Madam Burgess, Olivia and Ethan were just two quarreling youngsters. She didn¡¯t know a thing about the grievances they harbored toward each other.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Anyway, I¡¯ll head back to the kitchen.¡± Olivia entered Ethan¡¯s study and noticed that it was no different from before. He was an organized person, and Olivia knew where he ced all his documents. Soon, she located a safe that contained everything about him and his sister, including childhood photos and toys. It had left a mark on his heart, which Olivia never explored when she was with him. As she entered the password, her heart ached. His password used to be her birthday, but it likely had already been changed to Marina¡¯s birthday. Sheughed at herself as she entered her own birthday. To her surprise, he hadn¡¯t changed it. The password was correct. Olivia opened the door, which revealed many objects inside the spacious safe, including several document folders. At first nce, she saw the words ¡°Cause of Death.¡± Olivia quickly took them out of the safe. She had barely scanned the first few lines when a cold voice asked, ¡°Have you given up on ying nice? Are you resorting to thievery now?¡± Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Engrossed in reading the contents of the document, Olivia was startled by Ethan¡¯s sudden appearance. She dropped the files, which scattered all over the floor. Why had hee back so early? Ethan usually only returned homete at night. Although they were married, she was a little asharned, especially since she knew that Ethan hated it when people schemed behind his back. Olivia swallowed nervously. Her expression was stiff as she said, ¡°Y¨CYou¡¯re back.¡± Ethan was d in a suit and tie, which outlined his tall and slender figure. When his icy gaze fell upon her, Olivia felt like she was trapped in a frozen cer. He stalked toward her, taking wide strides with his long legs as he leisurely took off his zer. Having been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he carried himself with an air of nobility. Although he was merely removing his clothes, Olivia was so frightened that she nearly lost her composure. She wanted to escape, but her legs seemed to be paralyzed. Before she was in a rtionship with Ethan, he was known for being a ruthless, merciless devil. Finally, she understood why everyone was afraid of him. He carried himself with an intimidating, terrifying air. Olivia¡¯s hands and feet were pressed to the ground. With each step he took toward her, she took a step back. Soon, her back was t against the safe, she had no more room to retreat, and Ethan was already kneeling in front of her. ¡°Did you see it?¡± His voice was calm, and she could read no emotions from his eyes. However, Olivia knew that he was calmer when he was especially angry. His eyes were dark as ink, hiding all emotion. Swallowing nervously, Olivia nodded warily before quickly shaking her head. While she had scanned it, she hadn¡¯t finished reading it she had only read part of the autopsy report. Ethan lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. ¡°Do you know why I didn¡¯t want that child?¡± Chewing on her lip, Olivia whispered, ¡°Because of Jodie.¡± The autopsy report stated that Jodie¡¯s true cause of death was not drowning. She had been strangled before being thrown into T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. the water. Another important piece of information was that Jodie was three months pregnant. If she and Jeff really did have a romantic rtionship, that child was most likely Jeff¡¯s. Brushing his finger against her tight lips, he spoke into her ear, ¡°I checked the surveince footage of the obstetrics and gynecology department that Leia was in. Jeff was there too that day.¡± Olivia hurriedly exined, ¡°My parents have been divorced for many years. It¡¯s normal for my father to have needs like that. Even if they were in a romantic rtionship, my father treated her well and never hurt her. My father couldn¡¯t have killed her. ¡± A cold smile appeared on Ethan¡¯s face. It was the first time in a long time that he had discussed Leia¡¯s death with Olivia. ¡°You must see Jeff as a righteous gentleman. He treats you well only because he is your father. Nothing is ck and white in this world, and no one is perfect. You only see what he wants you to see.¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Olivia was dumbfounded. His words struck a chord within her. Ethan was the best example of it. He used to dote on her endlessly, but now he was extremely cruel to her. She couldn¡¯t say he had changed. Instead, he was just showing her a different side of him. Since Ethan was like that, Jeff could be too. Olivia countered weakly, ¡°Well, no matter what happened, he wouldn¡¯t¡­ kill someone.¡± Ethan¡¯s finger gently brushed Olivia¡¯s cheek. He spoke gently as if he was still her lover, but his eyes were devoid of any tenderness. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re so na?ve. Did you also think that I would never leave you?¡± His words cut Olivia¡¯s heart like a knife. It was true that she had thought that he would never change until she saw him holding Marina at the airport. That was when reality pped her in the face. Ethan continued, ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to know the truth. Today is your lucky day. Jeff didn¡¯t want to keep that child, and he didn¡¯t want to give Leia a home. The first three months are the best time for an abortion. On that fateful day, they had another argument. He identally killed Leia, but he soon threw her body into the sea.¡± Ethan¡¯s tight grip on her chin began to hurt. ¡°She was my only sister, whom I loved and cherished since I was a child. If she hadn¡¯t been abducted by human traffickers, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Do you know how tragic her death was? If it wasn¡¯t for the DNA we left behind in the database, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to see her body, let alone the child forming in her womb. How old was she? Why did she have to suffer like this?¡± Olivia broke free from his grip. She was afraid that Ethan, who seemed to be unraveling, would kill her along with himself. Ethan was still lost in his thoughts. ¡°For countless times over the years, I have imagined reuniting with her. But never had I imagined that we would meet again under such circumstances. Liv, have you seen what a body looks like when it¡¯s soaked in seawater for half a month?¡± Despite the hollow look in his eyes, they were filled with sorrow. Olivia had heard from Eugenia how much he had doted on his sister. He had never given up on searching for her over the years. Olivia could understand how he felt when he was reunited with his sister at the morgue. He had someone he cared about, and she also had someone she needed to protect. ¡°Since you discovered her when she was already a corpse, how can you conclude that my father was the one who killed her?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze suddenly changed, shifting from sorrow to aggression. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°If there is no conclusive evidence, do you think I would let go of the person who could have possibly harmed my sister? After Leia¡¯s funeral, I had someone secretly investigate. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have known about the many secrets my dearest father -inw had been hiding.¡± ¡°What secrets?¡± ¡°Do you know how many women your father, whom you see as a proper gentleman, has had over the past ten years? Oh, I know. You will say that it¡¯s normal for a single man in his prime to have needs.¡± Ethan was right; Olivia did think that. Ethan¡¯s next statement shocked her, making her jaw drop. ¡°All the women your father dated are around your age, or even younger than you. While most men prefer young women, no one is as cruel as your father. He put many women through abortions, some more than once. ¡°The most miserable ones among them are now unable to conceive as they had gone through dtation and curettage too many times, and some were infected with gynecological diseases for aborting at such a young age. The most unlucky ones among them ended up with mental health issues andmitted suicide.¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 To olivia, her father was a kind, benevolent man. Besides sponsoring students, he also frequently donated money to charity funds. In all the wysorts, her father was righteous and humble. He was the perfect man. As Oliva knelt on the ground picking up the scattered documents, her face tell as she flipped through the pages. Clearly, than had done thorough research. Even if those women had only been in a rtionship with Jeff for a few days, the evidence was clear. In the span of a decade, Jett had ruined the lives of multiple women, all of whom were innocent, beautiful, It was not difficult to understand. Jett was a handsome man. Despite being middle¨Caged, his regr workouts kept him fit. He was a refined, wealthy, and attractive fatherly figure, which seemed to be a trending archetype. Hence, it was normal that many young girls were attracted to him. However, he seemed to have a thing for those from the countryside or from poor backgrounds. Perhaps it was because they seemed paret as they had yet to be tainted by the world. Ethan confirmed Olivia¡¯s spections. ¡°Do you think he sponsors children from rural areas out of goodwill? He only sees them as his prey. Jett is a patient pretor who takes his time to groom his prey. Those young women admired him since they were children. ¡°When theye to the big city, Jett only needs to treat them a little better for them to be willing to climb into his bed. That¡¯s why oo percent of those he sponsors are females. The remaining 10 percent are males, just to cover up his wicked deeds. Olivia wanted to deny it, but the evidence was right in front of her. It terrified her even more that 60 percent of the female students he sponsored had rtions with him. He would quickly grow tired of them and move on to the next one. Some women couldn¡¯t ept the breakup and tell into depression. Not only that, but they also developed mental illnesses, engaged in self¨Charming behaviors, or evenmitted suicide. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Finally, Olivia¡¯s gaze fell on Leia¡¯s information. She had stayed by Jeff¡¯s side the longest, for a whole year. Their rtionship changed after she became pregnant. Leia wanted to marry him and keep the child, but Jeff refused. Aside from the photos, there was also a video that showed them arguing in a secluded corner of a hospital. On the night Leia disappeared, Jeff had gone to her apartment. In the wee hours of the night, around 2 am, Jeff left with arge suitcase. Leia had a slender, petite figure, so she could be forced into a suitcase. Simr murder cases had been reported before. Since that day, Jodie disappeared, and shortly afterward, her apartment was rented out. All the remaining evidence was gone. After two weeks, fishermen found Leia¡¯s body and reported it. Since Ethan had left his DNA at the police station when his sister went missing, the police contacted him, and through his investigation, they discovered the truth. Olivia looked at the photos scattered all over the ground. They were all women with bright, radiant smiles. Most of them had been abandoned, and several had evenmitted suicide. Some continued their studies but became extremely withdrawn. Olivia¡¯s fingers trembled as she held the photos, her mind filled with memories of her father¡¯s smile. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t cry. I will never abandon you. Even when you¡¯re 80 years old, you¡¯ll still be my little princess. My dear daughter, 1 will always love you.¡± He had given her the best of everything in the world but had hurt other young women. Tears dripped onto Leia¡¯s photo. It was then Olivia finally understood Ethan¡¯s hatred. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 L was as important to Ethan as Jeff was to Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m not denying that he is a good father, but he is definitely not a good person. Underneath that hypocritical facade lies the heart of a devil. Liv, I won¡¯t hide anything from you anymore at this point,¡± Ethan said, down on one knee as he held Olivia¡¯s face in his hands. With a maniacal smile, he continued, ¡°You were once everything to me. I loved you to the point of obsession. However, because you are Jett¡¯s only daughter, the more I loved you, the more I hate you now.¡± Although he was smiling, Olivia felt a chill run down her spine. ¡°On the day I fell into the water with Marina, did you intentionally save her first? Did you want our child to pay for the life of your sister¡¯s child? ¡°Yes, an eye for an eye.¡± Olivia grabbed his cor with both hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Are you crazy? Our child hadn¡¯t even had a chance to see the world yet. What did it do wrong? It was innocent!¡± Tilting his head, he smiled devilishly. ¡°Then what did my sister do wrong? Wasn¡¯t her child innocent too?¡± Olivia looked at Ethan, who now seemed like apletely different person. She knew that he would never get over this. ¡°Ethan, I understand how losing your sister has hurt you- Ethan¡¯s expression shifted, and he yelled, ¡°You don¡¯t understand! No one can truly share my pain! My sister was bom premature and had poor health. She had heart disease. She was the cherished treasure of our entire family, and because of your father, she died so tragically! ¡°She was a beautiful woman, and my day would be ruined if I did anything to tarnish her memory. In the end, she left this world in such an undignified manner.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ethan reached out slowly, gently caressing Olivia¡¯s cheek. ¡°You will never know how I felt when I identified her body. When I removed the white cloth, I was filled with utter despair. Instead of finding out that she was dead and that I¡¯d never see her again, I wish I never found her.¡± Olivia opened her mouth, but couldn¡¯t find the right words. Coming from her, even apologizing to Leia would be disrespectful She finally understood why Ethan had been so emotional and why he had looked at her like that. To prove that it wasn¡¯t Jeff, he must have made a lot of effort. The evidence he had collected proved the love he had for her. He tried to overturn the hypothesis, to clear Jeff¡¯s name. But the truth and evidence only separated them. He had struggled hard, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to live peacefully with her. Even though Leia was already dead, he still wanted to seek revenge for her. Olivia knelt on the ground, gripped his cor, and pressed her forehead against his. ¡°Ethan, you must have been in so much pain. The Fordhams have gone bankrupt, I lost our child, and my father lies unconscious in a hospital bed. Can¡¯t we stop tormenting each other?¡± She hadn¡¯t spoken to him like that for a long time. The sound of her voice caused Ethan to tremble, and a myriad of emotions flooded his heart. With no knowledge of his thoughts, Olivia anxiously waited for an answer. Could they reconcile? She didn¡¯t want him to continue torturing himself every day. After a long time, Ethan slowly lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot as he fought his tears. Brushing her cheek with his coarse fingers, he said, ¡°Liv, you will repay the debt your father owes me.¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Tears streamed down Olivia¡¯s cheeks. She knew that she and Ethan could never go back to how things were before. He had betrayed her and destroyed the Fordhamns, and the Fordhams owed him his sister¡¯s life. Those debts could never be settled. Trying to resolve them would only serve to tighten the knots of their rtionship, suffocating them and leading to an inevitable end. Ethan held her face in his hands, wiping away her tears with his cheeks. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t love me. Hate me instead. t betrayed you, I killed our child, and I can never turn back.¡± She sensed his inner turmoil, but amidst that, she could feel the tenderness he still had for her like a calm oasis in a turbulent desert sandstorm. However, she knew that the oasis would soon be destroyed by the raging winds. Ethan left the room, leaving Olivia behind. Olivia knew that this was their final farewell. When Olivia headed out of the study, Madam Burgess was nowhere to be seen. The kind¨Chearted Madam Burgess had always believed their conflicts to be petty quarrels and had even attempted to mediate between them. In her eyes, Olivia was the singr and rightful Mrs. Miller, hence she was unaware of her grave mistake. Oliviaughed at herself. With Madam Burgess by her side, she never felt lonely in the spacious mansion. It wasn¡¯t until Madam Burgess left that Olivia was hit by the emptiness of the house and the tedium of life. The sky outside was already dark, and there was a pot of chowder Madam Burgess had made waiting in the kitchen. Olivia poured herself some into a bowl. The steam from the pot veiled her face, obscuring her features. Slowing eating, Olivia¡¯s expression was calm. She had found a solution to the exhausting game they were stuck in. ¡°Ethan, I will repay the debt my father owes you,¡± she thought to herself. Instead of undergoing chemotherapy, she decided to enjoy the remaining days of her life. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Having seen Ethan¡¯s pain and turmoil, she was certain that he would no longer be burdened by hatred and his conflicted. feelings upon her death. For Ethan to have a better life, she would just have to give up her own. He would have the beloved wife and a child he had always longed for after she was gone. He would remain a legendary figure in Aldenvine. Aside from the fact that she would be gone, everything would be fine, and that would be wonderful. Olivia suddenly felt the chains binding her loosen, and she realized that she had liberated herself from her own constraints. That night, Ethan didn¡¯t return, and the Miller residence was as silent as death. The next morning, Olivia woke up early for the first time after confining herself to the room for so many days. The rest had greatly improved her spirits, and Madan Burgess had yed a significant role in it too. Under Madam Burgess¡¯s care, Olivia appeared to be healthier. Perhaps the chemotherapy medication was working, as her stomach stopped hurting in the past few days. Olivia changed into appropriate attire and was about to open the door when she saw Brent standing outside with a cold, solemn expression. He respectfully greeted her, ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia smiled at him. ¡°Good morning.¡± Brent was taken aback. Ever since the argument, for the past two years, she was either exhausted or weeping with sorrow whenever he saw Olivia. It had been a long time since he had seen her smile like that. Brent couldn¡¯t bring himself to say what he wanted to say next, so Olivia took the initiative to do it. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Olivia and Ethan couldn¡¯t avoid reality forever. Hence, Ethan had decided topletely give up on her. However, Olivia had also made her own decision. Olivia smiled gently at Erent and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please tell Mr. Miller that I Tegret f.¡± Brent couldn¡¯t understand them. At first, Ethan was determined to divorce, then it was Olivia. Now that Ethan agreed, Olivia changed her mind again. What game were they ying? If it were Kelvin, he would have startedining long ago, but Brent¡¯s expression remained unchanged. With business- likeposure, he answered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Miller. I can¡¯t make the final decision. I hope that you wille with me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. Let¡¯s go,¡± Olivia answered. She had already anticipated that. Hence, she wrapped herself tightly in a scarf before following Brent out the door. Whenever they were about to get divorced, unexpected incidents would ur. This time, however, things went surprisingly smoothly. Even the snowstorm from a few days ago had stopped, and it was now sunny. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After the snowstorm, the temperature remained low despite the bright sunshine. It melted the umted snow on the treetops, causing it to drip down from the branches. When Olivia arrived, Ethan was already waiting there. There was no one else in the hall but him. He was sitting cross¨Clegged with his eyes half¨Cclosed. He looked exhausted and was rubbing his temples. Ethan was weary, but sleep eluded him. When Olivia drew closer to him, she detected the faint scent of alcohol on him. wasn¡¯t a drinker in the past, but now he always had to have alcohol at night. inly, without any warning, two small handsnded on his temples, and with them came a familiar massage technique the scent of hand cream. Opening his eyes, he said, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Olivia hummed back in response. Neither of them spoke further. It felt like time had turned back. In the past, she always soothed him when he was weary. After massaging him for a while, her hands were sore. Since she started chemotherapy, her health was not as good as it was before. As she couldn¡¯t lift her hands any longer, she took a rest. Ethan took out something from his briefcase and pushed it toward Olivia. ¡°I have revised the divorce agreement. If you have any objections, please sign it.¡± Olivia nced at it. The divorce agreement she had drafted before only had one condition: she wanted ten million dors inpensation. The current divorce agreement, on the other hand, was much more extensive. It amounted to a billion dors, part of which was made up of vis, cars, and real estate properties. She chuckled lightly. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re really generous.¡± Instead of looking at her, Ethan lowered his head to nce at his wristwatch. ¡°It¡¯s what you deserve.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what he had been thinking all night, but it was evident that he intended topletely separate himself from her. She couldn¡¯t call him heartless as he was more sentimental than anyone she had ever known. She couldn¡¯t im that he was in love with her either as he had been ruthless to her. Olivia held the pen and crossed out those uses and conditions. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Mr. Miller. As I said, I only need the ten million dors. You¡¯ve given me five million dors. What about the remaining five million?¡± Ethan frowned in dissatisfaction as he looked at her. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t you know what¡¯s good for you?¡± However, Olivia smiled in return. 2.2 ¡°I¡¯m not used to a luxurious life. Although these past two years have been tiring, they¡¯ve also been quite fulfilling. Besides, I didn¡¯t bear you any children, so giving me only this much is not appropriate.¡± Ethan was about to respond, but Olivia suddenly leaned over the table. She ced her hands on the table and leaned closer to him ¡°Ten million dors, and I have one more condition.¡± In the dark depths of his pupils, she could see the reflection of her gentle smile. With a raised eyebrow, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Olivia¡¯s lips formed a stunning smile as she sweetly requested, ¡°Ethan, I want you to keep mepany for three months.¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 The gravity of her smile almost sucked Ethan in, but his rationale quickly pulled him back to reality. He furrowed his brows. He had an unpleasant look on his face as he said, ¡°What trick are you trying to pull, Olivia?¡± Olivia said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to pull anything. I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m giving you three months. After that, you can marry Marina and have a million bables with her for all I care.¡± When that happened, her life would be at its end. She would find somewhere remote and live the rest of her life in peaceful solitude. Ethan saw the determination in her eyes. He felt like didn¡¯t understand Olivia anymore. He thought she was going to hate him, even after they talked it out. He did not expect her to be like this. Ethan coldly red at her. ¡°What if I say no?¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll never sign the divorce papers. I can wait. Your girl and baby can¡¯t,¡± Olivia said as she quirked an eyebrow. She had the usual taunting look on her face. ¡°I¡¯m giving you three months. We¡¯ll sign the divorce papers after then. After that, I¡¯ll leave Aldenvine and nevere back.¡± Ethan sneered. ¡°I know you won¡¯t leave your father behind.¡± She was about to die anyway. Why should she care about anyone else? Olivia replied gently, ¡°The doctor said the chances of my father waking up are very slim. It¡¯s not a bad idea for him to stay if he is going to still be in aa.¡± Maybe when she reached the end of her life, she would ask the hospital to do the same for Jeff and terminate his life support. If she went away first, no one would be there to help him handle his affairs. If Ethan were to one day lose his mind and throw her father¡¯s body into the sea, he would be mangled by the currents. She might not recognize him if she bumped into him in heaven. It was probably a better idea for them to leave the world together. At least the journey wouldn¡¯t be too lonely then. Ethan stayed silent. However, Marina interrupted the conversation. ¡°Ethan, is it done?¡± discussions of divorce had never reached a point of sess. Marina couldn¡¯t sit and wait any longer, so she ed on taking matters into her own hands. This time, she brought her child with her to secure Ethan¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t let anything sway the discussion this time. She was carrying her daughter, an adorable little girl. She didn¡¯t look anything like Ethan, but she was a spitting image of Marina When Olivia noticed the child, she was a little surprised. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. She felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe. If her baby survived, she would be as old as her daughter. She had lost her precious daughter, but Marina was lucky enough to have twins. The girl reached for Ethan. She gurgled, ¡°Ahh, papa carry.¡± Ethan swiftly took the baby in his arms, and Marina stood beside him. She smiled gently at Olivia. ¡°Miss Fordham, Ethan does not love you anymore. Why are you even still here?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She nced at the divorce papers. A surprised look shed across her face briefly, but she quickly regained herposure. Ethan has been more than kind to you. If I were you, I would learn my ce. Don¡¯t be greedy. You might lose more than you gain if you do.¡± Olivia looked at her coldly, and she rudely retorted, ¡°That¡¯s why you never will be me. This had a double meaning. However, Marina forcefully kept her smile since Ethan was there. Olivia was fiddling with the pen in her hand. ¡°Ethan, this is my condition. If you don¡¯t agree, we can drag this on. We¡¯ll see whosts the longest.¡± ¡°One month.¡± Ethan looked up, his eyes locked on her face. Olivia tried to negotiate but received his heartless rejection instead. ¡°That¡¯s my final offer.¡± There was no room for negotiation. ¡°Okay, one month it is.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 After counting the days she had left, Olivia figured it might be a good idea to have apanion to celebrate theing year. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Olivia, as she always did, extended her pinky finger and said, ¡°Deal.¡± Ethan was stunned. Marina brattily rubbed herself against him and whined, ¡°Ethan.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t look at her. He slowly extended his finger, hooked it with Olivia¡¯s, and said, ¡°No take¨C backs.¡± They had finallye to an agreement. This was the only method Olivia could devise. He would stay with her for a month, then she would return his freedom to him. Marina groaned, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m not rushing you to get a divorce or anything, but think about our baby¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s stomach churned as she looked at how childish Marina was being. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± Ethan was great at everything, except choosing people he wanted to keep in his life. Although Marina was his neighbor, he didn¡¯t need to be with someone like her to torture himself. She lost respect for him for even standing next to Marina. Or was Ethan a sucker for this kind of behavior? Olivia thought about this on her way to the bathroom. Men just don¡¯t say no to a bratty woman, do they? Every time she was coy and flirty like that in the past, he would grab the moon and stars for her. One month. Okay, he was willing to give her one month. Olivia just squatted by the toilet bowl and vomited her guts out. She shouldn¡¯t have jinxed herself. She was just thinking that morning that her stomach had been doing much better in the past few days. Now, she was back to square one. Thas a big patch of fresh red blood that came with it. No matter how many times she looked at it, it chilled her to the dark omen. She forced herself to make peace with it. She wasn¡¯t going to suffer for long. Just as she was about to leave after freshening up, she felt someone tug the bottom of her fur coat. Olivia looked down and saw a little boy that looked a lot like Ethan. It was his son. He had one hand on the sink while another held onto the corner of her coat. There was drool in his mouth as he babbled incoherently, ¡°Ahh, mama!¡± She was supposed to hate him. He was the product of Ethan and Marina, after all. However, she had been a mother, even if it was for a short time. She couldn¡¯t hate a child. Olivia lowered herself and poked the tip of the boy¡¯s nose with her finger. She said fiercely, ¡°Hey little troublemaker, don¡¯t you dare be like your father when you grow up. You better give your woman the world and worship the ground she walks on,¡± Little Connor stretched out both his arms and rushed toward Olivia. ¡°Carry!¡± Olivia pulled a face to scare him. ¡°I¡¯m a baddy. I might kidnap you and sell you. Doesn¡¯t that scare you?¡± Connorughed. He was far from scared. His nanny quickly rushed over with a baby stroller. She was very anxious as she said, ¡°Ahh, my dear! You gave me such a scare! Why are you in the women¡¯s bathroom?¡± The moment she saw Olivia, she quickly dragged the boy over. For a second, Connor was still giggling, but in the next, he looked hurt. ¡°Mama, carry!¡± ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t call her that. She is not your mother.¡± Then, the nanny picked the boy up and hurriedly left. Olivia looked at his cute and chubby face, and her eyes filled with tears. Her heart ached. She stared at the chubby hand waving her goodbye as he babbled, calling for her, ¡°All, Mama!¡± Olivia was standing by the entrance of thedies¡® bathroom. By the time Brent found her, her face was lousy Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Olivia was beautiful. Even when she wept, she looked alluring. It was heart¨Caching to see someone so beautiful and so sad. Brent said to her softly, ¡°Madam, Mr. Miller is waiting for you.¡± Olivia snapped back to reality. She reached out to wipe the tears from her face. She suddenly started sobbing again. ¡°Oh, Brent. I must look awful, don¡¯t I?¡± Brent had worked for Ethan for many years. He was no stranger to how vibrant his wife was. In the short span of two years, he gathered that she was like a withering flower: yet to witness her full bloom, and perhaps may never get to. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You still look beautiful. No one is as beautiful as you are.¡± Brent handed her a tissue. Olivia wiped her tears as she said, ¡°I used to hate people who cry easily. I¡¯m slowly bing someone I hate. I¡¯ve be someone I swore never to be.¡± Brent looked at her sorrowful eyes and responded with something that shocked even himself. ¡°Then, why are you still holding on?¡± He knew that Ethan had spent the whole night thinking and changing the terms of the divorce. It was obvious that he was ready to let go. The Fordhams were bankrupt. Jeff, who was responsible for it, was barely alive. He had tormented and hurt Olivia for two years. He was nning to let her go. Hence, she was given a generous alimony to ensure her afortable life for the rest of her days. Leaving was the wise decision now. Olivia knew when to back down. Did she think that there was a chance that Ethan would change his mind? She had finally climbed out of that misery and now, she wanted to go back in again. She was repeating her mistake and bringing herself suffering all over again. Olivia didn¡¯t answer the question but said, ¡°If my baby was still alive, they would be about their age.¡± Brent wanted to say something but stopped himself. In the end, he just said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re still young. There will be another chance for you to be a mother.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not having any more children.¡± Destion colored Olivia¡¯s face. Brent could tell that something was off. He wanted to ask more, but Olivia said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ethan was already waiting for her in the car. The aloof look on his face showed indifference. He didn¡¯t even turn to look at her. After via got into the car, he folded his arms. He was distant and cold as he said, ¡°What do you n on achieving in one ¦°¦Ï¦Ë Olivia threw herself into Ethan¡¯s arms. Yesterday, she was filled with hatred and wanted to get back at him. Once she saw the evidence, she was conflicted. She hated Ethan for what he did to the Fordhams and hated him even more for his betrayal. However, Jeff¡¯s wrongdoings were clear as day. She knew him well enough. Since things were getting nowhere, she wanted to put an end to everything with all she had left of her life. She wanted to leave the world without regrets. Ethan did not return her affection and only said coldly, ¡°I am getting engaged to Marina after the new year.¡± Olivia¡¯s fingers that were tangled in his coat tightened, and the smile on her face froze. The backseat was dead silent. The heater was on in the car, but the driver, Kelvin, could feel the chill in the atmosphere. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. After a long while, Olivia finally looked up from his arms. ¡°I just want a month.¡± Ethan saw how fragile she was, and a feeling that he could not exin swirled in his heart. ¡°Even if we had a year, nothing would change, let alone a month. Do you understand?¡± Olivia bit her lip. ¡°I understand. But you¡¯re mine for a month, okay?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Ethan replied, ¡°Okay.¡± For the first time in more than a year, both of them gave in. She tightly wrapped herself around him like she did before. His finger moved slightly but eventually rested on his side. The car drove to Ethan¡¯spany. He asked Kelvin to send Olivia horne. Olivia went to the hospital instead of the Miller residence. Jeff was still unconscious and had been moved to a normal ward. Olivia sent the helper home and personally prepared a bowl of warm water to wipe down his face and fingers. She muttered, ¡°Dad, I know your secret. I wish it wasn¡¯t true. Please wake up and tell me that it¡¯s not, will you? Tell me you didn¡¯t do those things, that you didn¡¯t kill Jodie. ¡°Dad, I have stomach cancer. Ethan doesn¡¯t know, and it¡¯s for the best. If I give my life to him, will he let go of his hatred? ¡°My life has been smooth sailing thus far. You took really good care of me while I was growing up. You¡¯re the best dad in the world. No matter what you¡¯ve done to others, you will always be someone I respect. I¡¯ll fix the damage you¡¯ve done. ¡°I know you would never let me do this if you were still here, but I have no choice. I love him. I fell in love with him eight years ago. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s only one month. I¡¯m willing to put up with it.¡± Olivia had a lot on her mind. She sat by her father¡¯s bedside for a long time, venting. She knew that her time on earth was slowly depreciating. This was the only thing she could do for her father. She went back to the Miller residence in the afternoon. Ethan was a man of his word. He never broke any promises he made. The moment Olivia reached the Miller residence, she saw Marina, who had been waiting by the porch for a long time. Since Ethan was not present, she removed her facade. She looked like she was about to start trouble. She red fiercely at Olivia. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s going toe running back to you? Give up, Olivia.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t angry. She stared at her calmly. ¡°Marina, do you love Ethan?¡± Marina was startled. She never expected Olivia to suddenly ask this question. Af pment, she answered, ¡°I decided to marry him and no one else more than ten years ago. I met him earlier than you him more than you do. You can¡¯t win.¡± Olivia smiled wryly and responded, ¡°I know that.¡± She raised her head and said lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you believe me, but I never wanted to be your enemy. Even today.¡± The dead could never win a fight against the living. Moreover, a conversation would not make her business with Ethan disappear. ¡°I only want one month. After one month, I will leave the city.¡± ¡°Do you take me for a child? You¡­¡± Before she could finish, a loud baby¡¯s voice yelled, ¡°Mama!¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. A small bundle of joy wearing a teddy bear onesie appeared in the snow. He waddled his way with his unsteady feet toward them. He fell after taking two steps. He ended up crawling. Connor swiftly crawled toward Olivia. Olivia was faster than Marina. She went forward and quickly scooped him up from the snow. The little angel looked very happy. He reached out with his chubby hands and tried to hug Olivia¡¯s neck. Marina swatted his arm away, causing the baby to cry. Olivia¡¯s heart ached at the sight of this, and she tried to hug him to stop the crying. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Olivia was initially confused by Marina¡¯s dramatic response. She wondered how she could trip on t ground. It all had to be a charade she was orchestrating. She knew Ethan wasing back. Of course, she brought the baby wherever she went. It wasn¡¯t even a surprise that she would fall with the baby in her arms. Even the angle she fell looked like it was intentionally going to hurt the baby! She was ruthless. She would even use her baby as leverage to get what she wanted. When she saw that Connor was about to hit the ground, her body acted faster than her rationale. She immediately caught Connor and cushioned his fall with her body. However, the weight fell mostly on the arm where her mediport was. The doctor reminded her many times not to pick up heavy objects and risk hurting her arm. She couldn¡¯t be bothered with that as the baby was falling. Although he wasn¡¯t a newborn, and he was small and light, she didn¡¯t think about what it would do to her body. She fell fast. Her world spun, and her arm burned with excruciating pain. When she opened her eyes, she saw the baby lying in her embrace. His set of big eyes looked at her curiously. Olivia could finally rx. Thank heavens he was fine. Ethan quickly came over. The first thing Marina did when she got up was scold Olivia. ¡°Miss Fordham, I know you hate me, but Connor is a child. How could you even think about hurting him?¡± At a nce, any bystander would assume that Olivia was trying to hurt the baby. It wasn¡¯t the first time Marina had tried to frame her. Olivia couldn¡¯t be bothered to fight. She was breaking out in a cold sweat from the pain in her arm. Even breathing hurt. Ethan didn¡¯t scold Olivia. He bent down to pick up Connor, but the boy refused to leave. His tiny hands grabbed onto Olivia¡¯s cor as he babbled something that no one understood. Ethan red coldly at Connor. Although Connor was young, he immediately shut up. He looked at Olivia, aggrieved. He looked like he wanted her to carry him. Marina took Connor from Ethan. He started crying again, not wanting her to touch him. ¡°Ethan, Connor wants you,¡± Marina said pitifully. ¡°I brought him here, but I didn¡¯t expect that Miss Fordham would¡­¡± Ethan unpleasantly interrupted her whining. ¡°I¡¯m sending the both of you home.¡± Olivia was still t on the ground, facing the sky. She wanted to get up, but her body felt like it was eighty years old. She had no strength to get up from the fall. She needed a hand, so she looked toward Ethan. ¡°Ethan, could you¡­¡± Ethan nced at her from the corner of his eye and said, ¡°I¡¯lle backter.¡± Olivia could only watch his cold back as her mouth curled into a wry smile. Oh, how cruel he could be. In the past, he wouldfort her even when he knew she was faking her pain. Now, he didn¡¯t believe her when she was hurting so much that she couldn¡¯t get up. This had nothing to do with trust¨Chis heart was no longer with her. Snow fell on her face. She recalled when she was dating Ethan. He looked cold and aloof as he walked ahead of her. That day, she sprained her ankle on purpose. She sat on the ground and counted in her heart how long it would take for him to turn around. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He turned back the moment she counted to three and rushed toward her. It was the first time she had seen panic on his face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and said coyly, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t walk so fast next time.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 She counted until he reached his car. He did not turn back. Oliviay forgotten on the ground, unmoving. Although the side effects of the treatment had reduced significantly, her body still felt weak. The hard fall felt like it had broken her bones. Brent and the rest were with Ethan. Madam Burgess used to be around, but she left. Now the house was empty. Snow fell from the sky, and cold wind came from all directions. Her hands and feet were frozen. She thought, ¡°Someone please help me.¡± Her bag was not far from where she was, but she could not turn over and reach for it. She could only stare at the snowkes floating in a cruel ballet in the sky. Tears slowly fell from her face as she whispered, 885, 886¡­¡± By the time she counted to 1038, Olivia had recovered enough strength to stand. She used one hand to support herself and got 1. up. She was freezing. When the car arrived, the tip of her nose was red from the cold. She couldn¡¯t raise the arm she used to catch the boy, so she had to use the other to help her breathe. ¡°Miss, you must be cold. Are you going to the hospital alone? It¡¯s gettingte. You should be careful. You should have someone with you. You¡¯re a beautifuldy. There have been a lot of stories in the news aboutdies like you going missing.¡± The driver warned her when he saw that she was going to the hospital alone at such ate hour. Olivia put her hand down. She was warming up from the heater in the car. She watched the scenery outside the window rapidly passing by. Her mouth curled into a smile as she said, ¡°Thank you, sir, but I¡¯m fine. My family will be with me soon.¡± She didn¡¯t have any family. Luckily, Keith was done with work. She had been waiting for the on¨Ccall doctor. She saw a familiar face when she opened the door. Keith walked in wearing a white coat and his head down. His face looked even more elegant with his silver¨Crimmed sses resting on his nose. Olivia didn¡¯t know he was working tonight. It would be too obvious if she backed out now. Keith lifted his head while she was deliberating on what to do. The eyes behind the sses became more vibrant at the sight of her. Then, they quickly turned into a look of concern. He didn¡¯t think Olivia woulde and see him thiste. He rushed over quickly. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Olivia was so cold. Her hands were numb, and her arm ached. She said quickly, ¡°Keith, my arm hurts.¡± The look on Keith¡¯s face changed the moment he heard that the arm with the mediport was hurting. ¡°Quick, let me see. You studied medicine so you should know this. If the mediport loosens, it can cause your heart to constrict. You could be in great danger!¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. This was not a small matter. Olivia had been very attentive toward that arm. However, what happened today was unexpected. Keith began to examine her. Thankfully, the mediport was intact. Keith let out a breath of relief. Without apprehension, Olivia suggested, ¡°Keith, help me take it out.¡± ¡°Take it out? You still have a few more rounds of chemotherapy¡­¡± Olivia looked into his anxious eyes and said lightly, ¡°I¡¯m done with them.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Keith had no idea what she had gone through the past few days. She used to have an inspirationally strong will to live. But now, her eyes had a dark intensity to them, something he had never seen. They were pools of still water, devoid of ripples. ¡°Was it him? Did he do this to you?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But he has something to do with it, right? The Olivia I know wouldn¡¯t make this decision.¡± Hurt shed across Keith¡¯s face. He looked at the snow drifting on the wind outside the window and sighed. ¡°Maybe he did love you once, during that one winter. But this winter, he¡¯s chosen someone else. You should let him go, Liv.¡± It was obvious that she had been blinded by love and lost herself. She was oblivious to the history the both of them had and was refusing to give up. Olivia knew that Ethan¡¯s love for her was in the past. Even if he let go of his hatred toward her, Leia¡¯s death would be a constant needle buried in his heart. It would leave him in agony for the rest of his life. Since he decided to marry Marina, she would use whatever was left of her life to find closure and make amends. Even if Jeff regained consciousness, Ethan wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for him. This was the best decision for everyone involved. Keith looked at her again. The vulnerability in her eyes was reced with a rare determination. He sighed. ¡°Since you¡¯ve made your decision, I have nothing to say. Olivia, you know the consequences of removing the mediport. Are you sure?¡± He seemed to love asking Olivia this. Olivia smiled and firmly said, ¡°Yes.¡± She pulled off part of her clothes and revealed her pale shoulder and her arm. The wound from before had healed over. She insisted on doing it without anesthesia. It was a simple procedure for Keith. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Although she was lucky that the mediport was still attached, her arm took subdermal damage from Connor¡¯s fall. Her skin was bruised. Keith carefully treated her wound. The sharp scalpel cut open her wound that had just healed over. A suffocating pain spread through her and into her heart. She resisted the urge to scream. Keith felt sorry for her seeing her wincing. His hands were still moving when he said lightly, ¡°You can scream if it hurts.¡± It was what the doctor told her thest time. Olivia insisted on bearing the pain as she gritted her teeth, one hand gripping the cold table tightly. Keith quickened his pace. Her arm hurt so much that it felt numb when the wound was sewn up. She was drenched in cold sweat andy on the chair lifelessly. Keith brought her a cup of water. He sat opposite her and said patiently, ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve followed up on your dad¡¯s condition with his doctor. There¡¯s an eighty percent chance that he¡¯ll wake up if we can get the world¡¯s best neurosurgeon, Leo, to operate on him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve looked him up. Leo vanished after an ident five years ago. No one lmows where he is.¡± Olivia recovered with some water and rest. She could barely breathe from the pain from the wound touching the gauze. Yet, she forced herself to stand and was prepared to leave. ¡°Thank you, Keith. You don¡¯t have to worry about me from now on. It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯ve divorced Ethen; he won¡¯t let me interact with other men. I don¡¯t want to cause trouble for you.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Olivia stumbled as she stood up. She smiled frailly. ¡°I fell in love with him the moment Iid eyes on him. I¡¯ve loved him for so many years. I¨CI can¡¯t just let him go.¡± Keith saw tears streaming down her face. He wanted to wipe them for her, but he was in no position to. He could only stay still Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. and look at her. Tears slid down her chin. Olivia smiled wryly. ¡°I know it¡¯s suffocating. But, the thought of watching him marry another girl hurts more than my cancer. I have no reason to live, so I¡¯m choosing to die. ¡°I recently stumbled upon a saying. If you knew you were destined not to end up with the man you love dearly, would you choose to live through the joy and hurt and watch it end, or turn around and leave before it even starts?¡± Oliviaughed at herself. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met him, I would have chosen to turn around and leave. However, such is fate that I am unable to escape. He and I agreed that he would keep mepany for another month. We will get divorced after. By then, I will take the step back to look around, like you want me to.¡± Keith looked at how clumsy each of her steps were. Her right hand rested on her left shoulder as she walked. She kept her back turned to him as she said, ¡°Keith, thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me. I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± She slowly inched her way to the chilly outdoors. There was a blizzard howling outside. Her silhouette drifted further away into the distance. Keith did not want to let her go. He looked out the window and watched her disappear. The corner of his lips curled into a helpless smile. Why was she so persistent? Was Ethan really worth it? Keith likened her to a pious priest on a vision quest, looking for a holy ce that never existed in the first ce. The lights were on when Olivia got back to the Miller residence. She looked at the cozy mansion in the snow, reminiscing how it had been three years ago. Warm air flooded her the moment she opened the door. She took her shoes off and found Ethan busy in the kitchen. As usual, he was there. He was wearing a gray cashmere sweater. His forearm muscles pushed against his rolled sleeves, making him look especially attractive. His left arm bore a long and ugly scar. The scar was from when he shielded her from a thug that wasing at her with a sharp knife. Ethan was focused on cooking when he felt a hug behind him. He was stunned and stopped as Olivia buried her head into his back. He continued cooling for a bit more and turned the me off. He stood at the stove and did not turn back. He said softly,¡± Where did you go?¡± ¡°I was at the hospital for my arm.¡± He knew how she could be. He had to care for her quite intently, even when she got a small cut. Her fall this time was much worse than that. It didn¡¯t matter what Marina said. Ethan was not blind. He could tell that she was trying to save Connor. ¡°Thank you for today. Connor was okay.¡± After that, Ethan skillfully ted the food and brought it to the dining table. Olivia was rooted to the spot, shocked. It was the first time he had ever thanked her. A wave of regret followed. The ¡°thank you¡± was meant to set a professional distance. She wanted to tell him, ¡°Ethan, I went to get my arm stitched up. It still hurts now. Can you make it better, please?¡± Looking at his tall back, Olivia muttered to herself, ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? 1 hate that little punk. 1, of all people, hope he hurt Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Ethan didn¡¯t expose her horrible attempt at lying. He called out to her from the side of the dining table. ¡°Come and eat. Wash your hands first.¡± Rays of light from the chandelier fell on him. Without his suit and tie, the wooly cashmere sweater added a domestic warmth to him. Even his elegant face was less cold than usual. He was wearing the apron she got him three years ago. It almost looked like nothing had changed. Olivia went toward him smiling and saw that the table was filled with the spicy food she used to like. If he paid attention to what Madam Burgess had been making for her recently, he would realize that her pte had changed. He no longer took notice of her like he used to. They tried so hard to revert to the life they had, but that life was far behind them. A lot of things ended silently, like his love. The answer to everything now was silence and distance. Although her stomach couldn¡¯t handle spicy or oily foods, she had hoped for a feast like this for two years. So, she pushed through the difort and ate it. Since her life was on a countdown, she appreciated every meal she had even more. It was one meal less for every meal she finished. Ethan had known her for a long time. He could tell when she was faking happiness. It was obvious that she was forcing herself to be happy. Had his cooking skills depreciated after two years? Ethan finally spoke to break the silence, ¡°Is the food not up to your standards?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s great. It tastes exactly like how it used to. I was thinking about how long we hadn¡¯t eaten together and how much longer we still have.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The old Ethan would have said ¡°forever¡°. Now, he stared at the snow outside the window and remained silent. Olivia set herself up for that. Why would she ask such a dumb question? One month was thest ounce of grace he could extend. Before he could answer, she started to feel a piercing pain in her stomach. She hadn¡¯t eaten spicy food in a long time. It hurt so bad that she was tearing up. ¡°I¡¯m done. Please help yourself.¡± Olivia got up and rushed upstairs. She vomited into the toilet severely. Looking at the globs of blood, she could tell that she didn¡¯t have much time left. She had to seize every moment. Olivia showered, avoiding the wound on her arm. She noticed that she was experiencing hair loss. However, stopping her treatments now would stop her hair frompletely falling out. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Although she looked pale and sickly, her skinny face entuated her eyes. At least, she could leave this earth beautiful. Ethan was in the home office. Olivia knocked on the door and went in. He was wearing gold¨Crimmed sses. They both wore sses. Keith looked elegant and ssy when he did, but Ethan looked fierce and severe. The sses couldn¡¯t hide the dangerous look in his eyes. He looked up and then at her coldly. Olivia immediately said, ¡°I want to see the auroras. You owe me a honeymoon. In d.¡± Back then, she and Ethan had only signed the papers; they did not have a wedding. If anyone caught them together on camera, he would ask for it to be deleted. No one knew he was married. Apart from the marriage papers, everything else a girl dreamed of¨Cthe wedding, the dress, and the honeymoon¨Cnever happened. That was why Ethan pampered her greatly after they were married. It was as if he waspensating. Ethan put down the pen he was holding, adjusted his sses, and said in a low voice, ¡°You know I¡¯m busy at the end of the year. Plus, it¡¯s hard to predict when the auroras will appear.¡± He was trying to say that he couldn¡¯t afford it. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Now, the man who was willing to spend half a year nurturing a rose garden for her because of something she said, was no longer willing to spend a few days with her outside of the country. When He loved her, he was head over heels. Now that he didn¡¯t, he was unsympathetic. Olivia gently tugged the corner of his shirt and begged, ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left. Can you give it to me, please?¡± ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t take advantage of the situation.¡± He looked at her coldly. He assumed she was referring to the month they agreed on. He didn¡¯t even hesitate to reject her idea. ¡°Am I taking advantage of the situation?¡± Olivia mocked. ¡°You think you¡¯re wasting your time with me? You¡¯re preparing for your engagement, aren¡¯t you?¡± The tips of Ethan¡¯s slender fingers gently tapped on the surface of the table. He coolly looked in her direction and said, ¡°I told you I was getting engaged.¡± Although his face remained expressionless, Olivia could see the challenge in his eyes. She was the one who begged for the month. She deserved it. She looked at him silently, then smiled. ¡°Pardon my wishful thinking. Sorry to bother you.¡± Olivia opened the door and left. Then, a man¡¯s voice called out from behind her. ¡°Pick somewhere local.¡± She stopped in her tracks, and her face was filled with excitement. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Mohe.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Olivia left delightedly! There was a lower chance of seeing the auroras in Mohe Town, but having him spend herst days with her was enough for her. It waste into the night. He slept beside her. Olivia wasn¡¯t asleep. She curled her body carefully. It was as if there was a sea between both of them. She didn¡¯t dare get too close to him, afraid he would notice the wound on her arm. He immediately faced the other side when he got in bed and had no intention of paying attention to her. Olivia quietly looked out the window into the night, struggling to fall asleep. He left for work early the next day. Olivia kept herself busy. She was hoping to atone for her father during herst days. She followed the address in the document and went to a psychiatric hospital to visit one of the victims, Belle Sanders. ce like She was sent there two years ago due to her tendency toward self¨Charm. This was the first time Olivia had visited this. It was quieter than normal hospitals with the asional sight of security guards wearing protective gear. It was as if the ce would go to war anytime. The nurse who was bringing her up to Belle¡¯s room repeatedly reminded Olivia to maintain a certain distance from the patient. Belle had a roommate. She saw Olivia and started giggling. Belle was a quiet girl. Her long hair rested over the number on her gown. She was hugging her knees as she looked out the window; her eyes were lifeless. ¡°Belle.¡± Olivia gently called for her. She had met Belle once previously at an innovationpetition. She was full of vigor, and her eyes were radiant back then. The person on the bed moved and turned curiously toward Olivia. Before Olivia could speak, she grabbed her hand and shushed her, saying, ¡°Keep it down. Someone is trying to take my baby.¡± Olivia looked at the pillow in her arm. She didn¡¯t want to trigger her so she nodded and asked, ¡°Who is trying to take your baby?¡± ¡°Tap, tap, tap.¡± The sound of high heels resounded in the hallway. Belle was so terrified of the sound that she hid behind the curtains, shivering. ¡°She¡¯s here. She¡¯s here to take my baby!¡± Before Olivia could speak, a woman in a whiteb coat and a nametag on her chest that said ¡®director¡® stood at the entrance. She said fiercely, ¡°Belle¡¯s mental state is clinically unstable. She does not have the capacity to entertain guests. Miss Fordham, please leave.¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Olivia set the fruit basket down and exined, ¡°She¡¯s my friend. I¡¯m just here to check on her. Then, I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Being near people will worsen her condition. Miss Fordham, please.¡± Belle stuffed the pillow into Olivia¡¯s arms and desperately said, ¡°Leave with my baby and take care of it. I will stall these people. Quick, run!¡± As she spoke, she picked up the fruit basket Olivia brought and threw it at the doctor. ¡°I will kill you, you demon! I¡¯ll kill you if you even think about taking my baby away!¡± Security guards burst through the doors with helmets and vests and took her down with a stun gun. Four men carried her to her bed and tied her to it. Belle was still screaming, ¡°Give me back my baby!¡± She slowly lost her strength as she was given a tranquilizer. She fell unconscious shortly after. Olivia was startled by everything that was happening before her. It felt more like a prison than a hospital. The doctors were merely wardens. The unconscious Belle looked so innocent. Olivia was escorted out of the room before she could even ask anything. When Olivia nced back as she left, she saw Dr. Galloway scolding the nurses for letting her in. Dr. Galloway looked up at her and met Olivia¡¯s eyes. Dr. Galloway quickly averted her gaze and stopped her lecture. Olivia felt that something was off, especially with the fact that Dr. Galloway seemed to know who she was when they had never met. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ording to Ethan, it all happened to Belle after her high school examinations. Jeff abandoned her, and she was sent to this hospital for treatment after losing her baby and bing mentally unwell. However, something was off about her. She kept mentioning a baby, but nothing about Olivia¡¯s father. Could it be that she had repressed memories of her father? Olivia left for Belle¡¯s house to ask her parents about what had happened. When she reached the Sanders, the ce now belonged to someone else. Belle¡¯s parents had migrated overseas about a year ago. Olivia found it bizarre that they would abandon their daughter. The Sanders were an average family. They wouldn¡¯t have had the money to go overseas even if the youngest son was a prize- winning scientist. She asked Ryan out again, and as always, Ryan respectfully agreed. ¡°Miss Fordham.¡± ¡°Ryan, I have something to ask. Do you know Belle Sanders?¡± ¡°I do! That poor girl. She had a mental breakdown quite suddenly about two years ago.¡± He sighed. ¡°Her family must have pressured her too much about school. She¡¯s in a bad state. Being mentally weak can cause a lot of problems.¡± ¡°Ryan, did Belle have a boyfriend?¡± Ryan waved his hand. ¡°No. She prioritized her studies and always kept her distance from guys. The only guy she was close to was Mr. Fordham. Mr. Fordham is a kind man. He helped them all unconditionally¨CJodie, Belle, and also thete Angel. They had short lives. Mr. Fordham¡¯s care toward them had really gone to waste.¡± ¡°I know that the family is not rich. Why could they suddenly migrate overseas?¡± ¡°Her mother remarried to a rich man. Belle was supposed to go overseas for her studies but was unexpectedly caught in this mess. Mr. Fordham must feel so sorry for her if he knew. He was kind to Belle. He had high hopes for her too. s, such is the cruelty of fate.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Olivia gathered information on a few people. However, it was nothing new from what she learned from Ethan. She wanted to make reparations with these girls. Unfortunately, they had either moved somewhere else or back to their hometowns. They were nowhere to be found. Olivia had to stop and wait for Belle to settle down before visiting the psychiatric hospital again. She chatted with Ryan for a while before heading their separate ways. Olivia looked at the colors of the sky before hailing a cab home. It was the evening rush. Olivia leaned against the car window and closed her eyes to rest. The cab was ying the local news on the radio. A headline about someone jumping off the roof of a psychiatric hospital caught her attention. Olivia opened her eyes and asked the driver to turn up the volume. It was the psychiatric hospital she went to earlier. She did a quick search on her phone and saw that the deceased patient was Belle, whom she just visited. She killed herself. She was wearing a hospital gown in the picture. Her face had a strange smile. Olivia immediately felt a chill run up her back when she saw the picture. Her hair stood on end. The driver hurriedly asked, ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong? You look like you saw a ghost.¡± ¡°N¨CNothing. It¡¯s a shame what happened to that girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s sick in the head. Happens all the time. My cousin¡¯s kid has depression and tried killing himself a few times. Leaving this earth seems like the only way they¡¯ll be free.¡± Olivia was reluctant to agree with him. The woman who was tied to her bed and tranquilized gued her mind. She was so young. She felt depressed the entire way home. Ethan was not back yet. She slumped on the sofa letting the physical and mental exhaustion wash over her. The image of Belle jumping was all she could think about. Olivia thought about how simr her ending would be after she died. She had no family. Would Ethan be devastated? Or would he finally be free of her? Olivia turned her phone on and nned her trip to Mohe Town. She needed to cherish every day she had from now on. Ethan came home veryte that night. When she saw him, she quickly went to him with her notebook. She had spent the whole night organizing the information. ¡°When are you free to go to Mohe? I¡¯ve looked through hotels and ne tickets. We can go¡­¡± The notebook in her hands was struck to the ground fiercely before she could finish. She finally noticed the anger on Ethan¡¯s face. His eyes were dead cold. The smile on Olivia¡¯s face froze. She cautiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ethan¡¯s tall figure stormily inched closer. He was more demon than man. Olivia was terrified by his re. ¡°Were you at Leia¡¯s grave?¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Yes. I went to visit Leia¡¯s grave when I visited Grandma a while back. I know you hate my father, but I think I have the right to visit her at the very least.¡± ¡°Visit?¡± Ethan snorted coldly, then he threw a bunch of photos at Olivia. The grave under the plum tree had been shattered into pieces. The whole ce was a mess. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Olivia was stunned. ¡°What happened?¡± Ethan received her shocked eyes with a cold re. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend, Olivia! you always wanted things to go your way, but you were kind. I¡¯ve been gracious to you many times, but I never expected you to be cruel! Leia never enjoyed a day of her life on Earth, and this is how she is being treated after her death.¡± Olivia only came to her senses after a while. Her face was filled with disbelief. ¡°You think I did that?¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Ethan was silent. He looked so unhappy that Olivia could feel thorns growing around her heart. Ethan said, ¡°I hope it has nothing to do with you. You were there for three hours. Tell me, what were you doing there?¡± Olivia thought it was ridiculous that she even had to exin. ¡°I told you I went to visit Grandma. Is it my fault that I have no one to talk to so I spend all my time talking to my dead grandmother? Besides, it¡¯s a gravestone, not a croissant. It would break my arm to do all that. Even if you¡¯re trying to frame me for it, at least bring some evidence.¡± ¡°Look at this then. What is all this?¡± Ethan revealed another stack of pictures with Olivia holding a hammer. Even Olivia was stunned. ¡°An old man in charge of grave maintenance dropped his tools. He looked so pitiful, so I helped him pick his tools up.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know how someone could take photos like this. She anxiously exined, ¡°I only said a few words in front of Leia¡¯s grave. The gravestone was fine when I left. Ethan, trust me. Why would I do that? What would I have to gain from this?¡± Ethan looked at the way she anxiously justified herself and found it ridiculous. He lifted her chin with his slender fingers and pressed the tip of his finger on her lip. ¡°Such a beautiful mouth, but so full of lies. Brent admitted that he told you where Leia¡¯s grave was, and that you went looking for a private eye.¡± She knew Ethan would see through her lies, so she immediately admitted, ¡°Yes. I did have a private eye on the case, but all I wanted was to understand why you¡¯re the way you are now. Even when I found out that Jodie and Leia were the same person, I only left flowers on her grave. I went to Grandma¡¯s grave after that. Plus, I¨CI¨CI¡¯m sick. I don¡¯t have the strength to climb the stairs in this house, let alone shatter a grave!¡± ¡°Do you think I believe you? Leia had to be Jodie even until the day she died. She had no enemies other than your family. Please tell me. Who else would want to destroy her grave when she¡¯s been dead for two years?¡± ¡°If no one else would, why do you think I would?¡± ¡°Of course you would. You¡¯re unhappy that I¡¯ve been cold to you for the past two years. You me me for not saving our baby and forcing the Fordhams to dere bankruptcy. You hate me to my guts, and you hate me even more for Leia. You learned who she was, and youshed out at her grave.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Olivia kept shaking her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me¡­¡± Ethan inched his way closer as he continued, ¡°You were resolute about getting a divorce. However, you went back on your word and asked for one more month. What is your strategy here? You¡¯re avenging Jeff, aren¡¯t you?¡± Olivia¡¯s anxious tears slid down her face. She realized she was never going to get out of this. She kept shaking her head. ¡°No. I would never think of doing that!¡± Ethan ignored her desperate attempts to exin. He tightened the grip between his fingers and grabbed Olivia¡¯s chin. His eyes were filled with disappointment. ¡°Olivia, you must know that I prayed that none of this had anything to do with you. I asked someone to find evidence to prove that, but all I got were these. You went to the psychiatric hospital today, and Belle died after that. What did you say to her? Do you believe if you get your revenge, Jeff will regain consciousness?¡± He med everything on Olivia. Olivia had no way to exin herself. Leia was Ethan¡¯s kryptonite. Destroying the gravestone and digging the grave up was a massive disrespect to the dead. Someone was dragging the Miller name through the mud. Who could stand for this? Ethan¡¯s fingers slid down and closed firmly around her neck. His grip tightened slowly. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°Olivia, do you know how miserable Leia was while you were living your princess life? I personally went to the vige where she used to live. It was a poor and deste hellhole. Many of them hadn¡¯t had a full meal for three whole days. I heard she had been sold off and locked in a woodshed like a dog. She¡¯s the daughter of the Miller family, she should¡¯ve been treated like a princess, but she was treated like dirt! She suffered for so many years, and when she finally made her way to Aldenvine¡­ could have found her if she held on for a little longer.¡± I Olivia couldn¡¯t speak. She could hardly breathe with Ethan¡¯s hands around her neck. Tears couldn¡¯t stop flowing from her eyes as pushed Ethan back, trying to stir him from his rage. Ethan was lost in his grief. ¡°She was tainted by that bastard, your father. She was choked to death and stuffed in a box. She must have felt so hopeless. You look like you¡¯ve lost all hope now too. Can you feel even a little bit of what she felt?¡± ¡°Let ¡­ go!¡± Olivia struggled, but it was useless. Ethan¡¯s eyes were red like a rabid animal. Olivia struggled to breathe. She knew that she was going to be choked to death if this continued. She had to keep fighting. ¡°Olivia, I was going to let you go, but you came barging in.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The look on Ethan¡¯s face grew more intense. His eyes lost their focus as he slowly said, ¡°Liv, let¡¯s go see Leia. She must be so lonely. My suffering will stop after we¡¯re both dead in the ground.¡± Olivia knew that Ethan had lost his mind when he said that. In her struggle, Ethan identally touched her wound that had just been stitched up yesterday. The wound ripped, and fresh scarlet blood soaked her white silk nightgown. Seeing the red, Ethan finally let her go. Oliviay on the ground. Ethan wanted to check her wound, but Olivia quickly retreated. Her eyes stared at him in full alert. Ethan retracted his hand numbly and regained himself. What had he done? He almost killed Olivia. ¡°Your arm¡­¡± he said hoarsely. Olivia got up from the ground, grabbed her coat from the sofa, braced the cold, and left the Miller residence. She thought she was a goner when he started choking her. It was like her whole life was about to end. She thought she would die, and worse, the near¨Cdeath experience was not as calming as she thought it would be. She only had one thought¨Crun! Ethan looked down and stared at his hands. How could he do that to Olivia? The raging cold wind from outside brought him back to his senses. He quickly followed after Olivia with his car as he thought of how frantically Olivia had rushed into the snowstorm. Olivia was not thinking. She hid behind a tree the moment she heard a car. She was still trembling when she saw Ethan leave. She was safe from the clutches of danger. She searched for her phone and hesitated before calling Everly. Everly¡¯s loud voice came through, ¡°Miss me, babe?¡± Olivia suppressed her sobs. ¡°Eve, can youe pick me up?¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Olivia knew Ethan was deeply affected by his sister¡¯s death. His mental health became more unstable in the past two years. Al that moment, he thought about killing her and sending himself off to see his sister tool Everly wasn¡¯t here yet. Just then, a bright light shone from a distance before a car came to a halt not far from her. Ethan must have been smart enough to figure out that she hadn¡¯t left yet and turned back. The moment the car door opened, the man anxiously got down from the car and looked around. He was searching for something. Soon, he walked in Olivia¡¯s direction. Olivia stood there nkdy before she cowered. Her whole body remainedpletely still Only her fingers moved to grab the corners of her clothes tightly. Olivia was so scared as she heard his footsteps closing in on her. She held her breath and closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t know what Ethan would do when he found her. Would she lose her life and join L? The love of her life was now apletely different person. It was her first time feeling fear. Her heart was beating wildly with every step he took. She was scared, absolutely terrified! The man¡¯s leather shoes made a crunching sound as he walked on a pile of snow. The sound drew closer as if the call of death was getting nearer with each passing second. Olivia¡¯s face was drained of color. Then, Ethan stopped in his tracks right before a hundred¨Cyear¨Cold tree. It was the only thing separating her from him. A few secondster, she only heard the rustling sounds of him leaving. Olivia finally rxed¨Che didn¡¯t see her. However, she soon realized that she had left a trail of blood on her way here. It would stand out so clearly against the white snow. How could he not have seen her? Olivia was unsure of what he was thinking when he stopped for a few seconds. However, it was obvious; he was letting her go. Olivia slowly peeped her head out. She watched as the man¡¯s silhouette left under the moonlight. She couldn¡¯t see the look on his face, but she could tell the air around him was heavy. Perhaps it was his silent way of saying goodbye. Everly came to pick her up. She was mortified by the sight of Olivia being out in the cold and the blood on her. She screamed, Did Ethan do this? I¡¯m gonna give him a piece of my mind! He thinks he¡¯s all that because he¡¯s rich, huh? Infidelity and abuse. I¡¯m going to call the media and have his sins sshed all over the news!¡± H Oliviaughed wryly. She quickly stopped Everly from smashing Ethan¡¯s car and saving her from paying the insurance for it. ¡°Please send me to the hospital. This has nothing to do with him. He doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°Sick? What do you have?¡± Everly asked. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll slowly exin when we have time.¡± It was the wee hours of the morning when Everly quickly sent her to the hospital to attend to her wound and came back. When they went back to Olivia¡¯s apartment, Everly sat opposite her and pulled a straight face. ¡°Tell me. What have you been hiding from me? How did your arm get hurt?¡± ¡°Eve, please be mentally prepared for what I¡¯m about to say.¡± Everly lit a cigarette in her hand and put on a coy look. ¡°What? Are you underestimating me? What have I not seen? Just tell me. It¡¯ll start raining cows if I¡¯m fazed by it.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m dying.¡± Everly froze as she was smoking. Then, she heard Olivia continue, ¡°I have stomach cancer.¡± Everly could not believe her ears and was dazed for a few seconds until she started choking. When she regained her senses, she frantically put her cigarette out. She continued coughing as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. She looked helpless from all the crying and choking. While trying to snuff her cigarette in the ashtray, her arm identally bumped into the cup next to It. It spilled water all over the table. She quickly took a piece of tissue and haphazardly wiped the spilled water. However, with how aggressive she was, she managed to knock most of the things off the table. An unscrewed bottle of medication for stomach cancer fell over on the table. A few capsules rolled onto the floor. The white bottle cap spun a few times before itnded on the ground. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Everly muttered, ¡°Look how dumb I am. My ears are already acting up at this age, haha. I actually heard you say you have stomach cancer. The anger 1 feel for that bastard must have gone to my cars.¡± Olivia lessed her palm to the back of Everly¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°Eve, you have to face reality.¡± Everly stopped what she was doing and looked up at Olivia through blurry eyes. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± However, Olivia¡¯s eyes were dead serious. ¡°You know I never joke around. I was going through chemotherapy when I cut my hair shortst time.¡± Everly fought back her tears to no avail. She grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand tightly, still unable to fathom it. ¡°It must be a misdiagnosis! You¡¯re so young and strong as a bull. How could you have stomach cancer?!¡± Olivia sat her down and exined everything. Everly¡¯s face was covered in tears. With them both being so young, she had always taken their good health for granted. She couldn¡¯tprehend that such a terminal illness had hit so close to home. Everything happening around her now felt surreal, like a dream. ¡°N¨CNo worries. The medical field is very advanced now. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine if you work with the doctor on your treatment.¡± Everly wiped her tears using the back of her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you went through so much. I will tag along for your chemotherapy sessions. I¡¯m doing well financially now, so I can afford to not work for a year. I¡¯ll be with you until you get better.¡± Olivia gently shook her head as her eyes gazed out the window lifelessly. ¡°Eve, let¡¯s go and enjoy the aurora together.¡± ¡°Okay. Once you get better, that is. And not just the aurora. Even if you want the stars in the sky, I¡¯d pluck them just for you.¡± ¡°Someone once said they would pluck the stars for me too.¡± Everly wanted to smack Olivia¡¯s head. ¡°You hopeless romantic. He doesn¡¯t want you anymore. Why are you still thinking about him? Get better soon and date around to get back at him.¡± ¡°Eve, you can¡¯t me him. He¡¯s sick too.¡± ¡°He has cancer too? I hope it¡¯s at theter stages. You can stay with him for a little longer, and then his inheritance will be yours once he dies.¡± Olivia was unsure whether tough or cry. ¡°Come, let me tell you everything.¡± They finallyid down on the bed as Olivia exined everything to her from the beginning. Her voice was sweet. It was like the light breeze on a summer evening, blowing one¡¯s worries away. Everly was silent after listening to everything. ¡°So, he is ming you for his sister¡¯s death? And he cheated to get back at you? Isn¡¯t he even more of a scum now?¡± Olivia rebutted, ¡°I can understand the care and guilt he feels toward his sister. If it happened to me, I wouldn¡¯t sit there and do nothing, either. He is suffering more than we could imagine.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Liv, you can¡¯t just cook up excuses for his shitty behavior because he¡¯s suffering too! Quit being a hopeless romantic for him. Since he is letting you go, then go your separate ways. Take his alimony and leave.¡± ¡°Eve, have you gotten over Josh yet?¡± Everly fell silent. It was not easy letting go of a rtionship of many years. ¡°I need time. Time heals everything. Even the vows you made when you were madly in love could be washed away by time until there¡¯s nothing left, right? No lovests in this world.¡± ¡°But I have no time anymore,¡± Olivia muttered. Don¡¯t give up on your treatment.¡± ¡°Eve, do you know what chemotherapy feels like? It feels like someone sucks everything in your body dry. I¡¯m in pain. Everywhere hurts, and I have no strength. I¡¯m so useless. This is only the first stage. They will put the chemicals into my bones in theter stages. It¡¯s going to be so painful.¡± ¡°My father is still unconscious in the hospital, and my mother remarried a long time ago. The only man I¡¯ve loved in my life has found his happin Chapter 47 Chapter 47 As a former medical student, Everly was very aware of the side effects of chemo, and she expressed her understanding of Olivia¡¯s decision Moreover, a lot of patients died from the side effects rather than the cancer itself, which was a torturous way to go. She could never selfishly request Olivia to endure the pain. She hugged thetter from behind before she started to weep. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll stay by your side.¡± Olivia¡¯s pajamas were soaked with Everly¡¯s tears. Everly said, ¡°You must have been through so much pain. Sorry for not knowing this earlier.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing better in the past two days. Eve, thank you. I don¡¯t want to leave the world alone. I had wanted Ethan to keep mepany, but look at how things turned out. He and I are probably done for.¡± Everly fumed at the mention of Ethan. ¡°Liv, you said that someone damaged his sister¡¯s grave, and there was footage of you with a hammer in your hand. Could you have been framed?¡± ¡°Marina must have been behind this. No one else could have done that to me.¡± The incident happened a month after Ethan agreed to keep herpany. Marina must have had something to do with it. ¡°If you knew it was her, how can you be so calm about it?¡± ¡°She has pulled a lot of tricks sincest year to get us divorced, and to be honest? She wasn¡¯t the most tactful. Ethan knew what she was up to, but he always sided with her. At first, I¡¯d stand up for myself, but I realized that the truth wasn¡¯t important at all. What mattered was that he¡¯d chosen her over me.¡± Everly tried to hype up the dejected Olivia. ¡°But this time, it¡¯s different. If she was the person who defaced Leia¡¯s grave, you should hold her ountable even if you get a divorce.¡± ¡°Eve, Marina isn¡¯t the obstacle in my rtionship with Ethan. He¡¯s troubled by the death of his sister. There¡¯s no way to resolve his grudge unless we somehow revive Leia. And even if we put behind all the grudges, our rtionship is over.¡± ¡°I get what you mean. But Liv, you shouldn¡¯t let him step all over you just because you think your family is to me! He shouldn¡¯t be using Leia¡¯s death as an excuse for his infidelity. ¡°Ultimately, he has betrayed you and is heartless for abandoning you and your baby to save Marina! I admit that he was good to you in the past, but it¡¯s time for you to move on,¡± Everly patiently advised her friend. She continued, ¡°Liv, you only live once. Even if your dad is responsible for Leia¡¯s death, it is not your burden to bear. You do not have to ept punishment for wrongdoings that were not even your own. ¡°You asked if I have gotten over Josh. And my answer to that is: one day, I will. As for you, you have to live your remaining days for yourself, even if that means only for a day.¡± ¡°Live for myself¡­¡± All of a sudden, Olivia seemed to have gotten out of her rut. She still struggled to sleep well that night, for she¡¯d have nightmares of a devilish Ethan grabbing at her throat. She woke up a few times in the night. It was already dawn thest time she woke up. She sat up in bed and nkly touched the area of her neck that Ethan gripped in her dream. Even if they could not spend their lives together, she would hate to be enemies with him. She looked at Everly, who was sleeping soundly, and tip¨Ctoed her way out of the room to wash up before leaving the house. The city was a sight to behold, covered in a nket of snow. Even the vast ocean was calm under the sunlight as it palpitated peacefully in the form of small waves. A few seagulls soared in the sky, braving the chilly winds. Some distance away, ships red their horns as they set sail. The world moved on even after Ethan left her, as if nothing had changed. She came to a decision and texted Ethan. This time, they met each other as promised. She showed up with every inch of her skin wrapped tightly under a white down Jacket, a fuzzy beante, and a palt of snow boots It seemed like she was unable to stand the cold, an wondered if slur had always boon Ihr Hils. Is eyes traveled to the delicate and smooth skin on her neck, where even a slight pluch would hustantly leave a red mark She wrapped her neck in a thick knitted scart Standing under a snow¨Ccovered plne free, she looked as pure as a falry. He was concerned about the bleeding on her arm yesterday. Did it get better? Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Ethan had so much to say to her, but he only managed to blurt out a curt response. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They seemed to be bound to a silent understanding not to bring up the past. Once theypleted the procedure, they were officially divorced. Olivia didn¡¯t say a word throughout the process and turned to leave once the divorce was finalized. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡± What are your ns after this?¡± She didn¡¯t even turn around to look at him. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, Mr. Miller.¡± A piece of snow fell from the tree branch onto her shoulder. Ethan reflexively reached out to wipe it off, but his fingers froze mid¨Cair when he realized that he had no right to do so. The reason he set her free was to put an end to the grudges between them. The sunny winter day reminded him of the weather on the day they got married. She was lovely in her white bridal dress, wearing a bright smile. That day, she joked with him, ¡°I hope we¡¯ll never need to visit this ce anymore.¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°But what if you cheat on me?¡± ¡°Kill me, then. A dead man can¡¯t cheat.¡± The seriousness in his expression then might¡¯ve scared her a little. It had only been three years since that conversation took ce on their wedding day. At present, Olivia felt his gaze, but she marched forward into the snow without looking back. She repeatedly reminded herself to handle the farewell with dignity. Still, she was ovee by sadness at the thought of this day being theirst meeting and the fact that they would go back to being strangers. Not long after she exited the building, she overheard Marina¡¯s excited voice. ¡°Ethan, congrattions! Your wish came true.¡± A wishe true? Olivia smirked but acknowledged that the divorce might have happened sooner¨Cperhaps in the week she lost her baby¨Cif she hadn¡¯t stubbornly clung to Ethan for the past year. Ethan did not reply to Marina. She went on, ¡°The documents are ready. Let¡¯s head in to get the marriage certificate.¡± Olivia did not hear Ethan¡¯s reply. Marina¡¯s remark suffocated her. Everly held her frail frame and gently asked, ¡°Are you okay? ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Everly nced at the couple. Marina was speaking animatedly while Ethan hung his head low. The shade of the trees that cast a shadow on his face made it harder to discern his expression. ¡°Fucking cheaters!¡± Everly spat and wiped away the tears on Olivia¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your tears on that bastard.¡± Olivia tried her best to put on a smile. ¡°I know. I lost control of myself for a moment there.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You little dummy. You have to understand that you cannot rely on anyone. A man could be your safe harbor one day and leave you out in the cold the next. I haven¡¯t seen you wearing your confidence in a long time. You should have shone brightly in your world, living your best life.¡± Olivia gave Ethan a final look before winding up the car window. He returned the stare, which he knew was one of farewell. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 The post¨Cdivorce life wasn¡¯t as terrible as Olivia had thought. She rested at home for a few days with Everly¡¯spany. Her best friend prepared nutritious meals for her. Her condition improved. She did not suffer much from the effects of chemo. She could never be as healthy as her pre¨Ccancer days. But at least her fainting spells had decreased. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The wound on her arm healed, and her hair loss was under control. Everything seemed to be working out for her. Everly was happy for Olivia. They spent a few nights sleeping side by side. She believed that Olivia would eventually emerge stronger from the trauma as she had stopped sleeping by the baby cot. Seeing that Olivia was in great condition, Everly suggested, ¡°The ss president organized a gathering. Let¡¯s attend it together since we¡¯re both free.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Olivia wanted to turn down the invitation but was cut off by Everly. ¡°Our old ssmates are doing pretty well for themselves. Aren¡¯t you looking for a better neurosurgeon? Who knows? Some of our ssmates could connect you to people they know. Everly added, ¡°You always say that you don¡¯t have many days left. That¡¯s more reason not toze around. It¡¯s good to go out once in a while.¡± Everly soon understood Olivia¡¯s worries when she spotted her friend¡¯s troubled expression. Olivia was once the daughter of a wealthy family and a prize student who had a bright future. Now, Olivia was no longerparable to their ssmates. The Fordhams were bankrupt, and she dropped out of medical school. ¡°You¡¯re just being self¨Cconscious. Look at me¨CI¡¯m not embarrassed for dropping out of med school to be the top salesperson. What are you afraid of? You have ten million dors under your name, so you¡¯re kind of a millionaire. Oh, didn¡¯t that jerk also award you some equity in Miller Group?¡± There were a lot of detailed uses in Olivia¡¯s divorce settlement. Ethan was rather generous in financialpensation. Although he did not give away half of his wealth, thepensation he provided Olivia was enough for a lifetime and more. She¡¯d be getting millions in annual dividends from her shares in the Miller Group. On top of that, she was left with some properties to her name. Ethan might have done so to make it up to her or to sever all ties with her, but regardless, he was not stingy in this department. Olivia finally agreed to attend the gathering after being pestered by Everly. She realized that Everly was right after reading all the news about Ethan¡¯s uing engagement party. Since her days were numbered, she should leave the divorce behind her. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it. You were the crush of many boys back in school. What if one of them is still into you? Treat yourself better and let loose when you¡¯re still young.¡± After some serious thinking, Olivia asked, ¡°Will Payton Ballinger be there?¡± ¡°Of course! Well, Payton is a nice guy, but he isn¡¯t easy on the eyes. Wait a minute. Did your standards drop drastically after that painful divorce with that jerk?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°No. I heard that he took over his father¡¯s business in the funeral industry after graduation, and he¡¯s doing quite well. I thought I should ask him to do his old ssmate a favor and reserve a good parcel ofnd for my grave.¡± Although Olivia breached the topic calmly, it was clearly upsetting for Everly. ¡°Ugh, can you please not?¡± Olivia held Everly¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Eve, that¡¯s the reality. You need to ept it. We will eventually die someday.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Crestfallen again, Everly cussed, ¡°Why isn¡¯t that cheating bitch Marina the one dying?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s fate. I suppose my baby misses me too much. Don¡¯t be too sad about it. I¡¯vepleted the marathon of life, but you take your time.¡± To soothe Everly, she joked, ¡°Do pay me lots of visits and bring fresh flowers when I¡¯m gone. Think of it as an early investment while I set things up in heaven for both of us. When it¡¯s your time to join me, we¡¯ll be living the high life in heaven with angels looking after us. Does that make you feel better?¡± Everly finally smiled through her tears. ¡°Oh, I guess I¡¯ll need to find the perfect spot for your grave so you can rest in peace and look after your kids from above. Ah, shoot, I forgot you don¡¯t have kids. You should hang on for a few more years, and I¡¯ll make you the godmother of my child.¡± Olivia grinned. ¡°Sounds good.¡± At night, Olivia dressed up for the ssmate gathering. Her short hair made her look chic and grown¨C up. She exuded the elegance of a white rose when she was unsmiling. In Everly¡¯s words, Olivia could have stood anywhere in silence and still be pleasing to the eyes. On their way to the hotel, Everly asked, ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s your n now? How about traveling the world? We have all the time and money.¡± Olivia rested her cheek on her palm, staring at the scenery outside of the car window. She calmly replied, ¡°I¡¯ll create a charity foundation. There are a lot of terminal patients like me in this world. I¡¯d also like to sponsor the education of low¨Cie kids from the countryside.¡± Everly was at a loss for words as she felt crushed by Olivia¡¯s decision. Even with all the money in the world, Olivia could only save everyone but herself. Still, she didn¡¯t me anyone for her fate and was generous enough to light the path for strangers. ¡°Liv, really¡­¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s my way of paying for my dad¡¯s sins.¡± ¡°Liv, we can sense the good or evil in a person. I truly believe that your dad is a kind man. Have you ever thought that the evidence against him might be fake?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t believe that he¡¯d hurt other women at first, not until I saw the evidence. I bet it was a worse nightmare for Ethan. He even tried to refute the evidence, but in the end, he had to give up. The evidence is likely real.¡± ¡°Hm, could Ethan have pulled this on you to justify his affair?¡± ¡°Eve, he¡¯s Ethan Miller. He doesn¡¯t need to get into this mess to ask for a divorce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Everly sighed. ¡°The evidence is rock solid, but I still feel that something¡¯s off.¡± ¡°That makes the two of us. Dad was recovering well, and I was nning to take care of him after he was discharged. Why did he suffer from a sudden heart attack? And there was Belle. After I visited her, she immediately jumped off a building on the same day. On my first visit to Leia¡¯s grave, someone took a photo of me. There are too many coincidences.¡± But soon, Olivia collected herself and exined, ¡°I finally came to terms with it. I cannot deny my dad¡¯s crimes just because it¡¯s hard for me to ept. On the day Dad was hospitalized, I checked the visitor log at home, but it was empty. ¡°Perhaps, he was just aggrieved at the bankruptcy. And Belle¡¯s death was probably a coincidence. The desecration of Leia¡¯s grave could have been Marina¡¯s doing. She wanted to force me to divorce Ethan. Now that she¡¯s gotten what she wanted, she will not bother me anymore.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Everly frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t be sure. Liv, it¡¯s better to stay alert. Keep an eye on the people around you. The human character can be worse than demons and ghouls. Even if something looks improbable, it could well be the result of a deliberate n. You shouldn¡¯t write it off as a coincidence.¡± Olivia stared into the scenery afar and mumbled, ¡°If someone¡¯s behind all these, that would be horrifying. How much effort Chapter 51 Chapter 51 The long¨Coverdue ss gathering was merry. Everly was a social butterfly. She managed to make conversations with almost anyone at the event. The attendees were more shocked to see Olivia. A lot of her ssmates went up to her and asked, ¡°Olivia, I heard you¡¯re married. Why didn¡¯t you invite us to your Are we not good enough for you?¡± wedding? Before Olivia could say a word, a woman interjected with a shrill voice, ¡°It¡¯s not that we¡¯re not good enough for her. It¡¯s the other way around, isn¡¯t it? She probably hid from us because her family went bankrupt.¡± The woman was Calista Davies, who saw Olivia as her archenemy. Back in the day, the Davieses were not as wealthy as the Fordhams. So Calista always ranked second to Olivia in whatever she did. She should have been the wealthy, popr girl in school, but her spark went out when she was next to Olivia. That was the reason behind her vengeful attitude. Now that the Fordhams went bankrupt, Calista would not miss the opportunity to humiliate Olivia. As the ss president, Calvin Atkins immediately came up to mediate. ¡°Calista, that¡¯s a bit harsh. Everyone goes through ups and downs in life. There¡¯s no need to rub salt into the wound. It¡¯s been a while since we met up. Let¡¯s not spoil the fun.¡± Calista rolled her eyes at Calvin, but out of respect for him, she dropped the topic. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll drop it. But isn¡¯t it kind of shameless of her to skip all our gatherings over the years only to show up now for a share of the pie?¡± ¡°What share? I thought this was a ssmate gathering.¡± Olivia looked confused. ¡°Are you faking it, or do you really not know? Everyone came to this event to get in on the Oand Hospital project.¡± The remark made Olivia feel conscious about her wasted days, shut away from the world. She seemed ignorant of the happenings around her. Calvin kindly exined, ¡°The Oand Hospital is the biggest project in recent years. It¡¯s a 3.5¨Cbillion- dor investment.¡± Calista scoffed. ¡°The mission of the Oand Hospital is to be a world¨Css hospital. It will hire quality staff and set up top- notch facilities. Of course, the pay is better than the average hospital in the country. And our dear ss president is nice enough to introduce this opportunity to his old ssmates.¡± The other ssmates were discussing the new hospital with excitement. If Oand Hospital hired them, they¡¯d earn three times their current pay. But the interview criteria were stringent. It¡¯d help a candidate to have connections within the hospital. Olivia had a better idea of the situation after hearing the exnation. Calvin came from a prestigious family of doctors. And she bet that he had a huge share in the new hospital. Perhaps, the gathering wasn¡¯t what it appeared on the surface. It was just a front to scout for talents. After all, their graduating ss was top of their cohort and full of talented students. Olivia guessed that Everly was too preupied with the breakup to fully grasp the nature of the gathering before dragging her along. Unlike Olivia, Everly was deep in conversation. She was advertising the properties she was selling. Olivia felt awkward in the social situation. Thankfully, Calvin was caring and inquired about her life without looking down on her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Olivia, if you¡¯re interested, the Oand Hospital will always wee a genius like you.¡± She shed a defeated smile. ¡°Calvin, you must be kidding. I¡¯m just a dropout.¡± Calvin seemed confused. ¡°No. You were on leave from school. But you received your proof of graduation and degree certificate. It was her turn to be surprised. ¡°Calvin, you must be confused.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I was the one who distributed the proof of graduation. Your family epted it on your behalf. Did you not receive it?¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Olivia to understand that Ethan must have pulled some strings. He must¡¯ve taken her proof of graduation on her behalf. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 At that time, a pregnant Olivia was battling a marriage that went downhill. She brushed off the situation. She assumed that Ethan did not inform her of the proof of graduation. It wasn¡¯t a big deal to him. She smiled at Calvin, ¡°Yeah, I received it.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t heard from you in two years. Were you furthering your studies elsewhere? And I heard about your family¡¯s situation. ¡°Look, we are old mates from college. If you need help, don¡¯t hesitate to get in touch with me at any time. I¡¯d be honored to have you join us at the Oand Hospital.¡± In their eyes, she remained the brightest star in the sky. She recalled her miserable and fruitless life in thest few years and finally understood the gravity of her mistake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I do not have ns to do so. I shouldn¡¯t be at today¡¯s event. I ¡­¡± Calista gloated. ¡°I heard you got married. Are you a housewife, by any chance? If so, you¡¯re really out of ce in this event. You wouldn¡¯t want to disgrace the VIPs.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Calvin shot her a disapproving look. Since the Davieses were reliant on the Atkinses, Calista had to keep her manners in check. Unlike her, Calvin acted gentlemanly toward others. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We haven¡¯t seen each other in a while anyway. Since we¡¯re in the same industry, we might end up working together. I invited some medical experts to this event along with our ssmates. Olivia, please don¡¯t feel that you¡¯re out of ce.¡± He added, ¡°Just think of it as expanding your social circle.¡± Olivia could not possibly excuse herself after Calvin attempted to keep her around. The other ssmates were cool with Olivia. They enthusiastically chatted with her. In her ssmates, she saw the good old college days when they confidently engaged in lively academic discussions. She stared into her hands, feeling disappointed at how she had turned so boring. Her marriage only brought her pain. From the conversations around her, she learned that the founder of the hospital would attend the event as well. ¡°I heard that the Miller Group bid for the Oand Hospital project because the president wanted to make his fiancee happy.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller has a reputation for being heartless. I never thought he was such a romantic! He even named a hospital wing after his fiancee!¡± Olivia looked shaken after learning about that, but she inquired with a sliver of hope, ¡°Mr. Miller? Which one?¡± ¡°Oh, Olivia, you can¡¯t be that out of the loop! Ethan Miller is the only Mr. Miller in Aldenvine with pockets deep enough to invest billions in the hospital!¡± Nobody noticed that her face paled as she clutched the hem of her top tightly. She had once vowed to build a mega¨Chospital to benefit more patients. Ethan took her idea and put it into action without her knowing, but one thing especially stood out to her¨Che named a hospital wing after Marina. How ironic was that! She stood up in a hurry and identally tugged on the tablecloth. The decanted red wine toppled over and spilled all over her outfit, but she had no time to clean the mess. ¡°Calvin, something came up. I have to go now.¡± Calvin immediately helped to wipe the stains with some napkins. At that moment, the door flung open. Ethan and Marina entered Chapter 53 Chapter 53 By a twist of fate, Olivia found herself in Ethan¡¯s sight at her most difited moments. It turned out that the Atkinses and the Carltons were family friends. The Carltons invited the Atkinses to hold shares in the Oand Hospital. Calvin was helping Marina to scout for talents. And that was how everyone ended up at the event. However, the guests were surprised that Ethan tagged along as well. His presence took the event to the next level. And the guests flocked up to greet him. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Calvin did not abandon Olivia even after Ethan showed up. He handed her some napkins, and their hands touched in a moment of frenzy. It was warm indoors. So Olivia unbuttoned her down jacket to reveal a knitted white dress underneath. It wasn¡¯t her intention to pick that particr dress, because it entuated her figure. Lifting her head, she exposed her smooth nape. She looked lovely and doelike. Ethan noticed the absence of the mark on her neck, symbolizing their faded love. One day, he would put their memories behind him. Still, Ethan realized that he was not as cool as he thought when Calvin held Olivia¡¯s wrist. And he stared intently at the motion. Calvin immediately sensed his hostile gaze and looked up. But he only found Calista greeting Ethan. Confused, Calvin thought Ethan¡¯s hostility was an illusion. He greeted Ethan with grace, ¡°Mr. Miller, we were not expecting you! It¡¯s our honor to have you here. Marina, this is the gifted student that I mentioned¨COlivia Fordham. Olivia, you should know Mr. Miller by now. And this is Mr. Miller¡¯s-¡± Olivia shed her meekness and put on a thinly¨Cveiled hostility. ¡°I know. That¡¯s Mr. Miller¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± She had thought that she¡¯d never cross paths with Ethan. But it didn¡¯t take them long to run into each other. Calvin smacked his head and chuckled. ¡°Oh, this is embarrassing. Every guest of mine must have known Mr. Miller and Ms. Carlton from all that media coverage on their engagement.¡± ¡°I suppose everyone has heard about Mr. Miller¡¯s fianc¨¦e. But does anyone know who his ex¨Cwife is?¡± With augh like silver bells, Everly approached the group. She had sessfully sold off one of her properties just now. She was a cheerful and carefree spirit and was pretty. She tied her pink hair into a bun and strutted over in her stilettos. However, her pointed question was a rude shock to the guests around them. ¡°Everly, don¡¯t run your mouth! Mr. Miller doesn¡¯t have an ex¨Cwife.¡± ¡°Right! He¡¯s smitten with Ms. Carlton.¡± Everly was determined to even the score on Olivia¡¯s behalf. So she fearlessly walked up to Ethan and hissed, ¡°They said you are smitten with Ms. Carlton. How should we describe what you¡¯ve done to your ex¨Cwife, then? Walking out on her?¡± Ethan shut her up. ¡°She¡¯s not worthy of mention.¡± With that, he made his way around Everly and Olivia, shocking the guests with his admission. However, he made it obvious that he wanted to drop the topic.. Any sensible guest would tiptoe around it, unlike Everly. Surrounded by starstruck guests, he glided into the venue. Nobody except for Everly noticed that Olivia was shaking indignantly. Olivia had not expected Ethan to dismiss their past rtionship with such heartlessness. She realized that her precious memories were not worthy of a mention for him and clenched her fists. Meanwhile, Everly seemed apologetic for her botched attempt at humiliating Marina. It backfired when Ethan shut her down. She also knew that in Olivia and Ethan¡¯s divorce agreement, they agreed to keep their past rtionship a secret. ¡°Liv, are you feeling unwell? I¡¯ll send you home.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Everly was reluctant to suggest Olivia go home. But Ethan made it clear that he would side with Marina. Olivia lost thepetition when Ethan sided with Marina. With each word he said, he inflicted pain on Olivia. Olivia was too fragile at that moment to endure more hurt. Shockingly, Olivia, who had been looking for an escape, chose to stay. She instructed Everly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring a change of clothes? Come with me to the restroom. I¡¯ll change my outfit. It¡¯s rude to leave when the event hasn¡¯t started, don¡¯t you think? Everly was pleasantly surprised by Olivia¡¯s courage to stand up to Ethan. On their way to the restroom, she kept grumbling, ¡°Did you see Ethan Miller¡¯s wretched look just now? I almost punched him and tore him into pieces! He¡¯s the worst scumbag.¡± Olivia smiled helplessly. ¡°Oh, Everly.¡± ¡°Liv, are you sure you want to stay? He¡¯ll be acting all lovey¨Cdovey with his mistress. He¡¯ll make you feel terrible because you still have feelings for him.¡± ¡°You were the one who said that I would get over it one day, not to mention that the divorce was all his fault in the first ce. Why should I hide away?¡± Olivia took the bag with the new dress and entered a cubicle. ¡°Everly, you¡¯re right. Even if I only had a day left on earth, I¡¯d live for myself.¡± She was startled by the dress that Everly brought along. It was bright red and revealing, but she looked sexy in it. Everly swallowed hard when she saw her bestie in that red dress. ¡°Wow, boob size does matter! That dress looks amazing on you!¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She helped Olivia to draw a red lip. Only Olivia could exude grace in that dress, which might look gaudy on other women otherwise. The phrase ¡°pure seduction¡± seemed to be created just for her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Olivia marched into the venue in her heels. She looked even more charming and smart in her pixie cut. As expected, she became the center of attention when she showed up, making Calista scoff in jealousy. ¡°That¡¯s too showy.¡± Soon, Olivia heard a familiar and calm voice around her. ¡°Olivia.¡± She found Keith standing beside Calvin. She was surprised to see him there, but it made sense for Calvin to invite him because he came from a family of doctors, just like Calvin. Keith waved at her. ¡°Over here!¡± Keith must have greeted her to save her from the awkward social situation. She¡¯d only embarrass Keith if she turned him down. Under Ethan¡¯s death stare, she calmnly approached Keith and took a seat beside him. They had not seen each other for a while, and he felt relieved upon seeing her healthy appearance. When most guests were busy groveling to Ethan, Keith gave Olivia his full attention and piled some nutritious foods on her te. She was too busy eating to notice Ethap staring at her. Calvin certainly picked up the odd change in Keith¡¯s behavior. ¡°Keith, I¡¯ve never seen you so focused on a woman. Are you and Olivia¡­¡± One of the ssmates, Bailey nchard, mumbled with a mouthful of food, ¡°I heard Olivia took a leave from school to get married. Is she married to Keith?¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Marina btedly realized that she had walked into Everly¡¯s trap. She didn¡¯t want to out herself as the mistress, for that¡¯d reveal Olivia¡¯s identity as Ethan¡¯s ex¨Cwife. She would never do that. So, she quietened and collected herself. ring at Everly, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s indecent to discuss topics like cheating at a formal event.¡± But Everly wasn¡¯t deterred. In fact, she was emboldened. ¡°The mistress is the indecent woman for sleeping with a married man! I have nothing to fear. But Ms. Carlton, you seem very affected by the discussion. Were you someone¡¯s mistress too?¡± ¡°Ms. Hilton,¡± Ethan hissed at Everly with a menacing gleam in his eyes. She promptly behaved. ¡°Oh, right. With a rich husband like you, Ms. Carlton doesn¡¯t have to climb into anyone¡¯s bed at all! If anything, she¡¯ll be getting into your bed all the time!¡± Even the dumbest person could tell that Everly was taking a jab at Marina. However, only Calvin picked up a minute detail. How did a notable figure like Ethan Millere to know Everly¡¯sst name? On the other hand, Olivia gaped at Everly¡¯s impudence. She wasn¡¯t as daring as her best friend, who had the guts to jab at Ethan. Knowing Ethan, he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to cause trouble for him. Sensing the danger, she quickly steered the topic of conversation, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all in the past. Myte husband will note back to life. So, please don¡¯t ask me for more details. A cheater is not worthy of discussion.¡± Since she had set things straight, it¡¯d be rude for anyone to press on. Everly almost pped at Olivia¡¯s perfecteback. Bailey suddenly wondered aloud, ¡°Does this mean Olivia¡¯s single? Is Keith pursuing her?¡± She was not the sharpest tool in the shed. They narrowly avoided a situation, only to be confronted with a new problem. The socially inept Bailey had not changed at all. Still, Olivia wouldn¡¯t mind if Ethan got dragged into the discussion. She never expected the event to turn into a huge gossip party about her personal life. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Everyone was interested in her rtionship. She was once the campus belle who had numerous suitors. When she gave up everything and left school, her ssmates couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the man whom she made the sacrifice for. Marina kept her anger under control and stole a look at Ethan. He was getting harder to read by the day. He seemed to have given up on Olivia, but he asionally showed a lingering affection for that woman. Ethan carelessly picked up a slice of steak. He ate it as though the conversations were none of his business. Olivia was about to deny it when Keith took over, ¡°It¡¯s not surprising for a lovelydy like Olivia to attract a bunch of admirers. If I have a chance to date her, I¡¯ll cherish her and never hurt her. It¡¯s her ex¨C husband¡¯s loss.¡± Ethan froze upon hearing that. Simrly, Olivia was shocked by Keith¡¯s statement. She had warned Keith to stay out of her business. But instead of heeding her advice, he issued a subtle challenge in front of Ethan. ¡°Keith¡­¡± She looked panicked. There was no way she could exin her way out. Keith seemed to have read her mind. He gave her an endearing look. ¡°Olivia, now that you¡¯re single, may I ask you out?¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Marina btedly realized that she had walked into Everly¡¯s trap. She didn¡¯t want to out herself as the mistress, for that¡¯d reveal Olivia¡¯s identity as Ethan¡¯s ex¨Cwife. She would never do that. So, she quietened and collected herself. ring at Everly, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s indecent to discuss topics like cheating at a formal event.¡± But Everly wasn¡¯t deterred. In fact, she was emboldened. ¡°The mistress is the indecent woman for sleeping with a married man! I have nothing to fear. But Ms. Carlton, you seem very affected by the discussion. Were you someone¡¯s mistress too?¡± ¡°Ms. Hilton,¡± Ethan hissed at Everly with a menacing gleam in his eyes. She promptly behaved. ¡°Oh, right. With a rich husband like you, Ms. Carlton doesn¡¯t have to climb into anyone¡¯s bed at all! If anything, she¡¯ll be getting into your bed all the time!¡± Even the dumbest person could tell that Everly was taking a jab at Marina. However, only Calvin picked up a minute detail. How did a notable figure like Ethan Millere to know Everly¡¯sst name? On the other hand, Olivia gaped at Everly¡¯s impudence. She wasn¡¯t as daring as her best friend, who had the guts to jab at Ethan. Knowing Ethan, he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to cause trouble for him. Sensing the danger, she quickly steered the topic of conversation, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all in the past. Myte husband will note back to life. So, please don¡¯t ask me for more details. A cheater is not worthy of discussion.¡± Since she had set things straight, it¡¯d be rude for anyone to press on. Everly almost pped at Olivia¡¯s perfecteback. Bailey suddenly wondered aloud, ¡°Does this mean Olivia¡¯s single? Is Keith pursuing her?¡± She was not the sharpest tool in the shed. They narrowly avoided a situation, only to be confronted with a new problem. The socially inept Bailey had not changed at all. Still, Olivia wouldn¡¯t mind if Ethan got dragged into the discussion. She never expected the event to turn into a huge gossip party about her personal life. Everyone was interested in her rtionship. She was once the campus belle who had numerous suitors. When she gave up everything and left school, her ssmates couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the man whom she made the sacrifice for. Marina kept her anger under control and stole a look at Ethan. He was getting harder to read by the day. He seemed to have given up on Olivia, but he asionally showed a lingering affection for that woman. Ethan carelessly picked up a slice of steak. He ate it as though the conversations were none of his business. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Olivia was about to deny it when Keith took over, ¡°It¡¯s not surprising for a lovelydy like Olivia to attract a bunch of admirers. If I have a chance to date her, I¡¯ll cherish her and never hurt her. It¡¯s her ex¨C husband¡¯s loss.¡± Ethan froze upon hearing that. Simrly, Olivia was shocked by Keith¡¯s statement. She had warned Keith to stay out of her business. But instead of heeding her advice, he issued a subtle challenge in front of Ethan. ¡°Keith¡­¡± She looked panicked. There was no way she could exin her way out. Keith seemed to have read her mind. He gave her an endearing look. ¡°Olivia, now that you¡¯re single, may I ask you out?¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Keith¡¯s deration of war made Olivia nervous. She knew Ethan was possessive, even after the divorce. He once said that he would never want to see her happy. However, she¡¯d only embarrass Keith in front of everyone if she rejected his advance. She found herself between a rock and a hard ce. Everly helped her out with a grin. She said to Keith, ¡°Of course you can! The easiest way to forget an ex is to get a new date! Keith, you¡¯re a great guy. Take your time and get to know each other. I really hope Olivia meets someone decent to help her heal. You know, she has been badly hurt by that bastard.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Everly made it sound as if Olivia and Keith were a thing. Olivia hurriedly stopped her friend. ¡°Eve!¡± Blinded by revenge, Everly did not heed Olivia¡¯s warning. ¡°Why are you acting all shy? Do you really n to die alone after the divorce? Keith is different from that jerk! Keith, are you free these days? I¡¯m visiting Mohe Town with Liv, but I¡¯m a little concerned about our safety.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my honor to offer you protection.¡± Keith stared at Olivia longingly. Everly stole a look at Ethan and felt satisfied after seeing his sour face. Ethan did not say a word, using only his hostility to remind them of his presence. Calvin jumped in and changed the topic. ¡°As Olivia¡¯s former ssmate, I¡¯m d she found her happiness. It¡¯s an honor to meet Mr. Miller in person too. I shall make a toast to Mr. Miller and Marina. Here¡¯s to a long and happy marriage!¡± His good wishes immediately cheered Marina up. She was about to drink when she noticed Ethan did not raise his ss. Given his social status, he refused to entertain everyone who made a toast to him. Marina awkwardly exined that Ethan refrained from drinking for health reasons. But everyone knew he was putting on airs. Nobody urged him to drink, but he went around the room with Marina to greet the guests out of respect. Calista, who never saw eye to eye with Olivia, was unhappy at all the attention on Olivia. She reminded Olivia with a disgusted face, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re waiting for Ethan to approach your table just because you¡¯re the high and mighty Ms. Fordham. What are you standing there for? You should go up to Mr. and Mrs. Miller instead!¡° The mention of Mrs. Miller always caught Olivia off guard. She stared nkly at the new couple, who seemed to love dressing up in monochrome couple outfits. He was dressed in ck, and she was in white. They looked great together When she was still with Ethan, he never brought her to events or social gatherings. She once confronted him about it, to which he imed that he wanted to keep her hidden for her safety. That left her wondering if he had made a lot of enemies. But she wasn¡¯t too bothered by theck of acknowledgement as long as he loved her Thinking back, she was naive to have believed in his stupid excuse. If he truly loved her, he would have shown her off to everyone. Perhaps, he had been biding his time for Marina. All the talk of vendetta could have been an excuse to justify his extramarital affair. At that moment, Ethan was so close yet so distant from her. Suddenly, he was reduced to nothing more than a stranger ve the memories she cherished seemed to have faded It was male nature to seek as manypanions as possible. How could she have foolishly believed she was lucky enough to stumble upon a faithful partner? Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Olivia reached out to the wine bottle. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should raise a ss to them.¡± Almost instantly, Keith and Everly stopped her and warned her sternly, ¡°No. You can¡¯t drink. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She looked at Everly pleadingly. ¡°I¡¯ll only take a sip. It¡¯s fine.¡± Everly let go of Olivia¡¯s hands when she read the determination in her friends¡® eyes. Olivia poured herself a ss of red wine and made her way to the couple while Keith looked on with hesitation. With a smile, she said, ¡°Mr. Miller, Ms. Carlton, I wish you a happy marriage. I¡¯ll drink this toast whether you like it or not. Please consider this my congrattions in advance. I will not attend your engagement party.¡± Then, she downed the ss of wine like the guest before her without looking at Ethan and Marina. Ethan knew she was a lightweight who¡¯d get tipsy from a ss of wine. Marina stood up with her ss and beamed. ¡°Ethan and I will be happy. Thanks for your blessing.¡± In what seemed to be apetition, she poured herself a full ss of wine and downed it like Olivia. ¡°Enough!¡± Two male voices echoed in the room. Ethan and Keith had to put a stop to the madness. Keith grabbed the half¨Cempty ss from Olivia and told Ethan, ¡°For the sake of her health, I¡¯ll drink on her behalf.¡± Ethan, who had been silent, finally broke into an amused smile. ¡°Who are you to her? What right do you have to drink on her behalf?¡± The guests at the table thought that was Ethan¡¯s pet peeve, hence the hostility. They shot awkward looks at Keith, who calmly replied, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan finally looked at Keith, who was standing over him. Despite being seated, Ethan seemed authoritative with his quiet and serious attitude. His emotionless nce exerted pressure on whomever hey his eyes on. The guests watched on as Ethan chuckled and lifted a ss of wine. He said, amused, ¡°Finally, someone with a spine from the Rogers Family.¡± Everyone was left confused because Ethan¡¯s chilling smile contradicted hispliment. He followed up with, ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll survive this winter.¡± He finally made his threat clear. Ethan was as ruthless and fickle as the rumors painted him. He was a man who¡¯d be outraged at the sight of Keith drinking on behalf of ady and would resort to bankrupting Keith¡¯s family. As one of the scions in Aldenvine, Keith was widely seen as a respected heir and doctor. Only Ethan had the power to step over him due to the Millers¡® influence. The Millers were the top elites in this city, but Ethan kept a low¨Cprofile. He rarely made a move against anyone, but if he ever did, he made sure to destroy his target. Calvin took Ethan¡¯s threat seriously and quickly jumped in to mediate. ¡°Mr. Miller, please calm down. Dr. Rogers was only being nice to Olivia.¡± Rubbing the wine ss with his fingertips, Ethan snickered. ¡°Keith Rogers, who are you to drink on her behalf? You have a chance to return to your seat. If you do, I¡¯ll let this slip.¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Marina stared at Ethan¡¯s side profile throughout the confrontation. Ethan did not like publicizing his rtionship with Olivia, especially after the divorce. However, she noted that Ethan was triggered by Keith¡¯s act of drinking on Olivia¡¯s behalf. She turned her resentful gaze to Olivia when she realized divorce was not enough. It turned out that Olivia still had a ce in Ethan¡¯s heart. Meanwhile, Keith was stuck in an awkward situation. A heavy silence hung in the air; none of the guests dared to make a move that might provoke Ethan. Keith knew that Ethan wanted to force him to give up on Olivia. Any man would have buckled under Ethan¡¯s threat, but little did Ethan know that Keith had fallen too hard for Olivia. It was love at first sight. She was a wholly different person when they were younger. But he was too upied with college and studying abroad to make the rtionship happen. When he returned to the country, he learned that she had quit school to get married. He was dismayed at the shell of the person she had be, like a tree withering from neglect. He waited a long time until her divorce. He was always grateful for the time he spent with her, no matter how short. For the first time, the rule¨Cabiding man followed his heart and gave his all for love. Keith, ignoring the threat, stared determinedly at Ethan. ¡°It¡¯s not your ce toment on that. You do know that your fianc¨¦e is right beside you, don¡¯t you? You should focus on her. No matter what Olivia¡¯s decision is, I will protect her well. I won¡¯t hurt her the way her ex¨Chusband did.¡± With that, he downed the contents in Olivia¡¯s ss and mmed it on the table. He took her hand and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, so I¡¯ll send Olivia home. I shall excuse myself since you¡¯ll be talking business.¡± Everly almost pped at Keith¡¯s coolness. Yet Olivia seemed troubled. She knew that Keith was adding fuel to the fire, and if she went with him, Ethan would destroy the Rogers Family. She nned to stay, but he hauled her away. Worried, she looked at him. ¡°Keith, you¡­¡± He gave her a gentle look and ced a finger on his lips. She left with him without ncing at Ethan¡¯s expression. She could still picture his displeasure. Panicked, she lectured Keith, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone against him openly. He¡¯s a tough nut. Remember? You were lucky to have escaped the car crash unhurt. Keith, you knew my predicament. I can¡¯t possibly love-¡± He took her other hand and nced at her tenderly. ¡°Olivia, I know. But I¡¯m an adult. I know what I¡¯m doing. Ethan can be vtile, but he¡¯s not tyrannical. If he¡¯s angry at me, he wille at me, but he will leave my family out of it. I thought through the consequences before I asked you out.¡± Frowning, she wanted to exin that Ethan was different from what everyone thought of him. At least, in the past, Ethan would go mad if anyoneid a finger on her. Once, a senior at school cornered her in an alley and confessed to her. After she rejected him, he started getting handsy around her. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The next day, she heard that the senior had drunkenly fallen off a building in a freak ident and died horribly. The deceased¡¯s family med it on Olivia, making a scene at the school and pping her across the face. Soon, their residence went up in mes a few dayster, and the entire family perished. She had thought it was a terrible coincidence until she found Ethan scattering white powder in his garden. She went up to take a better look and was shocked to learn that those were ashes. The family of that senior was not only dead but reduced to ashes. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Knowing Ethan¡¯s character, the Fordhams were lucky to only suffer bankruptcy from their involvement in the death of Ethan¡¯s sister. However, Keith might not be as fortunate. Olivia shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Keith, you shouldn¡¯t get yourself into this mess.¡± ¦° As Keith had brought her out from the venue in a hurry, she didn¡¯t have time to grab her jacket. Noticing that, he draped his jacket on her and held her firmly at the shoulders. ¡°Olivia, I know he has hurt you a lot. It¡¯s not my intention to force you into dating me. I just wanted to keep youpany in your final days. So, please give me a chance to look after you, even if it¡¯s just as a friend. Okay?¡± She felt conflicted at his plea. He was nice to her, which made her more reluctant to get him into trouble. ¡°Keith, I know you¡¯re doing this out of good faith, but he ¡­¡± Halfway through their conversation, she saw a figure standing not far away out of the corner of her eye. Ethan was shooting death res at them as he called out to her, ¡°Get over here.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She realized that his possessiveness did not go away with the divorce. If anything, it was more pronounced after. Keith hurriedly shielded her and nced warily at Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, you are divorced. Please do not hurt her anymore.¡± Ethan ignored Keith and focused his gaze on the jacket Olivia was wearing. He reiterated, ¡°Take that off and get over here.¡± He spoke to her like he was the owner of a pet. If Keith weren¡¯t at the scene, she would have immediately left. She was troubled by the memory of Ethan¡¯s threat toward Keith at dinner. Others might make empty threats during arguments, but not Ethan. She gritted her teeth and put aside the humiliation to take off the jacket. ¡°Keith, I told you to stay out of my business.¡± Her remark left Keith confused. ¡°But you¡¯re divorced!¡± She did not directly address him. Instead, she stuffed the jacket into his arms and was ready to leave. ¡°Keith, I told you before that I wasn¡¯t good enough for you. Please stop wasting your time on me.¡± Keith, noticing her helplessness, took her by the wrist. ¡°Olivia, I can help you.¡± ¡°Brent, cut his hands off,¡± Ethan ordered ruthlessly. Brent appeared from the shadows and went up to Keith. Seeing that, Olivia quickly shook off Keith¡¯s hand and stood in Brent¡¯s way. She turned to Ethan and said, ¡°If you take anything from Keith, I¡¯ll have to make up to him with my life. Ethan Miller, let him go. I said he had nothing to do with me.¡± Lips pursed and chin lifted, Ethan haughtily looked at her without a word. Left with no choice, she hurried up to him. He ced a jacket over her, wrapping her skinny figure tightly like a prison. As long as he refused to let go, she¡¯d be stuck in that prison after divorce. Keith¡¯s arms rested limply on both sides. He tried to talk to Ethan, ¡°Mr. Miller, 1 do not understand your obsession with Olivia. She doesn¡¯t have much-¡± ¡°Keith, time to go home,¡± she cut him off. Before leaving, Keith nced between the two of them and warned, ¡°Anyway, treat her well. Stop hurting her.¡± Ethan lifted Olivia¡¯s chin with his fingers and said icily, ¡°What was he trying to tell me? What¡¯s going on with you?¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Olivia freed herself from Ethan¡¯s grip after Keith left. She replied tly, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± After a few days of rest and recuperation, herplexion looked healthier, a huge contrast to her previous sickly self. He mumbled under his breath, ¡°Right. You¡¯ve always been as fit as a fiddle.¡± She secretly snickered at him but did not attempt to add any exnation. Taking his jacket off, she said, ¡°Mr. Miller, don¡¯t worry. I will stick to the terms of our agreement. I shall not remarry.¡± Ethan had poured his heart into drafting their divorce agreement. Even though he gave her wealth, he destroyed her future by adding a use to the agreement. It prohibited her from remarrying. If she ever did, she would need to pay him ten times the settlement he provided her, which would stand at ten billion. Still, she signed the agreement without flinching because her days were numbered anyway. The alcohol in her stomach made her sick. Attacked relentlessly by the sharp pangs of pain, she held it in and attempted to leave. But he held her wrist where Keith had previously grasped. She grimaced. ¡°Mr. Miller, your fianc¨¦e is still waiting for you. Do you really want the guests to find out that I¡¯m your ex¨Cwife? He ignored her words and growled quietly, ¡°It¡¯s dirty here. You need to clean it.¡± Somehow, Ethan felt like the sick one between them. Why did his possessiveness skyrocket after the divorce? He was acting like a psycho. He dragged her to the elevator. She wanted to argue with him, but the elevator stopped on the fifth floor. A bunch of drunkards staggered in. Frowning, he took a step back and forced her into a corner. This formed a protective wall that separated her from the drunks. She stared at his back in his pressed suit and the back of his head. His hair was styled immactely. He might be a disciplined and meticulous person, but he could also be wild and extreme at times. She feared the contradiction that was him. At that time, she felt the pain growing in her stomach. Every part of her body was screaming in pain. And she badly wanted to find a space where she could gasp for breath. But she was stuck in an elevator with four reflective walls. She was also wearing a pair of stilettos and standing right behind her ex¨Chusband. Even doubling over would seem like an admission of defeat. His broad shoulders were within reach. She had once leaned on his shoulders forfort, but it was now a ce that was out of bounds for her. She focused on counting the floors in the elevator. After an eternity, she finally reached their destination. The hotel was one of the many properties under the Miller Group, whose business spanned multiple industries. He stole a nce at her when he keyed in the passcode. It was the same code as his safe¨Ca combination of numbers that was rted to her. Before she could figure out his intention, she felt a force dragging her into the room. He threw the jacket aside and led her into the bathroom. Holding in the pain, she looked at him. ¡°Mr. Miller, we are divorced. I do not need to fulfill my duty as your trophy wife anymore. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± He had pressed on the knob of the shower, and she shivered as the icy water poured all over her Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She roared, ¡°Ethan Miller!¡± He sped her face underneath the shower and stared at her. ¡°Liv, didn¡¯t I tell you before not to let any man touch you Chapter 62 Chapter 62 The cold touch of Ethan¡¯s fingertips traveled down her cheek like a serpent. It didn¡¯t matter what they were fighting over, for he was in one of his episodes again. When they first dated, he wanted her to promise him three things: no cheating, no touching other men, and no leaving. She saw hints of his extreme possessiveness from the beginning. After all, he had killed off a family and turned them into ashes just because they pped her. He¡¯d also be cross when she shined at school. Once, she fell during sports day, and a member of the organizingmittee had to carry her to the health center on his back. It was that night she witnessed Ethan¡¯s dark side as he ordered her to wash herself clean. Despite her exnations, he forced her to stand under the shower through the night. Despite his craziness, she was hopelessly in love with him. For him, she took an academic leave to keep herself out of the public eye. She didn¡¯t expect his madness to worsen after the divorce. Although the side effects from chemo went away, she still struggled with stomach pain. The room didn¡¯t have heating. And after the cold shower, she felt nothing but excruciating pain. ¡°Turn it off! I feel cold! Ethan Miller, it¡¯s fucking cold!¡± He pushed her body against the cold tiles and shed her a chilling smile. ¡°Liv, would it help if I warm you up with a hug?¡± ¡°Psycho! You fucking psycho!¡± Trembling, she reached out to turn off the shower. But he spotted it fast and held her arms over her head. The curves of her body looked perfect under the cascading water. He was simrly attractive. His abs were visible under the white shirt that was drenched. He pressed his warm body against hers in a flirtatious move. He cocked his head and whispered into her ear, ¡°Liv, you can only be mine even after the divorce. Have you forgotten about it? ¡± ¡°Let me go! I told you nothing happened between me and Keith.¡± She kept her temper under control because she didn¡¯t want to push his buttons. He smirked. ¡°Why did you move into his apartment, then? Liv, did you really think that the Rogers could back you up after leaving the Millers? Why don¡¯t we make a bet on how long the Rogers could hold out?¡± Ethan had made a dubious im, confusing her apartment as Keith¡¯s. But she didn¡¯t have time to go into the details. She banged her left fist against him to express his anger. She knew that it was useless but still better than not fighting back at all. ¡°Ethan, you were the one who cheated and asked for a divorce. And you are the one who¡¯s getting engaged. Please ask your attorney for the proper definition of divorce if you¡¯re confused! What right do you have to control me?¡± She confronted him with a teary voice, ¡°Are you a tyrant or something? If you decided to leave my life, why did you barge in as you wish? If this is your new idea of torture, I¡¯d rather be dead.¡± He kissed away her tears and answered coldly, ¡°Liv, I gave you a chance, but you squandered it. Divorce is only a separation on legal terms. You will live under my control for the rest of your life.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She suddenly recalled that, after that night of standing under the shower, he had once asked her if she wanted to leave. He was a beast that would hurt her. And he was willing to send her away to safety before he spiraled out of control. ¡°Do you remember what you said? You hugged me and said that we¡¯d be together in sickness and health. You said you wouldn¡¯t abandon me unless death parts us.¡± Olivia tried to make out the his handsome face under the dim lighting. ¡°What if I died?¡± She replied in a thin and unfeeling Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡°What if I died?¡± Olivia¡¯s almost inaudible mumble bounced off the walls of the bathroom, taking him by surprise. ¡°You won¡¯t die because you have me.¡± Sure, he might have endless power and wealth one could wish for, and he had ess to the top medical resources in the world. But no doctor would guarantee sess in treatingte¨Cstage cancer. Ethan might appear omnipotent, holding power over the life and death of other beings. But he was a mere mortal at the end of the day and powerless to save her from the hands of the Grim Reaper. She chuckled. ¡°Ethan, since my family owed you a life, shall I atone for that with my death?¡± ¡°Liv, I would have taken your life two years ago if I wanted to. I hate you, but I love you at the same time. That¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping you alive to punish you.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Did you just say you love me?¡± She snorted. ¡°If that¡¯s true, you wouldn¡¯t have betrayed me. I told you I wanted to build a mega¨Chospital with express ess for the needy. So, you built a hospital worth a few billion and named a wing after Marina.¡± She went on, ¡°I said I loved the ocean and picked a spot for our future home, but you ended up building Collington Cove for Marina; I wanted to name our child Connor, but you stole that name for your child with Marina.¡± ¡°Ethan, do you call that love?¡± The icy water trickled down his jaw. It was hard to see the emotions in his eyes because he was staring at the ground. He¡® seemed to have a lot to say and opened his mouth. But nothing came out in the end. At first, she had wondered if he had a good reason for treating her in that manner. If not, given his character, he wouldn¡¯t have kept the passcode around. Upon second thought, she concluded that he was a conflicted man who could love and hate someone simultaneously. Perhaps, that was his way of taking revenge. He wanted to keep her alive, and he knew where it hurt most. Her eyes dimmed. Grabbing his cor, she hissed, ¡°Your love is revolting.¡± ¡°Liv, do not anger me. That wouldn¡¯t do you any good.¡± He unbuckled his belt, a move that set her rm bells ringing. ¡°W¨CWhat do you want to do?¡± ¡°Liv, you need to be punished for your mistake.¡± He enunciated each word of his threat before tying her hands behind her. ¡°No, Ethan, you can¡¯t do this to me.¡± Olivia panicked, but he was in no mood to listen. He swiftly tied her up and positioned her under the shower with the help of a towel, all while she struggled futilely. He had a unique way of tying the knot, which made it impossible to be undone. Her soft skin reddened under the rough handling. He lifted her chin in his fingers and mumbled into her ear, ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve seriously considered giving up on you.¡± Despite the tenderness in his voice, he gave her the creeps. He went on, ¡°But whenever I see other men near you, I want to tear them into pieces. Tell me, where else did Keith touch you?¡± His mania grew with his increasing tenderness. Reminded of Keith¡¯s car crash, she frantically cleared Keith¡¯s name, ¡°I only ask that he pay extra attention to my dad at the hospital, that¡¯s all. I don¡¯t know why you said that about the apartment- Dad¡¯s caretaker introduced that ce to me. Myndlord is abroad.¡± ¡°Liv, I wanted to trust you, but he visited your ce for a few days with stuff for you. Care to exin?¡± Tears filled her eyes as she suffocated under his craziness and possessiveness. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get out of bed because I was sick for a few days. He was worried about my health and brought groceries to cook for me. Can¡¯t you tell that he¡¯s only stayed for two hours tops each time? He¡¯ll leave after cooking for me.¡± He furrowed his brows and yed with her cheeks. ¡°Are you really sick?¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Gently, Ethan loosened his grip on her body. ¡°Liv, remember the punishment from today.¡± ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m begging you. Juste at me if you¡¯re angry. Don¡¯t you do anything to the Rogers Family! Hey, untie me. Don¡¯t leave me alone here! I¡¯m scared! Ethan, turn off the shower. I¡¯m freezing, and I can¡¯t fall sick now¡­¡± She saw him leaving and heard the click of the door shutting behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone! I¡¯m wrong. You can torture me in any way you want, just don¡¯t leave me alone here. I¡¯m feeling cold. Please let me out! I¡¯ll listen¡­ No, don¡¯t turn off the lights! I¡¯m scared!¡± There was a moment when he almost caved in after hearing her desperate pleas, but it was a fleeting feeling. Hezily changed into a new outfit and gracefully made his way to the lobby. There, Marina was searching around for him. She felt relieved when he showed up without Olivia by his side. ¡°Ethan, where were you? I was looking high and low for you.¡± ¡°I went to the restroom for a bit. Why?¡± Ethan concealed his emotions well. She took his arm, but he silently freed himself from her grip and informed her, ¡°I have another appointment at night. Get the driver to send you home after the event.¡± ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t drink too much, and don¡¯t get home toote,¡± she reminded him while putting aside her displeasure. He had not agreed to register their marriage at the City Hall that day. She had no choice but to put on a show as his understanding partner and soulmate to get her hands on that marriage certificate. ¡°Kay.¡± After Ethan left, Marina wiped the smile off her face. His new outfit did not escape her keen eyes. Did he change for the engagement that he would attendter, or was it for Olivia? ¡°Hello, out of my way, now!¡± Everly suddenly strutted over in her heels and recklessly bumped into Marina. ¡°Everly Hilton!¡± That did not stop Everly. ¡°Oh, my bad! I totally didn¡¯t notice you at all!¡± Marina was speechless at Everly¡¯s jab. She wanted to bicker with Everly, but one of the guests at the scene dragged her back to the venue. Meanwhile, Everly was spamming Olivia with calls. She had wanted to get some gossip from Olivia, but her calls went unanswered. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. When she recalled how Ethan was on Keith and Olivia¡¯s heels, she felt uneasy and dialed Olivia¡¯s number once more. No one picked up, and in the heat of the moment, she cursed, ¡°Ethan Miller, you fucker! What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± She jolted when she heard a cold male voice in her ear. She looked over and found Ethan smoking a cigarette under the tree. The flicker of the lighter danced between the shadows on his face Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Everly¡¯s first reaction upon seeing Ethan was to cower. She might have been bold and outspoken at the event, but she was only bolstered by the effect of alcohol and Olivia¡¯s presence. She bore witness to Ethan¡¯s deep love for Olivia, and she knew that he could be deeply cruel toward outsiders. Two years ago, she brought Olivia to a bar. When Ethan picked up Olivia, he shot Everly an icy look when Olivia wasn¡¯t looking and warned, ¡°This is thest time.¡± She was drenched in cold sweat when Ethan left, and she was haunted by the look in his eyes for a few nights in her dreams. Back to the present, Ethan shut the lighter and casually nced at her, but it was enough to make her tense up. She gulped and said in a hushed voice, ¡°Um, Mr. Miller, I¡¯m looking for Liv. I¡¯ll excuse myself now.¡± He shook off the cigarette ashes and gave her a look from the corner of his eye. ¡°Let¡¯s chat.¡± She knew it wasn¡¯t going to be a casual chat, and as a result, she was reluctant to engage with him. ¡°Well, it¡¯s veryte at night. How about we chat next time? Promise.¡± She was ready to flee but turned around and bumped into Brent, whom she secretly described as Ethan¡¯s hitman. Brent said to her, ¡°Please, Ms. Hilton.¡± Close to tears, she followed them to a nearby cafe. She couldn¡¯t stop shaking her legs after she was seated, causing the table to All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. rattle as well. When Ethan reached for his cup oftte, he was momentarily surprised by the messed uptte art, all because of Everly¡¯s leg- shaking. An awkward moment passed between them. She smiled politely at him and handed him thette. ¡°Mr. Miller, have atte.¡± Then, she immediately chastised herself in secret for falling into the habit of her line of work. The situation grew awkward. He put thette aside and spoke to her, ¡°I want to learn more about Olivia and Keith.¡± Everly might have no idea about the brand of Ethan¡¯s mental disorder, but she knew about his possessiveness. Olivia¡¯s ex¨Chusband couldn¡¯t let her go, judging from how he was prodding around about Olivia¡¯s life. Everly said bluntly, ¡± Keith probably has feelings for Liv, but she isn¡¯t interested in him. Why else would I put in the effort to matchmake?¡± Hearing that, Ethan grew a little hostile. She recoiled and stole a careful nce at him as though she was meeting her boss.¡± Uh, Mr. Miller, are you still interested in Liv?¡± She had overstepped the boundary. He dodged the question and rapped hisnuckles on the table. ¡°What base are they on?¡± ¡°Oh, god, no. I swear they haven¡¯t done anything. Liv was upset after the divorce and didn¡¯t even step out of her ce for a long time. I had to talk her intoing to the event today. I don¡¯t know why Keith showed up, but he probably attended at Calvin¡¯s invitation. Liv had nothing to do with that.¡± Ethan¡¯s suffocating silence and his unreadable eyes spooked Everly. She couldn¡¯t tell if he trusted her words, and she wondered how Olivia managed to live with a man who barely showed his emotions. ¡°Well, I can swear on my life. If there was something between Liv and Keith, I¡¯d be crushed by a car!¡± He finally looked at her but remained expressionless. She gritted her teeth and swore, ¡°I¡¯d be forever alone if that happened!¡± He seemed to think that wasn¡¯t brutal enough and added to the curse, ¡°You¡¯d be broke for life.¡± Ethan was shrewd enough to hit her where it hurt. She clenched her jaw and said, ¡°Fine! I¡¯d be broke for life if that happened.¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Ethan finally took Everly¡¯s word for it. She wouldn¡¯t dare to lie to him. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Was she sick before this?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was going through a breakup with a bastard, so I didn¡¯t pay her much attention. Thank god Keith was there to cook for her.¡± She had wanted to tell Ethan the truth about Olivia. But she wouldn¡¯t know the consequences of doing so, given that Olivia couldn¡¯t even put a name to her rtionship with Ethan at the moment. She decided to respect Olivia¡¯s wish. Ethan thought of Olivia¡¯s pale face and asked, ¡°Why was she sick?¡± Her heart skipped a beat as she fought to maintain a neutral expression under his keen gaze. ¡°It was just the flu.¡± ¡°Just the flu?¡± ¡°What else could it have been? Liv has always been healthy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Ethan concurred and concluded that Olivia might have sought pity through her show of weakness to avoid the divorce. After he received the answers from Everly, he dropped a remark before leaving. ¡°If you¡¯re interested, you may report to the Miller Property Corp Tower for work tomorrow.¡± Her eyes lit up, knowing that the Miller Property Corp Tower was the property business of Miller Group. It¡¯d be an instant status boost to work there. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Mr. Miller. You¡¯re the best!¡± As Ethan walked away, she suddenly thought of something and ran up to him. ¡°Mr. Miller, have you come across Liv? I can¡¯t reach her on her phone.¡± He turned around. ¡°What do you think?¡± Everly scratched her head as she realized the pointlessness of her question. Ethan couldn¡¯t have seen Olivia because he was standing right in front of her. ¡°Oh, please ignore my dumb question. I was worried for her.¡± He ignored her and proceeded to leave. After some thinking, Everly gathered up her courage and said to him, ¡°Mr. Miller, please be nice to Liv if you still love her. Don¡¯t hurt her anymore. She still cares about you.¡± Although he cheated on Olivia, he seemed to have lingering feelings for her. Everly¡¯s only wish was for Olivia to live out her final days without regret. She felt more relieved after confirming that Ethan wasn¡¯t with Olivia. She assumed that Olivia might have put her phone on silent mode on her way home with Keith. Little did she know that her friend was imprisoned in a dark bathroom after Ethan turned off the lights and left. In the past, Olivia had nothing she feared in particr. However, after she almost drowned, she developed a trauma. She recalled watching Ethan leaving with Marina as she sank into the darkness. Her hands were on her belly, fearing that she might lose her baby. When she regained consciousness, she found herself in an operating theater with a sterile and blinding light right on top of her. There, she parted with her baby in pain. Since then, she had been scared ofplete darkness and blinding lights. At that moment, the bathroom was filled with cold water. It wasn¡¯t enough to drown her, but it brought back memories from the day she fell into the water. In the bathroom, she continuously pleaded for help, hoping that someone would show up and free her. s, the soundproofing on the 38th floor drowned out her calls. The situation was eerily simr to the fateful day she Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Staring at the door that seemed shut forever, she lost hope. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. No matter how many times she got trapped, the ending was the same. Last time, she lost her baby. Would it be her turn this time to die? She remembered that Ethan had arrived half an hourte to her room from Marina¡¯s room. Hopeless, she demanded to know, ¡°Why did you choose to save her?¡± ¡°Because you know how to swim.¡± The tears that had welled up in her eyes finally rolled down her cheek when she heard his answer. She was a pregnant woman, not an immortal. When she fell into the water, her legs were tangled in a web of fishings as well. He always thought she was indestructible. That was why he must have believed she could withstand the cold shower. She¡¯d at most fall sick from the flu. He had no idea that an insignificant flu might be deadly for a cancer patient post¨Cchemo. Thinking he was in control of everything in this world, he shall pay for his hubris this time. She was no longer concerned about a thing in this world except for Jeff. Like a crucified prisoner, she held on, head hung low, waiting for death to knock on her door. An eternityter, the door creaked open. She looked up and saw a tall figure appearing before her. Forcing herself to stay awake, she watched as he advanced and stood right in front of her. He questioned, ¡°Liv, have you recognized your fault by now?¡± How was it her fault? She wanted tough at the absurdity of it, but she was numb all over. What else could she say? She asked for this. She moved her lips like a dying fish. ¡°Ethan, I was wrong.¡± His lips curled into a smile in the darkness as he untied her in no time. What followed was her body hanging limply and her frigid remark. ¡°Meeting you in this life was a mistake.¡± When Brent switched on the lights, Ethan noticed the bloody mess on her wrists. She would rather injure her wrists in an attempt to free herself. It was different from her past self, who would whimper andin about the prick of a needle. He lifted her in his arms. Strands of her dark hair were stered across her lifeless face. She looked like a porcin doll. He felt his chest tighten. He was confused by her weak condition. She was once strong enough to go swimming in the winter. How could a cold shower wear her out? ¡°Olivia, stop acting.¡± He stared at the lifeless body in his arms and touched her cheek. She was cold. Shaking, he screamed, ¡°Call the doctor!¡± A terrified Brent quickly called the family doctor. Ethan was distressed. He thought that half an hour of standing under the cold shower was a enough punishment without pushing her to her limits. Why did this happen to her? He started taking off her clothes to administer first aid. Thankfully, she was still breathing, albeit her breaths were shallow. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Ethan thought he was familiar with every nook and cranny of Olivia¡¯s body, but It was his first time seeing the scar on her lower abdomen. He was aware that she went under the knife without anesthesia due to her allergy. Waiting outside the operating theater, Ethan heard her screams of pain from within. He knew of theyers of her skin that were sutured and the amount of stitches. she received on that day. Apart from the wound on the abdomen, Olivia suffered a new injury on her inner left arm. He suddenly recalled that she once visited the hospital on the day Marina made a scene. He thought Olivia merely suffered from some minor abrasions from that day, but he was shocked to discover the long scar. For someone who had a fear of pain, how did she manage to suffer in silence and brush it offter? Pursing his lips, he remembered Olivia¡¯s words before she cked out. Her words felt like a stab to his heart. He changed her into pajamas and ramped up the heating in the room as he hugged her tightly. Soon, Brent arrived with Chris Atkins, and the two men instinctively backed out when they saw Ethan hugging Olivia. Ethan barked, ¡°Get the fuck back! Check up on her!¡± ¡°Of course, Mr. Miller.¡± Chris was Ethan¡¯s family doctor. His presence was only required for minor issues, such as a bruise on the arm or a twisted ankle because Olivia was always in good shape. He always joked that she was as fit as a fiddle, but after two years of not seeing her, he found her lying feebly on the bed, looking as pale as a ghost. Chris summed up the diagnosis, ¡°Mr. Miller, based on my initial assessment, Mrs. Miller passed out because her body was too weak. She was exposed to the cold just now, so she had to be kept warm to avoid running a fever. The wounds on her wrists are superficial injuries, but they need to be treated carefully.¡± ¡°She¡¯s weak?¡± Olivia did appear quite unwell some time ago, but she should have recovered from the flu by now. ¡°That¡¯s right. Her heart rate and pulse are below average, and she shows symptoms of heartburn too. I¡¯m not an expert like my mentor, though. If you are free, you should send Mrs. Miller to the hospital for a detailed check¨Cup.¡± Then, Chris pulled out the needle that he had inserted for blood sampling. ¡°I collected her blood to run some tests at the hospital. We¡¯ll need to find out if this is a viral or bacterial infection before we can administer the right treatment.¡± ¡°Good.¡± It was a torturous night for Olivia, who had a long dream. In the dream, she ran into a young man in a white shirt at the school field for the first time. It was love at first sight for her. They met for the second time when he saved her from drowning. She vividly remembered the excitement and joy that filled her body. In a moment of panic, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her body sensed the muscr build of his, which caused her to blush in embarrassment. After that, they fell in love with each other and went into a rtionship. When they were together, he doted on her like never before. It would have been nice for the dream to end at that point to save her from the ensuing suffering. Ethan watched as she frowned and mumbled in her sleep, ¡°My baby! Ethan Miller, give me back my baby!¡± She went on, ¡°Ethan, I will give up my life for you. Please let me go. Ethan¡­¡± Every single remark was rted to him and full of resentment. He reached out to take her hand and mumbled, ¡°Liv, how can I free you when nobody could free me?¡± He was worried that by letting go, he¡¯d lose his only connection to her. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Her hand was scathing hot. Just like Chris had predicted, she was running a fever. Ethan put a fever ster on her forehead and prepared some pills for her. But he was interrupted by Brent, who barged in without knocking. ¡°Mr. Miller, we got the results of the blood test! All of Mrs. Miller¡¯s indices were lower than the average. The count of her red and white blood cells was especially low! ¡°Dr. Atkins said that she could not run a fever because her white blood cell count was at 2.3. A fever can be fatal for her! She needs a Nesta injection right away!¡± ¡°W¨CWhat did you say?¡± The pills in Ethan¡¯s hand were scattered all over the floor. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 To Ethan, Olivia was the symbol of vitality. Hence, he was flustered when Brent mentioned the potentially fatal condition that she was in. Brent went up to him and showed him the photos of the blood test results on the phone. Apart from the blood cell count, Olivia had a lower¨Cthan¨Caverage count for the other lymphatic cells. Ethan tried to grasp the consequences of his actions in full. He remembered her desperate screaming when he left her alone in the bathroom. Feeling disoriented, he replied, ¡°Well, she¡¯s running a fever now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bad. We need to get her to the hospital.¡± ¡°Get the car.¡± Ethan recalled how Olivia had always shown up wrapped in a thick down jacket. That was rather unusual because she had only worn thin wool coats during the past winters to look good. It finally dawned on him. She wasn¡¯t faking her illness all this time. He clumsily wrapped her up inyers of clothing, seemingly worried that the cold air might seep in. She looked both pitiful and lovable due to her flushed cheeks. This was not her first fever, so why would it be particrly fatal for her? When he lifted her in his arms, his chest tightened because he realized that she lost a lot of weight. Ethan rushed Olivia to a private hospital in the dark of the night. Chris came over with the blood test results and opined, ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve had a better idea of her condition. Mrs. Miller needs a Nesta injection first because she¡¯s in a critical condition.¡± Ethan was holding on to the feverish Olivia from the moment he arrived at the hospital, and she was mumbling nonstop. With a hand on her belly, she extended the other hand to grasp at the air. ¡°Ethan, save me! Save our baby!¡± She was hooked to an IV drip via the back of her right hand. So he had to stop her hand from moving around to prevent the needle froming loose. She grabbed his hand desperately. Her contorted face finally rxed a little as her anxiety melted into a relieved smile. ¡°Sweetie, Mommy has found you atst! Are you ming me because I didn¡¯t protect you well? Don¡¯t you worry; Mommy will be with you very soon.¡± Upon hearing her feverish mumble, Ethan¡¯s frown deepened. He instructed, ¡°Brent, get Connor here. Just tell them that I missed him.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Ethan only had faith in his efforts¨Cnot fate or luck. Still, he was spooked by the ominous words from her lips. It was true that he once hated Olivia because her family was connected to his sister¡¯s death. But he never thought Olivia would die! He arranged for Olivia to undergo a series of body checkups once she recovered from the fever. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you.¡± However, the reality was often disappointing. Despite Chris¡® best efforts, he failed to make the fever go away. If the fever went on, Olivia would be headed toward death. ¡°Loser! You can¡¯t even treat a fever!¡± Enraged, Ethan grabbed Chris by the cor and hissed, ¡°If anything happens to her, I¡¯ll withdraw my funding for your research team.¡± Chris felt it unfair and argued, ¡°Mr. Miller, we tried our best, but this is a very tricky situation. It appears that she has lost the will to live ¡­¡± ¡°Rubbish!¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes glimmered threateningly. Olivia was a tough cooldie. And with Jeff still around, she wouldn¡¯t possibly give up on life just yet. Chris exined helplessly, ¡°Mr. Miller, we¡¯re not trying to shun our responsibility here. Look, the brain is themand center of all our bodily functions. Many medical miracles happened because the patients exhibited an unyielding will to live. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have experienced this before. Even if you¡¯re staring at death, there will be a miracle if you are determined to stay alive.¡± Chris added, ¡°But Mrs. Miller has given up on life. I¡¯m afraid that.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Ethan let go of Chris¡® cor and stumbled backward as Olivia¡¯s words echoed in his mind. ¡°Ethan, I was wrong¡­ Meeting you in this life was a mistake.¡± She must have hated herself to the extent of giving up on her life. For the first time, Chris picked up a hint of fear on Ethan¡¯s face. After a long silence, Ethan finally questioned, ¡°I went through her blood test results. Why are the indices lower than average?¡± ¡°In situations like these, she¡¯s likely having¡­¡± Chris stopped himself from telling the truth. After a round of chemo, the patient¡¯s blood cell indices would fall under the average. Although he had not performed health checks for Olivia in the past two years, he highly doubted that she had cancer because she was healthy and young. Statistically, cancer patients were mostly middle¨Caged or older. Since the situation was tense, he didn¡¯t want to scare Ethan before there was a conclusive result. ¡°Likely having what?¡± ¡°Nothing. Did you notice anything off with Mrs. Millertely?¡± ¡°She fell ill a while ago, and she suffered an arm injury.¡± ¡°Oh, that could be the reason. Viral infections might affect the blood cell indices. She probably hadn¡¯t fully recovered when she took that cold shower. That might have worsened her condition.¡± Ethan¡¯s heart ached when Chris made the assumptions. Chris noticed the change in Ethan¡¯s expression and added, ¡°Mrs. Miller is immunpromised now, so please take good care of her. She can¡¯t catch a cold and fall sick. I¡¯ll increase the dosage of her meds. The priority now is to get her fever down.¡± Ethan¡¯s arms hung limply by his side as he muttered, ¡°Okay.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Back at Collington Cove, Marina was ted when Ethan requested to see Connor. She was not informed of the circumstances. The kid started bearing a close resemnce to his father. And she assumed that was the reason Ethan doted on him. The more Ethan was interested in Connor, the more it turned the situation in Marina¡¯s favor. She wasn¡¯t too worried about her ce in Ethan¡¯s life. Because she knew that he¡¯d agree to register their marriage one day. Brent showed up at the patient room with Connor in his arms. Olivia was still in critical condition due to the fever. ¡°Papa, I want a hug.¡± Connor extended his chubby arms toward Ethan. Ethan took the kid and pointed at the feverish woman in bed. ¡°Look! Who is that?¡± Connor¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Mama! I want! Mama.¡± Ethan gently ced Connor by Olivia¡¯s side. ¡°Give her a hug.¡± The kid was very smart. He wriggled his way into Olivia¡¯s arms without needing further instructions from his father. He then eagerly rested his little head on Olivia¡¯s inner elbow. Ethan wiped away the tears on Olivia¡¯s face and whispered in her ear, ¡°Stop crying. Your baby is back.¡± For a year or so, Olivia had been having the same nightmare, where a kid would cry and ask her for the reason she abandoned him. But she never got to see the face of the kid. This time around, she did not see any kid in her dream. Instead, she saw an endless ocean sprawling in front of her, and she waded deeper into the waters. She was in a state of tranquility. ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯ve waited for a long time. Mommy will be with you soon.¡± ¡°Mama!¡± Suddenly, she heard a kid¡¯s voice from behind. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 The scenery in Olivia¡¯s dream changed from the ocean to a lovely sunflower field. A kid was running and giggling in the field. ¡± Mama! Come get me!¡± ¡°Oh, sweetie! My sweet child.¡± When she caught up with the kid, she pulled him into a hug. ¡°I finally found you, my baby! I¡¯m sorry. I will protect you well now.¡± She turned the kid around and was astonished to see Connor¡¯s meaty face. It suddenly started pouring, and she had to run to a shelter with the kid. She was drenched by the rain. At that moment, she woke up from the dream, and the first thing she saw was the kid with a meaty face drooling from his lips. The drool almost fell onto her face, but Ethan was fast enough to wipe it away. When they exchanged nces, the air became a little awkward. After all, Ethan had sported an image of a haughtypany president. Nobody had ever caught him in such an unbefitting act. Olivia chuckled after she noticed the unfamiliar environment. ¡°Is this a dream? Am I dead? Why would I dream of you both?¡± He frowned and said frostily, ¡°Is that what you wish? Death?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll be free after I die.¡± She still thought she was in a dream and pinched Connor¡¯s chubby face, which was pleasant to the touch. ¡°Staying alive is tiring.¡± Unable to understand the adults¡® conversation, Connor, who had developed a liking for Olivia, attempted to climb onto her. Drooling, he chanted, ¡°Mama! Mama, I want a hug.¡± His childish talk instantly made her tear up. ¡°W¨CWhat did you call me?¡± Ethan did not stop her. If she couldn¡¯t even stay alive for Jeff, perhaps she needed something new to keep her around. In fact, he was proven right. The kid had pulled her back from the brink of death. ¡°Mama! Kiss!¡± Connor was at an age where he only knew a few simple words. Oddly, he had never called Marina ¡°Mama¡± before. When they were together with the nanny, Marina got frustrated from teaching Connor how to address her. She even described Connor as an idiot who didn¡¯t know how to address his mother at one year old. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Connor, the sweet child, kept calling out to Olivia. She hugged Connor tightly as though he was the baby she had lost. Connor wrapped his arms around her neck and rubbed his face against it after he seeded in hugging her after a few failed attempts prior. Tears trickled down her face. ¡°Oh, dear child, it¡¯d be nice if you were mine.¡± Connor stared at her with his innocent dark eyes and an adorable smile. ¡°Mama.¡± His drool fell onto her neck. It was a little chilly and very real, which made her snap back into reality. She examined her surroundings and determined that she was in a hospital room that reeked of disinfectant. Ethan, standing by the bed without expression, exhibited a rare look of concern in his eyes. ¡°How are you doing? You okay?¡± She realized that she was neither in a dream nor in hell. Her face fell upon recalling what he had done to her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alive. No thanks to you, of course.¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Ethan reached out to touch her forehead, but she dodged his move. ¡°Mr. Miller, please don¡¯t cross the line.¡± ¡°I just wanted to know if you¡¯re still running a fever,¡± he exined. To that, she shed a caustic smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re quite ridiculous? You were the one who tied me up under the cold shower. You¡¯re not a three¨Cyear¨Cold¨Cyou knew the consequences, so why did you act like you cared after I caught a fever?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were weak. And I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be in critical condition after getting a fever.¡± Her smile widened. ¡°Does that matter? Plus, we are divorced, but you keep acting like you are in love with me. That¡¯s sickening.¡± She had no idea why Connor was in her room, but shenew that it wouldn¡¯t be wise to have him stay around her. Now that she was back to herself, she gently pulled Connor away from her. She then tossed the nket aside and took out the IV drip needle from the back of her hand. Droplets of blood trickled down the tiny wound, but she did not wince nor take a look at it. ¡°You ¡­¡± Still feeble, she slowly got out of bed with a determined look in her eyes. Straightening her back, she told him, ¡°Ethan, you were the one who cheated and asked for a divorce. If you are still angry about your sister¡¯s death, I can make it up to you with my death.¡± Without warning, she hopped up to the balcony nearby. They were on the seventh floor, and a fall might mean paralysis or death. Ethan, shocked by her extreme decision, yelled, ¡°Liv, calm down!¡± Dressed in thin pajamas and bare¨Cfooted, she stood there in the middle of the icy winds that ruffled the white curtains. Snowkesnded and melted on her bloodless face. Her eyes were calm and devoid of any passion for life. ¡°Ethan, you might not know this, but I have loved you for many years. I fell in love with you from the first time we met. I remembered how you saved me from drowning. At that moment, I thought it¡¯d be nice if I could marry you. ¡°When we started dating, I had the best time of my life. But I also started worrying every day. My life has been smooth sailing from the start, and I worried that one day, God might take away my blessings. ¡°I allowed myself to carefully savor your love for what I hoped would be a long time. But karma caught up to me soon. In two years, I went from heaven to hell and lost everything overnight. ¡°At first, I couldn¡¯t believe that you had cheated on me. I even thought it was a nightmare and that you might return to me one day. But I woke up to see you swimming toward Marina. ¡°You abandoned my baby and me. It took me a year to get everything back on track. There was no point crying over spilled milk, so I respected your decision. ¡°I thought that we would live separate lives after the divorce. But look at what you did to me. You threatened me and even hurt the people who cared about me. I do not know if you hate me or love me more. ¡°What I do know is that you will not stop if I am still alive. This thing between us will haunt me till death. It¡¯s a miserable life that I¡¯m tired of. ¡°Ethan, you know I was once a cheerful and free spirit. After I agreed to marry you, I felt like I lost my wings. I sacrificed my freedom to stay by your side, but you still betrayed me in the end.¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t me you for falling in love with another. I guess I have to me fate for where we are right now. ¡°If you are still stuck in a rut because of your sister¡¯s death, I will atone for it with my death! From now on, I would love to enjoy my freedom. We¡¯re even.¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Olivia stared at the pale moon in the sky, which was an apt reflection of her miserable and meaningless life. She no longer wished to be involved with Ethan and sought death. In death, there would be no love or hate. Perhaps, he might give up obsessing over her if she were dead. To her surprise, Ethan jumped and grabbed her wrist when she plunged from the balcony. Connor was disturbed by the scene and hurriedly hopped off the bed. He then jogged out of the room to look for Brent. Brent was smoking outside the room but put it out when he saw the kid stumbling toward him. He crouched and patiently asked, ¡°Hey, Connor. Why are you out here?¡± Panicking, Connor exined, ¡°Mama ¡­ Cry¡­¡± He attempted tomunicate with gestures, but Brent had no idea what he was trying to say. Brent lifted Connor into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll send you back to the room. It¡¯s cold out here. You shouldn¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Meanwhile, Ethan was holding onto Olivia¡¯s hand. She looked at him emotionlessly. ¡°Ethan, I thought you hated me. You¡¯ll get the revenge you wanted for your sister if I die.¡± Half of his body was dangling out of the window in an attempt to hold onto her. The veins on his arms were bulging, and his temples were throbbing. He grabbed her tighter and hissed, ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ll kill your dad if you try to kill yourself!¡± She shed him a half¨Csmile. ¡°He¡¯s in aa anyway, and he might never wake up. Maybe death would be a relief for him.¡± ¡°Who says he¡¯s never waking up? I tracked down Leo. If he leads the surgery, your dad will have an 80% chance of waking up. You were in the medical field, and you must have heard about his reputation.¡± Finally, he caught a glimpse of change in her expression. He worked on coaxing her, ¡°Sure, I hated you and your dad. But now, your family¡¯s done for, he¡¯s in aa, and we¡¯re separated. I no longer resent you.¡± A falling piece of a snowke was caught in her longshes. It looked like the brittle wings of butterflies. ¡°Ethan, you have a new family, and I no longer want to be in this world. Please let me go. It¡¯ll be good for both of us.¡± She knew very well that Ethan¡¯s ceasefire was only temporary. She added, ¡°We¡¯ll never return to where we were. Never.¡± He stared at her bloodied wrist with fear in his face. It was rare to see him in such a state. She beamed. ¡°Oh, looks like you¡¯re scared of me dying. Would that make you remember me forever?¡± ¡°You cannot die without my permission. I¡¯ll hold you tight, and you can get yourself up with my help.¡± He wanted to pull her up when Brent burst into the room. Brent almost lost his mind at the terrifying scene of Ethan dangerously hanging out of the window. More importantly, Olivia seemed dead set on dying, whichplicated the rescue efforts. Brent quickly called the bodyguards on the ground to get them prepared. Then, he ced Commor on the bed and joined the rescue. ¡°Mrs. Miller, every hardship is only temporary. Just tell Mr. Miller what¡¯s going on, and I¡¯m sure he will agree to help. Please don¡¯t throw away your life. You¡¯re still young with a long road ahead of you.¡± With Brent¡¯s help, Ethan managed to straighten up as they dragged Olivia further up. However, she was determined to meet her fate. Rather than getting entangled with Ethan, she chose death. ¡°Brent, it¡¯s the end of the road for me.¡± Without warning, she let go of one of her hands, and they went back to square one. ¡°Mrs. Miller!¡± Ethan was bent over the window but did not let go. He held onto her hand, which was his only hope at the moment. He truly panicked. P Even after multiple near¨Cdeath experiences, he had never felt fear like this. He finally understood how much she meant to him. ¡°Liv, if you die today, I will bankrupt the Rogers Family. You know I am a man of my word.¡± ¡°Ethan, even when we¡¯re staring at death, you are still a self¨Ccentered jackass.¡± She shed him a wide smile. ¡°You cannot threaten a person who wants to die. Nothing concerns me once I¡¯m dead.¡± ¡°Why must you choose death? If you had wanted to kill yourself, you wouldn¡¯t have waited until today. You would have done it a year ago or even at that time when your family went bankrupt. Liv, since when have you be so hopeless?¡± Ethan could not read her. In the past, she would fight her way through any challenges and never back down. Why did she see no way out except for death now? She had survived the darkest period of her life. With the wealth from the divorce settlement, she could have lived a carefree life doing whatever she wanted. ¡°I can give you whatever you want.¡± He finally gave in. ¡°Ethan, did you think that I¡¯d forgive you just because you coaxed me after how badly you hurt me? How can you go about with your life, pretending that nothing has ever happened? Do you always think you can control everything?¡± She added, ¡°Let me be frank with you¨Cyou were never in control. It was Marina who pushed me into the water a year ago. She wanted to know who you¡¯d save if we both fell into the water. I would never gamble with my child¡¯s life! Sure, I can swim, but have you thought that I was pregnant? Or that I was suffering from cramps? My legs were tangled in fishings, and I almost died with the baby that day!¡± She raged. ¡°When I was tied up in the bathroom, I begged you to save me, just like the day I was pushed into the water. But you still thought that I would be fine. Ethan, I¡¯m fed up with your arrogance, your vtile temper, and your contradictory nature! You cannot control my life, and you won¡¯t have control over my death.¡± Then, she swung her body hard, and her fingers slid from his palm. ¡°No, Liv!¡± ¡°It¡¯d be great if I hadn¡¯t met you back then. You didn¡¯t know that you were a huge part of my youth. You were on my mind for many years just because you nced at me once. But, it¡¯s time to put an end to it today.¡± She forced a smile. ¡°Ethan, if reincarnation is a thing, I hope I won¡¯te across you ever.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. With that, she freed her hand from his grasp. ¡°Goodbye, my youthful days. Ethan, let¡¯s never meet again,¡± she Chapter 74 Chapter 74 With steely determination, Olivia jumped off the seventh floor to sever her ties to Ethan. Unexpectedly, Ethan quickly kicked against the ledge tounch himself into the air and fell beside her. Her eyes widened at the sight. She wondered, ¡°Is he insane?¡± Among the flurry of snowkes, she locked eyes with him. ring, he threw himself at her with all his might like a. She had always failed to escape him, like a moth drawn to a me. But the mes burned her, and she regretted getting close. Ethan would not stop even after he shattered her heart. He would continue to torment and oppress her. Ethan hugged her tight, and the two intertwined bodies descended from the air at great speed. On the ground, Kelvin quickly moved a few intable cushions from a nearby event with the help of the bodyguards, and they managed to set it up at thest minute. With a loud thud, Ethan and Olivia crashed into the intable cushions before rolling onto the ground. The cushions buffered their fall, and they were free from any injuries. Seeing that, Brent let out a relieved sigh from the seventh floor. He felt thankful that he came prepared and thus averted a tragedy. Meanwhile, Kelvin and the bodyguards were bbergasted. They couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility if something had happened to Ethan.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ethan rolled off the cushion and hit the floor hard. Despite frowning from the pain, he never made a sound. He hugged Olivia tightly in his arms to protect her from getting hurt. Even so, the first thing she did when she climbed up was to p him across the face. ¡°Ethan Miller! How dare you take away my right to die? I thought you hated me. You should be happy to see me dead!¡± Ignoring the pain from his back, he grabbed her tiny wrist with raging eyes. Like a provoked beast, he growled, ¡°Because death is an escape! I want you to live out the rest of your life in shame and hopelessness to make up for my sister¡¯s death!¡± She sniffled and felt chills spread across her body. Perhaps it was from the outdoor temperature or Ethan¡¯s cruelty. In no time, he stood up and towered over her. Even the dim light from the streetmp failed to add warmth to his visage. His tensed jaw and features that were a blur in the snow flurry made him appear grimmer. There was a certain regal air about him that made her feel like a peasant at his feet. Panic set in as she felt that she was not in control anymore. Given the disparity between their status and power, and the fact that she had provoked him earlier, he might give her a harder time from now on. The hem of his coat fluttered in the cold winds as he lifted her chin. ¡°Olivia Fordham, this is an exception. If you try to kill yourself again, I¡¯ll ensure the people around you will join you in the afterlife. Keith Rogers, Everly Hilton, Jeff Fordham¡­ You name it.¡± He tightened his grip on her chin, almost making her cry from the pain. His gaze was cold. ¡°Olivia Fordham, don¡¯t ever think of dying before you fully atone for your sins.¡± When he reached out, her first reaction was to run. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Ethan snickered as he took Olivia by the wrist and scooped her into his arms. He was a little rough with her because of his anger, and he pinned her legs against his body with his arms. She tried to free herself but withdrew her hands when her fingers identally brushed against his neck. The warmth of his body lingered on her fingertips. ¡°Ethan, let go of me.¡± She struggled with all her might, but it was futile. Giving up, she stayed in his arms as he walked through the snow¨Clinen path. The snow crunched underneath his boots during the walk to her room. He did not say a word, letting the silence hang over them. The heating in the room warmed up her freezing body. Unaware of the events, Connor stumbled toward her as though he wanted a hug She reflexively reached out to hug him when she saw the tears and snot on his face. However, Ethan lifted the poor kid by the cor and instructed his men icily, ¡°Send Connor home.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Brent was relieved when he confirmed that Olivia was unhurt. Chris came by and performed a checkup before hooking her to an IV drip. He advised her, ¡°Your white blood cell count is very low. Please do not overexert your body. Or else, no one can save your life the next time.¡± She merely grunted as she stared emptily at the ceiling like a ragdoll. Now that Ethan had trapped her and taken away chance at dying, what more could she do? ¡°Yeah. I understood.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better.¡± Ethan finally looked away from her and strode out of her room. het Chris cautiously followed the hostile Ethan out and almost bumped into him when Ethan abruptly stopped in his tracks. Ethan turned around with a scowl and hissed, ¡°Find out the reason behind her low white blood cell count.¡± He sensed that something was off from the chain of events earlier. Olivia, who had always been fit, had suffered from a low white blood cell count after a fever. Moreover, she jumped from the seventh floor without hesitation. When he recalled her feeble condition and fainting spells, he believed that the issue was more complicated than it seemed. Chris nodded. ¡°Sure, Mr. Miller. We¡¯ll get her a full checkup tomorrow. You don¡¯t have to worry too much. She hasn¡¯t done any checkups in thest two years, but there¡¯s a low chance of her developing chronic diseases based on her past health records.¡± ¡°That better be it.¡± Chris gave Ethan a respectful nod when thetter left the hospital. He was careful not to further anger Ethan at such a sensitive time. Then, he rushed back to his office, where he printed the list of checkups that Olivia had to undergo. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. That night, Olivia¡¯s fever finally went away. A nurse came in early in the morning to wake her up. ¡°Ms. Fordham, it¡¯s time for a checkup.¡± That immediately pulled her out of her groggy state. ¡°What?¡± The nurse patiently exined, ¡°Ms. Fordham, you must undergo some advanced checkups.¡± That sent a chill down her spine. She wondered if Ethan had picked up any clues on her condition. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Although Chris only got a few hours of sleep, he showed up looking fresh. Since Ethan wasn¡¯t around, he told Olivia, ¡°Mrs. Miller, your husband really cares about you. Look at how he arranged all these checkups for you.¡± Olivia wanted to scoff at Chris¡® assumption. Ethan only wanted her to undergo the checkups to keep her healthy and to suffer from his punishments. She was somewhat curious about Ethan¡¯s expression if he knew she had stomach cancer. Anyway, she did not have much of a choice at the moment. She croaked, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do it.¡± There was a dizzying amount of checkups to bepleted. Endoscopy wasn¡¯t on the list because the procedure was moreplicated. The patient would need to takexatives after midnight to clear the bowels and go under anesthesia. Olivia wasn¡¯t in the condition to be put through the bowel prep. On top of that, she had stuck to a regr daily routine ever since marrying Ethan. Chris assumed that her digestive system was healthy and did not request an endoscopy. The results of the checkup were expedited. Olivia was taking some soup after starving for the entire morning when Ethan showed up at the door. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Standing tall, he looked as indifferent as usual. Judging from his attire thatmanded authority¨Ca pressed suit and a ck and white striped tie¨Che must have rushed over from work. She had bought him the tie, and the visual reminder brought back sweet memories from long ago. However, after two years, there was nothing left between them other than pain. He stared at her pale face, wondering why she always presented herself in a feeble condition. Was there something wrong with her body? ¡°Mr. Miller, don¡¯t worry. I will not die. I will not think of killing myself too.¡± She broke the silence and took another mouthful of soup. The back of her hand was all swollen from the injection earlier. She appeared rather pitiful and fragile. Ethan was no longer angry after a night away. ¡°Are the results out yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± At the mention of the results, she put her spoon down and looked into his eyes. ¡°If something¡¯s wrong with me, will you¡­¡® He cut her off. ¡°What will go wrong?¡± ¡°Well, if I caught a terminal disease, for example.¡± She stared straight at him. ¡°Will you consider sparing me?¡± His heart sank when he heard the question. Taking a seat on the couch, he straightened his back and started rubbing the area between his left thumb and index finger. His tone remained icy. ¡°Tell me about that terminal disease.¡± Although she escaped the endoscopy, she did a CT scan, which might not help determine the type of tumor. However, the CT scan would reveal gastric wall thickening. If the tumor was abnormallyrge, it might affect nearby tissues and structures. For example, it might affect the left liver lobe. Even the swollen lymph nodes might betray her condition. Knowing that the results would expose her condition in some way, she looked straight at him. Then, they heard a knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Chris entered with her results in his hand. Seeing that, Olivia stopped drinking her soup. ¡°Looks like the results are in.¡± She stared at Ethan, her palms sweaty from the nervousness. She was curious to see Ethan¡¯s reaction to the news of her cancer. Would he feel d about her impending death, or would he feel a little sad for her? Somehow, the anticipation of his reaction gave some meaning to her uing death. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Ethan silently stared at the paper in Chris¡® hands. Feeling pressured, Chris forced a smile. ¡°The results are in. Mr. Miller, you have nothing to worry about. I told you she¡¯d be fine. Take a look.¡± Fine? Olivia frowned. A CT scan might miss the symptoms at the early stages of cancer when even the organs function just fine. But it was odd that the scan picked up nothing when she was in thete stage of stomach cancer. While she was thinking hard, Ethan looked more relieved and grew hostile at the same time. He made his way to her with a grim expression. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She squirmed under his gaze, wondering what he had picked up from the results. Anger was not an emotion she expected to see in him after he learned the truth about her failing health. He stood in front of her with eyes that burned in rage. ¡°So¡­¡± Her voice trailed. He suddenly threw the papers at her and bellowed, ¡°Take a look at it yourself!¡± She picked up the CT results that showed no abnormalities. Even her blood test results came back normal, with the red and white blood cell counts hovering around 4. Since she took a Nesta injectionst night, she wasn¡¯t surprised by her normal white blood cell count. But the CT scan must have gone wrong somewhere. The top¨Cnotch facilities at the hospital couldn¡¯t have missed her symptoms either. The cold, hard truth wasid out in front of her. When she was wracking her brains, Ethan suddenly leaned forward with both his arms by her side. ¡°Olivia Fordham, I underestimated you.¡± He had a mocking look in his eyes. ¡°Your acting was perfect. I almost fell for it.¡± ¡°Did you think I was faking my illness?¡± She finally put two and two together. He smirked. ¡°And what did you think would change?¡± It was a ridiculous usation. Ethan was the one who hurt her, but he still wanted to drag her through the mud. Taking a deep breath, she refused to fight with him. If he trusted her, he would not demand answers. If he refused to believe in her words, no amount of reasoning would help. True, she had clung onto him and cooked up all sorts of excuses to avoid a divorce. However, she decided to give up on the rtionship from the moment she signed the divorce papers. Somehow, Ethan perceived her condition as made¨Cup, a ploy to seek attention. Her past self would have chosen to speak up, but she was long past that stage. She looked at him quietly and agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. I cannot give up my title of Mrs. Miller. That¡¯s why I am faking my illness. My thing with Keith was an act that I put up. Even the suicide attempt was nned. That¡¯s my true color-a cunning bitch. Now, do you see me for who I really am?¡± He was taken aback at her no¨Cnonsense admission. After staring at her for a while, he said coldly, ¡°Why did you turn out this way?¡± That was thest straw that made her blood boil. Puffing and huffing, she clutched the bedsheet and tensed up like a drawn bow. ¡°That was all thanks to you.¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The air froze from the tension. Chris interfered before the situation worsened. ¡°Mr. Miller, we¡¯re all happy that Mrs. Miller is healthy.¡± Refusing to waste any effort on Olivia, Ethan looked away and said emotionlessly, ¡°You¡¯d better behave.¡± In an outburst, she let out her pent¨Cup emotions and threw her bowl of soup at the man who thought he was always right.¡± Behave? Fuck you!¡± 1 He was the one who pursued her and asked for her hand in marriage. His possessiveness forced her to give up on her future and freedom. Not only did hend her in the current mess, he dared to im that she was faking her illness. The soup dripped from Ethan¡¯s tailored, luxurious suit. Seeing red, he gave her a death re and marched up to her. Sensing a huge fight, Chris jumped in and blocked Ethan with an anxious look. ¡°Mr. Miller, the soup must have slipped from her hand. Mrs. Miller, say something!¡± She straightened herself and replied tly, ¡°Yeah, it slipped.¡± Chris sounded relieved. ¡°Mr. Miller, you heard her. She¡­¡± She boldly added, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t slipped from my hand, it would have hit you right at the back of your head, you asshole!¡± Chris was speechless. Olivia was adding fuel to the fire. Ethan shoved Chris aside and went up to hiss at her through gritted teeth, ¡°Olivia Fordham!¡± Fuming, she grabbed a bottle of pills from the headboard and jumped out of bed angrily. Then, she tried to smash the bottle on Ethan¡¯s head. ¡°Fucking bastard! I¡¯ll fight you!¡± Ethan effortlessly caught her weak hands and pinned them behind her back. Defeatedin no time, she was red in the face, and her eyes were misty. Ethan feltplicated when he saw this, and he felt more pain than resentment. Finally, he drew a sharp breath to calm his anger. He flung her onto the bed and threatened, ¡°Remember what you did today. You¡¯d better pray that you don¡¯t fall into my hands.¡± Her behavior was no different than waltzing across a field full ofndmines. He had to exert a ridiculous amount of self- control to stop himself from grabbing her neck. However, his warning only fanned the mes. She growled, ¡°I would never ask you for help even if I had to jump off the seventh floor.¡± Giving her ast re, he left the room and mmed the door behind him. Then, he took his bodyguards with him. Brent caught up to him and asked, ¡°Mr. Miller, aren¡¯t you worried that Mrs. Miller might attempt suicide again?¡± Ethan took off his jacket and replied with a serious face, ¡°A woman like her would never consider death seriously. I don¡¯t want to waste time on her anymore.¡± Brent frowned at Ethan¡¯s conclusion. As a bystander, he had a clearer view of the events. No sane person would bet on their life by jumping from the seventh floor, which might result in grave injuries or death. Olivia could have died if Ethan had not gone after Olivia and Kelvin had not ced the intable cushions in time. Still, Ethan was adamant that Olivia was ying hard to get, and he wouldn¡¯t have it otherwise. Back in the room, Chris requested a nurse to clean up the soupy mess. He ttened the bed and patiently advised Olivia, ¡°Mrs. Miller, you can always talk things out calmly. You shouldn¡¯t resolve to extreme methods. Mr. Miller still cares about even stood guard outside your roomst night. So¡­¡± Olivia was in no mood for his nagging. Instead, she questioned, ¡°Mr. Atkins, could there be a mistake in the results?¡± Chris immediately put on a straight face. ¡°Mrs. Miller, you can insult me as much as you want but do not question my professionalism. We ran your results through experts in the field. How can there be a mistake?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Then, he let out a relieved sigh. ¡°I was shocked to see your low red blood countst night. I even thought you had¡­ Oh, by the way, did you receive any treatment before this?¡± He took his duty as a doctor seriously and asked an additional question. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Recalling the look in Ethan¡¯s eyes, Olivia answered quickly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, then. It¡¯s just a viral infection. You may be discharged after a few days of monitoring at the hospital.¡± Chris felt as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He gave her some more advice and left after she ignored him. Olivia had already done a biopsy which had confirmed her stomach cancer, but the CT scan results this time showed nothing. She had only undergone one chemotherapy session. Although it was very effective and the tumor would shrink, it would not disappear overnight. Evidently, something was off with the results, and only someone from the inside could have tampered with it. The person who did it must have been fearless if they had dared to do it right under Ethan¡¯s nose. Who could it be? Was it Marina? Was the incident at the grave not enough that this person had to alter Olivia¡¯s checkup results? Although there were no other suspects besides Marina, Olivia still felt that there was something fishy about the whole incident. If it was not Marina, then the real culprit was very terrifying. Many things that had happened over these two years may seem like mere coincidences, but it was strange when Olivia thought about it carefully. It was as if someone was controlling her like a puppet. By right, Ethan could get to the bottom of it easily, but she was a liar in his eyes now. He would just think that she was making up stories. Besides, the culprit would be on guard if they investigated openly. Olivia dared not rmed Chris, so she had no choice but to investigate the radiologist privately. Coincidentally, Mercy Hospital was owned by the Atkins family, so Olivia already had a n. Although news of the previous night¡¯s incident had already been hushed, it had reached Calvin¡¯s ears. Before Olivia could take the initiative, he came to visit her. Calvin was different from Chris. While Chris had devoted himself to the research and development of medicine, Calvin had joined the hospital and made it to the rank of director in three years. Calvin could more or less guess the situation between her and Ethan, but he still smiled dazzlingly. ¡°Olivia, I really didn¡¯t expect to see you again so soon. How are you?¡± ¡°My fever has subsided. Thanks for asking.¡± Lying down on the hospital bed, Olivia looked quite pale and sounded weak when she spoke. Noticing her dry lips, Calvin handed her a ss of warm water and said gently, ¡°Here, drink some water.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Olivia took the ss and drank a big gulp of water. In her haste to swallow it, she choked on the water and coughed violently. Calvin put a pillow behind her and patted her back gently. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Drink slowly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still the same as ever.¡± Olivia had lost the hostile air she had when she was with Ethan. A look of sympathy came into Calvin¡¯s eyes as he asked curiously, ¡°Did you drop out of university back then for Mr. Miller?¡± Olivia smiled helplessly and said, ¡°It was very foolish of me, wasn¡¯t it? I thought I would have a bright future ahead of me, but when I took the leap of faith, I hit rock bottom instead.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to push forward, the opportunities ahead of you are endless,¡± said Calvin gently. ¡°You still have a long way to go.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His kindness, as always, gave Olivia some courage. She asked, ¡°Calvin, since we were once ssmates, could you do me a favor? ¡°Just say the word. I will do my best if it¡¯s within my power.¡± Olivia looked around to make sure they were alone before telling him the gist of the situation in a low voice. She had expected Calvin¡¯s initial reaction to be defending the hospital¡¯s reputation and repudiating her, but he took her checkup report instead. His gentle expression gave way to a sterner one. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Oliva. If anyone from my hospital dares to falsify information, I will punish them ordingly.¡± After Olivia voiced her concerns, Calvin patted her shoulder and said, ¡°It won¡¯t do the hospital any good if this incident blows up. I will make sure to deal with this subtly and get back to you with an exnation.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Olivia saw no sign of Ethan over the next two days, but she had Everly taking care of her while berating Ethan. ¡°Do you think that idiot got possessed? Why does he keep acting up? First, he wants a divorce, then next, he can¡¯t ept you dating someone new. Now he¡¯s even saying that you¡¯re pretending to be sick. I think you should get some holy water to drive away whatever evil is possessing him,¡± ranted Everly. Olivia said calmly, ¡°He¡¯s not possessed. He¡¯s just crazy.¡± After two days of rest, she felt back to normal other than her stomach still causing her problems. After hearing her out, Calvin suggested doing another checkup for her, but she politely declined. She just said she had already done a checkup at another hospital and was currently receiving treatment. Calvin hadn¡¯t thought much about it. He took two days to conduct investigations and came to give her an answer. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Hey, Everly. You¡¯re here too?¡± Calvin was wearing a white doctor¡¯s coat with a white shirt underneath. He was also wearing a ck necktie and ck pants. He looked tall and handsome. Everly stopped cursing Ethan out and whistled while raising an eyebrow. ¡°You really are something. Other people would look like a hospital director wearing that uniform, but you look like you are out to seduce someone.¡± Calvinughed politely and pointed at the badge on his chest. ¡°You can doubt my looks, but you can¡¯t doubt my profession.¡± Everly teased him some more, but Calvin kept a bright smile on his face. ¡°Olivia, you can be discharged if we find no problems after doing another checkup.¡± ¡°Everly, wait for me here. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± said Olivia. Everly stuffed a cherry into her mouth and asked, ¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡± Olivia waved a hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a routine checkup.¡± With that, she followed Calvin to a checkup room. The previous doctor had already left, and only Calvin and Olivia were in the room. ¡°Have a seat,¡± said Calvin with one arm outstretched. Olivia was anxious and hastily said when she sat down, ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve found something.¡± Calvin nodded, and his smile disappeared. ¡°You were right. Someone really tampered with the results.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Calvin said solemnly, ¡°That day, all the doctors my brother asked to do your checkup were specialists, but Dr. Thurman, who was in charge of the CT scan, suddenly had diarrhea. He didn¡¯t want to waste any of your time, so he handed the task over to Mike Crosby, the assistant intern. ¡°When Mike had finished the preparations and was about to send your results over to the analysis department, a nurse summoned him out of the room. It was in that period of time that someone came in and switched your CT scan results. The results Dr. Thurman authorized were indeed normal, but it just wasn¡¯t yours.¡± Calvin handed Olivia a ss of warm water and continued exining, ¡°The person behind this is highly skilled. He or she is technologically savvy. They even cked out the surveince cameras. There are only a few people in the radiology department, so it was easy for this person to find an opportunity to infiltrate. Fortunately, the cleaner saw what happened and told me everything.¡± Olivia took a sip of water and put down the ss. Then, she asked, ¡°Was it a man or a woman?¡± ¡°ording to the cleaner, the person was wearing a hospital uniform. It was a man. He was very tall, about six feet, and had a muscr build. He wore arge pair of sunsses, so the cleaner couldn¡¯t see his face clearly.¡± ¡°Then, was there anything that stood out about him?¡± Calvin nodded and said, ¡°Yes. He has a mole on his right ear. Perhaps he was feeling guilty because he left in a hurry and nearly slipped on the wet floor the cleaner had just mopped. She saw an eagle tattoo under his sleeve. ¡°She hadn¡¯t thought much about it at that moment and only realized something was off after the incident. We screen our employees before we hire them. The hospital usually won¡¯t hire people with tattoos on their arms.¡± Olivia stared down at the ss of water and groaned. ¡°We can¡¯t find him based just on a tattoo.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯ve already sent the ckout footage to a professional hacker. The original clip should be recovered soon. I¡¯ll tell you as soon as it¡¯s done.¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Olivia said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Calvin.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. It was our fault anyway. If word about this spreads, our hospital¡¯s reputation would be ruined.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Someone was targeting me, so it has nothing to do with the hospital. I won¡¯t tell a soul. I hope that you can keep this a secret too. Don¡¯t even tell Chris. I don¡¯t want to alert anyone.¡± Calvin nodded in understanding. ¡°Let¡¯s put this behind us for now. I suggest that you do another checkup. I¡¯ll personally run the tests this time. If there¡¯s any problem, we can start solving it earlier too.¡± Olivia smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay then. These machines are radioactive, so you shouldn¡¯t be exposed to them too frequently in such a short period of time. If you want to have another checkup in a few months, then you can contact me any time.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Calvin smiled warmly and said, ¡°You¡¯re well enough to be discharged now. I¡¯ve already asked someone to deal with the procedures. By the way, let¡¯s exchange phone numbers.¡± Olivia added his number to her contacts on WhatsApp. Calvin walked her out of the hospital and handed her the discharge documents he¡¯d prepared. Then, they bid each other. goodbye. After Everly teased her and Calvin again, they finally left. In the car, Olivia couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the incident. It definitely involved an insider at the hospital. The person couldn¡¯t have executed his n so wlessly unless he was familiar with the ins and outs of the ce. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t have solid evidence. Since Calvin didn¡¯t want to make a big fuss about it for the sake of the hospital¡¯s reputation, he couldn¡¯t investigate every department either. There were more than a thousand employees at the hospital, including all the doctors, nurses, housemen, and part¨Ctimersbined. How was he supposed to investigate all of them? The only clue he was left with was the surveince footage. If it could be restored, then they would be able to catch the person who¡¯d tampered with her report. Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly exhausted. Everly, who¡¯d been talking for a long time without getting an answer, couldn¡¯t stop herself from tapping Olivia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you thinking about that douchebag again?¡± she asked. Olivia recalled the furious look in Ethan¡¯s eyes before he¡¯d left. Their rtionship was ruined, and all she prayed for now was to have nothing to do with him ever again. ¡°No,¡± she answered. She looked at the scenery passing by outside the window, wondering when Calvin would find an answer. However, just after two days of rest, she received a call from the hospital. ¡°Ms. Fordham, Mr. Fordham¡¯s in critical condition. His heart rate suddenly declined, and his breathing is getting weaker. We¡¯ve just taken him for emergency treatment. Pleasee as soon as possible.¡± In the hospital corridor, Olivia waited outside the operating theater anxiously while a nurse tried her best tofort her. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you have to be prepared for the worst. Judging by Mr. Fordham¡¯s condition, he might not.. Olivia dug her nails into her palm and said hoarsely, ¡°I know.¡± The nurse sighed and said helplessly, ¡°I know it¡¯s really been hard for you.¡± As she looked at the young woman, who was around the same age as her own daughter, the nurse couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry that Olivia had to carry such a heavy weight on her shoulders at such a young age. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The nurse knew that Olivia was married, but she¡¯d never seen her husband around. Olivia was always waiting out here alone. Her thin frame only increased the nurse¡¯s concern for her. The doors of the operating theater opened, and Olivia rushed forward at once. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± Olivia¡¯s heart was pounding violently as she gripped her sleeve tightly. She was terrified of hearing the worst. ¡°Fortunately, the nurses noticed his condition very quickly, and we were able to save him in time. Olivia, I won¡¯t keep it from you. ¡°Your father is in a very dangerous state, and we need the best brain specialist, Leo, to perform brain surgery for him. ¡°Otherwise¡­ We might not be able to save him next time.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart sank. She wanted to find Leo more than anyone else. s, she didn¡¯t have a wide social circle. Keith had helped her look for Leo before, but to no avail. When Jeff was wheeled out, she saw how weak he looked with his eyes tightly shut. She called out, ¡°Dad.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. However, it was like throwing a pebble down a well because she received no answer. One of Jeff¡¯s hands, which wasn¡¯t covered by the nket, looked thin and wrinkled with age. He seemed to have aged a lot over thest two short years. Except for the indwelling needle, the rest of the back of his hand was just loose, sagging skin. It looked nothing like the hand that had held hers when they¡¯d walked homest time. Olivia leaned against him and wept uncontrobly. She said in a choked voice, ¡°Dad, wake up and look at me, won¡¯t you¡­ No matter what he¡¯d done to other people, he¡¯d never mistreated her. Olivia couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch him suffer like this. A thought popped up in her mind. The day she¡¯d tried to jump off, Ethan had said that he could find Leo. Based on his widework of connections and wealth, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he was capable of finding Leo. If she hadn¡¯t been on the brink of death, Ethan would never have told her. She knew how much Ethan hated her and her father, but she had no other way of saving Jeff. She¡¯d never thought that she¡¯d have to go and beg Ethan so soon after she¡¯d just decided to cut ties with him two days ago. After drying her tears and making sure Jeff was alright, Olivia asked Brent about Ethan¡¯s whereabouts. She then took a taxi to Silver. In the decadent club, scantily dressed female dancers moved around seductively. In every corner, men and women kissed scandalously, and loud voices came from the booths. However, the fun and excitement had nothing to do with Olivia. She walked quickly toward a private room deeper inside the club. Ethan usually didn¡¯t like ces like this and would choose a quiet spot even for a gathering with friends. Brent opened the door to the private room for her. The luxurious private room could amodate more than a hundred people. Even with so many men and women inside, Olivia still spotted Ethan among the crowd at first nce. He was leaning against a leather armchair with his eyes shut. He looked very out of ce in the rowdy room. With his eyes closed and his sharp gaze hidden, he looked harmless. Bryan Moore, a dashing man dressed in gray casual clothes, sat next to Ethan, soaking his feet in a tub. A furry blindfold was hanging around his neck. Other people had either a ss of whiskey or Armand de Brignac in front of them, but he had a thermos filled with herbal tea. One of them seemed to treat the ce like a hotel, while the other treated it like a foot spa. Olivia watched as a woman in skimpy clothes walked to Ethan and boldly tried to kiss him. Smelling her pungent perfume, Ethan jerked awake. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a pair of fiery red lips. As if by instinct, he shoved her away mercilessly. ¡°Ah!¡± The woman shrieked and sprawled on the floor right in front of Olivia. Her short skirt rode up and exposed the sexy thong she was wearing underneath. The men standing around started whistling. Olivia felt uneasy being in a ce like this. She looked up with a flustered expression and met Ethan¡¯s gaze. His eyes were calm, but there was a hint of mockery in them. He¡¯d just yed hard to get a few days ago, but she¡¯d shown up in front of him so soon. It just proved he¡¯d been right about her. He wondered what tricks she¡¯d use this time since she¡¯d tried tomit suicide thest time. Olivia understood the look in his eyes, but with her father on the brink of death, she had no choice other than to ask him for help. Even if she¡¯d only be humiliated by approaching him, she had no other way out. The bystanders had noticed her, but other than Bryan, nobody else knew that she was Ethan¡¯s ex¨Cwife. A woman with a hot body looked Olivia up and down, then teased her while chewing her gum, ¡°Hey, ma¡¯am. Are you in the wrong room?¡± Olivia thought about the time Everly had joked about how girls nowadays wore spaghetti strap tops under their coats, whereas Olivia wore a sweater underneath hers. In the room full of trendy people, she was the only one wearing a thick down jacket, a knitted hat, and a scarf. Olivia ignored the woman and looked at Ethan directly. ¡°Eth¡­ Mr. Miller, can we talk privately?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that there¡¯s a girl who¡¯s prettier than you already lying on the floor? Do you want to be next?¡± The woman teased her relentlessly. Ethan looked at Olivia and said coldly, ¡°Come here.¡± His words were like a p in that woman¡¯s face. Olivia made her way through the crowd with everybody watching her and stopped in front of Ethan. Bryan, who was soaking his feet, looked veryfortable. His forehead was beaded with sweat from the warm water. He was still as health¨Cconscious as always. The scent of wormwood masked the smell of alcohol and perfume. It also chased away the smell of cigarettes and made Olivia feel a lot better. Bryan greeted her first. ¡°Hey, long time no see, Olivia. Want to soak your feet?¡± Olivia turned down his unusual invitation. ¡°No thanks, Mr. Moore.¡± Bryan immediately started lecturing her about the benefits of soaking one¡¯s feet. ¡°It improves blood cirction and metabolism. It also helps relieve insomnia and reduce high blood pressure. What¡¯s more, it improves cardiovascr health. You don¡¯t look very well, so you should soak your feet. I¡¯ve just made an improvement to the prescription¡­¡± Ethan interrupted Bryan¡¯s rambling and pulled the blindfold over thetter¡¯s eyes impatiently. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± The onlookers watched Olivia curiously, wondering who she was. Why did she seem so close to Ethan and Bryan? However, she looked unfamiliar to all of them. Ethan sat there with his legs slightly spread, looking extremely intimidating. He nced over at her mildly and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Ethan¡¯s impression was still the same as thest time, when she¡¯d thrown a pot of porridge at him a few days ago. She¡¯d been furious and crazy, and she¡¯d looked just like an angry cat. Now, sfie was the exact opposite of that. Standing with her head bowed, she anxiously shifted from one foot to the other. Olivia tried to ovee the difort and awkwardness she felt under his gaze. Softly, she said, ¡°I want to ask you for a favor.¡± Augh escaped his mouth as he sat with his legs crossed, plucking out a cigarette from a box. She knew he was mocking her. ¡± What do you want now?¡± He asked. Jason Yates, a rich youngster, stood not far away from them. Somehow, he was able to discern the slight difference in the way Ethan treated her As he approached them, he said, ¡°There¡¯s no one in this world who wouldn¡¯t want to ask Mr. Miller for help. Youngdy, is this the attitude you should have when you¡¯re asking someone for help? Hurry and light Mr. Miller¡¯s cigarette for him.¡± Jason ushered Olivia to stand beside Ethan as thetter leaned in his seat, looking asckadaisical as ever. Apart from the tit¨Cfor¨Ctat exchanges they¡¯d had in the past two years, he¡¯d used to be more polite and had more self- restraint. He¡¯d never smoked in front of her. Now, though, his cor was open, and the top two buttons were unbuttoned. The dim light emphasized his already prominent facial features, making him appear all the more formidable. As Olivia busied herself to find a lighter, she met Ethan¡¯s deep eyes, which seemed to be judging her. She couldn¡¯t care less what he thought of her and proceeded to bend over with one knee on the couch. She leaned forward, ready to light the cigarette. Since she and Ethan were not of equal standing, she was forced to be humble around him. The light from the me of the lighter cast a flickering glow on his face. As he lowered his eyes, a hint of a smile hung at the corner of his lips for some unknown reason. ¡°I seem to recall that you once said you¡¯d rather jump from the seventh floor of a building thane to me for help,¡± he said. That sentence was like a humiliating p. She hadn¡¯t expected her father to get caught up in something like this and hence need Ethan¡¯s help. Still, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to guess what he thought of her, so she simply bent lower toward him. In a humble voice, she said, ¡°You¡¯re a magnanimous man, Mr. Miller. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t be mad at something so trivial.¡± The gears in Jason¡¯s mind started turning. Ethan had never let any woman close to him, but this woman seemed to be the only exception. Although she was dressed a little too modestly, she had a pretty face, which could suit Ethan¡¯s taste. Hurriedly, Jason poured three sses of whiskey for Olivia and rapped his fingers on the table. ¡°This is the way things work.¡± Olivia furrowed her brows. Half a ss of this was enough to make her pass out, yet he wanted her to down three of them. She nced at Ethan, who then propped a hand under his chin and said nonchntly, ¡°What excuse are you going toe up with this time? That you¡¯re feeling ufortable or that you¡¯re sick to the point of no return?¡± The sneer on his lips was as clear as day. He knew that she had a low alcohol tolerance, but he enjoyed making things tough for her. Perhaps this was him taking revenge on her. Olivia felt her heart clench when she recalled the times he¡¯d forbidden her from touching alcohol. Things were different for them now. Ethan sat there with his chin tilted slightly upward. The air of arrogance and prestige he exuded was evident to anyone around him, and it ultimately put a wall between them. To him, she had been a puny and powerless wealding from the beginning. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Now that she¡¯d thought things through, Olivia¡¯s mind zeroed in on saving her father. Her life and dignity were nothing in the face of saving him. She raised one of the sses into the air and downed the drink in one long gulp. She didn¡¯t drink often and was clueless about the quality of the whiskey. All she knew was that her throat was on fire after she finished it. Pain. Not only did it burn her throat, but it also made her stomach hurt. Her clothes were thick, trapping heat and soaking her in her own sweat. Her stomach was torturing her as it churned like a whirlpool inside of her. She pressed one hand on her stomach, then reached for the second ss with the other. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Someone handed her a warm ss of milk. ¡°If you can¡¯t drink, then don¡¯t. Alcohol is bad for your health anyway. Here, have a ss of milk instead. You¡¯ll feel better after having It.¡± Bryan¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, simr to how a brother would speak to his younger sibling. He knew who she was and was really kind to her. Olivia smiled at him gratefully, but before she could thank him, Ethan cut in, reminding her, ¡°You have two sses left.¡± His voice was as cold as his gaze. Bryan furrowed his brows at Ethan. He knew how much Olivia meant to Ethan, and if thetter took things too far, not only would his actions hurt Olivia, but he would make himself miserable too. ¡°Fine.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate as she reached for the second ss of whiskey. The look on her face said that there was no turning back, and she finished the drink in one go. Her stomach felt like it had been punctured by thousands of des. Having drunk too much alcohol too quickly, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but feel like the world was spinning around her. All of a sudden, she copsed. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She thought that she¡¯d crash onto the table. She¡¯d never expected someone¡¯s arms to pick her up instead. Ethan held her in his arms and left the room in a hurry. Olivia was already in a daze as she mumbled to him, ¡°Whiskey ¡­ One more left¡­¡± Ethan tossed her into the backseat of the car. His eyes burned with rage as he looked at her. ¡°Just what are you trying to do? Haven¡¯t you fooled around enough?¡± Olivia thought she saw stars when she fell heavily onto the seat. She didn¡¯t care about anything at this point. In a kneeling position, she reached out to Ethan and tugged at his sleeves like a pouting child. She said sluggishly, ¡°I must find Leo. He¡¯ll perform the craniotomy for my dad. I¡¯ll pay back what my dad owes you.¡± Ethan lowered his gaze to Olivia and noticed a blush had crept across her previously pale face. She was trying her best to stay conscious despite being drunk. ¡°You can kill me, beat me, or do anything you want to me. I¡¯ll pay you back. Just let my dad go. He¡¯s my only family. Please¡­¡± she mumbled. Ethan smirked at her in contempt. ¡°You? Paying me back? What else do you have besides your life?¡± Loosening her grip on him, Olivia stared at him,pletely helpless. ¡°What exactly do you want me to do to make you satisfied?¡± ¡°No matter what you do, my sister¡¯s already dead. I don¡¯t want you to die, but I won¡¯t let you live a happy life either. I¡¯ll only feel like life is worth living when I see you wallowing in misery. Am I clear?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cruel¡­¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look pitiful. The sight of her in such a state made him feel slightly sorry for her. Much to his surprise, he couldn¡¯t feel any hint of joy when he saw her tears. Annoyed, he loosened his tie and stretched an arm around her, forcefully pulling her into his embrace. She was already in a daze, but the impact as she crashed into his sturdy chest made her even dizzier. Just as she started to speak again, she noticed Ethan¡¯s piercing eyes looking into hers. Without any warning, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, snuffing out any sound she¡¯d been about to make. He pressed on, letting his tongue explore and dominate every inch of her mouth. He was ovee with restlessness. He¡¯d thought that he didn¡¯t want to see her happy and yearned to let her burn in hell, and yet when he saw how she was struggling in torment, he realized that he wasn¡¯t even the slightest bit happy. ed her a warm ss of milk. ¡°If you can¡¯t drink, then don¡¯t. Alcohol is bad for your health anyway. Here, have a ss of milk instead. You¡¯ll feel better after having it.¡± Bryan¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, simr to how a brother would speak to his younger sibling. He knew who she was and was really kind to her. Olivia smiled at him gratefully, but before she could thank him, Ethan cut in, reminding her, ¡°You have two sses left.¡± His voice was as cold as his gaze. Bryan furrowed his brows at Ethan. He knew how much Olivia meant to Ethan, and if thetter took things too far, not only would his actions hurt Olivia, but he would make himself miserable too. ¡°Fine.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate as she reached for the second ss of whiskey. The look on her face said that there was no turning back, and she finished the drink in one go. Her stomach felt like it had been punctured by thousands of des. Having drunk too much alcohol too quickly, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but feel like the world was spinning around her. All of a sudden, she copsed. She thought that she¡¯d crash onto the table. She¡¯d never expected someone¡¯s arms to pick her up instead. Ethan held her in his arms and left the room in a hurry. Olivia was already in a daze as she mumbled to him, ¡°Whiskey¡­ One more left¡­¡± Ethan tossed her into the backseat of the car. His eyes burned with rage as he looked at her. ¡°Just what are you trying to do? Haven¡¯t you fooled around enough?¡± Olivia thought she saw stars when she fell heavily onto the seat. She didn¡¯t care about anything at this point. In a kneeling position, she reached out to Ethan and tugged at his sleeves like a pouting child. She said sluggishly, ¡°I must find Leo. He¡¯ll perform the craniotomy for my dad. I¡¯ll pay back what my dad owes you.¡± Ethan lowered his gaze to Olivia and noticed a blush had crept across her previously pale face. She was trying her best to stay conscious despite being drunk. ¡°You can kill me, beat me, or do anything you want to me. I¡¯ll pay you back. Just let my dad go. He¡¯s my only family. Please¡­¡± she mumbled. Ethan smirked at her in contempt. ¡°You? Paying me back? What else do you have besides your life?¡± Loosening her grip on him, Olivia stared at him,pletely helpless. ¡°What exactly do you want me to do to make you satisfied?¡± ¡°No matter what you do, my sister¡¯s already dead. I don¡¯t want you to die, but I won¡¯t let you live a happy life either. I¡¯ll only feel like life is worth living when I see you wallowing in misery. Am I clear?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cruel¡­¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look pitiful. The sight of her in such a state made him feel slightly sorry for her. Much to his surprise, he couldn¡¯t feel any hint of joy when he saw her tears. Annoyed, he loosened his tie and stretched an arm around her, forcefully pulling her into his embrace. She was already in a daze, but the impact as she crashed into his sturdy chest made her even dizzler. Just as she started to speak again, she noticed Ethan¡¯s piercing eyes looking into hers. Without any warning, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, snuffing out any sound she¡¯d been about to make. He pressed on, letting his tongue explore and dominate every inch of her mouth. He was ovee with restlessness. He¡¯d thought that he didn¡¯t want to see her happy and yearned to let her burn in hell, and yet when he saw how she was struggling in torment, he realized that he wasn¡¯t even the slightest bit happy. All he felt was a cold hand close around his heart, strangling and suffocating him. As his lips touched hers, he caught her familiar scent. Only then did he manage to calm down. Both of them were like a tangled mess. The more she struggled against him, the tighter his grip on her became. His hands moved swiftly to pull down the zip of her down jacket, but Olivia realized what he was doing and pushed her hands. on his chest. ¡°No!¡± She yelped, unwillingness written all over her face, but it only made Ethan more angry. He stared into her eyes and repeated the words she¡¯d said not long ago: ¡°You said I could do anything I wanted to you.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Ethan¡¯s words were harsh, but Olivia was left with no other cholce. She removed her hands from his chest, and his hands moved to her clothes. However, when he took her jacket off, he realized that she was wearing a sweater and anotheryer of thermal clothing under 1. it. Ethan furrowed his brows in confusion. ¡°Are you an olddy? Why are you wearing so manyyers of clothes?¡± Blushing, Olivia bit her lip and replied, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of the cold.¡± Suddenly, Ethan realized that she must be extremely thin to look fit even under so manyyers of clothes. As his palm rested on the small of her back, he could feel her spine. It was as if there was no flesh to separate her skin from her bones, and he wondered how she became so thin. The lustful thoughts he¡¯d had just seconds ago vanished, reced by a sheen of guilt. Suddenly, Olivia red at him, as though she¡¯d only just realized what was happening. In a tone that made it abundantly clear that she wasn¡¯t happy, she questioned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Marina will find out about you doing this to me? Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re divorced.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice returned to its cool, indifferent tone. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I agree with your earlier suggestion. From this day forth, you will pay me back on behalf of your father.¡± Quickly, Olivia asked, ¡°About Leo ¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find him.¡± Now that Ethan had promised to help her, Olivia could finally heave a sigh of relief. His gaze was dangerously locked on her as he said, ¡°And you¡­ you have to be on call whenever I need you.¡± Olivia was rather surprised to hear him say that. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His fingers brushed lightly over her cheeks as he teased, ¡°I realized something. Whenever I touch you, you look like you¡¯re going to die. But I still yearn for you¡­ || His voice trailed off as he stared into her eyes. ¡°So what better way to torture you than this? Am I right?¡± Enduring the searing pain in her stomach, Olivia asked him, ¡°Will you regret torturing me like this one day?¡± ¡°The only thing I know for sure is that I can only smile when you¡¯re in pain.¡± Olivia had never imagined that their rtionship would end up like this. She asked Ethan to drive her back to her apartment. When they reached her ce, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me upstairs for some coffee?¡± It was obvious that he wanted to finish what he¡¯d started in the car. Olivia had no reason to refuse him since Eve wasn¡¯t home and the apartment was all hers. After opening the door, she darted into the washroom, not even bothering to switch on the lights or change into her indoor slippers. She emptied the contents of her stomach and felt much more relieved and clear¨Cheaded now. Suddenly, she felt an excruciating pain in her stomach and realized that the alcohol had only just started showing its full effects. Breaking out in a cold sweat, she curled up on the ground, trying to bear the pain in silence, but it seeped across every inch of her body, to the point that even simply breathing felt agonizing. Her head thumped, and she wandered in and out of consciousness, wondering if she was going to die soon. She bit her lip to stop herself from making any sound. Ethan waited outside the washroom for a long time, but Olivia made no move toe out. In the end, he knocked on the door and asked, ¡°Olivia, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡± She forced the words from her mouth. ¡°Give me a minute. I¡¯lle out after cleaning up.¡± Never in his wildest dreams would Ethan have suspected that she was terminally ill. After all, she¡¯d just had a checkup a few days ago. He walked away, thinking that she was simply embarrassed to face him. Behind the door, Olivia was curled up in a corner with her arms pressed against her stomach as if to numb the pain. Now, even the slightest movement caused her immense pain, making her regret her rash decision to down those two sses of whiskey just now. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Ethan took a furtive nce around the apartment. It wasn¡¯t big, but he could feel Olivia¡¯s presence in every corner. When he noticed the baby crib in her room, he remembered that it was the only thing she¡¯d taken with her when she¡¯d left him. As the realization washed over him, his heart turned into a jumbled mess. After seeing her jump off the building that day, he¡¯de to realize one thing. He¡¯d followed after her without hesitation, which made him understand that he couldn¡¯t stop loving her no matter how much he hated her. His love and hate were intertwined. They fused into a prickly bramble full of thors, coiling tightly around the two of them. It was as though the more he pushed her off into the dark, the closer he got to the edge of a cliff himself. Ethan picked up a soft toy on the bed. Olivia had always hugged it to make herself sleep for countless nights in the past two years. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. If only that incident hadn¡¯t happened, he would have been a good husband to Olivia and a good father to their child. Every time her name left his lips, he could still feel the love he felt for her. He simply couldn¡¯t make himself leave her for good. Meanwhile, Olivia finally felt better after some time. She slowly pushed herself off the ground and walked to the living room. She¡¯d half expected that Ethan would have left, given that he was someone who valued time. Yet when she raised her head to look around the house, she spotted him on the balcony. Sparks from a cigarette flickered as he held it between two fingers. It seemed that his smoking addiction had worsened. Olivia was astonished that he was still here. Was he waiting to pick up where they¡¯d stopped earlier? A shadow fell across her face at that thought, and she went to get herself a ss of water to clear her throat. After that, she dragged her feet on the floor as she approached him. ¡°Should we do it here or on the bed?¡± she asked in a cool and distant tone, as though they were talking about work Ethan looked up from the cigarette to stare at her sickly face, then exhaled slowly, forming a white puff of smoke in the air. Do I seem like a pervert to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to sleep if you¡¯re not thinking of doing it,¡± Olivia told him nkly. She secretly thanked her lucky stars that she¡¯d been able to escape it. All she wanted was to have a good rest. She went into her room and closed the door behind her. Ethan tapped at the cigarette lightly to make the ashes fall as he watched her disappear behind the door. This was exactly what he¡¯d wanted. But why was he upset? Was it because there was no longer a shine in her eyes when she looked at him? He opened the door to see her curled up in bed. Her bed was full of plushies, so she had to curl herself up to fit on the bed. That was the only way she felt safe. Venturing into the dark bedroom, Ethan stood beside the bed, looking at Olivia. However, she was too tired to acknowledge him. Thanks to the alcohol, she managed to doze off easily. The next day, she woke up to find Ethan sleeping on the bed in the master bedroom. Surprisingly, he went straight into the bathroom to shower without mocking or ridiculing her. The doorbell rang, and she walked to open the door in her pajamas. Keith stood at the door with some bags of New Year¡¯s goods in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s New Year¡¯s soon, so I brought something over for you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to-¡± Before Olivia could finish her sentence, the door to the bathroom opened. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Ethan had been expecting Brent to send some clothes over for him, so he walked straight out of the bathroom. He turned to look at the open door, only to find Keith standing there. Raising an eyebrow in question, he said to Olivia, ¡°It seems like we havepany.¡± Olivia was still in her pajamas, whereas Ethan was wrapped in only a towel. No matter how one looked at it, they looked just like a couple who¡¯d been married for years. Keith was neither blind nor stupid; he set the goods down and left, dispirited. Olivia didn¡¯t care to exin, which only convinced Keith that he¡¯d guessed her situation correctly. Nevertheless, this was for the best. Ethan tossed a nce at the goods on the ground. ¡°Am I not generous enough to you?¡± Ten billion dors for their divorce was considered sky¨Chigh already. Olivia answered, ¡°I¡¯ll give these to the old guy who collects the trash in our area.¡± Ethan grunted. ¡°Does hee here often?¡± ¡°He visited once when I had a fever.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Ethan¡¯s harsh voice matched his stern message. Stunned, it took Olivia a moment before she replied, ¡°Okay.¡± When Ethan finished packing his things and got ready to leave, she couldn¡¯t hold back and asked, ¡°About Leo¡­¡± ¦§ ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I get an answer,¡± he said, closing the door behind me. It was pretty easy for him to search for someone. Her father could be saved. Olivia slumped on the couch and let her head fall back against the headrest. Closing her eyes, she heaved a sigh of relief. In the afternoon, Keith received a call from his parents. His father, Frank Rogers, told him that he could have the opportunity to further his studies abroad. He could then take over the position of head of the hospital after that. ¡°Sorry, Dad, but I¡¯m not thinking of going overseas for now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a golden opportunity. I tried so hard to get you into this. There are only three spots for it in the entire country,¡± Frank answered. Keith smiled mockingly in response, saying, ¡°This chance should go to Ethan then.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you and him, but he was even willing to set aside his status to inform me about this. Even if you don¡¯t think about yourself, you should at least think about your siblings.¡± Keith had always beenpliant with his parents, but this time, he fell silent. Noticing that his son was upset, Frank sighed helplessly. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of Oand Hospital, right? Ethan Miller offered to cooperate with us on that project, the one everyone¡¯s been talking about in Aldenvine. I¡¯m sure you know what that means.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Keith said curtly. Failing to get a proper response from his son, Frank finally asked, ¡°What¡¯s making you stay?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Keith stood up from his seat, arms behind his back, as he looked out the window at the hall bustling with nurses and patients. He let out a sigh and exined, ¡°I want to send someone off onest time.¡± Frank was at a loss for words at this point. Keith had always been a good child to him, and, as a good father, he didn¡¯t want to poke his nose into his son¡¯s private life. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend the Miller family. On top of that, Ethan was someone he respected as well. Keith recalled what he¡¯d seen this morning and remembered how Ethan had been so possessive of Olivia during the banquet that night. Even after their divorce, Ethan still wasn¡¯t willing to let her off the hook so easily. Besides, Keith knew that if he got closer to Olivia, it would cause trouble for her. With this in mind, he closed his eyes and eventually said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll ept the offer to study overseas. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll make the necessary arrangements for you.¡± Olivia had finally gotten over the worst of days, and her life was starting to take some semnce of normality again. Early the next morning, she went to visit her father at the hospital. When she reached, she saw the nurse wiping Jeff¡¯s face with a handkerchief. She quickly took the cloth from the nurse, saying, ¡°Allow me.¡± The nurse didn¡¯t object and handed it over to Olivia. Then, Olivia noticed two bouquets of dioli on the table beside the bed. ¡± Did someonee to visit?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes. Dr. Rogers was here. I was cleaning up the room when I heard him talking to Mr. Fordham¡¯s attending physician. He¡¯s going abroad for further studies, so we won¡¯t get to see him here for quite some time.¡± Olivia froze in the middle of wringing the handkerchief dry. She understood the real reason he was leaving. ¡°I see.¡± The nurse didn¡¯t notice the change in Olivia¡¯s expression and merely told her, ¡°Dr. Rogers is a good person.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of starting a family, I think he¡¯s a pretty Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Stunned, Olivia stopped what she was doing and said sternly, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve crossed the line. I want to talk to my father alone. Please leave.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The nurse closed the door gently and left. As usual, Olivia patiently wiped Jeff¡¯s body and trimmed his hair and nails. Had it not been for the electrocardiogram disying his even heartbeat, she would have thought that he¡¯d left her for good. Compared to the snowstorm before, the weather was great today, so she pushed the curtain away to let the sun¡¯s warm rays shine into the room. ¡°Dad, I won¡¯t be able to stay with you for long. If you don¡¯t wake up soon, you might never see me again. Oh right¨CEthan and I are divorced now.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was gentle as she spoke to her father, updating him on her life. Sunlight fell on her face as she smiled. ¡°He wasn¡¯t very kind to me these two years, but he¡¯s been quite generous since our divorce. He¡¯s given me what he should, including a house, a car, and some shares. I¡¯m filthy rich now.¡± ¡°I remember you telling me after Mom left that life should have its regrets, because only then would we learn to appreciate things. Since then, I¡¯ve treasured everything and everyone around me, but, in the end, I haven¡¯t managed to keep anyone by my side,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯ve got some good news too, Dad. I heard that Mr. Crosby has decided to auction our house. I¡¯ll win the auction and get our house back. ¡± ¡°After Leo treats you and you recover, you live there. I¡¯m sorry I have to leave you alone and for not being able to send you off. Olivia talked on and on until it was dusk, yet Jeff showed no signs of walding up. She forced out a laugh helplessly. ¡°Just as I¡¯d expected¡­ Miracles only happen in storybooks.¡± On her way home, Olivia noticed a piece of news titled ¡°President of Miller Group Customizes Priceless Wedding Dress for Fianc¨¦e.¡± There was a picture of the dress, ¡°Milia Stee,¡± attached as well. To be honest, Olivia didn¡¯t mind Ethan remarrying or having children with someone else, but the fact that he was giving his new wife this dress was heartbreaking. There were so many wedding dresses in the world to choose from. Why did it have to be this one? It took her back to that day three years ago. She¡¯d just taken a shower and was lyingzily on the couch. She¡¯d been watching a high¨Cend luxury brand¡¯s press conference on TV. Pointing to one of the dresses disyed, she¡¯d eximed, ¡°Wow! I just love the way Emy designs her dresses! All of them are special. They¡¯re elegant and stylish, but not mboyant at all. It¡¯s a pity that we didn¡¯t hold a wedding ceremony.¡± Ethan had pulled Olivia into his arms out of habit. ¡°Who said you could only wear a dress like that during a wedding ceremony? I¡¯ll give you the most unique dress of all, Liv.¡± A month after that, Olivia hade across a draft of a gown design on the table in the study. There had been other designs. wedged in the sketchbook too. Seeing them, she¡¯d realized that the reason Ethan had been workingte into the night was because he¡¯d been designing a dress for her. ¡°Do you like this one?¡± Ethan asked. He had appeared out of nowhere and hugged her from behind. He rested his chin gently on her shoulder as he spoke, making the atmosphere ever so romantic and heartwarming- ¡°I like everything you draw.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve discussed things with the designer. The dress will take three years from material selection to completion. Can you wait until then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for it even if it takes 30 years,¡± Olivia said. ¡°There are so many diamonds on it. Why don¡¯t we call it ¡®Milia Stee¡®?¡± ¡°Sure. It¡¯s all up to you.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll wear this dress only for you.¡± Olivia could still clearly recall the time they¡¯d made this promise. She just needed to close her eyes to remember the smile that had spread on his lips that day. His gentle eyes shone like stars in the midnight sky, too. Now, she didn¡¯t need to wait for the dress anymore. All her waiting had brought her was seeing him give the dress to his new fianc¨¦e. Olivia rposed herself before she headed home. Eve had packed her things in a hurry and moved to her house yesterday. When Olivia arrived home, Eve was humming and waving the spat in the air as she prepared food in the kitchen. The years she¡¯d spent saving money to pay that douchebag¡¯s bills had made her develop excellent cooking skills. As the broth boiled in the pot, she busied herself with the ingredients, mixing them together step by step until the dish¡¯s aromatic fragrance filled the entire room. It warmed Olivia¡¯s heart and made her feel as though she¡¯d just climbed back from the depths of the underworld. The aroma of the food helped improve her mood. It dissipated some of the sadness that had been weighing her down. After stirring the broth with adle, Eve took a spoonful out of the pot, blew into it a couple of times, and tasted it. ¡°Hmm. This isn¡¯t bad. Liv will love this.¡± ¡°I like anything you cook,¡± Olivia said as she entered the kitchen. Eve was the only person by her side now. ¡°You¡¯re back! How¡¯s your father?¡± ¡°The usual.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll get well soon. After all, you already donated all that money today. What a shame, too. You¡¯re too generous. Olivia smiled. ¡°You truly are a money¨Cgrubber. One needs to be alive to spend that money. No matter how much money we have, it¡¯s useless when we die. It¡¯s better to use it to help others.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. That money came from an asshole anyway, so you should spend it however you want. Otherwise, it¡¯d go to that scheming bitch,¡± said Eve. She continued, ¡°I¡¯ll never forget that he was the one who kicked me down the hill. As ofte, I even dream of kicking him all the time.¡± ¡°Oh, Eve.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t hold back a smile. ¡°Freeze.¡± A camera appeared in Everly¡¯s hands out of nowhere. ¡°Stay still. This is the smile I want to see.¡± Olivia covered her face with her hands. ¡°You know that I don¡¯t like taking photos.¡± ¡°I have to take more photos of you while you¡¯re still in good shape. That way, I¡¯ll have something to remember you by in case. you leave¡­¡± Everly¡¯s voice trailed off. Olivia then took the camera from her and smiled softly. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then you must put on some filters for me. After all, women like to look pretty all the time. I¡¯ll have to smile more so that you¡¯ll feel better when you see these photos in the future.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 It was the night of the charity dinner, which had been fully organized and managed by the Crosby family. The Crosbys had announced that 10% of the money from the auction would be sent to charity. However, everyone knew the truth¨Cthe Crosbys were facing some financial difficulties and were trying to earn some cash by selling off some of their items. Those in Mr. Crosby Senior¡¯s circle knew that he had an eye for invaluable collectibles, yet they kept quiet about it. He¡¯d liked hoarding valuables since he¡¯d been young, so there were bound to be lots of treasures hidden in his house. It wasn¡¯t every day that one got to see him selling his prized possessions, and those who knew him had decided to attend the dinner as soon as they¡¯d received the invitation. Even those without much money came over to watch the show. The word on the street was that the Fordham residence was going to be auctioned too. Olivia and Everly arrived just in time. Thetter poked her head out of the car window to take a look before saying, ¡°You go ahead and head upstairs. I¡¯ll park the car and meet you there. Save me a spot in the front row!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Everly had never attended something like this and thought that they could help each other grab a seat. The truth was, the seats were usually arranged for the guests in advance at events like this. There were two ways the seating arrangement was determined: either ording to one¡¯s social status or based on the amount of money one had to offer. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, Olivia had asked Everly to settle the donation before they came, so she already had a seat reserved for her. She couldn¡¯t simply sit wherever she wanted. Unfortunately, as Olivia neared the entrance, she realized she¡¯d forgotten the invitation when the guards stopped her from entering. ¡°Miss, do you have a letter of invitation with you?¡± The guard wasn¡¯t trying to make things difficult for her. It was just that he¡¯d never seen anyone wear a down jacket to an event like this. The dress code usually consisted of gowns and suits. On top of that, he could see that her down jacket was patched up in some ces. Frankly, Olivia said, ¡°It¡¯s with my friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you have to wait for your friend before you two can enter together.¡± Since it was a private event, Olivia understood that the guard was merely doing his job. Despite getting some looks from some of the guests that were entering the building, she straightened her back, trying to remain calm andposed. It was at this moment that Marina arrived with Calista, who had an arm hooked around the former¡¯s. Olivia could hear Calista¡¯s voice from afar as she said, ¡°Marina, I saw the dress in the interview. They say there are 3650 diamonds iid on it and that every diamond is a symbol of Mr. Miller¡¯s love for you. I truly envy the love you two have for each other.¡± Olivia pressed her fingers hard into her palms, but she didn¡¯t feel the pain. She had always thought that Ethan had designed Milia Stee¡± for her and that all the diamonds were just part of the design. Now she knew that it was tomemorate his and Marina¡¯s love. Marina was surrounded by a group of women in ostentatious clothes. When her gaze met Olivia¡¯s, she coolly looked away, not wanting to have anything to do with Olivia. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know about Ethan and Olivia¡¯s past. Calista, on the other hand, was apletely different case. Olivia had upset everyone when they¡¯d had a meal together that day. Besides, the Fordhams had finally gone bankrupt as well. With Marina by her side, Calista looked down on Olivia even more. ¡°Isn¡¯t this our ss¡® genius? Why are you dressed so sloppily? When I saw you from afar, I thought you were a beggar.¡± Calista mocked her. The guard chose to speak at this inappropriate moment. ¡°Mrs. Miller, do you know this woman? She doesn¡¯t have an invitation with her, but if you know her, you can go in together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Marina said curtly. Calista tried to make things worse by telling the guard, ¡°You should have your eyes checked. Don¡¯t simply allow penniless people to sneak their way into an event like this.¡± Calista added, ¡°The New Year¡¯sing, so maybe she was trying to steal something after getting inside. I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t afford it if something goes missing.¡± The guard nodded repeatedly at Calista. ¡°I understand now. Thank you for your reminder, ma¡¯am.¡± Calista and Marina rolled their eyes at him and finally entered the building. Just as the guard was about to ask Olivia to leave, Brent, who¡¯de out for a smoke, saw them. He immediately stepped in to stop the guard. Only then did the guard allow Olivia to go inside. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 ¡°Mrs. Mil¨CMs. Fordham, shall I escort you inside?¡± Brent addressed Olivia as respectfully as usual. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m waiting for a friend¡­ She¡¯s here.¡± Olivia had just spotted a woman in a ming red fur coat. She wore nude stockings underneath and high heels, making her look like an ostrich on fire. All of a sudden, Olivia didn¡¯t want to admit knowing someone like her. It had never urred to her that Everly waste because she was changing in the car. Everly walked over with a pair of exaggerated sses on her face and an overwhelming scent of perfume surrounding her. Olivia turned away from the horrendous sight and started to leave. ¡°Nope. I got the wrong person. I¡¯ll head inside now.¡± ¡°Liv! Wait for me!¡± Everly called after Olivia. She approached Brent, stopped right before him, and removed her shades. ¡°Did you piss Liv off again?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Brent was never one toment on women¡¯s clothing, but this time¡­ ¡°Do you think Treasure Trove is a nightclub? Are you going to dance in this?¡± Everly was a short¨Ctempered person, and she was already unhappy with Ethan. Seeing his henchman here made her even more annoyed. ¡°When you die, I¡¯m going to dance on your grave in this dress.¡± Brent didn¡¯t bother arguing with her and simply said, ¡°Come with me.¡± However, Everly took out her invitation letter and said smugly, ¡°No thanks. I have my own invitation.¡± Before the two of them were finished with their talk, Olivia had already reached the second floor of the building. Her father had enjoyeding here. He didn¡¯t have much interest in anything, but he liked collecting antiques. When the Fordhams had been wealthy, they¡¯d had a broad collection of antiques at home, ranging from valuables from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance Era. Not many knew that Jeff also liked to paint and carve in his free time. As Olivia walked through the baroque¨Cstyle hallways, she noticed that several of the antiques disyed in the ss cabs looked rather familiar. They had once been her father¡¯s treasures. A wooden statuette with a small line of indents on one of its arms caught her eye. It was the one she¡¯d bitten after her father had pulled her leg, saying that it was made of chocte. She¡¯d only been six years old at the time, and she¡¯d thought all her teeth would fall out after she¡¯d bitten it. Now, she found it cute and funny with those indents. Tears welled up in her eyes as a wave of nostalgia engulfed her. She stood rooted to the spot before the ss cab, staring at the statuette, reluctant to leave. After a while, she finally snapped out of her daze. She turned away from the cab, reminding herself of why she was here today. As she looked away, her gaze locked with Ethan¡¯s, who was also standing in front of the stage. He looked dashing in a pitch ¨C ck wool coat that outlined his slim and fit figure. He stared directly at her, his eyes like two deep, bottomless pits. He looked away after a short while. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Olivia walked past him as if they were mere strangers. Not long after that, Marina came to him, beaming. ¡°Ethan, why are you here?¡± Calista, who was beside her, chimed in, saying, ¡°Of course he¡¯s here because of you. You two love each other so much that you Chapter 91 Chapter 91 The banquet hadn¡¯t started, so people were walking around and looking at the disys. Calista¡¯s act of calling Olivia out had attracted the eyes of many. Noticing the frown on Ethan¡¯s face, Marina hastily hooked an arm in his and exined, ¡°Olivia and Calista were ssmates. They had some grudges in the past. It¡¯d be inappropriate if you meddled in their business.¡± Ethan silently removed his arm from hers and straightened his tie. Marina didn¡¯t continue the topic or move closer to him. Instead, she simply reminded him, ¡°Besides, you and Olivia are already divorced. What would people think if you tried to help her now? !We¡¯re getting engaged soon, and the hospital is in the middle of preparations. Any rumors about you will greatly affect Miller Group¡¯s shares. Logically speaking, you should keep your distance from her.¡± ¡°Who told you I was going to help her?¡± Ethan retorted as he left without turning back. Calista tried to make things worse by pointing at Olivia and dering, ¡°It¡¯s clear that this thief came without an invitation. Everyone should check their belongings to make sure that nothing gets stolen.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the person in charge? Are you even doing your work? Why is there a thief in here?¡± The person who spoke was. Michael Crosby¡¯s son, Shawn Crosby, who¡¯d appeared out of nowhere. Shawn had never met Olivia before. He simply looked her up and down and said, ¡°Miss, please leave.¡± Olivia found it rather amusing. Calmly, she asked, ¡°Why should I leave?¡± ¡°Miss, everyone¡¯s seat is based on the amount they have donated. There¡¯s no ce for you here,¡± he exined. ¡°That¡¯s right. Why waste your time exining things to a thick¨Cskinned woman like her? We don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s been sanitized. Look at the way she dresses! It¡¯d be so embarrassing to stand next to her!¡± Calista had stirred up such amotion. Although no one came at Olivia, everyone¡¯s words were like knives stabbing her. Nevertheless, Olivia stood where she was, her face expressionless. Slowly, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve already donated.¡± ¡°You? Heh. How much can you even donate? Five dors? Maybe three dors? Why don¡¯t you tell us?¡± Olivia had never been one to show off, but she was forced into a dead end now and could only say, ¡°Five million dors.¡± That made Ethan turn his gaze back to her, a frown gracing his face. He knew that Olivia wasn¡¯t a materialistic person and wouldn¡¯t bother to lie. He¡¯d given her ten million dors, and she¡¯d already donated five million dors. What was she thinking? ¡°Five million dors? Aren¡¯t you afraid that your nose would grow like Pinhio¡¯s for lying?¡± Marina added, ¡°Miss Fordham, please be honest. The truth alwayses out eventually, and your lies will be exposed. You don¡¯t even have an invitation with you. Stop being pretentious.¡± ¡°Who said she doesn¡¯t have an invitation?¡± ¡°Who said she didn¡¯t donate?¡± Both Everly and Michael Crosby spoke at the same time as they rushed into the room from opposite directions.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Michael¡¯s eyesnded on Ethan, and he said, ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Miller. I Imew you wereing, so I had my men arrange a seat for you. Follow me, please.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ethan said nonchntly. Michael then rushed over to Olivia and said in a weing tone, ¡°Ms. Olivia, I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡± The expression on Shawn¡¯s face was simr to that of the people around them. Hastily, he asked for confirmation from his father. ¡°Dad, did she really donate five million dors?¡± Michael stared daggers at his son.¡°Ms. Olivia has a heart of gold, unlike you, idiot!¡± With that, he turned to face Olivia with a kind and amiable look. ¡°Ms. Olivia, I had my men specially prepare a seat for you. This way, please.¡± He was so respectful toward her that everyone couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. This young woman in a down jacket had actually donated five million dors! Was she out of her mind? To Calista and Marina, Michael¡¯s words felt like a p across their faces, whereas Everly found the entire thing very satisfactory. With an expressionless face, Olivia walked past Marina without even stopping to nce at her. However, Everly purposely stopped for a moment and said, ¡°Ms. Carlton, you¡¯re going to be Mrs. Miller very soon. Why do you still have to sit behind Liv? And who gave you the guts to make a ruckus in front of her?¡± ¡°Everly¡­ don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Marina seethed, punctuating each word. Everly raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Trust me, when you die, I¡¯ll do something more ridiculous in front of your grave.¡± Seeing Marina dumbstruck made Everly¡¯s foul mood disappear instantly. Instead of sitting with Olivia, Everly decided to stand beside Marina instead. Without the slightest hint of being shy, she raised her hand and said, ¡°Mister, I¡¯m a good friend of Liv¡¯s; please get me a seat. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 As Everly took her seat, the lights dimmed. Marina whispered a threat, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Everly.¡± ¡°Push my luck? I haven¡¯t even exposed you as a homewrecker yet,¡± Everly retorted. Despite the dim lighting, she could see that Marina had turned as pale as a ghost. This, in turn, brought a cheerful smile to Everly¡¯s face. ¡°I just love how you can¡¯t do anything about me even though you can¡¯t stand me. Marina, I¡¯ve got evidence of all the things you¡¯ve done. ¡°If you dare provoke me and Liv again, I just might reveal everything to the whole world. If I were you, I would cut my losses and stop right here. Don¡¯t act all high and mighty when you¡¯re nothing but a sly fox.¡± ring at her fiercely, Marina remained quiet. Meanwhile, Olivia hadn¡¯t expected to meet Ethan again so soon. They didn¡¯t talk at all, and any passerby would have thought that they were strangers. They were both indifferent to the auction going on, not reacting to the high prices offered. As the auction approached its end, Shawn himself took the stage. ¡°Next is an ancient garden estate that boasts a history of a hundred years.¡± A ssic garden estate was disyed on the screen. The Fordham residence had been built by Olivia¡¯s ancestors. Later, it had been redesigned and renovated to incorporate some modern elements while retaining its historical significance. Its selling point was its excellent location, which was in the most happening area of the city. It was highly valuable, regardless of whether one wanted it for personal use or business purposes. From the pictures, Olivia saw the familiar courtyard, where the flowers on the tree were about to bloom. She remembered that Jeff had buried his best wine under the tree, saying that he would dig them up for a toast after she had a child. s, he couldn¡¯t wait that long. Shawn announced, ¡°We¡¯ll begin the bid at the price of one billion dors. Feel free to offer a higher bid if you are interested. It¡¯ll be hard to find a location like this.¡± Olivia and Ethan both raised their paddles at the same time. ¡°Two billion dors,¡± they said together. Olivia looked at Ethan, unable toprehend why he wanted topete with her. The property was special to her. What did it mean to him? Just then, Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated, and Marina¡¯s message appeared on the screen. ¡°Ethan, I want the Fordham residence.¡± Olivia had saved five billion dors for this property. The Fordham residence was in a prime location and had greatmercial value. Experts had gauged its market price to be in the range of 2.5 billion dors to three billion dors. ¡°2.1 billion dors,¡± Olivia continued bidding, determined to win. After her second bid, Ethan was the only other bidder still contending ¡°Three billion dors.¡± By raising the price, he was telling Olivia that he intended to get the property and that she should stop bidding. He knew her limits¨Cafter donating half her money, she would only have five billion dors left. Five billion dors was an astronomical sum to many, but to the wealthy Millers, it was merely a drop in the bucket. Olivia¡¯s grip on the paddle tightened. Gritting her teeth, she announced, ¡°3.5 billion dors.¡± This was her telling Ethan that she wouldn¡¯t back down. The Fordham residence was very important to her. However, Ethan raised the paddle once again. ¡°Four billion dors.¡± Everly, who¡¯d been squabbling with Marina just a few moments ago, was suddenly in a low mood. Ethan had to be doing this intentionally. There was no way he didn¡¯t know how important Fordham residence was to Olivia. Smirking, Marina asked, ¡°What do you think Olivia will do if the price is raised to five billion dors?¡± Finally, it was all clear to Everly. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants Fordham residence, not Ethan.¡± Grinning from ear to ear, Marina answered, ¡°Ethan always gives me what I want.¡± As Everly took her seat, the lights dimmed. Marina whispered a threat, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Everly.¡± ¡°Push my luck? I haven¡¯t even exposed you as a homewrecker yet,¡± Everly retorted. Despite the dim lighting, she could see that Marina had turned as pale as a ghost. This, in turn, brought a cheerful smile to Everly¡¯s face. ¡°I just love how you can¡¯t do anything about me even though you can¡¯t stand me. Marina, I¡¯ve got evidence of all the things you¡¯ve done. ¡°If you dare provoke me and Liv again, I just might reveal everything to the whole world. If I were you, I would cut my losses and stop right here. Don¡¯t act all high and mighty when you¡¯re nothing but a sly fox.¡± ring at her fiercely, Marina remained quiet. Meanwhile, Olivia hadn¡¯t expected to meet Ethan again so soon. They didn¡¯t talk at all, and any passerby would have thought that they were strangers. They were both indifferent to the auction going on, not reacting to the high prices offered. As the auction approached its end, Shawn himself took the stage. ¡°Next is an ancient garden estate that boasts a history of a hundred years.¡± A ssic garden estate was disyed on the screen. The Fordham residence had been built by Olivia¡¯s ancestors. Later, it had been redesigned and renovated to incorporate some modern elements while retaining its historical significance. Its selling point was its excellent location, which was in the most happening area of the city. It was highly valuable, regardless of whether one wanted it for personal use or business purposes. From the pictures, Olivia saw the familiar courtyard, where the flowers on the tree were about to bloom. She remembered that Jeff had buried his best wine under the tree, saying that he would dig them up for a toast after she had a child. s, he couldn¡¯t wait that long. Shawn announced, ¡°We¡¯ll begin the bid at the price of one billion dors. Feel free to offer a higher bid if you are interested. It¡¯ll be hard to find a location like this.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia and Ethan both raised their paddles at the same time. ¡°Two billion dors,¡± they said together. Olivia looked at Ethan, unable toprehend why he wanted topete with her. The property was special to her. What did it mean to him? Just then, Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated, and Marina¡¯s message appeared on the screen. ¡°Ethan, I want the Fordham residence.¡± Olivia had saved five billion dors for this property. The Fordham residence was in a prime location and had greatmercial value. Experts had gauged its market price to be in the range of 2.5 billion dors to three billion dors. ¡°2.1 billion dors,¡± Olivia continued bidding, determined to win. After her second bid, Ethan was the only other bidder still contending. ¡°Three billion dors.¡± By raising the price, he was telling Olivia that he intended to get the property and that she should stop bidding. He knew her limits -after donating half her money, she would only have five billion dors left. Five billion dors was an astronomical sum to many, but to the wealthy Millers, it was merely a drop in the bucket. Olivia¡¯s grip on the paddle tightened. Gritting her teeth, she announced, ¡°3.5 billion dors.¡± This was her telling Ethan that she wouldn¡¯t back down. The Fordham residence was very important to her. However, Ethan raised the paddle once again. ¡°Four billion dors.¡± Everly, who¡¯d been squabbling with Marina just a few moments ago, was suddenly in a low mood. Ethan had to be doing this intentionally. There was no way he didn¡¯t know how important Fordham residence was to Olivia. Smirking, Marina asked, ¡°What do you think Olivia will do if the price is raised to five billion dors?¡± Finally, it was all clear to Everly. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants Fordham residence, not Ethan.¡± Grinning from ear to ear, Marina answered, ¡°Ethan always gives me what I want.¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Everly ground her teeth in frustration, wondering how such a despicable person could exist. Lowering her voice, she said, You stole her man. Isn¡¯t it enough now that you¡¯re Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°Huh? 1 stole her man? If it hadn¡¯t been for her, Ethan and I would have been married a long time ago. Olivia¡¯s the one who stole my man,¡± Marina countered, sneering. ¡°Ms. Carlton, with that audacity of yours, you could set a new Guinness World Record. I can assure you that no one will be able to break your record for centuries. I thought I was bad, but I¡¯m nothing compared to you. You truly set the bar high,¡± Everly retorted. ¡°Everly, if I were you, I would speak to me politely,¡± Marina threatened, crossing her arms. ¡°Ooh, someone¡¯s getting angry!¡± Everly was talented at infuriating others. ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± Marina replied, maintaining herposure. Olivia, on the other hand, was boiling inside. She¡¯d raised the bid to five billion dors. Ethan knew her limits, and he could easily secure the Fordham residence by raising the bid by ten million dors. When Ethan didn¡¯t raise his paddle, Shawn called, ¡°Does anyone want to raise the bid?¡± ¡°Five billion dors, calling once.¡± Just then, Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated. ¡°Five billion dors, calling twice.¡± Everly was tense too. Things had evolved from an auction for the Fordham residence into a competition between Olivia and Marina for Ethan¡¯s affection. Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated once again. ¡°Five billion-¡± Shawn was about to put the gavel down when Ethan announced, ¡°5.01 billion dors.¡± Olivia began to tremble, knowing she¡¯d lost. She¡¯d been utterly defeated. Donning a victorious smile, Marina gloated, ¡°Like I said, Ethan gives me everything I want.¡± Everly red fiercely at the back of Ethan¡¯s head, wishing she could pierce through his skull with her eyes. Meanwhile, Olivia chewed on her lips as she watched Marina walk up to the stage to thank Ethan for giving her the Fordham residence. Despite wearing a down jacket in a heated room, the sight made her feel cold all over. For a moment, she saw everything go ck, and she had to close her eyes and grab the armrest to steady herself. Everly knew that Olivia had been set to win the bid. Unexpectedly, Ethan had intervened, ruining all her ns. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Olivia said, rising to her feet. Everly helped her up. Knowing that Olivia was running out of time, Everly wanted to fulfill all her wishes so that she wouldn¡¯t have any regrets when she passed away. s, there was nothing she could do about the Fordham residence. ¡°Liv¡­¡± Everly¡¯s heart ached for her. Despite her despair, Olivia stered a smile on her face as she assured Everly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Perhaps it was never meant to be.¡± Marina was Ethan¡¯s newfound love, while she was merely his ything. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out who Ethan would N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. choose. Besides, since he¡¯d taken it upon himself to torment Olivia, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that he would use this opportunity as well. Everly noticed the sorrow in Olivia¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t know how to console her friend. All she could do was lead her away, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± On their way back, Olivia remained silent, her expression devold of any obvious signs of disappointment. She rested her cheek against her hand as she gazed out of the window. ¡°Eve, let¡¯s take a stroll along the coastal road.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The coastal road was famous for its night view. The shimmering bright lights on both sides of the wide asphalt road made it seem like a stairway to heaven. Olivia rolled down the car window, letting the sea breeze into the car. The chilly breeze seemed to cool her emotions. While driving, Everly reminded her, ¡°Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for a little while,¡± Olivia replied. She rested her arms on the window sill and leaned her head on it. Then, she closed her eyes, enjoying the liberating feeling the wind brought. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve made up my mind. After I die, scatter my ashes into the sea,¡± Olivia suddenly said. Everly mmed on the brakes, stopping the car by the roadside. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t make such jokes in the middle of the night. It¡¯s not funny at all.¡± Olivia opened the door and got out of the car, taking in the sea breeze. ¡°I initially nned to buy the Fordham residence back and have you bury my ashes under the tree in the courtyard. Since I was born there, it would be great if I could be buried there too. Besides, I figured that if I couldn¡¯t ever see my father again-¡± Olivia paused for a moment before she continued, ¡°Since he wouldn¡¯t give me that chance, it doesn¡¯t matter. When we die, we all turn into dust. It doesn¡¯t make a difference where I¡¯m buried.¡± Tears welled up in Everly¡¯s eyes as she held Olivia, crying aloud, ¡°Why does it not matter? If you¡¯re buried at the Fordham residence, I can visit you and pay my respects. ¡°But if your ashes are in the sea, I¡¯ll need to steal Poseidon¡¯s trident to see you!¡± Olivia smiled in response. ¡°You¡¯re quite the jester.¡± ¡°Liv, look, you look so beautiful when you smile. Please smile more often,¡± Everly pleaded. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia put on a wide smile. ¡°After going through so much, I¡¯ve alsoe to ept many things. It¡¯s all part of life. The more we want certain things and certain people, the more difficult they are to attain. ¡°Once, I loved someone with all my heart. He made me experience emotions I never knew existed, but now everything is gone. It¡¯s time for me to move on.¡± Everly hugged her tightly for a long time, unable to let go. At that moment, she hated herself for being a nobody whocked both power and wealth to help Olivia. She despised the capitalists who ruled the world, snatching away everything that others cherished with a mere flick of their wrist. She secretly swore to make a lot of money and climb to the position she hated, just so she could look down at the rest of the world. Yet would the person she wanted to protect most still be around by then? They found a barbecue restaurant by the seaside. Olivia ordered a bowl of soup and watched Everly enjoy herself. During their meal, Everly mentioned that she wanted to skewer Ethan and Marina like barbecue skewers and roast them on the grill repeatedly. As Olivia drank her soup, she smiled and took out her phone. Pinned at the top of her conversation list was her conversation with ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± When she checked his profile picture, she realized that it hadn¡¯t been changed; it was one of the couple photos she¡¯d coerced him to take. He was in ck, and she was in white. Zooming into the picture, one could tell from the shadows that there was a woman with him. Meanwhile, his shadow was in Olivia¡¯s profile picture too. Back then, she¡¯d imed that even their shadows were inseparable. Olivia deleted his contact. When their conversation disappeared, it felt as if he¡¯d disappeared from her life as well. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 When Everly went to get more food, Olivia changed her profile picture to a photo that Everly had secretly taken of her. Then she took a photo of the ocean and posted it with a caption that read, ¡°Far, far away.¡± Little did she know that Ethan was waiting for her outside her apartment. Olivia and Everly hadn¡¯t returned yet, so he waited in the car. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. As he¡¯d watched her retreating figure earlier, he¡¯d recalled how she¡¯d donated five billion dors, and that filled him with unease. It was the same difort he¡¯d felt when she¡¯d jumped off the building. He needed an answer to his questions. Finally, Brent said, ¡°Mrs. Miller is still having barbecue, sir. She probably won¡¯t be back soon.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°It seems like she¡¯s at the seaside. She just posted a picture of it.¡± Ethan immediately refreshed his social media feed, but the newest post he saw had been made an hour ago by a random fitness guru. The caption read, ¡°Breaking news! Frequent consumption of fried eggs can lead to this disease!¡± ¡°When did she post it?¡± ¡°22 minutes ago.¡± When Brent noticed Ethan smoldering, his voice grew quieter. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the post, Mr. Miller?¡± Clenching his phone tightly, Ethan said through gritted teeth, ¡°She must have removed me.¡± It was awkward that she¡¯d removed Ethan from her social media but not his employee. Warily, Brent pointed out, ¡°She also changed her username and profile picture.¡± Ethan snatched the phone from Brent. Her profile picture was now a photo of herself under a dim streetlight. The soft light outlined her silhouette, and her hair was dancing in the wind. Her gentle smilepleted the picture. Ethan swiped his finger over her lips, but all he could feel was the cold phone screen. She¡¯d once vowed to never change their couple photo. Her new post showed a blurry view of the sea. Ethan asked, ¡°What does she mean by this?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, this isn¡¯t my area of expertise. I¡¯ve never been in a rtionship, but when women change their profile pictures and make posts like this, they¡¯re usually upset. Tonight¡¯s events have likely-¡± Brent didn¡¯t finish his sentence because he didn¡¯t need to point out that what Ethan had done was obviously not great. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve been too lenient with Ms. Carlton. Take Collington Cove, for example. It was clearly built for Mrs. Miller, and the same goes for the evening dress. You spent so much time and effort on it, but she insisted on having it even though it didn¡¯t fit her.¡± He added, ¡°She even changed the hospital name they had initially decided on. It would be no surprise if it made Mrs. Miller disheartened.¡± Instead of replying, Ethan said, ¡°Take me to the seaside.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Brent easily deduced Olivia¡¯s location through Everly¡¯s recent post. The two men soon arrived at the restaurant, where they saw Olivia carrying a drunk Everly outside. Just then, it began to snow. In the snow, Olivia spotted the tall, imposing man standing by the roadside, almost blending into the darkness. If not for the flickering light in his hand, she might not have noticed him at all. Everly pushed Olivia away and began to curse loudly. ¡°If I were as rich as you and if yourckeys hadn¡¯t been around today, I would¡¯ve chopped you into a¡ª¡± Brent quickly covered Everly¡¯s mouth and said to Olivia, ¡°Ms. Fordham, let me take your friend back.¡± Pushing his hand away, Everly continued shouting, ¡°Hey, handsome guy, why do you look so much like that bastard¡¯sckey? Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Brent grimaced at Everly¡¯s choice of words. ¡°By the way, thatckey isn¡¯t as handsome as you. He always has a stern face, like this.¡± Everly imitated Brent, who just watched as she dragged herself to the car. Everly patted the seat beside her and said, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re cute. Why don¡¯t you let me take care of you?¡± Brent was about to decline when Everly added, ¡°I¡¯m really good at taking care of things. Thest dog I took care of became so fat and healthy.¡± Brent didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. Olivia hadn¡¯t expected to see Ethan here. Masking her difort, she asked calmly, ¡°What about Everly?¡± He put out the cigarette in his hand and answered, ¡°Brent will take her home.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t worried about leaving Everly with Brent. She was more concerned about what would happen between her and Ethan. Tiny snowkes danced around Ethan, creating a stunning scene. He looked at Olivia and said, ¡°Shall we talk?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t even spare him a nce. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve been good recently. I haven¡¯t had any contact with any man, not even Keith. I¡¯ve deleted his number as well. If any member of the opposite gender is in my vicinity, I¡¯ll run away.¡± ¡°So you deleted my number too?¡± Ethan asked through gritted teeth. ¡°Your number is still there, and I can still reach you whenever I want.¡± ¡°Olivia.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you don¡¯t need toe get me. My car is here.¡± With that, Olivia quickly got into the car. As she was about to close the door, someone¡¯s hand gripped it, stopping her from closing it. On the wrist was a watch worth eight million dors, gleaming brightly under the streetlight. Ethan stood tall, blocking the light and snow behind him. Within moments, ayer of snow had umted on his shoulders and head. His long arm rested on the edge of the car door, and his domineering presence filled the space between them. Fixing his eyes on her, he said, ¡°I said, let¡¯s talk.¡± His tone was heavy, with no room for negotiation. It was a sign that danger was just around the corner. Olivia observed his figure, taking in the regal air he exuded. He was blocking the light and wind outside, which made the car seem smaller than it already was. Throughout their marriage, she¡¯d always been in his shadow, vulnerable, and without the right to make any choices. She lifted her gaze to meet his calmly. ¡°Do you want it now? Is that it?¡± After all, that was the only thing that was going on between them right now. Her question left Ethan stunned. Taking advantage of that, Olivia closed the car door and instructed the driver to go. In the distance, Ethan¡¯s figure faded in the wind and snow, much like her dream when she¡¯d been a student. Olivia was restless and antsy for the rest of the night, afraid Ethan would retaliate. However, there was no sign of Ethan for the next few days. Marina, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t stay idle. Soon, Olivia learned that Marina intended to raze the Fordham residence and turn it into an animal breeding ground and ughterhouse. Furious, Everly cursed Marina out. ¡°Is she crazy? How shameless can she be? If it wasn¡¯t off¨Climits for building a crematorium, I bet she would use thend to pile dead bodies. Now she¡¯s killing cows and pigs there to get under your skin.¡± Olivia¡¯s face fell when she heard about it. Marina sure was ruthless. The Fordham residence could be used formercial purposes or as a personal residence. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. However, the graves of the Fordham ancestorsy in the backyard, where they had been buried for over a hundred years. The Fordham family had wanted to relocate, but a fortune teller had advised them not to as it would bring bad luck. Olivia didn¡¯t care about what the fortune teller had to say. In fact, she didn¡¯t care that Marina was making her life difficult either. However, she couldn¡¯t just watch and do nothing about Marina desecrating her ancestors¡® graves. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 At this moment, Marina was ying with her two children. They were fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. Ethan had named the boy Connor Miller, whereas Marina had named the girl Erina Miller, a combination of Ethan and Marina¡¯s names. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Erina,e here,¡± Marina called. Recently, Connor had learned to walk, but Erina still had to hold onto the furniture when she took steps. The girl was weaker and didn¡¯t have Connor¡¯s sturdy legs. ¡°Mom, Mom.¡± Erina reached for her mom. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, sweetie. Let me give you a hug,¡± Marina said, before turning to Connor. ¡°Come here, Connor.¡± Connor nced at her before quickly turning away, showing no intention ofing over. He had Ethan¡¯s cold, aloof gaze. Since Ethan had brought Connor back, he¡¯d always been staring out of the window. He ignored everyone and kept to himself. asionally, when he fell asleep, he would call out ¡°Mommy¡± a few times, but when he woke up, no matter how much they coaxed him, he wouldn¡¯t utter the word again. Since birth, the child had never been close to her. Although he and his sister had shared the same womb, their personalities werepletely different. Marina watched him as she mulled over it. Just then, her assistant entered the room, saying, ¡°All the arrangements have been made, Ms. Carlton. I used my connections to expedite the approval process, and it should be done soon.¡± Marina handed the child to the nanny beside her so that she could open a bottle of red wine. Watching her ss fill with the dark red liquid, she grinned. ¡°I want to see how long she can stay calm.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller and Olivia have already divorced, Ms. Carlton. Since Mr. Miller is so devoted to you, why do you still need to do this?¡± the assistant asked. Marina red at the assistant, asking, ¡°What do you know?¡± The assistant trembled in fear and quickly lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I spoke out of line.¡± Marina knew well that Ethan¡¯s kindness to her had nothing to do with love. He¡¯d done it out of a sense of responsibility. She¡¯d thought that Leia¡¯s death would make himpletely disgusted with Olivia, but he¡¯d only be more emotionally entangled with her after their divorce. As long as Olivia was still around, Marina¡¯s status as Mrs. Miller would never be secure. She¡¯d waited for several days, but Olivia hadn¡¯t fallen into her trap yet. Nheless, she refused to believe that Olivia would remain calm after finding out about her ns to turn the Fordham residence into a ughterhouse. Soon, she received a call from Olivia. ¡°Hello,¡± said Marina sleazily. ¡°It¡¯s me, Olivia.¡± Olivia sounded slightly annoyed. ¡°Why did you call me, Ms. Fordham?¡± Marina asked. ¡°Marina, we all know what you want. Why don¡¯t you drop the act?¡± Olivia retorted. ¡°No need for small talk. I¡¯m at Collington Cove, and by the way, bring that Hilton chick with you.¡± With that, Marina hung up the phone. Meanwhile, Olivia¡¯s face fell. It was clear that Marina wasn¡¯t only out to humiliate her¨Cshe also wanted to punish Everly for her previous act of defiance. She could already see iting. Olivia looked at Everly, who was busy whipping up a soup for herself in the kitchen as she hummed a song, oblivious to what was happening. ¡°Everly, I¡¯m going to the supermarket for a while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Do you want me to take you there?¡± ¡°No, thanks. I just want to get some fresh air.¡± Everly didn¡¯t suspect anything. After all, Olivia hadn¡¯t done anything fun or leisurelytely since she¡¯d been solely focused on improving her health. ¡°Don¡¯t be out toote. I¡¯m making chicken soup for you tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia smiled and nodded before she picked up her hat and scarf. Fully prepared, she took a taxi to her destination. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 She considered all the possibilities for how this could y out on her way to Collington Cove. All she had to do was abandon her pride and cooperate with Marina. It couldn¡¯t be that difficult. What did her pride matter when she was about to die anyway? It was her first time inside Collington Cove. The decorations were all to her liking: blue arches, horseshoe¨Cshaped windows, gray walls, and white curtains swaying in the sea breeze. It had a mysterious, romantic air to it. It was a pity that the owner of the house was Marina. With the maid leading her, Olivia arrived at the spacious and bright living room. The room sported a 270¨Cdegree circr floor -to¨Cceiling window that provided a clear view of the sea from every angle. Before she spotted Marina, something touched her leg. It was Connor, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for some time. ¡°Mommy,¡± he called out, his voice cute and pleasant to the ear. His eyes were sparkling like stars in the sky, and Olivia felt a little more affectionate toward him. Connor opened his arms toward Olivia, drooling as he said, ¡°Mommy, hug me.¡± Olivia wanted to reach out and pat his head, but the nanny quickly came over and took Connor away. ¡°Oh,e upstairs, quickly, Connor. Mommy wille to y with youter,¡± the nanny coaxed. Connor was very upset about being taken away and began to cry, reaching out his arms towards Olivia. ¡°Mommy, mommy.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart ached, and she was surprised that she felt this way towards Marina¡¯s son. After a while, Marina appeared on the second floor. As she could hear Connor¡¯s voice from afar, she told him, ¡°Good boy, you finally know how to call out to me. I¡¯lle to youter.¡± Connor ignored her and kept looking in Olivia¡¯s direction. Marina plopped herself down on the sofa as the maid asked, ¡°What drink would you like?¡± Marina rested her head on her hand, looking at Olivia with indifference. ¡°I heard that you bake good cakes.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes to get the Fordham residence, I can bake for you.¡± Olivia got straight to the point. Marinaughed in response. ¡°Olivia, Olivia. I should¡¯ve expected this. After all, your family has its own business. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been taught that you have to give something to get something. I assume you want to talk about Fordham residence. What makes you think you have the right to negotiate with me?¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°The maid will tell you.¡± Following the maid¡¯s instructions, Olivia baked a te of honey cake. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Too sweet,¡± Marinamented. Olivia baked a second one. ¡°Too hard.¡± Olivia kept finding excuses to reject it. When it came to the fifth attempt, she poured the batter on Olivia¡¯s hair. Olivia held her anger in check, letting the flour mixture run down her hair and drip to the floor. Olivia lowered her head, trying to conceal her emotions. Her voice was very soft, making it difficult to discern her emotions.¡± Ms. Carlton, I¡¯m not a chef, so I cannot bake something to your liking.¡± Yet Marina didn¡¯t stop there. She haughtily responded, ¡°Olivia, you should know that I hold grudges. Didn¡¯t I tell you to bring Everly with you? This is the consequence of not listening to me.¡± Olivia knew that Marina¡¯s arrogant and reckless behavior was all thanks to Ethan. Olivia, on the other hand, had no one to back her up. That¡¯s why Marina thought she could treat her however she liked. As Marina gleefully enjoyed Olivia¡¯s misery, thetter, who¡¯d been considering it for a while now, suddenly moved. Swiftly, she picked up the remaining bowl of batter and pped it on Marina¡¯s face. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Evidently, Marina hadn¡¯t expected Olivia to retaliate. Just like that, her new hairdo was ruined. Exasperated, she screamed, ¡± You little bitch! What have you done? No one would dare to do this to me!¡± As her face was stered with batter, Marina couldn¡¯t see where Olivia was after thetter had retreated. Grabbing at the air blindly, Marina tried to seize hold of her. Sensing movement, she lunged forward, only to step on the batter, slip, and fall to the ground. ¡°No one has done this to me before either, Marina. You aren¡¯t the only one who has been pampered their whole life. You can¡¯t just ruin my hair as you please.¡± Taking full advantage of the situation, Olivia pped Marina hard before stomping on her a few times. ¡°This is for my dead child! This is for my dead marriage!¡± ¡°Agh, I¡¯ll kill you, you little bitch! Help me, you silly fools! Why are you doing nothing?¡± Marina was infuriated at being physically assaulted by Olivia. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Meanwhile, the only maid in the kitchen was frozen in shock. By the time the other maids arrived to rescue Marina, Olivia was holding a sharp knife. ¡°Stay right there!¡± Since her face was still covered with batter, Marina couldn¡¯t open her eyes. However, she could feel something cold against her neck ¡°If you move an inch, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Marina was utterly shocked. She¡¯d never imagined that Olivia, whom she¡¯d bullied in the past, would suddenly go berserk Gulping, Marina said, ¡°If you dare to hurt me, Ethan won¡¯t spare you!¡± Sneering, Olivia answered, ¡°He never spared me to begin with. Marina, why must you always take everything from me? You even want to take away Fordham residence when I have done nothing to offend you. ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯ll just end things right now.¡± With that, Olivia brought the knife closer, causing Marina to let out shrill cries. ¡°Stop it! You¡¯ll be dead meat if you kill me!¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t be alive for much longer. Trading your life for mine isn¡¯t too big of a sacrifice. I don¡¯t have a lofty, esteemed life like you do. ¡°Since my life is in ruins, I don¡¯t see why I shouldn¡¯t end it all right now and take you with me.¡± Shivering in fright, Marina cried, ¡°S¨Cstop!¡± Olivia sighed, asking, ¡°What other choice do I have? I just want my possessions back. Yet you take the things I work so hard for away from me so easily. Not only that, but you¡¯re determined to destroy them too. Since I have nothing left, you¡¯reing with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Fordham residence! Y¨Cyou can have it back!¡± Olivia had prepared more ways to torment Marina, but thetter had folded so quickly. Given Olivia¡¯s unusual, erratic behavior, Marina was truly afraid that she would hurt her with the knife. ¡°Why should I trust you? You could always go back on your word, and I wouldn¡¯t have a chance to do this again.¡± Marina thought to herself, ¡°Do this again?¡± Hurriedly, she exined, ¡°I¡¯ll make a call right away to cancel my application. I¡¯ll transfer the deed for Forham residence to you. If you don¡¯t believe me, we can getwyers to notarize this agreement.¡± Softly, Olivia answered, ¡°Do you think I have no leverage against you? I¡¯ve only been trying to be civil all along¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Emotional, Olivia violently grabbed Marina¡¯s hair. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ethan a loyal, perfect man? Aren¡¯t you his precious sweetheart? I¡¯m sure everyone would love to hear that he has an ex¨Cwife, and you¡¯re nothing but a heartless, sly woman! I have all the evidence!¡± She knew her threat was unlikely to affect the untouchable Ethan, who¡¯d never cared what anyone else thought about him. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. However, Marina had worked hard for her achievements, and her reputation was everything to her. Hence, the threat effectively made her quiver in fear. ¡°Alright, alright, I got it. Well, it¡¯s just Fordham residence. I¡¯ll give it back to you. Just keep the knife away from me.¡± ¡°Onest thing: if you dare to trouble my friend, I will ruin your reputation. You¡¯re a smart woman, Ms. Carlton. I¡¯m sure you understand that it¡¯s not worth losing everything over such petty matters.¡± Before this, Olivia used to think that engaging in such petty fights was unbing of her. Now all that mattered was the satisfaction that it brought her. Marina felt like her scalp was about to be ripped off her head. Her gloating behavior had vanished into thin air, now reced by desperation instead. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll listen to everything you say. The knife, please¡­ My neck hurts.¡± The edge of the knife de was stained bright red with blood. While Olivia had exerted enough strength to make Marina¡® bleed, it was in no way life¨Cthreatening. ¡°Remember this pain. If this happens again, I will kill you right away.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± Trembling in fear, Marina decided to avoid this psycho in the future. Finally, Olivia released her grip on Marina¡¯s neck. Cursing her rotten luck, Marina kicked the maid aside as she headed upstairs to shower and get changed. Connor, who¡¯d been forcibly taken away, was wailing for his parents. Despite her best efforts, the nanny¡¯s attempts to pacify and soothe him were all in vain. When her phone fell out of her pocket, Connor crawled over to grab it, drooling as he called, ¡°Dad. Call. Call Dad.¡± Sometimes, Ethan would video call Connor through the nanny¡¯s phone. Hence, the nanny had no choice but to call Ethan. When it came to Connor, Ethan always answered his calls immediately. The moment the call connected, he was greeted by the sight of Connor¡¯s bloodshot eyes. He looked like an albino rabbit. ¡°Dad,¡± he cried, sounding rather aggrieved. Ethan wondered what caused Connor to cry like that. After all, he barely cried even when he fell. ¡°What happened?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Miller. Connor started acting strangely when a guest arrived and insisted on clinging to her. He started crying after I took him away.¡± Since the nanny was Ethan¡¯s employee, she didn¡¯t withhold any information from him. ¡°A guest?¡± Connor hardly ever initiated going near anyone. He wouldn¡¯t even show Marina any affection. ¡°I think they called her Ms. Fordham,¡± the nanny answered, oblivious to Olivia and Ethan¡¯s rtionship. Just then, Connor rushed to the window as if he¡¯d made a new discovery. The nanny trailed after him, calling out to him. Since they were on the second floor, they could see Olivia, who was wiping her hair with a wet towel. The sight of her filled Connor with excitement. Sprawled on the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, he repeatedly cried, ¡°Mom! Mom! Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Olivia sensed something. She raised her head to look at the window above her. The sweater on Connor made him look like a little pr bear. He rested his palms and cheek against the window, overflowing with cuteness. The good soundproofing blocked his voice from seeping through the window. But she could tell that he was saying hi to her. His adorable action appeased the displeasure in her as she smiled and waved at him. Ethan happened to witness the scene at that moment. It felt like he had returned to the time he first met her. That morning, the ponytail girl was waving at him with a smile as dazzling as the sun. Ten years had passed, yet he could remember that smile vividly. He pulled his senses back Olivia would note to Collington Cove alone. There could only be one reason for this. She came here for the Fordham residence. Ethan hung up the call. Brent reported the ughterhouse incident to Ethan. Ethan shoved the ashtray onto the ground, thinking, ¡°Marina is getting nosier day by day.¡± ¡°Get the car ready,¡± he instructed coldly. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia¡¯s cheeks felt cold because of the breeze. She didn¡¯t want to stay in a room that was specially built for Marina. She¡¯d rather stay outside in the cold. After a shower, Marina headed downstairs with a robe and shower cap. There was a scrape on her neck. The manicurist she hired arrived at that time. She rested on the white leather couch. Marina enjoyed her pedicure, relishing in the top¨Cnotch service. Olivia returned to the living room. Marina, who resented her to the bone, wasn¡¯t as arrogant as before. Marina wore an icy expression. ¡°I can give you Fordham residence, but I have two conditions too. ¡° Olivia frowned. ¡°You want a negotiation?¡± ¡°Earning a living is tough. I think it¡¯s reasonable for me to have two conditions from you when I¡¯m offering a five¨Cmillion- worth house¡± ¡°Fire away,¡± Olivia prompted impatiently ¡°First, leave Aldenvine. Second, disfigure yourself¡± Olivia questioned back, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Marina tossed a fruit knife onto the carpet casually ¡°I want you to stay away from Ethan ¡°Once you ruin your face, you won¡¯t pose a threat to me ¡°You have something on me, but I have your father¡¯s weakness. Do you want the to expose his deests to the public Olivia¡¯s face slightly changed, giving Marina a sense of triumph Marina continued, ¡°We¡¯re no less different from each other. None of us are innocent with clean hands. ¡°Olivia Fordham, I want you to ruin your face and leave Aldenvine in exchange for the house.¡± Other than for Fondham residence, Olivia was here for something else. mastermind. Having tested her a few times, she could tell that Marina was not the Atarina was unaware of her terminal illness, so she need not waste her time on these matters. but who else could it be if it wasn¡¯t Marina? White Olivia was absorbed in her contemtion, Marina motioned at the maid next to her. A maid with a built stature kicked olivia by the calf from behind, causing her to get on her knees. The maid unsheathed a knife ¡°Here, Ms. Fordham ¡± Olivia stared at the knife, which reflected her frowning face. ¡°Marina Carlton, I haven¡¯t agreed to it yet.¡± The maid did not care he wore a contorted smile. ¡°Ms. Fordham, this is your only option. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ms. ver the Fordham residence to you after you ruin your face.¡± Olivia attempted to free herself, but the maid was too strong. ¡°As Fordham, since you can¡¯t bring yourself to do it, allow me to have the honor to help you.¡± The maid then flung the knife toward her face Chapter 102 Chapter 102 A loud crying echoed against the wall. Connor was standing by the staircase, wailing. Surprised, the maid stopped her movement. Although Marina wasn¡¯t close with Connor, as his mother, she didn¡¯t wish for her kid to witness the cruel scene. She instructed, ¡°What are you doing? Make sure the kid doesn¡¯t see this.¡± The flustered maids rushed toward Connor. Marina was irritated by the sudden crying, too. She urged, ¡°What are you standing there for? Do it.¡± The maid said aloud from upstairs, ¡°Master Conner must be having an allergy reaction. There are a lot of rashes on his body and face.¡± ¡°Call the doctor over.¡± Marina was very impatient. Instead of dealing with Connor, she was anxious to settle the score with Olivia because it was her rare chance to do so. Olivia looked at Marina in disbelief. ¡°He¡¯s your son. He¡¯s so little, and he¡¯s crying. You should at least hug him andfort him.¡± Marina sneered. ¡°If you make it quick, I can do that right away.¡± ¡°He¡¯s crying so helplessly upstairs. He¡¯s not my child, but why does it wrench my heart to see him crying?¡± Olivia wondered. Her instinct was urging her to throw the knife away and hug Connor. At this moment, Connor suddenly mustered the strength to break free from the maid¡¯s grasp. ¡°Master Connor!¡± the maid shrieked as he rolled down the stairs. Thanks to her speed, Olivia was fast enough to catch him in her arms. Rashes crawled all over his tear¨Cstricken face. ¡°Mama, Mama.¡± Connor snuggled into her embrace. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The wholesome scene infuriated Marina so much. ¡°Olivia Fordham, stop dragging the time. If you can¡¯t do it, I can help you.¡± She gestured at the maids to approach Olivia. One of them wanted to take Connor away from Olivia, while the other was nning to hurt her. Marina didn¡¯t budge from the couch amidst the mess simply because her pedicure wasn¡¯t done yet. Today, Olivia finally realized that not everyone deserved to be a mother. She was taken aback by how Marina wasn¡¯t bothered tofort Connor in this kind of situation. To Marina, the pedicure and Olivia¡¯s disfigurement were more important than her kid. Olivia grew pity toward Connor, finally understanding why he was very attached to her whenever they met. Right now, he was hugging her so tightly, showing no hints of letting her go. She didn¡¯t have a reason to let him go either. Amid the fight, Olivia identally rolled down the stairs with Connor in her arms. The child, whom she failed to protect in the sea, fleeted across her mind. She hugged Connor tightly to take all of the pain and danger upon herself. Until they rolled over the final fleet of stairs, her first reaction was to smile at the surprised boy. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here.¡± Connor stared at her in a daze. The shock was too much for him to handle that he forgot to cry. Marina didn¡¯t rush over to check on him. Instead, she said, ¡°Ruin her face right now.¡± The two maids came up to Olivia with a knife. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Ms. Fordham.¡± No one in the house had the nerves to go against the future Mrs. Miller. Her words were their orders to take. The pain sapped Olivia of her energy. Grogginess and exhaustion got the best of her. All she could do was watch the sharp knife drawing closer to her. The moment the maid raised the knife, she heard a roar. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 It was as though the king of the beast let out a furious rom, deafening enough to shake the winds forest Ethan ran over at full pelt A frantic Marina noticed him and sprang from her seat, putting the pedicure at the back of her mind The nail polish sshed onto the floor because of his abrupt action The striking red adored the white carpet ¡°Ethan, I can exin,¡± she said anxiously He ignored her and bypassed her swiftly However, the maid with the tall stature didn¡¯t stop her even after noticing his arrival Marina brought that matd along to the country back then. Her name was Sana Ashbluff She had been working for Marina before thetter¡¯s mother passed away Not only did she low martial arts, she was 5¡¯7 and weighed 160 pounds. Thus, she appeared bolt among average woma Sana clearly heard Ethan Hut she was aware that Olivia was the thorn in Marina¡® She needed t hom for Marina That was why she didn¡¯t stop even after hearing Ethan¡¯s voice, Just one cut was enough. That one cut would be able to ruin Olivia¡¯s beautiful face. And she would never be able to restore her beauty again. It was the same for Olivia and Ethan¡¯s rtionship. Once there was a w, it would be impossible to return to how it was before No man would like a woman with a scarred face. As time passed, Ethan would definitely fall for Marina. Thus, Sana tried to hurt Olivia. A gunshot was fired out of the blue. The maids screamed in fear and dispersed. The bullet hit the knife off Sara¡¯s hand. Brent hurriedly approached her and forced her to kneel by kicking her calf He then cuffed her hands behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The bullet had scraped her arm. If the gunshot was fired to the side a little, she could¡¯ve been disabled. The gunshot had stunned her into silence. She didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle. By then, Ethan had helped Olivia up. He asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Her body felt sore, and her scraped forehead was bleeding There weren¡¯t any serious injuries, but she wasn¡¯t worried about herself. ¡°Check on him. He¡¯s having an allergic reaction¡± Her anxious expression was aplete contrast to Marina¡¯s. The first thing Marina did aftering up to Ethan was to shift the me instead of hugging Connor. ¡°It¡¯s her! She pushed Connor off the stairs. My poor boy. He almost died from the fall. She¡¯s such a cruel woman!¡± In the past, Ethan wouldn¡¯t expose her true colors even after seeing through her. But today was an exception. Infuriated, he grabbed her by the cor. ¡°I¡¯m not blind, Marina Carlton.¡± Her face fell as she racked her brain toe up with an excuse. It was as though the king of the beast let out a furious roar, deafening enough to shake the whole forest, Ethan can over at full pelt. A frantic Marina noticed him and sprang from her seat, putting the pedicure at the back of her mind. The nail polish sshed onto the floor because of her abrupt action. The striking red adorned the white carpet. ¡°Ethan, I can exin,¡± she said anxiously. He ignored her and bypassed her swiftly. However, the maid with the tall stature didn¡¯t stop her even after noticing his arrival. Marina brought that maid along to the country back then. Her name was Sana Ashbluff. She had been working for Marina before thetter¡¯s mother passed away. Not only did she know martial arts, she was 5¡¯7 and weighed 160 pounds. Thus, she appeared built among average women. Sana clearly heard Ethan. But she was aware that Olivia was the thorn in Marina¡¯s flesh. She needed to remove the thorn for Marina. That was why she didn¡¯t stop even after hearing Ethan¡¯s voice. Just one cut was enough. That one cut would be able to ruin Olivia¡¯s beautiful face. And she would never be able to restore her beauty again. It was the same for Olivia and Ethan¡¯s rtionship. Once there was a w, it would be impossible to return to how it was before. No man would like a woman with a scarred face. As time passed, Ethan would definitely fall for Marina. Thus, Sana tried to hurt Olivia. A gunshot was fired out of the blue. The maids screamed in fear and dispersed. The bullet hit the knife off Sara¡¯s hand. Brent hurriedly approached her and forced her to kneel by kicking her calf. He then cuffed her hands behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The bullet had scraped her arm. If the gunshot was fired to the side a little, she could¡¯ve been disabled. The gunshot had stunned her into silence. She didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle. By then, Ethan had helped Olivia up. He asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Her body felt sore, and her scraped forehead was bleeding. There weren¡¯t any serious injuries, but she wasn¡¯t worried about herself. ¡°Check on him. He¡¯s having an allergic reaction.¡± Her anxious expression was aplete contrast to Marina¡¯s. The first thing Marina did aftering up to Ethan was to shift the me instead of hugging Connor. ¡°It¡¯s her! She pushed Connor off the stairs. My poor boy. He almost died from the fall. She¡¯s such a cruel woman!¡± In the past, Ethan wouldn¡¯t expose her true colors even after seeing through her. But today was an exception. Infuriated, he grabbed her by the cor. ¡°I¡¯m not blind, Marina Carlton.¡± Her face fell as she racked her brain toe up with an excuse. Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste her time on Marina. Ignoring her bleeding wound, Olivia quicklyy Connor on the couch. She instructed, ¡°Bring me a napkin and cold water. ¡°We have to elevate the reaction through coldpression right now. Mr. Ingram, buy him some medicine¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure, Mrs Ms. Fordham.¡± Brent released Sana and left the house with hasty steps. Meanwhile, Marina was still trying to find fault with Olivia. ¡°Ethan, did you hear that? Look how despicable she is. ¡°It¡¯s cold. Yet she¡¯s going to give Connor a coldpression. He¡¯s in a serious condition right now. Is she trying to make him catch a cold?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t put up with her antics anymore. ¡°Shut up! Are you really his biological mother?¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Marina found Olivia¡¯s question hrious. ¡°If I¡¯m not his mother, who else is? You?¡± ¡°If you are his mother, you shouldn¡¯t be this cold¨Cnded. He¡¯s having an allergic reaction and has fallen from the stairs ¡°The first thing you did isn¡¯t protect him andfort him, but to attack me. Do you even call yourself a mother?¡± Marina said, ¡°Now that Ethan¡¯s here, don¡¯t assume that you¡¯ll be able to restore his feelings for you by defening me ¡°Ethan was there when I gave birth to Connor. He knows very well that I am Connor¡¯s mother¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t care less to continue the boring topic with her. The incident proved that some people were unsuitable to be a mother because of their inherent character. Connor¡¯s nanny rushed over with a basin of water. Olivia took his top off to ce the napl¨®n on him. But something was weird. Kids usually cried or threw a tantrum when they suffered from itchy rashes. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Yet, Connor was all quiet. His eyes were fixated on her as he grasped the hem of her clothes tightly, wanting her to stay It was as though he wasn¡¯t afraid as long as she stayed by his side. ¡°Hold it right there. What are you doing to my son?¡± Marina was obviously against the cold compression. Olivia shot her a cold look. ¡°It will contract the veins and stave the itchiness off. He¡¯s not feeling well right now ¡°It takes a single scratch for the rashes to spread. The worst case scenario is that it might cause a fever ¡± Marina wanted to say something, but Ethan stopped her sternly. ¡°Shut up.¡± Throughout the two years, it was the first time Olivia witnessed him treating Marina that way. Marina clearly felt wronged about it. Soon, she began causing trouble. She said, ¡°I have always been extra careful when ites to Connor¡¯s diet. Why is he suddenly having an allergic reaction? What did he eat?¡± A maid answered, ¡°Master Connor ate half a slice of honey cake. Ms. Fordham baked it.¡± Marina red at Olivia. ¡°Olivia Fordham, how dare you feed him a honey cake! You knew that he¡¯s allergic to it¡± ¡°He¡¯s allergic to honey?¡± Olivia was surprised to find a simrity between herself and Connor. ¡°Stop ying dumb! You came here for Fordham residence and offered a honey cake in order to please me ¡°I didn¡¯t drive you away because I treated you as a guest. And yet, you have an ulterior motive. Just come at me if you How could you harm a mere kid? ¡°It¡¯s not only that. Ethan, look at my neck. She was trying to kill me!¡± Marina knew that Connor was Ethan¡¯s priority. Anyone that hurt Connor would be in big trouble. She thought that as long as she could shift the me to Olivia, he would let the incident slide. Olivia finally realized that Marina was setting her up all along. That was why Marina requested a honey cake Olivia figured that Marina wouldn¡¯t have kept her promise even if Olivia had disfigured her face and left the city A calcting woman who used her son to her advantage would never keep her promise. As an afterthought, Olivia¡¯s heart ached for Connor. Judging from Marina¡¯s attitude, she was clearly not a mother materie! Ethan didn¡¯t take Marina¡¯s side like he always did. He scolded sternly, ¡°Shut up! You keep finding fault in others ever since 1 came. ¡°Do you even care about Connor¡® I can¡¯t help but wonder how you have been fulfilling your duties as a minthag His gaze swept across her outfit Her half¨Cpolished toenails disgusted him ¡°Ethan, I¡± ¡°Get out I don¡¯t want to see you right now ¡°Forget about keeping her pride Refraining from strangling her to death moment was his best concession ¡°Do you even care about Connor? I can¡¯t help but wonder how you have been fulfilling your duties as a mother.¡± His gaze swept across her outfit. Her half¨Cpolished toenails disgusted him. ¡°Ethan, I-¡± ¡°Get out. I don¡¯t want to see you right now.¡± Forget about keeping her pride. Refraining from strangling her to death at this moment was his best concession. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Ethan attempted to keep his emotions under control. He was afraid that he might break Marina¡¯s neck if she was around here. If he had arrived one secondte, Olivia would¡¯ve been hurt. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He was able to tolerate Marina¡¯s jealousy in the past. He took it as a trivial matter, but he didn¡¯t expect things to escte this far. Ethan looked at the wound above Olivia¡¯s eyebrow. ¡°Disinfect your wound. Leave Connor to Mina.¡± Mina Whitman was Connor¡¯s nanny. Olivia finally heaved a sigh of relief after Connor¡¯s rash was under control. She left the rest to Mina. ¡°Mama, Mama,¡± Connor called her upon noticing that she was leaving. He became anxious, no longer the quiet boy he was a second ago. It pained her to see him crying, so she returned to him to give him a hug. Only then did he nestle quietly in her arms. Ethan took the cotton bud to disinfect her wound. Olivia instinctively dodged him, but he insisted. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Everyone in the house worked for Marina, making him the only person she could trust. So, she did as he said. He knew that she didn¡¯t like pain, so he made sure his touches were light enough. She endured the pain without grunting. Obviously, Ethan was the reason that Olivia grew from her frailty. It was a result of his cold treatment and hurtful words. She lost her smiles and neverined, not even grunting when it hurt. He looked at her hair, which was covered in egg stains. Anger rushed through his veins, reaching every part of his body. He lost control of his strength at the brief distraction, and the cotton bud prodded her wound. She hissed in pain. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± he quickly checked on her. He held her chin and cooed, ¡°I¡¯ll be lighter.¡± His tone made the air feel slightly weird. She shifted her gaze away from him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± He disinfected her wound and stered a pink band¨Caid on it. He thought that women liked it when things were cute, so he had cute band¨Caids. It was his habit. Olivia said aloofly, ¡°Thanks.¡± She drew farther from him. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Eve is waiting for me to return home for dinner. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Connor to you. Goodbye.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask Kelvin to send you ¡°Okay. Thanks.¡± home.¡± Olivia banded over Connor to Ethan. But Connor¡¯s eyes became teary almost instantly. ¡°I want Mama. I want Mama.¡± ¡°Be a good boy. I will visit you some other day.¡± She caressed his head gently. He sobbed, not wanting her to leave. Ethan pulled Connor over. A re from Ethan was enough to make Connor behave. ¡°I expect nothing less from a father and a son. How great would it be if Connor was my son.¡± The thought shed across her mind. Deeming it scary, she shook her head to shake the idea off her mind. ¡°About today¡­ I will make sure justice is served,¡± Ethan said. ¡°Treat Connor better.¡± With that, she left the ce. She stared at the vast sea, thinking, ¡°If my child is still with me, I will make sure to treat him well, not use him to win a man¡¯s heart.¡± The thought of her child, who didn¡¯t have the chance yet to see the world, pained her. She barely took a few steps when she fainted in front of Kelvin. ¡°Mrs. Miller!¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Kelvin quickly held on to Olivia, supporting her. She managed to fight the drowsiness away. ¡°Mrs. Miller, are you alright? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m low on sugar. That¡¯s it.¡± She was aware that her body had reached its limit after she fought with Marina and saved Connor. Kelvin observed her, anxious. ¡°But why do I feel that you¡¯re getting weaker?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine. Please take me home.¡± After she left, Brent returned to the manor with medicines. The coldpression and the medicines managed to mitigate Connor¡¯s allergic reaction before it became worse. Ethan patiently checked on Connor. Obviously, Olivia had protected him well. That was why he was unscathed. It had been a rough day for Connor. Exhausted, he eventually fell asleep in Ethan¡¯s arms while clutching his shirt. He entrusted Connor to Mina. Marina approached Ethan with a vulnerable expression. ¡°Ethan, you have to believe me. Olivia came to retrieve the Fordham residence. ¡°She made a honey cake to please me. But she became vulgar with her words after I refused to give her the residence. ¡°She even threatened me with a knife! The maids protected me by snatching the knife from her. ¡°Then, she held Connor hostage. Fortunately, you came back in time. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been a tragedy.¡± Her story was full of loopholes. Ethan didn¡¯t want to and couldn¡¯t care less about this pointless subject. He cut to the chase. ¡°I want the Fordham residence.¡± Marina was shell¨Cshocked. Without the Fordham residence in her hands, she didn¡¯t have a trump card to oppress Olivia. Thus, she would never hand over the residence to anyone else. She walked up to him. ¡°Ethan, you gotta believe me. Olivia seriously has a knack for acting-¡± ¡± He shoved her away. ¡°I know her better than you. And I know you all too well. I did not intervene in your matters, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m blind. ¡°Marina Carlton. I¡¯ve granted all of your wishes, so do not cross the line. Don¡¯t let Jethro¡¯s sacrifice be in vain. This is thest time.¡± He stood up. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She pleaded, ¡°But I¡¯ve asked someone to proceed with the-¡± Ethan¡¯s icy gazended on her, exuding a murderous intent. ¡°This is not a negotiation. I¡¯m informing you. Take good care of Connor, and stop wasting your time on useless matters. ¡°If you keep testing my patience, I can¡¯t guarantee you that I will show up at the engagement party.¡± He then left. Despite his calm tone, it was a wake¨Cup call for Marina because he had never spoken to her in that way for the past two years. ¡°Bitch. Olivia Fordham! That bitch!¡± She shoved everything from the table to the floor before going upstairs with a grim expression. Everyone in her sight was an eyesore to her. Even her cat was kicked for simply passing by. Marina¡¯s anger reached the roof when she saw Mina. She pped Mina in the face. ¡°Useless trash! You had one job. And you can¡¯t even look after a kid!¡± Mina pursed her lips. Ethan had personally assigned her to look after Connor. Thus, it was natural for Marina to vent her anger on Mina first. In fact, it was another maid who fed Connor the cake while Mina had a restroom break. But the truth didn¡¯t matter to Marina. Mina was used to Marina¡¯s true character and didn¡¯t dare to confront Marina. The only thing she could do was to hang her head low and be the punching bag. ¡°The sheer sight of you hurts my eyes. Scram! Get out of my sight!¡± Marina ordered. ¡°Yes,¡± Marina watched Connor, who was asleep. He resembled Ethan so much. They resembled each other because Connor¡¯s father was Ethan¡¯s younger cousin. However, it pained her to hear Connor hugging Olivia while calling ¡°Mama.¡± Marina woke Connor up. He was still sleepy when he murmured, ¡°Mama.¡± ¡°Connor, could you say that again?¡± She was slightly excited. It was the first time he addressed her that way! He surpassed Erina in terms of intelligence and other aspects. If Erina could call her that, there was no way Connor couldn¡¯t do the same. It was because he didn¡¯t want to. Connor noticed that Olivia wasn¡¯t around as soon as he woke up. Now that the person before him was Marina, his drowsy eyes regained their calmness. He pursed his lips, not wanting to say a word. Marina became anxious. ¡°Connor, repeat it.¡± He didn¡¯t utter a word, let alone call her mother. His deadpan face was the same as Ethan¡¯s. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Marina waited for a while to no avail. She vented her anger on Connor. ¡°You brat! I gave birth to you and raised you! And you can¡¯t even call me your mother! You¡¯re so happy whenever you call that bitch your mother, huh? ¡°Why did I give birth to an idiot? Other than your face, you¡¯re useless!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She turned him over to spank him. He cried as he didn¡¯t know what he did wrong. Mina hurried over to the scene, and Marina stopped. Marina threw Connor at her, threatening, ¡°You have quite the temper. But I¡¯m warning you, if you let anyone know about this, you ought to leave this house tomorrow.¡± Connor wasn¡¯t Ethan¡¯s biological son. Yet he resembled Ethan so much. Besides, Ethan gave him paternal love in order to cate the guilt of losing a child. Thus, Marina needed Connor so she could be Mrs. Miller. She didn¡¯t want to infuriate Ethan with such a matter. Marina left. Mina¡¯s eyes reddened when she saw Connor¡¯s swollen butt. She had been babysitting him for a year, and she had grown attached to him. She thought, ¡°How could she do this to a little kid? As a mother, she¡¯s nowhere as good as Olivia.¡± Mina initially thought of reporting it to Ethan, but she deemed it as a lecture from mother to son. Marina didn¡¯t really hurt Connor. If Ethan found out about it, that would reveal her disloyalty toward Marina. Judging from Marina¡¯s character, she wouldn¡¯t allow Mina to take care of Connor if she knew. She suppressed the grievance andforted Connor. At the roadside of Sea Crest Port, Brent was checking the surveince footage of Collington Cove. There were a few hidden surveince cameras within the house. When Ethan saw Marina pouring eggs over Olivia, he clenched his fists. The crease between his eyebrows smoothened a little when Olivia fought back. However, that was only the beginning. Marina¡¯s following actions made their skins crawl. Connor cried and fell off the stairs. Yet, the first thing she did wasn¡¯t protect him but ruin Olivia¡¯s face. Had Olivia not protected him by risking her life, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay uninjured from falling down the stairs. Brent was surprised by the event. ¡°If anyone sees this, one might mistake Ms. Fordham as Master Connor¡¯s mother. ¡°Ms. Carlton didn¡¯t care about her son. She¡¯s so cruel, Mr. Miller. Are you going to take this kind of woman as your wife?¡± There were no surveince cameras in the bedrooms. Based on the surveince footage of other areas, Marina was not affectionate to Connor and acted indifferent. On top of that, today¡¯s incident had hardened Ethan¡¯s understanding of her selfish character. He reclined in his chair, sighing. ¡°I owe her. I don¡¯t have other options.¡± Brent wasn¡¯t aware of their past. So he was curious as to what made Ethan end up like this. ¡°Hand over the Fordham residence to Olivia. You take on the procedures,¡± Ethan instructed. ¡°Got it.¡± Ethan shut his eyes, reying the scenes in his head again and again. The scenes of how Olivia was drenched in egg stains and how she hugged Connor and rolled over the stairs. Brent reminded him, ¡°Ms. Fordham almost fainted when she left the house. Mr. Miller, you keep saying that she¡¯s ill. I think she really is.¡± It pained Ethan to know that. He opened his eyes and coldly said, ¡°Tell the Carltons that the engagement party is postponed.¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Brent was quick in handling matters. He managed to receive a notarial certificate on the same day. Olivia was aware of how she was able to retrieve the house. It was thanks to the fact that she was willing to risk her safety to protect Connor. She did it out of reflex at that moment. Even if Connor was Marina¡¯s son, he was an innocent child. She smiled self¨Cmockingly. There was a cut on her eyebrow, and she received the Fordham residence in exchange. The moment she shut her eyes, she always recalled how Marina forced her to get on her knees. She couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists. Olivia spent the following two days peacefully. Not only did she retrieve the Fordham residence, but Ethan also didn¡¯t show up in front of her. Coover found new findings regarding Jeff as he sent a few pictures to her. At that moment, she was eating the cherries Everly prepared. When she saw the pictures, the cherry in her hand fell onto the floor before it reached her mouth. Her phone fell onto the floor, too. Everly¡¯s lips were rosy because of the fruits. She looked back at Olivia¡¯s pale face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? The share price plummeted? Or a celebrity caught in a scandal?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t answer Everly as she broke into a cold sweat. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You look like you¡¯re possessed. Don¡¯t scare me. I¡¯m a coward,¡± Everly muttered while picking the phone 1. up. The phone screen was still unlocked, so she saw the pictures. It was a car ident. A truck bulldozed across the greenbelt before crashing into a ck car, crushing it t. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your father¡¯s car? Are you alright? Why are you looking at these?¡± Olivia finally found her voice, but her voice was trembling. ¡°L¨CLook at the other pictures.¡± Everly sensed something was off. Her expression turned solemn. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Ethan?¡± One of the pictures showed Ethan standing under a nearby tree. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He stood there quietly. The sunlight danced through the leaves, casting an eerie pattern over his face. His face seemed colder than usual because of it. Wearing the haughty expression he always wore, he witnessed the whole ident. Olivia held Everly¡¯s hand. Everly realized that Olivia¡¯s hands were mmy with sweat. Everlyforted her, ¡°Liv, calm down. Call Ethan and ask him.¡± ¡°Eve, do you think that it is a coincidence?¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was quivering ¡°My father¡¯s car crash wasn¡¯t an ident. He nned everything¡± She could barely tell the cruel truth. ¡°P¨CPerhaps, he just happened to stand right there¡­¡± Olivia grabbed Everly¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°On the same day, a few car crashes happened at the same time. ¡°The roads were blocked, so the ambnce couldn¡¯t arrive in time. ¡°If Dad had received an emergency treatment, he wouldn¡¯t have suffered a side¨Ceffect. He¡¯s been hospitalized for two years. ¡°Eve, it is Ethan. He nned everything. He nned the car crashes to stall time. He wanted my father to die at the scene!¡± ¡°That is a living person. Even if Ethan is a scumbag, that is his father¨Cinw. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Everly didn¡¯t know what else to say. Olivia was crying and smiling at the same time. The smile was awful. ¡°You don¡¯t know him. He¡¯s capable of doing anything.¡± He had fertilized flowers with someone else¡¯s ashes before. As long as he wanted to achieve something, there was nothing he wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°I thought he took revenge on Dad to make us go bankrupt. I didn¡¯t rte him to the car crash at all. He is a devil! He murdered my father!¡± ¡°Liv¡­¡± Everly was at her wit¡¯s end as she didn¡¯t know how tofort Olivia. The picture proved that he was present during the car crash. It didn¡¯t indicate that he was the mastermind. Yet, Olivia was certain that he was the culprit. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Olivia was utterly disappointed. She knew that he wasn¡¯t a kind person, but she had never expected this kind of cruelty from him. Now, she realized that she didn¡¯t know much about him. ¡°Eve, you know what? On the day of the car crash, I was making a meal at home because it was Ethan¡¯s birthday¡­¡± she recounted. Everly drew a few tissues for Olivia to wipe her tears off. The tissues were soon dampened because Olivia couldn¡¯t stop crying. Olivia continued, ¡°Ethan never celebrated his birthday because he shared the same birthdate as his sister. He¡¯s always in low spirits on his birthday. ¡°I racked my brain toe up with an idea to make him feel better. I remember I spent a lot of time decorating the ce. ¡°Yet, before he came home, all I received was news of my father in dire condition after a car crash.¡± She ced her hand on her chest, trying to catch her breath. ¡°I once thought of ending the bad blood between us with my death. ¡°Now, I regret it. Why does the person have to be me and not him? Why do I have cancer? Why is God so unfair!¡± Everly said, ¡°Calm down, Liv. He was at the scene, but that doesn¡¯t mean that he was the mastermind. Who gave you the pictures? What if it¡¯s a scam?¡± Olivia said, ¡°I hired a detective to look into the car crash. There are no grudges between the detective and me. Why would he set me up? ¡°That day was Leia¡¯s birthday, so he¡¯s trying to make it my father¡¯s death anniversary. ¡°I bet he didn¡¯t expect my father to survive that. His n was dyed.¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°I was grateful to Ethan for not putting an end to my family. Now that I think about it, perhaps he wanted me dead. ¡°And my child! I guess he didn¡¯t save me on purpose. Dad survived, so Ethan wanted me and my child to make up for Leia¡¯s death¡± Everly hugged her. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t let your imaginations run wild. You¡¯re giving me chills. ¡°Ethan loved you. He would never do anything to hurt you, no matter what.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. However, Olivia was on the verge of losing herself. Ethan felt like a stranger to her. ¡°Eve, you were right. ¡°Did I owe him anything? Why do I have to end up like this just because I pity him for losing a sister? ¡°I¡¯m the most pathetic person here. I lost my father, my child, and a home to depend on. I¡¯ve been putting up with Marina¡¯s antics. ¡°She poured eggs over me, demanding me to kneel before her. What am I doing these for? ¡°Does Ethan think that because everyone¡¯s beneath his station, he can y God? Let¡¯s see if he can control my life!¡± Olivia¡¯s distorted expression scared Everly as thetter said, ¡°Liv, calm down. You¡¯re scaring me-¡± ¡°Eve, I will take revenge I will take everything that Marina and Ethat owe me from them. I will make them pay the price! ¡°My poor child, you must be in heaven looking over me. That¡¯s why you unvell the truth to me, right?¡± Clivia walled to the bathroom like a lifeless doll, muttering, ¡°Once I get our revenge, I¡¯lle to you. Wait for me. I¡¯lle to you soon Chapter 110 Chapter 110 To Everly, Olivia was a bright person who grew up with a good upbringing. She was a proper person who upheld the right values. She never used underhanded schemes. Even if she was born into a rich family, she didn¡¯t look down upon ordinary people. It was normal for Ethan to fall for a confident and sophisticated person like Olivia. As a woman herself, Everly liked Olivia, too. There were a lot of times when Everly was embarrassed of herself when shepared herself with the upright Olivia. However, the woman standing before Everly didn¡¯t feel like the Olivia she knew at all. Now, she was like a doll in a breakdown. Her beautiful eyes were devoid of emotions, sending chills down Everly¡¯s spine. Everly said, ¡°Liv, what are you talking about?¡± Simr to a madwoman, Olivia cried and smiled at the same time. Her perspective shiftedpletely because of the pictures. Comment by samantha tay: RAW: KUR ÖØ ½¨ Now, she finally understood why kindness was the opening for others to bully her. She wept. ¡°He won¡¯t help me to look for Leo. He simply needed a reason to bully me. ¡°¡°Yet, I¡¯m still wishing for my father to regain his consciousness like a fool.¡± ¡°Liv,¡± Everly called. Olivia went berserk. ¡°I¡¯m a dog to him! He gives me some toys when he¡¯s happy, and I have to be grateful to him. ¡°I have to be careful around him because I¡¯m afraid of offending him. I reckon he sees me as a clown. ¡°I¡¯m hurting, but I have to please him. Yet, he takes the liberty to rub salt on my wound!¡± ¡°Liv, calm down,¡± Everly attempted tofort her. Olivia responded, ¡°Calm down? Eve, how am I supposed to calm down? They¡¯re the cause of my misfortune. Why do I have to die and not them?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chill shrouded Everly. ¡°Liv, do not think of anything silly. Yes, Marina is a total bitch, but her child is innocent. Do not think of hurting him.¡± Olivia¡¯s mother passed away when she was young, so Jeff was the only person she could depend on. Family mattered the most to her. When she got pregnant, her child was her world. She thought everything that happened to Jeff and her baby was idental. Thus, she didn¡¯t me Ethan. But everything was different now. It was not an ident but an attempted homicide. The other party had harmed her precious family, so she would never let this slide easily. Everly persuaded Olivia patiently in order to prevent a tragedy from happening. Olivia smiled at her. ¡°Eve, what are you thinking? Why would I hurt a child?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Olivia looked out of the window. It was a sunny day. The snow pile on the branches melted under the sun before dripping onto the roof. The droplets gathered and formed a puddle, much like her resentment that slowly grew. She muttered, ¡°I¡¯m curious if Ethan was sad when my baby was gone. He didn¡¯t even see my baby. ¡°If Connor was that dying baby back then, would Ethan be upset? Even just a little?¡± Everly felt a cold sheen behind her back when she heard that. She hurriedly grabbed Olivia¡¯s hands. ¡°Liv, oh Liv, please do not have that kind of thought. I was wrong to mention the story of revenge and rebirth. ¡°Those are just fictional stories. They don¡¯t apply to us. Ethan is a bastard, and Marina is a bitch! ¡°But Connor is innocent. You had a child yourself too¡­¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Olivia became agitated upon hearing Everly¡¯s words. An ominous glint danced in Olivia¡¯s eyes as she said aloud, ¡°Connor is innocent. But my dead child is innocent, too! The person who should¡¯ve died is him!¡± She rubbed her throbbing chest with a contorted expression. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t been born, my child wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± ¡°Silly girl! Why do you have such extreme thoughts? Liv, listen to me, I am a realist, but I do believe in fate. ¡°Everything that¡¯s happening is destined to be. Your baby has be an angel sooner than most people. ¡°If you look into the sky, he might be watching you. He wants you to live a good life, not waste your time doing the things you will regretter on. ¡°Think about the hardships you¡¯ve gone through. I bet you can¡¯t bring yourself to see others experience the same thing, do you?¡± Everly asked. Olivia looked back at Everly icily. ¡°Do you know what I went through the past year? ¡°Why does my family have to be ruined? Marina is living happily with her family, and Ethan can do anything he wants! Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°All I want is to have them have a taste of their medicine tenfold.¡± ¡°Liv.¡± Everly gazed at her concernedly. Olivia suddenly broke into a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I won¡¯t do anything until Dad regains his consciousness.¡± ¡°Liv, I know that I¡¯m not in a position to say anything because I didn¡¯t experience the same situation you did. ¡°All I wish for is for you to be healthy. Keep your cool,¡± Everly said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am as calm as ever right now.¡± Everly was in a distress. She didn¡¯t know what was running in Olivia¡¯s mind, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it either. When she left, she heard Olivia humming a luby. When Olivia was pregnant, she bought a lot of toys and downloaded lubies on her ylist. At that time, Everly teased, ¡°Your baby isn¡¯t out yet, and you already learned so many lubies. Be careful not to fall asleep.¡± Olivia rubbed her belly with a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be toote to learn it after the baby is born. I¡¯ll be a total mess. ¡°It¡¯s my first time bing a mother. Of course, I should be prepared. He can actually feel it. He¡¯s mild whenever I hum the songs. ¡°He doesn¡¯t kick me either. I think he¡¯s going to be a sweet boy that cares for his mother.¡± Everly chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re pretty. It¡¯s fine as long as he looks like you or his father, I¡¯m looking forward to meeting him already. ¡± Olivia anticipated the day that had nevere. Little did she know that Ethan, who hadn¡¯t bothered her for days, was on the other side of the globe. He was in a life¨Cthreatening situation. A masked Ethan leaped off the bridge and a rain of bullets showered from the bridge. Red smeared across the surface of the water. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to get far. After him!¡± instructed one of the pursuers. Ethan swam out of the river, covering the wound on his right arm while reaching the shore, A cube box was in his tight grasp. He expressed relief, muttering, ¡°Jethro, are you watching over me? See. I got it back for you. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 A few days ago, Ethan found Leo, but he didn¡¯t inform Olivia about it. He flew to another country. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He had something to settle there. But it was also because of something else that was important. He wanted to take Leo back to the country personally. He figured that Olivia would be happy to see Leo. Noticing the smile on his face, Ethan quickly shook that idea off. He thought, ¡°Whether she¡¯ll be happy or not, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. ¡°I found Leo because I want to take control of her life and death. That way, it¡¯ll be easier to torture her.¡± Ethan spent a few more days abroad. He suddenly received news of Leo¡¯s disappearance. They had reached an agreement before this. Ethan sent Jeff¡¯s medical reports to Leo, who shared his professional opinion about it and agreed to perform the surgery. Yet, Leo vanished in thin air when Ethan was going to take him back to the country. Brent reminded Ethan, ¡°Mr. Miller, Leo¡¯s acting weird.¡± Ethan appeared calm, but his eyes were dangerously icy. ¡°He fooled us.¡± Obviously, Leo revealed his hereabouts to them and was acting agreeable. Ethan was here to personally escort Leo but was attacked by surprise. Now that Leo had disappeared, it was evident that he was fooling Ethan. ¡°He¡¯s the first to reject the Miller Group.¡± Brent inwardly wished Leo luck. Ethan ordered indifferently, ¡°Spread the news on the dark web that I¡¯m offering a bounty worth one million on Leo. I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s captured alive or dead.¡± ¡°Okay. But what about Mrs. Miller?¡± Brent knew that things were going rigid between Olivia and Ethan. Jeff was the factor sustaining their rtionship. If Ethan failed to keep his promise, their rtionship would turn worse. ¡°She¡­ Let¡¯s talk about that when we return,¡± Ethan replied. It had been days since hest met Olivia. He wondered if the wound on her eyebrow had healed. He was worried that it would leave a scar. At that moment, he wished he could meet her at that instant. ¡°Tell her to pick me up from the airport,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± At the same time, Olivia was looking after Jeff at the hospital Kelvin ryed Ethan¡¯s message to her. Suppressing the resentment in her, she used the calmest tone ever to say, ¡°Okay.¡± The caregiver had taken good care of Jeff. He was sleeping soundly in bed. However, he needed the medicines and nutrient fluid to sustain himself. So he appeared skinnier than before. When Olivia was wiping his hands with a cloth, she noticed that his muscles were bing loose. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Jeff survived the car crash, so Ethan provoked him. That resulted in Jeff getting a heart attack. Jeff was in aa in the end. Olivia tightened her fists as resentment red in her eyes. It was gettingte. Kelvin drove her to the airport. She had a simple meal at the airport. It didn¡¯t matter to her if Jeff was able to regain his consciousness. As long as she was alive, she would never let Ethan and the others live in peace! She wouldn¡¯t be able to live long anyway. So she didn¡¯t mind the idea of bringing a few people down to rock bottom with her. Olivia waited in the waiting room for a while. She checked thending hour through the schedule to head out of the room five minutes before the nended. It had been sunny without snowfall in Aldenvine for the past two days. Thus, the nended on time. Ethan took the VIP exit out. When Olvia was going to walk up to him, she noticed the person walking next to him. -It was Chris. Although she had met him only once, she would never forget him. Back then, it was Chris who picked Chloe up from Fordham residence. The man Chloe could never get over was naturally not bad. She was willing to forsake everything behind to leave with him Ethan and Chris walked side by side. Objectively speaking, Jeff and Chris were equally handsome. The only difference was their aura. Jeff had a gentle and graceful demeanor, yet Chris was shrouded by oppressive air. Chris was looking at Olivia with sharp gazes, sending chills biting her skin. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It was as though a beast was eyeing her. She was very young when he came to Fordham residence back then. She wondered if he could recognize her. Soon, she knew that he could recognize her. He stopped in front of her. ¡°Ms. Fordham, waiting for someone?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know how to face him at this moment. It was supposed to be a grudge between the older generation. But as time passed, she felt that he was the person who stole Chloe from her, turning her into a motherless child. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied indifferently and nced at Ethan. Perhaps guilt was pricking Chris¡® conscience as he tried to appear harmless. He softened his tone. ¡°Your mother has been mentioning you a lot these years. ¡°Now that we¡¯re back, feel free to visit us at any time. You can meet her anytime you want.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia shifted her gaze onto Ethan, who seemed paler than usual. Together with those eyebags, she could tell that he didn¡¯t rest up well for the past two days. Chris was now Ethan¡¯s father¨Cinw. She wondered how he would act in front of his ex¨Cwife when his father¨Cinw was around. After all, Chris was the aggressive type. If Ethan hurt Marina, Chris would definitelye at Ethan with a knife. Olivia didn¡¯t utter a word. She was waiting for Ethan to react. Then, he proved to her that promises and sweet nothings could never prevail over reality. He merely nced at her before looking away, treating her like a passerby. Chris bid her goodbye out of courtesy, yet Ethan strode by her expressionlessly. The cold breeze brushing her cheeks reminded her of the reality check. Olivia understood what Ethan meant by that. He didn¡¯t want to expose their rtionship to Chris. Once they left, she took another way out of the airport. As soon as she opened the car door, she was pulled into an embrace. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114, Olivia knew who it was without taking a look at the man. Ethan was wearing a suit that perfectly outlined his built figure. The glint in his eyes was dangerous, as always. She could recognize him through his sharp jaw alone, too. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His cedar scent wafted her nose, creating an intimate atmosphere in the back seat. She stifled the urge to shove him away for her big ns. She broke the silence first. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Now that she had gotten over him, she showed no interest in his life. She wouldn¡¯t take notice of his social media updates nor check his Twitter ount repeatedly, let alone click his profile picture again and again. Had Ethan not informed her to pick him up from the airport, she wouldn¡¯t have known that he had been abroad. ¡°Work.¡± It was a sinct answer. He wanted to talk about Leo, but it would ruin the atmosphere. Olivia was sitting on hisp. Her body was warming his thighs. In addition to the closed space, their intimate posture was a fluttering scene to behold. The temptation was urging him to do something more. His finger traced upward along her neck, sending tingling heat to her skin. It finally stopped at her eyebrow. He observed her cheek carefully as his voice softened. ¡°Is it healed?¡± As the lighting flowed through the window, he noticed a scar on top of her eyebrow. It was barely visible without a closer look. His coarse fingertip rubbed her wound softly. ¡°Thank you for what you did that day.¡± His breath brushed her forehead lightly. Olivia thought that he was being unusually gentle to her because she saved Connor. She was suddenly intrigued to know Ethan¡¯s reaction when she killed Connor one day. He wouldn¡¯t be as gentle as he was right now, for sure. She began to look forward to that day. She wanted him to know how it felt like to lose his loved one. Olivia replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was once a mother, too.¡± Ethan¡¯s arms tightened around her waist when he heard that. She continued, ¡°Any updates about Leo¡¯s whereabouts?¡± His eyebrows creased. He recounted the whole story without hiding anything. ¡°I¡¯ve announced a bounty on him. We¡¯ll find him soon.¡± She took it as an excuse because she had expected thising. She thought, ¡°He wants Dad to die. Why will he spend the effort to look for Leo? ¡°He gave me his word back then so that I wouldn¡¯t get in his way. What a great actor you are, Ethan Miller.¡± Mockery tinged her gazes. Meanwhile, Ethan took her silence as a disappointment, so heforted her, ¡°I will find him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She didn¡¯t want to continue that boring topic anymore, so she switched the subject. ¡°It¡¯s Connor¡¯s birthday party in two days. Can I join?¡± Her child passed away on Connor¡¯s birthday. Ethan was aware that her child¡¯s death had always been her sore spot. ¡°You¡­¡± She raised her head. The street lights reflected in her dark eyes as she licked her dry lips. ¡°It¡¯s been a year. I think it¡¯s time for me to move on.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Her eyes met Ethan¡¯s deep gaze. A faint light shone on his face. It cast a glow on half his face while the other half was shrouded in shadow. It reflected his conflicting personality. He could be an angel sometimes. But he could also be a demon.. Olivia was not sure if he would agree to her request. It was his child¡¯s first birthday party, after all. His child, which he had with another woman. Their engagement party was postponed. But Marina brought the birthday party forward to announce her status and identity. to the world. She had already sent out invitations to every rich and powerful person long ago. She wanted everyone to know. It was apparent that the ex¨Cwife would not be weed at the party. Ethan did not say anything. But his naturally prideful temperament made her more nervous than ever. She didn¡¯t even realize that sweat was seeping out of her clenched fists. He looked at her seriously and said, ¡°Fine.¡± Her whole body rxed after she got a positive answer. She dared not let too many emotions slip before Ethan. His enigmatic eyes seemingly saw through all her schemes. The car arrived at the Miller residence quickly. She knew what he had in mind. Kelvin had already opened the door for her. It wasn¡¯t snowing tonight, but the wind was strong. The cold winds blew at her from all directions. Ethan did not walk as fast as he normally did. Instead, he was waiting for her at a short distance. He only started to walk again after he saw that she had gotten out of the car. Olivia followed behind him with steady steps. She did not have pleasant memories at the Miller residence. But she had no choice but to follow through for the sake of her uing n. The door to the second floor opened. She followed while dragging her feet. As soon as she entered the room, her body was pressed against the wall by Ethan. ¡°Eth-¡­¡± She choked on her words as Ethan sealed her lips with a kiss. His movements were rough and without care. He was like a typhoon that wanted to destroy her. Olivia did not understand why he came looking for her as soon as he came back. She was his enemy. Why didn¡¯t he go to his new lover instead? Didn¡¯t he say that she was bony? Ethan unzipped her down jacket while she was still zoned out. As expected, there was a sweater underneath the jacket. But she felt exposed as soon as the jacket was unzipped. Olivia managed to push him away with great effort. Her hands were pushing against his chest. ¡°I know you¡¯re in a hurry, but please slow down, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan¡¯s hoarse voice came from the darkness. ¡°I have a lot of patience tonight, Olivia.¡± He had plenty of time to strip her down, even if she had as manyyers as an onion. ¡°Let me take a bath first. I¡¯ve been at the hospital the entire day.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Olivia did not believe for a second that he wasn¡¯t having perverted thoughts. She pushed him off her and said, ¡°Just for a bit.¡± Olivia quickly ran to the bathroom. She was trying to think of a way to refuse his advances politely. As the door was about to close, a slipper was stuck at the edge. Ethan¡¯s looming body squeezed into the bathroom immediately after. ¡°Let¡¯s bathe together.¡± He casually took off his suit and revealed his white shirt. He started to unbutton his shirt. As he unbuttoned his cor, it looked as if his self¨Ccontrol left him, and he was reced by a devil. His dark eyes were focused on her face. Then, he said, ¡°From your expression, I¡¯d say that you have something to say to me?¡± Olivia quickly tried toe up with an excuse. ¡°How would I ¡­¡± She was pulled into his arms before she could finish her sentence. At that, Olivia¡¯s weak body lost bnce. And she grabbed at his shirt helplessly. He then held onto her waist, which finally stopped her wobbling. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. After she found her footing, she instinctively tried to move back. But she was forced onto the bathroom sink by Ethan. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Ethan ced his hands on both sides of her. He leaned in slightly and trapped her. He loved the feeling of being in control of others. And Olivia was like his prey with nowhere to run. He looked down at her with an aggressive look. He lifted her chin with one of his hands and kissed her. ¡°If you have anyints, suck it up.¡± He was a tyrant, emotionless and unhinged. Suddenly, Olivia noticed a blood stain on his left arm. The stain was slowly growingrger on his shirt. She finally found an excuse to stop this. She quickly pushed him back and said, ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± Ethan subconsciously tried to hide from her prying gaze. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a scratch.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bleeding so much. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s a small wound. ¡°You must¡¯ve broken some stitches. We need to get it bandaged now.¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°You do it,¡± he said. She didn¡¯t mind helping him bandage his wound. It was better than having sex with him. She was able to hold him off from having sex with her for the rest of the night with that excuse. Soon, it was Connor¡¯s first birthday party.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The party was set on a cruise ship. Marina had picked the location herself. She probably wanted to rub her victory in Olivia¡¯s face. This was where she won the battle a year ago. Even now, when looking at the ocean, Olivia could still vividly remember Ethan swimming decisively toward Marina. She could also recall sinking into the bottom of the ocean. She felt so helpless as the ocean swallowed her up back then. The sun was setting Kelvin came to get her as promised. He was still as talkative as ever. ¡°Mrs. Miller, the cruise ship is going to be so lively tonight! There will be a lot of activities. A firework show is also happeningter.¡± He meant for Olivia to enjoy herself tonight. She had had a tough year. But he neglected the fact that the celebration tonight was meant for Ethan and Marina. It had nothing to do with her. Oliva chatted with Kelvin half¨Cheartedly for a bit. She was thest one to board the ship. It was to avoid meeting the Carltons, as that would have been awkward. Ethan was unexpectedly looking out for her Kelvin had gotten used to seeing Olivia in down jackets. His eyes glowed in surprise when he saw her in an evening gown.¡± Mrs Miller, you look gorgeous today¡± She had never apanied Ethan to any events in the three years she was with him. Naturally, it meant that she never had the chance to wear an evening gown. She dressed herself up today. She even put on heels. She quickly attracted the gazes of men and the jealousy of women. Most people did not know who she was. Many men approached her to hit on her. Calista was mad with anger. ¡°She¡¯s still as much of a show¨Coff as ever. So disgusting. ¡°Why are you so mad at her, Calista? She seems ¡°She¡¯s pretty and has a great figure. She isn¡¯t wearing anything outrageous either.¡± Calista replied, ¡°It¡¯s Connor¡¯s first birthday party today. She¡¯s wearing a ck gown and a ck veil. ¡°Did she think she was attending a funeral?¡± She snorted. ¡°Stop the nonsense, Calista. Marina would beat the hell out of you if she heard what you said. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin this happy asion with your foul mouth.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Calista was still discontent. She hated the fact that Olivia became the center of attention wherever she went. Calvin walked up to Olivia and said, ¡°Hey! Fancy seeing you at these types of events.¡± ¡°Hey, Calvin,¡± Olivia responded courteously. ¡°I didn¡¯t like events like these in the past. And after the Fordhams went bankrupt, I never got the chance toe to one.¡± ¡°You could spend 500 million dors like it was nothing. If you don¡¯t even get to go to events like this, I think most people on this ship haven¡¯t either..¡± Calvin knew about her rtionship with Ethan, but he kept it to himself. He only winked at her in secret. It would seem like he found something on the security cameras back then. Olivia had an idea of what it was. Before Olivia could say anything, Calista said in a mocking tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, Calvin? Olivia would at least get with a rich old man. She has the looks for it. ¡°Olivia, I haven¡¯t heard about the passing of any rich old man, though. Counting down the days of your rich old husband? Aren¡¯t you a wicked woman?¡± From Calista¡¯s perspective, Olivia must have gotten with a rich old man, which was why she kept her man a secret. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Why wouldn¡¯t she unt her man if he was a rich heir? ¡°Stop talking nonsense in public, Calista,¡± Calvin said. He red at her. His attitude upset her. ¡°Calvin, why are you so protective of her? Are you nning to marry her after her husband dies? Your father will not allow that to happen!¡± ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. You should head in first, Olivia. It¡¯s cold on the deck,¡± Calvin suggested. That wasn¡¯t a good ce to talk. Olivia also didn¡¯t want to deal with Calista. Calista had been after her like a dog on a bone. She nodded and left. ¡°Calvin! You¡¯ve got your eyes on her, haven¡¯t you? I know that you wrote her a love letter in secret back in school.¡± Calvin looked on as Olivia left. It didn¡¯t matter if it was now or then. She wasn¡¯t someone that he was good enough for. During the school years, he was one of the many people that admired her. That was not to say that he waspletely infatuated with her. But he had a genuine affection for her when they were still students. Now that everyone had gotten into the workforce, there was only more work to look forward to. The pure feelings from the adolescent years were long gone. They were buried deep in his heart, never to surface again. Now that he had found out about Olivia¡¯s identity, his respect for her only grew. He exchanged a few words with others briefly and went looking for her. Marina was not happy to see Olivia. Her expression was full of rage. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could still see the image of Olivia smearing her face with batter and beating her up. It was absolutely absurd. On the other hand, Chloe was delighted to see Olivia. Her face lit up when she saw her. She quickly made her way toward Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you could make it, Liv! Why did you cut your hair short for no reason? ¡°But then again, you have good genes. So you look good either way.¡± Chloe¡¯s eagerness used to be the maternal love she craved as a kid. Back then, whenever she had a fever, she would yearn for Chloe¡¯s embrace. But she left her and went overseas. She became Marina¡¯s stepmother. Olivia was long past that. She even had a thing or two to say to Chloe. ¡°Does it really matter to you whether I have long or short hair?¡± Olivia looked at Chloe calmly and continued, ¡°Mrs. Carlton, you never even sent me a postcard throughout these years. ¡°Now, you¡¯re trying to y the part of a loving mother? Aren¡¯t you ashamed? ¡°Anyway, your sudden disy of concern is so embarrassing to me that I could die.¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°What did you call me?¡± Chloe looked at Olivia in disbelief. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, did you forget that you divorced my father years ago? ¡°Your husband is now Mr. Carlton. Am I mistaken to call you Mrs. Carlton?¡± This was the first time Olivia had been so cold to Chloe. Even during the time Chloe met her after she came back from overseas, Olivia had been gentle. Now, it was as if she was a cold and sharpened de. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ve changed. How can you say that? I am still your mother, after all.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve changed. I¡¯ve onlye to realize that humans are despicable and that human nature is ugly and selfish. ¡°If I had known this earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have been missing my mother all those years. I wouldn¡¯t have spent years waiting for someone who would never return.¡± ¡°Liv, I know I¡¯ve let you down. But now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to make it up to you.¡± Olivia gazed at Chloe¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t remember how Chloe looked when she was still a child. She lookedrgely the same as she was in the pictures. There were only some traces of aging. But she feltpletely different from the mother in her memories. ¡°When you wanted to leave, you forgot that I existed. But now you im to want topensate me? ¡°Mrs. Carlton, have you ever thought that perhaps I don¡¯t want yourpensation? You weren¡¯t there when I needed you most ¡°Now that I¡¯ve survived that, nothing you give me would make me forget that.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Liv¡­¡± ¡°Mrs. Carlton, your daughter is over there. I am not worthy of your love.¡± There were people in the world who would give anything up for love. Chloe was such a person. She didn¡¯t love Jeff. So when Chris came to her, she threw everything away and left with him. All these years, she went radio silent. She didn¡¯t even call once, let alone a word of concern for Olivia. Now that the years have passed, she seemed to have remembered that she had a daughter and imed to want topensate her. Olivia no longer cared about that. She looked on at the fancy hall. People¡¯s voices reverberated within the walls. It was loud and lively. She wondered if all of these people with dignified appearances had darkness hidden within their hearts. Right now, she no longer needed a family. Nor did she need love. She only wanted to do one thing That is to cause Ethan pain. She wanted to cause the kind of pain he would never forget, a pain that would follow him for the rest of his life. A smile appeared on her face when she thought about that. Ethan had noticed Olivia as soon as she arrived. He had prepared several evening gowns for her since she said she wanted toe. The gowns came in many colors. But none of them were ck. Olivia was wearing a ck fitted floor¨Clength gown. Her hair was held in ce with hair gel. She was wearing a ck veil on her head. It was made with translucent material and decorated with tiny jewels. They would glitter whenever light shone on them. Olivia also wore a pair of diamond earrings. They were simple and elegant. She exuded an air of solidarity, like a ck rose in the rain. She looked like she needed a hug but also like she¡¯d w at those who came close. Olivia looked like an exotic flower that you could only admire from afar. It was as if she felt Ethan¡¯s gaze. She raised her ss of wine at him and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Olivia, right?¡± A cheerful voice beside her said. She turned away from Ethan to look at the person beside her. It was a man that was around her age. He wore a ck suit. He looked like a young prince favored by the king. He might not be the most intimidating, but he was surely the prettiest and most delicate. ¡°You are?¡± The young man began to feel nervous when Olivia looked at him. He quickly introduced himself. ¡°I am Colin Moriarty. We met when we were kids. ¡°I was chased up a tree by your cat and dared note down.¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 His description jolted Olivia¡¯s memory. She had met many people with weird habits. One of Ethan¡¯s friends was a health nut. While everyone else drank Absinthe on ice, he would be drinking detox blends in his cold cup. When other people were having fun with prettydies, he would be wearing an eye mask and having a footbath. He would also mutter, ¡°If you don¡¯t take care of your health now, you¡¯ll be suffering from illnesses when you get older.¡± Colin was the weirdest person she knew other than that health nut. He was morbidly afraid of furry animals with sharp teeth. He used to follow Micheal to Jeff¡¯s birthday parties. But he would always be chased up a tree by Olivia¡¯s cat, Snowball. A group of children wouldugh at him from below. Only Olivia would help him by grabbing Snowball. She would then coax him with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I have him now. Give me your hand. I¡¯ll help you down.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Are you still afraid of cats?¡± The memory of that incident brought a smile to Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°I adopted a few cats at home to ovee my fear. I¡¯m over that now. ¡°Anyway, is Snowball still doing well?¡± Her expression darkened. Snowball was a 13¨Cyear¨Cold cat. Olivia was pregnant when the Fordhams went bankrupt. Then Jeff had a car ident. When she went to get Snowball, she was nowhere to be found. ¡°She¡¯s no longer here. Maybe she became a stray, or she could be dead.¡± She had wanted to bring Snowball with her when she got married to Ethan, but he didn¡¯t like furry little animals. So she didn¡¯t bring it up. Colin saw her disappointed expression and said, ¡°I picked up a white cat the year before. She looked quite old. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s your Snowball, though.¡± Emotions sparked on Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Do you have any pictures?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Colin quickly found the picture on his phone. In the picture, a white cat was lying down under a red plum tree. Her blue eyes were looking at the plum blossoms. Olivia was excited. Snowball had a small part of her ear bitten off by a rat when she was a stray. It was her most defining feature. ¡°I came across her when she was wandering on the streets. I saw that her ear looked like the cat I met in my childhood, so I took her in. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to really be your cat. I still have plenty of videos of her. Do you want to take a look?¡± Olivia sat on a round couch. Her eyes werepletely focused on the videos of Snowball. ¡°I can see that you have taken good care of her. She is quite old now, and yet she¡¯s still so lively. Her coat is lustrous.¡± Colin smiled and said, ¡°She¡¯s very well¨Cbehaved. She loves to stay under that tree. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°It was as if she was waiting for someone. I didn¡¯t know before, but I think now I know she¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Olivia stared nkly at the cat under the plum tree. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She brushed her fingers on the cold and lifeless screen. It was as if she could feel Snowball¡¯s soft body. ¡°It is my fault. I lost her.¡± She lost the Fordham family, Jeff, and her unborn child. She even lost Snowball. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. She¡¯s living a good life. I can bring her over to you when you have time.¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°No need. You can take care of her. I can¡¯t really take care of her now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine for me. Can I have your contact information? So that I can send you videos of Snowball next time.¡± Olivia wanted to refuse, but she thought there was no need because she didn¡¯t intend to leave this ship alive. She didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse. He had helped her take care of Snowball for so long, after all. So she took her phone out and exchanged contact information with him. She even added him on WhatsApp on the spot. Her series of actions was especially insulting to Marina. She tried to agitate Ethan. ¡°Look at her. I told you she¡¯s a restless one. How much time has it been? She has already added a man on WhatsApp.¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 ¡°Shut up,¡± Ethan said. ¡°Ethan, we¡¯re the mostpatible with each other. Olivia only loves your money. She can get with anyone as long as the price is right.¡± Ethan ignored her and left. Marina was angry. She walked toward the other side of the hall with her wine in hand. She whispered something into Calista¡¯s ears. Calista was all talk. She had never actually hurt anyone before. She had a nervous expression and said, ¡°Are¡­ are we really doing this?¡± Marina smiled and said, ¡°I have always trusted you, Calista. I believe you¡¯re destined to do great things. ¡°If you can take care of this for me, I can promise you that there will be something for the Davieses at the Oand Hospital.¡± ¡°I will not let you down, Marina.¡± Marina smiled with satisfaction. This was reality. People would do anything to satiate their greed. ¡°Olivia, how are you going to fight me with neither the resources nor anyone to back you up?¡± Marina thought to herself. Olivia sat with Colin for a while longer. Colin was very gentlemanly and considerate. ¡°Nothing is happening at this hour. The buffet on this ship is decent. ¡°Do you want to grab some together, Olivia? There is still a lot I haven¡¯t told you about Snowball.¡± Olivia looked at the time. It was indeed still early. It was not yet time for the main event. ¡°Okay.¡± They went to the buffet dining hall together. Ethan¡¯s eyes were fixed on Olivia. It was getting on his nerves that she was interacting with another man. He was already regretting his decision to let here out. He knew that she would be the center of attention no matter where she went. He grunted and said, ¡°Find out where that man came from.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Violin music was ying in the restaurant. There was a variety of foods from different countries. Colin went to the dessert table and picked up some mousse cakes for N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Olivia ¡°I remember that you used to love cake, Olivia.¡± ¡°You have a good memory, but old people do not like sweet things.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me, Olivia? You¡¯re only 21 years old this year, right? You¡¯re still in your prime.¡± Olivia had skipped a few grades in school, so she graduated from university earlier than her peers. Thews of Andia allowed marriage at the age of 18. Olivia was shocked to hear her own age. ¡°So I am only 21 years old,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s right! Most people haven¡¯t graduated from university yet at this age. You¡¯re still in your prime years. You¡¯re not old!¡± Colin had a smile on his face. He had the energy of a 17¨Cyear¨Cold teenager. Olivia was only a few years older than him, but she felt old inside. It was as if nothing excited her anymore. She lowered her head to look at what he brought her. Those cakes were indeed things that she loved three years ago. It had only been three years. She has been through too much. ¡°Look, Olivia! Isn¡¯t the snow pretty?¡± Colin was full of energy. He was talking about food a second ago, and now his attention had turned to the snow outside the window. He pulled Olivia onto the deck joyfully. The snow was quietly falling under the warm yellow lights. Olivia reached out, and a snowke fell on her palm. She remembered that dayst year. It also snowed then. Marina had stood next to her on the deck. She had an arrogant smile on her face. Marina had said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a bet? Who would Ethan rescue if we both fell into the ocean at the same time?¡± The memory of that day pained Olivia deeply. She grabbed the railing tightly. Her eyes were filled with despair. Her expression scared Colin. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Olivia?¡± Olivia¡¯s thoughts drifted away from that painful memory. She looked at the endless expanse of the ocean. It looked like a monster that could devour anything in the night. She concealed the pain in her eyes and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Colin, Snowball does not have long to live. She is already an old cat.¡± Colin looked at her, confused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia, I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡± ¡°When she passes, can you please bury her under the plum tree at the Fordham residence?¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Colin did not know how to respond. Although Olivia was talking about Snowball, Colin had the feeling that she was talking about her own funeral instead. ¡°I¡¯ve got it, Olivia.¡± ¡°It has to be the tallest tree in the yard. That tree blooms with branches full of plum blossoms in the winter. ¡°The scent of the flowers goes well with the cold white snow. I¡¯ll be waiting for her there.¡± No one would have guessed that she meant she would be waiting there after she was dead. ¡°Okay, but you can also visit Snowball when you are free.¡± Olivia took off her diamond earrings and handed them to Colin. ¡°I came out in a rush today and don¡¯t have anything on me. ¡± ¡°But please hand these earrings to Snowball. She has always loved shiny little trinkets since she was a kitten.¡± Okay. If you¡¯re too busy, I can also bring her to you if you give me an address. I bet she¡¯ll be delighted to see you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Olivia was running out of time. Ethan arrived just in time to see Colin pulling Olivia onto the deck. They were standing side by side. Both of them were wearing ck clothes. Snowkes were dancing around them. It painted a beautiful picture. Ethan recalled that Olivia once ruffled his hair a few years ago out of boredom. ¡°It¡¯s boring how you always just slick your hair back ¡°You should try letting your hair down asionally. It¡¯ll make you look more youthful.¡± At that, Ethan suddenly said, ¡°Am I getting old?¡± Brent nced at the youthful Colin and said, ¡°You¡¯re mature, Mr. Miller. You¡¯re dignified, unlike the younger kids.¡± ¡°But she thinks I¡¯m too old.¡± Brent tried to hold back a smile. Recently, Ethan has been acting like a jealous housewife. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things, Mr. Miller. You¡¯re only 27 years old. You¡¯re still in the best years of your life. ¡°Compared to young and immature boys, you¡¯re definitely Mrs. Miller¡¯s type. You¡¯re the type of man that most girls are attracted to.¡± Right after Brent finished talking, two youngdies walked past them. One of them said, ¡°I finally got my father to get me two tickets to XO¡¯s concert! Let¡¯s go together after a few days! I am in love with Ryan¡¯s puppy¨Cdog eyes!¡± Ethan frowned and said, ¡°Even brandies hold concerts now?¡± Brent covered his mouth with his fist and coughed as he said, ¡°No, XO is an idol group from Carathia that quickly rose to fame after their debut Ethan was still frowning ¡°Even a dog can debut as a star now?¡± Ethan was a very capable man. He could fly jets and man a submarine He could even make waves in the corporate world. But he knew nothing about the idol industry. ¡°Mr. Miller, she didn¡¯t mean a real dog when she said puppy dog eyes. She was talking about young hunks that have just debuted¡± ¡°Young hunks?¡± Brent sighed and said, ¡°They are a group of youthful talent show contestants. They look young and youthful and attract female fans of all ages. ¡°These fans would sometimes describe them as their ¡®babies,¡® ¡®puppies¡® or ¡®huskies.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Ethan looked at Brent angrily. Brent was taken aback. He started to wonder if he had exined something wrong and made Ethan mad. ¡°Then why would you say that I¡¯m Olivia¡¯s type? Clearly, she¡¯s having a lot of fun talking with a young hunk.¡± Brent was at a loss for words. He was caught in a lie. Olivia didn¡¯t know what Ethan was thinking about when he stood there. She only felt a fiery gaze that was directed at her from the window. Suddenly, a wave struck the ship and caused it to sway. The abrupt movement put Olivia off bnce. ¡°Olivia!¡± Colin quickly grabbed her waist. She fell into Colin¡¯s arms due to the momentum. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Colin¡¯s embrace was not as sturdy as Ethan¡¯s. His arms were more slender. Olivia knew that Ethan was extremely possessive. So she pulled away from Colin as soon as she steadied herself. ¡°Thanks, it¡¯s cold out here, let¡¯s go back in.¡± Olivia went back to the dining hall. Ethan, who was standing there a while ago, was no longer there. Colin wanted to get Olivia some food the moment she sat down. She saw Calvin approaching her, so she didn¡¯t stop him either. Calvin sat down elegantly with a ss of wine in his hand. They looked like two friends bantering. Olivia whispered, ¡°Have you found anything out, Calvin?¡± ¡°Yeah, I received some information before I boarded the ship. I just didn¡¯t have the opportunity to talk to you about it. ¡°It is like we guessed. Someone swapped out your medical examination report. ¡°Although he kept his head down, we managed to get a few pictures. Take a look and see if you recognize him.¡± Calvin showed Olivia a picture that had been magnified and enhanced. Although the edges were still fuzzy, she could see what the man looked like. ¡°This man¡­¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± It was an unfamiliar face. She didn¡¯t know who it was. But she had an excellent memory. She knew she had met this man before somewhere. But where was it? ¡°What is it? Did you remember something?¡± Calvin whispered. Suddenly, something clicked for Olivia. It was at the Harmony Psychiatric Hospital. The day she went to visit Belle at the psychiatric hospital, Belle had an episode and was out of control. Some security guards held her down. The man in the picture was the one who injected her with some tranquilizer. ¡°I ¡°Olivia swallowed her words. She was afraid that someone might overhear her. ¡°Calvin, you¡¯ve been a big help. Can you help me look into it more? I think I am being targeted by someone.¡± She knew she would alert the people targeting her if she did anything. But no one would suspect Calvin. Calvin was sharp and understood immediately. He did not linger any longer. He smiled and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep in touch, Olivia.¡± ¡°Sure, Calvin.¡± After she sent Calvin on his way, Olivia thought about Belle¡¯s incident. It would seem like Belle¡¯s death was not an ident. It was because she visited Belle. Someone must¡¯ve murdered Belle to keep her from revealing secrets. And they covered up the murder as a suicide. Dr. Galloway was looking at her with a suspicious look But what is there to hide? Wasn¡¯t her father¡¯s matter already set in stone? Olivia started to recall everything that happened in the past month. This would mean that nothing was an ident. Someone was behind it all. This person clearly knew about her rtionship with Ethan and her stomach cancer. The divorce, gravestone, Jeff, Belle, and the swapped medical examination report¡­. This would mean that there was something fishy going on behind Jeff¡¯s incident. A chill went down Olivia¡¯s spine when she thought about this possibility. This meant that the person was already scheming two years ago. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought of Belle¡¯s young face. And the way her suicide was reported by the news. It was possible that Belle died because of her. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She tightened her grip on her phone. Her gaze was more determined than ever. She had to get to the bottom of this for Jeff, Belle, and for herself. She sent the details about Belle, Dr. Galloway, and the Harmony Psychiatric Hospital to Calvin. She then asked him to investigate them privately. At the same time, she received another message on her phone. It was Colin. She didn¡¯t even add a name to his phone number yet since she just got his number. Colin had a white cat as his profile picture. Although he owned a few white cats, the cat in his profile picture was Snowball. She tapped on the message and read. ¡°Olivia, I am not feeling so good.¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Olivia was confused. Wasn¡¯t Colin getting her some food? What happened? She asked where he was and quickly went to look for him. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Olivia found Colin in a room. He was leaning on a couch weakly. His face was flushed, and his voice became soft. It sounded like the purring of a cat. He was staring at her helplessly. ¡°Olivia, I feel hot.¡± She ced her hand on his forehead to check. It was indeed burning up. ¡°Other than the fever, does anything else hurt?¡± They were only outside for a short while. He shouldn¡¯t have gotten sick so quickly unless he had some preexisting conditions. Olivia began practicing what she learned as a medical student. She racked her brain to think of any conditions that would cause a fever to re up quickly. Colin unfastened his tie. He also unbuttoned the cor of his shirt and revealed his Adam¡¯s apple. He ced his hand over Olivia¡¯s and tugged. ¡°Olivia, I feel like I¡¯m on fire.¡± Olivia finally knew what was wrong. She quickly pulled her hand out of Colin¡¯s grasp. ¡°What did you eat?¡± ¡°I was getting some seafood for you. ¡°I saw some freshly squeezed orange juice and took two sses of it. I started to feel sick after I drank half a ss. ¡°I wanted to sit down for a while before I went back to you. But my body started to be hotter. Olivia, I feel so sick, am I going to die¡­¡± She looked into his eyes. He was just a young man that had just reached legal age. He was still between the phases of adolescence and adulthood. His eyes were pure and innocent. It was possible that he really didn¡¯t know what was happening to his body. ¡°You¡¯ll live. Hold on, I¡¯ll get you a doctor.¡± Olivia looked at the two sses of orange juice. One was full, the other was half¨Cfull. It was obvious that someone was trying to set her up. This was, without a doubt, Marina¡¯s handiwork. Olivia did not know why Marina was so afraid of her. But whatever happened next, Marina asked for it. Olivia was about to give Brent a call. But she fell into Colin¡¯s arms. His eyes were unfocused like he was under the influence of drugs. He said in a murmur, ¡°Olivia, I don¡¯t want a doctor. I only need you. I felt much better when you ced your palm on my forehead. Please touch me more ¡± Olivia was slightly amused. He was like a cat begging for his owner¡¯s attention. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. I don¡¯t have a cure on me. Only a doctor can help you.¡± Colin had already lost control. He dragged Olivia onto the couch and started kissing her on her neck. Her pale neck smelled like bergamots. His unfamiliar scent made her feel ufortable. ¡°Colin, calm down. I¡¯ll call for a doctor now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want a doctor. I only want you! Olivia, you smell so nice!¡± Olivia raised her hand. She wanted to p him across his face. But when she saw his innocent face, she hesitated. He was only being dragged into her problems. Before she could p him, Colin instinctively moved up. He was trying to kiss her on the lips. Thud! Before his lips could touch Olivia¡¯s skin, he was knocked out by a chop to his neck. His head fell on Olivia¡¯s shoulder. After Colin dropped down, Olivia saw Ethan¡¯s face. His expression was cold. ¡°Olivia, what excuse do you have now?¡± He looked down at her. His gaze was intense. A storm ising. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Ethan looked at Colin, who was in the way. He pulled him to the side and even kicked him once. Then, he ordered, ¡°Drag him away.¡± Brent saw that the mood wasn¡¯t right. He quickly dragged Colin away and closed the door behind him. Ethan leaned forward and slowly approached Olivia. The temperature dropped as he got closer. He gritted his teeth and ran his fingers across Olivia¡¯s face. Ethan then said in an emotionless voice, ¡°Do you know what I hate the most?¡± Olivia met his angry face and said, ¡°Betrayal and scheming behind your back.¡± He reached out, held her chin, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. Do not test me, Olivia.¡± Olivia wanted to tell him about her discovery. But the evidence she had on her could only prove that her medical examination report had been swapped out. She didn¡¯t have any hard evidence. In the end, he would just me her for telling lies. She swallowed the words that she was about to say. She preferred to humiliate him after the truth was out. Apparently, Ethan was also not in the mood to listen to her excuses. Olivia originally thought that Marina was the one behind all the schemes.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She was the only one who had the motive to do so. Then she thought about what happened at Collington Covest time. Marina had ordered her to kneel and tried to disfigure her. It was clear that Marina¡¯s tricks were only at the level of a jealous woman. She was not on the same level as the person behind everything that had happened. In addition, Marina didn¡¯t know about her stomach cancer. If not, she¡¯d definitely be turning things up a notch. She wouldn¡¯t have kept to the mild tactics she had been using. Olivia ruled out Marina as the mastermind. She rolled her eyes and put her hands around Ethan¡¯s neck. Her sudden show of affection puzzled Ethan. How long has it been since he saw her smile like that? It was a pure and beautiful smile. It was like a flower in the rain, being cleansed of dirt and hatred. He fell for her all over again. She whispered seductively, ¡°Why don¡¯t you rece the traces he left on me with yours?¡± Meanwhile, Calista was reporting the good news to Marina. ¡°It is done, Marina!¡± Marina pushed aside the women who were fawning over her and went to a corner with her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Marina whispered. ¡°Definitely! I saw Colin drink the juice with my own eyes. I also saw Olivia enter the room. ¡°She was in there for quite a while. Let¡¯s wait a few minutes and go in. They definitely did it.¡± Marina sighed in relief and patted Calista on the shoulder. ¡°You did great.¡± Calista then added, ¡°I have another suggestion, Marina.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°If you want to ruin Olivia¡¯s reputation, we need to be more forceful. The best oue would be that she never recovers from it.¡± Marina looked at her with approval and said, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Everyone on the ship tonight is rich and powerful. It¡¯s an open secret that everyone has skeletons in their closets. ¡°They will only talk about what happened with Olivia for a few days and forget all about it. It¡¯s inconsequential. That bitch will be up and about again after that.¡± ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°I have a few close friends that are live¨Cstreamers. I can have them start up a live streamter and have their followers spread it around. ¡°Think about it. A scandal of a rich heir on a cruise ship. Wouldn¡¯t that news blow up all over the country? We should go big on this.¡± Marina also knew that social media was important nowadays. This incident would have enough impact to garner the attention of the public. When Olivia was caught in the act, it would make Ethan hate her. It would also destroy her reputation for life. She would forever be shunned by society. ¡°This is an excellent idea, Calista. I knew I was right about you.¡± Marina was very excited. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Olivia be mocked by everyone. ¡°Marina, I¡¯ll contact my friends now. You should also do something. ¡°Round up the nosy women. It¡¯ll be fun to see that bitch get humiliated publicly.¡± The more she thought about it, the more excited Marina got. She had never been insulted like that in her life. Now, she would return it to Olivia a thousandfold. She went beside Chloe, who was surrounded by people. Chloe saw her and waved at her. ¡°Marina!¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Although Chloe had tried her best to be good to Marina all these years, Marina never saw her as her mother. Chris Carlton and Helen Gibson were promised to each other before they were born. Chris was cold to Helen after they were married, so she spent her days in depression. When Marina was only a few years old, she passed away. As soon as she died, Chris took the chance to remarry. Marina always med Chloe for everything that happened. For this reason, Marina had never stopped making life hard for Chloe. She even schemed and caused Chloe to miscarry. That incident also caused Chloe to be infertile. On the surface, Marina had a peaceful rtionship with Chloe. But only she knew how much she hated Chloe. To make matters worse, Chloe was Olivia¡¯s mother. So she also vented her anger toward Olivia on Chloe. She would not have paid any attention to Chloe in the past. But today, she ced her hand in Chloe¡¯s palm for the first time and held her hands. They presented an image of a loving pair of mother and daughter to the public. Chloe was secretly delighted. Marina had med her for Helen¡¯s death for so many years. She was a mother, too, so she understood how Marina felt. She poured all the love she had for Olivia onto Marina. No matter what Marina did to her, she thought that Marina would one daye to understand her. Chloe was overjoyed when Marina took her hand. It felt like Marina was starting to open up to her. The people around them started showering praises on them. Marina saw that the time was almost right. She asked, ¡°Mother, where is Olivia? She¡¯s been on the ship for so long. Why hasn¡¯t shee to say hi yet?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a stubborn one. She¡¯s not as well¨Cmannered as you. Just leave her be.¡± Chloe recalled Olivia¡¯s cold demeanor. She didn¡¯t want Olivia to ruin the atmosphere. ¡°How can we do that? If she¡¯s harboring resentment against you, I¡¯ll have to give her a talking¨Cto. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about her all this time. It¡¯s a happy asion today. You can take this chance to make up with her.¡± Chloe couldn¡¯t argue with that. She would prefer if Marina and Olivia made up. She would no longer need to be walking on eggshells between them. ¡°Alright, but I have no idea where she is.¡± ¡°She should be over there. Let¡¯s go find her together.¡± Marina led a group of rich middle¨Cageddies toward where Olivia was. Meanwhile, Calista was gathering a group of her influencer friends. They all started live streams. The audience members of the live streams marveled at how grand and fancy the cruise ship was. ¡°So this is how the wealthy enjoy themselves. It¡¯s fancier than my wildest imaginations.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that celebrities are moring to marry into rich families. I just caught a glimpse of an emerald ne on ady. That piece is worth millions!¡± ¡°Some people are just born with silver spoons in their mouths. Unlike us normal people, we¡¯re destined to a life ofbor.¡± One of the streamers looked at the chat and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be showing you guys the buffet dining hall now. There are up to a thousand types of food here. Watch closely. A lot of the food here is hard to get anywhere else. The decor is also very luxurious. The streamers were all trying to retain the viewers with interesting things on the ship. They were all excited and couldn¡¯t wait to get Olivia¡¯s affair on camera. It would definitely bring more viewers in. Marina smiled when she saw that everything was ready. She didn¡¯t see Ethan among the crowd. But it didn¡¯t matter. Things were about to blow up. She signaled one of the streamers, and she quickly came forward. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She said, ¡°Dear viewers, it¡¯s time to witness something incredible.¡± She felt conflicted and anxious but pushed open the door with shaky hands. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 As the door was opening, Marina was still holding Chloe¡¯s hand with a smile. She said gently, ¡°Mother, we¡¯re a family after all. You can invite Olivia to our house more often in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear you say that, Marina. I was so afraid that you two wouldn¡¯t get along.¡± Chloe had no idea what Marina was scheming. She was still dreaming of the day Marina could get along with Olivia. No one knew how excited Marina was at the moment. She had imagined all sorts of scenarios where Olivia was put on the spot and how pathetic she would be. The door opened slowly. Everyone was stunned when they saw the people in the room. Marina¡¯s smile froze. There were two people entangled on the couch. Ethan had taken off his suit. He was only wearing his shirt. A few of the buttons were loose. A lot of his skin was showing. It was a sight to behold. Compared to his normally meticulous and dignified appearance, he looked wild and lustful. He was holding a woman in his arms. He hid the woman¡¯s face in his chest as soon as the door opened. The crowd could only see the woman¡¯s slim waist and bare arms. No one knew he was getting with his ex¨Cwife. They thought he was just caught red¨Chanded in an affair. It was amon urrence within the circles of the wealthy. There were a lot of men who were gentlemanly on the surface but were extremely lecherous when no one was looking. But this was Ethan! Many women had tried to get on his bed in the past. But they were all thrown out, with their limbs broken. Marina had been the only fianc¨¦e he had announced. He had the image of a man who loved his partner deeply. In the eyes of the crowd, an exemry man was having an affair at his son¡¯s first birthday party. The son he had with Marina. Calista recognized that the woman in his arms was Olivia. Her face paled instantly. She knew that Marina¡¯s sess was dependent on Ethan¡¯s support. And yet she had stuck her nose into Ethan¡¯s affair. She messed up. Needless to say, the Oand Hospital shares promised by Marina were no longer on the table. The Davies Family might not even survive the fallout of this incident. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Marina was the biggest loser in this incident. She even asked a group of streamers to start live streams. Initially, there were only a few thousand viewers. But now, the chat went crazy. ¡°Damn, I thought we were going to look at a seafood buffet! What am I looking at now? I am not sure, but I sure am loving it!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Miller? They said he has the body of a Greek god. Damn, he looks hot.¡± ¡°Yeah, he is indeed very handsome. But that woman in his arms isn¡¯t Mrs. Miller, right? I thought he was better than this!¡± More and more people were tuning into the live streams. The influencers were at their wits¡® end. They knew they shouldn¡¯t be interfering in Ethan¡¯s matters. They quickly turned off their live streams. But the images from their live streams were already saved by some of their viewers. Those images were already spreading like wildfire on the inte! The atmosphere in the room was eerie. Marina did not expect her scheme to backfire so spectacrly. She looked at the woman in Ethan¡¯s arms. Her face was still mostly covered up. Marina did not understand why Ethan still loved Olivia so much. She didn¡¯t understand why he chose to protect Olivia instead of their reputation. Chloe also realized that it was Olivia in Ethan¡¯s arms. She was also stunned. She had just returned to Andia recently. She didn¡¯t know the story between Olivia and Ethan. She only knew that Ethan had an ex¨Cwife, but everyone around her did not want to talk about the ex¨C wife. She had thought that Ethan hated Olivia to the bone. But it didn¡¯t seem like it was the case now. The on¨Clookers had different expressions on their faces. Some of them pitied Marina, while others looked at her mockingly. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Marina had been excited. But now she felt a chill throughout her entire body. It was as if her blood stopped flowing. Her body was shaking uncontrobly, and her heart felt like it ached with every beat. After a while, she found her voice and said, ¡°What¡­ What are the two of you doing?¡± The words were familiar. Her shaky voice revealed her uneasiness. Olivia wanted to raise her head and look at Marina¡¯s expression. She wondered if Marina¡¯s face was as pale as hers was all those years ago. Marina must have felt awful. A moment ago, she was fawned over by everyone. Now, she was mocked and ridiculed. Olivia knew that Ethan¡¯s affair during his son¡¯s first birthday party would be all over the Inte. She wanted to ruin Ethan and Marina¡¯s reputation! Ethan¡¯s arm was pressed tightly against her head. It stopped her from moving. She wasn¡¯t too happy about that. Ethan was still holding Olivia in his arms. Everyone was still waiting for his exnation to Marina. His first reaction was to pick up the suit he took off and cover Olivia¡¯s exposed skin with it. He then carried her in his arms and looked at Marina condescendingly. The coldness in his eyes was obvious. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for your stupidity,¡± Ethan said. He then walked away withrge strides. He didn¡¯t offer any exnation or constion. There was only contempt. Marina was left behind by Ethan like she was nothing. Ethan didn¡¯t offer an exnation to Marina. Needless to say, he didn¡¯t feel the need to offer one to anyone else. Everyone was waiting for the fight between the fianc¨¦e and the mistress. It didn¡¯t happen. From the moment they barged into the room to the moment Ethan left, he was nothing but proud and dignified. Instead, it was the mastermind, Marina, who was in an embarrassing situation. The crowd dispersed. But they were still making fun of her. ¡°And she thought that Mr. Miller loved her more than anything.¡± ¡°That was too embarrassing! If even my boyfriend dared to cheat on me, I would have already pped them both to Mars. Let alone my husband!¡± ¡°Tsk. Would you have done it if Mr. Miller was your husband? It is amon urrence for people like him. ¡°Would you really make a scene because he had a mistress? That wouldn¡¯t work with men like him. He might even outright divorce you. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be Mrs. Miller, there are plenty of others who would want to. Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t regret that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Mrs. Miller over here gathered her friends and family to put someone else on the spot. But instead, she was the one who was humiliated. How pathetic.¡± A minute ago, she was the revered Mrs. Miller. A minute after that, she became a pitiful worm that everyone made fun of. How did it turn out like that? Calista knew that she was in deep trouble. She didn¡¯t know that Olivia¡¯s old man husband, whom she made fun of, was actually Ethan! She wanted tofort Marina. She stammered and said, ¡°Marina, I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± Marina pped Calista across the face. Her p was full of resentment and rage. Calista¡¯s face swelled up quickly, but she didn¡¯t dare to say anything. ¡°Fuck off!¡± Calista ran away while holding her face. Chloe came back to her senses and wanted tofort her. ¡°Marina, you¡­¡± Marina red at her and said, ¡°Shut up! You should know your ce. Do you really think you¡¯re my mother because my dad likes you? A woman like you? Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°How can you talk to me like that, Marina?¡± ¡°This is how I¡¯ve always talked to bitches! Go away if you don¡¯t want to get pped, too.¡± The incident spread like wildfire across the Inte instantly. Countless editors woke up in the middle of the night to run the story. It only took a couple dozens of minutes for the news to appear on all tforms. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Marina was in her room, smashing anything she could get her hands on. Meanwhile, Olivia was still in Ethan¡¯s arms. Olivia raised her head from his chest when there was no one else around. They were standing on the deck, and it was still snowing. ¨C Ethan said in an icy tone, ¡°Are you happy now?¡± He wasn¡¯t dumb. He knew that Olivia wouldn¡¯t have tried to have sex with him in a ce like that. He had caught on before everything happened. He could¡¯ve stopped it. But tonight, he didn¡¯t want to. He didn¡¯t expect Marina to be so stupid. Her own trap backfired against her. Olivia winked at him and said, ¡°Why would I be unhappy? She was the one who wanted to set me up. Are you feeling sorry for her?¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes were filled with dissatisfaction. He said to Olivia with a scowl, ¡°Olivia, teaching her a lesson is not worth risking your own reputation. Did you truly win?¡± Ethan was not one to reveal his emotions easily. But Olivia¡¯s actions almost made him lose his cool. ¡°Have you ever given it a thought? On the surface, you have humiliated her. But it doesn¡¯t change anything fundamentally. ¡°Everyone is well aware of how messed up the circle of the wealthy is. It will only be yed forughs. Her position is not going to be affected.¡± ¡°On the other hand, you would be marked as a mistress if I didn¡¯t cover up your face in time. ¡°You would¡¯ve been known as a mistress from today onward. How would you live like that? You would¡¯ve won a battle but lost the war.¡± Olivia met with his angry gaze and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re smiling? You¡¯re still in the mood to smile? Do you know what could¡¯ve happened?¡± ¡°I would be mocked and made fun of by the masses. What else? If things really got to that, wouldn¡¯t you be happy instead? Why are you so mad?¡± Olivia¡¯s words seemed to have struck a chord. She put her hands around his neck and smiled gently. ¡°I thought you hated me? What? Are you getting worried for me?¡± Ethan pulled her hands down. He said in a flustered tone, ¡°Torturing you is my right. It has nothing to do with anyone else.¡± Olivia suddenly smiled as the cold wind blew at her. ¡°Ethan, would you regret what you have done to me if you found out that my father did not hurt your sister?¡± Olivia¡¯s words shocked Ethan, causing ripples of emotions to stir in his heart. Ethan leaned in closer and asked icily, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The more the mastermind tried to hide things, the more sure Olivia was that something was wrong with Leia¡¯s death. But one thing she was sure about was that the mastermind must be someone powerful. He was able to manipte things under Ethan¡¯s nose. Olivia decided that it wasn¡¯t time for her to reveal the truth yet. She changed the subject and looked at the horizon. ¡°Look, the snow tonight is beautiful.¡± ¡°Did you hear what I said, Olivia?¡± Ethan was not a fan of cold winter nights. He preferred sunlight. It brought life to the world. The cold winter winds only served to devour everything. It covered the earth in one color. Olivia reached out and caught a snowke. She was smiling, but her expression was cold. She stood before him and asked solemnly, ¡°Today is the day our baby died, Ethan. ¡°Have you ever spared him a thought this past year? For even just a moment?¡± Ethan¡¯s arms tightened around her shoulders. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°Olivia, that was our child. Of course, I¡¯ve thought.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Olivia smiled lightly and said, ¡°I thought he was only a tool for you to exact revenge on me.¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Ethan¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. He felt like something was off about Olivia tonight. He wanted to say something. But due to the incident with Marina, he had to go and handle the mess that she made. Awaiting him was not only a tearful Marina but also the unbearable Carltons. He handed Olivia the keycard to the guest room and said, ¡°Go to the room and get changed.¡± No one would know she was the one with him in the room if she changed. And as for the rumors online, Ethan could easily handle that. He didn¡¯t know what Olivia was nning. The fireworks show was brought forward by two hours to 8:00 pm to turn people¡¯s attention away from the embarrassing incident. The fireworks lit up the dark sky. It also attracted a lot of people to look at it. Many appeared on the snow¨Ccrusted deck to look at the fireworks. The deck quickly became very lively. The shy fireworks allowed the people to temporarily forget about the embarrassing incident. They were all focused on the beautiful fireworks at the moment. Their wealth and power did not stop them from enjoying the fleeting beauty of the fireworks. Calista was crying profusely. Calvin stood beside her andforted her gently. ¡°You should¡¯ve known better. You¡¯re an adult.¡± Calista was extremely regretful of her actions. Getting pped by Marina was the least of her worries. Her biggest worry right now was Olivia¡¯s position. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°How would I know that her man was Mr. Miller? If he knew that I nned everything, not only would I not get the hospital¡¯s shares, but the Carlton family would be done for, too!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said you should¡¯ve known better.¡± ¡°Calvin!¡± Calista did not think too much about it. She still thought that Olivia was Ethan¡¯s mistress. Even if she was just a mistress, she was not just any mistress¨Cshe was Ethan¡¯s mistress. Everyone knew that Ethan was protective of what was his. Calista stomped her leg impatiently. Her face was full of worry. What was she supposed to do now? She would no longer be weed in this neighborhood. At that moment, she saw Olivia walking down the corridor. She was afraid of Olivia, but she also hated her She didn¡¯t let up with the insults, ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky because you became Mr. Miller¡¯s mistress. He is just toying with you. ¡°You¡¯ve offended the Caritons You¡¯ll be in for it now.¡± She still didn¡¯t realise that Olivia was Ethat¡¯s ex¨Cwife Calvin was almost impressed at how dumb she was but it was not bis secret to tell He stood in front of her and said. ¡°Olivie, don¡¯t sulud her. She doesn¡¯t think before she speaks. Olivia nodded at Calvin They had a tail understanding of the sets they kept She turned her gaze to Calista and said the soft and stationless voice, ¡°So what if I couldn¡¯t choose how to live? I can still choose how I want to die Calista was stunned by Olivia¡¯s icy gaze and was at a loss for words. She whispered, ¡°Calvin, don¡¯t you think she¡¯s acting weird? What did she mean by that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t have a good feeling about this.¡± The fireworks show went on. It lit up the night sky until it was as bright as day. Connor never liked loud ces. He was throwing a bit of a tantrum. Marina had someone bring him back to his room. It was time for him to sleep. Mina took him in her arms and prepared to bring him back to his room. But Connor pointed at a cake nearby and was fussing over it. ¡°Master Connor, you¡¯re not allowed to have desserts at night. You¡¯ll get cavities.¡± Connor did not let up. He thought that the cake looked exactly like the ones his mother used to make. He already didn¡¯t get to his mother. Why couldn¡¯t he get some of the cake that his mother made? Mina had no choice but to relent. She ced him on the floor and said, ¡°One moment, Master Connor. I¡¯ll get some for you.¡± Just as she left, Connor saw Olivia walking up the corridor. His eyes brightened up. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Connor had always hoped to see Olivia again. Wobbling, he ran toward Olivia. Smiling at him, she reached out to him. ¡°My dear Connor, do you want to leave with me?¡± Connor did not understand her words. All he knew was that she reached out to him. All he needed to do was to grab hold of her hand. He ced his chubby little hand into Olivia¡¯s palm without hesitation, allowing her to raise him up. He held onto Olivia¡¯s neck N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He rubbed his face against Olivia like a puppy before saying in an affectionate tone, ¡°Mama.¡± Olivia looked at him lovingly, saying, ¡°Silly boy, I¡¯m not your mother. You should call me Aunt.¡± At the moment, everyone else was gathered at the front of the ship to watch the fireworks show. She was able to carry Connor away with no issues. Olivia brought Connor to her room, where there was cake. She put a birthday hat on Connor and lit up the candle. She then sang him a birthday song in a gentle tone. Connor did not know what she was doing, but he smiled at whatever she did. Olivia took an emerald ne out from a small box. It had a cute design, and the emerald was shiny. Connor¡¯s name was engraved on the ne. ¡°I had prepared this for my son. But I didn¡¯t get to give it to him. Since you share his name, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Connor reached out to grab the ne. The way heughed looked a lot like Ethan. Olivia put the ne on his neck and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Happy birthday, Connor.¡± She looked at him lovingly. Thinking of her child, he probably would¡¯ve looked like this if he was still alive. Olivia cut two slices of cake. She even removed the cream and fruits from them. Connor grabbed a spoon, but he didn¡¯t know how to use it yet. He wanted to eat the cake but wasn¡¯t able to. He could only wave his chubby little hands around. He also leaned toward the te and licked at the cream. Some of the cream got on his nose. Olivia looked at him with a gentle look, saying, ¡°Look at you, you got cream everywhere.¡± She ate the cake in big mouthfuls with a smile. But her tears just wouldn¡¯t stop flowing. Seeing her tears, Connor tried tofort her clumsily, ¡°Cry Cry¡­¡± Olivia wiped at her tears, picked up Connor, and said softly, ¡°Little one, I had a baby of my own too.¡± Connor didn¡¯t understand her. Reaching out, he wiped at the tears on Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°But my baby has gone somece far away. I miss him every day. Little one, why do you have to be Marina¡¯s child?¡± Olivia sat down with him in her arms. She kept talking, not caring that he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I used to be a little princess at your age. I had loving parents. But my mother left one day. I chased her car until I fell on the ground. I wasn¡¯t able to catch up to her.¡± ¡°My father was good to me. He raised me and educated me. Then, I fell in love with a man. I had a baby with him. Later on, my father fell sick and my family separated. My baby was gone. Even my lover became my enemy. Why am I such a failure?¡± Connor hugged Olivia with his arms, feeling her tears falling onto his neck. He didn¡¯t know why she was crying so much¡­ But he knew he didn¡¯t want her to cry. ¡°Mama, no, no,¡± he said with great difficulty. But he wasn¡¯t able to say anything else. Olivia wiped away her tears. She then brought Connor to the deck on the second floor, ording to her original n. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 The winds were strong. Connor was snuggled up in Olivia¡¯s arms as the snow swirled around them. Olivia pointed at a spot in the ocean and said, ¡°My baby disappeared in this part of the ocean. He wasn¡¯t as lucky as you. He stopped breathing as soon as he was taken out of my body. He never had the chance to look at the sun. ¡°Little one, do you think he feels lonely at the bottom of the ocean? Why don¡¯t you go and keep him company? The water might be a bit chilly. You might feel ufortable for a bit, but it¡¯ll all be over soon¡­ ¡°And finally, you¡¯llpletely disappear from this world. That would scar him for life. You¡¯re his favorite son. That would surely break his heart, right?¡± Olivia pinched his face with a sad smile. ¡°At least you¡¯re not like my baby. His existence was a tragedy from the minute he was conceived to the moment he passed.¡± She held Connor¡¯s hand as they slowly walked to the edge of the ship. ¡°Connor look! It also snowed heavily like thisst year. Son, you must be lonely in the ocean. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve brought a friend for you.¡± The bottomless ocean was like a monster with its mouth wide open. It roared loudly like it wanted to devour everything. Smiling gently at Connor, Olivia said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, darling. I won¡¯t be able to repay you for your sacrifice.¡± Mina got the cake and turned around, only to see that Connor was gone. She was used to him going off on his own since he learned to walk. But he could never get too far with his tiny limbs. She held the cake in her hand as she went to look for him. She called out, ¡°Master Connor, where are you hiding?¡± But once she got a good look at the empty corridor, fear crept into her heart. It only took her a short while to get the cake. How could a baby that just learned to walk disappear from the long corridor? She looked at the railing. Connor shouldn¡¯t have been able to fall over it. But she panicked and couldn¡¯t think straight. Dropping the cake, she ran toward the bow of the ship. When she found Ethan, she told him, ¡°Mr. Miller, Master Connor has gone missing!¡± Marina gave her a p before saying, ¡°All I asked you to do was put him to bed. How could you lose him like that? You¡¯re dead if something happens to my baby!¡± Ethan red at her, then turned to look at Brent. ¡°Go check the security cameras. Find him.¡± Mina was scared out of her wits. ¡°Master Conner disappeared in the time it took me to get him some cake. Would he have fallen into the ocean?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. He¡¯s too big to squeeze under the railing and too short to climb over it. Unless someone threw him over.¡± Ethan quickly refuted her theory. Someone? Who would dare to harm his child on this ship? Unless¡­ Olivia¡¯s face shed in Ethan¡¯s mind. It couldn¡¯t be. She loved Connor so much. She wouldn¡¯t hurt him. Ethan disappeared from the deck. Everyone else was panicking. The ship was so big and the child so small. If he really fell off the ship, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to call for help. On the other hand, Ethan was running straight to the top floor. The tragedy with Olivia¡¯s baby happened there. Did she really bring Connor up there? Ethan ran with all his strength, but the snow was falling heavily, obstructing Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Olivia¡¯s words rang in Ethan¡¯s mind. ¡°Look, the snow tonight is so beautiful. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Today is the day our baby died, Ethan. Have you ever spared him a thought this past year? Even for just a moment? ¡°I thought he was only a tool for you to exact revenge on me.¡± Ethan had it all wrong. She thought Olivia¡¯s target was Marina, but he didn¡¯t think about Olivia¡¯s dead child. She purposefully picked today for her revenge. It was so that she could sacrifice Connor to her dead son on the day he passed. That was a great way to get back at Marina and himself. Ethan was anxious and furious. Olivia was still the same person she used to be; she had never given up on her extreme thoughts! His heart went through a roller coaster of emotions in the span of about a minute. His palms were already drenched in cold sweat. He sprinted to the top floor as fast as he could. The first round of the fireworks show was over. The next round was in the middle of preparation. At this moment, it was like the entire world had fallen silent and dark. Only the sound of Ethan¡¯s running could be heard. There was no one there on the deck of the second floor, so Ethan ran to the edge of the deck. The ocean was still roaring, waves still crashing onto the hull of the ship. Ethan didn¡¯t see anyone. Was he toote? He felt a chill sweeping over him before it spread from top to toe. Suddenly, Mina¡¯s voice came from downstairs. She was excited to tears. ¡°How did you get here, Master Connor? You scared me to death! I¡¯ve found him! I¡¯ve found Master Connor!¡± Hearing that, Ethan was relieved and slumped onto the ground. He was sweating all over from the running, but the wind made him feel chilly. He put a hand over his chest, where he could feel his heart beating very quickly. Smiling, he covered his face. It was the first time in his life that he felt such intense emotional swings. He didn¡¯t notice Olivia, who was hiding behind a wooden barrel. She looked at the snow that was falling from the sky. She gave up on her n to cause Ethan deep hurt at the final moment. Honestly, she didn¡¯t have the heart to take Connor¡¯s life. He was still so young. He shouldn¡¯t have to pay for the crimes of Ethan and Marina. How evil would she have to be to be able to murder a child? On one hand, Olivia hated how weak she was. On the other hand, she felt ashamed that she tried to do something like that. She turned all the guilt she had into an exnation. Maybe there was a lot of misunderstanding between her and Ethan. Connor shouldn¡¯t have to pay for these mistakes. Her n used to be dying with Connor in the ocean, but there was one more thing she hadn¡¯t done. That was to uncover the truth of what happened all those years ago. After Ethan left, she dragged her tired body back to her room. Ten minutes after that, Ethan appeared in her room. His appearance would mean that he had guessed that she was the one who took Connor. She didn¡¯t remove the ne she gave Connor when she let him go. Ethan was the one who designed the ne. Of course, he would know who it came from. There was still the half eaten cake and the candles on the table in the room. Olivia was prepared to be tortured by Ethan for what she did. She had given up the best chance she had at hurting him. She thought the only thing waiting for her was endless torture from him. His footsteps got close, and the room waspletely silent. Raising her head, Olivia saw Ethan eating the leftover cake without speaking. He just kept eating He never liked eating cakes. But here he was, eating cake without asking for an exnation. After he put down the fork, he took a tissue and wiped his lips. Then, he walked toward Olivia. Olivia thought he was still going to torture her, but he stopped before her. He said in a deep voice, ¡°One day, you¡¯ll realize that not going through with it today was the best decision you could¡¯ve made. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 He left the room after he said those words. Olivia did not understand his intentions. He did not yell at her, and neither did he throw a temper tantrum. He didn¡¯t even question her actions. What did he mean by ¡°the best decision she could¡¯ve made¡°? The door closed with a bang, and a new round of fireworks started. Looking at the fireworks, they burned brightly but only for an instant. She felt like her life was like that. She shone brightly for a short while before endless sorrow and darkness were all that was left. As everyone was enjoying the lively atmosphere, Olivia suddenly heard a woman scream. ¡°Master Connor!¡± Was she just hearing things? Next moment, she saw a few men run past her door in a rush. One of them was holding Connor! She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but she was already running after them before she knew it. Connor¡¯s shrill cries rang across the corridor, but everyone else was focused on the fireworks show. Most of the security guards were busy helping set off the fireworks. Mina¡¯s leg seemed to have been shot, so she couldn¡¯t run after the men. She could only watch as they took Connor away. Olivia realized that she was not the only one on the ship who was scheming against Connor. She was thankful that she changed out of her evening gown before this. It allowed her to keep up with the men. She ran like her life depended on it. As the men were starting up their speedboat, she knew she wouldn¡¯t make it in time. She took a chance and leapt toward the boat without regard for her own safety. She managed to get on. The men were nning to escape from the scene. They didn¡¯t expect someone to suddenly appear on their boat, and it was a woman who was out of breath, no less. Olivia¡¯s stamina was not what it was back in high school, where she was able to run more than 1,000 yards without needing a break. She wanted to act tough in front of these men. But she couldn¡¯t stop panting when she said, ¡°Put ¡­ him¡­ down¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t evenplete a sentence properly. She also had to grab hold of the edges of the boat to prevent herself from falling off. Even she was amazed that she was able to catch up with such a sickly body. Reality once again proved that people were more forgiving toward pretty women. The men were nervous when they saw another person appear on the boat suddenly. They had raised their guns at Olivia¡¯s forehead. But she suddenly fainted before she was able to finish her sentence. The man closest to her even grabbed at her instinctively to stop her from falling. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°What do we do about this woman, boss? Should we throw her overboard?¡± Faint light shone on Olivia¡¯s face. She looked innocent and harmless. Her white down jacket was swaying in the wind, making her look even weaker and sicklier. The leader of the group looked at her face and said, ¡°No need. Let¡¯s go.¡± The speedboat quickly left the vicinity of the cruise ship. One of the men said, ¡°Is she serious? She ran all the way to our boat to be a prisoner.¡± Mina watched everything go down at the railing. She was anxious and angry. She was only noticed by the security guards after she dragged herself out of the corridor with a bleeding leg ¡°Master Connor has been taken!¡± Mina ignored her bleeding leg and crawled her way to Ethan. Marina¡¯s first reaction was to p her. ¡°How could my son be taken by someone out of nowhere? Why can¡¯t you take care of a child? How many times¡­¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Mina retold the entire incident from the beginning. When Marina heard that Olivia also got on the boat, her first reaction was to pin the me on her. ¡°I knew Olivia was up to no good. She must¡¯ve been the one who hired those men to take our child! Ethan, you have to get Connor back!¡± Ethan felt a strong urge to p Marina, but he was not in the habit of hitting women. He thought no one in their right mind could¡¯ve said what Marina said. Holding back his anger, he said, ¡°Get her out of here.¡± Brent had already begun investigating. Ethan was touched when he saw footage of Olivia recklessly going after the group of men. He knew better than anyone that if she wanted to hurt Connor, she would¡¯ve done it long ago. She did love Connor¨Cso much so that she went after him even when she knew the men had guns on them. Looking worried, Brent whispered, ¡°Mr. Miller, could your identity have been exposed? Did they take Master Connor to exchange him for that item?¡± Ethan pursed his lips, his icy temperament overwhelming. ¡°No,¡± Ethan shut down that assumption immediately. He reyed the footage of the men shooting their guns. Although they disguised themselves, their pistols were visible. He zoomed in on the footage and said, ¡°Look at their firearms. Those are MK23s. ¡°They were the standard issue weapons of the special forces in the early days. These pistols are comparable to the Desert Eagle in terms of firepower, but their downside is apparent. They¡¯re too bulky. Even without silencers, they¡¯re not easy to use with one hand. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t think to use such clumsy and outdated weapons. ¡°Secondly, look at how these two ran. That isn¡¯t how trained special forces retreat. So these guys are not them. If they were here, they would¡¯ve held the whole ship hostage and not just a child.¡± Brent didn¡¯t understand. ¡°If it isn¡¯t them, who else would dare to cross the Millers?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ethan put his hands behind his back as he looked into the distance. He said with certainty, ¡°No matter who they are, they put so much effort into this operation. Since they aren¡¯t after the life of someone, they must¡¯ve done it for the money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Ms. Carlton spent a lot of money advertising this event. Especially this fireworks show. She spent a few hundred thousand on that. This huge amount must¡¯ve spurred someone to kidnap Master Connor.¡± With a sigh, Brent said, ¡°Ms. Carlton also announced the details of the event. We were supposed to handle the security, but she insisted that her uncle do it instead. It would¡¯ve been fine if they were just trying to line their pockets, but Master Conner got kidnapped. Even Ms. Fordham was taken.¡± Ethan frowned at the mention of Olivia. If the kidnappers only wanted a ransom, they would not harm Connor yet. But Olivia had put herself in danger by throwing herself at them. The kidnappers were well¨Cprepared. They chose to carry out their n on sea and not onnd. They would¡¯ve had a hard time trying to evade surveince onnd. On the other hand, mobile phones didn¡¯t even have a signal at sea. So it was going to be hard to track someone. Ethan¡¯s biggest fear was that they were based on an uninhabited ind. That would make their search way harder. In the following hours, he made a lot of calls and set up a detailed rescue n. Even after that, Ethan couldn¡¯t rx for a moment. His brows were still furrowed with worry. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 The cruise ship docked ahead of schedule before the sun was even up. The guests did not know what happened and were wondering why the event ended prematurely. After all the guests had disembarked, Marina began to throw a temper tantrum. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you sent people after Olivia? That bitch colluded with the kidnappers to take my son away. She¡­¡± Brent felt a strong desire to p her when he heard what she said. He kicked the culprit that allowed the kidnapping to happen into the room. It was Marina¡¯s uncle, Marcus. Marina became furious when she saw that. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? You¡¯re not looking for Olivia, and instead, you brought my uncle here?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°You want to know what? Why don¡¯t you exin yourselves first?¡± Ethan sat on the couch with a scowl before mming a stack of receipts on the table. ¡°I allocated a budget of one million dors for Connor¡¯s birthday party. How much did he line his pockets with?¡± Marcus was Helen¡¯s only brother. After she passed, the Carltons had always treated him well, but he was used to cking off. He was also apulsive gambler. It was apparent that Marina insisted that he organize the birthday party so that he could skim some profits from it. ¡°It would¡¯ve been fine if you just wanted your uncle to make a profit. But have you ever considered if he was up for the job? He tried to reduce costs by purchasing food that was no longer fresh, which was fine. But he fired the professional security team that I paid a lot of money for. ¡°He reced that team with some hooligans off the streets who have no experience as bodyguards. They were all busy lighting fireworks and watching the fireworks show while the kidnapping went down. Theirck of professionalism caused a major security hazard!¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, please let me exin. I¡­¡± Ethan had already stood up, his figure casting a looming shadow on Marcus. He walked toward him menacingly as his eyes glowed with rage. ¡°In order to save money, you kept the original chefs but sent their apprentices away. You hired people at a low price to handle their jobs. What did you think this ce was? Your backyard?¡± Standing up, Marcus tried to exin, ¡°I¡­ I only wanted to help you cut some costs. Your money doesn¡¯t grow on¡­¡± Ethan kicked him on the shoulders, causing the man to cry out in pain and beg for mercy. Then, he met Ethan¡¯s rage¨Cfilled gaze and fell silent. ¡°Those people were able to get on the ship because you hired people without conducting background checks. My son was kidnapped because you tried to skim profits! If anything happens to him, I¡¯ll feed you to the sharks!¡± Marina looked at the receipts and the quotations. The eggs alone cost five times the market price. She had known that Marcus was greedy, but she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do it to this extent for the sake of profits. ¡°Uncle, this is all your fault!¡± Mariana threw the quotations on Marcus¡® face. Marcus was still trying to exin, ¡°How would I know it would end up like this? I had hired someone to train them beforehand. You can¡¯t me me for Connor¡¯s kidnapping. I¡­¡± Ethan stepped on Marcus¡® shoulder harder. ring at Marcus, he said, ¡°If you tell one more lie, I¡¯ll cut off your tongue!¡± Marcus instinctively covered his mouth with his hands, his whole body trembling in fear. Ethan felt the urge to kill Marcus when he was reminded of the fact that Olivia and Connor were taken because of him. Brent returned from outside. He said with a heavy expression, ¡°We tried to track the GPS on Ms. Fordham¡¯s phone, but there¡¯s Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Marina quickly ran toward Ethan and said, ¡°It has to be Olivia. You just need to look into her. In the worst¨Ccase scenario, you still have Jeff in your hands. If we threaten her with Jeff, she¡¯ll give Connor back.¡± Ethan stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Marina, his eyes filled with restrained anger. ¡°Ethan, I¡­¡± ¡°Marina, sometimes I wonder what nonsense goes through your brain.¡± Leaning forward slightly, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯d like to split your head open and take a look, if not for Kurt¡¯s sake.¡± His deep voice shook Marina, who looked at him in fear. But all she could see was anger in his eyes; an anger so fiery it seemed like it could burn her up. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Ethan was at the verge of losing control. He was trying his best to hold back his anger, but his eyes revealed the raw anger and hatred he had for her. ¡°You¡¯d better pray nothing happens to them. If not, no one will be able to save Marcus. Not even if Kurt returns from the grave and begs for me to spare him.¡± Marina¡¯s back was covered in a cold sweat. She slumped onto a chair powerlessly. Was it really not Olivia¡¯s doing? What happened to her child? Ethan stood before a map. Brent analyzed it and said, ¡°There¡¯s an archipgo nearby. It epasses over 300 inds. A lot of those are unrecorded desert inds.¡± ¡°Send drones to scout out the inds. You can exclude the inhabited inds. Focus your efforts on the inds that haveplex terrains and don¡¯t have a lot of natural resources. Be careful not to alert the kidnappers. And keep the operation a secret.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Have the fingerprints on the bullet been extracted?¡± Brent quickly said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve also run them through our database. There are no matches yet.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t track them using the fingerprints, try looking into the bullet and the guns. Go look around the ck market. These guns are not verymon these days.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia woke up in a daze, but she remembered what happened. Quickly sitting up, she opened her eyes. She wanted to see where Connor was, but a dagger was ced on her throat. The person holding said in a raspy voice, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Olivia saw that she was in a run¨Cdown cabin. This ce shouldn¡¯t be far from the seaside. She could hear the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. She looked at the man beside her with the corner of her eye. She saw that the man wore ck. She felt that the de on her neck was very sharp, and she also saw that Connor was not in the room. Tensing, she said, ¡°I won¡¯t move. Go easy on me.¡± The man asked, ¡°Tell me, why did you jump on the boatst night?¡± Although she did not know who these men were, she knew that the enemy of her enemy was her friend. ¡°I did it for the kid.¡± ¡°ording to what I know, you¡¯re not his mother or his nanny. You risked everything for a stranger¡¯s son?¡± ¡°A stranger¡¯s son? It¡¯s the son of my enemy, to be exact,¡± Olivia said with a smirk. She continued to exin without the man asking, ¡°Two years ago, I had a happy family. I had a loving husband until a woman appeared. She had a baby with him, and she pushed me off a cruise ship a year ago in winter. I was pregnant. ¡°Then, I lost my child and my husband. My father became ill and fell into a deepa. My family became bankrupt. The woman took my husband and became the new Mrs. Miller. She even got to hold a birthday party for her son.¡± Olivia gritted her teeth in anger. The man did not expect to get such a convoluted story from a single question. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Olivia closed her eyes and slowly said, ¡°Ethan Miller¡¯s ex¨Cwife.¡° Chapter 137 Chapter 137 The manughed mockingly. ¡°Everyone thinks that Ethan is a devoted man, that he¡¯s always been a gentleman. No one mentioned that he had an ex¨Cwife.¡± Clenching her fingers tightly, Olivia said with a sorrowful expression, ¡°I was just a ything to him. He wouldn¡¯t have allowed anyone to know about me. Last night was the anniversary of my son¡¯s passing. I snuck on the ship to steal Connor away, but you beat me to the punch.¡± ¡°Your son died, but why did you want to steal their son?¡± Olivia said slowly, ¡°I wanted his son to apany mine in death! Have you any idea how I¡¯ve been living this past year? I¡¯ve never had a good night¡¯s sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see my son on the operating table. I ¡­¡± Olivia got emotional as she started to cry. Her tears fell onto the dagger¡¯s de, tracing along the de to the man¡¯s hand. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Moving the dagger away, he eximed, ¡°Why are you crying? I didn¡¯t do anything to you!¡± Olivia turned into a vengeful woman. She didn¡¯t care that the man beside her wasn¡¯t Ethan. She just kept cursing andining about how bad of a person Ethan was. Meanwhile, outside the cabin, Tom was chewing on a de of grass. He had a mischievous expression as he said to Jerry,¡± Hey, do you think Jack has fallen for the woman? He¡¯s been with her the whole night.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense. He¡¯s seen his fair share of women. He won¡¯t fall for her so easily. I bet he thinks she¡¯s suspicious. He¡¯s keeping an eye on her so that she doesn¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°If she was suspicious, he would¡¯ve thrown her overboardst night. If he didn¡¯t want her to escape, he could¡¯ve tied her up. He didn¡¯t have to stay up all night and watch over her. He must have fallen for her. Honestly, I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful woman before.¡± ¡°She should have woken up. Let¡¯s go in and take a look. Jack is probably torturing her for information. I hope he doesn¡¯t kill her.¡± They took off their masks and opened the door. What they saw stunned them. The usually imposing Jack Stone was standing beside the bed awkwardly, trying tofort Olivia, ¡°You can¡¯t bring the dead. back with your crying.¡± Olivia was not only sobbing uncontrobly, but she was also using the sleeves of Jack¡¯s jacket to blow her nose. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ethan an asshole?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s the biggest asshole ever! That bastard.¡± ¡°Why is my life so hard?!¡± Although Olivia¡¯s crying was a little too much, she did look pitiable against the backdrop of the run¨C down cabin. On the other hand, Jack with his dagger in hand looked helpless inparison. When he saw Tom and Jerry at the door, Jack¡¯s expression changed. He said to them coldly, ¡°Get over here andfort her.¡± Tom was at a loss for words. ¡°Why do we need tofort the woman you made cry?¡± Jerry was more gentle. He took a grass¨Cwoven rabbit out of his pocket and ced it before Olivia. ¡°Here, take it. You can have this rabbit if you stop crying.¡± Tom pped him on the head, saying, ¡°She¡¯s not a child. That won¡¯t work.¡± Olivia looked at the two in front of her. They were young boys, probably around the age of 12 or 13. Their silliness could not be hidden by the masks they were wearing. The man with a pistol was so cold before, but heforted her as soon as she started crying. They all seemed like good people. But they did kidnap Connor. Why did they do it? Olivia was still sniffling, but she was no longer crying. She looked at the man beside the bed with her teary eyes. He was very tall and wore a mask that covered half his face. She could only decipher his emotions through his exposed lips. Olivia said tentatively, ¡°That child stole my son¡¯s life. I hate him with every fiber of my being. Can you guys hand him over to me?¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Jerry quickly said, ¡°That won¡¯t do. We need him to ask for ransom.¡± When he finished saying that, Tom hit him on the head. ¡°Are you dumb? Why would you say that? Can¡¯t you even keep a secret? It was a surprise to Olivia. How could someone be bold enough to risk their lives by threatening Ethan for ransom? Perhaps before they could deliver the ransom letter, Ethan¡¯s men would¡¯ve raided their headquarters. ¡°How much are you nning to ask for?¡± Olivia prodded. Tom stuck out a finger. ¡°He¡¯s rich, so we should at least ask for one million dors.¡± Olivia looked at him in disbelief. ¡°One million dors?¡± They were risking their lives for only one million dors? Ethan would probably think that they were mocking him. Noticing Olivia¡¯s gaze, Tom instantly lost confidence. ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be rich, right? He should be able to fork out a million. dors, right? ¡°If not¡­ 500 thousand dors will do.¡± Olivia facepalmed herself. This was her first time feeling sympathy for a bandit. If they asked for one million dors, Ethan would probably let them leave in one piece. But if Ethan saw them asking for 500 thousand dors, he would feed them to the sharks. Noticing that Olivia was silent, Jerry spoke up timidly, ¡°Um, could it be that he doesn¡¯t even have 500 thousand dors? Well, what about 200 thousand dors?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Olivia sighed in exasperation when she heard them lowering their price even more. ¡°Oh no, Tom! I heard before that rich people may look rich on the surface, but in reality, they owe the bank a lot. ¡°Do you think Ethan¡¯s broke? Did we waste our efforts by kidnapping his child?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and suggested earnestly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you raise the ransom a bit? If not, Ethan might think. that you¡¯re mocking him.¡± Tom stuck out two fingers. ¡°Two million dors, then. Are we being too greedy?¡± Olivia put a hand on her chest. Goodness, where did these banditse from? ¡°More!¡± ¡°F-Five million dors.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a coward; add another digit!¡± ¡°F¨CFifty million dors? Oh, my mama!¡± Tom couldn¡¯t even handle uttering such a huge number. ¡°Five hundred million dors.¡± When Olivia spoke those words, Jerry staggered and fell onto the ground. ¡°Tom, how much is 500 million? ¡°Is it even more than the number of grass in the mountainsbined?¡± ¡°Miss, are you pulling our leg?¡± Olivia was a little frustrated. ¡°Do you know how much they spent on the fireworksst night?¡± Tom thought about it earnestly. ¡°Those were beautiful fireworks, and I looked at them for a long while, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I couldn¡¯t bring them with me, or Mom and Grandma could¡¯ve seen them as well. ¡°Jack once bought some sparklers for me for five dors. So, the fireworks show probably cost a few thousand dors.¡± ¡°You can add some more digits to that.¡± ¡°T¨CTens of millions?¡± Tom fell next to Jerry, his mouth gaping. He couldn¡¯t close his mouth for a long time. Olivia could figure out their backgrounds after the exchange. It was obvious that the two bandits were ignorant and even a little innocent. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How did the likes of you manage to get onto the ship?¡± Tom hastily said, ¡°Some time ago, Jack went ashore to buy supplies. He overheard that Ms. Carlton was spending a lot of money to hold her son¡¯s first birthday celebration. ¡°So, we wanted to do something huge for once. They happened to be recruiting bodyguards for the cruise, so Jack applied.¡± Olivia was surprised. Judging by how Brent worked, he wouldn¡¯t have hired some random person to be a bodyguard. She asked in shock, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Tom was ted. ¡°Yeah! Jack said that he¡¯d bring helpers, and he wanted meals instead of money. The boss, Mr. Gibson, agreed right away. ¡°We ate a lot of food in the kitchen, and it was delicious! I even took some food with me when I left.¡± Olivia finally understood why the newbies managed to seed. They were just lucky. Marcus Gibson probably didn¡¯t expect anyone to be this bold. How could someone cause problems on the cruise or kidnap Connor? Ethan and the rest probably never thought that the bodyguard position was by name only. So, this group easily achieved what they aimed for. It was quite a funny coincidence. ¡°So you¡¯re doing this for money. Where¡¯s the kid?¡± ¡°My grandma is taking care of him. He drinks a lot, and he almost finished all the milk we milked from Buttercup,¡± Jerryined. While Olivia was questioning the two, Jack had been standing at the side and staring silently at her. ¡°Are you done with the questions?¡± Jack asked in a low voice. Olivia was about to say something when the man twirled the dagger in his hand. With a sh, the de of the dagger was held against her neck. ¡°Speak. Who exactly are you?¡± Olivia felt a chill run down her spine. Even though the two youngds were novices, this man wasn¡¯t. His eyes looked like those of a snake¡¯s as they peered through the mask, observing. The man was waiting for her to let down her guard before he struck. ¡°If you dare hide anything again, I¡¯ll kill you right now. No one will know if you die here,¡± the man said coldly. He stood by the wooden window, his tall figure blocking the sunlight that spilled in from outside. His emotions were hidden under the mask, and only his tightly pursed lips were visible. The extreme murderous intent in his eyes sent chills down Olivia¡¯s spine. The words she said when she let down her guard probably roused suspicion. The two children weren¡¯t bad people. Since they were connected to Jack, she wanted to bet on the notion that Jack wasn¡¯t a bad person either. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. You can find photos I took with him on my phone.¡± She took out her phone, which had lost all signal, and showed them the album she had always refused to touch. The album consisted of photos she secretly took of Ethan in the past. In the photos, he was either working, sleeping, or drinking coffee. There were also a few photos where he was sleeping, and she had taken a selfie with him with a funny face. All the photos proved one thing¨Cshe was messing around while he worked. The two shared a happy past. There was also a set of photos she had taken after she got pregnant. But Ethan hadpletely vanished by then. Only she remained in the photos with her huge belly and a faint smile on her lips. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°There isn¡¯t a single lie in my story, but there is something I lied to you about. Even though I hate Ethan and Marina, their child is innocent. ¡°When I saw you guys taking the child awayst night, I went after you without another thought.¡± Taking a deep breath, Olivia said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to harm the child; I want to save him. I never thought that I would faint from theck of energy.¡± Just as expected, her words won Jack¡¯s trust. He gave her a deep look before releasing her. ¡°You¡¯re quite kind.¡± ¡°I originally wanted to dump that kid in the ocean, but I gave up in the end. I couldn¡¯t harm an innocent child. ¡°Since your target is money instead of the kid, I think we can work together.¡± Olivia stared at the man with a clear look in her eyes. ¡°I hate Ethan, and I know him better than anyone else. ¡°I can help you get the money and retreat in one piece. In exchange, give me the child. I want to make sure that he¡¯s safe.¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 ¡°Deal.¡± At first, Olivia felt that Jack was too quick to agree. But when she opened the door to look for Connor, she was stunned by the view before her. The scenery was beautiful. She could see the azure sky, the pretty blue ocean, and the green mountains. They were on an ind surrounded by the sea. It felt like they had been abandoned by the rest of the world. This was why he didn¡¯t have to threaten her at all. There wasn¡¯t any signal here, and no one would hear her even if she shouted. As long as they didn¡¯t have the intention to harm Connor, Olivia would never dream of risking anything. As soon as Olivia opened the wooden door, she saw Connor on the ground, trying to chase a kitten. The clothes on his back were covered in dirt, but he looked extra happy as he giggled. He kept mumbling the word ¡°kitty.¡± ¡°This kid doesn¡¯t behave like a rich baby at all. He¡¯s a good kid. I like him.¡± While Jack was speaking, Olivia was already running toward Connor. Connor also stretched out his arms as he shouted happily, ¡°Mama!¡± Tom was confused. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not your son?¡± Olivia said a little sadly, ¡°He¡¯s just a baby. He¡¯ll call anyone his mommy.¡± ¡°That may not be the case. Tom¡¯s mother was worried that he would get hungry, so she fed him some milk. He didn¡¯t even spare her a nce.¡± Olivia remembered that the child had called her Mama when they first met. She recalled that Connor was only born after her child died. Could it be that her child had reincarnated into Connor? Was that why they were extra close? Holding the child tighter, Olivia kissed him on the cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss. We didn¡¯t bully him. I wanted to save the cake I stole, so I didn¡¯t eat it, but I gave him a piece anyway.¡± Olivia had gathered enough information on their living condition. The ind didn¡¯t even have basic amenities. There were no wires, no inte, and no signals. They only had a sr panel they bought from the outside world, and electric lighting was rare at night. Fortunately, the ind was rich in resources, and there was also a freshwater source. The few inders¡® lives depended wholly on nature. They didn¡¯t even steal the jade pendant hanging on Connor¡¯s neck. In reality, these people were truly good¨Cnatured. While Olivia pondered, Connor¡¯s face suddenly turned red. Olivia had never taken care of a child before, so she asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Connor seemed to be exerting his strength. In the next moment, Olivia felt warmth on her palm, and a nasty smell invaded her nostrils. ¡°Oof, the kid pooped.¡± Tom pinched his nose, distorting his mask in the process. Martha Jenkins, Tom¡¯s mother, appeared. ¡°Pass him to me, Miss. I¡¯ll clean him up.¡± Olivia subconsciously refused to give the child away. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Martha poured the boiled water into the basin. It was Olivia¡¯s first time cleaning up a child, so her movements were clumsy. Connor wasn¡¯t irritated, though. He sprawled on her legs and grinned happily. When Olivia was done, Martha took a piece of cloth cut from a shirt. She dried Connor, then ced a diaper under him. Martha was in her 50s, and her head was covered in silver hair. The skin on her fingers was rough. There was a gentle yet embarrassed smile on her wrinkled face as she said, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, Miss. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We don¡¯t have those things in the city, so we can only use a homemade diaper.¡± Tom had already taken off his mask, revealing a handsome face underneath. He said earnestly, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t want the baby¡¯s skin to get irritated, so she made the diaper from her thermal clothing. ¡°She only had one set, and it was her birthday gift from Jack too.¡± Olivia looked at the diaper which had yellowed from the washing. She had aplicated feeling in her heart. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Olivia tried her best to put on a smile. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Connor looked like a different person now. He had changed out of branded clothes and into the clothes that belonged to Martha¡¯s children. Olivia wondered how many children had worn the same clothes. There were even patches sewn on older patches. The clothes were thicker, firmer, and also warmer. Connor didn¡¯t seem to mind, though. He followed behind Olivia like a little puppy. Sometimes, he would curiously try to chase after cats or pull at the grass by the roadside. Everything here was new to him. Olivia had followed him onto the boat with the resolve that she might lose her life. Hence, she quickly got used to the ind. It wasn¡¯t as advanced as the city, but it was much cleaner. As Olivia held Connor in her arms, enjoying the breeze, she suddenly had the urge to just live here. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. But she knew very well that it would be a matter of time before they were found, even if the ind wasn¡¯t marked on the map. One day, Ethan¡¯s influence would reach this ind. Only dozens of families lived on this ind, and everyone led a simple life. That was what Tom told Olivia. They had kidnapped Connor for ransom. But that was because they wanted to improve the living conditions on the ind. The children here never went to school, and they spent their whole lives fishing at sea. When they got sick, they could only surrender to fate. A few vigers died of pain because they didn¡¯t have money for treatment at the hospital. Olivia felt that it was ironic. Marina could easily spend a million dors on Connor¡¯s first birthday celebration. But the children here were drooling at the sight of cakes stolen from the kitchen. They divided the cake among themselves into small portions. After they ate the cake, they even licked their lips in fond remembrance. What was good, and what was evil? What was right, and what was wrong? As night fell, Olivia caught the delicious scent of cooking. An excited look appeared in Tom¡¯s eyes. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re in luck. Mom baked some bread tonight just to wee you! It¡¯s a feast for us too!¡± Olivia was speechless. The excited look in the child¡¯s eyes broke her heart. She could have bread for every meal if she liked, but on this ind, it was a rare treat. From a young age, she was used to being pampered in the Fordham family. Yes, she knew that poor people existed, but it waspletely different now that she was experiencing it herself. Olivia walked up to the door with Connor in her arms. She saw Jerry sketching on the ground with a burnt piece of charcoal. She was surprised to see Jerry drawing so well. ¡°Did you learn to draw?¡± Tom had a proud look on his face. ¡°We don¡¯t even have teachers here, and Jack was the one who taught us how to write. ¡°Of course, we never took any lessons. Jerry learned how to draw by himself! Not bad, right?¡± ¡°More than that. It¡¯s amazing,¡± Olivia praised sincerely. ¡°Jack bought a sketchbook and a pencil for him, but he couldn¡¯t bear to touch them. ¡°He said that they¡¯re too nice. Drawing on the ground doesn¡¯t cost a penny. If Jerry had grown up in the city, he¡¯d be a famous artist by now!¡± When Tom said that, an extremely proud look appeared on his face. Olivia¡¯s heart grew even heavier. At the dining table, dinner was served. There were potatoes and some unknown vegetables. The main attraction was some fried pieces of meat with bell peppers. Olivia finally realized why they were carrying sacks of stuff when she went after them. Those were all ingredients stolen from the kitchen. To them, those ingredients were hard toe by. Tom and Jerry stared intently at the meat, but neither of them tried to take any. Jack ced thergest piece of meat on Olivia¡¯s te, then gave Martha some as well. The rest was divided equally between the two brothers. Jack poured all the bell peppers onto his te. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°Go ahead. Dig in.¡± Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Looking at therge piece of meat on her te, Olivia didn¡¯t know what to say. Tom and Jerry were still growing up. They praised Martha¡¯s cooking as they enjoyed the meal. Seeing that Olivia wasn¡¯t eating, Jack exined, ¡°We only have limited food on the ind. Just put up with it.¡± Tom bit his lip. He didn¡¯t want to, but still, he picked up the meat from his te. Then, he ced it on Olivia¡¯s te. ¡°Ms. Olivia, you¡¯re too pale. Please eat more.¡± Seeing the meat piling on her te, Olivia felt her heart breaking even more. When one wascking love, even a tiny bit of kindness could light up their whole world. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not hungry yet. You guys should continue.¡± Olivia left with Connor in her arms. The ind in winter looked even lonelier under the moonlight. Not long after, someone sat down next to her. It was none other than the quiet Jack. ¡°You won¡¯t find any food if you get hungryter.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± The man produced a small piece of mousse cake from his pocket. It was a little smushed after the ordeal. ¡°If you¡¯re not used to food in the mountains, this should suit your tastes.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t decline it. The sweet and sour taste of strawberries spread in her mouth. ¡°Are you guys always so nice to hostages?¡± she asked in a low voice. ¡°Not hostages. Guests.¡± Jack ced his palms on the ground, looking at the moon as he mumbled, ¡°I know you look down on us. ¡°To rich youngdies like you, we may be dirty and lowly ants. But even so, we¡¯re trying to survive with all our might.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t look down on you, Jack. Let¡¯s talk moreter.¡± The man looked at her. ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia picked up the yawning child, then stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll put him to bed first.¡± As soon as Olivia entered the house, Tom came in with some hot water. ¡°Ms. Olivia, Mom said that city people like you are very particr about cleanliness. ¡°So, she heated some water for you.¡± Olivia smiled gently. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need for thanks. We don¡¯t have good food here, but we do have pipes.¡± Tom secretly took out a piece of chocte from his pocket. ¡°I stole it back then. It¡¯s super yummy. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat dinner, so you must be hungry. Come, eat it. Don¡¯t tell Jerry about it, though.¡± Hearing the sound of footsteps, Tom hastily stuffed the chocte into Olivia¡¯s pocket. The footsteps belonged to Jerry, who had brought some thick nkets. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night, so Mom asked me to add another nket to your bed. I¡¯lly it out for you.¡± Noticing Olivia¡¯s silence, Jerry hastily exined, ¡°It¡¯s made from cotton we picked in the wild. Mom sewed it herself. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°It¡¯s already washed clean, and it¡¯s very warm. It¡¯s not dirty at all.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯m just very grateful.¡± Olivia patiently put Connor to sleep. Connor was separated from his parents, but he was surprisingly well¨Cbehaved around her. He never cried or made a fuss so far. Soon, he fell asleep. Olivia carried a small shlight with her as she walked out of the room. Jack was still waiting at the same spot. He wasn¡¯t wearing much, but he didn¡¯t seem cold. Olivia turned off the shlight, then sat down next to him. She wrapped the puffer jacket tightly around her. ¡°After spending a day here, I think I quite like your ind. It¡¯s small, but everyone here leads a simple life. You¡¯re not bad. people at all.¡± Half of Jack¡¯s face was hidden under the mask. A self¨Cmocking smile appeared on his face. ¡°Are we not bad people? We kidnapped a child and even asked for ransom.¡± Olivia¡¯s gaze was firm. ¡°I changed my mind.¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Jack looked at Olivia in confusion. Olivia didn¡¯t look back at him. Staring into the distance, she continued, ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t mean it at first when I said I wanted to help you guys. ¡°As soon as you get involved with that person, you can never get away in one piece. ¡°The moment you get the ransom, you¡¯ll fall into his trap. When that happens, not just you three, but everyone on the ind. will be in trouble.¡± When Jack heard that, he subconsciously touched the w de he hid at the side. Ignoring it, Olivia continued, ¡°But that was until I saw the truth. You guys live in poverty, but your hearts have remained cheerful. ¡°The old people in this vige don¡¯t even have enough money to treat their sicknesses. A lot of them died because of that. ¡°Jerry wants to learn to draw, but he can¡¯t even bring himself to use a precious pencil. Martha cut her softest clothes into a diaper for a child she doesn¡¯t know. ¡°I think I can understand you a little. You¡¯re probably not from around here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Jack¡¯s reply was simple and clear. Olivia said, ¡°You want to do your best to help them, and I share the same feeling now. This is a beautiful ce, and it shouldn¡¯t be tainted by the ugly ways of the world. ¡°They should keep their cheerfulness.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Jack was patient. He never mentioned how he would threaten Ethan so far. Instead, he treated Olivia like a guest. It was his kindness that changed Olivia¡¯s mind. She didn¡¯t want to teach them a lesson anymore. ¡°You want money, so it doesn¡¯t matter who ites from. You don¡¯t have to get it from Ethan.¡± Olivia stared into his eyes as she said, ¡°I have money. Even though it isn¡¯t much, it should be enough to help you guys.¡± ¡°How much do you have?¡± ¡°500 million dors.¡± Jack was confused. How was that not much? Under Jack¡¯s searching gaze, Olivia chuckled. ¡°I know. You must be wondering why someone would be so stupid that they would give strangers money. ¡°I only told you half of that story just now. Do you want to listen to the second half?¡± ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll listen.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was gentle. Her words were carried by the ocean breeze as she recounted the events. When Jack finished listening, he said right away, ¡°I¡¯ll kill him for you!¡± Olivia chuckled. ¡°Killing him won¡¯t extend my life. I¡¯ll be gone soon. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve donated 500 million to a charity organization. Now, I¡¯ve finally found a ce for the remaining 500 million. ¡°It¡¯s still his money in the end, though. Let me pay the ransom in his ce.¡± Jack was silent for a long while. Olivia continued, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with him; he¡¯s crazy. ¡°Crazy people aren¡¯t scary in this world, but the same can¡¯t be said for people who are crazy, rich, and powerful. ¡°You think of this ce as a haven, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before he finds this ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you hate him?¡± Jack asked. ¡°I¡¯ve loved him, and I¡¯ve also hated him. In my most extreme moments, I even wanted to exact revenge on him by killing his son. ¡°After staying here for a day, I¡¯ve calmed down a lot.¡± Olivia reached out and felt the ocean breeze through her fingers. ¡°I think I¡¯ve finally found a ce to belong. ¡°Jack, may I use 500 million to buy a final resting ce for me here?¡± She would wait until she had figured everything out and carried out her revenge. She wouldpletely cut ties with that person. Then, she would be buried on this ind. It was a nice thought. Jack was very familiar with cancer. He saw elderly people on the ind die because of it. They died in great pain. He never thought that the weak woman in front of him had the same illness. No wonder she fainted after leaping onto the speedboat. She wasn¡¯t sacrificing herself; she was simply too weak. ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Jack agreed to the death contract. ¡°Let Connor stay with me for another week, then we¡¯ll send him back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Reaching out, Jack suddenly helped her up. ¡°Come with me.¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Olivia didn¡¯t know what Jack was trying to do. She watched as he picked up the shlight, which shone weakly. The dim light swayed along with Jack¡¯s steps, but it managed to light up the space in front of her. Jack led Olivia to the kitchen. Putting on an apron, he swiftly prepared the ingredients. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He soaked the leftover bread in an egg mixture, then ced it on the pan while adding some bacon and peas. instant. Olivia watched the man¡¯s tall figure under the dim shlight. He whipped up the dish in The leaping mes licked at the bottom of the pan. The fire reflected off Jack¡¯s metal mask, reminding Olivia of Ethan from the past. No matter howte it was, Ethan would get up and cook something for her when she got hungry. Soon, some delicious eggy bread was served. Jack even ted it nicely for her. ¡°Eat. No matter how much time you have left, I hope that it¡¯ll be even longer than expected.¡± Holding back tears, Olivia lowered her head and ate the eggy bread. The kindness shown by a stranger enveloped her, helping her forget the pain of betrayal for a moment. Jack¡¯s bony hand rested on Olivia¡¯s head, caressing it. ¡°Even if you only have one day left to live, you should live it to the fullest.¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± The days that followed were simple yet joyful. epting the mission from Jack, Olivia gathered the children on the ind. She began teaching them to read. Connor yed with a kitten while he waited. When Olivia¡¯s ss was over, he followed behind her. Stretching out his arms, he said, ¡°Mama, uppy.¡± At first, Olivia kept correcting him so that he wouldn¡¯t call her Mama. But as time went on, she got used to it as well. ¡°Let me have a look at you, Connor. You fell again, didn¡¯t you? Look how dirty your face is!¡± Olivia wiped his face gently. Giggling, Connor held her face between his hands and nted a kiss on it. ¡°Ms. Olivia, how do nes fly?¡± ¡°Ms. Olivia, can humans really dive to the bottom of the ocean? Won¡¯t they run out of air?¡± ¡°Ms. Olivia¡­¡± The children on the ind were very nice to her. Olivia already had a n in mind. The people had been living on this ind for years. So, they were probably unregistered residents. First of all, she would submit the documents needed to buy this ind. This was to prevent others from developing it. Careless development might affect the original lives of the people here, after all. Next, she would help everyone on the ind get their identity documents. The third step would be to develop the ind, which would provide security for the residents. They should at least catch up with modern times. Hence, they should have running water, electricity, and ess to the inte. The children should be sent to school as well. After finding a reason to live, Olivia felt that it wasn¡¯t so difficult to stay alive anymore. The new year was just around the corner. Jack left the ind for some special purchases. Tom and Jerry waited eagerly at the shore. When they saw Jack returning with a boatful of things, they leaped in joy. They moved all the things into the house. Other than some supplies, Jack surprisingly got hold of some fruits and snacks. He even bought diapers and baby form. Olivia was surprised. ¡°Why did you buy these?¡± ¡°So that you won¡¯t have to change his diapers in the middle of the night.¡± Jack passed her a bag. ¡°These are for you.¡± ncing at them, Olivia felt her face redden. Inside the bag were some changes of underwear, a set of skincare products, and some hand lotion. Jack might be a man of few words, but he was very considerate. Before he left, he even asked her the types of medicine she usually took ¡°Are these the ones?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Jack turned around awkwardly. ¡°No need for thanks. I¡¯m just paying some interest beforehand.¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Jack also bought a new set of clothes for Connor. Overjoyed, the children kept shouting, ¡°It¡¯s the new year! It¡¯s the new year!¡± Olivia never thought that she would be counting down to the new year on a special ind. She didn¡¯t expect to spend the asion with a group of strangers either. She even had Connor in her arms. After the celebratory dinner, the children gathered for fireworks at sunset. They even stuffed a sparkler or two in Connor¡¯s hands. Olivia took many photos of Connor today. Her phone ran out of battery a long time ago. Fortunately, Jack bought a charger for her. After connecting the charger to the sr panels, Olivia managed to charge her phone. As soon as Olivia snapped a photo, a smile appeared on her face. At that moment, she forgot about the suffering she endured when Ethan locked her up. She just wanted to be wild and free for once. ¡°Ms. Olivia,e and set off the fireworks with us.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Whistling, the fireworks shot into the sky and exploded. The children¡¯s happy faces could be seen underneath the brilliant lights. The atmosphere in the study of the Miller residence was another story. Ethan flung the ashtray onto the floor, which gave a loud crash. He couldn¡¯t get any information from his intelligencework! They couldn¡¯t figure out the identities of the kidnappers. They couldn¡¯t track where those kidnappers went either. He thought that the kidnappers would ask for ransom soon, but five days had already passed. It had been an entire five days, but there was nothing from the kidnappers. He couldn¡¯t figure out why they risked so much to snatch his child but never asked anything from him. The child wasn¡¯t the only one missing. Olivia, who went after Connor, had disappeared as well. Ethan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He had only napped for a few hours in the past few days. But it was extremely difficult to look for people without any clues. What if those people were his enemies and had killed Connor? He should¡¯ve received news of Connor¡¯s death at least. If they were kidnappers, why hadn¡¯t they asked for ransom even after so many days? It was New Year¡¯s Eve, and other people were gathering and having the time of their lives. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. In contrast, Ethan walked to the balcony alone, allowing the nket of snow to cover his body. ¡°You should rest, Mr. Miller.¡± Brent draped a coat over Ethan. Ethan gazed at the snowkes dancing under the streetlights. A lonely look shed across his lean face. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Brent, what should I do if they¡¯re dead?¡± What should he do? Right now, any words offort would turn into a dagger that pierced his wounds. Brent could only repeat, ¡°Mrs. Miller and Master Connor should be fine.¡± Ethan lit a cigarette. As the smoke mingled with the wind and snow, he said in a low voice, ¡°I thought that I¡¯d be happy if she died. ¡°When I saw her leaping into the speedboat, I realized that I was wrong. I was terrified that she might leave me.¡± Before Brent could respond, Ethan answered his own question, ¡°She once asked me if I¡¯d be happy if she died. ¡°I never got the chance to tell her that I didn¡¯t want her to die. I want her to live a happy life!¡± At that moment, Ethan was already losing his mind. He gripped Brent¡¯s hands tightly, saying, ¡°I never got to tell her the truth about her child. ¡°Brent, do you think that she realized it already? Was that why she risked everything to save Connor?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re exhausted. You need proper rest.¡± Brent was exasperated. ¡°I know that you¡¯re worried about Master Connor and Mrs. Miller. But if you copse, who¡¯ll save them when the kidnappers appear? Chapter 146 Chapter 146 At first, Ethan also thought that it was most probably some bold kidnappers. As days passed, he got less confident about his guess. He feared that it might be his enemies. He was worried that a box containing their bodies or body parts would show up on his doorstep one day. The current situation was like casting a stone into water. There was no reaction, and no one knew what was happening in the water. Ethan¡¯s patience and wits, which he took pride in, began to crumble as time passed. He didn¡¯t dare fall asleep. Once he did, the bloody scenes he experienced before would have Olivia and Connor in them. On the seventh day, Ethan finally copsed. He hadn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything in days, and he didn¡¯t even sleep. He watched the surveince footage time and again, so much so that his eyes were bloodshot. The men he sent out never brought back any useful info either. On the second day of the new year, Brent found Ethan lying unconscious in the bathroom. He hastily called over the family doctor. No one expected that Olivia and Connor would quietly return to Aldenvine at that moment. Connor simply thought that Olivia was taking him to a new ce to sightsee. He had no idea that after this trip, they would be separated for life. Aldenvine had heavy snowfall for the past two days. The tree branches were heavy with snow. Olivia made a snow rabbit on the bench, and Connor loved it. This child was extremely adorable. Olivia loved him to bits. She patted Connor¡¯s head in longing. ¡°Connor, it¡¯s time I say goodbye to you. Go home to your mother. I hope you grow up well.¡± Connor sensed that something was wrong. Olivia stuffed the string of a hydrogen balloon in his hand, and the child¡¯s attention was instantly on the balloon. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. It was right then that she abandoned the child in a sh. Connor sensed that she was leaving. Tossing the balloon away, he ran toward her while shouting, ¡°Mama, Mama ¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t taken more than two steps before he fell into the snow. Even so, he didn¡¯t give up. He didn¡¯t care about the cold snowy ground as he ran toward Olivia with all his might. He didn¡¯t know what he did wrong that his mother would suddenly abandon him. ¡°Mommy!¡± He could only watch as Olivia picked up her pace. Then, she disappeared from his sight. Madam Burgess heard the cries. She wondered why a child was crying out in the snow. Following the direction of the sound, she looked at Connor with a shocked expression. ¡°Master Connor!¡± She dared not believe it. Ethan couldn¡¯t find him even after scouring every inch of the city, yet she found him on her way to get groceries. ¡°Oh my goodness, Master Connor! If you hade back anyter, your dad would¡¯ve died of anxiety!¡± Madam Burgess picked Connor up while she informed Brent that the child had been found. Olivia left only after seeing that scene. Ethan had a high fever, and he kept calling Olivia¡¯s name, ¡°Liv, Liv.¡± Madam Burgess joyously brought the child back. Tears remained in the child¡¯s eyes. ¡°Good boy, don¡¯t cry. Go and see your dad.¡± Madam Burgess wiped the child¡¯s tears away, her heart breaking. As if sensing something, Ethan slowly opened his eyes. When he saw Connor, he thought he was dreaming. ¡°Daddy.¡± Connor could already call out to him in a clear voice. Ethan hastily pulled the child into his embrace. The joy of recovering a lost child filled his heart. He quickly looked at Madam Burgess. ¡°What happened?¡± pping her thigh, Madam Burgess immediately started describing. ¡°Mr. Miller, I had a dreamst night. ¡°I dreamed that I picked up an egg, and guess what was in the egg? Why, it was Master Connor! I knew then that he would be found soon. In the end¡­¡± Ethan frowned. ¡°That¡¯s way too far back. Get to the point.¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Madam Burgess hastily gave Ethan a quick rundown of how she found Connor. Ethan frowned even deeper. ¡°You didn¡¯t se anyone other than him?¡± ¡°No. When I found Master Connor, he was crying. He was also holding a hydrogen balloon in his hand. Oh, right, he also kep calling Mama.¡± ¡°Mama?¡± Ethan thought. Connor had never been willing to call Marina Mama, so the person he was calling for couldn¡¯t have been her. It could only b Olivia. Brent, who had already brought men to investigate the scene, reported to Ethan right away. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve checked the surveince. ¡°Ms. Fordham was the one who sent Master Connor back. She purposefully left Master Connor on Madam Burgess¡® way home from grocery shopping. ¡°That way, Madam Burgess would notice him.¡± ¡°Was there anyone else besides her?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°No.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Keep investigating.¡± Ethan was even more confused now. Could it be just like Marina said, that Olivia had hired people to kidnap Connor? If she wanted to threaten him, why would she send the child back without even a request? Ethan quickly denied that possibility. The child was still wearing the emerald ne she gave him. She could¡¯ve harmed Connor that night. She didn¡¯t have to get people to kidnap Connor at all. It wasn¡¯t her. So why didn¡¯t Connor¡¯s kidnappers harm her or the child? No matter how long he thought about it, Ethan couldn¡¯t make sense of it. He decided to call Olivia up to ask about it. When he dialed her number, he found that Olivia¡¯s phone was turned off. Ethan sat up despite his illness. What did Olivia mean by this? He got someone to track Olivia¡¯s location, but he soon found that she never returned to the apartment. She didn¡¯t even contact Everly. Instead, he found that she had just withdrawn a sum of money. Was she threatened by someone? Did she strike a deal with them in private? But the cash only totaled up to 700 thousand dors. No kidnapper would ask for merely several hundred thousand dors. They had kidnapped the richest man¡¯s son, after all. Ethan believed that instead of paying the ransom, Olivia was more likely escaping. After all, online payments would easily expose her location. But with cash, no one would find her. She must be nning something. The damned woman was trying to run away again. He should¡¯ve bound her with iron chains! Ethan ordered, ¡°Seal all the exits. Don¡¯t let her leave!¡± He stuffed the child into Madam Burgess¡® arms. ¡°Take good care of him.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re sick. Where are you going?¡± Grabbing his coat, Ethan rushed to the door. He coughed as he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to get that stupid woman back!¡± Ethan¡¯s face was pale. He held his fist to his mouth time and again as he coughed lightly. He watched as people walked by outside. He had watched the surveince footage at the bank where Olivia withdrew money. She didn¡¯t seem to be threatened. She even went to the mall leisurely. No kidnapper would allow their targets to have so much free time that they would go shopping at a mall. Also, just like Connor, Olivia seemed to have gotten a little plumper. Her mental state seemed to be stable too. She wasn¡¯t sickly like she used to be. Ethan had a feeling that she had been living well in the past few days. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve already asked someone to check. Mrs. Miller never bought any tickets for any transport. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too nervous? Perhaps she just wants to go shopping.¡± Ethan asked, ¡°Would you withdraw several hundred thousand dors in cash when you go shopping?¡± Lighting a cigarette, Ethan ced his arm on the window. The white smoke hid his sullen face.. ¡°She ced Connor on the path Madam Burgess takes after grocery shopping. Now, she¡¯s using cash to buy things. There¡¯s only one exnation¨Cshe¡¯s hiding from me.¡± Brent reported, ¡°We¡¯ve already sent men to search the mall. We¡¯ll find her right away. When that happens, you can ask her any questions you have, Mr. Miller.¡± The cigarette was about to finish. It was burning only a mere inch away from his fingers, which was a dangerous distance. Ethan¡¯s gaze turned dark. When he thought about Olivia running away again, fury filled his heart. ¡°You can run, but you can¡¯t hide,¡± he thought.. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Meanwhile, Olivia was leaving via the underground passage. She noticed that all the exits of the mall were sealed. Just as expected, Ethan had no intentions of letting her go. Ethan must have thought that she was shopping at the mall, so he immediately sent his men to seal the mall. He wanted to block her off. But he didn¡¯t know that she had already changed her clothes and left through the safety corridor. She went to the ce where she promised to meet Jack. She went to the market nearest to the harbor to buy the things she wanted. Ethan searched for a long while, but he found no trace of Olivia. Holding in his anger, Ethan checked every surveince camera they missed. Finally, he found Olivia at a junction. Even though it was taken from the back, Ethan could recognize her right away. He also saw a man walking very close to her. Ethan punched the screen so hard that it shattered. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The sound of the screen shattering startled everyone. Looking at Ethan¡¯s bleeding hand, Brent said, ¡°Mr. Miller, your hand.¡± ¡°Head to the harbor.¡± Connecting the dots, Ethan guessed that they had been hiding at some ind for the past few days. He didn¡¯t know what deal Olivia made with the man. The man didn¡¯t harm her or the child at all. The indscked resources. So, the several hundred thousand she withdrew was to buy more resources. Her transport wasn¡¯t nes or trains; it was a sea vehicle. It was enough to hide her tracks. Seeing Ethan¡¯s murderous gaze, Brent exined. ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s true that Ms. Fordham rescued Master Connor. Maybe she just had some unspoken troubles.¡± ¡°If she was threatened even a little, she would¡¯ve sent a signal for help.¡± Ethan had considered that possibility before. But she had been acting freely all along. It was too easy to ask for help, but she didn¡¯t. So it was clear that she had done this of her will! She had already wanted to leave him ages ago. Now, she even got herself a new man! Ethan was already feverish, and his eyes were red from the heat. His burning body couldn¡¯t even hide the cold air around him. ¡°Putting this aside, Mr. Miller, I think you should get treatment. You¡¯re almost 102 degrees.¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes burned with rage, but his voice was cold. ¡°Floor the pedal.¡± Olivia moved the stuff she bought onto the speedboat. She knew that Ethan would still be searching the mall right now, but her heart felt uneasy for some reason. Seeing her pale face, Jack couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is it your gastric again?¡± ¡°No, I just feel a little uneasy. Let¡¯s not dawdle and just go. When she moved thest painting set onto the speedboat, she heard tires screeching to a halt. She saw a Bentley pulling up at the harbor. Olivia felt like passing out as her heartbeat quickened. She urged, ¡°Go, just go! He¡¯s here!¡± Jack had already started the speedboat. Ethan¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Olivia,e here.¡± Olivia gazed at Ethan with the sea separating them. ¡°Ethan, just let me go. I¡¯ve already sent Connor back to you. You¡¯re going Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Olivia couldn¡¯t make out Ethan¡¯s expressions anymore, but she felt that he was smiling. When Ethan had finished speaking, he looked at Brent. ¡°Is the speedboat not ready yet?¡± He wouldn¡¯t let Olivia leave just like that. But had just finished talking when his sight turned ck. He copsed out of the blue. It was entirely within expectations. After all, Ethan hadn¡¯t slept or eaten properly for so many days. He had a fever as well. Brent watched the speedboat getting farther away. He sighed helplessly. ¡°Run away, Mrs. Miller,¡± he thought. Ethan¡¯s words still lingered in Olivia¡¯s mind. The speedboat had traveled a long way, but she couldn¡¯t feel any warmth in her body. She sat where she was, curled up into a ball. Her soul seemed to have been sucked out. Crouching in front of her, Jack gave her some tea. It was only then that she felt warmth. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, I can send you back. Olivia took a sip. The sweetness chased away some of the darkness in her heart. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Olivia gripped the mug tightly. She looked pitiful as if she were an abandoned puppy. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°He¡¯ll lock me up and stop me from leaving that room.¡± Jack frowned. He couldn¡¯t understand it. ¡°Since he already has a new lover, why would he be so possessive of you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possessiveness but hatred. He thinks that my dad killed his sister. But he¡¯s also why my dad turned out like that.¡± Olivia was so saddened that she couldn¡¯t catch her breath. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have tried to do anything with his son. ¡°In the end, I couldn¡¯t hurt him at all. I even put myself at risk. I¡¯m so useless.¡± She wanted to make Ethan sad forever, but she didn¡¯t expect to risk her life for Connor¡¯s sake. In just a few days, Connor was so well¨Cfed that he gained two pounds. ¡°I¡¯m a failure who can¡¯t do anything right. I should¡¯ve died with him. At least it¡¯s better than this. Even after I leave him, I¡¯ll still be haunted by nightmares of him.¡± Reaching out, Jack caressed her head. There was pity in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a kind woman. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. The world is at fault for treating you like this.¡± Jack was a cold man, but at that moment, his voice was extremely warm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our ind isn¡¯t that easy to find. After all, there are hundreds of inds in the archipgo. ¡°Even if he finds us, we¡¯re united. If we hide you well, he won¡¯t be able to find you no matter what he does. He¡¯ll forget about it as time passes.¡± Olivia doubted it. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Ethan¡¯s furious eyes. ¡°Ah!¡± Once again, Olivia woke up in the middle of the night. She had left Ethan for two days, but she had nightmares every night. She would dream that she was running endlessly, but she couldn¡¯t escape Ethan¡¯s cage. He followed her like a shadow. Then, he turned into a poisonous snake that wrapped around her. Olivia looked around at the dark room. The sound of the waves crashing against the reefs rang in her ears. She had already returned to the peaceful ind, so why was she unable to suppress her fear of Ethan? Everly had gone home for the holidays, so Ethan had nothing to threaten her with. Still, she just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She had wanted to stay on the ind for two reasons. Firstly, she would cut off Ethan¡¯s longing for her. Secondly, she would ruin the mastermind¡¯s ns. In Aldenvine, that person could see her every move. Now, Ethan didn¡¯t even know that she was hiding on this ind. She would wait until that person had let down their guard. Then, she would sneak back to Aldenvine to find out the truth. She would give that person a surprise. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Olivia would feel much better staying on the ind. She didn¡¯t want to leave for the time being, no matter what reason it was. She watched as the sky turned from dark to bright. As the sun rose, Olivia strolled around the ind. Everyone was nice to her. They enthusiastically invited her into their homes for breakfast. They also thanked her for delivering some supplies. Jerry went out even earlier than Olivia. He sat by the beach as he doodled with the art supplies she bought. His youthful and handsome face was filled with excitement. ¡°Ms. Olivia, how¡¯s this?¡± He had never formally learned to draw before, but he was talented beyond belief. His ck and white drawings in the past were amazing enough. So now that he could color them, they looked even better. Olivia nodded, feelingforted. ¡°You draw very well.¡± If such talent could be coupled with more knowledge, Jerry would be able to achieve big things in the future. ¡°You taught me well, Ms. Olivia. Will you keep staying on the ind?¡± Jerry¡¯s eyes gleamed when he looked at her. ¡°Yes,¡± Olivia replied uneasily. She didn¡¯t know how long she could stay here. She didn¡¯t know which woulde first, Ethan or death. ¡°Ms. Olivia, you don¡¯t look too good. You¡¯ve been upset for the past few days too. Are you worried about Connor?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°He can eat and sleep whenever he wants, and people serve him every day. There¡¯s nothing for me to worry about.¡± The next few days remained peaceful. No suspicious people arrived at the ind. Olivia¡¯s tense mind slowly rxed. The sea zone was huge here, and they were on an uncharted ind. Other than the locals, no one knew that this ind existed. Even if Ethan tried to use drones, the wind and snow were harsh at sea. It wouldn¡¯t be able to fly far under such horrible weather. At least Ethan wouldn¡¯t be able to find her anytime soon. The smile returned to Olivia¡¯s face. She had already made ns. After she endured the length of Ethan¡¯s patience, the mastermind would have run out of patience too. Olivia found her purpose here. Every day, she taught the children how to read. She also taught Jerry to draw. Sometimes, she would learn how to make shoes from Martha under the warm sun. Jack would go fishing with the vigers. Sometimes, they would return only after a few days. Every time they came back, their boats would be full. Under the rays of the setting sun, everyone relished the joy of harvest. But Olivia noticed something off about Jack¡¯s hand. ¡°Were you hurt?¡± Jack subconsciously hid his hand behind his back. He replied in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She forced his hand out. She found arge wound on his palm, and blood was streaming from it. As Olivia stared at Jack, he looked away in embarrassment. He exined, ¡°It¡¯s a small cut. I identally cut my hand when 1 was reeling in a huge fish.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a huge wound. How can it be a small cut?¡± Fortunately, she had bought a first aid kit when buying suppliesst time. ¡°Come with me.¡± Under the sunset, the two sat down by the door. Olivia patiently bandaged his wounds. The golden rays fell upon Jack¡¯s mask, giving him a warm glow. ¡°Be careful next time.¡± Olivia put the first aid kit away. She noticed that he was still staring at the bandaged wound. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is the bandage loose?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man raised his head. The sun tinted his ck eyes with a faint light. His voice also sounded a little gentler. ¡°You¡¯re the first person to have bandaged my wounds.¡± Olivia calmly looked away. She didn¡¯t know where Jack came from. The people on the ind didn¡¯t know about his past either. While she was lost in thought, Jack grabbed her hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a present as thanks.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Jack swiftly led her into the forest. There was a treehouse in the forest, which Jerry showed her two days ago. Jack swept the fallen leaves away. Then, he led her into the underground secret base. It waspletely dark underground, so Jack lit an oilmp. The warm glow brightened up the whole base. When Olivia saw the things stored there, she was shocked. ¡°Are these all yours?¡± she asked, pointing at the firearms and weapons hanging on the wall. The man responded in a low voice without exining too much. Grabbing a small handgun, he ced it in Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°The truth always sides with the strong. No matter what happens in the future, you need a weapon to protect yourself.¡± Touching the heavy gun, Olivia had a nervous look on her face. She gulped. ¡°You¡¯re giving this to me?¡± Under the mask, Jack¡¯s dark eyes gleamed earnestly. He said in a cold voice, ¡°If you can¡¯t escape, I hope that it¡¯ll be your final way out.¡± He pointed the gun at his chest. ¡°Remember this spot and pull the trigger. It only takes one shot.¡± He knew about her waking up from nightmares every night. He was quiet, but it didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t care. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to have nightmares, you just have to end it at its source.¡± Olivia nodded, frightened. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll teach you how to use it.¡± Even though Jack was injured, it didn¡¯t affect his movements at all. As he exined, he took the gun apart. ¡°Before using the gun, you have to understand it so that you won¡¯t identally hurt yourself.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t decline his kindness. She didn¡¯t know what troubles she would face in the future. She was physically too weak, so it was nice to have a way to protect herself. Soon, she learned how to take the gun apart and reassemble it. A surprised look shed across Jack¡¯s eyes. ¡°Well done. Let¡¯s try using it next.¡± He took Olivia to the shooting range. ¡°See that bullseye? Aim at it and shoot.¡± It was Olivia¡¯s first time holding a gun. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was excited or scared, but her arms wouldn¡¯t stop trembling. Then, she felt the man¡¯s warm chest leaning against her body. Jack put his arms around her from behind, as if embracing her. He ced his palm on her hand, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Find the target, then shoot. Like this¡­..¡± The piercing sound of the gun exploded in Olivia¡¯s ears, threatening to rip her eardrums. The sound was so shocking that her heart almost stopped when she heard it in person. She stood where she was, feeling numb. There was a dazed expression on her face as she shivered uncontrobly. ¡°Like this. Get it?¡± The man¡¯s warm breath reached her ears, pulling Olivia¡¯s thoughts back to reality. It was only then that Olivia realized something. Jack¡¯s posture looked like he was hugging her, and even his palms were ced firmly on the back of her hands. Olivia subconsciously tried to move away, but Jack moved faster than her. In a mere second, Jack had already stepped away and put some distance between them. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. His voice was uniquely low and hoarse. He said, ¡°Try it. Remember, don¡¯t panic, and don¡¯t tremble. You have to aim properly. ¡°If you have the resolve to use this gun on that person, there¡¯s nothing else to fear. Either you or him will die, so you have to be firm. Being nice won¡¯t help you.¡± Jack¡¯s words were sharp, but he was right. It was true that all her failures were caused by her softheartedness. She was too weak. She had allowed Marina, Ethan, or even random strangers to take advantage of her. When she thought of that, her gaze slowly grew determined. She lifted her arms again. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Be more determined. If you don¡¯t have the resolve, you¡¯ll still be the one getting hurt next time. Remember your past.¡± With a bang, Olivia fired the gun. Her arms turned numb. She wasn¡¯t used to the strong recoil yet. Even though she didn¡¯t hit the bullseye, she managed to hit the target. ¡°Well done. You have to believe in yourself.¡± Jack stood behind her again, adjusting her posture. Then, he said softly in her ear, ¡°Olivia, may you be your own sun in the future. ¡°You won¡¯t need to borrow light from anyone else. You were born with wings, so you should be soaring in the sky. Don¡¯t stay on the ground any further.¡± Olivia looked at the target in the distance. She pretended that it was her current self. She didn¡¯t know when it started, but her brilliant self had turned meek. She couldn¡¯t do anything but be controlled by others. Not just Ethan, but even Olivia herself hated what she looked like right now. Shooting forward, the bullet hit the bullseye. ¡°See? This is what you should be like.¡± Jack let go of her. ¡°There isn¡¯t much here, but we do have plenty of bullets.¡± Looking at Jack, Olivia had the urge to ask him about his identity. When she thought that everyone had their secrets, Olivia changed her mind. She said softly, ¡°Thanks.¡± For the next few days, she would be here every day. Jack didn¡¯t hide anything either. He taught her lots of ways and skills to fight. He even took her to hunt wild rabbits and chickens in the mountains. Olivia was a smart person. She was quick to pick up new skills, even shooting. In just a few days, she could already hunt on her own. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to hurt the rabbits at first, but now, she could skin them skillfully. She also cleaned fish and roasted them over an open fire. This was a life she had never experienced before. Jack seemed very experienced in survival skills. So, both his face and past were intriguing. Days like this caused her to forget her anxiety and the fear she had of Ethan. Every day, she would roam the mountains with Jack. She felt that her body had gotten much stronger. It was different from when it used to suffer from the side effects of chemotherapy. Back then, she would start gasping for breath after picking up pace a little. There wasn¡¯t any inte connection here, so it felt like she was closed off from the rest of the world. Olivia felt very fulfilled here. She would even follow Jack out to sea sometimes and sail on the raging ocean. She thoroughly enjoyed every single day here. When she was on the endless ocean, she would often see pods of dolphins. She also saw whaleszilying up for air and sea turtles with seaweed hanging on their bodies. Jack told her that in spring, everything on the ind woulde back to life. All the flowers would be in full bloom. When that happened, not only would they get lots of fish, but the ind would be extremely pretty as well. Olivia suddenly looked forward to it. She wanted to see the beautiful ocean and the lively ind in spring. ¡°What are you zoning out for?¡± Jack stuffed a cleaned apple into her hand. Olivia returned to her senses. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m looking at that cherry tree. It should bloom in a few days. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly looking forward to the flowers blooming in spring here. I¡¯m imagining the beautiful sights.¡± Jack¡¯s gaze passed over her face. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s truly beautiful. I¡¯ll go check if there¡¯s fish in the cages we set up a few days ago.¡± Olivia almost forgot about them. A few days ago, she weaved her first cage. She wondered if something interesting was trapped in it. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Taking a bite of the apple, she followed behind Jack. She had gotten to know the ind very well in the past few days. She followed Jack to the spot where they set up the cages before. One of the cages was located in a deeper part of the sea. Without another thought, Jack took off his clothes and jumped into the sea. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Olivia was amazed at his health. She would start coughing if she was exposed to the wind for too long. Even though spring was getting closer, it was still quite cold out there. While she was thinking, she heard the maning out of the water with a ssh. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 A naked and strong body came into view. Jack¡¯s skin was a little darker than Ethan¡¯s, and it was genuinely tanned. His shoulders were broad, and his waist was slim. The muscles on his chest were well¨Cdefined. Like Ethan, there were some scars on his body as well. The water droplets rolled down his well¨Cdefined abs. The man was full of masculine charm. He held a cage in his arms. Behind him, the sun shone on the sea below, creating glowing ripples of light. Even though she couldn¡¯t see his face, she could sense the joying from his thin face. ¡°It¡¯s a huge harvest.¡± Jack stepped onto shore with his bare feet. The seawater streamed down the legs of hisbat pants. With his movements, his muscles were disyed clearly. Olivia couldn¡¯t help but look away. ¡°I¡¯ll light a fire to roast the fish with.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll gut the fish. We¡¯re in luck. We caught some crabs too.¡± Olivia gathered some sticks and dried wood. She hastily brought the firewood back, but her stomach flipped. ¡°What happened?¡± The man, who was gutting the fish, dashed over to her. Crouching on the ground, he looked anxiously at Olivia. Olivia didn¡¯t throw anything up. She caressed her stomach, her face pale. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just feel a little ufortable. It happens a lot.¡± ¡°Is it very painful?¡± A drop of water fell on her face. Looking up, Olivia met the man¡¯s eyes underneath his mask. Drops of water kept sliding off the ends of the man¡¯s hair. It was only then that she realized she was almostpletely in the arms of the half¨Ccrouching man. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The man¡¯s heat mingled with the moisture in the air as it crept onto her body. The suggestive atmosphere slowly rose between them. They weren¡¯t touching each other. But Olivia still felt ufortable about the close distance. Jack seemed to notice this as well. He backed away in haste. It was only then that Olivia said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. I just feel like vomiting a little.¡± When Martha heard that Olivia wasn¡¯t feeling well, she came over to see her. She asked in the local dialect, ¡°What doesn¡¯t feel right? Maybe you¡¯ve gotten sick.¡± Olivia shook her head. She knew that it was a recurring problem. She just happened to have run out of gastric medication and painkillers. ¡°I¡¯ll make something light for you to eat. Jack, go and buy medicine from one of the inds around us. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Jack¡± Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Tom followed as well. Jack left in a hurry with the talkative Tom ¡± Taking Olivia¡¯s hand, Martha said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The inds nearby don¡¯t have a lot of resources, but we can still buy gastric medication from them.¡± Olivia looked at the sky. The weather was great, and even the sea breeze was gentle. But for some reason, Olivia felt anxious as if something big was about to happen. The cherry trees on the slope had already budded, and the flowers would bloom in a few days. ording to Jerry, she should wait until the sea breezees. The entire ind would be surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms then. On moonlit nights, the inders would hang a smallmp under the cherry trees as they admired the moon. The scenery was beautiful to the extreme. Olivia, who used to have wonderful fantasies, was no longer in the mood to wait for the flowers to bloom. Jack had already arrived at an ind nearby. He noticed that the atmosphere on the ind was different from before. There were some helicopters on the ind. The inds in the region were extremely poor, and they rarely received any tourists. How could there be helicopters, then? Tom had always been a sociable person. He grabbed a handful of melon seeds from his pocket, then stopped a random passerby. He asked, ¡°Sir, what¡¯s going on? Is some millionaire here on Chapter 154 Chapter 154 ¡°You haven¡¯t heard, have you? There have been helicopters flying around these parts for the past few days. Everyone in the helicopters wears ck clothes and sunsses. It¡¯s just like what they show on TV.¡± Jack knew that something was wrong. Ethan must havee looking for Olivia. Hastily entering a small pharmacy, he bought the stuff they needed. Tom rushed in. ¡°Bad news, Jack. The helicopters took off. They seem to be headed for our ind.¡± Taking the items, Jack said with a cold expression, ¡°Hurry. We have to get there before they do.¡± Tom looked at the helicopters above their heads. He sullenly gritted his teeth. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s much faster to fly than to go by sea. They¡¯ve gotten so much farther ahead of us in such a short amount of time! Jack, hurry up and-¡± Tom wanted to urge Jack to hurry up, but he noticed that Jack was trying so hard to start the engine that it smoked. The boat leaped across the sea, sending huge sshes as it went. The speedboat was at its limit. Jack stared at the helicopters in the sky. There was a cold look in his eyes. The helicopters and the speedboat were like a barrier between Ethan and him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t catch up to Ethan. But even so, he had to rescue Olivia. On the ind, Martha made some oatmeal for Olivia. After blowing on it, she brought it to Olivia. ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s hot, girl. It doesn¡¯t matter if you have a child or not; you have to take care of your body. You have to eat something even if you don¡¯t feel like it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Martha.¡± Olivia ate a few mouthfuls of the oatmeal. She was still nervous. Before she could eat more, she heard the sounds of propellersing from the sky. Jerry also noticed the helicopters in the sky. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Ms. Olivia, look. There are so many helicopters!¡± Olivia started to panic. The bowl in her hands fell to the ground. She leaned against the doorframe, mumbling, ¡°He¡¯s here¡­¡± Olivia had spent a peaceful time here, but she knew that this day woulde sooner orter. Without another thought, Jerry grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand and ran toward the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Ms. Olivia. ¡°Even if theye here, they can¡¯t be sure that you¡¯re on this ind as long as you hide. We¡¯ve already told the vigers about it. No one will betray your location. ¡°Those people will naturally leave when they can¡¯t find you.¡± Despite that, Olivia felt even more nervous. It was Ethan, after all. He hated idents most of all. If he were just searching, the helicopters could be split to the surrounding inds. This would save more time. But the helicopters hade here together. This meant that he was confident that he could find her. If she hid, wouldn¡¯t she be causing trouble for the inders? While she was worrying, the helicopters circling in the sky had found a ce tond. ¡°Stop looking, Ms. Olivia. Hurry and hide in the mountains. Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t find you there.¡± Olivia hid in the hut. Then, she used the telescope in the hut to observe what was going on. Everyone was curious about the helicopters that had suddenly visited the ind. One after the other, the helicoptersnded on a rtively t piece ofnd. The hatch opened. Brent and Kelvin peered at the surroundings on the ind through their sunsses. The rest of the bodyguards stood in a row. They wore bulletproof vests and were equipped with guns. After making sure that there was no danger, Brent guarded the hatch. Olivia panicked. ¡°Di Ethane in person?¡± she thought. The thought had just crossed her mind when she saw a small tender hand reaching out from the hatch. Right after that, she saw Ethan in a ck wool coat. His body was slender and tall, and he stood upright. In his arms was Connot, who was wearing a panda¨Cthemed onesie. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Olivia finally knew why Ethan was so confident that he would find her. Even though Connor couldn¡¯t speak, he wasn¡¯t a fool. He had lived on this ind for a week, so he recognized it! Thus, Ethan didn¡¯t have to waste his time searching every ind. He only had to find the ind that Connor reacted the most strongly to. Just like right now. Even before Connor got out of the helicopter, he waved his limbs excitedly. He kept mumbling, ¡°Mama, Mama, Jerry, kitty¡­¡± He said all the words he knew. Carrying Connor in one arm, Ethan smiled coldly. ¡°Looks like this is the ce.¡± Everyone stood ready for action. The other party had used firearms before, so they didn¡¯t dare take it too lightly. Kelvin had also stopped smiling like he usually did. He said something over themunicator. Soon, warships appeared on the surface of the sea. They proceeded to surround the ind. Snipers were positioned high above. Other members of the special forces slid from the ropes of the helicopters into the forest. They were all wearing bulletproof vests. Olivia didn¡¯t expect so many people to be summoned just to look for her. She knew that the Millers had an unusual identity, but even this was a surprise to her. The man standing at the top of the business empire could easily summon armies as well. As time passed, more ships, helicopters, and special forces arrived on the shore. It was just a matter of time before they found her. Connor was so excited that he struggled to get out of Ethan¡¯s arms. After making sure that the area was safe, Ethan let him go. ¡°Good boy. Let¡¯s look for your mommy.¡± A confident look appeared in Ethan¡¯s eyes. He thought, ¡°Try escaping now, Olivia.¡± Connor acted like a military dog. He was very familiar with the ind, after all. Kelvin kept shouting, ¡°Slow down, Master Connor! Careful, you might fall!¡± Connor dashed forward with his baby steps. He tripped and fell from time to time, but he quickly got up and continued running. When he spotted the cat, he ran over to it and mumbled, ¡°Kitty, kitty.¡± Ethan signaled with his gaze. Following the cat, Brent approached a family. Martha was cleaning up the mess on the ground. Brent showed Martha a photo of Olivia. He asked politely, ¡°Ma¡¯am, have you seen this woman before?¡± Shaking her head, Martha spoke in a dialect Brent couldn¡¯t understand. Running up to the door, Connor dashed toward Martha. ¡°Granny.. Martha was about to exin when a tall man walked up to her. There was a cold look on his face, and he gave off a stern air. Ethan said in a low voice, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t mean to offend you. I¡¯m only here for my wife. I hope you¡¯ll cooperate with us, or¡­ N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ethan added, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee the sort of disrespectful actions I might take against you.¡± The intense pressure he gave off sent chills down Martha¡¯s spine. Even so, she waved her hands, exining that she had never seen this person before. Ethan was no fool. He could see through a person¡¯s act right away. Connor was very familiar with the ind. He didn¡¯t even look at the houses around him. Instead, he followed the cat here right away. This might very well be the ce Olivia stayed at. Connor couldn¡¯t understand why Martha ignored him. She used to treat him so well in the past. Ethan patted Connor¡¯s head, then said gently, ¡°Connor, where¡¯s Mama?¡± Connor stopped mulling over it. Changing directions, he went to the room where he and Olivia used to stay. Martha wanted to stop him, but Kelvin¡¯s tall figure blocked her path. ¡°Excuse us, Ma¡¯am.¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Ethan opened the wooden door. The room had a simpleyout, and all the furniture was made of wood. There was a small bed in the room, and a drawing board was ced next to it. The picture showed cherry trees under the moonlight. The ind looked especially quiet in the moon¡¯s glow. The artist was extremely skilled. From a nce, Ethan could tell that Olivia had drawn the picture. He was overjoyed when he confirmed it. He had finally found her. There was also a thick pile of drawings at the side. Ethan calmly looked through them. A picture showed fishermen returning in the evening light. Smiles filled the faces of the women and children. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. There was a youth weaving straw hats while another painted in the morning sunlight. A man with a metal mask leaned against a cherry tree. Perhaps Olivia didn¡¯t mean anything when she drew it. But to Ethan, there was another meaning to this drawing. This was the man who took her away. Ethan had a cold air about him. He walked up to Martha with the picture in his hand. Then, he asked coldly, ¡°Tell me, Ma¡¯am. Where is she?¡± When Olivia saw Ethan entering Martha¡¯s house, she had the urge to go back. A hand grabbed her wrist tightly. Coming back to her senses, she realized that it was Jack. He had returned before she knew it. Olivia was panicking. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°I know. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Jack patted her head tofort her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you away. Come with me.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart was in a mess as she panicked. She swiftly followed Jack down a path off the ind, where a speedboat was waiting. She would be free as soon as she got onto the boat. But she was doubtful. Could she achieve true freedom? She turned around to look. Someone had already found traces of her and reported it to Ethan right away, Ethan¡¯s angry voice sounded over the speakers. ¡°If you run away, Olivia, I¡¯ll burn this whole ind to the ground!¡± Her nightmares hade true. Ethan¡¯s voice clung to her tightly like a stubborn nightmare. Olivia¡¯s defenses were destroyed. She said in a trembling voice, ¡°I have to go back.¡± Jack said earnestly, ¡°You still have a chance of survival if you leave now.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°At the cost of how many lives? This ind doe existed on the map. The residents never even had proper documentation. ¡°Did you see those warships? If he ims that everyone on the ind is a cruel terrorist, they¡¯ll just open fire. They won¡¯t even have to take responsibility for it.¡± Frowning, Jack asked, ¡°Who exactly is he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Olivia only knew that on the night he rescued her from the sea, Ethan was wearing camouge clothing. The warship nearby had just sunk a pirate ship. mes leaped into the sky, casting shadows on Ethan¡¯s face. He looked like he was wearing a terrifying mask. After their marriage, he would asionally leave on a ¡°business trip¡°. Those tripssted a few days up to a month. In those periods, she wouldn¡¯t be able to contact him at all. There was more than one scar on his body. He had scars from des and even bullets. He never talked about it, and she never asked. She only had a vague idea that the Millers were influential like the Carltons. But she never cared who Ethan truly was. If she left, all the inders would get caught in the crossfire. She had already cut off the path she used to take, so she couldn¡¯t go back anymore. While she was hesitating, Ethan had already approached him. He stood on the tall cliff, looking down at the world like a king. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve said this before. You can¡¯t escape.¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Olivia looked up at him. The sunlight shone on his body, but there was no warmth in his eyes. Instead, his eyes were filled with rage, mockery, and disdain. ¡°What exactly do you want me to do, Ethan? Do I not deserve my own life anymore?¡± They were already divorced, but this man only got even more possessive of her. His possessiveness was so serious that it was almost perverted. Ethan¡¯s gaze fell upon therge hand gripping Olivia¡¯s wrist. When Jack noticed Ethan looking, he subconsciously stood in front of Olivia. Their gazes met. Jack didn¡¯t seem scared at all when he looked at Ethan. ¡°You¡¯re already divorced. She doesn¡¯t want to go with. you.¡± Jack¡¯s movements and words made Ethan mad. Ethan¡¯s eyes were dark as he looked at Jack. There was an upset expression on his face. Even the air around him seemed restless. The sea breeze passed by, rustling Olivia¡¯s hair, which had grown a little longer. She was pale in the face as she hid behind the man. Even though Jack had a decent build, the ck jacket he was wearing looked like it would tear soon. Ethan was suddenly pissed. This man was a far cry from him, but Olivia kept running away from him for the sake of this man. Out of habit, Ethan took a cigarette and lit it. His stance waszy, but there was a cold and powerful air about him. ¡°Who are you to her? What right do you have toment on our rtionship?¡± Jack was at a loss for words. But then, he quickly replied, ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Ethan sneered. ¡°Befriending a kidnapper? You¡¯re quite something, Olivia.¡± When he said the word ¡°kidnapper,¡± he sounded especially harsh. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is, Ethan. I can exin about the child.¡± Ethan narrowed his eyes. Only coldness remained in his eyes. ¡°Come up here.¡± The game was already over. His influence reached the whole world. Olivia had nowhere to run. Jack also knew that if Olivia went, only hell would be waiting for her. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± He grabbed Olivia¡¯s wrist, trying to make a final stand. But he didn¡¯t realize that his actions had driven Ethan to anger. Olivia was used to the sound of guns by now, so she didn¡¯t scream. The shot was aimed at a spot near Jack¡¯s feet. If Olivia weren¡¯t standing in front of him, the bullet wouldn¡¯t have ended up there. Olivia hastily struggled free of Jack¡¯s grasp. She knew that the more she resisted and the closer she got to Jack, the worse their oue would be. She stood next to Jack, thanking him. ¡°Thank you all for being with me, but¡­ this is the end.¡± Jack wanted to step forward, but Olivia stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer.¡± She walked toward Ethan. Jack clenched his fists, but he dared not move recklessly. Several snipers around them were aiming at him. As soon as Olivia left, Jack would be shot on the spot with just an order from Ethan. Olivia knew what Ethan was thinking. He was never a kind person. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Moreover, Jack had kidnapped Connor and injured Mina before. So, before Ethan gave the order, Olivia hastily ran into his arms. She knew that the man would sumb to tenderness. Thus, she softened her behavior and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him, please. He¡¯s a good person.¡± Ethan lowered his eyes to look at her. There was a mocking look in them. ¡°Are you begging me for the sake of another man? You¡¯ve gotten bold, Olivia.¡± He held her hand. As their palms touched, Olivia felt his burning temperature. She felt like it would burn her. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 The scalding temperature seemed to spread from the back of her hand to every inch of her body. Olivia was terrified. ¡°Ethan, the inders are good people. They took great care of me, and they didn¡¯t hurt Connor¨Cnot even a little. Connor loves it here. The kidnapping was a misunderstanding. I can exin¡­¡® She didn¡¯t try to break free from his grasp. Instead, she begged earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ll go back with you, so please let them go, okay?¡± With the cigarette between his fingers, Ethan caressed her head. He said in a cold voice, ¡°Liv, why are you always making me angry? If you were this obedient from the start, we wouldn¡¯t havee to this point.¡± Olivia suppressed her sorrow. She raised her pale face, forcing a smile as tears pooled in her eyes. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t run away again. Ever.¡± ¡°Is that a promise? What do we do if you run away again?¡± Olivia silently looked at him. The tears in her eyes broke his heart. Still holding the cigarette between his fingers, he held Olivia¡¯s chin. The burning end of the cigarette was mere inches away from her skin. She could feel the heating from the cigarette. If she moved even a little, she would be burned. Olivia could only stay in ce, allowing Ethan to speak in her ear. ¡°Liv, if you run away again, I¡¯ll wipe this ind off the face of the earth. I mean it.¡± Olivia closed her eyes in humiliation, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a kiss stole her breath. Without holding back, he forcefully invaded every inch of her. She didn¡¯t want it at all. There were at least a hundred people around them. The sea breeze came in. With a tug, he pulled her into his arms. The cigarette fell from Ethan¡¯s hand as he deepened the kiss. Olivia was filled with embarrassment and humiliation. Ethan knew that, but it didn¡¯t mean anything to him. With this, he would show Jack who Olivia belonged to. Sometimes, men wanted to win so badly that it was absurd. Right before Olivia suffocated, Ethan finally let go of her. Then, he red coldly at Jack before taking Olivia away like a victor. Olivia knew very well that this was just the beginning. Ethan wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook so easily. ¡°Mama!¡± Connor ran toward her from a distance away. When Connor scrambled up to Olivia, Ethan reached out and picked him up. ¡°Go y at the side.¡± Connor pouted in dissatisfaction. But since his father had stopped him, he dared not disobey. He could only look at Olivia pitifully. He had no idea that Olivia couldn¡¯t even protect herself. She was unable to help him. Ethan handed the child over to Kelvin. Then, he took Olivia into her room. When the door clicked shut, Ethan forced Olivia against the wall. Olivia subconsciously tried to struggle. Ethan gripped her hands and raised them above her head. The man¡¯s leg was wedged between hers so that she waspletely trapped. Ethan grabbed her chin, then whispered in her ear, ¡°Did you fall for that kidnapper?¡± When Olivia heard those mocking words, she was extremely upset. She red at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t fall for him. I just hate you.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The words pierced Ethan¡¯s heart when he heard them. His half¨Cclosed eyes were filled with coldness. ¡°What did you say?¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Olivia knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape this time. So, she stopped being wary like she used to. Looking Ethan in the eye, she spoke in a sterner tone. ¡°I hate how arrogant and inconsistent you are. You¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t want me anymore, but you¡¯re also the one who refuses to let me go now. ¡°You said that my father owes you for your sister¡¯s life. Now, the Fordhams have gone bankrupt, and my father is constantly in critical condition. I¡¯ve also sacrificed my marriage and my child. ¡°Is this still not enough for you? If so, then just take my life as well.¡± When she said that, she noticed Ethan¡¯s gaze turning colder. In reality, Olivia felt quite nervous. Her heart pounded along with her worked¨Cup emotions. She continued, ¡°When you¡¯re in a good mood, you give me one billion dors and allow me to leave. When you¡¯re in a bad mood, you turn around and start looking for me again. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m human, not some toy in your hand. Do you know why I¡¯d rather stay on a remote ind instead of going back to the bustling city? ¡°Because everyone here treats me like a human! They respect me and help me find meaning in life.¡± Ethan tightened his grip. To him, Olivia had simply fallen for someone else. ¡°Just because he was slightly nicer to you, you¡¯d do anything for him? You even betrayed me and forgot all about our contract. You¡¯re as naive as always.¡± Olivia frowned. ¡°What is wrong with this man?¡± she thought. ¡°I don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Do you know his identity? Are you aware of his intentions? Nothing in this world is free. You should know what happens when a moth flies toward a me.¡± Olivia was upset with the way Ethan described Jack. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know his past or his identity, but there¡¯s one thing I know. Unlike you, he won¡¯t hurt me!¡± When Ethan saw Olivia trying her best to defend another man, his expression sank. He was like a beast revealing its terrifying fangs. ¡°I said before that you would be punished if you did something wrong. You¡¯ll pay a huge price for your betrayal.¡± With that, he let Olivia go and turned to leave. Olivia knew that she was in deep trouble. She couldn¡¯t care less about her own life. But she had formed bonds with Martha, Jerry, Jack, and the inders. Olivia hastily wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She begged, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ll go back with you. Please don¡¯t harm. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. the inders.¡± Ethan¡¯s face was tense as a sharp coldness appeared in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± With that, he reached out and pried Olivia¡¯s fingers off of him. ¡°Olivia, if that man dies in front of you, will you finally be obedient enough?¡± Olivia was deeply regretting her actions. She shouldn¡¯t have confessed her truest thoughts. Ethan had already given her a chance. As long as she submitted to him, he would have let everyone else go. ¡°Ethan, please don¡¯t do it. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± She wanted to take his hand, but Ethan grabbed hers first. Then, he dragged her outside. Jack was surrounded by several men. He didn¡¯t dare move a muscle. He feared that even a slightly heavier breath from him would give them a reason to pull the trigger. He had always been good with enduring. He knew that Ethan wanted to make an example of him. If not, Ethan would¡¯ve attacked him on sight. He was waiting for a chance to fight. But now wasn¡¯t the time. When he saw Olivia being taken into the room, he didn¡¯t know what sort of terrors she would have to go through again. He was anxious, but he mustn¡¯t make any reckless moves. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Jack knew about crazy people like Ethan. If he showed too much concern about Olivia, he would only be putting her in danger. Soon, the door to the room opened. Jack watched as Ethan dragged Olivia out with him. Olivia looked so fragile, but Ethan didn¡¯t seem to pity her one bit. Jack subconsciously tried to move forward. Brent reminded him in a cold voice, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Jack looked at Olivia in worry. He opened his mouth but didn¡¯t say anything. A gun had appeared in Ethan¡¯s hand. He looked high and mighty as if he were some god that controlled others¡® lives at will. ¡°Watch closely, Liv. He died because of you.¡± Olivia was terrified. She didn¡¯t know what she could do now to stop Ethan¡¯s frenzy. The more she begged, the more it would stoke Ethan¡¯s murderous intent. But even if she didn¡¯t beg him, he would still do it. ¡°What should I do? What on earth can I do?¡± she thought. At that moment, a clear voice rang out. ¡°Go to hell, you criminal!¡± It was Tom¡¯s voice. He had been hiding and lying in wait for a chance. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Jack had taught him how to use a gun before. But since guns were dangerous, Jack usually forbade him from using them. Tom innocently thought that the crisis would be resolved if Ethan died. Then Olivia would be free again. The bullet didn¡¯te from Ethan¡¯s hand. Instead, it came from the gun Tom was holding. Tom was hiding in an overlooked corner. The gun was aimed at Ethan, but Tom wasn¡¯t very good at shooting. Because of his panic, his aim was off. The bullet whistled through the air as it headed right toward Olivia¡¯s chest. No one expected the sudden turn of events. They didn¡¯t think that the child would have a gun! When Olivia saw the bullet, she was already pulled into an embrace. She could smell the familiar wooden scent. It was just like Ethan¡¯s personality, reserved and cold. His tall figure not only blocked off the snowy wind for her, but it also blocked the bullet. ¡°Ethan!¡± Olivia looked at him in panic. At that moment, her emotions were in a mess. All her thoughts centered on Ethan. ¡°Are you okay? Does it hurt?¡± Olivia got out of Ethan¡¯s embrace. She saw that the bullet had pierced the ck wool coat and hit the bulletproof vest underneath. She sighed in relief. It was also at that moment when all the snipers aimed at Tom instead. Olivia hastily said, ¡°Don¡¯t shoot! He¡¯s just a child!¡± Ethan reached out his cold fingers to touch the tears in the corners of her eyes. He said, ¡°A young beast with fangs is still a beast in the end. Liv, if I hadn¡¯t worn a bulletproof vest today, either you or I would¡¯ve died.¡± Leaning in her ear, he whispered, ¡°Having mercy on your enemies is the same as being cruel to yourself.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was soft, and Olivia couldn¡¯t sense any emotion in it. But she knew that he was mad. He was furious! Other than matters that concerned her, his mood swings were quite severe. When he faced other people, the angrier he was, the calmer he appeared. Olivia hugged him tightly, begging in her soft and humble tone, ¡°Ethan, Tom didn¡¯t mean to harm me. He¡¯s just a child. Don¡¯t Connor didn¡¯t know why Olivia was sobbing so much. When he saw her crying, he also felt sad. He immediately started wailing as well. ¡°Daddy, Mama!¡± Connor¡¯s wails distracted Ethan¡¯s thoughts. The child tottered toward Ethan. Ethan picked the child up. Connor and Olivia were sobbing on either side of him. He was greatly annoyed. He had no choice but topromise. ¡°Fine, I can let the child go. But he¡­¡± Ethan red straight at Jack. His voice was cold as he continued, ¡°¡­ must die.¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Shaking her head, Olivia continued to beg. ¡°Ethan, I-¡± With one hand carrying the child, Ethan wiped her tears with his other hand. ¡°Liv, with every plea you make, I¡¯ll add one more hole to his body. Do you want to test me?¡± Olivia instantly shut up. This perverse man was capable of anything at all. She could only let her tears fall in silence. Ethan whispered, ¡°The more tears you shed for his sake, the more he will bleedter. ¡± Olivia felt like a heavy boulder was weighing upon her heart. There were thousands of words she wanted to say, but at that moment, she couldn¡¯t make a sound. She could only shake her head continuously. Reaching out, Ethan rubbed her eyes. ¡°Be a good girl and look away. We can return to our normal lives after this.¡± Tom, who was being held down, started shouting. Popping out of nowhere, Jerry spoke up as well, ¡°If you want to kill someone, kill me. Don¡¯t hurt Jack ¡°He just wants to improve the inders¡® quality of life. He¡¯s a good man. Even when we took your son away, we never hurt him. We even gave him milk, which is a luxury to us.¡± The boy had also appeared in Olivia¡¯s drawings. Ethan only responded with two words, ¡°Get lost.¡± The usually timid boy refused to budge. ¡°If you truly love Ms. Olivia, you won¡¯t hurt her friends. What you¡¯re doing right now isn¡¯t love; it¡¯s hurt.¡± It was only then that Ethan looked at Jerry. An evil smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Who told you that I love her? The more she suffers, the happier I am. If killing you could break her heart, that¡¯s the best thing I can wish for.¡± Jerry couldn¡¯t understand how such cold words coulde out of a human mouth. The man¡¯s cold air surrounded him, but Jerry retorted bravely. ¡°If you hate her, you wouldn¡¯t have protected her on instinct. That bullet was traveling at a high speed. If you hate her, you would¡¯ve simply let her die. Instead, you held her in your arms.¡± Jerry exposed Ethan¡¯s mask right away. Even Kelvin gaped in shock. The meek youth was quite brave, after all. Even Kelvin didn¡¯t dare say such words to Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°If you truly love a person, it¡¯ll show in your eyes. If you don¡¯t love her, you wouldn¡¯t have humbled yourself ande looking for Ms. Olivia in person. ¡°If you don¡¯t love her, you wouldn¡¯t be treating Jack as an enemy. Even a child like me knows that love should be sincere. Even if you don¡¯t love someone, you shouldn¡¯t hurt them. ¡°When you¡¯re hurting her, don¡¯t you feel bad as well?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ethan let go of Connor and then walked toward Jerry. For a moment, everyone held their breaths, feeling worried for the youth. As Ethan neared him, Jerry felt his heart shivering. Still, he didn¡¯t back down. Ethan had a tall figure, and he was considerably taller than the thin youth. Ethan¡¯s oppressive air surrounded Jerry. ¡°Are you telling me what to do?¡± Ethan sneered. In the next moment, he had already aimed his gun at Jerry¡¯s head. ¡°I can let him go, but you¡¯ll have to die in his ce.¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t too interested in the youth, and he was even a little fond of Jerry. Even adults didn¡¯t dare meet his gaze and speak such bold words, much less young people. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Everyone tensed up. It was just a noise Ethan made with his mouth, but the youth was already frowning deeply. Ethan let go of the gun, a look of approval coloring his eyes. ¡°Not bad. You¡¯re quite the man. Still, no one can rece his life.¡± Ethan walked toward Jack. Just then, Jack swiftly took out his gun and aimed it at Ethan¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Guns were pointed at Jack from all sides. The man had been waiting for a chance to make his move. ¡°If my lowly life can be exchanged for Mr. Miller¡¯s, then it doesn¡¯t seem like a bad deal.¡± A rare smile appeared under Jack¡¯s mask. He looked at Olivia with an earnest look that seemed to say, ¡°From today onward, you¡¯ll be free.¡± Jack knew very well that as soon as he fired the gun, bullets from all sides woulde at him as well. He had nowhere to run. Olivia was stunned. No one could¡¯ve expected this turn of events. She had known Jack for only two weeks. She couldn¡¯t allow him to die for her. ¡°No, don¡¯t shoot!¡± Olivia ran toward the two in a crazed manner. Ethan, who had a gun aimed at his head, didn¡¯t seem to be scared. Instead, maniacal enthusiasm could be seen in his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet and see who survives?¡± Olivia shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t shoot, Jack. Please, don¡¯t shoot!¡± As soon as he fired the gun, no one would know how things would turn out. But she was sure that only tragedy awaited them. Before Jack could shoot, Olivia was already standing between the two. ¡°If you two are going to shoot, then you should kill me first.¡± Ethan frowned, upset at Olivia¡¯s sudden interruption. ¡°Take her away.¡± Throwing herself at Ethan, Olivia hugged him. Her warm tears trailed down his neck as she said in a trembling voice, ¡°Stop. Please, just stop. I¡¯ll agree to all your conditions. I won¡¯t escape anymore, I swear. Please let them go.¡± The woman in his arms trembled uncontrobly with tears streaming down her face. Ethan felt the cold sea breeze on his face. For a moment, he regained his wits. Seeing how pitiful Olivia¡¯s sobs were, Ethan felt like a hole had opened up in his heart. He wasn¡¯t happy at all. Instead, he felt endless pain. He felt like he hadn¡¯t seen her smile in a long while. When he persistently clung to her, was it for revenge? Or was he simply feeling possessive? No matter what the reason was, right now, he didn¡¯t want to see her cry. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you truly sorry?¡± Olivia gripped his coat, her messy hair whipping in the wind. There were tears in her eyes as she nodded time and again. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sincerely sorry.¡± His slender fingers tucked her messy hair behind her ears. He lowered his gaze, which had a rare hint of gentleness in it.¡± Then I¡¯ll do as you wish.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Olivia looked at him in disbelief. She thought that she was hearing things. Bending down, Ethan picked Connor up. Then, he waved at Olivia. The sea breeze lifted the ends of her clothes. A few strands of her hair, which he had tucked behind her ears, came loose and covered her forehead. The sunlight gave his body a warm glow. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had caught sight of tenderness in Ethan¡¯s eyes. Was she dreaming? Not daring to doubt his intentions, Olivia hastily ced her hand in his palm. As their fingertips touched, he tugged at her. She fell into his embrace. ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± His cold words dashed Olivia¡¯s imagination to pieces. She had no choice but to follow him. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 When Olivia passed by Tom and Jerry, they looked at her with heavy hearts. She smiled at them in an attempt tofort them. Jack didn¡¯t say anything. He watched her board the helicopter silently because he knew that now wasn¡¯t the time. In order not to cause trouble to the people on the ind, Ethan mustn¡¯t die here. However, once he was away from the ind¡­ A malicious glint fleeted across Jack¡¯s eyes when Ethan happened to look back at him as if he sensed the danger. They met each other¡¯s eyes. The two strong men stared at each other for a second. Both of them were aware that today wasn¡¯t the end. Olivia wasn¡¯t able to bid farewell before leaving the ind. She looked at the huge cherry blossom tree and the small wooden house. Martha was standing in front of her house, sending her off. The kids and the neighbors were watching her too. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Olivia didn¡¯t realize when Jack left. With his back facing her, he advanced deeper into the woods like a lone wolf. ¡°Goodbye, everyone,¡± she closed her eyes and thought. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t watch the cherry blossoms bloom. Since Ethan had caused amotion only to bring her home, everyone definitely knew about it. Thus, her ns had gone out of the window. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You hate to leave the ind?¡± His low voice rang in her ears. Olivia had to be very careful with her words. Thest thing she wished for was to anger him because of a slip of the tongue. She shook her head, not knowing how to respond to that. Telling him the truth would make him angry. On the other hand, he would see through her if she lied. Her fear of Ethan made her blood surge. She didn¡¯t know what was the right response. It seemed like Ethan was aware of that. She would flinch when he leaned closer toward her. Like a frightened cat, she watched him with alert eyes. He pulled the jumpy Olivia into his arms. She didn¡¯t dare to defy his actions. Therefore, she nestled against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. She shrunk herself as she couldn¡¯t read his mind. She wasn¡¯t sure how he would torture her the next moment. The helicopternded at the apron in Miller residence. Olivia was on tenterhooks. Even her legs were wobbling when she alighted from the helicopter. Ethan was looking at her. She was like a stray cat that had grown cautious of humans after getting tortured. His gaze alone was enough to fetter her with fear. Ethan clearly wasn¡¯t doing anything. Yet, her body shuddered when he nced at her. Olivia was finally back, but she was more timid and sensitive than before. She would read his expression carefully and watch her words. Her attitude evoked frustration in him. She stared at his back, sensing his anger. She didn¡¯t know why he was livid because she neither did nor said anything. Olivia secretly caressed the pocket that contained the gun, hoping that she wouldn¡¯t have to use it one day. As soon as they entered the house, Madam Burgess took Connor elsewhere to y. Olivia followed Ethan upstairs. The moment she entered a room, the door was closed. The lights weren¡¯t turned on. A ray of sunlight passed through the opening from the drawn curtains. She could see the dust dancing under the glow of light, as well as Ethan¡¯s gulping throat. Darkness shrouded his face, so she couldn¡¯t read his expression. On the other hand, the sunlight was cast upon her lips and neck. He caressed her lips, transferring the warmth from his coarse fingertip. She didn¡¯t know what kind of trick he had in mind. Right when she was going to say something, his finger traced downward to her delicate corbones. Ethan¡¯s breathing became heavier. She couldn¡¯t guess what he was up to at all. When she was going to say something, he finally moved. He bent over, exposing his face to the sun for a brief second before he kissed her. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Olivia widened her eyes. For the past few days, she had been guessing how Ethan would torture her. But¡­ Never in her wildest dream had she imagined it to end up this way. Like a dehydrated man in the desert who finally found water, he carefully savored her lips as if he was afraid of losing them. Her heart raced. Although the sunlight was shining on his face, his eyes were shut. She couldn¡¯t read his mind. It had been a long time since Olivia received such gentle treatment from him. While she was in a daze, Ethan suddenly bit her lip. The tingling pain pulled her senses back. He asked coldly, ¡°Are you thinking of him again?¡± Unbeknownst to him, he was all she could think of. She wasn¡¯t in the state of mind to think about others. She replied with a deadpan face, ¡°No. How many times do I have to tell you? We¡¯re just friends.¡± He scoffed coldly. Obviously, he was seeing her as his wife who cheated on him. He wouldn¡¯t believe anything she said. Not only that, he was getting aggressive. He caressed Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Did he touch you?¡± She widened her eyes, not expecting that question from him. ¡°No. You¡¯d better not cross the line.¡± Her tone turned icier. His words made her heart ache. His question was like rubbing salt on her wounds. The ache in her heart eclipsed the pain of her wounds. ¡°He touched your hands.¡± Ethan intertwined her fingers obsessively. Olivia¡¯s lips parted, but no words escaped through her lips. She did not know how to exin her stance. All she could do was rein her emotions to not agitate him. However, her concession was a provocation to him. He suddenly carried her to the bathroom, prompting her to clutch his shirt. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Unpleasant memories began flooding her head as her body trembled. ¡°Is he gonna go mad again?¡± she wondered. Ethan ced her lightly into the bathtub, saying gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll wash you up.¡± ¡°Not this again!¡± she thought. The thought of dipping herself in cold water made her shake her head in denial. ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t do this to me. Please.¡± The shower was turned on, and the steam filled the bathroom. Fortunately, it was warm water. Ethan began taking her clothes off until she was left in her undergarments. They had done something more intimate before. It had been two years since hest touched Olivia. After experiencing all kinds of incidents, she had mixed feelings for him. Love, resentment, anger and other emotions jumbled into a ball within her. His touch disgusted her more. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She hugged her chest, repelled by his touch. With dark eyes, Ethan stared at the woman hugging her knees in the bathtub. She curled into a ball with teary eyes that expressed evident repulsion. He sneered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t want me to touch you?¡± Olivia could sense his aura turning dangerous. His eyes were devoid of warmth. It seemed like he had a serious misunderstanding about her. She watched him stand up wordlessly. With mockery written all over his face, he was going to leave. Olivia was confident that Ethan was going to do something; not to her, but to the people around her. Quickly, she grabbed his wrist. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Ethan stopped in his tracks and looked at Olivia silently. There was only the sound of water sshing from the shower. As tense as the air was, the grasp around his wrist was tight. ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± she lied because that was the only thing she could say. Ethan pinched her chin andmented indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re still pleading for him.¡± Olivia felt like she was talking to a wall. No matter what she said, there was only one thing that mattered to him¨Cthat she had betrayed and cheated on him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who betrayed me!¡± she thought. Frustration was gnawing at her, but she sighed when she thought about Tom and Jerry. Standing up in the bathtub, she hugged Ethan without giving a care about her wet body. The water droplets slowly damped his white shirt, but he didn¡¯t push her away. She wrapped her arms around him carefully. The moment her lips pecked his neck, his body became tense. ¡°Ethan, I didn¡¯t betray you.¡± Her quivering voice was soft. It was teeming with sorrow and grievance. He reciprocated the embrace and crashed her lips with his. She frowned. It was their first intimacy after two years. It was the same embrace that she had yearned for and relied on before this. Yet, she was disgusted when she thought about how he had done it with Marina. Right when she was going to push him away, his phone rang. The ringtone indicated that it was a call from Marina. Olivia sighed as she had never been this grateful to Marina before. Ethan wanted to proceed, but the ringtone echoed against the walls again and again. Irritated by the noise, he released her. Impatiently, he answered the call. Marina said something that deepened his frown. In the end, he hung up the call with an agitated face. Helplessly, he put on a robe around him. ¡°I gotta go out. Stay here and wait for me.¡± A wave of relief washed over Olivia. Noticing her joy, Ethan added sternly, ¡°Do not go anywhere.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Once he was gone in a hurry, her body slowly rxed. It was fortunate that he didn¡¯t proceed to the final stage. The man she was once deeply in love with now disgusted her. Olivia took a few pumps of body shampoo. In the bubble¨Cfilled bathtub, she began rubbing and cleaning every part of her body that he had touched. The warm water covered her body. Olivia looked into the blurry mirror, staring at her vague silhouette. She asked herself in her head, ¡°Even if I¡¯m able to escape his torture today, will I be able to do the same tomorrow?¡± Ethan was more despicable than before. Previously, although he gave her the cold treatment due to resentment, she had freedom. Yet, now, he had fettered her body and mentality. When her skin was showing tinges of red due to the long bath, she stood up. Since there was no other way out, she had to step forward bravely. She contacted Calvin. ¡°Calvin, have you found anything?¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Considering that it had been days since Olivia left, Calvin should¡¯ve found something for her. ¡°Olivia, are you alright?¡± he asked with concern. After the incident on the ship, he had been worried about her. He called her a few times but it was all in vain. ¡°Sorry for making you worried. I lost contact for a few days to deal with something. I¡¯m fine now.¡± He was relieved to hear that. ¡°That¡¯s great. I did find something. Can we talk in person?¡± Olivia sighed as she was still undergoing punishment from Ethan because of Jack. If she went to meet Calvin in person, she had no idea what Ethan would do to her. She said, ¡°Calvin, honestly, I¡¯m afraid of alerting the other party. I suspect that there¡¯s someone keeping an eye on me. Did you carry out your investigation discreetly?¡± He nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing. Mr. Galloway resigned two days after Belle¡¯s death.¡± ¡°She resigned? What about that man?¡± Olivia¡¯s brows were knitted together. It was no wonder that she sensed hostility from the doctor¡¯s gaze at that time. ¡°He resigned a day before Dr. Galloway did. I dug further. The man was a temporary staff hired through Dr. Galloway. His name was fake.¡± ¡°What about Dr. Galloway? She owns a medical license. Her name shouldn¡¯t be fake.¡± Calvin responded, ¡°Her full name is Jennifer Galloway. We studied in the same medical college, but she¡¯s my senior by a few years. ¡°She pursued her studies abroad after graduation. She returned to the country only this year.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He paused momentarily before continuing, ¡°I found something interesting. She received financial aid from your father before. Olivia was stunned. It was clearly not a coincidence. ¡°Calvin, is there any other information? Maybe about her family or friends, and Belle too.¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± He calmed her down. He added, ¡°Jennifer was raised by her single mother. Her parents divorced when she was young. ¡°A few years ago, her mother passed away due to an illness and she went abroad to further her studies. It¡¯s been years since shest contacted her father.¡± Based on Jennifer¡¯s background alone, Olivia couldn¡¯t figure it out. She wondered if Jennifer had been harmed by Jeff before. Olivia recalled the name list, but Jennier¡¯s name was not on it. ¡°This is all I¡¯ve found out about Jennifer. I can¡¯t find her whereabouts after her resignation. As for Belle, her parents have immigrated to another country. ¡°They didn¡¯t return to the country after she passed away. They didn¡¯t like her since she was young because she was a girl. ¡°They abused her, so she grew up reserved. And she dropped out of school due to pregnancy.¡± Olivia recalled Belle¡¯s pale face. ¡°Is her kid alive?¡± If Jeff was the culprit, Olivia would be able to confirm her guess through a DNA test as long as she could find the child. Calvin replied, ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t track her down after she dropped out of school. I heard that she had an abortion. ¡°I¡¯ve asked someone to check with several public and private hospitals, but I haven¡¯t been able to find any relevant records.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°It¡¯s possible that her child is still alive!¡± Belle kept repeating about someone stealing her child away. Olivia finally found hope from the important clue. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Olivia was in a good mood as she thanked Calvin profusely, ¡°Thank you, Calvin. You¡¯ve helped me big time.¡± Now, she had to find Belle¡¯s child. A DNA test between the child and Jeff would reveal whether he was a scoundrel or not. Calvin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯ll look more into that man. But it seems like he has expected someone to investigate the matter. ¡°He left no traces. That¡¯s why I¡¯m unable to find anything. I need some time.¡± At that moment, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Mrs. Miller, are you done yet?¡± Madam Burgess asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Olivia hurriedly hung up the call and kept her phone before opening the door. ¡°You must be hungry. I made something. You cane on down and eat.¡± Madam Burgess was kind¨C hearted as usual. Considering her aching stomach, Olivia dly went downstairs. As soon as she was downstairs, she heard Connor¡¯s voice. ¡°Mama! Mama!¡± Connor, who was ying with toys, scurried toward her. Her bad mood was appeased at once. She hugged him. ¡°Connor.¡± With drool on his mouth, he smiled adorably at her. Olivia recalled Ethan¡¯s words and was grateful that she didn¡¯t act on impulse back there. She adjusted the emerald ne around his neck before carrying him to the dining table. She was used to babysitting thanks to her experience on the ind. Madam Burgess smiled. ¡°Look how happy Master Connor is. Anyone would think that you¡¯re his mother.¡± She soon realized that she had put her foot in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Miller. It wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Olivia shrugged it off. They enjoyed the meal. After the meal, Olivia suddenly realized that something was wrong. Before this, she would lose her appetite whenever Ethan was away because of Marina. She would cry while staring at the door, waiting for him until her stomach ached or the night dawned. It seemed like she was slowly getting over him. The joy upon realization didn¡¯tst long. Brent was standing at the door and said with some embarrassment, ¡°Mrs. Miller, I¡¯m here to pick Master Connor up.¡± Olivia¡¯s smile went stiff, and she slowly released Connor¡¯s hand. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Right. Ethan isn¡¯t mine, and Connor isn¡¯t either.¡± Brent walked up to her and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Miller.¡± He carried Connor away, and thetter began crying. Olivia wanted to stop Brent, but she suddenly recalled her position. Who was she to Connor? What right did she have to stop Brent from taking Connor away? In the end, she could only watch the crying boy leave helplessly. Madam Burgess washed the dishes and left the manor, leaving Olivia all alone in the huge house. There were people guarding the gates. It appeared like she had freedom, but she was actually cooped up. Standing before the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, she stared into herself. She wore an ugly smile. Be it before or now, she had always been alone. The only difference was that she no longer had anyone to wait for. Olivia returned to her room. She hugged her knees, staring into the somber sky that was adorned with a full moon. She thought about the people on the ind. Tom and Jerry should be asleep at this hour. She figured that she needed to talk with Ethan. At midnight, someone opened the bedroom door. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Ethan returned home after dealing with the Carlton family. He initially thought Olivia would wait for him in the living room like before. No matter howte he returned home, she would always sleep on the couch in the living room. She always made sure the lights were turned on when he returned. However, the house was shrouded by darkness when he opened the door. She wasn¡¯t on the couch either. Ethan was tipsy. Before this, Olivia would wee him home. She would grumble while looking for hangover pills for him. She was naggy, but he loved it. Unlike before, he felt cold although the heater was turned on. He opened the bedroom door. Thanks to the lightning from the hallway, he could see the bump on the bed. Olivia fell asleep a moment ago. Ethan pulled her into his embrace. The air that reeked of alcohol woke her up. ¡°You drank?¡± Hearing her groggy voice, he grumbled, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯ve changed.¡± It didn¡¯t make sense to her. ¡°Are you kidding me? You¡¯re the one who had a change of heart first.¡± He wrapped his arms tightly around her. He appeared mild at the moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I never did.¡± His drowsy voice rang into her ears. Olivia didn¡¯t buy it. After all, his and Marina¡¯s son was already a year old. How could he im that he never had a change of heart? Nevertheless, she knew his character all too well that she should let him be. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to have a good night¡¯s sleep tonight. Just like that, she nestled in his arms quietly. She didn¡¯t want to tick him off. As she had expected, her obedient reactionforted him. Ethan hugged her tighter and rested his head on her shoulder. ¡°Liv, I barely found you. Can you not run away again?¡± It had been a long time since shest heard his gentle tone. If this happened two months ago, she would¡¯ve been ted. Now, it didn¡¯t affect her emotions a single bit. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She was aware that it was empty words said under the influence of alcohol. Once the sun rose, he would return to his original self again. Love and respect wouldn¡¯t be able to fix their rtionship anymore. One of them had to have a downfall before they could find peace. That night, Ethan hugged her tightly as if he had found his lost treasure at longst. There were no hurtful words, only gentleness. He soon drifted into dreand. Olivia, who was used to sleeping alone, couldn¡¯t sleep because of his warmth. Belle¡¯s death was all she could think of. After making sure that he was deep asleep, she slid out of his arms. She put on a cardigan and sneaked to the study. She reopened the safe, which was unlocked with her birthdate. She didn¡¯t know whether to see him as fickle or loyal. Olivia was confident that she missed something. Leia¡¯s death must be rted to Jeff and Belle in some way. Olivia wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Instead of reading other people¡¯s information, she flipped through Leia¡¯s information. Leia¡¯s death was taboo to Ethan, so Olivia didn¡¯t dare to bring it up before this. Thus, she didn¡¯t peruse the documents rted to Leia. Aside from Leia¡¯s toys, there was a brown paper bag in the safe. Olivia thought, ¡°If I¡¯m dead, will my whole life be written on a stack of papers? And be consigned to oblivion after ten years?¡± Leia¡¯s adoptive parents passed away years ago. What about her friends? There should be at least a trace of someone¡¯s existence in this world. Olivia snapped pictures of the documents, believing that the truth was hidden within them. While she was on tenterhooks, a cold voice sounded from the door. ¡°Are you done reading? Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Olivia raised her gaze to meet eyes with Ethan, who was standing by the door. He hadn¡¯t changed into his pajamas before sleeping, so his shirt was crumpled with some undone buttons. He leaned against the door framezily. His disheveled hair didn¡¯t stop him from looking handsome as always. Olivia was feeling guilty. She wasn¡¯t able topletely cut ties with Ethan. In addition to his unappeased anger during the day, she thought of the people from the ind and was scared. ¡°I¨CI couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± she exined anxiously while he slowly came up to her. She was sitting on the floor, and the light cast his shadow over her. Judging from his clear eyes, he appeared to be sober. His dark eyes carried zero emotions, so she couldn¡¯t read his mood. Olivia hastily ced the documents into the safe while stammering on her words. ¡°I was s¨Csimply looking around.¡± He held her wrist tightly. Her chest tightened, and her instincts prompted her to beg for mercy. ¡°I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have read your sister¡¯s documents. Don¡¯t be angry¡­¡± || He held her hand while staring at her. He wondered since when the affection and resentment in her gaze had given way to fear. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡± His voice was hoarse. Olivia looked at him, confused. Ethan set the documents in her hands aside and carried her. ¡°You can take your time and read them during the day.¡± She widened her eyes in surprise, thinking, ¡°Does that mean I can enter his study and read his documents whenever I want?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t change the password because I didn¡¯t want to hide it from you in the first ce.¡± He saw through her. Ethan ced Olivia on the soft bed and hugged her tightly once again. ¡°You should rest now.¡± His groggy voice sounded above her. She stared at the silver button on his shirt that reflected the moonlight. His heartbeat was pounding into her ears due to the proximity. Confused, she couldn¡¯t follow him at all. ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna sleep, I don¡¯t mind continuing our unfinished deeds from the day,¡± he suddenly said. She was surprised and hurriedly shut her eyes. She stayed still She deemed that he wasn¡¯t in his right state of mind. Ethan stared deeply at the sleeping Olivia, who was curled in his arms. It had been a long time since theyst slept in each other¡¯s embrace. The next morning, his handsome face appeared in her sight the moment she opened her eyes. It was as though time had returned to three years ago when she could see him whenever she woke up. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. A few strands of his fringe rested on his forehead, tickling his furrowed eyebrows. The sleeping man appeared harmless. There was a thinyer of stubble around his tense jaw. Olivia instinctively reached out to smoothen the crease between his brows. Her hand halted midair when she recalled that they were divorced. When she was going to withdraw her hand, Ethan opened his eyes. Their eyes intertwined midair. She could see the tiny dust particles dancing in the air too. Her hand remained stiff in midair. Whether she withdrew her hand or not, it would be awkward. While she was thinking of how to resolve the awkward situation, his hand around her waist tightened. He suddenly hovered over her to kiss her lips. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Olivia was stunned for a moment. When she finally pulled her senses back, she pushed Ethan away. The fact that he had touched another woman disgusted her. That was the sole reason behind her instinctive reaction. However, he held the back of her head and deepened the kiss, rendering her defiant action in vain. Frowning, she wanted to bite him only to find that he was pinching her cheeks. Men were inherently stronger than women when it came to strength. Thus, she had no choice but to yield to him. When Olivia thought she was going to suffocate to death, Ethan finally let her go. She red at him with reddened eyes like an angry bunny. His eyes darkened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I not allowed to touch you?¡± Before she could respond, he pinched her cheeks harder as he stared at her icily. Her brows knitted at his psychopathic acts. She attempted to pry his fingers off. ¡°Release me! If you¡¯re sexually frustrated, you can go to Marina. She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Olivia Fordham, it seems like you¡¯re taking the liberty of my generosity toward you.¡± Enraged, Ethan grabbed her hands. Learning her lesson from her past experience, Olivia didn¡¯t dare to infuriate him by crossing the line. She caved in to him. Although she had raised the white g, Ethan noticed the unappeased rage in her eyes. He released her and headed to the washroom. She massaged her hurting cheeks while concluding that his mood swings had be more serious than before. Hence, she made a mental note to herself not to enrage him. Ten minutester, Ethan came out of the washroom. He didn¡¯t spare a single nce at her when he passed by her to reach the closet. Olivia was aware of one thing¨Cthe angrier he was, the more passive she would be. She opened the other side of the closet to take a suit out. ¡°Wear this.¡± It was in gray color, which held a certain solemnity and was rtively casual than ck. It was perfect for his schedule today. Ethan approached her. She thought that he would reject her suggestion, yet he trapped her by cing his hand next to her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She retreated in reflex. He drew the distance closer until her back rested against his clothes. She was trapped in the cramped closet. Slightly nervous, she met his eyes. ¡°You-¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you picked an outfit for me.¡± Ethan caressed her cheeks. Olivia¡¯s heart missed a beat as she thought, ¡°He¡¯s always known how to make my heart flutter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who isn¡¯t home all the time,¡± she grumbled helplessly. He leaned toward her to capture her lips with his. She was forced to hug his neck to stabilize herself. The thought of the cramped space made her breathe heavily. She didn¡¯t have the guts to shove him away, so she epted the kiss. Ethan couldn¡¯t put his finger on one thing¨Cthat was whether his love for Olivia was greater than resentment or vice versa. However, there was something he was sure of. The woman, whom he once thought he could get over, had captured his heart. The ocean of resentment drove them apart, yet he wanted to slog through it only to hold her in his arms, Kissing her and possessing her were the only things he could think about. Ethan wanted to have all of her. Invisible vines that sprouted from his deep feelings wrapped around her. ¡°Olivia, let¡¯s make a deal.¡± His voice was hoarse. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°A deal?¡± Olivia looked at Ethan, confused. She had nothing to offer him, so how was she supposed to make a deal with him? The cramped space made it difficult for her to breathe. Even her back was sweating due to the heat. Ethan bent over slightly. The water droplets dripped on her cheek from his strand of hair, leaving a cold stain on it. ¡°Stay by my side, then I¡¯ll wipe the te clean with the Fordham family,¡± he proposed sternly. His proposal repeated in her head before she asked calmly while meeting his eyes, ¡°Stay by your side as what?¡± He paused momentarily. ¡°I can give you anything aside from the title of Mrs. Miller.¡± She said clearly, ¡°So you want me to be your mistress?¡± The disgraceful word displeased him. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He kneaded his eyebrow while exining, ¡°Aside from a title, we can get along like how we did in the past.¡± ¡°The past¡­¡± She chuckled. Olivia was aware that she should be the meek party in order to win some favor for herself from the negotiation. However, his condition was infuriating her. The balloon of anger was inting, on the verge of exploding. She grabbed something in the closet. Smiling, she approached him. ¡°Really? You can give me anything that I want?¡± It was a long time since hest saw her smile. Only then did Ethan realize that he wished to see her smile more than resenting her. Bewitched, he nodded. ¡°Yes. What do you want?¡± Olivia drew closer to him as her lips reached his ear, ¡°I want¡­¡± Suddenly, the image of her kissing his neck crossed his mind. He gulped his saliva. Next, she hit his head with a box that contained a necktie. ¡°I want you dead! Why can¡¯t you just go to hell, you scumbag? ¡°I wonder how a human could say such cruel things. Are you out of your mind? You divorced me and now you¡¯re asking me to be your mistress! ¡°I can¡¯t believe an ugly man like you can be this frivolous!¡± Ethan, who was caught off¨Cguard, hissed in pain because he didn¡¯t see thating. She grabbed him by the cor. ¡°If you loved me, why would you have Marina by your side? ¡°You¡¯re engaged to her and yet you won¡¯t let me go. Is this your kink? Do you take pleasure in having affairs?¡± Her beating didn¡¯t anger him, but her words did. ¡°Olivia Fordham, shut up!¡± ¡°I can never let this off, Ethan Miller. You destroyed my family and made us go bankrupt. ¡°My father is in aa because of you. How could you say that to my face? I¡¯m going to send you to hell today!¡± she shouted. Exasperated, Ethan pulled her out of the closet. Olivia took the chance to punch and kick him. ¡°You want me to be your mistress? Dream it on, you hideous man! I bet you¡¯re the reincarnation of Zeus. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone as frivolous as you are. It¡¯s not like there are no other men in this world. Why must I stay by your side?¡± Her face turned crimson She continued, ¡°Instead of mistress, I¡¯d rather be your mother. I would¡¯ve ended your life as soon as I gave birth to you.¡± Her scoldings ticked him off. His eyes were dangerously dark when he raised his hand. She raised her chin at him without a care of the consequence. ¡°Go ahead! It¡¯s best you hit me to death right now!¡± Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Olivia shut her eyes. She was prepared for the p, but the expected pain never came. By the time she opened her eyes, he walked away while holding the gray suit she had chosen. He mmed the door shut with a loud thud, leaving her alone in the room. She slid onto the floor as her knees became weak. A moment ago, she was so livid that she didn¡¯t realize she was sweating. Her body was trembling, too. But she didn¡¯t know if it was out of anger or fear. Ethan¡¯s gaze was so frightening that she thought she was never going to make it until tomorrow. It was her first time reprimanding him ever since they got together. She bet she was the first person to do that to him. She patted her chest. Her racing heartbeat wasn¡¯t able to calm down until now. A few minutester, Madam Burgess rushed into the bedroom. Looking at Olivia¡¯s pale face, Madam Burgess sighed. ¡°Mrs. Miller, what did you do? I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Miller this angry before.¡± Olivia finally regained herposure. She tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just a fight.¡± Madam Burgess was upset by the answer. She seated herself next to Olivia. ¡°Mrs. Miller, although he has another woman, I don¡¯t think he has feelings for that vixen. ¡°Previously, when you were not around, he returned to the Miller residence every day. ¡°Take the recent incident, for instance. When you and the Young Master went missing, he couldn¡¯t sleep nor eat well. ¡°He fell sick for a long time. Hisplexion finally regained its color these days.¡± Madam Burgess ced her hands on Olivia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Please bear with my nagging. I watched Mr. Miller grow up. ¡°You¡¯re the only woman he brought home. The feelings he has for you aren¡¯t the same as for others. ¡°He deserves a punishment for his wrongdoings, but you should consider his genuine feelings.¡± Olivia thought of Ethan¡¯s face and sneered. ¡°Genuine feelings? Those feelings are too burdensome for me.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Mrs. Miller-¡± ¡°Enough, Madam Burgess. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to hear Madam Burgess say good words for him. Madam Burgess sighed deeply. ¡°Mrs. Miller, I¡¯m saying this for your sake. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know his character. ¡°If you don¡¯tpromise, you will eventually be the one at a loss.¡± Olivia was stunned for a second. She didn¡¯t like what Madam Burgess said, but they were true. Madam Burgess added, ¡°I can tell that he¡¯s never going to let you go after what has happened. ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep your rtionship with him rigid, that vixen is going to benefit from it. ¡°Mrs. Miller, you still have a long way ahead of you. If you¡¯re left with no choice, why not make your life easier? ¡°Right now, the route you¡¯ve chosen is making both you and him suffer.¡± Olivia thought of the incident on the ind and the matter she had yet to finish investigating. If Ethan was going to confine her forever, it would be a dead¨Cend for her. ¡°I understood, Madam Burgess,¡± Olivia said. ¡°Good. Men are easy to please. They¡¯re like kids. Please don¡¯t let that vixen take advantage of your situation, Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia was still holding Ethan¡¯s box. Last night, she figured that she needed to talk to him. But the fight this morning had put her ns on hold. That afternoon, Olivia came across an article online. The dyed engagement ceremony between the Millers and the Carltons was going to be held at the end of the month. There was a picture of Ethan and Marina. He was wearing a stoic face in a gray suit while Marina held onto his arm with a sweet smile. The gray suit was the one Olivia picked for him. They seemed to be a match made in heaven. Olivia felt like her old scars were being reopened painfully. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Madam Burgess, who noticed Olivia¡¯s pale face, quickly set her phone aside. ¡°Madam Burgess, why are you reading that? ¡°That picture is an eyesore. You should look at heartthrobs in entertainment to make your day. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a newly debuted idol group called XO. The way they twist their waists is really hot.¡± Olivia, who was in a bad mood, chuckled at that. ¡°You know this kind of stuff?¡± Madam Burgess ced her hand on Olivia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mrs. Miller, people can never be perfect. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°We learn what¡¯s right or wrong through mistakes. We shouldn¡¯t punish ourselves because of others¡® mistakes.¡± Olivia was surprised to learn that Madam Burgess was actually on her side. Madam Burgess continued, ¡°If Mr. Miller divorced you, he could divorce Marina in the future, too. ¡°Give yourself some time. It¡¯s-¡± ¡°I know. Prepare the ingredients. I¡¯ll make dinner tonight for tonight,¡± interrupted Olivia, as she didn¡¯t want to hear the rest. Madam Burgess¡® eyes lit at her rare attempt to please Ethan. To Madam Burgess, Olivia and Ethan were the perfect match. She was certain that the engagement was done because of his impulsive decision. Thus, his rtionship with Marina wouldn¡¯t be able tost long for sure. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll call Mr. Miller,¡± Madam Burgess said. Olivia turned her phone off and stood up with a cold expression. She recalled what had happened for the past two years. The Fordham family had fallen, and her father was in aa. Ethan wasn¡¯t the sole cause for what happened to her. It was an undeniable fact that love blinded her vision, causing her to forget about others. That was why there was an opening for others to take advantage of her. Olivia didn¡¯t have much time left. Hence, she shouldn¡¯t waste time by having a fight with Ethan. Didn¡¯t people grow up by withdrawing their ws and putting on a mask? The presidential management staff made sure to hush their breaths. Layer uponyer of burden weighed on them. It might take them one trivial mistake to enrage Ethan. Brent stood next to him while holding a huge pile of documents. Ethan¡¯s eyebrows had not stopped furrowing since morning. ¡°Mr. Miller, the news of your engagement with Ms. Carlton has gone viral online,¡± said Brent. Although Ethan didn¡¯t respond to that as he read a document, Brent was aware that he was distracted. Not only had he been reading that page for five minutes, the document was upside down. ¡°I received a call from Madam Burgess-¡± ¡°She wants to leave the house?¡± Ethan finally responded. Judging from her scoldings this morning, he assumed that she was causing a ruckus at home to leave. ¡°No. Madam Burgess asked if you¡¯re going to go home for dinner. Mrs. Miller is making dinner tonight,¡± Brent corrected. Despite the good mood, Ethan snorted. ¡°Tell her that I¡¯m busy.¡± After giving it a thought, Brent decided to persuade him. ¡°Mr. Miller, a lot of things have happened to Mrs. Miller recently. ¡°She¡¯s thinner than she was in the past. Please be gentle to her.¡± Ethan pointed at the scratch on his chin. ¡°Do you think that she¡¯s gentle to me?¡± ¡°I bet she has realized her mistake. She¡¯s making dinner to make up for it.¡± Ethan threw the document in his hand onto the table. ¡°And must I forgive her because of that? ¡°Does she think that she¡¯s the only one I need? I didn¡¯t punish her for escaping, though. Just what does she want me to do?¡± He kept thinking about how Olivia and Jack held hands on the ind. Suppressing the churning resentment in him, he let out a long sigh. He mmed the table. ¡°Even if I have to jump off this building, I am not going to go home to have dinner with her.¡± Brent ryed the message to Madam Burgess over the phone. Five minutester, Ethan¡¯s phone rang. Brent didn¡¯t know what Olivia said, but he noticed that Ethan¡¯s mood was improving. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Ethan hung up the call with a smile. When he met Brent¡¯s questioning eyes, he coughed. ¡°She wants to bring me dinner. But on her own ord. I didn¡¯t force her.¡± Brent was at a loss for words. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 No one knew Ethan¡¯s favorites better than Olivia. Thus, it should be easy to please him. The only tricky part was whether he would give her the chance. Back then, she had prepared dinner for him a few times as well. Each time, she waited until midnight. Yet, there was no sign of his return. He would give her the cold shoulder without batting an eye. No matter what she said, he wouldn¡¯t meet her. Olivia was testing the waters when she called Ethan. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t as cruel as he was before. After making dinner, she went to Miller Group by car. She was deeply absorbed in her thoughts while hugging the lunch boxes. The mastermind knew Ethan and Olivia¡¯s situation like the back of his hand. Hence, it was highly possible that he was an acquaintance of Ethan¡¯s. But who could it be? Kelvin and Brent clearly could not be the mastermind. Madam Burgess was out of the question because she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep things to herself. Could it be one of the workers in the Miller Group? Olivia didn¡¯t visit him at work before they divorced. At that time, she assumed he was protecting her privacy. Now, it seemed like a joke to her. The public was aware of Ethan and Marina¡¯s engagement. It was all over the news. Yet, there wasn¡¯t a huge change to Olivia¡¯s identity. Be it the past or present, she was kept in the dark like a dirty secret. She took the presidential elevator to go to the highest floor of the building. Every employee had clocked out at this hour. Only Ethan and his secretaries were working overtime. Her feet halted by the door. There were six secretaries working for him. She could recognize the four men and two women. The moment she entered the office, she met eyes with ady sitting in a corner. Thedy adjusted her spectacles. Olivia couldn¡¯t see her eyes due to the reflection of the ss. ¡°Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller¡¯s office is right ahead.¡± Brent showed Olivia the way. The secretaries were buried in their works. She couldn¡¯t observe much from that brief glimpse. In order not to rm them, she quickly left the area. Brent knocked on the door, and an icy voice came from the inside. ¡°Come in.¡± He opened the door for Olivia before taking his leave. The curious secretaries came up to him. ¡°Brent, who¡¯s that woman?¡± Ethan was known for his aloof attitude toward women. Other than for coboration purposes, no women had ever shown up at this hour. Brent smacked William Dante¡¯s forehead. Thetter was the liveliest among the secretaries. ¡°You talk too much. Have you finished your work yet?¡± Brent said. William covered his forehead while muttering a few curses under his breath. Brent looked at everyone. ¡°Focus on your job.¡± ¡°Yes, Brent.¡± Everyone was eager for the gossip, but no one dared to start the discussion first. Meanwhile, Olivia was looking at Ethan, who was working. It was such an irony that she only visited him at work after the divorce. It seemed like he was so preupied with work that he didn¡¯t acknowledge her arrival. She ced the lunch boxes on the table neatly. The stars twinkled in the somber sky, and the city was illuminated. Ethan appeared stoic under the lights. He didn¡¯t spare Olivia a single nce as of now. Pin¨Cdrop silence filled the office. She didn¡¯t have an inkling to his thoughts. Judging from how he didn¡¯t hit her despite her scoldings this morning, she was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be physical here. Mustering the courage in her, she approached him. The closer the distance was, the more intense she could feel his presence. Even though he hadn¡¯t uttered a word, his presence filled the air. She walked up behind him, wanting to talk nicely with him. However, the moment she saw the back of his head, her hand instinctively grabbed the ashtray. No one knew Ethan¡¯s favorites better than Olivia. Thus, it should be easy to please him. The only tricky part was whether he would give her the chance. Back then, she had prepared dinner for him a few times as well. Each time, she waited until midnight. Yet, there was no sign of his return. He would give her the cold shoulder without batting an eye. No matter what she said, he wouldn¡¯t meet her. Olivia was testing the waters when she called Ethan. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t as cruel as he was before. After making dinner, she went to Miller Group by car. She was deeply absorbed in her thoughts while hugging the lunch boxes. The mastermind knew Ethan and Olivia¡¯s situation like the back of his hand. Hence, it was highly possible that he was an acquaintance of Ethan¡¯s. But who could it be? Kelvin and Brent clearly could not be the mastermind. Madam Burgess was out of the question because she wouldn¡¯t be able t keep things to herself. Could it be one of the workers in the Miller Group? Olivia didn¡¯t visit him at work before they divorced. At that time, she assumed he was protecting her privacy. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Now, it seemed like a joke to her. The public was aware of Ethan and Marina¡¯s engagement. It was all over the news. Yet, there wasn¡¯t a huge change to Olivia¡¯s identity. Be it the past or present, she was kept in the dark like a dirty secret. She took the presidential elevator to go to the highest floor of the building. Every employee had clocked out at this hour. Only Ethan and his secretaries were working overtime. Her feet halted by the door. There were six secretaries working for him. She could recognize the four men and two women. The moment she entered the office, she met eyes with ady sitting in a corner. Thedy adjusted her spectacles. Olivia couldn¡¯t see her eyes due to the reflection of the ss. ¡°Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller¡¯s office is right ahead.¡± Brent showed Olivia the way. The secretaries were buried in their works. She couldn¡¯t observe much from that brief glimpse. In order not to rm them, she quickly left the area. Brent knocked on the door, and an icy voice came from the inside. ¡°Come in ¡± He opened the door for Olivia before taking his leave. The curious secretaries came up to him ¡°Brent, who¡¯s that woman?¡± Ethan was known for his aloof attitude toward women. Other than for coboration purposes, no women had ever shown up at this hour. Brent smacked William Dante¡¯s forehead. Thetter was the liveliest among the secretaries. ¡°You talk too much. Have you finished your work yet?¡± Brent said. William covered his forehead while muttering a few curses under his breath. Brent looked at everyone. ¡°Focus on your job.¡± ¡°Yes, Brent.¡± Everyone was eager for the gossip, but no one dared to start the discussion first. Meanwhile, Olivia was looking at Ethan, who was working. It was such an irony that she only visited him at work after the divorce. It seemed like he was so preupied with work that he didn¡¯t acknowledge her arrival. She ced the lunch boxes on the table neatly. The stars twinkled in the somber sky, and the city was illuminated. Ethan appeared stoic under the lights. He didn¡¯t spare Olivia a single nce as of now. Pin¨Cdrop silence filled the office. She didn¡¯t have an inkling to his thoughts. Judging from how he didn¡¯t hit her despite her scoldings this morning, she was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be physical here. Mustering the courage in her, she approached him. The closer the distance was, the more intense she could feel his presence. Even though he hadn¡¯t uttered a word, his presence filled the air. She walked up behind him, wanting to talk nicely with him. However, the moment she saw the back of his head, her hand instinctively grabbed the ashtray. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 The ashtray was heavy. It was difficult for Olivia to hold it with one hand. She wondered if the blood would stter on her face if she flung it at Ethan. Her unconscious thoughts scared even herself, too. At that moment, Ethan looked back at her. They met each other¡¯s eyes. Before he could say anything, she asked, ¡°Why did you smoke so much?¡± When he noticed the ashtray in her hand, the first thing that came to his mind was that Olivia was going to murder him with it. But her question nipped his suspicion. Ethan was wearing an indifferent expression. ¡°Does that have anything to do with you?¡± His voice was full of disdain. She set the ashtray down. Next time, she¡¯ll use something sharp to finish him off. Suppressing her displeasure, Olivia tugged at the hem of his sleeve. ¡°I¡­ crossed the line this morning. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ethan stared at her face, which appeared paler under the light. She came without makeup. Although she was pretty, she didn¡¯t look lively. It still softened a part of his heart all the same. Ethan could never handle it when Olivia acted cute while tugging his shirt. Whenever she acted that way, he could even pluck a star from the sky if she wanted him to. ¡°Where¡¯s dinner?¡± He questioned, finally rxing the mood. ¡°Here.¡± She dly went along with it and pushed the meal box in front of him. There was fried chicken,sagna, sd, and fruit. The cherry tomatoes in the sd were arranged into a heart shape. It was simple, yet it catered to his liking. Ethan, who hadn¡¯t been able to have the food she made, stared at the heart¨Cshaped sd for a while. Memories of her first cooking experience crossed his mind. She was clumsy but serious about preparing him a lunch box. That day, Olivia ended up with a few blisters on her hands. Yet, she presented the nicely ted dish to him with a grin. ¡°Here. I made it. Even if it¡¯s not tasty, you gotta finish it.¡± At that time, there was always a smile stered on her face. Unlike before, she lost self¨Cconfidence whenever she stood next to him. Her actions were careful and timid. Noticing Ethan¡¯s silence, Olivia prompted gingerly. ¡°These lunch boxes are insted. The food isn¡¯t cold. Give them a try.¡± She handed him the cutleries. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The familiar taste melted in his mouth, walking him down memoryne. ¡°I¨CIs it delicious?¡± she asked nervously. He was utterly speechless. Since when did she be so timid around him? ¡°Weren¡¯t you all fired up this morning?¡± He raised his gaze to look at her. She pursed her lips. ¡°Sorry. I lost control of my emotions.¡± ¡°Have you eaten?¡± She lowered her gaze. ¡°I haven¡¯t. I was afraid that I wouldn¡¯t be able toe in time before the food got cold.¡± In actuality, she had eaten her fill at home. He pulled Olivia onto hisp. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± She pretended to be flustered. ¡°But-¡± Ethan fed her a spoonful of meat. ¡°It¡¯s too big of a bite,¡± she grumbled and pouted. He then gave her a smaller bite of chicken. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She ate it obediently, hoping that she wouldn¡¯t burp. As soon as she wished for that, a burp surged to her throat and escaped her lips. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Olivia¡¯s burp was loud in the silent room before stillness inted in the air. She didn¡¯t expect herself to give the game away that quickly. Feeling awkward, she looked at Ethan. ¡°I can exin.¡± She blurted that in the heat of the moment, making matters worse. She observed his expression carefully only to realize that his face was free from annoyance. Worry sat upon his brows instead. She thought, ¡°Did I misread his expression? He resents me to his bones. Why would he be worried about me?¡± ¡°Have more if you¡¯re hungry.¡± He gave her a spoonful. She was confused as she thought, ¡°Does he think that I burp because I¡¯m hungry?¡± In the end, Olivia was stuffed when the meal was actually made for Ethan. ¡°Enough. I¡¯m full.¡± She could feel her stomach bursting. He frowned. ¡°You¡¯re all skin and bones. How could you eat only this little?¡± Then, he fed her another spoonful ofsagna. Her cheeks were puffed like a chipmunk. At this moment, a woman in spectacles opened the door. ¡°Mr. Miller, we need a signature from you for this doc-¡± Never in her life has she imagined herself to witness such a scene. The solemn Ethan, who abhorred contact with women, was hugging and feeding Olivia. His humility put the secretary in a trance. Olivia swallowed the food in a hurry and choked on it. Her face turned red instantly. ¡°Water ¡­¡± Ethan gave her a ss of water. ¡°How could a grown¨Cup choke on food?¡± She hugged his neck and nuzzled his cheek. ¡°I was surprised. That¡¯s all.¡± Her gentle voice sent slight shudders across his body. It made his heart flutter. Olivia¡¯s breathing was brushing his ears. He turned his head away to look at the shocked secretary. ¡°Who told you toe in? Leave!¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry, Mr. Miller.¡± She quickly closed the door. Although she was hugging Ethan¡¯s neck, she had been watching that secretary from the corner of her eyes. Everyone around him was on Olivia¡¯s suspect list. The opponent¡¯s objective was to drive Olivia and Ethan apart. Thus, the opponent wouldn¡¯t like it when they were intimate. Too bad there weren¡¯t many emotions shown on the secretary¡¯s face. As soon as the door was closed, she released him. ¡°That secretary is bold. She entered the office without your permission.¡± Jealousy seeped into her tone, and he was in a good mood because of that. ¡°She was in a hurry to get her job done, so she didn¡¯t think much about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m full. You can dig in.¡± She hopped off Ethan¡¯sp as if she had achieved her objective. Olivia stood in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, which made her appear petite. Mixed feelings churned in his stomach as lie watched her back. She was gazing at the illuminated city, where she didn¡¯t feel a sense of belonging. He ced the cutleries down without her knowing and came up behind him. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± ¡°About you and Marina¡¯s engagement ceremony. I heard that she¡¯s chosen Cherry Blossom Haven as the venue. It¡¯ll be gorgeous when the cherry blossoms bloom,¡± she described it with tranquility. Slowly, she turned around and looked at him. ¡°Speaking about it, you still owe me a wedding.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 When Olivia said that, she forced herself to recall the sad memories so that she could look at Ethan with teary eyes. She knew that being ferocious against him wouldn¡¯t do. After all, they were once husband and wife. She knew his character more than anyone else did. Softening his heart was the best option. Her voice was calm, free fromints and doubts. Tears were pooling in her eyes, too. Although tears can disgust someone, they could be a weapon when it was used at the right time. Now, Ethan¡¯s throat parched due to guilt. ¡°I know.¡± He lowered his head in self¨Creproach. He held her shoulders and licked his lip before saying, ¡°I know that many things have happened between us. ¡°We cannot turn back time either. Let¡¯s put an end to Leia¡¯s matter. Stay by my side. I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡± That was the most significant concession he could make. Frigid numbness shackled her heart. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. He was the person who hurt her deeply in the past. How could she forget about it only because he promised to look after her? In order not to ruin her n, Olivia expressed sorrow and rested her head against his chest. Facing her advance, Ethan had never been this nervous before. After all, this was the same woman who yelled while pointing at him fiercely in the morning. Yet, she turned gentle at night. Their interactions were mostly on the edge for the past two years. Such a calm moment was rare between them. His body went tense as he quietly waited for her to say something. ¡°Ethan,¡± she called. Olivia¡¯s soft voice was like a cat¡¯s meow, prompting him to hum in response. She continued, ¡°We need to talk¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± he said. She hugged Ethan¡¯s waist and recounted the whole story on the ind in a gentle voice. ¡°At first, I was trying to rescue Connor. But I fell in love with that ceter on. No one hurt me. Everyone on the ind was kind to me. I genuinely want to help them.¡± She raised her head to observe his response. When she was certain that he wasn¡¯t acting repulsive to that topic, she added, ¡°Tom is cheerful, and Jerry is talented in arts. ¡°Martha owned only one thermal underwear, but she made it into a diaper for Connor.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± He was surprisingly receptive. Her expression sparked joy as she told him her n. ¡°Got it,¡± he responded. Olivia gazed at Ethan in anticipation. ¡°You-¡± ¡°I can develop the ind, but on one condition.¡± Her eyes were twinkling in happiness. ¡°Say it.¡± The squeaky¨Cclean window reflected how he bent over to whisper into her ear. ¡°I want you to stay by my side forever. You cannot leave me.¡± Her body shuddered slightly. Previously, he was the person who wanted the divorce. Now, he was the person who wanted her to stay. She couldn¡¯t seem to understand him anymore. Considering the few months she had left, she nodded without hesitation. ¡°Okay.¡± Her lifetime came with a limitation. There were a few months remaining. Her quick response made Ethan anxious instead. He had more questions in mind, but it would upset both of them since it was rted to their fight this morning. He tightened his arms around Olivia¡¯s waist. ¡°If you leave me, I will burn that ind. You know that I do as I say, don¡¯t you?¡± His body was warm, unlike his icy tone. Calmly, she tugged his shirt. ¡°Ethan, I have a favor to ask you.¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 It was rare for Olivia to show him her good side. Naturally, Ethan was willing to hear what she had to say. ¡°Yes?¡± Ethan was in a good mood. His tone became lighter without his knowing. Olivia said seriously, ¡°I do not want to be locked in the house like a pet. I had given up on my studies before. I had only lived in sadness these two years. I want to have a fresh start.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Ethan was in a really good mood. That made him more patient, too. Olivia said slowly, ¡°I want to work at your side.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. In the past, she had lived her life as a housewife. She had been content with living like that, being loved by him. She was okay with not being in the spotlight. But she thought she was too much of a failure when she realized she didn¡¯t know the people Ethan hung around with. She didn¡¯t even know who they had offended. If she stayed in the dark, she would always be easily manipted by that person. Olivia has never been as enlightened as she was. In the past two years, someone had been pulling the strings in the shadows. Like her rtionship with Ethan, she initially thought that it was only because of Marina. But after she gave it a thought, it couldn¡¯t have been her. The person forced them to get a divorce. They even destroyed Leia¡¯s gravestone to further worsen her rtionship with Ethan. The person¡¯s maniption caused them to be where they were now. The picture she receivedst month also managed to make matters worse. Olivia almost killed Connor. If she hadn¡¯t stopped herself that night, it would¡¯ve been over between her and Ethan. He would likely torture her to death. What an evil scheme! After she understood everything, she did away with her hostility. She wanted to find the mastermind behind it all with Ethan¡¯s help. But she couldn¡¯t let Ethan in on her ns. Or else she might risk alerting the mastermind. Ethan was deep in thought. He was scanning her face for a clue. He wanted to know what she was plotting. Olivia looked at him openly and said, ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me. That¡¯s why I want to work at your side. That¡¯s the best way for you to keep an eye on me. ¡°I want to learn skills that can help me rebuild the Fordham family. I believe I can aplish that by learning from you.¡± Olivia knew that was a good excuse. She also knew that Ethan would not suspect anything if she said that. ¡°If you have thought it through, I have no objections.¡± Ethan thought she had a point. He should keep her by his side rather than have her cause trouble on her own. He would be able to keep her from trouble if she was close to him. Olivia suddenly thought of something and curled her lips. ¡°My only worry is the Carltons. With how our rtionship is now, Marina would not allow me to be around you.¡± In the past, Ethan had always stood by Marina¡¯s side firmly. Her ns would risk failure if Marina came and made a fuss. Ethan patted her on the head. He said with an icy re in his eyes, ¡°She doesn¡¯t get to decide if you stay or not.¡± He then said resolutely, ¡°I¡¯m the one who gets to decide that.¡± (via meld in his arms and said, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re the best.¡± than sokist at the cute woman in his embrace. He knew something was not right. But he couldn¡¯t put a finger on it. It was as if Olivia became apletely different person overnight. He didn¡¯t know if she changed because she finally saw the hight or if she was plotting something. But he didn¡¯t care anymore. Even if she was plotting something, he thought she would not be able to cause any trouble if he kept her close ¡°So, can I start working tomorrow?¡± Olivia raised her head to look at him seriously. ¡°What position do you want?¡± Ethan asked. He didn¡¯t mind giving her whatever she wanted. Olivia licked her lips and said, ¡°Secretary. The type that stays by your side.¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Ethan stared deeply into Olivia¡¯s eyes. He wanted to see what she was thinking by reading her expression. ¡°What do you want?¡± Olivia was being too weird. He had no idea what she was plotting. Ethan felt uneasy even though she had be more docile. . ¡°I already told you. I wanted to have a fresh start. I don¡¯t want to be in the shadows my whole life.¡± Olivia tugged at Ethan¡¯s sleeve lightly. Her muffled voice came from within his embrace. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Is that all you want?¡± Ethan said in a strained voice. He did not know what to say. ¡°What else can I do? Or are you saying that you¡¯re willing to let me go and live in other cities?¡± Ethan tightened his arms around her voice and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Olivia smiled bitterly in his arms. He had already said it before. Even in death, she had to stay by his side. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. She closed her eyes and thought, ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Ethan said. The voice in Olivia¡¯s head and Ethan¡¯s voice were in unison. Olivia raised her head to smile at him and said, ¡°Are you full? Do you want to eat some more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You should go rest.¡± Olivia broke free from his embrace and said with a serious face, ¡°How can I do that? I am going to be your secretary soon. I need to get used to your daily routine.¡± Ethan looked at her deeply. She had a serious expression. He didn¡¯t see anything suspicious. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± He went back to his seat while Olivia cleaned up the food containers. She saw Ethan make a call from the corner of her eye. Brent quickly entered the room and stood at the side, awaiting orders. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller.¡± Brent addressed them. ¡°She will be my personal assistant from now on. Go and make arrangements for that.¡± Brent was shocked. Olivia smiled and said, ¡°Thanks, Brent. Also, I hope that you can keep my identity a secret.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to change how you address me.¡± Brent looked at Ethan for confirmation. Ethan nodded at him. ¡°Okay. My apologies. Come with me, Olivia.¡± Olivia quickly followed Brent out of the room. Ethan stared at her back as she was leaving. He decided that he would keep her close. No matter what she was plotting, she would not be able to cause any trouble with him watching. He went back to his work after he came to that conclusion. But for some reason, he was in a better mood than before. Olivia followed Brent to the corridor. Brent looked around and saw that nobody was near. He said, ¡°Mrs. Mi- Are you sure you want to do this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to be able to work than to be locked up at home. At least this way, I get to go out.¡± Olivia shrugged and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care then. Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± After that, Brent took Olivia to the secretary¡¯s office and introduced her to everyone. The others were shocked to see a personal assistant join them out of the blue. But they weed her warmly. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for you to have a desk tomorrow. You can just familiarize yourself with the other people tonight.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After Brent left, the six people in the office stared at her. But since they all worked under Ethan, they didn¡¯t ask her anything, even if they were curious. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ll brief you on Mr. Miller¡¯s habits in a bit.¡± The one who spoke was William Dante. He was in charge when Brent wasn¡¯t around. He was holding a stack of documents, and his back was straight. He didn¡¯t look like an office worker but more like an army man. ¡°Thanks, Mr. Dante.¡± William proceeded to introduce the others to her, ¡°This is Aaron Dante, Tiago Bingley, and Clint Bingley.¡± Olivia had already heard about them before she arrived. Aaron and William were brothers. Tiago and Clint were cousins. William pointed to the two remaining female assistants and said, ¡°They are Grace Engel and Nancy Giles.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, everyone. My name is Olivia Fordham. I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± Olivia introduced herself with confidence. But her eyes were watching their expressions closely. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Olivia thought that the secretaries would be her suspects if the person who manipted her life was indeed hiding close to Ethan. Olivia was observing their expressions to see if they would reveal their true colors. But they were calm andposed. They greeted her and went back to work. Olivia touched her wrist. Was she wrong about that? She decided not to rush things. She decided to probe Grace first. She was the most recently recruited secretary other than herself. Olivia moved next to Grace. Grace¡¯s attitude towards her wasn¡¯t particrly friendly. But she also didn¡¯t look down on her. Olivia spent nearly two hours next to all the secretaries. She wasn¡¯t able to find anything suspicious about them. Brent allowed them to go home after they did overtime until 9:00 pm. Nancy was full of smiles as soon as she got off work. She massaged her back and started to call her friends. It seemed like she was headed to a bar and was asking someone to save her a seat. She saw Olivia looking at her and gestured to Olivia with her chin. ¡°You wannae with me? It¡¯s a new bar. Lots of handsome guys. It can be your wee party.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t expect her to get friendly so suddenly. She waved her hands and said, ¡°I can¡¯t. I still have some documents to tend to. I haven¡¯t even memorized Mr. Miller¡¯s preferences yet.¡± Nancy withdrew her gaze from Olivia and said, ¡°Alright, maybe next time.¡± Nancy was already walking away while talking. Aaron put his palm on his forehead and said, ¡°Stay away from her. She¡¯s a bad influence. She flirts with men all the time.¡± Olivia smiled sheepishly and looked at Grace. Grace was not a particrly beautiful woman. She looked very differentpared to Nancy¡¯s charming appearance. She reminded Olivia of a teacher¡¯s pet. Someone who wears sses and has in looks but always excelled academically. Grace was packing her stuff up calmly. Her desk was very neat. It was like she had obsessivepulsive disorder. Every single document was arranged neatly. She felt Olivia¡¯s gaze and looked at Olivia. Then, she said emotionlessly, ¡°How can I help you?¡± Her voice was calm. Olivia wasn¡¯t able to discern any emotion from her words. It was like she was a robot. Even though her tone was t, her words sent chills down Olivia¡¯s spine. Olivia smiled innocently at her and said, ¡°Ms. Engel, your earrings are so pretty! I couldn¡¯t help but stare at them. Where did you buy them?¡± The earrings were the only essory on Grace¡¯s person. They were small and shaped like roses. There were diamonds in the center of the earrings that shined brightly. ¡°These are custom¨Cmade as per Mr. Miller¡¯s order. They were my year¨Cend bonus for the year before.¡± Grace said in a calm voice. ¡°Is that so? Then I have to work hard to shoot for this year¡¯s year¨Cend bonus.¡± Olivia said while punching her fist in the air, Grace nced at her and left after slinging her backpack on. William chipped in and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. She has always been cold.¡± Olivia said gently, ¡°Does this mean she¡¯s always been like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve barely ever seen her smile since she started working here. Although she¡¯s a cold person, she works rather efficiently.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. They chatted for a little bit more. Olivia was thest one to leave the office. She didn¡¯t go far and waited at the underground parking lot. Ethan rolled down the car window and said coldly, ¡°Get in.¡± Olivia followed him back to the Miller residence. This was the first time they went home from work together. Olivia was deep in thought on the ride home. The people she met at the office today all had different personalities. They all looked suspicious in their own way. ¡°Having regrets?¡± Ethan had been typing on hisptop since he got in the car. It was unexpected for him to show her concern. He adjusted his sses and said, ¡°You can still change your mind now.¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Olivia raised the notebook in her hand. The notebook recorded all of Ethan¡¯s preferences. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished memorizing it yet. Mr. Miller takes his coffee with three cubes of sugar. He likes his steak rare. His favorite fruits are cherries and blueberries¡­¡± Olivia shut the notebook. She looked at Ethan seriously, ¡°I seem to recall that you hated those fruits the most. You only eat medium¨Crare steaks, and you never put any sugar in your coffee.¡± If William hadn¡¯t reminded her not to get anything wrong, she would have thought that someone was setting her up for failure at the workce. The list of preferences was theplete opposite of what Ethan actually liked. Ethan took the notebook from her hands and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about that.¡± Ethan did not like people knowing about his preference. No one knew about his actual preferences except Olivia. ¡°You need only do as you¡¯re told.¡± The light from theptop¡¯s screen shone on Ethan¡¯s face. It made his expression look even colder. Olivia suddenly realized that she had never truly understood Ethan, whom she slept with. Ethan at work was apletely different person. She nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Olivia frowned and looked at her serious expression. He found it hard to believe that she was going to be his secretary. How did she change so much in a day? Ethan had a lot of work piled up due to Olivia and Connor¡¯s disappearance a while ago. Even at home, he was still having video conferences and reading emails. Olivia took herptop to the bed after she showered. Luckily, the restrictions Ethan put on her were temporarily lifted. She began searching for information on theptop. She took particr notice of Ethan¡¯s schedule on the day of Jeff¡¯s car ident. It was Ethan and Leia¡¯s birthday that day. Usually, he wouldn¡¯t have anything nned on that day. But the G20 Summit was held on that day. Ethan had to attend and give a speech because he was the chairman. It didn¡¯t matter if he went from the office or the Miller residence to the G20 Summit venue. He wouldn¡¯t have gone past the street where the ident happened. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. That was unless he wanted to witness Jeff¡¯s death at the scene because he nned the whole thing. The other possibility was that he had no choice but to go there. There were several idents on that day. It wasn¡¯t hard to look up. Olivia quickly found the news reports of the idents. In the articles, Olivia saw two other car idents that happened on Lindon Street. Although they weren¡¯t as severe as Jeff¡¯s, they were enough to cause traffic jams. Coincidentally, Ethan¡¯s car showed up in one of the video clips. Even though it only appeared for a few frames, Olivia quickly spotted it. The clip was posted exactly 30 minutes before Jeff¡¯s ident. The street was the optimal path toward the G20 Summit. Ethan¡¯s appearance here meant that he had intended to go to the summit. He only changed course because of the car ident. That was why he showed up at the scene of Jeff¡¯s ident. Olivia felt a chill down her spine when she saw the video. Her suspicions were confirmed. Someone else had been manipting things from behind the scenes since two years ago! Both Ethan and her were pawns in that person¡¯s n. -Even her father¡¯s ident was nned by that person. It was done so that the me would be pinned on Ethan. The person wanted to use her to hurt Connor in her anger. That would, in turn, hurt Ethan. It would also cause their rtionship to bepletely irreparable. If she hadn¡¯t changed her mind at thest second, Connor would have been dead. This person was wicked. Ethan opened the door and walked in. He nced at her and said, ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Ethan saw the color drain from Olivia¡¯s face when he walked in. She looked very pale and unwell, even to the untrained eyes. Her hands were also shaking slightly. He frowned and quickly walked toward her. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Olivia did not try to hide it. Ethan saw the horrible ident. The scene was bloody. It was no wonder she looked pale. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see here.¡± Ethan thought she identally came across the video. He was about to turn it off before he realized something was wrong. That wasn¡¯t a recent ident. Olivia turned her phone off and asked with a seemingly casual tone, ¡°So, you were at the scene of my father¡¯s ident?¡± Ethan did not know that this was the reason she wanted to harm Connor before. So when she suddenly brought it up, he looked her in the eyes and said, ¡°Yes. ¡°I was headed for the G20 Summit that day. But there was an ident on the road, so I changed course. But I didn¡¯t expect to get to the scene of your father¡¯s ident.¡± It was like what Olivia had thought. She was sure that someone was manipting them in the shadows. And she almost became a tool for someone else¡¯s revenge plot. The person set up the incident with Leia¡¯s gravestone to let Ethan misunderstand Olivia. Then, there was the car ident that caused Olivia to misunderstand Ethan. So, the person¡¯s the reason why Ethan and Olivia were the way they were. This person was absolutely vile! Ethan saw that Olivia¡¯s face had be even paler. He realized that something was wrong. He said, ¡°Are you thinking that I was the one that nned that ident?¡± He turned Olivia around by her shoulders. He said with a stern expression, ¡°Stop your unrealistic delusions, Olivia. If I wanted to hurt him, he would¡¯ve died a long time ago.¡± Ethan continued in an icy tone, ¡°And if I had wanted to hurt him. I wouldn¡¯t have dragged innocent people into it. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have used other peoples¡® lives to cover up the truth. I have countless ways to kill somebody without raising suspicion¡­¡± Before he could finish talking, Olivia dove into his embrace and put her arms around his waist. ¡°I believe you,¡± she said. Ethan reached out and held her chin. He forced her to meet his gaze. He was ring at Olivia like an angry beast. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re plotting. It¡¯s true. Our breakup was ugly. ¡°I haven¡¯t treated you well these two years. I can understand if you hate me or if you me me for your suffering. ¡°I am also clear that we could not go back to how it used to be, Olivia.¡± He held her tightly and continued, ¡°Even if we hated each other, and the path forward is tough, I will never let you go. Because of you, I would never hurt your father. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°No matter how much I hated him, nor how much I wanted him to die.¡± Olivia¡¯s hand was hurting from his tight grip. His gaze was intense. It caused her face to flush and her heart to beat faster. Ethan slowly said everything he had been keeping to himself, ¡°It¡¯s because I knew that if he died, our rtionship would bepletely severed. ¡°That was why I wouldn¡¯t let him die. I was the first one to call for an ambnce on the scene.¡± Olivia was shocked. It seemed like she didn¡¯t expect him to do something like that. Given that it hade to this point, Ethan let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°I have never had the intention to kill him back then nor right now. ¡°So you should keep your thoughts in check. It is below me to do such a thing.¡± Olivia would never have believed him in the past. But she understood everything now, even if Ethan didn¡¯t exin himself. She opened her mouth. At that very moment, she had an urge to tell Ethan about everything. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 The idea shed through her mind momentarily. But Ethan¡¯s scornful face quickly filled her thoughts. She knew that Ethan could take her words as she was trying to get her father off the hook. He had already mocked her countless times for her schemes. Moreover, if she told him what she knew before uncovering the truth, it might alert the mastermind and force him to switch things up. So, she suppressed her urge to tell Ethan what she knew. In reality, the existence of a mastermind wouldn¡¯t have affected their rtionship. It was the fact that Ethan had an affair. Olivia was moreposed than she used to be. She responded with a muffled sound. Olivia¡¯s mind was clearer than it ever was after she got the reply she wanted. She clutched Ethan¡¯s clothes tightly. Uncovering the truth had be her only reason to be alive. ¡°Thank you for calling the ambnce.¡± ¡°There is no need to look at something that happened so long ago. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± Ethan thought that Olivia was just frightened. He held her and went to sleep. The strange thing was that Olivia didn¡¯t mention Marina to him. It was as if they were back to how they were. But that was just a ruse. Olivia opened her eyes after Ethan fell asleep and moved away from him. She almost moved to the edge of the bed. She didn¡¯t want to have any physical contact with him. Ethan was true to his word. The next morning, Olivia heard a familiar voice early in the morning. ¡°Wow, what a beautiful house. Jerry, can you make a painting of it?¡± The timid teenager beside him tugged at him and said, ¡°You should tone it down a little when you¡¯re on someone else¡¯s turf. Don¡¯t forget how scary that man could be.¡± Olivia heard their voices while she was going down the stairs. She immediately ran down the stairs. She saw the bright faces of the teenagers. ¡°Ms. Olivia!¡± Olivia walked down the remaining steps and approached the teenagers. She was pleasantly surprised. ¡°How did you guys get here?¡± ¡°A bunch of men came to the ind yesterday. Some were measuring stuff, and some were roaming around. ¡°Some people even gave us some supplies! We were brought here early in the morning today. Wasn¡¯t it you who sent those people, Ms. Olivia?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t expect Ethan to move so quickly. She quickly nodded. Ethan¡¯s voice came from around the corner, ¡°Are you happy now?¡± The two teenagers instinctively shielded Olivia behind their backs. They didn¡¯t expect to meet Ethan here. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, he won¡¯t hurt me.¡± Olivia had already noticed the hint of anger in Ethan¡¯s eyes. She went up to him and held his arm. ¡°Why did you bring them here?¡± She asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who cares so much about them?¡± Ethan pointed at Jerry and said, ¡°I¡¯ve handled their enrollment procedures. This one has talent in painting. So he is going to study at a professional art college. As for that troublemaker, the police academy suits him.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what price Ethan had to pay to get them into the institutions. But she was happy that he thought about that. ¡°Thank you,¡± Olivia said whole¨Cheartedly. Ethan adjusted his cufflinks and said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked the HR department to handle your job application. Come to work on time, three days from now.¡± Ethan left without having breakfast. It was as if he was deliberately giving them some time together. Olivia realized that he seemed to have changed. He felt a little like his former self. As soon as he left, Tom and Jerry became talkative. They asked her about everything. They handed her a piece of paper when no one was around. It had a phone number written on it. Olivia called the number. A familiar voice came from the phone, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jack¡¯s voice was still emotionless. Olivia told him about what happened on the ind. He wasn¡¯t too surprised. ¡°I knew you would keep your promise.¡± Olivia bit her lip and told him her concerns. ¡°Jack, can you help me with something? You¡¯re the only one I trust right now.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Jack agreed to Olivia¡¯s request without any hesitation. Tom and Jerry spent a long time catching up with Olivia. ¡°Ms. Olivia, Jack left the ind shortly after you did. He should havee to Aldenvine. ¡°If you need his help, you can contact him in private.¡± ¡°Do you guys know his background?¡± Olivia felt that Jack was very mysterious. He was a man who owned a lot of firearms. And she still doesn¡¯t know what he looked like. The information that Calvin dug up was definitely going to be limited. Jack was different. He might have special channels to gather more information. In addition, Jack was a mysterious entity. The mastermind would not know about his existence. ¡°Jack washed up on our shores a few years ago. He was on the brink of death when he arrived. Mom saved his life. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to have any family, so he stayed on our ind. But I think he might be an incredible person. His marksmanship is excellent.¡± Tom scratched his head in embarrassment at the mention of marksmanship. ¡°Ms. Olivia, I was too nervous that day. ¡°I almost hit you identally. But your ex¨Chusband was good to you. He protected you almost instinctively.¡± Tom was honest with his emotions. It was true that he hated Ethan. But he was also able to acknowledge his good qualities. Olivia didn¡¯t want to talk about Ethan. She patted him on the head and said, ¡°You have been given a unique chance.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So, you have to study hard to make a name for yourself and make Martha proud.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Olivia.¡± Since she hadn¡¯t started work yet, Olivia brought them to visit a famous local art exhibit. It was the first time Jerry was in such a close encounter with these art pieces. He was immensely moved. He did not know where to look. Tom did not understand him. He shrugged and said, ¡°I know there are book nerds. I think he¡¯s an art nerd. ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about these paintings? His reaction is too over the top.¡± Oliviaughed softly and said, ¡°It¡¯s only natural you can¡¯t feel what he feels. It¡¯s because you don¡¯t share his passion for art.¡± She was able to put down her hatred temporarily when she was with them. It was as if she was back on the ind, living a carefree life. She saw that Jerry was standing in front of a painting for a long time. She approached him and asked, ¡°What are you looking at? You look like you¡¯re in a trance.¡± Jerry snapped back into reality. His eyes were filled with joy, shining like stars in the night. ¡°Ms. Olivia, look at this painting. It is so exquisite.¡± Olivia looked at the painting and was taken aback. ¡°This painting ¡­¡± The painting depicted a sunrise in the mountains. The sunlight burst forth from beyond the hills and showered its light on everything, giving them a golden glow. The mountains were lush with greenery. Birds were soaring in the air, and squirrels were carrying pine cones on trees. In the distance, there was a cottage with smoke rising from its chimney. A stream of water flowed down the edge of the mountains. It felt like the painting epassed all of creation. It depicted an image full of life and gave off a feeling of being immersed in the beauty of life. ¡°Ms. Olivia, do you know who painted this? That person must be so enlightened and kind¨Chearted.¡± Olivia pursed her lips and muttered slowly, ¡°I ¡­ painted this.¡± ¡°What? You painted this, Ms. Olivia?¡± Jerry had seen Olivia¡¯s current style before. It waspletely different from the painting in front of them. Olivia almost forgot that she used to study under the master painter Constantine Harrington. The heirs of wealthy families were provided with quality education from a young age. Olivia happened to have a talent for many things and was the final student of Constantine. She painted this at the age of 13. But she didn¡¯t expect it to be disyed in an art exhibit. She recalled her brilliant achievements in the past andpared them to her misfortune. Everything changed because of one man. It was too pitiful. Olivia suddenly heard amotioning from the side. It would seem like someone important had arrived. Tom was sucking on a lollipop. He pointed not far away and said, ¡°Ms. Olivia, isn¡¯t that Connor?¡± Olivia looked toward where he was pointing and saw the familiar faces. It was Ethan and his family. Marina was carrying Connor in her arms and holding Ethan¡¯s arm with a smile. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Jerry tried to block Olivia¡¯s line of sight by standing in front of her. ¡°Don¡¯t look, Ms. Olivia.¡± On the other hand, Tom burst out in curses, ¡°I take back what I said about him. He betrayed his wife. ¡°He¡¯s scum. Don¡¯t look at a scum like him, Ms. Olivia. You don¡¯t have to dirty your eyes by looking at him.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart ached for a bit. Ethan was married to Marina. It didn¡¯t change anything, even if Ethan held her captive and slept next to her every night. Marina wanted to solidify her status. So, she nned for open shows of affection between her and Ethan. She also showed up in public ces with Ethan in tow. She didn¡¯t expect to see Olivia here and held Ethan¡¯s arm tighter. It was her way of showing off her victory. It was a simple strategy, but it was effective. Ethan watched as Olivia brought Tom and Jerry to another area of the exhibit. He then withdrew his hand from Marina¡¯s clutches. In the past, he was still courteous to Marina. But now, he wasn¡¯t even willing to keep up appearances with her. Marina¡¯s face twisted in hatred. She said in a low voice, ¡°Are you going to look for that bitch? Ethan Miller, do not forget that I am your fianc¨¦e now!¡± Ethan lowered his face to look at Marina, who was throwing a tantrum. In the past, heplied with Marina¡¯s wishes and respected her. He had held their siblinghood and childhood friendship highly. But now that Marina has shown her true colors to him, he couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her. ¡°You wanted me to keep up appearances with you, and I did,¡± Ethan said coldly. There was no compassion for her in his eyes. ¡°Now, everyone thinks that we¡¯re a loving couple.¡± Marina watched as Ethan left. Her face contorted in anger, and hatred filled her heart. She had a bad feeling. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Ethan seemed to hate Olivia less and less. His love for Olivia seemed to be growing. She went to a corner angrily and dialed an unfamiliar number. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve considered your proposal. I ept.¡± The voice over the phone said with a hint of joy, ¡°You¡¯re a smart woman, Ms. Carlton.¡± Marina wasn¡¯t able to tell if the voice came from a man or a woman. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to endure a little suffering.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind suffering a little if I can get Ethan back to me.¡± Marina¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred. She continued, ¡°This time, I want her to losepletely.¡± ¡°As you wish, Ms. Carlton.¡± The voice said in an amused tone that sent chills down Marina¡¯s spine. The light cast a long shadow behind Olivia. It made her seem more isted and lonely. That was until she suddenly collided with someone. She raised her head and met Ethan¡¯s gaze. They were in a blind spot of the security cameras. No one noticed them. Olivia moved away calmly. She said in a t tone, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, Ethan. You¡¯ll have to waste money on PR if we¡¯re caught on camera.¡± Even though she was looking out for him, her voice was unbelievably calm. Ethan was unable to feel that she cared about him. He suddenly realized thatpared to the currentposed Olivia, he preferred the Olivia of the past, who would get jealous. ¡°Is this what you are concerned about?¡± Ethan¡¯s voice carried a hint of coldness. Olivia was confused. She said, ¡°The makings of a good mistress are obedience and not causing trouble for her man.¡± Ethan tightened his hands on her shoulders. He said with a smirk, ¡°Well, you sure know your ce, mistress.¡± Olivia felt a stab of pain in her heart. ¡°What else could it be? You¡¯re getting engaged with Ms. Carlton. ¡°So what would our rtionship be described in the olden times? Would I be a second wife? A concubine? ¡°We¡¯ve got lots of names for that in the modern day, too! What should I address myself as? A lover, side chick, or mistress? ¡°Which do you prefer, Ethan?¡± Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Even though Olivia was being so docile, he felt a sense of unexinable mystery to her. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. That caused him to feel uneasy. It would have been in his nature to hold her captive by his side after he brought her back from the ind. But he suppressed his desire to do that. Instead, he gave her freedom and fulfilled her wishes. He even took extra care of Tom and Jerry. He thought that if he did so much for her, she would be so happy that her eyes lit up. In reality, she was calm. There were no emotions in her eyes. No matter how much he did for her, it didn¡¯t stir her emotions even a little. Olivia¡¯s calm face was reflected in his icy gaze. ¡°Olivia, enough is enough.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was filled with uncontroble anger. ¡°Even if I marry her, it would not affect your position at all.¡°* His words sounded like he was doing her a favor. Olivia smiled. The mockery in her smile was apparent. ¡°She already has the position of Mrs. Miller. What else do I have to give? Before Ethan could reply, Olivia reached out to adjust his cor. She didn¡¯t want to stay on that topic. After all, if they ended up in a fight, she would have to make an effort to appease him. ¡°Alright, go back to your fianc¨¦e. I know my ce. I won¡¯t put you on the spot.¡± She took a step back and continued, ¡°Thanks for not holding a grudge against Tom and Jerry.¡± Ethan watched Olivia disappear from his sight with his mouth open. Olivia was back at his side, but she lost her spark It was like his words passed right through her. He reassured himself with the thought that she loved him a lot and that she was just sad for the moment. He told himself that she would run back to him soon. She would be that woman that only had him in her eyes. Olivia brought the boys to a lot of ces. Their smiles never ceased. She patted them on the head and said with a smile, ¡°Study well. You will definitely make a name for yourselves in this city. ¡°We won¡¯t disappoint you, Ms. Olivia.¡± Jerry raised his fists into the air. ¡°Ms. Olivia, why didn¡¯t you be a painter? You¡¯re so talented.¡± He asked in confusion. Olivia bit on her straw and said, ¡°Painting is only a hobby of mine. I prefer to practice medicine. ¡°But I gave that up for a man. I became the way I am now because of him. ¡°I cannot paint like when I was 13. So, choose your love wisely¡± The sweetness of the milk tea was not able to soothe the pain she fell in her heart. Now, even her stomach was starting to hurt She hadn¡¯t vomited blood much recently. But the stomach pains would not subside quickly She took some pain medication and brought the boys to y in an escape room. Although Olivia was only seven to eight years older than the boys, she felt a sense of motherly love. She wanted them to y at all the ces they had never been to before and eat the food they hadn¡¯t tried before. Even when they said they didn¡¯t like sweets, she forced them to try some because they never tried them before. She even dered that they must have everything that the other children had. After they entered the escape room, she reassured them and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! I¡¯ll protect you two.¡± Three seconds after they entered, a deathly pale person jumped out from a dormitory bed. Olivia yelled, ¡°Ah! Run!¡± She didn¡¯t have time to think. She grabbed someone¡¯s arm and began running. Realization struck her after she ran some distance. She didn¡¯t look at who she grabbed before she ran. That would mean that one of the boys was left at the scene. Oh no. Who did she grab? She turned to look. But she was face to face with a deathly pale face, with very long hair. ¡°Ah!¡± What the hell? Did she grab the ghost? Her mouth was covered up by a hand mid¨Cscream. She was then dragged to a cab nearby. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 There was barely any light in the cab. Olivia was trembling in fear. She would not havee if she knew how scary it was. A familiar voice suddenly startedughing softly next to her. The person was amused by her fear. The voice resembled someone she knew. At that moment, a propmp was turned on. Eerie green light shone on his deathly pale face. Olivia was about to scream, then the voice said, "It''s me." Olivia paused and swallowed nervously. She called out his name carefully, "Jack?"Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Yeah." The usually reserved man''s voice had a hint of joy. "I''m sorry we have to meet this way. I didn''t know you were so easily scared." The truth was he had no intention of scaring Olivia. He dressed up as a ghost so that he could evade the bodyguards. He didn''t expect to be grabbed and dragged along by Olivia before he could speak. Olivia patted herself on the chest and said, "You scared me to death." Jack has never seen Olivia so frightened, not even when he had a knife against her throat when they first met. She looked livelier this way. "Okay, let''s get back to the main issue. I''ve got a lead on the person you asked me to look into." Jack stopped teasing her and updated her on his investigation. "What did you find?" "The Ryan you mentioned didn''te back to the country recently. asionally, he travels overseas on business trips." Olivia was not surprised that something was fishy about Ryan. She knew that the mastermind had some pawns ced around her and Ethan. When she was at her wits'' end, Ryan was the pawn that the mastermind ced close to her. The information that Lee uncovered was only the information that the mastermind wanted her to know. It was still up for debate how much of the information was true in the report Ethan had. The truth was still under wraps because Jeff was still unconscious in the hospital. The mastermind knew Jeff''s importance to Olivia. He was an important piece of the puzzle, which was why he was going to be used as the most integral part of the scheme. "Can you find out who Ryan is working for?" Jack was frowning. Although his face was painted white, Olivia could see that he had a strong jawline. His facial features were well-defined and sharp. He was definitely a good-looking guy underneath the face paint. "I didn''t have enough time. So, I haven''t uncovered anything about that yet. But I''ll have something for you in two weeks, tops." In reality, Jack didn''t think he needed that much time. He asked for more time just to be safe. "I have something else I need you to help me with other than looking into people like Dr. Galloway and Ryan." Jack said without hesitation, "What is it?" "Find a good nursing home for my father. His current location is no longer safe. He could be a forsaken pawn at any time. "You need to take him away without anyone knowing. I can''t do it because that person must have someone spying on me and Ethan. "You''re the only one I can trust." Olivia felt like she was asking too much of Jack. They weren''t family or friends. She added, "I only have 500 million dors left now. I can''t take this money with me to the afterlife. I will leave it to you aspensation." Jack looked at her with a hint of condescension. "Our deal was the ind. You have kept your word. That''s enough for me." Olivia nodded and said, "There''s one more thing I need your help with." "Yes?" "Take me away from here. I want to go and investigate Belle. She is full of secrets." Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Olivia snuck out the backdoor with Jack. She also changed into new clothes. She was surprised by Jack¡¯s incredible skill in disguise. He just stuck a few things on her face and easily changed her facial features. He then added ayer of powder and made her look about ten years older. Jack¡¯s face was the same. He disguised himself as a middle¨Caged man. He lookedpletely different from his usual self. They headed to the Harmony Psychiatric Hospital. Olivia impersonated Belle¡¯s distant rtive and met the hospital director. Jack did not show himself. He flipped over the metal fence with rtive ease. Olivia was shocked at the sight. Even if the fence wasn¡¯t electrocuted, there were spikes on top. She didn¡¯t understand how Jack was able to pull it off. They decided to divide and conquer. Olivia told the director why she was there. The director disyed a hint of regret. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sigh, the poor kid was sad. Her parents never visited her even though she was here for such a long time. No one even cam¨¨ for the body.¡± Olivia initially thought that the body would¡¯ve been cremated already. She didn¡¯t expect it to still be in the morgue. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, director. We¡¯ll give her a good funeral after we get her out of here. ¡°Her parents are overseas. It¡¯s hard for them toe back. I¡¯ll handle her funeral. Also, do you have her belongings?¡± ¡°Alright, I have collected all her belongings. Come with me.¡± Olivia stopped when she walked by the ward she visitedst time. She said, ¡°Can I take a look inside?¡± ¡°Sure, her roommates were all moved after she died, so this ward is also empty.¡± Olivia pushed open the door. The decor of the room looked more deste than before. There were only beds and cabs in the room. The walls were also painted white. Sunlight came into the room through the windows. It illuminated the dust in the air. The deste room was like Belle¡¯s life, rife with despair. ¡°This is so sad. My niece had excellent grades in school. Who would¡¯ve known that it woulde to this? We were counting on her to be the pride of our family.¡± The director agreed, ¡°It is indeed sad. She was such a pretty littledy.¡± ¡°Hey, director. Are we the only ones to ever visit her?¡± ¡°Not even her parents care. Needless to say, no one else came. ¡°Oh, I think I remember a boy who came once. He looked like her. But Belle was triggered at the sight of the boy. ¡°She lost control. The boy never came again after that.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression turned serious when she heard that. ¡°What did the boy look like?¡± ¡°He was pretty tall. His skin was a little tanned. He looked like a university student.¡± ¡°Director, can you look him up on the visitors¡® records?¡± ¡°I can. But why do you want to look that up?¡± The director looked at Olivia curiously. Olivia sighed again and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say it. But my poor niece was driven to madness because she was deceived and got pregnant in school. ¡°She dropped out of school in despair due to that. I just wanted to see who was the person that made her this way. ¡°My niece¡¯s parents didn¡¯t really love her. But I have liked her since she was a kid. If I wasn¡¯t stuck overseas, I would¡¯vee for her long ago.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll look it up for you.¡± The director was able to find the boy¡¯s name very quickly. The boy¡¯s name was Paul Cruz. Then, he handed Belle¡¯s belongings to Olivia. Olivia expressed her gratitude to him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. At least I got to see it through to the end.¡± The director waved his hand. Olivia went on to ask, ¡°I heard that there was a doctor who took care of my niece when she was still alive. I want to thank her in person.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Dr. Galloway has already resigned.¡± Olivia feigned surprise and said, ¡°Really? That¡¯s a pity. I heard that she was a good doctor.¡± ¡°Dr. Galloway is indeed a good doctor. She took good care of Belle in the two years. ¡°I guess she just couldn¡¯t ept Belle¡¯s sudden death. But that is her choice. We can only respect it.¡± Olivia asked the director a few more questions on and off again. Then, she bid farewell to the director and went to the funeral home to take care of Belle¡¯s remains. Olivia made her intentions known at the funeral home. An employee said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to remind you that this body died by jumping off a building. ¡°Her family didn¡¯t pay for funeral expenses. The body was taken here and left in the freezer. ¡°We didn¡¯t even do basic embalming on it. In addition, the body has been here for two months. You might need to brace yourself for the dposition.¡± The employee brought them to the room where the bodies were stored while he was talking. He said nonchntly, ¡°Most of the bodies were not collected by anyone. We would deal with them after they¡¯ve been left here for a certain amount of time. You¡¯re lucky that the body you¡¯re looking for is still here.¡± He stopped walking, pointed at a mortuary cab, and said, ¡°This is it. Do you want to say your goodbyes? If not, we can have it cremated straight away.¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 It was Olivia¡¯s first time in a ce like this. The room was freezing. The cold seeped in from the bottom and spread through her body. It also felt like countless eyes were looking at her from behind. It took all her energy to remain standing in the room. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Jack said softly. Olivia¡¯s hands were covered in cold sweat. She said in a low tone, ¡°We want to say our goodbyes.¡± ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t take too long. I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± The employee left. A gust of wind came out of nowhere. It scared Olivia so much that she jumped into Jack¡¯s arms. Jack held her waist and sighed lightly. ¡°You¡¯re not suited for a ce like this. Wait for me outside. I¡¯ll be out in a while.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Jack¡¯s expression was stern. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of dead people, all sorts of corpses.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t willing to leave, no matter what he said. Jack said sheepishly, ¡°Alright, you keep your eyes closed. I¡¯ll describe to you what I see.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia agreed to his suggestion. She moved behind Jack. Her gaze was focused on the patterns on Jack¡¯s ck jacket. She felt his arms exert force. His arms reached out and pulled at the lever. His actions were smooth. When the body was pulled out, they were hit with a stench of decay. Olivia¡¯s stomach was already unwell. The stench made her stomach worse. She immediately covered her mouth and retched. She wanted to raise her eyes to look. But her eyes were suddenly covered by Jack¡¯s palm. His palm was warm. It blocked out all the light. Jack¡¯s voice came from next to her. ¡°Don¡¯t look. The body¡­ is a little gruesome.¡± The article that Olivia saw Belle¡¯s body on was covered by mosaic. There were a lot of red mosaics. She knew that blood was everywhere. But it was worse than that now. The body had been sitting here for a long time. Even if it was in a freezer, the body had dposed and looked very frightening. In the end, Jack didn¡¯t describe the body to Olivia. He felt his palm itch when her eyshes scraped on it as she blinked. It was like his palm was running across the soft fur of some small animal. He was probably the only person that could have drifting thoughts while next to a body. Olivia said, ¡°Have you found anything suspicious?¡± Jack came back to his senses and said, ¡°Please wait for a moment.¡± He turned Olivia¡¯s body in another direction and said, ¡°Close your eyes and wait for a few minutes.¡± There were only rustling sounds in the quiet room. Olivia clutched her clothes tightly and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pulling her clothes up.¡± Jack¡¯s voice was calm. But Olivia was shivering in fright, even if she knew that Jack was just trying to check if Belle had aborted the child. ¡°There are stretch marks on her stomach. Normally, the optimal time for abortions is between the first and third month of pregnancy. The baby will already be formed in the fifth to sixth month. ¡°Stretch marks only start to appear in theter months. Let me double¨Ccheck if the baby was aborted.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia tensed and asked shakily, ¡°How are you ¡­ going to check?¡± ¡°Her abdomen has stretch marks but no signs of a cesarean section. ¡°We just need to check her cervix, but it¡¯s a bit dark here. Can you help me shine a light?¡± Olivia almost copsed to the floor in fright. ¡°How do you know?¡± She knew these things because she was a medical student. But how did Jack know? ¡°I¡¯ve learned about dissection, so I know a little. Keep your eyes closed. Just help me shine a light.¡± Jack saw that Olivia was indecisive. He said in a low voice, ¡°There¡¯s no time to get a forensic expert. We need to do it now before the body gets cremated. Olivia nodded and said, ¡°I know, I ¡­¡± She turned over and saw the body. Her stomach became upset, and she started gagging. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Olivia had seen the bodies of old deceased people in the family. But those were differentpared to this gruesome body. Even though she didn¡¯t get a clear look at Belle¡¯s face, it was enough to make her gag. Jack patted her on the back to help her breathe. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Olivia said apologetically. ¡°I can understand. People don¡¯t normally see dead bodies, much less dposed ones.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°I got used to seeing them.¡± Jack¡¯s voice was calm. There was a distant look in his eyes. ¡°And living humans are more horrifying than the dead ones.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what he had been through. He only looked a few years older than her, but he was shrouded in mystery. She knew that he had to have been through a lot of suffering to be like that. Maybe she wasn¡¯t the only one that was suffering in the world. Olivia pushed down the fear in her heart and turned on the shlight. ¡°I¡¯ll shine the light for you. Take a look quickly.¡± ¡°Okay. Close your eyes and leave the rest to me,¡± Jack ordered calmly. Olivia quickly closed her eyes to not dy the process. Jack put his hand on her wrist. His voice came from beside her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He held her wrist and led her before the body. His hand felt especially warm in the cold room. Olivia heard rustling sounds again. It was probably Jack taking off the body¡¯s pants. Luckily, the pants from the psychiatric hospital were loose. It didn¡¯t take him much effort to get it off. Although she couldn¡¯t see, Olivia could imagine Jack¡¯s progress in her mind based on the sounds she heard. She was holding the shlight high. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Jack told Olivia. ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes yet. Let me put the body back inside.¡± Olivia asked impatiently, ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Her cervix is torn horizontally. Normally, the cervix of someone who hasn¡¯t given birth is round, so this confirms that she did give birth to a child.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jack left with Olivia. He also paid the funeral expenses for Belle and asked the employees to give her a proper burial. ¡°She¡¯s finally going to get a proper burial after so long. It was my fault, after all. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t have died so early if not for me.¡± Jack shook his head and said, ¡°That may not be the case. I found out that someone had been injecting her with prohibited drugs constantly before her death. ¡°The drugs messed with her mental state. She didn¡¯t have long to live, even if you didn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°She said someone took her baby. Who could it be? Could it be that her parents took her child overseas?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to say for sure now. But we got a lot of leads today. Leave the rest to me. I¡¯ll send you back first.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Here¡¯s a phone. You can use this to contact me next time.¡± Jack handed her a phone that he had taken out of his pocket. She thought about how easily Ethan could find her phone records. She would be discovered sooner or later if she contacted Jack with her phone. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The bestpensation you can give is your help to the people of the ind.¡± Olivia went back to the escape room and left with the boys. Tom¡¯s face was pale. He looked like he had a good scare. On the other hand, Jerry looked calm. He was even supporting Tom as they walked out. ¡°It¡¯s all faked. Were you so scared that you had to jump into the arms of a ghost?¡± The image of Tom doing that brought a smile to Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Tom to be so timid.¡± ¡°Ms. Olivia, you weren¡¯t there to see. Tom was so scared that he started to sob. It was so funny.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The boys quickly began to fight with each other. The cheery atmosphere washed away the sadness brought on by Belle¡¯s death. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. A car stopped by the road. The window was rolled down to reveal Ethan¡¯s cold expression. ¡°Get in the car.¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Olivia was surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan toe to fetch her. Although she had entrusted everything to Jack, she was still nervous when she got in the car. She felt like Ethan would be able to see through her right away. After they got in the car, Ethan asked something he had never asked before. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°It was okay. It was a little scary. Tom was so scared he sobbed.¡± Her expression was calm even though her words were cheery. Ethan calmly withdrew his gaze from her face. He had thought that she would be her old cheerful self if he allowed her to spend time with the boy. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t the only thing that couldn¡¯t go back to the way it was. The same applied to Olivia herself. In the past, when they were sitting together, she would hold his hands and keep talking. It was like her mouth didn¡¯t need rest at all. Unlike now, she sat properly. Her fingers were holding onto the armrest. Her eyes were looking out the window. She only spoke up to answer his question. When they didn¡¯t speak, it was as if there was a mountain between them. No one spoke another word on the ride back home. The atmosphere was suffocating. Olivia could feel Ethan¡¯s gaze on her. Her heart was beating fast. She was wondering if he had found out that she ran off. After all, he had warned herst night. He was willing to help develop the ind and ensure the living standards on the ind were eptable. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He had only one condition: that she stop seeing Jack. She had sworn to do that not long ago. She went back on her word the very next day. She wondered what he was thinking about. He didn¡¯t speak. His gaze was like a sharp knife that was cutting her up. Olivia sighed in relief when they reached the Miller residence, and he didn¡¯t confront her. Olivia felt a pain in her wrist. Ethan pulled her toward him. She fell into his embrace. Her palms were pushing against his chest weakly. She looked up at him in confusion. There was a hint of bewilderment in her eyes. ¡°What?¡± Ethan frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°Olivia, I said I¡¯m going to the Carltons for dinner.¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°I know that. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t bother you with calls asking you toe back.¡± She recalled how she used to be. She developed severe mental issues due to feelings of anxiety. She would bombard him with calls if he didn¡¯t get home by 6:00 pm. Her calls would annoy him so much that he would turn off his phone. Then, she would reheat the food a few times. She would also pace around the house nervously. She found that version of herself quite detestable. It wasn¡¯t just Ethan. Even she herself felt disgusted when thinking about it. She was still Mrs. Miller back then. Now, she had alreadye to terms with her position. Naturally, she would not stand in Ethan¡¯s way anymore. In the past, she felt like even the air was holding her captive. She often felt like she was suffocating. But now that she didn¡¯t care for him as much, she felt like she had regained freedom. Ethan was the one who was ufortable now. There was a time when she was so tense that she wouldn¡¯t allow him to socialize normally with others. Whenever she heard that he was going out to eat, she would grab his hand with an anxious expression and beg him to keep her But now, she looked like she didn¡¯t care at all. Her face waspletely calm. He tightened his grip on her wrist unknowingly. The pain caused Olivia to frown. ¡°It hurts! What are you doing? I¡¯m not stopping you,¡± Olivia said in an annoyed tone. Ethan said in a deep voice, ¡°Are you not going to care even if I sleep elsewhere?¡± Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Olivia asked without hesitation, ¡°Are you noting back tonight?¡± Ethan could sense a hint of joy in her serious expression. He was taken aback. Did she feel happy that he threatened not toe home? Olivia did feel a little happy about that. In the few nights that she had slept with him, there were a few times he almost lost control. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. No matter what he felt toward her, all she wanted was to stay as far away from him as possible. Ethan grabbed her chin and rubbed her lips with his thumb. ¡°You don¡¯t want me toe home?¡± Olivia thought about how annoying she used to be. She said with a serious expression, ¡°You¡¯re Marina¡¯s fianc¨¦ now, and your engagement party is approaching. ¡°You must not fight with her because of me. And if rumors spread about us, it would also impact the Miller Group¡¯s stock price. Olivia tapped his hand and assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will not pester you like I used to. I promise to let you experience a peaceful night.¡± Olivia thought that Ethan shouldn¡¯t mess with her anymore since she made such a sincere promise. He might even feel like she was being very mature. She thought her words would make Ethan happy. But his expression grew angrier. His grip on her chin also tightened. Was she not sincere enough? Olivia furrowed her eyebrows in thought. Ethan couldn¡¯t see any signs of reluctance or sadness in her eyes. He withdrew his hand and said, ¡°As you wish! I¡¯ll be staying over at the Carltons¡® tonight.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go back in for dinner now.¡± Olivia opened the door and got out of the car as soon as he loosened his grip. Ethan was not able to detect any hint of sadness on her face before she left. Ethan watched her leave and thought she didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of sadness with how eagerly she left. Did she really get over himpletely? Their divorce was less than three months ago. Kelvin saw Ethan¡¯s cold expression through the rearview mirror. He asked carefully, ¡°Mr. Miller, should we depart now?¡± Ethan took a deep breath and asked, ¡°What did she do today? Who did she meet?¡± ¡°Nothing much. She went to the art exhibit for a while. Then, she went shopping. ¡°She also went to some amusement facilities for young people for the whole afternoon. She didn¡¯t meet anyone.¡± Ethan frowned and said, ¡°Watch her closely.¡± Ethan would¡¯ve thought that she fell for someone else. But he had confirmed that nothing happened between her and the man on the ind. He didn¡¯t really understand himself. His feelings overcame his hatred for her. But as time went on, he felt like it became harder for him to leave Olivia. Olivia was theplete opposite. She no longer had any feelings of attachment to him. There was no longer a twinkle in her eyes when she looked at him. He lowered his head to look at his phone. When they were still close, she never stopped calling or messaging him. Back then, he would take some time to reply, no matter how busy he was. Even when their rtionship deteriorated, and he treated her coldly on purpose, she would still send him a dozen messages every day. Unlike now, she didn¡¯t call or send him any messages throughout the entire day. Ethan realized he was no longer the most important person to her. He felt like someone was grabbing his heart tightly. How would he have known that Olivia started to walk on eggshells around him? She was afraid that anything she did would anger him. She only hoped to stay as far away from him as possible so that she wouldn¡¯t incur his wrath. She knew her ce now. She knew she no longer had the right to order him around. Her heart had been tormented by Ethan and Marina over the two years. No matter how much conviction she had, it was all gone. Olivia went straight to her bedroom. She didn¡¯t even eat dinner. She could see Belle¡¯s body when she closed her eyes and could only hope that Jack could uncover the truth as soon as possible. She went to sleep after showering. She had no idea Ethan was checking his phone every now and again. He thought that Olivia couldn¡¯t possibly feel nothing after he said he would be staying with the Carltons tonight. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 After a few rounds of alcohol on the dinner table, Chris mmed his ss hard on the table. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He was a soldier who survived the battlefields. He had an intimidating presence and was exuding coldness. Chris, who was usually reserved, said coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to have dinner with us, just get out.¡± Chloe quickly held his hand. She tried to de¨Cescte the situation with a smile, ¡°Are you listening to yourself? Ethan has finallye to visit. ¡°Why are you giving him this attitude? Do you think you¡¯re talking to one of your fresh recruits in the army?¡± She then looked at Ethan with a smile. ¡°Ethan, please don¡¯t me him for that. He is used to being in the army. ¡°He still thinks of himself as a soldier even though he¡¯s been out of the army for so long.¡± Marina also chipped in, ¡°Dad, please understand that Ethan is usually very busy. He might have work that he has to deal with.¡± In the past, Chris was happy about Ethan. But he started to feel ufortable when he found out that Olivia was Ethan¡¯s ex- wife. They were in the same circle. Chris knew exactly how many people Ethan broke regtions and mobilized to save Olivia and Connor. The men in the Carlton family all had fiery tempers. Chris said, ¡°It¡¯s been more than a year since Marina gave birth to your child. ¡°But you had to insist on an engagement party before the marriage. Not only has the engagement been dyed repeatedly, you haven¡¯t even registered the marriage. ¡°You need to let me know today. Are you marrying my daughter or not?¡± ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t have to be so aggressive. We¡¯re all family here. We can talk about it slowly,¡± Marina said. ¡°That¡¯s right. Calm down. You¡¯re scaring him.¡± Chloe added. Chloe and Marina were on the same front on this matter. Otto Carlton, who had not spoken a word, suddenly mmed his spoon on the table. ¡°Enough! All of you shut up!¡± As soon as he spoke up, Chloe shivered slightly. She didn¡¯t even dare to look him in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t mind that you¡¯ve been married once. Every man had several women when they were young. But you¡¯ve already divorced. ¡°You should break up with the past cleanly. Why are you still keeping in contact with her?¡± Otta was old. But his voice was resounding. ¡°Tell me, what do you think my granddaughter is?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Ethan. He put away his phone calmly after stealing onest nce at the screen. There were still no messages from Olivia. Ethan sat up straight. He did not falter when faced with the two leaders of the Carlton family, nor did he lose any ground to them, even if he was younger than them. ¡°Mr. Carlton and Mr. Carlton Senior, I promised that I would marry Marina. So, I will do it. And as for Olivia, you should already know her circumstances.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was emotionless. The Carltons couldn¡¯t tell if he was hiding his feelings. ¡°The Fordham family is bankrupt. She saved Connor¡¯s life by herself. ¡°In terms of rtions, she is my ex¨Cwife. In terms of reason, she saved Connor¡¯s life. Should I just stand by and do nothing?¡± His words were impable. Otto grunted and said, ¡°There are a lot of ways to take care of someone. But I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been living under the same roof recently. ¡°You can¡¯t guarantee that you two won¡¯t reignite the me.¡± ¡°The Carltons are not nobodies. I don¡¯t care how much of a yboy you were. ¡°But now, you have to give my granddaughter an exnation.¡± Chris chipped in and said, ¡°You two are getting married anyway. You should live together with Marina from now on.¡± Ethan wanted to say something. Chris and Otto both had their eyes on him. Otto said forcefully, ¡°Young people these days care about the dates. February 14th is Valentine¡¯s Day. Register your marriage with Marina on that day.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chris and Otto¡¯s unrelenting barrage of words gave Ethan no chance for rebuttals. Moreover, his marriage with Marina was practically set in stone. Marina knew that Ethan¡¯s feelings for Olivia wereplicated recently. She grasped her sleeve tightly. She was afraid that Ethan would go back on his word. Ethan raised his ss and said calmly, ¡°Okay.¡± Marina sighed in relief. A smile reappeared on her face. ¡°Gramps, dad. I told you that Ethan would not let me down.¡± Otto looked at Ethan deeply and said, ¡°It better stay that way.¡± Chris also added, ¡°Olivia is Chloe¡¯s daughter. She can be considered part of the Carlton family. We¡¯ll take good care of her if you don¡¯t. I¡¯ll take care of things on her end. I don¡¯t want to see you contacting her starting tomorrow.¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers tightened around his ss. His eyes darkened. But he didn¡¯t say anything. He originally thought he was only telling Olivia that he wouldn¡¯t go home because he was angry. He didn¡¯t expect it toe true. Now, he couldn¡¯t even go home even if he wanted to. He was stuck in the Carlton residence. He was forced to sleep in the same room as Marina. It was gettingte. Marina got out of the bath and changed into silky and revealing pajamas. She slowly walked toward Ethan. Ethan didn¡¯t turn to face her. Even as he sat there, his back remained unbent. He had one hand on the armrest, and the other was holding his phone tightly. He had a worried expression on his face. Marina could clearly sense that Ethan¡¯s attitude toward her had changed. She even spoke in a cautious tone. ¡°Ethan, are you waiting for an important call?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even raise his head. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ethan, it¡¯s gettingte. You should go wash up. I ¡­¡± Marina said with a blush, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. In the dark of the night, an owl flew over the trees. It was hooting. The Miller residence has been around for a long time. Its surrounding environment was great, and it was normal for there to be wild animals from time to time. Olivia had just fallen asleep. She hadn¡¯t gotten into a deep sleep yet. She immediately opened her eyes when she heard the owl hooting. Normally, Ethan would already be home at this hour, but he wasn¡¯t home yet. Madam Burgess hadn¡¯t been staying in recently, too. She was the only one in the enormous house. The room was inplete darkness. There were only some warm yellow lights in the yard. She saw arge owl as soon as she opened her eyes. It was perched on top of the tree outside the window. Its eyes shone eerily. The image of Belle¡¯s body appeared in Olivia¡¯s mind again. Once she thought about it, it was as if Belle¡¯s body filled the room. She even imagined the scene of Belle jumping off the building as if she had experienced it herself. She felt the wind howling in her ears and her body falling onto the floor heavily. She saw her blood all over the floor. She screamed in terror. She was covered in cold sweat. At this moment, she regretted not trying hard to keep Ethan home, She reached for her phone on the nightstand and was about to hit the dial button. Then, she came back to her senses. What was she doing? She turned on the projector and picked out a TV series. Then, she got off the bed to get some food. She waited in the bedroom. She was thinking that Ethan should be home by now. Madam Burgess had told her that he had never spent his nights away from home. She thought that he woulde home if she waited. She waited until her eyes were sore. The owl was still perched on the tree, looking in the direction of the bedroom. It was already 4:00 am. One thing was clear to her: he was noting home tonight. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Olivia thought that she no longer cared. But at this moment she realized she couldn¡¯t cut Ethan out of her lifepletely. She wasn¡¯t able to let go of the love she had for so many years in a couple of months. She hugged her legs and rested her head on her knees. Her head was filled with the image of Ethan and Marina sharing a bed. It pained her to think about that. She did not sleep for the entire night. She stayed up until the owl left. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She looked at the cold and empty bed beside her, and she gave herself a self¨Cdeprecating smile. Her phone on the nightstand rang. She quickly epted the call. Chloe¡¯s voice came from the other end. She kept insisting that Olivia go over to the Carltons She said that she had made Olivia¡¯s favorite breakfast and that Chris wanted to meet Olivia. Olivia hung up emotionlessly. But her body got out of the bed subconsciously. She hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast made by her mother in many years. Chloe, in her memories, was a kind and loving person. She was a great cook She rarely cooked, but every time she did, it would leave Olivia deeply impressed. Before she knew it, Olivia had arrived at the Carlton residence. The servants weed her courteously. Chloe looked as elegant and dignified as always. Olivia could see that Chris had treated her well. The few times Olivia met her, she had a smile on her face, unlike when she was with Jeff. She never smiled much when she was married to Jeff Chloe¡¯s love and indifference were both reflected on her face. When she was married to Jeff, she was cold toward Jeff and Olivia. She only ever cooked when she was in a good mood. Olivia was able to sense the tension between her parents at a young age. So, she tried her best to be obedient Even if she loved Chloe¡¯s cooking and wanted Chloe to attend her school¡¯s parent¡¯s meeting, she would never being it up. She used to think that if she got better grades and was more obedient, her parents would get along more. And that they would bring her to the theme park on her birthday But in the end, all she got was her mom leaving her. Chloe saw Olivia standing at the entrance. She quickly came over to hold her hand. ¡°Liv is here. Come over quickly! Are you hungry? I¡¯ve made breakfast.¡± Chris was not too uptight for once. He said with a smile, ¡°Yeah,e and have a taste. Your mother made these just for you. ¡°Olivia, I was also shocked by what happened to your father if you don¡¯t mind, you can treat me as your father The Caro residence can also be your home ¡± Olivia could tell that Chris wasn¡¯t lying. But she wasn¡¯t moved There are things that she just can¡¯t get over, even if she spent her whole life trying to do xo After she was pulled to the dining table, Chloe put a bowl of spaghetti carbonara in front of her Chloe then said, ¡°Eat up, I remember that you loved to eat spaghetti carbonara when you were young Olivia didn¡¯t move. She has loved spicy food since she was young. Her favorite breakfast was spaghetti arrabbiata, not spaghetti carbonara. Chloe proceeded to bring some more food to Olivia. Sandwiches, deviled eggs, and stuffed mushrooms ¡­ Olivia smirked and put down her cutleries. ¡°If you don¡¯t have love for me, you don¡¯t have to pretend like you do.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like these? I should have remembered properly.¡± Chloe muttered. Chris clenched his fists, cleared his throat, and said, ¡°These are all Marina¡¯s favorites.¡± His words were like a sharp de piercing Olivia¡¯s heart. Look at that! What a loving mother. She remembered all of her step¨Cdaughter¡¯s preferences, yet she couldn¡¯t even remember what her biological daughter liked to eat. Olivia wouldn¡¯t have felt so bad if Chloe at least remembered one dish she liked. She stood up and turned to leave but noticed the door of the first floor¡¯s bedroom opening. Ethan and Marina walked out of the door one after the other. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Olivia had known that the marriage between Ethan and Marina was set in stone. But knowing and seeing were two entirely different things. She stared at Ethan, who walked out of the bedroom. Their eyes met. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. A hint of surprise appeared in Ethan¡¯s eyes. He opened his mouth like he wanted to exin something. But nothing came out in the end. Chloe said, ¡°Ethan, did you sleep wellst night? If you¡¯re not used to the bed, I can get someone to make custom bedding for you two. ¡°After all, you¡¯ll be sleeping here regrly after you get married. Treat this like your own home. You can let me know if you need anything.¡± Marina also started to y her part as a loving daughter. She said with a smile, ¡°Thanks for being so considerate, mom. It was true that we didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.¡± A trace of shyness flickered across her face. It was clear that she was implying something else. Olivia finally understood why she was invited over. It wasn¡¯t that Chloe missed her. She intentionally called her over to intimidate her and scare her away from Ethan by making her see the truth. It was so ironic. Her biological mother was all smiles when talking to her step¨Cdaughter. She remembered all of her step¨Cdaughter¡¯s preferences. But she couldn¡¯t remember her own daughter¡¯s favorite breakfast. Maybe her birth was an ident. Olivia used to think that there must have been some reason why Chloe mistreated her. She thought all mothers loved their daughters. But now she knew that Chloe was not like other mothers. It was because she didn¡¯t love her. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t remember her preferences. Marina was the daughter of the man she loved. That¡¯s why she had to find ways to gain her favor. Olivia looked at their family of four. She was the only outsider here from the start. She realized that Ethan¡¯s betrayal was not the most painful thing. The most painful thing was the mother she had been missing for more than ten yearsing back and destroying the illusion she had of her. Before she could recover from that, her mother had hurt her once again. She did it repeatedly. It was like she kept cutting into her wound before it could heal. Olivia withdrew her gaze from them expressionlessly. She couldn¡¯t stand the sight of these people before her. ¡°Congrattions to you, Mrs. Carlton. May your wish finallye true. Since you already started a new life, don¡¯te looking for me anymore.¡± Olivia turned around decisively and was about to walk away. Chloe anxiously walked up to her and grabbed her hand. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re mistaken about me. All I am trying to do now is to make peace between you and Marina. As Chris said, we¡¯re all family.¡± Olivia said with a cold smile, ¡°I am a Fordham, not a Carlton.¡± ¡°Liv, why are you still as stubborn as before? Why can¡¯t you be more forgiving?¡± Chloe reprimanded Olivia with a stern expression, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be divorced if you managed your marriage properly. ¡°But new Ethan is already with Marina. You need to ept this reality. Stop holding on to the past.¡± Olivia was so angry she could feel her stomach starting to hurt. Her head was also throbbing. She almost thought that she was hearing things. Was that something a real mother would say? Olivia clenched her fingers and forced herself to calm down. She looked Chloe in the eye and said slowly, ¡°So, from your perspective, I am the one that¡¯s clinging on to Ethan? Everything is my fault?¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chloe answered without hesitation, ¡°Am I wrong? I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re still living together. Liv, do you understand the concept of a divorce? ¡°You¡¯re still young, so stop this now. If not, you¡¯ll bring trouble to yourself. ¡°You¡¯ll also cause Ethan and Marina to be mocked. There should only be two people in a healthy rtionship.¡± Olivia was no longer able to tell if the pain came from her heart or her stomach. She felt like ants were gnawing at her, causing her pain all over. Olivia held in her sadness. She had so much she wanted to say, but instead, she smiled and said, ¡°So that¡¯s how I am in your eyes.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t yell at Olivia. She¡¯s still young, so it¡¯s natural for her to make mistakes. ¡°We should tolerate each others¡® mistakes since we¡¯re a family. I¡¯m okay with it.¡± At this moment, Marina¡¯s disy of generosity was a sharp contrast to Olivia¡¯s pettiness. Chloe said with a righteous tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marina. I gave birth to Liv. I will give you a satisfactory exnation. I won¡¯t allow her toe between you and Ethan anymore.¡± Olivia felt like all her organs were bleeding. She even felt the taste of blood in her mouth. But she didn¡¯t want to show her weakness to these people. So she held it back. The taste of blood was spreading in her mouth. She was about to speak when Ethan said coldly,¡± She wasn¡¯t in the wrong. I was the one who wanted to take care of her.¡± ¡°Ethan, I know you¡¯re a passionate and loyal person. You don¡¯t have to lie for her sake. ¡°She has been a liar since she was young. I know her too well. She¡¯ll do anything to get what she wants.¡± Olivia was clenching her fingers so hard her knuckles were pale. Even the corner of her clothes had been distorted by her grip. She didn¡¯t want to exin herself anymore. It was true. She did pretend to be sick once when she was young. That was because a ssmate of hers said that when she was sick, her mother, who was usually busy, took a day off to stay home. She would take care of her gently and make her anything she wanted to eat. That was why she pretended to be sick. All she wanted was her mother¡¯s attention. If only her mother would put her palm on her forehead. If only her mother would look at her with concern. If only her mother would ask her if she was well. She would have been satisfied for a long time. But her childish pretense was easily exposed. She didn¡¯t give up. She spent a whole night in a cold bath. She developed a high fever the next day. She thought that her mother would definitely care for her gently. She wondered if her mother would bake her a cake. She even decided on the cake she wanted to have. A teddy bear cream cake. But when Chloe went to her bed, she looked down at the flushed face. She said coldly, ¡°Why are you pretending to be sick again? Why are you so naughty? Send her to school, Victor.¡± ¡°But Mrs. Fordham, she doesn¡¯t look so good. Maybe she is really sick.¡± ¡°How could she be sick? She is such a healthy child. She¡¯s definitely pretending. ¡°You don¡¯t have to send her to school today. Let her walk there herself.¡± Chloe left after she said that. She didn¡¯t care even when Olivia was calling out to her with her hoarse voice, telling her that she wasn¡¯t pretending. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She walked away as decisively as the day she left for good. She didn¡¯t turn back even once. She would¡¯ve known that Olivia wasn¡¯t pretending if she put her palm on her forehead, but she wasn¡¯t even willing to do such a simple thing. When she was walking, Olivia fell into the snow. She asked in a whisper when Victor carried her up, ¡°Mr. Victor, do you think my mother loves me?¡± Her words were heartwrenching to Victor. So much so that he almost couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Ms. Olivia, there isn¡¯t a mother in the world who doesn¡¯t love her children.¡± Olivia¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t lie to her this time. Can you please tell her that I am really sick this time? ¡°I really want to eat the teddy bear cream cake that she makes.¡± Chapter 198 Chapter 198 But what happened was Chloe went out in the morning. She went for a beauty treatment, had afternoon tea, and attended a music concert. Victor called her. She replied coldly, ¡°Why are you telling me? I am not a doctor! Get her a doctor if she¡¯s sick.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia was in a daze from the fever. She kept calling for cake in her dreams. She kept calling out for the cake until the fever subsided. She looked at the snow falling outside. Victor brought her a teddy bear cake. She smiled happily. ¡°Mom must¡¯ve made this right?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± She found outter that the cake was made by the chef. Her mother did not take care of her. She didn¡¯t even ask about her. Time passed. Olivia watched as the faces of her mother in the past and present ovepped. Truthfully, her mother wore a cold expression and was harsh to her. Olivia heard from her ssmates that most parents liked children with good grades. So, she worked hard to improve her grades just to see her mother smile. She was more hardworking than anyone else. She had always been one of the best students in her ss since she was a kid. She always thought that her mother would pay more attention to her if she worked harder. If she dropped to second ce, she would work hard without rest to get back to the top of the ss. She did not expect her mother to see her persistence as nothing to be proud of. Neither did she expect her mother to think that she was stubborn and underhanded because of her hard work. Olivia suddenlyughed. Herugh was bone¨Cchilling. Ethan frowned. He wanted to put in a good word for her. Chloe continued to say, ¡°Liv, Marina is a good woman. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to have her own family. ¡°I beg you. Can you just let Ethan go? I don¡¯t want to see Marina sad anymore.¡± ¡°This is the first time that I¡¯ve heard someone who interfered in a marriage get called a good woman. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, have you ever thought about how she came between me and Ethan while you were feeling bad for her?¡± ¡°I will notment on what happened in the past because I don¡¯t know what happened. But since you¡¯re divorced now, you should respect each other¡¯s boundaries. ¡°You are only 21 years old. I can send you to a school overseas. You still have a long life ahead of you.¡± Chloe reached out to touch Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re my daughter. I truly hope that you can also find your own happiness.¡± Olivia reacted strongly and pushed Chloe¡¯s hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She was like a hedgehog. She had curled up in a ball and raised her spikes. If she knew this was how her mother was going to be, would she still have hoped for her return for so many years? ¡°Mrs. Carlton, you only need to pursue your own happiness. ¡°As for me? You¡¯ve never loved me. Why act like you feel guilty? It¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯m still your mother. How could you talk to me like this? Your father must¡¯ve failed to raise you properly.¡± ¡°Keep my father out of your mouth. You¡¯re the one person in this world who has no right to talk about him! ¡°Mrs. Carlton, stop trying to morally ckmail me. What I do with the rest of my life has nothing to do with you!¡± Olivia red at her and said, ¡°The biggest mistake I¡¯ve made in my life was toe to you and ask for your help.¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Olivia closed her eyes. She could see herself chasing after Chloe throughout the years. She never did understand why her mother was always unhappy. She always thought that her mother might be happier if she was more obedient. Even after Chloe had left for years, Olivia would find excuses for her whenever she missed her. She thought that Chloe only left because she didn¡¯t love Jeff. She thought that Chloe must have her reasons for leaving her daughter behind. When she hadn¡¯t reunited with Chloe, her image of her stayed as a gentle and kind woman. She thought that Chloe would miss her as much as she missed her. Now, it would seem like their emotions were not on the same wavelength. Olivia took a deep breath. She swallowed the bloody taste in her throat once again. When she opened her eyes, they were clear. Olivia said slowly, ¡°Ms. Parker, Mrs. Carlton. I hereby sever all ties with you. Just pretend like you never had a daughter. I¡¯ll pretend I never had a mother.¡± Chloe pped Olivia in the face. ¡°Olivia Fordham, are you listening to yourself? Why did I give birth to such a rebellious daughter? Why are you so rude?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chloe clutched her chest and stared at Olivia angrily. ¡°How did you turn out like this?¡± Chris quickly came over and held Chloe¡¯s hand. He took her side because she was the woman he loved. ¡°Olivia, your mother is just looking out for you. Do you know she has heart problems? You shouldn¡¯t anger her like that. Come apologize to her.¡± Normally, Marina wouldn¡¯t have cared about what happened to Chloe. But Olivia was here. She wouldn¡¯t give up on a chance to disgust Olivia. She held Chloe and pointed her finger at Olivia, saying, ¡°Ms. Fordham, I know you me me for taking Ethan from you. ¡°But no matter what, you shouldn¡¯t anger your mother so much! Mother, are you okay? Butler, go get her a ss of water.¡± Olivia thought that there must be something wrong with the world. She was the one who got pped. But she was also the one being reprimanded. Chloe¡¯s p was powerful. It messed up Olivia¡¯s hair. Her hair covered half her face. Blood began dripping to the floor from her chin. Ethan was the first one to notice and went over to her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ethan said with concern. Olivia slowly raised her head. Her nose was bleeding profusely. It was not a regr nosebleed. The blood was flowing endlessly. Ethan panicked at the sight of the blood. ¡°Raise your head.¡± Ethan quickly took a few pieces of tissues and stuck them into her nostril. But the tissues were unable to keep the blood back. They were quickly soaked in blood. Chloe was shocked. She ran over in a panic and said, ¡°What¡¯s happening, Olivia? I thought I didn¡¯t hit your nose. I She wanted to hand Olivia some tissues, but Olivia pped her hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Olivia said to Chris, ¡°Mr. Carlton, may I use your toilet?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Chris said urgently. He regretted butting into their argument. It was supposed to be between mother and daughter. Olivia went into the toilet alone and closed the door. The blood just flowed profusely into the basin when she lowered her head. It was not only her nose. There was also blood in her throat. She threw up some blood and watched as it swirled in the basin. Was she dying? Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Ethan stood at the door. His eyebrows were furrowed. He thought she should be fine. He had only gotten her to do a full body medical examination recently. But the amount of blood that flowed from her nose clearly exceeded that of a normal nosebleed. It was gushing out. The sight of it was rming. Chloe came back to her senses at the sight of Ethan¡¯s worried expression. She said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. She has always loved pretending to be sick.¡± Marina added, ¡°Mother, I didn¡¯t know she was so maniptive that she would use such a method to get attention.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She has been a cunning one since she was young. ¡°Her father doted on her too much. That¡¯s why she¡¯s be such a spoiled brat now.¡± Chloe then looked at Ethan and said, ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t be fooled by her. She has always been in good health. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for her to bleed so much from a p. I didn¡¯t even touch her nose.¡± Chris said, ¡°Alright, stop talking. How can a nosebleed be faked?¡± ¡°What can¡¯t be fake these days?¡± Chloe retorted. Ethan red at Chloe and said, ¡°I¡¯m curious. Is Olivia really your daughter?¡± Chloe paused for a bit and said, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Really? Could have fooled me. I thought Marina was your biological daughter.¡± Ethan¡¯s words were incredibly sarcastic. Chloe felt insulted, but she did not know how to respond. She had wanted to say something, but the door was unlocked. Olivia walked out. There was arge, mottled stain of blood on her chest because she hadn¡¯t been able to avoid it in time. She had temporarily plugged her nose with tissues. Her slender face looked frighteningly pale. She looked like she¡¯d be blown over by the wind. Chloe did not feel guilty at all. She said, ¡°Tell me, are you pretending to be sick? I didn¡¯t even touch your nose just now.¡± Even now, her first thought wasn¡¯t to show concern for her daughter but to question her. Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste her words on Chloe. She pushed her to the side and headed out. She realized that she shouldn¡¯t have desired something like a mother¡¯s love from the start. Ethan grabbed her wrist tightly and said, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll get someone to bring you to the hospital.¡± Olivia stopped in her tracks. She looked at Ethan¡¯s concerned expression. She might¡¯ve been happy in the past, but all she had for him now was endless hate. In principle, Ethan and Chloe were very simr people. There was almost no difference. Both of them had nothing for her, but they pretended to care. She stood straight and looked at Ethan seriously. ¡°What if I want you to take me to the hospital?¡± The words were like a shockwave. It shocked everyone. Ethan frowned and said, ¡°Olivia, stop messing around.¡± Olivia¡¯s throat was still filled with the stench of blood. She smiled and said, ¡°Ethan, if I said you have to choose between me and Marina, who would you choose?¡± Chris stared at Ethan intensely. Even Otto appeared out of nowhere. Otto mmed his cane on the floor and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what I want to ask too. Ethan, will you leave with her or stay here? ¡°You have to decide between your old me and new love.¡± Ethan finally understood that Olivia was only biding her time when she acted docile these two days. She bared her fangs now. Chris also chimed in, ¡°Think carefully before you speak. If you choose Olivia, I will announce that your wedding is canceled.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Marina stomped her foot. She was the only one who knew the truth. She didn¡¯t want things to end up the way it was now. ¡°Shut up. He has been thinking of another woman before your marriage even began. ¡°If you really got married to him, there¡¯s no telling what would happen! We¡¯re doing this for your own good.¡± Otto continued, ¡°Alright, since everyone¡¯s here. I need an answer from you today. If you choose Olivia, I will make things easy for you. ¡°A man should be responsible for his actions! But if you choose my granddaughter and continue your rtionship with her, then don¡¯t me me for whatever I do to you!¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Ethan. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Who would he choose? Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Ethan had no choice when everyone was looking at him. He looked at Olivia and said, ¡°I have no ns of canceling my engagement with Marina.¡± Marina swallowed nervously. She quickly looked at Ethan and asked, ¡°Ethan, does that mean that ¡­ you pick me?¡± Ethan nodded. It was like a huge stone had been lifted off Marina¡¯s chest. She ran to Ethan excitedly and wrapped her hands around his arm. ¡°I knew you loved me, Ethan! Dad, Grandpa, did you hear that?¡± The anger on Otto¡¯s face subsided. ¡°You better mean what you say.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you to take care of my daughter from now on.¡± Chris patted Ethan on the shoulder. Olivia had expected this oue. But even if she had known, she still felt a freezing chill in her heart when she heard it. She pulled her hand away from Ethan and said, ¡°I respect your decision, Ethan.¡± Ethan watched as she left. He had no choice since Otto was there. Chloe thought about it for a while. Then, she went after Olivia. Olivia straightened her back as she left. She was like a lone wolf dragging her hurt body to a secluded area to heal. ¡°Liv.¡± Chloe caught up to Olvia. ¡°I want to talk with you.¡± Olivia looked at Chloe, who was panting. She knew this woman better than she ever did after today. She decided that she would not hold any unrealistic expectations of this woman anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Carlton. I will not bother your son-inw again,¡± Olivia said coldly. Chloe blocked her way and said, ¡°Liv, give me five minutes. Just give me five minutes.¡± Olivia looked at her coldly. ¡°You¡¯ve already achieved your goal. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°The person you need to watch is Ethan, not me. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going.¡± ¡°Liv.¡± Olivia tasted blood in her throat again. She frowned and pushed Chloe aside. She quickened her steps to get away from her. Chloe called out to her from behind her, then she fainted. Olivia turned back and saw that. She instinctively wanted to go check on her. It would seem like she wasn¡¯t lying about her heart condition. She noticed that Chris hade after Chloe. So she turned and left quickly. She then went to a deserted corner and began to throw up blood. Olivia leaned against a tree before slowly sliding down. She wiped the blood on the corner of her mouth with her hand andughed at herself. She was such a failure. Throughout her life, she hadn¡¯t been able to keep anyone by her side. Her family and her lover all went to Marina¡¯s side instead. The thought of that made her chest hurt so much she almost couldn¡¯t breathe. Then, she knelt on the ground with a hand holding onto a branch. She kept throwing up blood. She looked at the puddle of blood. Her first thought was that it was lucky that she didn¡¯t embarrass herself before the Carltons. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything. Her stomach felt like it was burning up after she threw up several times. It was unfortunate that she forgot to bring her medication with her. She had been in a rush. She curled up into a ball under the tree. Her consciousness began to fade. She wanted to call for an ambnce on her phone. She didn¡¯t want to die. She couldn¡¯t die today. Her eyesight was getting fuzzy, and her fingers were trembling. She slowly inputted the numbers into the phone. She only needed to tap on the dial button. But she lost consciousness before it could happen. Darkness consumed her. She fell onto the ground with a thud. In thest shes of her consciousness, she thought she saw Ethan driving away in a car. She could also hear footsteps. A person came before her and sighed. The person then crouched down and lifted Olivia up. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Olivia thought she was a goner. She had begun to recover after the chemotherapy, even if it left her body weak at first. Maybe it was because she was in a better mood when she was on the ind. She felt like she was slowly getting better and had not vomited blood in a while. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she got emotional. But she had never vomited so much blood before. It was like red was all she saw. She fainted despite her best efforts to stay conscious. When she opened her eyes again, she immediately smelled disinfectant. She noticed the walls around her were white. Her stomach seemed to be better. It didn¡¯t hurt as much. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re awake! Are you feeling better?¡± A familiar male voice came from beside her. She looked toward the voice. It was Colin whom she met on the cruise ship. His eyes were filled with concern. Olivia had just regained consciousness. She said weakly, ¡°Did you save me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I saw you on the side of the road as I was heading out. You had blood all over you. I was scared to death.¡± Colin scratched his head and said with an embarrassed expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia. ¡°I wanted to apologize to you for what happened on the ship. But I couldn¡¯t reach your phone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand. It was just an ident.¡± Olivia looked at the needle in her arm. Half of the liquid was still in the IV bag. ¡°That¡¯s right. Is Mr. Fordham doing well? I¡¯ve just returned from overseas. ¡°I wanted to visit him, but I didn¡¯t want to intrude.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes darkened at the mention of Jeff. ¡°He isn¡¯t doing too good. He hasn¡¯t regained consciousness yet. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment. Visitation is not allowed yet.¡± ¡°I understand. You have to stay strong, Olivia. Everything will be better.¡± Colin consoled Olivia. He then asked, ¡°Are you sick? I saw a lot of blood on your clothes, but I didn¡¯t see any wounds.¡± Olivia smiled weakly and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I identally bumped my nose and had a nosebleed earlier. Did it look scary?¡± Colin patted himself on the chest and said, ¡°The bloody stains were scary. But I¡¯m relieved that you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Of course, I¡¯m okay.¡± Olivia reached for her phone on the nightstand. She realized that it had shut down. She knew she shouldn¡¯t have said those words at the Carltons¡¯ today. She knew she crossed the line with Ethan. Olivia understood that she shouldn¡¯t provoke him. She risked disrupting her own ns by doing that. But she was just too angry. She wasn¡¯t able to hold it in. She knew that Ethan probably wouldn¡¯t let her off this time. Colin handed her a power bank and said, ¡°Olivia, you need to stay the night for observation. You must be hungry after sleeping for so long. ¡°I¡¯ll go buy you something to eat.¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Colin smiled brightly. He walked out the door with brisk steps. A nurse came in to help her remove the needle in her hand. She said with an envious look, ¡°Miss, your boyfriend is so good to you. ¡°He had been taking care of you the whole time you were out. I¡¯ve never seen a more caring man than him.¡± Olivia was taken aback. She exined with a smile, ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend. He¡¯s my younger brother.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was mistaken.¡± The nurse stuck her tongue out and removed the needle gently. ¡°Miss, your brother has booked a few medical examinations for you. It¡¯s gettingte. ¡°The examinations will be scheduled for tomorrow. Rest well tonight, and no food or drinks after 10:00 pm.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ve already done medical examinations before. It¡¯s just a nosebleed today. ¡°I only fainted because I have been pretty frail.¡± ¡°Okay. But I still rmend that you do some in-depth examinations. ¡°After all, many things can cause a nosebleed. Your results from before might not reflect your current health. Some conditions can worsen pretty rapidly.¡± ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Olivia got off the bed and freshened up a bit. She saw that Colin hadn¡¯t returned yet. She went to the corridor and wanted to pay for her hospital bills. She ran into Chloe when she stepped out of her room. She was also wearing patient attire. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 The first thought Olivia had when she saw Chloe was that they were fated to meet each other. But only as strangers. As she turned to leave, Chloe caught up to her and said, ¡°Just give me a moment, Liv. I have something I need to tell you.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t stop. In fact, she sped up. Chloe ran after her. Then, Olivia only stopped when she heard a nurse say anxiously, ¡°Mrs. Carlton, slow down. Your heart can¡¯t take much more of this!¡± Olivia stopped in her tracks when she heard that. Chloe finally managed to grab her hand. She said while panting, ¡°Please, just give me a moment, Liv.¡± Chloe looked pale and weak without makeup on. Even her lips were slightly bluish. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, I thought there was nothing left to say between us?¡± ¡°Five minutes, Liv, give me five minutes. Please,¡± Chloe begged. The nurse standing next to them said, ¡°Mrs. Carlton has a heart condition, miss. Please do not agitate her anymore.¡± Olivia was put on the spot. She couldn¡¯t walk away now. ¡°Alright, five minutes.¡± She walked into her room. Chloe followed behind her. They each sat on a corner of the couch. Chloe moved next to Olivia and took her hand. Olivia struggled for a bit. She then gave up because she didn¡¯t want to risk agitating Chloe. ¡°Seems like Chris isn¡¯t treating you that well. You had good health when you were with Dad.¡± Olivia deduced that Chloe developed a heart condition due to mental stress. There were only two other ways she could¡¯ve gotten a heart condition. One was that she was born with it. The other was unhealthy habits. Neither of those could¡¯ve been the case for Chloe. Chloe shook her head and said, ¡°Chris is good to me. Really, really good to me.¡± Chloe didn¡¯t want to make Olivia feel ufortable. She quickly changed the subject, ¡°I left you when you were young. ¡°But there were some things that your father probably hasn¡¯t told you. Don¡¯t you want to know why I left him, Liv?¡± Olivia¡¯s other hand grasped the couch tightly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because you fell for another man?¡± ¡°Let me tell you a story, Liv.¡± Chloe¡¯s story wasn¡¯t mind-blowing. It was more melodramatic. Chloe and Chris had known each other since they were kids. The Carltons were a family of soldiers. Chris was also obligated to join the army. He began to take part in covert missions when he was a teenager. He promised Chloe that he would be back to marry her once the situation got better. But news of him dying on the battlefield was spread. Chloe was heartbroken. The Parker Family promised her to Jeff. Jeff gave her three years to forget about Chris. And so Jeff waited. Chloe could not betray his kindness. She got married to him under the pressure of her family. But she had only ever loved Chris. It was the same, be it three years or seven years. Chris was the love of her life. But just as she was prepared to ept her life as it was, she heard the news about Chris. He was saved by someone when he was hurt. But he had temporarily lost his memory. He married the woman who took care of him after his injuries healed. By the time Chloe heard the news, Chris already had a child of school age. That was a blemish on their love. It was something that Chloe couldn¡¯t get over. Even after she also had a child of her own, she was still hung up about the past. She couldn¡¯t forget about the feelings she had. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. These years, she had been neglecting everything around her. That was why she developed a heart condition. Chris¡¯ wifeter died in an ident. He also recovered his memory. Chloe didn¡¯t want to have any regrets. So, she went to him without considering any consequences. Oliviaughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. ¡°Am I supposed to p for your epic story of undying love?¡± Olivia had misunderstood. She thought Chloe felt guilty after seeing her bleed. She finally realized. This middle-aged woman had all the love she wanted since she was young. Her life was all smooth sailing. Everyone around her doted on her. And she had only experienced hardships in her love life. That was why she was still living in her own world at this age. That was why she came to talk about how hard her life had been. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, can¡¯t you live without Chris Carlton?¡± Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chloe was crying as she told her story. She described the missed opportunities and misunderstandings between her and Chris as incredibly sad and painful. She didn¡¯t know how to react when she heard what Olivia said. There were still tears in her eyes. She lookedical as she tried to keep the tears from falling. It was as if she was wondering why Olivia didn¡¯t feel anypassion for her. She had such a sad life. She began to wonder if Olivia was truly heartless. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, losing Chris might have been the worst thing that ever happened to you. But do you know what it means to have a family destroyed? ¡°Do you know how helpless I felt when my family left me one by one? ¡°Do you know how much pain I felt when I went from being a princess to a nobody that anyone could spit on?¡± Olivia smirked and said, ¡°In your world, a mosquito sting requires medical attention. ¡°How would you ever understand how I feel? I have to try my best just to stay alive.¡± Olivia was envious of her mother. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chloe was the kind of person who only lived for herself. Nothing was more important than her feelings. Not even Chris, who had always loved her. Not even her own daughter, who had been chasing after her and begging for the smallest bit of attention. All these can be sacrificed for the sake of her pursuit of love. Chloe didn¡¯t understand what Olivia was thinking. She thought Olivia would understand her after knowing her story. She didn¡¯t expect her to be so emotionless. Chloe felt defeated. But she remembered that Olivia had always obeyed her as a child, so she had one last option. ¡°Liv, I know you have suffered these years. I wasn¡¯t with you then. But now I¡¯m back. I¡¯ll never let anyone hurt you again.¡± Olivia met Chloe¡¯s gaze. She hesitated slightly for an instant when she saw the sincerity in her eyes. But Chloe then said, ¡°I¡¯ve been there since Marina was a child. She is a very outstanding woman. ¡°I think she suits Ethan well. Can you please listen to me and let her have Ethan?¡± Olivia was dumbfounded, but Chloe had more to say. Chloe noticed that Olivia was silent. She continued, ¡°It¡¯s not that I love her more. The thing is, you¡¯re already divorced from Ethan. ¡°If you continue to cling to him, your reputation will be ruined. ¡°Another thing is, the two of them already had a child together. Can you not break them up for Connor¡¯s sake?¡± Olivia had always had this feeling that she was adopted when she was younger. She started to feel like that again. She wondered how Chloe was able to utter those words. She imed not to love Marina more. Yet, every word she said was in Marina¡¯s interest. Olivia looked at her and said with amusement, ¡°Have you ever thought about this? ¡°Marina is the third wheel in this rtionship. And Ethan is the one clinging on to me, not the other way around. ¡°I¡¯ll be thankful if you can convince him to stay away.¡± Chloe was taken aback. Her brows began to furrow. She had a look of disbelief. ¡°Liv, I know you might have a big misunderstanding with me. But please do not take your anger out on Marina.¡± Olivia was shocked. Chloe had suddenly knelt down while she was talking. Tears flowed from Chloe¡¯s eyes. She said in a sad tone, ¡°I¡¯ll use the rest of my life to make up for the sufferings I caused you. My only request is that you let Marina off the hook. Please just let her and Ethan be.¡± Olivia¡¯s condition had stabilized. But she felt her blood boil when she heard Chloe¡¯s words. She began to see red. There were so many things wrong with what Chloe said. But Olivia couldn¡¯t form any words in her mouth. She was so angry her entire body was shaking. The door opened with a bang. A group of people were standing at the door. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 The Carltons were standing at the door. They were furious when they saw what was going on in the room. Chris was especially angry. He quickly approached Olivia and Chloe. He was rtively gentle to Olivia before. But now, he was staring daggers at her. ¡°What are you doing, honey?¡± Chris said in a serious tone as he helped Chloe up. Before Olivia could say anything, Chris said harshly, ¡°Ms. Fordham, no matter what prejudices you might have against her, she is your mother, after all. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°She had been thinking of you all these years. The worry she felt caused her to be unwell. She also has a pre-existing heart condition. ¡°Why do you keep agitating her? Will you only be happy after you¡¯ve killed her?¡± ¡°Please stop, honey,¡± Chloe attempted to defend Olivia. Chris patted her on her hand and said with an intense expression, ¡°Ms. Fordham, believe it or not, I do feel bad for you. ¡°I truly want to treat you like my own daughter. I want to allow Chloe to carry out her duties as a mother. But I now know why Ethan wanted to divorce you.¡± Olivia¡¯s stomach was feeling better when she woke up. But after hearing what these two had said, she was so angry she couldn¡¯t speak. The pain in her abdomen began to spread to her entire body. It hurt so much that her brows were furrowed tightly. She mustered all her strength to squeeze the words from between her teeth. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because a woman like you doesn¡¯t deserve any kindness! Look at your mother. She almost died giving birth to you. ¡°Not only are you not repaying her gift of life to you, but you also treat her badly. Are you not worried that karma might get back at you?¡± Olivia swallowed the blood in her mouth and red at Chris. ¡°Are you finished? If you¡¯re finished, get out of here.¡± She didn¡¯t want to say another word. Talking with people like them was a waste of time. She wasn¡¯t one of theirs. She was at fault no matter what she did. Olivia was in a lot of pain. She just wanted to rest. She had no energy to argue. But the Carltons were offended, especially Marina. She finally had a chance to vent her frustration. Ethan wasn¡¯t here. The Fordhams weren¡¯t here. Olivia was all alone. Marina began to take her anger out on Olivia. She shoved Olivia to the ground hard. ¡°Olivia, how shameless are you? You are already divorced from Ethan. Stop clinging to him.¡± Olivia was in so much pain that she was covered in sweat. She bit her lip. She was so weak she couldn¡¯t speak. Chloe saw that something was wrong with her. She leaned over and tried to help her up. ¡°Liv, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you so pale?¡± The heart-wrenching pain in her stomach consumed her. Cold sweat covered her body. She tried to respond defiantly. But she realized she was too weak from the pain to speak. Marina pulled Chloe¡¯s hand away from Olivia and said, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say she loved to pretend? I didn¡¯t even push her that hard, but she fell. I think she¡¯s pretending again.¡± Chloe recalled the time Olivia pretended to be sick when she was young. She looked hesitant. Marina said with a cold expression, ¡°Stop pretending, Olivia. No one here cares if you¡¯re in pain.¡± Olivia was in so much pain that she was losing consciousness. She could faintly feel that Marina had kicked her twice on the leg. The heel of Marina¡¯s shoe hit a joint on her leg. It made the pain worse. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Marina was exacting her revenge on Olivia. She could never forget the time when Olivia pinned her down and hit her. She wasn¡¯t blind. She could see that Olivia wasn¡¯t feeling well. But she was taking this chance to attack Olivia because she couldn¡¯t fight back. She kicked Olivia as hard as she could while Olivia couldn¡¯t stand up. She wanted to vent her anger. ¡°Stop kicking her, Marina.¡± Chloe reached out and tried to stop Marina. Marina didn¡¯t usually care about what Chloe had to say. But she didn¡¯t mind at the moment. ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say she loves to pretend? She deserves to be kicked.¡± As she was speaking, she kicked Olivia a few more times. She even pped Olivia in the face. ¡°You bitch, stop pretending!¡± Olivia wanted to argue, but she couldn¡¯t speak. She could only feel her consciousness fading slowly. She could feel something picking her up in her daze. She could feel someone talking. But she couldn¡¯t hear what was said. She murmured, ¡°Home, I want to go home¡­¡± A man¡¯s voice said next to her ear, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring you home.¡± She was then put on the person¡¯s back. Her head slumped weakly onto his shoulder, and he carried her away with steady steps. For some reason, Olivia suddenly recalled something that happened to her as a kid. She was pushed over by some bullies. The children were throwing pebbles and mud at her. ¡°You¡¯re a motherless bastard!¡± ¡°Your mother is shameless! I heard she ran away with another man.¡± She retaliated in anger. She fought with the bullies. But she was beaten until she had no strength left. She was hurt all over. Jeff found herter. She held his hand and said while crying, ¡°They called me a motherless bastard.¡± Jeff smiled gently and patted her head lightly. ¡°Silly girl, you have me!¡± ¡°But¡­ I miss mom.¡± ¡°Although your mother is in another country, and you are very far apart, she misses you too.¡± A glimmer of delight shed on her face. But the glimmer quickly dimmed. ¡°Why did she leave me if she misses me?¡± Jeff crouched down before her and said gently, ¡°Olivia, everyone has a right to pursue their own happiness. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Your mother finally found her happiness. Even if she isn¡¯t here, it doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t love you.¡± ¡°What about you, Dad? Will you leave me one day like Mother did?¡± Olivia asked while she tugged at his sleeve. Her expression was filled with worry. She had already lost her mother. She didn¡¯t want to lose her father too. Jeff knew what she was thinking immediately. ¡°No, I will never leave you.¡± Olivia broke into a smile. Jeff crouched down and carried her on his back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liv. I will always be with you.¡± Sheid on her father¡¯s broad back with a faint smile. ¡°Dad, if you ever find your own happiness, I¡¯ll also give you my blessing. ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re my happiness.¡± Ethan saw a sweet smile appear on Olivia¡¯s lips while she was unconscious. It was the first time he saw such an innocent expression on her in a long time. Olivia held his hand tightly and yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t go!¡± Ethan said softly, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t go.¡± The next instant, Olivia opened her eyes and jumped into his arms. She said with a nasal voice, ¡°Dad.¡± Ethan was rendered speechless. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Olivia¡¯s eyes slowly came into focus. She saw a white shirt. She looked up and saw Ethan¡¯s strong jawline. The hope was gone from her eyes. She remembered that Jeff was still unconscious in the hospital. There was no way he could¡¯ve been here. ¡°Why did your nose bleed?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t believe that was Ethan¡¯s first question. She could smell the scent of an unfamiliar shower gel on him. She recalled the fact that he slept in the same bed as Marinast night. She quickly moved away from his embrace. ¡°I hit my nose. My mother identally hit the wound when she pped me,¡± Olivia said calmly. Ethan stared at her face. He wanted to find hints of her lying. Olivia looked at him adamantly and said, ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe me? ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one that said I was in good health and that nothing could be wrong with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Ethan agreed. It wasn¡¯t clear if he was trying to convince himself or Olivia. He didn¡¯t notice the fleeting smirk that crossed Olivia¡¯s lips. He did look at hertest medical examination report. There were no issues with her health. Olivia noticed that she wasn¡¯t in the Miller residence. It was the seaside apartment that she had lived in before. It would seem like her confrontation bore some fruit. Now that the Carltons were pressuring Ethan, he didn¡¯t dare to openly live with her again. ¡°Since you¡¯re fine, you can start work tomorrow. The HR department is done with the preparations.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Olivia replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. You can head back now. Don¡¯t let the Carltons misunderstand.¡± Her words angered Ethan. The anger on his face became more apparent. He said coldly, ¡°Is that what you want?¡± Olivia replied quietly, ¡°Yes. I do not want to be the third wheel between you and someone else. ¡°I¡¯ve done foolish things in the past. I don¡¯t want to be a fool anymore.¡± Ethan shot her an icy re and said, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret your decision today.¡± He stood up and left resolutely. Olivia¡¯s voice came from behind him, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take your anger out on other people, Ethan. ¡°I can promise you that I will be yours until the day I die. It won¡¯t change even if we¡¯re not together anymore. ¡± Her words brought some warmth to his eyes. He stopped in his tracks and said, ¡°Remember your words today.¡± Olivia sighed in relief when the door closed. She looked at her phone. Colin had sent her some pictures of food. He tagged it with a sheepish emoji. Olivia tapped on the voice message button and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Colin. I had to leave. Something came up. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you for today. How much is the hospital bill? I¡¯ll transfer it to you.¡± Colin replied almost instantly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a stranger to me. If you want to repay me, just take me out for lunch.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was clear. The trailing tones carried a lively and uplifting emotion. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll treat you to lunch someday. Thanks for taking care of Snowball.¡± The conversation ended after he sent a few more emojis. Olivia took out the other phone hidden in her purse. She dialed Jack¡¯s number. ¡°Are there any new developments?¡± Jack replied quickly, ¡°Not much since it¡¯s only been a short while. But I discovered something interesting.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Dr. Galloway and Ryan graduated from the same school. They were even famed lovers back when they were in school.¡± ¡°I knew it! They knew each other!¡± Olivia remembered that the nurse said a tall man had visited her father. Ryan was a tall man. Maybe he was the one who caused Jeff to go into aa. ¡°That¡¯s right. I also found out that thepanies that Ryan had registered were all shellpanies. There is no real meaning for their existence.¡± Olivia understood now that Ryan appeared before her to introduce her to Lee. He wanted her to know the truth. He tried to use the truth to create a rift between Ethan and her. ¡°This means that if we find Ryan, we get closer to the person behind it all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve also uncovered some leads about Belle. I¡¯ll be leaving Aldenvine tonight.¡± ¡°You can try and meet up with Ryan when Ie back. I¡¯ll help you capture him.¡± ¡°Okay. Thanks, Jack.¡± ¡°No need. Remember, wait for me to return. Don¡¯t alert the enemy.¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 In the next morning, Kelvin was waiting for Olivia downstairs. Olivia had put on some light makeup to appear more lively. Brent was waiting in front of the car when they arrived at thepany. He said politely, ¡°Mrs. Miller ¡­¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°I told you. Don¡¯t address me as-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got used to it. I have something to tell you about your job. Mr. Miller has moved you to the sales department.¡± Olivia frowned and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t he agree to make me his secretary?¡± Brent looked at her awkwardly. He coughed softly and said, ¡°Mr. Miller took into consideration that you want to improve yourself. ¡°There are more hands-on challenges in the sales department than if you were his secretary. Mr. Miller has your best interest at heart.¡± Olivia understood. Ethan couldn¡¯t possibly keep her by his side as a secretary. He wouldn¡¯t be able to answer to the Carltons for that. She understood that this was the oue of her action at the Carlton residence. But she realized that she wasn¡¯t used to him staying away from her now that it actually happened. It was fine either way. No matter which department she was in, those who wanted to harm her would stille sooner orter. ¡°Alright. Thanks for the help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. I¡¯ve already notified the HR department. You just need to head up and go through the procedures.¡± Brent only apanied Olivia to the elevator. He had to avoid being seen with her to not raise any suspicions. Olivia wanted to join thepany to investigate suspicious individuals around Ethan. She didn¡¯t expect to be moved to the sales department before she could begin her investigation. She held her head and sighed. She would have to make do with what she had. She went to report to the HR department. The person who processed her sized her up several times. Olivia knew what she was thinking immediately. ¡°Alright. Your desk is over there, Olivia. You can go and get settled down.¡± The HR employee was still pretty courteous. ¡°Thanks.¡± Oliva looked at her employee ID, and her thoughts wandered. Her first job in life was not as a doctor but as a salesperson. She could hear people chattering when she walked in. ¡°She must be someone special. Mr. Ingram handed her file to HR personally. But I¡¯m curious. ¡°She¡¯s a top medical student. Why would she be a salesperson? She could probably get a job in any of the best hospitalsContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. in the country.¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe she likes a challenge? The bonuses of some of our sales department colleagues are several times higher than the sry of a doctor.¡± Because of Brent¡¯s influence, Olivia might not have an office to herself. But she had a desk in the best location. The sunlight came in through the window and shone on her desk. There was also a tiny potted nt on it. Olivia stretched her body leisurely in the sunlight. There were three teams in the sales department. She was in team C. Sophia Linden, the leader of the team, introduced Olivia to the team. Everyone was very busy. So, the introductions were brief. They quickly went back to work after. Olivia was still feeling lost after a while. She went to ask Sophia for advice. ¡°Ms. Linden, I¡¯m new, so I¡¯m not too familiar with the job. What should I be doing?¡± ¡°Oh, right, Olivia. I forgot to tell you that the sales department is also called the hell department. ¡°We have a very strict evaluation system. An evaluation is conducted every three months. The worst of the team gets demoted to team C. If the same team gets ranked C more than twice in a row, a team member will be let go. Then someone new will join.¡± Olivia heard about how intense the workce could be. ¡°Does that mean if we¡¯re still team C by the end of this month, someone will be let go?¡± Sophia patted her on the shoulder and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. And you¡¯re new here, so the person getting fired¡­¡± Olivia understood. ¡°¡­ Is probably going to be me, right?¡± ¡°Do your best. This is the project we¡¯re trying to get done right now.¡± Sophia gave her a bunch of documents and quickly went back to her desk. Meanwhile, at the CEO¡¯s office, Ethan was rubbing his temples. He asked with his eyes closed, ¡°How is she doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s already started working.¡± Brent paused for a moment and asked, ¡°Mrs. Miller doesn¡¯t need to work for money. Is there a need to send her to the hell department?¡± He found it harder and harder to understand what Ethan was thinking. Ethan opened his eyes and yed with the pen before him. He said in azy tone, ¡°She¡¯ll only know who to seek help from after she experiences some hardships.¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 It was thanks to the Carltons that Olivia was finally free from Ethan¡¯s control. Although they were still in the samepany, a lowly salesperson like her couldn¡¯t possibly meet the CEO. The only inconvenience was that she got removed from the secretary¡¯s office. She was distanced from the secretaries. And that strayed her from the goal she came here for. Olivia could only put her hopes on Jack. She hoped that he could dig up something useful on his trip. As she was lost in her thoughts, someone said with a sigh, ¡°Why do I have to be the one to hand in the strategy chart again?¡± Olivia turned and met the eyes of Norma Talbot, the person whose desk was next to hers. She was an earnest person. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Talbot?¡± Norma pushed her hair behind her ear and said sheepishly, ¡°It¡¯s time to hand in this project¡¯s strategy chart. As you know, we¡¯re already the C team. ¡°We were rankedst in the previous month. I don¡¯t dare to walk into the secretary¡¯s office. I¡¯ll be scared to death if I meet Mr. Ingram.¡± ¡°Is Mr. Ingram very intimidating?¡± ¡°You¡¯re new, so you don¡¯t know. If Mr. Miller is the king of hell, Mr. Ingram is the guardian of hell. ¡°He was so stern that he scared the cleaner¡¯s daughter to tearsst time.¡± Olivia nodded thoughtfully and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go for you. I¡¯m new here anyway. I don¡¯t mind being scolded.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Olivia. Thank you so much.¡± Norma quickly handed the file to Olivia. Olvia looked at the file in her hand. She smiled. This was her chance to get closer to the secretaries. Unbeknownst to her, the colleagues who were all smiling a moment ago changed their expressions. ¡°I envy how naive young people are these days. Another one who doesn¡¯t know her ce. How many have there been this year?¡± Norma crossed her arms and said disdainfully, ¡°That¡¯s the only way to get closer to Mr. Miller. ¡°She probably hopes to catch his attention by being around there. Why else would anyone go to the secretary¡¯s office and risk being scolded?¡± ¡°Tsk, if I recall correctly, thest one had her arm broken by Mr. Ingram and thrown out, right?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet. How many days will shest before she quits?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that action. Loser buys everyone lunch.¡± Comment by soonyoung gu: take what action? Olivia went to the top floor. She nced at the door at the end of the corridor. It was shut tightly, She subconsciously sighed in relief and went into the secretary¡¯s office. The secretaries who were busy with work looked at her when she entered. Nancy winked at her and said, ¡°I heard you transferred to the sales department, Ms. Fordham. Was it because you didn¡¯t like us?¡± Olivia smiled and said, ¡°Of course not. I thought I wasn¡¯t capable enough for this position. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for Mr. Miller. So I transferred to the sales department to work on myself.¡± ¡°What a pity. You were a sight for sore eyes. You were gone too soon.¡± Nancy was no slouch. She knew that Olivia was special. Olivia was the only person who ever brought food for Ethan. One moment, she was a secretary. Next, she was a salesperson. It must¡¯ve been someone¡¯s orders. How else could she just change jobs so easily? That was why she didn¡¯t mind getting closer to Olivia. ¡°Olivia, surely you¡¯re not here to chat. How can we help?¡± ¡°Ms. Giles, this is our team¡¯s strategy chart. Can you please hand it to Mr. Miller for me?¡± Nancy thought about it for a while and quickly understood. ¡°Leave it to me. Be careful in the sales department. The people there are all very cunning.¡± ¡°Thanks, Ms. Giles.¡± Olivia took out the presents that she had prepared. For the men, she had tie clips. For the women, she prepared brooches. ¡°I thought I would be here, so I had prepared presents. Please take one, Ms. Giles.¡± ¡°I love thoughtful people like you!¡± Nancy toyed with the brooch and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Olivia proceeded to hand the presents to the others. They knew she was somehow rted to Ethan, so they didn¡¯t dare to refuse. Olivia stopped before Grace. She noticed that Grace had been working the whole time she was there. She didn¡¯t even spare a look at her. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Grace didn¡¯t react even when Olivia ced the present on her table. ¡°Ms. Engel, this is for you.¡± Grace raised her head and adjusted her sses. She said sternly, ¡°Did you join thepany to do pointless things like this?¡± ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t mind her. That¡¯s just how she is. You don¡¯t have to give her a present if she doesn¡¯t want it.¡± Nancy winked at Olivia and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll hand over the strategy chart to Mr. Ingram personally.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks. I¡¯ll not disturb you guys anymore.¡± Olivia stole a nce at Grace. Grace had gotten back to work. It was as if she only cared about working. Grace and Nancy were pr opposites. Olivia wondered which one of them was the suspicious one. Olivia believed that the spy could not hide forever. The truth would definitelye out. Even if she didn¡¯t make a move, the spy might not be able to remain in the dark. She had embedded tracking devices into the brooches. So she was one step ahead of the spy this time. Olivia was deep in thought. She didn¡¯t think that there would be anyone walking around on the top floor. She walked right into another person. A familiar voice came above her head. ¡°You¡¯re an adult, right? Why aren¡¯t you watching where you¡¯re going?¡± Olivia quickly moved away from him. She thought Ethan was in his office. She didn¡¯t expect him to sneak out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± She almost didn¡¯t even look in Ethan¡¯s direction. She lowered her head, apologized, and scuttled away. She was afraid that Ethan might ask her to stay. Olivia quickly got to the elevator. As the doors opened, Brent and Kelvin came out of the elevator. Olivia suddenly thought about how Norma described Brent as the guardian of hell. She instantly had the image of the two of them as hellish soldiers. She thought the look suited them. She covered a smile as she entered the elevator. Ethan saw that smile. He hadn¡¯t contacted Olivia for the past two days. And she stayed away, too. It was as if she was trying to sever tiespletely. He noticed hering up from the security cameras and was waiting in the corridor for an ¡°unexpected¡± encounter. It angered him to see her smile when she saw Brent and Kelvin. She ran away like she saw a ghost when she ran into him. Ethan said with a dark expression, ¡°Find out why she was up here.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Brent had the answer very quickly. He handed Ethan the strategy chart. Ethan took a nce at it and dropped it. ¡°What kind of trash is this? Get me the person in charge.¡± The file fell onto the table with a loud bang. The sound caused the cleaner who was wiping the shelves to jump in surprise. Everyone stopped talking after Olivia went back to team C. Norma smiled brightly and said, ¡°Thank you so much, Olivia.¡± ¡°No problem, it wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± After a while, Sophia came storming out. ¡°Who handed in the strategy chart?¡± Before Olivia could speak, Norma realized something was wrong and immediately shifted the me. She said, ¡°It was Olivia. She insisted on going to the secretary¡¯s office to show her face. What¡¯s wrong? Ms. Linden?¡± Sophia red at Olivia and said, ¡°What did you say to Mr. Miller? Why is he so angry? Now he wants to question me!¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 The matter blew up. Normally, Ethan would bemunicating with the sales director if he had a problem. He wouldn¡¯t usually call for a team leader. Norma¡¯s bubbly demeanor quickly turned sour. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve said it before. You have limited experience. Since you joined Team C, you should focus on learning. ¡°Instead, your mind seems to be filled with all sorts of nonsense. Did you make Mr. Miller angry? ¡°Did you think you could do whatever you wanted because you had the looks? Who do you think Mr. Miller is? Do you know what happened to thest employee that tried to seduce him?¡± Olivia felt that she had been unluckytely. Nothing was going her way. She went to the secretary¡¯s office once. The colleague who was all cordial before was already reprimanding her. The words that came out of her mouth were so unpleasant. Olivia said calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t get to meet Mr. Miller. I just submitted the strategy chart to the secretary¡¯s office. I don¡¯t know how I could¡¯ve angered Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Nothing like this ever happened when we handed in the strategy charts. Why did something happen as soon as you did it? Stop pretending. You¡¯re the one to me for this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you should bring her along, Ms. Linden.¡± The others began chipping in. They wanted to pin everything on Olivia. Olivia finally understood what it meant to be in the rat race. Olivia followed beside Sophia. Sophia said with a gloomy expression, ¡°Olivia, you are on a three-month probation. You know what you need to do for me to pass you?¡± Olivia knew. Sophia wanted her to take the fall. Did she think Ethan was stupid? Olivia said with a cold smile, ¡°Understood, Ms. Linden.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The elevator doors opened. Sophia immediately bowed when she saw Brent. ¡°Nice to see you, Mr. Ingram.¡± She noticed that Olivia only nodded her head. She patted Olivia¡¯s back to signal her to bow as well. Brent quickly said, ¡°Stop wasting your time. Mr. Miller is waiting for you.¡± A hint of nervousness crossed Sophia¡¯s face. ¡°Mr. Ingram, can you please let us know what¡¯s going on? About Mr. Miller¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you go in.¡± Brent kept up his cold demeanor. He stood at the door and said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Sophia felt weak in the knees. This was her first time at the CEO¡¯s office. Brent opened the door, and he said, ¡°Mr. Miller, they¡¯re here.¡± He then turned and left. Sophia¡¯s legs were trembling. She began to walk stiffly. Olivia almost burst outughing. All traces of the arrogance that Sophia had moments ago vanished. ¡°M-Mr. Miller, you asked for me?¡± Sophia was so nervous she could barely even manage to utter a complete sentence. Olivia¡¯s eyes fell on the cleaner in the corner, who was cleaning the bookshelves. Cleaners usually have fixed working hours in the morning or at night. They don¡¯t usually work while the boss is in the office. She wondered why Ethan would allow someone to clean the office while he was still there. He was a man who was very concerned with his privacy, after all. She observed the cleaner. The cleaner had a hunched back and a bony physique. The exposed skin was tanned. The cleaner¡¯s head was lowered so Olivia couldn¡¯t see the face. An ashtraynded beside Olivia¡¯s feet with a loud sound. It shocked her. Sophia was so frightened that her knees gave way, and she dropped to the floor. Ethan looked at Olivia and asked, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting that you had to stare?¡± Olivia snapped back to reality. Ethan threw the strategy chart before Sophia. ¡°Is this the strategy your team came up with? A monkey can do better than that!¡± Ethan didn¡¯t pull any punches when it came to insults. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 This was the first time Olivia had seen Ethan at work. She realized that she wasn¡¯t the only person that he treated badly. Sophia was scared out of her mind. She anxiously said, ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry, Mr. Miller. This proposal is ¡­ Olivia, you say it.¡± She looked back at Olivia and saw that she had no fear in her eyes. Even her back was straight. Olivia¡¯s eyes were also calmly meeting with Ethan¡¯s -She thought Olivia was very brave! She quickly dispelled her drifting thoughts and snapped back into reality. Olivia saw her pleading gaze tinged with threats. She said, ¡°Which part of my proposal are you not satisfied with, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°You made this?¡± Ethan knew she had only been working for two days. Normally, the team leader wouldn¡¯t even let a new employee take part in such an important job. This proposal was linked to the quarterly evaluation and year-end bonus. It was apparent that the team leader wanted Olivia to take the fall. Olivia was not stupid. She said, ¡°Yes, I took part in it.¡± Sophia was not satisfied with Olivia¡¯s words. If she only took part in the nning of the proposal, she wouldn¡¯t be able to take full responsibility for it. ¡°Which did you take part in?¡± Ethan asked. In Sophia¡¯s expectant gaze, Olivia pointed at the proposal and said earnestly, ¡°I printed the whole thing out with my own hands.¡± Sophia was at a loss for words. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ethan held back his smile. He was the only one who knew her obedience was just a farce. He knew she was a fighter at heart. He had lost count of how many times his head was hit by the things she had thrown at him. Sophia hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°Olivia, why are you joking in front of Mr. Miller? Why are you talking about printing? ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who suggested this proposal? Please understand, Mr. Miller. She¡¯s still learning the ropes.¡± Olivia thought about the team meeting yesterday. She was new and had unknown origins. Sophia feared that she might be a spy from another team. She didn¡¯t even allow Olivia to sit in the meeting. Olivia didn¡¯t mind. She wasn¡¯t here to work anyway. But she was displeased that Sophia tried to pin all the me on her. She was angry that anyone thought they could just bully her. Olivia didn¡¯t even need to speak. Ethan tapped the table with the fingers of his right hand. His gaze fell on Sophia nonchntly. ¡°Are you telling me that your team¡¯s proposal was made by a new employee who just started?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Miller.¡± Sophia had stood up. Her back was slightly bowed. She had a subservient expression on her face. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, she should be the team leader instead.¡± Sophia¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°Mr. Miller, that¡­ that isn¡¯t a great idea. She is a new employee. ¡°She has no achievements on her record. She was formerly a medical student and has no experience in sales¡­¡± Etham mmed his palm on the table and stood up. ¡°So you do know she¡¯s just a new employee. Yet you tell me that a proposal for a project worth millions was made by her. ¡°Are you mocking mypany? Are you telling me that none of the veterans are better than her? What nonsense are you sprouting?¡± Sophia was shaking in fright. She kept stuttering, ¡°Mr. Miller, I-I¡­¡± ¡°Do it again. If I see such trash from you again, take the entire team and get out of mypany.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Sophia quickly picked up the proposal. Olivia left the office with Sophia without looking back. She wondered why Ethan pulled such a stunt. Once they were back at the Team C office, Sophia said with a cloudy expression, ¡°Come with me to my office now, Olivia.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sophia shut the office door with a loud m. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 As soon as Sophia entered the office, she threw the proposal at Olivia. ¡°Go and submit your resignation to the HR department now! There¡¯s no ce for a person like you in my team.¡± Olivia gave her an icy smile and said, ¡°How bossy of you, Ms. Linden. I did not make any mistakes. On what grounds are you firing me?¡± Sophia vented all the frustration she suffered from Ethan on Olivia. Her face was twisted in anger. She no longer wanted to keep up the facade. ¡°On what grounds? The fact that we don¡¯t need an idiot like you in the workce.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an idiot because I don¡¯t want to take the fall? Even if I did, would Mr. Miller believe it? Or do you think he¡¯s as dumb as you are?¡± Sophia mmed her hand on the table and yelled, ¡°Olivia Fordham!¡± ¡°That¡¯s me. But if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be excusing myself, Ms. Linden. Also, I am a contracted employee. ¡°If you want to fire me, you should acquire thepany first.¡± Olivia left the office without looking back. She even went to the pantry, got a ss of warm water, and swallowed some stomach medicine.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t care about the gaze of others, nor did she care about their biting remarks. Everyone understood for a fact that the failure of the proposal had nothing to do with her.¡± But her nopliance had angered Sophia. Even if she stayed, Sophia would make her life hell. Still, these cunning veterans would never risk offending the team leader for a new employee like Olivia. They began to iste her. They wanted to force her to quit. Even if she didn¡¯t quit today, she would still be fired when the results of the quarterly evaluation were out. No one felt the need to befriend a person that was soon to be gone. Naturally, they treated her with disdain. ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t think you had that in you, Olivia. You acted so prim and proper. ¡°I thought you were docile. But you dared to stand up to Ms. Linden.¡± ¡°She was assigned to our department out of nowhere. She must have someone backing her. Naturally, she¡¯s bolder with her words.¡± Olivia turned slowly to look at Norma. ¡°Ms. Talbot, since you know I have a backer, why are you still barking so loudly? Aren¡¯t you afraid that my backer will hear you?¡± Her words caused the entire office to fall silent. What did she say? Was she here to restructure the workce? Norma was in shock. She didn¡¯t expect it to y out like that. Who would t-out admit that they had a backer? She recovered from her daze, and her face flushed in anger. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said your barking is too loud. It hurts my ears. Don¡¯t do it next time.¡± Olivia patted Norma on the shoulder and went back to her desk. She took a look at the time and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll be going home now. Everyone, work hard ande up with more proposals. Good job.¡± Olivia knew they didn¡¯t want her to help in the nning anyway. So she didn¡¯t bother to trouble herself. Her colleagues were all shocked. They had wanted to iste her. But it seemed like she didn¡¯t care. She even looked happy. Sophia kicked on a trashcan. She called out to Olivia through gritted teeth, ¡°Olivia Fordham, did I say you could leave?¡± Olivia lowered her head to look at her watch and said, ¡°It¡¯s time to go home.¡± ¡°Why is everyone still working then?¡± ¡°They¡¯re doing overtime.¡± ¡°And why aren¡¯t you doing the same?¡± Olivia shrugged and said, ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to.¡± She patted Sophia on her shoulder and said, ¡°Try your best, Ms. Linden. So that you can deliver a proposal that Mr. Miller is satisfied with by tomorrow.¡± Sophia¡¯s face grew red with anger. Her breathing becamebored from the intense emotions. She had to pat herself on the chest to calm herself. ¡°Are you okay, Ms. Linden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Sophia mmed the door and said, ¡°Go to the conference room.¡± Olivia hummed happily when she recalled Sophia¡¯s constipated expression. Even the heavy rain didn¡¯t dampen her mood. She had already asked Everly to pick her up. Everly should be here any moment. Olivia raised her head and met Ethan¡¯s eyes. He was sitting in his ck luxury car. It was apparent that he was waiting for her. Olivia nodded her head toward him as a greeting. Kelvin turned to look at Ethan and said, ¡°Mrs. Miller doesn¡¯t seem to be getting on, Mr. Miller.¡± In the back seat, Ethan¡¯s expression was hard to discern. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Olivia sighed in relief when she saw the car driving away. She saw Everly¡¯s car in the distance, so she went to the side of the road to wait for her. In a turn of events, Ethan¡¯s car turned around and elerated right next to her. Olivia was sshed with water from a roadside puddle, and the ck car sped away into the distance. Everly¡¯s car stopped next to her. She tilted her head, looked at Olivia, and said, ¡°Hey, did you go for a shower?¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Olivia cursed at Ethan as she sat in the front passenger seat. Everly wasughing at her misfortune. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I didn¡¯t see it myself. Ethan was so childish. ¡°He sshed you with muddy water because you didn¡¯t get in his car. That¡¯s so evil.¡± Olivia wiped herself with a towel. She looked upset. ¡°That¡¯s how petty he is! I don¡¯t know if I was possessed when I fell for him.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve been.¡± Everly agreed and nodded her head. She sized up Olivia before asking, ¡°Long time no see. Have you been well?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t tell her about the incident where she vomited blood. ¡°Yeah, the chemotherapy was pretty effective.¡± Everly noticed that Olivia was in a better mood than before. Even her facial expressions looked more lively. Everly quickly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you consider doing it again? If it goes well, and you get to the condition where you can have surgery, you could go straight for surgery.¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Olivia propped her face up with her hand and looked at the scenery outside the window. ¡°I¡¯ll go for another checkup after a while.¡± Everly¡¯s eyes lit up. She said, ¡°Have you changed your mind, Liv?¡± ¡°I want to live a bit longer. At least until I find out who the person is.¡± ¡°What person?¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Olivia had made up her mind. Even if she went to hell, she had to bring the person who made her life miserable down with her. Ethan saw Olivia get soaked from the rearview mirror. His anger dissipated slightly from the sight. He knew that Olivia was trying to sever her ties with him that way. A few months ago, all he wanted was to be rid of Olivia. But now that she stopped clinging to him, he became the one who couldn¡¯t let go. Ethan felt irritated whenever he thought about her distant eyes. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He pulled on his cor and said, ¡°Let¡¯s return to the Carlton residence.¡± Marina was delighted to see him. She prepared a feast for him. Chloe was recently discharged from the hospital. She still hasn¡¯tpletely recovered yet and looked a little pale. But she still tried to be a good host and kept giving Ethan more food. On the other hand, Ethan was polite and distant. He focused on ying with Connor. But no matter how much he yed with Connor, Connor rarely smiled. Most of the time, he gazed outside the window. He was only a little happier when Ethan was with him. After dinner, Ethan brought Connor to the living room and yed there. Marina pushed Erina and said, ¡°Go, y with Dad.¡± Erina had been afraid of Ethan since she was born. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t even dare to approach him, much less y with him ¡°Come over here,¡± Ethan said while waving his hand at her. Erina walked to his side shakily. He reached out and picked Erina up gently. Heforted her in a soft voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ethan thought that Erina looked a lot like Marina. But her eyes resembled her father¡¯s. He picked up a book and said, ¡°Come, I¡¯ll tell the two of you a story.¡± Marina saw the three of them together and swore to herself that she must marry Ethan as soon as possible. After the children went to sleep, Ethan and Marina entered their room simultaneously. Ethan locked the door and took out a nket from the wardrobe expressionlessly. ¡°Same asst night, you take the bed, I¡¯ll sleep on the couch.¡± Marina said with a sad face, ¡°Ethan, we¡¯re getting married soon. We¡¯re already a family¡­¡± Ethan nced at her coldly. His gaze was so cold it looked like he was ready to kill someone. ¡°Marina Carlton, how long has he been gone? You¡¯re already getting so restless?¡± Ethan grabbed her cor and said slowly, ¡°Don¡¯t forget who you are, cousin-inw.¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Next morning, Olivia appeared at the office full of energy. It was a stark contrastpared to her colleagues with their bloodshot eyes and tired faces. It was like a human walking into a group of zombies. It was like she didn¡¯t remember the insults yesterday. Olivia greeted Norma politely, ¡°Good morning.¡± Her bright smile annoyed Norma. Norma grabbed a cup of coffee and went back to her desk. She then muttered sarcastically, ¡°Some people sure have it easy.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t let it slide. She said innocently, ¡°I wanted to take part in the nning. But you guys thought I was new and was afraid I might leak the proposal. ¡°You didn¡¯t even let me in the meeting. Don¡¯t act like it¡¯s my fault now.¡± Olivia¡¯s words triggered Norma¡¯s anger. She threw her documents on her table and said, ¡°Olivia Fordham, what the hell are you talking about?¡± Olivia shrugged and said, ¡°Nothing, just that you¡¯re a hypocrite.¡± ¡°Olivia Fordham, you better watch your mouth. Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?¡± Sophia interrupted their argument and said, ¡°Stop yelling! I heard you from a distance away. Are you animals?¡± Norma quickly ran to Sophia and yed the victim. ¡°Ms. Linden, she was being arrogant and insulting her colleague.¡± ¡°Enough, stop making a scene. Do you want the other teams to make fun of us?¡± Sophia red at Norma and said. Norma still wanted to argue. But Sophia had already calmed down. ¡°Olivia, stay back after work tonight. Come with me to negotiate a contract with Mr. Lincoln.¡± She paused and added, ¡°This is work¡± She didn¡¯t even give Olivia a chance to refuse. Olivia could tell that Lincoln was a tough nut to crack from the amused expressions of the on-lookers. In the afternoon, Olivia heard someone say in the bathroom, ¡°Mr. Lincoln is so perverted. Olivia is in for it tonight.¡± ¡°Tsk, Ms. Linden is a smart one. She¡¯s getting a signed contract in exchange for Olivia. If Mr. Lincoln is happy and signs on, we¡¯ll be able to overtake Team B.¡± ¡°If I were Olivia, I would be more humble. Why would she try to stand up for herself as a new employee? ¡°Everyone has been bullied like she has. She just had to be different, arguing with the team leader right from the start.¡± ¡°Maybe she really has a backer.¡± ¡°Impossible. Ms. Linden has already looked into it. Mr. Ingram doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend. He doesn¡¯t even have female friends. What backer could she possibly have?¡± The two colleagues¡¯ chattering faded into the distance. Olivia came out from the cubicle. Sheughed to herself at the thought of Sophia using her as leverage for a contract. She was wiping her hands when she noticed a cleaner taking out the trash. She approached her and asked politely, ¡°Aunty, sorry to disturb you. May I ask if there is a vacancy in the cleaning crew? Comment by soonyoung gu: does aunty need westernisation?? do americans use aunty ¡°My mom is unemployed. I¡¯d like for her to try applying for a job here.¡± The cleaner said with a friendly expression, ¡°That¡¯s fine. I think we aren¡¯t hiring right now. But I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Aunty.¡± Olivia took out a new hand cream from her bag and said, ¡°Aunty, if there ever is a vacancy, just let me know. This is a small token of appreciation. Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just have to ask around for a bit.¡± The cleaner didn¡¯t refuse Olivia¡¯s gift. They talked for a little bit more, and then Olivia asked the question she had on her mind, ¡°Aunty, is the cleaning crew responsible for cleaning Mr. Miller¡¯s office?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. His cleaner is handpicked by himself. That¡¯s not one of us.¡± ¡°What does that mean? I saw a cleaner wiping his bookshelves when I was handing him a proposal yesterday. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I thought it was weird. Why was there a cleaner there when Mr. Miller was working?¡± ¡°Youngdy, you may not know this, but she has quite the background.¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Olivia asked because she thought it was strange. She didn¡¯t expect a real answer. ¡°What background would a cleaner have?¡± ¡°I heard that she saved Mr. Miller¡¯s life before.¡± Olivia was fascinated, ¡°But why is she only a cleaner if she saved his life?¡± ¡°She had no one. She¡¯s used to the job. That¡¯s why she kept doing it. ¡°But she only cleans Mr. Miller¡¯s office. There¡¯s not much to clean. The load is fairly light.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia nodded and said, ¡°I see.¡± She talked with the cleaner for a little bit more, then left. She made a mental note of the mysterious cleaner. Evening came. Olivia tagged along with Sophia to meet Lincoln. Sophia was touching up her makeup in the car. She threw asional nces at Olivia. ¡°Olivia, I see that you¡¯re still young. If you can secure this deal with Mr. Lincoln tonight, I¡¯ll forgive what you did yesterday.¡± ¡°Is he hard to negotiate with?¡± ¡°For other people, yes. But for a pretty woman like you, it¡¯s a different matter.¡± Sophia was finished with her makeup and leaned toward Olivia. Olivia could smell the heavy perfume she was wearing. The perfume made her feel a little suffocated. She furrowed her brows. ¡°Olivia, it¡¯s easier for women to climb thedder than men. We have inherent advantages that men don¡¯t have. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Sophia had aplicated look in her eyes. Olivia was not dumb. She knew what Sophia was talking about. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re a smart woman, too. You won¡¯t disappoint me, right?¡± Olivia wanted to tell Sophia that she didn¡¯t care if she was disappointed. But she saw that they were arriving at their destination, so she held her tongue. She didn¡¯t want to cause another scene. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news, Olivia.¡± Sophia looked at Olivie from head to toe again. The simple work attire worn by Olivia exuded a professional charm. Her well-proportioned figure was alluring Even as a woman, Sophia couldn¡¯t help but be tempted by Olivia¡¯s legs in stockings. Sophia was sure that an old pervert like Lincoln would sumb to Olivia¡¯s charms. In the Golden Horizon Hotel, Olivia was carrying a file folder. She was deep in thought while following behind Sophia. Sophia thought that was because Olivia had never been to such a luxurious hotel. She whispered to Olivia, ¡°Olivia, after you get Mr. Lincoln to sign the contract, I¡¯ll make you a permanent employee. ¡°As long as you stay with ourpany, you can stay at hotels like these whenever you want.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t tell her that Ethan prepared a penthouse suite on the top floor of the hotel. It was a special suite designed ording to her preferences and featured everything from an infinity pool to a rooftop garden. It was as luxurious as a suite could get. Now that she thought about it. Ethan really used to dote on her. As she was thinking of the good old days when she was with Ethan, she saw Marina holding Ethan¡¯s arm when she looked up. They were walking toward a private elevator from the restaurant. Her eyes met with Ethan¡¯s, but she quickly looked away. It was like they didn¡¯t know each other. Olivia identally dropped the file folder. She quickly crouched down to pick up the documents that were scattered on the floor. Sophia was annoyed. ¡°Olivia, you can¡¯t afford to be so careless when we meet Mr. Lincoln.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go touch up my makeup.¡± Olivia quickly went to the washroom. She thought she had already let go of her feelings for Ethan. But whenever she saw him with another woman, her heart ached uncontrobly. That was the man who used to love her and her only. Her fingers clenched when she thought about Ethan bringing Marina to the ce she used to love visiting The thought of Marina using her bathtub, wearing her robe, and sleeping with her man. It was unbearable. It was only natural. There was no way she could¡¯ve let go of the feelings she felt so strongly for years in just a couple of months. Sophia knocked on the washroom door and said, ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s taking you so long? Let¡¯s not keep Mr. Lincoln waiting.¡± Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Olivia collected her emotions and opened the door. Her expression was back to normal. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Sophia looked at her slightly pale face and said, ¡°What kind of touching up did you do? Never mind, you can use my lipstick. This is the trendiest color this year that men like.¡± The bright lipstick glided across her lips. It gave her a radiant glow. Olivia¡¯splexion improved significantly. Sophia then sprayed some perfume on her. It was a rich and enchanting fragrance. Olivia frowned at the smell. But she was covered in it before she could decline. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head in. We can¡¯t keep Mr. Lincoln waiting.¡± Sophia confirmed with Olivia yet again, ¡°Are you sure you know the rules of the dinner table? I don¡¯t need to give you a refresher course, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good.¡± They arrived at the private dining room. It was unclear if Sophia had sent a picture of Olivia to Lincoln because he was unexpectedly early for once. And he was full of smiles, too. Unlike in the past, when he¡¯s always 30 minuteste intentionally. ¡°Mr. Lincoln, I¡¯m so sorry. We¡¯rete even though we¡¯re the ones that invited you. I¡¯ll have to drink a toast in apology.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to wait for beautifuldies like yourself. Sophia, this one looks unfamiliar. Why don¡¯t you introduce us?¡± Sophia smiled shyly and said, ¡°Mr. Lincoln, this is Olivia. She¡¯s new. Say hello to Mr. Lincoln, Olivia.¡± Lincoln was around 40 years old. He was the typical middle-aged man: greasy and pot-bellied. He squinted his eyes when he sized up Olivia. He was even more satisfied after a closer look. He thought the picture he was sent had been touched up. But she looked prettier in person. ¡°Hi, Mr. Lincoln.¡± Olivia greeted him expressionlessly. Lincoln immediately reached out to pull her closer to him. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m an old acquaintance of your team leader. Come over Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. and sit.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t let him touch her. She chose a seat far away from him. She looked at Lincoln¡¯s awkward outstretched hand and Sophia¡¯s shocked expression. ¡°Have a seat. Don¡¯t be shy. Sophia was speechless. She cursed at Olivia inwardly and held Lincoln¡¯s arm. She then said with a smile, ¡°I apologize, Mr. Lincoln. She¡¯s new, so she doesn¡¯t know better.¡± Lincoln¡¯s greedy gaze swept across Olivia¡¯s youthful face. He didn¡¯t seem angry. ¡°She¡¯s still young. It¡¯s understandable. Please, have a seat, and let¡¯s bring out the food.¡± Sophia had nned for Olivia to sit beside Lincoln. She didn¡¯t expect Olivia to pull a trick like that. She had no choice but to sit on the right side of Lincoln. A few of his trusted aides sat to his left. These aides are usually the ones that encourage the women to drink more alcohol. If they get the women drunk, the men could have their way with them. Lincoln was not in a rush. The night was still young. He engaged in idle conversation from time to time. Olivia nced at his hand from the corner of her eye. She saw his hand almost touching Sophia¡¯s inner thigh. Sophia was clearly unhappy about it. But she didn¡¯t dare to oppose Lincoln, so she wore a forced smile. ¡°Mr. Lincoln, have you given the contract some consideration? If you don¡¯t help me out soon, I will really get fired.¡± Sophia said with a flirty tone. No one knew what Lincoln¡¯s hand did to Sophia under the table. She let out a soft cry. Lincoln said in a jolly voice, ¡°Sophia, you need to have patience. I need to see how sincere you are if you want me to sign the contract.¡± Sophia met Olivia¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Olivia, Mr. Lincoln wants to see how sincere we are.¡± Olivia smiled and said, ¡°Understood, Ms. Linden.¡± Lincoln saw Olivia stand up abruptly. He looked at her beautiful face and her slender neck. No matter where he looked, she was stunning. He started to feel anticipation when he thought about how he could have this woman for himself tonight. He wondered what Olivia would do to please him. Would she feed him some wine? Or would she feed him some food? His imagination was going wild. Olivia took a piece of pork chop and ced it on Lincoln¡¯s te. ¡°Here, help yourself, Mr. Lincoln. Lincoln was stunned. But Olivia didn¡¯t stop. She piled more slices onto his te. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Look at the pork chop. Is this enough sincerity? ¡°There¡¯s still more if you want. You can have it all.¡± Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Lincoln looked at the mountain of pork chops on his te. Then he looked at the sincere expression on Olivia¡¯s face. He was stumped. He couldn¡¯t tell if she didn¡¯t know or if she was just pretending. Her eyes were clear. There was not a speck of pretense in them. He thought about her age and thought it was understandable to be unclear about the rules of the dinner table. Sophia was bewildered. So that was what Olivia meant when she said she understood? She thought the negotiations were done off. Lincoln would surely be severing ties with her. But the truth was that men were exceptionally patient and amodating to pretty women. Sophia nced at Lincoln warily. But she saw him smiling. He was not angry at all. He said, ¡°It must be great to be young. Such youthfulness.¡± Sophia rolled her eyes at Olivia. Olivia pretended not to see and went back to her seat. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay with it, Mr. Lincoln.¡± ¡°Of course, how could I hate that a pretty girl brought me food?¡± Lincoln smiled and reached out to get some sd on the table. But Olivia grabbed it and put some on her te instead. She acted like she didn¡¯t notice Lincoln reaching for it. Sophia was rendered speechless. She was regretting her decision to bring Olivia with her. ¡°Mr. Lincoln, please forgive her. She¡¯s still young.¡± She was getting tired of apologizing on Olivia¡¯s behalf. Fortunately, Olivia was attractive enough. She was so attractive that Lincoln could tolerate her antics. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I find Olivia¡¯s innocence very interesting.¡± Sophia took the chance to look at Olivia and said, ¡°Olivia, we werete. Let¡¯s make a toast and apologize to Mr. Lincoln for it.¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Alright, Ms. Linden. Go ahead.¡± Sophia sighed in relief when she heard Olivia agreeing so readily. At least Olivia wasn¡¯t being too outrageous. Olivia obediently stood up and filled up Sophia¡¯s ss for her. She then stood at the side with her hands beside her. Sophia coughed lightly and said, ¡°What about your ss? Fill it up, too.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Olivia looked at her with a surprised look. ¡°You called for the toast. I didn¡¯t.¡± Sophia was so frustrated she felt like she was going to vomit blood. But she couldn¡¯t express her frustration due to the circumstances at hand. She red at Olivia and said through gritted teeth, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to drink, then why are you even here?¡± Olivia looked at her innocently and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring me here to eat dinner?¡± Sophia¡¯s fingers were clenching her ss so hard it looked like it was going to break. Olivia added, ¡°But if you like drinking so much, you can drink my portion too.¡± Lincoln mmed his ss on the table with a bang. The smile on his face had faded. ¡°Ms. Linden, it seems your new recruit doesn¡¯t want to show me any respect. I think I won¡¯t be signing the contract.¡± One of Lincoln¡¯s aides chipped in, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this woman? She refuses to drink at the dinner table. ¡°If you¡¯re not sincere when asking for help, no one would lend you a hand.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad, Mr. Lincoln. She has only been with us for a few days and doesn¡¯t know any better. I¡¯ll drink on her behalf.¡± Sophia downed her ss of wine in one go. She wanted to pour another ss, but Lincoln threw his ss on the floor. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I do not like to force others to do things they don¡¯t want to do.¡± He threw the contract at Sophia and said, ¡°I have another meeting, Ms. Linden. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± As he said that, his eyes were shamelessly fixed on Olivia. His intent was clear. He could already imagine Olivia running toward him and wrapping her hands around his arms. Olivia did indeed stand up, but she ced her hands by her side. Like a waitress, she said, ¡°Have a safe trip, Mr. Lincoln. Don¡¯t forget to foot the bill.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 The confidence in Lincoln¡¯s face faded. He was stunned. He had never seen such an arrogant woman in his life! He was boiling with anger, but Olivia asking him to foot the bill made himugh instead. ¡°Very well! Ms. Linden, I think you shouldn¡¯t bother me anymore. We¡¯ll never work together ever.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, please!¡± Sophia was anxious. She had been negotiating with Lincoln for a very long time. She was about to seed, but Olivia had ruined everything for her. ¡°It¡¯s all her fault. She doesn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Please be gracious and forgive us one more time. I¡¯ve nned more interesting activities. ¡°It¡¯ll be a pity if you leave now. I¡¯ll have her apologize to you.¡± Lincoln¡¯s eyes were fixated on Olivia. She was indeed a gorgeous woman. He gently stroked the back of Sophia¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What interesting activities?¡± Sophia grounded her teeth and took a keycard out of her pocket. She said, ¡°Mr. Lincoln, I¡¯ve already prepared a ce where we can spend the night.¡± She initially nned to get Olivia drunk and send her onto Lincoln¡¯s bed. But the situation had spiraled out of her control. She had no choice. Lincoln¡¯s eyes narrowed when he saw the keycard. ¡°Since you¡¯re being so considerate, should we continue with the meal?¡± ¡°Of course, let¡¯s eat.¡± Sophia reassured him, ¡°I¡¯ll have her apologize to you even if I have to get her drunk¡± Lincoln finally stopped in his tracks after Sophia¡¯s words. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be looking forward to what you have prepared for me.¡± ¡°Please wait for a moment, Mr. Lincoln. I¡¯ll have a word with Olivia.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lincoln waved his hand and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t disappoint me, Ms. Linden.¡± Sophia dragged Olivia out of the room and pulled her aside to a ce with no one around. She said, ¡°Olivia, since we¡¯re here today, we have tond this deal with Mr. Lincoln. ¡°As long as you can make him happy, I¡¯ll not hold what happened against you.¡± ¡°Why should I make him happy? He¡¯s neither my dad nor my son. Are all your deals secured by making men happy?¡± Olivia¡¯s retort put Sophia on the spot. She red at Olivia with a look of disbelief and said, ¡°Olivia, this is the workce, not your school. I¡¯m only guiding you because you have the looks. ¡°We¡¯re in sales. We need to be adaptable. If you don¡¯t want tond this deal, plenty of others would do it. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth. Mr. Lincoln was willing toe here tonight because of you. You only have to sleep with him tonight to get him to sign the contract. ¡°With this, we¡¯ll be able to overtake Team B, and you won¡¯t be fired. It¡¯s a win-win situation.¡± She said these words in a nonchnt tone. Olivia thought it was pathetic. ¡°If I need to sleep with everyone to get results, I would rather get fired.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Alright, you can be noble all you want. But if we can¡¯t win over Mr. Lincoln today, we¡¯ll both be in trouble by the end of this month. ¡°I might get scolded, but you¡¯ll be packing your bag.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Olivia was not in the mood to argue with her. Sophia grabbed her hand and said with a frustrated expression, ¡°Olivia Fordham, do you know you were born for this job? ¡°You don¡¯t even have to be good at negotiations. All you need to do is get naked on the bed. You can have everything you want! You¡¯re already here at Miller Group. Don¡¯t you want to climb thedder?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°What about money? Don¡¯t you want that?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to achieve results and realize your own worth? Be a leader in the industry?¡± Olivia shrugged and said, ¡°It¡¯s Ethan Miller¡¯spany. Why should I work so hard to make him money?¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Sophia was astonished. It was the first time she had heard such outrageous statements. ¡°You ¡­ You dare call Mr. Miller by his given name? How dare you?¡± ¡°Is he a god or a martyr? Why can¡¯t I say his name?¡± Not only did Olivia dare to say his name. She also dared to hit him. Not only that, she¡¯s also held thepany¡¯s shares. Ethan gave her some of the shares before they were divorced. She didn¡¯t have to work a day in her life. The dividends from the shares were already a hefty sum. She didn¡¯t need to sleep with Lincoln for some measlymission. ¡°You¡¯re still young. You don¡¯t know how harsh reality can be. You¡¯ll know how little control over life you have when you¡¯re at my age. ¡°If you¡¯re still angry about me picking on you before, I¡¯ll apologize. Sometimes, I have to do things I don¡¯t want to as the team leader.¡± Olivia was amazed. Sophia was a salesperson through and through. Forceful tactics didn¡¯t work, so she tried a softer approach. ¡°Olivia, are you thinking of your boyfriend? Sleeping with clients is amon urrence. Your boyfriend might be doing simr things for work, too. ¡°Men need to keep up a facade, but so do women. ¡°The perfect rtionship doesn¡¯t exist. Every rtionship has its woes these days. Don¡¯t be too love- centric as a woman. Money is the most important thing.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Sophia sighed and said, ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve been through it all. I¡¯m not trying to hurt you. ¡°We women need to acquire power by ourselves. Men are always unreliable.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that, Ms. Linden.¡± Olivia looked at Sophia with clear eyes. Under Sophia¡¯s expectant gaze, Olivia patted her shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll cheer for you. I hope you can steer clear of bad rtionships and climb thedder on your own merit. ¡°Good luck tonight. Hope you don¡¯t have too hard a time handling Mr. Lincoln and his pot belly.¡± Sophia lost her patience. She tried talking to Olivia for so long, but Olivia didn¡¯t listen to anything she said. ¡°Olivia Fordham, who do you think you are? How dare you belittle Mr. Lincoln? ¡°Mr. Miller has a toned body. But do you think he would even look at you?¡± Olivia thought she, of all people, was qualified to speak about Ethan. She thought about Ethan and Marina entering the elevator together a while ago. They were probably having a good time in the room that used to be hers. She smirked and said, ¡°I won¡¯t even care if he came before me, stripped, and showed me his abs. ¡°Why would I care if he¡¯d look at me or not?¡± ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve got guts, Olivia. I¡¯ll make youe running back to me in tears!¡± Sophia walked away after she said that. Olivia rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Crazy bitch.¡± Olivia suddenly heard the sound of a lightering from behind her. It was very loud in the deserted corridor. Someone had heard her conversation with Sophia. It was such an awkward moment. Olivia wanted to run without looking back. A familiar masculine voice rang beside her as she was preparing to walk away. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± She turned around stiffly when she heard the voice. She saw Ethan¡¯s familiar face. He was leaning on a white pir and ying with his lighter. His icy gaze fell on her face. Olivia felt a chill just from that. This was even more awkward than if a stranger had overheard. Olivia raised her hand and said with a stiff expression, ¡°Hi, M-Mr. Miller. What a coincidence.¡± She wondered why he was here instead of being in bed with Marina. Ethan put away his lighter and approached Olivia. He stood before her and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence. I came here specifically for you.¡± Olivia blinked and said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you with Marina?¡± Ethan grabbed her hand and dragged her into the private elevator. Olivia¡¯s body was pressed against the side of the elevator. Ethan slowly leaned in. He said through gritted teeth, ¡°Olivia Fordham, are you never going to approach me if I don¡¯t seek you out?¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 They were the only ones in the spacious elevator. The mirrors on the sides reflected Ethan¡¯s icy expression. Olivia was trapped in a corner of the elevator and was pressured by Ethan¡¯s overwhelming presence. She dared not move. ¡°Please show some restraint, Mr. Miller. You¡¯re already engaged to Ms. Carlton.¡± Olivia never expected that one day, she would use the person she hated the most as an excuse. Ethan looked her in the eyes and said calmly, ¡°I told you you don¡¯t have to worry about her.¡± The elevator arrived at the top floor just as she wanted to say something. Ethan grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the lift. She looked at the familiar decor. Her expression changed slightly. She said, ¡°Why did you bring me here? Do you want me to watch you while you and Marina do it? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Ethan.¡± Ethan pressed her finger on the fingerprint reader. The door opened. Olivia was taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect him to keep her prints on the record. She also didn¡¯t see Marina in the suite. Ethan threw her onto the couch while she was still in a daze. The soft and wide down-filled couch was asfortable as it used to be. But before Olivia couldment on how good her choice of couches was, Ethan¡¯s body began to press against her. Embarrassing memories began to surface in her mind. This suite contained a lot of memories of their bygone love, especially this couch. It was where a lot of happy memories were made. Ethan didn¡¯t turn on the lights. The room was mostly in the dark. Olivia could only see a silhouette of Ethan taking off his jacket. He then leaned in and said next to her ear, ¡°I¡¯ve never brought her here.¡± Was he exining himself? It was as if Ethan could read her thoughts. He exined once more, ¡°I just brought her to meet a friend.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you don¡¯t have to exin yourself to me. I don¡¯t care.¡± Ethan tightened his grip on her wrist after she said that. ¡°Olivia, my patience grows thin,¡± Ethan¡¯s displeased voice came from beside her ear. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I have given you enough time today.¡± He had wanted her since a couple of months ago. But he let her go every time. Olivia was panicking. Ethan only had his shirt left. She could see his slender fingers unbuttoning it from the top, slowly but surely. The lights were turned on the next second. Ethan¡¯s exposed chest appeared before Olivia¡¯s eyes. She used to love his chest. She knew better than anyone how well-built Ethan was. She hadn¡¯t seen his bare chest for some time. The sight of it made her breathe harder. Ethan¡¯s fingers brushed across her flustered face. ¡°You said that even if I showed up in front of you with my abs exposed, you wouldn¡¯t even give me a second nce.¡± Olivia bit her lip hard in embarrassment. She knew it! He heard what she said. She turned her head and moved her gaze away from his body. But she couldn¡¯t help but look at him with the corner of her eye. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to touch?¡± Ethan said in a seductive voice. She did love to touch his muscr body in the past. She would reach out and feel up his waist whenever he did it from behind. Her hands would then be grabbed by Ethan. She was more aware than anyone of the uneven yet supple texture of his skin. Ethan¡¯s physique wasn¡¯t honed in the gym;pared to meticulously measured muscle contours, his body exuded a wildness that was even more irresistible. Olivia swallowed hard. She suppressed her wild thoughts and replied with a serious expression, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want something that others have touched.¡± Chapter 222 Chapter 222 As soon as she said that, Ethan looked at her with a prying look. His fingers traced lightly along her neck. ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°You must be joking, Mr. Miller. I am in no position to be jealous.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Ethan saw the hint of disgust in her eyes. He bent over and kissed her neck. He even had the urge to bite down fiercely for a moment so that he could get rid of all of the complications between them in one bite. Olivia¡¯s resistance was apparent. Ethan raised her hands above her head. He held her chin with his fingers and said slowly, ¡°Since you know your ce, why are you resisting my touch?¡± Olivia frowned and said, ¡°Why are you acting all crazy here, Ethan?¡± He smirked and let go of her chin. He began to unbutton her top. Olivia had a deal with him. She couldn¡¯t resist. She shouldn¡¯t resist. She could only mention the Carltons. ¡°Ethan, you made a promise at the Carlton residence. Why are you breaking your promise and touching me now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with ying around with a mistress? Or do you think you actually matter now?¡± The only constant in their exchanges was his belittling and insulting gaze. His gaze stripped Olivia of her dignity. She grabbed his sleeve and tightened her grip. Ethan¡¯s breath becamebored. Olivia¡¯s clothes were almost all gone. The show was about to start. ¡°Wait! Stop for a moment!¡± Olivia yelled urgently. She raised her head to meet Ethan¡¯s gaze. His eyes were bloodshot. He lowered his head and looked at her. Then, he whispered with gritted teeth, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I do not like the smell of the perfume I have on. I need to shower,¡± Oliver came up with ame excuse. He had smelled the perfume just now. It wasn¡¯t cheap, but it was unpleasant. It was the type of perfume that both of them disliked. It smelled like slutty women at nightclubs. He released his grip on her and said, ¡°You have five minutes.¡± Olivia scrambled into the bathroom and locked the door. She looked at her own frightened face in the mirror. Everything was so familiar. She picked out the towels herself. Their couple¡¯s toothbrushes were neatly ced together. Everything in the bathroom reminded her of how close they used to be. But now, she¡¯s trying to escape from his touch. She looked outside the window. She could see the faint lights in the distance. She felt like a lost and wandering spirit. Escape? Where could she escape to? Ethan stood on the balcony. He gazed at the same view that she saw. The cool night breeze blew at him. He was aware of Olivia¡¯s resistance. But there were things that he could not tell her yet. The issues were tooplex and would involve too many people. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Olivia walked to his side. He checked his watch. It was exactly five minutes. Ethan pulled her into his arms. He smelled the familiar scent of shampooing from her. ¡°Look at us now. Don¡¯t we look like how we were?¡± Once, he stood alone on the balcony like tonight. That time, Olivia squeezed into his embrace. She would look at him bright-eyed and ask, ¡°Why are you always spacing out in tall and quiet ces like this? You look so lonely like that. How sad.¡± ¡°Me, sad?¡± He lowered his head. She fluttered her eyebrows and smiled brightly. ¡°But in the future, I¡¯ll be with you, so you won¡¯t be alone anymore.¡± The person in his arms and the face in his memories merged into one. Ethan said slowly, ¡°You said you would be with me, so I won¡¯t be alone.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression remained indifferent. ¡°Yes, I said that. But weren¡¯t you the one who pushed me away?¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Ethan traced her brows with the tip of his fingers. His dark pupils were like a deep abyss. They feel as if they would engulf herpletely. ¡°What if I say I want you back now?¡± Ethan asked. Olivia replied without hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s toote now.¡± She turned away from Ethan and pointed to the scenery beneath them. She said, ¡°You were the one who shoved me in the past down from here. You shattered everything. Including all my love and desire for you.¡± Ethan¡¯s hands tightened around her waist. She was then pushed against the ss. He looked at her clean and pearly face. His voice was deep and icy, threatening even. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I don¡¯t care where your heart lies. All I want is you in the flesh.¡± Ethan was like an arrogant emperor who held the life and death of his subjects in the palm of his hand. And she was like an ant before him. He only had to put his foot down to destroy her. Even his voice was filled with arrogance. ¡°See, your willingness doesn¡¯t matter. Whatever I want to do will be done. Just as it always has been.¡± His unhinged behavior triggered a strong sense of rebellion in Olivia¡¯s heart. ¡°Ethan, I am no longer the woman that lived for you alone.¡± She pushed his body away and had a defiant expression on her face. Her expression displeased Ethan. ¡°What¡¯s this now? ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who begged me not to divorce you? And now you won¡¯t even let me touch you?¡± His anger grew the more Olivia struggled. His eyes were filled with rage. The increasing pressure from Ethan made Olivia upset. On her front, she was pressed against ice-cold ss. It formed a stark contrast with Ethan¡¯s body behind her. She unleashed her killer shot, ¡°Ethan, the condition for having your way with me was to find Leo. But so much time has passed. Where is he?¡± The words were like a downpour of cold water. It extinguished Ethan¡¯s me. ¡°I¡¯m still searching.¡± The mention of Leo annoyed Ethan. It was apparent that Leo was hiding from him. It had been days. He still hadn¡¯t found a trace of Leo¡¯s whereabouts. Leo was just a persona for the person. It was going to be hard to find him when he didn¡¯t want to be found. Although Ethan had hired other experts from overseas, the best they could do was keep Jeff alive. No- one dared to operate on him. Every one of them knew that the mortality rate was too high for Jeff¡¯s situation. None of them dared to risk their career for Jeff. Olivia saw his annoyed look. She gathered her courage and pushed him off of her. ¡°You have no right to touch me if you haven¡¯t found him yet.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t expect Leo to be so hard to find, but he had already promised to find him. If he couldn¡¯t, it would be embarrassing for him. ¡°Olivia!¡± He looked at her angrily while grinding his teeth. Olivia tied her bathrobe back up in front of him. ¡°Consider what you saw just now as interest for the payment for finding Leo.¡± Ethan was rendered speechless. He could now empathize with Sophia, who had been driven to her wits¡¯ end by Olivia¡¯s antics. As she was about to leave, Ethan pulled her back into his arms and asked, ¡°Olivia, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re being so melodramatic. We¡¯ve done it a thousand times before.¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 The pent-up anger overwhelmed Olivia as she red at Ethan. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m your only woman. ¡°Why does it have to be me? Marina is just right downstairs. Should I call her over?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re the only one for me!¡± he said aloud in his head. However, that answer was buried deep in his heart. He tightened his grasp around her waist, inhaling a deep breath. He said, ¡°Must you put up a fight with me over this kind of matter?¡± Olivia barely suppressed the urge to tell him how much he disgusted her. She was aware that their rtionship was as rigid as ever. Thus, she needed to keep her emotions under control. Confronting him recklessly wouldn¡¯t do her good. As an afterthought, she decided topromise. She lowered her head. ¡°I just¡­ can¡¯t get used to it.¡± Taking a step back, as she had expected, never failed to work wonders whenever facing Ethan. He watched her exposed nape. It was as if a kitty was revealing its weakness. It managed to appease his anger a little. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t touch you for the time being.¡± He was surprisingly receptive now. Olivia raised her head with bright eyes. Although he was still being mean to her, he didn¡¯t bear as much resentment as before. She could clearly feel that. Perhaps she could have seized the chance to gain useful information. As long as she could pull him over to her side, it would be a big help for her investigation. ¡°Ethan, can we talk?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Yeah. But I haven¡¯t eaten. Let¡¯s eat while we talk.¡± He then asked someone to prepare a meal before going to the bathroom. Olivia initially intended to leave after having a short discussion with him. But clearly, Ethan wasn¡¯t nning on letting her go. Hearing the sound of water sshing, she sighed and opened the closet. The clothes she previously owned were in it as she had expected. Marina hadn¡¯te here before. Olivia got changed and waited for him quietly. Soon, dinner was served in their room. There were steaks, wine, and fresh flowers. It was so romantic that she almost had a delusion that they hadn¡¯t divorced. It was as though they were celebrating their marriage anniversary. Ethan must¡¯ve informed the waiters to serve only the food. They left as soon as they sent the food over. The candle was lit, and the scent of rose and wine lingered in the air. Ethan came out of the bathroom fresh and pulled out a chair to take a seat,Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. He arched an eyebrow at her. ¡°What are you standing there for? Have a seat.¡± Olivia looked at the dishes he ordered. Those were her favorites in the past. Even the steak was done to her liking. She gazed at him with the help of the dim light from the lit candle. His handsome features weren¡¯t tense. He was rxed, which was unusual for him. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Two years and a month,¡± Ethan replied fast. She smiled bitterly. ¡°So, I am not the only person remembering the anniversary.¡± ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m not as cruel as you think I am.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t cruel, we wouldn¡¯t havee this far.¡± ¡°Is steak not enough to shut your mouth?¡± He retorted, displeased. She ate a piece of it. It tasted the same as she could remember. The person next to her was the same man, but he felt like a stranger to her. Ethan raised his wine ss at her. ¡°Have some. I won¡¯t force you to drink tonight.¡± It seemed like he hadn¡¯t forgotten about how much she threw up back then. She was hammered when she was begging him. Olivia dly toasted her wine ss with his. She took a small sip of it, but he gulped down half of it. ¡°Dig in,¡± he urged. She hummed in response. It had been a while since theyst shared such a peaceful moment together. Ethan found Olivia cute as long as she wasn¡¯t holding an ashtray. Still, the smile didn¡¯t find its way to her face as it always did in the past. He believed that everything would find its ce in the end. Leo would be found, and Jeff would regain his consciousness someday. Ethan would help with the Fordham family¡¯seback for her, and she would love him again. Olivia suddenly lifted her head. ¡°Ethan.¡± Her gentle tone sent tingling thrills down his spine. He stared deeply at her. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Ethan¡¯s gaze made Olivia¡¯s skin crawl. She coughed lightly. ¡°I saw a janitor in your office yesterday.¡± He thought she was going to say something fluttering, but she mentioned an outsider. ¡°Olivia Fordham, are you suspecting that I¡¯m having an affair with a janitor?¡± Fury seeped into his voice. ¡°What are you thinking about? I¡¯m just curious why someone is cleaning your office during office hours. It¡¯s an important ce.¡± He replied without much thought. ¡°Stephanie lives far from here, so she clocks off early. She cleans my office early at times when I¡¯m working. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t care about Marina, but now you care about a janitor?¡± ¡°Since when did Miller Group provide such good employee welfare?¡± Ethan was cutting his steak into pieces as he answered indifferently, ¡°Stephanie is different. She saved my life before. It won¡¯t hurt to provide her some perks.¡± ¡°When? Howe I didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Olivia put her cutleries down. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± A smile adorned across his lips. He continued, ¡°It happened a few years ago. Someone had a death wish and ambushed me at the underground parking lot. ¡°He wanted to run into me with a car, but Stephanie saved me by pushing me out of the way.¡± She frowned. ¡°You¡¯re quick enough to dodge that, though.¡± ¡°I was distracted at that time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ethan stared at her face. ¡°It was your birthday. I ordered a cake for you.¡± Oliviaprehended the situation immediately. At that time, he was doting on her in every way possible. Prior to her birthday, she kept whining about wanting a custom-made cake from Northern Bakeshop. Its cakes had special designs made with expensive ingredients, hence its expensive price. They were literally works of art. It was supposed to be Crystal Crossing-neck Swans Cake, but one of the swan¡¯s heads flopped on the cake when he brought it to her. She didn¡¯t make a ruckus over it. She simply felt like it was an omen. Ethan kept apologizing for it. A few dayster, she received a Swan Castle Cake. It took Northern Bakeshop a week to make it. At that time, she was touched by the two crystal swans, which crossed their necks on the pond. Yet, it turned out that he almost lost his life that day. He must be worried that she would be disappointed about the ruined cake. That¡¯s why there was a chance for the bad guy to hurt him. Olivia was touched. Even her voice sounded unnatural when she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine ¡¯cause I survived it.¡± She mmed her hands on the table and rose from her seat. ¡°If you don¡¯t n on telling me, are you nning to tell me in my dreams after you¡¯re dead? How many times has it been?¡± He stopped cutting his steak, as he didn¡¯t foresee such a huge reaction from her. ¡°It¡¯s not that frequent. It happens about ten times a year.¡± It was no wonder that Ethan would get hurt sometimes. He pulled her to her seat. ¡°It¡¯s in the past. I rooted the enemies out.¡± Spection shed across her mind. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want her to get involved in the fray, so he hid her identity back then. Her identity could serve as a protection for her. However, she shrugged that off as soon as she thought of Marina. Ethan exined, ¡°Stephanie happened to be there after clocking off work, so she managed to save me. ¡°But she hurt her leg instead. She hasn¡¯t recovered from it yet. ¡°I initially wanted to repay the favor by buying her a house as her retirement gift because she didn¡¯t have a family. ¡°But she¡¯s willing to continue her job as a janitor, so I let her stay.¡± ¡°I see. Ethan, there¡¯s actually something I want to tell you.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Have you never thought that my father might not be the murderer behind your sister¡¯s death?¡± As soon as she finished, the harmonious mood was swept away. He threw his cutleries on his te and smirked. ¡°Olivia Fordham, is this why you were trying to please me? Because you wanna know this?¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 rmed, Olivia hurriedly exined, ¡°I noticed some loopholes after reading those documents. ¡°That info isn¡¯t sufficient enough to prove that my father murdered your sister. There is no evidence or witness. It¡¯s just a spection of my father¡¯s motive.¡± Ethan shoved the tes off the table. The warmth on his face gave way to coldness. He seemed to be the man he was from three months ago. Before Olivia could exin her stance further, he stood up and looked at her intimidatingly. ¡°Firstly, a DNA test was done on that body. It was my sister. ¡°Secondly, I¡¯ve done another DNA test between the baby in her womb and your father. They were gically rted. ¡°Thirdly, I¡¯ve looked into what happened to Leia before her death. ¡°Be it her contact history or other records. Jeff was the person she contacted the most. ¡°Lastly, the final person she met was Jeff, too. Who else could it be other than him? ¡°If you¡¯re demanding a witness, are you going to ask for a medical miracle so that your father can regain his consciousness? ¡°Or calling the dead to life so that she could speak for herself?¡± Olivia was observing his expression. It turned out that Leia would always be his taboo, no matter what happened. She figured that there was an improvement in their rtionship. However, it seemed like she wasn¡¯t someone more important than Marina to Ethan, let alone Leia. She didn¡¯t want to reveal the truth anymore, fearing that it woulde back to her as a scar. He wouldn¡¯t sympathize with her. He would only assume that it was an attempt to clear Jeff¡¯s name. The mess on the floor was like a representation of the genuine feelings she had for him in the past, as well as Ethan¡¯s messy marriage life. She lowered her head. ¡°I trust my father.¡± She didn¡¯t exin it further. Her words touched the baseline of his patience. Furious, he yelled, ¡°Leave!¡± Olivia went out of the room and mmed the door. In the end, their rtionship was an ill-fated one. Even without Marina¡¯s existence, Leia would always be the thorn in their rtionship. Olivia walked out of the hotel, staring at that tall building. She knew that Ethan should be smoking on the balcony by now. He should be standing there alone amidst the cloud of smoke, but she couldn¡¯t see him. This time, he was left alone. At the same time, Ethan was overlooking the busy street. He supposed that she had blended into the crowd, so he tried to look for her. But he realized that he couldn¡¯t discern anything clearly under the somber sky. The buildings before him were lit brightly, yet the room behind him was dark. Standing between darkness and light, he was in agony. Ethan reached out his hands, trying to pull Olivia back. Chapter 22b Yet, he couldn¡¯t grab anything from the air at all. With wobbly steps, he walked into the room. Darkness slowly devoured him like a beast. Ethan muttered, ¡°Liv, you promised that you wouldn¡¯t leave me. ¡°Leia, I¡¯m sorry. I waste. ¡°Kurt, it was my fault. It was all my fault.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He dropped onto the floor with a loud thud, hugging his head. Brent rushed into the room and turned on the lights, only to see a mess. When he noticed that Ethan was going to cut his wrist with a porcin piece, he dashed over. ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± He kept Ethan under control, but thetter¡¯s eyes were zed over. Ethan kept muttering something under his breath. Brent shouted, ¡°Kelvin, get Mrs. Miller back here! Mr. Miller is sick!¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes regained their focus at the mention of Olivia. Looking at the broken pieces on the floor and the blood in his palm, he realized what he was doing. ¡°Don¡¯t call her!¡± He didn¡¯t want her to find him in such a crazy state. Brent sighed. ¡°Mr. Miller, please visit Dr. Lexington when you¡¯re free. If this continues, you will die.¡± The corner of Ethan¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Brent, if I die, will I be able to meet Leia?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to meet Mrs. Miller then, Mr. Miller.¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Olivia returned home with her anger unappeased. She turned on herptop to check on the trackers. It was the trackers she gifted to the six secretaries. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Four of them were currently at the Golden Hall Apartment. She was aware that it was an amodation arranged for the higher-ups. Nancy was currently in a bar. It suited her character well. She was an executive secretary during the day and a party queen at night. The brooch Olivia ced on Grace¡¯s table showed weird signs. It wandered almost every corner of the city before settling in a waste disposal site. Olivia kneaded her forehead, thinking that there was something off about Grace. Who would ever loathe an expensive item? Yet, it turned out that Grace had discarded the brooch from Olivia into a trash can. Olivia contacted Jack, wondering if he had new findings. However, his phone was turned off. She was concerned, worrying that something might have happened to him. His identity was special yet mysterious. She never knew his face despite knowing each other for so long. Thus, she supposed that the mastermind didn¡¯t know about it either. Moreover, he carried weapons everywhere he went. He could defend himself if anything happened. Olivia figured that his phone was turned off because he didn¡¯t want to expose his whereabouts. With that, she shrugged the negative thoughts off her mind. After she secured her target, she wanted to obtain Grace¡¯s information as soon as possible. Olivia had a restless sleep that night. As soon as she closed her eyes, a yelling Ethan crossed her mind. It was as if he was an enraged beast on the loose in the night. Based on her understanding, he was a man who kept his cool in any situation. As his record in thepany stated, no one knew what he truly liked. His mood seemed to be a mystery impossible to be solved. Ethan was acting out of character a few hours ago. Obviously, Leia¡¯s death was a huge blow to him. Olivia had learned her lesson. She decided not to mention anything regarding Leia in front of him in the future. She could get to the bottom of it herself. She went to work the next day. She wondered how Sophia settled the issuest night. As soon as Olivia entered the office, she noticed something different about Sophia. Thetter was wearing a branded scarf. Not even the thickyer of powder could make up for her haggard expression. Noticing Olivia¡¯s arrival, Sophia shot her a re like a menacing wolf. Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t utter a word and headed straight to the office. Olivia took her mug to the pantry to get some water. The moment she entered the pantry, the whispering people dispersed. They kept sneaking glimpses of her, too. She could easily guess what they were discussing. Even the members of Team B, whom she was unfamiliar with, stopped in their tracks to tease her. ¡°Team C has cultivated a capable person. ¡°I heard that Ms. Linden brought their neer to a meeting for the first time and managed to get a deal. The neer is amazing. ¡°1 ¡°I guess she¡¯s amazing in bed.¡± ¡°Olivia, I heard that Mr. Lincoln has a lot of kinks. Is that true?¡± Only then did Olivia realize that Sophia had sacrificed herself in order to get the deal. Team B had their sources for such information. Now that Team C was performing better than them, they couldn¡¯t stand it. Thus, they were venting their displeasure on Olivia. After fetching water, she smiled. ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, why don¡¯t you ask around for his schedule and sneak underneath his bed tonight? You might find out something.¡± One of the members from Team B said, ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know your ce as a rookie after getting the deal. You¡¯re bold.¡± ¡°Bold? I bet she acts all soft and frail in front of Mr. Lincoln.¡± They were getting out of control, so Olivia didn¡¯t pull herself back. ¡°Excuse me, is he your father? Does he know that you¡¯re this worried about your mommy?¡± ¡°What did you just say, you bitch? Everyone knows what you did. How dare you bark at me like that? ¡°If I were you, I would¡¯ve resigned from my position and left thepany instead of humiliating myself here.¡± Olivia snorted. ¡°My, my. Am I your daddy or your mommy? Why do you care so much about my business?¡± A stern and unfamiliar voice resounded. ¡°What¡¯s with the noise?¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Olivia turned her head to look at the iing person. It was ra Foster, the leader of Team B. She seemed angry. Her team members lowered their heads as soon as they saw her. ¡°Ms. Foster.¡± Her cold gaze swept across them. ¡°Have you finished your job? Is the proposal approved?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, get back to your work then.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Foster.¡± They ran away without looking back. ra looked at Olivia, smiling mockingly. ¡°There are a lot of ways to get to higher positions, youngdy. ¡°There¡¯s no need to choose the hardest way. ¡°Even if you¡¯re able to get high up there with it, you¡¯re the one in trouble when someone kicks you off the top.¡± Now that things had gone this far, exnations wouldn¡¯t help either. Olivia figured that she might as well ept it. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Ms. Foster.¡± Something was off. Even if Team C managed to get the deal, why was everyone ndering her? Since she was still a neer, no one would tell her, even if there was a rumor circting. It was not until she met that janitor in the restroom that she found out about the situation. In order to repay Olivia for the hand cream, the janitor shared the gossip discussed in a group chat. There were two pictures of Olivia. One of them was she and Sophia entering the hotel. Olivia was wearing her working attire. The other picture was taken when she left the hotel after getting changed. With these two pictures alone, the others let their imagination run wild. ¡°Miss, did you offend someone? The pictures have been shared in various group chats among the ¡°Even the janitors are gossiping about it. They spected about all sorts of situations.¡± ¡°Thanks for telling me.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re a nice person, so I told you. The workce is a ruthless ce. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Youngdies like you should be careful.¡± Rumors of Olivia selling her body off to get a deal were spread within thepany. She entered Sophia¡¯s office, receiving a re from Sophia. Sophia growled, ¡°What are you doing here? You didn¡¯t even knock on the door before you entered. ¡°Is this how your parents taught you?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Olivia showed her the printed pictures. A hint of awkwardness was evident on Sophia¡¯s face for a brief second. ¡°What? Are you suspecting me?¡± his morning. ¡°Of course, I have reasons to suspect you. My face is shown clearly in the picture, but your face was blocked behind me. ¡°Not even a strand of hair of yours is shown. What a good y you¡¯ve shown, Ms. Linden.¡± Olivia crossed her arms. She continued, ¡°I bet you¡¯ve been waiting to get a shot of me and Mr. Lincoln together. ¡°So that you can hold it over my head and manipte the however you want. Sophia stained the document on the table with a grim expression. ¡°Olivia Fordham, how dare you speak to me the way! ¡°If you keep this nonsensical talk, I will call the security guards.¡± ¡°Sure, wall them over I happen to have some interesting pictures to show everyone.¡± Habat pictures Sophia was slightly anxious fave Olivia ced her hands on the table and leaned toward her ¡°Ma Linde, do you think I¡¯m that sarvs to go to war unarmed? ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. I have a wall camera attached to my big. There¡¯s an HD picture of Me Sincoln touching your high. ¡°Should I share it in the internal group chat! ¡°Onda Fordham, how could you?¡± Soph ¡°Don¡¯t speak like you? ferent from me. I leamed it from you. If you hadn¡¯t framed me, I wouldn¡¯t have shown this pictures ¡°After all, it¡¯ll do neching good to me fortunately, you¡¯re to me for me to let this site allora sigfiet pretentionsly She added, ¡°You were the our seedling your to his bed, and yet you made me the scapegoat ¡°Sad news Test you in, I don¡¯t be to be a scapegoat. She knockend am the Lable. ¡°Ms. Laude,, how sonid i sette this issue with you, huh?¡±¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Sophia had seen Olivia as a fearless neer. She didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be a fox that had made early preparations to counter the problem. ¡°Olivia, I identally sent the photos in the group chat. I didn¡¯t expect things to be out of control. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll credit you for this project¡¯s performance.¡± She tried to appease Olivia. In fact, Olivia was actually trying to trick Sophia into telling the truth because she believed that this was a plot of that Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. mastermind. Like a pair of eyes hidden in the darkness, the mastermind had been keeping an eye on her actions. Olivia snorted. ¡°Do you think that Ick that credit?¡± ¡°What do you want? It has gotten out of control. It¡¯s toote for me to retrieve the photos.¡± ¡°What are the other photos you have?¡± Compared to this, Olivia was more concerned if Sophia had taken a photo of her and Ethan together. Sophia sighed. ¡°What more could I have? These are the only photos I took. If there were others, I would¡¯ve shared them as well. ¡°I simply wanted to let off some steam. I didn¡¯t expect it to end up this way. How about I help clear your name?¡± Olivia smirked. ¡°Clear my name? Is that gonna help me in any way? They¡¯ll just think that I feel guilty and that I¡¯m trying to join hands with you. ¡°Give me the other photos or I¡¯ll expose the fact that you¡¯re the one who had slept with Mr. Lincoln.¡± ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t have other photos. I would¡¯ve shared them if I had them.¡± Olivia stepped closer to her. ¡°Do you not have them or do you just refuse to give them to me?¡± ¡°Olivia, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Tell me, who gave you those photos?¡± demanded Olivia. Having spent so much time with Ethan, his demeanor had rubbed off her shoulder. As she drew the distance closer, Sophia was slowly driven to the end of her wits by guilt. Nervous, Sophia wondered where Olivia learned to be this intimidating. ¡°I-¡± ¡°There¡¯s a limit to my patience. Ms. Linden, how do you expect me to sit still and do nothing after you¡¯ve ruined my reputation? ¡°I¡¯m a neer anyway. Worst-case scenario, I¡¯ll be fired, but it¡¯s different for you.¡± Olivia walked up to Sophia¡¯s side and ced her hand on thetter¡¯s shoulder. She whispered into Sophia¡¯s ear, ¡°Once I share those photos, what will happen when Mr. Miller finds out how you got the deal? ¡°How will he perceive you? If it goes viral online, what will happen to Miller Group¡¯s reputation?¡± Sophia¡¯s body was trembling. Olivia added, ¡°If you¡¯re fired, I¡¯m afraid there will be no room for you to climb higher in status. How long did it take you toe this far? Will you be able to work at apany like Miller Group?¡± Color drained from Sophia¡¯s face. Her voice was quivering too. ¡°Stop! Enough! I¡¯ll tell you who it was.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°Good. I should at least know who wants to bring me down. Why do you want to take the me for someone ¡°Jackson Yancey? Who is he?¡± Olivia was surprised because she assumed the culprit to be one of the secretaries. ¡°The manager of the Marketing Department. I¡¯m not close to him. I found it strange when he sent me those photos out of the blue,¡± replied Sophia. Olivia scrolled up to the early chat history. They didn¡¯t talk about anything aside from work. Thus, she couldn¡¯t tell whether they were on good terms or not. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach, as it seemed like there were a lot of bad guys within the company. Sophia looked at her carefully. ¡°Olivia, you saw it. I¡¯m not lying. I simply wanted revenge by chasing you out with the rumor. ¡°But I¡¯m not the mastermind, or I could¡¯ve shared the photos with every department within a short period alone. ¡°You have to trust me. I know that it¡¯ll affect our department negatively if things get out of control. I simply wanted to let off some steam. I don¡¯t want to ruin my career.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°What about the video you recorded?¡± Olivia coldly said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave thepany for now. As long as you don¡¯t offend me, you¡¯re safe. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you leave thepany without dignity.¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Olivia didn¡¯t have a video. It was a mere trick to force Sophia into telling the truth. In fact, Sophia¡¯s mentality was not that strong enough as she ended up exposing Jackson. With the so-called video in Olivia¡¯s hands, Sophia would keep herself under the radar for a while. Furthermore, it was apparent that Jackson was another chess piece of that mastermind. Although Olviia didn¡¯t know who the mastermind was, there was one thing she was confident about-she came to the right ce. The mastermind should be hiding within Miller Group. He knew her like the back of his hand too. Now, she had a clear direction for her investigation. She needed a detailed n to lure the mastermind to show himself. Considering that Team C was able to make a deal with Elijah-the infamous stubborn client-the team members were in a good mood. Just then, an unexpected guest came for a visit. Someone said, ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s Mrs. Miller!¡± The mention of Mrs. Miller prompted Olivia to raise her head. Some of the busybody employees rushed to the door to wee her. They couldn¡¯t stop their mouths from bbering while they were on the way to the door. ¡°Mrs. Miller made cakes for every department. I managed to sneak a glimpse of her from afar when I went to the restroom. She looks so gentle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Mr. Miller is a dominating man, so he should have a gentle wife.¡± The first thought that came into Olivia¡¯s mind upon Marina¡¯s visit was that she had to avoid her. Olivia didn¡¯t want Marina to misunderstand that she came to Miller Group for Ethan. Her n would be ruined if Marina chased her out of thepany. Based on her condition, she didn¡¯t know how much time she had left. Thus, she needed to grab every chance that she had. Hurriedly, she rose from her seat to take her leave through the side door. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. However, Marina came to her department earlier than expected. ¡°Miss, hold it, please.¡± Olivia paced up the moment she heard that pretentious voice. Norma, who was trying to win Marina¡¯s favor, yanked Olivia over. ¡°Why are you running away? Didn¡¯t you hear Mrs. Miller calling for you?¡± Norma pulled the speechless Olivia to Marina, making the air awkward. At this moment, Olivia just wanted to smack Norma¡¯s head for getting in the way. ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Miller. She¡¯s a neer. She wanted to go to the restroom. That¡¯s why she was in a hurry,¡± exined Norma, not wanting to ruin the team¡¯s reputation because of Olivia. Marina watched Olivia, who hung her head low. Her back reminded Marina of someone. Marina held her breath. ¡°Show me your face.¡± Left with no choice, Olivia lifted her head. Marina took a deep breath, furious. She barely managed to chase Olivia out of Miller residence and yet Olivia managed her way into Miller Group! The possibility of Olivia and Ethan secretly dating under the name of work angered Marina. Marina resented Olivia so much for constantly getting in her way. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs. Miller,¡± Olivia greeted. She didn¡¯t want others to find out her rtionship with Marina. Noticing Marina¡¯s weird expression, Norma asked in an undertone, ¡°Mrs. Miller, do you know Olivia?¡± Only then did Marina pull her senses back. She answered without hesitation, ¡°No.¡± The other staff warmly weed Marina while trying to impress her. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, here¡¯s a wedding invitation card for everyone as well as cakes from Mrs. Miller. She baked them herself.¡± ¡°Wow! Thank you so much, Mrs. Miller. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re delicious.¡± ¡°The wedding invitation card is so pretty. Congrattions, Mrs. Miller.¡± Right then, Marina stuffed a wedding invitation card into Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Olivia, right? This is for you. I hope you can wish Ethan and me the best.¡± Olivia had mixed feelings about seeing the bride¡¯s and groom¡¯s initials on the wedding invitation card. ¡°My best wishes are with you, Mrs. Miller.¡± Marina held Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you. Please doe to our wedding if you¡¯re free. The more the merrier. Ethan loves it when it¡¯s lively. The wedding venue is huge.¡± Someone else responded, ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Mr. Miller loves you very much, Mrs. Miller.¡± The jarring remarks hurt Olivia deeply. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Olivia never once had the chance to disy her affection for Ethan like Marina did. He gave Olivia love, yet he gave Marina the dignity as Mrs. Miller. Olivia silently took her leave from the crowd. The afternoon sun was scorching. The initials on the wedding invitation were a pain to her eyes. The illustration of the couple on it was dressed in a wedding gown and suit. They held hands and kissed under the rain of cherry blossoms, which formed such a romantic sight. In fact, Olivia had personally drawn a few designs for her wedding invitation card. When she showed them to Ethan excitedly, he didn¡¯t express much joy. He had only caressed her head and said softly, ¡°Sorry, Olivia. I don¡¯t n on holding a wedding. So, the wedding invitation cards¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± she asked gingerly. ¡°You know my identity. It¡¯s inconvenient.¡± His simple reply dashed all anticipation. Olivia thought about the masked man, who had saved her during her trip. The metallic smell of blood from his stained army attire was still vivid to her. In the end, she didn¡¯t dare to ask further as she always did because he had other identities. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t marry you without a wedding.¡± She didn¡¯t whine. ¡°Sorry, Liv. Just give me a few years. Once it¡¯s safe, I¡¯ll let everyone know that you¡¯re my wife.¡± Olivia caressed the initial ¡°E¡±. In the end, she didn¡¯t manage to hold a wedding with him, but Marina did. Judging from the exquisite design, Marina seemed to have spent a lot of money to make the wedding invitation cards. Soon, the design of the wedding invitation cards went viral online. Everyone kept iming how pretty it was. Olivia chuckled softly at the trending articles. She thought, ¡°She¡¯s one impatient woman. She can¡¯t wait a second longer to reveal that she¡¯s going to be Mrs. Miller. ¡± Olivia had a totally different experience. Back then, she needed to beg Ethan the whole day just to take a wedding photo. She threw the wedding invitation card into the trash can. She was thinking of a way to obtain Jackson¡¯s information. While she was absorbed in her thoughts, Norma threw a stack of documents at her. She said arrogantly, ¡°Mr. Miller wants you to send him the proposal.¡± She continued gloatingly, ¡°I guess your controversy has reached his ears. I¡¯m warning you, you¡¯d better think before you speak. Don¡¯t let our effort go down the drain.¡± Olivia went intobat mode. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d speak nicely, I can¡¯t guarantee what I¡¯ll say to him. Why don¡¯t I drag everyone down to hell with me?¡± ¡°You! Olivia Fordham!¡± Olivia stood up while holding the proposal, smiling like a fox. ¡°Oh, right. I want a strawberry milkshake from Ground Caf¨¦ with less sugar. Thanks.¡± That was what she requested from Norma on her first day, but Norma didn¡¯t fulfill it. Olivia didn¡¯t mind it back then because they were colleagues. Now that Olivia had seen Norma¡¯s true colors, she wasn¡¯t nning on sustaining a good rtionship with her anymore. She took the proposal and left. ¡°Will Mr. Miller do something to our team because of Olivia?¡± Norma and the others were worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not someone who mes the whole team for someone¡¯s fault. I think he¡¯s going to get rid of her. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°He simply asked her to bring him the proposal to summon her to his office. He won¡¯t overlook our effort out of anger.¡± Olivia knew the way to the CEO¡¯s office because she had been there a few times. She knocked on the door politely. ¡°Come in.¡± A voice resounded from the inside. Opening the door, she entered the room. He was reclining in his chair with his eyes shut, looking exhausted. The observant Olivia noticed that his palm was bandaged. She thought, ¡°Is he hurt?¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 In the past, Olivia would¡¯ve checked Ethan¡¯s injury or given him a massage on the head immediately. However, she didn¡¯t do the same today. Even though their divorce was the result of a scheme and Jeff¡¯s hospitalization had nothing to do with Ethan, everything was in the past. She needed to get used to a life without him. Olivia stood right where she was respectfully and said in a calm manner, ¡°Mr. Miller, I brought the proposal.¡± He didn¡¯t open his eyes as he furrowed his brows. ¡°Come here.¡± She came to his side. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, I can read the proposal for you.¡± In the past, she would read the documents for him whenever he was exhausted. After he told her his decision, she would proceed with the following step. Opening his eyes, Ethan pulled her into his embrace. She shrieked. The angry man who told her to scramst night was making his advance all of a sudden. The papers scattered on the floor, and her hands rested against his built chest. At this time, Marina should be making an appearance within thepany to establish her position as Mrs. Miller. Yet, Ethan was hugging his ex-wife in his office. Olivia waspletely confused by the situation. ¡°Mr. Miller, what are you doing?¡± She looked him in the eye, flustered. There was neither resentment nor affection in his eyes. The calmness in his eyes rendered his mood indecipherable. ¡°I heard that you became the talk of thepany,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s more or less rted to you,¡± she responded. The mastermind only took photos of her and Elijah entering the hotel. There was no solid evidence that she met him. Thus, she supposed that it had nothing to do with Sophia. If the culprit was Sophia, she would¡¯ve exposed more intimate photos of Olivia and Elijah. Obviously, the mastermind had hidden near the hotel entrance. Had Ethan not brought her to the rooftop, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten changed and there wouldn¡¯t have been such a controversy in the first ce. Ethan arched his eyebrow. ¡°Are you ming me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dare to.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s also proof that you¡¯re a ¡®capable¡¯ person. It hasn¡¯t been a week since you¡¯ve been working here, but you¡¯ve offended everyone in your department.¡± He tucked her hair to the back of her ear, noticing that her hair had grown longer. He whispered to her, ¡°You said you wanted to start anew and give your best at work, but ¡­¡± He dragged his voice as the glint in his eyes turned colder. ¡°I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re doing your job well by turning everyone into your enemy and bing ferocious. ¡°Olivia Fordham, don¡¯t take me as an idiot. What¡¯s your objective ofing to Miller Group?¡± Her heart skipped a beat. There was nothing she could hide from him. Olivia thought about how Ethan threw a fit when she barely mentioned something about Leiast night. In addition to the fact that she was under strict surveince, she figured that she might rm him if she told him everything right now. She swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue, feigning grievance. ¡°I¡¯m here to work, but I can only do something if someone gives me the chance to. ¡°You saw it. They¡¯re bullying me-a neer-for not having a powerful background. They wanted to make me into a scapegoat, but I refused. So, they¡¯re framing me.¡± The more she said, the angrier she became. ¡°You saw Mr. Lincolnst night. He¡¯s old enough to be my father and yet he wanted me to apany him. ¡°If I didn¡¯t scold him, he would¡¯ve taken advantage of me however he wanted.¡± Looking at her upset expression, Ethan frowned. ¡°Who said you don¡¯t have a powerful background?¡± He initially turned a blind eye to it because he was hoping for her to return to his side from the pressure of getting bullied. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Yet, she transformed into a fierce cat that almost turned everything upside down. Olivia looked at him with beady eyes. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you on my side?¡± Ethan¡¯s finger caressed her lips, which were free from the touch of lipstick. Their color was slightly lighter than the lips of ordinary people. He said softly, ¡°That is if you¡¯re willing to ept my support.¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Olivia and Ethan¡¯s rtionship turned moreplicated than before. She didn¡¯t know what was on his mind. One moment, he would cling to her; the next, he would demand her to leave. Still, she was aware that now was not the time to strain things with him. She had a hunch that the mastermind intended to chase her out of Miller Group by catastrophizing the matter. After all, the photos couldn¡¯t prove that there was something else going on between Olivia and Elijah. It could only ruin her reputation and gain Marina¡¯s attention at most. If Olivia¡¯s guess was right, Marina showed up at Miller Group because of those photos. As long as Ethan wanted to avoid misunderstandings, it would take a word from Marina to drive Olivia out of here. The mastermind must¡¯ve noticed that Olivia was looking into the case. Hence, he was using Marina to make Olivia stay away from Miller Group. Now, Ethan was the only savior she could ask for help from. She drew circles on his chest with a grim expression. ¡°So what even if I ept your support? Things have gone this far. If Marina wants me outta here, will you still be on my side?¡± He stared at her beautiful face. Not only had it lost those smiles that he often saw in the past, but her complexion was pale. She was pale most of the time. She looked like she would be blown away by the wind at any moment. He lowered his gaze, thinking about the day her nose bled for some reason. ¡°Is something wrong with your body?¡± he suddenly asked. From the day she mentioned catching a cold three months ago, he realized that she had never appeared healthy. Olivia was surprised, wondering if he had caught on to something. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see my medical report? What kind of problem could my body be facing?¡± He kneaded his forehead. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m going to die because of an illness, will you regret what you did to me?¡± she questioned. His heart sank to his stomach. Nevertheless, he took it as a joke because she was smiling. ¡°No. Even if time turns back, I¡¯ll make the same choice,¡± he answered. He noticed the glint in her eyes slowly losing its glow. Licking his lips, he changed the topic. ¡°I asked someone to purchase Babington Group. If you want to start anew, you can take over thatpany after a while.¡± Babington Group invested arge sum of money to purchase some divisions of Fordham Group, which had announced bankruptcy. In the recent two years, however, Babington Group lost its investment and wasn¡¯t performing well. It was not bad that Ethan spent so much money so that she could rebuild Fordham Group. ¡°How long will it take?¡± She feigned interest. ¡°The soonest would be a month,¡± Ethan replied. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. That was enough time for Olivia to get to the bottom of the case. ¡°y,¡± she said. Before he could say something else, she questioned, ¡°Can I still week at Miller Group this month?¡± He observed her expressions while she stared at him right in the eye She dared not reveal the guilt in harm Biting her lip, she tugged at his deme. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay at home every day. Let me kill some time here. I can learn the rule of the thumb at the workce too. Erhan, I want you. His eyes slightly widened at that when his arms around her waist tightened, she quickly finished her words ¡± to be my support¡± As soon as she finished, Ethan kisand her Olivia¡¯s eyes widened at his fiesz kiss, which left her no chance to dodge it His touch around her waist was searing her skin, At this moment, brent¡¯s voice resounded outside. ¡°Ms. Carlton, Mr. Miller is busy.¡± Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Provoking Marina was never in Olivia¡¯s n. Olivia never expected Marina to be here this quickly either. Marina had always resented Olivia to the bone. If she found Olivia in the CEO¡¯s office, she would surely turn the wholepany upside down. Thinking about the objective behind her arrival at Miller Group, Olivia was determined not to let Marina ruin her n. Impatiently, Olivia shoved Ethan¡¯s chest. He ignored her protest because he¡¯d been desiring such a moment all along. Like a lost tourist who finally found a source of water in the desert, he wouldn¡¯t let her go. Olivia was flustered because Marina was going to barge into the office at any time. Marina was getting impatient. She was Ethan¡¯s fianc¨¦e and yet Brent was treating her like an intruder. She said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do I need to make an appointment to see my fianc¨¦? Make way.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart was on the verge of jumping out of her chest. She broke free from Ethan¡¯s grasp with all her might. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She thought, ¡°He¡¯s crazy. He doesn¡¯t want to let me go and yet he agreed to marry Marina. Just what is he up to? If he genuinely likes Marina, why won¡¯t he release me?¡± Anger was fuming in her eyes. She growled in an undertone, ¡°Ethan Miller, are you crazy?¡± Now that she was showing her true self, he smiled while looking at her. Olivia walked in circles in the office, trying to find a ce to hide. She opened the bookshelf, but there was not enough space to fit her in. Then, sheid on the floor to see if it was spacious enough to hide underneath the couch. After checking every corner of his office, she realized that there was no ce she could hide. ¡°Don¡¯t you have another room here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± he responded. ¡°I¡¯m your ex-wife. If Marina finds me here, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± She huffed. He was displeased at her remarks as it made their rtionship appear wrong in some way. Ethan held Olivia¡¯s hand tighter. ¡°You¡¯re aware that you¡¯re my ex-wife. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s wrong to be that.¡± She red at him. ¡°Do you think that Marina is that generous to let me off the hook? I¡¯m doing this for our sake.¡± Needless to say, she was doing it mainly for her sake. She didn¡¯t want to be chased out of Miller Group without solving the case. Marina was going to enter the office soon. Standing up, Ethan pushed the bookshelf to reveal a hidden room, where he usually rested. Olivia darted into the room. At the same time, Marina managed to bluff Brent and enter the office. She scanned the ce only to find Ethan alone, sitting before his desk while reading documents. He slowly raised his head, looking at Marina in displeasure. Impatiently, Ethan said, ¡°What brings you here?¡± When she was going to say something, she noticed a bloodstain on his lips and the scattered papers on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave after checking on you.¡± Without much change in her expression, Marina walked up to him. Her gaze was fixated upon his lips as she coldly asked, ¡°Ethan, what happened to your lips?¡± ¡°It was a bite.¡± ¡°Who bit you?¡± She paced up anxiously. He replied calmly, ¡°I bit myself. Who else would¡¯ve done it?¡± From his aloof attitude, it was as though he was treating a stranger and not his fianc¨¦e. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Marina reflexively wanted to ask Ethan if it was Olivia, but she held herself back. Now that they were going to register their marriage soon, she didn¡¯t want anything to happen that could possibly dy the event any further. She decided to buy it, believing that he identally bit his lip. Even if Olivia had something to do with this, she didn¡¯t want to mention Olivia¡¯s name in front of him. Marina noticed that he had been acting out of character these days. In the past, he didn¡¯t hide the resentment in his eyes whenever Olivia¡¯s name was brought up. However, it seemed like his feelings for her had changed in the past few months. He cared about her again. Ethan and Marina hadn¡¯t registered their marriage as of now. Because of that, she didn¡¯t want to have a fight with him over this kind of matter. ¡°It¡¯s a slip of the tongue. Oh, I baked these muffins myself. Try them.¡± She ced the muffins on his desk. Ethan looked at them. He knew that Olivia used to make the same muffins for him. He didn¡¯t know how Marina found out about his favorites. At least, he could tell that they seemed to be the exact same muffins Olivia used to bake for him. Marina was ted to see that he was staring at them for a while. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a cup of coffee.¡± Meanwhile, Olivia was watching them through a crevice. She felt something weird about them. They didn¡¯t give off the vibe a couple should have. Marina made herself busy as if she was a diligent maid who served Ethan. He held one of the muffins, thinking about Olivia. It had been a long time since hest ate a muffin she made. He had a small bite of the muffin. Realizing that it didn¡¯t taste the same as Olivia¡¯s muffin, he put Marina, who was holding a cup of coffee, showed disappointment. ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad. I¡¯m not hungry,¡± he responded. 11. She ced the cup of coffee on his desk. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to finish your work.¡± She didn¡¯t force him to eat the muffins. Olivia held her breath for a moment as she thought, ¡°Does that mean I won¡¯t be able to leave? He¡¯d better not agree to that.¡± Surprisingly, Ethan said without sparing a nce at Marina, ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Marina stood next to the bookshelf, skimming at the books before looking out of the window. The pedestrians appeared like ants from her point of view. Ethan worked every day at such a ce, like a god that decided the fate of humans. She felt great. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The thought of bing someone like him in the future put her in a good mood. Ethan broke the silence. ¡°I asked someone to look for two tutors to help Connor with his pronunciation.¡± Olivia was speechless at that, deeming that it was cruel of him to make that decision. Connor was barely a year old, but he was going to be tutored soon. Chapte 20 Marina found it inappropriate too. ¡°Isn¡¯t he too young for that?¡± ¡°No. Erina can start after she turns three,¡± he replied indifferently. Marina heaved a sigh of relief as she subconsciously paid more attention to Erina. At that moment, Stephanie opened the door. It was Marina¡¯s first time meeting her. She frowned. ¡°Who allowed you to enter the office without knocking on the door first? ¡°And you¡¯re going to clean the office when there¡¯s a guest around? Do you know the rules?¡± Hearing that, Olivia raised her head to look at the iing person. Stephanie had a hunched back, and she was skinny. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought of cleaning the office because Mr. Miller doesn¡¯t have any appointments in the afternoon. I wasn¡¯t aware of your visit,¡± Stephanie exined. Olivia was shocked to learn that Stephanie knew Ethan¡¯s schedule well. ¡°I gave Stephanie the permission to do that. What¡¯s wrong? Do you have an opinion about it?¡± Ethan spoke up before Marina could throw a fit. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Marina, who could read the room very well, noticed Ethan¡¯s displeasure. She said, ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t know about that.¡± He was toozy to exin it further as he said, ¡°Stephanie, you may do your job.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Miller.¡± -While Stephanie was doing the cleaning, Marina was observing her. Considering Stephanie¡¯s old age, Marina supposed that it was nearly impossible for Ethan to have an affair with Stephanie. As an afterthought, she began scrolling through her phone. Meanwhile, Olivia¡¯s blood was boiling as she thought, ¡°Forget about letting Marina stay, why did he let the janitor clean the room? Is he trying to have me get caught red-handed?¡± Still, she found it weird that Stephanie would choose to do the cleaning at this hour. She tried to observe Stephanie, but thetter had her back facing her. It was weird that Stephanie was wearing a bucket hat since they were indoors. When Stephanie was going to wipe the bookshelf after wiping the window, Olivia got anxious. She might get caught! She initially came to the office to report about work. But it would be difficult to clear her name if she got caught right now. Anxious, she texted Ethan. Realizing that she had blocked his number, Olivia messaged him through other means. His phone vibrated on the desk. He seemed to have expected it, but he was unbothered by it. Olivia was confident that he was doing that on purpose. Angry, she spammed him with ten messages but it was in vain. Left with no choice, she contacted his number. However, he merely nced at his phone befor Olivia was so livid, but he acted as if nothing was happening. Marina, who noticed that something was off, looked at him. ¡°Ethan, your phone is ringing.¡± Ethan turned on the silent mode. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just a spam call.¡± ng the documents again. ¡°Really? People are getting shameless these days. That person just won¡¯t stop calling. I¡¯ll help you with that.¡± She clearly wasn¡¯t buying it. That was his personal contact number, which was confidential information. How could he possibly receive a spam call out of nowhere? She closed the book in her hands and approached him. Before she arrived, he answered the call. ¡°Hello,¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop ying with me.¡± Olivia lowered her voice. Ethan chuckled lightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun?¡± He was having fun at the sheer thought that she was agitated right now. After all, Olivia always gave him a deadpan face. It had been a while since she faced him with other expressions. Sighing, Olivia decided to give in. ¡°Ethan, please. Stop ying with me.¡± His attitude changed with the addition of those two words. Ethan glimpsed at the approaching Marina. ¡°Got it.¡± Marina wasn¡¯t able to read the caller¡¯s name before he kept his phone. Losing the interest to tease Olivia, he looked at Marina. ¡°I just recalled that I have a meetingter. You can head home first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can wait-¡± Before she could finish, he called Brent, who soon appeared by the door. ¡°Send Ms. Carlton home,¡± he instructed. Just like that, she was driven away despite her irritation. Aside from her, Stephanie was ordered to leave the office too. ¡°Stephanie, you can skip the cleaning for today. You can clock off now.¡± Stephanie was stunned, but she soon regained herposure. ¡°Okay.¡± Once the door was closed, he dragged Olivia out of the hidden room and ced her on his desk. ¡°Olivia Fordham, this is the price for provoking me.¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Olivia barely survived a crisis, yet she was in the lion¡¯s den again. She saw the proposal from the corner of her eyes and took it. ¡°I know you¡¯re in a hurry, but calm yourself down, please. My colleagues are waiting for a reply from you.¡± Ethan noticed the frantic in her eyes, knowing that she didn¡¯t want to pay the price for her deed. After heaving a long sigh, he released Olivia. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Jumping off the desk, she stood beside him. She dared not breathe heavily as she tried to calm herself. She passed him the proposal. ¡°Take a look.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze swept across the document beforending on her face again. ¡°Do you still want to stay in Miller Group for a month?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t pay useless people. You¡¯ll be handling this project.¡± She was stunned. ¡°Are you trying to make me a public enemy?¡± ¡°You already are. Handling this project won¡¯t make a difference.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t see through his intention. She took the proposal. ¡°The proposal-¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I¡¯ll leave it to you. Don¡¯t let me down,¡± Ethan responded. She wasn¡¯t that serious about her job and yet, he was forcing her to take on a project. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. Yardley shifted his gaze away from Olivia. ¡°And since you don¡¯t want to pay the price, get out of the office.¡± Olivia darted out of the office. She was able to escape from his punishment this time. fierce expression. As soon as she came out of the elevator, she saw Marina. Standing at the entrance, she was weari Marina watched the elevator descend from the top floor. She could easily guess where Olivia can¡­ Without uttering a word, Marina pped Olivia right in the face. Olivia couldn¡¯t react in time, so she couldn¡¯t dodge it. There were two departments on that floor, and there were a lot of staff around. Marina wasn¡¯t stupid to say anything here. She merely red at Olivia. ¡°Just you wait, bitch.¡± There were many witnesses, so the incident spread within thepany in no time. By the time she returned to her department with the proposal, she realized that there was a new notification in thepany¡¯s group chat. It was a message that warned everyone not to spread groundless rumors. Anyone who disobeyed would face a huge punishment. It could be considered as a solution to keep Olivia¡¯s controversy under control. When she returned to her team, everyone shot her a gloating expression. Sophia came up to her. ¡°Olivia, what did Mr. Miller say?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know how to ry Ethan¡¯s message that he wanted her-a mere neer-to handle the project. Did she even have the right to take on the project? She couldn¡¯t even answer the question now. ¡°He¡­¡± ¡°Was the proposal not approved? Which part of it is problematic? We can amend it,¡± said Sophia. She was aware that the deal from Elijah would give Team C¡¯s performance a temporary boost. Team B might surpass them sooner orter. Team B had several projects in discussion. Even if they were able to receive a deal from clients, it had nothing to do with Sophia because she was in Team C. Thus, this proposal was the deciding factor of her fate. She had no choice but to put her grudges aside and do her best for this proposal. Someone else urged, ¡°Yeah. Tell us the results. Say something.¡± Olivia lifted her head. ¡°Mr. Miller wants me to handle this project.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone thought that they heard it wrongly. Olivia said honestly, ¡°I said, I¡¯ll be handling this project from today onward-from the proposal to its execution.¡± She understood that Ethan wasn¡¯t trying to train her in terms of socialworking. After all, he was going to let her take over apany in the future. What he wanted to see wasn¡¯t her talent in pleasing a superior and getting along with friends. Within the next one month, he wanted to see Olivia¡¯s potential. Ethan was trying to cultivate her into a capable person, but he didn¡¯t know that her ulterior motive was to find out the truth. Now that she was forced to take on the project, there was no turning back. She initially wanted to die, but she slowly found a ray of hope to live. It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible to revive Fordham Group. As long as she was still alive, she could make it happen someday. A livid Marina walked out of Miller Group and dialed the special number. ¡°How long will it take before we can start executing your n?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the rush?¡± It was a muddled voice. Marina said slowly while emphasizing every word, ¡°I want Olivia Fordham, that bitch, to die.¡± The other party chuckled. ¡°Your wish wille true soon. I¡¯m different from you. Not only do I want her dead, but I also want her to know what it feels like to live a hellish life.¡± Chapter 238 Chapter 238 As for their rtionship, Ethan didn¡¯t care. He allowed the others to fill in the spaces. This was the backing force he spoke of. Olivia smiled bitterly. If she couldn¡¯t remember what he had done to her in the past, she might have been a little touched. But those harmful acts were like continuous shes on her body. Even now, her injuries hadn¡¯t healed. She had alreadymitted the hurt to memory. She wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake again. Olivia continued working. She had learned artistic skills when she was young, and Jeff had also hired a finance instructor to teach her the relevant knowledge. After spending so much time with Ethan, she had picked up some things as well. A project worth tens of millions of dors was just right for her to practice with. In the CEO¡¯s office, Ethan rolled up the end of his tie. Once again, he thought about Olivia asking for a kiss as she clung to him. He swallowed without realizing it. He hadn¡¯t touched her in two years, but that brief interaction managed to get his desires burning again. ¡°Have you still not found out the reason she joined Miller Group?¡± Brent was standing at the side respectfully. ¡°Mrs. Miller hasn¡¯t done anything out of the ordinary in her department. She did give some presents to some secretaries, though.¡± ¡°Presents?¡± Brent showed Ethan a tie clip. ¡°This is William¡¯s.¡± Ethan nced at the logo. It was a well-known brand, and it was quite pricey. ¡°She¡¯s quite generous.¡± ¡°Perhaps she thought that she¡¯d be working as a secretary as well. It¡¯s normal to s to establish connections.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze fell upon the decoration on the tie clip. ¡°Take it apart,¡± he ordered. Brent didn¡¯t ask any questions and promptly disassembled it. From under the tiny cover, a micro tracker fell onto the desk. As Brent looked at the micro tracker on the desk, his face turned pale. ¡°H-How could this be? What is Mrs. Miller trying to do?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Picking up the tracker, Ethan stuffed it back into the clip. ¡°Give it back to William. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan fiddled with his tie clip. Ever since Olivia requested to be his assistant, he had been suspecting her. Judging by Olivia¡¯s personality, she would try to get as far away from him as possible. It didn¡¯t make sense for her to stay by his side. Unless she was trying to get something from him. Was it money? She could donate 500 million dors without batting an eye. She obviously didn¡¯tck money. The only other reason would be Jeff. He remembered her hesitant behavior the other day. ¡°Did she figure something out?¡± he wondered. Noticing that Ethan had stayed silent, Brent couldn¡¯t see through Ethan¡¯s thoughts either. He asked carefully, ¡°So, about Mrs. Miller¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything yet, in case she¡¯s alerted. Let¡¯s see what she¡¯s trying to achieve here.¡± Ethan tapped his fingers on the desk, thinking about Olivia¡¯s previous two visits. ¡°Get someone to check my officeter. If she can nt trackers on other people, she might do it to me too.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Lowering his eyes, Ethan looked at the space under the desk. He could still see her pitiful look as she begged him for help. Ethan didn¡¯t expect the investigation to be so fruitful. Sure enough, there were a few micro cameras hidden in his office. Brent¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Mr. Miller, this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Olivia¡¯s doing.¡± She had only visited the office recently, but those micro cameras were hidden in secret corners of the office. Olivia couldn¡¯t have managed to do that. Brent was furious. ¡°Who could be so bold that they would nt these things in your office, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°Check the model number.¡± ¡°This model can be on standby for up to a year. A third of the battery has been depleted.¡± This meant that the cameras had been nted for at least seven months, Ethan¡¯s information had already been exposed seven months ago, or even earlier than that. ¡°This may be the work of your business rivals, Mr. Miller. Nothing has gone wrong with all our projects within the past year. If not for business advantages, what are the cameras for?¡± ¡°Go and find out who has entered my office in the past year.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it. We should be able to backtrack and figure out who it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Ethan sneered. ¡°If they could nt cameras in my office, they must¡¯ve realized it by now. Still ¡­¡± Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Ethan took out his lighter. With a click, a me came to life. ¡°We can¡¯t catch the big fish, but we may be able to catch some small fries.¡± The sky slowly grew dark. Everyone else in the office had left, but Olivia was still working overtime. When she felt her stomach rumbling, she looked up at the sky. It was already dark outside. She stretched. After working earnestly for a day, she had finallye up with a decent proposal. Olivia massaged her stiff neck. After saving the document, she turned off the lights and left. She was the only one left on the floor, which was usually busy during the day. The clicks of her high heels sounded extra loud as she walked in the corridor. Olivia hurriedly walked to the elevator. The lights on the whole floor were already turned off. Only a dim wall light shone in the distance. There was a sudden click. The sound was crisp in the darkness. Olivia felt a chill run down her spine as all the hair on her body stood on end. A ray of light appeared not far away. In the light, she saw a man leaning against a wall. He was shielding a me with his hand. The leaping me cast shadows on the man¡¯s handsome face. His gaze fell upon her terrified face. ¡°Are you finally leaving?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Olivia sighed in relief. It was just Ethan. ¡°What is he doing here instead of going home to spend time with Marina?¡± she wondered. She said, ¡°What a coincidence, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan studied her from head to toe with a calm expression. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you.¡± Olivia had a feeling that there was something off about Ethan. The light from the lighter me bounced off his face. Half of his face was lit, while the other half was covered in darkness. Olivia thought his face looked like a mix of an angel and a demon. ¡°Waiting for me?¡± Olivia swallowed. She was a little wary of the coldnessing from him. He didn¡¯t say anything and started walking instead. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, so she simply followed behind him. They got into the elevator, which brought them up to the top floor. The wind was howling on the rooftop. It was already spring, but the night breeze was still quite cold. It was as cold as Ethan¡¯s figure. Olivia couldn¡¯t help but shrink back a little. ¡°Is he going to end me right here?¡± she thought. After all, Ethan¡¯s fury made him look more like a criminal than a president of apany. He looked like he couldmit some crimes right now. With a cigarette in his mouth, he exhaled. The white smoke covered his face. The lights in the distance glimmered like a gxy behind him. There wasn¡¯t any warmthing from him. ¡°Mr. Miller, why did you bring me here? Do you have any orders for me?¡± Ethan studied her. He noticed that when she wasn¡¯t nning anything, even her gaze looked distant. Why would someone like her offer to work right under him, then? ¡°Tell me. Why did you join Miller Group?¡± Holding his cigarette between his fingers, Ethan leaned was casual as he asked the question. Sust the wall. His tone Olivia didn¡¯t know why he would ask that so suddenly. ¡°Did he notice something?¡± she wondered. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that already? I¡¯ve gotten sick of my current life. I want to give my life meaning so that I can start a new life.¡± Ethan slowly walked toward her, the expression on his face unclear. Olivia sensed danger, so she subconsciously backed away. Her back touched the wall. Uponing closer, Ethan lifted her chin. He was still holding his cigarette between his index and middle fingers. The smoke and fire was right next to Olivia¡¯s face. She looked at the cigarette, its end slowly burning and getting closer to her. She could already feel the heat in her heart. ¡°I remember you mentioning that your life¡¯s meaning lies in saving the sick and helping those in need. When did your life¡¯s meaning turn into doing sales?¡± Olivia answered calmly, ¡°I would love to do that, but no hospital will ept me. I gave up on my studies back then, and 1 didn¡¯t get a lot of the required licenses. I alsock experience. ¡°Even if I get to work in a hospital, I¡¯ll only be able to work as a nurse.¡± Her answer was perfect, but Ethan didn¡¯t believe her. Instead, he stared at her with an intense look. ¡°I¡¯m asking you onest time, Olivia. What are you here for?¡± For a fleeting moment, Olivia wanted to tell him the whole truth. But then she remembered how angry and worked up was at the mention of Leia. She could only swallow her words. Licking her dry lips, she said, ¡°To kill time.¡± The cigarette¡¯s burning end was getting closer. He didn¡¯t look like he would let go anytime soon. ¡°You should know that I hate betrayal and lies.¡± Ethan Olivia swallowed. The end of the cigarette was about to burn her face. Closing her eyes tightly, she shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± The hand that was holding her chin finally let go. Olivia opened her eyes again, but they were now filled with tears. She shoved Ethan aside. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Surprisingly, Ethan wasn¡¯t mad. Instead, he tossed away the cigarette in his hand. Olivia was about to leave, but he didn¡¯t stop her. His voice rang coldly in the air. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯d better not be lying.¡± He stared straight at Olivia, who was leaving. He thought that she woulde back, but she didn¡¯t even turn around. The wind put out thest bits of ember from the cigarette stub. Olivia was already gone from the rooftop. Ethan looked up at the night sky above him. Heavy clouds covered the sky, so only a few stars could be seen. ¡°What exactly is Olivia hiding?¡± he wondered. He thought of her words that day. If Jeff wasn¡¯t the one who killed Leia, then who could it be? ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller has been gone for a while now.¡± Standing in the dark, Brent looked just like Ethan¡¯s shadow. Ethan heaved a long sigh. ¡°Brent, I want to reinvestigate Leia¡¯s incident.¡± ¡°Is it for Mrs. Miller¡¯s sake?¡± Brent couldn¡¯t understand. The incident was already set in stone, and it was also Ethan¡¯s greatest taboo. Usually, he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to mention it, much less do anything about it. If he wanted to reinvestigate the matter, he would be reopening his wounds. It might be many times more painful thanst time. Ethan replied, ¡°It happened too suddenly back then. The evidence seemed solid, but I was furious when I made the decision back then. ¡°In the two years that followed, I lost myself in the sorrow of losing Leia, and I med Leia¡¯s death on her. If ¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s arm trembled for an instant. ¡°If it truly wasn¡¯t Jeff, how should I face her?¡± Many aspects of the incident weren¡¯t analyzed. Ethan was especially sensitive about this topic, so everyone had been avoiding it without another thought. ¡°Mr. Miller, there¡¯s evidence for what happened back then. Don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± Ethan looked at Brent. ¡°What¡¯s Jeff like to you?¡± Brent replied, ¡°Putting this incident aside, he used to be gentle and elegant. He was also friendly and generous. He was a good father, someone passionate about life. ¡°If not for that incident, I would think he¡¯s a good man.¡± Ethan responded, ¡°Yes, if it weren¡¯t for that incident, everything wouldn¡¯t have changed.¡± Brent felt something off about Ethan¡¯s expression. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re saying that ¡­¡± ¡°How much time did we take to figure out the truth after we discovered the body?¡± ¡°Around a week.¡± Ethan lit another cigarette. ¡°Thinking back on it, don¡¯t you think it went too smoothly? It feels like a hand was creating a lead on purpose. We just had to follow the lead to find all the answers.¡± Brent shook his head. ¡°But it was true that the victims had mental illnesses, and it was true that they ended their own lives. ¡°Mr. Miller, I know you care about Mrs. Miller, but you can¡¯t twist the truth.¡± Ethan looked up at Brent. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Brent replied, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with the reinvestigation. Back then, you were shocked by the incident. Mrs. Miller didn¡¯t know what you went through the past two years. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°If this matter is brought up again, your wounds will have to be reopened. I fear that your illness will get worse.¡± Brent continued, ¡°Let¡¯s say that it truly wasn¡¯t Jeff who did it and there¡¯s someone behind the scenes. ¡°How long did that person take to prepare everything? Is it a male or a female? What objectives do they have? ¡°If they wanted to separate you and Mrs. Miller, they¡¯ve already achieved their goal. But recently, there haven¡¯t been any changes to your life, Mr. Miller. ¡°You didn¡¯t even meet anyone new.¡± Ethan rubbed his temples. He sullenly puffed out a cloud of white smoke. Brent patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You need to sleep. You¡¯ve been too tired for the past few years.¡± ¡°Fine, this incident ends here. Let¡¯s go back¡± Ethan put out his cigarette, then left the rooftop dejectedly. Brent was right. Every part of the incident had solid proof, so nothing could¡¯ve gone wrong. He shouldn¡¯t waste time on these things. If Olivia wanted to investigate it, he wouldn¡¯t stop her from doing whatever she wanted. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 After getting home, Olivia checked on the trackers again. The one that had gone into thendfill had disappeared from the disy. But the others hadn¡¯t changed much from before. Jack¡¯s phone was still turned off. Olivia sighed She was getting closer to the truth, but the path ahead was covered in fog. No matter how hard she tried to clear things up, nothing changed. Fortunately, the project was progressing smoothly. Her proposal passed the otherpany¡¯s screening, and they would have a meeting with her soon. Donned in a formal outfit, her palms were sweating a little. Opening the door, she smiled politely. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Olivia Fordham from Miller Group.¡± A youth in a white suit sat at the table. His features were exquisite, and there was a smile on his face. ¡°We meet again, Olivia.¡± Olivia was stunned. ¡°Colin.¡± She finally realized what this meant. ¡°So you¡¯re Mr. Moriarty, the general manager of Peak Group?¡± ¡°Yes. I just took over the business from my father.¡± Colin shrugged helplessly. ¡°In truth, I wanted to be a doctor.¡± The team members who contacted Peak Group said that they were difficult to handle. Teams A and B had tried taking on this project before, but they couldn¡¯t get it done. Only Team C had nothing to lose, so they persisted. The moment Olivia saw Colin, she asked the burning question, ¡°Mr. Moriarty, did you agree to this partnership because of the proposal? Or was it because of¡­ me?¡± Colin politely pulled out a chair for her. Then, he asked the waiter to serve the dishes. The gentle smile remained on his face as he said, ¡°Both.¡± Sitting down opposite Olivia, he began to exin, ¡°At first, I found the proposal quite novel. Then, when I realized that it was you, I knew I had to approve it. You saved my life, after all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not scared of cats now, are you?¡± Olivia gave a rare smile. ¡°Nope. Snowball and I get along very well.¡± The business talk was much more rxed and easier than expected. After excusing herself, Olivia went to pay the bill, but she was told that the bill was already paid. With a takeout container in hand, Colin smiled. ¡°You still owe me a meal. This one doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s have another meal sometime.¡± Colin ced the takeout container in her hands. ¡°You used to love this dish. I wonder if you still like it now?¡± It was made by a famous pastry chef. At a nce, Olivia could see the name ¡°Palmer Snack House¡± printed on the container. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, but the shop is still in business.¡± She was amazed. She hadn¡¯t been to the shop in almost two years. ¡°Yeah. I remembered it when I was passing by today. I didn¡¯t expect it to still be there.¡± A warm hand covered hers, and the youth¡¯s voice was clear as he said, ¡°Olivia, I know a lot has happened to the Fordhams. ¡°No matter how cold this world is, you have to retain your warmth. Even if you can¡¯t make others feel warm, you have to at least keep out the cold.¡± With that, Colin withdrew his hand. He didn¡¯t do anything out of bounds. His expression was gentle as he asked, ¡°I¡¯d like to visit Mr. Fordham. May I?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia waved the document they had just signed. ¡°But I have to go back to thepany first. Do you have time after work?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s to keep youpany, Olivia, I always have time.¡± When @livia returned with the contract, everyone in Team C was stunned. They had spent a long time on this project, but Peak Group never agreed to it. They never thought that Olivia would get the partnership as soon as she joined. Norma said in an exaggerating fashion, ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Ms. Fordham. I was wondering why Mr. Miller would let you handle the project, but now I know, You¡¯re very talented! ¡°Our team leader has been trying to get it done, but it never went through. You did it just like that!¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Olivia had never liked opportunistic people like Norma. Still, she could make use of Norma. Hence, Olivia put in some effort to mend their broken rtionship. When they were in the pantry, Olivia asked Norma a question, ¡°What¡¯s Jackson like?¡± Chapter 243 Chapter 243 At the mention of Jackson, Norma rolled her eyes. ¡°One word-pervert.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pervert?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯d even give a female fly a second look, not to mention women.¡± Olivia felt even more confused. Could someone like him be the mastermind? ¡°Did he mess with you, Ms. Fordham?¡± Norma asked, studying Olivia¡¯s expression. ¡°No, I was just curious.¡± Norma thought quickly, then said, ¡°Thanks to you, we got another partnership in the bag. This means that we¡¯vepleted the sales mission. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± As she spoke, Norma pointed at a man in a suit and tie, who was standing at a corner. ¡°Look, there he is.¡± Olivia looked in the direction Norma was pointing. Jackson seemed to be around 35 years old. He had amon stature, and his eyes had a cunning shine to them. When their gazes met, Jackson studied Olivia from head to toe. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re that neer, aren¡¯t you? The one who bagged a huge project as soon as she joined. You¡¯re something.¡± Jackson reached out to pat Olivia on the shoulder. He was boldly trying to take advantage of her. Before he touched her shoulder, Olivia subtly dodged him. She said, calmly yet politely, ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Yancey.¡± She met Jackson¡¯s gaze, trying to figure something out from the look in his eyes. He didn¡¯t even hide his intentions. It was obvious that he wanted to harass her. ¡°You have a bright future ahead of you, Olivia!¡± Jackson chatted a little before leaving. Before he left, he even tried to ask Olivia out for dinner after work. Jackson had just left when Norma spoke up. ¡°I told you, he¡¯s a pervert. You should stay away from him, Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Looking at Jackson, Olivia grew suspicious. She had seen the photos he sent in Sophia¡¯s chat history. If not, she would¡¯ve thought that she was overthinking it. This man was good at pretending. ¡°Help me with something, Norma.¡± Hearing Olivia asking something of her, Norma immediately agreed. ¡°What is it, Ms. Fordham?¡± Olivia whispered in Norma¡¯s ear. Without another thought, Norma replied, ¡°Leave this to me. I swear that by tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll have all the information on Jackson. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I won¡¯t miss any details.¡± Olivia reminded her, ¡°Remember, don¡¯t let anyone else know about this.¡± Norma thought that there were some personal grudges between them. She hastily gestured, zipping her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham. My lips are sealed.¡± Not long after Olivia settled the project, Ethan heard news of it. He leaned against his chair, supporting his head with a hand as he spoke mockingly. ¡°I just wanted to tame her a little with this tough job, but I never thought that she would get it done in two days. Are the others too useless, or is she simply too talented?¡± Brent poured out a cup of tea for him. ¡°Of course, Mrs. Miller is amazing. But luck is in y as well. You¡¯ve also met the newly appointed general manager of Peak Group before.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°The puppy on the cruise.¡± Ethan might not remember much of other things, but the mention of this incident sparked his memory. He remembered what that person almost did to Olivia that night. If that huge incident hadn¡¯t happened, Ethan wouldn¡¯t have let him off the hook Ethan rubbed his temples. ¡°Hisst name is Moriarty, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Colin Moriarty, yes.¡± ¡°What can a mere child do?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t mind him in the least. Half an hourter, Ethan saw Olivia getting into a Maserati. The person who opened the car door for her was none other than Colin, who was wearing a white suit. The two smiled at each other. It had been a long while since Ethanst saw Olivia smile like that. Ethan¡¯s gaze turned dark. He gripped his phone so hard that he almost broke it. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 In the hospital, Jeff was lying on the hospital bed as always. Every day, he survived on nutrient solutions and various equipment. His body had weakened at a noticeable rate. His limbs had begun to shrink He was like a flower that had lost its vigor and was clinging to thest bits of nutrients in the soil. He was barely hanging on. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia hadn¡¯t visited him in a while. Every time she saw her father like this, she would feel even worse. Jeff¡¯s face was already sunken. Olivia¡¯s tears dripped onto the back of his dry hand. ¡°Dad¡­¡± She wished that a miracle would happen one day, and Jeff would wake up and look at her. She yearned for just a nce from him, and maybe a few words too. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Olivia.¡± Colin patted her gently on the back. Olivia lowered her head, not wanting anyone to see her at her weakest moments. Sobbing, Olivia covered her face. When she looked up again, she saw Colin listening to Jeff¡¯s heartbeat with a stethoscope. ¡°Colin?¡± Putting the stethoscope down, Colin smiled at Olivia. ¡°I was a med student, remember? I wanted to have a look at Mr. Fordham.¡± ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Olivia.¡± Colin gave Jeff a regr check-up. Watching his movements, Olivia didn¡¯t think he was a mere student. ¡°Olivia, can I have a look at Mr. Fordham¡¯stest medical report?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia found all the reports and showed them to Colin. Colin read every detail. Time ticked by. A momentter, Colin finally looked up at her. The look in his eyes was wiss the usual look in his eyes. eep. It was different from ¡°Olivia, there¡¯s still hope for Mr. Fordham¡¯s illness. If Leo carries out the operation, the chances of sess are very high.¡± Olivia sighed. ¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯ve tried everything we could, but we still can¡¯t find him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯ll help you look for him. I¡¯ll ask my connections overseas for help.¡± Sitting by the bed, Olivia wiped Jeff¡¯s body clean with a hot towel. ¡°I don¡¯t know if my dad can hang on until then.¡± ¡°He will.¡± Olivia turned around, meeting Colin¡¯s gaze. There was a determined look in his dark eyes. After leaving the hospital, Colin regained his youthful attitude. ¡°Can you treat me to a meal, Olivia? I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Sure. What would you like to eat?¡± Olivia was an only child. Since young, she had always wished for siblings. In her eyes, Colin was a younger brother to her; one that was obedient and adorable. ¡°There¡¯s a night market nearby. Let¡¯s get some snacks there, Olivia.¡± ¡°That works too.¡± The night market in the area was a tourist attraction. In a corner of the busy street, Olivia was holding a milkshake in one hand and candy in another. Assorted snacks hung from her wrist in stic bags. Amidst the lights, Olivia smiled like an innocent child. There were no ulterior motives or sorrows behind her smile. It had been too long since shest hung out like this, snacking on her favorite foods like a normal young woman. ¡°I remember you smiling a lot when you were young, Olivia. You look lovely when you smile. You¡¯re so young, but you have to pretend to be an experienced woman.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not pretending. I was just crushed by the weight of life.¡± ¡°Olivia, will you return to your old self if Mr. Fordham wakes up?¡± A gust of wind blew past them. The lights hanging on strings above them swayed in the wind. The vintage vibes made the ce look even prettier. Olivia smiled. ¡°I want to, but I can¡¯t go back anymore.¡± Flower petals fluttered in the wind, and it looked like they were in a movie. A petalnded on Olivia¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t move, Olivia.¡± Olivia was stunned. Reaching out, Colin removed the petal from her hair. His approach cast shadows on her face. It was only then that Olivia realized something. The timid little boy who used to follow her everywhere had now grown up. He was even taller than her. As the light from the lights shone on his face, he lifted the petal and said softly, ¡°Look. The whole world is trying to heal you. Only you refuse to have mercy on yourself.¡± Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Colin sent Olivia to her apartment. He had the innocence of a youth, but he also had the gentlemanly air of an older man. He opened the car door for Olivia. Then, he wrapped the scarf he just purchased around Olivia¡¯s neck. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not feeling cold,¡± Olivia said. ¡°This is a new scarf. You should keep yourself warm,¡± he exined. ¡°Alright. Take care on your way back. Thanks.¡± Colin was still smiling. ¡°The snacks tonight don¡¯t count. You still owe me a proper meal, Olivia.¡± ¡°Oh, you.¡± Reaching out, Olivia caressed his head. ¡°You¡¯ve never changed since you were young.¡± She once promised to give him a present back then. He remembered it and would keep asking her for the present from time to time. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up sometime.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia watched as the car drove away. Then, she turned around and got into the elevator. Colin was right. She shouldn¡¯t be so pessimistic. She looked at the snacks she was holding. She never thought that Colin still remembered her preferences after so many years. Olivia and Colin got to know each other when they were young. Later on, Colin went overseas to study, but the two frequently chatted online. ¡°When did we be distant from each other?¡± she wondered. It was probably a few years ago when she started dating Ethan. She had given all her time to Ethan, so naturally, her rtionship with Colin faded out. She still remembered Colin as the little boy who was so scared of cats that he climbed up the tree at her house. When Olivia thought of that innocent little face, she smiled. Nights weren¡¯t so bad, after all. The darker the night, the brighter the moon and stars would She decided to take some time off to get her stomach checked. She was slowly regaining the will to live. Upon opening the door to the house, Olivia tapped on the touchscreen to turn on the lights. When she looked up, her smile froze. A man was sitting on the couch with his legs slightly apart. His handsy casually on the armrests, and he had thezy attitude of a host. Cigarette stubs filled the ashtray in front of him. He had been waiting for a long time. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why are you here, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan looked at her with a cold gaze. His voice was calm. ¡°Where did you go?¡± He looked like he was interrogating his wife who had cheated on him. Olivia was sick of his antics. He was getting engaged to Marina, but he still refused to let go of her. But she dared not go up against Ethan for now. ¡°I went to visit my dad with my childhood friend.¡± Olivia took off her high heels, massaging her sore ankles. She ced the bags aside and then put on a pair of plush slippers. Going to the bathroom, she removed her makeup. She treated Ethan like he wasn¡¯t there. She scooped up some water to wash her face. When she raised her head again, her face was clean. Olivia¡¯s face looked like it was painted. It was pretty and exquisite, but itcked color. She looked a little sickly. She looked at the pair of dark eyes that were reflected in the mirror. ¡°Is there something else, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan scoffed. ¡°Olivia, I never thought you were someone like this. If you need something from me, you¡¯d call me Ethan. If not, you¡¯d just call me Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia dried her face with a towel before turning around. ¡°Mr. Miller, I just went to the hospital with a kid. I didn¡¯t break our promise. Why do you look like I¡¯ve wronged you?¡± ¡°A kid? Have you forgotten what he tried to do to you on the cruise?¡± ¡°He was drugged by your fianc¨¦e back then. Instead of ming him, you should ask your fianc¨¦e about it.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t mad at first. But when the past was mentioned, she could barely hold in her anger. The man in front of her walked closer to her, trapping her against the basin. With a dark look on his face, he said coldly, ¡± Olivia, why are you so dissatisfied? ¡°I was the one who caused Fordham Group to go bankrupt, but I¡¯ve already invested in it so that it would be rebuilt. I hate your father, yes, but him being hospitalized isn¡¯t my doing!¡± Olivia replied, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried about the ind, so I contributed funds to improve the inders¡¯ lives. I even handed the Fordham residence to you. ¡°I¡¯m not holding a grudge against those two kids, and I even helped them settle in. When you wanted to join thepany, I let you in without another word.¡± Ethan gripped her shoulders. ¡°As promised, I don¡¯t touch you without your permission. I told you, I can give you everything aside from the title of Mrs. Miller. ¡°What more do you want from me?¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Olivia smiled. It was an extremely mocking smile. She pried Ethan¡¯s fingers off her. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve never wanted anything from you. I can even let go of the title of Mrs. Miller without any issues.¡± Under Ethan¡¯s gleaming gaze, Olivia smiled faintly. She said calmly, ¡°In the past, I thought that nothing could rival you. But then I stood still, waiting ¡°I waited as leaves budded, then cicadas started crying in the summer. The leaves then turned yellow in fall, andstly, the wind began to howl in winter. ¡°I couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so I had no choice but to drag my tired body forward. Then, I realized something. ¡°The spring breeze, the summer cicadas, the leaves in the fall, and even the winter snow¡­ All those things are better than you.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She lifted her hands, her slender fingers touching the face she used to love with all her heart. ¡°Ethan, I admit that I haven¡¯tpletely forgotten about you. Maybe I won¡¯t be able to wipe you from memory even after many years. ¡°You¡¯ll still affect my mood and change my thoughts, but¡­ I don¡¯t have the energy to miss you anymore.¡± In the end, her fingers touched his lips. ¡°Ethan, aren¡¯t you tired of all those grudges? I am. I don¡¯t want to waste more time on you and Marina. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be upset because of people that don¡¯t matter to me anymore. Let¡¯s just go on our separate paths, alright?¡± Her face was reflected in Ethan¡¯s eyes. She was supposed to be familiar, but now, he felt that she was a stranger. He felt like he had never seen her before. Gritting his teeth, he said in a cold voice, ¡°Olivia, are you so desperate to cut off ties with me?¡± Olivia met his gaze. At that moment, she wasn¡¯t afraid, nor was she pretending. ¡°Yes. If I weren¡¯t looking for Leo, I wouldn¡¯t have gone to you. I don¡¯t like Marina, and I don¡¯t want to be a second Marina either. I don¡¯t want to get involved with you while you¡¯re married. ¡°Divorce isn¡¯t just a contract written on a piece of paper; it¡¯s a decision made by two adul do is to respect your own choice.¡± He released her shoulders. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret your decision today.¡± Olivia thought that she would be scared and helpless. But when the time came, she realized that she was much calmer than expected. the only thing you have to ¡°In the past, I was scared of the dark. I was scared that you would leave me and not love me anymore. I would close my eyes and block my ears. ¡°I stopped where I was. I dared not take another step. But now, I realized that it was scary because I didn¡¯t dare face the problem. ¡°When I epted the truth and stopped caring, I realized that you¡¯re the one I fear losing the most. But now that I¡¯ve already lost you, what is left for me to be scared of?¡± Ethan parted his lips. He wanted to exin, but in the end, he didn¡¯t know where to start. He could only let his arms fall by his sides. He looked at Olivia with aplicated expression. ¡°Have you truly made up your mind?¡± Olivia tried her best to smile. ¡°Ethan, I earnestly tried before. I kept believing this certain saying. ¡°When you¡¯ve decided to give up on your dreams, tell yourself to hang on. For one more day, one more week, one more month, and even one more year. ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised with the results from just hanging on.¡± Lifting her hand, she held up her index and middle fingers. ¡°Because of this saying, I persisted for two years. I kept waiting for a miracle to happen. ¡°You don¡¯t know how I felt when I watched the sun setting alone at home. The moon was already in the sky, and the food was reheated over and over again. ¡°I was waiting for someone who would never return. ¡°You¡¯ll never understand what it felt like when the Fordhams went bankrupt. When my father got into an ident, and when I lost my lover and child. When I lost everything. ¡°Back then, I rushed to and from the hospital. When I needed you the most, you were spending time with Marina.¡± There were tears in Olivia¡¯s eyes, but she remained smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve experienced heartbreak and knives stabbing through my heart. I¡¯ve been betrayed by everyone close to me. ¡°I struggled in the mud for two whole years, but what did I get in the end? What can I do about it? You don¡¯t need me, so why should I stay?¡± Gripping Ethan¡¯s arms, she continued, ¡°I can now feel that you don¡¯t hate me anymore. Since you don¡¯t want to hurt me, Ethan, can you please let me go? For the sake of old times?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t say a word. He simply pried her hands away. That day, he closed the door gently. Those words hade true. When he was leaving for real, he would close the door at the lowest volume possible. Olivia slid down along the wall of the bathroom. Tears streamed out from between her fingers. She had let go of the love of her life. This pain was like sshing cold water on a pile of burning coal, putting it out. If she worked hard, she would seed. If they loved each other, they would be together. Those lies supported her when she was still passionate about life. She had thrown herself into his embrace. The fairytales weren¡¯t wrong. The prince and the princess did live happily ever after. But no fairytale mentioned what life was like for the princess after getting married. There were too many things she couldn¡¯t Even if she still had a ce in Ethan¡¯s heart, she couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he had eyes on another woman as well. So, she let go. She hadpletely let go. She wanted to rediscover her past self. Olivia dialed a number. Then, she heard a voice she hadn¡¯t heard in forever. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Keith,¡± Olivia said, smiling. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Keith and Olivia chatted a little about what was going on in their lives. Olivia had always felt guilty for the fact that Ethan had banished Keith because of her. Keith¡¯s voice was as gentle as always. He was studying overseas, and he had already gotten used to the new surroundings. He even got himself a nice girlfriend. When he returned in a few years, he would take over the position of head of the hospital. So, his studies weren¡¯t entirely a bad thing He arranged a stomach check-up for Olivia tomorrow. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m truly d that you can move on and start life anew.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to live a good life, Keith. Be it a day or a month, I¡¯ll wee tomorrow with hope.¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Keith, I messed up again¡­¡± Smiling, Olivia ended the call. ¡°Go ahead, Keith.¡± That night, she finally rxed. She went and took a bath. She even poured out some wine for herself after that. Standing on the balcony, she listened to the sea breeze as she raised her ss. She shouted at the sea, ¡°Olivia, you have to live on!¡± Early the next morning, she took the day off. She put on a simple white dress, then got Everly toe along to visit their old school. It had only been a few years, but the surroundings had changed a lot. There were more shops and buildings near the school now. The morning breeze ruffled the girls¡¯ ponytails and the green shoots on the trees. The birds twittered as they flew across the blue sky. Steam rolled out of the roadside stalls, and the delicious smell of food wafted in the air. The sunlight bounced on Olivia¡¯s bright face. Everything was just right, and she could finally fall in love with this broken world again. Everly chatted with Olivia, talking about interesting things in the past. When she mentioned Josh, a look of disappointment would appear on Everly¡¯s face. Olivia patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Eve¡­¡± Everly quickly put on a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not as weak as you think. ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busy these days. I¡¯m busy signing stuff and getting used to the newpany. I¡¯m also trying hard to get close to my colleagues and improve myself. ¡°I thought I would be sad, but the sadness is taken over by the trivial things in life. I¡¯ve even started to forget the things I thought I would remember forever.¡± Everly took Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Liv, I believe you can do it too. Give yourself some time. You deserve the best.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe it too.¡± Going to a nearby flower shop, Olivia bought two bouquets. She gave one to Everly. Then, they held the bouquets against each other. ¡°Cheers to our wonderful life.¡± Olivia had her check-up done with the doctor Keith had arranged for her. Once back home, she put the flowers into a vase. Looking at the pretty flowers, she smiled. When she gave herself the flowers, she also vowed to pursue freedom. The results would be out in 28 hours. Olivia slept soundly that night. The dark sea no longer swallowed her in her dreams. Instead, she saw a child running toward her in a field of flowers. The child ced a flower crown on her head. ¡°Please be happy, Mommy.¡± Olivia hugged the child. But when she looked at the child¡¯s face, she found herself gazing into Connor¡¯s eyes. The dream ended suddenly. Olivia looked at the sunlight outside the window, smiling in exasperation. ¡°Why did I dream of that child again?¡± she wondered. She drew the curtains back, then reached out to touch the sunlight shining in. When her heart was warm, she noticed that the sunlight was warm as well. After getting ready, she went to thepany. She was ready for her new journey. In the lobby, she saw Ethan, who was surrounded by people. It was a stark contrast to her, who was all alone. Like many other employees, she greeted him politely, ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He nodded, then looked away. He passed by her without emotion. It was as if the two never knew each other. She walked toward the crowded elevators meant for everyone else. Ethan headed for his exclusive elevator instead. They were like parallel lines that would never meet. This was the rtionship they should have. It was only then that she understood. The most cruel words in this world weren¡¯t ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± or ¡°I hate you¡±. They were ¡°We can never go back to how it was before¡±. Olivia pressed the button to close the elevator doors. Shepletely shut Ethan¡¯s figure out of her life. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 As soon as Olivia entered Team C¡¯s office, everyone greeted her enthusiastically. Seeing this, Olivia felt that it was quite amusing. If they knew that she no longer had a backer, would they still be smiling so brightly? Even Sophia didn¡¯t mind her taking on the project alone. Patting her shoulder, Sophia said, ¡°Give it your all, Olivia!¡± Norma hastily pulled Olivia to the side. In a deserted ce, she reported her findings to Olivia. ¡°Ms. Fordham, Jackson hung out with a woman from his departmentst night. He had a lot of fun.¡± ¡°And?¡± Norma replied, ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m quite close to that woman. She helped me ask him a few questions. ¡°Jackson said that you look pretty and have a nice figure. Your skin is great too. He said that one day, he would ¡­ Well ¡­¡± She didn¡¯t ry the indecent words that came after that. Norma concluded, ¡°Other than that, Jackson doesn¡¯t have any grudges against you. He didn¡¯t behave as if he knew you before this.¡± Olivia frowned. ¡°Then the photos¡­¡± ¡°She asked him about it. He saw the photos. He said that if Mr. Lincoln can do it, then so can he. He didn¡¯t know that he was the one who started it.¡± Olivia thought about his chat history with Sophia. Other than the photos, there wasn¡¯t anything else. ¡°Ms. Fordham, this is what I know of Mr. Yancey. He¡¯s good at work, but other than that, his brain is only filled with indecent stuff. ¡°He holds no grudges against you, so he doesn¡¯t have a reason to do that.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia wondered aloud, ¡°If he didn¡¯t do it, then why did the photose from him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a perverted man. Anyone can bait him as long as they show some skin. Maybe some woman used his phone, then sent the photos from his phone to Ms. Linden.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The mastermind wouldn¡¯t expose themselves of their own ord. If Olivia wanted to investigate this matter, she would put her focus on Jackson. That was cunning. Now, if Olivia could figure out who had gotten in touch with Jackson, the truth would be revealed. Thinking that she was one step closer to the truth, Olivia felt her heart beating wildly. The hospital called her up as well. ¡°Ms. Fordham, we received your report ahead of time. ¡°The chemotherapy was very effective, and the cancer cells are visibly under control. They¡¯ve stopped multiplying. Also, the tumor has shrunk.¡± Olivia looked at the blue sky. Her mood was instantly lifted. ¡°It¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Judging by the data, you can go for an operation now. Still, you need a specialist to have a look at you. I¡¯ll prepare the best treatment n for you.¡± ¡°Okay, Dr. Scott. Thank you so much.¡± Olivia ended the call. Staying alive wasn¡¯t such a bad thing, after all. The woman was wearing respectable clothes, and she had exquisite makeup on her face. The receptionist didn¡¯t trouble her too much. ¡°Ma¡¯am, who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for my daughter.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your daughter?¡± ¡°Olivia Fordham.¡± Chloe¡¯s gaze searched the whole office. Then, she locked onto Olivia¡¯s figure. Olivia didn¡¯t think Chloe was here to chat about old times. When they parted at the hospital that day, Olivia had cklisted Chloe. Norma spoke up. ¡°Wow, Ms. Fordham, your mother is so young and pretty! No wonder she could give birth to such a beautiful Before Norma could finish praising Olivia, Chloe stomped up to Olivia in her high heels. Without another word, Chloe delivered a p to her face. ¡°You shameless woman. You¡¯ve even tracked him to thepany!¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 It wasn¡¯t that Olivia couldn¡¯t dodge it. Instead, Chloe was simply too fast. Olivia also didn¡¯t expect her to do that in public. Olivia was stunned by the p. In her memories, Chloe was a distant person who had always been cold to Olivia. No matter what, Chloe had received lessons on manners since she was young. How could she hit Olivia in public? ¨C Olivia covered her face, taking a deep breath to suppress the rage in her heart. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, I think you owe me an exnation.¡± ¡°If I had known you would turn out as shameless as this, Olivia, I wouldn¡¯t have given birth to you. I¡¯m very disappointed in you!¡± Chloe¡¯s p had ruined Olivia¡¯s good mood for the past two days. Olivia¡¯s colleagues looked on curiously. Olivia couldn¡¯t handle the embarrassment. ¡°If you have something to say, let¡¯s talk outside.¡± Chloe swept her hand away. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you scared that I¡¯ll expose what you did? I have no idea how your father raised you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve resorted to such tactics! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°He has already cut off ties with you, but you ran after him and even joined hispany!¡± Olivia understood what was going on now. Marina knew that she couldn¡¯t change Ethan¡¯s decision, so she urged Chloe to make an appearance. Chloe would shame Olivia in public. Then, Olivia would feel so embarrassed that she would leave the company on her own. This plot wasn¡¯t too cunning, but it was the most hurtful. Olivia looked at Chloe with a hurt look on her face. ¡°But you¡¯re my mother.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand it. Chloe was her biological mother, but she kept siding with Marina. Chloe knew that Marina had ruined her family, but she never scolded Marina for it. Instead, she yed along with Marina¡¯s plot and came to thepany to cause trouble. Marina must have told Chloe something. Chloe¡¯s face was filled with rage as she said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a shameless daughter like you!¡± With that, she grabbed Olivia¡¯s hair. ¡°Come with me. You shouldn¡¯t be here!¡± The people around them couldn¡¯t help even if they wanted to. They never thought that Olivia¡¯s mother would be so fierce. At that moment, they still didn¡¯t know Chloe¡¯s identity. When people from the other departments heard of this incident, they stopped working. They crowded at the entrance of the office to watch the show. ¡°Go and tell Mr. Miller that you¡¯re resigning right now. Don¡¯t you dare go out and embarrass yourself ever again.¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Olivia pushed Chloe away with all her might. Losing her bnce, Chloe fell onto the ground. She didn¡¯t make a fuss on the ground, but her words were still hurtful. Scrambling to get up, she scolded Olivia for ruining someone else¡¯s family. A few days ago, people were still spreading rumors that Olivia was involved with Ethan. Chloe¡¯s visit had proven this rumor. As Chloeined, everyone looked at Olivia in disdain. Home-wreckers were rampant these days, and many people hated them as well. Everyone whispered among themselves. Olivia could hear the horrible words they were saying. The words flew at her from all directions like piercing daggers. Those weren¡¯t the worst; the worst came from her own mother¡¯s mouth. Chloe would destroy Olivia for Marina¡¯s sake! Rumors were like knives that would steal people¡¯s lives. Olivia couldn¡¯t defend herself. Under such circumstances, anything she said would be wrong. No matter what she said, her mother¡¯s words would still win over hers. Clenching her fingers into fists, she asked Chloe a question, ¡°What good do you get out of this?¡± Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Olivia couldn¡¯t understand what Chloe was thinking. She didn¡¯t know why Chloe abandoned her and went overseas back then. She had been gone for many years. Now that she hade back, shouldn¡¯t she make it up to her poor daughter? If Chloe ruined Olivia¡¯s reputation, it would have a bad effect on her reputation as a mother too. What was she trying to do? Chloe was stunned for a moment. Then, she became even fiercer. ¡°Olivia, I told you to be a meless person. Aren¡¯t you scared of the consequences when you do these things?¡± Blood was oozing out of Olivia¡¯s clenched fists. ¡°Why should I be scared? She¡¯s the one who should be scared¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, a calm man¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, the CEO wishes to see you two.¡± News of this incident had already reached the CEO¡¯s office. Brent, who was standing respectfully at the side, led the two away. Olivia lowered her head, staring at Chloe¡¯s back. The sight wasn¡¯t much different from what she remembered. She felt pathetic. If she had known that her mother was someone like this, would she still have held onto hope as she waited for Chloe¡¯s return? Opening the door, Brent respectfully led Chloe in. ¡°Have a seat, Ma¡¯am.¡± Chloe sat down. Brent was about to ask Olivia to take a seat when Olivia interrupted him, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll stand.¡± Putting down the document in his hands, Ethan stood up. He moved swiftly. When he walked past Olivia, she felt a breeze picking up. Ethan sat down opposite Chloe. He didn¡¯t say a word, and there was cold airing from him. Be it Jeff or Chris, both had only ever shown Chloe their gentle sides. So, she wasn¡¯t used to the suppressing feelinging from someone younger than her. ¡°Ms. Parker, you should inform me beforehand if you¡¯reing to thepany. I could send someone to wee you.¡± Ethan began to boil some water for tea. He also rinsed the cups while he was at it. His movements were so skilled that he looked like a master. Chloe wasn¡¯t as arrogant as she had been just now. cing her hands on her knees, she behaved like a properdy. ¡°I had something to talk to my daughter about.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, and his tone was steady as well. His well-defined hands took the cups, rinsing them thoroughly. His movements were elegant and graceful. ¡°Ms. Parker, you can make as much fuss as you¡¯d like. Young people like us have no right to intervene. Still¡­¡± He ced the cups firmly on the table, producing a loud sound. Ethan stared at Chloe. ¡°Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for you to cause trouble at mypany?¡± Chloe could feel the majestic air of a higher-uping from him. She gulped, having never thought that a younger person could be so powerful. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m doing this for your sake. I know that Liv has been pestering you all this while. She has already gotten divorced from you, but she¡¯s still sticking to you. ¡°You¡¯re about to be engaged to Marina, so I was just trying to help you.¡± Olivia was furious. She was about to say something when Ethan spoke up before she did. ¡°Ms. Parker, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something. Ethan ced the cup in front of her. ¡°Ever since the beginning, I¡¯ve been the one pestering your daughter.¡± His words were like an invisible p delivered to Chloe¡¯s face. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. For a long while, Chloe was stunned. She stuttered as she said, ¡°How can this be? ¡°I heard that you two had a rocky rtionship. You two are divorced, too. You even have a child with Marina. I thought ¡­¡± Ethan replied, ¡°Ms. Parker, sometimes, the truth differs from what you see. Moreover, all those are just rumors. I can¡¯t interfere in your family matters, but I should remind you about something. ¡°She¡¯s your biological daughter. Why would you believe your stepdaughter instead of listening to your biological daughter?¡± Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Ethan¡¯s words struck a chord in Olivia¡¯s heart. He knew the expectations Olivia had of her mother. Chloe was the person Olivia had longed for, after all. But when Chloe came back, this was how she treated Olivia. Ethan knew how sad Olivia must have felt. But Chloe didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t like Jeff, so she treated his daughter coldly as well. Marina wasn¡¯t quite respectful to her, especially when Chris wasn¡¯t around. Marina had plotted against Chloe many times. Human nature could be terrible. People would usually show their gentlest sides to outsiders, but they treated their closest rtives with anger and hatred. Over the years, it had be a habit of Chloe¡¯s to try and please Marina. Likewise, she ignored Olivia out of habit. She didn¡¯t care about Olivia and even abandoned her without consideration. Ethan¡¯s words didn¡¯t make her reflect on her actions. She said stubbornly to him, ¡°I only know that you¡¯re getting engaged to Marina today. Your rtionship with Liv belongs to the past. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m begging you, just stay away from Ethan. Don¡¯t ruin Marina¡¯s family, please.¡± Olivia was heartbroken. She had finally regained her desire to live, but Chloe had destroyed it all. ¡°Is everything I do a mistake, Mrs. Carlton?¡± ¡°If you have a sense of shame, you¡¯d stay away from Ethan instead of working at hispany. Marina is being ridiculed because of you.¡± Olivia looked at the cold expression on Chloe¡¯s face. She remembered that when she was a young child, she would try her best to get good grades. When she showed Chloe her answer sheet with great results, Chloe would react just like this. Chloe had never cared. ¡°Oh, alright. Now wash your hands and get ready for lunch. In the afternoon, take piano lessons at home by yourself. I¡¯m going to the beauty salon.¡± Olivia had never received the praise she looked forward to. She didn¡¯t know what went wrong. Her ssmates said that every parent would love children who got good grades. ¡°So why won¡¯t Mom praise me?¡± Olivia used to wonder. She thought that she wasn¡¯t good enough, so she had to work harder. Olivia had always been a smart person. She didn¡¯t waste her talent, and she worked harder than anyone else. She received praise from everyone around her, except for Chloe. It was only at this moment that she realized something. When someone didn¡¯t like a person, they would find fault even with the person¡¯s breathing. Chloe didn¡¯t like Olivia. She even treated Olivia like a stain that caused her to betray her first love. Even if Olivia plucked the stars from the sky and presented them to Chloe, thetter would remain indifferent. She would just think that the things Olivia gave her were dirty. When Olivia was young, she could still fantasize and convince herself that Chloe must have a reason for her actions. She would tell herself that Chloe still loved her. She paid a price for growing up. She finally realized the sort of person Chloe was, and she learned that Chloe had never loved her. Marina wasn¡¯t rted to Chloe by blood, but Chloe loved and pampered her because she was the daughter of Chloe¡¯s sweetheart. Olivia raised her head, trying to hold back the tears. At that moment, her stomach acted up again. After lying low for a few days, that same spot began to ache again. Seeing that Olivia hadn¡¯t spoken a word, Chloe softened her tone. ¡°Liv, you can¡¯t me me for ying favorites. Marina hasn¡¯t been in good health since she was young. ¡°Now, she finally managed to marry the person she likes. We¡¯re family, so do this even if it¡¯s just for my sake. Please get out of this rtionship that¡¯s no longer yours. Let everyone be happy, alright?¡± Olivia sneered. ¡°Did you just say that she¡¯s not in good health?¡± ¡°Yes, Marina has insomnia. She can¡¯t sleep well most of the time. You know how important sleep is. If you don¡¯t sleep well, it¡¯ll affect your health.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Olivia took a step back, her smile heartbreaking. ¡°Hah, how badly will it affect her health? Is it lethal?¡± Chloe retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Marina will live to a ripe old age. Do you think Marina is as healthy as you? ¡°We¡¯re all family here. Why do you keep going up against her? Why can¡¯t you step aside for once?¡± Olivia was so mad that she grabbed Chloe by the cor. ¡°She can live to a ripe old age, but what about me? Do I deserve to die young? We¡¯re all humans here. Why should I step aside for her?¡± Chloe trembled in fury. Raising her hand, she brought it toward Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re so rude! Is this how you speak to your mother?¡± A hand grabbed Chloe¡¯s wrist, preventing the p from finding its target. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Olivia looked up. A strong body had appeared before her. Ethan was grabbing Chloe¡¯s hand. If he had been respectful of Chloe before, he wasn¡¯t now. He didn¡¯t bother to hide the coldness in his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going too far, Ms. Parker?¡± Chloe had always lived in a pampered environment. Ethan¡¯s grip was hurting her wrist so much that she frowned. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m helping you here. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Helping me?¡± Ethan sneered, but he didn¡¯t let go. Instead, he tightened his grip. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t like anyone meddling in my affairs, understand?¡± Chloe was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes. She nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, I get it now. Just let go of me.¡± ¡°Ms. Parker, look properly at the person in front of you. She¡¯s your real daughter!¡± With that, Ethan pushed her hand away. Two trails of tears appeared on Chloe¡¯s face. It was all because of Ethan. She looked at Olivia with an even fiercer expression. She transferred the pain Ethan caused her onto Olivia. ¡°Look, it¡¯s all your fault. If you could stay out of trouble like Marina does, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about you.¡± Putting a hand over her stomach, Olivia was so pissed that her blood boiled. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone from my life for more than a decade. Tell me, when have you ever worried about me?¡± Instead of feeling guilty, Chloe got even angrier. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re still my daughter. I think about you every day. How can you be so heartless? Goodness, how did Jeff raise you¡ª¡± This time, before Chloe could finish her sentence, Olivia grabbed a cup from the table. It was still hot to the touch. She didn¡¯t care, though. She just wished that she could just m it on Chloe. But when she aimed it at Chloe¡¯s face, she hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t mention my dad. You¡¯re not worthy!¡± Startled by Olivia¡¯s actions, Chloe couldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Y-You¡­ Are you trying to hit me?¡± ¡°If you All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. mention my dad again, this cup willnd right on your head. I mean it.¡± Putting a hand to her chest, Chloe went pale as she pointed at Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°You terrible daughter!¡± Ethan knew that Chloe had heart problems. Realizing that the situation had worsened, he pulled Olivia to the side and sat her down. ¡°Ms. Parker, drink some tea and calm down. I¡¯ll exin this matter to youter.¡± Seeing that even Chloe¡¯s lips had changed color, Olivia stopped herself from speaking. Also, she was quite interested in Ethan¡¯s exnation. Taking a sip of tea, Chloe calmed down. ¡°Ethan, forgive me for being nosy, but men should be loyal. Since you¡¯ve already chosen Marina, you should stop hesitating. It¡¯s harmful for both women.¡¯ ¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°I know that you¡¯re a devoted man. Perhaps you can¡¯t let go of Liv, and you think that you¡¯ve wronged her. ¡°You can make it up to her in other ways that won¡¯t hurt Marina. You have to understand that Liv is someone from your past now. Marina is the only woman you should spend the rest of your life with.¡± Suppressing the annoyance in his heart, Ethan let out a heavy sigh. He interrupted Chloe¡¯s words that didn¡¯t seem to end as he couldn¡¯t stand to hear them. ¡°Ms. Parker, I understand. You think that Olivia¡¯s presence will cause difort, right? Then she won¡¯t have toe to work starting tomorrow.¡± Olivia turned to look at him. ¡°What did you say?¡± Ethan said slowly, ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡± Chapter 253 Chapter 253 When Chloe heard that, her expression softened considerably. ¡°I knew it. This woman was indeed pestering you. You hear that, Liv? Now gather your things and go home with me.¡± Chloe reached out to grab Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°I was a little worked up just now, so don¡¯t take my words to heart. I¡¯m doing this for your good. ¡°Since you¡¯re already divorced, you shouldpletely cut ties with him. Clinging on will only hurt everyone¡­¡± Olivia pushed her hand away. ¡°You¡¯re right, you shouldpletely cut ties after a divorce. When your ex-husband is about to die on the sick bed, you don¡¯t have to visit him-not even once.¡± Chloe froze. When she thought about it, she truly hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to visit Jeff since her return. ¡°Are you ming me? When I came back, your dad was in the ICU, so outsiders weren¡¯t allowed to visit.¡± Olivia found her exnation pathetic. ¡°Ms. Parker, I¡¯m seriously doubting your sincerity. When the Parker family was almost going bankrupt, Dad was the one who saved them. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to marry him, so he waited for you. But when you did marry him, you did it reluctantly. You even thought of that marriage as a disgrace. ¡°But what has my dad done against you? Once your true love returned, you left without a trace. But even now, my dad has never married another woman. ¡°You canin about anyone in this world, but you have no right toin about my dad.¡± Olivia¡¯s words caused Chloe¡¯s face to redden. Olivia was just one step away from calling Chibe an ingrate. With that, Olivia looked at Ethan. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why did you fire me?¡± Ethan looked at her coldly. ¡°Because you caused quite a lot of trouble in the few days you were here. You¡¯ve affected thepany¡¯s image. Miller Group doesn¡¯t need an employee like you. ¡°I¡¯ll ask HR to pay you three times your sry, as per the contract. You can go downstairs and eattle it now.¡± Olivia was frustrated. She was so close to figuring out the truth, but this had to happen. Also, she had just said that she had nothing to do with Ethan. She couldn¡¯t plead with him to change his mind. Ethan studied her expression. She looked like she was holding something back. He said with intention, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want?¡± Olivia clenched her fists, then let go in the end. ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± Now that Chloe¡¯s goal was achieved, she instantly turned gentle again. ¡°Liv, tell me if you need money. The Carltons have a lot of assets. If there¡¯s anything you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll have it arranged for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worthy.¡± Olivia nodded slightly at Ethan, then left without looking back. When Olivia went back to Team C, everyone looked at her with curious gazes. Some even looked like they were eager for gossip. Seeing that Olivia was gathering her things, Norma didn¡¯t mock her for once. ¡°Are you leaving, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have many things in the first ce, so she was done in a few minutes. Norma saw her off at the entrance. ¡°Ms. Fordham, why don¡¯t you talk it over with Mr. Miller? You¡¯re such an excellent employee. How can he fire you just like that?¡± Olivia knew what Norma was thinking. She had finally gotten on Olivia¡¯s good side, but Olivia was already leaving. The efforts she put in had gone to waste. But Olivia still had some use for Norma, so her attitude was gentle. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll be back.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. With the shares she currently owned, she was one of the biggest shareholders of Miller Group. When she came back next time, she would be attending the shareholders¡¯ meeting. Olivia revealed the information to Norma so that Norma could keep working for her. ¡°Now that my mom has caused a ruckus here, Mr. Miller has to avoid suspicion somehow. You know how it is.¡± Norma instantly understood. ¡°Oh, yes. Mr. Miller is about to get engaged, so he doesn¡¯t want any rumors to spread. Hang in there, Ms. Fordham. ¡°Mr. Miller pampers you so much. You won¡¯t have to worry.¡¯ Olivia said, troubled, ¡°But I¡¯m worried about the case with Jackson¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham. Leave it to me. I¡¯ll investigate this matter for you. We¡¯ll see who¡¯s the wretch that¡¯s trying to harm you.¡± Olivia patted Norma on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± It wasn¡¯t like the teasing from before. Norma could already see herself at the height of her life just by clinging to Olivia ¡°I promise that I¡¯llplete my mission.¡± Olivia made a gesture of zipping her mouth. Norma immediately replied with an ¡°OK¡± gesture. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Olivia walked toward the elevator with her cardboard box in hand. An imposing woman walked toward her. The woman was the leader of Team B. The woman crossed her arms as a look of disdain appeared on her face. ¡°What did I say? The position you get from sleeping around won¡¯tst. People showed their ugliest sides to those they had never talked to before. With just a few words, they could show the greatest malice toward strangers. ra was one such person. Olivia achieved something she couldn¡¯t. So, she tried to harm Olivia on several asions. Olivia was mad at the moment. Straightening herself, she retorted, ¡°Did you forget to brush your teeth before leaving the house today? It stinks.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ra¡¯s sleek eyebrows creased as the look in her eyes turned sharp. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Olivia met her gaze coldly. ¡°Of all the skills you could pick up, you decided to have a sharp and nasty tongue. Do I even know you? Why do you keep insulting me? ¡°Can you hear me this time? If not, I¡¯ll get someone to carve my words on your tombstone.¡± ra was a team leader, after all. She had never met a newbie who talked to her like this. Her expression instantly changed. Olivia couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. Shoving her aside, Olivia went inside the elevator. When Olivia left the building, even the weather was bad. It was supposed to be a sunny day, but it suddenly started raining. Olivia turned around to look at the building that reached the skies. She knew that he was looking at her through the floor-to- ceiling windows on the top floor. She couldn¡¯t see his figure from that height. It felt like a barrier that kept them apart. Since the beginning, they weren¡¯t meant for each other. Olivia smiled. Love was wonderful because it pushed all the troubles and problems onto mar Marriage was no more than a scattered mess. She came alone, and she would leave just like that as well. For the next few days, Olivia¡¯s life slowed down. Every day, she would spend long hours staying by Jeff¡¯s side. Her treatment n was ready as well. After her surgery, she would have to go through two cycles of chemo and 28 rounds of radiation therapy. Dr. Scott pushed the sses on his nose as he exined patiently to her, ¡°Ms. Fordham, even though your condition isn¡¯t great, your body tolerates medication well. ¡°After all, just one round of chemo yielded amazing effects. You just need to strengthen your body a little after the surgery. Then, your chances of surviving the next five years will increase.¡± For cancer patients, five years was a critical period. If they didn¡¯t rpse within five years after the treatment, they could rx and take it easy. ¡°When is the surgery?¡± Dr. Scott replied, ¡°This Friday. Our hospital was originallycking in resources to deal with tumors. But Dr. Rogers had asked that you be treated well, after all. ¡°Moreover, your condition can¡¯t afford any dys, so we managed to adjust the schedule for you.¡± Olivia mumbled, ¡°Friday¡­ It was also the day of Ethan and Marina¡¯s engagement.¡± ¡°Is there a problem, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Here are some things you should look out for. Please be careful for the next few days.¡± Dr. Scott gave her a few sheets of paper. As if remembering something, he asked, ¡°I heard that your father is staying in the hospital as well. ¡°When the timees, you¡¯ll need a family member to sign the risk acknowledgment letter. Who will be signing for you, Ms. Fordham?¡± Chloe¡¯s face shed across Olivia¡¯s mind. She suppressed the bitterness welling up in her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t have any family. Are friends okay?¡± ¡°It would be best if it¡¯s a direct rtive or a lover. You¡¯re married, right? What about your husband?¡± ¡°I¡¯m divorced.¡± ¡°Then- ¡± Olivia interrupted coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t have an ex-husband. I¡¯m a widow.¡± Dr. Scott touched his nose awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing up a hard past. ¡± There wasn¡¯t an expression on Olivia¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t look sad at all. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m quite happy that he died.¡± Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Olivia and Dr. Scott confirmed the time. The surgery would be held on that Friday. Holding an umbre, Olivia watched the rain as she dialed Everly¡¯s number. Everly sounded exhausted. As soon as the call went through, she startedining. ¡°Goodness, I¡¯ve been staying up for two nights in a row. What¡¯s wrong with the new boss? What a workaholic.¡± -Covering her mouth, Olivia chuckled. ¡°I remember you telling me how handsome he was just a few days ago.¡± ¡°So what if he is? He¡¯s not my boyfriend, anyway. I shouldn¡¯t have switched jobs. It wasn¡¯t too bad to laze around in my previouspany.¡± || After Everly broke up, Josh went to her previouspany every day to beg for forgiveness. In her fury, Everly resigned from her job. She didn¡¯t want to work for people anymore. Declining Ethan¡¯s offer, she went to work at an outstanding real estatepany. As a result, she cursed her boss every day for being nitpicky. He was extremely harsh toward his employees. ¡°By the way, Eve, are you free this Friday?¡± ¡°Nope. The exploiter wants me to go on a business trip with him to Belford. What¡¯s up?¡± Olivia knew that Everly strived for strength. She seemed to be cursing her boss, but in reality, she wanted to make it big in life. She was currently in a period of growth in her job. Of course, she would have to focus on work. Olivia swallowed the words she was about to say. ¡°Nothing, I just wanted to invite you to a meal. Maybe next time.¡± ¡°Sure. We have all the time in the world, anyway. I¡¯ll bring back local snacks from Belford for you, Liv.¡± Everly didn¡¯t say much before hanging up. She was asked to revise the proposal again. Smiling, Olivia bade her goodbye. Olivia looked at the blurry view in the rain. Reaching out, she felt the raindrops on her palm. The cool moisture gave her a sense of reality. She felt like she was truly alive. Like a child with no home to return to, Olivia crouched under the tree. She hugged her knees as she looked at the busy street. The world was so huge, but she couldn¡¯t find anyone to sign the letter for her. Drops of rain rolled down her umbre, sshing into the little puddle in front of her. A huge screen opposite her showed the venue for Ethan¡¯s engagement ceremony. It was a cherry field, and cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Ethan would be weing his bride in his suit and leather shoes. Meanwhile, Olivia would be lying on the operating table, wishing she were dead. Olivia flipped through the call records on her phone. Her gaze paused for a moment when she saw the contactbeled as ¡°Mom Chloe¡¯s face filled her thoughts as she recalled what Chloe had said before. ¡°Marina will live to a ripe old age. Do you think Marina is as healthy as you? ¡°Marina hasn¡¯t been in good health since she was young. ¡°Now, she finally managed to marry the person she likes. Please get out of this rtionship that¡¯s no longer yours. Let everyone be happy, alright?¡± Olivia spread open her palms. There were still marks from her nails digging into her skin. She suddenly felt a prickle in her nose. Her dad was lying on a sick bed, while her mom didn¡¯t even think of her as her daughter. The man who once swore to protect her for life was soon about to take another woman as his bride. She was left alone. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Looking at the rain pelting above her, she wished she could just die. Chloe¡¯s p had shattered her desire to survive, which Olivia took great pains to regain. A seed would take decades to grow into a big tree, but it took only a moment for a big tree to be destroyed. A single sentence could easily destroy all the effort she had put in to scramble out of the mud. Realizing that she was being negative, Olivia shook her head. She had to stay alive. As long as the mastermind wasn¡¯t captured, she mustn¡¯t die. She wouldn¡¯t die. She wiped her tears frantically. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone getting out of a car that had pulled up. A pair of luxurious handmade leather shoes stepped on the concrete. Someone was walking toward her. Olivia looked up in hope, but she was met with a pained gaze. ¡°Olivia, are you lost?¡± A look of disappointment shed across Olivia¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Colin didn¡¯t look like he noticed the disappointment in Olivia¡¯s eyes. He reached out to her. ¡°I was passing by when I spotted you, Olivia. Did you get lost, or did you sprain your ankle?¡± Declining his offer to help, Olivia got up on her own. Then, she smiled helplessly. ¡°I was just thinking about something. I stopped here without realizing it.¡± ¡°My house is nearby. If you don¡¯t mind, Olivia, you can go visit Snowball. Snowball misses you.¡± Because of this reason, Olivia couldn¡¯t bring herself to decline. The warm interior of the car formed a stark contrast to the cold outside. Colin passed to Olivia an untouched cup of coffee. ¡°I was thinking of drinking it when I got home. Here, it¡¯ll warm you up.¡±. Olivia looked down. It was spiced coffee. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No need for thanks.¡± Smiling, Colin turned the steering wheel with one hand. Olivia felt that something was off. She had the feeling that the spiced coffee was bought specially for her, and he didn¡¯t run into her by ident. But the youth¡¯s expression was honest. He didn¡¯t look like he was nning anything. Olivia chased away the unrealistic imaginations in her head. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, Olivia?¡± Holding the warm spiced coffee, Olivia took a sip. ¡°I was just thinking that time flies. The kid from back then is all grown up now.¡± The innocence and baby fat was gone from his face. His firm jawline had a smooth contour that revealed a hint of sharpness. It waspletely smooth-shaven, though. As he turned the steering wheel, the watch on his wrist glittered. It was a weird feeling. Colin had the innocence of youth mixed in with the maturity of an adult. The two seemingly c harmony when it came to him. He pulled up by the road, smiling. ¡°Wait for me, Olivia.¡± With that, he dashed into the heavy rain. Ten minutester, he came back with shopping bags. There were fresh fruits and also a change of women¡¯s clothing. styles existed in Stuffing the bags into Olivia¡¯s arms, he exined smilingly, ¡°Olivia, I noticed that the hem of your skirt was wet just now. I bought some clothes, but I eyeballed the size. ¡°If they¡¯re the wrong size, you¡¯ll have to put up with them. ¡°Also, here are some freshly cut fruits. You can eat some in case you feel hungry.¡± Olivia was stunned as she looked at the youth¡¯s drenched body. The young man¡¯s expression froze. ¡°Do you not like them, Olivia?¡± She held the bags, shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s been a while since thest time someone was this nice to me.¡± Colin was stunned for an instant. Then, he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll treat you well in the future, Olivia.¡± The car came to a stop. It was only then that she noticed something. Colin lived somewhere near the Fordham residence, If she gazed in the direction of Fordham residence from here, she could see the flowering tree. It was poking out of the walls around the yard. Colin opened the gates of his house. The small yard was quite minimalistic. White stones formed a simple path in the yard while water flowed gently in the fountain. There were a few cherry trees in the yard, and their petals were scattered all over the ground. Before Olivia could admire the scenery, she heard a familiar meow. A white figure leaped into her arms. There was a small cut on the white cat¡¯s ears. A mouse had bitten her when she was young. Olivia patted Snowball¡¯s fluffy head as both sorrow and joy filled her heart. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for losing you.¡± Snowball rubbed against her cheek with a meow. Olivia recalled the time she had spent with Snowball. Snowball was an old cat that had lived for more than a decade. She had stayed with Olivia for almost two-thirds of her life. They used to be inseparable. Because she had gotten married, she drifted away from Snowball. Now, Olivia rarely got to see the cat. Stepping forward, Colin held an umbre over Olivia¡¯s head. ¡°Olivia, let¡¯s get out of the rain. Snowball won¡¯t be leaving, so you have all the time in the world to y with her.¡± Olivia thought, ¡°All the time in the world?¡± She smiled self-mockingly. The surgery couldn¡¯t cure herpletely. Also, she had seen the clinical evidence. Many people experienced their cancer cells spreading even faster after the surgery. She had no idea whether death or tomorrow woulde first. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. To her, every day was herst day in this world. She smiled gently. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go in, then.¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Olivia felt that human hearts were quite simple. Colin¡¯s cooking managed to heal the hurt she received from Ethan and Chloe. The more she needed love, the easier she was touched by small acts of kindness. In the end, Colin still noticed her sorrow. He asked, ¡°Olivia, is there something you¡¯re upset about?¡± ¡°I need to undergo surgery, but when I look back in my life, I realize that I have no one to sign the risk acknowledgment letter for me. Am I a failure?¡± Olivia spoke nonchntly, but a pained look shed across Colin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Olivia, everyone has a different definition of failure. To me, you¡¯re an outstanding woman, so you¡¯re not a failure. An unhappy marriage can only be a mistake at most. ¡°But we have long lives. No one can predict the future and avoid making mistakes.¡± Olivia frowned a little. ¡°You know about what happened to me?¡± ¡°Back on the cruise, I knew that Mr. Miller was holding you. I was among the crowd at the hospital that day, so I overheard your fight. Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop.¡± Olivia smiled helplessly. No wonder he took so long to get food. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s the truth, after all.¡± Colin ced a dessert in front of her. ¡°Olivia, if you don¡¯t mind, I can sign the letter for you. What surgery are you getting?¡± Olivia said lightly, ¡°Stomach removal surgery.¡± The calmness in Colin¡¯s expression was disturbed. ¡°Olivia, are you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think it is.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡± ¡°How can it be? You¡¯re so young. How could you get a terminal illness like that?¡± Seeing his panicked expression, Olivia reached out and patted his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Colin. I¡¯ve prepared myself. ¡°Also, it¡¯s not as bad as you think it is. I went through chemo once, and it was very effective.¡± The young man¡¯s face was like a sheet of paper. His emotions were written clearly on his face. His pale face was filled with worry. The corners of his eyes reddened as he choked. ¡°You¡¯re the nicest person in the world, Olivia. You¡¯ll be okay.¡± In reality, she was a little pessimistic. But her words had turned into words offort instead. ¡°Yes, I think so too.¡± ¡°Olivia¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Olivia mumbled. No one knew if she was convincing Colin orforting herself. For the next few days, she prepared herself ording to the doctor¡¯s instructions. She cut off almost all contact with the outside world. She even paused her investigation into Jackson¡¯s matter. She didn¡¯t want these unrted things to affect her mood. The only person she was worried about was Jack. His phone had been turned off ever since he left. There was no news of him even now, and no one knew if he was dead or alive. The weather had been nicetely. Seagulls soared above the sea, and the cherry trees in the residential area had bloomed. Olivia would go downstairs for a walk sometimes. It seemed to be raining petals, and the scenery was breathtaking to watch. She would subconsciously think of Ethan and Marina¡¯s engagement ceremony. It would definitely be extremely luxurious and beautiful. Since that day, Ethan never came to visit. They finally returned to their respective lives. Even though she consciously avoided any news of them, she could still hear rumors about them from passersby. Ethan was the perfect man in their eyes. When the women discussed in excitement how nice he was to Marina, Olivia walked past them calmly. It was as if she didn¡¯t know the subjects of their conversation. Opening her palm, Olivia caught a petal in her hand. She thought that the cherry trees on the ind must be in bloom as well. Sensing someone watching her from behind, Olivia turned around warily. She met a pair of dark eyes that contained a lingering hint of emotion. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Ethan stared quietly at Olivia. She hadn¡¯t done anything out of the ordinary in the past few days. The most she did was spend long hours at the hospital a few days ago. Jeff was getting weaker by the day. It was only reasonable for Olivia to want to spend as much time with him as possible. For the past few days, she didn¡¯t go anywhere outside of the residential area. Everly didn¡¯te over either. She was wearing a beigece dress. The breeze caressed her face as flower petals danced around her. She was exceedingly beautiful. Ethan realized how gentle Olivia could be when she kept her distance from him. Olivia looked him in the eye from a distance away. She nodded in ce of a greeting. Then, she left without even turning back. Ethan felt upset. He had made a decision and given her a promise, but he kept breaking his own rules for Olivia¡¯s sake. Seeing that she was about to leave, he stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. Olivia looked at him calmly, then sounded a warning. ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan was wearing his usual suit and leather shoes, but his tie was a little lopsided. A strand of his usually neat hair hung on his forehead. This wasn¡¯t like him. He was getting engaged tomorrow. Logically speaking, he should be on cloud nine at the moment. ¡°So why does he look so sad?¡± Olivia wondered. Ethan gulped. ¡°I just feel uneasy.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He knew he shouldn¡¯te looking for Olivia, but the uneasiness had been gnawing at him for days. ¡°Oh.¡± Olivia blinked, then looked calmly at him. The sky darkened, and the streetlights above them quietly turned on. His tall figure was bathed in the light from the streetlights. The calmness was gone from his face. ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know why he had that feeling. Thest time he felt this uneasiness was two years ago, the day before Olivia fell into the ocean. He felt that something was about to happen. Olivia looked up into his eyes. Her voice was quiet as she said, ¡°No. Can you let go of me, Mr. Miller?¡± Her face seemed to be covered in fog. He couldn¡¯t figure out her true thoughts. ¡°After all, I don¡¯t want your fianc¨¦e to misunderstand.¡± ¡°If¡­¡± Ethan hesitantly spoke up. ¡°If you need anything, you can tell me.¡± ¡°I need a man. Will you give me that?¡± Olivia smiled, watching Ethan¡¯s expression turn cold. ¡°See? If you can¡¯t do it, don¡¯t make promises so casually. Mr. Miller, you probably don¡¯t understand this. But the higher your hopes are, the bigger your disappointment will be.¡± Reaching out, she pried his fingers off her wrist. ¡°You once said that I¡¯m the only woman in your life, but in the end, you didn¡¯t keep your word.¡± ¡°1¡­¡± When Ethan¡¯sst finger was pried away, Olivia turned her back to him. ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t talk to me anymore. My life has nothing to do with you anymore.¡± With that, Olivia ran into the distance. The petals seemed to be raining down, drowning her figure bit by bit. Ethan wanted to run after her, but he suddenly realized that he had lost even the right to go after her. He thought, ¡°What can I say even if I catch up to her? Can I change anything in the end?¡± He put a hand to his chest, where his heart was throbbing. ¡°Why do I still feel so uneasy?¡± he wondered. Olivia ran into the elevator and then pressed the button to her floor. She gasped heavily for air. ¡°Things have alreadye to this point. Why did hee here despite that?¡± she thought. When the elevator doors opened with a ding, she slowly walked out. She saw someone standing at the entrance of her home. Olivia only nced at the person before turning around and going back into the elevator. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t go.¡± Chapter 259 Chapter 259 The person standing at the door was none other than Chloe. She was once the person Olivia longed the most for, but now, even a nce at her hurt Olivia¡¯s heart. Ethan was simply getting engaged. But because of that, Olivia managed to meet all the people she didn¡¯t want to see in one go. ¡°Liv, just give me five minutes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting even five seconds.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression was cold. Coincidentally, a neighbor was leaving their house, Olivia didn¡¯t want to be criticized, so she had no choice but to open the door and let Chloe in. This was Chloe¡¯s first timeing to Olivia¡¯s house after returning to the country. If it were before, Olivia would¡¯ve weed her with open arms. But today, she didn¡¯t do that. She changed her shoes calmly, then got a ss of water for herself. Her throat was dry. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Chloe looked around her. The apartment wasn¡¯t too big. She could see the whole ce in just a nce, ¡°Liv, I heard from Marina that she bought the Fordham residence for you. Why didn¡¯t you move back? This ce is so small. How can you live here?¡± Olivia put down her ss. There were so many faults with that sentence that she didn¡¯t know where to start. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Right, you¡¯ve always been a pampereddy since you were young. You live in mansions and wear branded clothing, you go ces in luxury vehicles. ¡°In your eyes, a small apartment like this is more like a rescue station. You¡¯re not me, so how would you know what I¡¯ve experienced?¡± Hastily stepping forward, Chloe took Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Liv, the Fordhams aren¡¯t the greatest family in the country. But you nevercked anything since young ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Fordhams would go bankrupt. If I did, I would¡¯ve brought you with me. Olivia quickly took her hand away, she knew that Chloe had never had a hard day in her life. Nothing she said could make Chloe understand ¡°Quilt pretending Tell me, why are you here? Let me guess, it has something to do with Marina, doesn¡¯t it?¡± It was quite pathetic when she thought about it. Every time her mother came looking for her, it was always about her stepdaughter. Chloe men¡¯t good at hiding her emotions. An award look shed across her face ¡°I¡¯m here to apologize to you for what happenedst time. I know I went too far, but you have to consider my situation. ¡°In reality, in all those years I was married to Chris, he was good to me. But Marina never thought of me as her mother Even Mr. Carlton Senior didn¡¯t like me. I had a terrible time in that family¡± Chlox styghed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m selfish or anything. You and Ethan are already divorced. If you keep getting involved with him, I¡¯ll affect your reputation too. ¡°I¡¯m doing this to help Marina so that she won¡¯t criticize me again. I¡¯m also helping you at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re all young, so you¡¯ll meet someone even better. You need topletely break off your previous rtionship Olivia thought, ¡°And she¡¯s saying that she¡¯s not selfish? Should I make a sign with the word ¡®selfish¡¯ and hang it around her She was so mad that she could onlyugh in exasperation. ¡°You sacrificed your biological daughter¡¯s reputation for the sake of your so called happines ¡°You did it just to maintain your position in that family. Amazing. ¡°1 Chloe replied, ¡°Liv, you¡¯re still young, so you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m facing. I¡¯m doing this for your good. You lost Ethan, but you still have the Carltons. ¡°The Carltons have a widework. No matter what you want to do in the future, they can help you.¡± Olivia retorted, ¡°So I should thank you?¡± Chloe didn¡¯t notice the sarcasm in Olivia¡¯s voice. ¡°If you talk to Chris more often, you¡¯ll find that he¡¯s a good person. Liv, he earnestly wants to be your dad.¡± Olivia held a hand against her stomach. Noticing her silence, Chloe rattled on. ¡°The Carltons wee your arrival. It¡¯s Marina and Ethan¡¯s engagement ceremony tomorrow. Attend the ceremony as her sister and give the couple your blessing, okay?¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Olivia didn¡¯t know how Chris managed to charm Chloe. She thought, ¡°She¡¯s already so old, so how can she still be so naive?¡± She replied, ¡°Why should I bless them? Marina is the reason I ended up like this today. I haven¡¯t even made her pay for what she¡¯s done to me, but I¡¯m supposed to give her my blessing now? What¡¯s the logic behind this?¡± Chloe said, ¡°I also heard about what happened between you two. Liv, what happened to your child was an ident. ¡°Marina also fell into the sea, and she almost ended up like you. But she was fortunate enough to have given birth to the child. You can¡¯t me her.¡± Olivia knew that Marina had been spinning tales in front of Chloe again. No matter what Marina said, Chloe would believe her and reprimand Olivia instead. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, your generosity knows no bounds. Have you considered doing charity work?¡± Chloe said in exasperation, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sincerely inviting you to attend their engagement ceremony. What¡¯s with your attitude? Why are you still holding on at this point? ¡°Can¡¯t you be a good girl so that I can stop worrying about you?¡± Every word Chloe said was like salt rubbed into Olivia¡¯s wound. Sadly, Chloe didn¡¯t know how much Olivia suffered. She even kept rubbing it in, hurting Olivia even more. Marina had won by andslide. She not only got the man, but even Olivia¡¯s mother had taken her side as well. Olivia didn¡¯t want to exin any further. She asked lightly, ¡°Tell me. If Marina and I were in danger, and only one of us would survive, who would you choose?¡± ¡°You, of course. You¡¯re my daughter. Everything I do is for your good.¡± Chloe sighed. ¡°You might think that my words are foul, but I¡¯m truly doing all this so that you can be happier. You were once a part of me, after all. I truly love you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s not like Marina and I have opposing views, but you can¡¯t ask us to get along with each other. Getting out of each other¡¯s path is the only way we can coexist. ¡°I hope this is thest time I see you,¡± Olivia said. ¡°Liv, I-¡± ¡°Please leave, Mrs. Carlton. There¡¯s nothing more to say between us. We simply have different principles.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t mad. Instead, she treated Chloe in the coldest way possible. Seeing that Olivia refused to speak any further, Chloe could only sigh. She ced the gift she brought Olivia on the dining table. Then, she left. The gift box contained a teddy phone watch. It was no use to Olivia now. But more than a decade ago, she made a promise with her mother. If she got first ce in the finals, her mother had to buy her the popr teddy phone watch. On the day the results were released, her mother left with another man. Olivia looked at the teddy phone watch from more than ten years ago. She hadplicated feelings in her heart. She charged the watch, then wore it on her slender wrist. That night, she felt like a satisfied child. She kept caressing the watch as she slowly fell asleep The sun rose, and it was a new day again. She had to go to the hospital early in the morning for various examinations. Olivia looked at the sun shining brightly outside and cheered herself up. She was determined to get better. After gathering her stuff, she was about to go out when a familiar number shed on the screen of her phone. Olivia paused. The contact name read ¡°Ryan Woods¡±. Olivia didn¡¯t know how Chris managed to charm Chloe. She thought, ¡°She¡¯s already so old, so how can she still be so naive?¡± She replied, ¡°Why should I bless them? Marina is the reason I ended up like this today. I haven¡¯t even made her pay for what she¡¯s done to me, but I¡¯m supposed to give her my blessing now? What¡¯s the logic behind this?¡± Chloe said, ¡°I also heard about what happened between you two. Liv, what happened to your child was an ident. ¡°Marina also fell into the sea, and she almost ended up like you. But she was fortunate enough to have given birth to the child. You can¡¯t me her.¡± Olivia knew that Marina had been spinning tales in front of Chloe again. No matter what Marina said, Chloe would believe her and reprimand Olivia instead. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, your generosity knows no bounds. Have you considered doing charity work?¡± Chloe said in exasperation, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sincerely inviting you to attend their engagement ceremony. What¡¯s with your attitude? Why are you still holding on at this point? ¡°Can¡¯t you be a good girl so that I can stop worrying about you?¡± Every word Chloe said was like salt rubbed into Olivia¡¯s wound. Sadly, Chloe didn¡¯t know how much Olivia suffered. She even kept rubbing it in, hurting Olivia even more. Marina had won by andslide. She not only got the man, but even Olivia¡¯s mother had taken her side as well. Olivia didn¡¯t want to exin any further. She asked lightly, ¡°Tell me. If Marina and I were in danger, and only one of us would survive, who would you choose?¡± ¡°You, of course. You¡¯re my daughter. Everything I do is for your good.¡± Chloe sighed. ¡°You might think that my words are foul, but I¡¯m truly doing all this so that you can be happier. You were once a part of me, after all. I truly love you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s not like Marina and I have opposing views, but you can¡¯t ask us to get along with each other. Getting out of each other¡¯s path is the only way we can coexist. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I hope this is thest time I see you,¡± Olivia said. ¡°Liv, I-¡± ¡°Please leave, Mrs. Carlton. There¡¯s nothing more to say between us. We simply have different principles.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t mad. Instead, she treated Chloe in the coldest way possible. Seeing that Olivia refused to speak any further, Chloe could only sigh. She ced the gift she brought Olivia on the dining table. Then, she left. The gift box contained a teddy phone watch. It was no use to Olivia now. But more than a decade ago, she made a promise with her mother. If she got first ce in the finals, her mother had to buy her the popr teddy phone watch. On the day the results were released, her mother left with another man. Olivia looked at the teddy phone watch from more than ten years ago. She hadplicated feelings in her heart. She charged the watch, then wore it on her slender wrist. That night, she felt like a satisfied child. She kept caressing the watch as she slowly fell asleep The sun rose, and it was a new day again. She had to go to the hospital early in the morning for various examinations. Olivia looked at the sun shining brightly outside and cheered herself up. She was determined to get better. After gathering her stuff, she was about to go out when a familiar number shed on the screen of her phone. Olivia paused. The contact name read ¡°Ryan Woods¡±. Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Olivia had also thought about talking to Ryan these days. She could continue the investigation through his case. But she feared that it might alert the mastermind, so she never took action. She didn¡¯t expect Ryan to reach out to her first. Olivia pressed the button to answer the call. ¡°Hello, Ryan.¡± ¡°Ms. Fordham, where are you right now? You asked me to investigate Jodie, remember? I found something!¡± Ryan¡¯s voice sounded anxious, and there was no trace of him faking it. Olivia probed, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Jodie¡¯s phone! But it¡¯s already broken. I remember you being interested, so I¡¯m calling to ask if you want it.¡± ¡°I heard that her original home has been rented to someone else. Her body was found in the ocean. Where did the phonee from? If it¡¯s already broken, how can you be sure that it¡¯s Jodie¡¯s?¡± Olivia was smart, and she soon found the key point. Ryan thought that she wouldtch onto the clue without hesitation. He didn¡¯t expect her to figure out the w so soon. While Ryan was stunned, Olivia spoke up. ¡°Ryan, I don¡¯t know what your goal is, but my dad funded your studies. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be where you are today without him. I don¡¯t ask you to repay his kindness, but can you not bite the hand that fed you?¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Ryan clicked his tongue. ¡°As expected, you¡¯ve already caught on.¡± Olivia remembered what Jack said to her. He told her not to do anything reckless and to wait for his return. Today was Ethan¡¯s engagement ceremony. What was the mastermind trying to do by baiting her at that moment? ¡°Ryan, I don¡¯t know who you work for, but you should listen to your conscience. ¡°If you¡¯re doing this for money, I can pay you double if you work with me. I can offer you more double if you want.¡± Ryan replied, ¡°Alright then. Come to Silent Coffee. We¡¯ll talk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy today, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t go. If you truly have a clue, let¡¯s meet another time. For the reward, you can ask for as much money as you want.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re noting, then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to discuss. Ms. Fordham, you won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Olivia was about to say something when the call ended. She closed her eyes. By the looks of it, she couldn¡¯t keep things under wraps anymore. The mastermind was trying to challenge her head-on. They had stopped ying nice today. Olivia was exasperated. ¡°Why today, of all days?¡± she thought. She had a feeling that something big was about to happen. She had already left Ethan alone and distanced herself as much as possible. That person should¡¯ve given up by now, but they didn¡¯t. Fortunately, before Jack left, she had arranged for someone to protect Jeff. Their sry was a bit high, but at least Jeff was safe. While it was true that Jeff would be safe, Olivia was in danger. Olivia didn¡¯t take the bait from Ryan, so there must be another bait waiting for her. But she had to have surgery today. ¡°What do I do?¡± Olivia wondered. She stared at the door, feeling like everything beyond the door was dangerous. Before she realized it, her palms were sweating. Taking out her phone, she subconsciously wanted to talk to someone. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t even realize that the first person she tried to call was Ethan. It was a terrible move. She hastily tried to end the call. Just a second before she pressed the button, his clear voice rang out from the other end of the line. Ethan had picked up right away! ¡°Hello.¡± His low voice reached Olivia¡¯s ears. Olivia was stunned. She never thought that he would answer her call right away, not on this day. After a long period of silence, Ethan said in annoyance, ¡°Say something.¡± Olivia thought, ¡°Say something? What should I say? Do I ask for some of his men to protect me?¡± She had said to him just a few days ago that they shouldn¡¯t talk to each other anymore.¡± If she spoke to him on the day of his engagement ceremony, he would think that she was looking for attention. Olivia quickly came to her senses and said, ¡°Happy engagement.¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 They weren¡¯t talking in person. But Olivia felt like the atmosphere between them was extremely awkward. Ethan¡¯s voice was filled with dissatisfaction. ¡°Is that all you wanted to say?¡± She had already spoken, so it was toote to take back her words. Calming herself, Olivia said, ¡°Yes. We¡¯re not strangers, after all. I feel like I should congratte you on a day like this.¡± Ethan gritted his teeth. ¡°Thanks.¡± With that, he hung up. Listening to the beepsing from her phone, Olivia sighed helplessly. He was the one who was getting engaged, but he behaved as if she was forcing him to be engaged. He sounded so reluctant. She wouldn¡¯t tell Ethan about this, or it would ruin his engagement ceremony. Not just Marina, but even Chloe would annoy her to no end. Just then, Colin happened to call her. Olivia felt like she had seen the light. ¡°Colin.¡± ¡°Good morning, Olivia.¡± ¡°Can youe over and pick me up?¡± Olivia carefully asked for help. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m already on my way. I¡¯ll be at the entrance of your residential area in a minute.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Checking the surveince camera, Olivia made sure that there was no danger outside. Then, she grabbed her stuff and dashed out, getting into the elevator right away. There were usually people getting in and out of the elevator. It only took a few minutes, so the mastermind wouldn¡¯t be that bold. Watching the number on the elevator decrease, Olivia grew even uneasier. ¡°Eight, seven, six¡­¡± Olivia gripped her phone tightly. Colin sent her a message, telling her that he was already at the er He even sent her an emoji. Then, he told her to take her time gathering her things, as it was still e.. The cute emoji on the screen made Olivia rx a little. A faint smile appeared on her lips. When she looked up, she realized that the elevator didn¡¯t stop on the first floor. But she knew that she had already pressed the button for the first floor. Yet the elevator was still descending. An uneasy feeling invaded her heart. ¡°Did someone do something to the elevator?¡± she thought. She sent Colin a voice message right away. ¡°Colin, I¡¯m in the elevator. Something went wrong with it. I think someone messed with it.¡± She had just finished speaking when the elevator doors opened. When Olivia saw the person standing at the door, her expression shifted. She tried to close the doors in a frenzy. Colin listened to the voice message from Olivia. In the closed space, the woman¡¯s voice was trembling. She was in extreme fear. Turning off the engine, he got out of the car. Another voice message was sent to his phone. It was a man¡¯s voice. ¡°Ms. Fordham, I told you that you won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Right after that, Colin heard Olivia¡¯s cries for help. ¡°Help! Call the police!¡± When Colin dialed Olivia¡¯s number, the call didn¡¯t go through. ¡°Olivia!¡± When Colin arrived at the scene, the elevator was empty. There was no one around. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Crouching down, he found shattered pieces of a phone. He could see that the tempered ss on Olivia¡¯s phone was broken. Olivia was already taken away from the basement parking lot! ¡°Damn it!¡± After hanging up on Olivia, Ethan angrily tossed his phone to the side. ¡°She¡¯s getting better at provoking me,¡± he thought. ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s time. The helicopter is on stand-by. We¡¯re going to the ind soon,¡± Brent urged. Looking at the azure sky, Ethan took a deep breath. Brent didn¡¯t know what he was thinking about. Only Ethan knew that the uneasiness had been gnawing at him for days. When he woke up this morning, it grew even stronger. He kept feeling like something was about to happen. But he had just heard Olivia¡¯s voice over the phone, and she sounded fine. ¡°What¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡± he thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He boarded the helicopter. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Olivia woke up, regaining consciousness. She had a splitting headache. In the elevator, someone had covered her nose and mouth with a drugged handkerchief. The effects of the drug still lingered. Olivia felt weak and sore all over her body. Her eyes were covered with a thick piece of ck cloth. She couldn''t see any light at all. Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound as well. Tied up firmly, she couldn''t move. She was trapped in a narrow space, and she could smell something rotting. She tried to feel around. She soon realized that she was squeezed tightly, and there wasn''t much space for her to move around. Soon, she figured out where she was. She was in the trunk of a car. For some reason, she suddenly thought about how Jodie died. Jodie was strangled to death before getting tossed into the ocean. She was only discovered when her body was distorted from all the swelling. "Is it my turn now?" Olivia wondered. She must have provoked the mastermind by working at Miller Group. They wanted to end this game prematurely, so they decided to attack her on the day of Ethan''s engagement ceremony. But she didn''t want to die yet. Olivia sensed that there was danger before she left. So, she hid a pocket knife under her clothes. Fortunately, her body was quite flexible. Olivia bent her body into a semicircle. Then, she felt the inside of her coat with her finger. She had been trapped in a closed space for a long time. So, her body was drenched in sweat.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The car was going at a steady pace without stopping, so they must be on the expressway right now. This meant that they wouldn''t be reaching their destination so soon. She still had time. Enduring the pain, she patiently rubbed at her coat with all her might. All her strength was focused on her fingertips. When she touched the surface of the pocket knife, her heart skipped a beat. "Found it!" she eximed in her mind. She slowly moved the knife out. Then, she sawed it lightly against the rope. Olivia didn''t dare to make it too obvious. In the direction of her wrists, she sliced through two-thirds of each length of rope. On the surface, she looked like she was still tightly bound. But if she used enough strength to struggle, she couldpletely break free. After dealing with the ropes, she twisted her body so that it looked like a shrimp was being pulled backward. Every time she sawed the ropes, she had to use up all her strength. Her vision was dark, and oxygen was running low. Her head was spinning. Still, Olivia managed to perk up. She refused to waste even a second. Based on what she knew of the mastermind, they paid attention to detail, and they hid their traces very well. They were also quite cruel. For example, there was that one time she went to the mental hospital. She received news of Belle''s death right after that. Belle''s body was in such a horrible state that Olivia still couldn''t forget about it. So, that person would never give Ethan a chance to save Olivia. Olivia feared that when Ethan noticed something, she would already be dead. Her gaze was stern. She couldn''t die. She couldn''t let those people go unpunished! Because of the excessive tugging, the joints in her body kept popping. Enduring the pain, Olivia continued her work. It was a pitch-ck environment, so she was her only rescue. After driving along for a while, the car finally stopped. Olivia had hidden the de early on. She had a feeling that she could finally meet that person. No matter how outstanding they were, they would appear right before their enemy died. They would gloat about their victory in their enemy''s face. Someone opened the trunk. A cold wind rushed in, bringing the unique scent of the sea with it. They were by the sea. As expected, the mastermind wanted Olivia to die the way Jodie did. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 The cold air dispersed the moldy smell in the trunk. Olivia felt her mind getting a little clearer. She shouted anxiously on purpose, ¡°Who are you? Let me go!¡± It was true that she was anxious, but she convinced herself to stay calm. Only by staying calm could she spot an opening. Ryan¡¯s familiar voice sounded. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you¡¯ve always wanted to know how Jodie died, right? Why don¡¯t I tell you myself?¡± Olivia felt another piece of rope hanging around her neck. Ryan¡¯s voice was no longer the gentlemanly voice he had when they first met. Instead, it sounded like a venomous snake hissing in her ear. ¡°She died from getting strangled, just like this. By the way, the expression on her face was just like yours before she died. She kept struggling with her limbs. ¡°She wanted to call for help with all her might, but she couldn¡¯t even form aplete sentence. She could only look at me in fear and despair. Then, she slowly lost her breath.¡± In the darkness, Olivia¡¯s senses were sharpened. Ryan¡¯s voice allowed her imagination to run wild. She felt like she could sense the despair Jodie felt before she died. She could also feel the helplessness as Jodie¡¯s life slowly ebbed away. ¡°My dad wasn¡¯t the person who killed Jodie!¡± Everything she did had been right all along. Jeff was a good man, so he couldn¡¯t have done such horrible things. ¡°The child in her tummy did belong to your father.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You beasts! What have the Fordhams ever done to you? You didn¡¯t even show mercy to a pregnant woman!¡± Olivia¡¯s tears fell uncontrobly. If that child hadn¡¯t died, would she have a younger sibling? In all the years Chloe was gone, Olivia hoped that Jeff would find another woman he loved. ¡°He did nothing wrong,¡± Olivia thought. She said, ¡°Jodie is Ethan¡¯s biological sister. If he knew the truth, he wouldn¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Ryan sneered in disdain. ¡°If he knew the truth, you wouldn¡¯t be here in the first ce.¡± Olivia fell silent. Leia was like an untouchable wound on Ethan¡¯s heart. He was already upset whenever Olivia mentioned Leia to him. So, it was even less likely that he would reinvestigate the matter. Every time Leia was mentioned, the wound in Ethan¡¯s heart would be reopened. If the incident had to be reinvestigated, it would be like rubbing salt in his wound. ¡°Why? Why would you do this?¡± Olivia lowered her head in defeat. ¡°You only have yourself to me.¡± Olivia thought, ¡°Me? What did I do?¡± ¡°Your existence is your biggest mistake.¡± Ryan picked her up. Putting her on his shoulder like a sack, he walked away. Olivia had been feeling sick after getting locked up for so long. When he carried her like that, her dizziness only worsened. Her stomach was churning. The sound of the sea breeze gradually turned soft. They must be indoors now. It felt like a spacious room as well, for she could hear Ryan¡¯s voice clearly. Her body was tossed to the ground. Olivia felt that she had hit something and that something moved. She realized that she was at the feet of a person. ¡°Is this person the mastermind?¡± she wondered. At that thought, all the blood in Olivia¡¯s body seemed to have rushed to her head. Her body trembled uncontrobly. Variousplex emotions surged in her heart. Olivia said in hatred, ¡°Are you the one pulling the strings behind the scenes? You caused the Fordhams to go bankrupt, and now my dad is dying in the hospital because of you!¡± She sensed someone crouching down. Then, a hand lifted her chin. A genderless voice rang out. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Chapter 265 Chapter 265 The person¡¯s voice was deliberately disguised so that it couldn¡¯t be distinguished. But when the person tilted Olivia¡¯s chin with their fingers, Olivia caught a faint scent of herbs. Olivia had only studied modern medicine, so she had little knowledge of herbal medicine. She wasn¡¯t able to tell what kind of herbs she was smelling or even if it was a mixture of several herbs. ¡°Do you n to kill me?¡± Olivia asked directly. ¡°Your life is not in my hands.¡± Olivia frowned, confused. She didn¡¯t understand what other motive the person would have for bringing her to a ce like this. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Olivia felt more uneasy after she learned that she wouldn¡¯t be killed. If they were keeping her alive, it would surely have something to do with Ethan. ¡°I¡¯m already divorced from him. I have nothing now. What else do you want from me?¡± The person¡¯s fingers tightened around Olivia¡¯s chin. Olivia winced in pain, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°You¡¯re a smart woman. I can see why he likes you so much.¡± The person saw through Olivia¡¯s intent to get more information out of her. She didn¡¯t bring up a single word about her ns for Ethan. Olivia saw that the person didn¡¯t take the bait. ¡°With the way things are now, I know I won¡¯t be able to leave here alive. If my guess is correct, this must be an abandoned house near the ocean. Ethan won¡¯t be able toe here in time to save me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I have one request before I die. Can you show me your face? I want to see the face of the person that brought my family to ruins.¡± The fingers on Olivia¡¯s chin tightened once more. ¡°You have no right to request anything from me.¡± The person did not let up and added, ¡°I told you, you might not be the one to die today.¡± Olivia wanted to say something more, but she heard the sound of a phone vibrating. The person picked up the phone and said with aid-back tone, ¡°I¡¯m just ying around. Are you mad that I hurt her?¡± The room was quiet. Olivia thought she heard the voice of a maning from the other end of the phone. Before she could listen closely, the person let go of her chin. The person walked away to continue their conversation on the phone. Olivia could hear the nonchnce in that person¡¯s tone. It was as if Olivia¡¯s life had no value to them. Olivia tried to calm herself. She was blindfolded, so she couldn¡¯t inspect her surroundings. She didn¡¯t dare to break through the ropes around her hands. She held onto the pen knife in her palm tightly. Even if she didn¡¯t walk out of here today, she was determined to go down with Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. that person. This was the best chance she had for revenge. It would be hard for her to find the person again on her own. Olivia would also like to see what tricks the person had hidden up their sleeve. She kept telling herself she couldn¡¯t be rash. But she couldn¡¯t control the massive throbbing pain in her stomach. She curled up in a ball due to the pain. Her body was covered in sweat. It was just one thing after another for her. She bit her lip as she tried to wrestle with the pain. Suddenly, she felt something cool on her lips. It seemed to be a cup. Olivia didn¡¯t dare to drink from it. A cold voice said, ¡°You¡¯re already here anyway. Why would we drug you?¡± ¡°Dr. Galloway?¡± Dr. Galloway didn¡¯t deny it. She said, ¡°Drink it, now.¡± Olivia quiddy took two sips. It was warm chamomile tea. ¡°Dr. Galloway, did you kill Belle?¡± Olivia took the chance to ask her a question. ¡°Stop talking¡± Dr. Galloway didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Dr. Galloway, I went to see Belle¡¯s body. She died a horrible death. Do you have a grudge against her? Did she really have to die like that? That¡¯s a life you took Won¡¯t it keep you up at night?¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Olivia¡¯s words seemed to have angered Dr. Galloway. Her emotions changed drastically. ¡°Why would it keep me up at night? I have nothing to be afraid of! She was a lunatic anyway. She would¡¯ve died a few years ago if not for my care. I only sent her off. Her life was a living hell when she was there.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re the one who pushed her off the building?¡± ¡°So what if I was? It¡¯s all your fault. She could¡¯ve lived if you hadn¡¯t gone to the psychiatric hospital. It¡¯s your fault for meddling in our business.¡± Olivia suddenly thought that Dr. Galloway should be the one under psychiatric care. Her mental state was clearly problematic. She wondered what had happened between Dr. Galloway and Belle. Why would she have such a huge reaction when Belle was mentioned? ¡°What about Belle¡¯s baby? Do you know where the child is now?¡± ¡°What baby? I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡± ¡°I had someone examine her body. She had stretch marks on her body. There were also signs of her having given birth in the uterus.¡± Dr. Galloway shrieked at Olivia, ¡°Does it matter if she had a baby or not? Belle¡­¡± Olivia was about to ask her more questions about Belle when Ryan ran in and wrapped his arms around Dr. Galloway. ¡°Calm down, Jennifer. It¡¯s all in the past now. There¡¯s no need to talk to her about that.¡± Olivia wondered why Ryan had to say that. Did Belle¡¯s death take a toll on Dr. Galloway? Why would that be the case? She was the one who wanted Belle dead. Why would she go into a frenzy at the mention of Belle¡¯s death? Ryan took her away, and everything fell quiet once more. Nothing made a sound in the huge room. It was so quiet that Olivia could hear the beating of her own heart. She could also make out the sound of some mice scurrying around. She used to be afraid of mice. But she was dying soon, so she had no more energy to care about rodents. It was as if the mice sensed that she was still alive. They only sniffed around her body but never dared toe closer. Olivia¡¯s face was pressed against the uneven floor. It wasn¡¯t wood or floor tiles. It felt like it was the floor of an unfinished house. She could also smell some chemicals in the air. Olivia put the information she had together. It was an abandoned factory, and she was at the seaside. She guessed that she was probably at Eastside Harbor. This used to be a very prosperous area. The cargo transportation business thrived here due to the harbor. Manyrge chemical nts were constructed here as well. However, due to government nning and the southward shift of economic focus-along with the pollution caused by the chemical nts-manypanies relocated. As a result, this area gradually became a wastnd. No one would know even if someone died here and their corpse was rotting. Olivia subtly pulled on her sleeve to hide the phone watch that Chloe gifted her. It was her only chance to call for help. She had to make it count. Meanwhile, Ethan was on a helicopter that was flying away from the urban area. He felt like something was weighing down on his chest. It only grew heavier as time went on. He felt lost and uneasy. It was like there was a voice in his mind screaming for him to go back. He looked at his phone and tapped on Olivia¡¯s picture on WhatsApp. She had blocked him a long time ago. Their conversation stopped at the missed video calls six months ago. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He scrolled up to look at the messages. Most of them were from Olivia. He would only reply asionally between dozens of messages. He could feel the indifference he had for her through the texts on his phone. He didn¡¯t know why, but he had taken everything for granted in the past. And now, all he felt was guilt. Olivia used to be the love of his life. He swore to love her forever. In the end, he was the one who hurt her most. The helicopter was approaching an ind. It was nted full of cherry blossoms, a sight to behold. It was also the cherry blossom season when the flowers were in full bloom. Every single flower was showing off its beauty. Ethan could only sigh even when faced with such a beautiful sight. The cherry blossoms were meant to be a gift for Olivia, but it was just not meant to be. The helicopter slowly descended. A huge group of guests and media personnel were already gathered on the ind. Marina wanted to dere her victory to the public, so she invited a lot of reporters and influencers to witness the happiest moment of her life. The influencers were all over the ce. They were live-streaming and interacting with their viewers. Every one of them had a lot of traffic on their live streams. Ethan looked everywhere but didn¡¯t see Marina. He said in an annoyed tone, ¡°Where¡¯s Marina?¡± Chapter 267 Chapter 267 The Carltons were already on the scene. Chloe stood out the most. She wore a cocktail dress paired with a shawl, looking elegant and dignified. She held onto Chris¡¯ arm and had a bright smile on her face. It was as if her biological daughter was the one getting engaged. Ethan felt ufortable when he looked at her smile. Brent quickly replied to Ethan¡¯s question, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Carlton came ahead of time. They¡¯re here to mingle with the guests. Something went wrong with Ms. Carlton¡¯s dress, so the people worked overtime last night to get it fixed. ¡°Ms. Carlton went to get her makeup done and tried the dress on early this morning. She should be here soon.¡± Ethan knew Marina well. It was the engagement party that she had wanted so badly. She wouldn¡¯t be late if she could help it. She would want toe as soon as possible and show off. But it was getting late and she still hadn¡¯t arrived. Ethan found that to be weird. All the equipment on site had been checked several times. Everything was set. Everyone was waiting for Marina to arrive so that the engagement ceremony could begin. The scent of fresh flowers was in the air. Guests in all sorts of formal attire were everywhere. Some of them were talking, others were taking pictures. There were also children happily running around under the cherry blossom trees. Overall, it was a very harmonious scene. Connor was being carried in Mina¡¯s arms. He looked curiously at the cherry blossom petals overhead. Petals were slowly falling even when there wasn¡¯t any wind. Connor wanted to grab some petals, but a petal fell on his nose just as he raised his head. He stopped moving immediately. He didn¡¯t want the petal to fall off. It was a very adorable moment. Chloe looked around and didn¡¯t see Marina anywhere. She tugged at Chris¡¯ arm, saying worriedly, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Marina here yet? Could something have happened to her?¡± ¡°She loves dolling herself up. She even had her dress returned and worked on for some minor issues. She¡¯s probably throwing a fit about the dress right now,¡± Chris said sheepishly. ¡°This won¡¯t do. The ceremony is about to begin. She can¡¯t afford to make a blunder now. I¡¯l er and ask her to hurry up.¡± Chloe was about to walk away when Chris grabbed her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself. You were just discharged from the hospital a few days ago. You¡¯ve also been working yourself to the bone for this ceremony. I know Marina has always held a grudge against you.¡± Chloe smiled gently and said, ¡°Her mother passed away when she was young. You didn¡¯t care for her much when she was a child. Understandably, she harbors some resentment. I¡¯ll try my best to make it up to her.¡± ¡°Chloe, I¡¯m so lucky I¡¯m able to marry a woman like you. Olivia isn¡¯t here today. Is she still mad at us? Jeff is stitose in the hospital. Olivia¡¯s your only flesh and blood. I truly want to take good care of her.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re a kind man. She¡¯s just been spoiled by her father as a kid. She¡¯s also resentful that her marriage failed. You don¡¯t have to pay her any mind. She¡¯ll understand when she gets older.¡± Chloe felt a little bitterness when she thought about her falling out with Oliviast night. Most of her encounters with Olivia ended with arguments since she returned from overseas. She thought Olivia was being too heartless considering she was trying her best to care for her. In Chloe¡¯s eyes, Olivia was like a rebellious child. She decided to have a heart-to-heart with Olivia after she was past this rebellious phase. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll go contact Marina. Keep an eye on things here.¡± ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t work yourself too hard.¡± Chloe went under the shade of a cherry blossom tree and dialed Marina¡¯s number. She wasn¡¯t able to get through. Chloe wondered if Marina was already on the helicopter. She began to contact people who worked for Marina, and she received an unexpected reply. One of the staff told her that Mar¨ªna had already boarded a helicopter two hours ago. The flight from Aldenvine to the ind should only take around 30 minutes. If Marina boarded a helicopter two hours ago, where was she? Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Marina was still whining when she got on the helicopter. ¡°What a lousy designer. I spent so much money and I got a defective dress. It¡¯s all his fault I wasted so much time on such an important day.¡± Marina had been feeling irritated since yesterday because of the dress. She didn¡¯t get a wink of sleep last night. She beges to doze off as soon as she got on the helicopter. Little did she know, she was headed straight to hell on earth. Marina woke up toplete darkness. She was blindfolded, and her limbs were tied up Where was the ind? What about Ethan? What about the ceremony? Marina started to panic. ¡°Where is this ce? Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Mrs. Miller! How dare you kidnap me? My husband will have all of your heads!¡± When she opened her mouth, she realized her voice resonated in the room. She also smelled something unpleasant. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Somebody! Help!¡± ¡°Save your breath. If yelling could help, kidnappers would be out of a job.¡± Upon hearing the voice, Marina yelled angrily, ¡°Olivia Fordham, you bitch. I knew it had to be you. You¡¯re jealous because I¡¯m getting married to Ethan, so you resorted to dirty tricks like this.. Olivia smirked at her frustration. ¡°Are you delusional? You should be an author with that imagination of yours. Do you still not understand what happened? Honestly, I¡¯m curious. What does than like about you?** Marina panicked and began yelling. The more she screamed, the more confused Olivia was. Ofta had been with uitam for many years. She knew his personality well. Olivia knew that Marina wasn¡¯t Ethan¡¯s type at all, be it looks or personality. He could¡¯ve picked someone better if he wanted a lover to agitate her. Someone started pping, and the sound pulled Marina back to reality ¡°Thanks for putting up a show for me,¡± a distorted voice said Marina was stunned. She could instantly tell that it was the mysterious person she tallest with owen Marina rxed a little, thinking the person was on her alde Ane ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± She said with a dissatisfied tone, ¡°Are you insane? Is this part of the n that you said that to endure some suffering for? 15/s my engagement ceremony today!¡± The fact that Olivia was captured didn¡¯t bring Marina any joy. She could bully Olivia at any time, but she would be done for if she missed the ceremony. She had worked so hard to make this ceremony a reality. It had also been dyed many tunes. She had a bad feeling about this ¡°Let me go now. I don¡¯t care about what you do to this bitch, but Ethan is waiting for me. I have to go now!¡± ¡°Leave?¡± Marina could hear the person chuckle. Since she couldn¡¯t see anything, the sinister chuckle sent a shiver down her spike The person continued, ¡°Only one of you will be leaving here alive.¡± Marina had pulled all sorts of tricks before, but she had never been put through something set this She asked fearfully, ¡°W-What happens to the other person!¡± Olivia was dumbstruck by this question, she wondered if Marina had lost her mind. The oue of the other person apparent. This person had already killed Belle Naturally, they would be fine with doing the same to Marina on Officia ¡°Who knows? Maybe she¡¯ll be devoured by fishes or ¡­ end up as a mutted corpse.¡± The person¡¯s voice was very soft. It was like the whisper of the devil. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Marina was stunned by what the person said. She understood what the person wanted to do. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? Didn¡¯t you tell me that you wanted to work with me?¡± ¡°Work with you? Someone like you isn¡¯t worth my time,¡± the person said with a smirk. Fear began to consume Marina, and her expression paled. Her lips quivered as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t ¡­ Don¡¯t you know who I am? My husband is Ethan Miller. He won¡¯t let you off easily if youy a hand on me.¡± Marina felt a sudden pain on her torso. A foot was pressing down on her waist. She had never been humiliated like this except for the time Olivia attacked her. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. You¡¯d better be prepared to put your life on the line if you want to hurt me¡­¡¯ Before Marina could finish her sentence, the foot pressed down harder on her waist. She winced in pain. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should know your ce. Olivia is smarter than you. She didn¡¯t try to anger me.¡± Marina finally understood that she was in the same predicament as Olivia. ¡°So your target was never Olivia alone but the both of us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The person¡¯s gender couldn¡¯t be discerned from their voice. Marina could onlye to two conclusions. The person hated Olivia and herself because they stood in the way of their love. It could also be that the person was Ethan¡¯s enemy, and they were captured so they could use them to threaten Ethan. No matter what the person was after, Marina knew her chances for survival were slim. She started to panic. She quickly dropped her arrogant act and began to beg for her life, ¡°Please let me go. I don¡¯t want to die! I still have two kids. I can¡¯t leave them alone.¡± Her attitude changed as she added, ¡°Kill Olivia if you have to. She¡¯s Ethan¡¯s ex-wife and the love of his life.¡± Marina¡¯s words struck a chord with Olivia. She never thought she would see the day when a prideful woman like Marina would admit Ethan loved her more. Olivia could hear the person grunt. She could hear the disdain in their tone. ¡°What a joke. A woman who¡¯s about to be engaged to Ethan is admitting that she¡¯s not his true love?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! I¡¯m not lying. Even though we¡¯re engaged, he doesn¡¯t love me at all.¡± Marina no longer cared about her pride or appearance. She just wanted to live. ¡°Why would he get engaged to you if he doesn¡¯t love you?¡± ¡°Because¡­ I got pregnant with his children by ident. He has no choice but to do so.¡± Marina almost blurted out the truth. She paused for a moment, then changed her statement. The person patted Marina on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so pessimistic. Ethan will be the one to decide if you live or die.¡± Marina asked in surprise, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who loves making people choose between two options? That¡¯s what we¡¯ll be doing today. Honestly, I¡¯m more curious-¡± The person dragged their tone, then continued, ¡°If the same thing happens, will Ethan make the same choice he made back then?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Both Olivia and Marina¡¯s faces paled. They understood what the person wanted to do. The person took their foot off Marina. Marina knew the person wasn¡¯t joking. She broke into tears and kept begging for her life. The person said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I just want to y a game with you. A game¡­ of life and death.¡± Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Marina was panicking, but Olivia was rtively calmer. Olivia was sure the oue would be the same if Ethan had to pick between them. She could feel herself back in the freezing waters of the ocean when she closed her eyes. She could picture Ethan swimming resolutely toward Marina. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. That incident haunted Olivia for an entire year. She had just gotten over it. She was about to start over. ¡°Why¡­¡± Olivia muttered. ¡°Why what?¡± the person asked. Olivia raised her chin slightly. Even though she was sprawled on the floor in a humiliating position, she maintained her defiance. ¡°Why do you have to y games with us? Do you get a kick out of it?¡± The person chuckled. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fun for me. I think seeing Ethan kill the woman he loves with his own hands will be very amusing.¡± Olivia wanted to break through the ropes around her hands several times but held back. She knew it would be all over as soon as she broke free. ¡°If you have feelings for someone, you shouldpete fairly. What do you stand to gain from these schemes?¡± Olivia was disgusted by the person. The person hid it well, but Olivia leaned more toward the possibility that they were a woman. If it was a man who had a grudge against Ethan, the person¡¯s methods would¡¯ve been more violent and direct. A man wouldn¡¯t waste years setting up a plot. Nor would a man waste so much effort to capture her and Marina just to force Ethan to pick between them. She was sure all of it was the handiwork of a woman. Not only was this woman cruel, but she was also mentally ill. There was one thing that puzzled Olivia. This woman targeted the women close to Ethan, so why didn¡¯t she try to take her ce when her rtionship with him was at rock bottom these two years? Why was Marina the one who got together with Ethan instead? This woman knew Ethan so well. She would have an easier time getting closer to Ethan than Marina if she wanted to. But Marina was the only woman who managed to get close to Ethan in these two years. There were no other women. If this woman wasn¡¯t trying to get with Ethan, why would she plot against Ethan¡¯s women? Olivia had many questions she wanted answers to. She wanted to rip off her blindfold to see who the woman was. The woman appeared to have guessed what she was thinking. She said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll be happier than you can imagine. Do you know why I haven¡¯t killed you yet? Dying is too easy. I want to see you struggle. I want you to experience all the hardships the world has to offer.¡± For the longest time, Olivia could only guess what the woman¡¯s motive was. It was even more terrifying now that she heard it. Olivia knew she had never harmed anyone in her life. She didn¡¯t know why this woman would harbor so much hatred for her. ¡°Do we know each other? Why do you hate me so much?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t help but ask. This woman hated her so much that she thought death would be a gift for her. The woman hated her so much she wanted her to live in agony. ¡°Save your questions for after you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°I know you want me dead. At least let me know why. Tell me if I¡¯ve ever caused you harm. I don¡¯t want to die with guilt and unanswered questions.¡± ¡°Dumbass, I don¡¯t have time for chit-chat. The game is about to start.¡± Meanwhile, at the venue of the engagement ceremony, all the media personnel were ready. No one expected Marina to bete. It was already time for the ceremony, yet she was nowhere to be seen. Chloe held the hem of her dress as she ran toward Ethan. She had lost her usual elegance. ¡°Ethan! Something¡¯s wrong, Marina has gone missing!¡± The screen that had been showing pictures of Marina was cut off abruptly. An unfamiliar voice came from the speakers. ¡°Hello, has the ceremony started yet? I¡¯m notte, am I?¡± Chapter 271 Chapter 271 The voice from the speakers caught everyone¡¯s attention instantly. All the media personnel pointed their cameras at the screen. They could see the sea on the screen. A person wearing a panda costume appeared on the feed. Nothing could be discerned from the person¡¯s voice or figure. Kelvin ran to Ethan and reported, ¡°Ourputers have been hacked.¡± Ethan signaled to Brent with his eyes. He instantly knew what he had to do. Marina had yet to show up. It was apparent that something had gone wrong. Ethan stood with his hands behind his back and a stormy expression on his face. He didn¡¯t expect something to happen today. To pick this particr day to take action, the culprit had gone to great lengths to n their move. Ethan instantly thought up several ways to handle the situation. Brent quietly moved away. He was going to try and track the broadcasting signal to locate the enemy. In the meantime, Ethan would be responsible for buying time. He stared coldly at the screen and asked, ¡°Do you have her?¡± Ethan was sure they must have left somemunication device on location, like the spy cameras they had nted in his office. Ethan had found some leads, but as soon as his men went looking, they would already be gone. He had been waiting for the mastermind to show themselves. But he didn¡¯t expect it to happen during his engagement ceremony. The guests realized something was wrong. They were wondering what happened. They found it hard to believe that Marina had been kidnapped. The guests felt tense but excited at the same time. A live kidnapping was not something they got to see every day. No one dared to talk, not even the influencers that were live-streaming. They were quietly filming everything that was happening. The person in the panda costume said cockily, ¡°Who are you asking about?¡± The question sent shockwaves into the crowd. The guests didn¡¯t expect someone to kidnap Ethan¡¯s fianc¨¦e, much less one more person. .Ethan started to lose his cool. He suddenly recalled Olivia congratting him on his engagement. He had thought something was off this morning. It wasn¡¯t like Olivia to call him and mock him. What she would¡¯ve done was stay away from him. After all, she never wanted to see him again. She had acted weird, and Ethan had even wondered if something happened to her. Ethan¡¯s hands clenched harder behind his back as the thought crossed his mind. He asked icily, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The person in the panda costume shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think it is. I¡¯ve taken your fianc¨¦e.¡± The crowd burst into amotion instantly. Amidst the chaos, the person added, ¡°Not only do I have your nc¨¦e, but I also have your ex-wife,¡± ¡°What? When did Ethan have an ex-wife?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he save himself for ten years for his true love? Where did this ex-wifee from?¡± ¡°He was seen being intimate with a woman on the cruise ship a while ago. And now it turns out that he has an ex-wife. This man is trash.¡± ¡°He has never announced any information about his ex-wife. She must be someone he¡¯s embarrassed of.¡± ¡°Rather than the kidnapping, I¡¯m more curious about who Ethan¡¯s ex-wife is.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The guests on location and the live-stream viewers began gossiping about Ethan¡¯s rtionships. The camera abruptly cut away from the person in the panda costume. The feed showed the ocean, clear skies, and seagulls flying. It would be a peaceful scene if not for the two women dangling on ropes. Marina was wearing her expensive dress. The guests could see the tears flowing from her eyes even though she was blindfolded. She was in shock. The woman next to her had the same treatment. The upper half of her face was covered up. Only her chin and lips were visible. Ethan clenched his fists so hard his palms were bleeding. Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Marina could feel everyone¡¯s gaze even though she couldn¡¯t see. She cried for help, ¡°Ethan! Dad! Help me! You have to save me. I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t feeling good. She had yet to eat breakfast, and her stomach had been aching for a while. Her forehead was covered in sweat, making the ocean breeze feel more chilly. She didn¡¯t have the energy to call for help like Marina. The rope around her waist made it hard for her to breathe. She was sure the oue would be the same either way. Ethan chose Marina a year ago, and she knew his choice wouldn¡¯t change. She wasn¡¯t disappointed because she never had any hope to begin with. As she was in despair and thinking of her chances of escaping, she heard some noise. The audio from the audience¡¯s side was being broadcasted to them. Chloe¡¯s weeping was especially loud. ¡°Marina, Olivia, are you two okay?¡± Olivia slowly opened her lifeless eyes. She tried to look toward Chloe¡¯s voice even though she was blindfolded. Chloe¡¯s voice further intensified Marina¡¯s emotions. She cried, ¡°Mom, please save me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marina. Your dad will get you out of this.¡± Olivia¡¯s stomach was in a lot of pain. Her lips were chapped. She licked them, but she didn¡¯t say a word. She realized that she cared more about Chloe¡¯s choice than Ethan¡¯s. Chloe was her mother, after all. Olivia touched her phone watch, feeling uneasy. She was like a student waiting for her grades, anxious and unsettled. In her mind, even though Chloe had abandoned her for so many years, she was still just Marina¡¯s stepmother. Surely, she would pick her biological daughter over her stepdaughter, right? The answer should have been obvious, but Olivia was so nervous she could barely breathe. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chloe pleaded in a shaky voice, ¡°I beg of you, please let my daughters go. They¡¯ve never done you any harm. If you want money, just name your price. We¡¯ll give you any amount you want. Just don¡¯t hurt them. We can give you anything you want.¡± Chloe¡¯s sorrowful voice shook Olivia. Olivia knew Chloe had never experienced much hardships in her life. She must be so terrified now. She also had a heart condition. Olivia was worried that she might faint. Even she didn¡¯t realize that she was only thinking of Chloe. Ethan finally spoke up. ¡°What do you want?¡± He felt very uncertain. He hoped that the people who kidnapped Olivia and Marina weren¡¯t the ones who were after him. If it was, Olivia and Marina would be doomed. They might even die horrible deaths. The incident was being streamed on the inte. It matched those people¡¯s way of doing things. Those people excelled at creatingmotions. They liked to humiliate, torture, and even dismember their victims publicly. Ethan had experienced countless trials and tribtions in his life. He had forged an indomitable will over the years. But he was trembling right now. Every single one of his fingers were shaking uncontrobly. He had seen many dead bodies, and he was prepared to die at any time. But he didn¡¯t want the people close to him to experience such misfortune. He spent many years trying to leave his dark past behind. It took great effort for him to be who he was. He didn¡¯t know how he was exposed. He wondered if he had attracted the attention of those people when he went to the ind to save Olivia and Connor. He knew there was no point in pondering about that. He tried his best to hide all traces of worry and fear on his face. The guests were all panicking, but they saw Ethan standing with his hands behind his back. Ethan said calmly, ¡°Let them go. Your demands will be fulfilled.¡± Chapter 273 Chapter 273 If the kidnappers were after money, the Carltons and Millers could easily fulfill their demands. Ethan feared that they might want something even more precious than money. Otto was in his wheelchair. His hands gripped the armrests so tightly that his veins were popping. Chris had a severe expression. The on-lookers might not know, but they did. Money was not an issue, but they could not risk exposing Ethan¡¯s true identity. Even if they had to give up on Marina, they had to protect Ethan¡¯s secret. Otto and Chris looked each other in the eye and instantly came to an agreement. Even though their family member¡¯s life was still at risk, they had no choice. They had to keep the secret at all costs. Chloe didn¡¯t know anything. She kept weeping and said, ¡°Tell us! Please tell us what you want. We¡¯ll give you any amount of money you want.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Mrs. Carlton, your tears are truly touching. Even a stranger like me can¡¯t help but feel moved,¡± the person said. Although the words were spoken with a tone of regret, it sounded chilling to those who heard it. The person then added, ¡°I wonder who those tears are for. Are they for your biological daughter or your stepdaughter?¡± Chloe sniffed and said, ¡°They¡¯re both my daughters. What difference does it make?¡± The person chuckled. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a difference. Even if you think you love them equally, there has to be a difference. I don¡¯t want anything. I just want to y a game. ¡°I trust everyone has seen bomb squads defusing bombs in TV shows, right? There are always two wires. Cutting the right one diffuses the bomb, but the wrong one ¡­ Bang!¡± The person imitated the sound of a bomb exploding, startling everyone. ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. The two of them are tied in red and blue ropes respectively. In one minute, you have to pick one for me to cut.¡± These words caused an uproar among the guests. ¡°What do you mean by that? Cutting one of them loose? You want them to choose who dies?¡± ¡°You¡¯re rotten to the core, asking someone to choose one of their family members to kill!¡± ¡°Who gave you the right to decide if they live or die?¡± Ethan and the Carltons were also stunned. They didn¡¯t expect such an outrageous demand. Even though Ethan¡¯s secret would be safe, this situation wasn¡¯t much better. Marina screamed, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e and Connor¡¯s mother. Save me! You have to save me!¡± Chris fell silent. Marina was his daughter, so naturally, he wanted Ethan to save Marina. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say those words out loud. Otto didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°Save Marina. It¡¯s clearly the right option.¡± Otto was sure it was an easy choice to make. Olivia was the woman Ethan had already abandoned, while Marina was the fianc¨¦e who could bring him status and wealth. The person said, ¡°Mrs. Carlton, what about you? Who will you choose?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Chloe¡¯s face was filled with panic. ¡°That¡¯s right. One is the stepdaughter you love; the other is the daughter you abandoned. I¡¯m really curious who you¡¯ll choose. People in the crowd began to chatter. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? She¡¯d definitely pick her own flesh and blood: How could a stepdaughterpare to the child she bore for ten months?¡± ¡°But she¡¯s hesitating Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Marina was facing the camera. It was as if the person was trying to be considerate. She adjusted the camera to give the audience a close-up view of Marina and Olivia. Everyone could clearly see the state Marina and Olivia were in. The diamonds on Marina¡¯s fancy dress reflected the sunlight and created a dazzling glow. The ck blindfold on her face was soaked by her tears. The makeup she spent so much time putting on was ruined by her tears. Marina no longer cared about how she looked. She just wanted to live. On the other hand, Olivia was theplete opposite. It was impossible to tell how she felt since most of her face was covered. Her lips were pursed. She didn¡¯t call for help from the beginning. She didn¡¯t even say a word. Some people thought she had fainted. Others noticed the sweat on her forehead. They thought it was weird that she sweated but didn¡¯t cry. Olivia didn¡¯t have any makeup on, but herplexion was ashen. Even her lips were unnaturally pale. ¡°Isn¡¯t the ex-wife too calm? It¡¯s a matter of life and death. Why isn¡¯t she panicking at all?¡± ¡°Is she not scared of death?¡± ¡°Marina is calling for help because she knows there¡¯s a chance she will live. ¡°Olivia probably kept her lips sealed because she knew she would be sacrificed. If the oue was the same either way, it would be pointless for her to call for help.¡± The on-lookers began to formte all sorts of theories. Some felt sad for this ex-wife who had never shown herself in public. Olivia broke her silence as the crowd was still guessing. ¡°Mom, I also want to know who you¡¯d pick between the two of us.¡¯ She didn¡¯t address Chloe as Mrs. Carlton this time. She called her ¡°mom¡±. Olivia said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t me you for neglecting me since I was young. I don¡¯t me you for leaving so abruptly. ¡°Because Dad said that you weren¡¯t happy when you were with him. You didn¡¯t leave us behind. You just went to pursue your own happiness. s bastard. ¡°You cut ties with Dad and were gone for years. I had been pushed to the ground. People called me a moth ¡°None of that matters. I don¡¯t me you. I just want to know one thing. Did you also forsake our bond?¡± Olivia smiled faintly and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of dying. But I want to know if the mother I waited for more than ten years ever cared about me. Even if it¡¯s just this once.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Chloe. Marina was still shouting. ¡°Mom, you said you would protect me! You said you would treat me like I was your own even if we aren¡¯t blood-rted.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t care about what would happen to her. Her cancer was getting worse. She didn¡¯t know how much longer she had to live. All she wanted was to see her mother once again before she died, her mother, who would love her. Olivia was like a child abandoned in the snow. She had been battered by the wind and snow. She was on her dying breath. She held on to life because she was waiting for her mother toe get her. She wanted to prove to the bullies that she wasn¡¯t a motherless bastard. She wanted to prove to the world that she also had a mother. And that her mother was the most gentle woman who loved her the most. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ll pick me, right?¡± Olivia said as tears welled up in her eyes.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Life or death didn¡¯t matter to Olivia anymore. All she wanted was for Chloe to show that she cared about her before she died. She wanted to know that her waiting had not been for nothing, that she wasn¡¯t alone in this rtionship. What she wanted was actual proof of maternal love from Chloe, not just empty words of love. Olivia couldn¡¯t see Chloe¡¯s expression because she was blindfolded. She began to feel uneasy. She had already lost to Marina once. She didn¡¯t want to lose a second time. The person in the panda suit got impatient as Chloe didn¡¯t reply for a long time. He said impatiently, ¡°Why is it so hard for you to pick between your daughter and stepdaughter? Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll decide for you. Cut both the ropes!¡± ¡°No! I choose Marina,¡± Chloe shrieked. The guests were dumbfounded. ¡°Did my ears deceive me? She actually chose the stepdaughter?¡± ¡°So there¡¯s actually a mother who doesn¡¯t love her daughter? My eyes have been opened.¡± ¡°You youngsters know nothing. Her hands were tied. She married into the Carlton family. ¡°Naturally, she has to think about the family¡¯s best interest. Or else, how could she face the Carltons after this?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t she feel guilty for sacrificing her daughter to maintain her rtionship with the Carltons?¡± ¡°The daughter abandoned by her own mother must be so heartbroken.¡± The crowd couldn¡¯t possibly know how much pain Olivia was going through. But they could imagine how sad she must be. Olivia could no longer hold back her tears after she heard Chloe¡¯s words. ¡°Why ¡­ Why am I always the one who gets abandoned?¡± Tears began streaking down her face. The on-lookers were on the verge of tears at the sight of her sorrow. Olivia didn¡¯t scream or wail. Nor did she demand an exnation. Her heart was already in tatters, barely hanging on to life. It was the person whose love she craved the most thatnded the fatal blow. The person was right. She did make Olivia wish she was dead. The most painful wounds are the ones inflicted by the people you love. When she heard what Olivia said, Chloe felt like her heart was being torn out of her chest. Olivia moved slightly and faced Chloe¡¯s direction. She said, ¡°You already abandoned me once. Why are you abandoning me again?¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry. I am sorry. But I have no choice.¡± ¡°You say you¡¯re sorry?¡± Olivia smiled lightly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that you¡¯re sorry. That¡¯s what you said when you abandoned me the first time. ¡°You also imed to have no choice back then. What about me? Did I ever have a choice? ¡°If I could choose, I would rather be born into a poor family and have a mother who loves me. It would be way better than being abandoned by you repeatedly. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The other kids were right. I am a motherless bastard. I shouldn¡¯t have had any hope for you.¡± ¡°Liv, I love you! I really do! But Marina is different. ¡°Her mother passed away early, and she never had the chance to feel her mother¡¯s love¡­¡± ¡°Such irony. She abandoned her daughter topensate for another person¡¯sck of maternal love.¡± The on-lookers were stunned. They couldn¡¯t believe how twisted Chloe¡¯s logic was. The person in the panda suit seemed satisfied with Chloe¡¯s answer. She then turned her attention to Ethan and asked, ¡°Mr. Miller, what about you? Ex-wife or fianc¨¦e? ¡°Make your choice. I am more curious about your answer than Mrs. Carlton¡¯s.¡± Chapter 276 Chapter 276 All eyes fell on Ethan after the person said that. Marina was still calling for help. Otto said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for hesitation. Tell her that you choose Marina.¡± Chris patted Ethan on the shoulder. ¡°Make your own decision. I won¡¯t me you, no matter who you choose.¡± The person in the panda suit disyed an hourss on the screen and said, ¡°You have one minute to consider your options. ¡°If you don¡¯t make a choice when the time¡¯s up, I¡¯ll choose for you.¡± The sand in the hourss fell quickly. Time began to slip away. Ethan didn¡¯t speak. He looked at the two women quietly. Marina was still crying for help, while Olivia was utterly silent. Ethan was sad that Olivia didn¡¯t say anything to him. At least when Chloe was asked, Olivia had begged to be chosen. Ethan suddenly recalled the winter ofst year. It was snowing heavily that night. Olivia and Ethan both fell into the ocean. The first thing that came to his mind was Kurt, who sacrificed himself to save him. Marina was pregnant with Kurt¡¯s child. Ethan had noticed Brent jumping into the ocean with him. He was sure that Brent would be able to save Olivia. That was why he decided to swim toward Marina. He didn¡¯t expect Olivia¡¯s leg to be entangled in a fishing. It dyed her rescue and ultimately caused the death of her baby. Those were all unforeseeable tragedies that haunted Ethan. He never got the chance to tell Olivia that he only cared about her from the start. Things were different today. There was no way for him to save both of them this time. When he closed his eyes, he could still see the image of Kurt bleeding out with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t cry. The general¡­ has to survive. I chose to die for you willingly. Please¡­ take care of my wife and child.¡± Kurt¡¯s hand fell lifelessly to the side after he said that. Kurt was Ethan¡¯s cousin. They grew up together, and they looked alike. That was why Kurt became something like a body double for Ethan. He had a lot of body doubles like that. They were hidden in the shadows and ready to die for Ethan anytime. Kurt was the one who stayed with him the longest and was the only one who was blood-rted to Ethan. Ethan owed his life to Kurt. That was why he put up with Marina¡¯s arrogance and cruelty. He looked the other way when Marina took everything that belonged to Olivia. The dresses, the vi, the hospital, and even the position of Mrs. Miller. But it was their lives on the line now. On one side, it¡¯s his promise to Kurt. On the other, it was the love of his life. No matter who he picked, he would let someone down. Marina noticed that Ethan had been silent for some time. She yelled, ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t forget your promise. You said you¡¯ll always protect me!¡± Olivia still didn¡¯t talk. She just wanted everything to end. She was sure no one would pick her. She didn¡¯t want to beg any longer. She would rather die with dignity. She had had enough of begging. Once was enough. One minute went by quickly. The final grains of sand fell. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The person in the panda suit said in a cheery voice, ¡°Time¡¯s up, Mr. Miller. Let¡¯s hear your choice.¡± ¡°My life for theirs.¡± Ethan stood with his hands behind his back. He kept a straight face. No one could tell what he was thinking, but his reply shocked everyone. He didn¡¯t choose between the two like Chloe did. He decided to save them both. Ethan decided that if he had to sacrifice someone, he would rather sacrifice himself. ¡°I die, they live. How¡¯s that?¡± Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Even Olivia, who had held no expectations, was shocked. She had expected Ethan to abandon her like he did before. The person in the panda suit didn¡¯t expect this answer either. It disrupted her original n. Ethan pulled a knife out of nowhere. He looked at the camera and said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you kidnapped them. But if someone needs to die today, let it be 1. ¡°Let them go. I¡¯ll kill myself.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind, Ethan? Stop him!¡± Otto yelled angrily. Ethan remained expressionless and said, ¡°Keep them away from me. ¡°1 Brent and Kelvin weren¡¯t the only ones who heeded his call. His four male secretaries also came out of the crowd and helped to keep Otto¡¯s men at bay. Ethan stood among the six men. He pointed the knife at his chest. ¡°Ethan, what are you doing? Let Olivia die! She deserves to die.¡± Marina was panicking. The person¡¯s tone changed slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. Do you think I¡¯d believe that you¡¯ll hurt yourself?¡± ¡°Is that right?¡± Ethan smiled as he plunged the knife into his chest. His motion was smooth and without hesitation. The crowd winced at the sight. They admired Ethan¡¯s courage. Ethan was wearing a ck suit. It wasn¡¯t unlike his usual attire at the office. The blood slowly seeped through his white shirt, but he remained calm. ¡°Is this enough proof for you? Let them go, and I¡¯ll kill myself.¡± Olivia¡¯s thoughts were thrown into chaos, like themotion happening on the ind. It would seem like Ethan was killing himself. Her heart was stirred by his action. She raised her head in confusion and asked, ¡°Why?¡± This was the first time she spoke to Ethan since the beginning of this incident. ¡°Why are you trying to save me? Weren¡¯t you the one who gave up on me?¡± Ethan smiled even though Olivia couldn¡¯t see him. It felt like they were back in the good old days for a m ¡°Liv, there¡¯s something I have been meaning to tell you.¡± ¡°You ¡°Sorry. I should¡¯ve apologized sooner.¡± Tears began streaming down Olivia¡¯s face once again. Her blindfold quickly became soaked in tears. Her lips were quivering while her body trembled ever so slightly. Ethan walked closer to the screen like he was approaching Olivia. ¡°I¡¯ll repay all my debts to you today, okay? This time, I¡¯ll die. You live,¡± Ethan said. The more he walked, the more he bled. But he continued to walk steadily. The person in the panda suit was rmed. She said, ¡°Stop! I don¡¯t want your life. If you push that knife any deeper, I¡¯ll kill Olivia now! Put down the knife.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Ethan didn¡¯t stop walking. He had an unhinged expression that the crowd had never seen before. ¡°What if I say no?¡± Ethan smirked and said, ¡°I dictate the terms now. Let them go.¡± ¡°I can let Marina go, but Olivia has to die.¡± Negotiations fell through. ¡°If she dies, every one of you dies with her!¡± Ethan said with a crazed look on his face. Marina kept crying. Chloe said, ¡°Ethan, you have to take care of yourself. Your health is important! ¡°What would happen to Marina if you died?¡± Suddenly, Chloe looked like she was making an important decision. She yelled at the camera, ¡°Kill Olivia if you must. We want Marina to live.¡± Chloe then looked at a despaired Olivia and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me, Olivia. If there¡¯s a next life, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to make it up to you.¡¯ Chapter 278 Chapter 278 There was a lot of noise, but Olivia could still make out Ethan and Chloe¡¯s voices. She could feel the irony. Her mother wanted her dead, but the man she hated was willing to trade his life for hers. What expectations could she have for a mother like that? She used to sit at the entrance of her home and stare at the road Chloe drove off on. When she had a falling out with Ethan, she would do that too. She remembered that she would keep reheating the food that got cold and wait while sitting on the doorsteps. She would wait through the four seasons year by year, but the person she waited for never showed up. It was like her whole life was a joke. Olivia grunted and said slowly, ¡°Mrs. Carlton, I don¡¯t want you in the next life. Even if there is a next life, I never want to cross paths with you again.¡± ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t have a choice. I really don¡¯t have a choice¡­¡± Chloe was crying profusely. She didn¡¯t want to make that choice, either. But she loved Chris so much that she couldn¡¯t bear to see him lose his only daughter. Chloe hadn¡¯t been able to bear children ever since her miscarriage. If Marina died, the Carlton family line would end. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. That was why she couldn¡¯t allow Marina to die, even if she had to sacrifice her own flesh and blood. Olivia ignored Chloe. She continued, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ve had enough of this life. Your debt to me can never be repaid with your life alone.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°Remember, she¡¯s the one who kidnapped and killed me. Don¡¯t take your anger out on anyone but her.¡± Ethan could feel something was wrong with Olivia. ¡°Liv, what are you nning to do? Don¡¯t be rash.¡± Olivia closed her eyes. She could hear the sound of the wavespping against some boats and the seagulls in the distance. It was the sound of freedom to her. She drew her knife where the camera couldn¡¯t see and began slowly cutting through the rope. As the rope was about to break, she smiled at Ethan and said, ¡°Thank you for not giving up on me this time. But it¡¯s already toote.¡± She said calmly to Chloe, ¡°Mrs. Carlton, you¡¯re the one who gave me life and took care of me in my int. ¡°I¡¯m giving it back to you now. I don¡¯t owe you anything anymore.¡± In the shocked cries of the on-lookers, the rope around Olivia¡¯s waist snapped. She quickly fell into the ocean, creating a spray of waves. ¡°Liv!¡± Ethan yelled. But all he could touch was the cold, lifeless screen. The feed was cut off, and the screen began to y the video it was ying before it was interrupted. The cherry blossoms were still falling peacefully, in contrast to Ethan¡¯s horrific chest wound and his overwhelming rage. Ethan punched the screen. His eyes were bloodshot. Chloe was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Olivia to cut herself loose. Olivia had her motives for doing that. Ethan had always tried to forget the death of Leia. When she tried to look into it, she was met with his resistance time and again. She was betting her life on the fact that Ethan still loved her. If that were true, Ethan would stop at nothing to uncover the truth after her death. She was smiling as she fell into the ocean. She had given Ethan a chance to learn the truth. The guests fell speechless. They didn¡¯t know what to feel at the moment. Brent hurried toward Ethan and whispered in his ear, ¡°I¡¯ve tracked their signal. It¡¯s at the abandoned factory.¡± Ethan was still in a daze. He couldn¡¯t ept the fact that Olivia had killed herself. He slowly raised his head to look at Brent with bloodshot eyes. He said in a shaky voice, ¡°Liv is dead.¡± Chapter 279 Chapter 279 ¡°Who the fuck said you could hurt her?¡± Before Olivia fell into the water, she could hear a man shouting over the loud ocean breeze. She wondered who the person was and if he was talking about her. Olivia grasped her knife tightly. It was her only chance at survival. She cut away all the ropes that bound her as soon as she was in the water. Through today¡¯s incident, she was able to confirm that the person was a woman and that the woman didn¡¯t want to hurt Ethan physically. Even Marina was a decoy. Olivia knew that she was the woman¡¯s only target. The woman wanted to torment her. But Olivia couldn¡¯t figure out how she brought such trouble onto herself. That woman was behind everything that happened to her and her family. Olivia couldn¡¯t ept that. Only one thought was going through her mind: she had to survive, even if she was beaten and bruised. Olivia wanted revenge, even if it meant she had to bring the woman down with her. She wanted her to have a taste of the suffering she went through. Olivia was a good swimmer. She had been wallowing in the pain of losing her child in the past. She had no will to live, and her life was a nightmare. That was why she would not resist when she sank into the ocean. She wanted to be closer to the child she lost at sea But she broke out of her shell and emerged from her sorrow. She removed her blindfold, and bright light flooded her eyes. She raised her head and looked at the glimmering surface of the ocean. She held her breath and swam in the opposite direction. There were a lot of abandoned boats that were washed ashore in this area. Olivia had found her target. She could hear voices from above the water. The silhouette of a person appeared. They were probably there to make sure she was dead. Olivia submerged herself deeper into the water. She could make out the silhouette of the person more de Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She figured the person would not find her if she didn¡¯t move too much. The pain in her stomach grew. She almost couldn¡¯t take it. She tried her best to endure the pain. She told herself she must survive. Olivia moved toward the hull of a boat. It would block the person¡¯s view of her. The boat had been abandoned for a long time. Its hull was lined with trash and barnacles. The smell was putrid. Tiny fish swam away from the seaweed near the boat because of her arrival. Olivia was graced with good luck. She climbed onto the boat using the ropedder attached. As she quietly emerged from the water, she saw the person in the panda suit standing angrily in the distance. She looked like she was ordering her men to look for Olivia¡¯s body. Olivia didn¡¯t dare to let her guard down. She got onto the boat to find somewhere to hide. She nced at Jennifer and Ryan, who stood beside the person. She still couldn¡¯t distinguish the person¡¯s figure because the panda suit concealed her. The person suddenly turned to look toward Olivia as if she sensed her gaze. Olivia had already crouched down and hidden herself. She knew she was dead if the person found her. Things had already escted too much. The person would not allow her to live. The person said, ¡°Go search the abandoned boats.¡± Ryan rejected her idea, ¡°Her limbs were bound when she fell. She must have drowned by now.¡± The person examined the rope Olivia had cut and said coldly, ¡°She has a knife. Check the boats. We have to be sure.¡± The woman was furious. She knew Olivia was trying to use her death to nudge Ethan to investigate further. She pointed at one of the boats and said, ¡°Start searching from this one. The game is over. She has to die today.¡± Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Olivia could almost feel the person¡¯s intent to kill. She was very meticulous and alert. Olivia knew she had to hide. The boat she got on was quite shabby, but it wasrge enough for her to hide in. Olivia figured the person couldn¡¯t search too thoroughly because they didn¡¯t bring many people here. She quickly snuck into the boat¡¯s cabin. The boat was partially submerged. The water within the boat was dirty. It smelled awful. Olivia knew she couldn¡¯t rely on anyone to save her this time. She could only save herself. No matter how hard the road ahead was, she no longer had the option to back out of it. She slowly walked toward the foul- smelling water. Soon after, she heard footsteps on the boat. Olivia pinched her nose and submerged herself in the water. She was in a blind spot. Her pursuers wouldn¡¯t see her if they didn¡¯t enter the water. Olivia¡¯s heartbeat quickened as she heard the footsteps getting louder. She hoped that the person searching wouldn¡¯t jump into the pungent water. The person shone a bright shlight on the water. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The water was murky. The light could only reveal vague outlines of some old items in the water. Thanks to the light, Olivia noticed a dead body not far away from her. She could tell that it was a woman¡¯s body from the long hair scattered in the water. Thest time she got so close to a dead body was when she saw Belle¡¯s. This unknown body wasn¡¯t in much better shape than Belle¡¯s. Fish had eaten part of her face. There was even a fish that swam out of the body¡¯s eye socket toward Olivia¡¯s hand. Olivia grasped her chest and forced herself to calm down. This was a perfect ce to dump bodies since no one ever came here. She hid in the water because she had no choice. She didn¡¯t notice the body before. ¡°I found something!¡± Ryan said. Olivia clenched her sleeve tightly. She felt despair. She grabbed her knife and prepared to fight for her life. If Ryan went near her, she would stab him without hesitation. ¡°Look, doesn¡¯t that look like a person? Could that be Olivia?¡± Jennifer brought over a pole and said, ¡°We¡¯ll know once we retrieve it.¡± The pole touched the dead body, Olivia was trembling in fright. The body was dragged onto the surface. Ryan said nonchntly, ¡°Damn it, how unlucky. It¡¯s a dead body,¡± ¡°It¡¯s dirty and smelly here. A princess like Olivia would never be able to hide here. Let¡¯s go. Olivia remerged from the water as the footsteps faded into the distance and began gasping for breath. Although the air still stank from the dead body, it was better than being underwater. Olivia smiled in relief, even as she was filled with fear. She had survived. As long as she lived, she would have a chance to exact revenge on the person that brought her so much pain. Her stomach pain seemed to have subsided due to her will to survive. She switched on the teddy phone watch that Chloe gave her. It was still working. She didn¡¯t expect this watch that she didn¡¯t take off due to sentimentality toe through in a pinch like this. She looked at the body. It looked gruesome. But she had no time to be afraid. She wondered if the family of the body realized she was dead. She was also curious about the identity of the body. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Olivia exited the water, holding back her fear and trying not to vomit. She looked at the body cautiously, hoping to find something that could identify the body. The clothes on the body were expensive. It was the high-end product of some luxury brand. The diamond earrings she had on glittered dimly under the light. There was also a sapphire ring on her finger. It looked like it would belong to some wealthy person¡¯s collection. Evidently, her murderer wasn¡¯t after money, or else her jewelry would¡¯ve been gone. There also weren¡¯t any signs of sexual abuse on her clothes. There was a gunshot wound on her chest. The cause of her death was likely the shot to her chest. Olivia could tell that the body came from money. But she hadn¡¯t heard about any missing heiresses recently. She sighed helplessly. She decided to inform the authorities after she got out of there. She wanted the body to find her way back to her family. Olivia felt pity for the body. Olivia suddenly heard the sound of a helicopter over her. The person in the panda suit had retreated. Ethan had arrived. Olivia chose to remain hidden. She knew she would be vulnerable to the person¡¯s schemes if out in the open.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Olivia barely escaped death this time. She was determined to uncover the person¡¯s identity and was finally free of Ethan¡¯s control. Olivia hid among the debris and watched as Ethan approached Marina, who was left on the shore. She could still see a huge blood stain on Ethan¡¯s chest. But she couldn¡¯t see his expression because he was too far away. Brent had a doctor examine Marina. ¡°Ms. Carlton is just unconscious. She doesn¡¯t have any serious injuries.¡± Ethan ignored Brent¡¯s words. His eyes were fixed on the rope dangling in midair that had been severed. The image of Olivia falling into the ocean was still haunting him. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Find her! I want to see her¡­ dead or alive.¡± Brent didn¡¯t know how tofort Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, fortune will surely favor Mrs. Miller. Don¡¯t be too pessimistic.¡± Even Brent didn¡¯t believe his own words. He knew that even if Olivia survived the fall, the person wouldn¡¯t let her live. In the time it took Ethan to fly here, Olivia was probably already¡­ However, he would never say these things to Ethan. Ethan didn¡¯t say a thing. He exuded an air of gloom. It was as if his heart had stopped beating the moment Olivia fell into the ocean. Ethan felt like there was a hole in his chest. He felt empty. He was still alive, but he couldn¡¯t feel anything. All he had on his mind was Olivia. His hands were shaking uncontrobly. It was not the first time Ethan experienced the death of someone he was close to. He was devastated when Kurt died. But the death of Olivia made his existence nothing but pain. Even the breeze that blew on him felt like knives piercing his skin. He even started to see illusions. He thought he saw Olivia standing in the ocean, waving to him. ¡°Come to me, Ethan!¡± He heard her say. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. I¡¯ming.¡± Ethan was about to walk into the ocean, but Kelvin pulled him back. ¡°You have to pull yourself together, Mr. Miller!¡± Ethan frowned and said with bewilderment, ¡°Where¡¯s Liv? Where did she go?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, we haven¡¯t found Mrs. Miller yet.¡± Ethan patted himself on the chest and said, ¡°Liv is dead. She left me behind. ¨C ¡°She¡¯s such a timid person. She must be so afraid. I have to go with her¡­¡± Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Olivia saw Ethan throwing a fit as she stood on the boat¡¯s deck. Ethan was like a lion that was out of control. It took several people to hold him back from jumping into the ocean. He only stopped after Kelvin and Brent worked together and injected him with some sedatives. Olivia watched from a distance. She barely even felt anything. She was even more unhinged than Ethan the time she found out her baby had passed. Olivia chose to sneak away while they were still looking for her body out at sea. She was determined to live, even if her body was sickly and battered. She could only exact revenge for herself and her dead child. She was very close to uncovering the person¡¯s identity. She didn¡¯t want to copse so close to the finishing line. She had to see things through. Olivia was drenched in putrid water. Her palms were chafed by the ropes that bound her. There was a thinyer of scab on her palms that hurt with the slightest touch. Her stomach had been hurting all day. She was barely holding on to her consciousness. She dragged her feet as she walked on the side of the road. She saw a car heading her way. She gged it down without hesitation. The blinding headlights hurt her eyes. She copsed to the ground before she even saw the car stop. Olivia had a very long dream. She experienced the first half of her life from a third-person perspective. Everything ended on the rope she severed, including her longing for her mother and her deep love for Ethan. Chloe shouted in her face to let Marina live and to let her die. She chose Marina over her. Olivia abruptly opened her eyes and sat up from the bed. Snowball purred and leaped into her arms. The room was filled with a pleasant scent. A young man¡¯s gentle voice said, ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Olivia.¡± Olivia looked toward Colin. For a moment, she wasn¡¯t sure if she was dreaming. ¡°How did I get here, Colin?¡± Colin quickly exined, ¡°Olivia, you scared me so much! I went to the elevator to look for you. ¡°All I found was your smashed phone. Then, the kidnapping incident garnered widespread attention online. I recognized you immediately. ¡°I was so scared for you. I followed behind the Millers¡¯ cars to the beach to look for you. Luckily, I found you on the side of the road.¡± Olivia panicked and asked, ¡°Does anyone else know that you saved me?¡± ¡°No. I brought you straight home after I found you unconscious on the ground. I didn¡¯t inform anyone.¡± Olivia sighed in relief. She saw Colin looking confused. She exined, ¡°I was so close to death, Colin. If my enemies knew I was alive, they¡¯d send people to kill me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. The people that kidnapped you must have nned it for a long time. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to tell anyone that you were with me. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t take you to the hospital.¡± ¡°You did good, Colin.¡± Olivia noticed that her palms were already appropriately bandaged and rxed. Colin looked at her pale face with a pained expression. ¡°Currently, no one knows that you¡¯re with me, but you won¡¯t be able to get the surgery you scheduled.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression grew colder. ¡°I swear I will never stop hunting her as long as I¡¯m alive!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Olivia, do you know the people that kidnapped you?¡± Olivia replied slowly, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d also like to know. I want to know who would want me dead so badly!¡± Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Olivia was hurt pretty badly. But luckily, there weren¡¯t any life-threatening conditions. She had no choice but to take time to recover at Colin¡¯s ce. Unlike the peace within the Moriarty residence¡¯s walls, the outside world was in chaos. Ethan expended a lot of resources trying to find Olivia¡¯s body at sea. No stone was left unturned. He was getting so out of hand that he even wanted to surround the part of the ocean where Olivia fell in and drain the water. The money needed for that idea was only a minor problem. The main problem was that it would cause social uproar. Theizens began to make fun of Ethan. ¡°Thest time so much effort was put into draining water was when they wanted to catch an alligator gar.¡±, ¡°And they say Marina is his true love. The way I see it, Marina is nothing to Mr. Millerpared to his ex-wife.¡± ¡°It has been three days. Hasn¡¯t anyone dug up information about Mr. Miller¡¯s ex-wife?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that no one tried to look her up. It¡¯s that no one dared to.¡± Marina spent so much effort nning the engagement ceremony. But she became aughingstock at the end. Everyone found out that Ethan didn¡¯t love her at all. Chloe also attracted plenty of attention. She was known as the mother who betrayed her own daughter to save her stepdaughter. Everyone on the inte was mocking her. Chloe hadn¡¯t been in the best of health. The shock from Olivia falling into the ocean hospitalized her. To make matters worse, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Chris stayed by her side the whole time. He was exhausted from the ordeal. At the same time, he was greatly saddened by the state Chloe was in. He looked at her paleplexion and held her hand lightly. He said, ¡°Olivia hasn¡¯t been found yet. That¡¯s good news. She must still be alive.¡± Chloe had be very frail. She held Chris¡¯ hand and sighed. ¡°For the past two days, I kept dreaming about her. ¡°She was drenched in seawater and was waving at me, asking me to join her. She must hate me so much right now.¡± Chris patted her on the head.¡±She wouldn¡¯t do that. She¡¯s a good kid. I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t me you. You had no choice.¡± Chloe covered her face with her hands. Tears flowed between her fingers. She wept and said, ¡°I am her mother, but I chose someone else over her. She must be so disappointed in me. ¡°I think karma ising back to me now. I¡¯ve not long to live. I¡¯ll be joining her in death soon.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense. I spent a fortune searching forpatible bone marrow. There are so many people in the world. ¡°There¡¯s definitely someonepatible. Don¡¯t give up.¡± Chloe hugged Chris tightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of dying. I just don¡¯t want to leave you alone in this world. ¡°We wasted so much of our lives away from each other. Why is fate so cruel to us?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t die,¡± Chrisforted her. ¡°I¡¯ll never allow it. Don¡¯t be afraid. You¡¯re not at the terminal stage yet. We still have time.¡± Chris¡¯ words calmed Chloe down. He fed her some soup and lulled her to sleep. Chris sighed as he looked at Chloe¡¯s sleeping face. He turned to the servant next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t let her get on the inte these few days.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Chris had already spent a lot of money trying to remove all traces of the discussions about Marina and Chloe. But the discussions always resurfaced again, seemingly without end. Chloe¡¯s mental and physical state have both been severely impacted. She had be very fragile. He didn¡¯t want her to be hurt anymore. Chris went next door to check up on Marina. She quickly hid something under her pillow as soon as he walked in.. ¡°What are you hiding?¡± Chris asked with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s my phone. I hid it because you forbade me from going online.¡± Chris rubbed his eyebrows and said with a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°There is a lot of negative press about our family on the inte right now. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t get hung up on them.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I know, Dad.¡± ¡°By the way, have your bone marrowpatibility test resultse out yet?¡± Panic flickered in Marina¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°It¡¯s out, but my bone marrow isn¡¯tpatible with Chloe¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s such a pity. I wish I could¡¯ve helped her.¡± Chris patted her on the shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Rest well for now.¡± ¡°Okay, Dad.¡± Marina watched as Chris left the room. She quickly dialed Otto¡¯s number. ¡°What should I do, Grandpa? My bone marrow ispatible with that bitch. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give her any of my bone marrow. You know I can¡¯t handle pain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marina. I¡¯ll take care of it for you. All you have to do is not admit that your bone marrow is co ¡°Thanks, Grandpa.¡± Marina hung up. She had a cold expression on her face. She wanted Chloe dead as much as she wanted Olivia to die. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 n recent days, Chloe wasn¡¯t the only one suffering. Ethan wasn¡¯t doing any better. He barely ate or drank anything, nor did he rest or sleep. He was very tightly wound. The search for Olivia was constantly on his mind. It pained Kelvin to see Ethan in such a weakened state. ¡°Mr Miller, you should at least eat something. Your body won¡¯t be able to hold out at this rate.¡± Ethan¡¯s throat was parched, and his lips were chapped. Brent hurriedly got him a cup of tea. Ethan was only barely able to speak after downing a cup of warm tea, but his voice was still hoarse. ¡°The thing I had you investigate?¡± ¡°The surveince on the elevator was already destroyed when we got there. There isn¡¯t any useful footage. ¡°But we uncovered their link with an international organization through their kidnapping of Ms. Carlton.¡± ¡°What organization?¡± ¡°The Toxic Hive.¡± Ethan put a cigarette to his lips out of habit and tried to light it up with his lighter. But his fingers were shaking uncontrobly. Theck of nutrients and rest severely weakened his body. Kelvin quickly came up to Ethan and helped him light up the cigarette. ¡°Is it that secretive organization that has some of the best doctors in the world but only researches prohibited drugs?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Brent said with a serious expression, ¡°The Toxic Hive recruited top medical researchers from all over the world. ¡°They do all sorts of research and human experiments banned by countries worldwide and the World Health Organization. ¡°They started a virus war five years ago that affected people worldwide. They are a bunch of heartless barbarians.¡± Ethan¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. He didn¡¯t have any grudges with The Toxic Hive. It was arge organization that epassed all areas of the globe. They even havebs in the coldest and hottest ces in the world. The members are all scientific geniuses. They were dubbed the demonic geniuses in human skin. These people were obsessed with their research. They didn¡¯t usually do kidnapping. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The members of The Toxic Hive have killed people, but they have also saved people. There were quite a few cases of them curing terminal illnesses. Some people saw them as angels, but others saw them as the harbinger of diseases. Ethan knew they didn¡¯t capture Olivia or Marina for the research. If they needed guinea pigs for their research, they would have taken the guests too, not just two women. It felt like the kidnapping wasn¡¯t rted to the organization but a personal vendetta. But that confused Ethan. He knew Olivia very well. She was a loving person. She wouldn¡¯t possibly offend someone to such a degree that they would want her life. ¡°No wonder we couldn¡¯t find Leo. He must be a part of The Toxic Hive, too.¡± ¡°That should be the case.¡± Ethan frowned as his fingers sped around his cigarette tightly. ¡°Even if Liv is alive, she would suffer a fate worse than death if she fell into their hands. ¡°They would use her to test their drugs, and she would be tormented to no end.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, The Toxic Hive had evacuated in a hurry before we got here. Maybe they didn¡¯t find Mrs. Miller. She had a knife and cut the ropes before she fell.¡± Brent licked his lips and continued, ¡°Mrs. Miller had always been a good swimmer. There were a lot of abandoned boats that she could¡¯ve hidden behind. ¡°She may have gone into hiding. Or else, the people who kidnapped her would surely try to agitate you with her corpse. ¡°They went radio silent for so many days, it can only mean one thing. Mrs. Miller is still alive! The Toxic Hive didn¡¯t get to her. ¡°T A glimmer of hope lit up in Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s it! Liv wanted me to avenge her by finding them before she fell. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a farewell for good. She was trying to tell me something.¡± Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Brent was relieved to see some spark in Ethan¡¯s eyes. He quickly continued, ¡°That¡¯s true. Mrs. Miller is a pacifist. She wouldn¡¯t ask you to avenge her otherwise.¡± Ethan frowned at the reminder. He recalled Olivia trying to tell him something but never actually speaking up. ¡°What she wanted me to investigate wasn¡¯t only The Toxic Hive. She also wanted me to look into the incident with Jeff and my sister.¡± Ethan remembered that Olivia had visited the Miller residence before the kidnapping. She probably knew something was wrong. It was like the spy cameras nting in Ethan¡¯s office. It was clear someone had been plotting against him for some time. But this concerned his taboo. It was something he didn¡¯t allow anyone to bring up, not even Olivia. That was why Olivia had to risk everything and investigate by herself to find the truth. ¡°Mr. Miller, do we need to look into Ms. Leia¡¯s incident?¡± Brent asked cautiously. Ethan looked up into the sky and stared at the dimly lit stars among the clouds. He realized the truth was always there, but someone had intentionally hidden it. ¡°Investigate! Look into it carefully. Leave no stone unturned.¡± Ethan had made up his mind. If something was wrong with his sister¡¯s death, he wouldn¡¯t let the people behind it roam free. He decided to revisit his trauma. ¡°This time, we¡¯ll change things up a little.¡± ¡°What kind of change?¡± Kelvin was shocked. ¡°All the evidence that we foundst time felt like they were nted by someone who wanted us to find them. We were being led on. ¡°This time, we will start our investigation from the Fordhams¡¯ angle.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Brent stared at Ethan¡¯s expression and nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Where would she be if she was alive?¡± Ethan wondered. ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones looking for her. The Toxic Hive must be looking, too. She must be hiding in a ce no one expects her to be.¡± But where would this ce be? Kelvin recalled something and said softly, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Carlton was diagnosed with leukemia two days ago. ¡°It isn¡¯t looking good. Do you want to visit her?¡± ¡°Leukemia? It¡¯s karmaing back to bite her,¡± Ethan said with a smirk. He thought Chloe wasn¡¯t fit to be a mother. Brent said awkwardly, ¡°About that, Mr. Miller. You should still visit her anyway. The Carltons are still looking for you to give them an exnation.¡± Ethan had been focused on looking for Olivia the past few days. Otto was throwing a fit. It was time for Ethan to visit the Carltons. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Dress my wound with fresh bandages first.¡± Brent was overjoyed. Ethan had finally agreed to change the bandages. The wound on his chest was bandaged while he was unconscious. Ethan hadn¡¯t allowed anyone to get close to him for the past few days. The condition of his wound has been left unchecked. It was a good thing that Ethan was starting to cooperate with the treatment of his wound. The wound hadn¡¯t been soaked in water. It didn¡¯t worsen. Ethan had always been physically fit. The flesh was already growing back on his injury. Ethan looked at the wound and smiled icily. Brent was standing behind him and happened to see his expression. It sent chills down Brent¡¯s spine. Ethan looked like a demon that wed his way up from hell. ¡°Brent, move Jeff to another nursing home.¡± Brent calmed himself down and said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Not only did Ethan cooperate with the treatment of his wound, but he also ate. Before he could finish eating, he received the news. ¡°Mr Miller, bad news! Mr. Fordham has been taken!¡± Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Ethan mmed the spoon he held onto the table and shouted, ¡°What do you mean he has been taken?¡± Kelvin urgently said, ¡°Mrs. Miller had dispatched extra guards to watch over Mr. Fordham about two weeks ago. ¡°I didn¡¯t really concern myself with it, but it would seem like she knew someone would go after Mr. Fordham. ¡°There were already two groups of people in a gunfight when we arrived. Some nurses were injured in the crossfire. The hospital has temporarily stopped the news from spreading. ¡°Where is Jeff?¡± ¡°One of the groups took him. From my initial calctions, there were four different groups, including us.¡± Excluding Olivia¡¯s hired muscle and Ethan¡¯s men, another group would be The Toxic Hive. But the fourth group was unknown. It was uncertain which group took Jeff. Ethan noticed that Kelvin¡¯s voice sounded a little feeble. He knew something was wrong. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Kelvin was holding his own arm tightly. Blood was seeping from his palm. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Mr. Miller. It was my fault. I didn¡¯t expect them to go so far.¡± He was not alone in thinking that. Ethan also didn¡¯t expect such an intense situation to arise from an unconscious man like Jeff. Even a notorious international group was in on it. Ethan hung up the phone. It wasn¡¯t a good sign that The Toxic Hive was operating within Aldenvine. This organization didn¡¯t belong to any country in particr. Several of its members were death row prisoners on the run. The organization was characterized by its genius medical professionals and their boundless cruelty. They could sacrifice the lives of thousands just to test the results of their research. Most people stayed away from them. But there were also some people who were desperate to save thved ones. They would take the risk to deal with the devil. Many important businessmen and politicians from countries worldwide had ties to the organization to buy prohibited drugs from them. Ethan had no tolerance for a rogue organization like The Toxic Hive. He needed professionals to handle these people. The hospital was on lockdown. There was blood sttered everywhere, even on the ceilings. The fight over Jeff was vicious. The people had no care for the well-being of the civilians. Kelvin¡¯s arm was injured because he tried to protect a nurse. ¡°Mr. Miller, these people are so full of themselves. They had no regard for human life and shot up the hospital.¡± Ethan looked at the bullet holes in the door. His expression turned serious, ¡°I can see that. How many casualties are there?¡± ¡°Eight were killed, 24 critically injured, and 12 with minor wounds.¡± This could be considered an extremely serious security breach. The victims were told to keep the incident to themselves. No one was allowed in or out of the hospital. The officials kepting. A lot of the people on the scene were shocked. They had never experienced something so frightening. Jeff¡¯s room was in the best condition. There wasn¡¯t any blood spilled in there. His caregivers only received minor injuries. Ethan emerged from the security perimeter and entered the ward of Jeff¡¯s caregiver. Ethan was meeting the caregiver for the first time. As the door opened, the caregiver looked towards the entrance with a respectful expression and bowed her head out of habit.¡± Sir, I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just my foot¡­ Y-you are¡­ Mr. Miller?¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The caregiver was intimidated. She had only been visited by the police and government officials. She didn¡¯t know why a famous businessman would visit her. She thought he hade to the wrong room. It was already springtime, but Ethan¡¯s presence seemed to bring along a chilling sensation. He nodded and signaled the caregiver to be at ease. Ethan carried himself with dignity. He said expressionlessly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to sit up. Just answer some of my questions.¡± The caregiver suddenly interjected, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Ms. Fordham¡¯s ex-husband, right?¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 The caregiver didn¡¯t expect to meet Ethan under such circumstances. Ethan was taken aback but didn¡¯t deny, ¡°Yes.¡± The caregiver thought about her words. She didn¡¯t want to risk causing trouble for Olivia. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She exined anxiously, ¡°Ms. Fordham didn¡¯t tell me. I just took a wild guess. ¡°The incident at your engagement ceremony was all over the inte. Even though Ms. Fordham was blindfolded, I recognized her immediately.¡± The caregiver suddenly lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Have you found her yet?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want to talk about that with her. ¡°Nothing will happen to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Ms. Fordham is such a lovely person. She¡¯ll get through this.¡± The caregiver wiped her tears and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, feel free to ask any questions. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know about Ms. Fordham.¡± Ethan had so many things he wanted to say, but nothing came out. It was like he had lost his voice. ¡°Did she ever talk about me?¡± Ethan opened with a question that he cared about the most. The caregiver shook her head and said, ¡°Never. She¡¯s a stubborn person. I first got to know her when Mr. Fordham was in an ident. ¡°Ms. Fordham was taking care of everything while she was pregnant. I saw the ring on her finger. I suggested that she should ask her husband toe and help. ¡°Whenever I brought that up, she would shake her head and say you were busy. Since the beginning, no matter how hard her life was, she neverined to anyone. ¡°Mr. Miller, I just found out that you were her husband. I have been wondering about something.¡± The caregiver stared at Ethan and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t give Ms. Fordham time or happiness. What about money? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you at least give her that? If you couldn¡¯t provide her with anything, what¡¯s the point of the marriage?¡± Ethan was stunned. He was a dignified man, but the caregiver¡¯s words were like a rude awakening. ¡°Seems like no one has ever said something like this to you, Mr. Miller. I¡¯m just a regr person. I¡¯ve seca ow Ms. Fordham lived these two years. ¡°Do you know how hard her life has been? You probably don¡¯t, right? After all, You¡¯ve been spending time with your new woman.¡± The caregiver¡¯s temper red up. She started to recount the things that Ethan had done to Olivia. ¡°Ms. Olivia came from a good family. She¡¯s pretty and kind, a perfect woman. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be living such a hard life even if she married a regr man. Have you ever visited your father-inw in the two years he was here? ¡°Where were you when your father-inw was in the operating room? Or when Ms. Fordham was waiting outside the operating room while carrying your baby?¡± The caregiver raised her voice and said, ¡°You¡¯ve finally appeared after Mr. Fordham has been taken and Ms. Fordham has gone missing. ¡°You¡¯re a dayte and a dor short. You¡¯ve missed the boat. It¡¯s too little, toote.¡± Brent coughed softly and said, ¡°Lady, please calm down.¡± ¡°Calm down? How could I calm down? Even though I¡¯m not Ms. Fordham¡¯s family, I witnessed all her hardships these two years. ¡°And she had to end up like this. I feel so sorry for her. ¡°The man she didn¡¯t allow anyone to say a bad word about also caused her to die an untimely death. Fuck you and your money. ¡°You should¡¯ve been the one to die instead of her. You cold-blooded scum.¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 When Ethan left the room, his body was cold. Even after the long talk with Cecily, that same question kept ringing in his head. ¡°Why is Olivia the person who¡¯s dead but not me?¡± He suddenly recalled the same question he asked Olivia about why the person who was dead was Leia but not her. Now, he knew how much those words actually hurt. Ethan wondered how Olivia put up with them. He was watching a woman in the hallway. She was staring at the operating room with teary eyes in the hallway. At that moment, he thought the woman was a pregnant Olivia. ¡°Mr. Miller, what are you looking at?¡± Brent followed Ethan¡¯s gaze only to notice a stranger. ¡°Send me the surveince footage in the hospital as long as it has Olivia.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± When Ethan was getting into the car, he almost tripped. At this point, even though Ethan didn¡¯t know what the truth was, it was highly possible that Jeff wasn¡¯t Leia¡¯s murderer. The deeper he dug into the case, the moreplicated it got. The number of people involved and incidents that were connected was increasing. Considering that he hadn¡¯t rested for days, he was exhausted. However, he wasn¡¯t sleepy. Hey against the leather seat, repeating the same question in his head. ¡°If Jeff wasn¡¯t the murderer, why did I torture Olivia for the past two years?¡± The sheer thought of that possibility gave him a sheen of cold sweat. Olivia was the woman Ethan loved the most, yet he kept hurting her in the most hurtful way possible. She was scarred for life. Ahead of the final days of her life, she had been struggling to survive a hellish life. Hugging his head, he grabbed his hair. He was repenting for what he had done to her all this time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. Mrs. Miller will be fine.¡± ¡°Yeah, the opponent took Mr. Fordham away, but they didn¡¯t hurt him. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that he¡¯s their trump card to lure Ms. Fordham out. This means that Ms. Fordham is still alive.¡± Kelvin and Brent supposed that Ethan was getting worried about Olivia. In truth, Ethan was actually ming himself. The guilt was eating him up. He didn¡¯t know what he should do with their rtionship when he met Olivia again. Someone like him didn¡¯t have the right to take advantage of her. He was still grabbing his hair when a cold glint shed across his eyes. Actually, there was still a way. It didn¡¯t matter if Leia¡¯s death had anything to do with Jeff. All Ethan needed to do was to convince Olivia that Jeff was the murderer with proof. That way, she would return to his side. Ethan raised his head. His eyes were teeming with obsession. He thought, ¡°Liv, I will never let you leave my side. Even if you¡¯re going to die, you have to stay in my sight.¡± Brent took a nce at the back seat. The car window happened to reflect the menacing smile across Ethan¡¯s lips. Brent thought, ¡°Has Mr. Miller gone mad? His smile is scary!¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, those guys in Aldenvine won¡¯t be able to hide for long. It¡¯s a matter of time before we find them. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. Just find them,¡± said Ethan. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, he would kill those people. He would neither let Leia¡¯s murderer off the hook easily nor would he let go of Olivia. He was aware that his rtionship with Olivia would bepletely ruined if the truth came to light, and he would never let that happen. Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Olivia was recovering in the Moriarty residence. It had been sunny recently. So shey in the yard while hugging Snowball, enjoying the sunlight. The breeze blew, swirling the cherry blossom on the ground. A few white cats were running in the yard. It was a beautiful scenery to behold, yet Olivia couldn¡¯t have peace of mind at all. The news of her going missing went viral online. Everyone was throwing mud at Marina for being a homewrecker and iming Chloe to be cruel for selling her daughter off for money. The Carltons spent a lot of money to delete those articles, but a new one would be released every single time they did that. On the contrary, Olivia¡¯s personal information was well-protected. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t feel happy upon reading those negativements about Marina. After all, she and Marina equally lost the game. The only things that concerned Olivia were Jeff and Jack Jeff suddenly showed up in public while Jack had gone missing. She was certain that Jack was either in trouble or dead. ¡°Olivia, something on your mind?¡± Colin¡¯s voice resounded from behind. Olivia, who was deeply absorbed in her thoughts, blinked. ¡°My father. I wonder if the other party will hurt him if they know that I¡¯m alive.¡± He served her a te of fruits. With one knee on the ground, he brought a strawberry to her lips. She didn¡¯t notice that he had put his pride down, but he wasn¡¯t bothered by it. All he wanted to do was to please her. ¡°Olivia, if you¡¯re worried, I can move your father to a safer ce.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Will it be troublesome for you to make that happen?¡± He grinned as he was genuinely happy. ¡°It is my honor to be able to help you. It¡¯s not troublesome. ¡°But judging from how they dared to resort to a kidnap, it seems like they¡¯re not ordinary people. I can¡¯t ask a favor from ordinary people, either,¡± he said. She frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve hired a few men in the hospital just in case.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, Olivia. Trust me,¡± Colin said. He smiled at her. ¡°Olivia, I think there¡¯s something that you should know.¡± ¡°What?¡± He ced the te of fruit to a side, attracting the cats. He shooed two of them away before showing her his phone. ¡°You should read it yourself.¡± Her expression changed as soon as she read the content. ¡°Is this true?¡± He nodded. ¡°The Carlton family released the article, so it should be true. Mr. Carlton is looking for a suitable bone marrow for her. Olivia¡­¡± He gazed at Olivia deeply. ¡°What do you think about this?¡± She returned the phone to him calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve settled the scores between us. I don¡¯t owe her anything now. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she have another daughter? They can ask for it from Marina.¡± ¡°What if Marina¡¯s bone marrow is notpatible, but yours is?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what Colin had in mind, but she said firmly, ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± It was enough to be daydreaming for over ten years. Furthermore, she wasn¡¯t in good health. She caressed Snowball¡¯s head. It pulled its ears down, shutting its eyes sleepily while purring. Olivia lowered her gaze. ¡°I just wanna spend the rest of my days taking care of my father.¡± She wished she could clear Jeff¡¯s name and find out the truth as well. She didn¡¯t want to think about anything other than that. After knowing her answer, Colin said, ¡°Olivia, if I remember correctly, you¡¯ve been looking for Leo, haven¡¯t you? What if I say I can find him for you?¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Olivia suddenly raised her head, staring right at Colin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Really, Colin? Are you able to find Leo?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. After all, not even Ethan could find Leo. Colin didn¡¯t seem like he was lying. A me of hope was ignited in her. ¡°Yeah. I heard that Leo went into hiding after offending someone abroad. ¡°No one could find him, but I happened to have the connections to do so,¡± Colin said. Olivia thought, ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that Ethan couldn¡¯t find him. He wasn¡¯t lying.¡± She said, ¡°What about my father¡¯s surgery-¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re not safe as long as you¡¯re in the country. If that person can drive you to the edge once, it can happen twice. ¡°Even Mr. Fordham¡¯s life is in danger. I can send both of you abroad together. ¡°You can stay out of harm¡¯s way while he receives treatment,¡± he suggested. She frowned. It was something she had never thought of before. Rather, it was something she didn¡¯t dare to think about. Ethan¡¯s shadow was always looming over her, fettering her with restraints. She unconsciously drew an invisible boundary, trapping herself. Colin continued, ¡°Olivia, a lot of my friends practice medicine. They are living abroad. ¡°They¡¯re the top specialists in the medical field. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee a 100 percent sess rate for your treatment. ¡°But your possibility to survive the cancer will surely be higher than what the doctors in the country can offer you.¡± He licked his lips and added, ¡°I can see that you¡¯ve gotten over your ex-husband. ¡°What is there that¡¯s holding you back? You can start life anew abroad.¡± She muttered in disbelief, ¡°Can I do that?¡± Colin didn¡¯t let up with his persuasions. ¡°Of course, you can. Who are you?¡± He grabbed her shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re Olivia Fordham, a talented medical student! You once abandoned your bright future for that man. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna restart the life which you once abandoned before?¡± Her eyes were showing a ray of hope. He continued to spur her on, ¡°The Olivia Fordham I know isn¡¯t a woman that¡¯s abandoned by a man. ¡°She¡¯s a strong woman who has the willpower to start anew even after a downfall. ¡°Olivia, not even death can stop you. Do you fear the idea of starting a new life?¡± She closed her eyes. Her eyelids were trembling. ¡°He won¡¯t allow me to leave Aldenvine. ¡°If I fail to leave, I will have to pay a heavy price for it. I won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± She released Snowball and covered her face. ¡°I¡¯m no longer the Olivia Fordham who¡¯s free to wander around the world. ¡°Colin, what you¡¯re seeing right now is a scarred and fettered bird in a cage.¡± ¡°Olivia, if you¡¯re a caged bird, I¡¯m the person that can break the shackles for you. ¡°I will make all the necessary arrangements for you and Mr. Fordham. Before Ethan knows it, our ne will alreadynd in a foreignnd.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Olivia showed hesitation. ¡°Even if they have a guess that you¡¯re alive, they don¡¯t know your whereabouts, let alone the fact that you¡¯re abroad. ¡°Olivia, we can travel by water. It¡¯s inconvenient for Leo to show himself in Aldenvine, but he cane to the High Seas. ¡°Mr. Fordham can undergo surgery on a deserted ind. And you can receive treatment and focus on your recovery there, too. ¡°Ethan won¡¯t be able to find you there forever.¡± At that point, Colin¡¯s emotions became forceful. He grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see him forever, so what is there to be afraid of? ¡°If Mr. Fordham is the only person you¡¯re worried about, I can make sure that he doesn¡¯t leave your sight.. ¡°No one can ever threaten you. And you no longer need to be afraid of getting kidnapped. You can get stic surgery and start life anew!¡± Olivia was so tempted by his enticing offer that she couldn¡¯t retort his remarks. ¡°Colin, I can leave the country with you, but there¡¯s something I have to do.¡± ¡°What is it? Tell me.¡± Resentment sparked in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want my father to bear the sin forever for something he hadn¡¯t done. As long as I¡¯m alive, I will find out who the mastermind is!¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Initially, Olivia had no intentions of telling this matter to an outsider. But Colin had been helping her out. He was even sketching a n for her future. That was why she told everything to him honestly. He was slightly surprised upon hearing that. ¡°So the mastermind wanted Mr. Miller to choose between you and Marina?¡± ¡°Yes. Colin, the n you told me is tempting, but this is the only matter that I can¡¯t let it slide. ¡°She set my family up, and I almost died because of her. My father¡¯s reputation is ruined. ¡°Yet I don¡¯t even know who she is. How can I just leave like this?¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°She finally pulled up a trump card after nning it for so long. Many people were sacrificed because of this. ¡°It hurts every time I think about it. I don¡¯t know what I have done wrong. How did I offend such a person?¡± Colin said softly, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re not the one to me. Some people are psychos.¡± Dubious, Olivia looked at him. ¡°Colin, did you say something?¡± ¡°No. I mean, you¡¯re a kind person. What could you have possibly done wrong? ¡°Even if there¡¯s someone at fault, it¡¯s not you. Some people are born bad.¡± She shook her head helplessly. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± He said aloud, ¡°I¡¯m stating facts. Olivia, you¡¯re the kindest woman in the world. Ethan is blind for not appreciating you. ¡°Ethan will surely continue the investigation after hearing what you said before you jumped into the sea ¡°He will get to the bottom of it. So, worry not because the truth wille to light. I simply wanna seize this chance to leave Aldenvine. ¡°Ethan should be preupied with the rescue mission. We can n an escape now and leave the city Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to leave once he gets himself together.¡± At longst, Olivia made up her mind after dwelling in a dilemma. She looked at Colin with solemnity. ¡°Colin, can I trust you?¡± He held her hand. His hand was rough due to calluses, but it was clean and warm. He didn¡¯t avoid her eyes. ¡°Even if the world wants to harm you, I will always protect you, Olivia ¡± ¡°Why? We¡¯re not family. And there¡¯s nothing I can give you,¡± she asked. He smiled faintly and winked at her. ¡°What kind of ulterior motive could I possibly have? My sole wish is for you to have a long and peaceful life¡± A scene shed across her mind. It was something she had long forgotten. Colin¡¯s parents were divorced when he was young. His father was busy handling a business and was always flocked by women His father neglected him. On New Year¡¯s Eve, Olivia found Colin, who was all alone. She took her to the Fordham residence, and they gazed at the starry night sky together She told him that the stars could grant them a wish He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to wish for.¡± Olivia responded, ¡°You can wish for a long and peaceful life¡± The face of the boy watching the night sky somehow resembled the young man in front of her. Such a pure gaze was her only source of sce in this hellish life. She nodded. ¡°Okay, Colin. Judging from my father¡¯s condition, we can¡¯t dy his treatment any longer. ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush to seek revenge. As long as I¡¯m alive, there will be a chance for it. ¡°Please make the necessary arrangements for us. I want to leave Aldenvine.¡± He held her hand tightly. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Despite knowing that Colin had madeprehensive arrangements, Olivia contacted a few people for help. However, something unexpected happened when they were moving Jeff. When it was time for Olivia and Colin to meet up, he hadn¡¯t returned. It was a starless night. But the yard hadn¡¯t lost its wholesome atmosphere. Cherry blossoms were dancing under the dim light. Olivia made a wind chime and hung it on a tree branch. The fragments struck each other along the wind. The continuous tinkle made her anxious. She was worried about Colin. As the wind chime continued to ck, the wind blew it off the branch. The sound it made when it fell onto the ground elicited uneasiness. Before Olivia could pick it up, someone stood next to it. Colin picked it up and shed her a bright smile. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m back.¡± She ran toward him anxiously. ¡°Colin, are you alright?¡± He nodded and yed with the wind chime. ¡°What could¡¯ve possibly happened to me when you¡¯re worried sick for me? ¡°There was some trouble, but I managed to take Mr. Fordham away. I took him to a safe ce. ¡°That¡¯s why it took me so long. Sorry for making you worried.¡± Olivia heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°What trouble?¡± ¡°Aside from us, there are a few arrogant men shooting guns at innocent people. Ethan¡¯s men came too.¡± She felt a sheen of chill behind her. ¡°It must be her. ¡°She¡¯s trying to use my father to lure me out! Were you hurt?¡± Colin recalled how those men were killed and how their blood sshed against the walls. He put on an innocent smile. ¡°It was a mess. I was trying to keep Mr. Fordham safe, so I wasn¡¯t in a state of mind to mind those people. ¡°Fortunately, I hired some mercenaries this time. Plus, your men killed the enemies and secured a way out for us. I almost lost my life there.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Noticing that he shrunk his shoulders unnaturally, she stepped forward. ¡°Were you hurt?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Colin!¡± She ced her hands on her waist. She could already smell blood, and the smell was strong. Olivia bypassed him to check on his back. His white jacket was stained with blood! ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. It¡¯s a minor injury. I must¡¯ve not bandaged it well because I was rushing. I-¡± ¡°Come with me!¡± She grabbed his hand, pulling him into the house. A faint smile appeared across his lips when they entered the house. But she didn¡¯t notice that. Olivia quickly grabbed a first-aid kit before lifting his shirt. Colin had roughly bandaged his wound after tearing a piece of cloth from his shirt. Looking at the appalling wound, she scolded, ¡°It¡¯s such a long wound! How did you get that? Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± He stuck his tongue out sheepishly. ¡°Someone must¡¯ve hurt me when I was trying to protect Mr. Fordham on our way out. Look. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± Tears trickled onto his back, prompting him to look back at her. Olivia wiped her tears off clumsily but bandaged his wound with skilled hands. ¡°Sorry for dragging you into this mess, Colin. You¡¯re hurt because of me.¡± She regretted her decision. She didn¡¯t want him to get into the madwoman¡¯s bad books. ¡°Olivia, I was hurt because I was careless. It had nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m young and strong. ¡°A few cuts won¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s fine as long as Mr. Fordham is safe. It¡¯ll heal in no time. I¡¯m fine.¡± He turned around and caressed her tear-stricken face. He said seriously, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve saved Mr. Fordham, there¡¯s nothing else holding you back from leaving Aldenvine with me, is there?¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Olivia stopped crying. She looked at Colin with misty eyes. She could see her silhouette in his eyes. There was no smidgen of boyish innocence on his handsome face. He seemed like a mature man. Now, was there anything else that was holding her back from leaving? Colin managed to get Jeff out of there. As long as she stayed alive, she could return at any time for revenge. Ethan¡¯s face crossed her mind, and she shook her head to get it off her mind. ¡°No. But I would like to see my father before we leave. Is that alright?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll make an arrangement for it,¡± Colin agreed to her request. Olivia continued tending to his wound. Layer uponyer, she wrapped the bandage around his built body. She was surprised to discover how many scars were on his body. ¡°Colin, why do you have so many scars?¡± He chuckled lightly. ¡°Olivia, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever told you about my family. Do you wanna hear my story?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± She fetched another basin of warm water. Gently, she wiped the bloodstain off his body. ¡°My mother passed away when I was young. But I never once said that my father was the cause of her death. ¡°He¡¯s an abuser. A dangerous one.¡± Her hands, which were twisting the wet cloth, halted. She looked sideways at Colin. He appeared rather mature under the sheen of yellowish light. His body was built, unlike when he was still a boy. Slightly raising his chin, he chuckled. His voice was hoarse. ¡°My father¡¯s life is all about money and alcohol. Whenever something bad happened to his business, he would always get home drunk and hit my mother. ¡°Most of my scars were left by him. My mother had always tolerated it for my sake. ¡°That was how it was until that snowy day when my father lost an amount of money in the stock market. ¡°He ced the iron on my skin. Olivia, have you heard the sound of hot iron searing the skin before? It¡¯s the same as grilling meat. ¡°My mother wanted to block it, but she managed to block half of it. Half of the iron burned her skin, and the other half burned my back. ¡°That was the first time she fought back. And she was pushed down the stairs by my father in the midst of the fight.¡± Olivia looked at the mark on his waist. She couldn¡¯t imagine how painful it was. Colin continued, ¡°When I was taken away for a witness statement record, I told the police that she fell down the stairs. I did as my father told me.¡± He suddenly looked back at her. ¡°I was a very bad kid, wasn¡¯t I? I lied. I let that scumbag off the book.¡± Tears trickled down his cheeks. ¡°Because I don¡¯t wanna lose my father after losing my mother.¡± The cloth fell into the basin of water. She hugged him. ¡°Colin¡­¡± He continued, ¡°I left the country when I was young in order to avoid him. You¡¯re the only person in my life who cares if I¡¯ve taken my meals. ¡°You took me home to celebrate New Year¡¯s. Olivia, you¡¯re the angel that saved me.¡± Olivia recalled his reticent younger self. They exchanged contact numbers before he left the country During the first few years, she kept in touch with him. But how did they end up losing contact? Only then did Olivia remember that it happened after she dated Ethan. He didn¡¯t like how she was close with other men. However, she didn¡¯t know that Colin had such painful experiences before. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Colin. It¡¯s already in the past,¡± she cooed His hands, which were hanging midair, slowly hugged her waist. He hummed in response and tightened his embrace. ¡°It is already in the past,¡± Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Darkness painted across the night sky, but Olivia wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. Lying against the window, she watched the cherry blossom tree Snowball stretched its bodyzily and scratched its nails under the tree She had agreed to leave with Colin, but she was feeling uneasy for some reason. She was aware that it was her best option. The longer Jeff¡¯s treatment was dyed, the more serious his condition would be. Thus, her departure was the best option. Not only could Colin find Leo, but she could also receive treatments to cure her cancer. However, something had been weighing on her chest after she made that decision, All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It was as though there was a cloud of mist around her. Olivia¡¯s hunch kept telling her that something was off Suddenly, a scream came from Colin¡¯s room. ¡°Don¡¯t hit me?¡± She hurriedly pushed the door open. His room was a mess. He was hiding in aer trembling like a stray dog ¡°Colin, it¡¯s alright. It¡¯s me.¡± She carefully approached him He hugged her instantly. ¡°Olivia, I dreamed about the night my mother died. He was holding an iron whileughing like a devil ¡± Olivia patted his uninjured shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a dream, Feeling the temperature in her arms, she touched his forebeat. ¡°You¡¯re running a temperature Lie down His wounds might be infected, hence the fever. Olivia got busy as she tried to lower his body temperature Colin was having a restless sleep. He kept holding her hand while calling het name Looking at the pitiful young man, she realized that unfortunate people were the same And that she wasn¡¯t having the worst life in this world. Patiently, she kept himpany and took care of him. His temperature only returned to normal after two days. The morning sunlight cascaded down on Olivia the woke up only to see an empty bed. She then ran out of the room. Colin was in the yard in a white shirt. He was standing under the cherry blossom tree and smiled at her Hisplexion was still pale, showing no signs of vigor The sunlight fell upon him, and the cherry blossoms danced behind him He looked like a charming princeing right out of a fairy tale Ova sighed in relief ¡°You rared me, Colin I thought something happened to you¡± ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m feeling much better. I came out to have some fresh air. Didn¡¯t you want to see a pordham? tean take you there ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too much. You haven¡¯tpletely recovered yet¡± she was still wousted ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I loow where the line is ¡± Darkness painted across the night sky, but Olivia wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. Lying against the window, she watched the cherry blossom tree. Snowball stretched its bodyzily and scratched its nails under the tree. She had agreed to leave with Colin, but she was feeling uneasy for some reason. She was aware that it was her best option. The longer Jeff¡¯s treatment was dyed, the more serious his condition would be. Thus, her departure was the best option. Not only could Colin find Leo, but she could also receive treatments to cure her cancer. However, something had been weighing on her chest after she made that decision. It was as though there was a cloud of mist around her. Olivia¡¯s hunch kept telling her that something was off. Suddenly, a scream came from Colin¡¯s room. ¡°Don¡¯t hit me!¡± She hurriedly pushed the door open. His room was a mess. He was hiding in a corner while trembling like a stray dog. ¡°Colin, it¡¯s alright. It¡¯s me.¡± She carefully approached him He hugged her instantly. ¡°Olivia, I dreamed about the night my mother died. He was holding an iron whileughing like a devil.¡± Olivia patted his uninjured shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a dream.¡± Feeling the temperature in her arms, she touched his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re running a temperature. Lie down.¡± His wounds might be infected, hence the fever. Olivia got busy as she tried to lower his body temperature. Colin was having a restless sleep. He kept holding her hand while calling her name. Looking at the pitiful young man, she realized that unfortunate people were the same. And that she wasn¡¯t having the worst life in this world. Patiently, she kept himpany and took care of him. His temperature only returned to normal after two days. The morning sunlight cascaded down on Olivia. She woke up only to see an empty bed. She then ran out of the room. Colin was in the yard in a white shirt. He was standing under the cherry blossom tree and smiled at her. Hisplexion was still pale, showing no signs of vigor. The sunlight fell upon him, and the cherry blossoms danced behind him. He looked like a charming princeing right out of a fairy tale. Olivia sighed in relief. ¡°You scared me, Colin. I thought something happened to you.¡± ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m feeling much better. I came out to have some fresh air. Didn¡¯t you want to see Mr. Fordham? I can take you there. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too much. You haven¡¯tpletely recovered yet.¡± She was still worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know where the line is.¡± He suddenly held her hand and asked seriously, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re the only family I have. Could you not leave my side forever?¡± An obsessive glint shed in his eyes. Her heart palpitated. She licked her lips before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± He smiled. It was such a pure smile. Colin helped her with her disguise, and they went out. Ever since her staged death, she had been confined in this residence the whole time. Mixed feelings were churning in her stomach when she saw a different scenery outside after such a long time. She was going to leave this ce, which she loved and hated at the same time. Those mixed feelings disappeared the moment she saw Jeff. He settled down at a vi in the suburbs with over ten people on watch. Her heart squeezed at the sight of his haggard face. ¡°Dad.¡± His breathing was calm as if he was sleeping. Colin patted her shoulder. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve asked someone to perform a thorough checkup on Mr. Fordham. ¡°Although he has not regained his consciousness yet, his stats look fine. As long as Leo treats him, he will surely regain his consciousness. ¡°I¡¯ve talked to Leo. He will arrive earlier on the ind to perform surgery on Mr. Fordham. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything else, Mr. Fordham must leave Aldenvine by today.¡± Olivia was shocked. ¡°By today?¡± He looked at her gently. ¡°Yes. He leaves the city first. Both of us will leave in three days. Olivia, we won¡¯t be returning here for a long time from then onwards. ¡°Do you have anyone that you wanna say goodbye to?¡± Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Olivia thought about it for a moment. ¡°I wanna see my best friend. ¡°No need to bid farewell. It¡¯s enough to see her from afar.¡± Everly had turned into a corporate ve recently. She was working overtime every day. Olivia supposed that Everly had been searching for her everywhere after watching the news. She didn¡¯t have the courage to bid Everly farewell. Besides, Olivia had guessed that there had been a lot of people spying on her. It wasn¡¯t easying this far. She didn¡¯t want anyone to disrupt the n. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll help you with that.¡± Colin was always agreeable to her requests. On the same day, Olivia saw Everly during lunchtime. Everly was d in working attire, which she onceined about to Olivia. She walked to the caf¨¦ like a lifeless doll. After making her order, she rested her head and arms on the table. Whenever her phone vibrated, she quickly checked the iing notification. Then, disappointment appeared all over her face. She didn¡¯t seem to be enjoying her meal either. She kept stuffing food into her mouth. It was as though the taste didn¡¯t matter at all as long as it could fill her stomach. She didn¡¯t even notice that she had eaten celery, the food she hated the most. She took a few spoonfuls of the food before picking her phone up again. Olivia faced the back of Everly. Thetter was looking at Olivia¡¯s picture during their schooling days. Some of the pictures were taken during embarrassing times in her life. Previously, Everly even imed that she would disy them on a loop at Olivia¡¯s wedding. Unfortunately, Olivia didn¡¯t hold a wedding. Neither did she marry the man she loved and became a housewife like what she had dreamt of in high school. Tears dripped onto the phone screen. Olivia could hear Everly¡¯s trembling voice, ¡°Liv¡­¡± Olivia burst into tears upon hearing that one word. Everly wiped her tears clumsily. She footed the bill before leaving the caf¨¦ in a gloomy mood. Before this, she was always observant of her surroundings. Olivia¡¯s presence wouldn¡¯t have gone unnoticed by her. However, Everly was overwhelmed by the news of Olivia going missing That was how she had been living recently. At first, she didn¡¯t have the appetite to consume anything. Later, when she slowly epted reality, she became a lifeless zombie. It was a mere friendship, but their bond was rooted deeper than kinship. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Olivia looked at the sky, which suddenly turned cloudy. She quickly bought an umbre and dashed out onto the street. Everly was walking in the heavy rain in high heels. A passerby identally bumped into her as he was in a rush. In the past, she once joked that she would seize the chance to fall onto the ground and demand compensation. Yet, she was now looking ahead of her with empty eyes. Water droplets kept running down her cheeks. No one knew whether it was because of the rain or because she was crying. Perhaps that was the only way she could finally vent her emotions. ¡°Liv, oh, Liv. Didn¡¯t we promise to get old together? Why did you abandon me?¡± She pped herself. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Why did I have to be on a business trip that day? ¡°I could¡¯ve been by your side. Just how afraid you must¡¯ve been at that time, Liv?¡± An umbre sheltered her. Sensing something, she quickly raised her head to look at the iing person. The person holding the umbre was an old woman. She helped Everly up. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s getting cold. Get up. You¡¯re still young. ¡°What is there in life that you cannot surmount? Don¡¯t cry.¡± Everly cried like a kid who lost her toy. ¡°Granny, I lost my best friend. I can¡¯t find her.¡± The old woman passed her the umbre. ¡°Life is full of farewells. ¡°Miss, a departure isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. All parting is for a better reunion.¡± ¡°Liv¡­¡± An epiphany struck upon Everly. When she lifted her head, she thought she saw a crying Olivia in the midst of the crowd. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 ¡°Liv.¡± Everly rubbed her eyes. She kept seeing things these days. By the time she got herself together, Olivia¡¯s silhouette had vanished from her sight. Everly deemed it a mere delusion. Helplessly, she shook her head and joined the crowd with the umbre. A piece of paper fell off the ribs of the umbre. She grabbed it. The familiar handwriting read, ¡°Take care¡±. It was a simple blessing. Judging from the messy handwriting, she could tell it was written in a rush. Everly covered her face with the umbre. A grin appeared on her tear-stricken face. She thought, ¡°Olivia is still alive. She¡¯s using her way to ensure that she¡¯s still alive.¡± She was clever enough to know that Olivia wasn¡¯t in a situation to contact her. That was why Olivia told her that she was still alive via this method. Now that she was aware that Olivia was safe and sound, a wave of relief washed over Everly. She held the paper tightly as if it were a treasure, fearing that she might lose it. Now that she was aware that Olivia was alive, she didn¡¯t need to worry anymore. When she raised her umbre higher, she wore a sorrowful expression. Since the show had begun, she needed to keep acting until the end. Olivia entered the car. Colin wiped her tears off the corner of her eyes. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t cry. Your friend is a hard-working person. She will have a happy life.¡± She watched Everly blend into the crowd, smiling faintly. ¡°Yeah. I believe so, too.¡± Everly might not be the smartest nor the most talented person, but she was definitely the most hard- working person. Her future was bright without getting involved in a messy rtionship with men. At this moment, Olivia received a message from Norma. A few days ago, Olivia contacted Norma to inquire about the progress. Norma told Olivia that she would be able to find it out soon. The information clearly stated that ra was the person who secretly used her phone in thepany. Olivia immediately recalled ra¡¯s dependable face. Thetter was Team B¡¯s leader, who kept mocking Olivia. Olivia initially guessed that ra was simply jealous about her being a project manager all of a sudden. The others felt the same way, too. If ra was the mastermind¡¯s spy, Olivia could understand the reason behind ra¡¯s hostility. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Right then, Olivia suddenly remembered the personal information about a tall and skinny man named Paul. When she thought about it, Paul and ra somehow resembled each other. Olivia wondered what kind of rtionship they had. ¡°Olivia, why the overreaction?¡± Colin asked. Olivia asked anxiously, ¡°Colin, can you help me look into two people?¡± ¡°Sure. Who?¡¯ Colin updated herter at night. As Olivia had expected, Paul and ra were siblings. ra took on their mother¡¯sst name. Thus, they didn¡¯t share the samest name. Furthermore, their grandmother lived in the countryside. If Belle¡¯s child was still alive, Olivia wondered if the child could be staying with Paul and ra¡¯s grandmother. Olivia nced at the address. It was the countryside Jack said he was heading to. He vanished after informing her that. She wondered, ¡°Did he encounter trouble in the countryside? Or is he in trouble because of his identity?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t find the answer to those questions. All she knew was that she had to find Belle¡¯s child. She needed evidence to prove that Belle went crazy because of Paul and not Jeff. Olivia med herself for realizing this question now out of all times. Like a cat on hot bricks, she began walking back and forth. ¡°Olivia, I received updates that Mr. Fordham has boarded the ship.¡± Colin looked at her. ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s wrong? You look uneasy.¡± At this moment, her phone vibrated again. It was a message from Norma again. Olivia read the message, which revealed that ra had handed in her resignation letter. ra was going to leave Aldenvine. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Colin covered Olivia¡¯s phone screen. ¡°Olivia, I know that you¡¯re anxious and wish to ask ra about everything.¡± He saw through her intention. She nodded. ¡°Yes, Colin. Leia¡¯s death caused me to suffer for the past two years. ¡°I know that it¡¯s difficult for Ethan and I to get along well like we did in the past. ¡°But I¡¯ve been doing my best to find evidence so that I can prove him wrong, that my father is not that kind of person.¡± Olivia clenched his sleeve. ¡°I barely found the hope to continue living. I ¡­¡± Colin asked seriously, ¡°Olivia, have you ever thought that this could be another trap to lure you out? ¡°Your hints led Ethan to reinvestigate his sister¡¯s death. The mastermind¡¯s carefully devised n is disrupted. ¡°She¡¯s reusing her pawns one by one. Why did ra make such a huge ruckus by resigning from her position?¡± She answered, ¡°She¡¯s waiting for me to show up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The fact that you¡¯ve survived has disrupted her n. Your only weakness is Mr. Fordham, and I¡¯ve already sent him away. ¡°She has nothing to hold over your head. That¡¯s why she took this move.¡± Olivia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Yeah. She has a lot of tricks up her sleeves.¡± She thought of Ryan, who wanted to lure her out at the engagement party. Gritting her teeth, she was thinking of a counter n. Suddenly, her eyes brightened. ¡°I have a n!¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What?¡± Colin turned his head to look at her. ¡°Since Ethan is investigating this case, I can add fuel to the fire. Give him a tip-off about this information. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s real or fake. It¡¯s up to him to decide.¡± He nodded. ¡°Okay. Olivia, I suddenly feel uneasy about this. We should leave the city earlier than nned¡± Olivia was stunned for a moment before she responded, ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Now, the only person she could trust was Colin. She took out the teddy phone watch from the pillow. ¡°Ask someone to return this to Mrs. Carlton. I can¡¯t ept her maternal love.¡± He hummed in response and stroked her head. ¡°Rest up. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan shoved the documents off the desk in his study. He mmed his hands on the desk with a grim expression. ¡°Any news about Liv¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°Calm down, Mr. Miller. We almost drained the water out of the area. If Mrs. Miller was dead, we would¡¯ve found her long ago. ¡°It¡¯s highly possible that she¡¯s gone into hiding. Ethan obviously knew that Olivia had gone into hiding. But there was something else guing his mind. He wondered, ¡°I won¡¯t harm her again. If she can¡¯t believe in others, why doesn¡¯t she believe in me? If she¡¯s not dead, why didn¡¯t shee find me?¡± All the evidence he found from his investigation was directed toward the same thing-someone was setting Jeff up. The document in front of him was the result of a deeper investigation. A lot of problems arose. The previous information stated that Jeff had unusual rtionships with the women who received his sponsorship. However, based on this investigation, those girls were either mentally ill or came from dysfunctional families. Some of them were addicted to gambling, while some didn¡¯t have a clean personal life. Brent entered the study to hand over a list. ¡°It¡¯s about those women who imed to be in a rtionship with Mr. Fordham. ¡°Their parents¡¯ or uncles¡¯ back ounts suddenly received a lot of money. The amount ranges from 30 thousand dors to over 100 thousand dors.¡± He nced at Ethan¡¯s expression. ¡°All of them received the money these two years. It¡¯s highly possible that someone bought them off.¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Brent continued, ¡°In the beginning, those women did perform well in their studies. ¡°They received sponsorship from Mr. Fordham and furthered their studies in big cities. Some of them are diligent in pursuing higher education, too. ¡°The majority of them were dazzled by the temptation in the cities, thinking that women should rely on men. ¡°Some of them began to neglect their studies and get involved with married or rich men. Some of them even took the ride thates every Friday specifically for college girls. ¡°The good ones had be housewives after graduation while the bad ones lead an indecent life until today. ¡°It pained Mr. Fordham to watch them live such a life. He tried to talk them out of it multiple times. ¡°Yet, they betrayed him by framing him for having distorted ideas on them. I captured a few of them and scared them into spilling the truth. ¡°Some of the good ones were paid to spread bad rumors about Mr. Fordham, too. ¡°As for the mentally ill people, they were either sent to a psychiatric hospital or hadmitted suicide. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find their families either. The other party didn¡¯t manage to buy off some of them. They told me that Mr. Fordham had been treating them well. He is a good person. ¡°Mr. Miller, I can¡¯t make a conclusion regarding other matters, but I think we were fooled into doubting Mr. Fordham¡¯s character.¡± Brent made the final conclusion. Ethan tightened his fist, crumpling the document that he was holding. His knuckles were white. He kept remembering how he had given Olivia the cold shoulder for the past two years, as well as how he used Marina to hurt Olivia ¡°You¡¯re a pawn of mine from the beginning.¡± ¡°Olivia Fordham, this is what your family owes me!¡± ¡°Olivia Fordham, why was the person who died Leia and not you!¡± ¡°Olivia Fordham, I want you to have a taste of a hellish life!¡± It was a serious reality check from Ethan. His head began to hurt as though someone was cracking his head open. The agonizing pain throbbed through every part of his body. Slowly, his eyes started to lose focus. Brent was saying something, but Ethan couldn¡¯t hear a word from him. All he could see was Brent¡¯s moving lips. Then, Ethan fell onto the floor. ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± Brent hurriedly helped Ethan up. Even though Ethan had started to take his meal two days ago, he was still weak. Hugging his head, he muttered, ¡°I destroyed her with my very own hands.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Not knowing what he should say tofort Ethan, Brent said, ¡°Mr. Miller, our investigation so far can only prove that Mr. Fordham has had a good personal life. ¡°The baby in Ms. Miller¡¯s womb was indeed his child. Besides, he was thest person she contacted before she passed away ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. It was Jeff¡¯s child. It must be his doing. ¡°I¡¯m not wrong. I didn¡¯t misunderstand him¡­¡± Ethan murmured as though he was holding onto hisst straw. At that moment, Kelvin barged into the study. ¡°Mr. Miller, someone left this box at the gate. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a look at the content. It mighte in handy for us.¡± Only then did he realize Ethan was acting out of character. Worried, he came up to Ethan and ced the box down. ¡°Mr. Miller, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Ignoring Kelvin, Ethan opened the box right away. There was information about Belle and some other individuals. Ethan could remember who Belle was. Previously, Olivia sneaked into his study to read Belle¡¯s personal information. He was also aware that someone had jumped off the building on the day Olivia visited the psychiatric hospital. Olivia had organized the documents that included the fact that Belle had a child. He flipped to the end of the document. His expression darkened at the address. ¡°Look into this address. We might be able to find something.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°And capture ra Foster. Get something out of her.¡± Ethan was still frustrated by the fact that the mastermind spent a few years inserting a few spies in the Miller Group. When he began to look into the matter strictly, even Stephanie, who was in charge of cleaning his office, was nowhere to be found! The other party had made full preparations beforeing to the Miller Group. They were prepared for the day when he found out about it, too. Since ra worked for the other party, Ethan wasn¡¯t going to let her go that easily. ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ll do it right away. But who¡¯s the one giving us a tip-off?¡± Ethan kneaded his hurting temple, knowing that it was Olivia¡¯s doing. She was attempting to clear Jeff¡¯s name. Ethan thought, ¡°Does she resent me so much that she doesn¡¯t even wanna give me a message or a call? He was in a dilemma. He wished to find out the truth. But he feared that it would cause his rtionship with Olivia to completely fall apart. ¡°Have you not found her yet?¡± he asked. ¡°I searched all the hotels, the Fordham residence, the apartment, and her friend¡¯s ce. Mrs. Miller hasn¡¯t been to either one Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. of those ces. ¡°She¡¯s determined to hide herself. Of course, it¡¯s possible that you¡¯re not the person she¡¯s hiding from, Mr. Miller.¡± Even if he knew that Olivia wasn¡¯t hiding from him, Ethan was aware that she wouldn¡¯t trust him ever again. He covered his face as his head still hurt, letting out a helpless smile. This was his karma. He pushed Olivia away with his own hands. ¡°Cheer up, Mr. Miller. Mrs. Miller might be able to hide for a few days, but she can¡¯t hide forever. ¡°I¡¯ve asked them to storm the barricades at all entrances by the border. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to leave Aldenvine. It¡¯s only a matter of time before we find her. ¡± Ethan kneaded his chest. He had a feeling that he was going to lose Olivia forever for some reason. After giving orders for the arrangements, he took some sleeping pills and slept. He dreamt about Olivia standing by the sea again. She was wearing a pretty gown, but her gaze on him was icy. ¡°Ethan Miller, you¡¯re a murderer. You hurt my father and killed my child. I want you to pay the price with your life!¡± ¡°Liv, hear me out.¡± ¡°Ethan Miller, marrying you is the decision I regret the most in my life.¡± Then, she fiercely stabbed a knife into her chest. There was a pool of blood painting the ground red. Yet, she was smiling so widely. ¡°You deserve it. You owe me your life. I don¡¯t want you to die. I want you to live the rest of your life in regret and resentment!¡± Next, she jumped into the sea. ¡°Goodbye, Ethan.¡± Ethan ran as fast as he could to grab her hand, but he only managed to grab a piece of cloth from her gown. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t go!¡± He woke up from his dream drenched in cold sweat. The sheer thought of her firm look woke him from drowsiness. A sense of foreboding struck him-Olivia was going to leave his side forever! Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Kelvin stood by Ethan¡¯s side. Thetter was sweating buckets, and his expression was menacing. Last night, he was able to sleep with the help of a sleeping pill. He was sleep-talking the whole night. ¡°Mr. Miller, did you have a nightmare?¡± asked Kelvin. ¡°I have a bad feeling.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was hoarse because he had just woken up. ¡°It must be because too many things are happening recently-¡± Ethan coldly interrupted Kelvin. ¡°Implement a strict inspection at all of the entrances, I¡¯m afraid Liv will leave Aldenvine.¡± ¡°Leave? But Mr. Fordham is still missing. He¡¯s the only person Mrs. Miller cares for. ¡°Why would she leave at this moment?¡± ¡°There were four parties trying to take Jeff away that day. Do you think that her men could be one of them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s highly possible. She doesn¡¯t have the connections to hire mercenaries. ¡°You weren¡¯t there, so you didn¡¯t see how cruel they killed people off.¡± Frowning, Ethan rested against the headboard. His expression was an indifferent one. ¡°If she¡¯s still in Aldenvine, why can¡¯t we find her?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, do you mean that she has a helper?¡± Kelvin asked. ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Ethan lifted the nket and got out of the bed. He headed to the bathroom. He wondered where Olivia could possibly be. He had searched everywhere for her. Cashless payment was prevalent nowadays. She didn¡¯t have cash, but there were no payment records under her name. How was she able to survive then? Ethan was confident that she had a helper. But who could it be? Everly was humming. Even her boss-the exploiter-didn¡¯t seem hateful to her today. She thought, ¡°It has been a while since I had a nice meal. What should I eat today?¡± She heard that there was a newly opened barbeque restaurant a few blocks away. The thought of juicy grilled meat made her salivate. She licked her lips. When she took a turn at a corner, she saw Ethan smolding. She didn¡¯t expect to see him here. She retreated while praying that he didn¡¯t see her. After taking a few steps backward, she realized that she couldn¡¯t move. He was grabbing Everly¡¯s scarf. Ethan looked right into her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s have a talk.¡± She wished she could refuse his suggestion by pping his hand away. But she didn¡¯t have the nerves to anger him. Something felt strange to her. Before this, whenever they met each other, he always appeared to be the arrogant hotshot businessman. Now, he seemed like a lonely man whose wife had run away. He was wrapped up in loneliness and destion. A few minutester, they sat opposite each other like thest time they met. Everly¡¯s legs were trembling. Meanwhile, Ethan handed her the menu generously, ¡°It¡¯s on me. Order whatever you want.¡± She was excited when it came to food. After all, her motto was ¡°no food, no life¡±. Besides, it was a rare chance for Ethan to buy her a meal! She dly pointed at the menu. ¡°This and this.¡± He said, ¡°Save the courtesy. You don¡¯t have to hold yourself in.¡± As soon as he finished, he heard her adding, ¡°I want everything besides those two.¡± He was rendered speechless. Everly was all smiles. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Miller. Courtesy was never in my dictionary.¡± Ethan spread his hands as he wasn¡¯t bothered by it. He said to the waiter, ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± She thought, ¡°It¡¯s a waste that Olivia didn¡¯t rip him off before divorcing him. He¡¯s basically swimming in cash! ¡°If I were her, I would¡¯ve ripped him off and sold all of his properties!¡± She grinned. ¡°Mr. Miller, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re here to buy me a meal out of kindness.¡± ¡°Have you met Liv?¡± he asked coldly.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 301 ?Chapter 301 Everly lost her smile the moment Olivia''s name was brought up. "Your imagination sure is wild, Mr. Miller. Why not be a scriptwriter?" Ethan said, "I heard that you ate two tes ofsagna and a regr pizza for dinnerst night." "Can''t I have a feast to get the energy I need to work overtime?" "Before this, you were living like a lifeless zombie. You couldn''t even finish half of your meals. Oh, you bought a new dress yesterday, too." She wanted to rebut, but he kept staring at her as though he had seen through her. Ethan prompted, "Tell me. Where did you meet Liv?" He was not testing Everly. His tone expressed certainty. She mmed the table and rose from her seat in a fit of fury. "Are you crazy? Why do you take note of what I eat every day so clearly? "Are you going to take note of when my period is or when I have constipation too?" He sighed, and she was taken aback by that. She thought, "This man actually sighed!" "Everly, you know everything that happened between Liv and me. I didn''t wish for her to be kidnapped. "I''ve been searching for her these days. Please tell me if you know anything. The arrogant man was begging her! The urge to check if there were pigs flying was raging in her. Ethan continued, "Although Liv and I are separated, the fact that I love her doesn''t change. I wanna protect her. "There''s someone else looking for her too. She''s in danger alone out there." "You mean the one who kidnapped her?" asked Everly. "Yes. They''re a troublesome international organization. They don''t bat an eye whenever ites to killing people. If Liv ends up in their hands, she ..." She regained herposure and gave it a thought for a while. "I didn''t meet her in person, but I know she came to see me." "Why are you certain that she hase to see you? You didn''t meet her in person." She took a crumpled paper from her purse and unfolded it. "I bet you know whose handwriting this is." The words read, "Take care". It pained him to read that message. As he had expected, Olivia was going to leave this ce. She specifically came to Everly to bid farewell. Everly calmed her trembling legs when she noticed his reddened eyes, not wanting to provoke him. "I..." "If shees to you again, the first thing you do is to contact me." He left a business card and left right away. He headed out of the restaurant, gazing at the gloomy sky. Aldenvine was neither a big nor a small city. However, he couldn''t find the person he had been missing all this time. Kelvin asked carefully, "Mr. Miller, what should we do next?" "To the hospital." Jeff had disappeared. Thus, Chloe was the only family member Olivia had in this city. Words about Chloe''s terminal illness had gotten out. If Olivia was intending to leave the city, she would surely pay Chloe a visit first.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. That was Ethan''s only chance to find Olivia. Chloe became thinner within a short period. She was in bad shape. Every time she slept, she would dream about Olivia pouncing on her, trying to kill her. Her bad mental health eventually took a toll on her already sick body. When Ethan arrived in her room, she was crying. She wiped her tears upon his arrival. Trying to regain herposure, she forced a smile. " Ethan, you''re here." Ethan initially had a neutral impression of her. But after considering the fact that she was Olivia''s biological mother, hatred grew in him the moment he looked at her face. He suppressed the hatred in him. "Do you feel better?" Chloe smiled bitterly. "I don''t think I''m going to get better. This is my karma for abandoning my child." A nurse pushed a cart into the room. "Mrs. Carlton, it''s time for your checkup." "Okay," responded Chloe. When Ethan was about to leave the room, the nurse opened the medical toolbox and took a children''s watch out. "Who''s pulling a prank?" Chloe''s expression changed as soon as she saw that watch. "Liv!" Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Ethan, who was reaching for the door, looked back at Chloe immediately. ¡°Ms. Parker, what did you say?¡± She raised the teddy phone watch, crying. ¡°I gave this to Liv the night before your engagement. ¡°When she was little, I promised her that I would buy her thetest watch. But I left that same year. I gave her this to make up for it.¡± She held the phone watch to her chest. ¡°Liv must¡¯ve been here. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want this phone watch, and she doesn¡¯t want me either. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Ethan ran out of the room. The huge hospital was full of people, but there was no sign of the person he missed. ¡°Liv!¡± He shouted Olivia¡¯s name, but no one answered. Brent approached him. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve looked into it. It¡¯s the hospital¡¯s janitor who left the watch. ¡°Someone paid her to do that. Mrs. Miller didn¡¯te.¡± His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Olivia didn¡¯t even visit her seriously ill mother. It was obvious that she was going to cut ties with Chloe. If she could cut ties with her biological mother, what about Ethan? He felt his head spinning as if he was going to fall at any moment. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you alright?¡± Brent held Ethan¡¯s arm. Ethan suppressed the sorrow inting in him. ¡°Brent, Liv doesn¡¯t want me anymore.¡± The sky began to drizzle. He pushed Brent away and marched forward aimlessly. The wind caressed his face, and raindrops pattered on him. After taking a few steps forward, he suddenly looked back. ¡°I have a guess.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I should be able to find out if she buys a train or flight ticket. We¡¯ve also put in ce strict inspections at each entrance. She won¡¯t take those risks with her life.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, do you mean ¡­¡± Brent looked at Ethan. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She¡¯s going to travel by water. It¡¯s easy to hide a person on a cargo ship.¡± Ethan found hope. Brent frowned. ¡°Aldenvine Port is one of the top three ports in the whole world. There are a lot of cargo ships docking at the port. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to search for her. Besides, there are many cargo ships from other countries docking at the port to unload the goods. ¡°Even if we manage to obtain a search warrant, it¡¯ll take up a lot of time to search each and every cargo ship. Ethan ordered, ¡°Search for her. Print out the list of iing and departing cargo ships scheduled for the next seven days. ¡°I don¡¯t care if they¡¯re going to dock at the port for one minute. Just record them for me.¡± ¡°Yes. sir.¡± Now, he had found the direction of his search for Olivia. Balling his fists, he thought, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m never going to let you go!¡± At the same time, Colin had packed up all of their stuff. He handed Snowball to Olivia. Smiling faintly, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Olivia.¡± She stared at the cherry blossom tree absent-mindedly. ¡°Don¡¯t we have two days left? Why are we leaving earlier than nned?¡± ¡°For peace of mind.¡± He gazed at her gently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have some unfinished business?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve said goodbye to them. Let¡¯s go.¡± Colin knew what she was thinking. After all, Olivia had lived in this city for years. They didn¡¯t know when they would return after leaving the city. Furthermore, she had yet to find out who the mastermind was. So, she couldn¡¯t get over it yet. ¡°Okay.¡± Colin grabbed some of Snowball¡¯s toys and headed outside. Meanwhile, Olivia was standing by the road while staring in a direction. It was the Fordham residence, and she could see that huge plum tree. ¡°Do you want to say goodbye to it?¡± he questioned. ¡°No, I don¡¯t wanna cause any extra trouble.¡± She withdrew her gaze. She bid farewell in her head before getting into the car. He slowly drove along the streets. Mixed feelings churned in her as she watched the scene, which she was used to seeing for many years. Noticing that she was in low spirits, he cooed, ¡°Olivia, give me a second. I¡¯ll go get something from Yearwoods¡¯ Restaurant.¡± ¡°You still remember my favorite.¡± ¡°I will never forget about your favorites.¡± He got out of the car and scurried into the alley. Since he was rushing, he bumped into someone while holding the paper bags. His car keys fell onto the ground. The red ball, which was attached to the car keys, fell off and rolled until it bumped into a leather shoe. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Colin quickly crouched down to pick the ball up, but someone was one step ahead of him. The stranger picked it up and yed with it. ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± The stranger had a gentle voice. Colin sized the stranger up. Thetter had beautiful eyes. Although he was wearing a custom ck and white suit, the aura he gave off was different from Ethan¡¯s. Ethan appeared intimidating, while the stranger appeared gentle. The stranger¡¯s gaze alone was gentle enough to remind others of spring. He was one of Ethan¡¯s best friends-Bryan Moore. He was known to be a herbal maniac. They were standing close so Colin could smell the herbal smell from Bryan. Colin smiled warmly. ¡°It¡¯s handmade, so it¡¯s different from machine-made products. Thank you, sir.¡± Bryan handed the ball to Colin. ¡°I guess this must be important to you. You went for this ball instead of the car keys first.¡± ¡°It is. An important friend of mine gave it to me. I¡¯ll be off first, sir.¡± Colin picked the car keys up and turned sideways to make way for Bryan. Bryan didn¡¯t say anything further as he entered Yearwoods¡¯ Restaurant. After Colin left, Bryan fished his phone out and made a callzily. When the line went through, Ethan said grumpily, ¡°Anything you need?¡± ¡°Must I have a reason to call you? Have you found Liv?¡± Mischievousness seeped into Bryan¡¯s voice. ¡°If you wanna make fun of me, do it some other day. I don¡¯t have time.¡± Ethan was going to end the call. Bryan grinned. ¡°But I found her.¡± Ethan¡¯s finger paused, and he raised his voice. ¡°What did you say? Where is she!¡± ¡°I bumped into a young man. He has a little red ball attached to his car keys. It looks like the one you had that year.¡± At that time, Ethan brought that little red ball along everywhere he went, trying to show it off. ¡°Where is she?¡± asked Ethan. ¡°She was here three minutes ago. She¡¯s gone now,¡± answered Bryan. Ethan was angry as he huffed, ¡°Bryan Moore! Be serious!¡± ¡°Geez, why the vile temper? Anger is not good for your health. I took a picture. You can look into it yourself.¡± Ethan received a message of a young man¡¯s picture. Even though it was only a side profile, Ethan could recognize the face easily. It was none other than Colin! Ethan didn¡¯t suspect Colin at all. Olivia had been staying with Colin all this time! ¡°Look into Colin. I want to know everything that happened to him recently,¡± Ethan said. Previously, he found out about Colin, who was merely Olivia¡¯s neighbor. Colin had been living abroad, so there was nothing out of the ordinary. After an investigation, Ethan found out that the Moriarty family had been running a maritime transport business. Kelvin rushed to Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, I found something! The Moriaritys applied for a cargo ship for departure a week ago.¡± ¡°When is it going to depart?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°It was scheduled to be two dayster, but they suddenly requested an early departure. The application is approved. ¡°It will depart tonight. The cargo ship should be at the port by now.¡± ¡°Damn it! Bring the men with us. Get them!¡± Ethan grabbed his suit jacket and ran out. He had underestimated Colin. He didn¡¯t expect Colin to take Olivia away! On the other hand, Olivia was enjoying the sea breeze. She watched the drizzle while feeling a weight sitting upon her chess.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Olivia?¡± Colin asked. ¡°Nothing. Just feeling kinda uneasy.¡± It was the same feeling she always had before something bad happened. ¡°I don¡¯t think we will be able to leave the ce smoothly.¡± Colin smiled confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Olivia. I¡¯ve got everything prepared. It¡¯s cold outside. Let¡¯s head inside.¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Ethan finally arrived at the port right when the cargo ship was going to depart. Kelvin led a group of officers to the cargo ship. ¡°We received a report that there are prohibited goods on your ship. The officers need to inspect your goods. You can depart today.¡± The businessman, who was standing in front of them, said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve reported the list of goods to the officials ording to the rules. I¡¯ve been running this business for over ten years. Why would I transport illegal goods?¡± ¡°We will find out after we inspect them. Get out of the way.¡± A group of people swarmed the ship. Ethan was standing in the middle of the crowd, watching them taking action as if he was a God. His gaze swept across the managers of the ship. There was no sign of Colin. Holding his head high, Ethan asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Colin Moriarty?¡± ¡°Mr. Moriarty? Why would someone as prestigious as him be with us to transport the goods? Stop joking, sir.¡± Kelvin grabbed that person¡¯s cor aggressively. ¡°Stop wasting our time. I know that he¡¯s on the ship. Call him out!¡± They had checked the surveince footage. Colin¡¯s car arrived at the port two hours ago. ¡°Sir, we run business by thew. Why should we lie to you?¡± the businessman answered. Not wanting to waste time with the lying businessman, Ethan entered the cabin. ¡°Sir, we don¡¯t put the goods here. This is where we stay. I advise you not to go in there. It¡¯s a mess,¡± the businessman said. Kelvin kicked the man away. ¡°Out of the way!¡± Ethan strode into the cabin and kicked the doors open one by one. He thought, ¡°Very well, Olivia Fordham. You keep testing my patience. ¡°You promised not to leave me, but you broke your promise! How dare you run away with another man!¡± All he could think of was how he would punish Olivia after finding her. The more rooms he checked, the deeper he frowned. The crew amodation was a mess. Most of the rooms reeked of smelly socks. He reached thest room in the cabin. He kicked the door open only to find a fat woman in it. She screamed in surprise. ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s easy for them to get caught here. They won¡¯t choose to stay here. It could be one of the rooms downstairs.¡± Kelvin tried to calm Ethan down. Noticing that something was off, Ethan looked at the open doors in the hallway. Everything seemed to be going smoothly for them. He put himself in Colin and Olivia¡¯s shoes. If he was them, would he board this ship, which stood out so much? Ethan soonprehended the situation. Although Colin was young, he was a calcting man and might¡¯ve devised aprehensive n. He must¡¯ve guessed that Ethan would find out their n to travel by water and search all the ships. Thus, Colin had specifically arranged a departure for this ship to draw Ethan¡¯s attention. Perhaps Colin and Olivia were already out in the sea by another ship! ¡°Darn it!¡± Ethani huffed. Kelvin, who had yet to understand the situation, looked at Ethan dubiously. ¡°Mr. Miller, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Olivia¡¯s not here.¡± This cargo ship was huge, filled with big cargo. If they were going to search every nook and cranny of it for Olivia, it would surely take up a lot of time. After all the time spent on that search, Colin and Olivia might¡¯ve been long gone! ¡°We¡¯re at the right ce. This is the Moriartys¡¯ ship,¡± said Kelvin. ¡°He has made a lot of preparations for many possibilities. He¡¯s also prepared for an inspection. This ship is a bait.¡± Kelvin didn¡¯t believe that. Brent walked up to them with solemnity. ¡°Mr. Miller, there is a lot of cargo on the ship. ¡°We¡¯ve brought a lot of men along, but it¡¯ll be midnight before we check all of them.¡± It was as Ethan had expected. His expression darkened. ¡°No need for that. They¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡± Ethan walked out of the cabin and ordered, ¡°Get a helicopter ready. Tell them to stop all the cargo ships from leaving the border. ¡°Just say that a group of drug dealers are shipping drugs illegally.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 305 Chapter 305 The night darkened, and the rain poured heavier. The majestic waves were pounding against the ship. Olivia was sitting in the warm cabin, feeling the ship rocking back and forth. She didn¡¯t like that feeling because it made her uneasy. She needed to admit that Colin was a meticulous man. Someone had decorated her room at his request beforehand. The interior was almost the same as her previous room. Snowball was sleeping in its cat bed. Olivia lit a scented candle with a calming effect and yed soothing music. There were torti chips, fries, dried fruits, and a bottle of orange juice ced on the table. They were bought from Yearwoods ¡®Restaurant. She didn¡¯t have an appetite, so she read a book. But she lost her focus after barely reading two lines of the story. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Like a cat on hot bricks, she walked back and forth in the room. At that moment, the ship stopped, increasing her uneasiness. She set the book down, wanting to head outside to ask what was going on. Olivia bumped into Colin at the door. He smiled faintly. ¡°Olivia.¡± ¡°Colin, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Olivia. You¡¯re just too nervous.¡± Noticing that she was overwhelmed by distress, heforted her, ¡°If you can¡¯t stop thinking about it, go take a bath. ¡°I prepared some soothing essential oil. You should give it a try. Don¡¯t worry about it. The maritime police are here for inspection. ¡°They¡¯re usually here to check if there are any prohibited goods or drugs. We¡¯re good to go after we give them cooperation.¡± He caressed her head softly. ¡°We¡¯re already out at sea. Ethan can never find you.¡± He was so gentle that he seemed like a reliable elder brother rather than someone younger than her. Only then did Olivia recall the fact that he was younger than her by a year. He was more mature than his age. ¡°Colin, you¡¯re just a student. Why aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Her hunch was telling her that he had been through many hardships, hence his calm demeanor, He said honestly, ¡°I was sent abroad when I was young. Of course, I¡¯ve suffered a lot. Plus, I knew my circumstances very well. ¡°I couldn¡¯t depend on anyone. Since being in a foreignnd was more dangerous than being in the country, I befriended all sorts of people. That was why I was able to hire mercenaries.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± Olivia looked at him seriously. Colin responded, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. At least my father still supported me financially. So, it wasn¡¯t that bad. ¡°Alright, enough with the past stories. Olivia, have a seat and eat something. ¡°You can take a bath and get some sleep. We¡¯ll arrive in the High Seas tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nced at the message he received. As he had expected, Ethan hade. Colin had guessed that Bryan wasn¡¯t a mere stranger. Thetter could recognize Olivia¡¯s handiwork based on the little red ball. Fortunately, Colin has made a backup n for that. He thought, ¡°Search for Olivia all you want, Ethan Miller. Let¡¯s see if you can find her by the time the sun rises Colin withdrew his gaze from Olivia and closed the door lightly for her. Right then, the warmth in his eyes gave way to a cloud of obsession. He thought, ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve finally found you. Even if the Grim Reaper is my enemy, I will never let him take you away from me.¡± The number of ships forced to stop was increasing. The area was full of ships. Everyone began guessing if something big was happening ¡°Perhaps the mothership of the neighboring country has sunk?¡± ¡°Is there a war happening?¡± Everyone had their own guesses. Some of them scanned the area at the deck while some of them were quietly waiting for the show to unfold. The number of maritime police was increasing, and Colin grew uneasy. Ethan was indeed the person at the top of the pyramid in the business world. Thus, it was normal for him to use such tricks when it came to business. The question was, was he that influential enough to have the maritime police serve him as well? To Colin, it seemed like the maritime police were carrying out their responsibilities as usual. However, Olivia didn¡¯t think the same. When she saw those numbered maritime boats, she recalled how that ind was surrounded on both land and sea. Had Ethan not had the authority to dispatch the maritime police, the battleship wouldn¡¯t have shown up back then! One of the maritime boats was moving closer toward them. Olivia¡¯splexion was looking bad. Chapter 306 Chapter 306 A pale Olivia rested herself against the doorframe. Her whole body was shaking in fear. Memories of what happened on that ind popped into her head. Ethan intruded on the ce while carrying Connor in his arms. He threatened to kill everyone on the ind only to convince her to go back with him. That day, she pleaded for their lives by promising that she would not leave him forever. Yet, she broke her promise. Ethan¡¯s face crossed her mind, saying, ¡°I told you you can¡¯t run away from me.¡± Colin noticed her standing by the doorframe. Her hair was a mess because of the wind. He ran up to her. ¡°Olivia, you look awful. Is your stomach hurting?¡± She finally pulled her senses back. The breeze sent chills down her skin. Trembling, she said, ¡°Colin, I regret it now.¡± ¡°Olivia, what are you talking about? Freedom is one step ahead of us. Just hold on. We will win soon.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t work that way. Ethan will never let me go. Send me back. ¡°I promised him that I would never leave Aldenvine. If he catches me, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± Patiently, he said, ¡°Olivia, as I said, it¡¯s just the maritime police doing their job. Don¡¯t overthink it. ¡°Think about Mr. Fordham. You¡¯ll be able to meet with him soon. ¡°I told them to clean up the ce on the ind. It¡¯s very pretty over there. There are a lot of paper flowers of different colors. They¡¯re gorgeous. ¡°And the coconut trees line up across the road. You can pluck coconuts and have a cooling coconut drink whenever you like. I drank it before. It¡¯s sweet and fresh. ¡°The water is crystal clear, too. You can see the fish swimming. Don¡¯t you like snorkeling? We can go snorkeling together to see the beautiful coral reefs and butterflyfish. ¡°All you and Mr. Fordham have to do is to focus on your recovery. You can sleep and wake up at a Colin was painting Olivia¡¯s dream life. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Anticipation shed in her eyes. ¡°Can we really do that?¡± ¡°Of course, Olivia. I will never lie to you. Alright, it¡¯s windy out here. Let¡¯s head inside.¡± She did as he said. She gradually calmed herself under hisforting words. you want.¡± She smiled self-mockingly, thinking, ¡°Ethan is not a God. It¡¯s not like he has superpowers that allow him to see the whole world. How could he possibly know where I am?¡± Then, two maritime officers boarded the ship. They showed their police badges before stating that they were tracking down a group of drug dealers They requested everyone¡¯s cooperation to inspect the ship. The captain smiled gently. ¡°Please, have it your way. We¡¯re civilized people. We should give our full cooperation to the police.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The female officer looked at the male officer before they headed for the cabin. When he reached the door, the captain exined, ¡°That¡¯ll be troublesome. My family is resting inside. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re doing our job. Please be cooperative.¡± The two officers entered the cabin. olivia was lying in bed, covering her face with a nket. The female officer walled to the bed and reminded Olivia expressionlessly, ¡°Miss, please be cooperative and pull your nket down.¡± Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Olivia was worried, so she put on makeup in a hurry. She made her skin tanner and drew a few freckles over her cheeks. Someone who was close to her might not be able to recognize hier. Slowly, she pulled her nket down to reveal her face. ¡°Ma¡¯am, is something wrong? I¡¯m feeling seasick, sorry.¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to catch a group of drug dealers. Please be cooperative. It will be a simple interrogation.¡± The female officer took her book out and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name? What do you work as? Where are you going? How many people are there onboard?¡± Olivia managed to answer those questions calmly. When the female officer was going to leave the cabin, she suddenly thought of something and took a pack of medicine out of her pocket. ¡°I happened to bring along some medicine for seasickness. It¡¯s effective.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Olivia reached out for it. The female officer looked at Olivia¡¯s fair arm, rming Olivia. There was a huge difference in skin color between her face and arm. Fortunately, the female officer didn¡¯t say anything. She shoved her book into her bag and stood up. ¡°Get well soon.¡± When the female officer left, Olivia¡¯s back was already drenched in sweat. The officers alighted from the ship. Olivia and Colin, who had put on makeup, smiled at each other. He said, ¡°We¡¯re fine now. It¡¯ll take a little longer before we can continue our journey.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The night was getting darker, and the rain didn¡¯t seem to be ceasing soon. Raindrops pattered against the window, drawing lines over lines. After taking a shower, Olivia wore a white nightgown and rested against the headboard. Snowball was sleeping in her arms. Only then could she read the book. She almost finished half of the story when she realized that the ship hadn¡¯t started the journey. She observed outside through the window. There were rays of light on the ck sea. Yawning, she felt sleepy. When she was going to close the book to get some sleep, the sound of a propeller whirring resounded. It was a helicopter. She could hear it so loudly that it woke her up. It was unsuitable to fly a helicopter in the heavy rain. Just who was flying a helicopter in such weather? Olivia wondered if it was the drug dealers. Her heart began racing again. As the whirring sound got louder, the book in her hands fell onto the ground. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Snowball, who was disturbed by the noise, looked out of the window in displeasure. She was shell-shocked by the scene. Before she knew it, their ship was surrounded by a circle of maritime boats! The officers were directing theirmps at their ship! A sense of foreboding dawned upon her. She ran out of the cabin with hasty steps. Colin was on the deck before her. It was as though they were surrounded by lions. Shined by multiplemps, they had nowhere else to go. The majestic waves were roaring along with the strong wind. ¡°Sorry, Olivia. It looks like we¡¯re tricked.¡± Colin looked at her apologetically, but his voice was gentle. She stared at the battleship, which was advancing in their direction. The size of their ship and the battleship were that of a little and an adult turtle. Ethan was standing at the bow with his coat fluttering against the wind. Brent was holding an umbre for him behind him. Like the Navy¡¯s general, he held the railings while looking at them from a higher altitude. He said something, and she knew what it was. ¡°Liv, you can¡¯t run away from me.¡± Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Ethan¡¯s intimidating aura shrouded Olivia, and her whole body trembled. Colin was rather calm, holding an umbre for themselves. His voice was gentle. ¡°Olivia, it¡¯s cold out here. You should head inside. It won¡¯t make any difference from waiting inside.¡± Since they were surrounded, she couldn¡¯t change their fate no matter what she did. In a daze, she watched the battleship approach their ship. Before the battleshippletely stopped, Ethan had already boarded their ship. Olivia stood still as though someone had pressed the pause button on her. She didn¡¯t know how to react to the situation. Just like that, she watched Ethaning up to her as the waves roared. As he drew their distance closer, she felt as if someone was sapping her soul out of her body. She didn¡¯t know how to face Ethan. She was clueless about how he would punish her and Colin, too. Ethan took his coat off and draped it over her shoulders. Only then did she pull her senses back. She was trembling unconsciously. ¡°Why are you outside in such thin clothes?¡± He pulled her into his arms. She didn¡¯t break free from the familiar embrace like an obedient puppet. Ethan hugged her tightly and turned his head toward her ear. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve been searching for you.¡± His breath brushed her ear like a devil¡¯s whisper. Her throat became dry. ¡°But you promised me that you wouldn¡¯t leave Aldenvine before. How should I punish you for breaking that promise?¡± he spoke softly. He noticed her body go stiff, and he caressed her cheek. Since he had been outside for a long time, his fingertips felt cold. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia slightly shuddered at Ethan¡¯s touch. He chuckled. ¡°Silly you. I love you so much. How could I hurt you?¡± She raised her head, looking at him in disbelief, Based on her understanding of his character, she didn¡¯t believe that he would let the matter slide that easily. He held her chin. ¡°Oh, silly Liv. I will never hurt you, but I can¡¯t say the same about others.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She grabbed his shirt and said hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him. I begged him to take me away. Juste at me!¡± As soon as she finished, she regretted saying that. The more she begged for others, the heavier Ethan¡¯s punishment would be. However, what else could she do besides begging him? The other ships were good to go. They left the area in order. Olivia was aware that they were trying to get rid of witnesses. Ethan merely stared at her in silence, driving her anxious. Kelvin and his men jumped onto the ship. They warmed their knuckles up while approaching Colin. ¡°There you are! The brat that kidnapped Mrs. Miller. You¡¯re quite daring, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kelvin strode like a gangster, swaying his hands left and right. ¡°We wasted so much time looking for you guys. You¡¯re dead meat!¡± Olivia broke free from Ethan¡¯s arms and spread her arms before Colin. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him. It was my idea.¡± Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Brent was calmerpared to Kelvin. With a serious expression, Brent said, ¡°Mrs. Miller, you should be aware of who you are. Mr. Miller hasn¡¯t slept for days just to find you. ¡°And yet, you¡¯re taking another man¡¯s side? Have you considered Mr. Miller¡¯s feelings?¡± How would Olivia not know Ethan¡¯s feelings? But did she have any other choice? ¡°He¡¯s my neighbor. I begged him to take me away from here. It¡¯s all my fault. Don¡¯t hurt him,¡± Olivia said. Looking at her anxious self, Colin smiled. ¡°Olivia, stop. It¡¯s useless. I¡¯m mentally prepared for this oue.¡± He took the risk because Olivia¡¯s life was at stake. He was one step away from winning the gamble, but luck was not on his side. He had not expected Ethan-the top businessman-to have the maritime police at his disposal. Ethan stared at Colin coldly. His tone was icy, too. ¡°You¡¯re smart.¡± ¡°Not as smart as you are, Mr. Miller. Even fate is on your side. ¡°I was one step away from winning the game, but I lost it in the end.¡± Colin stood right there without fear. Like a lion king, he exuded pride and courage. Ethan acknowledged Colin¡¯s courage and cleverness, as well as strong ambition. ¡°Being ambitious is a good thing. But she¡¯s not someone you can have,¡± Ethanmented. ¡°As society has always been-the stronger one bes the king.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Colin responded. The maritime boats were dispersed, leaving only those two ships at sea. The light on the deck was dim. The dim light was cast upon Ethan, but it didn¡¯t soften his demeanor. He looked at Olivia. ¡°Come here.¡± Olivia was distressed. She didn¡¯t want to anger him, but she didn¡¯t want to move away from Colin either. Kelvin coughed. ¡°Mrs. Miller, you know that it¡¯s very scary when Mr. Miller gets angry.¡¯ She slowly walked toward Ethan, gazing at him with pleading eyes. He pulled her into the cabin instead. Olivia waspletely drenched due to the nted raindrops. She seemed like a pitiful mermaid out of shore. She wanted to say something a few times, but Ethan didn¡¯t give her the chance to do so. He asked, ¡°Which is your room?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She pointed at the room with an open door. Ethan pulled her into the room. Scanning the room, he snorted coldly. ¡°He¡¯s meticulous.¡± He headed to the bathroom to fetch a towel. Gently, he dried her hair. Olivia was looking out of the window. Kelvin had tied Colin up. A scary thought came across her mind. ¡°W-What are you guys going to do to him?¡± Despite his gentle moves, Ethan spouted the cruelest words. ¡°Simple. Tie him up and throw him into the sea. If he can survive it, I will let him go.¡± ¡± It took two hours to travel to the port. But it would take a longer time because of the bad weather. Forget about freezing to death in the sea. Sharks might feed on him! When the anxious Olivia was going to say something, Ethan caressed her cheek. ¡°Liv, do you know how I put up with the past few days? ¡°The sheer thought of him hiding you makes me mad. I wish I could tear him apart! Don¡¯t beg for him. ¡°I will cut him once for every word you say. You know that sharks love blood, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 310 Chapter 310 At the same time, Kelvin had carried Colin to the side of the ship. He was going to throw Colin into the sea at any moment! They seemed used to such events. Kelvin and the men were smiling smugly. A horrified Olivia ran outside, ignoring Ethan¡¯s threat. With a cold expression, Brent advised, ¡°Mrs. Miller. It¡¯s raining heavily. You should get inside. ¡°If you fall sick, you and Mr. Miller will be the ones suffering.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller jumped through hoops to look for you. It wasn¡¯t easy for him. ¡°If we had arrivedter, Colin could¡¯ve taken you away. He deserves this.¡± Olivia climbed the fence. Brent had a bad feeling about this. He asked someone to stop her, but it was toote. The determined woman was quick-witted. Ethan came out of the cabin. He looked at her sternly, ¡°Olivia Fordham, get back down here!¡± ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± Colin shouted. She stood at the edge of the ship. Behind her were the roaring waves that could engulf her like a beast at any moment. Her expression was sorrowful. No one knew if it was the rain or her tears that caused her cheeks to be wet. She shouted at Ethan, ¡°You¡¯re not a God. Who are you to decide someone¡¯s death? ¡°Yes, I did promise you that I wouldn¡¯t leave Aldenvine. I¡¯m the person who broke the promise. ¡°If you wanna me anyone, me me instead! Who gives you the right to vent it on someone else?¡± Ethan was aware that she wasn¡¯t joking around. She could jump into the sea! She was mentally ill after suffering so many huge blows for the past two years. In other words, her walls of sanity had crumbled. Ethan couldn¡¯t take the risk of provoking Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m not venting on him. Get down here first. We can talk.¡± She smiled faintly. ¡°Ethan Miller, I do wanna talk to you, but will it work? ¡°You¡¯re used to making your own decisions. You won¡¯t listen to others. ¡°Why are you so selfish? You¡¯re engaged with Marina. You¡¯ve started a new life, but why can¡¯t you let me go?¡± ¡°Liv, it¡¯s because I love you-¡® ¡± ¡°Love?¡± She chuckled. ¡°When I was kidnapped and almost got killed, where were you? ¡°They said the past few days have been rough for you. But have you ever thought about what I¡¯ve been through for the past two years? ¡°It was hell. I lost my dignity, and everyone kept tampering with my pride. And someone¡¯s always setting me up, trying to send me to the deeper depths of hell.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The wind blew her hair into a mess. Her frail body seemed so helpless in the night sky. She yelled from the top of her lungs. ¡°Is this what you call love? You confined me to four walls, and there¡¯s no way out! ¡°You pushed me into the darkness with your bare hands! I don¡¯t need your love. I just need a ray of light, please. ¡°Someone¡¯s willing to break the cage and give me the light I need. He encouraged me to live on to see the bigger world. ¡°He told me that the waters are blue and clear enough to see the swimming fish.¡± Tears ran down her cheeks, smearing bitterness in her mouth. Olivia swayed her hand in midair. ¡°I wish I could see it myself. Those coral reefs and jellyfish. ¡°But I can¡¯t see it anymore. I know that an endless confinement is waiting ahead of me.¡¯ She noticed the slight nuance in his expression and smiled. ¡°See? I know you very well. You wanna lock me up so that no one cane close to me.¡¯ 11 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Olivia was right. That was how Ethan treated her all the while. He had enough of the pain of losing her. Thus, he wanted to make her stay by his side so that she was never out of his sight. ¡°Liv, I tried to let you go and give you freedom. But it turned out this way in the end.¡± The agony was eating him up as he tried to suppress it. He said, ¡°I tried to control myself.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. His self-control was useless. Before Olivia could walk out of the darkness, he had pushed her further. The days she went missing were horrible to him. He was basically a living zombie. Thus, he had made up his mind. He wouldn¡¯t care if his method would make her resent him. It was better than not being able to see and touch her. Without her, it was suffering as though someone had sapped his soul out of his body. Olivia looked at the agonized Ethan. ¡°Why do we have to end up like this?¡± Their rtionship was an entanglement of chains that could not be unshackled. No matter what happened and no matter how much time passed, the chains would only end up bing more tangled up. There was no way to untangle them. As time ticked by, it would end up bing messier until the end of their lives. Olivia said, ¡°Ethan Miller, I didn¡¯t wish for this to happen. ¡°I hope we can start and end things on good terms. Everyone knows what¡¯s going on Ethan said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about what people say online. Olivia, the only thing you need to know is that my love for you will never change.¡± She smiled bitterly at him. ¡°You know what? I would¡¯ve felt happy if you told me this six months ago. Now burden to me, Ethan.¡± ive is a He stretched his hands. ¡°Okay. Get down here first. We can slowly talk about what you want. I will listen to you. Didn¡¯t you want me to let Colin go? Kelvin, untie him.¡± Kelvin instantly released Colin. Thetter wiped the raindrops off his face and ran toward her. ¡°Olivia, look, I¡¯m fine. Come down here. We can talk through this.¡± ¡°Sorry, Colin. I can¡¯t visit the ind you talked about. Thank you for taking care of me for the past few days. I wish you well.¡± Her tears didn¡¯t stop trickling down her cheeks: ¡°Ethan Miller, I seriously thought of living a good life before. ¡°I wanna see the blue sky and enjoy the wind, drink coffee, and watch movies like ordinary people do.¡± ¡°Liv, I promise you. I will bring you to an ind. And movies? What kind of coffee do you like? I¡¯ll ask someone to get it for you right away.¡± ¡°Toote.¡± She looked at him. This time, she was gazing at him from a higher altitude. She wondered, ¡°Is this how Ethan always looks at people? He¡¯s always high up there, yet so lonely.¡± ¡°Ethan, I tried to control myself, too,¡± she said. Olivia had tried to control her negative thoughts about the world. She had also thought about how she would live her final days with rainbows and unicorns. However, things weren¡¯t going as she wished. Ethan didn¡¯t allow it to happen; the mastermind didn¡¯t either. No matter how many times she crawled out of the slump, she would be kicked back into that hellish life. Olivia wouldn¡¯t admit her defeat. She wanted to crawl out of it. In the end, she was scarred for life. Since the world was a dark ce to begin with, she wouldn¡¯t ask for more anymore. Olivia looked at Ethan calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a way to untangle the chains between us. ¡°We have topletely cut ties with each other. If I¡¯m dead, that¡¯ll mark the end of our ill-fated destiny. Goodbye, Ethan.¡± ¡°No! Liv!¡± She withdrew her gaze and fell backward. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Olivia didn¡¯t fall into the sea. She was hanging in midair amidst the blowing wind because Ethan and Colin were grabbing her hands. Although it was the first time the men worked together, they had good chemistry. They pulled her onto the deck in one go. Ethan hugged her cold body tightly. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t respond. He carried her into the cabin. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. When they passed Colin, the men met each other¡¯s eyes. Colin wanted to say something, but he didn¡¯t in the end. He recalled what Olivia had said before this. When they were still on the deck, Olivia whispered, ¡°Colin, I will use an extreme way to save you. ¡°Once we are separated, leave Aldenvine immediately. Do note back for the time being.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything silly, Olivia. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve mentally prepared myself for the n to fail. Don¡¯t do anything silly because of me.¡± She smiled helplessly, but her eyes showed her determination. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I need to stay alive to find out the truth. I won¡¯t die.¡± She continued coldly, ¡°If the dose is too little, we¡¯re done. Now, Colin finally understood why she had to put on a show. She wasn¡¯t going to kill herself but to survive by taking the situation to the extreme. Olivia was using her way to save Colin. If Ethan was going to bring her back and confine her again, there was only one way out for her-a suicide attempt. That was the only way to wrap Ethan around her little finger. But the consequence was that she couldn¡¯t see Color the time being. Ethan had been receiving heavy blows from Olivia recently. His biggest fear was her leaving him. Now that he had saved her, he wouldn¡¯t confine her for the time being. He ced her on the bed and dried her hair with a hair dryer. Next, he wiped her tear stains off her face with a warm napkin. He helped her change her pajamas after searching for one from her luggage. Snowball was staring at him. Olivia knew that he didn¡¯t like furry animals. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve brought Snowball along with her when she first married him. However, he didn¡¯t say anything about it. Ethan merely nced at the feline a few times before shitting his gaze away. After that, Brent sent a bowl of warm soup to the room. Ethan took it to the bed and sald warmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t hurt that brat.¡± He blew a spoonful of soup before bringing it to her lips. ¡°Here. Drink it.¡± The scene felt familiar to her. She recalled the moments at the beginning of their married life. Ethan found a herbalist to prepare her for pregnancy. Olivia hated herbal medicine the most. Thus, she refused to drink it every time. Comment by soonyoung gu: westernise? When that happened, Ethan would feed her spoonful by spoonful. It was very bitter, so she downed the bowl of medicine in one go. Since Olivia had gained something from him, she knew that she had to act obedient right now. Instead of refusing to drink, she took a small sip of it. It was the taste she hated. She frowned. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Ethan asked. No one knew how many slices of ginger the cook added. There was no sugar at all. That was why her tongue was burning due to the spice. Her brows knitted as she coldly said, ¡°You can taste it and find out for yourself.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He then held the back of her head before smashing his lips over hers. Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Olivia frowned deeply at the sudden kiss. Ethan¡¯s touch was repulsive to her. Before she pushed him away, he had withdrawn himself from her. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It was a light touch without much excessive sense of possession. ¡°It is kinda spicy.¡± He stroked her head as gently as always. It was fortunate that Olivia¡¯s n worked. She stared at him. ¡°What are you going to do with Colin?¡± After her suicide attempt, he didn¡¯t dare to say anything cruel. He replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to let him go. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t hurt him.¡± Now that he had learned his lesson, Olivia decided to let him off the hook. She held his hand and softened her voice, ¡°I promised you that I wouldn¡¯t leave Aldenvine, but I didn¡¯t expect myself to be kidnapped. ¡°Do you know how scared I was when I was kidnapped?¡± Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist. His low voice resounded above her. ¡°I felt the same.¡± ¡°She was seriously driving me to the edge. If I had not noticed something was off and hid a knife, I could¡¯ve died in her hands. She clenched his shirt. ¡°I believe that you¡¯ve noticed a few problems based on my tip-off. ¡°Let¡¯s put the question of whether my father had killed Leia aside. It¡¯s obvious that there¡¯s a third party involved in this matter. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to hurt you but wants me dead. She¡¯s the mastermind for whatever that had happened for the past two years.¡± Ethan caressed her head. It pained him to see her suffer. ¡°Yeah, I know. ¡°That person has nted a few spies around me. Her men retreated after you fell into the sea.¡± He didn¡¯t tell her about his investigation process. Instead, heforted her patiently, ¡°Liv, I will get to the bottom of it. Your father was taken away a few days ago. Was that Colin¡¯s doing?¡± Olivia knew that Jeff was safe with Colin. Colin was the only person that wouldn¡¯t hurt her. She couldn¡¯t trust Ethan before the truth came to light.. She shook her head. ¡°Colin wanted to save my father for me, but I heard that the scene was a mess that day. There were a lot of people. We didn¡¯t know who took my father away. Someone wounded Colin¡¯s back, too.¡± ¡°You mean he was at the scene and was hurt in the back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Noticing the doubt in his eyes, she added, ¡°I saw his injury with my own eyes. I owe him.¡± Ethan said, ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t hurt Colin. As for your father, I will find out where he is. He should be safe for now.¡± After all, Jeff was able to sustain with the help of machine and IV drips. Killing him off wouldn¡¯t have needed so much sacrifice. It could¡¯ve been done with a lift of a finger. He was a trump card. No matter which party it was, it wasn¡¯t the time to use him yet. She nodded, and Ethan caressed her cheek. He softened his voice. ¡°Liv, believe me or not, whatever that has happened today wasn¡¯t what I wished for. I will never hurt you again.¡± Olivia asked seriously, ¡°If my father wasn¡¯t Leia¡¯s murderer, what would you do?¡± His expression changed at that question. His tone became cold. ¡°Liv, even if there¡¯s a third party involved in this matter, your father¡¯s DNA matches with the baby in Leia¡¯s belly. ¡°The result of the DNA test is in my safe. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can read it yourself after we return home.¡± Knowing what she was going to say next, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t bury the premature baby. I¡­¡± Olivia felt her skin crawling. ¡°What did you do with it?¡± ¡°It was Leia¡¯s baby, so I asked someone to make it into a specimen.¡± Loathe grew in her as she deemed him perverted. He ignored her expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what the truth is, I will make sure to give you an answer.¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Ethan left the cabin after calming Olivia down. When the door was closed, her body slowly loosened. She spread her sweaty palms, letting out a helpless smile. She wondered when the both of them had to put their guards up against each other. They were neither lovers nor friends. It was not a rtionship between a superior and a subordinate either. She found it difficult to describe their rtionship. As long as Ethan wouldn¡¯t cause Colin trouble, Olivia and Colin were considered safe for today. Colin was all drenched, putting up with the wind and rain on the deck. Ethan sized him up and met his eyes. Colin was standing straight, showing no signs of yielding. He looked at Ethan confidently. In fact, Ethan looked down upon people like Colin the most. Colin appeared innocent and harmless. Even though he previously attempted to do that to Olivia on the ship, Ethan only saw him as a kid. Ethan wasn¡¯t bothered in the slightest. Now, Colin¡¯s presence bothered Ethan a little. Colin was bold and calcting. Had Ethan not realized it in time, Colin would have sessfully taken Olivia away. When that happened, it would¡¯ve been more difficult to find her. Colin broke the silence. ¡°Mr. Miller, what are you going to do to me?¡± ¡°I promised her that I wouldn¡¯t hurt you. I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± Ethan observed Colin¡¯s eyes, which showed no fear. It was either Colin wasn¡¯t afraid of death, or he was certain that Ethan wouldn¡¯t hurt him-everything was going ording to his n. Ethan was irritated by the fact that Colin saw through him. But he didn¡¯t let it show. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re injured. You should apply medicine to it. Come inside. I¡¯ll ask someone to bandage your wound.¡± Colin was surprised. ¡°You¡­¡± Ethan coldly snorted. ¡°You heard me right. I wish I could throw you into the sea and feed you to the sharks, but I don¡¯t want to upset her.¡± Brent led Colin the way. ¡°This way.¡± Colin was cooperative. When he walked past Ethan, he stopped and said, ¡°You scarred her for life, and yet, you pretend to be so in love with her. ¡°Should I say that you¡¯re a loving man or a pretentious man?¡± As soon as he finished, Kelvin gave him a push from behind. ¡°Hurry up. Keep talking, and I¡¯ll feed you to the sharks.¡± Colin¡¯s mock was a soft blow. But it put a heavy weight on Ethan¡¯s chest. Ethan clenched his fists tightly. He couldn¡¯t deny the things he had done to Olivia. He would use the rest of his life to make up for those two years, and she would be able to walk out of the darkness one day. Time was the best pill to heal a wound. Ethan didn¡¯t return to the room. The scene of Olivia jumping into the sea kept reying in his head. He was aware that she no longer loved him. She resented him more. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to open the door and look at her eyes. Resting against a wall at a sheltered corner in the hallway, he lit a cigarette. He was getting addicted to smoking. After he had smoked several cigarettes, Kelvin and Brent walked up to him. ¡°Mr. Miller, we¡¯ve sent that brat back to the port as you told.¡± Ethan hummed in response. ¡°What about his wound?¡± Brent said, ¡°It¡¯s caused by sharp weapons. But there were only long-range attacks that day. Even if he was hurt, it should be a gunshot.¡± Ethan caressed his thumb. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Brent replied, ¡°It is as you¡¯ve expected. Based on the wound¡¯s angle, depth, and how the skin curled, it looks like it was done intentionally. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like he was hurt during a fight.¡± Brent was dubious as he continued, ¡°But why would he cut himself when he wasn¡¯t hurt? Is he sick?¡± Kelvin said aloud, ¡°What the fuck? I heard of women being bitchy, but men can be bitchy too? ¡°He freakin¡¯ cut himself!¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes darkened as he lowered his voice. ¡°This young man is not any ordinary person. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that what happened on the ship wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Everything was done intentionally!¡± Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Brent said, ¡°On the cruise back then, Ms. Carlton made use of someone else to plot against Mrs. Miller. ¡°She happened to get a hold of him and made him do the dirty work. ¡°If he realized early on that something was amiss, but he still drank the drugged juice¡­ How cunning can this man be? ¡°He wasn¡¯t just cunning, either. That day, if you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller would¡¯ve suffered. ¡°When that happened, he could me it all on the drug. He could easily find an excuse and escape. This man is terrifying. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter if he had truly saved Mr. Fordham. But he got hurt and imed that it was because he was trying to save Mr. Fordham. ¡°He did it so that Mrs. Miller would feel pity and remorse toward him. ¡°Even now, Mrs. Miller treats him like a child, but he seems to have weird intentions with her.¡± Ethan frowned deeply, his dark eyes turning extremely cold. ¡°What about the things I told you to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. Before he left, I nted a tracker and listening device in his luggage.¡± ¡°After he gets ashore, get someone to keep an eye on him. Do not alert him.¡± Ethan had a feeling that the man came prepared. Now that he had stopped the man¡¯s operations, the man must have a backup n. ¡°Should I inform Mrs. Miller about this?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kelvin was a little upset about it. ¡°Why not? If this keeps up, Mrs. Miller would think that he¡¯s a good person. ¡°But you¡¯ll be the person who keeps hurting her, Mr. Miller.¡± Brent rapped his head. ¡°You fool, Mrs. Miller already thinks highly of him. ¡°We don¡¯t have concrete evidence, so do you think that Mrs. Miller would believe you? ¡°To counter people like him, you have to be even more devious than them.¡± Ethan spoke up. ¡°He came for Liv, so he wouldn¡¯t stop at just two incidents. Keep an eye on him. There may be more surprises. ¡± Putting out thest cigarette, Ethan turned and left. Kevin wanted to say something but decided against it. Brent patted him on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Keep your mouth sealed. Don¡¯t reveal anything to Mrs. Miller. ¡°There¡¯s more to that man than meets the eye, but Mr. Miller is nomon person, either.¡± Kevin replied, ¡°I know, Brent. Mr. Miller is letting that man go on purpose so that he can capture the manter. He¡¯s waiting now so that he can reap greater rewardster.¡± ¡°Good, looks like you know what¡¯s going on. Keep a close eye on him. Don¡¯t give the Toxic Hive any more chances to nt. spies.¡± Brent had been working with Ethan for many years. But he had never encountered such a tricky opponent before. Olivia¡¯s kidnapping had started it all. If not, those people would¡¯ve been in hiding for even longer. But Brent wasn¡¯t too worried about this. The incident was already handed over to the surveince team. It would be a matter of time before the truth was discovered. One day, the truth woulde to light. Lying on the bed, Olivia didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. Her mind was filled with everything that had happened recently. She didn¡¯t know about the progress of Ethan¡¯s investigation, either.. That ursed Ethan had his lips sealed. He didn¡¯t even reveal a tiny bit of information. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go to sleep.¡± Ethan appeared at the entrance. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Closing the door, Ethan spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked someone to dress his wounds and escort him away. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can always call him to ask about his whereabouts.¡± With that, Ethan handed her a new phone. ¡°I had the card replicated. It¡¯s the same number you used to have.¡± Olivia was stunned. ¡°Weren¡¯t you¡­ nning to lock me up?¡± ¡°To be honest, I wanted to.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even hesitate before admitting it. ¡°Even in my dreams, I want to lock you up. You won¡¯t be able to leave, and you won¡¯t have to experience any more dangers.¡± At that, he smiled helplessly. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to turn your life into a tightrope performance. Just a slight mistake could¡¯ve ended your life terribly. ¡°Liv, I want to make it up to you. Can you give me another chance?¡± After hurting her so much, he was saying that he wanted to make it up to her. Even if he was beingpletely serious about it, she only had the urge tough. Olivia knew that Ethan was emotionally unstable, just like her. She didn¡¯t want to provoke him. With her back facing him, shey down. She refused to answer his question. ¡°I¡¯m getting sleepy.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t force her to answer, either. He turned off the lights in the room. Then, his low voice rang out above Olivia¡¯s head. ¡°Liv, we have all the time in the world. We have a long way ahead of us. ¡°You can take your time to think about it. Or, you don¡¯t even have to reply. Just watch me.¡± Olivia thought, ¡°A long way ahead,¡¯ he said.¡± That was the funniest joke she had ever heard in her life. Chapter 316 Chapter 316 That night, Oliviay in Ethan¡¯s arms. There was a storm outside, and the hull swayed from time to time. For some reason, Olivia slept soundly. Before this, she couldn¡¯t sleep for the longest time. Even if she did fall asleep, her sleep was restless. Even in her dreams, she was scared that she would be kidnapped again. If it happened again, she would¡¯ve died for sure. In her dreams, Olivia kept mumbling, ¡°Who exactly are you? Why are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ethan held her tightly. In a tender voice, he spokefortingly in her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. I¡¯m here.¡± Slowly, Olivia¡¯s emotions were soothed. But Ethan didn¡¯t feel like sleeping at all. Under the dim lights, he gazed at the contours of Olivia¡¯s thin face. He touched her slender hands. He couldn¡¯t help but recall what Olivia looked like in the past. She used to be such a cheerful woman. When she got married to him, there was still some baby fat on her face. She looked a little childish and innocent back then. But now, she had lost a lot of weight. The contours of her face were even more exquisite now, but there was no longer any trace of what she used to look like. He thought about their encounters in recent times. Every single meeting ended in tragedy. It had been a long while since hest saw her smiling sincerely. Ethan knew that Olivia was a strong and cheerful person. If it weren¡¯t for the trials and suffering in the past two years, she wouldn¡¯t have lost her enthusiasm so quickly. Reaching out, Ethan wanted to touch her face. But he stopped within just an inch of her cheek. Regret invaded his heart. He didn¡¯t want to believe it, but he was scared. He was prepared to spend the rest of his life healing her. But even so, when he thought of all the hurt she had endured for the past few years, he knew that he had no right to touch her. Olivia slept for a long time. It seemed like she was trying to catch up on all the sleep debt she had umted for the past few days. When she opened her eyes again, the storm outside had faded. Looking out the window, she saw that the weather was wonderful outside. Ethan was gone from her side. Even Snowball had disappeared from the cat bed. After a change of clothes, Olivia went out. She realized that the ship had reached the shore, but it didn¡¯t arrive at a harbor. Instead, it had stopped at a small ind. Snowball was sitting on the deck. Its eyes were closed as it rxed and enjoyed the evening breeze. It looked like it was i harmony with the blue sky and white clouds in the distance. A familiar voice rang out. ¡°Liv.¡± A little dazed, Olivia turned to look at Ethan, who was standing on the shore. He was no longer wearing his suit and leather shoes. Instead, he wore a white shirt paired with casual pants. sin When the rays of the sunset spilled on his body, it covered him with a faint golden glow. The warm sunlight took all his coldness away, and he looked much gentler now. It reminded Olivia of the glimpse she saw at the field that day. She was forever dazzled by it. He was holding a coconut with a straw in it. While she was still stunned, he had already walked up the stairs toward her. He handed the coconut to her. ¡°It¡¯s freshly picked. I tried it just now; it¡¯s good.¡± Olivia had slept for 20 hours, so she was indeed a little hungry. To her surprise, her stomach didn¡¯t hurt at all. If it were before, she would have woken up from the pain. She wondered if it was because the medicine Colin gave her was working. He said that the medicine was made specially to cure stomach cancer. There wasn¡¯t any information on the pill or its manufacturer. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Still, Olivia believed himpletely. She took the pills regrly. She didn¡¯t feel like there were any effects at first. But for the first time in forever, her stomach didn¡¯t hurt even after more than 20 hours of not eating. Taking the coconut from Ethan, Olivia took a sip. The taste wasn¡¯t as strong as coconut candies. It was faint and refreshing. There was a slight sweet taste to it, and it didn¡¯t feel greasy at all. Olivia drank a lot. Ethan reached out to her. ¡°You want to see the blue ocean, right? Come with me. See if you like it.¡± Chapter 317 Chapter 317 It was probably because of the gentle sea breeze or the warm sunset. Or perhaps it was because Olivia was a lonely person who had been staying in the snow fields for too long. If anyone treated her just a little nicely, she would lower her guard. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she followed Ethan onto the ind. Snowball was being nice. When it saw her leaving, it went after her as well. The ind was beautiful. It wasn¡¯t big, but it was well-equipped. There were many flowers on the ind. Different flowers would bloom here all year round. For example, the path she was walking on right now was nked by blooming cherry trees. Without the intervention of janitors, the flowers were free to grow and fall. The path was already covered in petals. As a light breeze picked up, the petals swirled and danced in the air. Snowball seemed to be fond of this ce. It kept rolling around in the petals. The beautiful sea was right beside them. The seawater was clear and spotless. Even the sand on the beach was fine and cream- colored. The surface of the sea was calm as it basked in the warm glow of the sun. The sea glimmered under the sunlight. Without a doubt, this ce was beautiful. It was like a haven. In just five minutes, Olivia forgot everything bad that had ever happened. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Gently taking Olivia¡¯s hand, Ethan walked toward the center of the ind. After Olivia left the cherry trees, she entered a path surrounded by ginkgo trees. Ginkgo trees aged hundreds of years lined the path. New shoots had appeared on their branches. It wasn¡¯t hard for Olivia to imagine the beautiful scenery in the fall. As they pressed forward, plum trees weed them.. There was even an orchard, some animals, and rich cultivated soil. This was the dream home Olivia once told Ethan about. It would be situated on an uncharted ind, away from the noise. She could forget about worldly troubles for a moment. Even the houses were built differently from the vis in the city. They were made with bamboo and wood, and they had a primitive style about them. The amenities inside were quite modern, though. Olivia could see that this wasn¡¯t built in mere days. She felt a little touched. She then remembered the ind covered in cherry trees. That was where his engagement ceremony was held. Quickly returning to her senses, she stopped smiling. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there something you don¡¯t like?¡± Ethan seemed to care a lot about her preferences. ¡°Mr. Miller, should I describe you as thoughtful or faithful?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t help the cold tone in her voice. ¡°You prepared all this for Marina, too, right?¡± ¡°Liv, do you not recognize this? Everything here was prepared ording to your preferences. ¡°Marina has nevere here before. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Are my preferences that important?¡± Olivia smiled self-mockingly. ¡°After all, no matter what I like, she woulde and snatch everything from me in the end. ¡°Be it a man, a gown, or a house, as long as she asked for it, you¡¯d give her everything. You¡¯d even pluck the stars from the sky for her. ¡°Ethan, how should I answer you? Even if I said that I liked it, it would probably be hers soon enough. ¡°As long as she wants it, I have no choice but to offer it to her.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but every single syble was extremely heavy. The words stabbed Ethan in the heart. For a moment, Ethan had the urge to tell Olivia the truth, but now wasn¡¯t a good time. He licked his lips, a hint of remorse shing across his eyes. ¡°She won¡¯t know of this ce.¡± Hearing that, Olivia chuckled. ¡°So I can only take what she doesn¡¯t want. I even have to hide the good things from her. ¡°If she asks for it, you¡¯d still give her the ind you built for me, right?¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t exin it to her. He said simply, ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± Seeing how troubled he was, Olivia didn¡¯t ask more questions. After all, if Ethan truly wanted to say it, he would¡¯ve done so without her prompting him. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, then.¡± Olivia went into a room with Snowball in her arms. Ethan was only left with a vision of a cold figure. Ethan clenched his fists by his side. In the end, he had no choice but to go after her. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Olivia noticed that Kelvin and Brent weren¡¯t there. There were several servants and chefs on the ind, though. Soon, a seafood feast was prepared for her. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Without saying a word, she lowered her head and drank some soup. Ethan felt ufortable with the eerie silence. Hence, he started a conversation. ¡°Liv, you used to talk a lot in the past.¡± Olivia froze for a moment. He was right. She was quite talkative in the past. Back then, Ethan was busy every day. He would either be on business trips or at work. He rarely had time for her. Olivia cherished every second she could spend with him. So, she was the most talkative during mealtimes, which were supposed to be quiet. She could chatter on and on. She choked on her food a few times and got into a coughing fit. Still, she just drank some water and continued. Her face was filled with lively smiles. But now, there were no smiles on her face. There wasn¡¯t even much emotion. Putting her spoon down, Olivia wiped her mouth and reversed the question. ¡°Then what do you want me to say to you? Do I ask if work has been going welltely?¡± Ethan was stunned. Before he knew it, he had already stoppedmunicating normally with Olivia. Losing his appetite, he put down his fork. He said helplessly, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be happy. There are coconuts, waves, the beach, and sunshine here. We can go diving tomorrow.¡± Olivia chuckled. ¡°Am I going to live here for a long time in the future?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight. No one will bother you on this ind, so you can rest and recuperate here. ¡°As for your father, I¡¯ve already sent men to investigate the matter. I¡¯ll tell you as soon as I get any information.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°You¡¯re just putting me in a different prison.¡± But the cage was quite big this time. She didn¡¯t have to be caged in at all. The sea was all around her, so she had no way of escaping. She was the canary Ethan kept in a wildlife park. The cage had changed, but her identity remained the same. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I- But Olivia didn¡¯t want to hear another word from him. ¡°The bedroom is this way, right? I¡¯m going back now.¡± Ethan looked at the table full of seafood she barely touched. His mood was extremely foul. He wasn¡¯t simply imprisoning Olivia on this ind. For now, he hadn¡¯t figured out who the mastermind was. So, it would be dangerous for Olivia if she stayed in Aldenvine. He had received news that, even now, they couldn¡¯t find a matching bone marrow for Chloe. Her parents had passed away within a span of a few years. Her rtives had already done the tests, all except for her daughter, Olivia. There was a high chance that Olivia¡¯s bone marrow matched Chloe¡¯s. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if Olivia¡¯s health was good enough when she donated the bone marrow. But Ethan noticed that Olivia had been quite thin in the past six months. She alsocked energy, and she often caught colds. Setting aside physical reasons, more importantly, Chloe kept hurting Olivia. When Olivia returned the phone watch to Chloe, her stance was clearer than ever. If Olivia kept getting involved with Chloe, she would be hurt even more. There was Olivia¡¯s physical and mental health to consider. Ethan didn¡¯t want her to get involved in the muddled waters of Aldenvine. He wanted her to heal and recover on the ind. But to Olivia, his good intentions were no different from imprisonment. As Ethan watched Olivia leave, he was determined to speed things up. He had a feeling that if time went by, the distance between him and Olivia would increase as well. He wondered if he could still take the person he had abandoned back. Olivia seemed to have turned into a different person within six months. Ethan smoked some cigarettes outside before entering the room. He spotted Olivia taking the medicine. Gripping her hand, he asked, ¡°What pills are you taking?¡± Chapter 319 Chapter 319 A few months ago, Ethan started feeling uneasy for some reason. He feared that Olivia¡¯s sudden weight loss was due to an illness. Because of that, he gave her a full-body checkup. However, the results indicated that she didn¡¯t have any serious illnesses. Seeing that she was taking pills, Ethan couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. By then, Olivia had already swallowed the pill. She took a huge gulp of warm water. Then, she wiped her slightly wet mouth with a tissue. It was only then that she pulled her hand out of his grasp. ¡°It¡¯s stomach medicine.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ethan thought, ¡°She has stomach problems. She already mentioned itst time.¡± Frowning, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor here tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already had a checkup, and you¡¯ve seen the results, right? I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡± When Olivia said that, a sneer shed across her face. She remembered the look on Ethan¡¯s face when she had a checkup that day. Before then, she had told him a few times that she was ill. But Ethan simply mocked her. So, she refused to waste her efforts and exin anything to him. He might think that she was seeking attention agam. Ethan lowered his head to look at the pill bottle in her hands. There weren¡¯t anybels on it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t this medicine have any qualification certificates?¡± Olivia said calmly, ¡°The dosage per bottle is too few. I found it troublesome, so I put several doses in a larger bottle.¡± Colin had specially gotten her the medicine, and he even told her to take the medicine regrly. Ethan couldn¡¯t find any faults with her exnation. Olivia was already heading out. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can I go and rest now?¡± Ethan parted his lips. In the end, he couldn¡¯t utter a word. Now, Olivia wouldn¡¯t chat with him or care about his emotions. She wouldn¡¯t argue with him, either. She lost her sunshine, and she also lost her stormy emotions. She was like a puddle of stagnant water and refused to even struggle. Ethan felt even worse when he saw Olivia like that. He would rather Olivia hit him and shout at him. He didn¡¯t want her to treat him coldly and stay quiet. She behaved like a stranger around him. Olivia had a shower. Perhaps because she had slept for too longst night, she wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. Putting a coat on, she was ready to go on a walk. The ind was decorated nicely, even at night. The lights hanging from the cherry trees looked like lanterns. She also saw hydrangeas yet to bloom by the roadside. Various string lights looked like vines as they hung from the branches. The ind only had harmless animals like squirrels and hares. There were no wild beasts, so the ce was quite safe. Olivia strolled along the beach. She felt at ease when she listened to the wavespping against the shore. Like a loyal guard, Snowball kept close to her. Olivia did like this ce. It wasn¡¯tpletely identical to the scene she had envisioned, but it resembled at least 90% of her vision. He had truly built a deserted ind that belonged only to her. If she didn¡¯t have any grudges or longings, she could live here until the day she died. Olivia¡¯s mind was filled with questions. ¡°How many days will it take Dad to arrive on the ind? Will his surgery be okay? What exactly happened on the night Leia died? Is Jack still alive?¡± Bound by worldly ties, Olivia felt uneasy. That person had manipted her for so many years, but there was nothing she could do. She didn¡¯t want to stay here. Even if Aldenvine was full of dangers, she only wanted to catch the mastermind. If not, she couldn¡¯t even live in peace. Suddenly, Snowball stopped walking ahead of her. It carefully examined a small bug crawling on a hydrangea leaf. The bug¡¯s rear glinted with a green light. The bug then took flight andnded on Snowball¡¯s nose. Snowball had never seen a bug like this before. Breathing quietly, it stared earnestly at the firefly on its nose. Olivia was confused. Fireflies shouldn¡¯t be out and about at that time of the year. Turning around, she noticed many more fireflies dotting the path at the side. Taking Snowball with her, she changed direction. When she got to the steps, she noticed a huge swarm of fireflies flying out of the woods. It was a firefly carnival. The hundreds of fireflies looked like reflections of the gxy. They lit up the ce, making it look even more beautiful than a haven. Olivia was so stunned at the scene that she forgot to breathe. She didn¡¯t even dare to move lest it disturb the beautiful creatures. Then, Ethan walked over with a specialntern in his hand. Thentern was made of ss, so the glowing fireflies in thentern could be seen from outside. He was wearing a white shirt. Like the male lead of aic, he walked over to her. ¡°Liv, this is the fireflyntern you wanted.¡± The fireflies danced around him, their soft glows softening his sharp look. He looked gentler and warmer now. Olivia looked at him, stunned. All this felt like a dream to her. ¡°Ethan, you¡­¡± Holding her slightly chilly hand, Ethan spoke slowly. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve never forgotten a word you said.¡± Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Ethan¡¯s expression looked extra serious under the glow of the fireflies. Licking her dry lips, Olivia asked softly, ¡°Ethan, is Marina someone you fancied on a whim? Or is she your one true love?¡± Ethan chuckled in exasperation. ¡°If she¡¯s my one true love, why would I marry you? Liv, do you not know how I feel about you? He had hurt her, but he had also treated her well. If not, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to let go of him. ¡°So you fancied her on a whim just to provoke me?¡± It had been two years. Their marriage was already over, but she still wanted an exnation. Ethan embraced her. Olivia could hear him sighing next to her ear. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll tell you everything between me and Marina, but not now. Can you trust me onest time?¡± As if fearing rejection, Ethan added, ¡°Don¡¯t believe what the others said about Marina being my true love. To me, she¡¯s just a younger sister who grew up in my social circle. But¡­¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He suddenly looked up. He locked eyes with Olivia, saying, ¡°I do have one true love in my heart, but she¡¯s not Marina. She¡¯s¡± Olivia met Ethan¡¯s passionate gaze. Her heart thumped wildly. Petals and fireflies danced around the two. The ce was extremely beautiful. It even blurred her hatred and disgust toward Ethan. Ethan was about to say something when the phone in his pocket started vibrating. The ind was silent, and even the birds had gone to roost. Only the vibrating sounds could be heard. ¡°Go ahead and answer it,¡± Olivia said indifferently. Ethan nced at his phone. It was a call from Brent. If Brent was calling him at this hour, there must be something important going on. Ethan answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Bad news, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know which aspect Brent was referring to. ncing at Olivia, he stepped aside and talked over the phone. The sea breeze cleared Olivia¡¯s heated mind a little. Scoffing, she turned around and left. Now that things hade to this point, it shouldn¡¯t matter to her who Ethan¡¯s true love was. When Ethan ended the call, he wanted to continue the conversation just now. But Olivia had disappeared. Only the dancing fireflies remained. The fireflyntern was left on the cobblestone path. Ethan rushed back to look for Olivia. Olivia was leaning against the headboard, reading a book. She didn¡¯t even nce at him when he entered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I have to go.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was urgent. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll go diving with you next time.¡± Olivia flipped a page. Then, she said nonchntly, ¡°Okay.¡± Sitting by the bed, Ethan took her hand and spoke earnestly, ¡°I know you hate me for trapping you on this ind. ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t want to lie to you. Putting my selfish desires aside, I just want you to be safe. I found out that those people were involved with the Toxic Hive.¡± It was only then that the look in Olivia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°The Toxic Hive?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an international drug organization made up of wanted criminals from various nations. They aren¡¯t nice people, Liv. ¡°They could do anything to get conclusive results. That includes conducting experiments at the risk of thousands of lives. ¡°They spread out in various nations, but they also delve deep. They¡¯re connected to many business empires. ¡°Some higher-ups even want to establish illegal partnerships with them. They would get more money that way. In return, they would provide the Toxic Hive with convenience and protection.¡± Olivia was shocked. It was no wonder that she couldn¡¯t dig up anything on the Toxic Hive at all. The organization was simply too powerful. ¡°I suspect that they are working with people from our country as well. So I couldn¡¯t be contacted when I was trying to determine their whereabouts. ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t know why they joined Miller Group. Miller Group has been working fine for the past few years, not to mention there aren¡¯t any financial problems. That¡¯s why I never noticed they were there. ¡°But they are hostile toward you. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you to go back. There¡¯s another important reason as well.¡± Chapter 321 Chapter 321 ncing at Olivia¡¯s expression, Ethan continued, ¡°Do you know about your mother¡¯s illness?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t intend on donating my bone marrow to her.¡± ¡°Wise choice. Personally, I also don¡¯t want you to get involved with her anymore. ¡°For the past few days, the Carltons put in a lot of effort into finding the perfect bone marrow, but they failed to do so. You¡¯re the only one they haven¡¯t tested.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°So you think the Carltons won¡¯t let me go?¡± ¡°They definitely won¡¯t. I know Chris¡¯ personality too well. You might be upset to hear this, but he truly loves your mother. He will stop at nothing if it means saving your mother.¡± Ethan ced his hands on Olivia¡¯s shoulders while speaking earnestly. ¡°Liv, there may be a lot of misunderstandings between us. I¡¯ve hurt you before, but I sincerely want to protect you now. ¡°I¡¯ll send more men to look for your father. Just stay here and rest for a while, okay? I¡¯lle back for you when I¡¯ve settled everything.¡± The sounds of a helicopter could be hearding from thewn outside. It sounded urgent. Olivia gazed at him. ¡°I understand.¡± Ethan ced a hand behind her head, nting a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Live, give me some time. I¡¯ll tell you everything in due time. ¡°I promise that we¡¯ll be together like how we were in the beginning. I will give you everything you want.¡± For a moment, Olivia didn¡¯t know what to say to annoy him. Ethan took out two rings from his pocket. They were his and Olivia¡¯s wedding rings. He held Olivia¡¯s hand before slipping one of the wedding rings onto her finger. The earnest look in his eyes was the same as it had been in the past. Olivia couldn¡¯t understand why a man like Ethan could have a change of heart. But Connor¡¯s existence was a symbol of his disloyalty. When the ring slid onto Olivia¡¯s thin finger, it hung loosely at the base. She had lost a lot of weight, and her fingers had gotten much slimmer as well. Olivia chuckled. ¡°Look. After getting divorced, even the wedding ring doesn¡¯t fit me anymore.¡± The look in Ethan¡¯s eyes flickered. He didn¡¯t get mad. Instead, he carefully took off the ring. ¡°Liv, rings can be adjusted. Simrly, people can repent after making mistakes. To err is human, after all.¡± He put the ring away. ¡°I¡¯ll put it on for you when we meet next time.¡± Ethan kissed the back of her hand. ¡°My precious Mrs. Miller.¡± Urgent voices sounded outside. Ethan looked longing at Olivia. ¡°Liv, I have to go.¡± In the past, whenever he had to leave, even if it was just for work, Olivia would throw a tantrum in his arms. Then, she would see him off at the door, watching him leave until he was gone. But now, she only nodded. Instead, Ethan was the one reluctant to leave. Standing at the door, he looked quietly at Olivia. There was a displeased look in his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you seeing me off?¡± Olivia ced the book on the bedside table before saying lightly, ¡°All good things muste to an end. Seeing you off will only increase the longing. It won¡¯t solve anything.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t say a word. He left with a cold look on his face. Soon, Olivia heard the sounds of the helicopter taking off. She stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, watching as the red dot grew smaller in the sky. She no longer felt longing for him. Instead, she felt more freedom after he left. There was phone reception on the ind, so Olivia could make phone calls. But the inte was blocked, so she couldn¡¯t go online. She had asked about it beforehand. Even if there was inte here, this was a deserted ind. It wasn¡¯t even shown on the map. So, she had no idea where this ce was. Even if Olivia were to call someone, she could only tell them that she was on an ind. She didn¡¯t know anything else. The second day after Ethan left, Olivia called Everly to assure thetter that she was fine. Right after that, she received a call from an unfamiliar number. ¡°Olivia, is that you?¡± The caller¡¯s voice was stern and mature. It was Chris. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Chris reached out for Olivia just as Ethan had expected. Back when Olivia was about to die, the majority of the Carltons chose to let Marina live instead of her. Chris was the only one who didn¡¯t make a decision. Hence, Olivia didn¡¯t hang up. She said in a distanced and polite way, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re still alive!¡± Chris sounded very excited. Fortunately, Olivia had asked someone to deliver the teddy phone watch. It was how they figured out that she was still alive. Chris only dialed her number to see if it would work. He didn¡¯t expect the call to go through. ¡°Mr. Carlton, I¡¯m alive, but it doesn¡¯t mean that I will donate the bone marrow to your wife.¡± Before he could speak, Olivia declined his reason for calling. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Olivia, I want to talk with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible.¡± Oliviay on the reclining chair. She held a coconut in her hands, enjoying theforting sea breeze. It felt like a warm hand caressing her cheek. She thought that even the sea breeze was gentler than her mother¡¯s own touch. ¡°Olivia, I know you don¡¯t like Marina and the Carltons. As an elder, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to comment on the younger generation.¡± Olivia interrupted, ¡°If it¡¯s not appropriate, then don¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t need yourments or apologies.¡± ¡°Olivia, I know that nothing I say can ease the resentment you¡¯ve been feeling. I just want to tell you that your mother is in a dire state. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that she refused toe back to Andia to see you. It¡¯s because of my special status that she couldn¡¯te back. Your mother truly misses you!¡± Olivia didn¡¯t say a word. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him about Chloe missing her. His lies were too tant. Even if Chloe couldn¡¯t go back to Andia, she could at least make a call. Back then, Chloe had just left when Olivia pestered Jeff for Chloe¡¯s number overseas. She kept wondering if Chloe was used to life overseas. Life in other countries was quite different from Andia, after all. Chloe had always been a picky woman, so Olivia was worried that she couldn¡¯t get used to it. When the call went through, Olivia didn¡¯t even have a chance to talk. When Chloe heard Jeff¡¯s voice, she said, ¡°It¡¯s over between us. I have a new family now, so don¡¯t call me anymore. I don¡¯t want him to misunderstand our rtionship. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m busy.¡± Olivia was stunned when she heard that. She was worried for Chloe for days, but Chloe never even asked about Olivia. Instead, Chloe was worried that Jeff would pester her. After all, if Jeff truly wanted to pester Chloe, he wouldn¡¯t have let her leave just like that. In all those years, Olivia could see that Jeff loved Chloe to bits. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t get Chloe to warm up to him. In the end, when Chloe left, she didn¡¯t even remember a nice thing he did for her. Instead, she feared that he would be a burden. Olivia found it pathetic. How could her mom be someone like this? As time passed, her love for her mother was able to trump the sadness she felt from this incident. Back then, she would stand guard near the phone, fearing that she might miss a call from her mother. When she was in her teens, other families had already¡¯stopped usingndlines. But she kept their landline around. She thought that Chloe simply didn¡¯t want to talk to Jeff. But she was different. She was her mother¡¯s daughter, so surely her mother would ask about her. As soon as she got off school, she would keep watch on the phone. She would also keep an eye on the extension line when she went to sleep at night. There was a time zone difference to consider. Olivia couldn¡¯t sleep too soundly in case she missed a call. But after giving hundreds of excuses, she still hadn¡¯t received a call from Chloe. Now that Olivia had grown up, she finally understood the truth. Chloe was relishing the happiness of getting back together with her old lover. Chloe was probably eagerly preparing for her new life with Chris. She wouldn¡¯t remember that Olivia even existed After all, Olivia was simply the daughter Chloe didn¡¯t love. It wasn¡¯t that Chloe was ying favorites. Olivia was simply never loved. Chris spoke for a long while, and Olivia stayed silent the whole time. When he had finally stopped talking, Olivia spoke up ¡°Are you tired from all the talking? Why don¡¯t you drink some water before you continue?¡± Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Chris spoke animatedly, and he was wholly sincere about It. He didn¡¯t fake anything, and he even spoke as if he were there in person. But in the end, when Olivia provided him with such a response, he didn¡¯t know how to react. He still had many things to say, but now, they were stuck in his throat. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m saying all this sincerely. I¡¯m not faking anything.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t hang up.¡± Chris was probably the only person with integrity in the Carlton family. Olivia didn¡¯t mock him. Instead, she politely listened to everything he had to say. ¡°Olivia, I forgot to tell you this. Donating bone marrow won¡¯t affect a healthy person. They will recover in about 10 days. ¡°It¡¯s not the same as donating kidneys, which can bring irreversible harm.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Mr. Carlton, I learned medicine before. I understand everything you talked about.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to donate it.¡± Chris sighed. ¡°You won¡¯t be doing it for free. Just name your price. I can pay you no matter how much you ask for.¡± ¡°Some things can¡¯t be bought with money, like a mother¡¯s love for example. Mr. Carlton, you¡¯re a good man. That¡¯s why I¡¯m having this conversation with you patiently right now. ¡°I¡¯m no longer Ms. Parker¡¯s daughter the moment she chooses to let me die.¡± Chris argued, ¡°Olivia, blood ties can never be cut off.¡± ¡°In the past, she could cut it off if she wanted to Now, the same applies to me. I have something to deal with, so I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± Beeps sounded on Chris¡¯ end of the line. When he dialed the number again, Olivia¡¯s phone was already turned Oliviayzily under the umbre, allowing the sea breeze to caress her face. The temperature here was much higher than in Aldenvine. It must be somewhere close to the equator. Originally, she wanted to figure out the coordinates based on the natural vegetation. But Ethan had spent a lot of money to remake this ind over the past few years. It was all man-made at this point. There were only somemonly seen moss and natural vegetation withmon characteristics. She couldn¡¯t find any clues about where she was The cage was simply too luxurious. Ethan had realized his ambitious project. ¡°Ms. Fordham, the afternoon tea is ready. Will you be dining here, or would you like to go somewhere else? ¡°Right here, please¡± ¡°Understood. Please wait while I set everything up for you¡± The afternoon tea consisted of juice and snacks from various countries. The service Olivia enjoyed here was equivalent to those in seven-star hotels. At first, Olivia wanted to return to Aldenvine as soon as possible This morning, she had just contacted Colin. Everything was well with Jeff¡¯s ship. He would travel another few days on the sea before he arrived at his ind. Jeff¡¯s vital signs were stable. Olivia was reassured when she heard that As long as Jeff was in one piece, Olivia wouldn¡¯t be threatened by anything The mastermind must be mad now that Olivia couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. Also, if Olivia were to go back right now, the Carltons would probably try to get her to donate her bone marrow. But here, Olivia could eat and drink as she liked. She was also feeling very rxed. After thinking things through, she stopped trying. She would let Ethan deal with the incidents In Aldenvine. Since she couldn¡¯t escape, she would enjoy her stay here. When she temporarily let go of her burdens, Olivia realized that life had be much easier. She finally experienced the wonderful feeling of hope and optimism. Here, she wouldn¡¯t have rms waking her up. She wouldn¡¯t have to fear getting kidnapped, and she didn¡¯t have to be wary of anybody. She would explore the ind with Snowball every day. Her days were simple and happy. It was just like the ind she had been on some time ago. There weren¡¯t many locals here, but it was much better than the ind back then. There was also a natural hot spring on the ind. She could lean against the edge of the pool as she soaked in the clean hot spring. She could enjoy the fluttering cherry petals as well. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia even forgot that she was gued by a serious illness. She ate and slept well here. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Olivia plumped up rather quickly. She looked much better now. Even her stomach hadn¡¯t hurt for days. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Time seemed to have paused on this ind. There were many servants on the ind. There were also more than ten chefs who made meals for her every day. There were 20 gardeners and several dozen servants who did odd jobs and housekeeping. Heck, there was even a doctor here. Many of them were old servants from the old and new Miller residences. Ethan could pamper her very well if he wanted to. To ease her loneliness, the old servants took care of her as if she were their own family. In reality, she wasn¡¯t bored on the ind at all. Chickens, ducks, and geese were reared here. Olivia had also been busying herself with helping rabbits give birth. She would also collect eggs from the coop and shear the youngmbs. She had once decided to roast one of thembs. But then, themb kept bleating and following her. Hence, Olivia gave up her desire to eat a whole roastedmb. Every day, the ind was brimming with-life because of the animals. Even the pigs enjoyed their time here. They freely ran everywhere, and they also rolled around on the mountainside. Sometimes, Olivia would bring a basket with her to the garden to harvest vegetables. She would also go to the orchard to pick some fruits. It was a tropical area, so mangoes, pineapples, and bananas grew well here. Ethan, who spent money excessively, even built a temperature-controlled produce section here. It was entirely possible to live off the ind itself. Ethan also built a small house of books for her. There were various books inside, from medical texts to local and international novels. Even the contemporary ssics were included. The small cabin next to it was an atelier. It was filled with art supplies. The next cabin was a dance room and a piano room. Ethan had considered almost everything. On this ind, Olivia lived her life to the fullest. Unlike Olivia¡¯s peaceful life, Aldenvine was inplete chaos. Firstly, the Carltons asked many people to help, but none of them had bone marrows that matched Chloe¡¯s. They were beginning to suspect that Chloe simply wasn¡¯t fated to be saved. Chloe¡¯s condition grew worse Chris constantly took care of her, resulting in him losing some weight as well Marina woulde over to visit Chloe sometimes. But the most she did was y some games and watch side. She didn¡¯t even peel an apple for her mother. videos on the Those visits were just for show Marina had been like this all these years. Chloe thought that she had gotten used to it Still, she felt an unspeakable bitterness and sorrow in her heart. From the day she joined the Carltons, she tried her best to take care of Marina She loved Marina as if the girl was het biological daughter. But in the end, Chloe put in all those efforts for naught Marina didn¡¯t appreciate her at all ¡°Marina, can you pour a ss of water for me? I¡¯m feeling a little thirsty.¡± Chloe made a simple request. The ss was right next to Marina. Frowning, Marina hard an annoyed look on her face. She never once took her eyes off her phone screen. ¡°How Troublesome. Just ask the caregiver to pour it out for you.¡± ¡°The caregiver is getting medicine for me.¡± ¡°Then wait for her. I¡¯m on a roll here.¡± Chloe¡¯s heart ached. At that moment, she suddenly thought of Olivia She had been ignoring Olivia since she was young. Back then, when Olivia was around five years old, Chloe had a high fever. Olivia cried until her eyes turned red. She constantly stayed by Chloe¡¯s bed. Olivia would ask Chloe if she wanted water or some soup. She even mimicked the adults and covered Chloe with a nket. With a face full of concern, Olivia asked, ¡°Mom, Is it ufortable for you? When I grow up, I¡¯ll be a doctor. Then, you won¡¯t have to get sick ever again.¡± At that thought, Chloe couldn¡¯t help the tears rolling down her cheeks. Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Back then, Chloe thought that Olivia was just rambling nonsense. But it turned out that Olivia had enrolled in a medical school for real. Chloe didn¡¯t think much about it. She only thought that it was just some child¡¯s ranting. It was like how children talked about bing teachers, astronauts, and firefighters. Now, when Chloe recalled Olivia¡¯s earnest little face, her heart ached as if it had been pierced. Lying on the bed, Chloe couldn¡¯t help but recall the many memories she had tossed away. She had this child by ident. From her pregnancy until childbirth, she never had any expectations of this child. Olivia didn¡¯t look like her or Jeff. So, Chloe felt even more distant from her. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. After Chloe had given birth, Jeff feared that it would disturb her rest, so he sent Olivia to a childcare center. Olivia had never drunk a drop of Chloe¡¯s breast milk. She was raised on baby form. Fortunately, Olivia had been a healthy child. She rarely got sick when she was young. But Chloe kept having illnesses big and small because of her depression. Her thoughts were completely upied by her old lover. She never bothered to remember when Olivia began teething. She didn¡¯t even remember when Olivia started calling her ¡°Mom Even when Olivia learned to walk, Chloe¡¯s first reaction wasn¡¯t to pick Olivia up the moment she tottered up to her leg. Instead, she pushed the child away. She treated the child coldly and cruelly, but Olivia kept sticking to her since young. ¡°Mom, I want to eat the teddy cookies you make.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll cook for you when I grow up.¡± ¡°Mom, our school is holding a family sports day. Are youing?¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be sad. You¡¯ll recover soon. When I¡¯ve grown up and be a doctor, you won¡¯t be sick anym ¡°Mom, have some water. The doctor said that drinking warm water will help you recover faster. Here, drink it. I¡¯ll pour some more when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Mom, I love you so much, but why won¡¯t you love me?¡± ¡°Oh, I know! My love must not be strong enough, so that¡¯s why you don¡¯t like me. I¡¯ll be an outstanding person so that you¡¯ll be proud of me every day.¡± ¡°Mom, you promised to bring me to the amusement park. Don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s tears rolled uncontrobly down her cheeks. She even remembered the warmth of the tiny hand ced on her forehead and the worried eyes looking at her. Wiping her tears, Chloe removed the nket and got off the bed. She walked slowly toward the table. She had just touched the ss when darkness blotted out her vision. With a crash, she fell to the floor along with the ss. The sudden noise startled Marina. Marins frowned as she looked at Chloe. ¡°What are you doing this time? I¡¯m warning you, I¡¯m not a fool like Dad. I won¡¯t believe women like you. Hurry and get up. 1 won¡¯t be fooled by people ying the victim.¡± Chloe spent more than ten years treating Marina with sincerity and love. But Marina repaid her with insults instead. Chloe opened her mouth to exin. ¡°I¡¯m not pretending. I don¡¯t have the strength. Help me up, please ¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have strength? Hah, you looked quite lively when you seduced my dad back then.¡± Marina watched her phone screen turn ck. Then, she tossed her phone away and stood up. Crossing her arms, she looked coldly at Chloe. ¡°There are no outsiders here, so why are you pretending? ¡°The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. You¡¯re a whore, so it¡¯s no wonder that your daughter is a wench too.¡± Chloe had stopped sobbing earlier, but now, the tears began falling again. As if her insults weren¡¯t enough, Marina even kicked Chloe. ¡°Who are you crying for? Just get up already.¡± Chapter 326 Chapter 326 After kicking Chloe a few times, Marina still wasn¡¯t satisfied. So, she started hurling insults at Chloe. She was venting all the dissatisfaction she felt toward Chloe and Olivia. Chloe¡¯s face turned paler. Beads of sweat also appeared on her forehead. She didn¡¯t have the energy to argue anymore, so she could only hang her head. Marina kicked at Chloe with her toes. ¡°Hey, quit pretending you¡¯re dead¡­¡± Just then, the door opened. Chris had gone home to wash up and change his clothes, then rushed back as soon as he could. He happened to witness the scene. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chris roared like a furious lion. Marina was stunned at the spot. She said, ¡°Dad, she fell on purpose! She just wants you to feel bad for her! Don¡¯t be tricked by her! She¡¯s-¡± Before she could finish speaking, Chris had helped Chloe up. When Chloe raised her head, blood streamed out of her nose. In an instant, her clothes were soaked with blood. Marina was startled as well. She thought that Chloe was ying tricks, like how Marina often did. When she saw therge puddle of blood, she knew that she was in trouble. Chris shouted at her, ¡°Get the doctor!¡± It was then that Marina came to her senses. She pressed the bell. The doctor and nurses rushed in for the emergency medical treatment. Looking at the dying woman, Marina didn¡¯t feel much emotion. But she knew that if Chloe died, she would have to shoulder the me. Her dad wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook In other words, Chloe could die, but she mustn¡¯t die at Marina¡¯s hand. ¡°Dad, listen to me. I swear I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Chris pped Marina across the face heavily. ¡°If something happens to her, I won¡¯t forgive you! Get out!¡± He had seen how nice Chloe was to Marina all these years. Even though Chloe didn¡¯t give birth to Marina, any mother. She pampered Marina unconditionally. No matter what Chloe had done for her, Marina remained distant and indifferent. She didn¡¯t respect Chloe at all. Now that Chloe was gravely ill, Marina even treated her with cruelty. Marina cradled her cheek. ¡°Did you just p me? How dare you p me because of that wench!¡± gentler than ¡°She¡¯s your stepmother, Marina! She may not be your real mother, but she tries so hard to be one! She took care of you when you were sick! ¡°She barely slept a wink back then, and her eyes even became bloodshot because of you! Is this how you repay her?¡± With tears streaming down her face, Marina retorted coldly, ¡°You want me to repay her? Have I ever asked her to do those things? She¡¯s not my biological mother anyway! ¡°She pretended to treat me nicely so that she could secure her position in the Carlton family. She only wanted you guys to ept her. She¡¯s a shameless wench!¡± Chris pped Marina again. ¡°Look at you! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re not an outstanding person in life, but you have to at least be kind! ¡°You keep spouting profanities, not to mention you¡¯ve been nothing but disrespectful to Chloe! I don¡¯t remember raising you like this!¡± At that moment, Marina was pissed. She shouted viciously at Chris, ¡°Well, I hate her! If you didn¡¯t miss her so much, my mom wouldn¡¯t have died from heartbreak at such a young age! ¡°I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s sincere or faking it; I just can¡¯t forget about my mom¡¯s death! That wench has lived way longer than my mom, so it should be enough already!¡± Chris shouted, ¡°You!¡± Marina raised her head defiantly. ¡°Go on, hit me! Kill me right now, I dare you!¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chris was so mad that he clutched his chest. ¡°Get out. I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± Marina dashed out of the door. She went to Miller Group with red-rimmed eyes and waited for Ethan in the office. Ethan had juste back from his meeting when Marina walked up to him. ¡°Ethan.¡± Ethan frowned deeply the moment he saw her. He asked in a low voice, ¡°What are you doing here? If there¡¯s anything you want to buy, just let Brent know about it. I¡¯m busy.¡± Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Marina wanted to rant very badly, but she was forced to hold her tongue. She had no idea since when Ethan refused to even utter a word to her. ¡°Ethan, didn¡¯t you see my face?¡± It was only then that Ethan looked up. He saw her red cheeks sporting clear handprints. ¡°Who hit you?¡± ¡°My dad.¡± ¡°Then I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Upon returning to his seat, Ethan flipped open a folder. He couldn¡¯t possibly ask Chris to take responsibility, after all. His connections to the Carltons aside, Ethan respected Chris as a person. Seeing his nonchnce, Marina hastily ran toward him. ¡°If Olivia got hurt, would you be this cold to her too?¡± Ethan wanted to say that Marina wasn¡¯t worthy enough to bepared to Qlivia. But when he thought about the deceased Kurt, he chose not to say it. He simply said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Kelvin to send you to the hospital.¡± ¡°I am your fianc¨¦e!¡± Marina was upset with Ethan¡¯s half-hearted attitude. In the past, he was never intimate with her, but at least he was gentlemanly and respected her. But now, he didn¡¯t even respect her at all. He freely expressed his disgust toward her. ¡°You didn¡¯te to the engagement ceremony,¡± Ethan reminded her. ¡°What, are you running away from your responsibilities? Don¡¯t forget, you promise Kurt that you will protect us for life! If it weren¡¯t for Kurt, you would¡¯ve died by now.¡± Marina had said the same thing countless times. She wanted the Milia Stee, but Ethan said she couldn¡¯t have it. So, she brought up Kurt¡¯s death to threaten him. She wanted Collington Cove as well. It was a surprise prepared for Olivia. But in the end, Marina used the Ethan to give up on that n. Is to force Ethan had spent years building that hospital. The tendering, filing,nd acquisition, and building stages took a lot of effort. He wanted to give it to Olivia as a present after she had given birth. He knew that Olivia was a kind person. He even established a charity fund for the people who couldn¡¯t afford to pay their medical bills. He could already imagine how happy Olivia would be when she knew about it. But when Marina heard of this, she kept pestering him for shares of the hospital. She even changed the name of the hospital. For some time, because of what happened to Leia, he had hatred toward Olivia as well. Still, his love for her never changed. His remorse toward Kurt had turned into Marina¡¯s pass to get everything she wanted. Of course, Ethan kept putting up with her ridiculous requests. In the end, his actions only served to hurt Olivia deeply. Ethan pped the folder shut, which startled Marina. ¡°W-Why are you looking at me like that? What I said isn¡¯t wrong! He died because he wanted to protect you-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± A cold air emanated from Ethan, his voice bing terrifyingly low. He rose to his feet before mming his hands onto the desk, his figure towering over Marina¡¯s by a head. ¡°Do you treat Kurt¡¯s death as your pass to get everything you want?¡± The oppressive feelinging from Ethan loomed over Marina. Startled by his expression, Marina trembled. ¡°I ¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he died to save me, and I am very grateful to him. I promised him that I would take good care of you guys. ¡°You said that you wanted to get married to me, and I agreed. I gave you everything you wanted. ¡°There¡¯s the birthday banquet for Olivia and the recent engagement ceremony. When have I comined about you? ¡°Marina, I¡¯ve spent a lot of money and effort on you, but were you ever sad about Kurt¡¯s death?¡± Marina was upset when she heard that. ¡°I gave birth to his child! Why wouldn¡¯t I be saddened by his death?¡± Ethan looked down at her with a judging gaze. She lowered her head guiltily. But then, Ethan revealed a long-hidden secret. ¡°No one knows where your child came from, but I do.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Ethan and Kurt were cousins, and they looked alike. Kurt had been in love with Marina since they were young, but Ethan was the one Marina liked. So they had been in a love triangle for quite some time. During one of Marina¡¯s birthday parties, Kurt attended, but Ethan didn¡¯t. Marina got drunk and thought Kurt was Ethan. She got pregnant after that. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. That was one of the happiest times in Kurt¡¯s life. He cared for her attentively and was making preparations to marry her. He once told Ethan that he wanted to leave the life of danger behind him because he wanted to be there for Marina and his child. Ethan agreed to let him go after onest mission. But fate was cruel to Kurt. He lost his life in the final mission. Before he died, he asked Ethan to take care of Marina in his stead. Kurt never found out that Marina never loved him. He didn¡¯t know that their one night of passion resulted from her being drunk. She wouldn¡¯t have slept with him otherwise. She even thought about having an abortion after she learned about her pregnancy. But then, she received news of Kurt¡¯s passing. Ethan went to her and pleaded for her to keep the baby. It was Kurt¡¯s only descendant. Marina¡¯s condition for keeping the baby was for Ethan to marry her. Marina wasn¡¯t arrogant in the beginning. She was uneasy and insecure. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to agree to her condition. The only catch was she would have to wait for some time. It was because Olivia was pregnant then. Ethan had started to distance himself from her, but he didn¡¯t want to devastate her with a divorce during her pregnancy. Both of them had been looking forward to this baby. In the following days, Ethan began to pay less attention to Olivia and started to take care of Marina. He gave Marina whatever she wanted, even at Olivia¡¯s expense. Marina¡¯s greed grew as days went by. She even started to make hurting Olivia her personal goal. Ethan turned a blind eye to her actions repeatedly because of his guilt toward Kurt. Marina began to enjoy everything Ethan provided her with. Her demands became more outrageous. Ethan had tolerated her until this very moment, but Marina was still trying to hold Kurt¡¯s death against him. ¡°The child¡¯s origin doesn¡¯t matter. You promised you¡¯d take care of me.¡± Marina thought about something else. She said, ¡°I know Kurt¡¯sst words were not the only reason you married me. You have your considerations, too. You wanted the backing of my father and grandfather.¡± Ethan turned to look at her abruptly. Marina lowered her voice and said, ¡°Others may not know, But I do. I know about your identity. You want to climb to the top of thedder. ¡°But you have apetitor. You want to get more votes than him during the election. And the Carlton family has been around for over a hundred years. Our connections are far greater than yours.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t respond. His gaze grew colder. Marina went on with her monologue obstinately. ¡°Ethan, Olivia can¡¯t help you with anything. Marrying me is the best thing for you. Only I can help with the things you want to aplish.¡± Ethan closed his eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever tell anyone else what you said. You know you¡¯re dead if you expose my identity.¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. I just want you to be better to me,¡± Marina said softly. ¡°Marina, I can give you a marriage, money, and status. But you¡¯re not worthy of my heart.¡± Marina wanted to say something more, but Ethan opened his eyes and looked at her. ¡°If you weren¡¯t the woman Kurt loved, you would already be dead for what you¡¯ve done to Olivia a thousand times over. Be grateful for your position as Mrs. Miller, and stop dreaming of getting more than you deserve.¡± Chapter 329 Chapter 329 At the hospital, Chloe was out of danger after some emergency medical treatment. But she looked frail and pitiable. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chris held her hand that wasn¡¯t hooked to the IV drip and looked at her sorrowfully. Chloe¡¯s health had worsened immensely in a short amount of time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chloe. It¡¯s my fault Marina turned out like that.¡± He didn¡¯t know the whole story, but he was sure Marina had done more horrible things than he imagined. Chloe wouldn¡¯t have been so angry otherwise. Chloe smiled weakly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to me Marina. She¡¯s just a kid.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the mother of two children. She¡¯s not a child anymore. I¡¯m aware of what kind of person my daughter is. She has always med you for what happened to her mother.¡± Chloe grasped Chris¡¯ hand. ¡°I can understand how she feels. She lost her mother at such a young age. It¡¯s natural for her to hate me. I don¡¯t me her.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I wish you¡¯d at least get angry at her. I¡¯d feel better that way. I¡¯ll ask her to stay away from now. You have to take care of your body. I¡¯ll find the bone marrow you need.¡± Chloe had heard from her doctor that apatible bone marrow hadn¡¯t been found yet. She said with a self-deprecating smile, ¡°I have no regrets. You¡¯ve been good to me. I¡¯m very happy. Even if I die Chris covered her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense. Modern medicine is very advanced. You¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I only have one wish right now. I want to see Olivia and apologize to her in person.¡± When she was being resuscitated, Chloe thought a lot about what happened in the past. Most of her thoughts were about Olivia, especially her childhood days. ¡°I¡¯ve failed her too many times.¡± Chris held back his tears, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find her.¡± Ethan only left the office after night had fallen. Someone approached him from the shadows. ¡°Mr. Carlton.¡± Ethan had expected Chris to show up sooner orter. It was inevitable. Chris looked fatigued, the usual vigor he had was gone. ¡°Ethan, let¡¯s talk¡± ¡°Come this way, Mr. Carlton.¡± They got in the car where there was less noise, and Ethan drove the car himself. At that hour, they were able to avoid t Ethan was able to drive without a hitch. The bright streetmps illuminated the roads. ¡°You must know why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± They didn¡¯t beat about the bush. Ethan parked the car near the beach as no one could track them here. There was the sound waves in the distance paired with the salty sea wind Ethan handed Chris a cigarette, and he didn¡¯t refuse. Puffing out smoke, Chris said, ¡°I know you¡¯ve found Olivia.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t hide it from you¡± Ethan knew what he did at sea wasn¡¯t public knowledge, but Chris woulde to know about what happened ¡°You¡¯re bold. You even alerted the Maritime Safety Administration. I heard you did something big not long before that under the guise of counter-terrorism. But you were using your power for personal purposes. ¡°Even though your achievements in the military are phenomenal, you shouldn¡¯t have gone all out for a woman. The old guys up top were displeased.¡± Ethan raised his head to look at Chris. ¡°Would you have done it if you were me?¡± Chris looked into the distance and didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°I would. I understand why you did it, so I hope you understand why I¡¯m asking you to hand her over to me.¡± ¡°You want her bone marrow?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s unfair to her. But I wouldn¡¯t ask this of her if I had any other options. I don¡¯t have a choice now. Chloe¡¯s condition is getting worse.¡± Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Chris saw that Ethan didn¡¯t respond, so he added, ¡°Donating her bone marrow is different from donating her kidney. No harm. wille to her body. I know she¡¯s still mad about what happened during the kidnapping ¡°But they¡¯re mother and daughter, after all. She shouldn¡¯t hold a grudge against her mother. Let me meet with her. There are some things that I need to say to her in person.¡± ¡°Mr. Carlton, I¡¯m not holding her captive. Her phone is essible. You¡¯re here because she isn¡¯t willing to meet with you, right?¡± Ethan exhaled some smoke with his head tilted upward. ¡°Since she has already decided, I don¡¯t want to trouble her with more issues. She suffered significant psychological trauma in that kidnapping¡± The conversations between them had always been short and straight to the point. But Chris had no choice but toy his pride down for Chloe¡¯s sake ¡°Ethan, I know you don¡¯t have feelings for Marina. You¡¯re marrying her because you want our family to back you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Turning, Chris faced Ethan directly. ¡°I can cancel this marriage on behalf of my family. I¡¯ll even guarantee to back you during the election. You just need to convince Olivia to donate her bone marrow to Chloe.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression remained calm as he said, ¡°You do know your daughter wants to marry me really badly, right? And here you are, making a deal with her future. In a way, you¡¯re just like her.¡± They were both selfish and hopelessly lovestruck. ¡°I bet you¡¯d try even more extreme measures if it was Olivia in the hospital.¡± Chris sighed. ¡°If you truly loved Marina, I¡¯d never make this decision. I¡¯ve been through the same thing. I know full well how scary a marriage without love can be. More than a few people have lost their lives in marriages like that ¡°I married Marina¡¯s mom while I had amnesia. I only got my memories back after she got pregnant. I lived in agony every day. I kept telling myself to cherish what I had, but I couldn¡¯t help but miss Chloe. ¡°I tried my best to be a good husband and a good father. Everything was fine on the surface, but I felt li Chloe even by touching Marina¡¯s mother. I used to think I only needed to fulfill my responsibilities and marriage, that it was fine even if I didn¡¯t love her. betraying In the Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But no matter how well I treated or respected her, it didn¡¯t change the fact that she became frail as the days passed. ¡°Women are like flowers, and the love of a man is the nutrients they need. In the end, she died of depression. ¡°I don¡¯t want my daughter to end up like her mother. Even if you¡¯ll satisfy her material needs, your heart is with Olivia. You can¡¯t give her the love she needs. She¡¯ll eventually end up like her mother. ¡°Ethan, please help me out. We¡¯ve known each other for so many years.¡± No one knew better than Ethan how proud of a man Chris was. He didn¡¯t beg for mercy even when he was shot several times, had his legs broken, and was on the brink of death. A prideful man like that was looking at him pleadingly, almost at the point where he would get on his knees. Moreover, Chris was a man Ethan respected deeply. Ethan couldn¡¯t remain indifferent to his pleas. Even though Chris¡¯ offer enticed him, he knew how much despair Chloe had caused Olivia. He didn¡¯t want to sacrifice her for his benefit. He had already hurt her too many times. But Ethan couldn¡¯t find it in him to deny Chris either. He was caught between a rock and a hard ce. Chris was about to fall on his knees when he saw Ethan hesitating. Ethan reacted quickly and caught him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go so far, Mr. Carlton.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you help me, Ethan? Do I need to get on my knees before you say yes? Or is there something else you want? Just tell me. I¡¯ll give you anything you want, even if it¡¯s my life.¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Oliviazed around on the ind for a few days. She did nothing but sleep and eat the whole time. The quality of her life improved immensely. She walked around the beach barefooted while carrying a bucket in hand. She would grab any sand crabs she saw with tongs. Snowball wanted to help her, but the sand was too hot for her, so she moved away. Olivia went to the livestock area after she had caught quite a few sand crabs. She poured the sand carbs out, which caused the farm animals to chase after them. Her mood improved as she looked at the lively animals. Then, she went back to her room to shower in preparation for dinner. She happened to get a call from Colin. ¡°Olivia, how have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been pretty well. I¡¯ve been eating, drinking, and sleeping well. I don¡¯t have to worry about getting kidnapped either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I just wanted to inform you that your father has arrived at the destination safely. The doctors on the ind have just examined him. His body is the same as usual.¡± Colin¡¯s words alleviated Olivia¡¯s worries. She quickly asked, ¡°Colin, have you finalized the arrangements with Leo?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯ll arrive on the ind soon. But Mr. Fordham needs to undergo some preparations before the surgery. It¡¯ll be about two weeks before he can go through with it.¡± Olivia¡¯s mood improved with the positive responses. ¡°This is a very risky operation. I¡¯d like to be by my father¡¯s side for it.¡± At the moment, uncovering the truth wasn¡¯t the most important thing in Olivia¡¯s mind. She was just concerned that there wouldn¡¯t be anyone by Jeff¡¯s side during the operation. ¡°Olivia, I tried to have someone trace your location through your signal. It didn¡¯t work. The source of your signal has been deliberately concealed. I can¡¯t pinpoint your location.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use. I¡¯m on an uncharted ind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯ll go take care of Mr. Fordham personally in a few days. I¡¯ll do my best to keep him so.. ¡°Thanks, Colin.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger to me, Olivia. I¡¯ve been feeling guilty for failing to bring you away. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll not let him catch you next time.¡± Colin continued gently, ¡°You must take good care of yourself, Olivia. Remember to take the pills I gave you on time. As long as you don¡¯t give up hope, the sun will always rise again.¡± Olivia looked at the setting sun after she hung up. Colin¡¯s words encouraged her, helping her refocus on her mental well- being that she had once cast aside. She started to believe that things would be better. She still wanted to be by her father¡¯s side the most. After she had dinner, she called Ethan. They hadn¡¯t spoken to each other since he left. If the staff weren¡¯t caring for her every need, she would start to think she had been abandoned on this deserted ind. The call went through. Ethen¡¯s deep voice sounded from the other end. ¡°Hello?¡± In the past, Olivia¡¯s heart would skip a beat whenever she heard his voice. But now, there was only calm. Olivia asked, ¡°How long do you n to keep me prisoner?¡± Ethan frowned at her choice of words. ¡°Aren¡¯t you having fun on the ind?¡± He had designed the ind ording to her preferences. He was sure no matter how picky she was, he wouldn¡¯t be dule in find a problem with it Olivia replied honestly, ¡°The ind is great. I even have the urge to stay here for the rest of my life but i want to go back for + bit I¡¯m worried about my father¡± She pleaded softly, ¡°Ethan, please let me go back for a while, okay?¡± Ethan rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He couldn¡¯t refuse her request *I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up in a few days¡± Chapter 332 Chapter 332 After he hung up, Ethan looked at all the new leads before him. In the time Olivia was out of town, he had gotten to investigating the whereabouts of Toxic Hive and about the past. He found the hometown of Paul Cruz and ra Foster. ording to what his people found out, the child had been gone for some days. From the pictures provided by the vigers, the child looked a lot like Belle and had some of Paul¡¯s features. Paul and ra had also disappeared from Aldenvine. Even though he couldn¡¯t bring the child back, their existence was proof enough. Someone had pinned the me on Jeff. The ims about Belle having his baby and Jeff forcing her away, which caused her to suffer from mental illness before she ultimatelymitted suicide didn¡¯t hold up to scrutiny. Someone had plotted everything, even before Jeff¡¯s traffic ident. But it didn¡¯t seem like the person wanted to harm him. Their main objective was to destroy his rtionship with Olivia. The person went to great lengths to get him to divorce Olivia. They spent countless time and energy over a few years to set everything up. Now that most of the truth was revealed, one thing remained a mystery. What did the person stand to gain from his divorce? If it was to take Olivia¡¯s ce, no young women had approached him in the two years he was divorced. Ethan also didn¡¯t understand the connection between Leia¡¯s death and Jeff. After he went through all his leads, he looked at Brent and asked, ¡°Did that Moriarty kid take any action?¡± ¡°No. His routine has been very simple. He spends most of his time at the office and goes home afterward. Besides the asional social engagement, he hasn¡¯t been anywhere special.¡± ¡°What about people he socialized with?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve people keeping an eye on those people as well. We haven¡¯t noticed anything off about them. But our tapping devices are running out of power soon. ¡°Mr. Miller, we¡¯ve spent the entire week keeping an eye on the kid. We haven¡¯t found anything suspicious. Could we be wrong about him? Maybe his motive was just to help Mrs. Miller escape.¡± Ethan rested his head on his hands and said with a severe expression, ¡°No. The most suspicious thing abou. is that we can¡¯t find anything wrong with him.¡± Ethan felt like Colin seemed too calm. He wasn¡¯t even 20 years old, but he didn¡¯t even show the slightest bit of fear when he was about to be thrown overboard. He might¡¯ve already known it wouldn¡¯t happen. Ethan recalled Olivia¡¯s actions that night. Colin had stood farther from Olivia than him, but they grabbed Olivia almost simultaneously. That meant he had known what Olivia was about to do. Ethan smiled bitterly. He didn¡¯t expect Olivia to pull a stunt like that just to get him to let Colin off the hook. But there was nothing Ethan could do even if he knew. Colin was cunning. Ethan had already witnessed that firsthand. ¡°If my guess is correct, he must¡¯ve known we would monitor him.¡± Brent was stunned momentarily. ¡°So that means he has been putting on a show for us? Damn, this kid is so cunning. ¡°No wonder he would always go the longer route. Sometimes, he¡¯d buy a slice of cake. Other times, he¡¯d buy pastries. So he¡¯s been ying us all along.¡± Ethan said with a grunt, ¡°He¡¯ll reveal his true colors eventually. He¡¯ll keep scheming as long as Liv doesn¡¯t show up. We have the initiative.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you mean ¡­¡± ¡°Liv wants toe back. I need to clear out all the threats before she does.¡± Brent frowned. ¡°But we haven¡¯t found Toxic Hive¡¯sir.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t trap them in theirir, why don¡¯t we lure them out?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. They had always been put in a passive position and manipted at every turn. ¡°What will we use as bait?¡± Ethan stood up. His coat slipped off his shoulders as he moved. His tall figure blocked the light above, casting a shadow over his desk. His face was shrouded in the shadows. Only the silhouette of his face was visible. He was like the devil in the dark. He said slowly, ¡°Me.¡±. Meanwhile, at the Moriarty residence, Colin was toying with a tapping device on his palm. He smirked as its power ran out. He then threw it on the floor and stomped on it. The device was instantly crushed, and Colin disappeared into the darkness. Chapter 333 Chapter 333 There was a hidden tunnel under the cherry blossom tree in the garden of the Moriarty residence. Colin jumped into it. At a certain underground base outside of the city, Colin was seen in a ck outfit and a mask. Scanning his fingerprint, he entered the base. He walked down a long dimly-lit flight of stairs where the air smelled like mold and rotten corpses. He walked through a door, and the scenery behind it waspletely different. There were advanced mechanical devices glowing with blue lights and robots everywhere. His identity was being verified at the door. A robotic voice said, ¡°Verified. Wee home, Leo.¡± Colin quickly walked forward, but someone pressed something against his head. A woman asked, ¡°Where did you take the old man?¡± The gentleness he usually showed for Olivia was gone. He swung his elbow hard toward his back with a sullen face. The woman dodged instinctively. He used the opening to grab the woman and got behind her. With one hand, he grabbed her arm and pressed his other hand against the back of her head toward the wall. The vixen mask on the woman¡¯s face made a sharp sound as it rubbed against the wall. He was very rough with her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you can do whatever you want as long as you keep your hands off her?¡± The woman smirked. ¡°Why are you so subservient when ites to her? I¡¯m curious what kind of magic she has to be able to mesmerize every one of you.¡± ¡°That has nothing to do with you! Stop interfering with the Fordhams! Or else¡­¡± Colin lowered his voice and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t me me if Iy my hands on him.¡± ¡°You can certainly try. Do you think he¡¯s useless like Olivia?¡± The woman didn¡¯t care about his threat. ¡°I heard you were met with a setback this time.¡± The woman¡¯s merciless mockery rang in his ears, striking Colin¡¯s nerve. He applied even more pressure as a re ¡°Did you already know his identity and not report it?¡± ¡°What about you? You also took Jeff away behind my back. You¡¯re just as bad as me, so zip it.¡± A voice came from behind Colin. ¡°I see you¡¯re both aware you¡¯re as bad as each other. Now let her go.¡± Colin released the woman in frustration before looking at the person behind him. The person was still the same as she was ten years ago. She wore a huge hat and a cape that covered her from top to toe. She also wore a demon mask. A pale hand reached out from within the ck cape. Her fingernails were covered in crimson nail polish. In her hand was a test tube with some liquid in it. ¡°Here¡¯s a new mission.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Colin could feel her gaze fall on him. He bowed slightly and said softly, ¡°What¡¯s the mission?¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Colin and the woman in the vixen mask looked at each other before following the woman. They set aside their grudge momentarily. Their faces became serious under their respective masks. They went to ab marked with the letter ¡°Z¡±. Theb was dimly lit, and there was only lighting from the screens in the room. The woman in the demon mask stood before Colin. ¡°This is the newly developed drug, M.1.¡± ¡°So this is the drug that¡¯ll cause memory loss upon ingesting? Isn¡¯t this drug being developed by a team overseas?¡± The research for the drug began ten years ago. It was finallypleted after so long. Colin was a little excited. Usually, to cause memory loss, the brain would need to experience blunt-force trauma or mental breakdowns. There hadn¡¯t been a drug that could cause memory loss without causing damage to the brain before this. The drug was destined to be one of the greatest creations of the century. ¡°There were still severe side effects discovered from the clinical trials. It still needs to be refined. I need both of you to work together and perfect it.¡± ¡°What are the side effects?¡± The woman rubbed the test tube while speaking. ¡°If taken by people with severe mental issues, it¡¯ll cause mental instability and result in schizophrenia as well as dissociative identity disorder.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been chaotic out there recently. You two should stay in theb until the drug is perfected.¡± The woman¡¯s voice quivered excitedly as she said, ¡°I want to see it finished as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Olivia took it easy for two more days. As long as her phone was on, Chris¡¯ messages would keep coming in, so she turned it off. Shey in the soft and spacious bed as she looked at the horizon. Although the ind was a great ce, she kept thinking of Ethan¡¯s words. She wondered when he woulde and take her back to the city. She was eager to go back. She had time to wait, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for Jeff. It was almost time for his operation. She called Ethan again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ethan sounded tired. ¡°I want to go back now, Ethan.¡± ¡°Give me some time. I¡¯lle get you myself.¡± ¡°But¡­ I want to go back now.¡± ¡°I need some more time.¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t let her know what he was doing. He could only guarantee her safety after he cleared out all the threats in the city. ¡°But if there¡¯s something you have to do, you can tell me,¡± Ethan said patiently. Olivia didn¡¯t want too many people to know about Jeff¡¯s condition, so she didn¡¯t tell him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just worried about my dad. I haven¡¯t heard any news about him.¡± ¡°Liv, he¡¯ll be safe as long as you don¡¯t show yourself. Wait for me on the ind.¡± Ethan had had his men look into what happened that night. The people who took Jeff seemed to be from Toxic Hive as well. He didn¡¯t understand why one organization would send two different groups for the same job. The entire matter seemed to be shrouded in mist. The truth was right before his eyes, but Ethan couldn¡¯t seem to grasp the whole story. He thought about the cleaner that was responsible for cleaning his office. She cared about him a lot. Once, he was sick and had a sore throat while at work. The cleaner heard him cough and brought him some stew the next day, which she said was good for the thr Ethan didn¡¯t have the heart to turn down her kindness, so he drank it on the spot. The curious thing was that his coughing stopped on the same day. Usually, it would take at least two days to recover from that, even with cough medicine. There were plenty of other instances like this. The cleaner cared about Ethan and didn¡¯t want to see him hurt. But the care she showed wasn¡¯t that of romantic love. It felt more like the love of a family member. That was why Ethan had always been good to her. He never looked down on her even though she was a cleaner. Brent saw Ethan frowning and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you get some rest?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go over these for a little while longer.¡± He thought he had missed something. ¡°Mr. Miller, why didn¡¯t you agree to Mr. Carlton¡¯s terms? They¡¯re pretty beneficial to you. Donating bone marrow won¡¯t impact Mrs. Miller¡¯s health too much.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that she might feel sad, Brent¡­¡± Ethan pinched his brow and lowered his head. He said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt her anymore.¡± ¡°But this is a great chance for you to formally break off the marriage with Ms. Carlton. You might never get another chance like this.¡± From Brent¡¯s perspective, Chris¡¯ offer was nothing but beneficial to Ethan. He didn¡¯t expect Ethan to turn it down. He even turned it down at the risk of offending Chris. ¡°The thing binding me to Marina has never been the Carltons.¡± It was his promise to Kurt that bound him. He had promised to take care of Marina for him. ¡°Mr. Miller ¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about it. Do something for me. Liv is anxious toe back. I don¡¯t have the time to deal with them slowly.¡± Brent said sheepishly, ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan gazed into the night. Steeling his resolve, he promised topensate Olivia for all that she had lost. At the hospital, a conversation was taking ce. ¡°Mrs. Carlton isn¡¯t in great shape, Mr. Carlton. Her condition has been deteriorating very quickly. We need to get that bone marrow as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Chris left the doctor¡¯s office with a heavy heart. He didn¡¯t expect Ethan to be so heartless. He had humbled himself so much and promised many gifts, yet Ethan refused to budge. At this rate, Chloe was going to die. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. He headed back to Chloe¡¯s ward in despair. Suddenly, a person with an anxious expression ran into him. The person was gone before he could react. He noticed that a card had been inserted into the pocket on his chest. He looked at the card and saw a map on it. An ind was highlighted with a red pen. Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Brent found it strange that Chris hadn¡¯te looking for Ethan in the past few days. ¡°Did Mr. Carlton give up?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll never give up until thest moment. He knows I won¡¯t budge. He¡¯s probably thinking of other ways.¡± Ethan was sure no one could locate Olivia if he didn¡¯t go to the ind. She must be safe. Brent handed him a bulletproof vest and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, you should wear it just to be safe. The knife wound on your chest hasn¡¯tpletely healed yet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan looked at the cloudy sky. The sunlight waspletely blocked out. The world looked dark and gloomy. Brent, who was driving, said irritably, ¡°It¡¯s so stuffy. It¡¯s probably going to rain soon. Rain just dampens the mood.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to have some rain. It¡¯ll cleanse the filth from this city.¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t help but call Olivia when he thought about what he was about to do. It was how things used to be. Her voice would calm him down. Olivia had just finished feeding the ducks. She had been chased around the coop by a goose three times. She picked up Ethan¡¯s call while panting. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°What happened? Why are you out of breath?¡± ¡°A goose almost pecked me. I¡¯m tired.¡± Olivia sat under a tree, panting heavily. A professional cameraman on the ind would take pictures of her daily and send them to Ethan. A smile appeared when he pictured Olivia being chased by a goose. Even his voice became gentler. ¡°Remember to rest well. Nurse your body back to health.¡± ¡°What happened to you, Ethan?¡± Olivia recalled that he would ridicule her whenever she told him she wasn¡¯t feeling well. ¡°Liv, we can still have kids in the future.¡± Ethan hung up. Olivia fanned at her reddened cheeks with her hands. She figured that Ethan must have gone mad after hearing what he said. Did he think they could still get back together? Olivia watched as the sun set on the horizon. Another day was nearing its end. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a helicopter approaching. Olivia thought Ethan must be out of his mind to call her right before he arrived. The helicopternded at the helipad near her. She began to walk toward the helicopter. She thought his conscience had kicked in and he finally decided to take her away. Although she despised him, she would put up with him if it would get her back to Aldenvine. The cabin door opened as the rotors blew dust into the air. Amidst the intense gust, Olivia¡¯s expression changed when she saw the person who came out of the helicopter. It wasn¡¯t Ethan. It was Chris. ¡°Mr. Carlton,¡± Olivia greeted him with a stiff expression. Chris flew over as soon as he could. He looked fatigued. ¡°We meet again, Olivia. I told you there were some things I had to tell you in person.¡± Olivia said coldly, ¡°Did Ethan send you?¡± Chris thought about the card. The ind was in such a deste ce that no one but Ethan could¡¯ve told him about the location, or so he thought. He said, ¡°Yes, we made a deal. If you agree to donate your bone marrow, I¡¯ll allow him to cancel his engagement with Marina. I know you¡¯re the woman he loves.¡± He then added politely, ¡°Olivia, I also want to make a deal with you. Help me save your mother and I¡¯ll agree to let you and Ethan be together. Marina will never bother you guys again. What do you think about that?¡± Olivia thought Ethan was despicable for doing this. He handed her over for his selfish desires. Olivia said with rage, ¡°What gave him the right to decide my fate?¡± She thought Ethan was as cocky as ever. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chris saw that Olivia had gotten emotional, but he still wanted to talk to her peacefully. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Olivia. I just have something to tell you.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste another second. So, she ran. Chris sighed and said, ¡°Olivia, why must it be like this? I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± He raised his hand, and several tall and well-built men went after her. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Reality proved that a former long-distance running champion was no match for well-trained military men. In less than 50 meters, Olivia was subdued by one of Chris¡¯ men. She was pinned to the ground in a neck hold with her face against the scorching sand. Chris quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her. She¡¯s a guest.¡± Olivia was captured, and there was some sand on her right cheek. She spat some sand out of her mouth before saying, ¡°So this is how you treat guests?¡± Chris took out a handkerchief and cleaned her face himself. ¡°Sorry, Olivia.¡± Olivia was put on the helicopter just like that. Chris smiled bitterly when he met her eyes, which were filled with hatred. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re Chloe¡¯s only child. I want to take care of you. It¡¯s not my wish for things to turn out like this. I hope you can understand.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, nor do I want to.¡± Olivia looked outside the window. The beautiful ind was getting farther and farther from her like it was all a dream. The person who had sworn to protect her had given her up again. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Donating your bone marrow won¡¯t affect your health. Why are you so unwilling to help your mother?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re not me. You don¡¯t know the pain I¡¯ve been through.¡± The sad thing was, she didn¡¯t use to think what Chloe had put her through was pain. She had tried to find excuses for Chloe¡¯s actions repeatedly. ¡°Our rtionship was done the moment she chose for Marina to live and for me to die. Like I said, I¡¯ve already paid her back with my life.¡± Chris tried to convince Olivia again but to no avail. Olivia didn¡¯t respond and treated him like he was invisible. As the sun set, Olivia felt like there was only the sky and the ocean in the world. There wasn¡¯t a glimmer of lig in the skies, and the ocean looked chilling. It was like a monster hiding in the dark, and it would consume her the next sec She felt more uneasy the closer they got to Aldenvine. The weather near Aldenvine was cloudy, unlike the weather back on the ind. The rain had started to fall. It was another rainy day. Although she knew there were a lot of thunderstorms in the spring, Olivia still hated the rain. Chris, who was leaning back on the chair, had fallen asleep. He probably felt rxed because he had Olivia with him. Whe he felt some lighting from outside, he opened his eyes to look. ¡°Olivia, we¡¯re back.¡± Chris didn¡¯t bring Olivia to the hospital because she refused to cooperate. He brought her to a vi in the suburbs. She was dragged off the helicopter even though Chris told his men to be gentle. The bodyguards feared that she would run, so they kept a tight grip on her hands. ¡°You can¡¯t escape, Olivia. But don¡¯t be afraid. The harvesting of the bone marrow will only hurt a little. It¡¯ll pass soon.¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± The icy raindrops pelted down on Olivia, and the heavy rain drowned out her voice. No matter how she struggled, she couldn¡¯t change the situation. She walked through the muddy ground with her eyes filled with resentment toward Ethan. How could he disregard her wishes and make a deal with Chris like this? Why would he ever think she would still be waiting for him like she used to? And he thought that they would still have a child together? It was trulyughable. Olivia was ced on an operating table. A doctor in a white coat appeared in her sight shortly after. As she struggled and squirmed, the doctor said, ¡°Mr. Carlton, I can¡¯t harvest her bone marrow if she moves around like this.¡± Chris¡¯ patience was growing thin. ¡°Make her settle down.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Carlton.¡± The woman took a syringe out of her medical kit. The sharp needle glistened in the light. Olivia panicked. ¡°No, don¡¯t do it.¡± She couldn¡¯t move because some people were holding her limbs in ce. Olivia could only watch as the woman got closer to her. The woman whispered, ¡°We meet again.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She had a strong feeling that the woman was the one who kidnapped her. She looked at the woman who was wearing a white coat and a face mask. Only her eyes were visible. Olivia felt a sting, then she lost consciousness. The darkness consumed her. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 After she extracted Olivia¡¯s bone marrow, the woman handed over the test tube to Chris and said, ¡°Mr. Carlton, you can get someone to get this analyzed to see if it¡¯spatible.¡± Chris sighed in relief as a glimmer of hope returned to his eyes. ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡± He handed the test tube to one of his bodyguards and said, ¡°Get someone to analyze this right now. Let me know as soon as the results are out.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°And for the rest of you, guard Olivia well. Don¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Chris finished giving out orders and turned to look at the doctor. ¡°Dr. Cohen, if the bone marrow is compatible, then the operation¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Carlton. Leave it to me. Mrs. Carlton can¡¯t afford to wait any longer. I¡¯ll perform some preoperative examination on thisdy so that we can operate as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Alright. Thanks, Dr. Cohen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Can you get these bodyguards to leave the room for a bit?¡± Chris nced at Olivia, who was unconscious. He figured she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, so he said readily, ¡°Sure.¡± Only the doctor and her assistant, Jennifer, were left in the room. She looked at Jennifer and said, ¡°Keep an eye on things outside.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She then injected Olivia with some other drug. Olivia began to regain consciousness slowly. As her vision came into focus, she saw a white sh. She had just woken up, and her head was fuzzy from the drug. She was dazed for a few seconds before she returned to her senses and yelled angrily while struggling, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Olivia realized her limbs were bound with metal chains. She red at the woman angrily. She didn¡¯t expect to fall right back into the palm of her hand after spending so much time in hiding. ¡°Who are you, really? What grudge do you have against me? Why do you want to kill me so badly? You even dragged innocent people into this.¡± The woman said coldly, ¡°Your entire existence is a mistake.¡± The woman didn¡¯t use a voice changer this time. She just spoke in a lower register. But the joy in her voice was still undeniable. ¡°Don¡¯t me me, but you have to die.¡± She ran her hand past Olivia¡¯s cheek ¡°Look at this beautiful face. Even Marina can¡¯t hold a candle to you. Is this face the reason he loves you so much?¡± Olivia felt a cool sensation on her face. She looked and saw a de held between the woman¡¯s fingers. She felt a chill down her spine. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I want to ¡­¡± The woman whispered ominously with a smile, ¡°Ruin your face. I wonder if he¡¯ll be sad to see that.¡± A cool breeze blew in from a window that wasn¡¯t shut properly. Its chilling touch caused Olivia to get goosebumps on her exposed skin. But Olivia didn¡¯t feel fear. She looked directly into the woman¡¯s eyes and asked expressionlessly, ¡°You¡¯re behind everything that has happened to my family, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed Belle too?¡± ¡°To be precise, you¡¯re the one who did it. You made her emotional. I just gave her a little push. She should be grateful to me.¡± Olivia clenched her fists when she heard that. This woman was rotten to the core. ¡°Are you the one who swapped out my medical examination report?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Someone like you is not worthy of his love. I want to see him push you into hell from heaven with my own eyes.¡± ¡°So you killed Leia for this? To use her death to jumpstart your n? She was innocent. What gives you the right to rule over the life and death of others?¡± The woman smirked. ¡°You talk too much. Never mind, I¡¯ve decided to change my n.¡± She put away the de and took out another syringe. ¡°Olivia, this is a newly developed poison. A few drops will be lethal enough to kill you. Don¡¯t worry, your death won¡¯t be too painful. You¡¯ll be dead in under 30 seconds.¡± She looked at Olivia condescendingly. She then ced her thumb on the plunger of the syringe. She said with a cold expression, ¡°I¡¯ve growntired of this game. Let¡¯s end it.¡± Chapter 338 Chapter 338 The woman ced a wet cloth over Olivia¡¯s mouth to stop her from screaming, Olivia struggled hard, shaking her limbs and twisting her body. Her movements caused the chains to make rattling sounds. Olivia didn¡¯t want to die. She had a lot of things she needed to do, but her struggles were futile. Even though her wrists and ankles were scraped raw, she couldn¡¯t break free from the metal chains. ¡°Olivia, it¡¯s your biggest mistake to have ever met him.¡± Olivia shook her head with all her might. She could only make muffled sounds with her mouth. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt. It¡¯ll all be over soon.¡± A tear rolled down from the corner of Olivia¡¯s eye, but the woman ignored it. Olivia could only watch as the syringe got closer and closer to her. It was almost touching her skin. Suddenly, the woman¡¯s phone rang. She wanted to ignore it, but the ringtone annoyed her. ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m busy,¡± the woman said furiously. Her expression soon changed. The needle that was about to prate Olivia¡¯s skin stopped in ce. ¡°What? How did they find out? Retreat. Don¡¯t confront them head-on.¡± She hung up the phone and repositioned the needle while looking at Olivia coldly. Hatred for Olivia filled her eyes. ¡°So long.¡± Olivia could feel the needle tip on her skin, which was about to pierce through. However, the door was kicked open abruptly, and the woman¡¯s assistant appeared with a panicked look. ¡°Bad news! The base sustained heavy losses. I heard that Leo has gone out to settle the score with him. You know him. He¡¯ll never let such a good chance slip by him.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He came in person?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s the one leading the charge.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The woman cursed. She no longer had the time to pay Olivia any attention. She turned and left in haste. Olivia was so scared that she was sweating all over. A cold breeze blew on her, making her shiver. She didn¡¯t feel any relief that her life was saved. She was thinking about the name Jennifer brought up. Leo. Was that the person who could operate on her father? Colin had told him that Leo had already set out to the ind. Why was he still in Aldenvine? But if he was in Aldenvine, why couldn¡¯t Ethan find him? Questions filled Olivia¡¯s head as she gazed at the heavy rain outside. She thought that the woman¡¯s eyes looked familiar. Some things began to take root in her heart. A lot of details that she previously missed began to make sense. She was getting close to the truth. So, was Ethan the person who was attacking Toxic Hive¡¯s base? Why would the woman have such a huge reaction if it wasn¡¯t him? She even gave up on killing her at the veryst moment. Ethan led the offense personally? Olivia thought about the call she had with him on the ind. He told her to wait for a few days and that he would bring her back himself. She realized he was nning to get rid of Toxic Hive to prepare for her return. Then why would he reveal her whereabouts? Olivia then realized that Toxic Hive must have uncovered her location and made it known to Chris. What about Ethan? He was in the middle of a dangerous situation. Was he okay? A lightning bolt streaked across the sky, and a thunderous p could be heard. Olivia screamed at the top of her lungs, ¡°Someone, help!¡± The bodyguards heard her and immediately rushed in. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Please settle down, Ms. Fordham. We don¡¯t want to hurt you. Save some energy and cooperate with us. It¡¯ll be better for everyone involved.¡± ¡°I want to see Chris Carlton,¡± Olivia said. Chris came in shortly. He saw Olivia with tears all over her face and asked, ¡°What happened to you, Olivia? Did the procedure hurt? 1¡­¡± He noticed the scrapes on Olvia¡¯s wrists and ankles. Frowning, he said, ¡°I told you to take good care of her. How did this happen to her?¡± Olivia said with a sob, ¡°Mr. Carlton, I agree to donate my bone marrow. Please help me.¡± ¡°Dear child, what¡¯s wrong? Just tell me. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help.¡± ¡°Go save Ethan. He¡¯s in danger.¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339 This area in the suburbs outside the city had been turned into a natural reserve some years ago. All of the inhabitants were moved a long time ago, so it became deserted over the years. Some old abandoned buildings could be seen through the rain. There were also some crows on old electric poles. Some noises could be heard amongst the thunder. It was like someone was setting off fireworks in the area. The noises were deafening. Continuous gunshots followed the noises. The sound of gunfire disrupted the peace of the woods. The underground base was thrown into chaos, and the speakers were ring ¡°Warning, danger!¡± on repeat. Some giant screens revealed the situation outside. The base had been surrounded without their knowledge. Some drones wereying waste to the cameras outside. Static began to show up on the screens. All the doctors in thebs were alerted. They came out and began pacing, saying, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s happening?¡± Most of the people in the base were bookworms who were obsessed with their research. They couldn¡¯t hold their own in a fight. They had no life skills other than doing research. Amidst the chaos, a cold voice rang out. ¡°Come with me. Evacuate from the secret passage.¡± Colin had a stormy expression. ¡°They didn¡¯t attack out of nowhere. This is a nned assault. They might be waiting for us at the end of the passage. Who¡¯s able to evade all of our security cameras and find our location?¡± Colin finally realized that he had provoked a madman. His area of activity had long been under Ethan¡¯s watchful eye, but he thought he had fooled Ethan. He was proud of it too. But his actions had brought disaster to the organization¡¯s doorstep. ¡°It¡¯s toote for words now. I¡¯ll lead a team to attract their attention. The rest of you escape while I keep them upied.¡± ¡°Leo!¡± Colin stopped in his tracks. His face was calm under the mask, but his voice wasced with bloodlust. ¡°I don¡¯t have to be responsible for the murders Imit with this identity, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. We don¡¯t need to confront them. Take the drug and leave with the others.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss, but I¡¯ll have to defy you on this.¡± Colin had spent enough time as a goody-two-shoes. He didn¡¯t have to do that today. There would be no one to take Olivia from him after Ethan was dead. He deserved to die anyway. The quiet forest was in mes. The drones would fly over and open fire when they detected human activity. Some people didn¡¯t even get the chance to get to cover. They died as soon as they emerged from the base. The members of Toxic Hive were researchers. Even though some mercenaries were in the base, they were heavily outmanned and outgunned by the special forces that came prepared. They were already surrounded. Several secret passages were made when the base was first built, Colin gave up the chance to escape. He knew that this was the best shot he had at killing Ethan. He had figured out Ethan¡¯s approximate location before the cameras were destroyed. He got to the surface from another tunnel. It was the closest one to Ethan. It was the most dangerous ce and the safest one at the same time. Everyone had their focus on the area that was being bombarded. The sound of explosives drowned out everything else. Someone grabbed Colin before he could jump out. ¡°Leo, it¡¯s dangerous. Get out of here.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I need to kill him. Give me ten seconds.¡± He could recognize Ethan¡¯s back even amongst the group of people. Some mechanical animals carrying explosives appeared in the woods. They would explode immediately upon contact. The explosions kept going off. Brent said to Ethan, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here. Let¡¯s retreat.¡± The bombs would not discriminate against their targets. Ethan couldn¡¯t afford to stay here any longer. Ethan andpany quickly retreated, leaving the professionals to do their jobs defusing the bombs. The group of people around Ethan was smaller. It was the best chance to take him out. As everyone was hiding, a bullet went straight for Ethan¡¯s heart. He fell to the ground on the spot. Colin smiled when he saw Ethan copse. He thought he had killed the man who was haunting Olivia. Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Dr. Cohen was trying to reach the area with explosions. She didn¡¯t leave even though she received the message to evacuate. Grabbing her hand, Jennifer said, ¡°You should leave. It¡¯s dangerous to keep going.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. He came in person. I¡¯m worried. Leo hates him and will definitely take the chance to ambush him.¡± Her palms were sweaty, and her body was shaking. But when she rushed to the scene, she saw Ethan get shot and fall to the ground. ¡°No!¡± She shrieked. Jennifer grabbed her hand, wanting to take her away. ¡°Don¡¯t go over there. We have to evacuate!¡± But the woman had already lost it. She ran toward Ethan¡¯s direction, paying no mind to the gunfire or the explosions. All she had her eyes on was the man on the ground. She had finallye to his side after traveling great distances. She was a clean freak, but she kneeled on the muddy ground. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Her tears, mixed with the rain, fell on Ethan¡¯s face. She said in a shaky voice, ¡°No, you can¡¯t die. I won¡¯t let you.¡± She was about to check on Ethan¡¯s injury, but Ethan grabbed her wrist. Dr. Cohen was stunned. Opening his eyes, Ethan said, ¡°I¡¯ve finally caught you.¡± Dr. Cohen looked at Ethan¡¯s body and realized his chest wasn¡¯t bleeding. Her mind began to clear up. She realized that Ethan¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t the base. He just wanted to lure her out. She finally understood why he would reveal his face and show up at this ce by himself. He was making a bet with his own life. He was betting that she would show up. Dr. Cohen was furious. She punched him in the chest and confirmed that he was wearing a bulletproof vest. She couldn¡¯t help but get angry. ¡°Are you insane? You¡¯d be dead if the bullet was aimed at your head instead Ethan was shocked. The voice was different from the cleaner¡¯s usual voice. It was the voice of a young wom ¡°Who are you?¡± He reached for Dr. Cohen¡¯s face mask. Just then, a loud boom sounded. A bomb fell near Ethan, sshing mud all over them. The explosion made him loosen his grip subconsciously to protect himself. Dr. Cohen took this chance to run away. A group of people was closing in from all directions. Dr. Cohen managed to get into a car that came to get her. The men began to shoot at the car. Its rear windshield was shot to pieces, but the car zoomed away. A few cars went to chase after it. Kelvin pulled ¨¤ dumbstruck Ethan back into the car. Ethan looked like his soul had left his body. He had a lost expression, and his eyes were out of focus. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Miller?¡± Kelvin shook Ethan as he asked. He was acting too weird. He could have grabbed hold of Dr. Cohen but let her go without much effort. Ethan snapped back to reality and got into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Tell Brent to continue with the attack. Toxic Hive must be eliminated.¡± ¡°What about you? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I need to confirm something.¡± Ethan stepped on the gas and drove off at a dangerously high speed. His attitude scared Kelvin. It seemed like he had experienced an immense shock Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Kelvin hung up the phone and reported to Ethan, ¡°Mr. Miller, Toxic Hive was able to locate the ind Mrs. Miller was on. Mr. Carlton thought we were the ones that gave him the information. Mrs. Miller is with him now. Should we go pick her up?¡± ¡°No need. It takes time to test the bone marrow. I want to verify something.¡± Kelvin didn¡¯t know what Ethan was trying to verify. But he guessed it was important because Ethan set Olivia aside when Olivia was usually the first thing on his mind. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Ethan was in a bad state. Kelvin could see the sweat on his head, and the hands on the steering wheel were trembling. Kelvin wondered who Dr. Cohen was. She was able to get such a huge reaction out of Ethan. Was it an old me of Ethan¡¯s? Ethan was acting too irregrly tonight. He had been driving very recklessly. Even Kelvin had to grab hold of the handle to stay in ce. The car got back to the urban area after a short while. Kelvin quickly thought about the ces Ethan might go, but he didn¡¯t expect Ethan to go to the cemetery. It was in the middle of the night. Was he going to visit his mother¡¯s grave? The rain was pouring down heavily. There was also thunder and lightning in the sky. Kelvin could see the gravestones as they drove by. Even a battle-hardened man like him felt a little creeped out. Ethan stopped the car at the side of a path. Kelvin quickly got out of the car with an umbre to try and shield Ethan from the rain. Ethan didn¡¯t bother with the umbre. He looked like he was entirely in a trance. He stumbled his way up the hill. The soil had been soaked by the rain and turned loose. Every step Ethan took created a puddle of mud. It was slippery and dirty. Ethan walked quickly. His heavy boots stepped on the puddles, causing water to ssh around. There were only a few dim lights on the hill. They shone on the gravestones, making them seem eerie. The wind rustled the surrounding branches, which made a rustling sound. There was no one else around besides them. Ethan could only hear the sound of his footsteps and his heartbeat. He was like a beast out of control, rushing forward with reckless disregard. He finally stopped before a grave. The plum blossoms around the grave had withered, and only the branches were left dancing in the wind. The faint streetmp shone on the picture on the gravestone. Ethan slowly crouched down and ran his fingers over the picture. Kelvin was confused when he saw Ethan crouch before Leia¡¯s grave. He thought Ethan wanted to verify something. He didn¡¯t know why Ethan came to Leia¡¯s grave. ¡°Mr. Miller, the gravestone is newly made. It isn¡¯t even leaking in heavy rain like this. It¡¯s pretty well- made.¡± Kelvin tried his hardest to think of what Ethan could be trying to check. Leia¡¯s grave was destroyed by Olivia andter fixed. He didn¡¯t understand why Ethan woulde to check on the grave at this hour. Even though Ethan was already soaked, Kelvin was holding the umbre above him. ¡°Mr. Miller, the rain is too heavy, and Mrs. Miller is with Mr. Carlton. Why don¡¯t we head back? ¡± Lowering his head, Ethan said slowly, ¡°Open up Kelvin said out of habit, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± the grave.¡± He paused for two seconds, then asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Kelvin¡¯s heart was beating very fast. He was sure he had misheard Ethan. A lightning bolt lit up the sky, revealing Ethan¡¯s cold expression. He tightly grasped the gravestone¡¯s edges with his fingers as he said in a slow and heavy tone, ¡°I said, open up the grave and dig up the coffin.¡± Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Kelvin¡¯s knees became weak, and his voice sounded uneasy. ¡°About that, Mr. Miller, I¡¯m a materialist, but I still think that we should let the deceased rest in peace. It¡¯s the middle of the night. We shouldn¡¯t disturb Ms. Miller¡¯s rest. What if she gets angry andes out of her coffin?¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t in the mood for nonsense. Kelvin wasn¡¯t as sharp as Brent. ¡°Get some people here. I want this grave opened and the coffin dug up!¡± Ethan ordered. ¡°Understood.¡± Kelvin has done many good and bad things in his life, but he had never done something so immoral. As he dug up the grave, he muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t hate me for this, Ms. Miller. I¡¯m just the one taking orders. If you have aint, please take it up with your brother. ¡°He¡¯s the one responsible for this. And he¡¯s not afraid of ghosts.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t idle around. He was the one who dug the fastest. He ignored Kelvin¡¯s suggestion to stay out of the rain. He even started kneeling on the ground, moving away the dirt with his hands to prevent damaging the coffin. This was the first time Kelvin saw Ethan in such a sorry state. He felt sorry for him but still didn¡¯t know what Ethan was trying to do. Kelvin saw Ethan¡¯s conflicted expression after the coffin was unearthed entirely. Ethan looked fearful, but there was also some hope in his eyes. What was wrong with the body in the coffin? Ethan hesitated momentarily, then said firmly, ¡°Open it.¡± ¡°Alright. Stand back, Mr. Miller.¡± ording to tradition, corpses were usually cremated, but Ethan was ovee with grief then. His sister suffered inhumane treatment in life. He didn¡¯t want to hurt her again, so he had her body preserved. It had been two years. The body should have almostpletely dposed. Even if they opened the coffin now, they would only see some bones. Kelvin was still wondering what Ethan was trying to aplish. When the coffin was opened, the thunder roared. Kelvin¡¯s hands holding the shovel were shaking. Ethan barked, ¡°Open it.¡± The nailed coffin lid was opened. As expected, all that was within was a skeleton wrapped in burial clothes and some items that were buried with the body. Kelvin asked, ¡°Mr. Miller, the coffin is opened. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Take some bones and perform a paternity test.¡± Realization struck Kelvin. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you suspecting that the body here isn¡¯t your sister¡¯s? ¡± Ethan didn¡¯t reply but urged him, saying, ¡°Take them back to the military hospital and get them tested. Bring the bones over personally. Don¡¯t let them get into the hands of anyone else. I want to know the results as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kelvin dared not make any more jokes. He had a serious expression on his face. The heavy rain soaked Ethanpletely as the cold winds blew on him. But he didn¡¯t feel cold at all. He looked like a decrepit old man as he slowly returned to the car. He didn¡¯t head over to Chris¡¯ ce even though he knew Olivia was with him. He went home and took a shower. Then, he sat on the couch without saying a word. The lights were bright in the Miller residence. They stayed on for the entire night. Brent entered the room at the break of dawn. He looked at Ethan, who looked like he was frozen in ce, and wondered if he had been sitting on the couch the entire night. The terrace door wasn¡¯t shut, and the white curtains danced freely in the breeze. Raindrops flew in through the door, falling on the thick carpet. Ethan didn¡¯t even move when Brent entered the room. He only stared nkly at something. The living room waspletely silent. Brent changed into his indoor shoes and walked in quietly. He went to shut the terrace door to stop the rain from getting in. ¡°Mr. Miller, we¡¯ve cleared out Toxic Hive¡¯s base. They moved most of the drugs, but we¡¯ve sent some of the remaining ones for testing. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯ve captured three people. There were seven casualties. The organization¡¯s core members got away but left in a hurry, so they didn¡¯t have time to destroy the data. I¡¯ve sent experts over to extract the data. We¡¯re sure to learn a lot from it.¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes finally moved, and he said in a strained voice, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t seem to get through to Kelvin¡¯s phone. Is he out on a mission?¡± Brent asked tentatively. ¡°He¡­¡± Brent noticed that Ethan¡¯s voice was very hoarse. He quickly poured him a ss of water and said, ¡°Here, have some water first.¡± The door opened, and Kelvin walked in anxiously, ¡°Mr. Miller, the results are out.¡± Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Ethan took a sip of the water and set it aside. He didn¡¯t set the ss down properly, causing it to fall on the floor. The ss fell on the carpet, but it didn¡¯t break. The carpet absorbed the water from the ss. Brent looked at the wet carpet, finding it weird that Ethan would make such a careless mistake. Ethan stood up immediately, his face filled with urgency. Brent wondered what Kelvin could have brought back to cause Ethan to be so agitated. Kelvin came in through the rain. Several raindrops had fallen on the paper bag he was holding in his arms. He quickly handed the paper bag to Ethan with his rain-soaked arms. He was running when he came in. Water was dripping from his head, and he was still panting. ¡°Mr. Miller, I was with the sample all the way, from the extraction of the sample to the testing and the generation of the results. I had my eyes on it the whole time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one else got their hands on it. The results this time arepletely authentic.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Ethan took the paper bag in his hands. He was so anxious, but he suddenly dared not open the bag. Brent saw the hesitation in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Miller, why don¡¯t I look at it for you?¡± Ethan opened his eyes and took a deep breath. His gaze became determined. ¡°No need.¡± His fingers held the white string on the paper bag and unraveled it. Brent could see Ethan¡¯s hands trembling. The trembling was very severe. The paper bag was opened, and Ethan took the report out. His expression becameplicated when he saw the report. There was excitement, happiness, and sorrow. One moment, he was smiling. The next moment, he sat on the couch, clutching his head with guilt. Brent¡¯s curiosity was piqued. He nced at the report and saw the results. The DNA samples were highly mismatched, and there wasn¡¯t a biological link. ¡°This¡­¡± Brent said softly. Even Kelvin understood what was coinm su WT I sea two years ago wasn¡¯t Ms. Miller¡¯s.¡± Brent denied it firmly. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. We did a test to verify it. How could it go wrong? Mr. Miller doesn¡¯t have any other family members.¡± ¡°Brent, this paternity report was done with the DNA from that same body. As you can see, they aren¡¯t rted by blood. That report back then was forged.¡± Brent was stunned. ¡°Who did that body belong to if not Ms. Miller¡¯s?¡± ¡°She was Jodie. That was all she ever was. But we hadn¡¯t seen Ms. Miller for so long, and we mistook her for Ms. Miller. Her face somewhat resembled Ms. Miller¡¯s face as a child, and coupled with the forged DNA report, we were misled to think she was Ms. Miller.¡± Kelvin thought for a while and added, ¡°Maybe her face was even altered beforehand so we would find it believable.¡± Brent was deeply shaken, and his heart kept beating heavily. Kelvin looked at the despondent Ethan. ¡°There is good and bad news. The good news is that Ms. Miller is alive and has been taking care of Mr. Miller by his side all these years. ¡°The bad news is that Mr. Miller thought she was dead and took out his anger on Mrs. Miller and the Fordhams.¡± Ethan finally understood that Leia was the one behind everything. He became emotionally unstable after learning of her death. The forged evidence was enough for him to pin everything on Jeff. It was like he was in a trance back then. Whenever he saw Olivia¡¯s lively and joyful smile, he thought of his dead sister and would have the urge to hurt her. He realized that the things he had done to Olivia were unforgivable. He had hurt the woman he loved the most with his own hands. He had the answers to everything now. There was only one question. ¡°Why would Ms. Miller do all those things to Mrs. Miller? Did they have any grudges? Why would she spend so many resources to create such a massive deception? Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Brent sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going through Ms. Miller¡¯s head. But I wonder how Mrs. Miller will react after learning the truth.¡± ¡°Yeah, Mrs. Miller doesn¡¯t know anything. She just thinks that Mr. Miller became distant because of Ms. Carlton. She tried so hard to get back with Mr. Miller for two years. She even tried to take her own life in exchange for Ms. Miller¡¯s. ¡°If she learns the truth now, who will she me for the misfortune that befell the Fordhams? There was the downfall of the Fordham family and her father¡¯s traffic ident. She went through a lot as well.¡± Learning the truth would be like cutting into an old wound. It would reveal the bloody and ugly past. If he had known the truth would be so devastating, would Ethan have insisted on searching for it? The Fordham family was just unlucky from the beginning. They suffered Ethan¡¯s wrath for no reason. Olivia tried to repair their rtionship for two years, but they still went their separate ways. Finally, he chose to set aside his hatred. He wanted to rebuild trust and fix his rtionship with her, but then, the truth surfaced. ¡°She¡¯ll never find out,¡± Ethan said in a hoarse voice. Brent and Kelvin looked at him simultaneously as he slowly raised his head. Ethan¡¯s typically neat hair was tousled. A few strands of hair were hanging down, covering a part of his forehead, Though he appeared less intimidating, his eyes had a resolute gleam. ¡°As long as you both keep this secret, she¡¯ll never find out.¡± Kelvin swallowed and scratched his head. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve never gone out with a woman before, but I know women hate lies and secrets. I think you shoulde clean with Mrs. Miller on this. ¡°It¡¯s too big of a matter to hide from her. You shoulde clean and ask for forgiveness. ¡°You can¡¯t hide this from her forever. Once she finds out the truth and learns that you¡¯ve been lying to her, you¡¯llpletely lose the chance to get her back.¡± ¡°Be that as it may, this matter concerns her father, who¡¯s still missing. If she learns the truth, will she forgive Mr. Miller? If they sever all ties now, there wouldn¡¯t even be a future to speak of.¡± Ethan was feeling conflicted. He knew he shoulde clean. But he was afraid of losing Olivia if he told her the truth. He didn¡¯t know what to do. Kelvin said earnestly, ¡°Mr. Miller, you should find a chance toe clean with her.¡± Olivia was left alone in the vi. She sighed in relief when she heard from Chris that Ethan was fine. She even cooperated with Chris and ate her fill while waiting for the test results. The sound of the rain made her annoyed and kept her up. Shey on the soft and spacious bed while her mind was thinking of the woman in the doctor¡¯s coat. Although she covered herself up thoroughly, her eyes were visible. Those eyes looked a lot like Ethan¡¯s eyes, especially when she was angry. Olivia had brought up Leia before the woman, but she avoided the topic. There was something fishy about that. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Olivia began to make bold deductions. Maybe she was wrong from the beginning. Jodie and Leia were not the same person. Leia went missing when she was a child. No one had seen her for more than a decade. She only needed to find a person who looked a little like her to be the sacrificialmb. The rtionship between Jodie and Jeff could have been real, but it might have also been part of Leia¡¯s n. She could¡¯ve been the mastermind. She created a scenario where she was killed to intensify the conflict between Olivia and Ethan. When she recalled the syringest night, a chill went down Olivia¡¯s spine, and her back was covered in sweat. What a terrifying woman Leia was. But Olivia didn¡¯t understand why Leia harbored such animosity toward her. Leia was kidnapped at a very young age, and they had never even met each other. But she suddenly remembered Colin¡¯s words, ¡°Some people are just born evil¡±. And then she thought about Leo. Many mysteries were haunting her, and she couldn¡¯t figure them out. Someone knocked on the door and came in after getting her approval. It was Chris. Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Chris¡¯ words pulled Olivia back to reality. She remembered the most crucial task at hand. It was the bone marrow test results. She quickly got off the bed. Even though she didn¡¯t want to donate her bone marrow to Chloe, she no longer had a choice. So, she got ready to donate her bone marrow. Chris turned on the lights in the room. The sudden brightness caused Olivia to wince and cover her eyes with her hands. She noticed a sealed paper bag in Chris¡¯ hand after her eyes adjusted to the brightness. With a serious expression, Chris said, ¡°Olivia, I need to talk to you.¡± Olivia saw his serious expression. It reminded her of a strict, disciplinary teacher. She wasn¡¯t able to discern his intent right away. She wondered if her bone marrow was ipatible. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. Olivia sat down, and Chris sat right across from her. ¡°Mr. Carlton, you have a weighty tone. Is my bone marrow ¡­ notpatible?¡± Chris sighed deeply, pushed the paper bag before her, and said, ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what he meant by that. It felt like it wasn¡¯t just about the bone marrowpatibility. She wondered if he had found out about her cancer. But even so, he shouldn¡¯t have such an expression. Olivia opened the paper bag with reluctance. There were two reports in it. One was the bone marrow compatibility results. As expected, she wasn¡¯t a match for Chloe. She had gathered that fact from Chris¡¯ expression. She picked up the second report. It was a paternity test report. This, she was surprised by. She quickly skimmed through it and saw her and Chloe¡¯s names on it. The result was they weren¡¯t rted. The news left her dumbstruck. She was so fixated on Leia that she never stopped to think if she was Chloe¡¯s biological daughter. The test results hit her like a ton of bricks. She was dumbfounded, and her head was in a daze. She said in disbelief, ¡°W-What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Chris hadn¡¯t slept the entire night. He had been fatigued, but now he looked frail. His only hope was dashed. He looked like he had aged several years overnight. He leaned back on the couch with a tired expression. ¡°It¡¯s as the report states.¡± Olivia looked at the report repeatedly. She looked at every word carefully to ensure her eyes weren¡¯t ying tricks on her. She still couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. ¡°How can I not be my mother¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Your bone marrow isn¡¯t a match for Chloe¡¯s. It¡¯s normal for a child¡¯s bone marrow to not match her mother¡¯s, but the doctor who did the test found it weird. He asked me to do a DNA test. It confirmed that you¡¯re not biologically rted to Chloe.¡± Even Chris was surprised by this result. He had been anticipating the results for so long. Olivia was the only hope he had for saving Chloe. But not only did the bone marrow not match, Olivia wasn¡¯t even Chloe¡¯s biological daughter. For a moment, the two of them remained silent. Oliva took a long time to ept this fact. Over the years, she had always thought about her mother lovingly-even though she never got to see Chloe much and even though Chloe was cold to her when she was a child. Now, she was informed that all of it had been a mistake? Could she start over? More than a decade of waiting had ended up as a joke. Olivia calmed her emotions and softly asked, ¡°Can I¡­ see her?¡± Chris¡¯ words pulled Olivia back to reality. She remembered the most crucial task at hand. It was the bone marrow test results. She quickly got off the bed. Even though she didn¡¯t want to donate her bone marrow to Chloe, she no longer had a choice. So, she got ready to donate her bone marrow. Chris turned on the lights in the room. The sudden brightness caused Olivia to wince and cover her eyes with her hands. She noticed a sealed paper bag in Chris¡¯ hand after her eyes adjusted to the brightness. With a serious expression, Chris said, ¡°Olivia, I need to talk to you.¡± Olivia saw his serious expression. It reminded her of a strict, disciplinary teacher. She wasn¡¯t able to discern his intent right away. She wondered if her bone marrow was ipatible. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. Olivia sat down, and Chris sat right across from her. ¡°Mr. Carlton, you have a weighty tone. Is my bone marrow ¡­ notpatible?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chris sighed deeply, pushed the paper bag before her, and said, ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what he meant by that. It felt like it wasn¡¯t just about the bone marrowpatibility. She wondered if he had found out about her cancer. But even so, he shouldn¡¯t have such an expression. Olivia opened the paper bag with reluctance. There were two reports in it. One was the bone marrow compatibility results. As expected, she wasn¡¯t a match for Chloe. She had gathered that fact from Chris¡¯ expression. She picked up the second report. It was a paternity test report. This, she was surprised by. She quickly skimmed through it and saw her and Chloe¡¯s names on it. The result was they weren¡¯t rted. The news left her dumbstruck. She was so fixated on Leia that she never stopped to think if she was Chloe¡¯s biological daughter. The test results hit her like a ton of bricks. She was dumbfounded, and her head was in a daze. She said in disbelief, ¡°W-What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Chris hadn¡¯t slept the entire night. He had been fatigued, but now he looked frail. His only hope was dashed. He looked like he had aged several years overnight. He leaned back on the couch with a tired expression. ¡°It¡¯s as the report states.¡± Olivia looked at the report repeatedly. She looked at every word carefully to ensure her eyes weren¡¯t ying tricks on her. She still couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. ¡°How can I not be my mother¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Your bone marrow isn¡¯t a match for Chloe¡¯s. It¡¯s normal for a child¡¯s bone marrow to not match her mother¡¯s, but the doctor who did the test found it weird. He asked me to do a DNA test. It confirmed that you¡¯re not biologically rted to Chloe.¡± Even Chris was surprised by this result. He had been anticipating the results for so long. Olivia was the only hope he had for saving Chloe. But not only did the bone marrow not match, Olivia wasn¡¯t even Chloe¡¯s biological daughter. For a moment, the two of them remained silent. Oliva took a long time to ept this fact. Over the years, she had always thought about her mother lovingly-even though she never got to see Chloe much and even though Chloe was cold to her when she was a child. Now, she was informed that all of it had been a mistake? Could she start over? More than a decade of waiting had ended up as a joke. Olivia calmed her emotions and softly asked, ¡°Can I¡­ see her?¡± Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Chris looked at her defeatedly and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it. But she¡¯s frail right now. She can¡¯t talk for extended periods.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take note of that, thanks.¡± Chris sighed helplessly. ¡°I have to apologize to you. I¡¯m the one who forced you toe back. I also took your bone marrow for testing against your will.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have the heart to reprimand him when she saw his sickly face. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Thank you for letting me know the truth. If not for the test, I¡¯d still be in the dark. Mr. Carlton, since I¡¯m not Ms. Parker¡¯s biological daughter, you¡¯ll be able to save her when you find her child. Don¡¯t be too sad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you to meet her. Let¡¯s find out what happened.¡± Chris brought Olivia to the hospital. Olivia was still reeling from all the information she uncovered. Too many things happened abruptly. She didn¡¯t even have time to think about Leia. Since Chloe wasn¡¯t her mother, she wondered about Jeff. Was he her father, or was her father someone else? Did Jeff know about her origins? She tried to search her memories for anything suspicious when she was with him, but she came up empty. She looked at the rain outside the window. It reminded her of her emotions that were in a mess. After some time passed, they arrived at the hospital. Olivia quickly got out of the car. She almost tripped and fell. Chris gave her a hand. ¡°Be careful.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, thanks,¡± Olivia thanked him calmly and followed him into the hospital. This was the first time Olivia was going to meet Chloe after she fell sick. She felt conflicted. She wondered if Chloe had already known she wasn¡¯t her biological daughter, and that was why she was so cold to her. If that was the case, Chloe owed her nothing. Olivia finally saw Chloe again after so long. She no longer looked like the elegantdy she was. She had lost a lot of weight. She was lying on the bed with her hair down. Her face was pale, and she looked lethargic. Chloe looked toward the door when she heard it open. Her eyes lit up when she saw Olivia. She struggled to sit up. Chris and Olivia rushed over to her and helped her up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get up. Just lie down.¡± Chloe grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Liv, you finally came to see me. I know I¡¯ve let you down. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Olivia was stunned. She thought Chloe knew that they weren¡¯t rted. Besides, she was already in a bad state. She didn¡¯t have to pretend if she didn¡¯t care about her. Chloe reached out to touch Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. I know you must¡¯ve been so scared, but I said some terrible things to you.¡± Olivia nced at Chris, seemingly asking, ¡°Does she not know?¡± Chris steadied Chloe and said, ¡°Chloe, I have something to tell you, but you must promise me that you won¡¯t get worked up.¡± Chloe took a look at Chris and Olivia¡¯s face. She noticed something was wrong. ¡°Is the bone marrow not a match? Liv, I¡¯ve already thought things through. Everything that happened was my fault. Now karma¡¯sing back to bite me. I¡¯ll ept anything that happens to me. I¡¯ll be satisfied as long as I see you safe and sound.¡± When she heard those words, Olivia felt like she had been stabbed in the chest. Why did Chloe have toe to her senses at this moment? She finally felt her mother¡¯s love for the first time, but something like this happened. ¡°Why are you crying, Liv?¡± Chloe hugged her and said tearfully, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about the past. I know I haven¡¯t been a good mother. I¡¯ve never given you enough attention. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left. Give me a chance to love you like I should¡¯ve done all those years ago.¡± Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Chloe hadn¡¯t picked up on Chris¡¯ and Olivia¡¯s expressions. She was still immersed in her memories. ¡°I remember that I never cared about your studies or your preferences. After leaving you for so many years, I didn¡¯t even call you once. You must have hated me for leaving you when you were so young, right?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Olivia sniffed, wondering if she should tell Chloe the truth. Chris hesitated for a while and sighed. ¡°Chloe, you have to calm down. What I¡¯m about to say is very important.¡± Olivia wiped her tears and then helped Chloe wipe hers. Chloe was taken aback. Olivia had always been cold to her. This was the first time Olivia approached her. ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± Chris went straight to the point. ¡°The bad news is that Olivia¡¯s bone marrow isn¡¯tpatible.¡± ¡°Yeah, I was prepared for that.¡¯ ¡°The good news is that Olivia isn¡¯t your biological daughter. You have another daughter. Her bone marrow may be a match. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The news was too sudden and direct. It was like a blow to Chloe¡¯s head, causing her to be dazed. ¡°W-What did you say?¡± It seemed like the truth had been kept from Chloe as well. Chris didn¡¯t exin too much and handed her the evidence, saying, ¡°Here, look at this.¡± Chloe saw the DNA test results. Her face paled, and she shook her head. ¡°Impossible! How could this be? How could Olivia not be my daughter?¡± Olivia tried tofort her. ¡°M-Ms. Parker, calm down. I had just found out too. I was as surprised as you are right now. This report is authentic. Something must¡¯ve happened back then. Think back. You were pregnant, right?¡± Chloe muttered, ¡°I may not have liked your father, but my pregnancy was real. At that time, I had severe morning sickness and kept vomiting for several months, which was quite torturous. ¡± ¡°No wonder you never liked me,¡± Olivia quipped. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Chris held Chloe¡¯s hand andforted her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll find your daughter. I¡¯ll leave you two alone. You must have a lot to talk about.¡± Chloe and Olivia were the only ones left in the ward. They looked at each other in silence. They were still trying toe to terms with their current identities. Chloe was the first to break the silence. She held Olivia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if we¡¯re not rted by blood. I still need to make it up to you. This terminal disease must be my punishment.¡± ¡°Ms. Parker, you don¡¯t have to say that. You¡¯ll definitely find apatible bone marrow. You must rest well.¡± ¡°How is your dad?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°He¡¯s still the same.¡± The authorities kept the incident at Jeff¡¯s hospital a secret. The public did not know what happened. Even Olivia wasn¡¯t aware of the number of casualties. ¡°If your father wakes up, tell him I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve betrayed his love. He¡¯s a good man. He shouldn¡¯t have been put through these hardships.¡± Oftentimes, people would only begin to appreciate the beauty of life after being ced in a hopeless situation. Olivia had waited for this moment for over a decade. However, at this moment, as she looked at Chloe on the hospital bed, she had truly let go of her grievances. Chloe had indeed been irresponsible, but she wasn¡¯t her birth mother. The biological bond between a parent and their child was unique. Perhaps Chloe was only cold to her because they weren¡¯t actually rted. Chloe wasn¡¯t in good shape and couldn¡¯t talk much more. The reality was that their situation was very awkward. There wasn¡¯t much to say. Olivia left after talking a little bit more. Olivia stood at a crossroad, watching as cars drove by. She felt lost. She had a lot of things she needed to do, but she didn¡¯t know where to start. Chloe wasn¡¯t her mother, and Jeff probably wasn¡¯t her father as well. She wondered where her real family was. Did they not know about her after all these years? She was alone in Aldenvine, not knowing what to do. Her stomach rumbled. She sighed and collected her thoughts, She decided to n her next step after getting breakfast. She began to walk to the nearest ce with restaurants, The storm had died down significantly, and the clouds looked like they were dissipating. Olivia dialed Colin¡¯s number. She wanted to ask about Leo. Even if Jeff wasn¡¯t her biological father, he treated her very well and gave her all the love he could. Their rtionship had long surpassed that of just blood rtions. Olivia couldn¡¯t reach Colin¡¯s phone, which made her feel uneasy. The woman mentioned that Leo was going to seek revenge against Ethan. Why did Colin¡¯s phone also be unreachable? Olivia¡¯s finger hovered over Ethan¡¯s number, but she didn¡¯t make the call. She was only suspecting that his sister was alive. With his obsession with his sister, he would probably get mad before Olivia could finish saying what she wanted. She decided to get evidence before talking to him. Olivia went to a restaurant, had some pancakes, and drank milk. She left for the cemetery after she paid for her meal. Before she got out of the restaurant, someone ran into her. Olivia stepped back in fright. She thought the people who kidnapped her previously hade to get her. Upon taking a closer look, she saw a well-dressed man who had somehow ended up right before her. The man was face-down on the ground. There was a valuable watch on his wrist. Olivia realized the man wasn¡¯t trying to scam her. Crouching down, she noticed the man had fainted. She saw no blood on the man, but his face was pale. Luckily, the hospital was nearby. Olivia brought the man to the hospital with the help of some passersby. A nurse waved at Olivia, saying, ¡°You¡¯re the patient¡¯s family member, right? You need toe pay the fees.¡± Olivia tried to exin, ¡°I¡¯m not his family member. I¡¯m just ¡­¡¯ N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The nurse looked at her inm Chapter 349 Chapter 349 The sudden appearance of the man messed up her ns. She couldn¡¯t leave him alone. Then, the emergency room¡¯s doctor verified that the man¡¯s life wasn¡¯t at risk and that he would regain consciousness soon. It was only then Olivia left the hospital in a hurry. The man regained consciousness and was told he was brought to the hospital by a kind person. He wanted to thank the person right away. ¡°Unfortunately, thedy left after she paid for your bills.¡± ¡°How long has it been since she left?¡± ¡°She just left.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The man jumped out of bed and chased after Olivia. He ignored the nurse shouting behind him, ¡°You can¡¯t leave yet. You still need to be checked.¡± He didn¡¯t listen to the nurse and quickened his steps. He saw a slender figure by the road. Olivia got into a cab before he could call out to her. She rode the cab to the cemetery and bought some of her grandmother¡¯s favorite flowers when she passed the flower shop. She went to her grandmother¡¯s grave first. She set the flowers down and talked for a bit. She would never step foot near Leia¡¯s grave if something like that hadn¡¯t happened. The sky had cleared up. There were fallen leaves and branches everywhere, proof ofst night¡¯s storm. Upon arriving at Leia¡¯s grave, Olivia stared at her picture. She had a different feeling from thest time she came. She had thought Leia was unfortunate for dying at such a young age. Crouching down, Olivia covered the face on the picture, leaving only the eyes visible. She was sure the eyes looked exactly like those she saw on the woman who wanted to kill her. But this was just her guess. There was only one way to get real evidence. She looked at the grave behind the gravestone. She needed to open up the coffin for some bones. She wondered if Ethan would allow her to dig up the body of his beloved sister. Olivia was unsure. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 The room was quite dark. In order to let him sleep peacefully, the ckout curtains were tightly drawn. Olivia gently opened a small gap to allow a faint light into the room. She walked cautiously toward the bedside. If it were in the past, Ethan would probably have woken up due to his usual vignce. But now, his eyes were tightly closed, and an empty IV bag was next to him. Olivia reached out and felt his forehead. It was burning hot. The fever hadn¡¯t subsided yet. Ethan¡¯s physical condition had always been excellent. He rarely got sick like this. It seemed like she would have to wait tillter to talk to him about Leia. She was about to withdraw her hand, but her wrist was grabbed. Ethan pulled hard, and she fell into his arms. She wanted to push him away with a frown, but she heard him say hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sighing, she remained still. She stayed in his embrace, Ethan was happy, and his arms tightened around her. The scorching heat from his body enveloped Olivia from all sides. It made her feel ufortable. They hadn¡¯t been in such an intimate position for a long time. Even if he was her ex-lover, it made her feel uneasy. ¡°You need to loosen your grip. I can hardly breathe,¡± Olivia softly protested. Ethan wasn¡¯t fully conscious. He didn¡¯t hear what she said and tightened his embrace further. He murmured, ¡°Liv, I was wrong. I really am sorry. Please don¡¯t leave me.¡± Olivia had never seen Ethan this way-not even when they were together. Ethan was an arrogant man. He would never admit that he was wrong. But he was like a helpless little boy now, muttering words like ¡°I was wrong¡± and ¡°Don¡¯t leave me¡±. Olivia wanted to say something but suddenly felt his fingers creeping into her clothes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ethan rolled over on top of her. He was wearing green pajamas. A few buttons were loose, revealing large parts of his skin. Olivia could see the injury on his chest. It was more severe than she had imagined, The wound had healed, but it left a sprawling scar on his chest. She swallowed the words she had nned to yell and touched the scar. She was sure he would¡¯ve killed himself if she hadn¡¯t cut herself loose. She wanted to say he was rotten to the core. But when she jumped off the building, he followed without hesitation. He was willing to trade his life for hers when she was kidnapped. But he wasn¡¯t exactly good either. All the pain Olivia had suffered so far was inflicted by him. Olivia didn¡¯t even know how to describe the rtionship between them. Her cool fingers touched the scar, causing Ethan¡¯s body to heat up even more. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Ethan said in an upset tone, ¡°It hurts, but it hurts more when I think about you Olivia looked him in the eye and saw that the corners of his eyes were red. His skin was pale, so the flush stood out more. She noticed the messy hair covering his forehead. Some strands were curled up. He no longer looked like the domineering man who always looked at her condescendingly. He was like a kid who had been bullied Olivia had only seen him like this once, the time when he was drunk. He rarely disyed such innocence. She couldn¡¯t stand seeing him like this, so she looked away ¡°Get off of me. I have something to tell you¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Ethan was like a rebellious kid. He had an obstinate expression on his face. He reached out and grabbed her chin to turn her face toward him. Before Olivia could react, he already kissing her domineeringly Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Olivia was stunned. Even when they were back on the cruise ship, Ethan hadn¡¯t kissed her so deeply. Just as she realized something was wrong, she was already trapped and couldn¡¯t break free. Ethan¡¯s limbs were wrapped around her like thick vines, giving her no time to catch her breath. Ethan might have held back when he was conscious due to his guilt. Now that he was not in his right mind, he was acting on instinct. Olivia tried to struggle but to no avail. Ethan felt grounded when he could smell her scent. ¡°Wake up, Ethan. Do you have any idea what you¡¯re doing?¡± Ethan held her hands above her head, effortlessly defusing her attacks. There was a lot of sweat on his forehead. He said hoarsely, ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve never been so sure of what I¡¯m doing. I told you, we¡¯ll have kids of our own.¡± Kids ¡­ Oliva didn¡¯t understand why Ethan was so hung up on the subject. She just wanted to get away. ¡°Let me go, Ethan. Don¡¯t make me hate you.¡± ¡°If hate can be the bond that binds us, then hate me all you want.¡± There was only a sliver of light shining into the room. It illuminated the area around Ethan¡¯s is face was hidden in the dark, like a rose blooming in the shadows-seductive but ch 1. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Ethan fell back to sleep with a high fever. Olivia gritted her teeth as she headed to the bathroom to wash up. She even went back and cleaned Ethan up. She didn¡¯t want to be entangled with Ethan anymore. Since he thought it was a dream, she was prepared to let him keep thinking that. She acted as if nothing happened and exited the room. ¡°He¡¯s still feverish and hasn¡¯t woken up yet. The doctor has already given him medication. I really hope he gets better soon.¡± Kelvin said, ¡°Mrs. Miller, you might not know this, but Mr. Miller hasn¡¯t rested well in a long time. Especially the few days following your kidnapping. He searched for you without resting. He really cares about you.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to discuss that with Kelvin, so she changed the subject. ¡°Let him sleep a little bit more and see if the fever goes down. He¡¯s in good shape. It¡¯s probably no big deal.¡± Kelvin was at a loss for words. Olivia hadpletely ignored what he said. Kelvin understood that Olivia didn¡¯t want to associate herself with Ethan too much, so he gave up on the topic. Raising his head to look at Olivia, he said, ¡°Mrs. Miller, your face looks red. Do you also have a fever? Do you need me to get the doctor for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just showered in the bathroom just now. My skin¡¯s just flushed from the hot water. Since he¡¯s not going to be awake for a while and I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, I¡¯ll sleep in the other bedroom. Let me know when he wakes up.¡± Olivia spoke very naturally, so Kelvin didn¡¯t suspect anything was wrong. ¡°Alright, please use the bedroom as you please. This is your home too. There¡¯s nothing wrong even if you sleep on the same bed as Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia thought about something and said coldly while suppressing her unease, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re divorced. I wouldn¡¯t havee here today if I didn¡¯t need to talk to him about something.¡± She then went back upstairs to the second bedroom. Shutting the curtains, she buried herself in the sheets. She was very tired, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she¡¯d remember what happened in Ethan¡¯s room. Olivia rubbed her temples tiredly. She hoped that Ethan would only think of what happened as a dream so that he would forget about it when he woke up. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Ethan slept for a long time. When he woke up at night, he looked beside him as soon as he opened his eyes. But he was alone in the bed. He lifted the nket to see himself fully dressed. He felt disappointed as he thought what had happened was a dream. Maybe it was because he missed Olivia too much and was too afraid of losing her. Olivia would hate him even more if he really did what he thought he did. He held his head in his hands. He still felt a little lightheaded, but the sleep cleared up his fatigue. The fever was gone, and he felt much better. He took a shower to freshen himself up before leaving the room. He saw Madam Burgess cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Her face lit up when she saw Ethaning downstairs. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Mr. Miller. You must be hungry after such a long nap. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it. I¡¯ve made a lot of food that you and Mrs. Miller like.¡± Ethan frowned, asking, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, of course. You were still bedridden with a high fever when she came. You probably haven¡¯t seen her yet.¡± Ehtan¡¯s eyes lit up as he asked, ¡°She¡¯s still here?¡± ¡°Yes. Mrs. Miller was very tired. She seemed to want to ask you about something. But she saw that you were sick and didn¡¯t want to disturb you. She¡¯s resting up in the other bedroom.¡± Ma urgess suddenly grabbed Ethan¡¯s hand and said mysteriously, ¡°Mr. Miller, I know you sunt have feelings for her. You have to make use of this chance. Don¡¯t drive her away anymore. ¡°She has also been sleeping for the entire day. Why don¡¯t you get her toe down for dinner? ¡°Okay.¡± Looking out the window, Ethan saw that the storm had dissipated. It was like his rtionship with Olivia. It was calm for now. Ethan still hadn¡¯t decided how he would deal with Leia. It was as if two voices were arguing about what he should do every step of the way. ¡°If you love her, you should tell her everything. She¡¯s a very understanding woman. She¡¯ll understand that you¡¯re being used.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be naive. Even if you didn¡¯t hurt Jeff, your sister is the one behind everything. You two are responsible for the downfall of the Fordham family. If you tell her the truth, she¡¯ll hate you even more.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the victim; she deserves to know.¡± ¡°The truth often hurts the most. Since you have all the facts, you just need to make it up to her from now on. Do you really want to lose her?¡± Ethan had made up his mind when he arrived at Olivia¡¯s door. His gaze was resolute. He had loved Olivia for ten whole years. Even when her hatred for him was at its peak, he never gave up. He wouldn¡¯t give up now. Ethan opened the door cautiously and walked in slowly. He could roughly make out Olivia on the bed with the light outside the door. She was fast asleep. Her face was slightly flushed, and she was tossing and turning in bed uneasily. She murmured, ¡°No. Don¡¯t¡­¡± Ethan suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Olivia had been through so much danger recently. She couldn¡¯t even sleep properly. He put his hand on her arm and shook it lightly. ¡°Wake up, Liv.¡± Olivia was still drowsy, her mind all fuzzy. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t tell if she was awake or dreaming. She was still immersed in the time they were close, which was before their divorce. She kissed Ethan without hesitation. Her was ¡®n intimacy shocked Etham. It was like the dream that he had bing a reality. He en in ce. He didn¡¯t dare to move, lest he wake up from the dream. The shroud of darkness made it hard to tell if everything was real or a dream. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. He allowed Olivia to put her arms around his neck and grind her lips against his. With every movement, his rationality slipped away, and their breaths grew heavier and heavier¡­ Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Olivia dreamt about the time when Ethan still pampered her. Back then, he built a manor of roses for her just because she told him roses were pretty. There were dozens of roses inside the estate, each with different shapes and colors. They were carefully tended by gardeners. It took one whole year for the garden to take shape. It was ready on the day of her birthday. Ethan told her he was busy that day and couldn¡¯t have dinner with her. She was disappointed and ended the call with a crestfallen expression, but she didn¡¯t me him. Ethan was the head of the Miller family, and Miller Group had a lot of businesses that he needed to tend to. It was only natural that he was so busy. She thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal that he forgot about her birthday. There was always the next one. She was still young and had plenty of birthdays to look forward to. She baked a cake for herself that afternoon. But she messed up several times because she was in a bad mood. She didn¡¯t care about the quality of the cake she made. She put some cream on one of the failed ones and promised to make Ethan eat it when he came home. Olivia had never felt like a day was so long. Ethan never came back, but Kelvin did. He told her that he was bringing her somewhere. Olivia was taken to a strange ce in a daze with her eyes blindfolded. She wondered what Ethan was up to. She caught the scent of flowers before she took off the blindfold. The smell ent from the delicate fragrance of gardenia flowers. It was a richer scent. Wa Someone took off her blindfold. Opening her eyes, she saw Ethan in a suit, smiling at her. She nudged him, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t make it back¡­¡± Her voice was stuck in her throat as she realized they were in a sea of roses. There were colorful flowers in full bloom wherever she looked. She was stunned by the sight. ¡°Y-You¡­ You¡­¡± Olivia was at a loss for words. She couldn¡¯t evenplete a sentence. Ethan hugged her from behind and asked, ¡°Do you like it? I built this garden of roses just for you.¡± Olivia felt like she finally understood why people said that if you were with the right person, every day would has Valentine¡¯s Day ¡°You big her¡± The flowers looked stating under the glow of the setting mm Olivia tiptoed and kissed him on the lips She whispered, ¡°I love it then¡¯s smile looked warm than al sander the evening sun. He said, ¡°Happy birthday, Lav He might be cold by name, and hemaght not know how to express his love with words, but he always gave her the best of everything. He would remember her preferences and keep her every word in mind In the past two years, Olivia often had nightmares. She rarely ever had sweet dreams anymore. The Ethan in her dream was caring and courteous. It was the side of him that she loved deeply. She could reveal her best self to him without any reservations. Olivia was injected with drugsst night, so her mind was still fuzzy. She thought she was still in the manor of roses Ethan¡¯s trembling hands were wrapped around Oliva¡¯s waist. She was wearing silk pajamas, which felt so soft and smooth He leaned in to kiss Olivia. It felt exactly like the sensation he felt in his dream. Ethan was overjoyed, and his heartbeat elerated quickly Ethan was afraid that Olivia would wake up. Just then, she grabbed his cor and said, ¡°You aven¡¯t told me if you¡¯ve fallen for another woman out there.¡± Ethan hugged her tightly like he used to and whispered, ¡°There is no other woman. It¡¯s always been just you¡± every day would be Valentine¡¯s Day. ¡°You big liar.¡± The flowers looked stunning under the glow of the setting sun. Olivia tiptoed and kissed him on the lips. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She whispered, ¡°I love it.¡± Ethan¡¯s smile looked warmer than usual under the evening sun. He said, ¡°Happy birthday, Liv. He might be cold by nature, and he might not know how to express his love with words, but he always gave her the best of everything. He would remember her preferences and keep her every word in mind. In the past two years, Olivia often had nightmares. She rarely ever had sweet dreams anymore. The Ethan in her dream was caring and courteous. It was the side of him that she loved deeply. She could reveal her best self to him without any reservations. Olivia was injected with drugsst night, so her mind was still fuzzy. She thought she was still in the manor of roses. Ethan¡¯s trembling hands were wrapped around Oliva¡¯s waist. She was wearing silk pajamas, which felt so soft and smooth. He leaned in to kiss Olivia. It felt exactly like the sensation he felt in his dream. Ethan was overjoyed, and his heartbeat elerated quickly. Ethan was afraid that Olivia would wake up. Just then, she grabbed his cor and said, ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me if you¡¯ve fallen for another woman out there.¡± Ethan hugged her tightly like he used to and whispered, ¡°There is no other woman. It¡¯s always been just you.¡± Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Just as Ethan wanted to savor the moment, Madam Burgess loud voice came from downstairs. ¡°Mr. Miller, is Mrs. Miller awake yet?¡± Her powerful voice prated the walls and went straight into Olivia¡¯s ears. Olivia instantly snapped back to reality with a chilling realization. She wasn¡¯t dreaming! She stopped moving. She could only make out Ethan¡¯s silhouette in the darkness and couldn¡¯t see his expression. She was utterly in shock. She felt like she was about to explode in embarrassment when she saw that her pajamas were undone, She quickly dove onto the bed and covered herself with her nket. Ethan was enveloped in immense disappointment. With a bitter smile, he quickly suppressed his emotions. ¡°The food¡¯s ready. Come downstairs and have some,¡± Ethan said in a deep voice. He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Olivia, who was hiding under the nket, was blushing. She couldn¡¯t believe the things she just did. She was so close to stripping Ethan and having her way with him. She felt mortified. She slowly got out of the bed and went to wash her face. The cool tap water helped cool down her burning cheeks. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She saw the mark that Ethan left on her neck. They covered up the marks he left in the afternoon. Olivia thought that worked in her favor. She wanted their rtionship to be over and didn¡¯t want furtherplications. She had already composed herself when she went downstairs. Ethan helped her into her seat. Madam Burgess wanted to give them some time to spend alone, so she left right after cooking. Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere was eerily quiet. ¡°What happened just now ¡­¡± Olivia spoke up first. ¡°I was injected with some drugsst night. I wasn¡¯t in my right mind just now. I thought I was dreaming.¡± ¡°What did you dream about?¡± ¡°I dreamed about the time we were newly married,¡± Olivia told him honestly. ¡°It¡¯s just a dream at the end of the day. It has been almost three years since that time.¡¯ Ethan felt guilty when he heard what she said. Olivia took a few bites of the food and said slowly, ¡°The reason I¡¯m here is to talk to you about something important.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I suspect that your sister is still alive.¡± Ethan¡¯s hands that were cutting up the steak froze. He looked at Olivia¡¯s face and responded instinctively, ¡°Impossible. I saw her body with my own eyes.¡± Olivia knew Ethan would have a huge reaction. She tried her best to speak calmly. ¡°I know that, but the body had been in the sea for so long when you picked it up. It had also been partially eaten by fish. You weren¡¯t able to see what the body used to look like, right?¡± ¡°I did a DNA test.¡± ¡®Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to get to. Leia joined this Toxic Hive organization that you spoke of. It¡¯s a very influential organization. They bought out the person who did the test for you. Leia¡¯s DNA was used in the test. That¡¯s why the DNA test results showed that you were siblings. ¡°We all thought the body was Leia¡¯s, but she had been in the wind since then. She set us up repeatedly behind the scenes.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure that she¡¯s in Toxic Hive? Even I haven¡¯t seen her in more than ten years.¡± Olivia exined, ¡°I saw herst night. I thought you were the one who told Chris where I was. I didn¡¯t expect her to be the one who leaked my location. She only wore a face mask this time, and I saw her eyes. They looked exactly like your sister¡¯s eyes when she was young.¡± Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Ethan was surprised that Olivia was able to recognize Leia by her eyes. She had the same thought as him. Ethan began to feel anxious and uneasy. Olivia was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t believe her. She took a sip of lemon water to moisten her throat and said, ¡°I know this may be hard to believe, but I have a way to validate my im. We just need to take Jodie¡¯s bones for testing, and the truth will be revealed.¡± Ethan gripped his cutlery tighter as he said deeply, ¡°It can¡¯t be done.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The body was cremated. The high temperature would have ruined the integrity of the DNA. Even if I allowed you to dig up the coffin and retrieve a sample, you¡¯d only get some ashes.¡± Olivia slumped back in her chair and said with a shaky voice, ¡°How can that be? I went to her grave this morning. I saw signs that the soil on her grave had been filled back in hastily. Could someone have dug her body up before us?¡± Ethan¡¯s back stiffened. He didn¡¯t expect her to have been to the grave already. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone look into it.¡± ¡°It must have been Toxic Hive. They must have gone there to take away the evidence. But this could indirectly prove that¡­ Ethan interrupted her and said, ¡°Prove what? That my sister is a murderer?¡± Olivia knew Ethan would be defensive when she brought up his sister. ¡°Currently, I suspect that she is.¡± ¡°What about her motive? If she did it, why did she do it? Why would she spend so much time, effort, and resources to kill you? She went missing when she was a child. What grudge could she possibly have against you?¡± Olivia tried to exin urgently, ¡°I haven¡¯t found out her motive yet. But it¡¯s true that she wants me dead. Last night¡­¡± Before she could tell Ethan about what happenedst night, he cut her off impatiently, ¡± Enough of this. I don¡¯t want to hear any more of this ridiculous story.¡± ¡°I know my conclusion sounds absurd or even funny. But don¡¯t you want to get to the bottom of this? Don¡¯t you want to know who sabotaged our rtionship behind the scenes? She¡¯s been ying us like fools.¡± ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± Ethan lowered his head to hide the guilt in his eyes. Olivia wanted to say something more. Ethan pushed the te of steak that he sliced up in front of her and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat for now. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡¯ Olivia understood that Ethan no longer wanted to discuss the matter, so she stopped talking. They no longer spoke another word after that. After dinner, Olivia wiped her mouth and got up. ¡°I¡¯m full. It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll be off.¡± Upon hearing that, Ethan threw his knife on his te and said, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°No matter the reason why I returned, I¡¯m back now. We¡¯re divorced. We should keep our distance.¡± ¡°I bet you¡¯re going to that Moriarty punk, right?¡± Olivia was displeased with how he addressed Colin. But she tried to de-escte the situation and said, ¡°I told you before, I see him as a younger brother. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡¯ ¡°You might not see him that way, but how can you be sure that it¡¯s the same for him?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ethan closed in on her and said, ¡°Liv, there isn¡¯t a single man in the world that would treat a woman well without ulterior motives. Nothinges for free.¡± He lifted her chin with his finger, saying, ¡°Do you know how much effort, time, and money he spent to get you away from me? Your family is already bankrupt. What else would he be after? Liv, every gift has a price. What do you think he wants in exchange?¡± Olivia disagreed with his point of view. ¡°Ethan, do you think everyone is as wicked as you? We were friends as kids, which is why he helped me. Just because you¡¯re heartless and indifferent doesn¡¯t mean everyone else is the same.¡± Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Ethan said slowly, ¡°You were friends with him? Why haven¡¯t you told me about that? How else are you rted to him?¡± Anger red in Ethan¡¯s eyes. Olivia was upset. ¡°Are you and Marina the only ones allowed to be childhood friends? Why can¡¯t I be childhood friends with Colin? I didn¡¯t tell you about that because I didn¡¯t see the need 1. ¡°He was just a ymate. Just because you have malicious intent doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s the same.¡¯ Smirking, Ethan said, ¡°You think I¡¯m malicious and he¡¯s good?¡± The mocking smile made Olivia feel ufortable. But with everything said, Olivia retorted stubbornly, ¡°Am I wrong? You cheated on me while you were married to me, and you even have kids with her. If you¡¯re not the bad guy here, no one else would be.¡± Ethan started to breathe heavily from the rage he felt. ¡°Olivia, do you even know what kind of person he is? And what he has done?¡± ¡°What could he possibly do?¡± Olivia recalled her phone call to Colin that didn¡¯t go through and the fact that Ethan got into troublest night. She wondered if Colin was also dragged into this matter. Ethan pointed to his chest, saying, ¡°You tricked me into letting him go on the boat. Iplied because I didn¡¯t want to hurt you. What about him? He shot me here the moment he got the chance to do so.¡± Confusion shed in Olivia¡¯s eyes. Ethan added, ¡°You want to ask why I¡¯m still alive, right? Well, I would¡¯ve been dead if I wasn¡¯t wearing a bulletproof vest. ¡°And if he hadn¡¯t tried to y it safe by aiming at my heart and had shot my head instead, I¡¯d Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. either be dead or in aa right now.¡± Colin¡¯s warm smile appeared in Olivia¡¯s mind. She muttered, ¡°How could this¡­¡¯ ¡°You might think he¡¯s an innocent young man. But have you ever thought about it closely? He was the first person to find you even though no one else could. Why would he know where you were?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°And you also mentioned that he has a wound on his back.¡± Olivia anxiously replied, ¡°Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. How could that be fake?¡± ¡°Did you know that it was an all-out gunfight at the hospital that night? Who would use a knife in a situation like that?¡± ¡°A gunfight?¡± Olivia echoed. Gunfights were something that only appeared in movies for regul?r people. ¡°Seems like he also told you that four groups of people were trying to take your father. But he didn¡¯t tell you how many casualties there were, huh?¡± Olivia asked with quivering lips, ¡°H-How bad¡­ was it?¡± Ethan took his phone out and showed her the security footage of what happened. The scene was chaotic. Even though the guns were fitted with silencers, Olivia could still see the bullets hitting people and blood sttering everywhere. People were falling one after the other. The victims included doctors, nurses, patients, and family members. Even cleaners weren¡¯t spared. Everything happened so quickly that no one could react. No one would have expected such a brutal gunfight to take ce out of nowhere in this peaceful age. By the time people started to process what was happening, others were already lying in pools of blood. Some people didn¡¯t even have the time to scream. The victims fell one after another way quicker than what movies showed. None of them were prepared. In a matter of seconds, they were already down. The white walls were sttered with blood, and people were sprawled all over the corridor. Some were still moving, but others were already dead. Tears welled up in Olivia¡¯s eyes. It was way worse than what she¡¯d imagined. It was hell on earth. She finally understood why the authorities wanted to keep the incident a secret. If news about the incident got out, it would definitely shock and terrify the public. Ethan asked coldly, ¡°Let me ask you this. Do you still think it¡¯s possible that he was stabbed in such an intense shootout?¡± Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Olivia was rendered speechless. In such a situation, Colin would¡¯ve died if he had drawn his firearm too late. No one would¡¯ve been using a melee weapon. Colin didn¡¯t tell her anything about what went down. He casually summed up what happened in a single sentence. Looking at the footage and thinking about Colin¡¯s innocent face, Olivia felt a chill run down her spine. She didn¡¯t expect the man she trusted to be so ruthless. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t hurt from that incident, where did the wounde from?¡± Ethan held Olivia¡¯s chin in ce with his finger. ¡°Liv, do you really not know why he did that? Hasn¡¯t he always been the innocent, gentle, and caring young man in your eyes? If he got hurt for your sake, wouldn¡¯t you feel guilt and remorse?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Olivia blinked, but she wasn¡¯t able to deny what Ethan said. He continued, ¡°Just because he¡¯s young, it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s not maniptive. If I hadn¡¯t utilized extraordinary means, he would¡¯ve gotten you out of the country. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to find you then.¡± Ethan saw that Olivia was silent, so he showed her the security footage from another angle. ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed footage of the incident several dozens of times. This person should be Colin.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces were concealed. It couldn¡¯t have been easy for Ethan to spot a man he wasn¡¯t very familiar with in such a chaotic scene. Olivia looked at where Ethan was pointing and saw a man with a slender build. He looked tinier than the people around him. That was the body of a younger man who hadn¡¯t fully developed yet. She saw the man take several shots. Olivia previously learned how to shoot a gun from Jack for some time. She could tell how good Colin¡¯s marksmanship was. Olivia had no words to defend him when she saw him aim at a nurse and open fire without hesitation. She couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she could imagine that he must have looked emotionless. Jack had told her before that shooters must remain calm when opening fire, or their hands would shake and they would miss their target. If Colin had even a littlepassion, his aim wouldn¡¯t have been so urate. Every single shot was on point. Olivia suddenly realized she had learned nothing about Colin during their time together. ¡°Do you still think he¡¯s a kind young man after seeing this?¡± Olivia was speechless. It was apparent that her worldview was shattered from the tears that streamed down her face. Ethan ced his hands on her shoulders and said patiently, ¡°Liv, that person has been harboring malicious intent since your first meeting with him. Do you remember the time he was drugged on the cruise ship? I checked the security footage after the incident. ¡°He saw Calista spiking the drink, but he still drank it. Why do you think he did that? ¡°Liv, you¡¯ve lived a sheltered life. You¡¯ve never seen true darkness. So you¡¯ll never understand how terrifying humans can be.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes were emotionless. Staring at Ethan, she asked, ¡°So you knew there was something wrong since then?¡± ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t want to alert him. I wanted to use him to get to bigger fish. Even though he was cautious, I caught him off guard and discovered Toxic Hive¡¯s underground base. I brought people to capture the people there. He got angry and shot me.¡± ¡°Wait, Colin is part of Toxic Hive?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia recalled the woman saying that Leo was going to settle the score. She realized that the person she had been looking for was hidden next to her all this time. Colin was Leo. She slumped back into the chair with a lifeless expression. She murmured, ¡°So he lied to me, and you lied to me too. Everyone¡¯s been ying me. I¡¯m the only idiot here. Every one of you tricked me¡­¡± Chapter 358 Chapter 358 There were signs before that Olivia had failed to pick up on. Like the time Colin asked to visit Jeff. He looked at all of the data and even performed a check on him. Colin looked serious back then. It was an expression she had never seen on him before. Ethan saw Olivia¡¯s upset expression and hugged her. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s not like that. I want to protect you. I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt ever again.¡± Raising her teary eyes to look at him, she said, ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re the one who hurt me the most. Don¡¯t you think your words are absurd? ¡°Colin might have lied to me, but you¡¯re no saint either. So don¡¯t be calling the kettle ck now. You have no right to say you¡¯ll keep me from getting hurt. Olivia escaped his embrace and said, ¡°Thanks for telling me everything.¡± ¡°Stop throwing a fit with me, Liv. Even though we took down Toxic Hive¡¯s base, all the important people in the organization took off. It¡¯s dangerous for you out there.¡± Olivia looked him in the eye seriously. Wiping her tears, she asked, ¡°Ethan, if your sister isn¡¯t dead and she¡¯s out to get me, whose side would you be on?¡± It was a very realistic question. The fact was that Leia was trying to kill Olivia. Ethan couldn¡¯t possibly defend her actions. ¡°That day will nevere.¡± Since he already knew Leia was the mastermind behind everything, he would take it upon himself to find her and ask her about her actions. How did the little girl from back then turn out like this? She even joined an international terrorist organization. Olivia smirked mockingly, saying, ¡°Ethan, why don¡¯t we make a bet? If the day reallyes, you¡¯ll definitely choose your sister.¡± ¡°No, Liv. Trust me, you¡¯re the most important person in the world to me.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t show much emotion on her face. She didn¡¯t want to argue with Ethan on the topic anymore. Ethan saw that she was determined to leave. ¡°You¡¯re just leaving like this? Don¡¯t you want to know what happened to your father?¡± Olivia stopped and asked, ¡°Do you know where he is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. There were four groups of men that day-your mercenaries, Kelvin¡¯s men, and two groups of Toxic Hive people. I didn¡¯t know Colin¡¯s identity back then. But now that I know, it¡¯s easy to deduce that he¡¯s the one who took your father.¡± Ethan walked toward Olivia and whispered in her car, ¡°You were willing to go with him because he took your father, right?¡± Olivia was impressed that Ethan could guess what happened without her saying anything. ¡°Yes. He took my father away from here. I almost left with him too. He might be bad, but he never tried to hurt me. He just wanted to take me away from this ce of suffering.¡± Smiling coldly, Ethan said, ¡°Did he want to bring you away from suffering, or did he want to keep you for himself? Liv, don¡¯t be too naive. Come with me. I¡¯ll show you what Toxic Hive really is.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to do that, but she couldn¡¯t convince Ethan otherwise. He dragged her to his study and showed her a number of ssified documents. ¡°Here¡¯s some information about Toxic Hive. Take a look.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression became horrified as she read the documents. This information would usually be entirely out of her reach as a regr person. ¡°Did they really do all these things?¡± she asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes.¡± Those were all cases that had appeared in the news all over the world. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. A few years back, a gue transmitted by rats broke out in Xndia. Up to a thousand people were killed. There was also the ¡°Golden Gate Riot¡± that shocked the world. Tens of thousands died in the most prosperous casino in the world. ording to rumors, someone was infected with rabies and started to bite everyone around. It caused rabies to spread in the casino like wildfire. People were biting each other, and they ended up dying. That ce used to be the best casino in the world, but it had been deserted since the incident. Thousands of important people from all over the world died in the incident. No one was able to provide an urate statement of what happened. Those who survived the incident were scarred for life. Olivia¡¯s hands were shaking as she read to the end. ¡°Why would they do something like that?¡± Chapter 359 Chapter 359 ¡°It¡¯s simple. They want to test out the drugs they made.¡± Ethan felt a little cranky and subconsciously reached for his cigarettes. Upon realizing that Olivia was still here, he stopped going for his cigarettes. He rubbed his nose awkwardly as he continued, ¡°Some research is forbidden in every country, even for the World Health Organization. These research and experiments are usually inhumane and rejected by society. ¡°But these things brought some of the most extreme researchers together. Toxic Hive is a paradise for them. They can do their research however they want and don¡¯t have to think about their impact on others. Their only goals in life are toplete the research that they want to do.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°So they won¡¯t care even if their research harms society?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If there isn¡¯t anyone to test out the drugs they made, they¡¯ll release them into crowds of people and let those people be the test subjects for their drugs. They¡¯ll observe from afar and record the data to improve their creation. ¡°People are nothing butb rats and statistics to them.¡± Pursing his lips, Ethan continued, ¡°I won¡¯t deny that they¡¯ve created a lot of medicine and contributed to society. But most of the time, they¡¯re lunatics who would do anything to aplish their goals without regard for human life.¡± The more Olivia read about Toxic Hive, the more fearful she felt. She finally understood how Colin could find a group of hardened mercenaries without much effort. ¡°Liv, he doesn¡¯t really care about your father. He¡¯s probably just using your father to control you. After our encounter with Toxic Hive, they probably went into hiding at another base. They probably won¡¯t come out and cause trouble for now. Colin might not show himself easily either. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Ethan ced his hands on her shoulders, saying patiently, ¡°I¡¯m the only one you can trust. I¡¯m the only person that treats you well without any ulterior motives. Tell me where your father is. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Olivia was spiraling. A lot of things were going through her mind. She didn¡¯t understand how things had be soplicated. A decent young man turned out to be a cruel demon. As for the man looking at her with deep affection, she knew he had his own schemes too, Who should she trust? Who could she trust? Ethan noticed her gaze, but he didn¡¯t try to force an answer out of her. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to tell me. I just want to remind you that Colin isn¡¯t the good person you thought he was. You only saw the good side of him and missed his evil side. In a sense, everyone in Toxic Hive is insane. They¡¯re very extreme. ¡°Liv, he tried to use softer methods on youst time, but they failed. He might use more forceful approaches to bend you to his will.¡± Olivia agreed with Ethan that everyone in Toxic Hive was insane. Colin and Leia were both lunatics. She shouldn¡¯t try to anger them. ¡°They should be turning things down a notch recently. But for the sake of your safety, you need my protection. I won¡¯t force you to do anything, but you have to promise to let me protect you, okay?¡± Ethan¡¯s attitude was veryx this time. He made severalpromises. Olivia thought about her current situation. She was at the point of no return and had no one to rely on. Back then, she had nothing to live for and could kill herself anytime. But she had a lot of things on her mind at the moment. She had a lot of things she wanted to do. Olivia slowly looked up to meet Ethan¡¯s gaze. His eyes were filled with her. It seemed like she had no other options but him. Sticking with him was the best chance she had. At least he wouldn¡¯t hurt her for the time being and had the means to bring Jeff back to her. ¡°Can I trust you this time, Ethan?¡± she asked softly. Ethan tried his best to hold back his excitement. Nodding, he said, ¡°Liv, I¡¯d give you my life if you asked for it.¡± Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Olivia decided to stay at Ethan¡¯s side for the time being. One of the reasons she did that was because he had the means to protect her. The other was that Leia hated her. If she left, Leia would stoping after her. She wanted to use Ethan to lure Leia out. She didn¡¯t tell Ethan that Colin was Leo yet. The current situation was still unclear. She had to keep an ace up her sleeve. She was sure that Jeff was safe in Colin¡¯s hands. She still needed him to operate on Jeff, so she didn¡¯t want to anger him. Olivia had slept through the day, so she didn¡¯t feel sleepy at night. She still couldn¡¯t get through to Colin¡¯s phone. Olivia pretended not to know his identity and sent him several messages. Other than him, Jack was also nowhere to be found. She went to get some water at 2:30 am. She saw that the lights were still on in Ethan¡¯s study. It seemed that he wasn¡¯t sleeping either. In the past, she would prepare somete-night snacks for him so that he wouldn¡¯t have to work on an empty stomach. But now, she just drank her water and returned to her room. She treated him like a stranger. The following day, Olivia went to the hospital early in the morning while escorted by bodyguards. Olivia promised Chloe that she would visit her frequently. Other than seeing Chloe, Olivia also had her reasons for going to the hospital. Chris looked like he hadn¡¯t gotten much rest. The fatigue was apparent on his face. She greeted him softly, ¡°Hi, Mr. Carlton.¡± Chris came back to his senses and looked at her. He tried to perk himself up. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re here, Olivia. Come talk with Chloe for a bit. That¡¯ll improve her mood.¡± ¡°Sure, Mr. Carlton. By the way, how¡¯s the investigation into the postnatal care center going?¡± Sighing, Chris said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s not going too well. The care center no longer exists.¡± ¡°It no longer exists? Even if the owner of the business closed it down, there should be records, right?¡± Chris shook his head, saying, ¡°It¡¯s moreplicated than that. The technology 20 years ago was less advanced. Even the medical records were handwritten. There are no digital copies. ¡°There was a fire at the care center the same year you were born. All the records were destroyed. Three caregivers and five babies died in the fire. ¡°The business owner was faced with vast sums ofpensation and massive public outcry. He was under tremendous pressure and died a few yearster.¡± Olivia frowned, saying, ¡°That¡¯s too much of a coincidence. I think it¡¯s not by chance but intentional.¡± ¡°Even if we know it¡¯s someone¡¯s doing, it¡¯ll be hard to investigate. The people connected to the incident are either dead or have moved away. The only leads were destroyed in the fire.¡± Chris¡¯ eyes were lifeless. If he couldn¡¯t get any leads, Chloe¡¯s life would be at stake. If things continued this way, Chloe was as good as dead. Olivia¡¯s origins would remain shrouded in mystery. If the incident was intentional, it was possible that Olivia¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t even in the care center. Olivia could have been brought over to the center from somewhere else. Olivia couldn¡¯t figure out why someone would do this. Did the person hate her, the Fordhams, or the Parkers? The more she thought about it, the more confused she was. She wondered where her biological parents were and if the truth was also kept from them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liv. Even if we can¡¯t find Ms. Parker¡¯s daughter, we might still find someone with compatible bone marrow.¡± ¡®Donating bone marrow isn¡¯t like donating blood but more like donating an organ. In this day and age, how many people would be willing to do that for a stranger?¡± There was only exhaustion on Chris¡¯ face. Looking at him, Olivia was reminded of Jeff. he patted him on the shoulder andforted him, saying, ¡°You have to take care of yourself, Mr. Carlton. If you copse, Ms. Parker will lose her reason to hold on.¡¯ hris sighed as he looked at Olivia, who was so empathetic. He then thought about Marina. He ¡®as speechless and choked as he held Olivia¡¯s hand. If only you were my daughter.¡± he door was kicked open before Olivia could say anything. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Marina was the one who kicked the door open. She approached Olivia with an angry expression. Raising her hand, she was about to p Olivia. ¡°You bitch, why are you always lurking around?¡± Chris grabbed Marina¡¯s hand. He was utterly disappointed in Marina. He didn¡¯t mind if she wasn¡¯t brilliant, and he didn¡¯t need her to be obedient either. But she shouldn¡¯t be rotten. Chloe was on the verge of death before her, and she wasn¡¯t nervous in the slightest. She even attacked Chloe. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Now, here she was, trying to p Olivia for no good reason. Chris didn¡¯t understand how his daughter had be so hateful. ¡°Stop this nonsense at once, Marina. Didn¡¯t I tell you not toe here anymore?¡± Chris¡¯ words stirred Marina¡¯s anger even more. ¡°Last time, it was that old bitch. This time, it¡¯s the young bitch. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m your daughter, not her.¡± Chris struck Marina with a resounding p. She didn¡¯t expect to be pped. She didn¡¯t even do anything but talk. ¡°All these years, Chloe set her daughter aside and cared for you every day. I don¡¯t need you to be grateful, but at least don¡¯t bite the hand that fed you. Look at you now, spewing such vulgarities. Why have you be so vile?¡± ¡°I¡¯m vile? What about Olivia? She¡¯s trying to sabotage my marriage. Isn¡¯t she worse? She¡¯s just like her mother. They¡¯re both whores that want to steal other people¡¯s husbands.¡± Her words upset Chris further. He started to clutch his rapidly heaving chest. Olivia noticed that something was wrong. She didn¡¯t argue with Marina but went to help Chris. ¡°Calm down, Mr. Carlton. You should sit down and catch your breath.¡± Olivia¡¯s actions triggered Marina, who angrily grabbed her arm and said, ¡°Let go! You stole my husband, and now you¡¯re trying to steal my father. Why are you so shameless? Why can¡¯t you leave us alone?¡± Olivia stopped Chris from trying to get back up and stood between him and Marina. She hadn¡¯t spoken a word to Marina since she appeared. She looked at Marina with an icy expression. ¡°Marina Carlton, anyone with a brain can tell you who the real third wheel is. I don¡¯t want to argue with you on this. Take a good look at your father. Look at how frail he is now.¡± Olivia pointed at Chris and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Mr. Carlton well back then. But I remember himing back to Aldenvine in high spirits. But look at him now. He¡¯s been working day and night to try and save his wife. ¡°Not only are you not trying to help, but you¡¯re also actively causing trouble for him.¡± Marina didn¡¯t try to understand what Olivia was trying to tell her. She ignored the graying hair on Chris¡¯ head, crossed her arms, and said viciously, ¡°He had iting. It¡¯s his fault for not loving my mom. ¡°She¡¯s dead now, so all of you should just die too. Chris Carlton, I¡¯ll make you regret these two ps.¡± Marina red at them, put down the fruit basket she held, and ran off without looking back. For some reason, Olivia felt uneasy as she watched Marina leave. Chris rubbed his temple and said with a bitter smile, ¡°Sorry you had to see that. She¡¯s been spoiled since she was young.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to talk about Marina. They were sworn enemies, after all. ¡°Mr. Carlton, you don¡¯t look so good. You should get a medical examination. You mustn¡¯t copse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I ¡­¡±¡® Chris fell over before he could finish his sentence. Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Marina was devastated. She had been thinking about her actions the past few days and realized she had crossed the line. She almost killed Chloe. She specifically went to get a fruit basket to apologize to Chloe. But she didn¡¯t expect to hear what Chris said the moment she arrived. She didn¡¯t get to apologize and had yet another argument with Chris. Marina felt aggrieved as tears fell onto the back of her hand. Ethan was no longer patient with her like he used to be. Ethan¡¯s tolerance for her due to Kurt¡¯s sacrifice was running out. He couldn¡¯t even stand the sight of her anymore. He promised to marry her, but he dyed getting their marriage registered time and again. Marina knew that some things could never return to how they were. Ethan would never love her again. Even her father had stopped trusting her like he used to. All she saw in his eyes¡¯ was disappointment. She used to get everything she wanted. She couldn¡¯t understand why things turned out like this. Marina had no choice but to go home and cry to Otto. ¡°Grandpa, Dad pped me for that bitch, Olivia, again. He even said he wanted her to be his daughter instead.¡± Otto mmed the table angrily, saying, ¡°How foolish of him. He got yed like a fiddle by that mother and daughter. And he¡¯s even hitting his own daughter for them? Ridiculous!¡± Marina felt even more upset. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not just Dad. Even Ethan doesn¡¯t want to see me anymore. It¡¯s all Olivia¡¯s fault. You have to help me. As long as she¡¯s around, Ethan will never pay any attention to me.¡± Otto patted Marina¡¯s head while looking at her lovingly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetie. You still have me. He frowned at the mention of Olivia. ¡°That bitch is so lucky. She survived again.¡± The kidnappingst time caused quite a stir. Everyone thought Olivia was doomed, but she managed to survive against all odds. Marina wept profusely and said, ¡°Grandpa, please help me. If this continues, even my dad will be stolen away from me. ¡°Sweetie, my hands are tied here.¡± Otto knew that if he plotted against Olivia and Ethan found out, he¡¯d lose this grandson-in-w that he approved of. He didn¡¯t want to give up on Ethan because of a woman. ¡°Then what should we do, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have my own ns. Just remember to not do anything to Olivia.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Otto then asked, ¡°Did you tell your father about the bone marrowpatibility?¡± Marina shook her head and said, ¡°Of course not. I hate that woman with every fiber of my being. I wish she¡¯d die sooner.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything else. Just keep this a secret and she¡¯ll be dead soon.¡± Marina looked at Otto in surprise. ¡°Grandpa, Dad loves her so much. Aren¡¯t you worried that he might find out?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°If neither of us tells him, he¡¯ll never find out.¡± Marina noticed the glint of bloodlust in Otto¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t understand why he hated Chloe so much. Otto seemed to know what Marina was thinking. He said icily, ¡°She married into the family but didn¡¯t even bear a child for us. Even so, your father dotes on her so much. It¡¯s like he wants our bloodline to end with him.¡± Marina was displeased with what Otto said. She responded, ¡°Grandpa, you still have me. And I found an outstanding grandson-inw for you. Feel free to rely on him.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re a good kid, but Ethan is too domineering. It¡¯d be fine if he was loyal to you only. But he still cares for that ex-wife of his. Aren¡¯t you afraid of ending up with nothing if I hand everything to him?¡± Sighing, Otto said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this for a long time. It took great effort for us to get to where we are now. I can only hand everything over to a Carlton, so that barren woman has to go.¡± Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Otto¡¯s words shook Marina. He patted her shoulder and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid. I have killed plenty of people on the battlefield. I wouldn¡¯t be resorting to such methods if your father had listened to me and had a baby. He¡¯s too crazy about her.¡± ¡°So her leukemia didn¡¯t develop by chance?¡± Marina looked at Otto in shock. The bloodlust in Otto¡¯s eyes remained strong. He said with a cold smile, ¡°That¡¯s right. I had wanted your father to marry a woman that¡¯s a match for our family after your mother passed away. But he married Chloe instead. She could no longer bear a child after her miscarriage. ¡°I asked your father to find another healthy woman and have a baby, but he refused. That¡¯s why I had to do this.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Marina¡¯s fingers held onto the chair¡¯s armrests tightly. She was the one who caused Chloe¡¯s miscarriage. She had hated Chloe ever since she was a child. She felt like Chloe stole Chris¡¯ love from her mother. Marina thought if Chloe gave birth to a baby, even her father would be taken from her. Marina had felt happy that Chloe could no longer bear a child when she found out. She didn¡¯t expect her actions to cause Otto to harbor murderous intentions toward Chloe. Otto noticed that Marina was silent. He softened his attitude and said, ¡°Marina, you must be vicious to hold on to your status. Don¡¯t me me for being ruthless. Everything I do is for you and our family.¡± ¡°I know that, Grandpa.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I need you to be on my side. Don¡¯t tell your father about the bone marrow. Don¡¯t worry. First, we¡¯ll take care of Chloe. Then, we¡¯ll handle Olivia. As long as you don¡¯t reveal your bone marrow compatibility, she won¡¯t have long to live.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Good girl. Now, I have an important guest to meet.¡± ¡°Guest? Who is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you next time. For now, you¡¯re excused.¡± Marina was puzzled. All of Otto¡¯s friends were overseas. He seldom contacted anyone in the country. How could he have a guest? Marina pretended to leave but snuck back and hid behind a tree. She thought she would be happy to know that Chloe would die soon. But after learning the truth, she realized she couldn¡¯t feel joy at all. It was a fact that she hated Chloe. But when she thought about how she was the one who caused Chloe¡¯s infertility, which in turn caused Otto¡¯s murderous intent, she felt troubled. Otto was born in the warring era. In those times, men went to the battlefield and killed their enemies to protect the country¡¯s peace. Soldiers from that era forged the path for the country¡¯s prosperity. Meanwhile, most regr people these days couldn¡¯t even ughter chickens, much less murder someone. Otto had always been Marina¡¯s hero. But a heroic man with many achievements was plotting against a defenseless woman. Marina didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. The butler¡¯s voice came from the yard. ¡°Madam, wait here for a moment.¡¯ Marina collected her thoughts and looked at the person. The guest was a woman wearing a ck cloak that covered her entire body. Even her face was covered by a mask with a picture of a totem. Her attire didn¡¯t look like that of a modern person. Instead, she was like the antagonist of a movie. She didn¡¯t have a single inch of skin exposed. The woman stood in the yard while the butler said, ¡°Please take off your cloak, Madam.¡± Laughing softly, the madam reached her hand out. Judging from the skin on her hands, she should be in her 20s or 30s at most. Her nails were long and painted bright red. Her pale skin and blood-red nails made Marina think of a viinous antagonist. The woman took off her cloak to reveal a form-fitting dress. Her figure was so good that even Marina was envious. Was Otto so sexually active? Did he get a woman at his age? The door opened with a creak. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Otto came out to the yard. Marina held her breath behind the tree and used the leaves to hide herself. The woman before Otto was alluring, but she exuded an air of authority and danger. She was like a flower that bloomed in the tropical forests, pretty but poisonous. People wouldn¡¯t dare to approach her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Mr. Carlton Senior.¡± The woman¡¯s voice didn¡¯t sound natural. It was like she had deliberately changed her voice. Otto was a little wary of her. Even though she was wearing a form-fitting dress that couldn¡¯t hide weapons, he still didn¡¯t dare to get close to her. ¡°You¡¯ve created too much trouble for me this time!¡± Otto mmed his cane on the ground with a stern expression. ¡°It¡¯s our fault this time. One of my subordinates identally leaked our location. So I¡¯m very grateful that you covered for us. That¡¯s why I came personally to deliver the drugs to you.¡± Otto¡¯s expression lightened up at the mention of the drugs. She opened her palm, and Otto eagerly grabbed the bottle of pills from her hand. Marina had never seen Otto so anxious and overjoyed. Otto frowned after he counted the pills. ¡°Where are there only 30 pills?¡± ¡°The evacuation was too sudden. We weren¡¯t able to take many of the drugs with us. If you want to me someone, me Ethan. He¡¯s the one that messed things up.¡± Marina¡¯s eyes widened when she heard Ethan¡¯s name. She didn¡¯t understand what Ethan had to do with anything. ¡°Don¡¯t even try to nder him. I know what you¡¯re trying to do. The best I can do for you is cover up your tracks.¡± Putting away the pills, Otto said, ¡°If you evermit heinous acts in my country, I¡¯ll be the first to attack your base.¡± The womanughed and said, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of heat outside, so keep yourselves hidden. Don¡¯t make things difficult for me. I can¡¯t save you every time.¡± Waving his hands, he said, ¡°You may leave. Bring me my pills as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Otto walked off with the pills in his hand. Marina caught a glimpse of Otto¡¯s face. She saw the unbridled joy on his face, like a child with his favorite toy. What were those pills? Why could they make him so happy? Marina entered through the door after the woman left. She saw Otto lying on the couch with an cerie smile on his face. Even his eyes were glimmering. He no longer had his usual vigor. Instead, he looked like he had been possessed. ¡°Grandpa, what pills are you taking?¡± Otto instantly turned to look at Marina. His expression turned vicious as he said, ¡°Who told you toe in? Get out!¡± Otto had doted on Marina since she was young. He had never spoken to her like that. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Otto regained his senses when he saw that Marina was close to tears. He gestured for her to ¡°Come here, Marina.¡± His scary expression was still lingering in Marina¡¯s mind. She slowly walked toward him. ¡°What happened to you just now, Grandpa?¡± Otto smiled and asked, ¡°Did I scare you? I was just ying with you. Why haven¡¯t you gone home yet?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grandpa, I saw everything. Who is that woman? What are those pills that she gave you? I saw that yourplexion was strange just now. ¡°There isn¡¯t even abel on the bottle. Were you scammed? There are a lot of scammers tricking the elderly into buying health products these days.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m some sort of country bumpkin? That woman is a friend of mine. She does medical research for a living. These pills aren¡¯tbeled because they aren¡¯t on the market yet.¡± Marina frowned and said, ¡°They must be problematic if they aren¡¯t on the market yet. Aren¡¯t you afraid that the pills might be bad for you?¡± ¡°Silly child, that woman is one of the best in the industry. My leg acted up a few years back. She¡¯s the one that healed it.¡± Marina remembered that Otto was once wheelchair-bound. He was now able to walk with a cane. He was also more energetic than before. ¡°So, the pills are good for you?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? Look at how lively I am now. Do I look like I¡¯ve been poisoned?¡± ¡°I must¡¯ve been overthinking it. I just thought she was suspicious because of how she dressed and the way she brought up Ethan.¡± Otto patted Marina¡¯s head. ¡°There are no absolute evils in the world. Her medicine saves lives, so she¡¯s a good person to me. But some of her organization¡¯s research infringed upon some people¡¯s interest and wasn¡¯t being tolerated. So, I helped her a little.¡± Marina felt like something was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. ¡°Okay, Grandpa. I just want you to be well.¡± ¡°Alright, sweetie. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this. I made a deal with her.¡± Marina nodded and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Otto talked with her for a little while before she left. Marina exited the house but didn¡¯t see the driver anywhere. She was about to call the driver when a car parked at the side of the road honked at her. She raised her head and saw a ck modified off-road vehicle. The car¡¯s window rolled down to reveal a mask. The woman was propping her face up with her hand. She said with a drawl, ¡°Can we talk, Ms. Carlton?¡± Even though Otto sang her praises, Marina picked up on the cautious look Otto had for her in the beginning. It was apparent that the woman was waiting for Marina, who spent quite some time in the house. It would mean that the woman had realized she was hiding behind the tree that time. She was an exceptionally vignt person. Marina was on guard against her. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m busy.¡± Her intuition told her that the woman was trouble and that she shouldn¡¯t approach her lightly. Chuckling, the woman asked, ¡°Why? Are you afraid of me?¡± Marina bit her lip and said, ¡°We don¡¯t even know each other. There¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡± As Marina was about to dial her driver¡¯s number, the woman slowly took off her mask and asked, ¡°How about now? Do you know me now?¡± Marina dropped her phone the moment she saw the woman¡¯s face. Her eyes were filled with disbelief as she muttered, ¡°This ¡­ can¡¯t be. How could it be you ¡­¡± Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Olivia immediately sent Chris to the emergency room. ¡°How is he, doctor?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It looks like he just fainted from exhaustion. I¡¯ll be able to confirm that after some check- ups.¡± Olivia was relieved, but she stayed by Chris¡¯ side and poured him a ss of warm water after he woke up. ¡°Mr. Carlton, didn¡¯t I tell you that your body is in bad shape and that you need to rest?¡± Shaking his head, Chris said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve always been healthy.¡± ¡°No matter how healthy you are, your body won¡¯t be able to take constant all-nighters. If you keep this up, you might be gone before Ms. Parker. I¡¯ll call Marina over to take care of you.¡± Chris grabbed her hand and stopped her. He said with a conflicted expression, ¡°Don¡¯t call her, please. I¡¯d die faster if she was here. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to bring it up, but Chloe had given her all the love she could ever need all these years. It was because her mother died early, and Chloe was separated from you. ¡°Marina became spoiled because Chloe doted on her too much. I had tried to intervene before, but Chloe would always defend her. And Marina¡¯s be like this because of our failed parenting.¡± Olivia was the victim of Marina¡¯s antics, yet she was the one who had tofort Chris. ¡°Mr. Carlton, don¡¯t be too sad. Things will get better.¡± ¡°Thanks, Olivia.¡± Chris¡¯ eyes were full of love as he looked at Olivia. He began to wish that Olivia was his daughter instead. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust anyone else, I can stay here tonight to take care of Ms. Parker. Even though we aren¡¯t blood-rted, I¡¯ve called her my mom for so many years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just happy that you can forgive her and take care of her. She¡¯ll be happy to know this.¡± ¡°Mr. Carlton, rest well tonight. I¡¯ll handle things for now.¡± Olivia began to help take care of both Chris and Chloe. She didn¡¯t expect to find herself taking care of them when Chris basically captured her and brought her back here. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because Chris reminded her of Jeff or because Chris could help her uncover the truth of her origin. The incident happened so many years ago, and there were no leads. Tracking Chloe¡¯s daughter down would take more than a couple of days. Olivia was anxious, but Chris was even more so. He couldn¡¯t wait to find where Chloe¡¯s daughter was. Olivia wanted to send Ethan a message telling him that she wasn¡¯t going back after she had calmed Chris down. It was then she realized that she had blocked Ethan¡¯s number a long time ago. She unblocked his number and gave him a brief description of the situation through text. Ethan replied instantly. Olivia looked at his reply with a bitter smile. Their past chat logs were still there. She scrolled up and looked at them. Most of them were her messages to him. Ethan would barely reply once in every ten messages. She looked at her messages that were begging for him toe home. It had only been six months since. But Olivia felt like it had been ages. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She put away her phone and returned to Chloe¡¯s ward. It was unclear what Chloe was thinking about, but she was wiping her tears. When she saw Olivia entering the ward, she hastily wiped away her tears and smiled at her. ¡°What are you doing back here, Liv?¡± ¡°Mr. Carlton isn¡¯t looking too good because he¡¯s been staying up every night. I¡¯ll be taking over for him to take care of you tonight.¡± Chloe quickly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You should go home and rest. I have caregivers taking care of me. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Mr. Carlton is worried about you. He¡¯s been with you every night you¡¯re here. I have to say, he¡¯s really good to you.¡± Uneasiness shed across Chloe¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia.¡± ¡°I had med you before. I even hated you. Our rtionship was over the moment you chose Marina over me. ¡°But I was able to forgive you after seeing you like this. I don¡¯t have the right to me Since we can¡¯t be mother and daughter, you can just treat me like a junior.¡± you. Chloe started to sob again. She was regretting everything she had done to Olivia. She said emotionally, ¡°I wonder who your biological mother is. She¡¯s a lucky woman to have a great daughter like you.¡± Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Olivia stayed by Chloe¡¯s side at the hospital. They were in a private ward with one bed. It was gettingte. Chloe noticed that Olivia was nodding off, so she asked her to get on the bed. It was a bizarre feeling. Olivia had wanted to sleep in the same bed with her mother for so many years, but she never got the chance. She got what she wanted after they were revealed to be unrted. Chloe held Olivia¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t care who my biological daughter is. I still owe you a lot. I¡¯ve been thinking about the past a lot while I¡¯m bedridden here. ¡°I was horrible to you and Jeff. This illness must be karma. I¡¯m ready to die. I have no regrets in this life. Chris has shown me a lot of love.¡± The light from the corridor shone on Chloe¡¯s face. Olivia could see a happy smile on her face. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll treat you as my daughter even if you hate me and don¡¯t see me as your mother. I wasn¡¯t part of your life in the past. Even when you got divorced and were down in the dumps, I wasn¡¯t there for you. I owe you too much. ¡°I have some money saved up in a fund. I already went through the procedures of getting it out when your father¡¯s ident happened. I¡¯ve taken the money out and asked Chris to deposit it in a card.¡± Chloe took a card out from under her pillow and handed it to Olivia. ¡°This is the money I¡¯ve saved up for your wedding. It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s a token of my affection.¡± All the resentment Olivia harbored over the years vanished at that very moment. ¡°I have enough money. I¡¯m just happy that you thought of me.¡¯ ¡°Take the money. At least I¡¯ll feel better that way. Liv, can you do something for me?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± With pursed lips, Chloe said slowly, ¡°Can you call me ¡®Mom¡¯ one more time?¡± Olivia paused for a moment, but she still said, ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Good¡­ Good girl.¡± Chloe turned to the side and hugged Olivia, who felt a little uneasy and didn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you for so long. I love you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I ever wanted,¡± Olivia said as she hugged Chloe back. In Olivia¡¯s dream that night, she was no longer enveloped in darkness. She was back in the alley where the other kids had pushed her into as a kid. They told her that she was a motherless bastard. In the dream, she stood up with bruises all over and dered, ¡°I have a mother! She loves me a lot!¡± She held a smile on her face until the following day. The nurses couldn¡¯t bring themselves to disturb them. When Olivia woke up, she saw Chloe looking at her lovingly. Chloe brushed her fingers past Olivia¡¯s face and said, ¡°My daughter is so beautiful.¡± Olivia felt a little shy. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll definitely find your biological daughter.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you find her or not. You¡¯ll always be my daughter. I was stupid for neglecting you in the past. Now, I just want to make it up to you in the final days of my life.¡± Chloe kissed Olivia on the head and said, ¡°Liv, I hope you have a peaceful life.¡± Tears welled up in Olivia¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t tell Chloe that she didn¡¯t have long to live as well. Although she had lived longer than the doctor¡¯s estimate, her life would be at risk as long as the tumor was still in her body. And when it got worse, she would be gone. But she didn¡¯t want Chloe to worry, so she said, ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia got off the bed and helped Chloe to the bathroom to wash up. Comforting Chloe, she told her that things would improve. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Mom, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll buy it for you. I¡¯ll cook some chicken soup for you tonight. You¡¯ve never tasted my cooking before.¡± ¡°It must be so delicious,¡± Chloe said with a glow in her eyes. ¡°I want to eat matzo ball soup. I haven¡¯t had the chance to eat it for quite some time. I wonder if the shop¡¯s still there.¡± ¡°Of course, the shop is still there. It¡¯s been around for 20 years. Wait for me, Mom. I¡¯ll buy some for you.¡± Olivia said a few more words before leaving. An unexpected guest showed up right after Olivia was gone. The door opened. Chloe thought it would be Chris, but she saw Marina instead. Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Chloe was surprised to see Marina, but her surprise quickly turned into happiness. She had always felt an inexplicable feeling of closeness with her. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see you, Marina. Have a seat.¡± Marina thought Chloe would hate her after what she didst time. But she didn¡¯t see a speck of anger or me on Chloe¡¯s face. All she saw was joy. She put down the fruit basket in her hand and said, ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m here to see you. I didn¡¯t mean to do that last time. I was in a bad mood because I lost a game. That¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was never mad at you. But you shouldn¡¯t hold a grudge against your father. He only pped you because he lost control. I¡¯ve already given him a talking to.¡± Chloe could see the guilt in Marina¡¯s eyes. That was an emotion she had never seen in Marina before. Marina didn¡¯t speak. She only stared at Chloe¡¯s face, which had slimmed down a lot. Chloe was undoubtedly a beautiful woman. Marina could still remember the first time they met. Back then, Chloe was youthful and pretty. She waspletely differentpared to this frail woman on the bed. Even her head of glossy ck hair was graying. ¡°Do you not resent me for what I did?¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time Marina abused Chloe. She had thought that Chloe was just pretending to put up with her. But who could pretend for over ten years? Chloe shook her head and said, ¡°Why would I resent you? You¡¯re still just a kid.¡± Holding Marina¡¯s hand, Chloe said, ¡°Marina, I know you¡¯ve never liked me. I¡¯ve tried to change your attitude toward me all these years. But I¡¯ve failed, and now I don¡¯t have long to live. Can you do something for me?¡± Marina looked like she had a lot on her mind. She said in a listless voice, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I know your father will be sad when I¡¯m gone. You¡¯re his only daughter. You have to stay by his side andfort him. Don¡¯t make him angry anymore. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me, but I¡¯ve treated you like my birth daughter all these years. I had hoped to see you get married, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do that. I¡¯ve prepared presents for when you and Liv get married. I¡¯ve given Liv her share. ¡°This is for you and the kids. It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s a token of my affection.¡± Marina¡¯s expression grew more upset when she looked at the card on her palm. ¡°There¡¯s onest thing. Although I don¡¯t know too much about your grudge with Liv, I¡¯ve heard about it. Liv doesn¡¯t owe you anything. Things have already escted to this degree, so I won¡¯t say who¡¯s right or wrong. ¡°I just hope you can let go of the grudge and stop picking on her.¡± Chloe pleaded, ¡°I beg of you. Please drop this grudge against Liv, okay?¡± In the past, Marina would have retorted. But as she looked at Chloe, it reminded her of the time Chloe¡¯s clothes were stained with blood. Marina felt sad and couldn¡¯t control her emotions. She said stiffly, ¡°I got it. You won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Death awaits us all. The good thing is that you¡¯re all grown up now. I can go in peace ¡­¡± Chloe was still talking, but Marina began to feel more and more restless. Then, she abruptly ran out the door. Chloe sighed sheepishly. She thought Marina ran away because she was tired of her nagging. Marina ran out of the hospital at full speed. Her whole body was still trembling slightly after she stopped. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. When her phone rang, she picked it up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Did you pull it off?¡± Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Olivia was back on the street near the Fordham residence. The street had been around for a long time. Some of the shops on the street had be renowned brands. There were a lot of people there, and it was lively. She went to the matzo ball soup restaurant. Thest time she came here was before she got married. There weren¡¯t a lot of customers in the restaurant yet. The owner saw her and greeted her heartily, ¡°Ms. Fordham, I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time.¡± ¡°Yeah, and your business is booming as usual.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. Do you want the usual?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like two sets of the usual.¡± ¡°Alright, please wait for a moment.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia ced her order and went to the store next door to buy some pastries. Chloe hadn¡¯t eaten these in more than a decade. Olivia wondered if she missed having them. Olivia headed back to the matzo ball soup restaurant with several bags. In her haste, she identally ran into someone. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she apologized. Raising her head, she saw a handsome face. She eximed, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± The man looked at her, and surprise shed in his eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± It was the man that Olivia helped bring to the hospitalst time. She was in a rush to visit the cemetery at that time, so she left before he woke up. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Olivia asked. He still looked a little sickly and weak. His slender frame was dressed in an expensive suit. Even his illness couldn¡¯t conceal the air of elegance he had. The man didn¡¯t reply. Olivia saw that he was stunned, so she introduced herself, ¡°You fainted the other day. I was the one that brought you to the hospital.¡± The man came back to his senses and muttered, ¡°You look so much like her.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Thanks for bringing me to the hospital. Are you free? I want to take you out for lunch to thank you for saving my life.¡± Olivia waved her hand, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s just a small deed. I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll be leaving now. But I think you still look a little unwell. You should go get yourself checked.¡± Olivia was about to walk past the man and leave. Taking a step back, he said, ¡°It might be a small deed for you, but you saved my life. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re busy. I can wait until you¡¯re free. Here¡¯s my card. You can contact me if you need any help.¡± He wanted to get her contact information, but he didn¡¯t want her to think he was hitting on her. Olivia epted the card and said, ¡°Alright. Talk to you next time. See you.¡± She quickly left. The man watched as she left while he was lost in thought. She really looked like someone he knew. A cold breeze blew on him, and he began to cough while covering his mouth. His assistant, who had parked the car, came to help him walk and said, ¡°Mr. Avery, the wind is strong right now. Let¡¯s get in the car. ¡°Alright.¡± The man turned to look behind him onest time before leaving reluctantly. While waiting for the matzo ball soup, Olivia looked at the card she was given. It said on the card: ¡®CEO of As International, Avery Fordham.¡¯ Olivia had heard of As International before, even when she was a full-time housewife. It was one of the top ten internationalpanies. She didn¡¯t expect the man she saved on the street to be Avery Fordham. She had heard Ethan talking about Avery back in the day. But no matter how she looked at him, he looked fatigued and sickly. He even fainted in a foreign country alone. ¡°Ms. Fordham, here are your two orders of matzo ball soup.¡± The owner¡¯s voice pulled her back to reality. ¡°Yes. Thank you,¡± Olivia said as she collected her thoughts. She took the food and got in the car. After a short distance, Kelvin said with a frown, ¡°Mrs. Miller, we¡¯re being followed.¡± Olivia thought that Leia was trying to kill her in broad daylight. Then, she looked at the earview mirror and saw a Bentley Mulsanne. She didn¡¯t think it was an assassin. No one would ttempt to kill someone in a luxury vehicle like that. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid, Mrs. Miller. We¡¯re prepared for situations like this.¡± Kelvin connected his Bluetooth earpiece and called the other bodyguards. Someone is tailing us. Handle the situation, and don¡¯t let them escape. Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Kelvin sped up at the next turn. Several cars that were waiting joined the fray. Olivia looked behirfd and saw the Bentley Mulsanne being in the middle of four cars. It was forced to a stop after several minutes. Kelvin was hot-headed. After reassuring Olivia, he got out of the car. He wanted to see for himself who had the audacity to tail them. Although the Bentley Mulsanne was forced to a halt, its tinted windows prevented Kelvin from looking inside. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He knocked on the window cockily and said, ¡°Will you roll down the window yourself or do I need to smash it?¡± More than a dozen bodyguards surrounded the car. Thismotion caused some passersby to look over. They wondered if a fight was about to happen. The window slowly rolled down. The first thing that came into view was the hand on the man¡¯s knee. There was a sapphire ring on the man¡¯s finger. Even the green suit he wore looked impable. The man¡¯s face was slowly revealed until his eyes met Kelvin¡¯s. Kelvin was a little impulsive, but he was still able to tell who the man in the car was. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Mr. Avery.¡± Kelvin had been to several international finance conferences and had seen Avery a few times before. He exuded an air of unparalleled nobility just by sitting there. ¡°What business do you have with me?¡± Avery said while looking at Kelvin coldly. A chill went down Kelvin¡¯s spine. He didn¡¯t expect to see such an important man. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Avery. This is a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± Avery smiled coldly. It was apparent that he didn¡¯t believe Kelvin. Kelvin didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for Ethan and wanted to exin himself. Suddenly, Olivia said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a misunderstanding, Mr. Avery.¡± Avery¡¯s cold expression faded instantly. He even got out of his car. Olivia exined to him, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been peaceful around metely. My family is worried about me, so we thought that I was being targeted by criminals. I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Avery.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the case. It¡¯s my fault. I was so focused on trying to repay you and ended up causing trouble.¡± Kelvin felt uneasy when he saw how quickly Avery¡¯s attitude changed. Avery was famous for being a wealthy bachelor. He hoped that Avery hadn¡¯t set his sights on Olivia. That would be terrible news for Ethan. He was already divorced from Olivia. It wouldn¡¯t matter if Avery was just another regr man, but he wasn¡¯t. Kelvin intentionally looked at Olivia, asking, ¡°Mrs. Miller, do you know each other?¡± Olivia knew what Kelvin was trying to do. ¡°We¡¯ve met twice.¡± ¡°Thisdy saved my life. She was in a rush just now, and I forgot to ask her name. I saw her getting in the car, and I followed after her. I¡¯m sorry for causing you trouble.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite, Mr. Avery. It¡¯s nothing. I have the samest name as you. I¡¯m also a Fordham.¡± Avery¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What a happy coincidence. Do you have¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Olivia¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Chris. She wondered if he had found out about her origin. Olivia quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to go.¡± Olivia got in the car and left in a hurry while Avery stood where he was. ¡°Mr. Avery, aren¡¯t you here to look for Ms. Quinn? Why are you interested in this stranger?¡± Avery said calmly, ¡°She looks like someone I know. Go look into her. Find out who she is.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Avery. Considering your health, you should return to the hotel and rest. We¡¯ll inform you as soon as we have any updates on Ms. Quinn¡¯s situation.¡± Chapter 370 ? Olivia returned to the hospital in a hurry. Chloe had been taken away for emergency treatment. Chris stood listlessly in front of the operating room''s door.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Olivia was still holding the various bags of food. She asked, "What''s going on, Mr. Carlton? She looked fine when I left. She even told me she wanted to eat matzo ball soup. Why is she in there?" Chris looked at the bags Olivia was carrying and choked. "She... She suddenly started to bleed a lot." Olivia quickly put everything down and held his hand. Chris'' hands were rough. Calluses covered his palms and knuckles. A brave man like him was shivering in fright. Oliviaforted him, saying, "Mom will be fine, Mr. Carlton. You need to pull yourself together." Fear shed in Chris'' eyes. He shook his head frantically. "It''s different this time. You didn''t see how much blood was flowing. It''s very likely that she might not survive this." Olivia furrowed her brows. She was a medical student. She knew something was fishy. "Did anyone visit mom after I left? It''s weird because she wasn''t terminal when the leukemia was diagnosed. She has been hospitalized since then. Although her condition would worsen over time, it wouldn''t suddenly worsen to such a degree without reason." "What do you mean, Olivia?" Olivia saw that Chris had calmed down, so she started to analyze the possibilities. "Mr. Carlton, my dad was hospitalized six months ago. His health was getting better. All aspects of his condition had stabilized. "In the time it took the caregiver to buy him breakfast, he was rushed to the emergency room. His life was saved, but he becameatose." Olivia paused for a while, then continued, "Initially, I thought it was just his condition bing worse. But then, many things happened, and I realized that someone plotted everything from his traffic ident to his current state. The same goes for my kidnapping. || "So you think whatever is happening to Chloe is caused by someone?" "It''s a possibility." Chris'' face fell. "I''ll have someone look into it now.'' As soon as he said that, Marina ran over in a hurry. She said anxiously, "Dad, what''s happening to Ms. Parker?" Chris'' anger red up at the sight of Marina. "What are you doing here?" "Dad, I came to apologize to Ms. Parker. It was my faultst time. I didn''t expect her to suddenly bleed so profusely. I was scared and called the doctor." Chris grabbed her by the cor, saying, "So it''s you? You did this to her?" "Are you out of your mind, Dad? How could it possibly be my fault that she has leukemia?" Licking her lips, Marina exined, "I know I was wrong. I was acting like a spoiled brat. I lost a game, so I was in a bad mood and didn''t pour her the water she wanted. "I also said some harsh things. I know I was at fault, so I came here to apologize to her." Chris let go of Marina''s cor. He knew his daughter was spoiled, but he didn''t believe she would have murderous intent because she was raised in a protected environment. "Did anyone else go into your mother''s ward other than you?" "I don''t know about that. I only spoke to her for a little while. Then, she handed me a card and told me that it was for my wedding. "After I left, I thought that she looked very frail, so I came back to stay with her for a bit longer. But then she started to bleed." Chris stared at Marina''s innocent face and asked harshly, "Where did you go after her condition worsened?" Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Marina responded, ¡°I called for the doctor and nurses as soon as possible. I went to the toilet. because I had an upset stomach. I came here as soon as I was out of the toilet. How is she doing? Chris looked at her for a while and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not looking good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. Ms. Parker will surely get better. I¡¯ve been reflecting on my actions these two days. I used to hate her because I thought she was only pretending to like me. But I¡¯ve realized that she really loves me. ¡°I feel guilty for treating her so badly. I¡¯ll never make her angry again when she recovers.¡± Chris hugged her after she said that. ¡°Your mother will be fine. We¡¯ll get through this as a family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Olivia felt mixed emotions as she looked at them. Marina had abused her a lot, after all. There was still a blood feud between them. Olivia really couldn¡¯t bear seeing Marina in such a loving situation. She looked away but noticed that Marina¡¯s hands were clutching the hem of her clothes tightly. Any normal person would hug their father back in a situation like this. But Olivia could seeplicated emotions on Marina¡¯s face. It looked like she was nervous, guilty, and afraid. After a while, Chloe was pushed out of the emergency room. But this time, she remained unconscious. Chris approached the doctor in a hurry and asked, ¡°How¡¯s my wife doing, doctor?¡± The doctor removed his face mask, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not looking good. Her life is not in danger, but she has gone into aa. We¡¯ll send her to the ICU for examination. ¡°There¡¯s only onest option left for Mrs. Carlton. That¡¯s to do the bone marrow transnt as soon as possible, or else ¡­¡± The doctor looked at Chris and gave him the final deadline. ¡°She might notst until the end of the month.¡± Chris took two steps back like he had been dealt a massive blow. ¡°How ¡­ How could this be?¡± ¡°Mrs. Carlton¡¯s condition suddenly worsened twice. These incidents have greatly shortened her life. Mr. Carlton, if apatible bone marrow still can¡¯t be found, you¡¯ll have to be ready for the worst.¡± Chris was dumbfounded. For once, Marina was staying at his side. Olivia felt like she didn¡¯t belong there, so she left quietly, She found Kelvin and told him, ¡°Go check if anyone other than Marina entered my mom¡¯s ward.¡± ¡°Okay, Mrs. Miller. Why don¡¯t I send you home first? You¡¯ve been helping out all night.¡± Olivia knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to see Chloe in the ICU, so she went home. If the mastermind orchestrated this incident, there would be some contradictions to Olivia¡¯s predictions. If Leia¡¯s target was her, why would she hurt Chloe? The mystery that she thought she was close to solving became shrouded in mist again. Olivia sighed deeply and thought about Chloe, who was on the verge of death. She started to feel sad. Olivia opened the door and noticed that Ethan was actually home. He was wearing an apron and holding a spat. Looking at her, he said, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Ethan noticed that Olivia was not in a good mood. He turned off the stove and approached her. Hugging her, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it. Don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯ve cooked some chicken soup just for you.¡± His embrace was familiar to her. But there was the smell of oil and smoke on his body. It made Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. him feel more human. Olivia didn¡¯t know if she was too tired or Ethan¡¯s embrace was too warm. But she didn¡¯t move away and allowed him to keep hugging her. ¡°I bought my mom¡¯s favorite matzo ball soup for her, but she won¡¯t get the chance to eat it anymore.¡± Patting her head, Ethan said gently, ¡°The gesture alone would make her very happy.¡± ¡°I suspect that her worsening condition isn¡¯t a coincidence. Someone must have caused it.¡± Olivia broke free from his embrace and looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s very likely that Marina is the one who did it.¡± Not many people could get into Chloe¡¯s ward. Also, she had been away for so many years and had no friends in the city. As soon as Marina came to visit, something happened to Chloe. Also, Marina was acting very suspiciously at the hospital. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t overthink it. I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Ethan said as his expression remained the same. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Ethan didn¡¯t speak, but his expression said it all. He didn¡¯t want to discuss this subject with Olivia. ¡°Liv, I have my considerations.¡± There were things that Ethan couldn¡¯t tell Olivia. Smiling coldly, Olivia said, ¡°She indirectly killed our baby, pushed me into depression for two years, and now she¡¯s trying to kill my mother. I¡¯m really curious as to why you¡¯re so lenient with her.¡± If he truly loved Marina, why would he go to such lengths to win her favor? Ethan would never have stooped to doing such things. Olivia was confused. ¡± ¡°Some things are not the way you think they are. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the time is right. It was always about timing with Ethan. Olivia didn¡¯t know when the time would be right. She only knew that the conflicts she had been forced into had caused her family to be ruined. ¡°Rest here for a while. I¡¯ll get you some soup.¡± Ethan hurried to the kitchen. He was intent on avoiding that subject. He opened the pot, and the fragrant smell of the soup wafted in the kitchen. He stirred the soup gently with a woodendle. Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated, and he picked it up. It was a call from Brent. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve looked into it. Mrs. Miller did save Avery Fordham before. But all she did was bring him to the emergency room. She left after paying the bill. There was no other interaction between them.¡± A stormy expression appeared on Ethan¡¯s face. He asked in an irritated tone, ¡°What about Avery¡¯s side of things?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure right now, but it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s here on business. This might be a personal trip. I was also able to get my hands on his medical report.¡± ¡°What illness does he have?¡± Brent said slowly, ¡°Kidney failure.¡± ¡°Understood. Get someone to keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Ethan suddenly lowered his voice and nced at the door. He saw that Olivia was heading upstairs and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation on Toxic Hive going?¡± ¡°There haven¡¯t been any developments yet. It seems like someone is protecting them. I haven¡¯t been able to find anything.¡± ¡°Keep the investigation going.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ethan hung up, thinking about the woman he grabbed that night. He was almost entirely sure that she was Leia. He felt conflicted. The sister he missed for so many years was still alive. He should be overjoyed. However, not only did Leia join a terrorist organization and kill innocent people, but the most important thing was that she hurt the woman he loved. Ethan didn¡¯t know how he would feel when he faced his sister. He was deep in thought and identally spilled some of the scalding hot soup on his hand. He immediately came back to his senses. While waiting for the soup to cool down, Ethan called Kelvin. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation at the hospital?¡± ¡°Ms. Carlton was the only one that went into Mrs. Carlton¡¯s ward other than the usual caregiver and medical staff. There aren¡¯t any cameras in the ward, so no one knows what happened in there.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Did they perform any other checks? Could someone have used drugs? How else could her condition worsen so abruptly?¡± ¡°Currently, Mrs. Carlton has been resuscitated and sent to the ICU for observation. A blood test was done. There are no issues.¡± Hanging up, Ethan yed with thedle. His expression grew gloomier. Toxic Hive was like its name suggested. They were insects that would infiltrate everywhere. Ethan had no idea who they had bribed to provide them protection. Even his men were unable to uncover any leads. Toxic Hive was second to none when it came to drugs. Ethan thought about it for a while and decided to call Marina. On the other end of the phone, Marina didn¡¯t seem surprised. Instead, she was a little distracted. ¡°Hi, Ethan.¡± Marina sounded tired. ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten together for some time Why don¡¯t we meet up tonight?¡± Ethan asked In the past, Marina would be delighted to receive an invitation from Ethan. But she was reluctant this time. ¡°M Ms. Parker is in the ICU. I need to be at the hospital in case anything happens¡± Ethan grabbed thedle tightly. There was a hint of determination on his face. ¡°Other than having dinner, I also want to talk to you about our marriage. ¡°M-Marriage?¡± Marina was so happy she could faint. ¡°The incident during the engagement party became public knowledge Miller Group¡¯s stocks have be unstable because of it. That¡¯s why I want to discuss our marriage with you.¡± Ethan knew that their marriage was the one thing Marina cared about the most. It was the best bait to lure her out. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there.¡± Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Ethan gave Kelvin some instructions. Then, he went upstairs with the cooled soup in his hands. Sounds of washing up could be heard from the bathroom. Soon, Olivia emerged with droplets of water clinging to her. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Ethan. Their gazes met. She hadn¡¯t dried her hair, so it hung in wet clumps. Her fair face was cold and stern. Her slender cor bones were exposed above the casual clothes she was wearing. Ethan discreetly looked away. He gulped a little. When he saw Olivia like that, he was reminded of that enchanting dream. Even the touch of her skin felt too real. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. It was so real that he could still remember Olivia¡¯s warmth and her heart-racing sounds. ¡°The soup is ready. Try it and see if there are any changes.¡± Olivia had been bustling about all morning, so she didn¡¯t get to have any soup. Her stomach was already hurting long ago. When Chris took her away from the ind, she left in a hurry. She didn¡¯t even bring her medicine. She had enough doses for a whole month. She had taken the medicine for two weeks, and in those two weeks, her stomach never hurt. She no longer spat out blood as well. Colin emphasized that she shouldn¡¯t stop taking the medicine. She had to take it regrly. But after she came back, she tried calling him to no avail. As a result of her stopping the medicine, her stomach began to hurt again. So, she didn¡¯t want to torment her body any further. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ethan wanted to feed her the soup, but she avoided his hand. The temperature was just right, so she downed it in one go. Ethan grabbed a towel and gently dried her hair with it. His movements were tender, as if he was handling something fragile. He was careful beyond description. Olivia only found it amusing. Still, she didn¡¯t stop him from serving her. After having her fill, shey on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± She wouldn¡¯t argue with Ethan anymore, and she didn¡¯t reject his kindness. But she also stopped talking to him unless it was necessary. Ethan knew that the gap between them couldn¡¯t be resolved with only a simple exnation. He had no choice but to get up and leave. ¡°Rest well.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have time to care about his feelings. She had to be nicer to herself, and she would fight to see another day. She was no longer pessimistic. She felt like she was grass growing in the mud. No matter how dire her situation was, she would risk her life to crawl out of the mud and flourish. She didn¡¯t know how long she slept, but she was woken up by her phone. She was still in a daze when she woke up. ¡°Hello.¡± Chris¡¯ hoarse voice spoke. ¡°After you left, Chloe¡¯s illness got even worse. ¡°The doctor has already issued an advanced directive. She only has three days left at most.¡± Olivia¡¯s sleepiness instantly disappeared. She scrambled to get up. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Mr. Carlton. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She had finally reconciled with Chloe, and she experienced a mother¡¯s love for the first time in her life. But today, she received news that Chloe was going to die. Olivia hurriedly changed her clothes. When she got downstairs, she was told that Ethan had also left not long ago. Olivia didn¡¯t care where he went. She asked the driver to take her to the hospital. When she arrived, Chris was sitting alone on the bench. He stared unblinkingly into the distance, his eyes losing focus. ¡°Mr. Carlton,¡± Olivia called out softly. Chris¡¯ eyes were red. He said weakly, ¡°You¡¯re here ¡­¡± Olivia sat down next to him. ¡°How¡¯s Mom?¡± ¡°Many of her organs are failing.¡± Olivia gripped her palm tightly. ¡°How can that be?¡± Chris looked toward the sky. ¡°I want to ask the same question. Chloe is such a kind woman. Why did she end up like this?¡± He suddenly thought of something as he continued, ¡°I won¡¯t let her die, no matter what it takes.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do, Mr. Carlton?¡± The determination in Chris¡¯ expression looked a little scary. ¡°Olivia, have you heard of an organization that does both good and evil? They can revive the dead. ¡°Their medical skills are far superior to the skills of international medical organizations. ¡°If I can find them, Chloe will be saved!¡± Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Olivia¡¯s expression suddenly turned stern at the mention of Toxic Hive. ¡°Mr. Carlton, I¡¯ll be honest with you. The ones who kidnapped mest time are rted to the Toxic Hive. They¡¯re not decent people.¡± ¡°I know. I used to hate them to the core. They don¡¯t value human lives, but they can bring back the dead. For Chloe¡¯s sake, I have no other choice.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know if they were targeting Chloe because of her. But they always had something up their sleeves, so they might have prepared a trap for Chris. ¡°If you go to them, you¡¯ll be dealing with the devil.¡± ¡°Olivia, are you just going to sit by and watch as Chloe dies?¡± If it werest week, she wouldn¡¯t have cared if Chloe died. Butst night, Chloe had embraced her. Olivia couldn¡¯t just watch Chloe die without understanding why. When Olivia came here, Kelvin told her about the investigation results. No one had entered the ward except for Marina. Olivia wondered if Marina would do something so inhumane to her stepmother. She couldn¡¯t figure out what Marina was trying to achieve. But those were all Olivia¡¯s guesses. She didn¡¯t have any real proof. Noticing that Olivia remained silent, Chris patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve already made my decision.¡± Olivia watched him leave dejectedly. She felt helplessness spreading throughout her body again. She didn¡¯t want it to turn out like this, but she had no power or status. She didn¡¯t even know anything about Toxic Hive. She wanted to help Chloe, but it was beyond her means. She didn¡¯t know what she should do. She thought of asking Ethan for help, but he was involved with Leia and Marina. Ethan was closely rted to those two people, who were on Olivia¡¯s cklist. Olivia didn¡¯t trust him. Olivia got up. Her purse fell to the floor, and a name card slid out of the open zipper. She bent down to pick it up, but she stared at the words ¡°Avery Fordham¡± for a moment. He was the CEO of an international corporation. He must know about Toxic Hive as well. Olivia wondered if she could ask him for help. But they were practically strangers. It might be a little inappropriate for her to ask such things Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. of him. Olivia was troubled. When she looked up, she saw a group of people crying pitifully. They looked like they had just lost a loved one. Gritting her teeth, Olivia dialed the number on the name card. She was expecting the call to be unanswered. After all, Avery was a busy man. It should be difficult to contact him via his work number. Unexpectedly, after about three beeps, the man¡¯s gentle voice rang out. ¡°Hello.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t believe that the call went through. Her heart thumped wildly. A little bewildered, she said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Fordham. It¡¯s me, I¡¯m sorry for bothering you out of the blue.¡± Olivia. When Avery recognized her voice, he sounded a little happy. ¡°Did you encounter some trouble, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°Well, yes. I¡¯m wondering if we can meet up and talk about it.¡± ¡°It would be an honor.¡± The two decided on a ce. Then, Avery hung up. ¡°1 He tapped lightly on Olivia¡¯s documents with his index finger. Beside him, his assistant, Bryce Young spoke up. ¡°Do you have any other questions, Mr. Fordham? Ms. Fordham has never gone overseas before, and her looks might be a coincidence. She probably has nothing to do with the Fordhams.¡± Avery sighed as he rubbed between his eyebrows. ¡°Never mind, I was overthinking it. Olivia ooked exactly like my grandmother when she was young.¡± ¡®Many people look alike in this world. It isn¡¯t too surprising.¡± very closed the folder. Then, he smoothed his clothes and got up. ¡°Get the car. Even if we¡¯re ot rted by blood, I still want to meet her.¡± Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Marina ended her call with Ethan. She was panicking before this, but now, she felt like she was on cloud nine. She was ted that Ethan finally agreed to marry her. This was amazing news to her. Tossing aside the misery in her heart, she changed her clothes and put on makeup. Then, she went out. When she was going out, she received a call. She pleaded in a pitiful tone, ¡°I¡¯ve already done as you said. That woman won¡¯t be alive for long. Can¡¯t I leave tomorrow? I have an important appointment later.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. Don¡¯t forget, your bone marrow matches hers. If they find out about it, she can still be saved. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone over to pick you up. You should hide for three days. She will be dead in three days at most!¡± Marina felt a little annoyed. ¡°Fine, then. I¡¯ll leave right after this meal.¡± With that, she hung up. She thought that dying it a little should be fine. Getting into the car, she watched as the scenery quickly passed by. Marina recalled Chloe¡¯s face again. She used to hate Chloe so much, so now that Chloe was finally going to die, she should be happy about it. She produced a small mirror from her pocket to fix her makeup. When she touched the card Chloe gave her, she stared at it for a moment. Chloe said that the password was her birthday. But after so many years, Marina didn¡¯t even know when Chloe¡¯s birthday was. Marina began to wonder if Chloe truly deserved to die. Marina¡¯s heart was troubled again. When Ethan sent her a message asking her where she was, she finally recovered her mood. She hastily sent him her location. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She started a voice message. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ll be there in 10 minutes. Wait-¡± The voice message was abruptly cut off. A loud crash could be heard in thest 30 seconds. When Ethan heard that, he knew that something had happened. He tried calling her, but she didn¡¯t pick up. ¡°Change the route. Something happened to Marina!¡± Arge truck had rammed into Marina¡¯s car from the opposite road, sending it flying. Marina¡¯s car landed on a tree by the road. The dust on the road was kicked up. The people nearby screamed as they hastily dialed 911. The driver died on the spot. Marina was in the back seat, but she was also seriously injured. She felt pain all over her body. She saw crimson blood streaming out of her body, but her mind was stunned. Her phone vibrated continuously. A shard of ss had pierced through her chest. With all her might, Marina grabbed her phone and answered the call. She was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t form a whole sentence. She heard Ethan¡¯s voice. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Car¡­ Ethan, s-save me.¡¯ Marina¡¯s voice was extremely weak. Ethan hastily said, ¡°What¡¯s going on right now? Did you get into an ident? ¡°Were you hurt? Where were you hurt? Do you have anyone with you? Don¡¯t move recklessly in case your insides get ruptured, alright?¡± Marina replied, ¡°My chest ¡­ ss.¡± Before she could speak aplete sentence, the car door was pulled open. Marina looked at the person. The man was wearing a ck outfit. He wore a cap on his head, and his climbing jacket was zipped right up to his nose. He had sunsses on, so she couldn¡¯t see his features at all. ¡°Ms. Carlton, I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± Marina felt a chill run down her spine. Thoughts raced across her head as she realized that something was off. Marina had insisted on leaving only after her meal with Ethan. But that woman arranged a traffic ident to stop her. She couldn¡¯t believe how cruel that woman was. ¡°Who¡¯s talking?¡± Ethan¡¯s voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve promised Kurt to protect you. I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Marina saw the man standing against the light, reaching for her phone. She couldn¡¯t stop him at all. Tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s toote. It¡¯s all toote now. Ethan, be careful of He-¡± Her voice was abruptly cut off. The call had ended. When Ethan tried calling her again, the call wouldn¡¯t go through. He wondered who Marina was warning him about, or who she had provoked. When he arrived, the scene was a chaotic mess. ¡°Mr. Miller, the driver is dead. Ms. Carlton is missing.¡± Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Marina was quickly transported into a truck. There was professional medical equipment in the truck, and doctors as well. It was like an ambnce. As soon as she got into the truck, someone began treating her. An oxygen mask was ced on her nose, and she took inrge gulps of air. She wasn¡¯t quite conscious, and her eyes couldn¡¯t focus. She could only see a few people tending to her wounds. She had lost a lot of blood, so she knew that she would die for sure. Many memories surfaced in Marina¡¯s mind. Herst memories were of Chloe looking weak and powerless, and that day when she pushed Olivia off the ship. She felt like she saw the snow dancing in the air again, and the cold sea breeze blew the snowkes right at her. The sea was very cold that night. Olivia lost her child because of that. This was probably Marina¡¯s punishment for hurting others. But Marina didn¡¯t understand why she would do this. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The truck stopped moving at an unknown location. Then, the people moved Marina¡¯s body out of the truck. Marina still hadn¡¯t fainted throughout the ordeal. She knew that she would see that person again. She just wanted to ask that woman why she had to be treated this way. Roses filled Marina¡¯s vision. The woman was wearing a ck cocktail dress. Her bare legs were crossed. Her skin was fair, and her figure was slender and charming. She had exquisite makeup on her face. Shezily gazed at Marina. Marina was wearing the oxygen mask, and her lips trembled. Her breaths turned into white fog that spread across the mask, and her voice was so small that no one could hear her. Standing up, the woman glided toward her. She didn¡¯t look the least bitpassionate when she saw the bloodied Marina. Marina reached out, trying to grab the woman¡¯s wrist. But her hand was too weak. The woman curved her lips into a charming smile. ¡°Let me guess. You want to know if I had arranged the traffic ident, right?¡± Her nails were painted with red polish. Her fingers touched Marina¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, it was me. I¡¯ve already reminded you, but you¡¯re the one who disobeyed. Disobedient children should be punished.¡± Marina¡¯s eyes widened. She could hardly believe the truth, for it hadpletely overturned her understanding. Beside her, the man told her about the examination results. She hadpound fractures on her body, and the ss on her chest was the most dangerous injury. They had to get the ss out with an operation as soon as possible. The woman waved her hand. ¡°Take it out, then. No need for anesthetics. She should watch it with her own eyes.¡± Marina raised her hand to express her dissatisfaction. The woman sneered. ¡°Are you curious why I would treat you like this? That¡¯s because¡­¡± The woman leaned in and whispered in Marina¡¯s ear. Marina¡¯s expression shifted. She reached out to take off her oxygen mask, and her fingers touched the ss in her chest. She looked like she wanted to pull it out to kill both the woman and herself. But she had no energy, so she couldn¡¯t do anything. The woman looked quite pleased. ¡°Enjoy what it feels like to wish you were dead!¡± Marina was taken away. The woman even told them, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too nice to her. Just make sure she¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The woman casually picked a random rose that was blooming vibrantly. Holding it to her nose, she took in its scent. ¡°What a wonderful day.¡± young woman walked out of the shadows. She was wearing a white dress, and she had long lowing hair. ler face was pretty and exquisite. Her eyes were identical to Ethan¡¯s. he walked out from among the roses. She was so beautiful that she looked like she had walked ut of a painting. topping before the woman, she said in a respectful tone, ¡°Madam, we just received the news. he head of the Carltons, Chris Carlton, wants to see you.¡± Chris, huh¡­¡± The woman smiled. ¡°Sure. Arrange a time for me.¡± The youngdy was a little stunned. She didn¡¯t expect the woman to agree so readily The woman seemed to be in a good mood, She let go of the rose. The petals flew in the air as she stepped mercilessly on it. ¡°Understood.¡± The woman patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Remember this, Leia. Once you walk down this path, you won¡¯t have the chance to turn back anymore. Even your brother will be no more than a stranger to the likes of us.¡± The youngdy lowered her gaze, her long eyshes hiding the shadow in her eyes. Like a puppet void of expression, she said, ¡°I understand.¡± Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Olivia had arrived at the caf¨¦ early on. After learning about Avery¡¯s identity, she felt a little nervous. The Fordhams were only a middle-ss family in Aldenvine before they went bankrupt. But Avery owned a huge corporation that was internationally famous. He usually met either high- ranking government officials or influential leaders in the industry. When Avery opened the door and walked in, Olivia stood up. She looked nervous as she said, ¡± Hello, Mr. Fordham.¡± In their past two meetings, Avery had been in a rush. Avery wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of her looks, but he felt a sense of familiarity around her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal, Ms. Fordham. Have a seat.¡± The two sat down opposite each other. Olivia sped her hands together as she spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°Pardon me, Mr. Fordham, but I have something to ask of you.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Ms. Fordham. You saved my life. It doesn¡¯t matter what sort of help you want me to provide. You can just tell me.¡± Avery had an earnest look on his face. Olivia knew that he must sincerely wish to thank her. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve settled it by giving her money. ¡°Time is of the essence, so I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Mr. Fordham, how much do you know about Toxic Hive?¡± Avery took a few sips of the lemonade. Setting down the ss, he had a serene look on his face. ¡°Hm, I may know more about them than the average person. Ms. Fordham, tell me what you want me to do. As long as it¡¯s something I can do, I won¡¯t decline.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°I was kidnapped by people from Toxic Hive some time ago, and I almost died. Their people targeted me on various asions. ¡°Not only that, but my mother was diagnosed with leukemia. We still haven¡¯t found a matching bone marrow donor for her. ¡°She wasn¡¯t supposed to be in the advanced stage. But her condition suddenly worsened this morning. The doctor has already issued an advanced directive.¡± Olivia spoke quickly. She didn¡¯t hide anything from this stranger that she had only met for the third time. ¡°I¡¯m suspecting that Toxic Hive did something to her. That¡¯s why she worsened ahead of time. ¡°Now, to save my mother¡¯s life, my stepfather is going to make a trade with Toxic Hive. I fear that they may already have a trap in ce.¡± Olivia looked helpless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking you to do something like this even though we just got to know each other, Mr. Fordham. But I have no other choice. ¡°Six months ago, my father got into an ident. Now, my mother only has a few dozen hours left. I only dared to ask you for help after learning about your identity.¡± Avery said, ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Ms. Fordham. I wouldn¡¯t just sit by and watch even if it¡¯s solely because we share the samest name. ¡°I can do something about Toxic Hive, but what do you want me to do?¡± Olivia¡¯s mind was in a mess. ¡°I ¡­ want to save my mother¡¯s life, but I don¡¯t trust Toxic Hive. There¡¯s a deep grudge between me and Toxic Hive. To be honest, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± She spoke at a slow pace. ¡°If possible, I want to find the person who keeps trying to kill me. But she has gone into hiding these days, so I can¡¯t find her anywhere.¡± With that, Olivia seemed a little regretful. She thought that she sounded a little pathetic for telling a stranger about this. She didn¡¯t know what came over her. She felt very reassured when she met Avery. Before she knew it, she had already told him everything on her mind. Avery rubbed his fingers against the smooth ss. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll think of a way to help you figure out who tried to kidnap and kill you. ¡°As for your mother, I¡¯ll send people to ask around in Toxic Hive. I¡¯ll try to make sure that stepfather won¡¯t be harmed. Is that okay?¡± your Olivia nodded. ¡°Do you have a way, Mr. Fordham?¡± Seeing her gleaming eyes, Avery had the urge to get her even the stars in the sky. ¡°Yes, I have some connections. I¡¯m d that I can help you too. It¡¯s gettingte, so do order something to eat. You need to eat to get energy. I¡¯ll go out and make a call.¡± Olivia nodded, watching the man leave elegantly. She felt much more secure now. Avery walked to a deserted corridor, his assistant following right after him. He had a dark look n his eyes. The gentleness he had when he was with Olivia was gone. ¡°Two things. One, find the person who tried to kill Ms. Fordham. Two, protect Chris.¡± Bryce nodded. ¡°Understood, Mr. Fordham.¡± After thinking for a moment, Bryce added, ¡°Mr. Fordham, why are you so nice to Ms.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Avery returned to the private room with a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Sorry for the wait. I¡¯ve already sent someone to deal with your problems. Don¡¯t worry.¡± The man looked a little pale. When he smiled, there was a tiny dimple on his left cheek. He looked much friendlier now. ¡°Thank you so much. Mr. Fordham, you don¡¯t look too well. Why don¡¯t you get treated at the hospital? It¡¯d be dangerous if you fainted again like you didst time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old issue. It¡¯s nothing too serious.¡± The waiter came over with their food. Olivia smiled at Avery. ¡°I ordered some food. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d like what I ordered, though.¡± Avery had maintained this amicable air about him. So, Olivia didn¡¯t feel as nervous as she did at the beginning. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. As they dined, Olivia was surprised to find that her tastes were like Avery¡¯s. They dropped slightly more of the formalities from before. Avery gazed at her with a gentle look in his eyes. ¡°I think of my sister when I see you. She¡¯s about the same age as you.¡± ¡°Your sister must be very pretty.¡± At the mention of his sister, Avery¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s very pretty. She was the apple of everyone¡¯s eye since young. We pampered her to no end. But then¡­¡± With that, the light suddenly went out of Avery¡¯s eyes. Olivia hastily asked, ¡°Did something happen to her?¡± ¡°That troublesome child went missing. I came here to look for her. I received news that she had entered this country.¡± ¡°Is she still in Aldenvine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The only thing I know for sure is that she came here. She might have hidden her tracks to prevent us from locating her. So, even after arriving here, I still haven¡¯t found her.¡± ¡°No wonder you fainted by the road that day. Was it because you were looking for Ms. Fordham?¡± Avery nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He pulled up a photo on his phone. ¡°This is my sister. I will be leaving Aldenvine soon. If find any clues, please inform me.¡± you The woman in the photos was wearing a ck outfit as she leaned against a ck motorcycle. She looked cool and wild. ¡°Ms. Fordham has quite the personality. I thought that people from great families like yours would always be elegant. I never expected her to be this cool.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± At the mention of his sister, Avery added, ¡°Quinn was quite docile when she was young. But then, she somehow started rebelling. ¡°She refused to study, and she would either chase after celebrities or race on the streets. We¡¯re very concerned about her. Last year, she got herself a boyfriend, and she insisted on getting married to him. ¡°She¡¯s already of marriageable age, but she¡¯s the treasured daughter of the Fordhams, after all. It¡¯s not that we only ept wealthy candidates ¡­ ¡°However, the man had a less-than-satisfying background. He also has a history of domestic violence and being generally unkind to women. He also didn¡¯t seem like the ambitious type. ¡°Ms. Fordham, if it were you, would you let your sister get married to someone like him?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°Marriage is different from dating. It¡¯s a woman¡¯s second chance to change her life. If she chooses the wrong person, she will fall from heaven right into hell. ¡°I can see that Ms. Fordham was taking the plunge without thinking about it.¡± Olivia knew this all too well. Ethan had an amazing background, but in the end, he left her with nothing but wounds and scars. ¡°Yes, we just want Quinn to marry someone reliable, and someone who¡¯d sincerely treat her well. But no matter how you look at that man, he didn¡¯t fulfill those requirements.¡± Olivia had more or less guessed what happened. ¡°After your family objected to it, did Ms. Fordham run away with this man?¡± Avery frowned deeply. ¡°Yes. For the past six months, the man had convinced her to stand up against her family. She thought that we wanted to marry her off so that the family¡¯s status could be secured. ¡°I¡¯m not boasting here, but there aren¡¯t many families in this world that could rival ours. We¡¯re not in any financial crisis, either, so why would we form a marriage alliance? ¡°Even if we did want to arrange a marriage, she has four older brothers. We would be the ones getting an arranged marriage instead. ¡°We can¡¯t possibly sacrifice the future of our sister, who we pampered and loved since young.¡± Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Olivia could imagine how much the Fordhams loved Quinn. She was also amazed at how rich they were. She couldn¡¯t imagine just grabbing a billion dors and running away. ¡°So she never contacted you?¡± ¡°No. She blocked us before she left. We couldn¡¯t contact her at all.¡± ¡°What about the money? She¡¯ll have to spend some money at least, right? Can¡¯t you figure out where she is based on the sources of her expenditure?¡± Avery shook his head. ¡°I wish we could. Two months ago, she caused quite a lot of damage to the house. When she left, the whole family was cleaning up after her. ¡°We feared that she would do something even worse if we cornered her. So, we decided to let her leave for now. ¡°We hoped that she would choose toe home after realizing how dark things could be outside. ¡°But we didn¡¯t expect her to hide her traces. She also beganundering the money quickly. She transferred the billion dors out of her ount. ¡°When we realized that something was wrong, she had already arrived in Aldenvine. Her ount was empty, so we couldn¡¯t locate her based on her expenditure.¡± The more Olivia heard, the more suspicious it sounded to her. ¡°Mr. Fordham, this doesn¡¯t sound like eloping. It feels more like it was nned ahead of time. ¡°If they couldunder the money in such a short time, they must have a professional team behind the scenes. They could even avoid getting tracked by your family. Do you think Ms. Fordham was scammed?¡± Avery agreed. ¡°We thought the same as well. We went to look for the man¡¯s family, but we realized that his nationality and identity were all faked. No one knew who he truly was. ¡°My family has been searching for a whole month. I especially came to Aldenvine because she said that she loved this country and wanted to live here. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a week, but I haven¡¯t heard any news about her.¡± Avery sighed heavily. ¡°We¡¯re all very anxious these days. We just want to find Quinn as soon as possible. That child¡­¡± The phone on the desk started vibrating. Giving Olivia an apologetic look, he answered the call. ¡°Hello.¡± His voice was gentle. A charming female voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Have you found Quinn, Avery?¡± Avery answered honestly, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten any news so far.¡± ¡°She might have left Aldenvine already. Take care, Avery. Don¡¯t miss your dialysis appointment. You¡¯re all alone outside, and I¡¯m worried about you.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Silly child, I¡¯m fine. Just stay home and take good care of Dad and Mom. I¡¯ll bring Quinn back. ¡°Okay. Then I won¡¯t bother you anymore, Avery.¡± The call ended. Avery said, ¡°That was the sixth child of our family, Sia. Unlike Quinn, she¡¯s gentle and obedient.¡± Olivia noticed the tenderness in his gaze. She couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°You have quite the lively family, Mr. Fordham.¡± ¡°Yes, my parents have always been close to each other. After Sia was born, my mother¡¯s health declined. It was only then that she stopped giving birth.¡± Avery remembered what he read from Olivia¡¯s documents. Her parents divorced early on, and she had been living in a single-parent household all this while. Her father got into an ident two years ago, and she got divorced six months ago. He could see that her life was quite tough as well. ¡°Would you like something more to eat?¡± Avery asked gently. Olivia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m quite full. Thank you, Mr. Fordham.¡± Thinking of something, Olivia returned to the topic. ¡°Mr. Fordham, can I ask a few more questions about Toxic Hive? I heard that they did a lot of experiments in various countries, and they hurt a lot of people. Is that true?¡± Avery took a sip of the lemonade. ¡°Yes, but no one probably told you about Toxic Hive¡¯s previous form.¡± Olivia was a little surprised. ¡°Toxic Hive¡¯s previous form?¡± Avery touched the ss in his hand. There was a deep look in his eyes, which Olivia couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Everything in this world has two sides. Nothing is entirely good, nor is there anything wholly bad.¡± Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Seeing that there was no one around them, Avery revealed the truth. ¡°In reality, the medical organization that was first established was called Peace¡¯s Embrace. The name signified their wish for everything in the world to be embraced by peace. ¡°At first, this organization was established for research that would benefit humanity. It invited top schrs and specialists from various countries. ¡°This was so that they could focus on illnesses that humanity couldn¡¯t cure. Examples would be cancer, AIDS, leukemia, rabies, and other diseases caused by viruses. ¡°But gradually, there was a disagreement within the organization.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°What disagreement?¡± ¡°Some experiments were inhumane. Experiments usually need clinical trials. It wasn¡¯t something you could achieve with the loss of one or two human lives. ¡°They hired anyone willing at a high price. Those volunteers would sign the death waiver of their own ord. But not everyone was willing to do that. ¡°Since theycked subjects, they would have to get more via special methods.¡± With that, Avery nced at Olivia. ¡°You know about organizations that profit by illegally selling humans as goods, right? They don¡¯t care about their consciences at all. ¡°People who were bought through those channels usually had a strong desire to live. That¡¯s when the disagreement happened. ¡°Some people thought that it was inhumane to conduct experiments on people who wanted to live. It was no different from killing them. ¡°The others only wanted good results. They thought that it would be worth sacrificing the lives of a few to save even more. ¡°Hence, after a huge argument, a part of the organization left with the extremists. Then, they established the organization known as Toxic Hive. ¡°Toxic Hive and Peace¡¯s Embrace are like the sun and the moon. They had different methods of doing things. In the end, things went out of hand, and Toxic Hive didn¡¯t care about human lives anymore.¡± When Olivia heard that, she felt emotional. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it had such a history.¡± ¡°ording to what I know, Toxic Hive has connections with officials in many countries. But your country has always strictly prohibited them. ¡°Toxic Hive can¡¯t officially build their nest here, so they would do it in secret at most. As soon as they were found out, they would be rooted on the spot. ¡°So, only a minor branch of Toxic Hive is stationed here. Its roots are also quite shallow, so there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡± Avery reached up to pat Olivia on the head, but he stopped himself in time. He was too used to comforting his sisters at home. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Olivia chatted with him for a while until Kelvin knocked on the door. ¡°Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller is waiting for you at home.¡± Olivia gave Avery an apologetic nce. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They exchanged contact information. Avery said gently, ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as I get information.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Olivia followed Kelvin into the car. Kelvin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look too good. ¡°Mrs. Miller, do you know his identity?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a prominent figure, but he invited only you for a meal. I think he has ulterior motives.¡± Olivia was feeling frustrated with everything going on at that moment. So, she didn¡¯t react too well either. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do I not have the freedom to dine with someone of the opposite sex now?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that. I just worry that you might be in danger. Toxic Hive is still out and about, but Mr. Fordham asked to meet you for no reason. ¡°I was just worried. You still don¡¯t know what happened to Ms. Carlton, right?¡± The topic suddenly changed. Olivia looked at him. ¡°What happened to Marina?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller wanted to meet up with her to ask about some things. But on her way here, she met with an ident. The driver died on the spot, and she was taken away.¡± It was Olivia¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°Was it a serious ident?¡± ¡°Judging from the traces at the scene, it was very serious. There was a lot of blood in the backseat. Even if Ms. Carlton didn¡¯t die, she won¡¯t be alive for long.¡± Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Back in the Miller residence, Ethan had a slightly sad look on his face. But when he saw Olivia, his gaze instantly turned gentle. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t care about what had happened between them. She walked right up to Ethan.¡± What happened to Marina?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure if she¡¯s alive or not.¡± ¡°Is it the work of Toxic Hive?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be sure about that yet. I wanted to meet up to ask her about Ms. Parker. I didn¡¯t expect something to happen to her even before we managed to meet up. But she probably won¡¯t die.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If they wanted to silence her by killing her, they could just give it a little push after the ident. She was barely alive then, and she would be considered dead because of an ident. ¡°They went through the trouble to take her away, so it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re not after her life.¡± Olivia frowned as well. She asked, ¡°Why would they do something to Marina?¡± If Olivia was Chloe¡¯s reason for getting harmed, she wondered what Marina¡¯s was. Ethan rubbed between his eyebrows, exhausted. ¡°There¡¯s one thing we can be sure of. Marina has something to do with the sudden worsening of Ms. Parker¡¯s condition. ¡°They were probably worried that Marina might tell me something when we met up. So, they nned the ident.¡± Olivia punched the back of the couch. ¡°Who exactly are they? Why would this benefit them at all?¡± At first, she could pinpoint it on Leia. But now that these things had happened, she couldn¡¯t understand what they were trying to do at all. She wondered if their ultimate goal was to get rid of Ethan and everyone close to him. Ethan had a cold and stern look on his face. ¡°We can¡¯t determine anything at the moment.¡± ¡°Does Mr. Carlton know about this?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t hide it. The car belonged to the Carltons, and the family already knew about the serious ident. Mr. Carlton Senior and Mr. Carlton must¡¯ve known about it by now.¡± While Ethan was speaking, his phone rang. It was a call from Otto. Even from a distance away, Olivia could hear Otto¡¯s furious shouts over the phone. Otto ended the call. Reaching out, he patted Olivia on the head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re after. But for your Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. safety, you shouldn¡¯t go out anymore for the time being. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡± With that, he showed Olivia what was left at the scene. Marina was taken away, but therge puddle of blood on the backseat sent chills down Olivia¡¯s spine. She could also see some blood on the shattered ss. Marina must be done for this time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s safe at home. I¡¯ll ask someone to send the child here. You like Connor a lot, don¡¯t you?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. She hadn¡¯t seen the child in a long time. Her eyes were shining. ¡°Really? Can I?¡± Ethan felt guilty for a moment when he saw the look in her eyes. Lowering his head, he nted a kiss between her eyebrows. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll visit the Carltons to handle the matters rted to Marina. ¡°Don¡¯t go out for the time being. If you have to, make sure to tell me, alright?¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t ask about Avery. He hastily left the Miller residence. He had just left when the child arrived. Olivia hadn¡¯t seen Connor in a long time, and he was already quite adept at walking. When he followed her on the ind, he still waddled like a penguin. When he saw Olivia, he eagerly wriggled out of Mina¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy, Mommy¡­¡± Connor ran up to Olivia. Reaching out, he grabbed Olivia¡¯s legs. His small face was filled with bliss. ¡°Connor, I missed you so much.¡± Holding Connor in her arms, Olivia nted kisses all over him. It was only then that Olivia noticed a girl standing next to Mina. The girl was staring at Olivia with a timid look in her eyes. Olivia recalled that Marina had given birth to twins. They were both Ethan¡¯s children. Connor looked very much like their father, but Erinapletely inherited Marina¡¯s looks. Anyone could tell at a nce that this was Marina¡¯s child. With Connor in her arms, Olivia walked up to the girl and crouched. She extended a hand to the girl politely. But Erina pped the back of Olivia¡¯s hand as hard as she could. The p resounded clearly in the room. Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Not only Erina¡¯s looks but even her personality was the opposite of Connor¡¯s. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The little girl¡¯s eyes were filled with enmity toward Olivia. She was young, but she knew everything. Mina hastily said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ms. Fordham. Erina is shy, so she doesn¡¯t like strangers getting close to her.¡± Olivia had already retracted her hand. She wouldn¡¯t me the child for her hate toward Olivia. But since Erina hated her, she wouldn¡¯t try to please Erina, either. Their rtionship was quite odd. Connor was Marina¡¯s child as well, but Olivia felt a sense of familiarity when she first met him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, she¡¯s just a child. But what about you?¡± Olivia looked at Mina¡¯s leg. ¡°Is your leg okay?¡± Back on the ship, Jack had shot Mina. Mina smiled. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Ms. Fordham. I wasn¡¯t seriously hurt. I¡¯ve already rested and recuperated for a few months. ¡°Even though the injured nerves need time to heal, it won¡¯t affect how I take care of the children.¡± By the looks of it, Jack had been merciful. If not, Mina¡¯s leg would¡¯ve been done for. ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re fine.¡± Olivia set Connor down. Connor had grown a lot, so he felt heavy in her arms. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed about him was his tendency to drool. Reaching out, Olivia pinched him on the nose. ¡°Look at all that drool, little guy.¡± Grinning, Connor revealed his snowy white teeth. A light dimple appeared on his left cheek. It wasn¡¯t obvious before, but now, Olivia could see it. She was puzzled. Ethan and Marina didn¡¯t have dimples, so it didn¡¯t make sense for Connor to have one. Avery¡¯s face suddenly popped up in Olivia¡¯s mind. When he smiled, he had a dimple on his left cheek as well. Olivia shook her head. She didn¡¯t know where her mind was going. This trait probably skipped a generation or two as it was being passed down. ¡°Mommy, y ball.¡± Connor held a small yellow ball in his arms. It was the ball he had yed with Olivia before. Mina took Erina to the couch to change her diapers. Smiling, she exined, ¡°Master Connor likes to y ball with me at home. When he¡¯s upset, he sulks while hugging the yellow ball. ¡°He would put it next to him even when he was sleeping. When I was packing up for him today, he kept holding it in his arms.¡± Olivia felt guilty when she heard that. She recalled the night when she lured the child out with the yellow ball. She almost jumped into the ocean with Connor in her arms. But Connor didn¡¯t know about these things. He only knew that he was happy to see Olivia again. His heart was filled with Olivia, and he only had eyes for her. His eyes glimmered. Olivia kissed him on the forehead. ¡°What a silly little guy.¡± Connor gripped her clothes with his little hands. He even nuzzled against her chest, looking quite obedient. Mina was stunned. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Master Connor being so attached to someone before.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he like this at home?¡± Olivia asked. Mina shook her head. ¡°Not at all. Master Connor developed faster than Ms. Erina, and he¡¯s smart as well. He could say ¡®Daddy¡¯ when he was just a few months old. ¡°Mrs. Miller kept trying to get Master Connor to call her ¡®Mommy¡¯, but he never did.¡± Olivia was stunned when she heard that. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he call everyone ¡®Mommy¡¯?¡± Mina smiled. ¡°You must be joking, Ms. Fordham. Master Connor is very smart. I¡¯ve been taking care of him ever since a few days after his birth. Ever since learning how to talk, he would call me Ms. Mina. ¡°Six months ago, he started mumbling ¡®Mommy¡¯ sometimes, and even in his sleep too. But he refused to call Mrs. Miller that in front of her. Mrs. Miller would always be pissed off by that.¡± Chapter 383 Chapter 383 It was Olivia¡¯s turn to be puzzled now. She wondered what was going on with the child. When she first met him, he didn¡¯t even know how to walk. But he would tug at her clothes and call her ¡°Mommy¡±. ¡°Are you serious? He never called anyone that before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. I am always around him, after all. Other than his mumbles, he never called anyone ¡®Mommy¡¯. He may be young, but he¡¯s very much like Mr. Miller. ¡°Ever since he learned how to walk, he rarely lets anyone carry him. That¡¯s why I was surprised to see him getting so close to you, Ms. Fordham. He even calls you ¡®Mommy¡¯.¡± Olivia felt a little awkward when she heard that. She could only find an excuse. ¡°It was probably when we stayed on the ind. I always took care of him back then, so maybe he learned to depend on me.¡± ¡°That makes sense. Speaking of which, you were so brave that night, Ms. Fordham. The kidnappers were armed, but you ran after them anyway. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, Master Connor wouldn¡¯t have made it back home.¡± Olivia put on an awkward smile. Then, she nced down at Connor. While she was chatting with Mina, Connor leaned against her chest. He yed with the decorations on her clothes. He was drooling again, and he looked quite innocent and carefree.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Mina quickly changed Erina¡¯s diapers. Then, she made some milk for Erina. Erina sat obediently on the couch to drink the milk, but her eyes were trained on Olivia. Olivia felt a little uneasy about it. Erina¡¯s face was just like the mini version of Marina¡¯s. Olivia felt like Marina was staring at her. Mina walked up to Connor. ¡°Master Connor has outgrown diapers by now. I¡¯ll take him to the bathroom.¡± Connor cocked his head to the side. He leaned right against Olivia¡¯s arms as he spoke. His pronunciation had gotten clearer. ¡°Mommy, hug.¡± ¡°Let me do it.¡± Olivia carried Connor to the bathroom. She wondered if Connor was traumatized because she had suddenly left him alone back then. Now, his greatest fear was Olivia abandoning him again. So, he refused to be away from Olivia for even a moment. Olivia¡¯s troubled heart healed a lot because of Connor¡¯s arrival. She couldn¡¯t see any traces of Marina on Connor¡¯s face. Hence, Olivia felt a sense of familiarity with him. Connor seemed to like her a lot. Even when she put him down, he insisted on following her around like a tail. Madam Burgess prepared the meal while Mina took care of Erina. Erina sat on the baby stool, but Connor insisted on sticking to Olivia. ¡°Master Connor likes you so much, Mrs. Miller. People would mistake him for your son.¡± Madam Burgess spoke without thinking much about it. She only realized her mistake when she had finished her sentence. ¡°Mrs. Miller, I¡ª¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t have any ill intentions. It¡¯s okay.¡± Mina also spoke up. ¡°Master Connor, I¡¯ll feed you after I¡¯ve fed Ms. Erina. Be good and wait for me, okay?¡± Connor opened his mouth, acting like a baby bird waiting to be fed. ¡°Mommy feed.¡± Olivia smiled helplessly. ¡°Alright, fine. Aunt Olivia will feed you.¡± Connor corrected her sternly. ¡°You¡¯re Mommy.¡± ¡°Aunt Olivia.¡± ¡°Mommy.¡± They had already argued over this countless times on the ind. Olivia always lost to him. In the end, she decided not to argue with the child anymore. When they were on the ind, Connor mainly drank milk. Now, he drank milk sparingly and was preparing to eat proper food. Madam Burgess pampered the children, so she made a lot of weaning food for them. Olivia asked, ¡°What does he like to eat?¡± Mina rattled off a long list. Before Olivia could say anything, Madam Burgess spoke up. ¡°Why does Master Connor have the exact same preferences as you, Mrs. Miller? You two even hate the same things.¡± Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Chris was at the Carlton residence. He was already grieving, but now, even his daughter¡¯s life was in danger. He looked very worn out. Even Ethan pitied Chris when he saw thetter like this. ¡°Mr. Carlton, don¡¯t worry too much. Marina must still be alive. If not, they wouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble to take her away. Chris sighed. ¡°Even if she¡¯s still alive, she won¡¯t be alright¡­¡± Otto mmed his hands on the table. ¡°Who are those people? How dare they attack my granddaughter in broad daylight?¡± After all, he loved his granddaughter the most since she was young. He would risk his life to fight anyone who dared to hurt her. ¡°The current evidence points to the Toxic Hive.¡± Otto¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! It couldn¡¯t have been the Toxic Hive!¡± Ethan had a feeling that Otto was overreacting. He turned to look at Otto, a deep look shing across his dark eyes. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t it have been the Toxic Hive?¡± Otto hastily hid his emotions. ¡°You have been cracking down on Toxic Hive, haven¡¯t you? How would they dare to cause trouble in broad daylight? ¡°Moreover, my granddaughter didn¡¯t have any grudges with them. Why would they do it?¡± Ethan frowned deeply. ¡°Toxic Hive is getting more arrogant these days. Instead of a medical organization, they were more akin to terrorists. ¡°I had someone retrieve the footage from the hacked surveince cameras at the scene. We can determine that the man who appeared at the scene was a member of Toxic Hive.¡± Otto wanted to retort, but Ethan showed him the evidence. ¡°This is the man who took Marina away.¡± ¡°This man is covered from head to toe. How can you be sure that he¡¯s from Toxic Hive?¡± Ethan zoomed in. An eagle tattoo was half exposed on the man¡¯s wrist. ¡°This man¡¯s original name is Ryan Woods. He¡¯s one of the members of Toxic Hive, and his most distinctive feature is this tattoo of his. He was also one of the people involved in the kidnapping.¡± Chris mmed his cup. ¡°Those toxic people! They¡¯re getting too bold nowadays!¡± Ethanforted Chris, but he kept looking at Otto. When Otto saw the evidence, he wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he was filled with disbelief. His reaction was simply too odd. Gripping Ethan¡¯s hand, Chris said, ¡°This morning, I contacted Toxic Hive and agreed on a time to meet up with them. Ethan, you should take the opportunity to capture them all!¡± ¡°Mr. Carlton, why did you contact Toxic Hive?¡± Chris said in regret, ¡°The hospital has issued an advanced directive for Chloe. I knew that Toxic Hive has been researching leukemia these days. ¡°I was out of options, so I wanted to make a deal with them. But I didn¡¯t expect that something would happen to Marina!¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Thinking for a moment, Ethan spoke up. ¡°Please calm down, Mr. Carlton. If it is the Toxic Hive, then Marina would be in their hands. If I try to capture them, it would only endanger her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Since Toxic Hive agreed to meet up with you, let¡¯s just y along and see what they¡¯re nning. We shouldn¡¯t alert them.¡± As Ethan coaxed Chris, Chris¡¯ anger slowly receded. It was true. If he acted on his anger, it would only kill his daughter and Chloe. ¡°What ideas do you have, Ethan?¡± Ethan said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to meet them.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°I have to go because it¡¯s dangerous. We¡¯ve always had limited knowledge of Toxic Hive. This would be a great opportunity to understand them.¡± After thinking about it, Chris still didn¡¯t think it was a good idea. ¡°No, it¡¯s just too risky.¡± ¡°Mr. Carlton, I have personal reasons as well.¡± It was his only chance to see Leia again. Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Chris contacted Toxic Hive again. He thought that they would rejectmunication after Mari?a¡¯s incident. Unexpectedly, they told him to go to the agreed ce on time. He didn¡¯t know what Toxic Hive was thinking. Since they were bold enough to say that, he would be brave enough to meet them as well. After nning their strategy, Ethan had to go back and get ready. When he left, he noticed that Otto was in a daze. Otto seemed to be very out of it. After leaving the Carlton residence, Ethan gave an order. ¡°Investigate what Mr. Carlton Senior has been doing and the people he met.¡± Brent knew what he meant right away. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you suspecting Mr. Carlton Senior?¡± ¡°If no one is hiding the Toxic Hive, we would¡¯ve found traces of them by now. Few people in Aldenvine can do that. There was something off about Mr. Carlton Senior today.¡± Brent frowned, saying, ¡°With a status like that, Mr. Carlton Senior won¡¯t get involved with those scum, will he?¡± ¡°Do you know why scammers who sell health products always target old people? Is it because old people are stupid? No, it¡¯s because the older people get, the wiser they be. ¡°The scammers keep seeding because old people all have a critical weakness.¡± Brent asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They¡¯re afraid of death. The more powerful they are, the more they fear death. The officials of other countries started contacting Toxic Hive for medicine. ¡°After all, their medicine is far better than the ones avable on the market.¡± Brent concluded, ¡°So you think that Mr. Carlton Senior shares the same thought.¡± ¡°A few years ago, Mr. Carlton Senior¡¯s legs started getting weak. He¡¯s much better nowpared to before. So, he might have made a deal with Toxic Hive. ¡°That¡¯s why he was in disbelief when he learned that Toxic Hive had something to do with Marina¡¯s ident.¡± Ethan scoffed. ¡°He probably thinks of Toxic Hive as his business partner. He even thinks that Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. the Toxic Hive can only depend on him to survive. ¡°He didn¡¯t realize how much the Toxic Hive has evolved all these years.¡± Brent fell silent for a moment. Then, he sighed. ¡°Mr. Carlton Senior has gotten old, after all. He¡¯s confused.¡± ¡°Of course, this is just my guess. Go and look into it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ethan¡¯s guesses were usually quite close to the truth. ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s dangerous for you to go with Chris to meet the Toxic Hive. We have to prepare for it. Do I summon our men?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If Toxic Hive agrees to meet someone, they won¡¯t have the meeting in their nest. If we have too many men with us, it¡¯ll only alert them. Just do as she has told us to.¡± Ethan returned to the Miller residence. Mina was in the living room, ying with Erina. When Mina saw Ethaning back, she hastily got up and greeted, ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s upstairs bathing Master Connor. Master Connor is very attached to Ms. Fordham.¡± Even if Mina hadn¡¯t told him, Ethan knew how attached Connor was to Olivia. He quickly went up the stairs. When he opened the door to the master bedroom, he could hear Connor¡¯s crisp voice giggling. Olivia was also smiling happily, which was a rare sight. ¡°You little rascal, don¡¯t spray the water around! Look, I¡¯m all wet now! Oh, now you¡¯ve done it. If you keep sshing water on me, I¡¯ll ssh it back on you!¡± The two yed together happily. When Olivia saw the man standing at the entrance, she couldn¡¯t even react in time, so the smile remained on her face. When Connor saw Ethan, his eyes gleamed. He called out in a sweet voice, ¡°Daddy!¡± His smile could heal everything. Ethan walked toward him. Reaching out, Ethan caressed Connor¡¯s head. ¡°Good kid.¡± Olivia nced at Ethan. Her usually gloomy and cold face was now as warm as the sun. She didn¡¯t realize that Ethan loved Connor so much. But Olivia found Ethan¡¯s smile blinding. He had probably forgotten that once upon a time, he had a child who never saw the sun before they died. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 The light disappeared from Olivia¡¯s eyes. Putting down the towel, she said coldly, ¡°Go ahead and bathe him. I¡¯ll go change my clothes.¡± With that, she strode out of the room without waiting for Ethan¡¯s reaction. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to hurt a child, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see Ethan pampering Connor either. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen if her child were still alive. She wondered if things would¡¯ve turned out differently by now. But in reality, it wouldn¡¯t change much. Bringing him into this world would only endanger him. After all, she couldn¡¯t even ensure her safety. Ethan quickly came in after her. Olivia was changing her clothes, so arge area of her fair skin entered his line of sight. Olivia cried out, and Ethan quickly turned around. Soon, he realized something. They had done even the most intimate of acts, but they reacted as if they were strangers. Even his instincts were telling him that they were getting further away. He didn¡¯t even realize 1. After Olivia had changed her clothes, Ethan came back in. ¡°Where¡¯s the kid? Don¡¯t tell me you left a small child alone in the bathroom!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I let Mina take over. I have something to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Olivia wore a short-sleeved top, but she didn¡¯t feel like it was enough. She took a coat and put it on, covering herself firmly. She feared that even a little bit of her skin would be exposed. Ethan felt dissatisfied with her actions. But he was running out of time, so he didn¡¯tment N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. much on that. He immediately voiced his reasons foring back. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Mr. Carlton to meet the Toxic Hive tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your wife. You don¡¯t have to report your whereabouts to me.¡± Olivia spoke indifferently as she sat down. Taking a random book, she looked at it. ¡°Liv, do you have to be like this?¡± Closing the book, Olivia looked up at him, returning the question. ¡°Then what do you want me to do, Ethan? Care about you? Which identity am I assuming? Your ex-wife? Or your enemy?¡± Ethan clenched his fists. ¡°So we can¡¯t return to the past anymore? For real?¡± ¡°The past? You¡¯ve never experienced my suffering, but you mentioned the past so nonchntly. What past should I be talking about? We were a proper family, but we ended up like this in the end. ¡°What do you want me to do? What can I even do?¡± Her eyes were filled with mockery, and Ethan felt his heart breaking when he saw that. cing his hands on her shoulders, he said earnestly, ¡°Liv, I told you that I¡¯ll give you a proper answer. ¡°Toxic Hive is a dangerous andplicated organization. You don¡¯t have any evidence, but you insist that a dead person is the murderer. How can I believe you?¡± Olivia peeled his fingers off of her. ¡°It¡¯s not important whether you believe it or not. What matters is that one day, I¡¯ll shove the evidence in your face and tell you that you were wrong!¡± Ethan felt fear when he saw her determined gaze. His sixth sense told him that he was right to have hidden the truth. If Olivia learned of it, they would truly never go back to the past again. ¡°Liv, take good care of Connor tonight. He likes you a lot.¡± Ethan changed the topic. Olivia wanted to argue more, but Connor had already put on his clothes. He ran toward the two with some drool on his face. He kept mumbling, ¡°Mummy, Mummy ¡­¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t be mad at Connor even if he were Marina¡¯s son. When she had returned to her senses, the child was already in her arms. Ethan sighed in relief. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere tonight. Wait for my news.¡± Olivia ignored him. After standing there for a moment, Ethan left. Olivia heard the sounds of the car engine downstairs getting more distant. Holding Connor in her arms, Olivia stood at the window and watched the car disappear into the night. Connor yawned. He was getting sleepy. Olivia put him to bed, then patted his back like she used to when they were on the ind. Connor gripped a button of her pajamas, burying his little face in her chest. He quickly fell asleep. From time to time, he would smack his chubby pink lips. ¡°Mummy.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart melted from how cute he was. It was gettingte. Oliviay on the bed, unable to fall asleep. Her phone screen notified her of a new message. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Olivia didn¡¯t sleep a wink at all. She grabbed her phone as soon as her phone screen lit up in the darkness. It was a text from Avery. ¡°Are you asleep yet?¡± She got out of bed. Since she didn¡¯t want to wake the child, she headed to the washroom to call Avery. Avery¡¯s gentle voice rang into her ear. ¡°Hello. It¡¯ste, and you weren¡¯t asleep?¡± ¡°Yeah. Did you find any leads?¡± ¡°Yes. There are two things I wanna tell you. First, Mr. Carlton and Ms. Rosa are going to meet up soon. Second, I¡¯ve found something about the person you wanted me to look into.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. She didn¡¯t hold high hopes of finding anything about that person, but Avery was surprisingly reliable. ¡°Who is that?¡± she asked. ¡°The members of Toxic Hive use fake names, so knowing her name is pointless. Her code name is Begonia. I managed to track her current whereabouts. Would you like to meet up with her before she moves elsewhere?¡± Avery reported his findings with equanimity, but he managed to make her jump out of excitement. She asked, ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what personal grudges are there between both of you, but I think it¡¯s best if you meet her in person to recognize her identity. Of course, she¡¯s a dangerous individual, considering that she¡¯s one of Toxic Hive. You have to do as I say to keep yourself safe.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drive to your ce to pick you up.¡¯ Terminating the call, Olivia was immersed in bubbles of joy. It seemed like God didn¡¯t abandon her. She thought she had walked to a dead-end, but another door of possibility was opened for her. Olivia entrusted Connor to Mina. Thetter checked on the time. ¡°Ms. Fordham, it¡¯ste. Where are you going?¡± ¡°I have something urgent to settle.¡± ¡°But Mr. Miller has said that it¡¯s best you don¡¯t leave the house tonight,¡± the maid tried to dissuade Olivia. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Olivia gave the maid a simple exnation, and Mina didn¡¯t stop her further. The bodyguards outside wanted to stop her, but Olivia already hopped into Avery¡¯s car. She watched the cars that were hot on their heels. She said solemnly, ¡°Mr. Avery, could you shake them off?¡± For some reason, Olivia didn¡¯t want Ethan to know that she was investigating the matter. She simply wished to present him with the truth after getting to the bottom of it. ¡°Sure. Hold on tight.¡± Avery was not any ordinary person. Hisplexion seemed pale, but it didn¡¯t mask the formidable aura around him. He stabled himself in his seat as a murderous glint shed in his eyes. Their car picked up its speed. Fortunately, there were barely any cars on the road. Olivia held onto her seatbelt and the rest arm. Those cars were speeding along the road like a movie scene. She finally had her first-hand experience of what fast and furious would be like. When Avery made a drift, she thought her soul would bounce out of her body. By the time they managed to shake those cars off, she realized that her hands were sweaty. Avery looked at her gently. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Olivia, who had yet to regain herposure, replied, ¡°I-I¡¯m alright. But my legs feel weak.¡± He let out a soft chuckle. Looking at her pale expression, he caressed her head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡± Both of them froze immediately. He withdrew his hand. ¡°Sorry. You¡¯re almost my sister¡¯s age, so I saw you as my younger sister for a moment back there.¡± Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Olivia knew that Avery was telling the truth. The warmth was evident in his gaze, but it was free from sensual emotions. She blinked her eyes, wondering if that was how it felt like to have an older brother. She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not as lucky as you are to have so many siblings. I¡¯m the only child in my family.¡± It pained Avery to see the loneliness in her eyes. He took a document out of his bag. ¡°Here¡¯s Begonia¡¯s information. Take a look at it.¡± She was impressed that he could dig out Begonia¡¯s information when she had only brought it up briefly. Not even Ethan could get such information in his hands! Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. However, the woman on the document was wearing a mask. Olivia couldn¡¯t see her face. Avery exined, ¡°Concealing their identity has always been a rule in Toxic Hive. Even those people who work together in the same space don¡¯t reveal their faces to each other.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aside from Begonia¡¯s face, he had detailed information, such as her position in Toxic Hive. Instead of iming that it was Begonia¡¯s personal information, the document was more like a resume. Her work experience was written clearly on it. She was a talented doctor who specialized in psychology and medicine development for mental - rted illnesses. She was involved in several significant events that had happened abroad. The most renowned event was the Wandering Soul Street Incident. Some tourists turned into wandering souls at a tourist spot. Although they didn¡¯t attack anyone, they kept wandering around like a lifeless person with nk expressions. The incident went viral on global news. Myths and rumors began circting about how those tourists lost their souls due to ck magic and that someone needed to call their souls back to their bodies. Specialists from each country showed up in ones and twos, iming that those tourists were specimens. They were given shots that disrupted their nerves, hence the phenomenon. ¡°She joined Toxic Hive 12 years ago, and she¡¯s only 22 this year. Do they ept such young kids too?¡± inquired Olivia. Avery yed with the sapphire ring around his finger. ¡°As I previously said, Peace¡¯s Embrace¡¯s objective is to help out the needy. That includes helping the homeless prodigies. Peace¡¯s Embrace will give them education ess, especially about medicine. ¡°That way, the kids would be able to gain knowledge of an average medical student in their teens. While medical students were taking lectures in lecture halls, those kids put their knowledge to use in Toxic Hive. That¡¯s why they can be top specialists worldwide before reaching the age of 20.¡± Olivia suddenly thought of Colin, who had proimed so many achievements when he was only 20 years old. ¡°Mr. Avery, you know so much about Toxic Hive. Do you know if Leo is one of them?¡± ¡°Leo ¡­¡± Avery kneaded his eyebrows. Judging from his expression, she supposed that he knew the answer to that question and knew Colin as well. ¡°He is a capable neurologist. He¡¯s talented in surgeries,¡± Avery answered. With that, Olivia could conclude that Leo was basically Colin. ¡°Leo and Begonia are different. He directly joined Toxic Hive, unlike Begonia. She left Peace¡¯s Embrace with a group of people who decided to split from it. As far as I know, both of them are Ms. Rosa¡¯s right-hand men.¡± She asked further, ¡°Is Ms. Rosa the founder of Toxic Hive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s notpletely right. She¡¯s one of the managers. It¡¯s the same as the manager of apany¡¯s branch.¡± ¡°Mr. Avery, how do you know Toxic Hive so well?¡± It was as though he knew Toxic Hive like the back of his hand. He ced his finger before his lips. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Olivia felt it would be unbing of her to ask further questions, so she stopped. She and Avery were mere acquaintances. She was already grateful to him for being willing to tell her that much. Their car stopped in an alley that was free from surveince cameras. There was a ck SUV parked at the same ce. ¡°We gotta change cars.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia got out of the car only to realize that the SUV had high performance. Even its windows were bulletproof. They were heading to the suburbs. Noticing that Olivia was slightly nervous, Avery took two bottles of yogurt drinks out from a small refrigerator. ¡°Want some?¡± She was surprised when she saw him drinking it with a casual expression. It was strawberry- vored. ¡°T-Thanks.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He chuckled. ¡°Frankly speaking, my family loves yogurt drinks, especially strawberry-vored ones.¡± ¡°It is tasty.¡± Olivia understood that he was trying to make her rx after noticing that she was nervous. The sourness and sweetness melted in her mouth, relieving her tension. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± said Avery gently as he looked at her. ¡°Since we have the samest name, I see you as my younger sister.¡± He impressed her as the nuance in her expression didn¡¯t go unnoticed to him. She expected nothing less from someone who possessed exceptional abilities. He could easily see through her. Avery reminded Olivia about what to take note of again. He asked her to disguise herself ording to his request. She changed and wore a mask. Even if someone bumped into them, they wouldn¡¯t be exposed because that was how Toxic Hive members usually dressed up. The number of buildings in the surrounding area decreased, and there were barely any lights. She couldn¡¯t help the thrill zapping through her veins. Would she finally be able to find out the truth tonight? Ethan, who was wearing his gear, stood next to Chris. Ethan had put on makeup. Now, he was a mere average-looking security guard. The meetup location was at a castle. This mansion was built by foreigners during the invasionst century. The property was also owned by a foreigner. It was left unused for a long time. Roses crawled up the whole wall in the yard. The mansion seemed like a vampire¡¯s ce from the Middle Ages under the dim light. The crows on the wall added a touch of spookiness to the atmosphere. Chris and Ethan alighted from the car and walked into the castle as requested. The moment they arrived, the rusty gates were opened automatically. The whole castle was so quiet that they could only hear the sound of their footsteps. Ethan didn¡¯t say anything as he followed behind Chris. When they entered the yard, the gates were closed automatically. It was as if they walked into the lion¡¯s den themselves. The castle was massive. Even the main entrance itself was grand. Ady¡¯s voice resounded through the smart doorbell. ¡°Mr. Carlton is required to enter alone.¡± Chris said indifferently, ¡°He¡¯s my bodyguard in charge of my safety. I brought only him.¡± ¡°I said, you¡¯re required to enter alone. Otherwise, you can leave right now.¡± The men exchanged looks before Chris said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll enter alone.¡± The door opened, but Ethan didn¡¯t enter. He watched Chris enter the castle. Marina was in one of the rooms in the castle. Although she managed to survive, many parts of her body were broken. Her legs were crippled, and her chest was injured. Her whole body was in pain, hence her agony 24/7. Thedy shook the phone at Marina. ¡°Your father¡¯s here.¡± Hope tinged in Marina¡¯s dim eyes. She looked at thedy. Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Under Marina¡¯s anxious gaze, thedy removed Marina¡¯s oxygen mask. ¡°Just what do you want?¡± asked Marina weakly. Her question was free from her usual supercilious tone. ¡°What do I want?¡± Thedy chuckled softly. Her face was no less different from what Marina remembered. Time, which could be relentless, chose to be kind to thisdy whose face was free from wrinkles. Thedy was gentle and warm in the past. She had always looked at Marina with a warm gaze, giving Marina a wholesome childhood. Hence, Marina treasured thisdy the most in her life. Thisdy was her mother, and no one could rece her. However, everything changed after the car ident happened. Looking at thatdy¡¯s face, Marina knew how cruel thisdy was and realized how foolish she had been. Tears ran down Marina¡¯s cheeks. Her voice was hoarse. ¡°Don¡¯t you love Dad? Why did you stage your death and plot all of this?¡± ¡°Love?¡± Helen Gibson grinned like a madwoman. Like a loving mother, she caressed Marina¡¯s face. Yet, Marina was shaking. There was so much that she had faced within a day, and they ultimately toppled her impression of Helen. Helen wasn¡¯t an angel; she was a calcting devil. ¡°Are you this afraid of me? If my memories serve me right, you clung to me a lot when you were young. You kept wanting to sleep with me every night. Darling, have you forgotten about me, your mother?¡± The mention of the word ¡°mother¡± made Marina¡¯s skin crawl. She began crying buckets as those tears soaked the nket. She had lost count of how many times she had cried. Her eyes were red. Her physical pain was pale inparison to the wounds etched within her heart. ¡°I called you ¡®Mom¡¯ for so many years. Even if I¡¯m not your biological daughter, you¡¯ve taken care of me for so long. ¡°I missed you so much all these years, and I never epted her. I even caused her miscarriage and made her barren to avenge you. How could you treat me like this? How could you!¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Marina couldn¡¯t understand how the once gentledy turned this way. Helen smiled. ¡°Silly you. I don¡¯t hold any grudges against you. Your father¡¯s the one who owes me. Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this day toe?¡± When she talked about that, her expression was tinged with madness. It scared Marina so much as she felt that something was wrong with Helen, especially Helen¡¯s face. Marina found it odd that Helen looked the same as she was when she ¡°passed away¡± over a decade ago. There were no wrinkles on her face! ¡°I¡¯m just curious how he would react after learning the truth. Would he regret giving me the bad treatment?¡± Helen put the oxygen mask back on Marina¡¯s face before wiping off Marina¡¯s tears. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Considering that I¡¯ve taken care of you for so long, I¡¯ll spare your life. Now, it¡¯s his turn.¡± Helen wiped the tears off her finger with a tissue. She casually threw it away into the trash can as if it was filthy. Marina watched Helen leave, feeling the urge to stop her. Marina thought while crying, ¡°Dad, don¡¯te. What¡¯s waiting ahead of you is only an abyss.¡± Only then did she regret whatever she had done to Chloe. Chloe didn¡¯t know about Marina¡¯s identity, but she treated Marina with all her heart. She had always been on Marina¡¯s side, but Marina didn¡¯t appreciate it. The moment Marina shut her eyes, she could remember how she poured vegetable oil over the stairs that caused Chloe to suffer from a miscarriage due to a fall. When Chloe was discharged from the hospital, the young Marina looked at her guiltily. To Marina¡¯s surprise, the weak Chloe stroked her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright that I¡¯ve lost my child. I¡¯ll treat you better in the future.¡± Chloe was clearly aware that it was Marina¡¯s doing, yet she didn¡¯t tell anyone about it. She lost her baby and almost lost her life! But she merely took it as a prank by the young Marina. From that day onward, Chloe also treated Marina better. Chloe assumed that Marina was simply afraid that the baby would shake up her position within the family. That was why Chloe treated Marina with care. Yet, what did Marina do? Marina didn¡¯t treat Chloe well, not even a day. Hurtful words were the only thing she hurled at Chloe. On the other hand, Chloe didn¡¯t take it to heart and did everything in her power to give Marina the maternal love she needed. If Marina could move herself at the moment, she would¡¯ve pped herself in the face a few times. Marina¡¯s bone marrow waspatible with Chloe¡¯s, but she didn¡¯t choose to save Chloe because she wanted to survive. Under the urge from the devil, Marina even drove Chloe to death. Whenever she recalled how Chloe bled, the weight of regret suffocated Marina. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry!¡± she said aloud in her head. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 The castle-like mansion was massive and empty, so empty that one could hear his footsteps echoing against the walls. It waste at night. There were a few ancient wallmps lit up, barely lighting up the darkness. A piano sound broke the silence, filling the mansion. It was the famous song ¡°The Dream Wedding¡±. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Listening to the song in an eerie castle in the middle of the night was scary. It would¡¯ve been a rxing song if it was yed in any other venues. Apanied by the song, Chris ascended the stairs. He found it odd to meet up with the mysterious leader of Toxic Hive this way. Ethan, who was forced to stay in the yard, hid under the roof. He knew where the nearby surveince cameras were. Hacking a surveince camera was easy for him. It took him a few minutes to dysfunction them. The only scene that was shown on the surveince footage should be the original scene. Ethan, who had observed the castle¡¯s structure, sneaked into the first floor through a pipeline. Like a nimble ck panther, he moved his way through the darkness with ease. He heard the piano sounding from the roof. The only daring person to y piano at this moment was Ms. Rosa, who had never revealed her face before. Most of Toxic Hive¡¯sboratories were built underground, so Ethan sneaked into the underground. As he had expected, the underground of the mansion was spacious. The width was at least one thousand square meters, and it consisted of several floors. Hearing footsteps, he hurriedly hid in the corner near the stairs. Thanks to the dim light, he could see a man and a woman leaving with hurried steps. He heard the woman saying, ¡°Why is Mr. Y here at this hour? Madam told us not to disturb her. Begonia and Leo are testing the medicines. I¡¯m afraid he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with only us serving him.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else we can do. Just bite the bullet and escort him to the backyard so we won¡¯t get in Madam¡¯s way.¡± She sighed and grumbled while picking up her pace. Ethan frowned while wondering who Mr. Y was. He thought, ¡°Fortunately, Leo is here. And Begonia? Could it be her?¡± His heart raced. Could Begonia be the person whom he had been looking for over ten years? Whose death was the reason for his dreading sorrow? He swung between happiness and sadness when he found out that Leia wasn¡¯t dead. The further Ethan walked down the stairs, the lower the temperature dipped and the darker it became. He supposed that this ce was just a temporary hideout because they didn¡¯t install an rm system. That was why he could sneak into the ce sessfully. There were several rooms on every floor. The upper floors were amodation, while the lower floors wereboratories. When Ethan walked to the end of the hallway, there were two rooms. He knew that it was highly possible that the person he was looking for was in there. He wasn¡¯t nning to rm Leo and Begonia. Both of them were highly vignt. He waited in the darkness for a while when one of the doors opened. A fox-masked woman appeared. Her physique was simr to the woman he saw that day. It should be her! She ascended the stairs hurriedly. Considering that Chris was still upstairs, Ethan didn¡¯t dare to take action. Otherwise, both of them might not be able to get out of here alive. Secretly, Ethan entered theboratory. He could tell that they¡¯d recently moved in at ast-minute notice. The simpleboratory wasn¡¯tpletely equipped. There were some bottles, jars, and reports ced on the table. ted with his findings, he quickly made a copy of the reports. While he was copying them, he noticed a bottle of medicine. It wasbeled as ¡°M-1¡±. Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Olivia was following Avery side by side. They were wearing the same mask. He had changed his sapphire ring into a green chrysoberyl ring. As she entered the castle, she could hear the piano ying from the rooftop. Two crows happened to fly over them. The dim lights made the Rosa flowers appear somehow eerie. It was almost summer, but Olivia¡¯s skin crawled when the wind blew. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Avery lowered his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Just follow me closely. You don¡¯t have to do or say anything later on.¡± She hummed softly in response. After all, she was just here to confirm Leia¡¯s identity. The piano sounds suddenly stopped, and pin-drop silence filled the area. A man and a woman were running toward them. When they drew closer, Olivia noticed that they were wearing masks. Regardless, she managed to recognize them. It was Ryan and Jennifer. At this moment, Olivia was d that she was wearing a mask, as it hid her vehement emotions. The fact that these two were here proved that she was getting closer to the truth about Leia. Panting, Ryan and Jennifer reached about three meters away from Avery and greeted him, ¡°Mr. Y.¡± Olivia stared at Avery¡¯s straight back as the light stretched his shadow on the ground. He rested his hands behind him. No one could see his expression, but the cold air around him could easily scare others. It seemed like everyone had their own identities in this world. Avery watched the two people, making them slightly ufortable. Even though they were wearing masks, Olivia could tell that Ryan and Jennifer were extremely anxious. Hence, she assumed that Avery was an incredible individual. Ryan exined, ¡°Madam is currently handling an urgent matter, so she can¡¯t wee you personally. We hope you can forgive us. Pleasee this way.¡± Avery didn under the pressure. Olivia discreetly stared at his back, thinking that this was how a big boss should act. Olivia and Avery were led to a room. He took a seat while she remained standing, trying her best not to draw attention to herself. Ryan wasn¡¯t as haughty as he had been when he had kidnapped Olivia. His back was slightly hunched, as though he were at Avery¡¯s beck and call. An indifferent Jennifer served brewed tea before joining Ryan, acting like a careful child who had done something wrong. Avery yed with his green chrysoberyl ring while saying indifferently, ¡°I remember that you have a genius neurologist named Begonia. I would like to see her. Even though he was quiet, his voice was stern. Ryan and Jennifer exchanged looks. Ryan asked gingerly, ¡°Dr. Begonia is on an important experiment. May I know why you would like to meet her?¡± Olivia had been wondering how Avery would get her to meet Begonia. But she had never expected him to be this straightforward. He was like a homeroom teacher, calling out the delinquent students. Ryan and Jennifer were prominent figures that everyone in the entire world was afraid of. Yet, they didn¡¯t have the guts to act haughtily in front of him. They seemed like they didn¡¯t even dare breathe too loudly. Avery answered softly, ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to know that. You have three minutes. I want to see her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll bring her to you at this instant. Please give us a moment.¡± Seeing how Ryan left with anxious steps, Olivia clenched her fists. She wondered, ¡°What kind of person is Avery? Why are they so afraid of him?¡± Still, the thrill overpowered her curiosity. Leia was here, and Olivia was going to meet her at longst! Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Soon, the door swung open. Olivia tightly grasped the hem of her sleeves. There was a switch between Olivia and Leia¡¯s positions. Olivia had found out that Leia was the mastermind, but Leia was clueless about Olivia¡¯s presence. Now that they were going to meet up in person, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. A woman in a white dress entered the room. She was tall and skinny. She was wearing a mask, but her exposed skin was as fair as snow. The sheer look of her figure alone was enough for others to guess how gorgeous the face under that mask was. Judging from how she was walking like a normal person, it seemed like she had been pretending to be a janitor who had a problem with her legs. She had even darkened her face to avoid grabbing unwanted attention. The breeze fluttered the hem of her dress, giving off the impression that she was a gentle and kind woman. Begonia stopped three meters away from Avery. Her voice was hoarse when she said, ¡°Mr. Y, I heard that you were looking for me. It must be her original voice, which was different from before. It wasn¡¯t that mellifluous. It sounded as though her vocal cords had been injured before. Avery crossed his legs while turning his green chrysoberyl ring, exuding a cold, dominant air. His gaze swept across Ryan and Jennifer. ¡°Get out.¡± They were obviously slightly concerned about it, but they didn¡¯t dare to cross the line in front of Avery. Left with no choice, they walked out of the room. Now that there were only three of them in the room, Olivia tried her best to suppress her emotions. She remembered what Avery had said. Today, she was here only to confirm Leia¡¯s identity. Knowing how vignt Leia was, Olivia intentionally hushed her breath. Leia, who was standing straight, didn¡¯t show any signs of fear despite being the only Toxic Hive member in the room. Avery rose from his seat and approached her. He stood before her and rested his hands behind him, staring at Leia coldly. ¡°How have you been all these years?¡± She hung her head low, so no one could read her expression. ¡°Thanks to you, Madam has been treating me well. I will never forget what you did to save me.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened as she realized that they knew each other. Furthermore, Leia was treating Avery with respect. ¡°I remember that you left when you were 11 years old,¡± he recounted. ¡°Yes.¡± He held up one of his hands before his chest. ¡°You were this tall back then.¡± Leia curled her fingers to ball a fist. She uttered through her gritted teeth, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot taller, but you¡¯re as skinny as you were before.¡± He reached out for her mask, intending to take it off. Leia reflexively moved to hold her mask, but in the end, she didn¡¯t stop him. Olivia was well aware that Toxic Hive members wouldn¡¯t remove their masks unless the other party was a close acquaintance. That was a mere knee-jerk reaction against Avery¡¯s action. When Leia got herself together, she didn¡¯t stop him. Avery pulled the mask to the back of her head. Leia could just about smell his faint body scent. Her heart was racing. Meanwhile, Olivia found it strange how such a daring woman could be this meek. When Leia¡¯s mask was slowly taken off, her hair covered half of her face. A nervous Olivia gulped. Avery raised Leia¡¯s chin, saying, ¡°Long time, no see, little kid.¡± Olivia was stunned the moment she saw Leia¡¯s face. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 The dim light in the room shone upon Leia¡¯s face. Before this, Olivia had pictured Leia¡¯s face multiple times in her head. Judging from what Leia had done in the past, Olivia expected her to look evil and distorted. In reality, however, Leia had perfectly inherited the good looks from the Millers. She resembled her mother. Her face shape looked barely the same as Ethan¡¯s, but they looked like twins. Her features were sharp, and her long hair made her look cheerful. If Olivia hadn¡¯t known what Leia had done, she would have mistaken her for an innocent college student. The truth had finallye to light. Olivia had guessed it right. Leia was the mastermind! Her family, Jeff, and everything that she had suffered throughout the past two years crossed Olivia¡¯s mind. The sheer thought of those made Olivia want to carve Leia¡¯s heart out and devour every part of her body. Olivia had never done Leia any harm. Why would Leia do that to her? As of today, the bedridden Jeff had yet to regain his consciousness. Olivia¡¯s chest was rising due to anger. ¡°You¡¯re all grown up.¡± Avery¡¯s voiceforted her emotions. Leia slightly blushed. Her lips parted as though she wanted to exin something. But she swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue and retreated to the side. ¡°Why did you want to see me, sir?¡± ¡°Nothing in particr. I happened to be in Aldenvine, and I heard that you guys are here too. So I wanted to check on you.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m doing fine. I hope you don¡¯t me me for leaving back then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice. I will never me you. Aside from checking on you, I would like to have a consultation about medicine.¡± Her eyes brightened at the mention of medicine. She hurriedly prompted, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Olivia observed Leia. It was obvious that thetter was treating Avery differently. She wondered if Avery was someone very important to Leia. The rooftop was covered with Rosa flowers that blossomed into vibrant colors. Chris saw the woman sitting before the piano, ying the same song. She was wearing a ck dress that was embroidered with Rosa flowers,plementing her fair skin. Her finger yed thest key with a touch of grace. The piano sound came to a sudden stop, letting the surroundings fall into dead silence once more. The woman didn¡¯t turn around. Chris took the initiative to break the silence. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m here as you¡¯ve requested.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± she asked out of the blue. He had so many questions about Chloe and Marina beforeing here. But he was taken aback by her question. ¡°What?¡± he asked, baffled. ¡°The piano piece.¡± Chris had been feeling like there was a heavy weight on his chest this whole time. He wasn¡¯t in a state of mind to care about what piano piece she was ying. ¡°Could you y it again?¡± he asked seriously. She chuckled softly. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed. As always, you don¡¯t know how to cheer women up. If Other people would haveplimented the performance regardless of whether they had heard it or not. He stared at the back of her head, wondering why her voice sounded the same as the woman in his memories. That was impossible. She had been dead for so many years. He had personally buried her body that year. He shook his head, shaking that idea off. She said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s y it together.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Chris walked up to the woman anxiously. ¡°Is my daughter with you?¡± She raised her head to look at him. The evil ghost mask covered her face. ¡°I¡¯ll answer that after you y the piano with me.¡± Her voice sounded calm. He tried his best to suppress his anger. Knowing full well that members of Toxic Hive were ruthless, he couldn¡¯t take the risk of provoking her. The woman nudged to the side, and he seated himself next to her. He knew how to y the piano, but at his level, he could barely y the piece by reading the music sheet. When they finally finished ying the piece, Chris asked, ¡°Did you kidnap my daughter?¡± She chuckled. ¡°You sought me because of your wife, who¡¯s suffering from leukemia. She¡¯s in the ICU, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Can you save her?¡± ¡°Of course I can. Otherwise, why would you be here meeting me?¡± she answered naturally. Chris didn¡¯t show any trace of joy, despite her affirmative answer. Alert, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± She let out a soft giggle before approaching him. ¡°I do have a condition.¡± He could smell her perfume due to their close proximity. It had a strong rose scent. A strand of her hair brushed across his face along the breeze, lingering with a faint flowery scent. He took a step back in reflex. The woman grabbed his hand. Her body temperature was lower than average. ¡°What is it?¡± he questioned. ¡°Sleep with me,¡± she said slowly. His eyes slowly widened. Never in his wildest dream had he expected her to bring up condition. ¡°W-What did you say?¡± He thought that he was hearing things. such a Her hand slowly traced to his chest, caressing his throat intimately. ¡°I said, spend the night with me, and I will save your wife. How¡¯s that?¡± Frowning, he pushed her onto the piano without hesitation. The piano let out a dull sound. He stepped away from her. ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t cross the line.¡± Instead of getting angry at his fierce reaction, she was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°You¡¯re as cold as usual.¡± The longer he looked at her, the stranger he found her to be. She kept reminding him about the woman in his memories. Despite knowing that it was impossible, he asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± She twirled her hair. ¡°Give it a guess.¡± ¡°Do we know each other?¡± Chris looked at her hand. Her skin was that of a youngdy. Even if that person was still alive, she would be a middle-aged woman in herte 40s. There was no way she could have such smooth skin, no matter how good her skincare routine was. Thus, he instantly eliminated that possibility. She didn¡¯t answer that question. ¡°Are you going to do it or not? If you¡¯re not, this marks the end of our negotiation. You may leave now.¡± Chris was rendered speechless. He thought, ¡°Is Ms. Rosa out of her mind? How could she have such a strange condition?¡± She crossed her arms, watching him casually. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Let me do the math for a moment. Your wife has only 60 hours left. If you return home right now, you¡¯ll be able to make the necessary arrangements for a funeral in time.¡± Furious, Chris grabbed her by the cor. ¡°Are you behind what¡¯s happening to my daughter and wife?¡± ¡°Do you want to kill me?¡± She smiled faintly. ¡°If so, I will make sure that Marina won¡¯t be able to see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise.¡± ¡°Just what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°What am I trying to do? Hmm¡­¡± She grabbed a ck cloth. ¡°Cover your eyes ande with me.¡± Noticing his hesitation, she added, ¡°Do as I say, or your wife and daughter will die. Make your Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Leia thought that Avery was here to question her departure, but he wasn¡¯t. It didn¡¯t take long before he let her go. Avery and Olivia didn¡¯t leave the ce because they knew that Marina was in the castle. They settled down in a room Ryan had arranged for them. After making sure that there were no hearing devices in the room, he asked, ¡°What is it that you want to ask?¡± ¡°Have you known her for a long time?¡± ¡°Yeah. I saved her. But I kind of pitied her when I first met her. Most of her body was burned. Even half of her face was burned. That was why I wasn¡¯t that certain that she was the person you were looking for.¡± She was baffled. ¡°No wonder her voice sounded kind of weird.¡¯¡± ¡°Aside from the burns, she had a lot of wounds on her. When I met her, she was barely alive. ¡°She was just skin and bones. Not a single part of her skin was free from burns. She only woke up after resting for half a year, and even then, she barely looked like a person.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not long after that, she left Peace¡¯s Embrace with the mutineers. I hadn¡¯t met her since then. Now that I think about it, I hadn¡¯t met her that much at all.¡± Olivia said carefully, ¡°So, you¡¯re¡­¡± He said, ¡°You might have guessed it, so I might as well be honest with you. I¡¯m one of the founders of Peace¡¯s Embrace. As I¡¯ve told you, my initial intention was to help more people. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way in the end. Although Toxic Hive was founded a long time ago, they didn¡¯t dare to do things their way so obtrusively back then. They would still show me some respect.¡± Only now did Olivia understand the whole story. She hadn¡¯t expected the person she had saved by chance to be a powerful individual. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Avery. It¡¯s gettingte. You should get some rest. I¡¯ll get out of your hair,¡± she said. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Are you staying to look for Marina?¡± ¡°Yeah. I want to know why Toxic Hive is harming her. I think she holds some secrets that I don¡¯t know.¡± Avery sighed. ¡°I might as well help you to the end.¡± They secretly left the room. It wasn¡¯t difficult to find Marina. The researchers were underground, so the huge castle was almost empty. The doctor on the shift looking after Marina was dozing off, so Olivia snuck into the room. The lights weren¡¯t turned on. There were only dim lights from the various medical appliances. She could scarcely see someone lying in bed. She wondered if that was Marina. Holding her breath, Olivia approached the bed. The person in bed wasn¡¯t sleeping. rmed, the person looked at Olivia when she heard the noise. Olivia turned on the torch on her phone and saw Marina. Every part of Marina¡¯s body was attached to pipes. She was wearing an oxygen mask. She looked so frail, as if she were basically hanging onto thest breath of her life. Marina¡¯s expression morphed into one of horror upon noticing a masked person standing by the bed. Olivia lowered her voice. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Marina looked at Olivia in disbelief. Olivia took the chance to remove the oxygen mask. To her surprise, the first thing Marina said was, ¡°Are you here to make fun of me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Olivia denied. She couldn¡¯t understand how Marina could jump to that conclusion. Would she take the risk ofing this far just to make fun of Marina? ¡°Stop pretending. I bet you¡¯re happy to see me end up like this.¡± Marina cried. ¡°This is my karma for ruining your family. That must be what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯m telling you, even if I turn out like this, he will still marry me. Olivia was astonished at how Marina was still thinking of threatening her at this point. ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m not here to make fun of you. I had also been set up by Toxic Hive, just like you,¡± Olivia exined. ¡°Toxic Hive?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same people who kidnapped us that day. Do you think that you¡¯re the drove Ethan and me to divorce? person who ¡°No. There was someone else involved in it besides the three of us. They ruined my family, and now they¡¯re trying to harm you and Mom.¡± Olivia continued with gritted teeth, ¡°I resent you, but we share the same enemy this time. ¡°I hope you can tell me what happened that day. Why did Mom¡¯s illness suddenly be worse? And why were you involved in a car crash?¡± Even though Marina loathed Olivia to the bone, she was left with no other option. Crying, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Marina was reluctant to tell Olivia everything, but she had no better option. Hence, she revealed everything to Olivia. Olivia¡¯s expression changed after listening to her. ¡°You knew that your bone marrow was a match, but you didn¡¯t say anything? And you¡¯re nning to watch Mom¡¯s condition get worse until her time is up? ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t know about her identity, didn¡¯t you think that it was cruel to do that? You robbed me of my mother¡¯s love for so many years. What else were you unhappy about?¡± The more she thought about it, the more furious she became. She couldn¡¯t understand how a person could be this cruel. She continued, ¡°Even an adopted dog and its owner would have bonded after spending time together for so many years!¡± Marina was crying so much that she could barely speak properly. ¡°I know that everything¡¯s my fault. But now¡¯s not the time to talk about this. If you really want to save me, just get me out of here. I have to donate my bone marrow to Mom before it¡¯s too Olivia held back the urge to p Marina. Taking a few deep breaths, Olivia attempted to keep her cool. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you out of here. It¡¯s not because of you, but to save my mother. But now¡¯s not the time for that. I actually snuck into this ce.¡± Marina said, ¡°Save my father. My mother-no, that woman-is crazy! She¡¯s been plotting this for a lot of years, just to make him regret it! ¡°Dad was suffering from amnesia when he married her. After he recovered his memories, my mother was the only person he truly loved. ¡°That¡¯s why that woman bore resentment. She stole me away from them and raised me, filling my head with things since I was young. ¡°That was why I couldn¡¯t get over it after she faked her death and put all the me on Mom. I saw Mom as an enemy and even made her barren. ¡°It was all that woman¡¯s fault! She manipted me and tried to make me hurt Mom. Mom¡¯s suffering from leukemia because of that woman, too. ¡°Now, she¡¯s only one step away from achieving her objective! ¡°She¡¯s trying to make Dad regret letting her down. She spent so many years waiting for this. She wants to see Dad sumb to despair today. You must stop her. She will never let him off the hook.¡± Marina tried to hold Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°I know that it¡¯s almost impossible for me to survive this. But please, Olivia, I¡¯m begging you.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. There was always something resentful about a pitiful person. Olivia had resented Marina the most in the past, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it right now. Not only Chloe, but Connor¡¯s life also depended on Marina. If Marina died, Connor would lose his mother. Olivia said, ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way to save you. But you have to promise me that you¡¯ll live no matter what happens!¡± Marina blinked. Even if she wanted to nod, she couldn¡¯t do it. All she could do to express her feelings was to plead with her eyes. Marina said, ¡°I know. I will stay alive to save Mom. You have to get me out of here as soon as possible. ¡°That woman is feeding me drugs that can worsen my condition. Mom doesn¡¯t have much time left. If you help me out, I¡¯ll tell you a secret in exchange.¡± Olivia red at her, not expecting Marina to be this cruel. ¡°Got it. I shouldn¡¯t be staying here for too long. I have to go.¡± She roughly checked on Marina¡¯s condition and left. In truth, she could hardly calm herself. She never imagined the truth to be this cruel. If Marina was Chloe¡¯s biological daughter, who were Olivia¡¯s parents? What exactly happened that year? Were her parents aware of her existence? Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Olivia left the room, her head filled with questions. Right then, Avery covered her mouth and dragged her to the side. He smelled of scented candles, so she wasn¡¯t that surprised when he suddenly dragged her away. She was curious about what he was going to do. He gave her a look, hinting at her to look downward. They were standing by the balcony on the second floor. There were two people standing on the Although one of them was facing his back to Olivia, she recognized him easily. It was none other than Ethan. He was grabbing the wrist of a skinny woman in a white dress. It was Leia, whom Olivia and Avery met not long ago. Ethan¡¯s objective was to root Toxic Hive out. Thus, there was a chance that he had long known that that woman was Leia. The realization made Olivia break into a cold sweat. She shook her head immediately. Ethan loved her. He would never lie about that. Thus, she believed that this was a coincidence. It was possible that he had found out the truth recently. However, reality soon proved her wrong. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Leia demanded coldly. ¡°Leia, I know that it¡¯s you,¡± Ethan said with much difficulty. ¡°You don¡¯t have to deny that. If you didn¡¯t care about me, you wouldn¡¯t have risked your life to stop Leo from killing me. I¡¯ve asked someone to perform a DNA test on Jodie.¡± Leia faced her back at him. Her expression remained hidden under the mask. ¡°What¡¯s the point of doing that? Just pretend that your younger sister was long gone a long time ago.¡± Saying that was no different from admitting that she was Leia. By now, Olivia¡¯s back was covered with a cold sweat. Ethan had long known the truth. In fact, it seemed like he had known about it even before she had found out. So the person who had dug up Jodie¡¯s grave was none other than him! Yet, he had been deceiving Olivia. Not only that, but he had also tried to talk her out of pursuing the truth. And it was because he couldn¡¯t ept the truth himself. It was no wonder that he made soup for her, that he imed that they could have babies in the future, and that he had been amodating her recently. There had been so many hints all the while. Ethan had realized that he had wrongfully med Olivia and the Fordhams all this time. He was pleasing her out of guilt. He had even chosen to deceive Olivia to protect his sister. Olivia hadn¡¯t been this crestfallen since the day he had brought up divorce and the day she had lost her baby. It had been winter back then. The cold breeze had shrouded her, biting her skin. She remembered feeling cold all over. The cold had even seeped into her heart. It had hurt so much that she had barely been able to breathe. Now, she was going through the same pain. It was all because of the same person, too. Tears ran down her cheeks. Previously, Ethan had crushed Olivia¡¯s heart to pieces. Now, he had stabbed her right from the back. He hadpletely lost her trust. She reined her emotions in, trying not to let out any noise. She reckoned that Ethan was happy right now. No one knew how much he loved Leia better than her. ¡°Leia, tell me, what made you turn out this way? If you weren¡¯t dead, why didn¡¯t you return home earlier? Do you know how many ces I¡¯ve searched for you?¡± Ethan turned her around. ¡°Tell me, where have you been and what have you been up to these years?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Even though he had finally found Leia, what he wished to know wasn¡¯t the reason why she had treated him this way. Olivia could make up excuses for Marina¡¯s matter, but she could never clear Leia¡¯s name for all the things she had done. In the past, Olivia had thought that Ethan genuinely loved her with all his heart. But it now seemed like a joke to her. Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Olivia turned and left. She didn¡¯t listen to the conversation any further. She would be insulting herself if she stayed and listened to them. She had loved Ethan for many years, and it had turned into a mere joke. Even though Leia had ruined Olivia and her family, Ethan still called Leia¡¯s name so gently. Olivia recalled that night they had almost injected poison into her body. She could have died back then! Now, even the sound of Ethan breathing was repulsive to her. He kept saying how much he loved her and promised to give her an answer to everything. In fact, he had been eliminating evidence to prevent her from finding out the truth. She wondered if this was his way of loving her. Olivia left the balcony with a piece of rock. The idea of smashing Ethan¡¯s head with it crossed her mind for a brief moment. She took a deep breath and didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Your younger sister was long gone. I¡¯m just a living zombie.¡± Leia¡¯s voice was hoarse. She no longer pretended to be someone else. Ethan noticed how monotone her voice was. He could still remember how adorable the Leia had been. young She was still young right now, but why was she carrying such a sad bearing like an old person? ¡°I know that it¡¯s you, Leia. Tell me, why didn¡¯t you return home? You knew that Liv was your sister-in- law. So why did you do those things?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She broke free from his grasp. ¡°Yeah, I was the one who did all of those things. If you want to avenge her, you can kill me. I have no will to live anyway,¡± she said firmly. She seemed unafraid of the consequences of her past deeds. Ethan was baffled. ¡°You didn¡¯t even know Liv. Why did you ruin her family?¡± He had been picturing their reunion for the past few days. But none of his imaginary scenarios came close to reality. Leia wasn¡¯t even exining her stance. Her sole wish was to die. ¡°So what if I ruined them? What¡¯s done can¡¯t be undone. Either you kill me or let me go and pretend that you don¡¯t have a younger sister to begin with.¡± She was going to leave, but he yanked her back and pped her in the face. Her mask fell to the ground from the force of the hard p. He hadn¡¯t held back at all, so the edge of the mask identally cut her face. Ethan looked at the unfamiliar face. Her smooth skin was free from wrinkles, but something seemed odd. It was as if she hadn¡¯t been born with that appearance. If one took a closer look at her face, they would be able to tell that she had received stic surgery. Ethan asked, ¡°How could you be like this? Leia, do you know how long I¡¯ve been searching for you after you were kidnapped? ¡°And how sad Mom was? She missed you so much that she suffered from depression. She¡¯s been receiving treatment abroad for many years, but she showed no sign of recovery. ¡°Since you were still alive, why didn¡¯t you return home? Grandma¡¯s greatest regret was not being able to see you before she passed away.¡± The yellow light reflected the tears in Leia¡¯s eyes. She covered her face with one hand as she began crying. ¡°There¡¯s no more turning back. Can¡¯t you pretend that you never saw me?¡± ¡°Not a chance. I¡¯ve finally found you after jumping through so many hoops. You¡¯reing home with me.¡± She took an rm device out. ¡°You better leave if you don¡¯t want to die here. As I said, there¡¯s no more turning back.¡± Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Chris was still in the castle. Ethan didn¡¯t want to cause him trouble at such a critical moment. So he didn¡¯t provoke Leia. Now that he had met her, the mixed feelings that were churning in his stomach eventually morphed into disappointment. He couldn¡¯t understand how the adorable girl from his childhood had turned into this kind of person. ¡°Did you get stic surgery?¡± Ethan questioned. Compared to Leia, Jodie the Millers more. He had too many questions he needed answers for. ¡°Yes,¡± she coolly admitted. As long as he was the one asking, she wouldn¡¯t hide the answers from him. ¡°Why?¡± She avoided his gaze. ¡°I have nothing to tell you. You shouldn¡¯t be here for too long. Leave. Pretend that you never met me.¡± He blocked her way. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want toe home and don¡¯t want me as your brother. But you should at least tell me why you hurt Liv. ¡°Why did you hurt innocent people? When you were young, you couldn¡¯t even eat for days after your kitten died. How could you be like this?¡± He could still remember how upset Leia had been at that time. That was why he had stopped Olivia from bringing Snowball with her. Snowball reminded him of that sad incident. Leia smiled faintly. ¡°Are you sure that I was sad because the kitten died?¡± She raised her chin and smiled. ¡°I fed it sleeping pills because it kept meowing at night. It was so annoying. It was a pity that it died so soon. I had only fed it sleeping pills for three days.¡± He had never seen her smile so coldly before. Now, she seemed like a total stranger to Ethan. That was why he hadn¡¯t been able to recognize her, even though she had been so close to him all these years. ¡°Why did you kill it? You could¡¯ve given it to someone else if you didn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Who was going to keep mepany then? You were busy, and Mom sometimes acted out of character due to mental illness. ¡°Don¡¯t bring up Dad. He rarely came home. That kitten was the only toy I had to kill time.¡± She referred to the kitten as a ¡°toy¡± instead of a ¡°ymate¡±. ¡°Ethan, have you always thought of me as a lovely sister? But I¡¯m not. Haven¡¯t you always wanted to know what kind of person I am? I¡¯ll tell you now.¡± She smiled coldly and continued, ¡°Our family is the top elite family, but it¡¯s umon to have a mentally ill mother. And why didn¡¯t Dad ever show up? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grandpa was preupied with maintaining our family¡¯s position, while Grandma was his best helper. This family has always been cold. ¡°You were the only person who treated me well. But you had so many lessons every day. You couldn¡¯t look after me. ¡°I knew that I was different from my peers since I was young. They were like kittens and puppies. Delicious food and toys were enough to make their day. But what did I experience? ¡°I witnessed my mother attempting suicide when I was three years old. And it wasn¡¯t just once.¡± At this point, tears were glistening in Leia¡¯s eyes. She slightly raised her head to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. ¡°Ethan, back then, Mom was covered in blood when she hugged and strangled me. She also told me that I wasn¡¯t supposed to be born. Do you know what that felt like? ¡°Everyone keeps saying that mothers love their daughters. But why did she want me dead? ¡°While you were away, she tortured me a lot of times. She loved torturing me until myst breath whenever we were alone. ¡°That was how she could get a good night¡¯s sleep. The next day, she would wake up and hug me tightly, apologizing and promising not to do it again. ¡°Domestic abuse and cheating are simr. There¡¯s no stopping it once you start. She would torture me whenever she acted out of character. And I was used to letting the steam off by torturing the kitten. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. Their mother had suffered from mental illness for a long time. But he had never known that Leia had been inhumanely tortured when she was a child. Leia answered, ¡°Would that stop the torture? I could only end it by leaving the family,¡± He looked at her in disbelief. ¡°You mean you left of your own ord that year?¡± Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Leta looked right into Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes, I had enough of that kind of life, so I ran away. I wanted to see the outside world, but I was too naive. I thought that everyone was kind except for Mom ¡­.¡± She stopped her story right there. He asked, ¡°Even if Mom hurt you, why did you bear grudges against Liv? Why did you do that to her?¡± Her eyes turned cold at the mention of that name. ¡°Liv, Liv.¡± Emotions were storming in her as she grabbed him by the cor. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯ve never tried to seek help from you? But did you care about me at that time? All you cared about was her! ¡°I saw you smiling at her and doting on her just like how you did to me in the past. She smiled so sweetly¡­¡± The tears Leia tried to fight back finally trickled down her cheeks. She screamed, ¡°Do you know what kind of life I¡¯ve been through? Do you know what I went through just to see you again?¡± Her tears fell onto the back of his hand, and they were warm. ¡°When I escaped from darkness, I fought for my life because I wanted to see you. But you loved Olivia so much. I¡¯m your younger sister. I should be the only one receiving your love!¡± Obsession tinged her eyes. Ethan was all too familiar with that. That was the glint he saw in his suicidal mother¡¯s eyes whenever she suffered a rpse. Mental illness sometimes ran in the family. Considering that Leia had been living under the shadow of the trauma cast by their mother, it was possible that Leia was inclined toward the same symptoms. ¡°Leia, you¡¯re my sister and my family. Liv is my wife, as well as your sister-inw. She¡¯s your family too. You should love her instead of resent her.¡± ¡°Love? Why should I love a stranger that has nothing to do with me? We don¡¯t share the same blood. What right does she have to smile so sweetly next to you?¡± Leia balled her fists. The glint in her eyes was turning colder. ¡°Not only will I not love her, but I¡¯ll resent her to the bones. I was once a socialite like her too. I want her to know what it feels like to be in agony. Watching her slowly lose your love and fall into hell, I¡¯ve never felt this happy.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Did she do anything wrong?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It¡¯s just that she received your love. You¡¯re my brother. How could you love someone else?¡± Leia couldn¡¯t seem to fathom his logic. She continued, ¡°I know you resent me as much as you love her. But I don¡¯t care about it anymore, I¡¯d rather die than live this kind of life. Just kill me if you want to take revenge for her.¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers were trembling. How could he kill her with his bare hands? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He grasped her wrist tighter. Words escaped through his gritted teeth. ¡°How can I possibly kill my own younger sister?¡± She smiled. ¡°I expected that you couldn¡¯t bring yourself to do so. But Ethan, I¡¯ll always stand in between you and her once she finds out the truth. She won¡¯t be able to get over this.¡± ¡°You saw thising!¡± ¡°Yup. I know that you can¡¯t kill me. There¡¯s no such thing as a happy ending in this world.¡± Ethan was so furious, thinking, ¡°How could I have such a sister!¡± He raised his hand, and Leia reached out her hand to block it in reflex. The moment she raised her hand, her sleeve drooped to reveal the centipede-like scar on her arm. Chapter 402 Chapter 402 It was an appalling spectacle. Ethan rolled Leia¡¯s sleeve up only to see scars fully mark her arm. Unable to believe what he was seeing, he rolled up her other sleeve as well. To his surprise, there were not only one or two scars from cuts. There were burn marks too. The scars look like a squirming worm. It pained him to see them covering her arms. ¡°What happened?¡± Leia quickly withdrew her arms from him. Frantically, she said, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. As I said, I¡¯ll leave if you don¡¯t kill me. After that, my life and death don¡¯t concern you anymore.¡± As soon as she finished, she turned and ran away without looking back. Ethan couldn¡¯t stop her. Shock overwhelmed him as he wondered what kind of life she had been through all this while. With a gloomy expression, Olivia didn¡¯t utter a word in the room. She kept staring at her fingers in a daze. She didn¡¯t know what she was looking at either. Avery said softly, ¡°Have you finished your business? We shouldn¡¯t stay here for too long. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Only then did she regain her senses. She looked like she was put in an awkward spot. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Avery questioned. ¡°Mr. Avery, could you help me get Marina out of here?¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re asking this because you want to save your mother, am I right? Even if Marina¡¯s bone marrow ispatible with hers, Marina has to be in good health. ¡°She¡¯s barely surviving right now. Her organs aren¡¯t functioning properly. If she donates her bone marrow, she¡¯ll die. You practice medicine. You should know this better than me. ¡°If your mother has more time, you can wait until Marina gets better. Unfortunately, your mother has only a few days left. The best possible oue you can gain from this is sacrificing one life for another. Besides, it¡¯s not guaranteed that your mother will have a full recovery after that.¡± Olivia kept quiet because she was aware that Avery was right. However, she had mixed feelings whenever she thought about the pale-faced woman in the ICU Even though that woman had given Olivia the cold shoulder for her entire life, Olivia couldn¡¯t watch ber die like that ¡°You can¡¯t save her?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t for now.¡± She slowly rxed her fists. Lifting her head, she revealed her expressionless face. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ms. Rosa spent many years on this plot due to her deep resentment against Chloe and Chris. It was obvious that she wanted Chris to make a choice. Even if Olivia managed to get Marina out of here, it was a problem whether Marina could withstand the pain during the escape. After all, a lot of her bones were broken! How could she undergo surgery in such a state? Ms. Rosa wanted Chris to make a choice between his lover and daughter. It wasn¡¯t something that an outsider like Olivia couldN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. meddle with ¡°Okay¡± Avery drove her away from the ce. The car was filled with dead silence. ¡°Olivia, are you alright?¡± Olivia let out a bitter smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Had she known that it was a cruel truth awaiting her, would she have gone through all of that to learn it? Avery didn¡¯t know how tofort her because they weren¡¯t that close. ¡°There will always be darkness in one¡¯s life. No matter how dark the days are, you¡¯ll be able to see the daylight if you just march forward. ¨C ¡°Olivia, I think we¡¯re somehow destined to meet each other. I¡¯ll be leaving the city soon. Feel free to contact me at any time if you need anything.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be more grateful to you for helping me this much. Any news about your sister?¡± He sighed. ¡°Nope. Staying here longer won¡¯t help out. Honestly, I¡¯m a little sick. I have to return to my country for dialysis.¡± Looking at his pallid face, Olivia questioned, ¡°Kidney failure?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The best doctors in the world are in your country. Can¡¯t they help out with your case?¡± ¡°Olivia, doctors are only able to treat the symptoms, not the cause. There¡¯s no medicine that works wonders. The only option is a kidney transnt.¡± ¡°Judging from your status, shouldn¡¯t it be easy for you to find a donor?¡± Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Avery let out a bitter smile. ¡°Logically speaking, it is easy to find a donor from therge world poption. But it¡¯s hard to look for a donor through the normal procedures.¡± Olivia understood what she meant immediately. Peace¡¯s Embrace and Toxic Hive split ways because of the difference in management ideology. Only a minority of people were willing to donate their organs. That was why a lot of lowly people got involved in human trafficking in the ck market. A righteous person like Avery would never want to receive an organ through illegal means. ¡°Mr. Avery, would you like to have a crossmatch test with me before you leave?¡± ¡°Olivia, what do you mean?¡± She smiled. ¡°As you said, I do think that we¡¯re somehow destined to meet each other. My kidney might bepatible with yours. If it¡¯s a match, can I strike a deal with you?¡± Avery frowned. ¡°Olivia, what are you trying to do? You can just tell me. I¡¯ll help you out if it¡¯s something within my jurisdiction.¡± ¡°We can talk about that after we do the crossmatch test. It¡¯s alright. Every person has two kidneys. It won¡¯t hurt to lose one, will it?¡± She was suffering from a terminal illness anyway. It would be great if she could help others before dying.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Still, everything in this world came with a price. Avery could do something for her in return. He looked at her. Olivia was only 21 years old, but she acted like an old person. It pained him to see her acting this way. For a brief moment, he even thought of how fortunate it would be if she was his younger sister. That way, he had the reasons to care for her and protect her. ¡°Is that alright with you, Mr. Avery?¡± Olivia reconfirmed his willingness. He felt helpless by her persistence. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Avery¡¯s crossmatch test had failed multiple times, so he didn¡¯t believe that Olivia would be apatible donor. To him, the request appeared to be a one-sided wish from her. Once the result was out, it would burn her hope into ashes anyway. Avery drove Olivia away from the castle. Olivia didn¡¯t care about the rest of the conversation between Ethan and Leia. In short, she had put an end to her feelings toward Ethan. It was a loop. Never once had he stood on her side in the face of either Marina or Leia, So what if Olivia was aware that Ethan was set up and kept in the dark? He was the perpetrator in the end. Karma shoulde to his doorstep simr to what it did to Marina, He didn¡¯t deserve a smidgen of pity from others. Olivia and Avery did the crossmatch test overnight. After that, she stayed in the hospital. She stood outside of the ICU, watching Chloe. Olivia supposed that this was the only chance she could keep Chloepany. She had called Chloe ¡°Mom¡± for her whole life, yet she had to watch Chloe leave the world. Olivia looked through the thick ss of the window. Chloe had her eyes shut tight as though she was in a deep sleep. At the break of the dawn, Olivia was still standing there. When the sun rose, she saw Ethan. He was wandering around with hurried steps. His worried expression faded as soon as he saw her. ¡°Liv.¡± His voice was hoarse because he had spent the night without sleep. Compared to the storm of emotions in his eyes, she appeared rather calm-so calm that it gave one goosebumps. Olivia gazed at him indifferently. It was rare for her to see such an expression on his face. ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± He walked up to her. ¡°Where did you and Avery gost night?¡± ¡°As you can see, we came to the hospital. Mom doesn¡¯t have much time left. I want to keep her company until her final moments.¡± Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Ethan clearly wasn¡¯t buying it. If Olivia wanted toe to the hospital, why would she cause a commotion by leaving the house in the middle of the night? However, he couldn¡¯t treat her the way he always did. Leia¡¯s matter was fettering him with guilt. He walked next to her, looking at her gently. ¡°Why did youe here in the middle of the night and shake the bodyguards off? What if you encountered danger? Didn¡¯t I say that it¡¯s still dangerous out there? You should have the bodyguards follow you around wherever you go.¡± Olivia wouldn¡¯t mention Avery¡¯s matter no matter what. Ethan didn¡¯t dare to question further because he didn¡¯t want to upset her. She answered, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I came here.¡± He caressed his thumb while testing the waters. ¡°I heard that you took Avery¡¯s car. Are you close with him?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s because we share the same surname and I saved him once. He needed toe to the hospital, so he picked me up while he was on the way.¡± She glossed over her rtionship with Avery. What about you? Did you find any leads after going to Toxic Hive?¡± She stared at him. This was thest chance she was giving to him. Ethan parted his lips, and the sight of Leia¡¯s scarred arms crossed his mind. He wasn¡¯t fully prepared to settle this issue yet. At least, he couldn¡¯t think of a way not to let Olivia down.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. However, he forgot about one thing. The moment he decided to keep her in the dark was the most hurtful thing he could do to her. ¡°I went to a castle. It¡¯s their current secret base.¡± TR Olivia¡¯s eyes were fixated upon him. She didn¡¯t want to miss any change of expression on his face.¡± What then? What did you find?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to alert them, but I managed to discover something shocking. I made copies of documents rting to much of their secret research. I¡¯ve asked the technical team to analyze them.¡± ¡°Other than that, did you meet anyone?¡± Ethan looked into her clear eyes as a sense of foreboding settled in his stomach. It was as if she could see through him. Still, he thought that it was impossible. He was there with Chris. How was she able to know that? Ethan attempted his best to wear a calm expression. Yet, she managed to catch onto the brief glint of panic evident in his eyes. ¡°I did meet some people there, but they¡¯re not anyone important. Liv, I¡¯m here to take you home. You should get some rest. That brat is throwing a tantrum at Mina because he didn¡¯t see you after waking up.¡± When he started to avert the topic, coldness crept into her heart. ¡°He¡¯s not nning to tell me the truth,¡± she thought to herself. Olivia had suffered for two years. Jeff was in aa; Jodie, that innocent child, and Belle were dead. However, none of these outweighed the fact that Ethan only cared for Leia. Olivia gazed at him with a calm gaze. ¡°Let him be, then. What does Marina¡¯s son have to do with me?¡± She was so calm that it made him anxious. ¡°Liv, haven¡¯t you liked him all along?¡± ¡°Like?¡± She smirked. ¡°Sparing his life is my biggest mercy to him. I have to keep Mompany at the hospital. You should get going.¡± She then faced her back at him. From now onward, Olivia was not going to trust Ethan anymore. Even though she was going to die, she had to seek revenge for her family by doing the things that Ethan didn¡¯t dare to do himself! Olivia wanted Leia dead! Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Ethan clearly sensed Olivia¡¯s aloof attitude. Had it been before, he would¡¯ve forcefully taken her home. However, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to give her the cold shoulder now after what had happened-let alone say hurtful words. Guilt was devouring him. ¡°Liv, I know that many things have happened, and you¡¯re upset about them. Don¡¯t worry, your father as soon as possible. He¡¯ll be fine.¡± I¡¯ll save Olivia, who was facing her back at him, coldly responded, ¡°What¡¯s the use of that? If we can¡¯t find the mastermind, Dad might be harmed once more even after we save him. You promised to give me an answer to everything. When are you going to do that?¡± He would¡¯ve been able to answer that question with confidence in the past, but not now. How could he tell Olivia that the culprit was his very own sister? That was his biological sister, whom he had wrapped up in cotton wool since childhood. Ethan had searched for Leia for a long time. It was a tough journey before they reunited. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He would give Olivia an answer to everything, but that would be at least after he got to the bottom of everything. Licking his chapped lips, he said in a low voice, ¡°Liv, this matter ain¡¯t as simple as you think. Since I¡¯ve promised you an answer to everything, I¡¯ll find out the truth slowly. Just rx and get some rest at home.¡± She let out a self-mocking smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my motherpany these few days. I won¡¯t go anywhere else.¡± Her firm stance left him with no choice. He had a lot of things to settle, so he couldn¡¯t stay at the hospital with her. He signed helplessly. Both of them were not in the state of mind to continue this discussion further. ¡°You can stay. I¡¯ll ask Kelvin to stay as well. He can help you out if anything happens.¡± Ethan was keeping an eye on her under the name of protection. ¡°Fine.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste her time exposing him. Sensing that she didn¡¯t want to speak to him, he excused himself and left the ce. ¡°I have to handle some matters. I¡¯ll see youter. I¡¯ll inform Kelvin to handle your meals. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± It had been a long time since Ethanst treated Olivia so gently. Unfortunately, his gentle acts gave her more reasons to resent him now. Needless to say, it wasn¡¯t the time to turn against him. After all, she was the only person in the Fordham family. If she provoked him, he might confine her for real. There were a lot of things she needed to do. Therefore, she must take advantage of the free time given by the guilty man. Ethan could vaguely notice that Olivia was in low spirits, and he med it on the matters that had happened recently. It was natural for her to be upset over them. Furthermore, he was too busy and didn¡¯t have time to spare. He hopped into the car with hurried steps. Once inside, he reclined in the back seat exhaustedly. Seeing him raise his head, Brent asked, ¡°How¡¯s Mrs. Miller doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in low spirits. Ms. Parker doesn¡¯t have much time left.¡± Ethan kneaded his eyebrows. ¡°Keep an eye on Avery. Don¡¯t let hime close to Liv.¡± Although Olivia and Ethan were divorced, someone might still set her up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ve found out that Avery will be returning to his country tomorrow. He won¡¯t be able to meet her. He must¡¯ve done that yesterday to repay her favor for saving him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that he¡¯s still single.¡± Ethan was alert. It pained Brent to see those dark circles beneath Ethan¡¯s eyes. Brent turned the steering wheel and nced at him through the rearview mirror. Brent couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you really not going to tell Mrs. Miller about Ms. Miller?¡± Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Ethan had his spections all along, but he was able to confirm Leia¡¯s true identity now. Now that he hadprehended the whole story, Olivia should know the truth as the victim. He answered without opening his eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t say anything for now. Leia must¡¯ve gone through something during the past years.¡± Brent gazed at him deeply before letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Mr. Miller, I know that I shouldn¡¯t say some things, but there are only betrayals and misunderstandings between you and Mrs. Miller. ¡°I know that you care a lot about Ms. Miller, and we can¡¯t deny the fact that Ms. Miller has suffered a lot out there. But this shouldn¡¯t be a reason to hurt Mrs. Miller. The Millers owe her.¡± Ethan suddenly opened his eyes, meeting Brent¡¯s gaze through the rearview mirror. ¡°Say, should I kill Leia so that she can pay the price with her life? Even if Leia¡¯s dead, it won¡¯t change the past.¡± Brent parted his lips, but he didn¡¯t say anything in the end. He knew that it was already toote to make up for that matter. Even so, he thought that something had to be done. As the victim, Olivia would be so disappointed once she found out about everything. Ethan loved Olivia so much. His decision to keep her in the dark was clearly wrong. It would only drive her farther and farther away from him.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Mr. Miller, you should handle this matter properly.¡± Brent didn¡¯t say anything thereafter. That was the only reminder he could give Ethan so that thetter wouldn¡¯t regret it. Ethan was getting annoyed. ¡°As long as we keep this between us, she won¡¯t be able to know for now.¡± He thought, ¡°Olivia and I have a lot of time ahead of us. I¡¯llfort her and slowly return what I owe her.¡± Ethan imed, ¡°We have to speed up the investigation on Toxic Hive and find out what Leia has been through. Oh, any news from Mr. Carlton?¡± ¡°Nothing for now. Ethan wondered what Ms. Rosa wanted to discuss with Chris, Ethan was restless, feeling that something big was going to happen. He added, ¡°Keep an eye on Liv. Don¡¯t let her leave again.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Back in the castle, the ck canopy fluttered along with the light breeze. It revealed Chris, who was deeply asleep. He hadn¡¯t had a good rest for a few days, hence the exhaustion. The faint fragrance from the scented candle lingered in the air, putting him into good sleep. He slept for a long time, giving his body the rest it finally deserved. Chris opened his eyes abruptly. There was no one by his side. The sight of the messy bed alone was enough to tell what had happened. He had done what that woman told her, but where was she? Chris moved the canopy out of his field of vision. There was a person sitting before the dressing table. She wore a ck dressst night. Now, she was d in a beige dress with Ynia flowers embroidered on it. Judging from her back, she seemed to be in her 20s or 30s. Chris thought about having sex with her the night before and approached her with huge strides. ¡°Did you cast a magic spell on me? How did I fall asleep? Didn¡¯t you promise me¡­¡± He stood next to her and grabbed her by the cor. She slowly turned around. Since she wasn¡¯t wearing a mask, he could finally see that familiar face. She smiled seducingly. ¡°Are you happy about it?¡± He was instantly dumbstruck. He grew suspiciousst night, but looking at her face now rendered him speechless. ¡°H-How could it be you? I personally buried you that year. Are you her younger sister?¡± The woman standing in front of him appeared not much different from the way she looked over ten years back then. If that person was still alive, she wouldn¡¯t have appeared this young, However, there was one possibility. This woman could be her twin sister or another family member. To think that he had done the deed with herst night¡­ He pointed right at her nose. ¡°How could you do this!¡± Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Amused by Chris¡¯ expression, Helen smirked. ¡°Have you never thought that I could¡¯ve staged my death?¡± ¡°Why?¡± He was hurt to hear that. ¡°Why did you stage your death? Where have you been these years? What does it have to do with Toxic Hive?¡± She softly chuckled at the righteous man. ¡°You¡¯re as easy to fool as always. You haven¡¯t improved despite so many years.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± She slowly rose from her seat and caressed his cheek. ¡°Chris, oh, Chris. Do you know how long I have waited for this day?¡± The more Helen spoke, the more confused Chris became. He could not understand how that gentle woman turned into this kind of person. ¡°I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re talking about. Say, were you the one who orchestrated Marina¡¯s car ident? Why did you do that to her? She¡¯s your biological daughter!¡± ¡°Biological daughter?¡± She burst intoughter. ¡°Chris, we do have a child, but the child died long ago. ¡°1 Chris¡¯ eyes widened as he clearly wasn¡¯t aware of that. ¡°What did you say?¡± She giggled. ¡°You sure do impress me sometimes. You care about nothing else other than Chloe.¡± Tears were pooling in her eyes. ¡°You might¡¯ve forgotten about the girl you saved during a war 30 years ago.¡± The young Chris fought a lot of wars to protect the country. He had saved a lot of helpless people, so he couldn¡¯t quite remember. Little did he know that Helen had fallen in love with him at that time. Chris and Chloe grew up together. The only person he cared about was her. When he went missing during a war, others thought that he was dead. It was Helen who risked her life to save him. He barely survived death under her meticulous care. Chris lost his memories because his head was injured during the explosion. Helen knew that he would marry Chloe if she just let him go. Thus, she didn¡¯t tell him the truth and had sex with him. She took care of him round the clock. Thanks to her extraordinary medical skills, she was able to cure him. He then took her back to his Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. family. Chris merely perceived her as his savior. He treated her well, but that wasn¡¯t love. By the time Chloe came to pay him a visit, Chris and Helen were married. After that, Chloe got married to Jeff in a fit of pique. Helen thought that Chris would fall in love with her as long as she treated him well. After all, he was only human. However, she had underestimated Chris¡¯ love for Chloe. He recovered his memories, and he didn¡¯t have feelings for her other than a sense of responsibility. People saw them as a loving couple, but Helen was aware that he didn¡¯t want to touch her at all. It was his way of protecting his innocence for Chloe. Helen found herself hrious for not being able to win his heart despite all that effort. His cold treatment left scars on her. It was not until Otto pressured Chris that he finally did the deed with her as a married couple. Chris knew that she wanted a child. Since he couldn¡¯t give her love, he decided to make up for it by giving her a child. Helen thought that there might be a chance for her to win his heart after bearing his baby. Yet, Chris left the country with the excuse of work after she got pregnant. He didn¡¯te back for three years. The baby became her only ray of hope. Unfortunately, the baby died young. Helen grabbed Chris by the cor. ¡°Do you know how I felt when she slowly lost her vitality in my arms?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Chris didn¡¯t know anything about it at all. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I tell you? Would you even care when all you thought about was Chloe?¡± she cried. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 ¡°You don¡¯t love me, but I don¡¯t me you for that. I kept assuming that time would help you get over it, and that you would fall in love with me someday. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I didn¡¯t mind the cold treatment you gave me. I thought that you would love the child because we were a family. So, I wanted to take good care of her and see her grow up. ¡°But when I saw her slowly lose her vitality, I resented you to the bone for being heartless. How could you be that cruel? You¡¯d rather give that bitch all of your love instead of giving a smidgen of it to us. So, I swore that I was going to make you regret it for the rest of your life.¡± Her eyes turned ferocious as she continued, ¡°Later, I found out that Chloe was pregnant. I lost my child, so how could she have a family and a child that loved her? Which was why I set everything up. I stole her baby right after she gave birth.¡± Chris muttered, ¡°That baby was¡­ Marina!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you love that bitch so much?¡± Helen¡¯s face was contorted with madness. ¡°But I overestimated you. Marina was younger than our child, yet you didn¡¯t catch on. Still, I think that it makes sense to some degree too. Why would you care about my baby? ¡°So, I treated Marina well and let her know that the person you loved was someone else. Resentment is a seed. Once it takes root in your heart, it¡¯ll only grow. ¡°I took care of her round the clock and manipted her thoughts. I watched her grow up harboring resentment against you and Chloe. After that, I staged my death. As I expected, you got married to Chloe not long after my death.¡± Chris¡¯ face turned crimson. ¡°I thought you were dead. I ¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t find an excuse because he really owed Helen. ¡°You didn¡¯t return home for three years during our marriage. But after you got married to her, you gave up on your business and gave her a peaceful life only because she was worried about you. ¡°What does that make me? What does that make my baby and the years I put in? She was such a cute little girl! She called me ¡®Mom¡¯ too!¡± ¡°Helen, I didn¡¯t do that to let you down on purpose.¡¯ ¡°Chris, I don¡¯t think you know that Chloe¡¯s miscarriage wasn¡¯t an ident. Her daughter poured vegetable oil over the stairs on purpose to make her fall. Her daughter indirectly killed that little baby in Chloe¡¯s womb. I take it aspensation for my dead baby.¡± Helen added, ¡°But how was that enough? I taught Marina to add musk to Chloe¡¯s skincare products and the ss of milk she drank every day. That¡¯s why Chloe became barren.¡± Chris¡¯ expression changed when he heard that. ¡°How could you be this evil?¡± ¡°Evil?¡± She chuckled. ¡°What if I tell you that I¡¯m the reason why she¡¯s suffering from leukemia? I hired the Carltons to add something to her food.¡± Chris¡¯ eyes widened as he grabbed her neck. ¡°You shoulde at me and me only! She¡¯s innocent. How could you be that cruel to her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the cause of my misfortune. Had it not been for her, you wouldn¡¯t have treated me coldly. Chris Carlton, this is what you owe me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve returned her child to her. Marina has been sent to the hospital.¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°I kept my promise for yesterday¡¯s deal. Marina¡¯s bone marrow ispatible with Chloe¡¯s. It¡¯s not toote to perform the surgery now. ¡°But Marina¡¯s weak at this moment. It¡¯s up to her if she¡¯s able to survive the surgery. I wonder who you will choose between your wife and your daughter.¡± Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Helen blurted out the cruel truth, which was a huge blow to Chris. Coldness seeped into every part of his body. He didn¡¯t have the time to ept reality as rage inted in him. He was on the verge of losing himself. ¡°Must you take it that far?¡± His eyes were red, and his voice was icy. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough, of course. I prepared you a second gift, and it¡¯s a huge one. You should enjoy it,¡± announced Helen like a witch. ¡°Do you know how many years I waited for this day toe? I was in hell every day you and Chloe were living a peaceful life. You should experience the pain yourself.¡± Then, she kicked Chris¡¯ waist and broke free from his grasp easily. By the time he stood up while hugging his stomach, she was standing three steps away from him. ¡°Chris, I¡¯m no longer the foolish woman who¡¯d keep waiting for you to look at me anymore.¡± She appeared sophisticated in that beige dress, but her eyes spoke of madness. ¡°I¡¯m going to see your family ruined! Your wife and daughter are going to leave you one day!¡± By the time Chris rushed to the hospital, Marina was there. She underwent a check-up under the doctor¡¯s orders. Even though Marina wasn¡¯t his daughter, Marina was Chloe¡¯s biological daughter. He had looked after Marina for many years as well. He couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Sir, how¡¯s my daughter doing?¡± The doctor shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s in bad shape. Many of her body parts are broken, and her organs are damaged. She¡¯s very weak, but her life is not in a critical condition. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s like a frail doll. She can¡¯t handle anything serious.¡± ¡°As for the bone marrow transnt¡­¡± The doctor shook his head as soon as Chris brought it up. ¡°A bone marrow transnt? Ms. Carlton is in bad shape. We can¡¯t possibly take her bone marrow. It basically means taking her life away. Her immunity system is weak right now.¡± Following that, Chris finally met Marina. The sickdy no longer appeared haughty as she always did in the past. It pained him to see her in such a pitiful state. Marina looked in his direction when she heard the door open. Noticing that it was Chris, she couldn¡¯t help but cry in grievance. ¡°Dad¡­¡± His heart was squeezing. ¡°You must be in a lot of pain. You never like it when it hurts¡­¡± ¡°Dad, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have listened to that woman. I¡¯m the cause of our family¡¯s downfall! And I hurt Mom as well! I deserve to be dead! Just take my bone marrow. We still have time. We can¡¯t drag this any longer or Mom will die!¡± ¡°No!¡± A stern voice resounded. It was none other than an angry Otto. ¡°You¡¯re my only granddaughter. We can¡¯t lose you!¡± Furthermore, she was engaged to Ethan. If something happened to her, the engagement would naturally be called off. Chris said, ¡°Dad.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Before he could say anything further, Otto said furiously, ¡°I don¡¯t care if that woman is dead. Even if she survives this, she won¡¯t be able to bear your child. Marina is very weak. I won¡¯t allow you to take her bone marrow.¡± ¡°Grandpa, she¡¯s my biological mother. Please let me save her.¡± Marina was tear-stricken, regretting her foolish deeds. Otoo smirked. ¡°Her life alone is not enough to pay the price. Just get some rest. I¡¯ll never let you do something as foolish as that. Think about your children. Who¡¯s going to look after the children after you¡¯re gone?¡± Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Standing at the door, Olivia saw all this before she even entered. A mocking look shed across her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe the sort of family her mom had married into. Other than Chris, no one sincerely cared for Chloe. In the past, Chloe did her best to please Otto, but Otto never thought of her as family. In the end, the person who suffered the most was Chris. If he had to exchange Marina¡¯s life for Chloe¡¯s, Chloe wouldn¡¯t forgive him when she woke up. Moreover, he had raised Marina as well. He had treated her like his biological daughter since she was young. He couldn¡¯t possibly make the choice. No matter who he chose, he would lose. He wouldn¡¯t recover from it. A nurse ran over to them. ¡°You¡¯re the family members of the patient, right? She has woken up, and she wants to see you.¡± Chris whipped his head around and then followed the nurse out. Olivia went after them as well. The doctor was standing at the entrance. ¡°ording to the patient¡¯s wishes, she wants to be transferred out of the ICU. She wants to spend the rest of her time with you. ¡°Of course, you have the right to decide whether we should follow her wishes.¡± If she was in the ICU, no one could visit her. Also, every emergency rescue would cause strain on her body. She would suffer a lot if she remained there. Moreover, people who were rescued in this manner couldn¡¯t stay alive for long either. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chris looked at Olivia. Supporting the man whose face was full of agony, Olivia said, ¡°Just do as she wishes.¡± Chloe didn¡¯t have much time left. Olivia wanted her to at least leave peacefully. When Chloe was brought out, she had visibly shrunken in a short amount of time. Her face was only the size of a palm. Even in her sickly state, she smiled as she gazed at the two. ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve suffered so much.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± When Olivia saw Chloe like this, her heart was saddened as well. The grudges from the disappeared completely. past had Chloe was seriously ill, and she still didn¡¯t know what had happened to Marina. She nced around instinctively. ¡°Where¡¯s Marina? Is she still mad at me?¡± She didn¡¯t realize that she was Marina¡¯s biological mother. But all these years, she had loved Marina with the love of a mother. Chris didn¡¯t want to upset her even more, so he had no choice but to lie to her. ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon. Don¡¯t worry. What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll get someone to buy it for you. Look how thin you¡¯ve gotten.¡± Chloe smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll eat anything as long as it¡¯s something you made. Darling, can you take me home? I don¡¯t want to die alone in the hospital.¡± At the mention of death, the atmosphere turned grave again. Their eyes grew red. They knew that she was speaking the truth, but they couldn¡¯t retort at all. They couldn¡¯t even utter a word offort. But Chloe didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Help me with the discharge procedures. Let¡¯s have a meal at home as a family, alright?¡± She only had less than two days to live. Chris hastily nodded. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do everything you want.¡± While Chris was dealing with the procedures, Chloe took Olivia¡¯s hand. She apologized softly, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m so sorry. I wanted to wait until I got better to make it up to you. ¡°But s, that day will nevere. I didn¡¯t take good care of you all these years. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Olivia said, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t me you anymore. I seriously don¡¯t. You¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Silly child, I know my body best. I don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Gripping Chloe¡¯s hand, Olivia answered, ¡°We found someone whose bone marrow matches she¡¯s severely injured. yours. But ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we can arrange a marrow transnt operation for you right away.¡± Chloe said, ¡°You said that she¡¯s severely injured. Are you thinking of exchanging one life for another? Liv, I¡¯d rather throw away mine.¡± Olivia sighed,menting the cruelty of fate. The antidote was right in front of Chloe, but she couldn¡¯t use it. Chapter 411 Chapter 411 In the end, Chrispleted the procedures for Chloe to get discharged. He also made a meal at home. Chloe was extremely weak as she sat in the wheelchair. She kept calling Marina over the phone. She still missed Marina despite everything. To not upset Chloe, Chris didn¡¯t tell her the truth. She had done everything a mother should do. He didn¡¯t want Chloe to leave with regrets. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She has always been a stubborn girl, so maybe she¡¯lle home in a few days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Chloe only assumed that Marina hated her as always. So, she didn¡¯t insist much on it. At the table, Chloe kept telling Ethan to treat Marina well in the future. She told him not to hurt Marina, and that Marina was a good woman. Suppressing his coldness, Ethan promised to do what she said. Even though Marina wasn¡¯t present at the meal, Chloe was happy. She even drank some alcohol, and her face was flushed. She asked Olivia to watch the sunset with her. She was very talkative. ¡°Liv, if I knew that I would end up like this, I would¡¯ve treasured the time I spent with you. When your dad wakes up someday, please tell him I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve wronged him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I truly hope that you can be happy. Can you stop ming Marina for snatching Ethan away? After all, things have already turned out like this. There¡¯s nothing we can change anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fight with her for a man like that. Since I¡¯ve already given up on him, I won¡¯t look back.¡± Chloe looked at Olivia for a long while. Then, she reached out and embraced Olivia. ¡°You¡¯re a good child.¡± But this world was unfair. The ones who got hurt were mostly the good ones. The next morning, Chris took Chloe to a mountaintop to watch the sunrise. Leaning in his embrace, Chloe watched the golden rays on one end of the sky. She sighed in amazement. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty. I wish I could watch sunrises with you forever.¡± Hugging her, Chris suppressed his tears. ¡°As long as you like it, I can keep youpany forever.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Darling, meeting you was the happiest thing in my life. It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t be with you for the rest of your life.¡± Olivia and Ethan stood a distance away, looking at the two embracing figures, Chloe¡¯s face was especially calm and beautiful at that moment. They both knew that she was temporarily regaining her health for onest time. When the sun rose to its apex, Chloe¡¯s hand dropped out of Chris¡¯ palm. Chris behaved as if he didn¡¯t feel anything. He hugged Chloe quietly with a gentle smile on his lips. Lowering his head, he gazed at the woman in his arms, whose eyes were tightly closed. He nted a gentle kiss between her eyebrows. There was not a hint of sadness in his eyes. In a soft voice that no one else could hear, he said, ¡°Honey, I¡¯ve told you this before. No matter where you go, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± Sensing something was wrong, Olivia rushed over to him. She caught sight of the blood trickling out of a corner of Chris¡¯ lips. ¡°Mr. Carlton! What did you do? Hurry, call 911.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze was dark. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Looking at the two, Chris said, ¡°Olivia, your mother is very timid. She must be so scared to be alone. I have to go with her. When we die, can you please bury us next to each other?¡± Olivia knelt beside the two, tears running down her face. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ethan, I leave Marina in your hands. The Carltons will have to depend on you too.¡¯ ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then I have no more regrets. Don¡¯t cry, Olivia. I¡¯m going to see your mom now. Take care.¡± With that, he closed his eyes peacefully. Then, he dropped to the ground with Chloe, basked in the warm morning light. Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Marina was distressed to hear that both her parents had died overnight. However, because of her body, she couldn¡¯t even attend the funeral. The entirety of Aldenvine seemed to be enveloped in gray fog. When Otto learned that both his son and daughter-inw had died, he was so shocked that he had to be hospitalized. Hence, Chris¡¯ funeral was held in a hurry. Under the gray sky, Olivia spotted a woman in ck clothes. The woman was holding an umbre as she stood in front of Chris¡¯ grave for a long time. There was a terrifying expression on her pretty face. She didn¡¯t expect that Chris would choose to die with Chloe in the end. She had been scheming for so many years, but in the end, it was all in vain. She didn¡¯t get the desperate plea she expected from Chris. He had chosen to die and express his feelings in this manner. In the end, Helen didn¡¯t get what she wanted. Olivia walked up to her. ¡°Is this the ending you wished for?¡± Turning around, Helen nced at her. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± She was slightly surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be here. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a long time, waiting for you. Mr. Carlton asked me to give you this letter.¡± Helen reached out to take it, but Olivia didn¡¯t give it to her. Instead, Olivia continued, ¡°Back then, you were the one who swapped Marina out. You should know who my biological parents are, right?¡± Helen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°No, this is just a trade. Tell me about my parents¡¯ whereabouts, and I¡¯ll give you this letter. Would you like to spend your whole life not knowing how Mr. Carlton felt about you?¡± Helen gave Olivia a dark look. Then, she lowered her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ll never tell you about your origins. But here¡¯s a friendly reminder. If you want to stay alive, stay put in Aldenvine. ¡°If not, you¡¯ll be dead before you know it.¡± With that, she turned around and left. She didn¡¯t ask for the letter. Olivia ran after her. ¡°Don¡¯t you want the letter anymore?¡± Helen said coldly. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t afford to pay the price.¡± ¡°What price would you pay to tell me the truth?¡± ¡°Anyway, you should mind your own business. Keep being a daughter of the Fordham family. If not, you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡± With that, Helen left without even looking back. Olivia stuffed the letter into Helen¡¯s hand. Helen was stunned for a moment. Then, she nodded at Olivia before disappearing along the silent mountain path. Holding an umbre, Olivia gazed at Chloe¡¯s grave. Then, she ced some flowers in front of it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll live my life to the fullest.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Olivia could see that the circumstances were quiteplicated in her original family. It was full of danger as well. Just then, her phone rang. Olivia picked up the call, which was from the hospital. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Fordham. The results of the kidneypatibility test you did at the hospital are out.¡± Olivia rubbed between her eyebrows. Too many things had happenedtely, so she almost forgot about this. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Fordham. The results are very sessful.¡± Olivia was stunned for a moment. Then, she finally registered what was going on. A look of tion appeared on her face. ¡°Thank you. Please help me keep it a secret for now.¡± She immediately called Avery to tell him about the good news. Meanwhile, Avery was already on the way to the airport when he received Olivia¡¯s call. ¡°Mr. Avery, I have good news for you. Our kidneypatibility test is a sess. Where are you right now?¡± Avery was dumbfounded for a moment. His voice was trembling as well. ¡°W-What did you just say?¡± ¡°Mr. Avery, can I use my kidney to make a deal with you?¡± Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Under the pouring rain, Olivia stood in front of the grave for a long time. Her body was quite soaked by now. Unable to ignore it any longer, Ethan spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± Olivia stood there silently, looking like she would disappear at any moment. Once again, she lost a family member. She looked even lonelier now, and Ethan¡¯s heart ached even more for her. Reaching out his arms, he wanted to hold her in his embrace. But Olivia looked calmly at him from under the ck umbre. Her gaze was so cold that it startled him. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Liv. You still have me.¡± But she was sad exactly because she had him. When the mountain breeze blew past, Olivia¡¯s lone figure looked even more determined. Without another word, Olivia walked away. She had nothing to lose now. Ethan felt uneasy when he noticed Olivia¡¯s silence. He convinced himself that he needed more time to eventually heal the hurt in Olivia¡¯s heart. Seeing that Olivia had returned to her room once they were back home, Ethan finally sighed in relief. Then, he went to the study. Brent reported honestly, ¡°We found something about Ms. Miller. Back then, she was kidnapped and sold to the remote mountains in the south as a child bride.¡± ¡°A child bride?¡± Ethan spat the sybles from his mouth. ¡°Yes. The mountain vige was small and poor. The vigers were ignorant back then. Ms. Miller didn¡¯t have a good childhood. ¡°I heard that she didn¡¯t have much freedom to move, and the food she ate was terrible as well. She even had to farm at a young age. She would be punished severely if she did something wrong.¡± Ethan¡¯s veins surfaced on the back of his hand. Leia was very young when she was kidnapped. She was the esteemed youngdy in the Miller family. Ethan couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she was treated like that. ¡°Is that family still alive?¡± ¡°They died. They were burned to death in a huge fire many years ago. Ms. Miller probably escaped because of that fire.¡± Leia¡¯s tragic childhood was summarized in those sentences. It was only then that Ethan realized how she got those scars on her body. Perhaps she would never recover from the inhumane treatment. That was why she vented her anger on Olivia. ¡°What are you nning to do, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan crossed his fingers, cing his chin on the back of his hands. ¡°I want to save her.¡¯ ¡°Save her?¡± ¡°I want to rescue her from the darkness. I want her to live like a normal person.¡± Brent frowned. ¡°But how are you going to tell Mrs. Miller about this?¡± A dark look appeared in Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have my ways. They¡¯re both the most important women in my life, and they shouldn¡¯t be trying to kill each other. I¡¯ll love them with everything I have.¡± He had taken a drug from theboratory. It was a drug Toxic Hive had been researching, and it was capable of erasing memories. If he gave the drug to Olivia, causing her to forget everything, she would no longer remember the root of her pain. It would be the same for Leia. She would still be his sister, and she would never have been harmed. Unbeknownst to him, Olivia had overheard all this outside the door. She knew then that this was the decision he had made. He wanted the best of both worlds. Olivia sneered. She didn¡¯t understand how Ethan would believe that she would still y along with his ns. Not after everything she had gone through. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Her expression didn¡¯t reveal any of her thoughts as she yed with Connor. Ethan was busy with Toxic Hive, so he rarely went home. Other than her decreasing appetite, there weren¡¯t any problems with Olivia. Hence, the people who watched over Olivia let down their guard. But one day, Olivia received a call. ¡°Mr. Avery,¡± ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve made the arrangements.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Avery.¡± With great ease, Olivia got into the car Avery arranged for her. There was already someone in the car, who was none other than Colin. It was the man she hadn¡¯t met in a long while. Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Colin knew that Olivia already knew about his identity. Hence, he seemed a little guilty as he looked at her. ¡°Olivia.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Long time no see, Colin.¡± Olivia greeted, easing the awkwardness. Lowering his head, Colin fiddled with his fingers. He looked down at his fingertips like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°As you already know, I¡¯m Leo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. I¡ª¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve realized that earlier. When I was kidnapped, someone called the kidnappers. That someone was you, right? ¡°That was how you could find me so easily, and you did everything you could to take me away. Colin knew that he had kept everything a secret, and he was no better than the people who hurt her. ¡°Olivia, it¡¯s my fault. I won¡¯tin even if you me me or hate me. But I never once wanted to harm you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± If he wanted to kill her, she wouldn¡¯t still be alive today. But Olivia had experienced so much of being lied to and betrayed. She was no longer willing to trust anyone. She didn¡¯t expect the little brother she loved to be plotting against her too. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine on Mr. Fordham¡¯s side. I¡¯ll be operating on him with my visit this time. I¡¯ll make sure that he wakes up without any problems.¡± ¡°Thank you. Colin looked at Olivia, who had distanced herself. He parted his lips, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say another word. To him, this hurt even more than getting killed. He would rather Olivia beat him up and reprimand him instead of this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia.¡± Olivia looked up at the guilty Colin. Then, she said coldly, ¡°If you truly are sorry, you should tell me about Leia.¡± Colin whipped his head up to look at her. He seemed to be surprised that she knew about it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so shocked. I knew about it a long time ago. If you truly still treat me as your friend, for the sake of our childhood friendship, please tell me.¡± Colin sighed. ¡°Alright, then I won¡¯t hide it from you anymore.¡± Colin told her about the Leia he knew. ¡°Olivia, do you remember what I once told you? Some people were born evil. Leia is one such person. She¡¯s sick in the heart.¡± ¡°Sick?¡± Colin replied, ¡°Yes. When she was young, she was kidnapped and sold to a poor mountain vige. The family who bought her treated her cruelly. ¡°Her living conditions were harsh, and she had to do a lot of heavy work. She was covered in injuries. Later on, she set the house on fire, escaping after they were all burned to death. ¡°But back then, she was also disfigured because of the fire.¡± At that, Colin smiled mockingly. ¡°She¡¯s a cruel person; she didn¡¯t even mind hurting herself. After getting disfigured, she didn¡¯t dare to return to the Miller family. Then, she somehow joined Toxic Hive. ¡°For the past few years, she¡¯s been working hard in the field of skin grafting so that she could see Ethan as soon as possible. After all her hard work and suffering, she was finally prepared to return to the Miller family. ¡°But then, when she realized that Ethan had you, she couldn¡¯t ept what she saw. ¡°By her logic, she was suffering somewhere out there, but her brother was busy pampering you. You were the one who stole the love she was supposed to get. ¡°Truth be told, she¡¯s just out of her mind. She wants to destroy everything wonderful, including your purest love. ¡°She nned everything, and in the end, she forced you into the abyss. She wanted to getfort by torturing you. So, she became even crueler as she devised plot after plot to harm you.¡± Olivia¡¯s fingers curled up. ¡°She was willing to hurt so many innocent lives just to harm me?¡± ¡°She was bullied by her mother from a young age, so there¡¯s something wrong with her mental state, After living under such conditionster on, why would she care about other people¡¯s lives?¡± Lastly, Colin summed it up in a sentence, ¡°Anyway, Olivia, she¡¯s a very contradictory and cold woman. Be careful if you see her.¡± Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Olivia nned to leave the ind with Colin to save Jeff. She had something important to do before leaving. The car stopped by the beach, and Colin asked with confusion, ¡°Olivia, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just ending things with someone,¡± Olivia said as she closed the door. Colin felt uneasy as he watched her leave with determination. Olivia changed a lot after their reunion. She was uncharacteristically calm. Collin wondered if she was going to look for Leia. He couldn¡¯t allow her to do that. Leia was a lunatic. Olivia wouldn¡¯t be able to face her. ¡°Olivia, please don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± Colin tapped on the car window, but he didn¡¯t call out for Olivia toe back. Olivia knew that it was her only chance to kill Leia. After that, she would leave Aldenvine for good. She didn¡¯t n to associate herself with Ethan any longer, even if she died from cancer or suffered any other consequences. Meanwhile, Ethan had just finished an important meeting. He massaged his brows tiredly and asked, ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost 5:00 pm. Do you want to go home for dinner today, Mr. Miller?¡± Home? Ethan would feel immense guilt when he thought about Olivia. He didn¡¯t know how he would face her. ¡°No need.¡± A call from Kelvin came in. Ethan picked up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller went to the mall today, then she went missing. Do you think she¡¯ll try to escape again, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan thought it was unlikely that Olivia would escape. She had nowhere else to go. ¡°Get some people to look for her. She wouldn¡¯t leave the city now.¡± Olivia had no one else to rely on. She wanted to stay in Aldenvine and uncover the truth. Ethan was sure she would stay. ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan was about to set out to look for Olivia, but another call from a bodyguard came in. ¡°Ms. Miller has left the manor.¡± ¡°Follow her. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Ethan had been looking for a chance to get closer to Leia, and this was it. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He contacted Kelvin and said, ¡°Look for Liv carefully. Keep her from danger.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Leia was wearing a white, long-sleeved dress. The sleeves covered the scars on her arms. She looked stunning as she walked down the beach. She was surprised that Mr. Y asked to meet her. He was the man who brought her out of darkness and offered her salvation. Her heart would flutter whenever she thought about him, and she would feel nervous. When the waiter served her appetizer and lemonade, she instinctively looked at her surroundings. She didn¡¯t see any signs of Mr. Y. Leia didn¡¯t give it much thought. He was probably held up by work. She kept downing the lemonade to alleviate the anxiety she felt. The scenery was beautiful. There were boats sailing in the ocean and seagulls flying in the air. Mr. Y had sought her outst time. She figured that he must have encountered some difficulties. As Leia was in thought, someone approached her. ¡°I¡¯ve kept you waiting.¡± ¡°Not at all. You ¡­¡± Leia¡¯s expression paled when she saw who was talking. ¡°How could it be you?¡± It was Olivia who came. Leia had been the hunter for so long while Olivia was the prey. It was the first time that Olivia was in control of the situation. Olivia wore ck, form-fitting clothes and had an icy expression on her face. She looked at Leia and said coldly, ¡°Ms. Miller, I¡¯ve been waiting so long to meet you.¡¯ Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Leia didn¡¯t think Olivia could discover her identity and even get Mr. Y to arrange this meeting. Leia¡¯s expression contorted as she said, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Y?¡± The rage on Leia¡¯s face was evident. It was like Olivia had taken someone important from her. Olivia could guess that Leia had feelings for Avery. Smiling, she said, ¡°Take a guess.¡± The vague answer caused Leia¡¯s jealousy to re up. ¡°I knew you¡¯re a promiscuous bitch. You¡¯re not good enough for my brother. Since you¡¯re here, I might as well end you now.¡± Leia was about to stand up and attack Olivia, but a sudden wave of dizziness came over her. She slumped back into her seat. ¡°You spiked my drink?¡± Olivia slowly walked toward Leia, saying, ¡°It¡¯s what I learned from you, Ms. Miller. I think it¡¯s time for us to settle the score.¡± Olivia ordered the bodyguard to take Leia away. She had been waiting for this moment for too long. She felt like a fish out of water when her life was being manipted. She tried her best to break free of the ensnaring her, and she finally caught the person who caused all her suffering. The sun was setting, and the cool ocean breeze was blowing. Leia was hung over the ocean. She was shivering slightly. Her body was frail, and she couldn¡¯t stand the slightest punishment. Olivia stood beside her, holding a dagger. She would periodically run the de on Leia¡¯s skin. Olivia felt no pity as Leia¡¯s blood was flowing. There was only indifference. ¡°Ms. Miller, I might have to thank you for turning me into this cold-blooded monster. I won¡¯t feel This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. bad no matter how much I torture you.¡± Pain shed in Leia¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. Instead, she said with a smile, ¡°Is that so? 1 really should¡¯ve injected you with the poison that night.¡± Leia was no stranger to being tortured. She was mentally twisted. Olivia cut her again. ¡°This is payback for Jodie. And this is for Belle.¡± She cut Leia repeatedly, Olivia had once pictured herself with a scalpel at the operating table. But she never thought she would ever cut someone to torture them. Olivia couldn¡¯t bring herself to stop. She hated Leia with every fiber of her being. There was no way she could forgive Leia, She looked at the blood staining, Leia¡¯s white dress. The blood made her look weirdly alluring, Olivia felt no joy, only crushing pain. ¡°You¡¯re the cause of all my suffering, Leia Miller. Enjoy this pain while you can. Soon, your blood will attract sharks. All I need to do then is cut you loose, and you¡¯ll be their food. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a cruel side.¡± Leia could barely breathe from the pain, but she was still smiling. ¡°Cruel? You¡¯re the one that made me this way. I didn¡¯t want to be so horrendous!¡± Olivia bellowed. She had no choice. She would rather take revenge on Leia with extreme methods than wallow in hatred every living moment. Jeff would only be safe if Leia died. The people she harmed would only be able to rest in peace if she was gone. ¡°I don¡¯t have long to live anyway. I don¡¯t mind dying a sinner. But before that, I have to kill you. Can you see them? The sharks are here.¡± Olivia pointed at the sharks that were gathering below them. They were there for the blood. ¡°You deserve to die!¡± Olivia said with a crazed expression. ¡°What are you doing, Liv?¡± Suddenly, an icy voice rang out. Chapter 417 Chapter 417 The icy voice brought Olivia back to her senses like a bucket of cold water. She looked toward Ethan with Leia¡¯s blood on her face. Ethan had never seen Olivia like this before. What shocked him more was that she already knew the truth. Olivia didn¡¯t evade Ethan¡¯s gaze. Smiling, she said, ¡°You¡¯re just in time, Ethan.¡± ¡°You already knew, Liv?¡± ¡°Are you surprised? I was already carrying out my n as you were thinking of ways tofort me. I thought you were going to give me an exnation. I¡¯ve caught the one responsible.¡± Olivia looked at Ethan coldly. ¡°Will you do it? Or do I have to do it myself?¡± There were five cuts on Leia¡¯s body. Her blood was dripping down into the ocean, and she looked very frail. ¡°Liv, please calm down. We can talk about this.¡± ¡°Calm down?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Olivia smirked, saying, ¡°You expect me to just calm down after all I¡¯ve been through for the past two years? My family is in ruins because of you two. My dad is as good as dead. I almost died in her hands several times. Did you even spare me a thought?¡± ¡°Liv, I know it¡¯s all Leia¡¯s fault. I understand that you hate her and me. I can give you my life. Can you spare her in exchange for my life? Please don¡¯t hurt her. She¡¯s the only sister I¡¯ve got.¡± Biting her lip, Olivia said, ¡°The only sister you¡¯ve got? I should never have believed you. Ethan, I¡¯ll never let you off or her. You two owe me. I¡¯ll get back what¡¯s mine a thousandfold, Leia dies today.¡± Kelvin, Brent, and the others arrived at the scene. ¡°Mrs. Miller, don¡¯t be rash.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s all just sit down and talk things through.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to talk about. She dies today. I¡¯ve had enough, Ethan,¡± Olivia said as she swung her dagger at the rope holding Leia. The sharks had already gathered below. If Leia fell into the ocean, her fate would be sealed. A gunshot sounded. Olivia felt her wrist go numb and saw blood sttering before her. The dagger fell to the floor by her foot. The gunshot resonated in her ears, and her mind was dazed. She only realized what had happened after a few seconds. She looked at the man holding the gun at her in disbelief. Ethan shot her. Olivia didn¡¯t feel much pain in her wrist. She felt like her chest was shot instead. She felt like there was a hole in her chest as the wind blew on her. Ethan ran toward Olivia. Her bodyguard saw this, and one of them grabbed her other hand. ¡°Ms. Fordham, we have to go.¡± Olivia was dumbstruck. The image of Ethan shooting her kept reying in her head. He had made his choice between her and Leia. He picked Leia over her even though she was once his wife, bore his child, and they were once in love. None of those couldpare to the bond of a blood sibling. ¡°Mrs. Miller, please don¡¯t run.¡± Kelvin and the others chased after her. The bodyguards brought Olivia to a speedboat that was prepared in advance. No one dared to fire at the boat because Olivia was onboard. One of her bodyguards pressed a towel against her gunshot wound. He looked at her apologetically and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Fordham.¡± It happened too quickly. No one expected Ethan to shoot Olivia. It was the man she once loved deeply. She started to cry as blood was streaming out of her wound. Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Ethan looked at Leia, who was in his arms. She was heavily wounded, but she was smiling. She looked like a proud general that had won the war. ¡°Ethan, I won.¡± Leia fainted in his arms after she said that. Ethan was panicking. He knew he had lost Olivia forever. Avery didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be hurt. Colin¡¯s eyes became bloodshot as he said, ¡°Olivia, your arm!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Colin.¡± ¡°How could this be fine? You¡¯re going to be a doctor. This injury will cost you your career. Colin tended to her injury urgently whilementing her fate. Colin became a doctor because Olivia inspired him to do so, but Olivia ended up like this. ¡°A doctor¡­¡± Oliviay on the bed and smiled weakly. Olivia did want to be a good doctor back then, but Ethan dashed her dreams and made her submit to a life as a housewife. And this time, he destroyed her hand. Her life was a mess because of him. She could still feel a piercing pain in her heart when she thought about Ethan. The pain would spread from her heart to every corner of her body. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a doctor anymore. Never again,¡± Olivia said slowly as she closed her eyes. Not even in her wildest dreams would she expect Ethan to be the one to stab her in the back. Avery sighed deeply when he saw the hollow expression on Olivia¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t know how to comfort her as an outsider. He wasn¡¯t rted to her, but he kept having the urge to help her. Olivia was around his sister¡¯s age. Olivia¡¯s life was too miserable. ¡°Olivia, bear with it for a bit. I¡¯ll be taking out the bullet.¡± ¡°Alright. My hand will be useless, right?¡± Olivia asked as she opened her eyes. Colin paused momentarily, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to fix it.¡± He cursed at Ethan inwardly as he dressed the wound. Ethan wasn¡¯t able to keep Avery from leaving. He didn¡¯t have time to n for that. Although Leia¡¯s wounds weren¡¯t fatal, she was too frail. He only realized her body was in a far worse state than he had imagined. Night had already fallen after Leia was settled down. Ethan sat on the steps and smoked one cigarette after the other. No one knew what he was thinking, but they could see his fingers shaking uncontrobly. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Standing behind him, Brent said, ¡°Mr. Miller, the deed is done.¡± That was true. It had already been done. It had been five hours and three minutes since Ethan shot at Olivia. It had been hours, yet his hand was still shaking uncontrobly. He loved her so much. She was his Liv. He still couldn¡¯t believe he shot her. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself, Mr. Miller. Leia is your sister. You had no better options in the heat of the moment.¡± Ethan exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled bitterly. ¡°I shot Liv. I actually shot her. She¡¯ll never forgive me.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, Ms. Miller woke up.¡¯ A spark of life returned to Ethan¡¯s eyes. He dusted himself off and stood up. Countless emotions surged within him when he walked to Leia¡¯s side and saw how weak she was. Leia smiled at him brightly. ¡°Ethan, thanks foring in time to save me.¡± Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Olivia wasn¡¯t in a good state. She was already sick, and the gunshot wound made it worse. She developed a high fever in the night. The fever made Olivia delirious. She felt like she was floating on the sea. She muttered, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m so cold¡­ Please don¡¯t leave me. Baby, don¡¯t leave. Bring me with you. Living is so painful. It hurts¡­ It really hurts.¡± Colin looked at Olivia with tears in his eyes. He felt so bitter. Olivia was only 21 years old, but she had gone through so many hardships. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ll take good care of you. I swear.¡± Olivia slept for a whole day before waking up. Her arm had already been bandaged. Her wrist was wrapped in white bandages, and she couldn¡¯t see how the injury looked. She could only feel the pain when she tried to move. She realized it wasn¡¯t a dream. Ethan had shot her. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Olivia,¡± Colin said excitedly. Olivia opened her eyes to look at him. ¡°Where are we, Colin?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on international waters. We¡¯ve left Aldenvine behind, Olivia. Don¡¯t worry. He can never find us again.¡± A hint of innocence shed in Colin¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t look like he was a maniptive person at all. ¡°So we¡¯ve left.¡± Colin propped Olivia¡¯s back up with a pillow. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some food. Enjoy the view in the meantime. We¡¯ll reach our destination in two days.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After Colin left, Avery walked in. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Olivia, who was staring into the distance, turned to look at him. ¡°Thanks for helping me, Mr. Avery.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for Avery, Colin and Olivia wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave Aldenvine by themselves. Avery looked at her weary appearance and felt terrible for her. ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s nothing much.¡± ¡°Mr. Avery, we can do the kidney transnt as soon as we arrive at our destination. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. You¡¯re still weak. I¡¯ve been living with this illness for a long time. I can wait a little bit more.¡± Shaking her head, Olivia said, ¡°It¡¯s my promise to you. You¡¯re an important man, and you still need to go home and tend to other business. It¡¯s best if we do the transnt as soon as possible. Only my wrist is hurt. I¡¯m fine otherwise. It¡¯s a kidney transnt. I can live with one kidney.¡¯ ¡°Just get some rest. The transnt can wait.¡± Olivia looked at the ocean as her emotions simmered down. She hadpletely severed ties with Ethan, but she regained her freedom. After Colin healed her father, she would have her father with her. Fate had been cruel to her, but at least she wasn¡¯t forced to a dead end. She hade to terms with losing a hand. As long as she was alive, there was hope. Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste time thinking about Ethan anymore. All she could think of was the joy of reuniting with Jeff. Chloe had just passed, and no one cared more about the importance of family than Olivia. Olivia started to think about Jeff and wondered if he was doing well. Also, she was thinking of how to exin what happened while he was unconscious. Olivia thought it might be a good idea for Jeff to enjoy retirement on the ind. Jeff loved fishing. He could pick the hobby back up on the ind. At Aldenvine Hospital, Ethan stayed by Leia¡¯s side without leaving. He only rxed after she got out of critical condition. He was ready to freshen up at home when a nurse stopped him. ¡°Mr. Miller, this is Ms. Fordham¡¯s medical report. She hasn¡¯te to take it for a few days. Please hand it over to her if you see her.¡± The nurse had seen Ethan and Olivia together due to Chloe¡¯s incident. She was sure they knew each other.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Ethan was confused as he looked at the stack of reports. He grabbed the nurse¡¯s arm, asking, ¡°What are these reports for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a test for kidneypatibility. Didn¡¯t you know about it, Mr. Miller? Ms. Fordham did the test with Mr. Avery. His kidney failure is in itste stages. He has to get a transnt as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Ethan¡¯s expression became stormy. He almost thought he heard wrong. ¡°What did you say? A kidney transnt?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ms. Fordham is nning to donate one of her kidneys to him. That¡¯s why she did so many medical examinations,¡± the nurse said with a surprised expression. She continued, ¡°Mr. Miller, our hospital is known for kidney transnts. It¡¯s hard to find a match, so the transnt should be done as soon¡­¡± Ethan ran out of the hospital before she finished. He finally understood why a stranger like Avery would help Olivia. It was because her kidney was a match for him. Although she could still live with one kidney, it would still adversely affect her health. She was so young. Ethan didn¡¯t want her to give up a kidney just like that. ¡°Mrs. Miller isn¡¯t in Aldevine currently, Mr. Miller. Even Avery has gone missing. We aren¡¯t able to find either of them right now.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you have to rest. We¡¯ll inform you as soon as we get news of Mrs. Miller.¡± Ethan used all the resources he had to try and locate Olivia, but it was to no avail. Neither Avery nor Olivia could be found. Ethan was unable to sleep at night. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see Olivia¡¯s shocked expression when he shot her. He felt like countless bugs were gnawing his heart. He felt nothing when Leia tried to cozy up to him. ¡°Ethan.¡± Leia was holding a grasshopper in her hand. It was the insect that Ethan would weave out of grass and give her when they were kids. But they were no longer kids. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you feel unwell?¡± Leia looked at Ethan, who had grown frail, and said, ¡°Ethan, I know where she is.¡± Ethan raised his head abruptly and looked at her in disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Colin left a few days ago. If my guess is correct, they¡¯ve gone to an ind to operate on Jeff.¡± ¡°Leia, do you know where this ind is?¡± ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Leia said slowly. After a few days at sea, the boat finally docked. Color returned to Olivia¡¯s face as they docked, but her hand was almostpletely useless. She couldn¡¯t muster any strength with it. Her arm could only stay drooped on the side. Colin carefully helped her off the boat. The ind was almost exactly how he described it. The sea and the sky were blue. There were a lot of fruits on the ind. It was a tranquil ce that would make people feel at peace. ¡°Slow down, Olivia.¡± Colin was trying his best to be helpful. Olivia was walking quickly. She wanted to see Jeff as soon as possible. Jeff was her only family besides the birth parents she didn¡¯t even know. ¡°Colin, is my father okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. He¡¯s being taken care of by professionals. He¡¯s doing well.¡± Olivia was still worried. She only rxed after she saw Jeff lying in bed. Although he hadn¡¯t regained consciousness yet, his vital signs were normal. Olivia kneeled beside the bed and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m here.¡± She didn¡¯t know if Jeff could hear her or not. Colin pulled her back to her feet. Olivia was crying profusely while saying, ¡°Thank you for not hurting him. He¡¯s the only family I have now.¡± The sight of Olivia caused Colin heartache. He turned his head away and said, ¡°Rest assured, Olivia. I¡¯ll definitely bring him back to you.¡± Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Olivia had started to feel insecure. People close to her were leaving her one by one. Jeff was the only reason she wanted to live. She put all her hopes on Jeff; she couldn¡¯t let him leave her too. She wanted to wipe Jeff¡¯s body, but her right hand waspletely useless. She can¡¯t even wring a towel dry with it. Colin saw the disappointment in her eyes. He wrung the towel and handed it back to her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Heforted her patiently, saying, ¡°Olivia, you don¡¯t have to rush things. Ethan didn¡¯t hit any vital areas. There¡¯s still a chance your hand might recover. You need to rest.¡± Olivia smirked. ¡°Am I supposed to be grateful to him for that?¡± She looked at her limp arm and said coldly, ¡°My biggest regret was I was too slow and failed to kill that crazy bitch Leia.¡± She recalled the pain in Leia¡¯s expression and her refusal to utter a sound. It was abnormal. ¡°Olivia, she doesn¡¯t have it good either. Her body is not in good shape.¡± ¡°And you think I have it good?¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°Olivia ¡­¡± Colin paused, then sighed. ¡°Things will get better.¡± Olivia¡¯s world was plunged into the dark, but a glimmer of hope lit up within her when she looked at Jeff. ¡°That¡¯s right. I still have my father. Things will get better. I¡¯m not alone.¡± ¡°Rest well tonight. I¡¯ll operate on Mr. Fordham tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± That night, Olivia didn¡¯t get a wink of sleep. She was filled with excitement and anxiety. She confirmed with Colin again, asking, ¡°You¡¯re sure nothing will go wrong, right, Colin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. You don¡¯t have to worry, Olivia. I¡¯ve done detailed examinations on Mr. Fordham¡¯s body. The sess rate for the operation is very high.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Naturally, a cranial surgery would be more delicate andplicated. You must be patient. It¡¯s going to be a long surgery.¡± Olivia nodded and began her wait outside the operating room anxiously. Avery handed her a cup of warm water and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Leo¡¯s an amazing surgeon.¡¯ ¡°Yeah.¡± Some of the anxiety Olivia felt was alleviated. Smiling sheepishly, she said, ¡°Sorry you have to see me like this, Mr. Avery. I ¡­¡± Licking her lips, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve lost a lot in less than three years. My status, family, child, rtives, and even my hand. As you can see, I¡¯m almostpletely useless. I only have my father left. So, it¡¯s my only wish to see hime out of the operating room safely.¡± Avery met with her depressed gaze and patted her on the head. ¡°There, there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do the kidney transnt with you right after my father wakes up,¡± Olivia reassured him. ¡°I told you, there¡¯s no need to rush.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you helped me so much. I¡¯ll feel relieved that I can at least help you with one thing.¡± As they gazed at the clouds, Avery asked, ¡°Do you have any ns for the future?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll rest with my father on this ind. And after he recoverspletely, I ¡­¡± She paused. Avery looked at her, asking, ¡°What will you do?¡± Olivia shook her head with a smile. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Olivia, if you have nowhere else to go, you cane to Zelotria. My hometown is a charming seaside city. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll visit if I have time to spare.¡¯ Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Olivia felt calmer after Averyforted her. Time passed quickly, and the doors to the operating room opened. Olivia approached Colin and asked, ¡°How did it go, Colin?¡± He took off his gloves and mask. He then sighed in relief and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. The surgery was a sess. Mr. Fordham will regain consciousness by the end of today.¡± Too many idents had urred to her, so Olivia was frightened the whole time. But fortune finally smiled upon her for once. It was like Jeff knew about her worries. He woke up after a while. Olivia felt like she was dreaming the moment he opened his eyes. She stuttered and called out, ¡°D-Dad, you¡¯re awake!¡± Jeff looked at Olivia with a gentle look and opened his mouth to murmur, ¡°Li-Liv.¡± Colin exined, ¡°Mr. Fordham¡¯s nerves were damaged. He would temporarily experience difficulty walking and slurred speech. ¡°He would need to undergo rehabilitation exercises for the foreseeable future.¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Alright, understood. We can do everything in time, as long as my dad is okay. Thanks, Colin.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s nothing much. Olivia, your hand is still recovering. I¡¯ll care for Mr. Fordham.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t argue with him. She did need his help. Although Jeff had woken up, he needed time to recover. He had been bedridden for too long. He wouldn¡¯t be able to get off the bed right away. Olivia was happy enough to see Jeff getting better. Jeff had a lot he wanted to tell Olivia, but he couldn¡¯t talk properly yet. He stared at Olivia¡¯s right arm and said, ¡°Hand. Your hand.¡± Olivia hid her hand behind her back and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just some minor injuries. It¡¯ll be better soon. ¡°Focus on getting better, dad. Nothing else matters. I¡¯ll be with you no matter what.¡± Jeff didn¡¯t know what happened while he was in aa. He said, ¡°E-Ethan He didn¡¯t know that they were already divorced. Because when he was in the hospital, Olivia would tell him that Ethan was too busy with work to visit. ¡°Are you thirsty, dad? Have some water.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to agitate Jeff too much since he had just woken up. So she changed the subject. The sun was setting as Olivia pushed Jeff in a wheelchair to the beach to look at the sunset. The ocean breeze was gentle, and the waves were roiling. Birds were also returning to their nests. Jeff wore a faint smile on his face the whole time. Olivia kept talking to him. ¡°Dad, when you can move, I¡¯ll travel around the world with you. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard most of your life. It¡¯s time for you to enjoy life.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia crouched next to Jeff and ced her head on his legs like she used to do when she was a kid. ¡°I missed you, dad. You must stay healthy from now on. Jeff reached out slowly and patted Olivia¡¯s back. The scene brought tears to Colin¡¯s eyes. He was aware of all the suffering Olivia had been through. He approached them, seeing as the night was setting in. ¡°Mr. Fordham, let me push you back. I still need to apply some acupuncture for you to get back on your feet sooner.¡± ¡°Than-Thank you. Olivia watched as Colin pushed Jeff away and then wiped away the tears in her eyes as she walked C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. away. ¡°Let¡¯s begin, Mr. Fordham.¡± Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Avery didn¡¯t want to take Olivia¡¯s kidney if it was possible. The strange thing was that Avery had spent a lot of money and connections in the past few find a suitable kidney, but to no avail. He had already lost hope, but then Olivia turned out to be a match. years to His kidney failure was in itste stages. He survived off dialysis, but if his condition worsened, he would die. That was why Avery could not afford to turn down a healthy kidney. He was the eldest son of the family. He had to be responsible for the future of the family. The only choice he had was to go through with the transnt. Avery felt terrible when he saw Olivia¡¯s pale face. ¡°Olivia, I won¡¯t hold it against you if you don¡¯t want to do it anymore. I can still look for another kidney.¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°Mr. Avery, I am prepared to go through with it.¡± She knew she couldn¡¯t impose on Avery any longer. They weren¡¯t even rtives. The only thing she had that could be of use to Avery was her kidney. After all, one of her arms was useless, and she had cancer. She didn¡¯t even know how long she had to live. Olivia was content that she could help Avery out before she died. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m an adult, and I know what I¡¯m doing. I can be responsible for my own life. ¡°Let¡¯s stop dying the transnt. You still have work to get to, and you haven¡¯t found your sister. You shouldn¡¯t waste your time here.¡± Avery sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re the most considerate person I¡¯ve ever met. If only you were my sister.¡± ¡°Sadly, I do not have the luck to have a brother like you, Mr. Avery.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t even dare imagine what it would be like. Olivia quickly got on the operating table as Avery¡¯s professional kidney transnt team was getting ready. She was actually afraid of the operating table. The bright lights would remind her of the day she lost her child. Olivia was sure that she wouldn¡¯t be able to have kids of her own anymore. She closed her eyes and said calmly, ¡°My body has antibodies against anesthesia, so you don¡¯t have to give me any.¡± The anesthetist was stunned. ¡°No anesthesia? Are you nning to endure the pain, Ms. Fordham?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m prepared for it.¡± Olivia was no stranger to pain. The anesthetist saw hermitment and replied sheepishly, ¡°Okay¡­¡± He had never seen a woman so brave. She wasn¡¯t afraid of doing surgery without anesthesia. Olivia was calm as she listened to the machine whirring into life. She began to wonder if she would ever find her birth parents. Where would they be if they were still alive? Did she have any siblings? What kind of woman was her mother? Was she missing her too? The thoughts filled Olivia with strength. She can¡¯t die yet. She had to live. She had to fight for her life. Olivia decided that she wanted to meet her birth parents once before she died. She started to feel the pressure when the doctors surrounded her. ¡°Ms. Fordham, we¡¯re starting the surgery. Rest assured. We¡¯re professionals, and we¡¯ll patch you back up in the shortest time possible.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia thought she would no longer fear the pain. But when the scalpel cut into her skin, she realized a battered body would still feel pain. ¡°Bear with it for a little, Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Do it!¡± Olivia was in so much pain her voice was shrill. Suddenly, a loud explosion can be heard. It shook the ind, and the doctors stopped what they were doing. Olivia quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Get on with it!¡± Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Ethan had stormed the ind with his men. He said with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Find Liv. Stop the kidney transnt at all costs.¡± The ind wasn¡¯t that big. The men Ethan brought with him were war veterans. They quickly. infiltrated the operating room. The door was kicked open. There was already a cut on Olivia¡¯s waist, but it wasn¡¯t deep. Ethan¡¯s eyes went red when he saw the cut. ¡°Fuck!¡± He yelled. Brent and the others rushed onto the scene. ¡°Put the scalpel down!¡± Olivia stared at Ethan angrily and said, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ethan stumbled to stop her bleeding and replied, ¡°I¡¯m here to stop you from doing anything silly.¡± The cut on Olivia¡¯s waist was quickly dressed. Ethan carried her to the helicopter without saying another word. He was like a bandit taking a woman from her home. Olivia was livid. ¡°Bastard, let me go!¡± She could only move one hand, and she used that hand to scratch at Ethan. The other hand was dangling limply at her side. Ethan looked at her arm with a pained expression. He didn¡¯t stop her from scratching his face. ¡°Let me go, Ethan! I won¡¯t leave with you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go, Liv. Never!¡± It was like he was out of his mind. His heart ached when he thought he would never see Olivia again. He didn¡¯t want to let her go, even if their rtionship was in tatters. Ethan had inherited some of the crazy genes of the Miller family. Olivia¡¯s struggle was futile. It only served to reopen her wound. The blood flowed from her wound and stained her shirt. Ethan pulled out his trump card. ¡°Move again, and you¡¯ll never see your father anymore.¡± Olivia stopped struggling and looked at Ethan in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m in this sorry state because of you. Why can¡¯t you just leave me be? If you hate me so much, just kill me and appease your sister.¡± Olivia closed her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. Ethan frantically wiped the tears off her face and said, ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t want you dead. I want you to live. I promise I¡¯ll never hurt you anymore.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to listen to anything he said. She felt disgusted. She felt nothing but regret that she ever loved a man like Ethan, who brought her so much misfortune. He couldn¡¯t even allow her to lead a normal life. Ethan carefully held Olivia¡¯s injured arm and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It must have hurt.¡± Olivia slowly opened her eyes, but her gaze was calm. ¡°Ethan Miller, I¡¯ll kill your sister if it¡¯s thest thing I do. We¡¯ll see how long you can keep her from me.¡± Leia was the unresolvable conflict between them. Ethan looked at her with pain, but he didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Liv, she¡¯s my sister, after all.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression was filled with distress. Olivia couldn¡¯t help but find itughable. After all that Leia had done, he tried to brush it off by iming she was his sister. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ll keep her in check. She¡¯ll never hurt you again. Your cuts left her gravely injured. She is actually very frail.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to discuss the topic with him anymore. She red at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so persistent, Ethan. We¡¯re already at the point of no return. We can never go back to how we used to be.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s not what I have in mind, Liv. I just want to make it up to you.¡± ¡°How? By shooting my other hand?¡± Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Ethan¡¯s eyes were filled with guilt. He was aware that Olivia hated him with all her might. But he had already made his choice. He could only stick with it until the end. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ethan forcefully took Olivia away. Olivia couldn¡¯t do anything about her situation. He brought her back to the Manor of Roses, the ce that he once built to win her favor. The rose garden has grown denser since Olivia came two years ago. The roses were swaying in the evening breeze. ¡°Liv, you can live here with your father from now on. I¡¯ve gathered a medical team for him. He¡¯ll recover soon enough.¡± Olivia felt anxious when Ethan mentioned Jeff. ¡°Do whatever you want to do, Ethan. But don¡¯t hurt my father, please. He just regained consciousness. I have nothing else except my father.¡± Ethan touched her cheeks gently. ¡°Liv, I swear I¡¯ll never hurt you or your father anymore. Give me a chance to take care of the both of you.¡± Olivia pped his hand away and said in an outburst, ¡°But you¡¯re the one who caused all the pain!¡± Ethan looked at her with a stubborn and obsessive expression. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Liv. I¡¯ll take care of you. Stay here and rest for a bit. I¡¯ll see how dad¡¯s doing.¡± Olivia went livid when he said that. She didn¡¯t know what he was trying to do. She followed Ethan uneasily. Jeff had been brought back without knowing what was going on. His eyes lit up when he saw Ethan. He stammered, ¡°E-Ethan.¡± Jeff could only muster enough strength to call Ethan¡¯s name after a while. Ethan approached him with a smile and said, ¡°Dad, sorry for the long and ufortable trip.¡± ¡°It-It¡¯s okay.¡± Jeff¡¯s gaze alternated between Olivia and Ethan. His memory stopped two years ago. All he remembered was Olivia being the only person to care for him while he was hospitalized. Jeff reached his hand out toward Ethan. Olivia watched as Ethan crouched beside Jeff and held Jeff¡¯s hand in his. Jeff reached his other hand toward Olivia. She didn¡¯t want to risk riling him up, so she walked toward him. Jeff¡¯s palms were bony, and his body shook uncontrobly, but he tried his best to pull their hands together. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He was still under the impression that Olivia was head over heels for Ethan. He didn¡¯t know about the divorce. It took him great effort just to put their hands together. When Ethan¡¯s hand covered Olivia¡¯s, Jeff said, ¡°Take care¡­ of her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of the both of you,¡± Ethan said. Jeff nodded happily and said, ¡°Good, good.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t tell Jeff the truth. It was not time for that yet. He had just woken up, and his body was still recovering. She could only tell him after he had recovered. It was like Ethan was trying to make it up to Jeff and Olivia. He was extra nice to Jeff. Not only did he help Jeff with his rehabilitation personally, but he also helped him wash up. Initially, Jeff was unwilling. ¡°Car-Caregiver.¡± Ethan interrupted and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m your son-inw. Let me do it. You should rest first, Liv. I¡¯ll help dad shower.¡± Olivia gritted her teeth but didn¡¯t respond. Ethan knew that Olivia would stay as long as he had Jeff here. Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Ethan wasn¡¯t just putting up a show. He did feel bad. That was why he tried his best to assist with Jeff¡¯s recovery. Ethan had never taken care of anyone like this before, but he was doing his best to take care of Jeff. He worked from home for an entire week and spent most of the time caring for Jeff. Jeff¡¯s condition improved significantly. He was barely able to speak in the beginning, but then he became able to speak clearly and communicate properly, albeit slowly. His face also looked fuller than before, and hisplexion was significantly better. Jeff held Ethan¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t spend all your time with me. You have to pay attention to Olivia, too. Don¡¯t neglect her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad. I won¡¯t neglect either of you. I take care of you and Liv.¡± Olivia felt disgusted whenever she heard him say things like that. Ethan would ignore her expressions and have the medical experts treat Olivia¡¯s hand daily after he tended to Jeff. During the treatment, Olivia would space out and look out the window. She was like a soulless doll that allowed the doctor to do whatever he needed. Be it acupuncture treatment or applying medicine, she didn¡¯t care. Ethan was an extremely obsessive person. The peacefulness they had at the moment was only on the surface. Olivia could already predict that when Leia stirred up trouble, she¡¯d be the one to get it. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan had her trapped because he had Jeff wrapped around his little finger. Olivia had no choice but to stay. She was worried about Avery, to whom she promised a kidney. She wondered if he was okay. Olivia sat on the bedside, her feet dangling in the air after the doctor left. Ethan kneeled down and helped her put on her slippers. Ethan casually said, ¡°The doctors said he is recovering quickly. He¡¯ll be back to his old self in about a year.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t respond, but Ethan continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already restructured thepany. After the paperwork is done, you can go to work if you¡¯re bored. ¡°All the people that used to work there are back. I told dad about this, and he was quite pleased.¡± Emotions shed in Olivia¡¯s eyes. Looking at Ethan coldly, she said with a mocking smile, ¡°Did you tell him how thepany went bankrupt?¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. ¡°Do you think you can make me happy by doing these things? ¡°Your sister still has Jodie and her child¡¯s blood on her hands. Jodie was carrying a Fordham baby!¡± Ethan¡¯s face paled. He reached out and held Olivia¡¯s arm. His voice quivered as he said, ¡°Liv, I know many things she did cannot be undone. Even if you kill Leia now, you wouldn¡¯t be able to bring Jodie back to life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if Jodie can¡¯te back to life. I just want to kill Leia because I hate her!¡± ¡°Liv, I promise I¡¯ll never let Leia hurt you again. She harbors animosity against you because she¡¯s not in her right mind. ¡°I¡¯ve already hired psychiatrists to treat her. Isn¡¯t making her regret her actions and apologizing to you better than killing her?¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Olivia grabbed Ethan¡¯s cor with her good hand and yelled, ¡°What would words of apology change? Can her apology bring Jodie back to life? ¡°Can it make the pain I¡¯ve been through disappear? Let me tell you this, Ethan. Unless you imprison me for life, I¡¯ll expose Leia¡¯s crimes to the public when I get the chance. ¡°I¡¯ll let everyone know that Leia is a murderer and her brother covered up for her!¡± Ethan wrapped his arms around Olivia when he saw her enraged expression. He said, ¡°Sorry, Liv. It¡¯s all my fault. This shouldn¡¯t have happened to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one that made me this way! I hate you, Ethan Miller! You and your sister deserve to burn in hell!¡± Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Ethan wrapped his hands around her tightly when faced with her hatred. ¡°Liv, let¡¯s get remarried, okay?¡± ¡°Remarried? Why would I marry you again? I can¡¯t even stand the sight of you.¡± Olivia thought he was mad to make such a request. ¡°Or do you not want Marina now that she¡¯s crippled? You scum.¡± Ethan frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. My hands are tied regarding Marina. She¡¯s actually ¡­¡± He didn¡¯t want to keep the secret from Olivia anymore. Their rtionship was already strained as is. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He didn¡¯t want to lose her, so he tried to tell her the truth. Before he could finish his sentence, a servant¡¯s voice came from outside the room, ¡°Mr. Carlton Senior is here, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan had no choice but to let Olivia go. ¡°Rest first, Olivia.¡± Olivia gritted her teeth as she watched Ethan leave. She knew she had missed the chance to escape with Jeffst time. She wouldn¡¯t get another opportunity to do so too soon. Jeff needed to stay. He required the professional care of a rehabilitation therapist, doctors, and nutritionist. He also needed regr checkups from the doctors. He couldn¡¯t leave with her. Olivia sighed. No one in the world hated power. They just hated the fact that the power wasn¡¯t theirs. Ethan met Otto in the living room. Otto had just been discharged from the hospital, and he slimmed down significantly. He looked pitiable. ¡°Mr. Carlton Senior,¡± Ethan greeted. Otto raised his head to see Ethan when he heard his voice. His eyes looked dull. Gone was the usual shrewdness. Even his hair had gonepletely white. ¡°Ethan,¡± Otto called out in a hoarse voice. ¡°Mr. Carlton Senior, you need to pull yourself together. It¡¯s all in the past now. Tears welled up in Otto¡¯s eyes. ¡°Easier said than done. The Carlton bloodline ends with me. How can I possibly get over it?¡± Ethan poured him a ss of warm water. He no longer tried tofort Otto. Nothing he said would make Otto feel better. ¡°What are you doing here sote at night, Mr. Carlton Senior?¡± ¡°Ethan, I am very regretful now that my son is dead. But regret is useless. ¡°Marina and I are the only ones left in the Carlton family. She is still bedridden now. ¡°I can only count on you. Please marry Marina as soon as possible.¡± The mention of marriage brought Ethan to a pause. He felt like he had been stabbed in the chest. He just wanted to remarry Olivia and make it up to her and Jeff. Otto raised his voice when he didn¡¯t get a response, ¡°Are you unwilling to marry Marina now? ¡°Are you going to forsake her at a time like this? Are you going to just watch as my family falls apart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my intention. You know me, Mr. Carlton Senior. I respect you a lot.¡± ¡°It had better not be your intention to leave her. If you abandon her while she¡¯s in this state, Marina¡¯s life will be over.¡± Ethan paused momentarily and replied, ¡°A marriage is no small matter. We should decide on it after I ask Marina about it. If Marina hadn¡¯t held Kurt¡¯s death against Ethan, he never would have wanted to marry her. He hoped that the recent event would open Marina¡¯s eyes to reality and she wouldn¡¯t be obsessed with him anymore. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. Let¡¯s decide on this today.¡± Otto made a call to Marina. ¡°Marina, I¡¯m with Ethan now. Tell him yourself if you still want to marry him. ¡°If you want to, I¡¯ll make it happen no matter what I have to do.¡± Marina¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. It was a little subdued. The arrogance she always had in her tone was gone. ¡°Ethan.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here. Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever feel better.¡± Marina was depressed. She sobbed, ¡°I have always known you didn¡¯t want to marry me. You don¡¯t love me. ¡°But Ethan, you¡¯re all I have left¡­ So, please don¡¯t abandon me. I want to be married to you.¡± Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Marina felt regret and fear after she experienced the death of her parents and theminuted fracture of both her legs. She thought about a lot of things when she was in the hospital. She cried profusely and said in a shaky voice, ¡°I know I¡¯ve done a lot of bad things in the past. I promise I¡¯ll change. ¡°I¡¯ll learn to be a good wife and never cause you trouble again. I don¡¯t have any other requests. Just marry me, I beg of you.¡± Ethan fell silent. Without getting a reply, Marina continued, ¡°You promised Kurt you¡¯d take care of me forever. You C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. can¡¯t leave me.¡± Ethan could no longer refuse after Marina pulled out her trump card. He closed his eyes, and Olivia¡¯s face filled his mind. Ethan said weakly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Marina broke into a smile after getting his response. ¡°I knew you¡¯ll never forsake me.¡± Ethan hung up the phone. Otto was also relieved. ¡°I knew you were a loyal man. I think you also know the state my family is in. ¡°The wedding should be held as soon as possible. It would help Marina¡¯s recovery if she had something to look forward to.¡± Ethan¡¯s brain was nking out. All he could think about was he couldn¡¯t do what he promised Olivia. He was prepared to make it up to Olivia, but his hands were tied. ¡°Ethan, are you listening?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said that we should keep things simple for the wedding. I¡¯ve already picked out a date. It¡¯s the end of this month. Do you have any objections?¡± Ethan pursed his lips and said, ¡°I only have one condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do not touch the Fordhams.¡± Otto knew that Ethan had brought Jeff and Olivia back, but there was nothing he could do. Ethan was epting Marina even though she had a disability. They should be content that Ethan was still willing to marry her. She probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to bear children for Ethan in her current state. Otto could only turn a blind eye to Olivia¡¯s presence. ¡°I know. She¡¯s your ex-wife, after all. As long as you treat Marina well and don¡¯t cross the line, I won¡¯t have anyints.¡± Otto wasn¡¯t dumb. He knew he had to rely on Ethan to restore the Carlton family to its former glory. He couldn¡¯t afford to drive Ethan away at the moment. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll handle the preparations for the wedding. I¡¯ll head back now.¡± Ethan got up and walked with Otto to the yard. Ethan said, ¡°Mr. Carlton Senior, the Toxic Hive are bad people. I suggest you sever ties with them, or else you¡¯ll just end up hurting yourself and everyone around you.¡± Otto stopped in his tracks and asked with a serious expression, ¡°What have you found out?¡± ¡°Everything I need to know, and even things I didn¡¯t want to know. Mr. Carlton Senior, you¡¯re the one who caused everything that has happened. ¡°It¡¯s all because you wanted their drugs and worked with Ms. Rosa.¡± Otto¡¯s eyes became bloodshot, and a vein popped on his forehead. ¡°I just despise that woman. I thought Chris would marry another woman if she died and have some babies. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so silly. He actually died with her.¡± Otto still didn¡¯t know about Ms. Rosa¡¯s true identity. Ethan sighed and said, ¡°I hope you stop what you¡¯re doing. You¡¯re not the only one to suffer great losses because of the Toxic Hive. ¡°Plenty of royalty in other countries have suffered simr fates. You have toe to your senses. The Carlton family is already in such a sorry state.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Otto¡¯s back was hunched, and his body swayed a little. He left slowly, leaning on his cane. Chapter 429 Chapter 429 News of the wedding between Ethan and Marina spread like wildfire. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Have you heard? Mr. Miller is marrying Marina Carlton this month. It¡¯s for real this time. I heard that the hotel has already been booked.¡± ¡°What about Ms. Fordham? I thought he cared about her. He has been staying by her side all this time. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, but Ms. Fordham is Mr. Miller¡¯s ex-wife. I thought they were getting back together. They divorced because of Ms. Carlton back then. ¡°I guess true love triumphs over an old me. Mr. Miller is willing to marry Marina despite her grave injuries. It has to be true love.¡± ¡°What would happen to Ms. Fordham after Mr. Miller marries Ms. Carlton? Wouldn¡¯t she be a mistress then?¡± The servants were chattering and noticed Olivia standing nearby. Their faces paled. ¡°M-Ms. Fordham.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression was calm. She stared at them coldly and said, ¡°Gossip all you want, but do it where no one can hear you. ¡°I won¡¯t let you off easily if this reaches my father¡¯s ears.¡± Olivia was wearing a white dress. She walked past the servants with a book in her left hand. ¡°Ms. Fordham was so intimidating. Her gaze struck fear into me. One of the servants said, ¡°She wasn¡¯t like this before. She used to be very kind and treated us servants well. ¡°Mr. Miller hurt her deeply. It¡¯s why she became the way she is now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so sad.¡± Olivia walked through the long corridor. She wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that Ethan was marrying Marina. In the past, she would be curious as to why Ethan had to marry Marina. But she no longer cared about what he did. She just wanted the servants in the manor to keep the secret so they don¡¯t upset Jeff. Jeff was basking in the flower room. He had a rug on his legs, and he looked at peace. Olivia had been through too much. She treasured every second of the peace that she had. She stayed by Jeff and read her book until he woke up. ¡°Olivia.¡± Olivia closed her book and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard that Ethan has restructured thepany. If you¡¯re bored, you should run thepany. You don¡¯t have to stay with me all the time. I won¡¯t recover so soon.¡± Olivia gestured to her right arm with her lips. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m also recovering.¡± ¡°Can you feel your hand yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ethan dropped the ball here. He should¡¯ve taken better care of you. ¡°Your hand is so important if you want to be a doctor. What would you do if it never recovers?¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to take care of me forever if it doesn¡¯t get better.¡± Jeff scratched the tip of her nose with his finger. Olivia acted like she used to when she was with Jeff. ¡°Silly child, I wouldn¡¯t be the one to do that. You had a miscarriage thest time. ¡°Now that I¡¯m fine, you should try for kids with Ethan again while you¡¯re still young.¡± Jeff didn¡¯t know what happened between Ethan and Olivia. His kind words were like knives plunging into Olivia¡¯s chest. Olivia had not let him use a smartphone since his traffic ident. He knew nothing about Marina and Ethan. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Olivia? Did Ethan make you mad? Tell me, and I¡¯ll take care of it for you.¡± Olivia almost blurted out the truth, but she held it back. ¡°I¡¯m fine, dad. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°I watched you grow up. I know you very well. I noticed that you¡¯ve been acting strange since I woke 1. ¡°You used to talk about Ethan all the time, but now you never bring him up. Even when he¡¯s around, you don¡¯t even look at him. ¡°Olivia, you don¡¯t have to bottle your emotions up. You still have me.¡± Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Jeff¡¯s words almost made Olivia cry. She had so much to ask him. She wondered if he knew about her origins. But when she met with his worried gaze, she decided against telling him. She couldn¡¯t rush things. Jeff was still recovering and could not take such a huge blow. ¡°I¡¯m fine, dad, really. I just matured and am no longer as childish as before.¡± ¡°Good to know. If he¡¯s still as good to you as before, I have nothing to worry about.¡± Jeff patted Olivia on the head and said, ¡°Dr. ckwell told me that I can walk on my own after one more week of rehabilitation.¡± In the past few days, Jeff had been able to walk a few steps with some help. Even if recovery was hard, Jeff toughed it out. He didn¡¯t want to be a burden to Olivia. He also wanted to be able to function as usual so Olivia wouldn¡¯t have to worry. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s good news, dad. Keep it up!¡± Jeff felt better after seeing Olivia smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling better these days, Olivia. I want a phone so I can catch up with the news.¡± Olivia was rmed. Ethan¡¯s wedding with Marina was all over the inte. ¡°It¡¯s not good for your eyes, dad. Let¡¯s wait a little longer so it doesn¡¯t impede your recovery.¡¯ Olivia brought Jeff back to his room. Ethan gazed at them. One had an arm limp on her side, and the other couldn¡¯t walk. He felt even more guilt as he watched on. He caught up to them and said, ¡°Let me do it, Liv.¡± Recently, Ethan would personally do things like these for Jeff. But Olivia would not look him in the eye no matter what he did. She would at least put up with it when Jeff was around, but she would leave when there wasn¡¯t anyone else around. She didn¡¯t feel the need to stop him. He was treating Jeff well because he wanted to y the part of a good son-inw. Jeff also enjoyed it. Jeff noticed the fleeting look of disgust that appeared on Olivia¡¯s face. He had brain damage, but it didn¡¯t mean he was blind or senile. He could tell his guess was correct. Something happened between Ethan and Olivia. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re so busy every day. I have plenty of people taking care of me. You can leave me alone and spend some time with Olivia.¡± ¡°I will spend time with her and keep helping you as well. Do you feel better today, dad?¡± Ethan wore a gentle expression, unlike the cruel and heartless one he usually had. ¡°Much better. I can walk on my own in one week. Ethan, thanks for getting me this medical team. They do good work every day.¡± ¡°No need to be a stranger, dad.¡± Ethan helped Jeff to the dining table and pulled a chair out for Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m a little busy today, Liv. I¡¯ll cook you some soup tomorrow when I have the time,¡± Ethan said. He began to bring the food to Jeff and Olivia. He yed the part of a loving husband well. Olivia replied emotionlessly so Jeff wouldn¡¯t suspect anything. Jeff noticed what she was trying to do, but he didn¡¯t speak up. After the meal, Ethan brought Jeff back to the room for rehabilitation exercises. He would soak Jeff¡¯s feet in herbal baths. And every time he did this, he would roll up his sleeves and get down on one knee. He didn¡¯t look like the CEO of apany as he massaged Jeff¡¯s feet with a serious expression. ¡°Ethan, there¡¯s no one else here. Tell me the truth, did you have an argument with Olivia?¡± Ethan¡¯s hands froze. He didn¡¯t expect Jeff to pick up on it so soon. ¡°Why would you ask that, dad?¡± Jeff replied without hesitation, ¡°Her eyes used to light up when she looked at you. But now, there is only hatred.¡± Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Ethan smiled sheepishly and said, ¡°Dad, I did something that upset her. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sure to get her forgiveness.¡± ¡°Good man. I knew you still loved her.¡± Ethan¡¯s attitude reassured Jeff. ¡°It¡¯s hard to meet someone you love who loves you back. ¡°You and Olivia are lucky to have found each other. Do not squander it.¡± ¡°I know that, dad. I¡¯ll never let her down.¡± Jeff smiled gently, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to trouble yourself by massaging my legs. ¡°You¡¯re the CEO of a hugepany. People will make fun of you if they see you doing this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just helping out my father-inw. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Just focus on getting better, dad. Leave the rest to me. ¡°If you don¡¯t like the rose, I can get someone to nt some orchids. I¡¯ll take you for a walk after your legs get better.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m happy to know that¡¯s what you think.¡± It was already 10:00 pm when Ethan left Jeff¡¯s room. The light in Olivia¡¯s room was still on. She was reading a medical book on the bed when he entered the room. Olivia didn¡¯t even look at him when he walked in. Ethan went next to her and turned up the light a little. He said gently, ¡°It¡¯s bad for your eyes if it¡¯s too dim.¡± Olivia closed her book and rolled her eyes at him. She fell back onto the bed and covered her head with N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. the nket. Out of sight, out of mind. Ethan usually left the room when she did that, but not today. Olivia could sense him sitting down on the side of the bed. Ethan said softly, ¡°I¡¯m getting married to Marina, Liv.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m not your mom. You don¡¯t have to report to me.¡± Olivia started to feel stuffy in the nkets, so she popped out for some air. She saw Ethan¡¯s back facing her. He looked devastated. She quickly drove the thoughts from her mind. She couldn¡¯t afford to feel bad for Ethan, or misfortune would befall her. Ethan stared at the streemp outside the window. The weather was bing warm, and moths had started to appear. They were fluttering their wings under the light. ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t love her. I never did,¡± Ethan murmured like he knew she wouldn¡¯t believe him. ¡°My feelings for Marina were never affection. There was only responsibility. In fact, I ¡­¡± Olivia suddenly felt her stomach churning. She got off the bed and ran toward the bathroom. She leaned over the toilet, retching. Her stomach was churning violently, but she couldn¡¯t vomit no matter how hard she tried. Ethan quickly went over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liv?¡± Olivia rinsed her mouth with some water and red at Ethan. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. The sight of you makes me want to throw up. Ethan was rendered speechless. ¡°I am not interested in your rtionship with Marina. I wish you a long and fulfilling marriage. Now, get out of my sight.¡± Ethan looked like he had something to say, but he sighed and left. ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll get out of your hair.¡± After he shut the door lightly, Olvia sat on the bed and spaced out. After some thought, she went after him. Ethan¡¯s eyes lit up in delight when he saw hering out. ¡°Liv, you ¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better keep this from my father. I don¡¯t want anything to upset him when he¡¯s still recovering. ¡°Understood,¡± Ethan said with disappointment. Olivia didn¡¯t pay the retching any mind. But in the following days, she started to gag at the sight of the oil glistening on the food. Then, the retching became actual vomiting, and she lost her cool. She hadn¡¯t taken any medicine since she came back from the ind. Her stomach hadn¡¯t bothered her in a long time. She thought her illness was back, but the vomiting only grew worse. It didn¡¯t seem like a stomach illness. It felt more like what happened when she got pregnant. The thought chilled her to the core. After she gave birth to the dead baby and had massive bleeding, doctors told her she damaged her body. It would be hard for her to get pregnant in the future. She never took the time to care for her health in the past two years. And she had only done it once with Ethan that day when he was sick. It happened on a safe day. She remembered what her doctor told her, so she didn¡¯t take any birth control pills. Olivia couldn¡¯t believe that she was pregnant just like that. Although she thought it was unlikely, she felt more panicked when she realized her period was two weekste. She put her hand on her chest andforted herself. It was okay. Her periods had never been on time. It coulde the next day. She shouldn¡¯t get so paranoid. ¡°Olivia?¡± Jeff¡¯s voice came from behind her and made her jump a little. Jeff rolled over in his wheelchair and said with concern, ¡°You haven¡¯t been eating muchtely. What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, dad.¡± Olivia quickly smiled and said, ¡°The new orchids are here. Let¡¯s take a look. It¡¯s a huge batch of flowers this time round. The concern in Jeff¡¯s eyes grew. He could see that his daughter was troubled, but she didn¡¯t tell him anything. Ethan was generous. He dug up a plot ofnd in the garden of roses to nt the orchids that Jeff liked. Olivia could feel Jeff¡¯s gaze on her. So she picked up a shovel and started to nt the flowers with the servants. Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Her hands were working, but her mind was thinking about what she would do if she were pregnant. Olivia had lost a child before, so she craved a child of her own more than anyone. But the baby in her was from Ethan, who was about to get married to someone else. She hated Ethan with every fiber of her being. She couldn¡¯t possibly bear his child. Olivia inhaled sharply. She was deep in thought and didn¡¯t notice that she was close to a rose bush. She came back to her senses after a thorn had pricked her finger. She stared nkly at the tip of her finger that was bleeding. Someone quickly dashed over and put her finger in his mouth to suck the blood out. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Ethan¡¯s disapproving voice rang from above, ¡°Why are you so careless? You only have one good arm. ¡°You should rest and recover. Let the servants handle the manualbor.¡± Olivia withdrew her hand from Ethan¡¯s grasp and said with annoyance, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± She noticed that Jeff was looking at her and said in a softer tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯ll take care of my father? Go to work. You don¡¯t have to worry about us.¡± ¡°Nothing much to do at the office today. I said I would cook for you,¡± Ethan yed along. Olivia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say any more sweet words to Ethan. She found an excuse and left. ¡°I¡¯ll go wash my hands.¡± She discreetly pulled her hand out of Ethan¡¯s grasp and hurried to the bathroom. The servant quickly turned the tap on and squeezed some soap for Olivia. Olivia instructed coldly, ¡°Squeeze out more and scrub vigorously for me.¡± The servant slightly hesitantly acknowledged the order and scrubbed her hand until it was red. Olivia didn¡¯t ask the servant to stop, so she said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, your hand is red.¡± ¡°Okay, you can stop.¡± The air was filled with the smell of hand soap. Olivia frowned and began to gag. The servant followed her anxiously and said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, you¡¯ve been looking pale for the past couple of days and vomiting a lot. Are you ¡­ pregnant?¡± Olivia abruptly turned to look at the servant, who exined, ¡°My mother disyed the same symptoms during the early stages of her second pregnancy. ¡°She had no appetite, and any fragrance would cause her to vomit. I think your symptoms match.¡± Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Olivia quickly gestured for the servant to be silent. The servant promptly stopped talking. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Mona Synder. You can call me Mona,¡± she replied obediently. ¡°What do you do?¡± Mona replied, ¡°I graduated from college and am a horticulture major, so I came here to tend to the rose garden.¡± Mona¡¯s eyes were clear and innocent. Olivia had mostly figured out the personality of the servants working in the garden. Mona never took part in the gossiping that the others did. She would only focus on her job. ¡°Can you help me with something?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Ms. Fordham. You¡¯re the owner of the garden. ¡°You¡¯re free to order me to do anything. I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± Olivia whispered something in her ear and then added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about it. Can you do that?¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­ Can I know why? I see that Mr. Miller treats you well. If you really are pregnant, isn¡¯t it a good thing?¡± Olivia said, ¡°You know he¡¯s getting married, right? Do you want the child to be ridiculed like me?¡± Mona felt terrible for Olivia. She said, ¡°Understood, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯ll be back soon. I¡¯ll go buy what you need.¡± Olivia knew she asked the right person. The most important thing for her now was to confirm if she was pregnant. She spaced out during dinner and didn¡¯t have the appetite to eat. But she had to try and hide it so Ethan wouldn¡¯t get suspicious. Luckily for her, Ethan was ignoring her thest time she was pregnant. He didn¡¯t see how she suffered from morning sickness. When she hurledst night, Ethan thought she was just pretending. The possibility of a pregnancy didn¡¯t cross his mind. Ethan looked at Olivia¡¯s bowl full of uneaten food. He frowned. ¡°Liv, you have to eat something and take care of your health. ¡°Is there something you want to eat? Let me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just not hungry. Don¡¯t overthink it. I ate too many snacks in the afternoon. I¡¯m done eating.¡± Olivia had already noticed Mona among the servants. Her mind was already somewhere else, so she came up with an excuse and left. Mona handed Olivia the pregnancy tests in the corridor and said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, I was afraid one wouldn¡¯t be urate enough. So I bought several from different brands.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll transfer you the moneyter.¡± ¡°No need for that. This is nothing.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t keep the banter going. She rushed to the toilet and locked the door. Thest time she used a pregnancy test, she was excited. She had wanted to bear a child for Ethan. Back then, she would do a test whenever her period waste. At this moment, Olivia had a heavy heart and conflicting emotions. She cared about having a baby more than anyone else. Doctors told her it was almost impossible for her to bear a child. She had already given up hope. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. But the pregnancy urred at a most unsuitable time. Olivia felt afraid and uneasy. She wanted the baby, but she also didn¡¯t want it. Olivia closed her eyes as she waited for the results. She felt tormented. One moment, she was thinking about what to do if she was pregnant. The next moment, she told herself it was impossible for her. It was hard for her to get pregnant. It was unlikely that she got pregnant after once. The questions keep circling her mind. And she kept doubting herself. The rm she set rang. She quickly turned it off and slowly gazed toward the pregnancy test. Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Two red lines appeared on the white rectangle. One was dark, and the other was lighter. Olivia forgot how to breathe when she saw it. Her mind nked out. It was real. She was pregnant. The first emotion she felt was joy. She looked in the mirror and realized she was already in tears. She had spent one and a half years trying to ovee the despair of losing her baby. But she was pregnant once again. Olivia was overjoyed but quickly realized it wasn¡¯t the best time to be pregnant. Even though she survived for half a year, the cancer cells were still in her. Those were a time bomb. Once triggered, she would be dead along with her child. But the glow of motherly love appeared on her face when she thought about the baby in her womb. She couldn¡¯t help but ce her left hand on her stomach. Even though the baby hadn¡¯t formed yet and was just a tiny seed, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her tears fell onto the sink as she muttered, ¡°Baby, is that you? Have youe back to mommy?¡± She had been consumed by nightmares for over a year. There would always be a baby calling out for her in the nightmares. And now, the baby is back. Olivia felt indescribable joy. She had yet another reason to be alive. Olivia swore to herself that she would protect her baby with her life. She went through an emotional roller coaster in the span of ten minutes. She readjusted her emotions and walked out of the toilet. There was a hint of determination on her face. Being a mother gave her newfound strength. She had someone she needed to protect again. She was met with Ethan¡¯s prying gaze as she left the toilet. She reflexively jumped back in fright. She looked at him with discontent. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Ethan would usually be doing rehabilitation exercises with Jeff at that hour. ¡°Liv, you haven¡¯t been looking goodtely. I also heard you haven¡¯t been eating much. So I got a doctor toe check on you.¡± Olivia said coldly, ¡°I lose my appetite whenever I see you.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Ethan said sadly, ¡°You used to say you wanted to eat with me.¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a lunatic for a sister then.¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. The things Leia did to Olivia were unforgivable, and they caused a chasm to form between the two of them. ¡°Liv, I told you Leia will never trouble you again. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive her. I just wish you could be happier.¡± Olivia smiled coldly and said, ¡°You want me to be happy? Sure, just kill your sister or yourself.¡± ¡°Liv¡­¡± ¡°Fuck off. Get out of my sight. I¡¯m okay. I am in better health than anyone.¡± Olivia drove Ethan away. He could see that something was wrong. Olivia was more bad-tempered than before. He thought that Olivia was upset because of his uing wedding. Ethan sighed and went to look for Jeff. Jeff knew what happened when he saw the defeated look on Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°Did she shut you out again? ¡°Tell me, what did you do to make her angry? It¡¯s been so long, but her attitude toward you hasn¡¯t improved.¡± ¡°There¡¯s ¡­ a misunderstanding between us. ¡°If it¡¯s a misunderstanding, then exin it to her. A married couple shouldn¡¯t keep fighting for so long.¡± Ethan smiled sheepishly and said, ¡°But she doesn¡¯t allow me to exin myself.¡± He tried to exin his rtionship with Marina to Olivia several times. She never gave him the chance. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re an adult. I know both of you were sad about the baby that died. ¡°Have you ever thought of having another baby with her? If there¡¯s a baby, she¡¯ll not stay angry at you, for the baby¡¯s sake.¡± Ethan muttered to himself. ¡°Have another baby?¡± Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Ethan tried to picture himself asking Olivia to bear his child again. He could see her with her arms crossed. She would say with an icy smile, ¡°A baby? Sure, as soon as you or your sister is dead.¡± Most of their conversationstely had be like that. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dead yet?¡± ¡°Why are you here if you¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°The weather is nice today. Why don¡¯t you die? Is it because you haven¡¯t found a suitable burial spot?¡± ¡°Ethan, I saw a nice spot today. You should be buried there.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die alone, why don¡¯t we do it together? Would you feel better about dying then?¡± Ethan could only see mocking smiles on her face. The love she once had was gone entirely. Even so, he was content. At least he could still see her every day. After Ethan had finished helping with Jeff¡¯s rehabilitation, he went to Olivia¡¯s room again. He saw her putting her hand on her stomach when he walked in. She was talking inaudibly and had a gentle smile on her face. Her expression soon became cold when she noticed him. Even her voice became shrill. ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn how to knock?¡± She was like a hedgehog curled up in defense and always on guard against him. ¡°Sorry.¡± Ethan exited the room and knocked on the door. He smiled bitterly and felt like a stranger in his own home. But he had no choice. He and his sister owed Olivia too much. He said patiently, ¡°May Ie in?¡± Olivia¡¯s annoyed voice came from inside the room, ¡°You may not. Go away.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Ethan entered the room anyway. Olivia raised her eyebrow and said, ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡± Ethan ignored the evil eye she was giving him and approached her. ¡°Liv, I just want to see you more.¡¯ ¡°Stop looking at me. You make me want to throw up.¡± Olivia gave her morning sickness an excuse. Ethan sighed and said, ¡°Even so, I want to be with you a little longer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t me me if I vomit on you.¡± She wasn¡¯t trying to scare him but rather stating a fact. She couldn¡¯t control herself when she started to vomit. Ethan ignored her words and got closer with a tablet. ¡°Liv, these are the newest designs for theing season. See if there¡¯s anything you like.¡± Ethan could¡¯ve just bought everything and given it to her, but he wanted to bridge the distance between them this way. He was too busy to go shopping with her in the past, and she would be considerate and lie in his embrace with a tablet. She would ask him to pick something out for her. Back then, she was docile and always put him first. She would never do anything that would put him on the spot. Ethan thought Olivia would make fun of her, but she actually turned and looked. ¡°This one, then.¡± Ethan said happily, ¡°I¡¯ll ce an order now.¡± Then Olivia added, ¡°Marina would look good in that on your wedding day. Oh, wait. I forgot her legs were crippled. She probably couldn¡¯t stand during the wedding and would only sit in her wheelchair.¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. It was like Olivia¡¯s new favorite pastime to find ways to annoy Ethan. He restricted her freedom so she would try and make his life difficult. ¡°I think you should check out what wheelchair suits her better and not the skirt. ¡°You can make additional preparations if her recovery doesn¡¯t go as nned. You should prepare a stretcher, too.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Remember to get some journalists to talk about how deeply in love you are. That you stuck with your seriously injured fianc¨¦e and got married even though she had to be on a stretcher.¡± ¡°Does talking like this really give you joy, Liv?¡± Olivia smiled and said, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? You built your happiness on my pain back then. Now I realize how good that feels.¡± Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Ethan didn¡¯t feel upset when Olivia ridiculed him. He only felt terrible. Olivia used to be a bright and sunny person. He was the reason she became this way. ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Olivia thought he would defend Marina because she crossed the line. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to be all smiles still. His temper was better than before. ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy. But you seem to bring misfortune to your wives. ¡°Your ex-wife has a broken arm. Your wife-to-be is disabled. Both broken women, your wives.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan was at a loss for words. Olivia felt better when she saw his face getting flushed. ¡°Alright, I want to rest now. Get out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave you alone now.¡± Ethan left the room slowly and got someone to bring Olivia supper. She had no appetite but thought about the baby in her womb. She treasured this baby even more because she had already lost a baby before. She forced herself to eat, but she underestimated the baby. The vomiting was worse than thest time. She began to gag as soon as the food entered her mouth. Mona patted her back tenderly and said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, this won¡¯t do. You¡¯re throwing up whatever you eat. You need to see a doctor.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You have to keep it a secret. Don¡¯t tell anyone, okay? ¡°This is normal. I used to have morning sickness as well.¡± Mona looked like she wanted to say something else but didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some more food. You can¡¯t keep this up. Your body can¡¯t take it.¡± Olivia nodded. No matter how ufortable her body felt, as long as it was for the child¡¯s sake, she was determined to persevere. No matter how often she had to eat and vomit, she was determined to endure it. She just hoped that this baby would live to see the sun. Olivia began to wonder if her baby was a boy or a girl. No matter the gender, it would still be her precious baby. She will give her life to give birth to the baby. Whenever she thought about the baby, she would look more gentle, like she was enveloped in a motherly glow. She would do a pregnancy test every morning in the past few days. The red lines were getting more and more prominent. The pregnancy was inevitably confirmed. Olivia wanted an ultrasound at the hospital to see if the baby was healthy. Even though Ethan didn¡¯t restrict her from doing so, she couldn¡¯t just go to a gynecologist. As she wondered how she would pull it off, an opportunity presented itself. Everly finally copsed after multiple days of overtime work. Olivia took this chase to buy things and visit her at the hospital. As soon as she entered the room, Everlyined about how messed up her superior was and how he treated her inhumanely. After that, she began toin about Ethan. Everly received a wedding invitation from Marina. ¡°Liv, do you think Marina is insane? She¡¯s bedridden, but she still wants to get married.¡± Olivia smiled bitterly and said, ¡°This is what she has been dreaming of.¡± ¡°Will you be okay with Ethan marrying another woman?¡± Everly was worried about Olivia. She was scared that Olivia might be suicidal. With an icy expression, Olivia said slowly, ¡°Silly, he¡¯s just a man who hurt me repeatedly. Why would I care? I¡¯ll never look back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to hear. I was afraid you still had feelings for him.¡± ¡°Thinking back, I just feel like I was an idiot.¡± Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Everly patted Olivia on the shoulder. ¡°Liv, I know you too well. It¡¯s the same as back when I scrounged for money to buy a house for that jerk. ¡°Almost everyone has been through silly times when they thought love was the only thing to live for. ¡°Look, I¡¯m focusing on earning money now, and I¡¯m equally satisfied.¡± The two recalled their youthful times, and they felt much better. Licking her lips, Everly said, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m kinda thirsty. Peel an apple for me, will you?¡± She continued without missing a beat, ¡°I still remember when I first got to know you. You didn¡¯t even know how to peel an apple back then. ¡°When we visited our teacher, you peeled so much of the apple that only the core was left. ¡°We evenughed at your knife skills. Then, for the sake of Ethan, you-¡± Before Everly finished speaking, she saw Olivia suddenly extending her right hand. As Olivia¡¯s palm lowered weakly, Everly¡¯s voice came to an abrupt stop. ¡°Sorry, Eve. I can¡¯t peel the apple for you. I¡¯ll go get the nurse.¡± Everly grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm, her eyes reddening in an instant. ¡°Who did this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s cut it short, then. Was it Ethan? Is he crazy? How could he injure your hand? You¡¯re going to be a doctor, for goodness¡¯ sake!¡± Everyone knew about Olivia¡¯s dream to be a doctor. But Ethan was the only one who didn¡¯t care about 1. Olivia didn¡¯t want Everly to be sad, so she tried her best to put on a calm appearance. ¡°It was a littleplicated back then.¡¯ The calmer Olivia was, the more Everly¡¯s heart ached. Everly had always been a cheerful woman, but now, her tears dripped onto the back of Olivia¡¯s hand. Her voice was shaking as she said, ¡°How could he do that? How could he¡­¡± To Everly, Olivia was like an idol. Olivia was good-looking, and she was also very talented. She also had many other skills, like singing, dancing, ying the piano, and ying chess. Back in high school, she often represented her school, participating in pianopetitions. She would wear a formal dress, her slender hands dancing on the piano keys as the light shone on top of her. Olivia was like a brilliant star. No one could take their gaze off of her. She was a talented woman, favored by the heavens. Everly couldn¡¯t believe how Olivia could end up like this. It was like a shiny pearl dropped into the mud. Her body was no longer shining as mud tainted her. At that sight, Everly was heartbroken. She couldn¡¯t stop sobbing, and she would rather be the one getting hurt instead. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Eve. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. I mean it.¡± ¡°How can that not hurt?¡± Everly carefully took Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°In the past, even if you get a small cut on your finger, Mr. Fordham would get so nervous. He would send you to the hospital right away. ¡°Even the doctorughed and said that if you came anyter, the cut would¡¯ve healed. But now, your hand¡­¡± In the past, whenever Olivia was with the Fordhams and Ethan, she was greatly pampered. Olivia put on a self-mocking smile. ¡°We¡¯ll all grow up. We¡¯ll have to endure sufferings we¡¯ve never experienced before. Everything is fair in life.¡± ¡°Stop smiling, Liv. It breaks my heart. I¡¯d rather you cry. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°There¡¯s no one else here, and I won¡¯tugh at you. Stop pushing yourself so hard.¡± Olivia reached out her left hand, wiping the tears from Everly¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. This expression doesn¡¯t suit you at all. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that as long as I don¡¯t die, I¡¯ll have to live my life to the fullest? ¡°It¡¯s just one hand. Also, the doctor told me that I wouldn¡¯t make it past six months, but it has been more than six months since then. We¡¯ll have hope as long as we¡¯re still alive.¡± Everly replied, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll only have hope when we¡¯re alive. Even if someone has to die, it¡¯ll be those jerks!¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. I have good news and bad news for you. Which would you like to hear first?¡± Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Everly sniffled, looking at Olivia in bewilderment. ¡°The good news.¡¯ C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Olivia slowly touched her tummy. As she lowered her gaze, her face was filled with gentleness. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everly almost choked on her saliva. ¡°What about the bad news?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ethan¡¯s child.¡± It took a long time for Everly to digest this news. She gaped, unsure of what to say. After a long while of calming down, Everly finally spoke up. ¡°So he chose to get married to Marina while you¡¯re pregnant? ¡°Is there something wrong with him? Does he seriously have to get married to her?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m pregnant. In reality, he doesn¡¯t even know that he slept with me.¡± ¡°So you did in vitro fertilization?¡± Everly blinked. ¡°He¡¯s good-looking, yes, but he¡¯s not the only handsome man in this world. ¡°Why don¡¯t you broaden your horizons a little? You could¡¯ve gotten a prettier baby.¡± Olivia said, ¡°Oh,e on. He was ill and feverish when he slept with me. He wasn¡¯t conscious at all.¡± ¡°Goodness, that jerk had a child just by dreaming! What are you nning to do, then? Don¡¯t tell me you want to give birth to the baby.¡± Olivia said, ¡°Yes, I want to give birth to the baby.¡± As soon as Olivia said that, Everly rejected the idea. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re crazy! You can¡¯t do that! ¡°Have you thought about it? The baby might speed up the growth of the tumor. ¡°You¡¯re in ill health, but most of the nutrients you get will go to the centa. You¡¯ll likely die before the baby is even born.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Eve, I know all that.¡± ¡°If you do, then there¡¯s even less reason for you to risk it. I know that you can¡¯t get over your previous child, but this isn¡¯t the time to be acting rashly. ¡°Your condition finally stabilized. You might even get through the five years without any problems. Can you wait until then to get pregnant?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ve never been a mother, so you don¡¯t know the feeling of having a budding life in your body. I couldn¡¯t protect his older brother, so I want to protect him this time.¡± Everly talked so much that her mouth was getting dry, but Olivia wouldn¡¯t hear a word of it. It made sense. Olivia had finally moved on from the past. She was happy about it, so she wouldn¡¯t have the heart to harm this child. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already made your decision, I have nothing to say.¡± ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t have another choice. I thought that I would never have another child in my life again, but fate has blessed me with this gift.¡± ¡°What are you going to do if your tumor gets bigger?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there. To be honest, I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, either. ¡°But at least, right now, I want to bear the responsibilities of a mother.¡± Everly sighed. ¡°Good riddance.¡± ¡°Eve, I came to visit you today, but I also want to ask you for help.¡± ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you.¡± ¡°I want to get an examination to see if the child is healthy. But I don¡¯t want Ethan to know about it.¡± ¡°What do I do with you?¡± Reaching out, Everly touched Olivia¡¯s tummy. ¡°Then I, the godmother, will protect this child as well. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Calvin and ask him to help us out. Let¡¯s pretend that I¡¯m pregnant instead.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°Thank you, Eve.¡± ¡°No need for thanks. I¡¯m the baby¡¯s godmother, aren¡¯t I?¡± Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Under Everly¡¯s cover, Olivia entered the ultrasound room. On the surface, she was apanying Everly to get an examination. But in reality, she was the person whoy on the bed and rolled up her clothes. The female middle-aged doctor was very gentle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll examine the baby thoroughly for you.¡± Smiling, Everly said, ¡°We owe Calvin another favor now.¡± The cold probe slid around the surface of her tummy. Olivia was both nervous and anxious. She had been in ill health for the past six months. She even had chemotherapy six months ago, so she didn¡¯t know if it would affect the child. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s the child developing?¡± The doctor chuckled. ¡°They¡¯re still too small, so I can¡¯t be sure yet. ¡°Still, the gestational sac is at a normal size so far, and there are no signs of ectopic pregnancy. ¡°Everything is normal, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. Remember to maintain a good mood. Eat more vegetables and fruits, and take folic acid every day, understand?¡± Olivia thanked the doctor profusely. The doctor waved her hand. ¡°Come back for a checkup when the child has grown a little more. ¡°Don¡¯t do any strenuous activities for the time being. The first three months are the riskiest, after all. Olivia replied, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± At least she was sure that the child was fine for now. She was ted about it. Seeing how happy Olivia was, Everly¡¯s mood improved a lot as well. ¡°Look at you! I haven¡¯t seen your smile in forever. You¡¯re smiling right up to your ears! ¡°You¡¯re a mother again, so think twice before doing anything in the future. Don¡¯t get mad because of Ethan.¡± ¡°I know. I have to live for my child¡¯s sake.¡± Everly felt a hint of bitterness in her heart. Reaching out, she hugged Olivia as she choked. ¡°Please be safe. Don¡¯t be sad about anything, and remember to smile every day. ¡°Give birth to the child in one piece, please. I want to pamper him as his godmother.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Call me if anything happens. You can always depend on me.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°Okay, got it.¡± The two held each other, sobbing. Then, a knock sounded on the door. A man in a suit and leather shoes was standing at the entrance. There was even a bouquet made of real cash in his hand. ¡°Did Ie at a bad time?¡± Frustrated, Everly roared, ¡°Shut up if you know that you came at a bad time. Why are you so eager to prove that you¡¯re not¡ª¡± Before she could utter the word ¡°mute,¡± she suddenly realized that something was off. She looked at the handsome man standing at the door. ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here! My loveable and wonderful boss!¡± She hastily dried her tears with her sleeve. Then, she strode toward the man. When she passed by a stool, she even crouched and wiped it with her sleeve as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She was being extremely obvious about pleasing him. ¡°Oh, Mr. Synder, you shouldn¡¯t have brought presents. You could¡¯ve juste bare-handed! I¡¯m so ttered!¡± With a faked, ttered expression on her face, she reached out and took the money. She even muttered, ¡°You must be tired from holding this bouquet, Mr. Synder. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid ofbor, so allow me to do all the dirty work.¡± Grinning, Everly ced the bouquet inside a cab. She mumbled, ¡°You have great taste, Mr. Synder. ¡°Only real cash carries weight like that. But it must be quite tiring to fold them.¡± She behaved like a bona fide money-grubber. Olivia was stunned at the sight. This was the strict boss Everlyined about every day, a viin in her dictionary. Sensing Olivia¡¯s gaze, the man finally looked at her. Hastily drying her tears, Olivia said politely, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Everly¡¯s friend, Olivia Fordham. Eve often tells me about you.¡¯ ¡°Oh? What does she usually say about me?¡± Everly stiffened. Smiling, Olivia said, ¡°She says that you¡¯re very aplished at a young age. ¡°You¡¯re also a capable leader and a role model for us. She respects you very much.¡± Chapter 440 Chapter 440 If Everly were the one saying those things, she would look like she was spouting nonsense. It would all sound like lies. But when Olivia was the one saying it, it rang truer than solid cash. She had the air of a noble and elegant youngdy. She looked like she came from a respected family, which was a far cry from the talkative Everly. Everly gave her good friend a thumbs up in her heart. She had to give it to Olivia, who had painted a good image of her in front of her boss right away. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Ms. Fordham. I heard Hilton mention about you as well. As expected, seeing is believing. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you¡¯re such a noble character. It¡¯s hard to imagine someone as brash as Hilton would be friends with you.¡± Everly red at him. She didn¡¯t mind if he praised Olivia, but she would have none of his insults. Walking up to Olivia, the man extended his hand. ¡°My name is Henry Synder. Nice to meet you.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He had extended his right hand. Olivia nced at him, feeling a little troubled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Synder. Believe me, I want to, but I can¡¯t.¡± Henry¡¯s gaze fell upon her lowered palm. A look of shock shed across his eyes. He probably didn¡¯t expect a pretty and elegant woman to have problems with her right hand. He quickly switched hands, then shook Olivia¡¯s hand a little before letting go. Olivia didn¡¯t feel inferior at all. Staring at him with a clear gaze, she said, ¡°Eve is a hardworking person who can endure hardship. She¡¯s also a very orderly woman, ¡°If you value her greatly, Mr. Synder, you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± Since Olivia had put it like that, it wouldn¡¯t do for Henry to say the opposite. Henry had no choice but to y along. ¡°It¡¯s true; Ms. Hilton is a patient and responsible assistant.¡± ¡°Great. Eve, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Maybe Mr. Synder has something to talk to you about. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Everly looked at Olivia worriedly. ¡°Be careful on your way home.¡± ¡°Okay. You don¡¯t have to see me off.¡± Nodding at Henry, Olivia said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Take care, Ms. Fordham.¡± Everly was so shocked that her eyeballs threatened to fall out of the sockets. She had never seen Henry being so gentlemanly before. ¡°My best friend is pretty, right?¡± ¡°Yes. She¡¯s prettier than you. And gentler, too.¡± Everly widened her eyes. She was beginning to suspect that he wasn¡¯t here to visit her; he was here to piss her off instead. Seeing her furious expression, Henry chuckled. ¡°Alright, to be honest, I knew her.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Henry dropped a hint. ¡°She is someone¡¯s sweetheart.¡± Everly instantly sensed some gossip waiting to be revealed. She nudged Henry with her elbow. ¡°Who is it? Do I know him?¡± From the corner of her eye, she spotted the folic acid Olivia forgot to take with her. Everly¡¯s expression changed as she grabbed the two boxes of folic acid. ¡°Hold on, Mr. Synder. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With that, she dashed outside. Rubbing his chin, Henry had an intrigued look in his eyes. He dialed a number. Soon, a familiar male voice sounded from the other end of the line. It sounded exhausted. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you workaholic?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I contact you even if nothing is going on? Guess who I saw at the hospital today.¡± ¡°My wife.¡± Henry chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s right. But I¡¯m curious. Why would the woman of your life have a broken hand? Who did it?¡± The other end of the line was silent for a long while. ¡°I did it.¡± Henry stopped smiling. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°It was an ident.¡± ¡°Makes sense. You can¡¯t possibly hurt her on purpose. Still, aren¡¯t we friends enough? You didn¡¯t even tell us about the good news.¡± Ethan widened his eyes. ¡°What good news?¡± ¡°Are you still pretending that you don¡¯t know? She¡¯s pregnant again, right?¡± Chapter 441 Chapter 441 There was a thud on the other end of the line as if something heavy had hit the ground. Then, Ethan¡¯s voice sounded in disbelief. ¡°What did you just say? Pregnant?¡± ¡°She¡¯s taking folic acid. If she¡¯s not pregnant, why would she take something like that?¡± Ethan gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not seeing things?¡± ¡°Come on, I know I grew up overseas, but I can still read Andian. I know how to read folic acid.¡± The call ended at that moment. Henry frowned. He wondered what had happened with Ethan, for Ethan didn¡¯t make sense these days. Everly dashed toward Olivia, stuffing the folic acid into thetter¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to add this to your vitamins.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No need for thanks. You have to give birth to a healthy baby, alright?¡± Everly patted Olivia on the shoulder. Olivia nodded. As if thinking of something, she asked, ¡°No one saw you, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very fast. This packaging is so fancy that dumb man won¡¯t understand what it is at all.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have much of an impression about Henry. So, she concluded that he wasn¡¯t involved with Ethan. It was only then that she sighed in relief. ¡°Good. Rest well, and don¡¯t work too hard.¡± ¡°Okay. You should take good care of yourself, too. I¡¯ll visit you when I have days off. Just call me if somethinges up. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy to trouble me; I¡¯m even worried that you¡¯re not giving me enough trouble.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Okay.¡± The two exchanged nces. Olivia tossed the packaging into the trash can. Then, she put the folic acid into a vitamin bottle before she left. She felt much better at the thought of her child. Even the blue sky and white clouds outside looked much nicer. She even bought some of her favorite cakes and coffee on the streets before going back. After having a child, she only wanted to share wonderful things with them. In her heart, she talked to the child. ¡°Baby, this is my favorite coffee. Do you like it? Also, I¡¯ve been a fan of this mousse cake for a decade. ¡°When you¡¯re born, I¡¯ll buy some for you too. Are you a boy or a girl? Will you have a sweet tooth?¡± She would retch a little before this. But after eating the desserts, her condition was relieved. The child seemed to share the same tastes as her. She didn¡¯t feel nauseous at all. As she thought more about it, she started visualizing a baby with a sweet smile. Olivia started to see meaning in life. A cold voice sounded. ¡°What are you smiling about? You look quite happy.¡± Olivia shivered. She was so absorbed in her fantasies that she didn¡¯t notice Ethan nearing her. Unable to stop smiling in time, she looked at him a little guiltily. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She didn¡¯t know why she would feel guilty, either. Ethan was the one who owed her anyway. ¡°What does that have to do with you? Do you have a problem with me smiling?¡± she retorted as usual. She wondered if she was seeing things, but she felt as if Ethan¡¯s gaze was questioning her somehow. ¡°Where did you go today?¡± Olivia was even more furious now. ¡°You sent bodyguards, didn¡¯t you? Just ask them about it instead of asking me. ¡°Why should I tell you, anyway? Do I not have the right to leave the house anymore? ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have broken my hand. You should break my legs instead so that I will never leave the house!¡± If she said the same things in the past, Ethan would try to coax and soothe her. But now, the man¡¯s quiet voice rang out. ¡°I quite want to do that.¡± Stunned, Olivia looked up at Ethan. She only saw the cold and obsessed look in his eyes. It felt like a beast that had locked onto its prey. Olivia felt her hair standing on end. Uneasiness began to spread in her heart. Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Olivia instinctively put her hand on her tummy. But then, she feared that Ethan would notice it, so she hastily retracted her hand. But her movements only attracted even more attention. Ethan saw all that. As he slowly walked toward her, Olivia¡¯s heartbeat quickened. When Ethan¡¯s hand touched her back, she felt as if everything just exploded. She had goosebumps all over her. Fear spread from the spot he touched to her entire body. She suppressed her panic, trying her best to look calm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You seem to be scared of me, Liv.¡± Olivia gulped. Then, she said in a cold voice, ¡°It¡¯s disgust, not fear. Ethan, has anyone ever told you that you¡¯re annoying? ¡°Since you¡¯re going to marry Marina soon, stop messing around with me!¡± Ethan slowly bent over, his authoritative air looming over Olivia. He whispered in Olivia¡¯s ear, ¡°Liv, you¡¯re very nervous. It wasn¡¯t a question; it was a statement. A bead of sweat rolled down Olivia¡¯s forehead. Even she wasn¡¯t sure why she would be so scared. Perhaps because the previous child had shocked her too much, she subconsciously felt that Ethan had ill intentions. The best way for her to protect this child was to avoid unnecessary trouble. The less people knew about it, the safer the child would be. Reaching out, Olivia shoved him away. ¡°Ethan, I don¡¯t have time to fool around with you. It¡¯s getting late, so I want to rest now.¡± With that, she pulled away the nket, turning her back to Ethan as usual. She ced her hand on her chest, feeling her obvious heartbeat. She was truly scared, so much so that she didn¡¯t even realize she was trembling. Fortunately, Ethan didn¡¯t say much more. As always, he pulled the nket over her body. He even ¡®patted her gently on the back. ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb your rest anymore. With that, he stood up. His gaze fell upon the vitamin bottle, which stood out on the bedside table. He looked away after a splitting second. Hearing the soft click of the door closing, Olivia finally let out a sigh of relief. She wiped the sweat on her forehead. She was even more convinced now that she wasn¡¯t suited to be the bad guy. Ethan didn¡¯t do anything at all, but she almost exposed herself. Unbeknownst to Olivia, Ethan frowned deeply as soon as he closed the door. The light in his eyes instantly went out, and he became extremely cold. Henry wasn¡¯t lying. It was very likely that something was off about Olivia. The person at the end of the corridor saw him, but they didn¡¯t stop walking. Instead, they walked even faster. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Stop right there.¡± Mona Synder was caught in the act. With a pale face, she stood where she was and greeted, ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Raise your head.¡± Mona had no choice but to do as she was told. Ethan¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I remember that you¡¯re in charge of the flowerbed.¡± There were quite a lot of workers in the Manor of Roses. Ethan had personally selected every single worker¡¯s documents. So, he vaguely remembered each of them. Mona was dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to remember a minor character like her. ¡°Yes. Ms. Fordham can¡¯t move her hand well. So, she asked me to take care of her after she noticed how attentive I am.¡± A cold gleam shed across Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come with me.¡± Mona was scared to death. She didn¡¯t know what Ethan was nning, so she had no choice but to follow him. Ethan woulde over every day, but she was still scared of this man who never looked them in the eye. She followed Ethan into the study. Ethan took a seat while she remained standing. Mona recalled the only time she got caught skipping school. She now had the same expression as when she was brought to the office back then. She didn¡¯t dare make a sound, and she didn¡¯t even dare to look up. She was a working adult now, but she had never spoken to Ethan in person. While she was still thinking, Ethan said, ¡°Talk.¡± Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Ethan had only uttered one word, but Mona¡¯s knees went weak. Dropping to the floor, Mona said, ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ll tell! I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± Ethan frowned, thinking that Mona gave in a little too soon. He hadn¡¯t even pressured her. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I felt that it was a pity to throw away the roses we trimmed from the garden, so I sold them at night for a dor each. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be greedy. I just need money, and my grandmother has gotten sick, too. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Miller. I won¡¯t do that again. Ethan frowned even deeper. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted to say?¡± Mona wiped her tears. ¡°There¡¯s more. I¡¯ll tell you everything. ¡°When I was trimming the trees, my hand slipped, and I identally trimmed the heart shape into an apple. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Mr. Miller, please don¡¯t question my work etiquette. I-was just a little feverish that day.¡± Holding his fingers against his forehead, Ethan had a look of annoyance on his face. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? ¡°I¡¯m asking you to tell me about Liv. You¡¯ve been taking care of her these days. Did you find something off about her?¡± Mona wiped the sweat on her forehead. ¡°Ms. Fordham? She has had a small appetitetely.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. Ms. Fordham has always been a cold person, so she rarely talks to us.¡± Mona remembered what Olivia told her. She would never betray Olivia so easily. But then, Ethan said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that she couldn¡¯t eat because of her ¡°What if something happens to the child in her tummy?¡± pregnancy? Mona widened her eyes. ¡°Mr. Miller, did you already know that Ms. Fordham is pregnant? She even told me to keep it a secret.¡± She had just graduated, so she hadn¡¯t been weathered by society. So, Ethan managed to trick her right. *away. Ethan¡¯s heart sank. As expected, Henry was right. Olivia had truly gotten pregnant. Ethan didn¡¯t let any emotions appear on his face. ¡°Of course. She can¡¯t hide anything from me. ¡°Since she doesn¡¯t want me to know, then I¡¯ll pretend I know nothing as well. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything in case it affects her mood.¡± Mona agreed. ¡°That¡¯s true. Pregnant women have unstable moods. ¡°I could feel that Ms. Fordham has had very obvious mood swingstely. She would smile one moment and then get anxious the next.¡± ¡°What is she anxious about?¡± ¡°I have no idea. Perhaps it was because of the strong nausea caused by her new pregnancy. Also¡­¡± Mona nced at Ethan. ¡°She knows that you¡¯re going to marry Ms. Carlton, so she¡¯s probably feeling uneasy. ¡°Back when my mom had her second pregnancy, she was very anxious, and she always felt insecure. ¡°Mr. Miller, your rtionship with Ms. Fordham right now may cause extreme nervousness.¡± Ethan frowned deeply. ¡°Did you just say that she has severe nausea?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard from Ms. Fordham that it¡¯s even worse than herst pregnancy. ¡°She couldn¡¯t eat anything, but she forced herself to eat for the sake of her child. ¡°Sometimes, she would throw up right after eating, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°She would even throw up while eating. I can see that she cares a lot about this baby.¡± Hearing those words, Ethan wondered what he was doing when Olivia had her first Before she got pregnant, he once told her that he wanted her to have his child. pregnancy. On the day when she showed him her pregnancy test report, she leaped into his arms like an overjoyed child. But back then, he was still grieving Leia¡¯s death. He felt that Olivia¡¯s smile was mocking him, and he didn¡¯t like it at all. He couldn¡¯t face Olivia, so he stayed out and drowned himself in alcohol. He had no idea that Olivia would throw up during pregnancy. ¡°Other than throwing up, what symptoms does she have?¡± Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Mona gave Ethan a weird look. She could see that Ethan was being very considerate and nice toward Olivia recently. He was about to marry Marina, but everyone in the Manor of Roses could see that he was sincere toward Olivia. Mona was surprised that Ethan didn¡¯t even know about his wife¡¯s pregnancy symptoms. ¡°I heard from Ms. Fordham that she didn¡¯t have much experience back then. ¡°The nauseasted for three months, and the baby didn¡¯t seem to be developing well. ¡°In the early stages of pregnancy, women should get progesterone injections every day. ¡°My mom got those injections, too, and she said it¡¯s very painful. ¡°But Ms. Fordham looked forward to that child very much. There wasn¡¯t any after more than 40 days. ¡°The doctor advised against keeping the child, asking her to get an abortion. fetal heartbeat even ¡°But she begged the doctor to wait another week. She was terrified in those few days. ¡°It was a good thing that she persevered. The fetal heartbeat was detected after more than 50 days of her pregnancy.¡± At that, Mona sighed. ¡°But Ms. Fordham was quite unlucky. She suddenly bled when she was more than two months pregnant. ¡°She was startled. She had to be hospitalized for a week for the child to be saved.¡± Mona¡¯s words painted a picture in Ethan¡¯s mind, filling in the nks of the period he ignored on purpose. He couldn¡¯t imagine what Olivia felt when she went for injections every day. She was such a pampered woman. He remembered her sobbing as she called him. It was during her first pregnancy test, and the doctor said that the child was not developing well. She had asked him what she should do. He remembered his reply back then. He was annoyed by just the sound of her voice. At the mention of the child, he recalled the fetus in Jodie¡¯s body. He had turned the fetus into a specimen before it was even fully developed. ? He had spoken in a cold and cruel voice, ¡°If you can¡¯t save the child, just let them go.¡± ¡± He hung up right after that. He had ignored the despair Olivia felt on the other end of the line. Back then, she was just an overgrown child pampered by Jeff and Ethan. She hadn¡¯t even matured enough, so she couldn¡¯t possibly shoulder a mother¡¯s responsibility. She used to be a woman who would ask him to kiss the pain of vine injections away. She was such a tender and dramatic woman. Butter on, she didn¡¯t even tell him about the progesterone injections she took every day. When she was more than two months pregnant, she looked for him in the bar. She asked him to go home with her. Back then, he had ignored the fact that she was pregnant. He told her to wait for him in the corridor on the wintry night. It was then that she almost lost the child. When he saw her pale face, his mind was filled with torture instead of heartache. She must have been so terrified when she was trying to get her child saved in the hospital. He didn¡¯t know how she managed to survive that snowy night. Mona spoke briefly. But Ethan felt as if his heart was filled with pins and needles, which pierced him time and again. His voice was hoarse. ¡°What else?¡± Mona thought that he was getting tired of her talkativeness. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. When she saw the guilt in his eyes, she was convinced that he had done terrible things to Olivia. But now, he was trying to make up for it. It would exin why Olivia hated him so much now. The me of justice burned in Mona¡¯s heart. She didn¡¯t withhold anything. She described to Ethan how Olivia behaved when Olivia told her about the pregnancy. Ethan never expected that he would learn about Olivia¡¯s pregnancy from someone else. He didn¡¯t realize how much suffering she had experienced in the one year he ignored her. She was right. He deserved to die. ¡°Are you still listening, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Ms. Fordham seems to like the child very much. Her symptoms in the early stages are even worse than thest pregnancy. ¡°But she gritted her teeth and held on. ¡°My heart aches every time I see her throwing up so violently. Mr. Miller, why don¡¯t you be nicer to her? ¡°I¡¯m seriously heartbroken to see Ms. Fordham like that.¡± Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Ethan had heard many people say the same thing. They all wanted him to treat Olivia better. But in the end, he still forced Olivia into her current situation. ¡°Alright, I understand. She¡¯s wary of me, so she doesn¡¯t want me to know that she¡¯s pregnant. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell her anything; just take care of her. ¡°If there¡¯s something odd about her, just tell me. I will do my best to meet her needs in the Manor of Roses.¡± Mona replied, ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller. I knew that your love for Ms. Fordham was real.¡± The simple-minded Mona didn¡¯t even realize that she had fully betrayed Olivia. ¡°You may leave now.¡± After the door of the study closed, Ethan put a hand to his forehead. He dialed Chris Atkins¡¯ number with his other hand. ¡°Mr. Miller, did something happen to your wife thiste at night?¡± Chris was already used to it by now. He knew that if Ethan called him, the matter would usually concern Olivia. Staring at the streetlights in the distance, Ethan was silent for a few seconds. Then, he asked slowly, ¡°When¡¯s the best time to get an abortion after a woman has gotten pregnant by ident?¡± Chris had just taken a sip of wine. When he heard those words, he almost choked on the wine. ¡°What did you just say? Abortion? Is she pregnant?¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± Ethan¡¯s tone was forceful. Chris carelessly wiped his mouth with his sleeve. ¡°There¡¯ll be an ultrasound scan six weeks after she stopped getting her period. ¡°That¡¯s the best time. You can choose to use drugs or get an operation. ¡°If it¡¯s the drugs, it¡¯s best to do it within seven weeks. ¡°If you go the operation route, then it¡¯s about 40 to 60 days after getting pregnant.¡± Noticing the silence over the phone, Chris hastily added. ¡°Is your wife the one getting pregnant? If it¡¯s her, I have to give you a word of advice. ¡°You know her condition after she gave birthst time. ¡°She lost a lot of blood, and she almost died. Her body is very weak from that experience, and it¡¯s not easy for her to get pregnant with a body like that. ¡°If she¡¯s pregnant, I think you should keep the baby. ¡°If not, the abortion will strain her body, and it¡¯ll be even more difficult for her to get pregnant in the future.¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers dug into his palm. A long whileter, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°What if the child wasn¡¯t mine?¡± Chris had a look of disbelief on his face. He almost blurted ¡°amazing¡± out loud. He could barely believe that Olivia had cheated on Ethan. ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s not quite possible. Everyone knows that you¡¯re the person she loves the most. How can she¡­ do something like that?¡± Ethan ended the call. He didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it, either. But that was the truth. He had never touched Olivia, but she had gotten pregnant. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. He wondered if it was Colin or Avery. At the thought of that possibility, he felt extremely furious. He wished he could just question Olivia about it right now. His remaining sense of reason told him not to do it. His rtionship with Olivia was risky right now. It wouldn¡¯t be able to endure another crisis. Even if he wanted to abort the child, he wouldn¡¯t tell Olivia about it in case she did something extreme. Ethanbed his fingers through his dense hair. He couldn¡¯t believe that a proud man like him would have to silently endure the betrayal of the woman he loved. Compared to betrayal and separation, he would rather pretend that nothing happened. At least he could still see Olivia every day. It would be much better than seeing her smiling by someone else¡¯s side. He finally understood what it felt like to be betrayed. He felt like someone had stabbed him in a spot he couldn¡¯t see. There were no injuries, but he was in so much pain that he couldn¡¯t even breathe. It hurt so much. His eyes turned red as his mind was filled with images of Olivia sleeping with some other man. ¡°Crash!¡± He swept all the things on the desk onto the floor. A dagger fell at his feet. Bending over, Ethan picked it up. Unsheathing the dagger, he cut his left hand. Blood instantly stained his white shirt. It hurt. But he didn¡¯t understand why his heart hurt even more. He couldn¡¯t understand why Olivia would betray him. She was the woman he loved the most. When Ethan came back into the room, Olivia, who was on the bed, opened her eyes and looked at him. In the darkness, she could see Ethan¡¯s tall figure walking near her. She said in annoyance, ¡°What is it this time?¡± Before she could finish speaking, the man¡¯s footsteps hastened. He pulled her into his embrace. Then, she heard his suppressed voice speaking in her ear. ¡°Liv, it hurts so much.¡± Chapter 446 Chapter 446 Olivia frowned. She wondered what Ethan was up to again, running over to her and saying nonsensical stuff. Stretching out her right hand, she wanted to push his suffocating body away. But when her fingers touched his body, she felt something wet. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. It was blood. She was very sensitive to such smells now. Turning on the lights, Olivia saw the blood seeping into his white shirt. He didn¡¯t leave the vi. Olivia didn¡¯t understand how he would turn out like this. ¡°Who did this?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t seem to mind it at all. Instead, he reached out to touch her face. ¡°Liv, I hurt your hand, so I¡¯ll make it up to you with my arm. Don¡¯t be mad at me anymore, okay?¡± There seemed to be an abnormal thirst in his gaze. Olivia was speechless. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t deny that. With bloodied fingers, he touched Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m crazy. Liv, you can do anything to me as long as you don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°Even kill you?¡± Blood streamed from his fingertips, dripping along her face. His smile was extra gentle. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of death, but I¡¯m scared that I won¡¯t see you again after I die. Liv, don¡¯t leave me.¡± Looking at the blood dripping on the sheets, Olivia was instantly furious. ¡°Get lost.¡± She had once heard from Ethan that his mother had severe mental illness. Whenever she had her bouts, she would start harming herself. Ethan had been mourning his sister¡¯s death for the past few years. He also had to deal with the problems of his marriage. His mental health wouldn¡¯t be much better than Leia¡¯s. Moreover, that sort of mental illness was usually caused by gic issues. Ethan was beginning to disy signs of self-harm. Looking at the rming color of blood, Olivia feared that he might harm her as well. She subconsciously protected the yet-unformed child, not daring to provoke Ethan too much. ¡°No matter what it is you want to say, let¡¯s get you bandaged first. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to sleep, I do. Look, you¡¯re smearing the sheets with blood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I can¡¯t quite control it. I¡¯ll wipe it clean for you right away.¡± Reaching out, he tried to wipe the sheets, but it only got worse. It was just like his rtionship with Olivia. The more he tried to mend it, the more he was pushing her away instead. Olivia felt nauseous. Ignoring Ethan, she hastily ran to the bathroom to throw up. She hated blood. She would never forget the day when she bled heavily while giving birth prematurely. Her child had disappeared in the pool of blood. Ethan wanted to pat her on the back to soothe her. But when Olivia saw his blood-streaked body, she retched even more violently. ¡°Stay away from me. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Ethan watched her from a distance away. His eyes were filled with heartache. This was how much she suffered when she got pregnant back then. She would throw up everything she ate. But he knew nothing of it. Despite everything, Ethan still cared for Olivia. When his mind had cleared a little, he turned around and left to bandage his wounds. Olivia was speechless as she looked at the blood in the room. She had no idea what he was getting at. She went to another room and then opened the windows. Taking in the fresh flowery air, she felt the restlessness in her heart dissipating a little. After the ordeal, Ethan had disappeared. Olivia couldn¡¯t be bothered to go look for him. She didn¡¯t know how conflicted Ethan was feeling. He kept wishing that the child was his. He would treat Olivia the way he should have done in the past, and he would make it up to her. But then, he thought about her getting pregnant with another man¡¯s child. He felt like a monster was trying to get out of his body. He tried his best to suppress it, but the monster tore at his flesh and roared like crazy. Blood. He wished he could use the child¡¯s blood as an offering to the monster known as jealousy. His handsome face gradually became twisted. Chapter 447 Chapter 447 After Ethan learned of Olivia¡¯s pregnancy, he spent every second in pain and suffering. He suppressed the beast, hiding deep within his heart, fearing that it might hurt Olivia. Even so, the rage in his chest only grew stronger. His jealousy had changed him. He asked himself time and again why the child wasn¡¯t his. He wouldn¡¯t have to suffer so much if he was the father. As Brent bandaged Ethan¡¯s wounds, he said, ¡°Mr. Miller, please calm down. Please stop hurting yourself.¡± Ethan smiled bitterly. ¡°Brent, if it were you, what would you do?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, I don¡¯t have a wife yet, so I won¡¯t make assumptions. I can¡¯t give you any useful advice.¡± Brent knew that Ethan was like a tired person driving on the highway. His whole body was tense. If he so much as cked off for even a moment, he might very well die. Brent didn¡¯t dare suggest anything, nor was he able to. Olivia and Ethan had turned out like this, mainly because of Leia. Both women were important to Ethan. No matter how terrible Leia was, she was the sister Ethan had searched for years. He also felt like he had wronged her. If he didn¡¯t remove this thorn from his flesh, Olivia would never forgive him. ¡°Still, what I wanted to say was that Mrs. Miller has already lost a child. She took a long time to heal herself. She loves children so much, and this child is essentially her lifeline. ¡°If you do anything to her child, I¡¯m afraid that ¡­¡¯ || Brent felt that things would only get worse from here on out. As a bystander, he didn¡¯t want to see things end up that way. ¡°I know. Of course, I know that.¡± He had just learned from Mona how Olivia pulled through. Olivia cared about the baby more than anyone else did. ¡°But I can¡¯t stand the thought of her being pregnant with another man¡¯s child. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°If I don¡¯t get rid of the child early on when they grow up, I¡¯ll treat them like a sign of Liv¡¯s betrayal. I will be in constant pain.¡± ?? Brent patted Ethan on the back of his hand. ¡°Mr. Miller, calm down. Can¡¯t you try to ept this child? Seeing Ethan¡¯s face filled with pain, Brent felt like he couldn¡¯t sit by and watch anymore. He slowly tried to coax Ethan out of it. ¡°Also, you and Mrs. Miller are already divorced. She¡¯s a free person now. ¡°After the hurt and betrayal she experienced from you, it¡¯s not wrong for her to look for an alternative.¡± At that, Brent nced carefully at Ethan. Ethan frowned deeply. ¡°Was I that cruel to her in the past?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So I deserved to end up like this.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, I don¡¯t mean it like that. I just wanted to say that since it has happened, we can¡¯t change anything anymore. ¡°The only thing you can do is ept it and try to change your current situation. Try to ease your rtionship with her.¡± Brent said that he wouldn¡¯t give any suggestions, but he was trying to change Ethan¡¯s mind. If Ethan truly loved her, he had to love the child in her tummy as well. If not, hurting the child would be the same as hurting her. This was the best solution in Brent¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t just let Olivia get on the operating table again. and suffer another trauma. Ethan leaned against the chair with his face turned upward. He let Brent bandage him, and the expression on his face was unfathomable. Brent didn¡¯t dare say another word. Ethan needed time to think about this issue. If Ethan couldn¡¯t get over this, Olivia would eventually be in danger. But if Ethan truly did what he nned, he would never be able to mend their rtionship. As a bystander, Brent was also worried about the two. He sighed. He could only hope that things would go well for the two after this. He nced at Ethan¡¯s injured arm. If this kept up, Ethan would end up like his mother. He would turn into a real maniac who hurt not only himself but also the people around him. Chapter 448 Chapter 448 After Ethan¡¯s outburst, Olivia never saw him in the next few days. She felt increasingly uneasy. She had a feeling that he had sensed something. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. But he would¡¯ve gone crazy if he knew that she was pregnant. He would silently ensure that she was well-fed every day. Her meals had increasedtely. Also, she didn¡¯t know if it was just her, but she felt like the food was all very nutritious. Olivia had asked Mona about it. Mona said that she was the one who told the kitchen staff to prepare the meals this way. After all, Olivia had a hard time with her pregnancy, and she threw up very often. So, she needed to eat more. Without Ethan around, the Manor of Roses was eerily quiet every day. But Olivia had a feeling that it was just the calm before the storm. Noticing Olivia¡¯s suspicious look every day, Mona couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you¡¯re overthinking it. I heard that the Carltons are eager for marriage. ¡°Also, even though Marina is in ill health, she has a lot of requests. Even in that state, she asked for a wedding photoshoot. She must be pestering Mr. Miller so much that he couldn¡¯t leave.¡¯ Every day after Olivia fell asleep, Ethan would sneak in at night. He would watch over her, who was sleeping soundly. Mona didn¡¯t want to cause Olivia any unnecessary mental burdens. So, she didn¡¯t tell Olivia the truth. Olivia had slept a lottely. Her sleep quality had improved a lot, so she didn¡¯t notice Ethaning in. ¡°Right, he¡¯s getting married soon.¡± Olivia realized that after she had the child, her whole attention was on the baby. She didn¡¯t even care that much about Leia anymore. She only knew that Ethan had contained Leia in a vi in the mountains. There was a whole medical team dedicated to treating her mental issues. Olivia wouldn¡¯t be seeing Leia anytime soon, so she had to give up on revenge While they spoke, a maid came in with some fruit and yogurt parfait. for now. Olivia felt like she was pampered like a queen every day. The kitchen would always prepare something new for her. ¡°Eat more, Ms. Fordham. You¡¯ve been throwing up a lot these days. ¡°Other pregnant women would get plumper, but look how thin you are right now!¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have much of an appetite, but she had to eat for the sake of her child. ¡°But I heard that mothers throw up because their bodies are rejecting the child. This means that your baby is healthy.¡± When Olivia heard the word ¡°healthy,¡± she smiled faintly. ¡°They will grow up well, I¡¯m sure.¡± If she could give birth to another adorable and healthy baby, she would have no regrets in her life. At the thought of the baby, her churning stomach didn¡¯t feel that painful anymore. She gritted her teeth. She believed that she could get through this. She had to eat more for the child¡¯s sake. After Olivia finished the parfait, the maid quickly served some exquisite cakes. Lying on the bed, Olivia finished the cakeszily. Right after that, delicious fresh fruits were brought to her. Unbeknownst to her, Ethan was in an office. He was recording her daily diet in detail. ¡°Ms. Fordham threw up four times today. Her appetite isn¡¯t too great, but she perked up and ate everything you sent her.¡± ¡°Alright. Ask her what she would like to eat for dinner. Get the kitchen to prepare it.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Before ending the call, Ethan asked, ¡°How many days has it been since she got pregnant?¡± ¡°Probably more than 20 days. What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to know when she¡¯ll be getting her pregnancy test.¡± Ethan hung up. It had been more than 20 days. Calcting the days, he realized that Avery had appeared around that period. He wondered if the two hit it off right on their first meeting. He covered his face with one hand, his other hand clenched tightly into a fist. He was now convinced that the child belonged to Avery. Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Ethan had brought Olivia and Jeff back from the ind in a hurry. Ever since then, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to Avery. Ethan did hear that Avery had gone back to his home country, though. By the looks of it, Avery didn¡¯t intend to return to Aldenvine and take Olivia from him. In other words, Olivia was probably a toy Avery yed with on a whim. He wasn¡¯t sincere at all. Ethan was extremely furious about it. The woman he loved the most was pregnant with someone else¡¯s child, but that someone didn¡¯t even care about it. Ethan didn¡¯t know how he should treat Olivia. For the past few days, he tried to convince himself to ept it. But his mind couldn¡¯t let go of the thought that the child wasn¡¯t his. He couldn¡¯t peacefully treat the child as his own. In another 20 days or so, Olivia would be able to undergo the operation. Olivia¡¯s health wasn¡¯t too great, and she looked very thin. She needed to nourish her body before the operation. Once again, Ethan asked someone to deliver a bunch of nourishing ingredients to the vi. After the meal, Jeff wanted to say something, but he hesitated. Looking at him, Olivia said, ¡°Dad, just tell me if you have something to say.¡± After some more hesitation, Jeff finally spoke up. ¡°Liv, are you mad at Ethan because of your wrist? When I woke up, I realized that there was something off about your rtionship. ¡°He tries his best to please you, but you won¡¯t even spare him a nce. ¡°Also, he doesn¡¯te home for dinner these days. He¡¯s always avoiding you.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s true that there are some grudges between us. He¡¯s avoiding me because he knows that I¡¯m mad.¡± ¡°Liv, you liked him so much in the past. How did you turn out like this? ¡°No one can be wless for life. It¡¯s okay as long as he admits his mistakes and changes his ways.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t tell him about her pain. Also, she wasn¡¯t feeling well because of her pregnancy, so she was annoyed as well. She didn¡¯t feel like exining too much. ¡°Dad, there¡¯s nothing wrong between us. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m very tired. I want to rest now.¡± Jeff could sense that there was something off about Olivia these days. She got angry very easily. When Ethan visited him, he told Ethan about this. Ethan patientlyforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us, Mr. Fordham. ¡°Liv is in a bad mood, so she doesn¡¯t want to see me. I¡¯ll just avoid her and wait until she¡¯s not mad anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too serious, Mr. Fordham. Come, let me help you walk a few steps.¡± Jeff could already walk a short distance with help. Even though it was a slow process, he was recovering better than expected. Ethan could also rest assured. The better Jeff got, the less guilty he would feel about it. Afterforting Jeff, Ethan crept into Olivia¡¯s room. For the past few nights, he had been checking in on Olivia after she had fallen asleep. He didn¡¯t know how to face her. Like right now, every time he saw Olivia, he would think about some other man¡¯s child in her tummy. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Olivia immediately got into bed. She covered her tummy with her nket, subconsciously trying to protect it. ¡°I¡¯m here to visit you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to visit. I¡¯m doing fine.¡± Olivia gripped the nket tightly. ¡°Are you going to go crazy again?¡± She vividly remembered the bloodied Ethan that night. She had thrown up violently then. Even now, she felt like she was retching when she imagined the smell of blood. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Liv.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Olivia¡¯s expression was earnest. ¡°Ethan, why don¡¯t you get some treatment together with your sister? ¡°You are sick, too, and I mean it.¡± Chapter 450 Chapter 450 When Ethan saw the wariness in Olivia¡¯s eyes, he knew that she treated him more like an enemy than a lover. Ethan sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liv. I won¡¯t do anything to you. ¡°I came here today to tell you that your favorite musician, Amadeus, is holding a concert here. ¡°I bought tickets, so let¡¯s attend the concert tomorrow.¡± Olivia stared at Ethan suspiciously, wondering if he was plotting something again. ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t mean anything else. Amadeus hasn¡¯t made an appearance for the past few years. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve always liked him, and this concert may be thest one he¡¯s holding for good. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to miss it.¡± Speaking of, it had been two years and six months since Olivia attended any concert at all. Thest time she attended an event like this was the Fruit Jam Music Festival three years ago. Olivia and Ethan were wearing matching outfits, and they both wore caps. As she stood among the young people, she sang along to her heart¡¯s content. Back then, she was cheerful and adorable, and she was extremely vibrant. She had the unique liveliness of people her age. But now, she was lifeless. There wasn¡¯t any light in her eyes. She no longer had the vibrant liveliness of her age. Seeing that Olivia had remained silent, Ethan ced the tickets on the table. He said in a gentle voice, ¡°Liv, I know that you¡¯ve suffered a lot for the past two years. ¡°You can hate me andin about me, but no one can change what has already happened. I only wish for you to move past the pain.¡± Olive replied curtly, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go. I¡¯m tired now.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t bother her any longer. He turned around and left. Olivia touched her t tummy. Because of the stress she endured in the past two years, she had lost the positivity of normal people. ¡°She was filled with nothing but negative thoughts. It was fine if it were just her, but now, she had a new life budding in her tummy. She had to be considerate of her child. The best prenatal education would be maintaining a good mood every day. She couldn¡¯t be too sullen. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. After all, a child and their mother are connected. Since she had ended up with this young life, she had to take responsibility for them. In the dark, Olivia curled her body up. She looked like a shrimp. She had already gotten used to this posture ever since she lost her previous child. She gazed at the faint street lights outside, a dazed expression on her face. After experiencing all those things, she wondered if she could still be a normal mother. Her future was shrouded in stormy clouds. No one knew what would be of it. Olivia swore in her heart, ¡°My baby, I swear I¡¯ll protect you this time.¡± The next afternoon, Olivia opened her wardrobe to pick out an outfit she would wear to the concert. Her wardrobe was filled with various clothes, unlike the way it had looked before her divorce. To torture her, Ethan had asked people to take away all her luxury bags and clothes. Now, items from all the luxury brands in the world had gathered in her wardrobe. The tags were taken off, and the clothes were even washed and ironed. They hung in neat rows on the racks. As soon as she opened the wardrobe, she was greeted by the natural fragranceing from the sachet. In the past two years, Olivia was used to wearing cheap clothes she got online. It had been a long while since she dressed up properly. Looking at the pretty dresses, she let her fingers run gently across them. The clothes were high-quality in both tailoring and fabric. She suddenly felt the urge to cry. She used to be a woman who was pampered from a young age. Jeff even got a mentor to teach her etiquette. She was a carefree princess, and shecked nothing. But now, she couldn¡¯t believe the fear and uneasiness she felt when she touched the smooth fabric. This princess had long since fallen into the mud. Like a beggar, she became worried about everything. Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Standing behind Olivia, Mona noticed that Olivia had been hesitating for a long while. There was a puzzled expression on her face as she asked, ¡°Ms. Fordham, are the clothes not nice enough?¡± ¡°No, they all look very nice. I¡¯m just feeling a little sad.¡± Mona didn¡¯t know about the history between Olivia and Ethan. So, she couldn¡¯t understand what the sadness meant. ¡°Choose one for me.¡± Olivia decisively looked away. She was too used to wearing cheap clothes, so she only felt at a loss when faced with those luxurious outfits. Standing in front of the wardrobe, Mona picked out the clothes as she muttered, ¡°Ms. Fordham, you have a good figure, and you¡¯re good-looking, too. You even have fair skin. ¡°You¡¯re just like a model, so you¡¯d look good even if you¡¯re wearing a sack.¡± She selected a white dress. It had an elegant design and was well-tailored, too. It looked graceful in every aspect. ¡°This one, then. I think it suits you very much, Ms. Fordham.¡± Olivia put on the white dress. Smiling, Mona said, ¡°Look how fitting it is! Ms. Fordham, everyone can tell from a nce that you¡¯re a pampered youngdy from a rich family. ¡°No one else has the noble demeanor you own.¡± ?? ¡°Youngdy?¡± Olivia reached out her left palm. There were lots of calluses on her fair skin. In the year she lost her child, Ethan cut off all her sources of ie just to torture her. The Fordhams went bankrupt. Jeff was also hospitalized, so Olivia had to pay high hospital bills every day. Back then, she had abandoned her studies to be a housewife. She used to be a star student in medical school, favored by the supervisor. But then, she ended up having to do physicalbor. The pampered princess finally learned what worldly suffering meant. Her fair and tender hands, which used to dance on the piano keys, were now covered in calluses and scars. Also, she was busy working in winter. She had frostbite on the back of her hands, and they were red and swollen. She quit the part-time jobs in the past six months, so her hands healed a little. Still, the shadows of her past suffering were visible. When Mona saw Olivia¡¯s slightly rough hands, she was even more puzzled. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you should¡¯ve been a pampered youngdy before the Fordhams went bankrupt. Have you done rough work before?¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°Yes, and not just once.¡± Under Mona¡¯s sympathetic gaze, Olivia interrupted what Mona was about to ask. ¡°Help me brush my hair. I can¡¯t do it with my hands.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Picking up the brush, Mona changed the subject. ¡°Look at the bright side, Ms. Fordham. Even though Mr. Miller is about to marry Ms. Carlton, his heart still belongs to you. Anyone can see that.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Olivia didn¡¯t want to humor any conversations about Ethan. Hence, Mona shut up as she braided Olivia¡¯s hair. ¡°If you grow your hair a little longer, Ms. Fordham, you¡¯ll look even prettier.¡± Her hair had grown out quite a lot in the past six months, but it barely reached her shoulders. With her hair tucked behind her head, she looked gentle and elegant. Olivia didn¡¯t want to doll herself up, so Mona chose a pair of delicate pearl earrings for her. ¡°You look pretty even without makeup, Ms. Fordham. Mr. Miller was lucky to have married you in the past.¡± Olivia looked at herself in the mirror. The tender look was gone from her face, and her chin was a little sharper now. There was no more liveliness in her features, and a slight sorrowful look could be seen on her face. In the past, she was half a girl and half a woman. But now, she had turned into a whole woman. She was just a woman who had a failed marriage. Crouching next to Olivia, Mona smiled as she looked at Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be a little older than you, so why do you always look so grave? You¡¯re so pretty; you¡¯d look even prettier if you smile.¡± The word ¡°smile¡± echoed in Olivia¡¯s mind. She realized that she hadn¡¯t smiled sincerely in a long time. She even seemed to have forgotten the simple movement of curving her lips. Her reflection in the mirror looked so familiar. But she also felt like she couldn¡¯t recognize herself. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Mona was a kind-hearted woman. Even though she didn¡¯te from a rich family, she was always positive and hardworking. Olivia saw shadows of her past self in Mona. She was like the sun, and she lived every day cheerfully. It was as if she would never be defeated by anything. ¡°Just curve your lips a little, like me. When you¡¯re in a good mood, your baby will be happy too.¡± It might be due to Mona¡¯s warm smile or the mention of the child, which had struck the softest chord in Olivia¡¯s heart. Olivia ced her palm on her tummy, the corners of her mouth subconsciously turning up. At that moment, sunlight shone on her face. Olivia, who was filled with a mother¡¯s love, was indescribably beautiful. ¡°I told you you look great when you smile. Ms. Fordham, you¡¯re the most exquisite person I¡¯ve ever met. If you join the entertainment industry, you¡¯ll be super sessful.¡± Olivia shook her head in exasperation. In the past, her dream was to be a doctor. If her future¡­ She couldn¡¯t see any future for herself. Her only hope was to give birth to this child without any problems. She didn¡¯t dare hope for too much. If she was too greedy, even the things she owned right now would be taken away. Olivia was afraid to lose anything, so she had be timid. She didn¡¯t even dare to think about it. Olivia got up to leave. If it weren¡¯t for her palm, which fell unnaturally to her side, she would be wlessly beautiful. Mona followed Olivia to the car. With a face full of smiles, she said, ¡°Enjoy the trip. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Getting out of the car, Ethan opened the door of the passenger seat for Olivia. He helped her into the car and even thoughtfully put on her seatbelt for her. Back when they were on good terms with each other, she always looked forward to when Ethan set. aside a day for her. She would prepare for a camping trip beforehand. Then, over the weekend, they would camp somewhere in the suburbs. When Ethan was with her, he was very kind and good-tempered. He would unconditionally fulfill every request she had. They would set up camp by a creek. Then, he would do the fishing, whereas she was in charge of the barbecue. At night, when the stars came out, she would lean in his arms, counting the stars with him. She never asked for any material things. As long as he took some time to be with her, she would be ted. Back then, Olivia was always smiling. Her eyes curved when she smiled, and she looked cheerful and adorable, like a little fox. He was aposed man, and he was also a few years older than her. Because he had lost his younger sister at a young age, among other reasons, he turned into a man who rarely smiled. It was only when he was around Olivia that he could smile without worry. But the good times were nevering back. Now, as the two sat in the same car, Olivia only kept her gaze straight ahead. Gripping the seatbelt with her hand, she refused to even spare a nce at Ethan. The atmosphere in the car was so quiet that it was scary. Ethan coughed lightly, breaking the silence. ¡°I bought some desserts when I was on my way back. If you¡¯re hungry, you can have some.¡± Olivia nced at the exquisite cakes ced by her side. He had even prepared the fruit tea she liked. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she said in a cold voice. As soon as she finished speaking, she heard her stomach rumbling. Olivia fell silent. In reality, she had just thrown up before setting out. Now, her stomach was empty, so of course, it was growling. Ethan chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve never changed. Stop being stubborn, and feel free to eat more.¡± Olivia¡¯s already cold expression turned even colder. She spoke to Ethan with indifference. ¡°Ethan, did you think that our rtionship could be like before again? Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°When you made me angry back then, I threw a tantrum so you could appease me with only a few words. Is that what you think it is?¡± In the few days after she came back, they had never breached this topic. But now, Olivia got to it straight away. ¡°Things were over between us a long time ago. You can trap me for now, but you can¡¯t bind me forever. ¡°We¡¯ll never be together again.¡± Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Olivia¡¯s voice was firm and decisive. It was obvious that she no longer had any love for him; she only harbored hatred. ¡°I know.¡± If Olivia had spoken those words in the past, Ethan would be furious. But now, there wasn¡¯t even a hint of dissatisfaction on his face. He only felt remorse. ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, I¡¯ll be thinking of ways to exact revenge. ¡°Ethan, stop wasting your time and effort. You¡¯re one of my enemies as well.¡± ¡°Liv, I only want to treat you well.¡± While they were waiting for the traffic lights to turn green, he held the fruit tea to her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s sweet and sour. The taste is quite nice.¡± Unable to withstand the temptation, Olivia took a sip. After getting pregnant, she was fond of sweet and sour foods. Oranges and passion fruits were her favorites. If paired with limes and grapefruits, the refreshing taste would be heavenly. She couldn¡¯t get enough of it with just a sip. Holding the cup, she continued drinking. The sweet and sour taste eased the nausea in her stomach, and she felt much better. The sad look on Ethan¡¯s face gradually disappeared as well. He brought Olivia to a restaurant they used to frequent. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the concert?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Lowering his gaze, he looked gently at her. ¡°No,¡± Olivia said stubbornly. Ethan wasn¡¯t mad about it. He put on a faint smile. ¡°Then keep mepany while I eat.¡± With that, he extended his hand. He wanted to take her hand like he used to. But he only felt Olivia¡¯s limp hand on his palm. He froze. For a moment, he forgot that Olivia¡¯s hand had turned out like this because of him. A look of guilt appeared in his eyes. Olivia put on a mocking smile. ¡°See that? Do you still think we can go back to who we were?¡± Ethan left with her hand in his. He didn¡¯t say another word on their way there. But when they entered the elevator, he would step in front of Olivia so no one else could see her. They went to Olivia¡¯s favorite spot in the past. From the high altitude, they could see most of the city and even the coastline in the distance. The lit windows in the city looked like stars that had descended upon the earth. They looked wonderful. But Olivia wasn¡¯t in the mood to admire the view. Lowering her head, she ate some light food. She was guarding against the nauseousness, but her stomach had decided to be nice to her this time. She didn¡¯t feel nauseous at all. Olivia finally noticed that most of the food tonight had a tangy vor. There was not an oily dish in sight. Even for the main course, Ethan had chosen pasta instead of steak. The waiter served the wine they loved in the past. Ethan spoke up. ¡°Some lime juice for her, please.¡± Olivia stared at him with suspicion. Ethan exined calmly. ¡°I heard that you have had digestion problems recently. So, you can¡¯t consume anything spicy or stimting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As Olivia ate the fruit pizza, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he knew about her pregnancy. If he did, then it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to stay quiet about it. Olivia felt that the man in front of her was hiding even more than before. She couldn¡¯t fathom his thoughts at all. Ethan was very gentlemanly that night. He not only finished dinner with her, but he also kept her company throughout the concert. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. But Olivia was so sleepy that she began nodding off before the concert ended. When her head leaned against Ethan¡¯s shoulder, Ethan was stunned. He then angled his body to look at Olivia¡¯s peaceful face. He wondered when was thest time she touched him of her own ord. He didn¡¯t budge, fearing that he might wake Olivia up. When Olivia woke up, she realized that she wasn¡¯t in the Manor of Roses, nor was she at the concert venue. Turning around to look, she found herself sleeping on an airbed. Getting off the bed, she emerged from the tent and spotted Ethan nearby. He was crouching and catching fireflies. Chapter 454 Chapter 454 As the weather turned warmer, the fireflies were also bing more active. Their glow dotted the silent night. A cool breeze blew past, and Olivia sneezed. It was only then that Ethan straightened up. He walked toward her with a ss bottle in his hand. He must have been catching the fireflies for a while now. There were around a dozen fireflies in the ss bottle. It wasn¡¯t as magnificent as the one on the ind, but the blinking lights in the bottle were still quite pretty. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Ethan naturally passed the bottle to her, but Olivia didn¡¯t take it. He casually hung it on the tent. Then, he took off his coat and draped it over Olivia¡¯s body. ¡°It¡¯s getting warmer, but it¡¯s still cold in the mountains. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat much for dinner, so you must be hungry. Look what I prepared for Olivia looked at him and frowned. ¡°Why did you bring me to a ce like this?¡± Taking her hand, Ethan led her to the roll-up table. you.¡± ¡°There may be an Aquarid meteor shower tonight. I remember you saying that you wanted to wait for a meteor shower.¡± In the past, her heart was filled with dreamy things, and she loved everything wonderful. Back then, Olivia dreamed about waiting for the meteor shower with her beloved. She thought that it would be the happiest time of her life. But Ethan was very busy back then, so he kept putting it off. Olivia would smile and say, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have all the time in the world. I can wait. It¡¯s not urgent, anyway.¡± But no one expected life to be filled with uncertainties. The ¡°all the time in the world¡± she spoke of onlysted a few years. Fresh ingredients wereid out on the roll-up table, and the barbecue grill was lit. String lights in the shapes of stars and moons were hung across the canopy. Everything was extremely beautiful. It was the camping trip she longed for. She would feast on barbecue in the dark outdoors as she watched stars falling from the sky. He never forgot about it. Olivia stood under the lights. There was no expression of joy on her exquisite face. Instead, she stared coldly at Ethan as she spoke in a faint voice. ¡°18-year-old Olivia wanted to watch a meteor shower with her beloved. ¡°Do you know what 21-year-old me wants to do?¡± Ethan pursed his thin lips. ¡°I do. You want to get revenge.¡± Olivia stared at the handsome face. ¦§ C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. In the past, her heart would skip a beat when she nced at him. But now, she only hadplicated feelings in her heart. She felt regret and hatred. But there was no love in her heart. ¡°No, if there truly is a meteor shower, I want to make a wish.¡± Olivia took a step forward. In her ts, she stood on tiptoe as she leaned in to speak in Ethan¡¯s ear. She said, ¡°I wish I never meet you again until the day I die.¡± If she hated him, she would still want to get back at him. But she didn¡¯t want to get involved with this man any longer. Ethan held his breath. He parted his lips, hesitating. In the end, he said, ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± ¡°Yes, I only feel hate and disgust toward you.¡± A gust of wind blew past, causing the lights on the tent to sway. The dull yellow glow quivered. ¡°Remember how much you hated me in those two years? That¡¯s how much I hate you now. ¡°This feeling is only going to get stronger. ¡°Ethan, there is betrayal, deceit, hatred, and regret between us. But there will never be love. ¡°I feel disgusted every time I see your face.¡± As Olivia¡¯s voice reached his ears, Ethan felt his body tremble. He realized how Olivia had felt when he hurt her back then. Every word was like a sharp de There wasn¡¯t any blood in sight, but he was in unbearable pain. Chapter 455 Chapter 455 The air between the two seemed to stiffen. Ethan¡¯s voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Liv, what if I told you I never betrayed you?¡± ¡°You never betrayed me?¡± Olivia sneered. ¡°Then tell me, who are Connor¡¯s parents? His face is almost the same as yours. ¡°Are you going to tell me that Marina referenced your face while sculpting him out of y?¡± Ethan said, ¡°This is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Connor is-¡± Before Ethan could exin it, his phone rang. It was a customized ringtone he set specially for Marina. This used to be the ringtone Olivia feared the most. It didn¡¯t matter what she was doing with Ethan at that moment. As soon as the ringtone sounded, he would abandon everything and run toward Marina. Olivia looked at him with a mocking expression on her face. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you picking up? What are you scared of? ¡°I¡¯m not your wife anymore, so I don¡¯t even care about-¡± Ethan rejected the call right away. Holding Olivia¡¯s hand again, he had a serious expression on his face. ¡°Listen, Liv. This is a very important matter. Before this, I kept it a secret because- The phone rang again. This time, the caller wasn¡¯t Marina, but Mina. If Mina was calling him at this hour, then it must be about the child. Ethan had no choice but to answer the call. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mina, who had always been calm, sounded very anxious at that moment. ¡°Mr. Miller, something happened to Master Connor. Where are you?¡± ¡°What happened to Connor?¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller said that she wanted to look after the children, so I brought Master Connor and Ms. Erina over. ¡°I was changing Ms. Erina¡¯s diapers when Master Connor opened the door without me knowing. ¡°Then, he fell from the stairs¡­¡± Olivia was standing so close that she could hear Mina¡¯s sobbing voice. When she heard that something had happened to Connor, her expression immediately changed. She behaved as if it was her son who got hurt. ¡°Is he okay?¡± ¡°Master Connor fainted on the spot. He was already sent to the emergency room to be examined. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Miller. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Ethan ended the call. There was an apologetic look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I can¡¯t be around for the meteor shower tonight. Something happened to Connor, so I have to go back right now.¡± ¡°Go, then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to send you back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Since I¡¯m here already, I¡¯ll leave after the meteor shower. I may not have a chance like this ever again.¡± Reaching out, Ethan caressed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have all the time in the world. I promise I¡¯ll watch it with you next time.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. With that, Ethan let go of her and hastily walked away. He had left bodyguards to watch the area, so he wasn¡¯t worried about Olivia¡¯s safety. Olivia watched as Ethan left in a hurry. His scent still lingered on the coat draped over her. She felt like he was embracing her. Without any feelings of longing, Olivia removed the coat. She began cooking the food over the grill. She hated dining alone in the past. No matter howte it got, she would wait until Ethan came back. But now, she felt that eating alone was fine as well. There were no worries or any unnecessary feelings. She enjoyed the night breeze in the mountains, listening to the chirping of the insects. This was the freedom she had yearned for in the past. After getting diagnosed with stomach cancer, she stopped eating anything spicy. She thought that she would miss the taste after so long. But as soon as the spicy food touched her tongue, her nose turned red, and she began tearing up. It was a perfect example of how easily a person¡¯s habits could change. For more than a decade, she loved spicy food. She could barely stand it if she hadn¡¯t had spicy food in half a year. If even a decade-old habit could change, much less could be said of people. Putting down her cutlery, Olivia got up and took the firefly bottle. She went to the valley and then opened the lid of the bottle. Free from their prison, the fireflies spread their wings and danced freely in the air around her. These beautiful insects should not be caged just for humans to admire them. They belonged to the vast wilderness. Olivia decided to let them enjoy the freedom in her stead because she couldn¡¯t do it herself. As Olivia looked up at the fireflies, she noticed a sudden sh of light on the horizon. The light streaked across the sky and disappeared. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Olivia realized that it was a meteor. She had waited many times for meteors since she was young. Even after staying up countless nights, she never managed to catch them. But the meteors hade so suddenly tonight that she didn¡¯t even prepare for it. When she came to her senses, she had already put her palms together. There was a single thought on her mind: she wished for Connor to be safe. Olivia opened her eyes. Brilliant silver light filled her vision. The white meteors dragged their long tails behind them. One by one, they streaked across the vast expanse of the sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Olivia felt like she was dreaming. But it was true; she was in the middle of a meteor shower. She couldn¡¯t care less about not seeing Ethan ever again. She was only thinking of the baby in her tummy. Olivia made two wishes.. Firstly, she wanted Connor to be safe. Secondly, she wished that she could give birth to the baby without any problems. When Ethan was rushing back to the city, he also saw the stars falling from the sky. He made a wish to the meteors. If they could truly make wishese true, his only desire was to live to a ripe old age with Olivia. He knew that Olivia would find his wish pathetic, but he had never changed his wish to grow old with Olivia. When Ethan hastily arrived at the hospital, Connor had already woken up. When Connor saw Ethan, he said with teary eyes, ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Ethan pulled the child into his embrace. Stepping forward, Mina exined, ¡°The checkup isplete. Fortunately, there¡¯s nothing serious with Master Connor.¡± ¡°Why would he fall from the stairs out of the blue?¡± Ethan was furious. After all, Connor was an intelligent boy, and he had developed faster than other children his age. He was more than a year old, so he would know better than to fall from the stairs. Connor would hold onto the railing in dangerous ces like that. ¡°It might be an ident.¡± ¡°An ident?¡± Ethan snorted. He knew his son very well. ¡°Have you checked the surveince?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been holding Ms. Erina all this while. Are you suspecting that this isn¡¯t an ident, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be this many idents.¡± Ethan gently caressed Connor¡¯s head with his fingers. ¡°Tell me. Why did you want to leave?¡± Connor said pitifully, ¡°Mommy. Want Mommy.¡± Ethan¡¯s heart ached. Since he brought Olivia home, he dropped hints that he would get the child home. But Olivia had been cold about it. Their rtionship was broken because of Olivia¡¯s hand and the incident with Leia. Now, Olivia had to endure the pains of pregnancy as well, so Ethan gave up on the idea. He sighed. Connor was quite brilliant, to say the least. When Connor was a few months old, Ethan showed him Olivia¡¯s photo and told him that this was his mother. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Ethan thought that the young child wouldn¡¯t understand. But Connor hadmitted it to memory. Connor never called Marina his mother. But every time he met Olivia, he was very close to her. This was the natural connection due to them being blood-rted. ¡°Good boy. You¡¯ll meet her one day.¡± Ethan hugged Connor. After leaving Brent some instructions, he went to Marina¡¯s ward. After Marina received treatment, her life was no longer in danger. Her health was improving as well. Unfortunately, her legs were broken, so she might not be able to stand again. She leaned against the bed as she watched Ethan entering with the child in his arms. Her pale face looked weary. ¡°Ethan, is he alright?¡± ¡°Fortunately, he¡¯s not gravely injured. He fainted from falling, and he had a mild concussion. It¡¯s not serious.¡± It was only then that Marina sighed in relief. She reached out to touch Connor¡¯s cheek. ¡°Be more careful in the future, Connor.¡± Awkwardly enough, she had only extended her hand when Connor buried his face in Ethan¡¯s chest. Marina could never understand what was going on. Connor was like an ungrateful kid. No matter how well she treated him, he refused to acknowledge her as his mother. Ethan found an excuse. ¡°He¡¯s still recovering from shock. You should rest.¡± ¡°Ethan¡­¡± Marina reached out. ¡°Won¡¯t you spend time with me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do that. It¡¯s time for the children to go to bed.¡± With that, Ethan didn¡¯t even look back. He ced Connor onto the baby seat. ¡°Good boy. I¡¯ll take you to your mommy right now. She¡¯s the only mommy you have.¡± Chapter 457 Connor''s eyes lit up when he heard the word ¡°mommy¡¯. Gripping the seatbelt with his tiny hands, he mumbled, ¡°Mommy, Mommy.¡± Now that things hade to this point, Ethan no longer wanted to hide the truth about Olivia''s child back then. He wondered if she would be d to know that the child hadn''t died and that the child had been alive and well. Perhaps she wouldn''t hate him that much then. While Ethan was driving, his phone rang. He answered the call. Brent''s stern voice sounded over his Bluetooth earphones. ¡°Bad news, Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± "We fixed the hacked surveince cameras. Master Connor¡¯s fall wasn''t an ident. ¡°Someone pushed him. If Master Connor wasn''t agile enough to stop rolling, he might have gotten a worse ending.¡± Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Marina was transferred to a private hospital. The hospital had built a huge spiral staircase for aesthetic purposes. If Connor rolled from the top of the staircase to the bottom, the results would be unthinkable. ¡°The doctors and nurses happened to be making the rounds back then. ¡°When they saw Master Connor falling, they quickly helped him up. The culprit took the chance to escape as well. ¡°If the doctors weren''t there, that culprit might have done even more harm to Master Connor.¡± Ethan knew that things weren''t as simple as they seemed. But when he heard it for real, he still felt startled. ¡°Did you find out who they are? Are they rted to Toxic Hive?" ¡°The culprit had a strong and huge build. He doesn''t seem to be from Toxic Hive. ¡°Instead, he looks more like someone who underwent special training in themunity.¡± Ethan stepped on the brakes. Connor was ying around in the back seat, and his head wobbled with. the inertia. ¡°Daddy?¡± Reaching out, Ethan caressed his head and coaxed him gently. ¡°It''s okay.¡± Brent continued, ¡°I''ve already sent you the surveince footage. ¡°To prevent any other idents, I assigned some more bodyguards to protect you. They''ll catch up to your car soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan ended the call. Then, he yed the video. The man on the screen was wearing arge cap, which was lowered on purpose. Only his mouth was exposed, but even that was covered by a fake beard. He was standing upright, and he had a strong and muscr body. When he reached out to push Connor, the strong muscles on his arm were outlined against his clothes. Toxic Hive members were skilled in medicine, so most of them had slender builds. Ethan could guess who he was from his posture, figure, and aura. He was either retired from the special forces or a professional assassin and was not part of the Toxic Hive. Ethan''s expression turned dark. His fingers had just touched a cigarette when he heard the child in the back seat mumbling. He moved the cigarette box away. He suspected that his identity was exposed. If that was the reason, then anyone close to him would be in danger. ¡°Mommy, Mommy.¡± Connor still didn''t know what had happened. There was a clear gleam in his eyes, and he didn''t sense any danger.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan smiled in exasperation. ¡°Sorry, kid. I have to break my promise again.¡± No matter who the culprit was, it was obvious that they were targeting Connor. Ethan didn''t dare to underestimate them. His utmost priority right now was to send Connor somewhere safe. People like him had too much blood on their hands and had seen many cruel things. If it truly were those people, their tactics would be crueler than thest. In the past, after his subordinates fell into their hands, they were dismembered and sent back to him. Those people might do even worse to a little child like Connor. He didn¡¯t want to experience that pain again. Ethan gently patted Connor''s smooth face. ¡°Sorry, Connor. We won''t be able to see Mommy tonight.¡± Chapter 458 Chapter 458 When Connor heard that, he immediately began to cry. He shouted, ¡°Mommy, want! Want Mommy!¡± Connor was a good child, and he rarely cried. But when it came to Olivia, he would cry sorrowfully. Ethan sighed helplessly. ¡°Onest time, then. We have to leave right after seeing Mommy, okay?¡± Connor didn¡¯t understand what Ethan meant. But he was happy as long as he could see his mother. There were still tears on his face as he nodded obediently. Reaching out, Ethan wiped away the tears in the corners of Connor¡¯s eyes. He also wiped Connor¡¯s saliva while he was at it. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go see Mommy.¡± The dim yellow lights blinked around the intable tent, looking like little stars. Connor should have been fast asleep at that hour, but at that moment, his eyes were wide in excitement. Before they even arrived, he wriggled out of Ethan¡¯s arms. Then, he ran toward the tent with his short legs. Olivia didn¡¯t feel like sleeping. She was sitting on the rug, counting the stars in the sky. Unexpectedly, a small child entered her field of vision. She was in disbelief, and she felt like she was dreaming. In the past, if Ethan were called away by Marina, he would nevere back. This time, he didn¡¯t juste back, but he had also brought Connor, who Olivia was worried about. ¡°Mommy, Mommy.¡± Connor joyfully ran toward her. Overwhelmed, Olivia reached out and caught him. Connor happily nuzzled against her face. He was upset that Olivia was only holding him with one hand. He mumbled, ¡°Hug. Mommy, hug.¡± Olivia looked at him with a troubled expression. ¡°My hand is hurt, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t hug you anymore, Connor.¡± Connor didn¡¯t understand what she meant. He reached out to grab her right hand. But he found her palm drooping limply, and there was no strength in her wrist. He blinked. Then, he looked at his own hands. He seemed to have understood something. He kissed the scar on Olivia¡¯s wrist. ¡°Mommy hurt.¡± When Olivia heard that, she couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Any mother would feel their heart soften when they were around children. Her tears dripped onto Connor¡¯s hand. ¡°Silly child. You¡¯re such a silly child.¡± Connor reached up, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Mommy, don¡¯t cry.¡± Olivia forced a smile. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t cry.¡± Reaching out, Ethan carried her off the ground. ¡°Why are you sitting on the ground? You might catch a cold.¡± Connor followed them with his short legs. Connor had warmed Olivia¡¯s heart, so Olivia didn¡¯t speak too coldly at that moment. ¡°Is Connor alright?¡± she asked calmly. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He had a mild concussion, but it¡¯s not serious. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Olivia got out of his arms. She patted the airbed with her left hand, gesturing for Connor to get onto the bed. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Lifting Connor by the hips, Ethan helped him onto the bed. Connor hastily crawled up to Olivia. ¡± Mommy, sleep.¡± Reaching out, Olivia scratched Connor¡¯s nose. ¡°Alright, Aunt Olivia will hug you to sleep.¡± Connor didn¡¯t like how she called herself. ¡°You¡¯re Mommy.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t argue with him. Instead, she thought of something as she looked at Ethan. ¡°You were going to tell me something about Connor, right?¡± Ethan swallowed the words he was about to say. Someone was targeting the child, but he didn¡¯t know where they were from at that moment. He decided that it would be better if less people knew about it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was going to say that Connor missed you.¡± Olivia had a feeling that this wasn¡¯t what he wanted to say, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what he was trying to say, either. She gave up. Since he didn¡¯t want to say it, she wouldn¡¯t pursue the matter. Oliviay on the bed with Connor in her arms. The sunroof was open so they could see the night sky. Connor pointed at the sky, smiling as he said, ¡°Mommy, look. Stars.¡± Ethany down on the other side. Connor took each of their hands, smiling happily. ¡°Daddy, Mommy. Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Olivia opened her mouth to argue. But then, she remembered that Connor didn¡¯t understand these things at all. So, there was no point in exining. Moreover, she only wanted him to live peacefully and grow up in bliss. Soon, Connor closed his eyes. He leaned against Olivia¡¯s chest, sleeping soundly. There was even a sliver of saliva on the corner of his mouth. Reaching out, Olivia wiped it away. She gazed at him with a gentle look. She wondered if the baby in her tummy would look like Connor when they were born. After all, they were both Ethan¡¯s children. ¡°Liv.¡± In the silent night, Ethan¡¯s voice sounded a little hoarse and weary as it broke the silence. Olivia¡¯s expression turned cold. She didn¡¯t say anything, waiting for Ethan to continue. Ethan cleared his throat. After thinking for a long while, he finally spoke. ¡°Connor likes you, and I know you like him too. You can treat him like your son.¡± Olivia snorted. ¡°Marina¡¯s leg is broken, so she can¡¯t take care of children for you. Now, you¡¯re trying to get me to take care of your son. In your dreams! ¡°Who said that I like him, anyway? Get away from me. Go to your daddy.¡± With that, Olivia shoved the innocent Connor into Ethan¡¯s arms to prove that she didn¡¯t like him. She even spoke in a fierce tone. Connor smacked his lips in his sleep, looking like a little bird. He moved closer to warmth, reaching out to grab Ethan¡¯s shirt. He even mumbled, ¡°Mommy.¡± Olivia instantly felt guilty and sighed. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing. She shouldn¡¯t have taken her anger out on the innocent child. In the dim light, Ethan could see the guilt on Olivia¡¯s face. He knew that Olivia had always been a kind person. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan gently pushed the child into Olivia¡¯s arms. He wanted Connor to spend more time with Olivia. ¡°Liv, this is what children are like. No matter how many times you push him away, he¡¯ll still run up to you and call you ¡®Mommy.¡±¡± Olivia averted her gaze, but she didn¡¯t push Connor away. Instead, her fingers subconsciously wrapped around the child¡¯s waist, pulling him closer. But she still spoke defiantly. ¡°Hah, I¡¯m not his biological mother, anyway. If I want children, I can. give birth to them myself.¡± Her words had ended the conversation. Ethan didn¡¯t mention it. Instead, he looked tenderly at her. ¡°Liv, I know that you love children. We¡¯ll have more children in the future.¡± When Olivia heard that, she felt a chill run down her spine. She turned to look at Ethan. Ethan¡¯s face was filled with tenderness, and the emotions in his eyes seemed to envelop her. Olivia frowned in dissatisfaction. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll forgive you after everything that happened between us? Wake up, Ethan. ¡°You can¡¯t fix a broken mirror, just like how you can¡¯t turn back time. ¡°Do you think I had peace of mind when I stayed with you?¡± The man reached out to her. His slender fingertips touched her eyebrows, smoothening the creases of her frown. His voice was soft to a fault. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not like you. No matter what you do to me, I will never me you. ¡°Even if you betray me, I will never let go of you.¡± Olivia felt a sense of difort. She looked coldly at Ethan. If it was only a feeling just now, this time, she could sense that Ethan was hinting at something. She wondered if he already knew. Ethan¡¯s hand slowly moved to her back. Olivia was creeped out, and she almost jumped. ¡°Calm down, Liv. I won¡¯t hurt you¡­¡± His gaze was weirdly obsessed. But from his thin lips came the most touching words in the world. ¡°I love you. No matter what you be, I¡¯ll always love you. I will never let you go, not even after death.¡± Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Olivia was used to Ethan¡¯s coldness. She had thought that the scariest part of Ethan was his cruelty. But at that moment, she realized something. The straightforward attacks were nothingpared to the smile on his face and the affection in his eyes. Those were even scarier! Also, she was just guessing. She didn¡¯t dare reveal that she was already pregnant. ¡°Ethan, I won¡¯t love you. I never will.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t mind. ¡°We still have a long way ahead of us, Liv.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t argue with him. She curled up, not daring to provoke Ethan too much. She wouldn¡¯t want to argue with someone who had lost his mind. If she ever did, she was probably tired of it all orining that he was the one sick of life instead. The only thing she could do right now was focus on development. She would wait until Jeff had recovered and when the baby in her tummy had grown up and was born sessfully. Then, she would try to live a little longer. Before that happened, she couldn¡¯t get involved in unnecessary trouble. Seeing that Olivia had closed her eyes, Ethan gently covered her with a nket. Then, he leaned in and nted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t even try to leave me, Liv. That¡¯s a very foolish idea, understand?¡± It was June, but she felt cold all over her body. She didn¡¯t dare to move. Even if Ethan wasn¡¯t insane, he was probably halfway there. The next morning, she woke up to the chirping of the birds in the mountain. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She subconsciously looked to the side, realizing that both Ethan and Connor were gone. She washed up briefly in the tent. Then, she pulled back the tent curtain, The refreshing morning breeze soothed all the unhappiness in her heart. Olivia greedily took a deep. breath. She felt like the sadness in her chest had all disappeared. Somewhere nearby, Kelvin was somehow fighting with a squirrel. With his hands on his hips, Kelvin said furiously, ¡°How dare you get up there! Come down if you dare! There were two squirrels on the tree, one bigger than the other. The big one dropped a small pine nut on Kelvin¡¯s head. ¡°How dare you hit me! I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re done for!¡± With that, he rolled up his sleeves and began to climb the tree. He looked determined to fight the squirrels to death. Meanwhile, Brent was boiling the water. He seemed to be preparing some sort of breakfast. When he noticed Olivia¡¯s gaze, he looked at her with a friendly expression and greeted her. ¡°Mrs. Miller.¡± A distance away, some bodyguards were checking the situation. Some were building a small y stove, but Olivia didn¡¯t know what they were doing. There was smoke coming from the stove. Olivia looked around her. Brent told her, ¡°Mr. Miller and Master Connor are in the valley ahead of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care where he is,¡± Olivia replied coldly. Then, she went in the opposite direction on purpose. Soon, she heard a familiar voice calling out for her. ¡°Mommy, Mommy.¡± Olivia was tossing pebbles by the creek. She turned around to look at Connor. Connor was running quite fast. Still, the terrain was different from the t floor of his home. Olivia stood up, saying, ¡°Slow down. Don¡¯t rush.¡± As she spoke, she ran toward Connor. In the end, despite her efforts, she was toote. Connor was holding something in his hands, mumbling, ¡°Flower.¡± He tripped over a small rock, losing his bnce and taking a great fall. ¡°Connor.¡± Olivia hastened her pace in worry, running over to Connor. Connor got up on his own. Acting like nothing had happened, he ran over and picked up the flower crown. There was an innocent smile on his face. ¡°Mommy, flower¡­¡± Olivia examined the item. It was a beautiful flower crown, and the flowers were freshly picked. They were still blooming vibrantly. Connor urgently held up the flower crown, gesturing with his limbs. ¡°Daddy, pick.¡± Seeing that Olivia wasn¡¯t reacting, he reached out and tugged at her skirt. ¡°Mommy, wear.¡± He kept patting his head to convey his thoughts. Olivia crouched down. Connor happily ced the flower crown on Olivia¡¯s head. She had seen this exact scene in her dreams! Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Olivia¡¯s dreams were mostly about children. There was a period when she would dream of a beautiful field of flowers every day. In her dreams, a child was walking up to her with a pretty flower crown in his hands. Then, he smiled as he ced the flower crown on her head. Olivia rxed her eyebrows. ¡°Thank you, Connor.¡± ¡°Mommy, pretty.¡± Connor was ted, and he smiled from ear to ear. Olivia felt like Connor would be a gentleman when he grew up. After all, he was already so gentle at a young age. Cupping Connor¡¯s face, she kissed him lightly on the cheek. Once again, she wished that he was her child. Olivia patted Connor¡¯s knees, dusting away the grass and dirt that stuck to them. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted Ethan standing on a hillside in the distance. He was probably worried that he would ruin her mood if he went over to them. So, he decided to just watch from a distance. Connor sat down next to her, watching the water running in the creek. If the weather was a little warmer, they could go into the water to y. But now, they could only y with pebbles by the creek. Connor usually yed with premium toys at home, but he was also quite happy to pick up pebbles. He wouldugh when he saw the sshes caused by throwing pebbles into the water. He would also asionally spot schools of small fry swimming by. He was so happy that he started dancing. ¡°Fish, tiny fish.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°When it gets warmer, let¡¯s catch fish together, alright?¡± Connor didn¡¯t care about catching fish. He was happy as long as he could spend time with Olivia. The two frolicked by the water for a long time. Then, Ethan finally made his way over to them, calling them over for breakfast. Olivia subconsciously wanted to pick Connor up. She only remembered her hand when she crouched down. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Ethan held Connor in one arm while his other hand took Olivia¡¯s. Olivia struggled against his hold, but it was no use. Ethan was very strong, and he had a death grip on her hand. Olivia gave up after a quick try. She had no choice but to let him lead her away. Connor was overjoyed when he saw the two together. He kept mumbling, ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t the least bit upset about how Connor referred to them. Instead, he happily turned and nted a kiss on Connor¡¯s cheek. ¡°Good boy.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t understand why his hand felt like it was burning. It was just like their expired rtionship. She wanted him to let go so that she could run away. She didn¡¯t know what Ethan was nning, but she could see that he liked seeing her getting close to Connor. She wondered if he was thinking that this would make up for the hurt she had suffered so she could forget the pain. The memories were like sharp des that left wound after wound on her body. Even though she had recovered, the scars remained. That was the symbol of her failure. She would never forget about it. The warm smile on her face gradually disappeared. When they neared the tent, she took the opportunity to escape from Ethan. Quickening her pace, she walked away. Ethan watched her leave. The smile on his lips faded away as well. Connor keenly sensed something off about the two. He looked at Ethan, then at Olivia, Then, he pleaded for Ethan to put him down. He ran after Olivia. ¡°Mommy, hold hands.¡± Olivia remembered her identity. She should not be too involved with Marina¡¯s son. This time, she didn¡¯t fulfill Connor¡¯s request. Seeing that she didn¡¯t move, Connor got anxious. He kept calling out to her. Then, Ethan¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Just hug him. It¡¯s been a long time since hest saw you. ¡°Liv, you don¡¯t know how much this child loves you. You don¡¯t know how much he missed you when N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. you were gone. Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Olivia trembled as she looked at Ethan with a confused expression. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ethan sighed. ¡°The incidentst night wasn¡¯t an ident. Someone targeted Connor and pushed him from the top of a tall staircase.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Who did it?¡± ¡°We have too few clues at the moment, so we can¡¯t be sure for now. ¡°From his build, we can gather that he¡¯s not amon folk. He might be a professional assassin. ¡°So, I¡¯m taking Connor and Erina to a safe ce.¡± Oliva asked tentatively, ¡°Are they rted to the Toxic Hive?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Toxic Hive is an organization skilled in medicine. They mostly kill with drugs, just like with¡­ Ms. Parker. ¡°But the people who attacked Connor are different. They were after his life. They pushed a young child from the top of a spiral staircase. ¡°It was a good thing that Connor grabbed the edge and stopped rolling. If not, the consequences would be unthinkable.¡± Olivia was frightened when she heard that. She subconsciously gripped Connor. It was a miracle that the child was still standing and smiling in front of her. She crouched down. She could no longer take her anger for Ethan out on Connor. Touching Connor¡¯s face, she asked, ¡°Connor, did it hurt?¡± Connor didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. He was simply happy because Olivia touched him. He called out to Olivia. ¡°Mommy, Mommy.¡± Olivia gently took his hand. They had nned to return to the city after breakfast, but Olivia yed with Connor for the whole day. She would pick flowers and catch butterflies for him. Ethan took off his socks and rolled up the legs of his pants. Then, he waded into the creek to catch fish for Connor. For Connor¡¯s sake, Olivia didn¡¯t defy Ethan. They set aside their past and their grudges. They were like a couple helping their child experience the purest form of happiness. At sundown, they finally left in the car. Connor was so tired that he fell asleep as soon as he got into the car. Olivia sat in the back seat, gazing tenderly at the child. It was quite odd. She wasn¡¯t rted to him by blood, and he was the child of the woman she hated the most. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but love Connor with all her heart. After they parted this time, she had no idea when they would meet again. At that thought, she felt even more reluctant to part ways with him. Ethan sent Olivia back to the Manor of Roses. Before Olivia got out of the car, she noticed that there were more bodyguards in the area. Just before getting out of the car, Olivia touched Connor¡¯s face. ¡°Where are you taking him?¡± ¡°For the sake of his safety, it¡¯s best that as few people know about it as possible.¡± ¡°You have a point. Take good care of him. His mother probably can¡¯t take care of him anymore.¡± Ethan parted his lips, about to exin something. But when he thought of this incident, he suppressed the truth again. He replied in a low voice, ¡°I know. You and Mr. Fordham will be moved away within the next few days as well. This ce isn¡¯t safe anymore.¡± Olivia was stunned. ¡°Us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who those people are targeting. But you have a special identity, so I fear that they might come after you next.¡± Ethan sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I never wanted this to happen. ¡°but now that things have turned out like this, I have no choice. I can only do my best to protect you.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t say more. She caressed Connor¡¯s cheek again before leaving. Before she got out, she turned around and asked, ¡°Can I take someone with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t. I know I¡¯ve carefully selected the staff here, ¡°But to be safe, we shouldn¡¯t bring them along. I¡¯ll get Madam Burgess to take care of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not taking anyone else, just Mona. She knows my habits.¡± ¡°Alright. You should make preparations tonight.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t try to be stubborn this time. Jeff needed a safe ce to recuperate, and she also needed a ce to focus on her pregnancy. It wasn¡¯t the time to be throwing a tantrum. ¡°Got it.¡± Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Before daybreak, Olivia and Jeff were sent away. Even Olivia had no idea where they would be taken. When they arrived, she found herself in an old courtyard. She thought for a moment, realizing that Ethan didn¡¯t own a house like his under his name. By the looks of it, for security purposes, Ethan had found a safe ce. No one would¡¯ve guessed that she was here. Jeff was quite fond of this ce. It looked a lot like the Fordham residence. Getting out of the car, Jeff stood up and walked a few steps without his cane. When Olivia saw that, she went forward to help him. ¡°Careful, Dad.¡± A happy look shed across Jeff¡¯s amicable face. ¡°Olivia, I can walk by myself now.¡± ¡°Yes, Dad. We¡¯re not in a hurry, so take your time. Don¡¯t trip and fall.¡± Olivia felt fulfilled when she saw Jeff getting better by the day. When his condition had stabilized, she could ask him about the truth back then. Every night, she went to sleep with thoughts of those secrets in her heart. Even in her dreams, she wanted to know what exactly had happened. Kelvin hurried over to support Jeff. ¡°Mr. Fordham, it¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re recovering quickly, but you have to go at a moderate pace. Don¡¯t rush it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Jeff smiled. In reality, he was feeling quite anxious in his heart. He had many things he hadn¡¯t done, and he didn¡¯t want to drag Olivia down, either. After retiring to his room every day, he would practice as he leaned against the wall. He could still make aeback. The new yard wasfortable, and it was a perfect ce for Olivia to rest and take care of her pregnancy. After theirst parting, Ethan didn¡¯t visit again. He was probably worried that his whereabouts might be exposed. Or, he was just too busy, or it might have something to do with his impending marriage, Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye. Olivia¡¯s symptoms of early pregnancy gradually faded. In recent days, her appetite was rming, and she would get hungry very quickly. Now that the throwing up was gone, Olivia looked healthier, and her face had also gotten a little rounder. She felt sleepy all day. Even Mona couldn¡¯t help but smile as she said, ¡°Look, our beautiful Olivia has gotten even prettier. ¡°Other pregnant women have loose skin, but I¡¯ve never seen someone like you before. Your skin is so supple!¡± They behaved like sisters around each other. Mona¡¯s personality was quite like Everly¡¯s. One of them was easygoing, whereas the other was straightforward. They were the sort that was rxing to be around. During the time she spent around Olivia, Mona could see that Olivia¡¯s mood was improving by the day. In the past, Olivia lived every day in negativity, and she never had any hope for the future. But now, Olivia began to look forward to the future. She wanted to live longer to see Jeff recover and to give birth to the baby. Now that she had hope, she felt like life didn¡¯t seem that hard to endure anymore. Olivia touched her belly, which was still t. Suddenly, a look of sorrow appeared on her face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Olivia? Did you not like the fruits just now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then it must be the desserts. Were they too sweet or not sweet enough? I¡¯ll tell the kitchen staff about itter.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Olivia had noints about her life here. The vegetables she ate every day were harvested by a farmer nearby. He had used organic fertilizers instead of chemical ones. The fruits were also flown in straight from their countries of origin. She could taste the fresh vor of sunshine in every bite. The fruits were sweet and juicy. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯m just thinking that it¡¯s about time I get a pregnancy checkup,¡± Olivia said in a troubled tone. She wanted to see if the baby had a heartbeat and how they were developing. But she didn¡¯t know what excuse she should use to go to the hospital. ¡°Why don¡¯t I say that you¡¯re feeling unwell, so I¡¯m taking you to the hospital for a checkup?¡± Olivia sighed. It might not be the best way, but it was her only option. Ethan would be getting married in a few days. He was probably so busy that he wouldn¡¯t have time for her. She could contact Calvin before the checkup. Then, she could do it like before. There wouldn¡¯t be any reports, and the doctor would tell her the results right after the checkup. Hence, they wouldn¡¯t leave any traces. ¡°Alright. Be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just tell him that it¡¯s a regr checkup. Mr. Miller won¡¯t find out.¡± Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Ethan received a call from Mona. Even though he hadn¡¯t visited Olivia in a while, he was aware of Olivia¡¯s every move. Mona didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. She simply thought that he was watching Olivia silently. He was protecting Olivia as if he were the best ex-husband in the world. ¡°Mr. Miller, Ms. Fordham wants to get a pregnancy checkup.¡± A pair of wedding ringsy on Ethan¡¯s desk. He caressed therge diamond with his fingers, his expression unfathomable. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have it arranged.¡± Mona sighed in relief. ¡°I knew you care about Ms. Fordham the most, Mr. Miller. I have no idea why she¡¯s wary of you even when ites to her pregnancy.¡± With a dark smile on his face, Ethan ended the call. He ced the ring back into its box. Getting up, he walked up to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The sky was gray, and it looked like it was about to rain. It was just after work hours. People flooded the streets, and cars formed a continuous stream on the road. The tall buildings in the distance lit up one after the other. Ethan¡¯s shadow extended far behind him. Raindrops pelted on the ss. Then, they rolled downward, leaving trails behind them. Ethan¡¯s figure looked extra lonely against the rain. Olivia had once told him that it was cold at the top, so she would stay with him. After a long while, Ethan took out his phone and dialed a number. His voice was low as he said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± When Olivia received the reply, she should be happy about it, but she felt troubled for some reason. She felt like things were going a little too smoothly. Mona couldn¡¯t understand why Olivia was pacing around the room. ¡°Olivia, Mr. Miller agreed to it. Why are you so upset?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Olivia ced her fingers on her chest. She couldn¡¯t quite describe the feeling. She felt like things weren¡¯t supposed to turn out like this. Things went so smoothly that it felt suspicious. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say anything else?¡± Blinking with her clear eyes, Mona shook her head. ¡°Nope. Olivia, Mr. Miller loves you and cares about you more than you imagined. ¡°I believe that he¡¯s marrying Ms. Carlton out of obligation. He had given you all his love.¡± After all, she would tell Ethan what kinds of food Olivia liked and disliked. After that, for every meal, the things Olivia didn¡¯t like to eat would never appear again. Instead, the vors she preferred would be served in another form. Ethan would pay high prices to buy ingredients from their local sources. He would have them flown in so that Olivia could eat the freshest food. He was a man of few words, but he had spoken every word for her. If this wasn¡¯t love, then Mona didn¡¯t know what else was. He was even worried that his love would be a burden to Olivia, so he didn¡¯t want Mona to reveal even a tiny bit of it. Olivia didn¡¯t want to argue with Mona about whether Ethan loved her or not. She was fine with it as long as Ethan didn¡¯t suspect anything. Olivia thought that being pregnant had made her sensitive and suspicious of everything. She shook her head. ¡°Alright, then. We¡¯ll move ording to n.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Dad.¡± Opening the door, Olivia left. The wind was strong in the corridor. It hade from the patio. The white sheer curtains on the patio were pping wildly in the wind. The wisteria tree in the yard. outside had pretty flowers hanging from its branches. But now, the flowers were scattered by the wind, and theyy wet on the ground. It was another rainy day. Frowning, Olivia knocked on the door to Jeff¡¯s room. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. When the door opened, she saw Jeff dressed in white. He seemed lively, and his body looked like other person¡¯s. His shrunken calf had also gradually returned to normal as he recuperated. He seemed to be in high spirits. But, gait. any of course, this was only on the surface. He could walk around for now, but he walked with a slow He couldn¡¯t move freely like others, but it was much better than when he was bedridden. He would need a year or two to healpletely. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re still awake?¡± Olivia supported him out of habit. Smiling, Jeff said, ¡°I was bored, so I decided to y some chess. What about you? Why haven¡¯t you gone to bed?¡± ¡°I napped too much in the afternoon, so I can¡¯t sleep at night.¡± Jeff¡¯s gaze fell upon her hand. ¡°Do you still feel nothing in your hand after all that treatment?¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°I felt nothing at all. It¡¯s probably ruined.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up. Even someone like me was cured, after all. You¡¯re still so young, so you¡¯ll recover quickly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia chatted with Jeff for a long while. Jeff voiced his request again. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ve been in good shape recently, so I think I can use phones now. ?? ¡°Dad, phones are bad for your eyes. I think you should wait a little longer¡­¡± Jeff¡¯s expression remained gentle. ¡°Olivia, are you worried that when I use a phone, I might see something I shouldn¡¯t? If so, then I won¡¯t look at it.¡± Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Olivia was not the only person refusing to give him the phone all this time. Ethan did the same thing, too. Jeff could guess an inkling of the situation from that. After all, he was a grown man, not a three-year-old kid. She hurriedly said, ¡°Dad, some things did happen while you were in aa. I¡¯m nning to tell you about it one by one after you recover.¡± His fingers trembled when he heard that. ¡°I knew that something bad had happened. I woke up, and your hand is disabled! Your rtionship with Ethan is bad as well. What happened?¡± Noticing his vehement emotions, she quickly helped him to sit. ¡°Dad, look. This is why I didn¡¯t wanna tell you. It¡¯s nothing big. I had a fight with him because of some matters. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see him begging me for forgiveness the whole day? If it was a serious matter, we would¡¯ve parted ways already.¡± Only then he was able to keep his cool. ¡°You¡¯re right. Ethan keeps promising me that he won¡¯t let you down. So, what happened between the two of you?¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll tell you in a few days. You barely show signs of recovery. ¡°Have you forgotten what the doctor said? That you can¡¯t take a shock at the moment?¡± She poured him a ss of warm milk. ¡°Actually, those matters are over. It¡¯s normal for married couples to fight. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, solve it. It¡¯s that easy. I¡¯m big enough to handle it.¡± ¡°Okay, but you must tell me if anyone treats you badly. Even if I¡¯m not in the state to do anything, I will make sure he pays for it.¡± Olivia faintly smiled. ¡°Got it. I know that you love me the most in this world.¡± He nced at Jeff¡¯s hands, which weren¡¯t trembling that much anymore. She shook the doubt off her head. It wasn¡¯t the right time to ask, so she decided to wait for some other day. ¡°Rest up, Dad. I should get going.¡± She took a deep breath after leaving his room. Everyone wished to know the truth, but most of the truth was a painful reality. Standing on the balcony, she reached out to touch the rain. She watched the storm happening, hoping Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. that everything would be fine tomorrow. The next morning, Olivia forwent breakfast and headed to the hospital alongside Mona. Mona kept chattering like a singing bird. ¡°Olivia, what would you like to have after the checkupter? I can prepare it for you. ¡°It¡¯s a rare chance to be outside. Let¡¯s grab something nice. ¡°It must be boring to have nd food every day. Why don¡¯t we have something different?¡± Something crossed her mind, prompting her to lick her lips. Her eyes lit up in anticipation. Joy rubbed off on Olivia as she said, ¡°Anything.¡± In the end, Mona bought her a lot of street food. They were Olivia¡¯s favorites during her schooling days. After the nurse drew her blood, Mona handed them to Olivia. ¡°You have other checkupster. Eat up!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Now that Olivia was free, she texted Calvin. After confirming that there were no issues, she finally dug in with peace of mind. Following that, she entered the ultrasound room, which she had previously been before. It was the same doctor who was looking at her with a gentle smile. ¡°Lie down, and I can start checking on you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Here we go.¡± Olivia was on tenterhooks, worrying that the baby wasn¡¯t growing well. When the doctor¡¯s expression suddenly changed, Olivia¡¯s heart squeezed. ¡°Does something matter?¡± ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s a big problem.¡± Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Olivia was nervous. The emotions when she lost her baby that year came seeking her again. Her face fell. Even her voice was quivering. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong She unconsciously grabbed the hem of her shirt, mentally preparing herself for the worst-case scenario. A smile appeared on the doctor¡¯s face. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Fordham. You¡¯re with twins. I saw two fetal hearts.¡± Tears began pooling in her eyes when she heard that. Carefully, she asked, ¡°A-Are they growing well?¡± ¡°Yup. They seem to be growing well at the moment. Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham.¡± Olivia caressed her belly, crying out of joy. She wasn¡¯t pregnant with a baby, but two! Mona entered the room. She spected that something serious happened, judging from Olivia¡¯s expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is something wrong with the baby? Don¡¯t be afraid. Technology is very advanced nowadays. It will be fine.¡± Olivia, who couldn¡¯t utter a word due to excitement, shook her head profusely. ¡°N-No. It¡¯s not like that. Everything¡¯s fine. It¡¯s that I¡¯m pregnant with¡­¡± ¡°Jeez! Just spill it, Olivia. You¡¯re leaving me hanging. ¡°What are you pregnant with? It can¡¯t be a demon spawn, can it?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The doctorughed. ¡°Ms. Fordham is simply overjoyed. She¡¯s pregnant with twins. And the babies are growing well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, Olivia! You¡¯re amazing! Twins!¡± Olivia clumsily wiped her tears off. ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t expect them to be twins.¡± Being pregnant with a baby was enough to give her joy. Having a twin was a pleasant surprise. The thrilled Olivia kept thanking the doctor. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± The doctor waved hands. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just checking in on you. You should take good care of yourself. Being pregnant with twins can be tiring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. Nothing fears me as long as I can give birth to them smoothly.¡± Mona wiped Olivia¡¯s tears off. ¡°This is a happy asion. Why are you crying?¡± Olivia hugged Mona. Her body was still trembling, which was out of her control. No one would be able to rte. Only losing would make a person realize how valuable something was. Olivia¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°I have two babies, Mona. I have two babies.¡± Her emotions rubbed on Mona, who was still single. Mona patted Olivia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the baby here. Look at how happy you are. Don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re a mother.¡± Olivia broke into a smile. ¡°Yeah, I mustn¡¯t cry. I¡¯m simply overjoyed. I am actually bing a mother!¡± Like a machine, she kept repeating those words. Only God knew what life meant to her. Before this, her world was pure darkness. Now, she was able to see hope again. The babies made her look forward to her future life, giving her thrills. It took Mona a while to calm Olivia down. After taking a ss of warm water to hydrate her throat, she thanked the doctor again before leaving the room. Unbeknownst to her, as soon as she stepped out of the ultrasound room, the doctor made a copy of the results to hand it to someone else. Ethan¡¯s eyes darkened when he noticed the two fetal hearts. Calvin couldn¡¯tprehend the situation at all. Ethan should be happy upon learning the news of the twin, but why was he looking angry? Calvin asked, ¡°Mr. Miller, is the picture too blurry? You can ask me if you have any doubts in mind. ording to the results, the babies are healthy and growing well. If you would like to find out their sex, it is possible-¡± Chris, who was standing next to them, cleared his throat. ¡°Chris, what happened to your throat? Would you like some lozenges?¡± Calvin looked at Chris dubiously. Chris was speechless. Ethan couldn¡¯t tolerate a troublesome baby already, yet Olivia was pregnant with twins! Ethan had the urge to tear the whole hospital down right now. ¡°I¡¯m fine. No one will ignore your presence just because you keep your mouth shut. ¡°What are you going to do, Mr. Miller?¡± Chris asked Ethan, trying to figure out what was on thetter¡¯s mind. Ethan¡¯s fingers tightened, crumpling the edge of the paper. He coldly said, ¡°We¡¯ll proceed with the n ordingly.¡± Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Chris, who couldn¡¯t bring himself to set the n into motion, attempted to persuade Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, they are two little babies. It is not easy for a mother to give birth to a new life. I think¡­¡± The insensible Calvin finally noticed something was off as he asked, ¡°Chris, what are you guys talking about?¡± Losing his patience, Ethan stood up and left. ¡°Schedule for a surgery.¡± Calvin grabbed Chris¡¯ hand. ¡°Chris, tell me, what is the surgery for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s performed when the pregnant mother is over four weeks pregnant. What do you think it is for?¡± Chris sighed before following Ethan, leaving Calvin behind. Questions flooded Calvin¡¯s head as he thought, ¡°Why? Doesn¡¯t Mr. Miller love her? Why does he want an abortion? ¡°And a pair of twins at that! Olivia clearly doesn¡¯t know anything about this. She even texted me in secret to ask for help.¡± As a friend, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to watch Olivia lose her babies. He fished his phone out, wanting to call her. But someone took his phone away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Atkins. Mr. Miller doesn¡¯t wish for anyone to get in his way.¡± Kelvin wore a deadpan face, losing his usual untrammeled demeanor. ¡°Why? They¡¯re his babies! Olivia wishes to wee them to the world more than anyone else. How can he do this?¡± Needless to say, Kelvin wouldn¡¯t reveal the fact that Ethan was cheated on. Kelvin said in a low voice, ¡°This is none of your business.¡± In the face of Kelvin¡¯s fierce face, Calvin lowered his head. ¡°Got it.¡± How could Calvin go against Ethan when the Atkins family still depended on Ethan? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia,¡± said Calvin in his head. While Olivia was overflowing with joy, Mona reminded her, ¡°Olivia, there¡¯s another medical checkup you have to take.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s a normal checkup in the Gynecology Department to check your vaginal discharge and whatnot. ¡°If there¡¯s an infection, it will be bad for the babies. We should be extra careful about this.¡± Olivia gave it a thought and didn¡¯t mind taking the checkup. The doctor wouldn¡¯t go deep into her vagina, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt her babies. ¡°Okay. I gotta go to the restroom for a moment.¡± When she entered the restroom, she wanted to share the good news with Everly. And Everly happened to call her at that moment. ¡°Liv, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What a coincidence. I have something to tell you, too.¡± Olivia sounded happy. ¡°What is it that you¡¯re so happy?¡± Everly questioned. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant with twins, and they¡¯re healthy.¡± Everly became excited. ¡°Woah! Congrattions, Liv! I told you that there¡¯s always a rainbow after rain. See? We¡¯ve finally made it through! ¡°Oh, right. I have something important to tell you. Listen, this is very important. ¡°What is it?¡± Olivia became nervous after noting the solemnity in Everly¡¯s voice. ¡°Do you still remember my superior?¡± ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s with him? Did he pick on you again?¡± ¡°No. It has nothing to do with me this time. ¡°Today, he told me to handle some insignificant properties. Anyways, it is a troublesome task. ¡°I found out something when I was paying the management fee for one of the properties.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you staying in Block B of Urban Haven right now?¡± Olivia¡¯s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Everly secretly visited Olivia a few days ago, and Olivia personally weed her. ¡°Yes,¡± Olivia finally replied after a long silence. Everly covered her face. ¡°Unfortunately, that house belongs to Henry.¡± Olivia almost fell onto the ground when she heard that. It was as if an invisible hand was grasping her throat. ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Olivia¡¯s mind went nk at that moment as everything felt like a dream. She was certain that something had gone wrong. She knew all of Ethan¡¯s close friends. There were only a handful of them. Even if she hadn¡¯t met them before, she would have heard their names before. None of them went by the name Henry. Olivia took a deep breath, trying not to freak herself out. It was possible that Ethan chose a stranger in order not to give the game away; however, what Everly was going to say next toppled all of Olivia¡¯s reasoning. ¡°The house belongs to Mr. Synder. Remember the day we met? ¡°Before I chased after you with a bottle of folic acid in hand, he told me that he knew you, that you were someone¡¯s crush. ¡°Handing you the folic acid was the only thing I had in mind, so I forgot about that when I went back to talk about work with him.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Everly was ming herself. ¡°Sorry, Liv. I was swamped at that time. I only recalled about that when I paid the management fee. ¡°I thought he was talking about Ethan, so I shook the folic acid packaging in front of him.¡± Olivia¡¯s grip on her phone tightened. ¡°What¡­ Did he say?¡± Everly sighed. ¡°He asked if I was preparing for pregnancy while seeing someone. If that was the case, I would¡¯ve been fired a long time ago. ¡°That bastard knows what folic acid is, and he knows Ethan! It¡¯s highly possible that Ethan knew of your pregnancy a long time ago!¡± Olivia raised her head, looking at her pale face from the mirror. The leads were finally connected. Her hunch was right-Ethan knew of her pregnancy all along! That was why he imed that he wouldn¡¯t me her no matter what she had done during the meteor shower. He thought the babies weren¡¯t his! ¡°Liv, are you listening?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Only then did Olivia answer. ¡°Since he has found out that you¡¯re pregnant, has he been acting out of character?¡± Olivia replied helplessly, ¡°Now that I think about it, yes. My meals are normally served to pregnant women. I¡¯m such a fool. I should¡¯ve caught on to it.¡± Olivia put her guard down because she hadn¡¯t met him for a while. ¡°If so, I guess there¡¯s a chance that he couldn¡¯t hurt you and the babies? Otherwise, why would he serve you good food?¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°Eve, you learn medicine. I bet you know when¡¯s the perfect time for an abortion, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°When it¡¯s more than four weeks.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s impossible when the baby is still very young. The best time is when it¡¯s over four weeks. He provides me with good food for my health because abortion is bad for the mother¡¯s body. ¡°He hasn¡¯t shown up because he didn¡¯t want me to know that he actually knows the truth. ¡°He¡¯s waiting, waiting for the babies to grow until it¡¯s the perfect time for an abortion,¡± she emphasized each and every word. ¡°Holy cow! Don¡¯t you feel the chills thinking about how you¡¯ve been sharing the same bed with him all the while? Can you sleep?¡± Everly covered her mouth. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting to know a whole new side of him. Not only is he cruel, he¡¯s calcting! Where are you right now?¡± ¡°At the hospital. I told him that I wannae here for a checkupst night, and he agreed to it without hesitation. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, he must¡¯ve prepared the operating room for the abortion already.¡± ¡°What the fuck! What are you waiting for then? Tell him that they¡¯re his babies, or things will get ugly!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use. I know him very well. He wasn¡¯t in his right mind that day. ¡°He will never think that he¡¯s the father. He¡¯s paranoid, too. He won¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Liv, stay there and wait for me. I will bring you to somewhere safe right away. ¡°We can take a DNA test after you give birth to the babies. That¡¯ll be better than-¡± ¡°Who are you talking with over the phone?¡± A gentle voice resounded before Everly could finish. ¡°M-Mr. Synder?¡± Chapter 469 Chapter 469 The call was terminated. Olivia had no other options. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She knew Ethan like the back of her hand, and so did Ethan. He had been trying to make her put her guard down. It was not that she had been lying to Ethan, but it was the other way round! Henry might have already informed Ethan about it. She must escape from here! Mona happened to enter the restroom to look for Olivia. ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s taking you so long? The doctor is waiting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to take the checkup, Mona. We must leave right now.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you have other checkups to take?¡± Olivia held Mona¡¯s hand, pulling her out of the restroom. ¡°I can¡¯t exin everything to you now. But we can¡¯t stay here. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Mona couldn¡¯t follow. ¡°How so? We have the bodyguards with us. I¡¯ll call Mr. Miller to let him handle the issue.¡± ¡°Silly you. He¡¯s the biggest danger.¡± Olivia ran out while holding Mona¡¯s hand. Mona persuaded her, ¡°Wait. You haven¡¯t reached 12 weeks of pregnancy yet, so you cannot do any extreme exercises. Here, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Although she couldn¡¯t understand what Olivia was implying, Mona crouched down without hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m strong. My mother even imed that I was born a wrestler. Just get on my back. We can leave the talkingter.¡± Mona carried Olivia on her back. Despite her skinny figure, Mona was indeed strong. ¡°Olivia, where are we heading to?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave the hospital first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia thought of her past, where Ethan wouldn¡¯t believe a word she said. He would only mock her with hurtful words again and again. The earliest possible time to perform a DNA test was during week 16. She was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t listen to her exnation and force her into an abortion. Mona dashed at full speed with Olivia on her back, and Olivia was racking her brain to think of a ce to hide. However, she noticed a tall figure before they could even step out of the back exit. Ethan was standing under a tree in his expensive suit. He was pinching a cigarette while resting against the tree. The cloud of smoke covered his silhouette as his gaze slowlynded on her. Disappointment fleeted across his eyes, driving her to anxiety-she was done for. She appeared like a fugitive to him, adding more reasons not to believe her. Ethan sighed. ¡°Liv, you disappoint me.¡± Mona let Olivia down, trying to exin Olivia¡¯s stance. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is, Mr. Miller. Ms. Fordham is in danger, so she told me to get her out of there. ¡°You should check the ce to see if someone¡¯s trying to harm her.¡± Ignoring the fool, he threw the cigarette away and gazed at Olivia. ¡°Liv, are youing to me, or do you want me toe to you?¡± Mona roasted him under her breath, ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Olivia remained standing on her spot, nervous. ¡± Mona couldn¡¯t understand what Olivia was afraid of. Even if there was someone attempting to harm Olivia, Ethan was here with them. Little did Mona know that the calmer he appeared, the crazier he was actually on the inside. Underneath his harmless eyes was a storm of emotions. Olivia took the initiative to say, ¡°Ethan, I can exin.¡± He walked up to her with an icy gaze. ¡°Toote, Liv.¡± Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Ethan approached her, reaching his hand out for her. ¡°Be good ande with me.¡± It was a gentle voice meant for cooing at kids, but it made Olivia¡¯s skin crawl. Even Mona sensed that something was wrong. She unconsciously stood before Olivia. ¡°Mr. Miller, Ms. Fordham is done with her checkups. I should send her home.¡± Only then did he shift his gaze from Olivia to Mona. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± He was a very dangerous person right now, so Olivia didn¡¯t want to drag Mona into this. ¡°Mona, wait for me outside. I have something to talk to him about.¡± Mona alternated her gaze between Olivia and Ethan. It seemed like the couple had something important to discuss, so Mona waved her hand and left. Now that they were alone, Olivia hurriedly said, ¡°Ethan, let¡¯s talk about the babies.¡± Calmly looking at her, Ethan said coldly, ¡°Are you thinking of telling me that the baby in your belly is mine?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°It is yours. When you were running a temperature, we¡­¡± He smirked and raised her chin. ¡°Liv, why not make up a more realistic story? How could I not know something that I have done?¡± Her face turned red because she was anxious. ¡°You bastard! Are you sure you didn¡¯t feel it? You¡¯re the one who¡­¡± Ethan reyed that absurd dream in his head. There was nothing unusual about his body. ¡°Liv, do you think that I¡¯ll buy it? How could you use that to cover for your betrayal? ¡°I was sick! You let me down, Liv.¡± Frustration was bubbling up in her as she licked her dry lips. Knowing that she mustn¡¯t get into a fight with him, she must resolve the problem as soon as possible. ¡°Calm down and hear me out. I promised you that you¡¯re the only one I will be with. I will never be with someone else. ¡°Ethan Miller, I will never sleep with someone else on a whim, even if I resent you. I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡± His finger caressed her face gently before tracing to the back of her hand, pulling her into his embrace. She was in his arms. Ethan whispered in her ear softly, ¡°Liv, you also promised me that you would stay in Aldenvine forever. ¡°But you kept nning on leaving the city. I want to trust you, but you¡¯re pregnant. ¡°How am I supposed to believe in you?¡± Olivia wanted to break free from him, but he secured her waist. The fragrance on his clothes wafted her nose. It was her favorite scent that gave her a sense of assurance. On the contrary, she deemed that his embrace was the most dangerous ce in this world now. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that! You gotta believe me, Ethan! They are your babies!¡± Olivia was on the verge of crying. ¡°Yes, I was nning to keep it a secret from you because I didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with you. ¡°I wanted to leave your side in secret and run away to give birth to them. I didn¡¯t want you to know, so I kept you in the dark. ¡°They are your babies. The doctor said we¡¯re having twins. Ethan, can we not drag the babies into the bad blood between us? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe me. They¡¯re innocent. I wish to wee them to the world more than anyone else. ¡°My hand is disabled already. Please show mercy. Let me and my babies go. Please¡­¡± He was unfazed. ¡°Liv, if I let you go, who¡¯s gonna do the same for me?¡± Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Olivia gazed at Ethan in despair. ¡°Ethan, these two babies are the only people I have. I have nothing. I have no one else. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe my words today, you can wait until thebor-no-we can take a DNA test when I¡¯m at least 16 weeks pregnant.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re getting more and more mischievous, Liv. You never lied to me in the past. Let¡¯s not discuss if you¡¯re willing to abort the babies or not. ¡°Once the babies mature, an abortion will have dire effects on your body. I consulted with the doctor. ¡°Taking an abortion now will have the minimum impact on your body.¡± He gentlyforted her, ¡°How could you say that you have nothing and no one else? Dad¡¯s showing improvement each day. ¡°It¡¯ll take two years at most before he bes as healthy as before. He will be able to handle the Fordham family again. ¡°If Marina is making you insecure, I can tell you that she¡¯s purely an obligation of mine. You¡¯re the person I love all along. He caressed her cheek. ¡°You¡¯re still young. You can have babies again, but they have to be mine. Liv, I can give you anything you want. Just abort them.¡± Olivia shook her head profusely. ¡°Ethan Miller, they¡¯re your babies! You¡¯re their father! I have never betrayed you. Never!¡± Ethan¡¯s expression changed at the mention of betrayal. He shoved her away. ¡°Liv, I trusted you so much. That was why I allowed you to get along with Avery. Do you think that I¡¯m unbothered by what you¡¯ve done?¡± He balled his fists, revealing the veins along his arms. Like a mad beast, he bellowed, ¡°How could I not bear resentment? It¡¯s eating me up from the inside! ¡°Do you know how I lived through the past month? I was in agony for every minute and second. I could only look at you from afar. ¡°I was afraid of hurting you, Liv. I simply hope that I can kill Avery at this instant!¡± Olivia, who fell onto the floor due to the push, tried her best to exin. ¡°Ethan, how could you see me that way? There¡¯s nothing improper going on between Avery and me. 1 had a favor to ask from him. I-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± he interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in listening to you and his matters. ¡°This is where my patience runs out, Liv. Want it or not, I will never let you keep the babies.¡± Kelvin showed up with a group of bodyguards, and Olivia quickly stood up and ran away. However, Kelvin was quicker than her. He managed to block her way out. He wore an apologetic expression. ¡°Please don¡¯t put me in a difficult spot, Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°This way, Mrs. Miller.¡± Everyone blocked her way out, but no one dared toe close to her because they didn¡¯t want to hurt her. Ethan strode toward her. She retreated backward, only to be blocked by the bodyguards. She pleaded with him, ¡°Ethan, are you sure you won¡¯t regret not keeping these babies? It¡¯s only three months. That is all you have to wait to know the truth.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve had enough of these agonizing days. Sorry. Hate me however you want.¡± He carried and ignored the crying Olivia. She yelled in tears, ¡°You¡¯re a self-serving person, Ethan Miller! ¡°You don¡¯t love me at all! You keep hurting me in the name of love. You only love yourself!¡± It pained him to hear that. How could he not feel the pain? But how would Olivia rte to his agony? The sheer thought of her being pregnant with someone else¡¯s babies made him want to end the world. The murderous intent kept piling up in him. He hurt himself and the people around him. He was afraid that he might lose control of his emotions one day and hurt her. ¡°Liv, the babies have to die today no matter what.¡± Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Olivia was lifted to the operating table. Standing next to her was Ethan. It pained him to watch her in despair. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Liv. As I said, we can have babies in the future. You can have as many babies as you wish. Our children and I will always be by your side.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a future, Ethan. These two babies are my only hope!¡± She was holding onto thest ray of hope. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Just wait a little longer, Ethan. Three months is the longest it¡¯ll take you to realize that I¡¯m not lying. ¦° ¡°I won¡¯t change my mind, Liv. Be good. The surgery will be over soon.¡± Ethan chose to leave because he was afraid he would yield in if he stayed any longer. Noticing that he was going to leave, she hurriedly begged, ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t go! You have to trust me! Why won¡¯t you believe my words? ¡°Ethan Miller, they are your babies. How could you look down upon someone¡¯s precious life? You will regret this, Ethan Miller. You will surely regret this!¡± The door was mmed shut, taking away all of her hope. Things shouldn¡¯t turn out this way. They were Olivia¡¯s babies! A few nurses and a doctor surrounded her. The doctor was wearing a mask, looking at Olivia with hatred. Gigi Murray¡¯s family was ruined because of a homewrecker, hence her hatred for immoral women. ¡°Stop wasting your energy. This is what Mr. Miller wants.¡± Her voice was emotionless because she saw Olivia as a filthy woman. Olivia was crying so much that her voice turned hoarse. ¡°Doctor, please. I¡¯m begging you. They are Ethan¡¯s babies.¡± She could imagine the mocking smile beneath Gigi¡¯s mask even though thetter didn¡¯t pull it down. ¡°Miss, how would Mr. Miller not know if he had touched you? Stop holding onto false hopes. ¡°Mr. Miller is magnanimous enough to do this. If I were him, I wouldn¡¯t have been this kind.¡± Gigi then ordered a nurse, ¡°Remove her pants. Check her vaginal discharge to see if there¡¯s an infection or not first.¡± Stretching her legs, Olivia tried to stop them, but she was outnumbered. Not to mention that she only had one hand to fight against them, too. The nurses fettered her with fast moves. ¡°Stop moving, Ms. Fordham. Mr. Miller will me us if you¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to this surgery. This is murder! I will sue all of you!¡± ¡°He has signed the agreement, Ms. Fordham. Stop this useless protest. There are no surveince cameras around here. Even if you wanna sue us, you don¡¯t have evidence. ¡°Besides, this is done under Mr. Miller¡¯s willingness. If you wanna me anyone, me him.¡± ¡°me him?¡± Gigi raised an eyebrow disdainfully. ¡°I think she should me herself for not being able to keep her legs tightly shut. ¡°Had she not slept with another man, she wouldn¡¯t have been brought here. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re immune to anesthesia. You¡¯ll have to put up with the painter during the surgery.¡± The others were aware that Gigi despised homewreckers the most. Still, Olivia was not any ordinary person because she was brought over by Ethan. Thus, the head nurse reminded her in a low voice, ¡°Keep in mind that she¡¯s Mr. Miller¡¯s woman, Murray.¡± Gigi was unbothered as she snorted. ¡°How deep could he possibly be in love with her? She¡¯s just a homewrecker who betrayed her benefactor. ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll be dumped right after the abortion. Look at how fragile she is. I bet a lot of men have screwed her.¡± ¡°Dr. Murray!¡± The head purse kept giving hints to Gigi. Dr. Gigi forcefully pulled Olivia¡¯s pants down. It was getting more and more obvious that Gigi was trying to humiliate Olivia. ¡°What is there to hide from us when you¡¯ve taken your pants in front of men a lot of times.¡± Gigi even pped Olivia¡¯s leg. ¡°Part your legs wider. You¡¯re already pregnant, so stop pretending to be innocent. ¡°I hate vixens like you the most. What a bitch! Did your mother not teach you not to simply hook up with men out there?¡± Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Olivia was flooded with anxiety and fear. Now that Gigi spouted those remarks, it infuriated Olivia more. ¡°Is this how your mother raised you? Is your profession¡¯s integrity your weapon to attack others? ¡°Do you know me? Do you even know the whole story? Who are you to humiliate me?¡± Gigi crossed her arms, furious. ¡°Humiliate? Well, I can¡¯t say anything about it if you see this as a humiliation. ¡°Everyone knows that Mr. Miller is going to get married soon. Yet, he brought you here for an abortion? What else are you if you¡¯re not a homewrecker?¡± She sized Olivia up. ¡°I wonder how parents raise their kids nowadays. They¡¯re all raised wrong! ¡°Why do they keep eyeing someone else¡¯s husband instead of spending their time studying? ¡°You had thising. You deserve not to be pregnant. Look at how filthy you are. You¡¯re destined to be barren and grow old alone!¡± Olivia broke free and pped Gigi right in the face. ¡°Fuck! How dare you p me, you bitch! You guys had one job, but what are you guys doing? Hold her down!¡± The others weren¡¯t as lunatic as Gigi was. Even if Olivia was a homewrecker, she was acquainted with Ethan she wasn¡¯t someone to be messed with. Still, Gigi couldn¡¯t care less about that. With an evil expression, she grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm. ¡°How dare a disabled person like you fight back at me! You¡¯ve got the nerves, huh?¡± She then pped Olivia¡¯s cheek, not knowing that it was exactly what Olivia was asking for. Before this, she realized that Gigi was suffering from mental illness. It was obvious that Gigi grew hatred for youngdies because her husband dumped her. In order to stop the abortion, Olivia had to cause a racket. Gigi didn¡¯t pull back her strength. Olivia¡¯s cheek was swollen in seconds. Instead of exposing her identity, Olivia provoked Gigi, ¡°I¡¯m disabled, but I¡¯m better than you are. ¡°Your husband must¡¯ve found someone young and pretty. That was why he divorced you, wasn¡¯t it? If I were him, I would dump someone old like you, too.¡± Olivia¡¯s remarks hit home, and Gigi¡¯s expression turned as fierce as a devil¡¯s. ¡°What did you say, bitch? Who¡¯s dumped by her husband?¡± ¡°You. I bet you¡¯re jealous of my youth and beauty. That¡¯s why you keep making hurtfulments. ¡°No matter how hurtful your words are, it won¡¯t change the fact that you were dumped. I¡¯ll still be younger than you are and pampered by a man. ¡°Someone old like you deserves to be single forever!¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna tear your mouth off, you bitch!¡± ¡°Gigi, what are you doing? Stop!¡± ¡°Gigi, calm down! You shouldn¡¯t do this!¡± Every staff member in the hospital was aware of Gigi¡¯s sore spot. They usually wouldn¡¯t bring up the word ¡®husband¡¯, either. Yet, Olivia was ying with fire. The two of them were getting physical, but Olivia was actually the only person receiving hits. She could only protect her belly with her only hand, so she couldn¡¯t fight back. She kicked a trolley over. The machine and medical instruments fell onto the ground, causing a jarring, crashing sound. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Help! Help!¡± She seized the chance to shout for help. Kelvin, who had been guarding outside, pushed the door open only to see Olivia getting abused. He yelled in anger, ¡°What are you doing!¡± Mona quickly took her coat off to cover Olivia¡¯s thighs. ¡°Ms. Fordham, are you alright?¡± Mona swiped Olivia¡¯s hair to the side to reveal the swollen cheek. There were scratches, too! Angry, Mona rolled her sleeves up. ¡°I guess you¡¯re underestimating me. Why did you hit a pregnant woman? You could¡¯vee at me if you needed a sparring partner. I swear I¡¯m gonna break all your teeth today!¡± Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Kelvin was stunned, not expecting it to turn out this way when they were supposed to perform a preoperative examination. ¡°Why did you hit her?¡± The nurses were scared out of their wits. Things were supposed to be handled carefully between doctors and patients. Yet, Gigi simply confronted the patient physically head-on. Even if Olivia was Ethan¡¯s mistress, Ethan was one of the Millers! Gigi had yet to realize the solemnity of the matter. She thought that no man could ept his partner cheating on him. Hence, Gigi was certain that Ethan hated Olivia to the bones and was going to praise her. ¡°What? I was teaching her a lesson in her mother¡¯s stead. She doesn¡¯t love herself despite her young age. ¡°Who knows what humiliating deeds she¡¯s going to do in the future? Tell Mr. Miller to rest assured. I will teach her properly.¡± Kelvin was getting jumpy upon hearing that. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said, a slut like her-¡± He was on the edge before she could finish. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? We told you to perform the surgery on Mrs. Miller, so just do as we say. ¡°And what are you up to right now? Who are you to humiliate Mrs. Miller? How dare you hit her! I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re not getting away with this easily.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller? What do you mean by ¡®Mrs. Miller¡¯?¡± Gigi¡¯s voice changed. An angry Kelvin couldn¡¯t care less about his voice volume as he said, ¡°What do I mean by that? Is there anyone else here?¡± ¡°B-But isn¡¯t Mr. Miller going to get married to Ms. Carlton?¡± she questioned carefully. Olivia, who had been silent all along, sobbed, ¡°I am Ethan¡¯s ex-wife.¡± Gigi¡¯s mind went nk as if lightning had struck her. She thought, ¡°She¡¯s not a mistress or a homewrecker, but his ex-wife? Just what did I say to her?¡± Mona barked, ¡°She¡¯s the person Mr. Miller treats with care. He didn¡¯t dare to raise his voice at her, either. ¡°But you! How could you p and humiliate her? You¡¯re dead meat!¡± She wished she could charge toward Gigi and tear her apart. But Olivia¡¯s condition concerned her more. ¡°Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?¡± asked Mona. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Olivia pursed her lips. Ethan rushed over as soon as he received news about it. He heard her saying that it hurt before he entered the room. Had it been before, it would always break his heart whenever she said that. He entered the room only to see her covering her face. Her forlorn state made his heart squeeze. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mona quickly kept him in the loop. ¡°Mr. Miller, you came just at the right time! ¡°This woman not only called Mrs. Miller a slut, but she also hit her! Look at her face!¡± Olivia¡¯s skin was as fair as snow, and Gigi didn¡¯t hold herself back at all. They were in the operating room for a short period, yet Olviia¡¯s cheek was already swollen. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Her hair was a mess, and she was abused at that. Olivia was smart enough to know what to do now. She slowly lifted her head, gazing at Ethan with teary eyes. She appeared all pitiful. Tears fell down her cheeks before she could speak. ¡°Liv¡­¡± Ethan approached her with hurried steps. He wanted to touch her, but she avoided him. Her eyes were fixated on him firmly. ¡°Even if you hate me, you don¡¯t need to get someone to humiliate me.¡± ¡°Humiliate? Why would I? I didn¡¯t, Liv.¡± Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Fury and guilt built up in Ethan as he looked at the hurt Olivia. She was crying buckets. How could they proceed with the preoperative examination like this? Gigi had hurt Olivia even before performing the abortion. So, how could he entrust Olivia to her? ¡°Mr. Miller, this is a misunderstanding. I thought she ¡­ she¡­¡± Gigi stuttered as she attempted to exin her stance. Olivia made herself appear as pitiful as possible to push Gigi into big trouble. ¡°No. You¡¯re acting differently from a moment ago. Mr. Miller, she pped me first! She¡¯s the problematic one!¡± Olivia sobbed, ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I pped you? This is our first time meeting each other, and yet you called me a slut and said that a lot of men have screwed me! ¡°You imed that I¡¯m pregnant because my mother raised me wrong. How am I the problematic one? Ethan¡¯s expression was turning gloomier. Every word Gigi spouted touched his bottom line. ¡°Who gave you the right to judge my wife? Who!¡± He would¡¯ve be enraged if he weren¡¯t hugging Olivia. ¡°Mr. Miller, this is a misunderstanding. It really is.¡± Gigi looked at Chris and Calvin and sought help from them. ¡°Dr. Atkins, you know me. I ¡­¡± Calvin was an approachable man on his regr days. Although this hospital belonged to his family, he didn¡¯t act up only because he was the sessor. He got along with all the medical staff well. However, he was wearing an expressionless face right now. Ignoring Gigi, he looked at Ethan apologetically. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m sorry that this kind of matter is happening in my hospital. I will make sure to give you an exnation for all this.¡± ¡°You better do.¡± Ethan looked at Calvin coldly. Ethan carried Olivia-who was a mess-away. A voice resounded behind him. ¡°Dr. Atkins, I swear I didn¡¯t hurt her. She pped me first!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin yourself in a rush, Gigi. I will never wrong someone innocent. ¡°of course, I will not side with anyone. Come to my office, all of you. I will personally look into this matter.¡± Ethan could feel the woman in his arms shaking. He wondered if it was due to fear or anger. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. It¡¯s over. I will not let her off the hook that easily. No one can hurt you.¡± She looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who brought me here. You doubted my innocence. ¡°That was why others saw me as a slut. Ethan Miller, am I someone who gets involved in casual flings to you?¡± He fell silent because he believed that she wasn¡¯t that kind of person more than anyone else. ¡°It is a fact that you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Olivia finally had the chance to discuss with Ethan, thanks to Gigi. She was frustrated. ¡°You had a high fever when I visited you in the Miller residence. ¡°I just wanted to check on you. But you threw me onto the bed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t break free from you. It was my safe period, and I don¡¯t get pregnant easily. So, I didn¡¯t take any contraceptive pills. I didn¡¯t expect myself to be pregnant.¡± Ethan went quiet, trying to process what she was saying. Olivia then whispered something in his ear. It was the exact same detail that matched with what happened that day! His gaze Fury and guilt built up in Ethan as he looked at the hurt Olivia. She was crying buckets. How could they proceed with the preoperative examination like this? Gigi had hurt Olivia even before performing the abortion. So, how could he entrust Olivia to her? ¡°Mr. Miller, this is a misunderstanding. I thought she ¡­ she¡­¡± Gigi stuttered as she attempted to exin her stance. Olivia made herself appear as pitiful as possible to push Gigi into big trouble. ¡°No. You¡¯re acting differently from a moment ago. Mr. Miller, she pped me first! She¡¯s the problematic one!¡± Olivia sobbed, ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I pped you? This is our first time meeting each other, and yet you called me a slut and said that a lot of men have screwed me! ¡°You imed that I¡¯m pregnant because my mother raised me wrong. How am I the problematic one? Ethan¡¯s expression was turning gloomier. Every word Gigi spouted touched his bottom line. ¡°Who gave you the right to judge my wife? Who!¡± He would¡¯ve be enraged if he weren¡¯t hugging Olivia. ¡°Mr. Miller, this is a misunderstanding. It really is.¡± Gigi looked at Chris and Calvin and sought help from them. ¡°Dr. Atkins, you know me. I ¡­¡± Calvin was an approachable man on his regr days. Although this hospital belonged to his family, he didn¡¯t act up only because he was the sessor. He got along with all the medical staff well. However, he was wearing an expressionless face right now. Ignoring Gigi, he looked at Ethan apologetically. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m sorry that this kind of matter is happening in my hospital. I will make sure to give you an exnation for all this.¡± ¡°You better do.¡± Ethan looked at Calvin coldly. Ethan carried Olivia-who was a mess-away. A voice resounded behind him. ¡°Dr. Atkins, I swear I didn¡¯t hurt her. She pped me first!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin yourself in a rush, Gigi. I will never wrong someone innocent. ¡°of course, I will not side with anyone. Come to my office, all of you. I will personally look into this matter.¡± Ethan could feel the woman in his arms shaking. He wondered if it was due to fear or anger. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. It¡¯s over. I will not let her off the hook that easily. No one can hurt you.¡± She looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who brought me here. You doubted my innocence. ¡°That was why others saw me as a slut. Ethan Miller, am I someone who gets involved in casual flings to you?¡± He fell silent because he believed that she wasn¡¯t that kind of person more than anyone else. ¡°It is a fact that you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Olivia finally had the chance to discuss with Ethan, thanks to Gigi. She was frustrated. ¡°You had a high fever when I visited you in the Miller residence. ¡°I just wanted to check on you. But you threw me onto the bed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t break free from you. It was my safe period, and I don¡¯t get pregnant easily. So, I didn¡¯t take any contraceptive pills. I didn¡¯t expect myself to be pregnant.¡± Ethan went quiet, trying to process what she was saying. Olivia then whispered something in his ear. It was the exact same detail that matched with what happened that day! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. His gazended on her belly. ¡°Liv, are they really ¡­ my babies?¡± nded on her belly. ¡°Liv, are they really ¡­ my babies?¡± Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Olivia¡¯s eyes were devoid of happiness as she looked at Ethan. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna admit it, but they are your babies.¡± His expression lit up almost instantly. He was happy yet surprised. She added coldly, ¡°And you almost killed them. I will never allow someone like you to be their father.¡± ¡°Sorry, Liv.¡± These days, the only words thate out of Ethan¡¯s mouth were apologies. ¡°Not everything can be redeemed with an apology. ¡°Ethan, look at my face. This p isn¡¯t from her but from you.¡± Olivia reclined in the chair, exhausted. There had been too much for her body to take in since she was pregnant. She had used up a lot of energy while trying to break free from the nurses¡¯ grasp. So, she was all in. It seemed like Ethan believed her, so she didn¡¯t want to exin anything to him further. He parted his lips but didn¡¯t say anything. Looking at her tired face, he hugged her and sighed. ¡°Liv, I know that you hate me. But I can never bring myself to let you go no matter what happens.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t give him a response. Only a bead of tears trickled from the corner of her eye. She stayed still for a long time before asking softly, ¡°Are you really not going to let me go?¡± ed his arms around her. ne go if I¡¯m dead?¡± le instantly raised her chin, looking into her hollow eyes that made him anxious, but he shook that feeling off. ¡°Dad will slowly recover, and you have babies. You will wish to live on more than anyone else, Liv. Why would you be dead?¡± She let out a soft sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. I wanna live on more than anyone else.¡± She wished to live, but it wasn¡¯t something she could choose. Although Olivia was still doing fine for six months, there were a lot of risks to take into consideration. There were chances for her condition to deteriorate at any time. Once she was in thete stage of cancer, not even the best doctor in the world could save her. gged her tightly. She was in his arms while pregnant with his babies. But why did he feel like he was going to lose her for real? Like a porcin doll, Olivia was awfully quiet on their way back home. She let him hug her and apply medicine to her face. She didn¡¯t avoid him at all. Her swollen cheek kept reminding her that he was going to do something bad to her. When they arrived home, shey in bed while facing her back at him. She was basically driving him out of the room. Ethan stood beside the bed in silence for a moment before saying, ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll request door-to-door appointments with the doctor for your prenatal examinations. You don¡¯t have to go to the hospital. She ignored him, and he added, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to control you. You know my identity. ¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t introduce you to the public when we first got married because I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll be their first target. I¡¯ve found out who pushed Connor down the stairs.¡± Her body slightly shuddered at that. He continued, ¡°He¡¯s a professional assassin in the world and was one of the ck Ravens¡¯ members. ¡°Considering that an international fugitive like him suddenly hurt a kid, I¡¯m afraid that the my past enemy. is opponent ¡°Of course, this is just spection. No matter what they¡¯re after, it is obvious that I¡¯m their target. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be one of their targets. So, I¡¯ll try to avoid you as much as possible. ¡°But you have to work with me by taking care of yourself. You can think of it as you¡¯re doing this for the babies¡¯ sake.¡± ¡°I will risk my life to protect the babies.¡± Olivia¡¯s muffled voice resounded from the nket. ¡°And I will risk my life to protect all of you,¡± he promised solemnly. Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Ethan left, and Olivia was depressed. Mona noticed that the faint glint of light in Olivia¡¯s eyes vanished. Olivia sat by the window silently. The swell on her cheek finally finally subsided. Her face was pale, and her eyes were zed over as she looked at the rain outside. ¡°Olivia, you must be hungry. The maids have made something. Didn¡¯t you say you want some noodles? Why don¡¯t you give it a try to see if it¡¯s the taste you were craving for?¡± ¡°Leave it. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Even so, you gotta have some. Do it for the babies, at least.¡± The babies were the only leverage they could use over Olivia¡¯s head. Mona saw that Olivia¡¯s fingers moved and hurriedly passed the cutleries to her. ¡°Eat it before it gets cold. I tasted it for you without them knowing. It tastes good.¡± Mona stuck her tongue out. ¡°Sorry. Mr. Miller informed us that your meals should be tested before they¡¯re served to you.¡¯ Mona initially wanted topliment Ethan. But the thought of what had just happened made her swallow her praises. She wanted to ask about it several times, but she kept quiet because she thought that she wasn¡¯t in a position to question it. There was only the faint sound of Olivia chewing the noodles in the room. It could be scarcely heard. It was apanied by crunching sounds at times when she was eating vegetables. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Olivia was having her meal silently, yet Mona felt her chest squeeze tight seeing that. It was as if Olivia was living for her babies and Jeff, not for herself. She felt nauseous a few times during the meal, but she suppressed it and continued eating. She kept shoving food into her mouth like a lifeless robot. ¡°Stop eating.¡± Mona took the cutleries away from Olivia. ¡°I¡¯ll ask them to make something else. It¡¯s not like the Miller Group is going bankrupt. You can eat whatever you want. Olivia faintly smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what it is as long as I can fill my stomach.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Olivia. It hurts me to see you acting this way. Why don¡¯t we be happy as we were before?¡± ¡°Happy?¡± Olivia let out a bitter smile. ¡°Someone like me doesn¡¯t deserve to be happy.¡± She wiped her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m full and kinda tired. I need some rest.¡± ¡°Olivia, cheer up.¡± Mona stopped Olivia as she said gently, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Mr. Miller, you can tell me anything if you need someone to talk to. I can help you out,¡± Olivia remained smiling upon hearing that. ¡°Thank you. But even I can¡¯t help myself. No one¡¯s able to help me. Tell him that I¡¯ll give birth to the babies. It¡¯s not for him but for the babies¡¯ sake.¡± ¡°Babies, babies, babies. Don¡¯t you think about yourself for once? Don¡¯t you have other things to look forward to aside from them?¡± ¡°I live for my babies and my father.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you love Mr. Miller? He loves you so much.¡± ¡°Love?¡± That word appeared to be something only in the past to Olivia now. ¡°I loved him. But now? I don¡¯t dare to love him. It¡¯s painful.¡± She trudged to her bedroom, looking like the most pitiful person in the world. Mona parted her lips, but nothing escaped through her lips. Someone as simple-minded as her didn¡¯t understand love. Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Although Olivia managed to keep her babies, Ethan stripped her of thest ray of hope in her life. Now that he knew that he was the father, he wouldn¡¯t let her go that easily in the future. However, she was sick of this game. As if she was trapped in a big, there was nowhere to escape. She neither knew how to take revenge nor saw hope. She couldn¡¯t do anything during her pregnancy. The only thing she could do was stroke her belly again and again, praying that it would be a smooth delivery. Olivia¡¯s low spirits didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Jeff. He could already wander around at home because his legs got better. He didn¡¯t need others to support him. It was the early summer, and the temperature was rising. Lying down under a tree, Olivia was getting sleepy and fell asleep. When she woke up, there was a nket over her. Jeff was waving a fan to shoo the mosquitoes away as he always did when she was a child. Her mother passed away, when she was younger, but he gave her all the love she needed. Her childhood wasn¡¯t a sad one due to the absence of maternal love. On the contrary, she grew up into a confident and capable person under Jeff¡¯s love. At that time, her eyes spoke of determination, and she gave a warm yet confident aura to others. He had long noticed something after he regained consciousness-it was rare to see her smile. She wouldn¡¯t bring up Ethan in front of Jeff, either. She would put on a gentle smile sometimes, but not anymore. Aside from eating and sleeping, she was mostly absent-minded. Even though she had been forcing smiles so that he wouldn¡¯t notice, Jeff could see through her. After all, she was the daughter he raised for years. Ethan was the cause of her personality change. Jeff didn¡¯t know what Ethan had done. The couple¡¯s rtionship was getting worse after Ethan took her back home. He was aware of everything, and it pained him to see her acting this way. Thus, he spent most of his time keeping herpany. Olivia was baffled to see him waving a fan gently as soon as she woke up. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake. Are you thirsty? Tea time is ready.¡± Her cheeks turned red. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, Dad.¡± He chuckled and stroked her hair. ¡°To me, you will always be a kid. I got your back.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Olivia, I know that you¡¯re not having a happy life right now. Let¡¯s leave this ce.¡± She was taken aback by that. ¡°Is this ce bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but you¡¯re unhappy. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw a genuine smile on your face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on between you and Ethan. But if he¡¯s the cause for it, I will get you out of here.¡± He caressed her hair gently. ¡°I¡¯m broke and can¡¯t provide you the best like before. ¡°But I can get a job and earn a living to feed you. Do you still remember what I said? ¡°Happinesses before anything. The otherse after that. I wish to see my daughter¡¯s happy face, not watching her living days gloomily. ¡°I¡¯ve been through the same thing before. If something¡¯s wrong in a rtionship, you need time to ovee it. ¡°You¡¯re still young, and there¡¯s a long life ahead of you. Give yourself and Ethan some space.¡± Biting her lip, she shook her head lightly. ¡°We can¡¯t leave for now, Dad. We can¡¯t go anywhere.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. He remained firm with his stance. ¡°Why not? Do you think that I can¡¯t feed you because I¡¯m old? I-¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not because of you.¡± She looked at her belly while stroking it. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, Dad.¡± Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Jeff was in disbelief, which turned into shock and, subsequently, joy. ¡°R-Really?¡± Jeff became visibly more rxed. He had thought the rtionship between Olivia and Ethan was irreparable. It seemed like he had been overthinking. The two of them were having a child, and it was a good thing. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Why would I lie to you? I¡¯m a little over a month pregnant, with twins, too.¡± Jeff said excitedly, ¡°Great! That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Olivia had already lost a child when he was hospitalized from the traffic ident. Even though Olivia would always wear a smile when she visited him, she grew more frail as days went by. It was only natural that Jeff was concerned. He could rx a bit now that she was pregnant with Ethan¡¯s babies, and they had been together for a long time. ¡°What has been going on between you and Ethan? Why is he visiting less now that you¡¯re pregnant?¡± Olivia resisted the urge to tell him the truth. After all, the Fordham Family was bankrupt, and Jeff was still recovering. Nothing good woulde out of her telling Jeff the truth. It would only make him hate Ethan. ¡°He has a unique identity and has recently encountered some trouble. He¡¯s concerned for our safety, so he sent us here to be protected by professionals. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not even past my first trimester, so it¡¯s better to be cautious.¡± Olivia¡¯s exnation cleared up Jeff¡¯s worries. ¡°No wonder he¡¯s been calling me every day but never meeting up. Olivia, you have to tell me how you feel about Ethan.¡± Olivia put a hand on her stomach and lied, ¡°Even though we have had our disagreements, he¡¯s still the father of my babies.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re both still young and are bound to argue from time to time. Don¡¯t overthink things. ¡°Just focus on keeping your babies healthy. You have to keep them safe this time. ¡°Everything will be better when they are born. The kids will serve as the bond that keeps you together. ¡°You¡¯ll be a family as long as there are kids. You¡¯ll look back in a few years andugh at how naive you were.¡± Olivia murmured, ¡°The kids will serve as a bond ¡°That¡¯s right, many young people these days don¡¯t cherish what they have. ¡°They get divorced too easily. The kids would end up being the innocent victims of the rtionship. Will things even get better in the next marriage? New problems will still arise.¡± Olivia raised her head to look at Jeff¡¯s gentle eyes. ¡°Dad, what if the marriage is already unsalvageable? What if there was domestic violence, cheating, andpulsive gambling? ¡°Do we still have to tough it out for the rest of our lives?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I was talking about problems that can be ovee. ¡°The two people have to be willing to change for each other, to be better, and work on the marriage together. ¡°If it were the scenarios that you mentioned, the problem would be unsolvable. The marriage would be a bondage between an aggressor and a victim. ¡°I would rather see the marriage end if that was the case.¡± Jeff looked at Olivia with a gentle but firm gaze. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m not trying to force you to make a choice. ¡°I just want you to know which choices are the ones that you will not regret. You still have a long life ahead of you. You will need to live for yourself.¡± ¡°Dad, what about your rtionship with mom? Have you ever med her for leaving?¡± Olivia had too many questions surrounding her parents¡¯ rtionship. Jeff¡¯s expression remained gentle. His voice didn¡¯t change at the mention of Chloe. ¡°I don¡¯t me her. Love has always been a multiple-choice question. Why would I me her? I just wasn¡¯t her choice. Love is about tolerance, understanding, and not hurting. ¡°Even if I couldn¡¯t have her, I¡¯m willing to let her be with the man that makes her happiest.¡± Jeff and Ethan were like pr opposites when it came to love. Olivia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What did you get out of it?¡± Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Jeff fanned himself and raised his head to look at the sky. ¡°Let me ask you a question. What would I get if I forced her to stay?¡± Olivia fell silent. Jeff added, ¡°All I would get is resentment. She wouldn¡¯t yell at me for it, but she¡¯d ignore me and hate me for the rest of her life. She¡¯dment the unfairness of the world. Her eyes would be lifeless, and her lips would never smile. ¡°Even if I had her with me in person, I¡¯d never have her heart. The rtionship would look fine on the surface but would actually be in ruins. That would¡¯ve resulted in you having to walk on eggshells during your childhood. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget how you tried so hard to make her like you. You were still so young. Kids your age had no worries, but you were trying your best to win her favor. And despite your efforts, she still didn¡¯t warm up to you. ¡°Sooner orter, you would¡¯ve be like her if we had remained a family torn by such internal conflicts. ¡°A peacock is only beautiful because it has enough space to roam freely. It wouldn¡¯t even disy its feathers if it was stuck in a cage unhappily. Its beauty would be concealed. ¡°I let her go so that there wouldn¡¯t be hate, even if there was no love. She¡¯d get the happiness and freedom she wanted, and I¡¯d be satisfied spiritually. The only regret was that you lost your mother. ¡°The truth is, nothing is guaranteed to work out in this world. Sometimes, you won¡¯t get anything in return even if you worked hard. It all boils down to how we make our choices.¡± Olivia understood how Jeff felt. It was simr to what she was going through with Ethan. ¡°You must love Mom a lot, right, Dad?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. I fell hopelessly in love the first time I met her. Your mother was elegant and dignified. She was perfect in every way. The sad thing was that she never loved me. She married me due to circumstances, and I tried my best to love her during our years together. ¡°I was never able to change her mind, though. So, I set her free. Knowing she got the happiness she sought, I feel my hard work didn¡¯t go to waste.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°You never remarried after Mom left. Is it because you never met anyone else you liked?¡± Olivia saw that Jeff¡¯s expression changed when she brought that up. His face lost its glow immediately. Jeff looked at Olivia with a sigh. He decided to tell her the truth. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you. You were still too young then. I wanted to wait a couple of years before telling you. Then, all those things happened¡­¡± Jeff shook his head and continued, ¡°It¡¯s alreadye to this. I think you deserve to know the truth. There was a woman I liked a few years back. She was slightly older than you. She was pretty, lively, and her eyes always glowed. She was a student whose education I funded. It¡¯s such a pity¡­¡± Jeff¡¯s expression became worse as he said, ¡°I had thought she was just a kid when she first confessed her feelings to me. What would people think if an old man like me got together with a young woman like her?¡± Olivia knew that Jeff was talking about Jodie. She didn¡¯t expect Jeff to be the one to bring it up. She asked, ¡°What happened next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t n on getting married again. But you know how serious I am regarding marriage and rtionships. I¡¯d never settle with someone I didn¡¯t have feelings for. So, I didn¡¯t pay her any mind. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°She was smart and excelled in her studies like you. She skipped grades multiple times and started working at a young age. She tried her best to appear more mature in front of me. She was frustrated that I treated her like a child.¡± ¡°Did you like her, Dad?¡± Jeff looked at the clouds, starting to space out. ??? guess I had feelings for her. She had the liveliness and youthfulness of a young woman. Initially, I took care of her because I felt bad for her. Then, we began to get in touch more. I felt happy when I was with her. I felt younger. So, I started to take her feelings more seriously.¡± Jeff turned to look at Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°I fell in love with your mother when I was still a boy. I could love unreservedly. At my current age, I had to think twice before acting. I was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t like it. Also, I was worried about what people might say about us. ¡°My hesitance ended up bing the reason she left. She was already pregnant when I found her again. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Her baby wasn¡¯t yours?¡± Chapter 481 First, it was Leia, then it was Jodie. Both times, when Olivia thought she had grasped the truth, she was wrong. Jeff didn''t know what had happened. His memories stopped a few years ago. ¡°Olivia, do you have so little faith in me? If I wanted a baby, I would''ve married her and asked for your permission. I''d only have a baby with her if all the conditions were right. I''d never take having a baby so lightly.¡± If Jeff hadn''t told her, Olivia would have held onto the misunderstanding forever. She thought the unformed baby in Jodie¡¯s womb was a Fordham. ¡°I thought she liked you. Why would she have someone else''s baby, then?¡± Sighing, Jeff said, ¡°This is why I say young people are too emotional. She was resentful when she left me. So, she went to a bar, got drunk, and did it with someone. Later, I found her and told her how I felt. We found out about the pregnancy shortly after we got together.¡± ¡°What did you think about that?¡± Olivia asked while looking at Jeff. ¡°I won''t deny the happiness she made me feel. I felt rxed when I was with her, but I couldn¡¯t ept the baby. I would already have to deal with the criticism of being with a woman much younger than me. I wouldn''t be able to take it if she brought a baby with an unknown father with her. ¡°I''m a phnthropist, but I don''t like trouble.¡± Jeff''s gaze became intense as he exuded an air of indifference befitting a sessful man. ¡°You''re my only daughter. I wasn''t nning to have another child yet, which was why my rtionship with her had been purely tonic. That was also why I couldn''t ept her having another man''s child. ¡°I was already past the age when I would do anything for love. I wasn''t as emotional when I was with her. Maybe I sound a little cold-hearted to you right now.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°Not really. I understand how you felt. Life isn''t all rainbows and butterflies. The responsibilities and hardships of the day-to-day routine are what matters.¡± ¡°My daughter has finally matured! That''s right! I gave her some money aspensation for herpanionship. She didn¡¯t want that. She was determined to get an abortion and start anew with me. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes, but I shouldn''t be the one to pay for her mistake. I don¡¯t me her. I just wish I hadn''t been so reluctant in the beginning.¡± The reality was that Jeff didn¡¯t love Jodie enough. All the love he had was reserved for Chloe. Jodie¡¯s appearance only served to stir up his uneventful life a little.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. If it had been Chloe instead, Olivia was sure Jeff would have dropped everything and rushed to her side. ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°A tragedy struck. She was like apletely different person after she got pregnant. At first, I felt bad for her and wanted to help her get her emotions in check. But she''d throw tantrums every time. She even tried to drug me.¡± ¡°Drug you?" Olivia was taken aback. ¡°That''s right. She tried the most extreme measures just to stay by my side. Luckily, I was careful. There were cameras set up in her room. She wanted to record evidence of me doing it with her. ¡°Iter discovered that her docile, bright, and studious personality was a facade. She had tried her best to get out of an impoverished vige. It didn''t matter to her if she could find her footing in the city. It was easier to be the wife of a rich man and be set for life.¡± Olivia felt a chill when she heard that. ¡°Then her feelings for you.. Jeff smiled sheepishly as he said, ¡°It had been about the money from the start. Even if it wasn''t me, she would''ve targeted someone else. The baby in her womb was just a part of her borate n. I was just a prey to her. Naturally, there''d be others as well.¡± Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Jeff continued, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯ve been sheltered by me from a young age. You don¡¯t know how cruel people can be. Some people will do anything to get status and wealth. When ites to this, gender doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I know that now.¡± ¡°Back then, I was the one who spent the most time with her. I was the ideal target. I didn¡¯t have any bad habits, and I was a dedicated man. She wouldn¡¯t have to worry about other women if she married me. Most importantly, I was much older than her. She could inherit my wealth after I passed. ¡°She only gave up and tried pursuing another man after I explicitly turned her down. Olivia, do you know who she set her sights on that night?¡± Olivia felt a chill down her spine. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°It was Ethan.¡± Olivia was dumbfounded. ¡°How could it be him?¡± ¡°Jodie was a proud woman. She was probably discontent that she wasn¡¯t able to get together with me. Your rtionship with Ethan wasn¡¯t public, and no one knew he was married. Naturally, there were a lot of women vying for his attention.¡± Olivia remembered that she used to feel worried. She knew Ethan was a sight for sore eyes and was sure many young women had their eyes on him. Ethan used to tell her that she was the only woman he needed and that there was no one else. It still felt surreal that Jodie¡¯s story was somehow linked to Ethan. It made sense when Olivia thought about it. After all, Jodie¡¯s looks resembled Leia¡¯s. Ethan would definitely spare her a few more looks when they met, and she would overthink the attention he gave her. ¡°Whose baby was it?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°I had some people look into it. She nned to drug Ethan, but he left before she met him. No one really knows who she had sex with.¡± Olivia was at a loss for words. She understood why Ethan came home that one night, all pent up. He kept her in bed for the whole day the next morning. It turned out that Jodie was the cause of that. If Ethan had met Jodie that night, she would have died right then and there. He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to do something so demeaning with a face that resembled Leia¡¯s. ¡°Then, Jodie became emotionally unstable. She¡¯d demand an abortion without actually going through with it. The next time I heard news about her, she had drowned in the ocean.¡± That information was in line with what Olivia knew. ¡°Did you meet with her before she left?¡± ¡°I met her once before she left. She threatened me over text and threw a fit when I went to meet her. She said she¡¯d destroy my reputation if I didn¡¯t marry her. I didn¡¯t owe her anything. I funded her education and provided her with whatever she wanted after she graduated. ¡°After seeing her true colors, I was disappointed. So, I told her that I¡¯d never meet her again. She seemed upset. She packed the things I had gifted her into a suitcase, told me to leave, and said I would regret it. ¡°It was a huge mess, and her words were vulgar. She stared at me coldly like a venomous snake the day I left her. I knew I made the right choice then. I dodged a bullet by not marrying her. Despite all that, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d die¡­¡± Jeff wasmenting his lost love, but his words sent chills down Olivia¡¯s spine. She felt that something was very wrong. It wasn¡¯t just Leia. There was also the man who impregnated Jodie. She wondered what role he yed in the grand scheme of things. Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Jeff noticed that Olivia was deep in thought and realized he had gone off-topic. ¡°Look at me. I was talking about you and Ethan but ended up talking about myself. Olivia, don¡¯t worry. Ethan is a good man. He won¡¯t mess around when he¡¯s away from home. I had him looked into when you married him. He¡¯s always done a good job of keeping his distance from other women.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to talk about Ethan. ¡°Dad, how much do you know about Jodie?¡± Jeff wanted to drop the subject but saw that Olivia cared about it. So, he said, ¡°In the beginning, I thought she was a bright and obedient kid. Then, I realized I only saw the tip of the iceberg after I saw what she did. Why did you ask? Did you know her?¡± Olivia came back to her senses. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just curious about your love life, Dad.¡± Jeff smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. I want nothing else but to see you happy every day.¡± Jeff seemed to think that Jodie¡¯s death was an ident. He knew nothing about what Ethan did to the Fordham family in response to Jodie¡¯s death. So, Olivia didn¡¯t bring it up. ¡°Dad, I understand that. You don¡¯t have to worry about me and Ethan. I¡¯ll handle it. Like you said, couples fight, and we didn¡¯t even fight. We just see each other less because of the nature of his job. ¡°It doesn¡¯t affect much. So, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m smiling less because I¡¯m not feeling well from the pregnancy.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m relieved to hear you say that. I¡¯ll get you some dessert.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart fell when she saw how cheerful Jeff had be. Some things couldn¡¯t be kept a secret forever. What would happen when Jeff learned the truth? Olivia caught up to Jeff as he walked away to get her the dessert. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go get it myself. You should sit down and rest. Your legs have been recovering well, but you shouldn¡¯t rush it. Stop worrying and nurse yourself back to health. Things will be better.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll wait to be a grandpa. Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll give birth to adorable babies. I¡¯m curious if they¡¯ll look more like you or Ethan.¡± Jeff¡¯s gaze was gentle. He looked like he couldn¡¯t wait for his grandchildren to be born. ¡°Olivia, it was my faultst time. You lost your baby because you were overworked at the hospital taking care of me. You have to get enough rest this time, okay?¡± Olivia opened her mouth but didn¡¯t exin what had happened back then. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ll make sure that the babies are birthed safely, even if it¡¯s thest thing I do.¡± From then onward, Jeff stopped worrying and focused entirely on Olivia¡¯s children. He had people prepare tools for him, and he started to make wooden carvings from expensive wood. Jeff got busy with the project. He made things like teething sticks, little nes, wooden figurines, and a rocking horse. ¡°Dad, you should get some rest. Don¡¯t tire yourself out. There¡¯s still plenty of time before the babies are born.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as deft as I used to be, and I move slower too. So, I¡¯ll just put in more time. These are my gifts to the babies as their grandfather. Babies grow up quickly, so you¡¯ll have to prepare clothes and toys in advance. And there¡¯s the crib too.¡± Jeff said with a bright expression, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I have nothing better to do anyway. Woodwork is good for passing the time.¡± Olivia ced a hand on her stomach. Time was passing quickly. She wondered if she should be making preparations as well. She recalled the room she had prepared for the baby she lost. She had handpicked every single piece of clothing and toy in the room. All the joy she felt while preparing the room turned into grief when she lost the baby. Even a simple rattle toy could bring her to tears.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Jeff set down his carving knife when he saw Olivia¡¯s troubled expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Olivia? You don¡¯t have to keep it to yourself. You can tell me anything.¡± ¡°Dad, we¡¯re only living here temporarily. I¡¯m thinking about where we should live after the kids are born.¡± She wanted to say that she wanted nothing to do with Ethan anymore. But how could she get away from him with the kids in tow? Where could she even go? Sighing, Jeff said, ¡°Ethan told me he had bought the Fordham residence back. Maybe we could return there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. There¡¯s no rush. We still have time.¡± Olivia picked up the carving knife and said, ¡°Teach me how to do it, Dad. I want to make something for the babies, too.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Mona saw this warm moment between them from afar. She took a picture of it and sent it to Ethan. Ethan was picking out a suit at the bridal shop. He spaced out after looking at the photo Mona sent him. In the photo, Olivia was holding a carving knife with her left hand and holding a small wooden block in ce. Although she only had one good hand, she was carving the wood very seriously. Ethan erged the photo to its maximum size. He could even see Olivia¡¯s eyshes clearly. He recalled the first time Olivia was pregnant. Her eyes twinkled like stars, and she was always so chatty. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a boy or a girl? What kind of nursery should we prepare for the baby? Should I buy dresses or suits? I have to pick out some toys too.¡± Olivia wouldin about how troublesome it was but would do it anyway. Even if they weren¡¯t on the best terms then, she was still enthusiastic about theing baby. Eventually, Olivia picked up on Ethan¡¯s distant behavior and stopped talking to him about things. But Ethan knew about everything she did. He knew she went to the furniture store and the baby shop alone and handpicked everything. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Olivia was like a mother bird building her nest. She carefully picked out everything that she thought was the best. She was looking forward to the future and the birth of her child. And yet Ethan treated her like trash. Right now, he wondered if she felt love for the babies but was simultaneously afraid for them. Olivia was like a hurt caterpir. She desired to transform into a butterfly but was afraid of the dangers of the outside world. Ethan ran his fingers across his phone¡¯s screen. It was the only way he could feel close to Olivia. ¡°Ethan, does this dress look nice on me? Ethan, what are you doing?¡± Marina called Ethan a few times before he turned to look at her. The smile on his face had already faded. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ethan replied with an indifferent tone. The gentle gaze he had a moment ago was gone. Marina knew how Ethan felt. But her only wish was to get married to Ethan. She couldn¡¯t possibly ask for more. No matter how much Ethan loved Olivia, their rtionship was over. Marina knew she was the only one who could be Ethan¡¯s wife, so she feigned ignorance. Marina said with a warm smile, ¡°I brought your suit over too. You should try it out.¡± Ethan pulled his legs back and replied coldly, ¡°No need. We¡¯ve measured the size multiple times. It must be right.¡± His expression was stern like he was at work. He didn¡¯t look like someone about to be married. ¡°Give it a try since we¡¯re already here. It won¡¯t take long,¡± Marina said in a soft tone. Ethan got up impatiently and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll try it.¡± He walked to the men¡¯s dressing room with long strides. He took big strides over. As he passed through the corridor, his attention was drawn to a fishtail wedding dress on disy. He froze in his tracks and turned to look at the dress. Then, he pressed his hand on the ss. Olivia¡¯s face shed in his mind. Back then, she had said, ¡°Ethan, you still owe me a wedding.¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485 The salesperson saw that Ethan wasn¡¯t moving and quickly said, ¡°Mr. Miller, did this dress catch your eye? It might not fit Ms. Carlton. But you can have her try it. There¡¯s still some time before the wedding. We can alter it to her size as soon as possible.¡± Ethan took another good look at the dress before turning away resolutely. He owed Olivia more than just a wedding or a dress. His debt to her could never be repaid. Ethan changed into the suit Marina picked out. The salesperson crouched and adjusted the pant legs for him. She couldn¡¯t help but praise Ethan, ¡°Mr. Miller, you look so handsome and elegant. You¡¯ll look good in anything you wear. Your wedding with Ms. Carlton will be the talk of the town.¡± Ethan was no stranger to formal suits, but this was his first time in a wedding suit. But he wasn¡¯t wearing it for the woman he loved. His expression remained clouded the entire time. The salesperson stood by him carefully. ¡°Mr. Miller, is there something you aren¡¯t satisfied about? You can bring it up. We still have enough time to make changes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll take this suit and the wedding dress I was looking at just now.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡¯ When he got out, Marina had already taken off the wedding dress and was sitting in her wheelchair. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ve booked a table at a restaurant. Why don¡¯t we have lunch together?¡± Ethan looked at his watch and said, ¡°I have a meeting. Why don¡¯t you go yourself?¡± ¡°Ethan, our wedding will proceed as nned, right?¡± Marina tugged at Ethan¡¯s sleeve as she asked nervously. The wedding was initially nned to be heldst month, but Ethan dyed it by a month because Olivia was injured and in danger. He had also been dying the trip to city hall for the marriage registration. Marina felt uneasy. Ethan gently pulled away and said coldly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already nned everything. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be going first.¡± He left without looking back, and Marina could only watch. There was nothing she could do but hold on to his promise. Looking back, she saw no bodyguards. She had nothing left. She didn¡¯t have her stern father or her loving mother anymore. Even her children had been sent away by Ethan. Ethan was the only one she had left. She would not allow anyone to ruin her wedding this time. Marina made a call and said, ¡°Look into someone for me. Her name is Olivia Fordham.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Carlton.¡± ¡°I want to know everything about her.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Carlton.¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan got into his car but wasn¡¯t in a rush to leave. Kelvin turned toward him and asked, ¡°Are we going to the office, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°No, I need you to do something for me.¡± ¡°What do you need, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°Set up a wedding venue as soon as possible.¡± Scratching his head, Kelvin said, ¡°But your wedding with Ms. Carlton is still a week away. If we set up the venue now, the flowers would wither, no?¡± ¡°I still owe Liv a wedding.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Kelvin wanted to say it was toote but decided against it. ¡°Got it, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan knew that Olivia would never forgive him, but he wanted to do more for her. ¡°We¡¯re not going to the office. Drive to thergest baby store. Also, get me an interior designer.¡± ¡°Are you nning to renovate a room, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°A nursery, to be precise.¡± ¡°I think the nursery that Mrs. Miller decorated before is pretty nice. It¡¯s also the wedding house for you and her. Mrs. Miller decorated everything in the house herself.¡± Ethan shook his head as he said, ¡°That house is full of sad memories for her. I want her life to be peaceful and happy from now on.¡± Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Ethan finally understood how Olivia felt when he arrived at the baby store. Connor was Ethan¡¯s firstborn. He should¡¯ve been more concerned than anyone, but the incident with Leia created a rift between him and Olivia. He looked at all the baby clothes. They were all very colorful. He finally understood why Olivia had so much to say back then and why her eyes were always glowing. Everything made for babies looked cute. They were small and soft, but it was like they could heal the soul. ¡°Look at that little pony, Mr. Miller. It¡¯s so cute. And that toy gun, it¡¯s adorable. These clothes are so tiny. Are they really for babies? It looks like they were made for cats. What about that pacifier? That¡¯s cute too.¡± Kelvin was more excited to be in the store than Ethan. Rough men like them looked out of ce in a baby store. A salesperson saw Ethan¡¯s attire and knew he would be a big spender. The watch he was wearing was worth more than the entire shop. ¡°Nice to meet you, sir. Is your baby a girl or a boy? I can rmend our products to you ording to their gender.¡± Ethan was stumped. The babies were too young for gender tests. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No worries, you can look at these designs. They¡¯re suitable for newborn babies, and the colors are unisex.¡± Ethan stared at the pink baby clothes at the side. Deep down, he wished that Olivia would give birth to baby girls. Although she was bearing twins and the chance of a baby girl was big, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed. She could be carrying two baby boys too. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re fond of baby girls, sir.¡± The clothes for girls were more exquisite than those for boys. There were softce edges, ribbons, and princess dresses. Ethan couldn¡¯t imagine how happy he would be if Olivia gave birth to a daughter who looked like her. The baby would be tiny, delicate, and very adorable. The anticipation for the babies was enough to make Ethan feel content. He was looking forward to the day Olivia would give birth to the babies, which would be in eight months. Ethan swore that he would protect Olivia this time. He wouldn¡¯t allow her to be hurt. ¡°I¡¯ll take everything except this one.¡± The salesperson¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She didn¡¯t expect to witness something that she only read about in stories. ¡°Alright, sir. C-Come this way to make payment.¡± Ethan toyed with a rattle toy. It was a pink toy with a picture of a unicorn on it. It looked cute. He could imagine an adorable baby girl ying with the rattle toy in a crib. After picking out the clothes, he went to a furniture store. His children deserved the best, so he chose carefully. It was the first time Ethan felt the anticipation for the birth of new lives. Ethan¡¯s wedding with Marina drew close, but he had been busy the past few days. Marina felt uneasy because she hadn¡¯t seen Ethan for a few days. The people she sent to look into Olivia didn¡¯t even know where she lived. It was like Olivia had vanished into thin air. ¡°He must have hidden her.¡± ¡°Ms. Carlton, we didn¡¯t find Ms. Fordham, but we noticed Mr. Miller has been buying many baby products.¡± Marina smashed the parfait she was eating and yelled, ¡°What did you say?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Ethan had never slept with her, so she wasn¡¯t the one who was pregnant. She wondered if it was Olivia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Carlton. There isn¡¯t any concrete proof for anything. It might be a friend who¡¯s pregnant. He might just be preparing gifts.¡± ¡°No, it must be that bitch who¡¯s pregnant. He even hid her. I don¡¯t care what methods you use, you have to find her.¡± Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Olivia¡¯s life at the manor was simple and peaceful. She was doing some wood carving right now. Mona saw something on her phone, turned it off, and muttered under her breath with an upset expression. ¡°What are you muttering about?¡± Olivia asked as she looked at Mona. Mona looked up and said, ¡°Nothing. You shouldn¡¯t look at your phone for a couple of days. It¡¯s all useless news.¡± Chuckling lightly, Olivia asked, ¡°By useless news, do you mean his wedding?¡± ¡°You already know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over the inte. Of course, I¡¯d know about it.¡± Mona observed Olivia¡¯s expression closely. ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry? I thought Mr. Miller dyed the wedding last month for your sake.¡± ¡°Angry? Why would I be? If I got angry, it would mean I had feelings for him. If I had feelings for him, I¡¯d lose my mind and go crazy. Why would I do that?¡± Mona looked at Olivia¡¯s calm demeanor. It seemed like Olivia was telling the truth. ¡°Olivia, why would you marry him if you don¡¯t love him?¡± ¡°I loved him once. But it¡¯s in the past.¡± Olivia put down her carving knife and picked up the wooden carving she was making. It was a cute kitten. ¡°How does it look?¡± It was as if the wooden carving in her hand was more important to her than Ethan. Nodding, Mona said, ¡°You did great! You¡¯re almost as skilled as a veteran woodworker.¡± Smiling, Olivia said, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s barely presentable. I¡¯m just trying to practice.¡± As they were talking, Kelvin, whom Olivia hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, showed up. Olivia¡¯s smile faded when she saw him. Kelvin rubbed his nose awkwardly and said, ¡°I ¡­ Mr. Miller has some business with you, Mrs. Miller.¡± Kelvin thought Olivia would ignore him. Instead, she stood up immediately and said, ¡°What a coincidence. I need to talk to him about something too.¡± Olivia needed to know whose baby Jodie was carrying. She could sense that the matter wasn¡¯t as C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. simple as it seemed. There might be another person plotting against her. Olivia didn¡¯t have the means to look into it. At least, her goals aligned with Ethan¡¯s on this matter. ¡°Alright,e with me, Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia followed Kelvin to the car, but Ethan wasn¡¯t there. She rested her eyes and didn¡¯t speak a word. The car was eerily quiet. Even Kelvin, who was usually chatty, didn¡¯t know what to say. He tried to strike up a conversation. ¡°Mrs. Miller, don¡¯t look at the news. You¡¯re the only woman Mr. Miller has ever loved. He has no choice but to marry Ms. Carlton. As you know, she¡¯s the only Carlton left, other than Mr. Carlton Senior.¡± Olivia cut him off impatiently, ¡°It¡¯s his freedom to marry whoever he wants. I don¡¯t care.¡± Kelvin looked at Olivia through the rearview mirror. He tried to see if she was even a little discontent, but her expression was indifferent. She wasn¡¯t upset in the slightest. Olivia felt Kelvin¡¯s gaze. She raised her head to meet his gaze. ¡°It was over between us the moment he shot me.¡± Kelvin opened his mouth, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Ethan had hurt Olivia deeply. He had done her dirty and couldn¡¯t turn back time to fix his mistake. Kelvin could only silently pray for Ethan. Olivia was utterly shutting Ethan out. There was no longer love in her eyes or any emotion at all. Later, she was surprised that the car had stopped at the Fordham residence. ¡°He¡¯s in the Fordham residence?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go in, Mrs. Miller.¡± Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Olivia stood at the entrance of the Fordham residence. Different emotions emerged in her heart. Even though the Fordham residence had been repurchased, it was done by Ethan and Marina. Olivia cringed at the thought of that. So, she hadn¡¯t been back since. The hydrangeas in front of the yard were in full bloom with various colors and were left untrimmed. Some roses had crept out from the wall, making their way around the old wall. A gust of wind blew over, and the flowers began to sway in the wind. It was a beautiful sight, but Olivia froze in her tracks. ¡°Mrs. Miller, let¡¯s go in. Mr. Miller is waiting for you,¡± Kelvin urged. The different emotions going through Olivia¡¯s mind were making her reluctant. Before she could open the door, she heard the door swing open. A white cat ran toward her. Snowball purred and started to walk in circles around Olivia. She looked at Snowball, wondering why Ethan would bring Snowball here. Olivia wanted to see what Ethan was trying to pull before his wedding, so she entered the house. As soon as she entered, she could smell the sweet scent of flowers. Olivia focused her gaze, only to see that the floor was covered in a romantic carpet of petals. Olivia frowned in disdain and asked, ¡°What is he trying to pull this time?¡± Scratching his head, Kelvin said, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you go in.¡± Then, some people came and dragged a confused Olivia into a room before starting to dress her up. She understood what was going on when she saw the long wedding dress that was put on her. The makeup artists and stylists praised her beauty, but Olivia didn¡¯t want to hear any of it. She asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s Ethan?¡± The praises stopped. They couldn¡¯t believe that Olivia would disy such impatience on such a happy asion. ¡°About that¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll just have to look for him myself.¡± Olivia walked out of the room quickly while holding the hem of her dress in her good hand. ¡°Slow down, Ms. Fordham.¡± The door opened, and she saw Ethan standing there, surrounded by flowers. He wore a groom¡¯s suit. His hair was neatlybed, and he was holding some flowers in his hand. The anxiety was visible on his handsome face. Ethan¡¯s face lit up when he saw Olivia. Olivia was walking too fast, and she was holding the hem of her dress with her hand. She started to fall after a few steps. ¡°Be careful!¡± ¡°Ms. Fordham!¡± Everyone¡¯s face paled as they watched Olivia fall. Olivia used to be light on her feet. She was known for her athleticism back in school. But she was more like a bird with clipped wings at the moment. Her right arm was useless, and her left was holding the dress. She would be safe if she could break her fall with her right hand. But, as it was, she could only watch helplessly as she fell. Olivia suddenly thought about her babies. Her back was already covered in cold sweat. Closing her eyes, she epted her fate. But the pain didn¡¯te as Ethan caught her at thest moment. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ethan asked with a concerned voice. Olivia¡¯s face was flushed. She came looking for trouble but made a fool of herself. She even forgot what she wanted to say. Ethan wrapped an arm around Olivia¡¯s waist and looked affectionately at her. ¡°You look so beautiful today, Liv. You¡¯re as beautiful as I imagined you would be.¡± Then, Olivia heard Jorge say happily, ¡°Look over here.¡± She instinctively looked toward Jorge and heard a snap. A photo had been taken. Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Ethan held Olivia in a tight embrace. She then realized that there were several tall and handsome men behind Ethan. There was the elegant Bryan, the gentlemanly Henry, and a man wearing a mask that covered half his face. The man had a cold demeanor. Olivia thought he might be Lazlo Lyon, whom Ethan had brought up before. Chris Atkins and the cameraman, Jorge, were both smiling as well. Olivia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say what she wanted to. She was unsatisfied with Ethan¡¯s actions but didn¡¯t want to cause a scene with so many people watching. It would make both her and Ethan look bad. Everly walked out from the crowd. She was wearing a white dress and had aplicated expression on her face. Apparently, she had just realized what was going on. Olivia lowered her voice and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ethan set her straight, saying, ¡°Liv, I owe you a wedding.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of joy. Instead, she was angry. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Who did Ethan think she was? Did he think a wedding could resolve all the issues they had? The most absurd thing was that he tried to organize a wedding with her one day before his wedding with Marina. Olivia almost lost her temper immediately. She tried to pull her hand free with all her might. Ethan¡¯s grip was powerful. He whispered, ¡°Please don¡¯t make a scene, Liv.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to y games with you, Ethan.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve waited so long for this day. I want to have a wedding with you.¡± ¡°Do I have to y along because you want it? Let go of me. Don¡¯t force me to p you in public.¡± Bryan said with a smile, ¡°Olivia, you can always punch him in the face if he did something wrong.¡± Henry chimed in, ¡°And if that¡¯s not enough, you can always punch him twice. We¡¯ll even help you punish him until you¡¯re satisfied.¡± Olivia was still ady at heart. She didn¡¯t want to argue with Ethan in front of so many people. She felt a little embarrassed when they poked fun at her. The others didn¡¯t know what was going on between her and Ethan. Maybe they thought she was just having an argument with him. Olivia didn¡¯t know how to exin the situation. Ethan was well aware of how she felt. ¡°Come here, Liv.¡± He led her by the hand to the backyard. Olivia also wanted to talk with him privately, so she didn¡¯t try to break free and allowed him to hold her hand. It was the middle of summer, and the nts in the backyard were in full bloom. Cicadas were starting to chirp. The sunlight filtered through the trees and shone on the two of them. A subtle scent of flowers and grass was in the air. Turning around, Everly saw Ethan holding Olivia¡¯s hand and walking through the long corridor. It painted a lovely picture. No one knew better than Everly that the picturesque moment was built on Olivia¡¯s pain. She knew one of Olivia¡¯s greatest regrets was not having a wedding with Ethan. Olivia didn¡¯t need a huge ceremony. She just wanted the sense of ceremony. She wanted to marry the man she loved, with her family and friends as witnesses. The day hade, but it waspletely different from what Olivia had hoped for. Everly sighed andmented Olivia¡¯s misfortune with men. Ethan led Olivia to a door. She saw that no one was around and pulled her arm free. Before she could speak, Ethan opened the door. Olivia swallowed her words when she saw what was inside. Smiling, Ethan said, ¡°Come in.¡± Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Olivia couldn¡¯t help but walk into the room. She was sure it used to be a guest room. But it had been renovated into a big room painted with soft colors. Half of the room was blue, and the other half was pink. The lights were turned off, and the door was closed. Stars appeared overhead. The glow was soft, and there were asional shooting stars. Some disco lights lit up in the room, and a music box sounded. There was a cradle, a rocking horse, and various toys. There were baby clothes arranged ording to the babies¡¯ age. The collection ranged from clothes for newborn babies to those for one-year-olds. There was even a designated y area for children with a castle, slides, and swings. Ethan had thought about everything that a baby would ever want. It was even better than the room she designed back then. There wasn¡¯t a single parent in the world that could refuse a ce like this. Olivia ran her fingers over the baby clothes. Her mind wandered, and tears filled her eyes. Ethan hugged her from behind and ced his palm on her stomach. ¡°Liv, I want to be a responsible father this time. I want to take care of you and the kids.¡± Olivia was trembling. Grasping the side of the cradle tightly, she asked in a shaky voice, ¡°Do you think this will make everything you did to me go away?¡± ¡°I know I can never change the fact that I hurt you. But I want to make it up to you. Liv, please give me a chance to do that.¡± Olivia raised her head to look at him. Tears began to stream down her face. ¡°So, you want to keep me and my children here as your secret family?¡± ¡°Liv, I can give you anything except the position of Mrs. Miller. I owe that to Marina.¡± Ethan exined, ¡°I¡¯m not keeping you here to hide you away. This will be our home from now on. The kids can grow up here after they¡¯re born. I¡¯ve also renovated the back. Dad can do some gardening there.¡± Olivia pushed Ethan away. She was even more worked up now. ¡°Let me tell you this, Ethan. You¡¯ll never get what you want. We can never go back to the way it was, nor do I want to. Do you expect me to forgive you after all you¡¯ve done to me simply because you apologized? ¡°Am I really that worthless in your eyes? You drove me away, so I left. And now you want me back? Sorry, but that¡¯s not how it works.¡± Olivia pointed at her injured right hand and said, ¡°Look at this hand. You did this to me. You¡¯ll never trap me by your side ever again! Did you think I would be touched by all these things you¡¯re doing? I¡¯ll only feel disgusted. A selfish man like you has no right to be the father of children. my ¡°I won¡¯t let you be their father even if I have to raise them alone.¡± Olivia ripped off the veil and said, ¡°What I wanted wasn¡¯t a wedding. I wanted a man that would help keep my head above the water. But you aren¡¯t that man, Ethan.¡± Olivia swung her hand and threw the veil up. It slowly floated down, falling beside Ethan. Ethan didn¡¯t speak. He watched quietly as Olivia vented her frustrations. ¡°Liv, I thought¡­¡± ¡°You thought I¡¯d be upset because you were getting married to Marina. But I¡¯ll tell you this. I¡¯m not upset in the slightest. I don¡¯t even care. Take a good look, Ethan. I¡¯m no longer the naive woman who listened to your every bidding. That woman is dead. You killed her.¡± Olivia regained herposure and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not here to y your games, Ethan. I have something important to talk about.¡± Ethan stared at Olivia silently. Other than her face, Ethan couldn¡¯t find anything that resembled the woman she once was. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Leia and Jodie. I don¡¯t deny Leia¡¯s actions, but there¡¯s someone that we¡¯ve ignored in this incident.¡± Olivia took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see your sister dead. But I don¡¯t want anyone who conspired against my family to roam free.¡± Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Ethan calmed down and asked, ¡°My sister isn¡¯t the culprit?¡± Ethan thought his rtionship with Olivia might be less strained if that was the case. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I asked my father about Jodie a few days ago. She wasn¡¯t just a simple victim.¡± Olivia exined the entire incident with Jodie in detail. Ethan frowned and began to recall abnormalities that happened on that night. He had invited Byran and the others out. Something came up, so Byran couldn¡¯t make it. There were a few wealthy heirs at the party. Ethan didn¡¯t like the atmosphere and came up with an excuse to leave. He felt his body burning up when he left, which made him realize he had been drugged. He had Brent look into it, but too many people were present, so the incident went unresolved. Ethan was surprised to learn that the incident was rted to Jodie. ¡°That¡¯s right, you were Jodie¡¯s target. She had sex with an unknown man after you left and had the baby. My father found her after that, and she was pregnant. She imed to want an abortion and start anew with my father. But she kept the baby until she was three months pregnant. ¡°I suspect she kept the baby as a bargaining chip with my father. We¡¯ve always thought Jodie was a victim in this incident, but we neglected her nature. She was very ambitious and would do anything to get ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡± ¡°Your sister might know more about it.¡± Olivia reminded him, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to help clear your sister¡¯s name. I just want to uncover the truth. ¡°I know that, Liv.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said what I needed to. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Ethan grabbed her hand and said, ¡°Liv, it took me a long time to prepare this.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want her to leave, but Olivia looked at him indifferently and said, ¡°I have no interest in ying games with you, Ethan. I¡¯ll go change.¡± She grabbed the hem of her dress with her hand. She walked slowly and steadily this time. Everly stood at the door. She could guess what Olivia had said to Ethan from her reddened Everly knew Olivia was too proud to go through this ceremony with Ethan. eyes. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not here to talk you into going through with the wedding. I just want to take some photos with you.¡± Olivia was taken aback. Smiling, Everly added, ¡°You look pretty in that dress. I want to have some photos we can look back on.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Everly was afraid that Olivia would one day die from her illness. She didn¡¯t want Olivia to die without ever having a wedding. Thest time Olivia wore a wedding dress was for the wedding alburn. Only Ethan and her were present, along with the staff members. Everly wasn¡¯t there. Everly wanted to record all of Olivia¡¯s best moments so that even if Olivia passed, she would still have something to remember her by. Olivia kept the wedding dress on because of Everly¡¯s request. ¡°Hold on.¡± Ethan picked up the veil, walked next to Olivia, and leaned over slightly to put it on for her. Jorge quickly started to take photos. He took plenty of photos of Everly and Olivia. Henry smiled and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, can we still take a photo together even if the wedding¡¯s off?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse such a simple request, so she agreed to a group photo. Bryan pulled Ethan next to Olivia, and Jorge began to adjust their positions. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s the way. Smile, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯ll count to three.¡± Olivia felt uneasy but couldn¡¯t go against everyone¡¯s wishes, so they took one photo after another. The wedding was off, but notpletely. It was like half the proceedings were already done. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The friends gathered together for the day and left after the sun had set. Ethan said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to bring you home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to see Leia?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. I have something to ask her.¡± Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Ethan saw that Olivia was determined, so he didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°It¡¯s a little far away. You can rest in the car.¡± Olivia said stiffly, ¡°No need. I¡¯m not tired.¡± She nodded off after ten minutes, and her head was tapping on the car window. Ethan looked at her sheepishly. He wouldn¡¯t bite. She didn¡¯t have to lean against the window. Reaching out, he pulled her over to him. Olivia opened her eyes and saw what he was doing. She tried to struggle but was too sleepy to do so and quickly fell asleep in his embrace. Her body craved sleep during this period of time, so she slept through the entire journey. Ethan looked at her quietly. It had been a long time since he could sit quietly with Olivia. The past couple of years had been chaotic. He hoped that the time would pass slower. The car drove up a hill, and the sky waspletely dark. Olivia began to wake up. She realized, that she was in Ethan¡¯s arms and quickly moved away. Ethan sighed sheepishly. Olivia¡¯s voice was a little hoarse as she just woke up. She asked, ¡°When will we arrive?¡± ¡°In a few minutes. We¡¯re almost there.¡± The car fell into silence after that exchange. Ethan took out some cream puffs that he had prepared. ¡°You must be hungry after the long ride. These were made in the afternoon. You should eat some.¡± Olivia epted the food without speaking. She didn¡¯t try to fight him. The most important thing was to fill her stomach. The car stopped at a resort after she finished eating a cream puff. It was in the depths of the mountain, and the environment was quiet. They could hear insects chirping when they got out of the car. There was also a stream nearby, and flowing water could be heard. It was a good ce for rest and meditation. Olivia could tell that Ethan came here often. He brought her to a room without much trouble. He knocked on the door, but it didn¡¯t open. The attendant outside the door said, ¡°Ms. Miller said she had a headache and didn¡¯t want us to disturb her. She might be asleep.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Olivia opened the door directly. She wanted to settle the score with Leia. The room was dark, and the window was open. The wind blew at the curtains, and there was a lump on the bed. Walking over, Olivia pulled away the nket. But there were only two pillows on the bed. while Leia was nowhere to be found. ¡°This is bad. She¡¯s escaped!¡± Olivia ran toward the window and noticed a figure jumping directly from the third-floor drainage pipe. ¡°Leia Miller!¡± Olivia yelled. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Leia, who had gotten to the first floor, smiled at Olivia. ¡°This isn¡¯t over yet, Olivia. It¡¯ll never be over until one of us is dead.¡± Leia ran into the woods after she said that. A group of bodyguards were chasing after her. ¡°Ms. Miller, stop running!¡± Olivia turned to look at Ethan. ¡°Leia, she¡­¡± Ethan had already shot past her before she couldplete her sentence. He was already over the wall when she came to her senses. He was running after Leia, following her trail. Ethan was very fast. Hended on the first floor in a few seconds. He ran after Leia without hesitation. Olivia stood in a daze as she watched Ethan disappear into the woods. Leia was his sister, after all. He would always ce more importance on her. Olivia clutched her chest, wondering if she had siblings from her birth parents. Would she ever find them? Suddenly, a gunshot sounded nearby, and birds scattered in fright. Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Olivia wondered what was happening in the woods. It was clear that this wasn¡¯t a random attempt. Leia had help. Olivia felt anxious, but she didn¡¯t make a move. She was pregnant, and it was safer to remain where she was. She wondered if Ethan had been shot. As Olivia was deep in thought, she heard another loud bang. A bullet pierced through the darkness and barely missed her face. The bullet was buried in the wardrobe behind her. Olivia froze with wide eyes, unable to move. She just had such a close encounter with death. Then, she noticed a man on a slope not that far away. His range of fire was limited because he wasn¡¯t armed with a sniper rifle. Olivia was able to make out the outline of the shooter¡¯s silhouette. He was wearing a mask. His figure was tall and slender. The eyes behind the mask met with Olivia¡¯s gaze. Olivia called out his name immediately, ¡°Jack, is that you?¡± The man didn¡¯t respond. He gave her a good look before disappearing into the woods. Olivia was sure it had to be Jack, who had been gone for so long. They had lived on an ind together for a while, so she was sure she wasn¡¯t mistaken. With his aim, he wouldn¡¯t have missed. So, the shot was to warn her of the dangers ahead. Olivia took a few steps back and quickly left the room. Upon spotting Brent, she promptly went to him. Brent dropped everything he was doing when he saw Olivia¡¯s pale expression and the sweat on her forehead. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°Someone is trying to kill me.¡± Olivia ced a hand on her stomach. She would be dead if the man who shot at her wasn¡¯t Jack. It would seem like the primary objective of the other party was to bring Leia away. They didn¡¯t know Olivia would be there. Jack¡¯s bullet was a reminder to Olivia that she was being targeted. There was indeed something fishy with Jodie¡¯s death. It might be that Leia wasn¡¯t the only one who wanted her dead. Brent quickly began defensive maneuvers. He brought Olivia to a secure room and had people. guarding it. ¡°Send some people after Leia. She knows the truth about everything. We must find her as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, you don¡¯t have to worry. Mr. Miller won¡¯t let her get away.¡± ¡°I want to see Leia¡¯s medical team.¡± Brent shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you should do that, Mrs. Miller. Someone from the inside must have helped Ms. Miller, or she wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape. You mentioned that the enemy is hostile against you. You¡¯ll be in danger if the traitor is in the medical team. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now. We have to make sure you¡¯re safe. Everything else can wait until after Mr. Miller returns.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Oliva sat on the couch, feeling uneasy. Her mind was in a mess. She didn¡¯t know who else would want her dead other than Leia. She had known for a long time that Jack¡¯s identity was extraordinary. Was he part of the organization that wanted to kill her? Olivia rubbed her stomach, wondering if she could give birth to her babies safely. The wind was howling, and gunshots could be heard asionally. Ethan had rushed out without any preparations. Olivia wondered if the situation was under control. It felt like a century had passed before the door opened, and Ethan walked in. Olivia stood up instinctively and asked, ¡°Did you find her?¡± It wasn¡¯t just about Jodie anymore. Olivia¡¯s life was also in danger. ¡°She got away.¡± ¡°Did Toxic Hive take her away?¡± Ethan shook his head and said, ¡°No. They were professional mercenaries.¡± Olivia wondered what was happening in the woods. It was clear that this wasn¡¯t a random attempt. Leia had help. Olivia felt anxious, but she didn¡¯t make a move. She was pregnant, and it was safer to remain where she was. She wondered if Ethan had been shot. As Olivia was deep in thought, she heard another loud bang. A bullet pierced through the darkness and barely missed her face. The bullet was buried in the wardrobe behind her. Olivia froze with wide eyes, unable to move. She just had such a close encounter with death. Then, she noticed a man on a slope not that far away. His range of fire was limited because he wasn¡¯t armed with a sniper rifle. Olivia was able to make out the outline of the shooter¡¯s silhouette. He was wearing a mask. His figure was tall and slender. The eyes behind the mask met with Olivia¡¯s gaze. Olivia called out his name immediately, ¡°Jack, is that you?¡± The man didn¡¯t respond. He gave her a good look before disappearing into the woods. Olivia was sure it had to be Jack, who had been gone for so long. They had lived on an ind together for a while, so she was sure she wasn¡¯t mistaken. With his aim, he wouldn¡¯t have missed. So, the shot was to warn her of the dangers ahead. Olivia took a few steps back and quickly left the room. Upon spotting Brent, she promptly went to him. Brent dropped everything he was doing when he saw Olivia¡¯s pale expression and the sweat on her forehead. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°Someone is trying to kill me.¡± Olivia ced a hand on her stomach. She would be dead if the man who shot at her wasn¡¯t Jack. It would seem like the primary objective of the other party was to bring Leia away. They didn¡¯t know Olivia would be there. Jack¡¯s bullet was a reminder to Olivia that she was being targeted. There was indeed something fishy with Jodie¡¯s death. It might be that Leia wasn¡¯t the only one who wanted her dead. Brent quickly began defensive maneuvers. He brought Olivia to a secure room and had people. guarding it. ¡°Send some people after Leia. She knows the truth about everything. We must find her as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, you don¡¯t have to worry. Mr. Miller won¡¯t let her get away.¡± ¡°I want to see Leia¡¯s medical team.¡± Brent shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you should do that, Mrs. Miller. Someone from the inside must have helped Ms. Miller, or she wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape. You mentioned that the enemy is hostile against you. You¡¯ll be in danger if the traitor is in the medical team. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now. We have to make sure you¡¯re safe. Everything else can wait until after Mr. Miller returns.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Oliva sat on the couch, feeling uneasy. Her mind was in a mess. She didn¡¯t know who else would want her dead other than Leia. She had known for a long time that Jack¡¯s identity was extraordinary. Was he part of the organization that wanted to kill her? Olivia rubbed her stomach, wondering if she could give birth to her babies safely. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The wind was howling, and gunshots could be heard asionally. Ethan had rushed out without any preparations. Olivia wondered if the situation was under control. It felt like a century had passed before the door opened, and Ethan walked in. Olivia stood up instinctively and asked, ¡°Did you find her?¡± It wasn¡¯t just about Jodie anymore. Olivia¡¯s life was also in danger. ¡°She got away.¡± ¡°Did Toxic Hive take her away?¡± Ethan shook his head and said, ¡°No. They were professional mercenaries.¡± Chapter 494 Chapter 494 That would mean Jack was a mercenary too. What about the weapons he stowed on the ind? Brent quickly told Ethan about the danger Olivia was in. Ethan promptly approached her and asked, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Shaking her head, Olivia said, ¡°No. I hid after the first shot was fired. Their goal must have been to bring Leia away, so they didn¡¯te after me.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s no longer safe here. Brent, move Olivia as soon as possible. Ethan was worried that the mercenaries might have rigged the resort. And if they were detonated, no one would have time to escape. ¡°Arrangements have been made. Let¡¯s go, Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia looked like she wanted to say something. ¡°I ¡­¡± ¡°I know what you want to talk about. I¡¯ll make time for itter. Liv, I can only tell you that these people are dangerous. If they¡¯re really after you, the situation will be dire.¡± Ethan said seriously, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry. You¡¯re still safe for now. Their goal was to take Leia away. I¡¯ll arrange for another safe ce for you to stay. Bring Liv back home, Brent.¡± Olivia was about to leave when she saw that he had been hiding his hand behind his back. She looked down at the carpet and saw a blood stain. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± Looking away, Ethan said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Olivia grabbed his hand and saw a deep cut on his palm that was bleeding profusely. Brent quickly said, ¡°Doctor!¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s not safe here. You should leave first,¡± Ethan urged. Olivia looked at the wound and recalled the day when she was bleeding. She replied with a nk expression, ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia realized she didn¡¯t have to concern herself with his injuries. They were no longer bound by any rtionship. Oliva left firmly without even looking back. Kelvin and Brent couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Back then, Olivia would be so restless if Ethan felt so much as a headache or got a mosquito bite. Needless to say, she would¡¯ve freaked out if it was a huge cut like this. But now, she didn¡¯t even care to ask about it. Kelvin looked at Ethan¡¯s hurt expression and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller really ¡­ doesn¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Ethan clenched his fists and said slowly, ¡°Take her away from here. Make sure she¡¯s safe.¡± Kelvin sighed and said, ¡°Understood. But what will you do for the wedding tomorrow?¡± ¡°Proceed as nned. I¡¯m not their target. Marina was already crippled, so she was an easy target. Since she was still alive, it meant that she no longer had any value. As for Ethan, Leia had hidden close to him for many years, but she never intended to hurt him. Everything that happened was rted to the Fordham family. If there were any trouble, it was sure to be targeted at Jeff or Olivia. Ethan had hidden both of them well so that those people couldn¡¯t find Olivia. As things were, Ethan knew he needed to find a new hiding spot for Olivia. He couldn¡¯t allow Olivia and the babies to be exposed to danger. Ethan casually wrapped some gauze around his palm. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at her room.¡± Ethan took out the bullet that was shot into the wardrobe and said, ¡°Get someone to run tests on it.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± The room wasrgely the same as it was before Leia left. Other than the bed, everything was in order. Ethan sat on the bed. He had been trying tomunicate with Leia for the past few days. He even talked about their childhood and promised to bring her to visit their mom after she got better. But no matter what he said, Leia didn¡¯t reciprocate. She treated him like he was invisible and rarely spoke up. Ethan was sure that Leia didn¡¯t be the way she was overnight. He wanted to get through to her slowly because she had been physically and mentally traumatized. He thought that the day she opened up to him would eventuallye. He recalled how resolutely she left. And the words she said in her cold and hoarse voice, ¡°Ethan, I can never go back anymore. Leave me. I don¡¯t want to hurt you. Just pretend that you never had a sister like me.¡± Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Olivia was flown back to the city by helicopter just to be safe. Jeff went up to her as soon as she got home. He wanted to know if she had made up with Ethan. ¡°How did it go with Ethan today?¡± Faced with Jeff¡¯s concern, Olivia could only lie, ¡°It went okay, Dad. I told you not to worry. We were together for the whole day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I was scared that the conflict between you two wouldst. The babies are growing every day. They can pick up on your emotions. The family needs to stick together for the children to grow up healthily.¡± Jeff brought Olivia to see histest work with a smile. It was a gorgeous, handcrafted wooden crib. ¡°Look at this. It took me several days to make this crib. I just finished it.¡± There were cute animals carved on the four corners of the crib. It had also been polished and smoothed. It wouldn¡¯t hurt the babies¡¯ mouths even if they nibbled on the crib. There was even a crib mobile on it. The crib was very exquisite. It looked as good as anything sold in stores. ¡°You¡¯re so skilled, Dad.¡± Chuckling, Jeff said, ¡°Although I¡¯m just a nobody now, and I can¡¯t provide them with material stuff, I¡¯ll try my best to satisfy their spiritual needs. You¡¯re carrying two babies, so I made the crib extra ¡°It looks awesome. I¡¯ll thank their grandpa for them in advance. Dad, I want to ask¡­¡± Olivia thought about her birth parents at the mention of ¡°grandpa¡±. Chloe didn¡¯t pay her any attention, but did Jeff not notice his daughter had been swapped as well? Jeff dug through his box of stuff and took out several wooden toys. ¡°Look at this rattle toy. I made two so that the babies could y with them together in the crib. Truth be told, I¡¯d been in despair in the past two years. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep living with myself if you weren¡¯t there for me. ¡°Now that I¡¯m over that, I¡¯ll help you take good care of your children when they¡¯re born. Right, what did you want to talk to me about?¡± The words were at the tip of her tongue, but she decided not to bring it up. Maybe next time. They still had plenty of time. She could ask after Jeff recovered more. After all, Jeff didn¡¯t know that Chloe was already dead. It would be a huge shock to Jeff if he found out identally. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Olivia decided to swallow the words she was about to say. Jeff suddenly sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I lost the emerald pendants that were our family¡¯s heirloom. Or else, I could¡¯ve given them to your children.¡± A lot of the antiques Jeff owned were sold when the Fordhams became bankrupt. He didn¡¯t really care about the other stuff, but he could never forget about the two emerald pendants. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dad. I¡¯ll see if I can track them down and buy them back. Don¡¯t worry, everything will be better It¡¯s gettingte. You should rest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, a pregnant woman like you shouldn¡¯t stay upte. I was just being emotional. I¡¯ll go to sleep after I finish working on this.¡± Olivia felt like her putting up with the situation at hand was worth it when she saw Jeff¡¯s smile. Nothing was more important than family. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡± Olivia got up and was about to leave when Jeff suddenly stood up. He had recalled something. ¡°Wait, Olivia.¡± Jeff took a lucky charm out from under his bed. He said, ¡°Mona¡¯s mother made this. Keep it on you. It might bring you some luck.¡± ¡°Dad, you know I don¡¯t believe in things like that.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t, but I do. I¡¯m willing to be superstitious as long as my daughter stays safe. It¡¯s just for peace of mind. You can put it in your phone case. It doesn¡¯t take up space.¡± Olivia looked at the lucky charm filled with her father¡¯s love. She didn¡¯t refuse anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ll be safe.¡± ¡°You should rest. Don¡¯t tire yourself out in the first three months, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, Dad.¡± Olivia talked for a little more before going back to her room. What happened today kept Olivia awake. She thought about the man who shot at her and wondered who wanted her dead. She tossed and turned in bed, but sleep didn¡¯te to her. She took her phone and looked at the news. It was all about Ethan¡¯s wedding tomorrow. Olivia felt irritated. She could imagine how excited Marina must be. Was Marina as excited as she was back then? Would she stay up the whole night? As she was thinking about that, someone entered her room. Sitting up, Olivia looked at the man whom the moonlight shone on. She asked in an annoyed tone, ¡°Why are you here again?¡± Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Marina was indeed awake. It wasn¡¯t because she was excited, but instead, it was because she was outraged. Her people discovered that Ethan drove to a vi not long ago. It wasn¡¯t Miller property, but it was heavily guarded. It was obvious that Olivia was there. Her husband went to his ex-wife¡¯s home the night before their wedding. Marina couldn¡¯t hold back anger anymore. She decided that Olivia had crossed the line, so she was prepared to get back at her her. Ethan didn¡¯t leave Olivia¡¯s room. Even if Olivia hated his guts, he stubbornly sat by her bedside for the entire night. The moonlight shone on him and made him glow. Olivia could see his bandaged hand in the dim light, but she didn¡¯t ask about it. In the end, she could no longer fight the drowsiness and fell asleep. Ethany down next to her, fully dressed. He thought about everything he had gone through with Olivia. He didn¡¯t know what went wrong and caused them to drift apart. Even if their rtionship was on thin ice, Ethan still couldn¡¯t bring himself to cut tiespletely. The sun rose. Ethan looked at Olivia, who was still sleeping. He kissed her gently on the forehead before leaving. The rising sun brought about a new day. Everything was basked in the warm morning sun. Those in slumber slowly began to wake. A person¡¯s arrival broke the peace of the manor. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong ce. There¡¯s no one with thest name Fordham here,¡± the security guard said sternly. Ethan had specifically said that no outsiders were allowed into the house. Even though the man was dressed nicely, the security guards wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the consequences if something happened to Olivia. The man in the suit wore an easy-going smile. He said, ¡°I¡¯m friends with Ms. Fordham. I¡¯m here to give her an invitation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who you¡¯re friends with. Get lost. I said there¡¯s no one here with that name.¡± ¡°I know Ms. Fordham is here. It¡¯s a happy asion for my employer today. She¡¯d be sad if her old friend, Ms. Fordham, couldn¡¯t attend. Can you please help me out and let me see Ms. Fordham? At least let me ask if she wants to go.¡± ¡°Get lost before I kick you out.¡± As the security guard was yelling, Jeff, who was tending to the garden, walked over. ¡°Who¡¯s your C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. employer, and what¡¯s the asion?¡± The man didn¡¯t know who Jeff was, but he quickly took out the invitation when he saw a chance. ¡°This is the wedding invitation that my employer has prepared specifically for Ms. Fordham. She really wishes that Ms. Fordham could attend.¡± ¡°Alright, you can go now. I¡¯ll hand it to her.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Jeff took the invitation and went back to trimming the bushes. After some trimming, he reckoned that Olivia would be awake. So, he washed his hands and took the invitation out. He looked at it and thought that maybe attending a wedding might cheer Olivia up. Jeff wondered which of Olivia¡¯s friends were getting married. He sumbed to his curiosity and opened the invitation. His face paled, and he dropped the ss of milk he was holding when he saw the names. The groom was Ethan Miller, and the bride was Marina Carlton. Jeff was dumbstruck, and his mind nked out. He couldn¡¯t believe he saw Ethan¡¯s name. He thought his eyes were ying tricks on him. Ethan was Olivia¡¯s husband. They had two children together. How could he be marrying another woman? Jeff¡¯s hands were shaking, and the blood was rushing to his brain. He wondered if it could be a prank. Olivia was pregnant and couldn¡¯t take such a blow. He memorized the hotel¡¯s address, tore up the invitation, and threw the pieces away. ¡°What are you doing, Mr. Fordham?¡± Mona¡¯s voice came from behind. Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Jeff put on a straight face as he was racking his brain for an exnation. ¡°I was trimming some bushes. I¡¯m just throwing away some trash,¡± Jeff said as he threw a bunch of branches into the trash can, which covered up the pieces of the invitation. ¡°Mr. Fordham, you can leave the manualbor to us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. The exercise helps with my recovery. Is Olivia up yet?¡± ¡°No, Ms. Fordham has been sleeping more recently. Sometimes, she sleeps until 11:00 am.¡± Jeff thought about something and then said, ¡°Sleeping more is good. By the way, I suddenly remembered that an old friend of mine is celebrating his birthday today. Can you lend me your phone? I want to make a call.¡± Mona was an innocent woman. She didn¡¯t think about it too much and handed him her phone. ¡°Here, Mr. Fordham.¡± Jeff dialed a number and walked to a corner. Mona saw that he wanted some privacy, so she also moved away. But she¡¯d raise her head to look at Jeff asionally. Ethan had given specific orders to keep Jeff away from all outside information. Mona figured that it wasn¡¯t a big deal to let him make a call to a friend. She didn¡¯t notice Jeff¡¯s expression gradually growing more upset. He handed her the phone back after two minutes. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back inside for breakfast.¡± ¡°Alright, Mr. Fordham.¡± Jeff didn¡¯t go back into the house. He went to the garage resolutely. He was aware that the driver would go to the market to restock supplies at this hour every day. Jeff hid himself in the back seat while the driver wasn¡¯t paying attention. He finally understood why Olivia and Ethan didn¡¯t allow him to use a phone. They didn¡¯t want him to find out about the wedding online. No wonder his poor daughter had be depressed and smiled less. It wasn¡¯t even a minor problem between them. Ethan had fallen for another woman. Jeff held back his anger. Only one thing was going through his head he needed to get justice for his daughter. He didn¡¯t want Ethan to find out where he was going. Or else, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to leave the house. Everything went smoothly. They arrived at the market, and the driver went off to purchase supplies. Jeff took this chance to get away. There was already someone waiting for Jeff at the intersection. It was Wace in his suit and tie. Wace went to study abroad after the Fordham family went bankrupt. He had just returned to the country and came as soon as possible when Jeff called him. ¡°Nice to see you again, Mr. Fordham.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Wace.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to see that you¡¯ve been recovering well.¡± Jeff wasn¡¯t in the mood for pleasantries. He got into the car and asked Wace to bring him to the hotel. Wace had a serious expression as he said, ¡°Mr. Fordham, the marriage between Mr. Miller and Ms. Carlton was decided six months ago. You going there now might not change anything¡­¡± ¡°Wace, you¡¯ll understand when you have kids. Even if it¡¯s an impossible task, you¡¯ll want to get justice for your child at all costs if they were bullied.¡± Jeff held his hands, which were shaking in anger. ¡°As a parent, I¡¯m my child¡¯sst line of defense. If I were topromise and allow her to be bullied, I¡¯d be a failure of a father.¡± Jeff felt bad for Olivia when he pictured what she had been through. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how hard her life was. Olivia was his little princess. He would never make her feel sad, and he would not let anyone else hurt her. Ever since Jeff woke up, he felt that Olivia had be more reserved, and she had be more mature. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Pain was the reason why people matured. Jeff started to wonder what had happened to Olivia while he was unconscious and how she got through it alone. The thought of her suffering pained Jeff. He had to ask Ethan in person why he would treat Olivia like that. Before he knew it, the car had arrived at the hotel. It was still early, but luxury cars wereing and going at the hotel. There was a huge poster that featured Ethan and Marina. The wedding was real, not just a prank. The man who promised to care for Olivia for the rest of her life was marrying another woman while Olivia was pregnant! Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Jeff¡¯s thoughts drifted back to a few years ago. He was satisfied with Ethan as a son-inw, but he got angry when Ethan said he wasn¡¯t nning to have a wedding. Olivia was his only daughter. He didn¡¯t want to hand her over without being promised a grand event. But Olivia begged Jeff repeatedly for his blessing. She told him that Ethan was the best man she had ever seen and that he would never make her sad. She also said she didn¡¯t need a ceremony as long as they loved each other. Jeff knew he missed his chance at love, but he wanted Olivia to be happy, so he relented. He didn¡¯t expect his daughter to end up without a rightful status. No one even knew that Olivia was Ethan¡¯s wife. It was so absurd. And now that Ethan was marrying another woman, he was announcing it to the world. Jeff felt bad for Olivia. She gave Ethan everything she had, but she ended up with nothing. She even lost function in one of her hands. Ethan imed to have put them in the manor so they could recover, but he was just keeping them prisoner. The more Jeff thought about it, the angrier he got. ¡°Mr. Fordham, this wedding is a sealed deal. We should just go back,¡± Wace said sincerely. Jeff had already gotten out of the car. ¡°Wace, I¡¯m grateful that you brought me here. You should go. I won¡¯t do anything. I just want an exnation.¡± Wace felt anxious, but he had a new job. He looked at his watch and saw that it was gettingte. He needed to go. He tried to call Olivia¡¯s old phone number, but it didn¡¯t go through. He had no choice. but to sigh and leave. Jeff stood in the busy lobby, feeling like he was in a different world. Two years passed very quickly. Jeff came back to his senses and realized he hadn¡¯t been to such a ce in a long time. Most of Ethan¡¯s rtives were overseas, so not many showed up. Most of the guests at the wedding were rted to the Carltons. Jeff knew that Marina was Chris¡¯ daughter. He could onlyment at the wretched fate that connected the Fordhams with the Carltons. He hadn¡¯t seen Chloe in a long time and wondered if she was doing fine. He figured she would show up at such an asion. Jeff looked down at his attire. He was wearing rtively casual clothes because he was trimming bushes in the yard earlier. The ck shoes he was wearing were also caked in dirt. His attire was out of ce in a ssy banquet like this. After all, he was bankrupt. Chloe would probably feel relieved that she left him before it was toote. The most important thing was to find Ethan and ask him what was going on. He wanted to know how Ethan truly felt about Olivia. So, he walked in. Olivia woke up earlier than usual. The sun shone into her room, and she slowly woke up. Ethan was long gone. She didn¡¯t know when he left. She looked at the empty bed and the dust swirling in the air. The room was eerily silent. Then, she remembered that it was Ethan¡¯s wedding today. She ignored the disappointment she felt and got up to go to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed up. Looking in the mirror, she saw that her chin wasn¡¯t as pointed as it used to be. She told herself that her rtionship with Ethan was in the past. Whether he got married or had a child, it had nothing to do with her. Without him, the sky would still be clear and the flowers would still bloom. Her days would be happier too. Olivia saw Mona carrying a bunch of flowers from the yard when she came out of the bathroom. Mona smiled and said warmly, ¡°Good morning, Olivia.¡± ¡°Morning.¡± Olivia subconsciously looked at the yard. Jeff would usually be tending to the nts at this hour. He moved slower, so he needed more time. ¡°Have you seen my dad?¡± ¡°Mr. Fordham came back in some time ago. Weirdly, he isn¡¯t out yet. Wait here, Olivia. I¡¯ll go look.¡± Mona put the flowers in a vase and went to Jeff¡¯s room.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia looked at the bright flowers and started to feel uneasy. ¡°Oh no, Olivia. Mr. Fordham has gone missing!¡± Olivia felt her head throb. ¡°Missing? What do you mean missing?¡± take a Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Mona recounted what had happened in the morning. ¡°Now that I think about it, Mr. Fordham looked like he was pretending to be calm. I thought I saw him tearing something before I walked up to him.¡± Mona began to pour out the contents of the trash bin without caring if she got dirty. The bright red invitation was very eye-catching. ¡°What is that?¡± Mona frantically reassembled the invitation and said, ¡°This is bad. Mr. Fordham has seen the invitation. That¡¯s right, he also borrowed by phone before he told me he¡¯d be going back into the house. Would he already be at the hotel?¡± Olivia¡¯s face paled as she asked, ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°30 minutes ago.¡± ¡°This is a disaster. Get the car ready. I have to stop Dad.¡± For more than two years, Jeff was cut off from the outside world. He waspletely unaware of what had happened. If he were to learn about Chloe¡¯s death and Ethan¡¯s betrayal, given his current situation, he would surely be unable to ept these facts. Olivia tried to call Ethan,immediately, but no one picked up. He was probably busy with the wedding. She tried Brent¡¯s number but got the same results. Olivia was losing her mind. She didn¡¯t expect Marina to pull such a prank like this on her wedding day. She thought Marina was out of her mind. Mona said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia. I wasn¡¯t paying enough attention. If I had noticed earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have let him leave. If anything happens to him, I don¡¯t know how I could possibly atone.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault.¡± Even Jeff didn¡¯t know everything about her rtionship with Ethan, much less Mona. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Mona held Olivia¡¯s hand. Her palm was covered in sweat. ¡°You have to calm down. Don¡¯t forget the babies you¡¯re carrying. You can¡¯t be too emotional. Remember what the doctors said.¡±¡® ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll calm down,¡± Olivia said as she took a sip of warm water. But her heart was still beating fast. She had an ominous feeling, and her sixth sense was usually urate. Olivia prayed inwardly for her father to be fine. ¡°Drive faster! Even faster! There¡¯s no time.¡± The driver was in a difficult position. ¡°Mrs. Miller, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to drive faster. I¡¯m already at the speed limit. There are also a lot of huge curves on this route. Mr. Miller had specifically instructed that your health must take precedence.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t rest for a moment. She kept making calls, but no one picked up. She forgot how many calls she made, but finally, she heard Ethan¡¯s voice. He said, ¡°Liv?¡± Ethan was surprised. Olivia had called him a lot of times. ¡°Have you seen my dad?¡± ¡°Dad? Where is he?¡± Olivia rxed slightly. This meant that Jeff hadn¡¯t found Ethan yet. ¡°Marina sent someone to give me an invitation this morning. My father happened to see it, and he¡¯s no longer in the vi. He might be headed to the wedding venue. You know how it is. My father can¡¯t handle any surprises.¡± ¡°I got it. Don¡¯t worry, Liv. I had something to take care of, and I¡¯ll be at the wedding venue soon. I¡¯H have people look for Dad now. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Frowning, Olivia said in a panicked voice, ¡°Ethan, I have no family left. I only have my father. Nothing can happen to him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t able to calm down despite Ethan¡¯s promises. She looked at the time on her phone. She would be arriving at the hotel in five minutes. Soon¡­ Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Jeff walked around the venue a few times but didn¡¯t see Ethan. Not only that, he didn¡¯t see Chris or Chloe either. He knew that Marina was Chris¡¯ only child. He wondered why the parents weren¡¯t present for her wedding. He did see Otto, who looked older and depressed. Jeff felt tired after walking around the venue a few times. He wanted to find a spot to rest when he heard a woman taking near him. ¡°Marina, do you think Olivia wille?¡± The mention of Olivia¡¯s name attracted Jeff¡¯s attention. He looked toward the people who were talking and saw Marina sitting in her wheelchair in a wedding dress. She looked exactly like the woman on the poster outside the hotel. Jeff realized that she was the woman Ethan was going to marry. He was surprised to see her in a wheelchair. Jeff had thought of plenty of names to call the woman who stole his daughter¡¯s husband. But his anger subsided a little when he saw that Marina was crippled. He began to think that there might be more to the story. Maybe there was a misunderstanding. Jeff didn¡¯t n to confront a youngdy. He wanted to wait for Ethan to give him an exnation. Marina¡¯splexion worsened visibly. She gritted her teeth at the mention of Olivia¡¯s name. ¡± Nothing will change with or without her here. I¡¯ll be the rightful Mrs. Miller from today onward.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Olivia as Mrs. Miller is ancient history now.¡± Calista had learned her lesson. She no longer dared to speak ill of Olivia around Marina. Marina¡¯s temperament changed drastically after the death of her parents. She gripped the armrests of her wheelchair and said with a contorted expression, ¡°That bitch is still trying to seduce Ethan after their divorce. I won¡¯t let her off easy.¡± ¡°Marina, no matter what she tries to pull, you¡¯re the one Mr. Miller is marrying. You¡¯ve won. All you need to do now is to rest and get well soon. Your parents will be able to rest in peace knowing you¡¯re in good health.¡± Jeff wanted to speak up and reprimand Marina, but then he heard Calista talking about her resting in peace. It instantly grabbed his attention. ¡°What did you say?¡± parents Calista and Marina turned to see the person standing behind them. Jeff wore in clothes, looking like a normal middle-aged man. Marina had never seen Jeff before. She didn¡¯t know who he was. He also looked way slimmer than he used to be. Even Calista, who had seen him before, didn¡¯t recognize him even though she thought he looked familiar. Calista saw his dirty shoes and thought he was an attendant whom they had met before. ¡°Who are you?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Jeff was very emotional, and even his voice trembled slightly. ¡°What did you say happened to her parents?¡± ¡°Who do you work for? How can you say something so rude?¡± Calista red at Jeff as she spoke. It was public knowledge that Chloe died from leukemia and that Chrismitted suicide to follow her in death. Asking about that before Marina was like pouring salt on her wound. Jeff quickly approached Marina. She looked at this slim, middle-aged man. His stride was weird. It was different from how people usually walked. For some reason, Marina felt an inexplicable sense of affection for this man. Jeff walked up to her and asked with a serious expression, ¡°What happened¡­ to your mom.¡± Tears welled up in Marina at the mention of Chloe. ¡°What does that have to do with you? How did you sneak in? Where¡¯s security? Why did they let someone like this in? Get away from me!¡± Jeff didn¡¯t let up. He looked at Calista and asked, ¡°What did you mean they could rest in peace?¡± ¡°What do you think I meant? Are you ying dumb, or are you trying to start something? Mrs. Carlton passed away two months ago. Why are you asking these questions now?¡± Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Jeff¡¯s mind went nk when he heard that Chloe was dead. He felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe, and the blood in his veins froze. Face pale, his body was trembling uncontrobly. He grabbed Marina¡¯s hand emotionally and asked, How did your mother die?¡± Marina hated it when people brought up Chloe¡¯s death before her. She was the one that caused Chloe¡¯s death, and she didn¡¯t want to face that fact. ¡°What does it have to do with you? Which hole did you crawl out of, you peasant? Get away before I call for security.¡± Marina looked at Jeff¡¯s expression that was mixed with shock, pain, and disbelief. She wondered if he was an old friend of Chloe¡¯s. When she thought of that, her disdain for him eased a little. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s my wedding today. Since you¡¯re already here, you should stay for a drink.¡± Calista nced at Jeff and said, ¡°Now, scram. I can tell you don¡¯t belong here from your attire. Don¡¯t dirty Marina¡¯s dress.¡± || C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Jeff was still wallowing in the pain of Chloe¡¯s passing. He didn¡¯t care what anyone else was thinking. For some reason, Marin? felt terrible when she saw Jeff trembling like he had experienced a great shock. Mina came over with two kids in tow. Erina called out sweetly, ¡°Mommy!¡± Marina¡¯s heart warmed at the sight of her children, who she hadn¡¯t seen for some time. She looked at Connor. She thought he would at least call out to her since they had not seen each other for so long. But Connor looked at her emotionlessly without saying anything. Jeff noticed Connor and asked, ¡°Is he your son?¡± Calista said impatiently, ¡°Why are you still here? Don¡¯t you understand a word I said?¡± A sudden realization struck Jeff. ¡°He¡¯s your and Ethan¡¯s son, right?¡± ¡°Why are you acting all crazy? Everyone knows that Marina is Mr. Miller¡¯s first love. He waited for her for ten whole years. It¡¯s only natural that they have children.¡± ¡°Only natural? What about my daughter, then?¡± Jeff asked with a crazed expression. It was like he was swept up by a vortex of emotions, and he had lost his mind. ¡°Your daughter? You¡¯re¡­¡± Marina didn¡¯t recognize Jeff. She only learned of her origins shortly before Chloe¡¯s death. She heard that Jeff was in aa and that he would probably never regain consciousness. She didn¡¯t even know where he was. She felt emotional as she looked at the face, which looked a little like hers. She had one more family member who was alive. Before she could express her excitement, Calista also remembered who Jeff was. But she didn¡¯t know his rtionship with Marina and thought he was here to fight for Olivia. Calista said, ¡°Mr. Fordham, if you¡¯re here to get justice for Olivia, there¡¯s no point in doing so. You can¡¯t change anything. Mr. Miller no longer has any feelings for Olivia.¡± Jeff remained civilized. Looking at her coldly, he said, ¡°This is none of your business. Stay out of it.¡± Calista was triggered. ¡°Mr. Fordham, do you think you¡¯re still the head of the Fordham family? Don¡¯t you know how your family became bankrupt? ¡°Mr. Miller was the one who did it. He intended to destroy the Fordham family. Do you think he¡¯d still go back to Olivia?¡± Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Calista¡¯s words were the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. Jeff was trembling, feeling like someone had pushed him from behind. He felt the blood rushing to his head, and a wave of dizziness overtook him as he staggered to remain on his feet. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Calista was frightened. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you? Stop pretending to be sick. It still won¡¯t change anything. Where¡¯s security? Get this man out of here.¡± Marina red at Calista. Before she could say anything, Ethan had rushed over. He supported Jeff and said, ¡°Dad, how are you feeling? Brent, bring Dad to the hospital now.¡± Jeff turned to look at Ethan. His eyes turned red from anger when he saw Ethan in his wedding suit. In his anger, Jeff couldn¡¯t even utter aplete sentence. ¡°Y-You caused the F-Fordham family to go bankrupt?¡± He never imagined that the son-inw he approved of would be the one who ruined his family. Even though what happened back then was fishy, he never suspected Ethan. He just thought it was a business partner that he had crossed. Frowning, Ethan said, ¡°I¡¯ll exin everythingter, Dad. I¡¯ll have someone send you home first.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Jeff smirked and said while pointing at Connor. ¡°And that¡¯s your son?¡± Calista didn¡¯t know the gravity of the situation. She tried to please Ethan by saying, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s Mr. Miller¡¯s son. He looks exactly like Mr. Miller. It should be apparent that they¡¯re rted.¡± Jeff pped Ethan with a shaky hand. Although there wasn¡¯t much force behind the p, it attracted. a lot of attention. ¡°My daughter loved you so much. How could you do this to her? Do you even remember what you promised me? You heartless scum! I should¡¯ve known better than to allow my daughter to marry a man like you. Has our family ever wronged you?¡± The people around them had their eyes fixed on Ethan. The chattering began. ¡°What scum he is. We didn¡¯t even know he was married before. And he¡¯s holding such a grand. wedding for his second marriage.¡± ¡°And they were saying he waited for Marina for ten years. He¡¯s trash.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He even has a son. Maybe he cheated during his first marriage. I feel so bad for Ms. Fordham.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t care about what the other people were saying. He was only focused on Jeff. ¡°Dad, this is not a good ce to talk. Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± Jeff swung his hand away angrily. ¡°You bastard, you have no right to call me Dad.¡± Jeff used all his strength to break away from Ethan. However, he fell onto the floor as he lost his bnce. ¡°Dad!¡± Olivia¡¯s scream came from a distance away. She tried her best to catch up to Jeff but was too slow. But Ethan reacted quickly and managed to grab Jeff before he hit the floor. ¡°Slow down, Olivia.¡± Being careful was thest thing on Olivia¡¯s mind. She saw Jeff falling over and felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe. She ran toward Jeff as fast as she could. When she reached Jeff¡¯s side, Olivia asked nervously, ¡°Dad, how are you feeling? Are you hurt?¡± Jeff held her hand. He had so much he wanted to say. But, in the end, he just asked, ¡°Tell me, Liv. Is your mother dead?¡± Olivia was taken aback. Then, she lied, ¡°That¡¯s not true. She¡¯s still alive. Why would she be dead?¡± ¡°Silly girl, you always make that face when you lie. You haven¡¯t changed one bit.¡± Reaching out, Jeff touched Olivia¡¯s face with his other hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I wasn¡¯t able to protect you.¡± Jeff¡¯s eyes were already filled with tears. Looking at her with guilt, he said, ¡°I¡¯m such a useless father. I can¡¯t even protect you ¡°Don¡¯t talk anymore, Dad. I¡¯ll bring you to the hospital now. Don¡¯t worry about anything. You¡¯ll recover. Everything will be better.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll always love you.¡± Jeff¡¯s hand went limp after he said that. ¡°Dad!¡± Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Olivia¡¯s mind went nk when she saw Jeff falling unconscious. She cried out in shock and fainted. ¡°Liv!¡± Ethan carried her in his arms while Brent carried Jeff on his back. They quickly left the scene. Marina was also in a daze from what had happened. She didn¡¯t understand how things came to this. As she watched Ethan leaving with Olivia in his arms, she screamed, ¡°Ethan, the ceremony is about to begin!¡± She was in a hurry to get to Ethan, but her legs couldn¡¯t support her weight. She fell to the floor as soon as she tried to stand. The fancy dress she had on could not conceal the sorry state she was in, nor could it stop the words of the people looking at her. Calista finally realized that she had made a colossal mess. She quickly went to Marina and tried to help her up. ¡°Are you okay, Marina?¡± Marina pped her hard. ¡°Bitch! Look at what you¡¯ve done!¡± Calista knew what she said to Ethan had been inappropriate. She frantically tried to exin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marina. I was j-just trying to ¡­¡± Marina grabbed Calista by the cor, wrinkling thece on her chest. ¡°If I can¡¯t get married, you¡¯ll be in for it.¡± Calista slumped to the floor, muttering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know things would turn out like this.¡± At the hospital, Olivia and Jeff were sent to the emergency room. Olivia¡¯s diagnosis results came out quickly, but Jeff was pushed into an operating room. Chris tried tofort Ethan, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller is fine. She just fainted from shock. The babies are fine too.¡± Ethan rubbed his temples and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried about Dad. He¡¯s too fragile.¡± Olivia was the same. If something were to happen to Jeff, she would be devastated too, A doctor came out of the operating room, and Ethan immediately went up to him. ¡°How is my dad doing, doctor?¡± before he could recover. We did our best, but the patient¡¯s will to live is weak. It¡¯s either we give up on treatment or we send him into the ICU. It¡¯s out of our hands now.¡± Olivia was still unconscious, so Ethan had to choose for her. Even though he knew that once inside-the ICU, various measures that would cause significant and irreversible damage to the body would be used to keep the patient alive, he had no other choice. ¡°Transfer him to the ICU. Keep him alive no matter what.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Olivia was thrown into darkness. She searched in the endless darkness but didn¡¯t know what she was looking for. She felt like she was about to lose someone important to her. She searched for a long time but found nothing. She crouched on the floor and started to cry. She suddenly realized when she looked down that her physical body had gone back to when she was a child. Her arms and legs were tiny. Just as she was panicking, someone ced their hand on her head. The darkness started to disperse. A gentle and familiar voice said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Liv.¡± Realization struck her. She had been looking for Jeff. She raised her head to see the man before her. He looked exactly like he did ten years ago. He no longer looked sickly or frail. He looked like he was in his prime. Jeff smiled at her warmly, just as he used to. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through so many years of hardship. It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t take good care of you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, Dad. You protected me my whole life. Let me take care of you from now on, okay?¡± Jeff looked up at the sky, his smile still wide. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m tired. I might not be able to hold on.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 504 Chapter 504 ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t leave me. I¡¯ll be all alone if you leave me. I¡¯ll be bullied, like I was when I was young.¡± ¡°My poor daughter.¡± Olivia tried her best to convince Jeff. ¡°Dad, you still haven¡¯t seen my children. How can you leave now? I don¡¯t want to suffer through life alone. My children are already without a father, so don¡¯t let them be without a grandfather too.¡± Jeff¡¯s expression changed a little. He looked at Olivia gently and said, ¡°Liv, you¡¯re the one thing in the world I can¡¯t bear to leave behind.¡± 1 Olivia grabbed his hand and said, ¡°So you have to stay. My children need their grandpa. Dad, I know you¡¯re tired. But please stay, for me and my children. If you leave me, I¡¯ll have no one else in this world.¡± Jeff didn¡¯t respond. It was like he was deep in thought. Tears rolled down Olivia¡¯s eyes as she kneeled before Jeff. ¡°I¡¯ve already lost my mother. I can¡¯t lose you too, mother. I can¡¯t lose you too, Dad. Don¡¯t you love me anymore? Please don¡¯t go, okay?¡± Sighing, Jeff said, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Olivia opened her eyes abruptly and woke up from her dream. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ethan grabbed her hand. ¡°Are you okay, Liv? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Where¡¯s my dad? How is he doing?¡± At that moment, Kelvin rushed into the ward and said, ¡°Good news! Mr. Fordham suddenly regained his will to live.¡± Olivia lifted her nket, about to get off the bed. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the ICU. He just went through a round of emergency treatment. It¡¯s fortunate that he has the will to live now. The resuscitation was a sess. Visitation is not yet allowed, so you can only look at him from outside.¡± ¡°Alright. I need to take a look at him, just one look.¡± Olivia rushed to the ICU and looked at Jeff, who was in aa, from behind the ss. She recalled the dream she just had, and tears started falling. Jeff¡¯s life was too hard. He was hospitalized for two years, followed by aa of over six months as well as the shock he received just now. It was no wonder he lost the will to live. Olivia knew he stayed because she wanted him to. He survived with the help of the machines he was hooked up to. She looked at Jeff, who was surrounded by nurses and doctors. Then, she looked at the tubes and needles that were keeping him alive. Was she being too selfish? Jeff was already despaired by the world, but she forcibly kept him around. Every moment he lived would be mental and physical torture for him. Even so, she didn¡¯t want to go through the pain of losing a family member again. If he passed, she would be all alone. ¡°You still have me, Liv.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice sounded from beside her ear. Olivia pushed his arm away with tears in her eyes. She said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Leave me alone.¡± Ethan was the reason Jeff ended up like this. She didn¡¯t want his pity. Ethan opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. ¡°Liv, I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see your face, Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia put a hand over her stomach, which was hurting. She wondered if it was because she didn¡¯t eat breakfast. After all, she suddenly felt a lot of pain in her stomach. The pain that she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time sent her reeling. Ethan saw that Olivia¡¯s face had suddenly paled, and her forehead was covered in sweat. He held her hand and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liv?¡± Olivia was in too much pain to speak. Frowning, she said weakly, ¡°It hurts¡­¡± ¡°Sit down now. I¡¯ll get a doctor.¡± Olivia tugged at his sleeve weakly and said, ¡°No need. Just bring me some food and a ss of warm water. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Ethan listened to Olivia¡¯s demands. He went to prepare some food for her in a hurry. Olivia¡¯s stomach pain subsided after she drank warm water and ate some food. Ethan saw that she felt better and asked, ¡°Is your stomach troubling you? We should arrange for a check-up. You¡¯re not even three months pregnant yet. Don¡¯t take it out on the babies even if you hate 1. Olivia ignored him, but Marina, who had just arrived, heard what he said. ¡°What did you two do behind my back?¡± Marina shrieked, her voice echoing in the corridor. Olivia was already tired. She frowned in annoyance at Marina¡¯s voice. ¡°This is a hospital. Be quiet.¡± ¡°Bitch, how dare you seduce my husband? I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Marina was livid. She wanted to visit Jeff but didn¡¯t expect to hear such mind-blowing news as soon as she arrived. She hastily tried to get up but stumbled back down. Ethan saw her losing her bnce and helped her steady herself so that she wouldn¡¯t fall. Marina took the chance to fall into Ethan¡¯s embrace with tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Ethan, you said you¡¯ll marry me. Why would you do this to me?¡± Olivia was already in a bad mood, but their act made her feel worse. She didn¡¯t want to waste more time around them, so she left. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare run away. You seduced my man! The least you can do is own it up before me.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t even spare Marina a nce as she walked away faster. Ethan said in a low voice, ¡°Enough. Stop making a fuss.¡± Marina was taken aback by his indifferent tone. She sniffed and stopped wailing. She immediately started to feel wronged. ¡°It¡¯s my wedding today. But you carried Olivia away in your arms with everyone watching. What does that leave me? Where does that leave the Carlton family?¡± ¡°It was an emergency.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Ethan helped her to a chair. ¡°You and Calista caused this incident. If you two hadn¡¯t agitated him, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. You¡¯re just reaping what you sowed. Nothing would¡¯ve happened if you hadn¡¯t sent that invitation.¡± Marina regretted her actions. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Mr. Fordham was there too. If I had known he regained consciousness, I never would¡¯ve¡­¡± Marina became anxious at the mention of Jeff. ¡°How is he doine now?¡± ¡°Not good.¡± Ethan replied, ¡°He just got out of critical condition and is still under observation in the ICU. His brain has been damaged. He did cranial surgery not long ago, so he can¡¯t be operated on in the short term. He might go into a vegetative state once again.¡± Marina leaned back on her wheelchair dejectedly. She said with an upset expression, ¡°How could this be?¡± Marina started crying as she asked, ¡°Why would fate be so cruel to me?¡± She raised her hand to p herself hard on the cheek. Ethan looked at her in confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Marina sobbed. ¡°My mom¡¯s dead because of me. And now, my father is in aa because of me. Ethan, I didn¡¯t ask for this. I didn¡¯t know my father had regained consciousness.¡± Chris didn¡¯t tell Ethan about Marina¡¯s situation when he was alive, so he was confused by what Marina was saying. ¡°What are you saying? What do you mean by that?¡± Marina sniffed and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Olivia tell you about our origins? I¡¯m actually the daughter of the Fordham family. I¡¯m not a Carlton.¡± Chapter 506 Chapter 506 ¡°You¡¯re Jeff¡¯s daughter? Then who are Liv¡¯s parents?¡± Ethan asked. Marina was displeased that he brought up Olivia. ¡°How would I know? I only realized who my birth parents were shortly before my mother died.¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to ask about Olivia¡¯s origins. Even if Jeff wasn¡¯t her biological father, he was still the person she was closest to. ¡°If you knew he was your father, why would you treat him like that? He suffered brain damage before this.¡± Marina said aggrievedly, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was him. We had never met in person before. I had only learned the truth recently. I wanted to look for him but heard he was in aa and had gone missing. I had only ever seen him in pictures. ¡°He looked so different from before, so I didn¡¯t recognize him. Ethan, I didn¡¯t want to do that either. My mom is already dead because of me. I wouldn¡¯t want to harm my biological father too.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t feel bad for Marina even as he looked at her devastated expression. ¡°You were the one who had someone deliver the invitation. You¡¯re just reaping what you sowed.¡± ¡°What about you? What have you done? You promised to marry me, but you didn¡¯t stop seeing Olivia. What am I to you? Do you even have feelings for me?¡± Marina looked like she had faced incredible injustice. Ethan retorted coldly, ¡°What do you think? Do you think I have feelings for you?¡± It was like Marina was asking to be humiliated. Ethan helped her into her wheelchair, leaned in, and whispered, ¡°I told youst time, Marina. I can give you the title of Mrs. Miller for Kurt¡¯s sake. ¡°But you can never cross the line. You¡¯ll always be my cousin -inw. I¡¯ll never love you, neither in this life or the next. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to meddle in my love life. But it seems like you didn¡¯t take my words to heart.¡± Although Ethan didn¡¯t touch her, Marina felt a chill spreading over her body. She had crossed the line. one too many times. This time, Ethan wasn¡¯t about to forgive her. ¡°Please let me exin, Ethan. I love you. I love you too much, and that¡¯s why I did all those things. I¡­ Marina tried to exin frantically, but Ethan found her to beughable. ¡°Marina, I only feel disgust at the words thate out of your mouth. I feel sorry for Kurt. This marriage is canceled. I won¡¯t marry you anymore.¡± ¡°No, Ethan. You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t abandon you, for the sake of the children. Come, bring Ms. Carlton back to Collington Cove.¡± Marina shook her head frantically and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, Ethan. I won¡¯t do it again. I swear I¡¯ll never plot against Olivia again. Give me another chance. I¡¯ll exin to the media and the guests. You can punish me however you want, but please don¡¯t cancel the engagement.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote, Marina.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even spare her another look before he turned and left. No matter how much Marina called out to him, he didn¡¯t look back. A nurse approached Marina and said, ¡°Miss, this is a hospital. Please lower your voice. If you continue to make so much noise, I¡¯ll have the security escort you out.¡± Tears streamed down Marina¡¯s cheeks. She had ruined her wedding with her own hands. She just wanted to agitate Olivia a little. Marina sobbed and said, ¡°I ¡­ I want to see Mr. Fordham.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but he just got out of a critical condition. Visitation is not allowed yet. If you want to see him, you can look at him from outside.¡± Marina looked through the window and saw the man hooked to all the machines. Tears flowed from her eyes as she said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Olivia got a run-down of Jeff¡¯s situation from a doctor. She didn¡¯t know if she should be happy or sad. The good thing was that Jeff was fine. The bad thing was that he was back in aa. Olivia sighed deeply. She understood that she and her children were the anchor that held Jeff to the world. If she weren¡¯t here, he¡¯d probably already be dead. Ethan approached Olivia with huge strides. His tall figure cast a shadow on Olivia. ¡°Liv.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia¡¯s expression went cold when she saw Ethan. The hatred in her voice was clear. She asked, ¡°Why did youe? Are you here to see if I¡¯m dead?¡± Her eyes used to be filled with gentleness and love. But hate and disdain were the only emotions left. Ethan was thinking about how Olivia used to love him so deeply. It was very endearing. He could never have imagined they would slowly drift apart until their rtionship became irreparable. Currently, Olivia couldn¡¯t even stand the sight of him. Ethan sighed and said, ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll find your birth parents for you.¡± He knew Olivia too well. That was the only way he could get her to pay him any attention. As expected, Olivia turned back around to look at him. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I just learned about how you and Marina were swapped.¡± Olivia reluctantly spoke to him since it concerned her origin. ¡°You don¡¯t have to waste your effort. Mr. Carlton had tried to look into it when he was still alive. The postnatal care center was burned down. The owner is dead too. There are no leads to start an investigation.¡± ¡°Someone else knows the truth.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You mean Helen Gibson?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s the one behind it all. She definitely knows who your birth parents are.¡± ¡°She might not even tell us. I had nned to question her after my dad recovered. But then something like this happened.¡± Olivia looked very frail. She didn¡¯t know what she did wrong. She couldn¡¯t understand why life was so hard on her. Ethan wrapped his hand around her shoulder and said gently, ¡°Liv, I told you that you still have me. I¡¯ll never leave you. I¡¯ve already canceled my engagement with Marina. I won¡¯t marry her. You¡¯ll be the only Mrs. Miller I ever have.¡± If Marina hadn¡¯t caused so much trouble, Ethan wouldn¡¯t have gone back on the promise he made Kurt. But Olivia didn¡¯t care. She looked at him with an icy gaze. Smiling mockingly, she said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d still care about what you do?¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t care about me. You might even hate me. But this is my answer to you. Liv, I¡¯m not asking you to ignore what I¡¯ve done. I admit that I¡¯m fully responsible for what happened to Dad. But there¡¯s another mastermind behind it all.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression was calm, but his voice was steady. ¡°A lot of questions arose from Jodie¡¯s death. I felt that something was wrong. But these seemingly unrted things seem to be linked. I think maybe someone has been after you from the start.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, Jodie¡¯s death was just the start. The people behind it all might have something to do with your origins. This is just my spection now, but I¡¯ll try to uncover the truth as soon as possible. ¡°Liv, what happened today might just be a coincidence, but it might not be the case next time. Whether it¡¯s rted to you or not, I hope you won¡¯t refuse my help. Let me protect you and the children, for their sake.¡± Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Although Olivia hated Ethan, she knew he was telling the truth. She needed his help for the children. It wasn¡¯t about her feelings. She just needed a safe ce to give birth to her children. Olivia relocated again. This time, Ethan made sure that no one else knew about it. He wanted to be careful. The new house was by the sea. Olivia could see the ocean every time she woke up. On the other side, there was a mountain. The scenery was beautiful. It was an excellent ce to rest and recover. But Olivia would no longer see Jeff working in the yard, nor would she have him to teach her woodworking. Jeff was moved to this house after his condition stabilized. He was surrounded by medical experts all day while hey silently on the bed. Hisplexion had improved after a while, and his expression was calm. His eyes were closed like he was asleep. But Olivia knew that no one could save him this time. He couldn¡¯t go through another brain surgery anytime soon. It would be too risky even with the best doctors in the world. They had no choice but to maintain his current condition. It was highly likely that he would pass away after a period of time. The chances of him regaining consciousness were minuscule. Even so, Olivia couldn¡¯t let him go. She would take care of him carefully every day. She hoped that he would still be able to wake up one day. But whenever she saw the wooden carvings he made, tears would well up in her eyes. There was a room filled with the toys he had carved for her babies. There were tattle toys, a crib, a rocking horse, and many other toys. Mona was teary-eyed, too. She rubbed her eyes and said, ¡°Mr. Fordham was looking forward to the birth of your babies more than anyone else. He worked very hard every day. Sometimes, he¡¯d work well into midnight. I¡¯d always tell him to rest, that there was always tomorrow. ¡°But he¡¯d say that we wouldn¡¯t know what would happen. The only thing he could do was to make more things for you and your babies while he was still able to. I thought he was paranoid, but now I understand that his worries weren¡¯t unfounded. ¡°It¡¯s a pity. Mr. Fordham is a very nice person. He doesn¡¯t deserve this.¡± Olivia was holding a wooden sword in her hand. It was an unfinished piece. Jeff had prepared toys for boys and girls. The sword¡¯s outline wasplete. Jeff had carved a dragon on it. The scales were halfway done. He had nned to finish the sword that week Olivia ran her fingers on the wooden sword and looked at the intricate patterns on it. It was apparent that Jeff poured his heart and soul into these toys. Tears began to stream down Olivia¡¯s cheeks, and they fell onto the hilt of the wooden sword. growth if you¡¯re in a bad mood.¡± As time passed, the babies would slowly develop. They would be able to sense their mother¡¯s emotions. Olivia wanted to wipe her tears, but her damaged hand was still too weak to move. She set the wooden sword aside and wailed like a helpless child. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Jeff had given her all the love he could since she was a child. Chloe left them when Olivia was still a child. Jeff tried his best to make up for the motherly love that Olivia lost. He also raised her to be a fine youngdy. So, Olivia rarely cried when faced with hardships. She used to be warm and bubbly. How did it be like this? Her life was a mess. All she could see was darkness when she opened her eyes. Even the air felt heavy like it was suffocating her. Years of pent-up resentment, sadness, and frustration all erupted at this moment. ¡°I already lost a child and my mother. I don¡¯t want to lose my father too. Why can¡¯t I at least have that?¡± Olivia felt like everyone she cared about had been taken from her. One day, even she would wanish from the world. Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Mona hugged Olivia tightly. They were around the same age, but sheforted Olivia like an aunt would. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Olivia. You still have me. I¡¯ll take good care of you. Mr. Fordham¡¯s condition has stabilized too. So, he¡¯ll be fine. Maybe he¡¯ll even wake up after a few days. Everything will be better.¡± Olivia used to believe everything would be better too. But fate had made her understand that it could always be worse. You¡¯d never know how unlucky you could be unless you experienced it. 1. Or maybe People said misfortune wouldn¡¯tst forever, but Olivia couldn¡¯t see any hope for the future. She was always fearful of tomorrow. She was afraid that Jeff would be dead when she woke something would be wrong with her babies. Perhaps they might be malnourished. There was also her illness, which made her even less hopeful for the future. Olivia said in a shaky voice, ¡°Mona, I¡¯m really afraid that misfortune will befall me and my babies next. I¡¯m not afraid of dying, but I¡¯m afraid that my babies will suffer because of me.¡± ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re being paranoid. There hasn¡¯t been anything suspicious. What are you worried about? It¡¯s safe here. No one will be able to get to you. Mr. Miller even brought over a gynecologist and examination equipment for you. I¡¯ve looked at those machines. They¡¯re not cheap. ¡°Mr. Miller cares about you. He won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± Monaforted Olivia, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything now. It¡¯s not the end of the world yet. Mr. Fordham managed to survive such an ordeal, and he¡¯ll be fine. ¡°You just need to rest and wait for the birth of your babies. They¡¯ll be born healthy, and you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll keep you and the babies safe.¡± From that day onward, Olivia stopped wallowing in sadness. She took up Jeff¡¯s hobbies. Every day, she would tend to the flowers, do some woodworking, and gaze at the ocean. She would stare at the tide and the sky. She began to feel like life wasn¡¯t as torturous when she cut off allmunication with the outside. world. Although Jeff was unconscious, she could still see him every day. As long as he was alive, she had hope. She wasn¡¯t an orphan. Four months passed in the blink of an eye. It was now summer. Olivia¡¯s stomach had grown. She had started to feel the babies¡¯ movements. The children inside her womb were like two little fish swimming around every day. The world seemed like a better ce without Ethan there to bother her. The sea looked exceptionally beautiful in the moving alouw Olivia grow out her hair a little Tha saa breeze tousled her soft locks of hair, making her look gentle and graceful. Recently, it was like her cancer waspletely gone. Her stomach didn¡¯t even hurt once. She grew rounder, and herplexion was healthy. If the times she vomited blood due to her cancer weren¡¯t etched into her memory, she would think it was all a dream. Olivia didn¡¯t know if it was due to her children, but her illness had stabilized and didn¡¯t worsen anymore. Mona smiled when she saw Olivia¡¯s peaceful expression. She brought Olivia some fruits. ¡°You have a prenatal check-up tomorrow, so make sure to rest early tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia ate some blueberries and suddenly frowned.¡¯ Mona asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia caressed her stomach, shook her head, and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The kids are just excited. Perhaps they¡¯re also looking forward to the check-up tomorrow.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Mona sat beside Olivia and said, ¡°Mr. Miller has sent a new machine here. I went to ask about it. They say it¡¯s the best of its kind that¡¯s avable on the market. You¡¯ll be able to see the babies¡¯ faces and gender clearly. ¡°Olivia, do you want boys or girls? The likelihood of having twins of the same sex is rtively high.¡± Chapter 510 Chapter 510 The babies were having fun in Olivia¡¯s womb. She was only four months into the pregnancy, so the fetal movements weren¡¯t strong. Olivia could only vaguely feel them, unlike in theter stages of pregnancy when they would be more pronounced. Olivia touched her stomach gently, and the babies settled down. Recently, the babies had been very docile. Olivia had terrible morning sickness in the earlier stages of the pregnancy, but at the moment, she felt fine. It was probably because her babies were being considerate of her. Olivia smiled warmly when Mona mentioned her babies. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if they¡¯re boys or girls. I just want them to be healthy.¡± Mona rested her chin on her hand. ¡°That¡¯s true. I think I see it now. Health is the most important thing in life. It¡¯s more important than wealth or status.¡± Olivia sighed and said, ¡°After losing so much, I¡¯ve realized that all I want is to have my family healthy and by my side.¡± ¡°Look at you. You¡¯ve be more beautiful after your pregnancy. Your mental state is healthy too. No matter the gender, your babies both love you. Even I¡¯m getting envious.¡± Olivia joked, ¡°If you want kids of your own, I don¡¯t mind giving you time off so you can find someone. ¡°I don¡¯t want that. I like being single.¡± ¡°Really? Why did I hear you talk with a sickly, sweet tonest night? Your voice was so velvety when you were talking to your upperssman.¡± Mona blushed. ¡°Stop making fun of me, Olivia.¡± Olivia nudged her lightly and said, ¡°Seriously, tell me. Is that upperssman of yours someone you like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a secret admirer of his. We went to the same high school. He was a very outstanding person. He helped me a few times, and for that, I¡¯ll always be grateful. I worked hard to get into the same university as him. I wanted to confess to him after I got into university, but he went overseas as soon as I got in. ¡°But, he¡¯sing back next week to further his career.¡± Mona¡¯s eyes lit up when she talked about her upperssman. Olivia could see traces of her past self in Mona¡¯s cheerful expression. She used to be so optimistic about love. Her eyes would shine every time she talked about Ethan. Mona shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s always the love from the adolescent years that sticks with you. His gentle gaze, his sharp brows¡­ And the look he had when he ran around the field wearing his white shirt. ¡°I could never forget how he looked. And he¡¯s been on my mind since then. I can¡¯t even look at another man.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± Olivia could at least rte to her on this matter. ¡°You¡¯ve also secretly admired someone before, Olivia?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was just like you. I was head over heels for him.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Olivia chuckled lightly and said, ¡°He died. He died in my memories. Every time I think about him, I feel pain and regret.¡± Mona quickly realized who Olivia was talking about. ¡°Is that person¡­ Mr. Miller?¡± Mona had been with Olivia for almost half a year. She was curious about what had happened between Ethan and Olivia. But Olivia hated Ethan with every fiber of her being and didn¡¯t want to talk about their past. It was just like what Olivia was doing at the moment. Her smile would fade as soon as Ethan was brought up. Then, she would try and change the subject. ¡°Next week, you should go meet your upperssman at the airport when he returns.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that.¡± Mona declined without a second thought. ¡°I thought you haven¡¯t seen him in a long time. Don¡¯t you miss him?¡± Mona said sternly, ¡°You¡¯re more important than him! It¡¯s chicks before dicks. I said I¡¯ll be here with you until you go intobor. I won¡¯t give anyone else the chance to hurt you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just spection. We have no proof that someone is out to get me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to err on the side of caution. I don¡¯t want any idents happening. Some idents will scar you for life. Olivia, I promised I¡¯d take good care of you. My upperssman ising back for the long term. If we¡¯re meant to be, I¡¯ll see him again. But if we¡¯re not, then there¡¯s no point.¡± Olivia smiled in resignation and said, ¡°You seem to have it all figured out.¡± Mona stuck her nose up. ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Nothing is more important than your safety. I¡¯m still waiting for the babies to be born so I can be their godmother.¡± ¡°Alright, then I guess we have to inconvenience the babies¡¯ godmother for a while longer. We¡¯ll get to your love life a littleter.¡± ¡°Nothing is even happening yet. Stop making fun of me.¡± Olivia patted Mona on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re pretty and have a good personality. No one can resist ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Mona said softly. Her cheeks were blushing like the evening sun. Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Olivia was looking forward to the prenatal check-up tomorrow. She was anxious and concerned about this pregnancy. She could finally see how her babies were doing in her womb, so how could she not be excited? She walked to Jeff¡¯s room like she always did. He had been in aa for three months. It didn¡¯t look like he was going to regain consciousness. It was like he waspromising. His body stayed to apany her, but his spirit had wandered elsewhere. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Olivia could still feel the bond between them as long as he was still alive. And she wouldn¡¯t be an orphan. She cleaned Jeff¡¯s body and read a book out loud. Then, she began to talk to Jeff. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll know the babies¡¯ gender tomorrow. Please wake up. I want you to witness every moment of happiness with me. ¡°The babies will be born in a few months. I¡¯ve kept the toys you made with care. I¡¯m sure the kids will love them when I give them the toys.¡± She said many things and looked at the machine on the side. All the numbers were steady. It didn¡¯t seem like Jeff was going to wake up. Olivia sighed. She looked at Jeff, who was getting weaker by the day. She said guiltily, ¡°Dad, am I being too selfish for holding on to you? I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s nothing else I can hold on to. I just want to hold onto the family I have left. Dad, please wake up and look at me and the babies. Please.¡± As expected, there was no response. Olivia sighed and said, ¡°Dad, rest well. I¡¯lle again tomorrow. Olivia left the room with a heavy heart. Thisa was different from thest. Thest time he was in a coma, there was a high chance for him to regain consciousness after an operation. This time, the doctors had basically resigned Jeff to his fate after this period of observation. There was a 99% chance he wasn¡¯t waking up. The 1% was if a miracle happened. The doctors suggested that they should let Jeff pass peacefully. Keeping him alive would just be torturous for him. The rounds of resuscitation had taken a toll on his body. He was only hanging on to life with the help. of medication and medical equipment. Every day, Olivia would hope for a miracle, that she would open her eyes and see Jeff awake. The next day, Olivia started the routine prenatal check-up early in the morning. Shey on the bed and was visibly nervous. Dr. Wellsforted her. ¡°Rx, Mrs. Miller. There¡¯s no need to be nervous. You¡¯ll be able to see the babies soon.¡± There was a high-resolution disy in front of her. When the probe moved around her stomach, the screen would show what was happening in her womb. There were two colors, ck and yellow. The yellow parts were her babies. The nearly five-month- old babies had already developed facial features. The two children were very yful as the probe continued to follow them around. They kept trying to use their hands to cover their faces. Dr. Wells smiled and said, ¡°Look, the babies are very lively. Those are the legs, and these are the hands. This baby¡¯s face is covered up. Let¡¯s look at the other one.¡± The probe moved to the side, and Olivia saw a smiling face. This baby was very docile. It didn¡¯t cover its face, which was fully visible. Even the most advanced equipment couldn¡¯t get the image clearly. Only the outlines could be seen. It was like the baby sensed something as it kept smiling. The outline disyed on the monitor showed the edges of its lips curled into a smile. ¡°The baby looks healthy. This one looks a little like Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia wiped her tears away. She was very emotional. Her impression of a baby stopped at the tiny little body covered with a white cloth. She was beyond happy now that she was seeing the living babies in her womb. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the other rascal.¡± Chapter 512 Chapter 512 It took some effort before they could see the face of the other baby. This baby had softer features. Mrs. Miller, this baby looks like you. That¡¯s wonderful. You have a baby boy and a baby girl.¡± Olivia wiped her tears and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care about their gender, as long as they¡¯re healthy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the babies are developing normally. There are no issues. The babies have differing personalities. One is active and the other is more reserved. I¡¯ll send the video to your pher, so you can look at it whenever you want.¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Thanks, Dr. Wells.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m just doing my job. You don¡¯t have to worry, Mrs. Miller. You¡¯ll be able to meet your babies soon.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After going through all the check-ups, Olivia was finally able to rx. She even showed Mona the video that Dr. Wells sent her. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Mona loved the video a lot. ¡°These little angels are so adorable. I can¡¯t wait until they¡¯re born.¡± Olivia ran her hand over her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m also looking forward to their arrival. I have to tell my father about this.¡± Mona murmured, ¡°Alright, I guess I have to prepare some gifts for the baby.¡± Olivia¡¯s footsteps were light and joyful. She went to Jeff¡¯s room, saying, ¡°Dad, I have some good news. The babies are healthy. It¡¯s a boy and a girl. The baby girl is very yful, and the baby boy is reserved. The boy looks like Ethan, but his personality is different. He loves to smile. I think his smile is cute. ¡°Do you want to see them? You have to wake up soon. The kids would want to see their grandpa.¡± Jeff¡¯s finger moved. It was as if he was trying to respond to Olivia. Olivia saw that and quickly held his hand. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll wait for you. You have to wake up as soon as possible. We need to stick together. Me and the kids need you.¡± At night, Ethan also received the video of the babies. He was thrilled even if he could only see the outline of their faces. Ehtan erged the video and ran his finger over the screen repeatedly. He was looking forward to meeting the babies in a few more months. Someone knocked on the door. Ethan said coldly, ¡°Come in.¡± Brent was back with thetest news. He noticed the fleeting smile on Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°Was it good news from Mrs. Miller?¡± Brent knew that only Olivia would be able to bring a smile to Ethan¡¯s lips. ¡°Yeah. I saw the kids. It¡¯s a girl and a boy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, Mr. Miller. I bet these two babies will be able to help Mrs. Miller get over her trauma. ¡°How is the investigation going?¡± Ethan quickly got back to business. ¡°There¡¯s good news and bad news. Helen didn¡¯t take the death of Mr. and Mrs. Carlton very well. She vanished on the same night. She hasn¡¯t resurfaced in almost six months. I think she has left Aldenvine. The Toxic Hive bases in Aldenvine have also been moved. ¡°Ms. Miller ¡­ left with the others. The ck Ravens have yet to be seen. I¡¯m not sure if the mission has been canceled or if they¡¯re just hiding.¡± All leads had gone cold. Following the departure of Toxic Hive, a lot of the events from the past became shrouded in mystery, and the truth was also concealed. ¡°The good news is that our research team has already finished the tests for the M-1 drug you brought back. We¡¯re able to formte it ourselves now.¡± Ethan frowned. ¡°I remember the documents saying that this drug has side effects.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re unable to ovee this w yet. Toxic Hive hasn¡¯t been able to do it either. Also, it¡¯s a fact that no drug is perfect. Even cold medicine and antibioticse with some side effects.¡± Brent looked at Ethan¡¯s dissatisfied look and asked tentatively, ¡°Are you nning to use the drug, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°I was, but she left.¡± ¡± ¡°Are you talking about Ms. Miller? Mr. Miller, I think other than being rted to you, her actions were Brent paused, but Ethan finished his sentence, ¡°Horrendous, right?¡± ¡°Her actions are definitely reproachable. If she ever gets arrested, not even you can protect her, Mr. Miller. She¡¯s no longer just a civilian. Rather than keeping her close and have her be a nuisance. between you and Mrs. Miller, you should just forget about her and let her go her own way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Let me know if there¡¯s any news about her. Also, you need to look into Liv¡¯s origins.¡± ¡°Understood. But it¡¯s ancient history, after all. All the leads have gone cold. Investigating her origins will be hard. I might need more time.¡± Ethan lowered his head and looked at the video of the babies. Smiling, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. We¡¯ll be able to see the babies in a few months.¡± Chapter 513 Chapter 513 In the morning, Olivia woke up from a nightmare. She could still remember the details vividly. Her back was covered in sweat. Recently, she felt peaceful and hadn¡¯t had such a horrifying nightmare. She got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to shower. The babies in her stomach began to move around as water from the showerhead touched her swollen belly. The babies seemed to love showering. They would be especially active whenever Olivia showered. The water was warm, gently falling onto Olivia¡¯s stomach. Most pregnant women¡¯s skin would be rougher, and their facial hair would increase. But Olivia¡¯s skin remained smooth and wless, which meant she was charming even when pregnant. Olivia caressed her stomach to calm her children. Their existence brought hope into her life. She came out of the bathroom and was still slightly spooked. The room was utterly silent. She turned on her phone. Olivia had cut off her connection to the outside world for months. She had yet to catch up on thetest news. Strangely, there was no longer any information about Ethan and Marina. It was like it had been intentionally blocked. She hadn¡¯t seen Ethan in three months. She figured he was probably busy trying to be a good husbandExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. to Marina. Everly would always post some depressing text on Instagram at night. But she would still be busy as a bee at work the next day. Olivia thought she was doing pretty well. Her employer was very strict, but the pay was good. She also saw updates from other people she knew. There wasn¡¯t much change. Olivia noticed a link that someone had shared. It was a collector¡¯s auction. Olivia wasn¡¯t interested in such events but tapped into the link to see if there were any items from the Fordham residence. She managed to find the emerald pendants that Jeff was hung up on. They were the Fordham family¡¯s heirlooms. Olivia thought Jeff might regain consciousness if he held the emerald pendants in his hands since he sometimes moved his fingers when she talked. Olivia looked at when the auction would begin and asked one of her attendants to get an invitation for her. It was an anonymous auction. She figured she wouldn¡¯t attract any attention if she were careful not to show herself in public. Ethan heard about this, but he didn¡¯t try to stop Olivia. He had sent a lot of men to investigate in secret. Toxic Hive had left the city, and even the ck Ravens, which posed a threat to Olivia, were gone. Olivia wouldn¡¯t be in danger if she kept a low profile. But Ethan wanted to prevent idents from happening, so he still arranged some capable bodyguards for her. He just wanted to ensure Olivia¡¯s safety on this trip. In order to cater to Olivia¡¯s emotional needs during the pregnancy, Ethan would do his best to fulfill her needs. Mona jumped for joy when she heard that they could finally go out. ¡°We¡¯re finally allowed to go out! It¡¯s been a long timeing!¡± Olivia smiled and said, ¡°Look at the date.¡± ¡°It¡¯s 30th August. What about it?¡± Mona asked while blinking. Olivia flicked her forehead and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it the day your upperssman ising back? You should meet him at the airport. You don¡¯t have to worry about me while I¡¯m at the auction. There will be a lot of bodyguards keeping me safe.¡± ¡°Olivia, I told you that you don¡¯t have to do this. I still have plenty of chances¡­¡± Olivia ced a finger on Mona¡¯s lip and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that ever again. You might have plenty of chances in the future, but you never know what the future holds. Cherish the present. Do the things you want to do while you¡¯re still young so that you won¡¯t leave any regrets.¡± Mona understood what Olivia meant. ¡°Alright.¡± Mona quickly picked out a new change of clothes. ¡°Do I look good in this?¡± Olivia sighed inwardly when she looked at Mona, who was spinning in circles. She admired Mona¡¯s youthfulness. Olivia was a few years younger than Mona, but she had already lost the glimmer of joy in her eyes. She was all beaten and bruised. ¡°You look beautiful. He¡¯ll definitely be charmed by you,¡± Olivia said sincerely. Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Mona had been in high spirits for the past couple of days. She even started using facial masks, something which she had never done before. It was evident that the upperssman was very important to her. She was looking forward to the meeting more than anything. When the day arrived, her face lit up with joy, but she was also nervous. ¡°Does this dress look ugly on me, Olivia? He¡¯s returning from abroad. Will he think I¡¯m too unfashionable?¡± Olivia wanted to give Mona some of her clothes, but they were too expensive. She wanted Mona to show her most authentic self to her upperssman since she might want to date him. Olivia figured it was best not toplicate things with overly expensive clothes. ¡°Of course, he won¡¯t. If he likes you too, he¡¯ll think you¡¯re beautiful even if you¡¯re wearing rags. Don¡¯t worry. Just go see him at the airport, no pressure.¡± TI Mona looked at Olivia, who sat beside her. Olivia was wearing a simple white dress. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she wore no jewelry or makeup. But she looked like an elegant swan. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll need to learn from your example. I¡¯ll be calm. It¡¯s just a man.¡± Mona muttered to herself, but she suddenly became nervous again. ¡°But it¡¯s Warren Tovar! The man I¡¯ve secretly admired for so long. I can still remember the first time we met¡­¡¯ Mona cupped her cheeks with her hands as she began to fantasize about Warren. Olivia sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡± The whole time they were in the car, Mona talked about how great Warren was and how cool he was. Olivia felt like she had enough inspiration for an entire campus romance novel. Mona only stopped talking about Warren after they arrived at the basement parking lot of the Antique House. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need me with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. Just have fun on the date with your upperssman. Seize the chance. You can do it.¡± Olivia exited the car, gestured for Mona to try her best, and went on the elevator with her bodyguards. She stood in a corner of the elevator, and the four bodyguards stood before her. They surrounded her so tightly that no one could even see her. No one would know who she was. Olivia¡¯s seat was in a private room, where no one could see. She only needed to wait for the pendants to be auctioned. As soon as she sat down, the leader of the bodyguards, Cyril Pullman, knocked on the door and entered. He took away the snacks prepared in the room and reced them with those they brought from home. ¡°Mrs. Miller, eat these if you want.¡± Olivia nodded at him. She had seen Cyril around for half a year. He was like a shadow. He rarely showed himself, was silent, and paid attention to details. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mrs. Miller. I¡¯ll be outside the door. Call me if you need me.¡± Cyril was tall and muscr but closed the door lightly on the way out. He didn¡¯t make any unnecessary noises. Olivia nced at the people in the hall below with a bored expression while sipping on warm water. It was very lively today. There were all sorts of people in the building. Other than antiques, there were also some illegal items up for auction. These items weren¡¯t announced ahead of time, so they attracted a lot of collectors. Before the auction started, Olivia heard arguments from outside the door. ¡°My employer wants this room. Name a price. How much to let us have this room?¡± Cyril said in a deep voice, ¡°Sorry, we won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t? Why am I talking to apdog like you? Ask whoever is inside toe out here. Do you know who my employer is?¡± ¡°I said, we won¡¯t do it. It won¡¯t change no matter who your employer is.¡± After Cyril said that, the sound of a p could be heard. Then, a woman said, ¡°How about now? Scum! You guys, knock down that door. Don¡¯t waste any more time with these losers.¡± Chapter 515 Chapter 515 The door was opened before the men could kick it open. Olivia stood at the door. She saw that half of Cyril¡¯s face was red and swollen, and another bodyguard was rushing forward. Ethan¡¯s men were like him. They were cold, silent, and kept a low profile. They would never start anything, nor would they bully anyone. Their duty was to protect Olivia. So, they tried to be more tolerant because they didn¡¯t want to attract attention. Still, the other party didn¡¯t want to de-escte. They actually pped Cyril. Olivia saw an unfamiliar face. She didn¡¯t sound like she was a local. There were luxurious items hung all over her body. She looked like a walking product gallery. Before Olivia could speak, the woman sized her up, and her gaze focused on Olivia¡¯s stomach. ¡°And here I thought some big shot was in there. So, it¡¯s just a pregnantdy?¡± The woman grabbed a stack of cash from her expensive handbag and offered it to Olivia. ¡°I want this room. Clear out and let me have it.¡± There was around 30 thousand or 40 thousand dors in the stack. Olivia didn¡¯t look at the money. She said in a low tone, ¡°Apologize to him.¡± The womanughed and asked, ¡°Are my ears ying tricks on me? You want me to apologize to your lapdog? Do you know who I am? I¡­ ¡± The sound of a p could be heard. It was a very solid hit. The woman was shocked as she looked at Olivia in disbelief. She didn¡¯t expect a seemingly harmless pregnantdy to hit her so abruptly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in knowing who you are. But since you¡¯re unwilling to apologize, I have to teach you a lesson.¡± Olivia knew that Cyril wouldn¡¯ty a hand on a woman, so she did it for him. ¡°How dare you hit me? you preggo bitch! Even my parents never hit me. I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The woman rushed at Olivia with her arms iling. Cyril immediately stepped in.. The woman turned back to look at her bodyguards. ¡°Are all of you ying dead? Beat her up! My cousin will handle it even if she miscarries.¡± Olivia frowned as she wondered who the woman was. She was being too audacious in Aldenvine. She also wondered about the identity of the woman¡¯s cousin. The woman¡¯s cousin didn¡¯t show up, but Olivia¡¯s reinforcements did. Bodyguards in ck suits came running from the stairs and the elevator. They stood in a line before Olivia. The scene looked like it was straight out of a movie. The on-lookers were shocked by it. Cyril bowed slightly before Olivia and said, ¡°Sorry to have frightened you, Mrs. Miller. Leave the rest to us.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t worried. She knew that Ethan would be able to handle things in Aldenvine.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Just as she was about to close the door, she heard the woman yelling into her phone, ¡°A pregnantdy at the Antique House is bullying me. Come help me!¡± Olivia froze. She wanted to see who this arrogant woman¡¯s cousin was. The woman¡¯s cousin said something to her over the phone, and she looked overjoyed. ¡°You¡¯reing? Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± The woman became more smug after she hung up the phone. She put a hand on the door so that Olivia couldn¡¯t shut it. Then, she said arrogantly, ¡°My cousin is almost here. You¡¯ll be dead when he gets here.¡± The crowd of on-lookers grew in size. Some of them recognized the woman. ¡°I know who she is. She¡¯s the princess of the Olson family in Ordchester. Her name is Lydia Olson. She¡¯s used to having her way in Ordchester. Does she think she¡¯s in Ordchester now?¡± ¡°I know, right? How dare she be so high and mighty in another city? That other woman is Mr. Miller¡¯s darling too.¡± Olivia¡¯s identity had be public knowledge at Marina¡¯s wedding. All sorts of stories about Ethan¡¯s rtionship with Marina and Olivia began to spread around that time too. Ethan had to exercise his authority to ban all nonsense from the inte. The general public might not recognize Olivia, but the people who were at the auction were also at Marina¡¯s wedding. They couldn¡¯t possibly forget Olivia. Olivia didn¡¯t expect to go unnoticed during her few years as Mrs. Miller and gain recognition after she became ex-Mrs. Miller. Themotion was getting loud. The person in the room next to Olivia¡¯s was roused by the noise and came out to see what was happening. He stuck half his body out of the room and coughed with his hand covering his mouth. Olivia turned around to see a familiar face. It was Avery. Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Olivia met with Avery¡¯s gaze. She felt a surge of emotions, which boiled down to guilt. She had promised to donate her kidney. Avery was already on the operating table, anesthetized. But she was taken away by Ethan at thest second. She didn¡¯t even get to apologize to him. Her number was then changed after returning to Aldenvine. She was unable to contact Avery, so she still owed him an apology. She didn¡¯t expect to see him here. She thought he had returned to his country and wondered why he was back in Aldenvine. Olivia felt remorse, but Avery didn¡¯t have much of a reaction after he saw her. He nodded at her with a smile and greeted her. Lydia was still causing a scene, but she noticed that Olivia wasn¡¯t even looking at her but at a man. She became even angrier. ¡°Who are you looking at, you pregnant bitch? You can¡¯t even keep it in your pants when you¡¯re pregnant? Who are you flirting with?¡± ¡°Miss, you should watch your mouth,¡± Cyril reminded her expressionlessly. ¡°Watch my mouth? You should ask her to watch herself. Who knows whose baby she¡¯s carrying? But she¡¯s flirting with a man in public. She¡¯s probably the mistress of some old man, right?¡± Lydia didn¡¯t notice that the crowd was looking at her like she was an idiot. Then, a voice came from the crowd. ¡°Have you said enough?¡± Ethan had arrived, followed by Kelvin and Brent. Their presence shocked the crowd. They fell silent as they made way for Ethan andpany. Ethan¡¯s gaze fell on Olivia. Even though his people would send him photos of her every day, it had been three months since he saw her in person. Her temperament was gentler after she became a All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. mother. Ethan intentionally hid from Olivia during her first pregnancy, so he never noticed her change then. Now that he saw her with a swollen belly and her hair up, emotions surged within him. The girl who was full of smiles had be a woman. Olivia didn¡¯t speak, but Lydia approached Ethan with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Ethan! It¡¯s that pregnant woman. She¡¯s the one who bullied me because she has more people on her side. You have to teach her a lesson for me.¡± Everyone was shocked, even Olivia. No one knew he had a cousin like Lydia. Olivia had heard that Ethan¡¯s mother was mentally ill and had been staying overseas. She didn¡¯t even get to meet Ethan¡¯s mother when she got married to him. Olivia also heard that Ethan had some uncles and aunts, but most of them were overseas as well. Only one of his aunts was in Ordchester. Olivia didn¡¯t ask, and Ethan didn¡¯t exin, Olivia just realized that Ethan¡¯s aunt married into the Olson family. It was an exciting turn of events. Olivia raised an eyebrow to look at Ethan. ¡°So, you¡¯re the cousin she mentioned who can ignore the law and keep her from trouble even if she beats me until I miscarry?¡± Ethan¡¯s expression turned stormy when he heard that. He withdrew his hand from Lydia¡¯s arms and said, ¡°You wanted to hit her?¡± Lydia had been too carefree in Ordchester. She shrugged and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. She was being a bitch. She¡­¡± Ethan pped her in the face. The loud and crisp sound of the p attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Even Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. Ethan was a very chivalrous man. He would nevery a hand on a woman. But he just pped Lydia in front of so many people. Olivia pped Lydia¡¯s right cheek, and Ethan pped her left cheek. So, both her cheeks were swollen now. ¡°Ethan, you¡­¡± Ethan red at her icily and said, ¡°Apologize to your cousin-inw, now!¡± Lydia was dumbstruck. The crowd felt satisfied as they witnessed the turn of events. ¡°W-What did you say? This pregnant woman is¡­¡± Ethan said slowly, ¡°She¡¯s your cousin-inw. And I¡¯m the old man you said she was with.¡± Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Lydia was shocked. She didn¡¯t know that Ethan had married a woman like that. Her flight waste on the day of Ethan¡¯s wedding. She saw on the news that Ethan had eloped with another woman, but Olivia¡¯s picture wasn¡¯t provided. She thought it was too much of a coincidence. Her expression was one of fascination. She was still hung up on Olivia being her cousin-inw. Ethan looked at the crowd and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see here.¡± The crowd quickly dispersed after he said that. They didn¡¯t even dare to take another peek. The door was closed. Ethan wanted to settle this family dispute in private. Lydia had been pped twice, causing them to be red and swollen now. She still felt upset. ¡°Ethan, are you really married to this woman? What about Nikki? She has been waiting for you all along. She was already devastated when she heard you were marrying Marina. If¡­¡± Nikki? That was another woman that Olivia hadn¡¯t heard of. But she was no longer interested in Ethan¡¯s colorful past. Ethan cut Lydia off coldly and said, ¡°I told you to apologize to Liv.¡± Lydia had always been afraid of Ethan. But Ethan had always been good to his cousins, even though he was cold by nature. However, he had pped her for this woman¡¯s sake. She was upset, but she didn¡¯t dare to anger Ethan anymore. She said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia. I didn¡¯t know who you were just now. I apologize.¡± ¦° ¡°I ept your apology, and you don¡¯t have to think of me as your cousin-inw. Tyler and I have been divorced for a long time.¡± Olivia proceeded to ignore Lydia. She went to the side of the window. The auction was starting. Lydia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Ethan, you two are divorced? It¡¯s no wonder you never announced her to the public. I knew a woman like her wasn¡¯t good enough for you. Nikki is the best woman for you¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. One more word and I¡¯ll have you sent home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Ethan. I¡¯m here to auction for something. I¡¯ll shut up. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡± Ethan red at her and said, ¡°Stay put.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± The woman was so arrogant before, but now, she was like a docile little kitten before Ethan. Ethan went to sit next to Olivia. She turned her body to the side so that she wouldn¡¯t see him. Ethan was the one who began to feel uneasy. His rtionship with Olivia was weird now. They used to be so close, but they had be something like frenemies. They had drifted apart like strangers. The opening ceremony started, breaking the awkward tension between them. The items were being auctioned off one by one. Every single item made the crowd go wild. Olivia wasn¡¯t interested in antiques, but she kept hearing Lydia¡¯s exmations of surprise. Olivia started to feel drowsy as the auction went on. Ethan saw that she was tired, so he suggested, ¡°You should lie down for a while. I¡¯ll help you bid for the items you want.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Olivia said coldly. Lydia mmed her hand on the table and stood up. ¡°Why are you being so difficult? Ethan is talking to you so humbly. You should watch your attitude.¡±, ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Ethan, this woman is too domineering. She¡¯s nothingpared to Nikki. You¡¯re already divorced. You don¡¯t need to stand up for her. We don¡¯t even know whose baby she¡¯s carrying. ¡°Before you came, I saw her flirting with the man from the next room. If she could do that in broad daylight, who knows what she¡¯d do when no one¡¯s watching?¡± Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Olivia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. That was Ethan¡¯s only soft spot. She didn¡¯t forget how she managed to save the two kids back then. If Ethan ever lost control again, she didn¡¯t know what she would do. Ethan red at Lydia and said, ¡°Shut up.¡± Lydia grunted, adding, ¡°If you don¡¯t take my advice, you¡¯ll surely be fooled by this woman.¡± Lydia wasn¡¯t stupid. She didn¡¯t dare to agitate Ethan again. A new item was being auctioned. It was a rose diamond ne. It was designed by a master jeweler named Niko and part of a rose series. Therge screen disyed the shine and design details of the ne from every angle. Even Olivia, who had been dozing off, opened her eyes. Ethan rarely saw Olivia interested in any sort of jewelry. He quickly asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Olivia quickly ced a hand on his mouth and said, ¡°Shut up and listen to its introduction.¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. Lydia widened her eyes in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe how much Ethan loved his ex-wife. The auctioneer was talking about the ne¡¯s origins. Niko had spent a lot of time and effort designing it. It was made as a gift for his sister on her 18th birthday. It was part of a series that included a ne, a bracelet, and earrings. But the ne was the only part of the series left. The bracelet and earrings were missing. They would be worth more if the set wereplete. Olivia looked at the ne repeatedly. She knew she wasn¡¯t mistaken. She had seen the earrings before. The design was unique, and the diamonds were huge. She wouldn¡¯t forget ever seeing them. She had seen them on the corpse in the boat she was hiding in when Leia kidnapped her. The earrings were on the corpse¡¯s ears. Even though it had been half a year since the incident and Olivia had almost forgotten about it, the image of the gruesome corpse shed in her mind. Olivia started to gag. Covering her mouth, she went to the toilet. ¡°Liv!¡± Ethan quickly followed her. Olivia was only gagging. She didn¡¯t throw anything up. But she couldn¡¯t get the image of the corpse out of her mind. It was just a dead body that had nothing to do with her, but she felt uneasy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you need a doctor?¡± Ethan asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Do you know who Niko is?¡± Olivia asked Ethan. ¡°That genius designer?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him. Do you want to buy his designs?¡± ¡°No, I ¡­¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know if she should tell Ethan, but the earrings on the corpse shed in her mind again. ¡°Help me look into him. I might know something.¡± If that corpse was really Niko¡¯s sister, she felt like she needed to tell him. Maybe he was still searching high and low for his sister. Ethan thought it was weird, but he had someone look into it as per Olivia¡¯s demands. Olivia went back to her seat and saw Lydia bidding for the ne. Many people were after the ne, making thepetition intense. Lydia looked toward Ethan helplessly. ¡°Ethan, please help me out.¡± Ethan ignored herpletely. He patted Olivia on the back and poured hot water for her. Lydia was at a loss for words. She promptly went back to bidding for the ne. The price had been driven up to 20 million dors. For a diamond ne, that price was almost as high as it could get. But suddenly, the person in the room next door put in a bid for 50 million dors. Lydiained, ¡°Is that person stupid? Why would he raise the price by so much? Why would he raise the price by 30 million for a ne?¡± Olivia knew that the man next door was Avery. She wondered if he hade back to Aldenvine to look for his sister. Would the ne be rted to his sister somehow? Ethan took a call and turned to tell Olivia, ¡°Liv, I have information on Niko. He¡¯s Avery¡¯s brother, Troy Fordham.¡± Olivia was drinking some warm water. When she heard what Ethan said, the ss fell to the floor. The next second, she had already gotten up and was running toward the door. Chapter 519 Chapter 519 ¡°Where are you going, Liv?¡± Ethan quickly chased after her. Lydia rolled her eyes and eximed, ¡°Is this woman crazy?¡± Olivia ran to the room next door. ¡°I want to see Mr. Fordham.¡± Bryce knew who Olivia was, so he opened the door without resistance. Olivia quickly ran into the room. Avery was sitting on the couch with a calm expression. He heard the door open and saw Oliviaing 1. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Olivia.¡± Olivia jumped right into business. She asked, ¡°Mr. Fordham, does that ne belong to your sister? Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Yes, I came here because I heard that something that belonged to her was going to be auctioned. I wanted to see if it would help me find her. Even if it wouldn¡¯t, I didn¡¯t want her birthday gift to be in another person¡¯s hands.¡± Olivia¡¯s suspicions had been confirmed. Her deduction was correct. The corpse was Avery¡¯s long-lost sister. Olivia looked at Avery¡¯s sickly face. She didn¡¯t know how to break such cruel news to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Olivia? Do you have anything you want to tell me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the owner of the rose diamond earrings before,¡± Olivia said slowly. Avery¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°When? Where?¡± ¡°Liv, you¡¯re pregnant. You shouldn¡¯t be walking so fast.¡± Ethan¡¯s cold voice interrupted their conversation. He put his arm around Olivia possessively and stared daggers at Avery. He misunderstood Olivia once because of this man. Seeing him reminded Ethan of his mistake. It was the first time Ethan came face-to-face with Avery. He reached out politely and said, ¡°Nice to see you again, Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Ourst meeting was too rushed, and I didn¡¯t get a chance to talk to you. What about we get dinner together, to thank you for helping my wife out? It¡¯ll be my treat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Miller. I¡¯m just in town for some personal matters.¡± Avery could clearly feel Ethan¡¯s hostility against him. He didn¡¯t want to take it to heart. He turned to look at Olivia and said, ¡°I need to talk about something private with Olivia. Do you mind? Ethan tightened his hand around Olivia¡¯s waist, saying slowly, ¡°I do mind.¡± His refusal was direct. He didn¡¯t even try to be polite. ¡°Liv is pregnant. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to be of much help. If you have any problems, I¡¯ll be happy to help.¡± Ethan pretended to be close to Olivia. He didn¡¯t want to give anyone else a chance to get close to her. Olivia didn¡¯t want to put up with his games. She said, ¡°Ethan, I have something important to talk to Mr. Avery about. You¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s expression fell. ¡°I¡¯m curious. What do you have to talk to him about that I can¡¯t know of?¡± Olivia could sense the animosity seeping from Ethan. She sighed, not wanting to get into another fight with Ethan. ¡°Okay, you can listen in, but don¡¯t butt in. What I¡¯m about to say is important.¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. Avery gestured for both of them to sit before ignoring Ethan¡¯s presencepletely. ¡°Olivia, please let me know where you saw my sister.¡± Olivia took a deep breath and said, ¡°Mr. Avery, what I¡¯m about to say might not be good news. You need to brace yourself.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Half a year ago, I found a washed up boat when I was escaping from my enemies. I dove into the water and found¡­ a dead body in the water. That body had these earrings on.¡± Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Avery¡¯s hands started to shake when Olivia mentioned a dead body. Hisplexion was already bad, but his face became deathly pale. ¡°Could you be mistaken?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The earrings were huge and very pretty. She was wearing designer clothes. Oh, wore a really expensive-looking sapphire ring.¡± Olivia saw that Avery¡¯s expression was worsening. Sheforted him, saying, ¡°Mr. Avery, maybe someone took your sister¡¯s jewelry. It might not be as bad as we think it is.¡± Avery lowered his head to look at his phone. He didn¡¯t hear what Olivia said. Olivia saw that Avery¡¯s fingers were shaking. He was scrolling frantically on his phone before stopping at a picture. ¡°Is this the ring you saw?¡± The ring in the picture was clearer. The sapphire was clear and exquisite. she ¡°This is the one. When I saw the body, it had already been in the water for some time. I couldn¡¯t tell what she used to look like. I felt terrible for her and wanted to inform the authorities when I got out of danger, but things happened, and I wasn¡¯t able to do that.. ¡°I only remembered this after I saw the rose diamond ne.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the address?¡± Avery¡¯s voice was trembling. He wanted an answer desperately. ¡°The abandoned industrial areas.¡± Ethan looked straight at Olivia. He knew it had happened when Leia kidnapped her. He didn¡¯t realize she had gone through so much. He knew she must¡¯ve been scared to be so close to a dead body. Olivia looked at Ethan and said, ¡°I¡¯m indebted to Mr. Avery. This is your city. Help him out.¡± Ethan saw that there was nothing between Olivia and Avery, so he didn¡¯t act petty and jealous. He agreed, ¡°Alright, leave it to me. I¡¯ll get someone on it right away.¡¯ The auction for the emerald pendants had just started. As soon as Olivia made a bid, everyone looked Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. toward her room. The people present knew that Olivia was a powerful person due to themotion that happened in front of her room just now. So, no one ced a bid after Olivia. She was able to get the pendants back rtively easily. She had seen these pendants when she was a kid. But she had no idea what they were for. She only started to grow sentimental about these items after she grew up. The pendants were important not just because they were expensive but also because they held a lot of memories. Olivia put the pendants away carefully. Ethan had also prepared the helicopter. He turned to look at Olivia and said, ¡°You should go back and get some rest.¡± Olivia wouldn¡¯t have cared about the body of a stranger. For some reason, when she thought about the dead body on the boat, she felt a different emotion. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look. The helicopter is fast; it won¡¯t take long.¡± On the helicopter, Ethan asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you saw a dead body?¡± Olivia fell silent for a while before sneering, ¡°Nothing would¡¯ve changed even if I had told you. Would you have avenged me against your sister? Do you think this is all she has done to me? ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell you that she¡¯s the one who leaked my location to Mr. Carlton. She also tried to inject poison into me that night by impersonating a doctor. If she hadn¡¯t gotten news of you finding Toxic Hive¡¯s base, I would¡¯ve been dead.¡±¡± Olivia said everything in a calm tone, but Ethan¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Olivia looked at the hand she couldn¡¯t even feel and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. You made a choice. When you chose her, that was the end of us. Ethan, I have no choice but to live under your protection now. But I¡¯m doing this for the babies. It¡¯s not what I want to do.¡± Raising her head, she looked Ethan in the eye. Her expression was stern. ¡°I hate Leia, but I hate you more. If I ever get the chance, I¡¯ll inflict the pain I felt back to you several times over.¡± Chapter 521 Chapter 521 The helicopternded on the spacious tform. When Olivia stepped out of the aircraft, she could feel a heatwave from all directions. Ethan held her hand carefully and said, ¡°It¡¯s hot outside. You should wait for me in the helicopter.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Olivia was determined to get off the helicopter. Avery had also gathered a lot of men. He tried to suppress the fear in his heart as he asked, ¡°Olivia, where did you see the body?¡± Olivia found the boat she got on when she fell into the ocean from memory. ¡°It¡¯s that one. The body was still there then. But it¡¯s been six months. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Avery was already running toward the boat. He disregarded Bryce¡¯s words. ¡°Be careful, Mr. Avery. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re not in good health.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Avery didn¡¯t listen. He had been looking for his sister for so long. Now that he had a lead, it was about her death. Avery, who was usually calm, felt like his legs were about to give way. His mind was in disarray. But still, he moved forward. The wind was howling in his ears as he climbed up the boat. The bodyguards got up to the boat before him. Everyone had their shlights on as they entered the cabin. Before long, they could smell the pungent scent in the air. The wood had been soaked in water for a long time. It became moldy and smelly. There was also the smell of rotting meat. Bryce said, ¡°Mr. Avery, the smell is putrid. Maybe you should wait outside.¡± Avery ignored him. He turned on his shlight and walked faster. His heart was beating erratically, and his forehead was covered in sweat. A loud voice came from inside the boat. ¡°We found it. Over here.¡± Avery¡¯s knees gave out. He almost fell to the ground, but Bryce was able to catch him in time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Avery. Even if there is a body, it might not be Ms. Fordham. Her ne was gone, so maybe the earrings and ring were also bought by someone else.¡± Avery wanted to say, ¡°I hope so¡±, but no words came out. He trembled as he ran toward where the voice came from. The closer he got, the more unpleasant the smell became. He finally saw the body under the light of several shlights. After six months of decay, the body had been reduced to a partial skeleton, and some clothes were scattered on the ground. The diamonds were shining under the glow of the shlights. ¡°Mr. Avery, it¡¯s indeed the rose diamond earrings.¡± One of the men wrapped the jewelry in tissue and picked it up. There were the earrings and the sapphire ring. Avery took a look at them. It was precisely as Olivia described. He should feel lucky that this area had been abandoned, which was why the scene could be preserved. Although he had found the jewelry, he still couldn¡¯t prove that the body was his sister. Avery steadied himself and said with great strain, ¡°Secure the scene. If this is the primary crime scene, there will be more clues.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Avery. About that body¡­¡±. ¡°Bring it back. Let forensics examine it carefully. I want to do a DNA test.¡± Avery hobbled off the boat. His mind was wandering, and his eyes were out of focus. Olivia saw the body being wrapped in white sheets. She knew that the body had been found. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Avery?¡± Avery came back to his senses and looked at Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m afraid I need to ask for your assistance.¡± Ethan looked at Olivia, and he didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Tell me what you need.¡± Chapter 522 Chapter 522 The Fordham Family was internationally renowned. But it was still harder for Avery to get things done outside his country. Ethan still had more essible resources in Aldenvine. Ethan quickly mobilized some people to perform tests on the body. Avery didn¡¯t move at all as his gaze drifted into the distance. Olivia brought him a ss of lemonade and said gently, ¡°The results will be out soon, Mr. Avery. You don¡¯t have to worry. ¡°It might not be what we thought it was. Have some water.¡± Avery came back to his senses. He hoarsely said, ¡°Can you tell me how you saw her?¡± Olivia recounted the story of how she escaped to the boat. She talked about hiding in the same pool of dirty water as the body. She even mentioned seeing the fish swimming from the body¡¯s eye socket. The expressions of both Ethan and Avery turned serious. Ethan had known about her escape, but he didn¡¯t know how hard it was. Avery¡¯s eyes became bloodshot. He clutched his knees with his hands. The fabric of the pants was scrunched up. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Mr. Avery. The results are not out yet. You¡¯re ill, and you shouldn¡¯t be overly emotional. Avery shook his head and said, ¡°Olivia, I have a bad feeling about this. The body might be Quinn¡¯s.¡± Olivia had just gone through the whole incident with Jeff. She understood the pain of losing a family member. She tried her best tofort Avery. Before she could speak, Avery interrupted her, ¡°Six months ago, me and my brothers would have this dream pretty frequently. In the dream, Quinn was crying for help in the water. ¡°She wanted us to help her. We thought it was a coincidence. But we were also afraid that something might have happened to her. So we started to look for her. ¡°We searched for Quinn for six months, but we couldn¡¯t find her. The bastard also went missing. But the dream about Quinn never stopped. ¡°She was always clutching her chest with dirty water all over her body. You mentioned that a gunshot wound killed the body, right?¡± A chill went down Olivia¡¯s spine when she heard that. She nodded with a nk expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the gunshot wound was the killing blow, but when I saw her, she seemed to have died for a week to half a month. ¡°The gunshot wound was very apparent on her chest. I can be sure she was shot when she was alive.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Avery clenched his fists. He knew in his heart what the results were. Although Quinn lived avish life, she was still a good kid. If she just ran away from home, it would be unfeasible that she never called home for so long and let her family know she was safe.¡± Recently, everyone in the family was worried out of their minds about Quinn. They asked everywhere for Quinn¡¯s whereabouts. There were some elderly in the family. Quinn wouldn¡¯t want them to worry. Since she didn¡¯t call home, something probably happened to her. Ethan wasn¡¯t interested in the affairs of another family. He pulled Olivia to a seat and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll bring you home.¡± ¡°No need. The results will be out soon.¡± Olivia was praying for Avery inwardly. She didn¡¯t want the body to be Quinn¡¯s corpse. Olivia inhaled sharply, suddenly frowned, and expressed mild surprise. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just felt some pain in my stomach.¡± ¡°See, even the kids are asking you to sleep.¡± Olivia knew that a pregnant woman shouldn¡¯t always be nervous. She was almost five months pregnant. Fetal movements would be more frequent. But it was like Olivia¡¯s babies didn¡¯t want to hurt her. They never made huge movements. That kick just now was pretty rough. Olivia sat down and sipped on the water Ethan handed to her. She turned and saw Ethan staring at her stomach. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± A sh of uneasiness appeared on Ethan¡¯s face. He said in a softer voice, ¡°Can¡­ I touch them?¡± Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Olivia remembered when she felt the baby¡¯s movements during her first pregnancy. She was as happy as a child, and she eagerly shared her joy with Ethan. That day, she sent many voice messages and videos to him, but she didn¡¯t receive any reply. When he finally returned at night, she happily went up to him and told him, ¡°Ethan, the baby moved. It¡¯s real. I felt the baby moving. Come on, try touching it.¡± She was only three months pregnant back then, and her tummy wasn¡¯t protruding too much. Ethan only nced coldly at her before leaving. She felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped onto her, and the coldness seeped into her heart. At that moment, she finally realized that not everyone was as enthusiastic as her. Later, the child grew bigger, and their movements became more obvious. But she never told Ethan about it again. Back then, Ethan would either spend almost the entire day outside or be away for extended periods. He didn¡¯t notice the changes in her body at all. In the few months she was pregnant, Ethan never once touched her belly. But today, he had carefully voiced his request. There was even a pleading look in his eyes. Olivia opened her mouth to decline when a knock came from the door. Avery and Olivia immediately looked at the entrance. Bryce and Brent came in one after the other. Bryce was holding a paper bag in his hands. He said with a grave expression, ¡°Mr. Avery. The forensic expert is still in the middle of the autopsy. ¡°The DNA test results were released early, and I was there throughout the whole test. There is nothing wrong with this report. Avery slowly took the paper bag. His fingers were visibly shaking as he opened the bag. In the silent room, Olivia even held her breath. She subconsciously gripped her skirt. She had no idea why she was so nervous. She wasn¡¯t part of their family, anyway. A momentter, Avery¡¯s uneasy-looking face turned pale. Before Olivia could ask about the results, his body copsed right away. ¡°Mr. Avery!¡± Bryce scrambled to support Avery as the report scattered on the floor. Olivia lowered her head, noticing the results of the test. As expected, the corpse was his sister. She had nothing to do with them, but Olivia still felt a deep sorrow inside her. She took a few steps backward. Ethan hastily supported her waist. When he lowered his head to look, he saw that Olivia¡¯s face was pale. She looked scary. Ethan carried her in his arms. ¡°I told you not to get involved in this. Look how terrible your facial expression is! It¡¯s gettingte, so you should rest.¡± Like a doll, Olivia was carried in Ethan¡¯s arms as they went home. The sound of waves crashing on the reefs could be heard in the silent night. Olivia moved her gaze. Holding down Ethan¡¯s hand, she spoke with a trace of regret on her face. ¡°Say, if I were kidnapped a little earlier, I might have been able to save her. She wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What nonsense are you saying? You couldn¡¯t even protect yourself back then, much less save others. Liv, stop thinking about it. This has nothing to do with you in the first ce. Everyone has their fate.¡± Olivia gestured as she spoke. ¡°But she wasn¡¯t that much older than me. She was so young and pretty. She also came from a good family. Why couldn¡¯t fate have mercy on her? ¡°Mr. Avery said that she was very particr about her looks. She would be so sad if she knew what happened after she died! ¡°Her body ended up bloated in the water, and fish even nibbled at her flesh. ¡°She must have felt so much regret before she died. When she thought of her family, whom she didn¡¯t get to say goodbye to, she must have felt so much despair!¡± As Olivia spoke, she couldn¡¯t control her emotions, and tears rolled down her cheeks. When Ethan noticed that she had lost control of her emotions, he held her tightly. Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Ethan especially asked a doctor about it. He learned that pregnant women would have very unstable moods during their pregnancy. He knew that Olivia held grudges against him. So, he refrained from appearing in front of her for months. He did it so that she could take good care of her pregnancy. The female corpse incident today had struck a fragile chord in Olivia¡¯s heart. Her tears refused to stop falling. The babies in her tummy seemed to have sensed her sorrow, for they began to move around in her tummy. Olivia hastily stopped sobbing. Ethan wiped her tears with a hot towel, speaking in a gentle voice. ¡® They¡¯re strangers in the first ce, and they don¡¯t have anything to do with you. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sad. If she knows about it, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll thank you. ¡°You were the one who brought her away from that ce so that she could reunite with her family.¡± Sniffling, Olivia said sullenly, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we have the samest names. When I learned that she¡¯s Mr. Avery¡¯s sister, I felt like it was my rtive who had passed away.¡± Olivia also found her words weird. She shook her head helplessly. ¡°I was just too sensitive. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll take good care of myself.¡± She looked at Ethan with her moist eyes. ¡°Some time ago, Mr. Avery did indeed help me with some matters. ¡°He¡¯s older than me, and he¡¯s like an older brother to me. I don¡¯t have any disgraceful connections with him.¡± Ethan pursed his thin lips, staring at her with a serious gaze. ¡°I know.¡± By the looks of it, Olivia was still haunted by his previous misunderstanding of the two having a child. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte now. You should rest. || With that, he turned around and left the room. The chrysanthemums and bougainvilleas were blooming beautifully in the yard. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ethan smoked cigarette after cigarette. There was a troubled look on his handsome face. Now, he was careful like Olivia used to be in the past. He was afraid of losing her. He wanted to get close to her, but he feared that he would hurt her again. He could only maintain a distance from her, protecting her from far away. Standing before the window, Olivia looked at the deste figure. She didn¡¯t say a word. [1 She knew that regardless of Marina¡¯s existence, she and Ethan could no longer return to who they once were. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the female corpse would surface in her mind. Olivia felt like there was something heavy weighing in her heart. She couldn¡¯t calm down no matter what. Ethan sat in the yard for a long time. When he finally came to his senses, he called Brent. ¡°Look into the Fordham family.¡± ¡°Which Fordham family?¡± ¡°The one in Brighton. See if they have ever lost a child.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was gettingte at night. After Olivia went to sleep, Ethan tiptoed into the room. As he gazed at the woman sleeping on the bed, his heavy heart gradually calmed down. There still weren¡¯t any clues about Olivia¡¯s background. But she felt a strange sense of familiarity with Avery. She didn¡¯t look like Avery at all, but Ethan still wanted to look into it. He looked at her in earnest. Suddenly, he saw something move under the bulge of the silk nket. Ethan was surprised and delighted. He wondered if it was the babies moving. The quilt was very thin, and it clung tightly to Olivia¡¯s body. After making sure that Olivia was fast asleep, Ethan ced his hand on the bulge. He felt like he was a thief. He wondered if the two little kids were fighting inside. They were kicking around quite a lot. Usually, Olivia would¡¯ve woken up. But perhaps because she was too tired today, she remained sleeping. Ethan grew bolder as he reached in and ced his hand against her silk nightgown. The fabric was very thin so that he could sense the children¡¯s movements. The children were already this lively at five months. Ethan wondered if Olivia could endure it in her third trimester. Perhaps because they had sensed his presence, the yful children slowly stopped moving. The kicking in the tummy gradually calmed down like the sea. Ethan was about to retract his hands. But the sleeping woman had opened her eyes before he realized 1. She looked at him as if she was guarding against a thief. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chapter 525 Chapter 525 As soon as Olivia woke up, her first reaction was to quickly back away. She even covered her tummy with her left hand. Ethan saw how wary she was of him. He felt his heart shattering into a million pieces. ¡°Calm down. I only wanted to touch the children.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t believe it. She spoke viciously, behaving like a hen protecting her chicks. ¡°Get out. ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t get so worked up, Liv. I¡¯m leaving right now.¡± Olivia hissed. Then, she frowned a little. Ethan paused halfway through his way out. Then, he hurried up to her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are the children kicking again? I felt them moving a lot just now.¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Olivia put a hand to her tummy. Ethan was startled by the sudden urrence. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll get a doctor here to examine you right away.¡± Fortunately, they had the equipment necessary for examinations. The medical team immediately started examining Olivia. Olivia gripped Ethan¡¯s hand. Beads of sweat covered her forehead. She recalled that day more than a year ago when she lost her child to premature birth. She trembled uncontrobly, calling out Ethan¡¯s name. ¡°Ethan, the children. You have to save our children.¡± ¡°Calm down, Liv. I don¡¯t see any blood, so they should be fine.¡± No matter how Ethanforted her, Olivia¡¯s mind was stuck in extreme fear. After the examination, Cody finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs. Miller. There is nothing wrong with the children so far. From their heart rates, we can see that the children are a little more active. ¡°It¡¯s most probably because of your emotions. Were you startled today?¡± Ethan supported Olivia, wiping away the sweat on her forehead with a towel. In his arms, Olivia¡¯s body rxed when she heard that it wasn¡¯t anything serious. ¡°Yes, something did happen. Are the children alright?¡±. ¡°For now, yes. Pardon me for saying this, Mrs. Miller. You¡¯ve indeed made it past the first three months. ¡°But you should still be careful throughout your pregnancy. Every move you make will affect the children. ¡°So, please try to avoid strong emotions. It might negatively affect the children¡¯s development.¡± Olivia nodded, feeling a trace of lingering fear. ¡°Got it, Dr. Wells. Sorry for the trouble sote in the night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is my duty. Take a breath and have a good rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Knowing that the children were fine, Olivia rxed. Ethan carried her back into the room. He sat by the bed, looking tenderly down at her. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be scared about.¡± Olivia looked away stubbornly. But as soon as she closed her eyes, she would remember the dream she had just now. She was standing by the water when she heard an unfamiliar woman¡¯s voice calling out to her. ¡°Sia, Sia.¡± When she turned around, she saw a skeleton instead. It was the corpse that was carried out of the broken boat. Olivia jolted away. She looked at Ethan, still feeling cold all over her body. She wondered if she was too concerned about this, which caused her to dream of the corpse. Seeing how stubborn she was, Ethan sighed helplessly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll be keeping watch over you outside. Have a good rest, even if it¡¯s only for the children.¡± He didn¡¯t dare to affect Olivia¡¯s emotions too much. After speaking a few words offort, he left. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Cody stood upright in the yard. She must have been waiting there for a while. When she saw Ethaning out, she stepped aside respectfully. She said in a small voice, ¡°Mr. Miller, I couldn¡¯t say much just now with Mrs. Miller around. I would like to talk with you. It¡¯s about her.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Chapter 526 Chapter 526 They moved to a safe ce. After making sure that Olivia wouldn¡¯t hear them, Ethan began talking. ¡°Is there something wrong with the children?¡± He had taken out a cigarette, but he didn¡¯t light it. There was a gloomy expression on his face. ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. The children are safe. I just wanted to remind you that Mrs. Miller has a record of heavy bleeding. ¡°Also, her uterine lining is rtively thin, so she is prone to miscarriages.¡± Seeing that Ethan hadn¡¯t said anything, the doctor continued. ¡°Pregnant women¡¯s emotions are very important as well. Mr. Miller, make sure to take good care of Mrs. Miller. ¡°Avoid stimting her during her pregnancy. If not, when her body gets stressed, it might harm the pregnancy. If that happens, then Mrs. Miller ¡­¡± Cody nced at Ethan carefully. The cigarette in Ethan¡¯s hand was already bent out of shape. He said in a low voice, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller is pregnant with twins. So, her pregnancy will be much more difficultpared to that of a normal pregnant woman. Miscarriages will also cause her great damage. ¡°In serious cases, it might even threaten her life.¡± Ethan replied, ¡°I know. I¡¯m counting on your team to look after her body while she¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. We¡¯ll keep watch over Mrs. Miller and make sure she gives birth to the children in one piece.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± After Cody left, Ethan sat on the stone steps, gazing into the distance. The doctor¡¯s intention was simple. Olivia was like a fragile doll right now. She would break into pieces as soon as anything happened. There were only a few months left. He had to be vignt and prevent anything from happening again. The dawn broke when he received news from Brent. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m done with the matter you wanted me to investigate.¡± Brent handed him a stack of documents. They were the overviews of the children in the Fordham family. ¡°Mr. Fordham Senior and Madam Fordham get along well together. ¡°They have six children in total, four males and two females. The corpse was the fifth child, and there was a sixth child after her. ¡°The second child¡¯s family had two children in total. The third child¡¯s family isn¡¯t big, either. ¡°I¡¯ve asked someone to investigate in detail. There was never a missing or dead child in the Fordhams. Ethan rubbed between his eyebrows, fatigued. ¡°I was probably overthinking it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty, Mr. Miller. It has been 20 years, after all. ¡°Also, if someone had done it on purpose and destroyed the evidence, it¡¯s normal not to figure it out right away.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ethan looked up, asking, ¡°How¡¯s Jeff doing?¡± Brent shook his head. ¡°Not good, to be honest. The incident before had shocked him terribly, and his desire to survive wasn¡¯t as strong as before. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Now, the medical team is using various equipment and drugs to keep him alive. ¡°Mrs. Miller is the only fixation he has left. If he lets go of that, no miracle can save him anymore.¡± Ethan ordered, ¡°Tell them to do everything they can to keep Jeff alive.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯re keeping it a secret from Mrs. Miller, but she still has a few months to go before she gives birth. Mr. Fordham may not hold out that long. ¡°Force him to stay alive. Liv¡¯s physical condition is too weak. So, she¡¯s very prone to miscarriages, especially in the third trimester. If any idents happen, she will be in danger.¡± Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated. ncing at the iing call notice, he answered it in annoyance. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ethan, where are you? You left so suddenly yesterday, and you just ignored me. Are you with that woman again? I told you, she¡¯s not worthy of you. You-¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve had enough of ying around, I¡¯ll get someone to send you home.¡± ¡°No way, Ethan. I want you to send me back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy. Also, I¡¯m saying this onest time. It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m divorced or not. She is still your cousin-inw. If you don¡¯t respect her, you¡¯re disrespecting me. With that, Ethan hung up. He looked at Brent. ¡°If she asks you about Liv¡¯s whereabouts, keep your lips sealed.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Chapter 527 Chapter 527 By the time Olivia woke up, Ethan had already left the vi. She noticed that there were more bodyguards now. She tried to ask someone to get the car, for she had to check in on Avery. Cyril hastily said, ¡°Mr. Miller has left orders that you shouldn¡¯t leave the vi until the day you give birth, Mrs. Miller..¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Miller is doing this for your safety. If you have any questions, you can ask him about it.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia recalledst night when the two babies were extremely active. She was startled by it, and she thought that something terrible happened to them. Ethan did this for her sake, so Olivia didn¡¯t have anyints about this turn of events. She returned to her room while supporting her protruding belly. She had just arrived in her room when she received Ethan¡¯s call. Olivia answered it. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°The autopsy results are out. This morning, Avery brought the remains back to his home country for the funeral. ¡°I had men escort him to the airport, so you don¡¯t have to worry about him. ¡°Before he left, he also told me to ry his thanks to you. You¡¯ve helped him a lot.¡± Before Olivia said anything, Ethan had already guessed what she was thinking. ¡°So the results are ¡­¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve said, the gunshot at her chest was fatal. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t experience any other suffering before she died. ¡°She died in one shot. So, this incident ends here. ¡°Liv, from today onward, don¡¯t trouble yourself over anything anymore. You must care for your body and await the day you give birth.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bother you during this period either.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t hear anything, so he thought that Olivia would end the call right away. He patiently waited for Olivia to hang up first. Before the call ended, he heard a small voiceing from the other end of the line. ¡°Thank you, Ethan.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even realize that he was smiling ear to ear. Olivia sighed in relief. She had finally paid Avery back for his kindness. If not, the Fordhams would still be searching everywhere. ¡°Olivia, are you feeling better today? Does your stomach still hurt?¡± Mona¡¯s voice rang in her ears. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now. What about you? How was your meeting with your upperssman yesterday?¡± At the mention of the upperssman, Mona blushed as she nodded at Olivia sheepishly. ¡°He¡¯s still very handsome. He¡¯s so charming.¡± ¡°Look how infatuated you are! Didn¡¯t you two advance further than that?¡± Olivia asked, eager for gossip. Mona waved her hands. ¡°Of course not. I was just there to pick him up. I didn¡¯t even dare ept the present he gave me. ¡°He offered to send me home, but I feared I might give away the location, so I declined.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°You did the right thing. You shouldn¡¯t ept anything from men before confirming your rtionship.¡± ¡°I think the same.¡± Mona sat on the swing, her legs dangling in the air. She swung in the air like a child. ¡°But after so many years of not seeing each other, I feel like he has changed into another person.¡± ¡°Oh? Were your illusions shattered?¡± ¡°Not really. I think that he has gotten even more mature now. But I¡¯m still as innocent as ever, can see a little generation gap there.¡± so I Olivia chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s only three years older than you, so it¡¯s not a generation gap at all. Also, a bad thing for men to be mature. He¡¯ll learn how to take better care of others. it¡¯s not ¡°It¡¯s okay as long as he has no problems with his character.¡± Mona replied, ¡°He¡¯s a sincere man. Even steel would bend, but he wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s the best man I¡¯ve ever met in this world.¡± ¡°Then try to talk more to him.¡± Olivia encouraged her. ¡°You can slowly get to know him.¡± After all, they already had technology experts set things up for them. It didn¡¯t matter if they chatted online or shared their location. Their IP address would be constantly changing. Those were all fake addresses, so no one would be able to find them. Mona blushed as she smiled. ¡°Thank you, Olivia.¡± ¡°I hope you win his heart soon.¡± With that, Olivia got up and went back to Jeff¡¯s room. She ced the pendants she got in the auction yesterday into his hand. ¡°Dad, look. I brought the pendants back. In the future, the children will get one each, and they will pass it down to the next generation. You don¡¯t have to worry anymore. As soon as she said that, she noticed Jeff¡¯s steady heart rate decreasing rapidly. ¡°Doctor!¡± Olivia shouted. Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Soon, the whole medical team arrived. ¡°Mrs. Miller, we¡¯ll proceed with the emergency treatment right now. Please leave for now.¡± Mona hastily took the stunned Olivia out of the room. Looking at Olivia, who had a terrible look on her face, Mona was anxious as well. ¡°Mrs. Miller, don¡¯t worry. Mr. Fordham will be fine. Please take care of the babies in your tummy.¡± Olivia felt conflicted. She had to make sure that her children were safe, but she was also worried about Jeff. The doctor had just told her to avoid strong emotionsst night, but now, she couldn¡¯t rx at all. She stared anxiously at the room. A momentter, the doctor walked out, wiping his sweat as he did so. Olivia asked worriedly, ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller. We saved Mr. Fordham.¡± The nurse ced the pendants into Olivia¡¯s hands. ¡°Mrs. Miller, Mr. Fordham had survived thus far because of a single fixation. You have to make sure that he maintains it. ¡°He¡¯s like a taut string, so as soon as he rxes, the string will break.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± After the others left, Olivia looked at the man on the bed, who was getting thinner by the day. She felt upset. She thought that she was extremely selfish, but she also didn¡¯t want to let Jeff go. ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t go. The children will be born soon. If you leave, they won¡¯t have a chance to get to know you. ¡°My tummy was hurting for a long timest night, but it turned out to be a false rm. The children are fine. Dad, if now, I¡¯ll be so sad.¡± you leave Staying by Jeff¡¯s side, Olivia talked for a long time. After making sure that his heart rate was normal, she left the room. She apologized to Jeff in her heart. She still didn¡¯t want to let him go. The days passed. They made it through the hot summer, and fall came in the blink of an eye. In the yard, Olivia stared at the yellowing leaves on the chestnut tree. She was zoning out. A year had passed by quickly. Too many things had happened between her and Ethan in that one year. Taking a nket, Mona covered Olivia with it. She asked in a gentle voice, ¡°The wind is picking up. Would you like to go inside?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll sit here for a while longer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. The air is refreshing outside. The weather forecast says that it¡¯ll rain these days.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Oliviayzily on the reclining chair. It had been more than six months now, so her tummy had gotten much bigger. Because she was having twins, she found it difficult to even walk these days. Olivia hissed. back Mona looked down at her belly. Her protruding tummy was quite obvious under her sweater. Sometimes, she could even spot two bulges. ¡°Is the boy kicking you again?¡± Olivia smiled tenderly. ¡°It¡¯s the girl. She¡¯s more active, and she keeps bullying her brother.¡± ¡°You were also very active when you were young, right, Olivia?¡± ¡°Yes. Even though I was born into a prestigious family, my dad was never strict toward me. ¡°He always allowed me to live freely. I had a decent childhood.¡± While her mother was still around, she liked climbing up trees to pluck the plum blossoms. She would also sneak into the yard to pluck out Jeff¡¯s beloved orchids. Back then, she was like a mischievous monkey. But Jeff never reprimanded her. He pampered her to no end. In reality, Olivia¡¯s childhood was much happier than most of her peers. ¡°Mr. Fordham is so nice to you. If he can wake up soon¡­¡± Mona realized that she had misspoken. Jeff¡¯s body was getting thinner, and he was in a worse condition than before. Olivia didn¡¯t even dare to visit him these days. She feared that her extreme sorrow would affect the children. Olivia touched her big tummy. ¡°I feel like having some mushroom and chestnut soup.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell the kitchen staff to prepare some. Rest well.¡± Olivia looked at the chestnut tree. When she was young, Jeff would bring her along to gather chestnuts during fall. Then, when they went home, he would make mushroom and chestnut soup for her. Ethan knew that she loved the soup. So, after getting married, he would also gather chestnuts during fall and make soup for Olivia. A leaf fell into Olivia¡¯s hand. Olivia thought that she must be the happiest woman in the world back then. Holding the leaf in her hand, she smiled in exasperation. Before dinnertime, Mona brought a bowl of soup to Olivia. ¡°So soon?¡± Mona¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°Yes. Drink it while it¡¯s hot, or it¡¯ll get cold.¡± Olivia only took a sip when she realized something. ¡°He made it.¡± ¡°Mr. Ingram had delivered the soup himself. Mr. Miller had always cared about you, and he had already canceled his marriage with Marina a long time ago.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Olivia was a little surprised. After all, Ethan once told her firmly that he was obliged to marry Marina for a reason. ¡°Yes. He announced the news after Mr. Fordham was shocked. Mrs. Miller, are you still unable to forgive him?¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°Even if I agree, my heart won¡¯t. Mona, don¡¯t trust men so easily. No matter how much you love him, remember that you are the most important person to yourself. ¡°If not, you¡¯ll end up like me.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡­¡± Mona was about to say something when her phone suddenly rang. She walked to the side to answer the call. Even from a distance away, Olivia could hear her anxious shouts. ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡± Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Olivia, who was drinking the soup, turned around to look at Mona. After Mona ended the call, Olivia asked, ¡°Did something happen at home?¡± ¡°My younger brother got into an ident when he was going home. His leg is broken. Olivia, I¡ª¡± Before she could finish speaking, Olivia interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two days off, so go back and visit him. Family is important, after all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Olivia. But what about you?¡± ¡°We have many doctors, housekeeping staff, and bodyguards here. They¡¯re all serving me, so what can happen to me? I¡¯ll also ask the financial department to give you your sry beforehand.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Olivia.¡± ¡°Just go. There¡¯s no need to be so polite around me. I¡¯ll get someone to send you to the hospital right now.¡± Olivia waved her hand, telling Cyril to take Mona there. She also informed the surgeon about it beforehand. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She could already see that Cyril liked Mona, but the silly woman only had eyes for the upperssman. Olivia wouldn¡¯tment on the upperssman¡¯s character. But at least she knew what Cyril was like. She had to help him by giving him a chance, at least. When Cyril left, Olivia even winked at him. Blushing, Cyril hastily walked away. Olivia gazed at the sea as she enjoyed the breeze. Her fingers asionally caressed her tummy. Madam Burgess came over to clean up the cutlery. She reminded Olivia, ¡°Mrs. Miller, it looks like it will rain soon. You should Olivia looked at the dense dark clouds above her. She knew that heavy rain wasing. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Come, I¡¯ll help you. Take your time to stand up.¡± Olivia supported her tummy while Madam Burgess took her arm. Olivia¡¯s tummy looked asrge as those of women who were about to give birth. Madam Burgess looked heartbroken. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered a lot for the two children. It¡¯s only been six months, but your tummy is already so big. ¡°What will happenter in your pregnancy? Babies will rapidly grow when they are in the seventh or eighth month.¡± Olivia¡¯s face was only a little rounderpared to before. Her waist was slender, and she more or less maintained her figure. It was as if all her weight was focused on her tummy. ¡°Let¡¯s take it easy. I don¡¯t mind suffering a little if the children are healthy.¡± Olivia sauntered. She leisurely walked back to her room. Sometimes, she would look up and watch the wind riling up the waves. Olivia partlyy in bed as she rested. The scenery outside was terrifyingly dark. Olivia felt uneasy every time she encountered such weather. Annoyed, she drew the curtains. She listened to some light music to soothe her emotions. Two hourster, she called Mona. ¡°Is your younger brother okay?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a minor issue, but the operation just ended. Their best orthopedic surgeon conducted it. They said that he¡¯s young, so he¡¯ll recover quickly. Thank you so much, Olivia.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too nice again. It¡¯s just a piece of cake.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go back as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Take good care of your brother. Everything is fine here.¡± Olivia hung up. Mona was older than her, but she was much calmer than Mona. After making sure that Mona¡¯s family was alright, Olivia was reassured. Sometimeter, Cyril came back. Olivia drank the soup leisurely as she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you spend some more time with her in the hospital? Her parents are ill, so it¡¯s not a bad thing for a man like you to help look out for her.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to do it. I feel like a third wheel if I stay there, so I decided toe back instead.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Olivia put down her spoon. ¡°Tell me the details.¡± ¡°When her upperssman heard of this, he came over as well. They seemed to get along well, so I¡¯ll only be an eyesore if I stay there.¡± Cyril had a tall build, but at that moment, he looked dejected, like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°So you saw the upperssman? What¡¯s he like?¡± ¡°Nothing special. He has two eyes and a nose like everyone else.¡± Olivia burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯re such a straightforward man. No wonder you can¡¯t win her heart.¡± Chapter 530 Chapter 530 ¡°Mrs. Miller.¡± Cyril looked pitiful. ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t win her heart. Her heart is upied with another man. How can she even look at anyone else?¡± Olivia thought about it. He had a point. After all, when she was in love with Ethan back then, she didn¡¯t even spare a look at the other men confessing to her. Now, she didn¡¯t even remember what those men looked like. ¡°Don¡¯t give up. You¡¯ll get a wife eventually.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not getting one anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn.¡± Olivia facepalmed. Each of these people was more stubborn than the next. ¡°Mrs. Miller, it¡¯s raining soon, so don¡¯t go out at night. You might slip and fall in the yard.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia continued drinking her soup. The children in her tummy were quite active at that moment. Olivia decided to walk around the room before going to sleep. Rain poured all through the night, apanied by instances of thunder. Olivia couldn¡¯t sleep well all night. The next day, the rain was still going strong. Olivia had no choice but to read a book by the window. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m back.¡± Mona¡¯s loud voice could be heard even before entering the house. She was even carrying some snacks. Running over to Olivia, she stuffed the snacks in Olivia¡¯s hands. ¡°You told me that you wanted to eat crepes, right? I bought these for you.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I haven¡¯t had any in a long time. I was craving it.¡± As Olivia ate, she asked, ¡°How¡¯s it going between you and your ideal man?¡± Mona said shyly, ¡°He confessed his feelings for mest night. Look, this is the bracelet he gave me. He got someone to hand- make it for me overseas. ¡°It¡¯s not very pricey, but he¡¯s sincere about it. It even has my zodiac sign! Cute, right?¡± Olivia watched Mona ying with the bracelet, knowing that Mona was utterly smitten. ¡°You can ept the ne, but you have to rein in your feelings a bit. Remember what I said?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia, I understand. He knows all about my family¡¯s circumstances. I¡¯m so poor, so what would he want from me? He¡¯s sincerely good to me.¡± Sitting beside Olivia, Mona said a lot of good things about Warren Tovar. Olivia sighed. A woman knee-deep in love would never hear a word others said. For the whole morning, Mona looked at the bracelet in a daze. She even swung the pendant from time to time. ¡°Come on, stop looking at it. You¡¯ve been admiring it all morning.¡± Mona waved it in front of Olivia again. ¡°But it¡¯s stunning. The rat¡¯s head is very nicely made, and it looks so lively.¡± At the side, Madam Burgess smiled. ¡°He won you over with just a bracelet? You have no idea what Mr. Miller used to court Mrs. Miller back then. He put in a lot of effort.¡± Mona was excited when she heard that. ¡°How did Mr. Miller do it? I¡¯m super curious about it. I can¡¯t find anything about Mr. Miller and Mrs. Miller¡¯s romance when I looked it up.¡± ¡°Oh, he-¡± Quietly, Olivia coughed twice. Madam Burgess could only shut up. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m going to prepare lunch.¡± Mona felt like she shouldn¡¯t bother Olivia any longer. Olivia paced around in the room, supporting her tummy. She would look outside from time to time. The rain didn¡¯t seem to stop anytime soon. She would look outside sometimes. She spotted Cyril standing alone in the corridor, looking at the rain in a daze. His efforts were wasted. The rain went on for a whole day. The sea raged endlessly like a monster. Olivia felt a little restless when she heard the thunder outside. The children also seemed to have sensed her unease, and they kicked around in her tummy. ¡°Such naughty children! If you¡¯re not going to bed, then I am. Goodnight, darlings.¡± She had just closed her eyes when another thunder roared outside. Olivia instantly opened her eyes again. Her heart was beating rapidly. On a few asions in the past, she had the same feeling right before disaster struck. Olivia caressed her chest. She had no idea what was going on that day. The room was inplete darkness, and the lightning would streak by from time to time. It was bright for a second or two before the light disappeared. Olivia turned on themp on her bedside table. She looked at her arm. The hairs were standing on end. People would have their hair stand on end when they sensed something terrible on the horizon. Olivia called Cyril, who answered. ¡°Is something the matter, Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°Is everything alright outside?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller. The surveince room is staffed every hour of the day. I¡¯ll inform you as soon as something happens.¡± ¡°Alright. Thanks for your hard work.¡± Olivia turned off the lights. She must be overthinking it. In the room next door, Mona was still lovestruck. Shey in her bed as she messaged Warren. Warren suddenly asked her to share her location. Mona thought that they had already gotten IP technicians to set things up for them, so she assumed that the actual address wouldn¡¯t be exposed even if she tapped in. She wanted to tease Warren a little, so she tapped into the location-sharing feature. Their two icons were very close to each other. Mona was startled. She couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. She wondered if it was some technical issue. Warren¡¯s icon was nearing hers at top speed. When Mona saw that their icons were about to ovep, her heart thumped wildly. There must be something wrong. She didn¡¯t understand why Warren would be here. Just a while ago, he said that he was reading documents at home. There must be some technical issues on her end. Mona was thinking about it when lightning streaked across the sky. As the thunder roared, she was startled to see a figure standing on the balcony outside. Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Cyril put his phone away. He had no idea why Olivia would suddenly ask that question. He wondered if she had found something. He went to the surveince room in person. The vi was situated halfway up the mountain. Surveince cameras were installed along the path to the estate. If any car went up the mountain, they would¡¯ve noticed it while it was at the foot of the hill. Then, they would keep watch on the vehicle in real time. This was a remote ce, and a mansion was also built there. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t normallye here. Even if some hikers asionally came to the mountain, they would be told to turn back halfway through. Usually, only the Millers¡¯ cars were seen in this area, transporting various resources. No strangers would be in sight. After looking at the footage for a long while, Cyril didn¡¯t notice anything off. Cyril¡¯s gaze moved downward. He noticed that a few surveince cameras on the bottom had cked out. Those cameras were installed on the cliffside. The cliff was steep, and the water level was on the rise these days. With the raging waves and heavy rain, the cameras might be ruined by the waves. People couldn¡¯t climb up the cliff even during the day, much less in the harsh conditions at night. Cyril made sure that there weren¡¯t any suspicious people or cars on the path up the mountain. Then, he left the surveince This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. room. He had already confirmed that nothing was off, but Cyril kept feeling uneasy about it. He felt as if he had overlooked something. But he didn¡¯t know what it was. A figure suddenly shed across his mind. It was Warren, whom he had met once yesterday. The two only shook their hands when they met. After that, Mona took Warren into the ward. Cyril felt that he would only get in the way, so he left. It was only now that he remembered the man¡¯s strong grip. The area between Warren¡¯s index finger and thumb was filled with calluses. Mona once said that her upperssman was working on academic research overseas. It didn¡¯t make sense for someone who always usedputers and pens to have calluses in that area. Unless ¡­ Cyril looked at his hand. Warren might have an identity like his, where he would always be holding guns. That was the only reason why he had those traces on that spot! Cyril thought back on it. There was something suspicious about the ident Mona¡¯s younger brother got into. He wasn¡¯t seriously hurt at all. Cyril thought about the possibility of the ident being a bait to lure Mona away. Warren¡¯s true target might be Olivia instead. There could be something wrong about the bracelet Mona so fondly admired all day. If a tracker were inside, then Olivia¡¯s location would be exposed! Cyril shook his head. It was too much of a coincidence. Also, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would set up this trap. He felt like he was overthinking it. That was what he thought, but he still felt uneasy inside. He got ready to call over more backups for the night shift. He had to make sure that there were no mistakes. He had just dialed the number when he heard a woman screaming. ¡°Ah!¡± It was Mona¡¯s voice. Cyril turned on the walkie-talkie and called for backup as he ran toward the room. When he barged in, he saw the phone Mona left on the bed, with its screen still lit. The window was wide open, and the cold wind blew in, sweeping the white sheer curtains outside. Cyril picked up the phone. The screen was still showing the conversation between Mona and Warren. Warren¡¯s icon was pitch ck. It was only after he zoomed in that he could make out a figure in the darkness. The corners of the person¡¯s lips were curled up like a phantom. His gaze fell upon thest message in the conversation. Warren: ¡°Darling, I¡¯m here.¡± Cyril¡¯s eyes went wide. He wouldn¡¯t think that Warren had rushed over to meet his lover. Olivia was in danger! Cyril looked down. He saw the whole cliffside covered in people who wore bulletproof vests and helmets! There were also gliders constantlynding above them. Cyril couldn¡¯t believe that they had chosen to land in such a risky way. It made sense now that no figures could be seen on the surveince footage along the road. That night, Ethan tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep as he listened to the thunder outside. Olivia didn¡¯t like rainy days at all. On stormy nights, she would always lean into his arms. There were a few times when Ethan got out of bed, wishing to go over to Olivia. But then, he remembered how much Olivia hated him. So, he would only be affecting her emotions if he went there. The doctor said that she should avoid mental burdens. So, Ethany down again. But he didn¡¯t feel like sleeping at all. Lightning shed across the sky again. As the thunder rumbled, Ethan got up once again. He could keep his distance from Olivia, but he had to go. ¡°Kelvin, get the car.¡± The car was halfway there when his phone rang. It was a call from Cyril. He had sent Cyril to protect Olivia. Cyril wouldn¡¯t have called him sote at night if it didn¡¯t have anything to do with Olivia. Ethan felt extremely anxious. After end of the line. answering the call, he hadn¡¯t even spoken a word when a gunshot sounded on the other Cyril¡¯s voice rang out breathlessly. ¡°We¡¯re in big trouble, Mr. Miller!¡± Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Olivia pulled the covers over her head, feeling a little annoyed by the thunder outside. She covered her ears firmly, trying to go to sleep as soon as possible. The more annoyed she felt, the harder it was for her to fall asleep. Also, she kept feeling a chill run down her spine. She felt like there was a voice in her mind telling her to run. She didn¡¯t know where she would run to or why she would have to run. She had already called Cyril, and many people patrolled the vi 24/7. If there indeed were a problem, they would¡¯ve noticed it already. Olivia shook her head. She had to stop herself from thinking too much. She even started to hear things. After struggling for a long while, she still couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She took out the gun Jack gave her half a year ago. It could help her feel more assured, at least. The two babies in her tummy were probably tired from kicking around. So, they grew quiet. The thunder and sound of waves hitting the reefs came one after the other. A cold breeze blew in. It was only then that she realized that half of the gauze window was open. The wind moved the heavy curtains,ing into the room in gusts. Olivia got up to close all the windows. Just then, she heard a screaming from the next room. It was Mona! Olivia wondered what happened to her. Leaving the windows, Olivia went right to the door. When she opened the door, she saw a fully- equipped man jumping onto the balcony outside her room. She couldn¡¯t believe that someone would choose to risk their lives in this weather. If they fell into the sea, they would be dead for sure! Olivia thought of that assassin organization Ethan spoke of. Someone had spent a considerable sum to get her killed! She hastily backed away. Then, she mmed the door shut. Mona was dashing over to her in the corridor. When Mona saw the message, she instantly knew that something was off. At that moment, all the fantasies of romance in her mind had disappeared without a trace. No matter how stupid she was, she knew that any average person wouldn¡¯t climb the cliff in the middle of the night. She was duped. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to think about the problem. The first thing she did was put on her shoes and run. Fortunately, the window of her room was locked from within. Before the person could open the window, she hastily fled to Olivia¡¯s room. The two exchanged nces. Mona was so terrified that she couldn¡¯t form aplete sentence. ¡°Guys, bad guys!¡± Olivia had experienced quite a lot before, so she was calmer than Mona. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Those people wouldn¡¯t dare toe in from the front door. They chose the path with the worst natural conditions. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to climb up here, so Olivia and Mona still had time to escape. But Olivia was burdened by her huge tummy. Even if she wanted to run, she couldn¡¯t run fast. Mona couldn¡¯t carry Olivia on her back even if she wanted to. So, she could only take Olivia¡¯s hand. Mona¡¯s palms were sweaty. She kept mumbling, ¡°How can this be? Warren, there¡¯s something off about Warren! It¡¯s all my fault. I led him to us!¡± Even now, Mona didn¡¯t know how Warren found this ce. Before she went back, she even asked the driver to drive around the city. Lastly, she got into the specialized car. She was very sure that she wasn¡¯t tailed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. All our people are in the front yard. We¡¯ll be safe soon. They¡¯re already on their way here.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia was calm. All the people Ethan left for her were elites. This ce was securely guarded, so the attackers might fail. ¡°Are you okay, Mrs. Miller?¡± The bodyguards¡¯ voices sounded in the distance. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Olivia hastily responded. Just then, a bullet ricocheted. ¡°Olivia, look out!¡± Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Someone caught up to them. He was wearing waterproof clothing and had goggles over his eyes. Even though his jaw was the only exposed body part, Mona could recognize him right away. It was Warren. At that moment, she wished she could open her mouth and ask him why he did that. She wanted to ask him who he was. In the next second, she saw the man raising his gun. He was aiming at Olivia. He didn¡¯t say anything unnecessary, nor did he show any signs of his arrival. He came here for Olivia. At that moment, Mona couldn¡¯t see the Warren she knew in this man. He looked like death itself. He was drenched because of the rain. Raindrops slowly dripped down the slick surface of his clothes. The wool carpet in the corridor turned wet. When he pulled the trigger, Mona didn¡¯t even think twice before she stood in front of Olivia. The bullet dug into the flesh. Olivia heard a groan ringing in her ears. Olivia¡¯s pupils caught the image of blood sputtering out of Mona¡¯s body. In the next second, the body standing in front of her slowly slid to the floor. ¡°Mona!¡± The man who shot her didn¡¯t break his rhythm at all. He stepped toward Olivia. He behaved as if he hadn¡¯t hit a living human being at all. It was Mona, the woman who loved him for so many years and only had eyes for him! The crimson blood seeped into her pajamas, and it also soaked into the white rug. Mona wanted to say something. But because of her damaged organs, blood kept streaming out of her mouth. She summoned all her strength to reach out. She looked at the man approaching her with a reluctant gaze in her eyes. She asked the question, ¡°W-Why?¡± But that man couldn¡¯t even be bothered to waste his breath on her. He trained his eyes on Olivia. Crouching, Olivia used all her might to hold Mona with one arm. Her fingers were painted red by the blood as well. ¡°Mona, you¡¯ll be fine. We have doctors here. It¡¯s not a fatal injury. You won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Olivia, run!¡± Warren had raised his gun once again. This time, he aimed right at Olivia¡¯s head. A shot would kill her instantly. The gunshot sounded. Olivia saw him, but she could barely get up with her heavy tummy. She couldn¡¯t escape at all. At that moment, Mona used up all her strength to jump up. Once again, she blocked the bullet with her body. Another bloody hole appeared on her body, and blood spattered onto Olivia¡¯s face. Olivia screamed at the top of her lungs. Not even 30 seconds had passed before the second shot sounded. Finally, Olivia heard the man¡¯s voice. It was clear and melodious, and there seemed to be a tone of pity in his voice. ¡°Why would you go so far?¡± She was like a fish on the verge of dying. Mouthfuls of blood gushed from her mouth. ¡°Oliva, run! Just run! Leave me!¡± But Olivia was already stunned. She looked at the bloody hole in Mona¡¯s chest. It was a fatal injury. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Mona couldn¡¯t survive this. Olivia couldn¡¯t believe that this was happening. ¡°Run! Run!¡± Mona helplessly let out onest shout. As Warren raised his gun, three gunshots rang at the same time. The shots came from Olivia, Warren, and Cyril, who was behind Warren. But the shots from Olivia and Cyril hadnded on Warren¡¯s bulletproof vest. He didn¡¯t die. And Mona used all her energy to protect Olivia with her body. Thest bullet pierced her skull. Blood trailed along Mona¡¯s face, falling onto Olivia¡¯s face. With her arms as support, she protected Olivia like a meat shield. ¡°No, no!¡± Mona painstakingly smiled at Olivia. ¡°I-I told you. I swore that I¡¯ll ¡­ p-protect you. F-Farewell, Olivia.¡± Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Olivia¡¯s pained walls resounded throughout the vi. Cyril had just dealt with the man who was running out of Olivia¡¯s room, In the end, he was still toote. When He saw the blood spurting from Mona¡¯s chest, he felt as if his heart had turned numb. After all, he had undergone professional training. Even if his rtives had fallen in front of him, he wouldn¡¯t pause his mission. Cyril saw that the man was wearing a bulletproof vest and, hence, unharmed. Lunging at Warren, Cyril engaged in closebat with him. Olivia lowered the gun in her hand. Her mind was buzzing, and she could only see red. Mona¡¯s body fell limply by her side. Blood tainted the bracelet on her wrist. The pendant she had praised before was now covered in blood. Ity on the floor with her body, never to get up again. Olivia knelt on the floor, tears pouring out of her eyes. She wanted to block the wounds with her hands, but the blood kept. flowing endlessly. ¡°Mona, hang in there. The doctors areing soon.¡± ¡°Mona, don¡¯t die. You have to stay alive. You have to be alive and well.¡± ¡°We promised. When I¡¯ve given birth to the children, you¡¯ll help me take care of them. We¡¯re even going to travel to various countries.¡± ¡°Mona¡­¡± She wiped her tears in a hurry. She didn¡¯t even realize that the blood on her hands had smeared her face. ¡°Mrs. Miller, leave this ce right now! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± The voice of a bodyguard reached Olivia¡¯s ears, but Mona was the only thing on Olivia¡¯s mind. ¡°Where are the doctors? Get them here right now!¡± ¡°Mona is already dead, Mrs. Miller, you can¡¯t stay here. Let¡¯s go.¡± More assassins had sessfullynded, and gunshots were ringing out in the air. The bodyguard had no other choice. ¡± Pardon me, Mrs. Miller.¡± Bending over, he picked Olivia up. ¡°Mona¡­¡± Before Mona died, she happened to be looking in the direction Olivia was leaving. Mona¡¯s dead eyes stared right in Olivia¡¯s direction. Blood and tears blurred Olivia¡¯s vision. She couldn¡¯t leave Mona alone in this ce. The babies in her tummy were also startled awake by the sudden turn of events. They kept kicking around in her belly. It was only then that Olivia regained her wits. She finally remembered that she still had her children. Mona had sacrificed her life to protect Olivia and the children. Olivia couldn¡¯t let Mona¡¯s sacrifice go to waste. So, she stopped struggling. She let the bodyguard sprint with her in his arms. As soon as the war started, they no longer had the option to back down. Explosions and gunshots rang in her ears. The bodyguard who was carrying her didn¡¯t look back. Several men were apanying her. Someone held up an umbre for her. But the rain was too heavy, and they were running too fast. The rain that poured at an angle still pelted Olivia¡¯s whole body. She was only wearing thin pajamas. With the wind blowing on her and the rain drenching her, her body shivered in the chilly wind. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of the cold or her overwhelmed emotions. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Mrs. Miller. We¡¯re getting there soon.¡± Olivia was carried into a modified bulletproof off-road. Cody and the driver were already prepared to take her away. ¡°Hold tight, Mrs. Miller!¡± Gunshots sounded endlessly behind her. Olivia wanted to turn around to look, but Cody covered her body with a nket. Holding Olivia in her arms, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t turn around. Don¡¯t look!¡± Olivia knew that there would be people injured and killed. Those people had been with her for half a year. She was already familiar with them all. Some weren¡¯t that much older than her. They were like older siblings to her. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. But at that moment, they were fighting for her. Olivia¡¯s tears streamed silently as her hands gripped Cody¡¯s arm. She kept recalling Mona¡¯s face before thetter died. ¡°Mrs. Miller, calm down. Don¡¯t cry! Do not let it affect your children, or it¡¯ll easily lead to premature birth. ¡°You¡¯ve only been pregnant for six months. Children born prematurely have a very low rate of survival. You have to persevere for the children!¡± Chapter 535 Chapter 535 Olivia knew that very well. But after experiencing something like that, she couldn¡¯t calm her emotions at all. Patting her on the back to soothe her emotions, Cody spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve already moved Mr. Fordhamn away. ¡°He¡¯s fine, and you¡¯re okay too. This is the best oue.¡± Olivia doubted it. She had lost a good friend moments ago. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The car sped along the road. At that speed, they would be able to get off the mountain and enter the circr route in a little more than 10 minutes. Rain fell in dense sheets. Even with the wipers frantically sweeping, they couldn¡¯t clear out the iing rain. The mountain was very foggy. With the heavy rain and strong winds, it wasn¡¯t easy to drive under such conditions. Everyone was anxious, and the children had been kicking in her tummy for a while. Olivia kept touching her tummy to soothe the children. In a sobbing voice, she said, ¡°Be good, children. Don¡¯t make a fuss. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± As she coaxed, the children seemed to have understood what she was saying. They stopped kicking, and Olivia¡¯s tummy gradually settled down. Cody let out a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller. We¡¯ll get off the mountain in a few minutes. Then, we¡¯ll¡ª¡± Before she could finish speaking, a piercing high beam shone in their direction. Arge truck rounded the curve at high speed. It was toote to dodge the truck. The attackers had already nned all this. They would attack from both the rear and the front. They were determined to kill Olivia. Cody screamed. Her fingers gripped Olivia tightly, preventing Olivia from any collisions. The urgent screech of brakes sounded on the mountain road. If they collided, the off-road vehicle would be ruined as well. Even if it weren¡¯t ruined, it would still be a strong collision. As soon as Olivia¡¯s tummy suffered any impact, the children would not survive. When that happened, both Olivia and the children would die! The off-road vehicle was going at a high speed, and the road was also very slippery on rainy days. The sudden brake caused the steering wheel to malfunction. The vehicle crashed through the guardrail. It was an even worse situation! The sea was right below them. If the car fell into the sea, its passengers were bound to die! Olivia¡¯s body tilted. Even at times like this, Cody didn¡¯t give up on her. She protected Olivia with her body, determined to stave off any impact on Olivia¡¯s tummy. With a ssh, the car fell into the sea. Fortunately, the bodyguard was also professionally trained. While they were still in the air, he had already opened the car door. If the car fell into the water, they wouldn¡¯t be able to open the car door because of the intense water pressure, The bodyguard held the armrest tightly with his hands. He wanted to prevent Olivia from falling into the sea. When the car slowly began to sink, he swam swiftly to the back seat, bringing Olivia out. Cody was a good swimmer, and she was also a military doctor. She maintained her calm as she followed them. Olivia could only move one hand. The bodyguard told her to grab his neck. Olivia wasn¡¯t a fool, either. She knew that she shouldn¡¯t panic at times like this. She kept calm, trying her best not to cause trouble for them. As long as she rxed her body and didn¡¯t struggle, she wouldn¡¯t sink. After Olivia held her breath for half a minute, the bodyguard brought her to the sea¡¯s surface. She greedily gulped in the fresh air. ¡°Hang in there, Mrs. Miller. We¡¯ll be able to get to shore in three minutes at most.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia¡¯s tummy was already beginning to hurt. She was panicking, but she knew that there was no better way right now. She had to stay calm. Three minutes. She only had to hold out for three minutes. As the pain in her tummy increased, she bit her lip in agony. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°I-I think my water broke!¡± Chapter 536 Chapter 536 When Cody heard what Olivia said, she panicked. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re kidding, Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given birth prematurely in the sea before. This feels the same as it did back then.¡± ¡°Hold on tight to me, Mrs. Miller.¡± Owen Pullman couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes. He swiftly swam to the shore with Olivia. Dragging Olivia out of the sea with all his might, he took out an emergency light. Olivia was drenched in water, and Cody wasn¡¯t sure if it was sea water or Olivia¡¯s water breaking. With a cold expression, Cody said sternly, ¡°Let me have a look.¡± Other than the water breaking, there was even blood streaming out. Cody¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Oh, no. Mrs. Miller, your water broke, and you¡¯re also bleeding.¡± If the water broke, this meant that the children would be born prematurely. But now that Olivia was bleeding, the situation just got moreplicated. The rupturing capiries near the membrane might be the cause of the bleeding. But if the blood came from the babies, then they were done for. Olivia¡¯s tummy hurt terribly. At that moment, she was barely breathing as she spoke, biting her lip. ¡°Dr. Wells, save my children.¡± ´® Cody looked at the cliff. They couldn¡¯t climb up the cliff with a pregnant woman who was about to give birth prematurely. There were even enemies up there. Even if they could wait, the children couldn¡¯t. Cody made her decision swiftly. ¡°We have no other choice. Find a good ce. I¡¯m helping Mrs. Miller with her delivery right now.¡± Owen scanned the area. He finally found a rock that was a little tter than the rest. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. It had a part that jutted out, perfect for shielding them from the storm. ¡°Mrs. Miller, please hold on. We¡¯ll go over there for the delivery.¡± With that, Owen carried Olivia in his arms. Then, he climbed toward the spot under the rock. Olivia was already enveloped in pain. She couldn¡¯t hear the sounds of the wind or rain, and she couldn¡¯t feel the cold, either. The pain in her tummy spread throughout her body. It was so painful that she felt like she was being torn apart. She could sense the children moving down. Her face was filled with tears, for she had already lost a child once. Compared to the pain, she was even more worried that the tragedy would repeat itself. Usually, fetuses over seven months old had a very high chance of survival. But those who were only a little more than six months old had a low chance of surviving. At this stage, the baby¡¯s organs weren¡¯t fully developed yet. Even in hospitals, it wasn¡¯t easy to keep them alive. They might not be saved even if they were ced into incubators right away. Much less could be said of deliveries under these circumstances. Owen lowered Olivia¡¯s body. Then, he immediately took off his coat and ced it under Olivia¡¯s body. He also passed his phone to Olivia. ¡°Mrs. Miller, please get help. Dr. Wells, I leave the rest to you.¡± Someone had already noticed that Olivia had been rescued from the ocean. The assassins climbed over the railing, scaling the cliff as they descended. They were determined to kill Olivia. Gunshots sounded above them. It was a good thing that the rock was thick and heavy, so it served as the perfect shield. Also, the cliff was steep and covered in moss. It wouldn¡¯t be that easy for the pursuers to descend, Owen was betting on that difference in time. He found a ce to take cover. While those people were coming down, he shot at their legs. It was already difficult for them to remain stable. So, as soon as their legs stopped working, many of those people rolled down the cliff. Meanwhile, Cody adjusted Olivia¡¯s posture. She said in a stern voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Mrs. Miller. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°No, protect my children. You have to save them.¡± With tears running down her face, Olivia pleaded as she dialed Ethan¡¯s number. The call went through soon enough. There were also noises on Ethan¡¯s end. ¡°Where are you!¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was urgent on the other end of the line. ¡°Ethan, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Liv! Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve arrived.¡± When Ethan heard Olivia¡¯s weak voice, he urgently asked about her current situation. ¡°M-My water broke. The children are being born prematurely. When you go up the mountain, you¡¯ll see a stretch of broken railing. We¡¯re right under it. Ethan, I¡­ Ah¡­¡± Enduring the pain, Olivia breathed heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do, but you must protect the children. Even if I die, I want the children to survive!¡± Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Olivia set her phone aside as soon as she finished, giving Cody cooperation. ¡°Mrs. Miller, I can¡¯t perform surgery given the circumstances. You¡¯re on your own. ¡°You have to push them out as soon as possible. Otherwise, the babies will be suffocated to death. Just push. Your cervix is open.¡± Olivia could feel her babies¡¯ heads falling downward. They were tossing and turning in her womb, possibly because of the absence of amniotic fluid. Together, Olivia and the babies gave theirst ditch effort like a fish pping onnd. ¡°Babies, you have to make it through this. Your father ising to pick you up. You¡¯ll be fine. Everything¡¯s going to be alright. Mommy¡¯s here. I will never give up on you guys, so don¡¯t give up.¡± Even though she had experienced this before, the second experience gave her more fear and pain. Her whole body was shaking. She wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to fear or the cold. The other line of the phone was noisy, but Ethan¡¯s voice never fell into silence. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ming. Hold on a little longer.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Liv, I love you. I love you with all my heart. Don¡¯t leave me no matter what happens.¡± ¡°The babies will be fine, and so will you.¡± ¡°Liv¡­¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have the energy to speak anymore. From afar, she watched how Owen finished his bullets. Yet, the enemies were swarming over like a colony of ants. When one of them fell, another one would rece them immediately. Who was it? Who had so much money to hire so many mercenaries? What kind of grudges was the opponent holding against Olivia? Olivia wondered if it was Leia, but her hunch denied her spection. Leia wasn¡¯t the kind of person to spend so much money on this kind of matter. The pain numbed Olivia. Her left hand was digging the moist soil to stave the pain off. Her eyes slowly lost their focus as she gazed at the pouring rain. It was as though time had returned to when she lost her first child. Would it be a reenaction of the tragedy tonight? Would she lose her children again? ¡°Push, Mrs. Miller. I can see the head.¡± Cody¡¯s encouragement pulled her senses back to reality. Her fingers dug into the soil. Olivia, who was sapped out of energy, gave her best to push. Only one thing was in her mind-she had to give birth to them safely. ¡°Babies, I¡¯m in this with you. You have to stay alive. You must!¡± she thought. While she was pushing the baby out, Owen suffered a gunshot. He had bought a lot of time for her. He looked at the eight men bulldozing in their direction like zombies. Despite the impending danger, Cody paid attention to the delivery. ¡°One of the babies is out, Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°Baby. My baby!¡± The weak Olivia broke into a smile. Now that one of the babies was out, the other followed smoothly behind. ¡°Let me see them. Hurry!¡± Her voice was wealt But Cody¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look great. ¡°Mrs. Miller, they¡¯re¡­ dead.¡± Chapter 538 Chapter 538 ¡°W-What did you say?¡± ¡°They must be suffocated during the delivery. Don¡¯t be sad, Mrs. Miller. It is rare for a baby to survive when born in week 24. ¡°Your well-being matters the most. You¡¯re still young. You can still have babies in the future.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe that they¡¯re gone just like that. I¡¯ve taken care of them for months! 1- ¡°Mrs. Miller, the assassins will be here soon. We must leave.¡± ¡°No. No! I will never abandon my children!¡± Cody couldn¡¯t care much about it. She received the order to protect Olivia, and the babies came afterward. When the babies and Olivia were in danger, Cody had to put Olivia on the top of the list. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Miller.¡± Cody carried Olivia on her back. Thetter watched her babies, whoy lifelessly on a jumble of clothes with teary eyes. ¡°No! My babies!¡± Cody crawled up the cliff with difficulty as Olivia was on her back. Although she was stronger than average people, thanks to regr training, carrying Olivia on her back rendered it difficult. The rain poured, apanied by the unforgiving waves. Cody didn¡¯t dare to look back. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She threw a gun to pass it to Owen. They climbed up the cliff, with one covering the front and the other covering the back. The men chased after Olviia. No one spared a nce at the dead babies when they bypassed the ce. They had one target, that was Olivia. The person at the back of the line stopped in his tracks to carry the babies. The babies were cold and mushy in the rain, like puppies abandoned on the streets. He patted their backs, causing them to cough up amniotic fluid before crying. He opened his waterproof clothes and hugged them against his chest, warming them up with his body temperature. The babies stopped crying. The only cry let out of them was drowned by the sound of the wind, waves, and gunshots. Olivia, who was very far from the babies, felt something. ¡°Dr. Wells, let me go back there. I heard the babies crying.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, I¡¯ve ced my finger beneath their noses. They weren¡¯t breathing. You must be hearing things.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m positive that I¡¯ve heard it. Let¡¯s bring them along. They¡¯re my babies. My precious babies! I¡¯d rather sacrifice my life in exchange for theirs.¡± ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Miller. I¡¯ve promised Mr. Miller to protect you no matter what. The babies are dead. They¡¯re just bodies. Bringing them along will only be a burden to you.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t stop crying. She could feel her lower body part bleeding. Her condition was no better than the babies. Her life would be in danger if they didn¡¯t treat her anytime soon. Pictures began shing across her mind. The bedridden Jeff; Mona, who had taken a gunshot for her; and her babies, whom she had never hugged once¡­ Olivia supposed that she was a reincarnation of Satan. This was God¡¯s way of punishing her. Right then, Owen¡¯s right leg was shot agall. end. She looked at Cody, who was carrying her while climbing up the cliff. The sharp edges of rocks scratched Cody¡¯s skin. Her palm was bleeding. ¡°Is it worth it?¡± Olivia suddenly popped a question. Cody was stunned. She clearly couldn¡¯t follow what Olivia meant by that. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°Is it worth sacrificing so many people just for me?¡± Chapter 539 Chapter 539 ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Mrs. Miller. Hold on, Mr. Miller will be here soon. This is our mission. We will protect you no matter what happens.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Wells. Thank you for looking after me for the past few months.¡± Olivia¡¯s sudden remark at such a time made Cody feel uneasy. ¡°Do not give up, Mrs. Miller. We will get out of here. We will.¡± ¡°Get out of here? Where to?¡± Olivia raised her head to look at the somber sky, and only raindrops pattered on her face. ¡°Actually, I know that my father is not left with much time. He can stay alive until today only because of the machines and medicine. He has long lost the will to live.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller¡­¡± ¡°Dr. Wells, my friend once told me that I was like a small sun that shines brightly. But the illuminance that emanated from me slowly dwindled. ¡°I¡¯m wrapped up in darkness. I had a muddy period myself. ¡°At that time, I tossed and turned and struggled. I didn¡¯t want to admit my fate, nor did I believe in destiny. ¡°Even if a faint ray of light recurred in my life, I held onto it with all my might. I treasured it. ¡°I carefully held onto it, which revived the wish to live in me. But I still lost everything in the end. ¡°Not only that, why do the people around me have to suffer, too?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Mrs. Miller. It¡¯s the mastermind¡¯s fault.¡± Olivia was still immersed in her thoughts, and her eyes were empty. ¡°No. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m the cause of your suffering. They wouldn¡¯t have died if it wasn¡¯t because of me. ¡°The people around me are bound to be unfortunate. I don¡¯t want to drag you guys into this, Dr. Wells. Let me down.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Mrs. Miller? How can we give up on you? I will protect you until myst breath.¡± Cody wore a serious expression. ¡°Why? You¡¯re also precious to your parents. I¡¯m not going to live long anyway. You have a beautiful life waiting ahead of you.¡± Olivia began struggling toe down from Cody¡¯s back. When she finally caught her bnce while standing, she shouted at the men in ck, ¡°You want my life, don¡¯t you? Fine, take it. Do not hurt other people.¡± Owen had fallen on the ground. Now, one bullet was all it would take to end his life. Still, he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Mrs. Miller, No!¡± The leading enemy stomped on his chest. ¡°It¡¯s best you have that sense in you, Ms. Fordham. ¡°Our target is you. As long as you¡¯re dead, we won¡¯t hurt anyone else. And our job will be done here. Everyone will be happy.¡± ¡°Before I die, I wanna know who the person who wants my life is.¡± ¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t know anything about our benefactor. Even if we know, we won¡¯t spill it. This way, Ms. Fordham. ¡°If youe with us on your own ord, I can at least protect your dignity and let them go. For your information, many of my friends died just to kill you.¡± Cody quickly grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t think of doing anything, Mrs. Miller. Do not give up until the end. You have to live. You must!¡± Olivia gazed at Cody deeply, who was only 30 years old and unmarried. Olivia felt that Cody had a bright future ahead and that her life shouldn¡¯t end here. ¡°Dr. Wells, please live a good life if I¡¯m dead. Do bring your children to me when you have a family.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller¡­¡± Cody wanted to say something, but she didn¡¯t utter a word in the end. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the most painful thing in life? It is not being able to protect any of your children when you¡¯re the mother. ¡°Had I known this would happen, why would I even care for them? ¡°I gave them life to bring them to this world, but they didn¡¯t even see the morning sun once. I¡¯m a sinner, a sinner with grave sins. ¡°I should go keep thempany. They¡¯re so little. They must be scared to cross the River Styx alone.¡± After that, Olivia broke free from Cody¡¯s hold and jumped into the sea. She could scarcely hear an agonizing scream along the wind that shouted, ¡°Liv!¡± ¡°Goodbye, Ethan. May our fate end here,¡± thought Olivia. The moment she fell into the sea, she felt calm. She let herself sink deeper into the sea without struggling. She thought, ¡°I¡¯m here for you, my babies. Please wait for me. I¡¯ll bring you guys to River Styx. Let¡¯s stay together forever, okay?¡± Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Olivia dipped into darkness, running quickly all alone. She thought, ¡°Where are my babies? Where are they?¡± One thing was on her mind-¡°I should hurry and find my bables, or they¡¯ll be scared.¡± She ran for a very long time, not knowing when to stop. Suddenly, a ray of light shone ahead of her, and she was standing on a field. There was a bridge made of a rainbow at the end of the field, leading to the opposite side, where it was covered with clouds. A figure slowly appeared on the opposite side of the rainbow bridge. It was Mona! She was d in the same dress she wore while picking Olivia from the airport. She waved her hands at Olivia as always. ¡°Mona!¡± ted, Olivia dashed toward the rainbow bridge. The moment she stepped on the bridge, two brisk voices resounded. ¡°Mommy!¡± She looked back only to see her two babies. The boy resembled Ethan, while the girl looked like a mini Olivia. ¡°I finally found you!¡± Olivia crouched to hug them. As she reached out for them, her fingers passed through their bodies. She looked at her hands in disbelief. Her body was turning transparent. ¡°How could this be?¡± Her children were right in front of her, but she couldn¡¯t touch them. They smiled at her like the dazzling sun. ¡°Live a good life, Mommy.¡± After saying that, they pushed her into an endless pit. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia stretched her arm as pain clouded her eyes. ¡°No! Mona! My babies!¡± She fell into a deep hole in darkness. Her eyes shot open suddenly. ¡°Babies! My babies!¡± ¡°Liv, you¡¯re finally awake.¡± Ethan¡¯s anxious voice rang into her ear. She scanned around. There were no sights of her babies and Mona. It was the hospital that reeked of disinfectant odor. The ceiling was white, and the IV drip dripped steadily. A whileter, she finally regained herposure and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m alive?¡± Olivia looked at her hands. Her right hand couldn¡¯t move, and the scratches on her left hand reminded her of how she dug the soil during the deliveryst night. ¡°Right, the babies!¡± she thought. ¡°Where are my babies? Where are they?¡± She yanked Ethan¡¯s cor. His face darkened. He didn¡¯t know what to tell her. ¡°Liv, get some rest. Once you recover- She grabbed him like a mad woman. ¡°Tell me, where are my babies?¡± ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Dead¡­¡± Tears began pooling in her widened eyes as though someone had pressed a button in her. She didn¡¯t move at all. Ethan hugged her gently. ¡°Liv, we can still have babies in the future.¡± That remark ticked the bomb off. She shoved him away with all her might. ¡°Get away from me! I don¡¯t want you! I want my babies!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move. You might suffer from a blood reflux,¡± he reminded her. She cast her gaze down at the back of her hand. There was blood at the end of the tube. It was already happening. She removed the tape and next the needle. Blood began oozing out of her skin. Red stains appeared on her bedsheet. The color was so striking due to its contrast with the white bedsheet. She looked at her bleeding hand. ¡°Why did you save me? It should¡¯ve let me die ¡­¡± Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Olivia¡¯s walls of rationality crumbled. Her babies were herst straw. A pang of despair twinged her as much as she had looked forward to their birth. Tears and blood dripped onto the floor. Kneeling on the bed, she wed at her hair. ¡°Ethan, you shouldn¡¯t have saved me. It¡¯s too painful to stay alive!¡± She couldn¡¯t figure out the meaning of her living. Her existence itself was a bad omen; she would only bring misfortune to the people around her. Ethan hugged Olivia again. ¡°Do you know why I saved you? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you why now.¡± He crouched to slip socks and shoes to her feet before carrying her. ¡°Where are you bringing me to?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± He carried her to one of the patient rooms that consisted of threepartments. The patients in the room were bandaged. Some of them were wearing casts, too! Cyril, whose leg was shot, was hopping in their direction while supporting himself with a crutch. It seemed like he wanted to head to the restroom. He greeted the couple politely upon noticing them at the door, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°Your leg¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was hoarse. He let out a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± At least he was alive; some of them couldn¡¯t make it. ¡°Rest up.¡± Ethan carried Olivia to another patient room to visit everyone. Theirst stop was the ICU. She could see Owen through the ss. There were a lot of tubes inserted in him. ¡°It¡¯s been three days, but his life is still in critical condition. He might not be able to survive tonight. ¡°Even if he regains consciousness, it will take him a lot of time to recover. He won¡¯t be able to recover to how he was before.¡± Ethan sighed in her ear. ¡°Liv, do you know why I saved you? 28 is the total number of casualties from this mission of protecting you. ¡°Eight of them are severely injured, 19 are lightly injured, and there¡¯s one death.¡± As soon as the final remark hit her, Olivia bit her lip to fight back her tears. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°At the mortuary. The first two bullets weren¡¯t fatal. She could¡¯ve survived, but thest shot was a headshot.¡± The scene of Mona saving her conjured in her head. It was as though Olivia could still see the smile on Mona¡¯s face. It was as warm as the blood sttered across Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Calm down, Liv. There are a lot of things we have to do. You can¡¯t die. ¡°You have to live. Only then you¡¯ll be able to catch the mastermind.¡± He held her shoulders with red eyes. Thest three days were an agony, and he had experienced the pain of losing his children in the meantime. ¡°I won¡¯t let them off the hook that easily. You must stay alive to watch how I seek revenge, making them pay the price with their lives.¡± Olivia¡¯s mind was a mess. Her head was buzzing as she couldn¡¯t hear anything. Ultimately, she slowly said, ¡°Could you bring me to her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in the state to go there, Liv. Don¡¯t forget the fact that you barely survived death not long ago.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Hanging her head low, she grabbed his cor like a convict. ¡°Please Take me to her¡­¡± Her voice was so soft. Her tears fell onto the cold floor, spattering into tiny droplets. Her nose was clogged as she said, ¡°1-I just wanna see her for thest time. Just onest time¡­¡± It pained him to watch her in such a sorrowful state, giving him no reason to reject her request. He replied hoarsely, ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 542 Chapter 542 The elevator door opened when it reached the third-floor basement, taking the chilling breeze in. Ethan removed his coat to drape it over Olivia¡¯s shoulders. The temperature was colder than it was up there. It was her first visit to such a ce, which seemed different from the movies. The corridor was brightly lit, but the excessive illuminance over the wall made the ce appear rather deste. An older man was standing by the door to the mortuary. He was waiting for Olivia under his superior¡¯s orders. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller, the body is cosmetically prepared, but it is a dead body, after all. So, it¡¯s not a pleasing sight. ¡°Please be mentally prepared for it.¡± ¡°Open the door.¡± Her voice was hoarse. As soon as the door was open, she saw a white sheet covering a body. Ethan exined, ¡°I took some measures, so the case hasn¡¯t gone public yet. Her family doesn¡¯t know about it for now.¡± Olivia strode toward the body. She had lost her consciousness for three days straight. Thus, everything that had happened that night felt like yesterday to her. The excruciating pain, strong wind, and cold waves were still fresh to her sensations. With trembling fingers, she slowly pulled the white sheet to reveal Mona¡¯s face. Although Mona¡¯s body hadn¡¯t dposed due to the cold environment, there were livor mortis over it. Not long ago, she was wreathed in smiles like the dazzling sun; now, she was lying in such a cold ce with a pale face. Olivia couldn¡¯t stop her tears from falling. ¡°Sorry, Mona. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She flopped onto the floor while clutching the white sheet. Her mind rewound her first encounter with Mona. At that time, Mona was carefully wrapping the flowers she trimmed in the rose garden. When she was caught red-handed, she hid them behind her. Like a kid who had done something wrong, she stammered in her words, ¡°M-Ms. Fordham, I¡¯m not stealing the flowers. I thought that it was a waste. I ¡­¡± The thorns pricked her hands, but she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ms. Fordham. People like us are different from you. Your body can¡¯t handle this. I learned how to cook and do the house chores when I was young. This little injury won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m clearly older than you, but why do you always have a gloomy air around you? You¡¯re so pretty. You should be prettier when you smile.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I will always be your family. I will take good care of you.¡± ¡°Dear babies, be good while you¡¯re in your mother¡¯s belly. When you¡¯re out of there, I will feed you guys delicious food!¡± ¡°Olivia, my crush is returning to the country! He¡¯s the kindest person I¡¯ve ever met. I like him a lot. What is that word again? Oh, he had me at hello, and he owns all of me forever.¡± ¡°Warren confessed to me! Do you know how long I¡¯ve waited for this day, Olivia? It¡¯s like I own the world!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to Warren after your delivery. You¡¯ll know how kind he is.¡± ¡°I-I told you. I swore that I¡¯ll¡­ p-protect you. F-Farewell, Olivia.¡± The time they had spent together wasn¡¯t that long. It was only six months, but Olivia was used to Mona¡¯spany, looking after her. She saw Mona as her family. She even thought of preparing an immense marriage gift for Mona. Olivia was determined to live a good life to see Mona walk down the aisle one day. It would¡¯ve been wonderful to see Mona tie the knot with the person she loved, living the youthful dream she once had. However, Mona didn¡¯t get married to her crush but was killed by him instead. Olivia couldn¡¯t imagine how despairing and sorrowful it was for Mona at that moment. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Warren didn¡¯t kill Mona, but her love that she nurtured for years with his bare hands. He was such a perfect person. Yet, how could he bring himself to kill Mona? Olivia was crying in a storm of resentment, regret, and anger. Ethan hugged her. ¡°Just let it all out.¡± Kneeling in his arms in that dark room, she wailed while grabbing Ethan¡¯s shirt. Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Negative emotions were piling on Olivia. Ethan knew that she was too weak for an emotional rollercoaster right now. But he was more worried that something might happen from her bottling her emotions. Thus, he¡¯d rather she let it all out. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Olivia cried for a long time until her voice turned hoarse, and there were no more tears to cry. Her eyes were empty, and her legs were numb from the kneeling. She sobbed in Ethan¡¯s arms, and he didn¡¯t utter a word. He kept patting her back gently. Only when he noticed that she had slowly collected herself did he help her get up. Forming strength from anguish, she figured he was right-she should live. If she died, everything would go ording to the mastermind¡¯s n. She should live to pass on the grief of staying alive to that mastermind. Olivia wiped thest tear off. When she looked at Mona¡¯s body, her gaze turned more determined than before. She yanked the white sheet downward a little to reveal Mona¡¯s hand. The bracelet Mona treasured was still wearing around her wrist. Olivia bet Mona wouldn¡¯t have thought the bracelet would cost her life when she brought it home that day. Olivia said, ¡°Ask a technician to dismantle this bracelet. See if we can find anything from it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She continued softly, ¡°I won¡¯t let you die in vain, Mona. I, Olivia Fordham, swear to God that I will make Warren pay the price with his life as long as I¡¯m alive. Don¡¯t worry. I will look after your family. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt them.¡± Ethan asked, ¡°Are you going to tell the family about this?¡± ¡°Secrets can¡¯t be kept forever. I don¡¯t want Mona to be alone.¡± They could keep it a secret for days or months, but not years. Considering how much Mona loved her family, they would be worried now that she had gone missing for two months. Prolonged pain was not as good as short pain. If Olivia told her family about it, they would be able to send Mona off for thest time at least. It would be better than having regrets to find out about itter and not being able to see her for the one last time. ¡°I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± Ethan held Olivia¡¯s hand, wanting to leave. But she didn¡¯t budge an inch. Standing at the same spot, she gazed into Ethan¡¯s eyes. Their eyes were red. She wanted to say something, but she didn¡¯t as grief clouded her eyes. He knew her well enough to know what she was going to say. ¡°The babies¡­¡± His voice was throaty. She raised her head to look at him. ¡°Where are they?¡± She had to face the cruel reality no matter what. ¡°I personally brought some men to search the mountain, but we couldn¡¯t find their bodies. Perhaps someone else had taken them away, or they were thrown into the sea.¡± ¡°W-What!¡± ¡°It was a chaotic night. Those assassins might¡¯ve thrown them into the sea to make sure to get rid of it. ¡°I asked the team to retrieve their bodies, but we couldn¡¯t find anything.¡± Her already pale face appeared more haggard. Putting her hands on her chest, she wanted to say something only to be unable to speak. Her whole body was shaking. Ethan didn¡¯t know if it was due to sorrow or anger. ¡°Calm down, Liv. The babies were born prematurely. ¡°They¡¯re twins, too. Even If they were alive, they might not have been able to survive. ¡°Your health matters the most. Focus on your recovery. We can have kids in the future.¡± Olivia, who didn¡¯t say anything, fainted into Ethan¡¯s arms again. Chapter 544 Chapter 544 The night had fallen when Olivia regained consciousness. She heard criesing from the corridor. Fighting through the grogginess, she opened her eyes. She didn¡¯t move. She stared at the ceiling with hollow eyes instead. Everything felt like a dream. The haze in her mind rendered it surreal. Ethan gazed at her with bloodshot eyes. His voice was very hoarse. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re awake.¡± From his haggard face alone, it was easy for Olivia to tell that he had been looking after her for days and nights consecutively without sleep. She had received IV drips for the past few days. She didn¡¯t eat anything. He would press damp cotton bugs on her lips whenever they were chap. Olivia almost couldn¡¯t part her lips when she regained consciousness. She spoke with her eyes instead. ¡°What do you want? Are you thirsty or hungry? Tell me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thirsty¡­¡± ted that she finally made a request, he rose from his seat. However, his sudden action incurred a pang of dizziness because he hadn¡¯t rested or eaten anything for days. His tall stature was suddenly falling downward. Fortunately, Ethan was quick enough to hold onto the table to support himself before falling. Despite his heart-wrenching state, he hurried to the table to pour a ss of warm water for Olivia without a rest. She noticed that the clothes on him were the same ones he wore a few days ago. Obviously, he hadn¡¯t left her side after she fainted that night. ¡°Slow down, Liv. Don¡¯t choke yourself.¡± He was wearing distinct dark circles beneath his eyes and a stubble of beard around his jaw. How was this haggard man the Ethan she knew? Ethan was the prominent man who was always in his suit and could turn a ce upside down with a lift of a finger. He was treating her carefully, more carefully than before. Olivia¡¯s throat was so dry that it hurt. So, she kept quiet and drank the water. After feeding her half a ss of water, he wiped her mouth with a tissue. He caressed her cheeks as his eyes expressed sorrow. No woman was as skinny as her after a delivery. Ethan had carefully ministered to her for over six months, and she barely gained some weight. However, they were back to square one after the recent incident. It was as though she had returned to the time when they were having a divorce. She seemed so fragile, like a delicate flower. ¡°Are you hungry? You can have fluid food now.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have an ounce of energy as she nodded weakly. Ethan asked someone to bring in porridge, which was prepared beforehand. He fed her little by little. She ate slowly, and he was gentle. There was no sign of rush or impatience. She was quiet. Her meek attitude rendered him anxious. ¡°Liv, are you alright?¡± Olivia, who finally absorbed some energy thanks to the food, nodded. ¡°You have some of it too.¡± Ethan¡¯s red eyes zeroed in on her. He seemed baffled. She exined expressionlessly, ¡°Ethan, although I hate you, this is a different matter. We¡¯re allies when ites to the babies. ¡°I need your help to find out who that mastermind is. It doesn¡¯t matter if it has to do with Leia. ¡°I won¡¯t show mercy to them. I will not let her off the hook that easily the next time I confront her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me having suicidal thoughts. I¡¯ve given it a thought. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. I won¡¯t let Mona die in vain for me. I will live. I must live better than anyone else out there! ¡°Since that person spent so much money to kill me, my existence must greatly impact them. I should live to get to the bottom This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. of it. ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a bigger secret behind this!¡± Ethan watched the frailty on her face fade. The glint in her eyes changed as though she had reincarnated into a zing phoenix. After losing her babies, the resentment had morphed into her strongest armor. Chapter 545 Chapter 545 Olivia had no choice but to ept reality. It had happened, and regretting it would do nothing. A lot of sacrifices were made in exchange for her life. From now onward, she wouldn¡¯t be living only for herself. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me doing foolish things. Go home, get a shower, and have a good rest. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t run away anymore.¡± Ethan was surprised to hear her say that. It was as if she had be apletely different person after waking up. Previously, she was a white magnolia; she always stood with her back straight with sophisticated grace, but she was harmless. Now, she was a rose that came with thorns. Cold yet enticing, she could give anyone who came close to her pricks all over their body. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not tired¡­¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t sure about her current condition, so he wanted to stay by her side. He would decide after that. Olivia didn¡¯t say anything more about it. She cast her gaze at the closed door. ¡°I heard someone crying. Who was it?¡± ¡°Mona¡¯s parents. They demanded an exnation. Considering that Mona died for you, I told them about it. But they took advantage of it and kept causing a racket at the hospital.¡± She shook her head, disapproving of his statement. ¡°You will never know how it feels to be a mother. ¡°We¡¯re willing to do anything for our children. This is not taking advantage.¡± She lifted her nket. She hadn¡¯t fully recovered, so she didn¡¯t have much strength in her. Turning her head, she looked at him. ¡°Could you help me out of the room? I want to check on them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The moment the door was opened, a woman¡¯s agonizing cry hit their ears at a louder volume. Raising her gaze, Olivia looked far away to see a middle-aged woman dressed in in clothes. Thetter¡¯s hair was messy, and her eyes were red, expressing deep sorrow. She was grabbing Brent¡¯s cor while crying. There were a few red lines of scratches on his neck, bleeding. Instead of dodging, he said calmly, ¡°Madam, calm down. What¡¯s done is done.¡± ¡°Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down? I entrusted my fine daughter to you, but why is she dead?¡± A man was nearby, staring at the wall with despair. Nothing around him bothered him. It seemed like they were Mona¡¯s parents. Olivia was resting most of her weight on Ethan. With a throaty voice, she chimed in, ¡°Madam, Mona died for me. If you want to me anyone, me it on me.¡± The woman turned to look at Olivia as her red eyes widened. ¡°A-Are you Ms. Fordham?¡± The woman heard a lot about Olivia from Mona. ording to Mona, Olivia was a pretty, gentle, and agreeable superior. However, Olivia had a hurtful past and didn¡¯t have a lot of close acquaintances. Thus, Mona intended to take good care of Olivia so that she could deliver her babies safely. Olivia was said to be six months pregnant. That woman gazed at Olivia¡¯s t belly, which wasn¡¯t a sign of a six-month pregnancy at all, She was gorgeous, but she seemed haggard. Her lips were parched, and her cheeks were skinny. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She didn¡¯t look like a pregnant woman at all. Anyone could see that Olivia was weak. A wind was all it took to blow her away. As a mother herself, the woman stopped throwing a tantrum. She watched Olivia approach her step by step. Those steps were difficult yet firm. Slowly Olivia dragged herself before kneeling in front of the woman. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m the cause of your daughter¡¯s death. If you want to kill or punch anyone, you cane at me.¡± Chapter 546 Chapter 546 It was a heart-wrenching sight to behold. How could Megan Tate bring herself to put up a fight with Olivia? Megan was aware that Olivia had lost her mother a long time ago, not to mention that Jeff was in a coma. Her marriage life was unhappy, too. A kind-hearted person like Megan didn¡¯t know how to react to Olivia kneeling before her. ¡°Ms. Fordham, you¡¯re weak, and the floor is cold. You should get up.¡± Megan was old enough to tell that Olivia had pretermbor from her t belly. Olivia wasn¡¯t the only person hurting. Cyril hopped over with the help of a crutch. ¡°Mrs. Gurney, Mona protected Mrs. Miller on her will. It had nothing to do with Mrs. Miller. ¡°It was my fault for not being able to protect Mona. I shall bear the responsibility for it.¡± Cyril paid Allen Gurney a visit at the hospital before. Despite having only one encounter, Cyril left Megan a deep impression. She could tell that he was a decent man with one look. ¡°Your leg¡­¡± A group of built men came out of the patient room behind Cyril in ones and twos. Some of them had their hands injured, while others had their legs hurt. ¡°Mrs. Gurney, it was our fault. It had nothing to do with Mr. Cyril. He¡¯s the saddest person to learn that Mona is dead.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. It was heartbreaking yet spectacr to see those robust men covered with injuries. Ethan helped Olivia to catch her bnce before striding through the crowd. The moment he walked through the built men, the atmosphere changed. He didn¡¯t say a word, and yet Megan could sense danger for some reason that she didn¡¯t know. His eyes were bloodshot, and his handsome face was icy cold. ¡°I¡¯m their superior, as well as Mona¡¯s benefactor. I¡¯ve asked someone to make arrangements for her funeral andpensation.¡± He was as calm and assertive as Brent. They were able to remain calm under any circumstances. It was as though someone¡¯s life meant a piece of sand to them that would fly away along the wind. Megan¡¯s anger, which she barely quelled a moment ago, red up once again. ¡°Mr. Miller, I know that you¡¯re loaded, but money won¡¯t be able to bring my daughter back alive. I don¡¯t want money. I simply want her back¡± A glint of displeasure swept across his eyes. ¡°Is that so? Do you think that it was a wrongful death? ¡°Had it not been for her luring the lion out of the den, Liv wouldn¡¯t have had a premature delivery, nor would I have lost my children! ¡°My men wouldn¡¯t have ended up hurting like this! One of them is still lying in the ICU, too! You¡¯re demanding an exnation from me regarding your daughter¡¯s death? ¡°What about my children and men? Who¡¯s going to give them an exnation?¡± Megan retreated a step back as she gazed at Ethan incredulously. ¡°What did you say? My daughter is the cause of all of this?¡± He had finally let himself loose after having reined himself in for days. Megan demanded an exnation, but what about his children? Olivia was one step to death¡¯s doorstep when she was saved; she almost died. And who was going to hold responsibility for that? Someone tugged at the hem of his shirt. Olivia cooed, ¡°Don¡¯t speak to Mrs. Gurney like that. She suddenly lost her daughter.¡± ¡°Liv, I would like to sympathize with her, too. But do you expect me not to feel pain after losing my children?¡± Ethan had been looking forward to his children¡¯s birth. He even avoided Olivia as he didn¡¯t want to affect her mood. He anticipated their arrival more than anyone else. Yet, things turned out this way. Forget about Mona losing her life during the incident. He would¡¯ve killed her if she was still alive. An unfamiliar male voice resounded from afar. ¡°Mom, why are you causing a ruckus over here?¡± Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Olivia looked in that direction to see a tall young man limping over. He resembled Mona. Despite the same features they shared, Mona was a bright woman, while he seemed cold and glum. Noticing her gaze, he nodded at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my mother¡¯s ruckus, Ms. Fordham. She didn¡¯t know the score.¡± Brent had told him everything, so he knew the whole story. He kept Megan in the dark because he didn¡¯t want to upset her. He didn¡¯t expect her toe all the way here. He seemed tired as the corner of his eyes were red. His legs had yet to recover, hence the limp. Before Olivia pulled herself back from her musing, the young man abruptly bowed before her. He hung his head low, repenting like a sinner. ¡°I know the whole story. It¡¯s all my fault. I held Mona back and hurt you indirectly. This wouldn¡¯t have happened if I dodged it.¡± Olivia said and motioned Brent to help him up. ¡°Your leg is in bad shape. Don¡¯t hurt yourself. The opponent had everything nned. Even if it wasn¡¯t you, they would¡¯veid a finger on your parents. Don¡¯t me yourself. It is me who owes Mona.¡± Allen stared at her t belly. Although he wasn¡¯t a woman, he knew how much a pair of twins meant to a mother. It wasn¡¯t something that an apology could make up for. Olivia looked at Megan again. ¡°Mrs. Gurney, I¡¯m terribly sorry about what happened to Mona. I am saddened by her departure, too. I understand how you feel, but what¡¯s done cannot be undone. ¡°The remaining people should move on with their lives so as to not let her down. ¡°Even if you cause a ruckus, she won¡¯t be able toe back. We shouldn¡¯t do things that make the opponent happy, should we?¡± Megan cried, and Olivia reached out to wipe the tears off for her. ¡°I owe Mona my life. I will look after you guys in her stead. If you don¡¯t mind, would you ept me as your god-daughter?¡± Megan waved her hand. ¡°No, no. To what do we owe the honor of being your family? We-¡± ¡°Please ept me, Mrs. Gurney. Mona sacrificed herself to protect me, so it is reasonable for me to look after her family. That way, she would be able to rest in peace up there.¡± Megan epted it in the end. Afterforting Megan, Olivia returned to her room due to her weak body. Ethan watched Olivia eat in bed. She clearly seemed weaker than ever, but there was a hint of determinationing from her. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Noticing his gaze, she looked at him with clear eyes. Her voice was calm. ¡°Go home and get some rest. I¡¯ll focus on my recovery in the hospital.¡± He had expected her to throw a tantrum, not stay as calm as she was right now. ¡°Liv, aren¡¯t you sad?¡± ¡°I am. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve figured it out, and there¡¯s no point in being sad. It changes nothing. ¡°So, why should I waste time dwelling on sadness? Ethan, I told you I¡¯m not going tomit suicide again.¡± She suddenly reached out to smoothen the crease on his shirt. Despite the gentleness sitting upon her brows, her voice was menacing. ¡°Besides, I want you to live. Recover and be my strongest weapon.¡± She shed a menacing smile at him. ¡°Ethan Miller, you owe me this.¡± Chapter 548 Chapter 548 Ethan washed up and got changed before rushing to the hospital. He asked before entering the room. ¡°How is she doing?¡± Kelvin quickly responded, ¡°It¡¯s weird. Mrs. Miller didn¡¯t throw a tantrum and even asked to have an extra meal.¡± ¡°Did she say anything?¡± ¡°She asked about the other men¡¯s condition and how many enemies we captured. She also asked if Warren was one of them. She seemed calm the whole time.¡± ¡°What did you answer?¡± ¡°I told her the truth, that Warren escaped. The other people were under strict interrogations. She didn¡¯t say anything after that. She said that she was tired and needed some rest.¡± Kelvin scratched his head before continuing, ¡°Mr. Miller, what¡¯s up with Mrs. Miller? The way she¡¯s acting right now kinda scares me. She¡¯s too calm about it, so calm that it sends chills down my spine.¡± ¡°It looks like she didn¡¯t lie to me.¡± Initially, Ethan was worried that Olivia was trying to distract him tomit suicide. Fortunately, she had figured it out. He entered the room with light steps, and the person on the bed opened her eyes. Olivia¡¯s eyes showed determination. ¡°I knew that you wouldn¡¯t rest. Pull out the bed from that sofa and get some rest.¡± He gazed at her for a while. ¡°Liv, are you really alright?¡± ¡°How am I not? I¡¯m sticking to the doctor¡¯s treatment to be back on my feet as soon as possible. Plus, I think I can feel my right hand. Find me the best doctor.¡± Although she didn¡¯t stop the treatment for her hand, she couldn¡¯t take a lot of medicines or follow some treatments due to her pregnancy. Fortunately, the physiotherapist had been treating her. She only realized that she could feel her right hand a moment ago. This was the only good news in her terrible life. ¡°Okay. But the preterm delivery has affected your body. So, you have to be bedridden for a month. I will make arrangements for the treatment, but we can¡¯t rush things.¡± Olivia looked at the dried autumnal leaves. ¡°Since we¡¯ve captured some of their men, did we manage to get anything out of them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s The ck Ravens. But they were only listening to orders, which was to kill their target. They didn¡¯t have the authority to know who the benefactor was.¡± ¡°How many were they?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°100.¡± She lifted her gaze. ¡°This is not my forte. Is this considered a lot?¡± ¡°The ck Ravens is the most famous assassin organization in the world. They cultivate assassins since they¡¯re young. ¡°Other than that, the ones eligible to join them are skillfulbatants like retired special forces, spies, and so on. ¡°They ept people from all over the world. And they rank themselves from C to S based on their skills. ¡°This time, there were 90 C Ranks, seven B Ranks, two A Ranks, and the remaining one whom they don¡¯t even know which rank he belongs to.¡± ¡°What rank is Warren?¡± ¡°A Rank. He¡¯s also themander in charge of this mission.¡± Olivia snickered. ¡°He escaped?¡± ¡°He was shot in the leg and jumped into the sea. His status? Unknown.¡± ¡°How much does it cost to dispatch that many people?¡± Ethan raised a finger. ¡°This much.¡± ¡°One million dors?¡± He shook his head. ¡°It goes up from 100 million dors. As I said, they are skillful at fighting. It takes a lot of money, resources, and time to cultivate one. ¡°A handful of assassins are normally dispatched for a mission, and the price ranges from one million dors to hundreds of millions of dors.¡± She snorted. ¡°That person has burned a hole in their pocket just to kill me. Who do you think it could possibly be?¡± ¡°Considering the motive, Marina and¡­ Leia are suspicious. But 100 million dors is a huge amount of money for Marina. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into the Carltons¡¯ bank ount. Her entire family might not be able to pay that much money, let alone her. Besides, she wouldn¡¯t have known the way to contact The ck Ravens.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s not Marina, it¡¯s Leia?¡± Chapter 549 Chapter 549 ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not trying to side with whoever. But this is not the Toxic Hive¡¯s way of doing things. ¡°If Leia really wants you dead, it¡¯s highly possible that she will find a way to drug you. Would she have chosen this method? ¡°As you know, the head of Toxic Hive is Helen. After Mr. Carlton passed away, she brought the Toxic Hive out of Aldenvine, including Leia. It has been months since they left.¡± Ethan held Olivia¡¯s hand. With a gentle expression, he said, ¡°The person who bought off The ck Ravens is not only rich, but he knows the contact them. way ¡°He¡¯s decisive and simple with his way of doing things. He¡¯s ruthless. Liv, did you think about who you have offended?¡± to She shook her head. ¡°You know my past very well. I got married and was pregnant before I graduated from university. Who could I possibly offend? ¡°Not to mention that it¡¯s a powerful fellow that can spend 100 million dors so easily to put a bounty on my head.¡± He frowned. ¡°I suspect that it has something to do with your real family. You and Ms. Parker took a DNA test when she suffered from leukemia and found out that you¡¯re not blood-rted. ¡°Someone¡¯s trying to stop you from digging further into the matter, so he hired assassins to kill you once and for all.¡± That was the only possibility. Olivia had a hunch that her real family was a distinct existence. The thought of that gave her the courage to live on with her life. Now that she was shouldering her babies¡¯ and Mona¡¯s lives, Olivia was determined to settle the score at all costs! ¡°Will The ck Ravens keep dispatching assassins to kill me?¡± ¡°Logically speaking, no. The fact that they dispatched 100 men is enough to tell how resolute they are. But they¡¯ve underestimated our men, who are not ordinary bodyguards you see out there. ¡°That¡¯s why they suffered a lot of casualties. Even though a minority of them escaped, they lost the majority of their people. Forget about B Ranks and A Ranks; C-rank assassins are rare. Now that they¡¯ve failed the mission, they will evaluate the risk and give up.¡± Ethan added, ¡°Of course, that person won¡¯t give up just because this didn¡¯t work out. He will think of another way, but he won¡¯t take any action for the time being. You can rest up with peace of mind.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Olivia suddenly stretched her hand toward him. Baffled, he couldn¡¯t read her next action. Next, she yanked him over to bring him to the bed. She moved herself to give him some space. ¡°Night.¡± He couldn¡¯t rest because he was worried about her, so she decided to let him share the bed. Facing her back to him, she could sense his breathing bing stable. Only then did Olivia speak indifferently, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m sick of this kind of life.¡± ¡°Liv¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick of hiding. In the end, I couldn¡¯t protect my children and dragged someone else into this mess. Had I not been this weak, would it have been a different ending?¡± Ethan hugged her from behind. Her body was trembling in silence. She was crying quietly, not wanting others to see her weak side. ¡°I can¡¯t forget how Mona stood in front of me and told me to run. Her blood sttered across my face. ¡°And I can¡¯t forget how Owen shielded me until his final breath. Dr. Wells is a woman herself, but she carried me while climbing the cliff. Her hands were scratched, leaving blood along the rocks.¡± She was choking on her voice. ¡°I can never forget how the babies wriggled in my belly. They must be scared. ¡°I promised them that I would take good care of them. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t do anything and held so many people back.¡± Spreading her palms, she looked at her hands. ¡°Do you know? I watched them lose their lives and yet couldn¡¯t do anything.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°At that time, I kept thinking why I wasn¡¯t the one dying but them. If I was dead, things could¡¯ve been different. I¡¯m willing to sacrifice my life in exchange for their peaceful lives.¡± ¡°Liv, it wasn¡¯t your fault. You did well.¡± ¡°Whether the opponent was Leia or anyone else, I was always the passive party. I hid, but things turned out this way in the end. ¡°Ethan, once I recover, send me to Volt Peak Mountain.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression changed as soon as she brought up that mountain. ¡°No. How could you go there? Liv, listen to me. Your dream is to be a doctor, right? I can send you somewhere to pursue your studies.¡± ¡°I wanted to save the world before this, but I couldn¡¯t even save my babies in the end. If I can avenge them, I don¡¯t mind staining my hands with blood.¡± Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Olivia¡¯s eyes were neither calm nor clear; they were teeming with madness and obsession. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. What kind of ce Volt Peak Mountain was? It was called the Isle of Death in the line of industry. It was a secret base to train special agents, as well as a very dangerous ce. What kind of people were there? They were either orphans or people who lost their families-in short, they were alone. The majority of them were sent there for training when they were young. Of course, there were grown- ups like Olivia, too. They shared a simr background, too. It was no wonder that Ethan reacted that way. Her rash decision would result in her death. ¡°Shake that idea off your mind, Liv. You have always wanted to set up a hospital for the citizens. Even if Marina changed its name, this hospital is still operating. ¡°The medical staff we have here are skillful doctors from within the country and abroad. I¡¯ve also established a foundation to help out poor people. ¡°Over 100 people are benefiting from it as of today. That includes deaf and dumb kids. There are also special programs for elderly people. ¡°The world might not be a perfect ce, but there are people who make up for it. Had it not been for you, some people would¡¯ve died because they were too poor to see the doctor.¡± Tears began flooding her eyes. ¡°Even if I could save everyone in this world, I couldn¡¯t save my friends and children. ¡°What¡¯s the use of saving so many people? There¡¯s only one reason I¡¯m living on, that is revenge.¡± Ethan let out a soft sigh, not knowing how to talk her out of it. ¡°Get some sleep.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything after that. She merely looked at that ray of light at the edge of the sky as resentment stormed into her eyes. Unconsciously, she ced her hand on her belly. Habits couldn¡¯t be changed easily. Not to mention that she had been doing that for six months. The moment she pulled her senses back, Olivia realized that her babies were gone. It was as though a bright neighbor had moved out of the house one day, and she couldn¡¯t get used to it. She thought, ¡°Give me some time, kids. I will surely take revenge for you.¡± In the following days, Olivia was cooperative when it came to the treatment. She was slowly recovering, and she could walk around. Mona¡¯s body was sent to her hometown, a vige. They buried her body. Olivia arrived at the church. When she got out of the car, she could hear people singing a hymn from a church. Then, the priest began performing the mass before the cross. The cries and prayers lingered along the wind underneath the gray clouds. Since it waste fall, most of the crops were harvested, leaving only the dry stubble of wheat and withered corn stalks. It was as if the world had lost its colors; it was grayish in color. Olivia lived in the cities since she was young. She had attended a few funerals, but it was her first visit to this kind of funeral. It hit home more than the usual ritual. Olivia stepped on the soft soil, with Ethan following behind her quietly. She pointed at the rice field. ¡°Monasaid that her hometown is pretty. Her hardworlding neighbors nted nabana seeds some time ago. When springes, it will be a field of blooming nabana flowers. ¡°The field is painted in green during summer, apanied by the singing crickets. The kids will try to catch little lobsters in the field barefooted. ¡°The breeze is there for them to enjoy, and the ridges are thenes for them to hop around. ¡°The grain will be mature during the fall. It¡¯ll be a picture of gold when that happens. She will be sitting on the heap of harvested grains, celebrating the joy of harvest with her parents. ¡°She told me that she was going to bring me to her hometown after my delivery. She would take me to the field to touch the grains and little lobsters. ¡°There¡¯s a huge apple tree and grapevine trellis on her porch. The apples and grapes they bore are big and sweet.¡± ¡°Liv¡­¡± Olivia choked on her voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just eximing how I¡¯m visiting her hometown in this kind of situation.¡± After the coffin was ced into the dug pit, people began burying it. The bereaved family was crying. Olivia knelt before the gravestone, touching the smiling face on the picture. ¡°I¡¯ll avenge you, Mona.¡± Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Drizzle began falling from the somber sky. The candle me danced along to the cold breeze. Olivia wiped the raindrop off her face, muttering, ¡°Mona, is that you?¡± Two drops of rainnded beneath Mona¡¯s eyes on the picture, making it seem as though she was crying. It broke Olivia¡¯s heart to see that. She caressed the gravestone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mona. I will take good care of your family. They are my family from now onward. ¡°Please rest in peace. In your next life ¡­ Find a better person in your next life.¡± The drizzle showered the whole vige after the funeral. Instead of leaving immediately, she went to Mona¡¯s old residence. It had been a while since Mona¡¯s family moved to a big city. They would only return to their hometown during festive days like New Year¡¯s, so the house was usually empty. The house seemed to be shabby. The apple tree and grapevine trellis stood in the rain, seeped with loneliness. Olivia stood below the grapevine trellis. She could imagine an adorable girl eating apples on a hot summer evening. The little girl waved a fan while listening to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice from an older person. ¡°This is Mona¡¯s favorite grape. It¡¯s a pity that she can¡¯t have them anymore,¡± Allen recounted Mona¡¯s past story while standing beside Olivia. Olivia was listening to him attentively. There was a smile across her lips asionally. ¡°She sure is a mischievous kid.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s the most mischievous kid in this vige. But she scores academically. That was why we moved to the city. Our parents worked hard to feed us. We thought that good days were ahead of us. Who knew¡­¡± She looked at his red eyes and patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m your sister from now onward. Study hard. Don¡¯t disappoint her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia officially introduced herself to Mona¡¯s family. Since it was gettingte, she decided to crash at the ce for a night before leaving. She slept in Mona¡¯s room. Even Mona¡¯s bedsheet left traces of her past. The whole room was filled with the certificates of achievements she had received since she was young. Olivia listened to the rain as her back rested against Ethan¡¯s warm chest. He basically followed her everywhere she went, but she didn¡¯t mind it. When she was head over heels for him, he was the closest person to her; now that her love had died, she merely saw him as a bodyguard. Olivia faced her back to him as usual. The old-fashioned light cast a warm yellow sheen over her face, but it couldn¡¯t stave off her coldness. Only coldness and moisture filled the silent room. Something was unfurling without anyone knowing. Ethan broke the silence. ¡°Allen personally told me that he wishes to attend military school.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Olivia turned around, furrowing her brows. ¡°Military school? Doesn¡¯t he wanna go to medical school?¡± Mona had frequently mentioned her brother with pride. The glint in Ethan¡¯s eyes slightly wavered. ¡°He shares the same notion as you, iming that practicing medicine won¡¯t be able to save people.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fine. Let him be.¡± The following day, when Olivia and Ethan wanted to leave the ce, an older woman with white hair visited. She was so old that her steps were wobbly. She hugged a colorful nket in her arms. ¡°Megan, your daughter previously asked me to patch a nket. Do you still want it?¡± Megan wore an awkward expression. ¡°Olivia, it was supposed to be a gift for you, but now *** Olivia suppressed the pain ripping through her heart. ¡°I want it. Why not? It¡¯s nice to have a souvenir. Madam, here, I¡¯ll take it. ¡°1 ¡°Okay. Mona kept reminding me to use fine threads and cloth to make it. I personally dried the cotton. It¡¯sfy and warm. You¡­¡± The older woman looked at Olivia, and her face fell. ¡°Y-You¡¯re finally back¡­¡± Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Baffled, Olivia looked at Penny. Wrinkles adorned Penny¡¯s face, and her eyes were murky. Her wrinkle-surrounded mouth was shaking due to vehement emotions. ¡°Mrs. Durst, are you speaking to me?¡± ¡°Yes, you!¡± The excited older woman held Olivia¡¯s hand, rubbing her rough hands against the back of Olivia¡¯s hand so much that it stung. Penny¡¯s reaction took Olivia aback. They didn¡¯t know each other, but why was Penny getting so excited? ¡°Mrs. Durst, did you get the wrong person?¡± ¡°How could I possibly get the wrong person? Miss, I¡¯ve never expected myself to be able to meet you again. You look exactly the same as you were that year! You barely changed.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Penny sized her up. ¡°No, you seemed skinnier. Something¡¯s different about your face, too.¡± Megan quickly said, ¡°I think you got the wrong person. Olivia has nevere to this vige before. This is her first visit.¡± ¡°Olivia?¡± Penny circled Olivia while pointing at her at times. ¡°Something¡¯s off. You¡¯re taller and skinnier than her. You look quite different, too. But you resemble her a lot.¡± Olivia and Ethan exchanged nces, wondering if Penny knew her family. ¡°Have a seat and take your time to remember. Who do I resemble?¡± ¡°Ms. Nat.¡± Olivia had never encountered that name before. Considering that Penny could be the only lead to find her real family, Olivia asked urgently, ¡°Who is she? Where does she live? What kind of rtionship do you have with her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± Penny wanted to say something, but her mind went nk. She handed the nket to Megan. ¡°Megan, your daughter¡¯s death is such a tragic one. She was such a nice kid.¡± ¡°Mrs. Durst, you haven¡¯t told me who Ms. Nat is yet.¡± Penny turned to look at Olivia, only to be surprised again. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re back¡­¡± Olivia was rendered speechless. Ethan patted her shoulder, providingfort. ¡°She must be forgetful because of her age. Be patient.¡± Megan added, ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s in her 80s this year. Her hearing and eyesight are good, but she can be forgetful sometimes.¡± ¡°Mom, does she have a family?¡± ¡°No. Her partner passed away a long time ago. She doesn¡¯t have kids, either. She has lived in the vige since I was young. She never left this ce once.¡± ¡°Do you know her past?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I heard something that happened seven decades ago. Wars were on the rise at that time, hence the natural disasters and casualties. ¡°A lot of people died of starvation at the time. Many people went to the cities to work. She went to the city to work as a nanny for a rich family before.¡± Olivia spoke to Penny for a while, realizing that thetter¡¯s circumstances weren¡¯t that good. Her memories woulde and go, too. After discussing with Ethan, Olivia decided to bring Penny back to Aldenvine. Olivia could guess that she resembled Ms. Nat, whom Penny had served before. She made a rough calction of Ms. Nat¡¯s age. Even if she were still alive, she would be at least as old as her own grandmother. They didn¡¯t return to the seaside vi. They went to a loft instead. Penny barely spoke throughout the journey back home. Nervousness and marvel filled her eyes. After 70 years, the country progressed into a developed country. There was no trace of its past at all. The moment they entered the house, warm air weed them. With her slightly hunched back, Penny stood respectfully in reflex. ¡°Wee home, Miss.¡± Chapter 553 Chapter 553 She could barely remember her name, but such etiquette was still etched deep in Penny¡¯s bones. ¡°Madam, make yourself at home. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± Olivia scanned the area casually. It was her first timeing to this loft. Ethan pointed at a nearby guest room. ¡°I asked Madam Burgess to clean that room. Mrs. Durst can stay there for the moment. If she lives under the same roof with you, she might be able to remember sooner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Let her get used to the ce for a few days. I¡¯ll ask someone to give her a thorough medical checkup after that.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Olivia had been giving him an aloof attitude as though they were neighbors. Ethan sighed helplessly, knowing that this wouldst for a while. ¡°You should get some rest, Liv. You¡¯re not fully recovered yet. From today onward, I¡¯ll ask someone to come over to treat your hand. ¡°As for your father, there¡¯s a medical team checking on him 24/7. Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t pick any fault out of his arrangements. It was a long journey traveling to Mona¡¯s hometown for her funeral. In addition to her restless sleepst night, Olivia felt exhausted. She informed Madam Burgess about something before returning to her room to get some rest. The sky was dark when she woke up. Ethan was working in the study room. Madam Burgess and Penny were getting along well as they started sewing soles together. ¡°Mrs. Durst, your eyesight is perfectly fine. You¡¯re in your 80s, and yet you can still sew perfectly!¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Not to toot my own horn, but I¡¯m the best seamstress in the vige. Back in the past, the vigers always handed their clothes to me. ¡°When I moved to the city, I started learning the trendy designs. ¡°Ms. Nat-the miss I served-is pretty and young! The material and designs she wore were always the best,¡± Penny imed proudly. Olivia approached her. ¡°Mrs. Durst, where did you and Ms. Nat live back then?¡± ¡°No. 23, Warlot Street.¡± ¡°Which Warlot Street? Could you be more specific? What is Ms. Nat¡¯s actual name?¡± Penny scratched her head. ¡°I can¡¯t remember. I¡¯m old, and I can¡¯t remember a lot of things. ¡°I do remember that there was a huge cherry tree in the yard. When it was the season, Ms. Nat would always pluck them herself. Then, we made cherry jam from them. Desserts are her favorite.¡± ¡°What is her name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Back then, I wandered along the streets with a group of refugees all the way from home. Life was hard. I was close to starvation. ¡°Ms. Nat pitied me, so she brought me back. She was pregnant at that time. And I started looking after her.¡± ¡°What about her husband?¡± ¡°She never mentioned him. I asked a few times, but she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°So, I didn¡¯t ask about him as time passed. I don¡¯t know where her origin was. Her ent wasn¡¯t local. She¡¯s the prettiest and most graceful woman I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°What happened next? Where did Ms. Nat go?¡± Penny sighed. ¡°War wasmon during those years. I headed outside to buy her favorite sweets, but a war broke out in the city. ¡°The traitors massacred the city. Ms. Nat and her son went missing. ¡°The valuables in the house were stolen. I was able to survive because I hid in a well. I searched for her for months, but there was no news of her. ¡°She might¡¯ve been¡­ After all, she was pretty. No man would let her go.¡± She began recollecting her memories with Ms. Nat, but there weren¡¯t many useful leads. After all, Penny was illiterate, and she came from a vige. She didn¡¯t understand anything. That so-called Ms. Nat was a mysterious woman. She was all alone with a kid, and her husband was nowhere to be seen. No one knew of her origin either. Olivia knew that she shouldn¡¯t rush things. Sheforted Penny before going to the study, where Ethan was busy with his work. Olivia gave him the new leads. ¡°No. 23, Warlot Street. There was a huge cherry tree in the yard. Would you be able to find this ce?¡± Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Ethan¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. ¡°Which city?¡± ¡°Mrs. Durst can¡¯t remember. She said that she wandered along the streets all the way from her hometown. She didn¡¯t have a ce to go in mind. ¡°She followed others wandering around. I heard that her city was close to the sea.¡± ¡°The country was tangled with wars over 60 years ago. Every military troop attacked everywhere to im territories. There were countless bandits, too. ¡°The people formed organizations themselves to make riots. That period was chaotic. The ce names kept changing. This alone won¡¯t be able to get us to the right ce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Take your time. I am happy enough to be able to meet Mrs. Durst. It can be considered as a guide from God. Who knows? She might be able to recall more things one day.¡± ¡°Liv, it is true that we have leads. But you have to be mentally prepared. Even if you resemble Ms. Nat- the person Mrs. Durst served-it is possible that this is a mere coincidence. ¡°It¡¯smon for people to look alike. Plus, that was 60 years ago. It might have nothing to do with your family.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want her to hold high hopes only to be utterly disappointed in the end. ¡°I understand. Please have the doctore over for my hand treatment.¡± Olivia touched her wrist. She was determined to treat her hand by all means. She didn¡¯t want to lose her hand! Every time Ethan saw her wrist, a weight of guilt shouldered on him. ¡°I heard that your medication dose has increased, and there are additional treatments. Can you handle them?¡± ¡°Yeah. The new doctor is impressive.¡± Olivia kept quiet about how painful the daily treatment was. In order to recover, she had to tolerate the pain no matter how hellish it felt. That was how the days passed. Everything seemed peaceful, but Ethan knew that Olivia had completely changed. He told her to get a good rest, but she spent a long time in the gym every day. Since her right hand hadn¡¯t recovered, she trained her left hand. After a month, she immediately requested special training from him. Brent followed behind him, looking at Olivia practicing female defensive skills through the window. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It was bewildering since she was so thin and could only use one hand. When she was flipped over the trainer¡¯s shoulder again, the crease between Ethan¡¯s eyebrows tightened. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller just had a preterm delivery. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to take such strong training.¡± ¡°She asked for it herself.¡± During her one-month rest, Olivia spent a long time on curl-ups and lifting barbells alone. This morning, she even tied sandbags on her legs while running. She was taking her body lightly. Ethan couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He said everything that he could, but she didn¡¯t care. She wanted training to be stronger. She didn¡¯t wish to watch others die for her when trouble happened again. Ethan genuinely hoped that she could pick up some self-defense skills, too.. danger. At the same time, he felt that the training was too intensive for her. He held a cigarette in his mouth as he sighed. The fact that things hade to this point was beyond his control. Even though he had meals and shared the bed with Olivia, she saw him as a roommate. There was no love in her gaze on Ethan, not even resentment. It was as if there was nothing else on her mind other than revenge. As though she didn¡¯t know about exhaustion, she got back to her feet right away. Olivia¡¯s eyes expressed determination. ¡°Again. Don¡¯t hold yourself back.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller, you¡¯ve achieved the target today. You should rest.¡± The trainer gave up instead. Noticing her displeasure, Brent opened the door. ¡°Mrs. Miller, we found something.¡± Only then did she give in. ¡°Okay. Give me a¡¯moment.¡± She stood up, heading to the bathroom to shower. Olivia casually hurled her dirty workout gear into the basket. She stretched out her trembling right hand. Although it was difficult, she managed to hold the cup! She couldn¡¯t control the strength of her grasp, and her hand was still shaking. Still, a rare smile adorned across her lips the moment she held the cup. Her treatment was finally showing progress. She could move her right hand! and do Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Ethan reclined on the leather couch, slightly raising his head. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. He looked exhausted. Judging from his shut eyes, he seemed to be asleep. Olivia spared him a nce, and she didn¡¯t wake him up. She sat opposite him silently instead, casually taking a programming book. It was only when a cold wind came through the window that Ethan slowly woke up. Gazing at the cold scenery, he reckoned that it was going to snow soon. The light in the room was brightly lit, contradicting the somber sky outside. There were fresh flowers, which were brought over this morning, ced on the table. They were trimmed into lovely and graceful arrangements, giving off a faint, fresh scent. The apartment finally felt like home. However, no matter how wholesome the interior design was, it couldn¡¯t mend the rtionship between Ethan and Olivia. Previously, only the weather outside would be described as cold; now, their rtionship itself had turned cold, too. Back in the past, she would definitely drape a nket over him when he fell asleep. Unlike before, she didn¡¯t care about him now. She was sitting opposite him, reading a book. Her gaze was warm as tranquility sat upon her brows. ¡°You¡¯re awake. I heard that you¡¯ve found something.¡± There was no courtesy in her straightforward remarks. Ethan was now a tool to Olivia, and she didn¡¯t even try to hide that fact. To describe the situation with her words-he was repaying what he owed her. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve asked someone to investigate all the Warlot Streets. There are a total of 52 streets with that name in the whole country. ¡°Over 30 of them were either reconstructed, had their names changed, or under the government¡¯s use. It took a long time to look into them. Finally, we¡¯re certain that the ce Mrs. Durst mentioned is located in Seaburg City. ¡°That is the good news. The bad news is that Seaburg City¡¯s geography is a little peculiar. It has been considered a strategic location during wars for a long time. ¡°It was bombed over 60 years ago, and then it was colonized by a foreign party for over ten years. Warlot Street was changed into many names after that. ¡°20 years ago, there was a huge reform and development project. Almost the whole city was reformed and reconstructed. That Warlot Street was long gone.¡± Ethan took a stack of documents out. ¡°Previously, No. 23 was an orphanage next to an old folks¡¯ home. It was a ce catered for homeless children and old people. But that cherry tree was well preserved.¡± Olivia took the documents over and read them seriously. It contained the history of Warlot Street from the 70s until today. It was like a history book. The ck and white pictures gradually gained colors, showing the generational development. Finally, she stopped at a picture. Next to the cherry tree was an old folks¡¯ home and an orphanage. Even though it was a cold winter, it was clear that it was a huge tree. Apparently, it had lived for many years. It already snowed in Seaburg City. There wereyers of snow on the surrounding buildings in the picture. Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Olivia went out on the day of the first snow. She initially thought that the excessive training would worsen her illness, but it seemed like her stomach hadn¡¯t caused her trouble since before she got pregnant. Although she didn¡¯t know what was going on with the tumor, she was certain that her condition was stable. It didn¡¯t spread over her body, which was the best-case scenario for her. It had been almost a year since shest went shopping or enjoyed life. Olivia stood before the most famous shopping center. She could see a career woman in heels from afar. Wearing a wool coat over her, the woman strode over with hurried steps. She stood under arge billboard and looked around until she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Eve.¡± Everly turned to look back at Olivia, who was standing nearby in a ck wool coat. Thetter¡¯s hair, which was tied up, was longer than before. A pair of simple earrings hung on her earlobes. She still looked beautiful. Olivia was like a sunflower in the past and then appeared like a magnolia flower; now, she was a ck rose that had a cold exterior. She could only be looked at from afar. She wasn¡¯t someone to be messed with. Everly knew that Olivia hid to deliver her babies, so they hadn¡¯t kept in touch. She was overjoyed the moment she saw Olivia. Running in her heels, she threw herself at Olivia. ¡°You finally contacted me! Do you know how much I missed you? I was afraid of exposing your whereabouts, so I didn¡¯t dare to disturb you. I hadn¡¯t seen your babies, either.¡± Not knowing how Olivia had been, Everly circled Olivia. ¡°You seem more energetic than before. Yourplexion seems better. ¡°Not bad, not bad. I was surprised to see you a moment ago. You look the same, but you feel like a different person to me.¡± Everly was overwhelmed with excitement, guessing that Olivia didn¡¯t bring her babies out due to their young age. ¡°I was over the moon when you gave me a callst night. Let¡¯s go! It¡¯s been a while since west met. Let me show you how much my wealth has improved right now.¡± Excited, she took Olivia to one of the most luxurious restaurants in the city. Everly didn¡¯t stop rambling throughout the journey, telling Olivia how she had been for the past year. She got a promotion to a much higher position after going on business trips abroad with Henry and was no longer an insignificant saleswoman. She spoke for more than half an hour until they arrived at the restaurant. Only when she took a sip of lemon water did she realize that Olivia had barely spoken. Olivia would only look at her with a smiling face or give a brief response. Everly finally stopped her stories, gazing at Olivia. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re kinda weird. The mothers in my office never stop talking about their children. Why don¡¯t you talk about yours? Oh, here are my gifts for them.¡± She handed over a bag she had brought along, fishing out some golden essories. ¡°Look. This is an anklet, bracelet, and zodiac ne. They¡¯re solid.¡± Olivia smiled faintly. ¡°Did you purchase them from a jeweler?¡± ¡°Of course! These are for my godson and goddaughter. What are their names? I still don¡¯t know that.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia raised the pretty anklet, caressing the word ¡°peace¡± carved in it. It was such a nice blessing. ¡°Gone.¡± ¡°What¡¯s gone? Have you yet chosen a name for them? No rush. You can start with nicknames. That¡¯s how you get inspiration.¡± Olivia¡¯s cold voice resounded. ¡°I said, my children are gone.¡± The smile on Everly¡¯s face stiffened, but she was reluctant to think of the negative side. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®gone?¡¯ Are you ¡°It means they¡¯ve passed away. It was a preterm delivery, and they didn¡¯t survive.¡± The bracelet fell off Everly¡¯s hand. ¡°H-How could this be? Your first child was gone. These babies¡­ Why a premature delivery? Olivia let out a bitter smile. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Forget it. It¡¯s in the past.¡± ¡°Liv.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s in the past. Eve, I called you out today to bid farewell.¡± Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Surprised, Everly held Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Farewell? Where are you going?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I simply wanna go somewhere to get some rest.¡± Everly couldn¡¯t feel a sense of energy from Olivia¡¯s all-ck outfit. Olivia was giving off an aloof demeanor. Everly figured that Olivia might want to get some fresh air. ¡°Are you going to be gone for a long time?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not bad to leave this saddening ce.¡± The positive Everly didn¡¯t even know how tofort Olivia. What Olivia experienced wasn¡¯t something that could be cated with mere words. Converting anger and resentment into appetite might help, so Everly ordered a lot of expensive dishes. ¡°Eat. Have this caviar to your heart¡¯s content. You don¡¯t have to hold yourself back. I¡¯m loaded with cash.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°Speak softer. People might think that you¡¯re a richdy whocks foresight.¡± ¡°So what? I became rich with my capabilities. Liv, honestly speaking, I¡¯ve always wanted to be sessful and be someone you can rely on. You helped me out many times during high school.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sessful enough now.¡± Olivia witnessed how much Everly grew. Unlike Olivia, Everly was a career-oriented woman. Men had held Everly back in the past. Now that she was single, she was on a roll. Everly finally found her desired path, and Olivia was genuinely happy for her. Like what they did during their schooling days, they had a meal, went shopping, and watched a movie. There was always a faint smile on Olivia¡¯s face. When the night dawned, snowkes fluttered along the wind. They were going to go their separate ways when Everly suddenly said, ¡°Wait.¡± She entered a store. Soon, she came out of the store with a scarf and wrapped it around Olivia¡¯s neck. ¡°No matter what path you choose to take, I¡¯ll always be supporting you. If you¡¯re tired, just look back because I¡¯ll be right behind you. ¡°Take care of yourself. Keep in touch when you¡¯re avable. I¡¯ll be at ease if I know that you¡¯re doing fine.¡± It took Olivia a while before saying, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Your body is weak, so don¡¯t push yourself too hard. You should give in when the situation calls for it. Leave it to the men.¡± Olivia went silent for a moment again before responding, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Be happy.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, you too.¡± Olivia wiped Everly¡¯s tears away. ¡°Bye, Eve.¡± Olivia hopped into the car before it drove off. She nced behind only to see Everly standing at the same spot, watching her leave. Everly didn¡¯t leave. A cloud of mncholy tinged Olivia¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s time to wrap things up over here,¡± she thought. She decided to bid farewell to her past during this snowy winter. By the time Olivia returned home, Penny and Madam Burgess were discussing tomorrow¡¯s meal. Olivia headed back to her room to wash up. Looking at the snow outside, she eximed in her head, ¡°Time does fly. It¡¯s been a year.¡± Ethan entered the room to see her back. She was quiet, like a porcin doll. ¡°Have you really made up your mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to rush. You can wait until it gets warmer in spring next year.¡± She turned around. ¡°There¡¯s no spring. Everywhere is hell to me. Ethan, if you truly love me, just let me go.¡± He gulped his saliva. ¡°You should know that Volt Peak Mountain is not an ordinary ce. If you go there-¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s a dangerous ce.¡± She smiled. ¡°But there¡¯s still a chance of surviving there. I wille back alive like you did that year.¡± He stared at her for a long time before sighing helplessly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do with you.¡± ¡°Ethan, could you do me onest favor?¡± Chapter 558 Chapter 558 The next morning, Olivia entered Jeff¡¯s room onest time. She stared at the bedridden man, who was skin and bone. His muscles had shrunken, and his face was haggard. The pungent smell of medicine lingered in the air. Olivia didn¡¯t have the courage to enter the room before this. She was aware that the day she made up her mind would be the day she bid farewell. Thickyers of snow filled the yard after a snowy night. Olivia drew the thick curtains to open the window, letting the sunlight and wind in. ¡°Dad, I bet it¡¯s been a long time since youst got some fresh air outside. It¡¯s winter again. It¡¯s snowing.¡± Although Olivia¡¯s right hand wasn¡¯t as sensitive as her left hand, she could make simple movements with it. She scooped the snow and began molding it into a snow rabbit. ¡°I remember you¡¯d always have snow fights and build a snowman with me in the yard whenever it snowed. Your craftsmanship is always on point. ¡°I once said that when you¡¯re old, I will push you in a wheelchair so that we can have a snow fight and build a snowman. But I guess we can¡¯t anymore. ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve always been the young and handsome father to me. But today, I suddenly realized that you¡¯re already old. Your shoulders aren¡¯t as broad as before. It has been tough for you toe this far, right?¡± She cried while smiling. ¡°Sorry for making you stay again and again because of my selfishness. I won¡¯t do the same now. I¡¯m going to set you free, Dad.¡± Her tears fell onto Jeff¡¯s face. ¡°Actually, I found out that you¡¯re not my biological father some time ago. But so what? To me, you will always be my father. ¡°Even if you¡¯re no longer by my side, I will keep those memories I had with you and the lessons you taught me to guide me ahead.¡± As she finished bedding farewell, the doctors swarmed the room. ¡°Mrs. Miller.¡± Tears pooled in her eyes as she said, ¡°Do it.¡± Someone switched the venttor off while someone removed the tubes from Jeff one by one. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia ced the snow rabbit on Jeff¡¯s palm. ¡°I love you, Dad.¡± The warm sheen of sunlight caressed his palm, slowly melting the snow rabbit. His skinny fingers slightly tightened as though he was trying to hold the snow rabbit. A tear trickled down from the corner of his eye. It was hisst farewell to Olivia. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I know what I¡¯m going to do. I will live well.¡± His heartbeat stopped, and there was a smile on his face. He finally let it go, and so did she. She should¡¯ve done that earlier, but she made him stay. She was making him stay with no dignity until today. Ethan held her shoulder, cooing, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m happy.¡± Jeff might have a new life soon. But Olivia hoped that he could live a happy life in his next lifetime. His funeral was a simple one. Only Olivia¡¯s close acquaintances knew about it. Her grandparents had passed away a long time ago. That made her uncles and aunts the only visitors. These rtives had cut ties with Olivia¡¯s family the moment they were announced bankrupt. Even though the rtives paid a visit to the funeral, none of them were genuine. They previously heard that she got married to someone in secret and spoke ill of her behind her back. They imed that she had a filthy private life, messing around with men and getting married in the end because of pregnancy. Jeff didn¡¯t inform them because he was afraid that it would be an embarrassment. Now that they found out that Ethan was her ex-husband, they regretted it so much. They faked tears at the funeral, trying to get close to Olivia. However, Kelvin and Brent got in their way before they could get closer to her. No one coulde near her. Snowkes were dancing in the air. She was dressed in ck as Ethan stood next to her, holding an umbre to shelter her from the snow. She knelt before the gravestone, praying again and again. ¡°Dear God, may Jeff Fordham rest in peace and have his wish granted.¡± Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Marina, who was sitting in a wheelchair, watched Ethan hold an umbre for Olivia from afar. He was standing while Olivia was kneeling. They somehow looked like a match made in heaven standing before the snowy background. Marina had asked him about Jeff¡¯s whereabouts many times, but he didn¡¯t tell her anything. It was only this morning that she received news about Jeff¡¯s death. She couldn¡¯t even see Jeff in hisst moments or send him off for the onest time. She thought that Jeff didn¡¯t know that her biological daughter was her until hisst day. Ethan was cruel, but he told her that this was her karma. But Marina didn¡¯t know what she did wrong. She was kept in the dark for so many years. In the end, she killed her parents with her bare hands. It pricked her guilty conscience day and night. During those days when she first returned to the country, she thought she was the happiest person in the world. She had a harmonious family, a loving mother, and a protective Ethan. Yet, she ended up like this a yearter. The Carltons had experienced a huge change-Ethan called off their engagement, her parents passed away, and she became a disabled person. Marina asked someone to push her wheelchair toward Olivia. She looked at Olivia¡¯s pretty face, thinking, ¡°This bitch is getting prettier.¡± ¡°Are you happy now?¡± Olivia, who was dwelling on grief, turned after hearing Marina¡¯s voice. Olivia¡¯s eyes were red. The sorrow in them faded away the moment she saw Marina. ¡°Happy? Happy about what? About how Mom¡¯s condition worsened because you refused to donate your bone marrow for Mom even though it was a match? ¡°Or about how Dad was saved, but you made him rpse? You¡¯re the cause of all this. What do you want me to feel happy about?¡± It was all Marina¡¯s fault, and she was angered because Olivia exposed her. ¡°You must¡¯ve manipted Ethan not to let me meet Dad. How cruel! You didn¡¯t even let me meet him in hisst moments.¡± Olivia merely sneered at Marina¡¯s rebuke, finding it a waste of time to exin her stance. Olivia wiped the tear away from the corner of her eye before rising to her feet. She then strode toward Marina and ced her hands beside her, caging her. Olivia¡¯s eyes were icy. ¡°So what if I did that on purpose? I¡¯m Dad¡¯s only daughter. You wish you could send him off onest time? You don¡¯t deserve to do so.¡± Furious, Marina raised her hand to p Olivia. A year ago, Marina could berate and hit Olivia, but thetter seemed to have changed into a different person now. Olivia grabbed Marina¡¯s hand easily. Olivia¡¯s left hand was more sensitive after the training. It was stronger than her right hand. Feeling that her wrist was going to snap, Marina turned and gave Ethan a pitiful look. ¡°Ethan, look at her¡­¡± The man, who had always sided with her, frowned. He looked at him with cold eyes. ¡°Marina Carlton, I said not to cross the line. Stop testing my patience.¡± ¡°Ethan, how could you do this to me?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°How could I not? Keep in mind that I was never the person who owed you.¡± He red at her before holding the umbre for Olivia to leave the ce together. Marina threw herself at him like a mad woman, but she fell onto the snowy ground. The cold snow covered her face. She crawled forward like a dog, yelling, ¡°Ethan, please! Look back at me! Can¡¯t you look at me just for once?¡± Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Olivia stopped in her tracks to turn to look at Marina after hearing her despairing voice. Marina didn¡¯t care about the housekeeper, who was trying to help her up. She was so stubborn that she wanted to crawl toward Ethan. Her helpless and pitiful state reminded Olivia of her past. Olivia had once pleaded with Ethan not to divorce her. She now realized how pitiful she seemed at that time. ¡°Are you going to let her be?¡± Olivia crossed her arms, assuming that Ethan ignored Marina because he was considering her emotions. ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind me. It doesn¡¯t bother me.¡± Ethan was hurt to hear that. He held Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Liv, I have never loved Marina. I said I was going to marry her because I wanted to repay a favor.¡± She sneered. ¡°And that repayment requires you to have sex with her? Interesting.¡± ¡°Liv, Connor¡¯s actually-¡± When he was going to blurt that out, he closed his eyes only to recall the night he rescued Olivia from the sea. She almost died at that time, and it broke his heart to recall that again. He still didn¡¯t know who was the mastermind that wanted to assassinate her. If someone found out that Connor was actually Olivia¡¯s child, Connor would be in trouble! Thus, Ethan could only swallow the secret at the tip of his tongue. Olivia spared him a nce and left without waiting for his exnation. She would only need an exnation from him if she cared for him. She didn¡¯t, so why would she care about his emotions? Marina was getting closer to the couple, and yet they walked away, leaving her alone. She shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Ethan!¡± She would never mention Kurt¡¯s matter in front of others. He was herst trump card. Although Ethan had called off his engagement with Marina, he didn¡¯t reduce his provision to the Carltons. He still looked after them. The Carltons¡¯ position was vulnerable now. Back then, Chris was around to keep things under control. Even though he didn¡¯t have a son, no one dared toy a finger on them. Now that Chris had passed away and Marina was disabled, in addition to the called-off engagement, her rtives were getting restless. They didn¡¯t dare to set their ns into action solely due to Ethan¡¯s formidable influence. Marina was having a tough life. On the one hand, she had to please Ethan with caution; on the other hand, she had to bear the pressure from the Carltons. Snowkesnded upon her. Her body was cold, but it couldn¡¯t beat the chill creeping into her heart. All Marina could do was to watch Ethan slowly walking farther and farther from her with sorrowful eyes. Olivia shoved Ethan¡¯s hand and got into the car alone. The heat in the car was warming her up. He handed her a hand warmer. ¡°Your body is affected by the preterm delivery, so you can¡¯t be exposed to the cold. Warm yourself up.¡± She caressed the hand warmer and said indifferently, ¡°Send me to Volt Peak Mountain today.¡± ¡°Liv, I can hire a professional to train you. You don¡¯t have to take it that far.¡± She turned her head, gazing at him. ¡°We can only awaken our potential on the brink of death. Even if you hire the best trainer for me, I will still be weak. ¡°If I weren¡¯t one step away from death, I would¡¯ve thought that that was enough. But I witnessed how Mona died, how much she loved Warren. ¡°She loved him since they were still students. Even if he didn¡¯t like her, they must¡¯ve at least formed a bond at a certain level after talking to each other every day. ¡°He didn¡¯t show a hint of hesitation when he raised his gun that day. He didn¡¯t even bat an eysh. Only then did I realize that he isn¡¯t a human with emotions. He¡¯s an emotionless weapon. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Kindness is the biggest hurdle in growth. I want to grow stronger, so I need to forsake these emotions. I won¡¯t have a weakness if I¡¯m void of emotions.¡± ¡°So, you personally sent your father off onest time to face a new chapter in life.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes. Not even a miracle could save him. Instead of making him stay selfishly, it¡¯s better to set him free with dignity. That way, I won¡¯t have anything or anyone holding me back.¡± The glint in Ethan¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°What about me, Liv? Don¡¯t you care about me a single bit?¡± Olivia looked at the dancing snowke outside, saying softly, ¡°I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Chapter 561 Chapter 561 Volt Peak Mountain was also called the Isle of Hell. It was formed with five inds. Like a waste disposal center, it epted prisoners who were on death row, ves¡­ It was more like a demon-nurturing vessel and a colosseum. To survive there, one had to run and fight nonstop. It was apulsory stage of experience for every special agent in the world. ording to the rules, the first-round candidates would be sent to the four surrounding inds randomly. There, they would start their wildlife survival game. Ny percent of the candidates would be eliminated within three months. The remaining candidates would be sent to the main ind, where the top three candidates would battle their way out of it. After passing the test, those three people would be sold off at a high price. They could be a senior security guard at the national defense, a special agent of a secret organization, or a skillful assassin in a mercenary organization. Olivia knew that most of the winning candidates joined The ck Ravens, the legendary mysterious organization. Ethan had jumped through hoops looking into the matter, but he only managed to find out the scapegoat. The identity of the mastermind remained unknown still. She didn¡¯t want to sit still and do nothing, waiting for her death. She had always been the passive party. Ethan gave her a new identity. d in cheap clothes, she painted her skin sallow and covered her beautiful looks with scars on purpose. Before they hit the road, he wore a ne around her neck. It was a tracking and rescue device. Besides, he gave her two small bombs for emergency use. Olivia wouldn¡¯t refuse something that could keep her safe. She was sent to the entrance to the Isle of Hell. She was able to study the geographical structure of the ce in the ne. A thick forest covered the ind as it was surrounded by the sea. It was more shocking than the map she had studied before. She was going to experience months of killing and wildlife survival here. Ethan gazed at her with a heavy heart. ¡°Liv, must you really go?¡± ¡°Ethan, since I¡¯m already in hell, I¡¯d rather go to real hell.¡± Olivia walked toward the usher, who was waiting for her arrival, without looking back. That usher nodded at Ethan before leading her away. Brent was worried while watching her leave. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller¡¯s right hand hasn¡¯t recovered yet. Are you going to let her go like that? It is a colosseum inside there!¡± ¡°She¡¯s made up her mind. I can¡¯t dissuade her. It¡¯ll only make her hate me more. The only thing I can do is to protect her in my own way.¡± ¡°But even if you¡¯ve sent someone to protect her, you¡¯ll never know what kind of danger lies ahead. What if ¡­ I mean, we won¡¯t be able to save her in time if she¡¯s in danger.¡± Ethan looked far away with a straight back. His eyes were dark. He touched his wedding ring while wearing an unreadable expression. ¡°It¡¯s normal for kids to go through a rebellious stage. When that happens, the more you go against them, the more rebellious they¡¯ll be. ¡°Since she wants to see the top of the mountain, just take her there. As long as she¡¯s under my control, it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s far away from me. That¡¯s the most important matter to take note of.¡± Brent didn¡¯t know how Ethan was going to keep Olivia under his control. Next, Ethan said indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s bound to face danger. Let her do what she wants. Inject M1 in her when she¡¯s at her weakest state. Then, she will forget everything and return to my side.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to use that forbidden drug from the Toxic Hive? Chris said that it has side effects.¡± ¡°What kind of drug doesn¡¯te with side effects? Even the medicine you take for a cold has them, too. I¡¯ve asked for the details.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Pregnant women, cancer patients, patients with heart diseases, and kids are not allowed to take them. Liv is neither of them.¡± Chapter 562 Chapter 562 Only then did Brent understand Ethan¡¯s intention. Ethan had never wanted to send Olivia to the training from the start. He simply needed a chance to inject the drug into her. Still, there was a voice inside Brent telling him that it was inappropriate to do that. ¡°But Mr. Miller, even if Mrs. Miller¡¯s past is full of painful memories, she has the right to decide whether she wants to forget it or not. ¡°If you inject the drug into her without her consent, what if she recovers her memories? Will she forgive you?¡± ¡°Do you think that I haven¡¯t considered that? Forget about how difficult it was for her toe this far. Revenge is the only thing on her mind. ¡°She became unusually sensitive. She can¡¯t have a good night¡¯s sleep every night. The ruffling grass alone is enough to wake her up. ¡°Whenever she falls asleep, nightmares gue her. Plus, there¡¯s a huge wall between Olivia and me. I have no other choice.¡± He lifted his silver wedding ring, which reflected the sunlight shining upon it. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found a way to break out of this stalemate. As long as we inject M1 into Liv, she will forget her painful memories, including how I had hurt her.¡± Madness and exhration were evident in Ethan¡¯s expression when he talked about that. ¡°She will be the woman who only has her eyes on me again. Our marriage will be perfect, and no one can ever ruin it again.¡± Brent parted his lips, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. He simply hoped that Ethan would have his wish granted. The man Olivia was following was robust and had tanned skin. ¡°Ms. Fordham, I know why you¡¯vee here. I will do everything in my power to protect you. You can call me Joseph.¡± She nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°This tropical ce is close to the equator. It¡¯s hot, humid, and rainy here. Which means it bears an abundance of resources here. ¡°There is a lot of food to eat, but there are many poisonous living things-insects, nts, and animals. It¡¯s sketchy everywhere.¡± Olivia had done a lot of research beforeing. She also received a map from Ethan, so she knew the scores. ¡°I¡¯ve researched all the nts and animals. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll send you to prisonter. Just act like a prisoner on a death row. All of you will undergo training together for a month. After that, you will be sent to the ind for kills.¡± The training Joseph mentioned was actually a time for the candidates to get to know each other and form their own allies. The trainer had told them that only ten percent of the candidates would be able to stay. Those prisoners were on death row. Hence, they would naturally have the will to be a part of that 10 percent so that they can start their life anew. Still, they didn¡¯t know that the trainer was hiding something from them. After winning, they would be sent to the main ind for the final battle. The ones who survived were usually the person who had hurt their own teammates. That was the final trial-humanity. Rooting humanity out of an individual would make him a qualified killer. However, Olivia knew all of the hidden rules. Thus, she didn¡¯t n on forming allies with anyone. When she was thrown into the dark prison, all eyes were on her. Male prisoners outnumbered female prisoners. When they noticed that she was a woman, someone whistled. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s a woman!¡± Someone cluck his tongue. ¡°And she¡¯s ugly.¡± ¡°Switch off the lights, and they¡¯ll all be the same.¡± Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Mischievousughter could be heard. Calmly, Olivia scanned the area. There were a total of 11 people in the room-nine men and two women. Aside from Olivia, a woman was shrinking herself at a corner. Since they were prisoners on death row, they must be malicious people. Olivia knew that Ethan would definitely have a backup n for this. One of the people here worked for him. She sat down at an empty corner, and the first man to speak to her before this approached her. He stank, probably because it had been a while since hest showered. The tall man ced his hand against the wall next to her ear. Frowning, she questioned, ¡°Anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°No matter how you came here, you have to listen to me from now on. You have to do everything I say. Got it?¡± Olivia raised her gaze on him. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He grinned lecherously, revealing his yellow teeth. ¡°There are only men here. Now that we have a female joining us, what do you think we¡¯re going to do? Take your clothes off and please me.¡± The other men came up to her while sizing her up. ¡°She¡¯s ugly, but she has a hot body. She¡¯s skinny but curvy. I bet it¡¯ll feel nice to touch her.¡± ¡°Milton, you¡¯re the leader. You can have fun with her first. I¡¯m happy enough to be able to slurp some juice.¡± ¡°What are you looking at? Take your clothes off. Didn¡¯t you hear him? Keep looking at us, and we¡¯ll dig your eyeballs out.¡± ¡°Well, I guess she¡¯s just shy. We can do it ourselves.¡± Before that person could touch Olivia, she yanked his wrist over to trip him over the shoulder. He crashed onto the ground before he could realize it. She was too quick. By the time he registered the situation, he was already shouting in pain. There were no skillful people like special agents in this room, so they weren¡¯t professional in martial arts. That was why Olivia was able to have the upper hand. Milton Lowry¡¯s face fell. ¡°Go to hell!¡± He reached out to hit her. However, she was quick enough to push his and another man¡¯s heads together, knocking them down. A loud thud resounded as a result of their heads cracking. She casually took the only bowl, which contained water, and smashed it. With a piece of the fragment, she held it close to one of their necks. ¡°If you have a death wish, I can grant it to you.¡± Her voice was icy. Olivia was grateful to Jeff for sending her to martial arts schools since she was young. She had the basics. Thus, she made huge progress after undergoing special training. In the past, she was so kind as to treat everyone with goodwill. Kindness was the synonym for being weak. Now, she cut everything out that would hold her back. Since she was all alone, left with no n B, she was ruthless and nasty. It took Olivia less than one minute to take down the big guys. Joseph rushed over upon hearing themotion. He saw her holding fragments as the others were rendered into a pitiful state. ¡°Joseph, this woman here is too nasty,¡± someone used her first. Joseph said before she could exin, ¡°Would she hurt you guys if you hadn¡¯t messed around? I¡¯m warning you. The training will be starting tomorrow. ¡°If you die here, you¡¯ll be fed to the sharks. Don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± Olivia threw the fragment away and exercised her right wrist. Her right hand couldn¡¯t react as quickly as her left hand. The men behaved after receiving a warning, but their gazes were equally menacing. Obviously, bad blood was formed between them and her. Olivia returned to the corner, sweeping her gaze across everyone casually. The five men had already formed an ally with Milton as the leader. Excluding that woman at the corner, there were four men left. Two of them were cushioning their head, sleeping with their backs facing Olivia. One of them was leaning against the wall while the remaining person was doing pull-ups. It was as though what had happened a second ago had nothing to do with them. They didn¡¯t even spare a nce over here. Noticing her gaze, the man leaning against the wall with his head hung low suddenly lifted his head. They looked at each other. She could see his face. His hair was messy, and his fringe covered his right eye. The air around him was so overwhelming, warning others to stay away from him. Could he be the person assigned by Ethan to protect her? Chapter 564 Chapter 564 The remaining time passed without trouble. Olivia stayed in the corner all the while, resting her back against the wall. Milton and his gang kept casting a vengeful gaze at her sometimes. She knew that they were biding their time for a chance. When they were sent to the ind, the killing started. Thanks to the special training, Olivia was able to be one of the top candidates with flying colors. The two men who kept sleeping in a corner were twins. They wanted to form an ally with Olivia, but she turned them down. She was a lone wolf. She had been observing the other woman named June Redmont. Everyone kept a safe distance from her. Not even Milton dared to mess with her. She had a dark aura looming over her, giving off a snake-like character to Olivia. Like a poisonous snake, June loved to stay in a dark corner. She wouldn¡¯t mess with others. But when someone provoked her, she would counter without holding herself back Olivia attempted to get close to June, but thetter ignored everyone with a deadpan face. Olivia was safe during this month¡¯s training. Tomorrow, the candidates would be sent to an inhabited ind. There were a total of 100 people, but the number of surviving candidates was only 10. Before the morning came, Joseph distributed a rescue pack to each of them. He exined the rules before leading them to board the ne. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Next, they had to choose one of the four big inds tond with a parachute. Before Olivia jumped, she noticed Milton mime slitting his throat at her. She jumped, and Milton¡¯s gang followed suit. They let out excited screams above her. She opened her parachute, and the huge parachute was extracted from the pouch. She fell at a steady speed. She was studying where tond but realized that Milton¡¯s gang showed up around her. They were even closing in on her. ¡°Milton, we got her surrounded.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see how you can run away this time, you little bitch! I¡¯ll drain you outter on!¡± Despite their filthy remarks, Olivia appeared calm. She was no longer a weak young woman anymore. She controlled the parachute ording to the wind. There was about 1500 feet to the ground, and everyone was getting ready fornding. But Olivia preempted them first. Feeling the direction of the wind blowing, she moved closer toward Milton when the wind blew stronger. Quickly, she threw a rope knife at his parachute rope. The rope twined around the knife. If the friction didn¡¯t stop, it should be able to cut his parachute rope off within 30 seconds. Milton roared, ¡°You fucking bitch! How dare you do that! Stop! I¡¯m telling you to stop!¡± She smirked. ¡°Cool your head in the sea, dude.¡± She grasped the rope knife tightly, and he was furious. It was too far from his reach, so he could only watch the rope getting cut. Now that one of his parachute ropes was cut off, the parachute couldn¡¯t keep its bnce. It was blown away by the wind. ¡°I won¡¯t let you off that easily, bitch!¡± ¡°Milton!¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t care less about it. After she found a ce tond, she prepared herself for it. Although the process was troublesome, it was fortunate that she managed tond smoothly. She quickly packed her things up to leave the ce. Thending marked the start of the actual hunting. She didn¡¯t have an ally, and it was dangerous to be alone. Olivia had to look for a temporary shelter as soon as possible because it was getting darker soon. A bite from a poisonous spider was enough to get killed. As an experienced person, Olivia was ready to let her skills shine through. The water biscuits in her bag couldst her for seven days. She was saving them for the final round. She made a simple shelter. She found some fruits and nt roots, as well as some herbs for emergencies. The night painted the sky ck, and the stars gave it glitters. The starry sky was breathtaking. Olivia gazed at the stars. She had been so busy all the while, so busy that she neglected everything. When it was quiet, she would recall snippets of her memories. Even now, she would ce her hand on her belly out of habit. But her womb was empty, just like her heart. The living Olivia was an empty shell. In the middle of the night, Joseph stood behind Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller has the skills. I didn¡¯t help her out during the past month. Shepleted every mission with perfection.¡± Ethan¡¯s brows were furrowed tightly because that was not what he wanted. ¡°She¡¯s had enough fun for now.¡± Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Ethan¡¯s expression was indifferent. He was willing to grant Olivia freedom, but only if the freedom was within the boundaries of his control. The danger on the ind was out of his control. A single ident could cause him to regret ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ll get her disqualified now.¡± A few minutester, Joseph came running over anxiously. ¡°Bad news, Mr. Miller. The tracker on Mrs. Miller has been disabled.¡± Ethan threw away the cigarette between his fingers and looked at him abruptly. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I checked a while ago, and it was fine. It didn¡¯t lose its signal. It just disappeared. That tracker was made with sturdy materials. It¡¯s hard to break unless Mrs. Miller disabled it herself.¡± Ethan furrowed his brows. It was clear that Olivia did it intentionally. She probably guessed that Ethan would get her disqualified this round. She had already made up her mind to join the ck Ravens. So, she acted before Ethan could make his move. Ethan knew he shouldn¡¯t have underestimated Olivia. She wasn¡¯t the naive woman she used to be. The ind was huge, and they were supposed to stay there for a few months. It would be hard to find Olivia without the tracker. ¡°Start searching from where the tracker¡¯s signal disappeared. Be quick!¡± Immediately after Ethan said that, Joseph said with a helpless expression, ¡°Thest location where the signal came from was ¡­ in the ocean.¡± Brent eximed, ¡°Mrs. Miller is leaving herself with no way out of this.¡± Ethan grabbed the armrests so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand popped. ¡°Contact them. Have them find Liv as soon as possible. ¡°I don¡¯t care if they get exposed. Send more people in. Let me know as soon as she¡¯s found!¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan knew of the grudge Oliva had with Milton and the others. Milton went straight for Olivia when they were parachuting. Although Ethan¡¯s men followed, they lost Olivia because the wind blew hard. Ethan felt even more restless now that Olivia had disabled her tracker. She hadpletely vanished into the woods. It was thest time she would still have her freedom. Although the days were filled with danger and hardships, she had finally taken off the chains that were holding her captive. It was Olivia¡¯s n all along. She had lied to Ethan. It was the only way she could get away from him. As long as she didn¡¯t get disqualified and got to the final round, she would be bought by the ck Ravens. Then, she would be able to get away from Ethanpletely. Olivia was very cautious. She didn¡¯t even start a fire at night for fear of exposing her location. During the day, she had to travel with minimal rest. There was a mountain on the ind. The peak was where the final battle would take ce. She saw a lot of corpses on the way. Those were the people that were killed before her. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. She felt lucky because she had not met anyone yet, only beasts. But her luck ended right before she was about to scale the mountain. Even though she remained cautious the whole way, she was still discovered. On her way to the mountain, she had been scavenging for fruits. She didn¡¯t want to leave any trace of her existence, so she only ate fruits. Under the setting sun, Milton was leaning on a tall tree. He stared at Olivia menacingly with his arms crossed. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, bitch. Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been looking for you?¡± One of Milton¡¯s underlings was standing behind another tree. He was holding a fruit in his palm. He bit down on the fruit with a vicious expression when he saw Olivia. The juice of the fruit flowed to the ground from his hand. Against his sullen face, it was as if blood was flowing down instead. ¡°Why don¡¯t you run, bitch? I¡¯d like to see where you would run to. There¡¯s no one around. So, we can take our time and have our way with you.¡± Olivia knew that she had fallen into their trap. These men had their sights set on her since the beginning. She took a few steps back subconsciously, but she collided with someone behind her. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run.¡± Olivia was shocked to see that Elias had allied with Milton. His hair had grown longer when they hadn¡¯t seen each other. It was covering a huge part of his face. Chapter 566 Chapter 566 Olivia didn¡¯t have time to catch up with Elias. She performed a shoulder throw on him and ran without looking back. She could hear Milton yelling from behind, ¡°Why are you so useless, Elias? You can¡¯t even capture a woman? ¡°Fuck, she slipped right through our fingers. After her!¡± The men started to run after Olivia. Eliasy on the ground and connected a call with his earbuds. He said slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve found her.¡± Then, he got up slowly and watched as the others went after Olivia frantically with a sardonic expression. Olivia was fast, but the ground in the woods was uneven. asionally, there would also be snakes on her path. The sky was slowly darkening. Olivia was sweating from the heat. The men chasing her were following closely behind. It was like a game of tag. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere for you to run, bitch.¡± One of the men took the chance to pounce at Olivia when he saw that she was running out of breath. He thought he had caught his prey, but then he felt something hard on his chest. Before he could react, a gunshot rang. His blood sttered everywhere. The scene of Mona¡¯s passing shed in her mind again. Olivia¡¯s shot was fatal. No one expected her to have a firearm. ¡°Travis!¡± Milton yelled angrily. ¡°Who are you? Why do you have a gun?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to use the gun if she could help it. It was against the rules, and it could expose her true identity. But she couldn¡¯t afford to hold back anymore. She pointed the gun at Milton and said, ¡°Scram!¡± It was the first time Olivia had taken a human life. She felt nervous even though these men were violent, death row criminals. Her heart was beating very fast. She thought the gun would scare them off, but the death of Travis angered Milton. His eyes were bloodshot with rage. ¡°Fucking bitch, I swear I¡¯ll rip you to pieces!¡± Olivia fired a few more shots, but Milton and his men were able to evade them. ¡°You¡¯re out of bullets, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s our turn to attack now.¡± Each of them pulled out a dagger and was preparing to rush her head-on. The odds were stacked against her, but she had no choice but to fight. Olivia was quickly overwhelmed because she was fighting against four men. Just as a de was about to sink into her arm, another gunshot rang beside her ear. This time, even Olivia was shocked. Elias was the one who opened fire. Milton was stunned momentarily before he burst into rage. He looked at Elias with confusion and asked, ¡°Where the fuck did you get a gun? Fuck, you¡¯re supposed to kill that bit-¡± Another shot was fired. Milton¡¯s right shoulder was hit. Elias looked at him nonchntly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance to rethink your words.¡± Olivia could already guess Elias¡¯ identity. ¡°You¡¯re one of his men?¡± She thought the twins were Ethan¡¯s men. She didn¡¯t expect Elias to be working for Ethan. Elias shrugged and said, ¡°Mr. Miller told me to tell you that the sun¡¯s getting real low, and it¡¯s time to go home, Mrs. Miller.¡± Milton even forgot the pain he was feeling as he listened to their conversion. He said through gritted teeth, ¡°What are the two of you talking about? Nothing is making sense to me.¡± ¡°A fool-like you don¡¯t need to understand.¡± Elias pressed the gun on Milton¡¯s forehead and said, ¡°All you need to do is apologize.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Fuck you, I¡¯ll never apologize.¡± ¡°What a foul mouth. Maybe I should¡­¡± As they were arguing, Olivia took the chance to run away. Elias was speechless. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, idiot. She ran off again. How am I supposed to report back like this?¡± ¡°Fuck you. You¡¯re the fucking idiot here. Your whole family are idiots.¡± Milton didn¡¯t stop cursing. Elias pointed the gun at the others and said, ¡°Go, get her back. Don¡¯t hurt her. If you can do that, I¡¯ll spare your lives.¡± The men quickly went to go after Olivia, but they quickly lost track of her. ¡°Fuck, where did that bitch go?¡± Elias casually started to smoke. ¡°Fuck, how the fuck did you get cigarettes? I want one, too,¡± Milton said viciously. Elias wasn¡¯t in a hurry, either. He went to the edge of the water and pulled out a snorkel. His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was enough that Olivia could hear it under the water. ¡°I found you, Mrs. Miller. The game¡¯s over.¡± Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Most of Ethan¡¯s men were like him. They were silent and expressionless. But Elias was an exception. He was a wildcard and had an impish temperament. There was no reply. Milton was smoking, and his shoulder was bleeding. He said mockingly, ¡°Do you think she¡¯s under the water? There¡¯s a strong current under there. She¡¯d be dead if she went down. ¡± Elias ignored Milton. He added, ¡°I¡¯ll be getting to the final round. Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller, I¡¯ll help you aplish what you want to do.¡± Before Milton could insert a snide remark, someone emerged from the water. Milton was about to scream in shock, but he saw a pale-skinned woman who was the embodiment of perfectioning out of the water. The water washed away Olivia¡¯s disguise. Her skin looked like it was paler than before. It was like she was glowing. Her hair and face were soaked. She looked like a mermaid. All the men were dumbfounded when they saw her face. They¡¯ve never seen such a gorgeous woman before. Elias already knew that Olivia was wearing a disguise. Like the scar on her face, for instance. It was initially below her eye, but it shifted a few inches. He was sure that the woman that Ethan was in love with wouldn¡¯t be too ugly. But he didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be so beautiful. Olivia didn¡¯t realize how much of a shock her looks were to the men before her. Even Elias was taken aback. ¡°You mean ¡­ ¡± Just as Olivia was going to speak, she saw Elias motioning for her to be quiet. Olivia remembered that there were other people around and stopped talking. Elias pulled Olivia out of the water by her arm. She was then dropped to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just a ruffian, and I don¡¯t know how to treat ady.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk about that. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She knitted her brows and pleaded, ¡°Can¡¯t you just pretend you never saw me? I want to settle my own scores.¡± Elias shrugged and said, ¡°It¡¯s toote. He should be here shortly.¡± ¡°No. Even if he came by helicopter, it would take him longer. Just let me go, I¡¯ll ¡­¡± A heavy voice, filled with panting, came from behind a big tree, ¡°Olivia, you underestimate my love for you.¡± Ethan was dressed in camouge. His face seemed to have been scratched by branches and was bleeding. There were also some wounds on his arms and body. He got on the ind a few days ago and had been chasing after Olivia. Elias sighed and said, ¡°Look, it wasn¡¯t up to me to let you go.¡± Ethan looked taller and more slender in camouge. He reached out to Olivia and said with a gentle gaze, ¡°Come home with me, Liv.¡± Hints of anger and hatred shed on Olivia¡¯s face.. She said, ¡°Ethan, you said you¡¯d set me free and let me do whatever I want. Are you going back on your word again?¡± Ethan saw that she wasn¡¯t about to cooperate, so he slowly walked toward her with a feeble expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to try doing something so reckless. Liv, I did set you free. Didn¡¯t you have enough fun?¡± Milton and the others were dumbfounded. They couldn¡¯t believe the ridiculous drama that was unfolding before them. He nudged Elias and said, ¡°Do you have anything to snack on?¡± Milton thought it was best to have something to snack on when enjoying a show. He didn¡¯t know how, but Elias took out some peanuts and gave him a handful. ¡°Come, pass it around, and enjoy the show. You don¡¯t get to see something like this every day.¡± Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Milton and the others were enjoying the show that Ethan and Olivia were putting on for them, but Olivia only felt anxious. ¡°I tried so hard to get to where I am now, Ethan. Please just let me go. There are things that I need to do.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t stop walking toward Olivia. She began to attack him, but Ethan was a way better fighter than her. He was able to subdue her and hold her in his arms. ¡°Your safety is the most important thing in the world.¡± ¡°I chose this path. You should support my decision if you love me.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I refuse to let you walk such an extreme path because I love you. Liv, I¡¯ll help you exact vengeance my way. You need only go home with me and be my Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia red at him and said, ¡°What are you talking about? I told you before, I¡¯ll never marry you again. ¡°We¡¯re done. A rtionship between the two of us is no longer possible.¡± ¡°Nothing is impossible.¡± Brent and Kelvin showed up. Olivia noticed that Brent was holding a syringe. She could tell that it wasn¡¯t anything good. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s done is done. You can¡¯t change the past. Everything that has happened caused the rift between us. Even if you want us to get back together, I¡¯ll never agree to it.¡± Ethan sighed deeply and said, ¡°Liv, I can¡¯t turn back time, but maybe we could pretend nothing ever happened if you lost your painful memories.¡± ¡°Lose my memories? How can someone just¡­¡± ¡°Liv, you underestimate the persistence of humans. Helen¡¯s love for Mr. Carlton was so deep that she never forgot about him even though he left her for so long. ¡°She had been trying to develop this drug for more than ten years. ¡°A drug that could induce memory loss without any stimnts. Helen wanted to use this drug on Mr. Carlton so that he could forget about Ms. Parker and love her for the rest of his life. ¡°But fate yed a cruel trick on her by taking Mr. Carlton from her.¡± Olivia¡¯s back was covered in sweat. She had witnessed firsthand how insane Helen could be. She didn¡¯t mind spending years of her life just to set her enemy up. ¡°That medicine¡­¡± Ethan smiled warmly and said, ¡°I have it on me. Don¡¯t worry. The side effects are minimal. ¡°A small dose will be enough for you to forget about your pastpletely, Liv. I don¡¯t mind if you hate me. ¡°Once you forget everything, you¡¯ll fall in love with me again. I swear I¡¯ll care for you for the rest of your life.¡± A shiver went down Milton¡¯s spine. He said, ¡°Damn, is that man out of his mind?¡± ¡°Boss, why do I feel like he¡¯s scarier than you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not just scary. He¡¯spletely mad.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose my memories.¡± ¡°Liv, you¡¯ll be free if you forget all those painful memories. Please listen to me. I won¡¯t ever try to hurt you. Just pretend you¡¯re going to sleep. ¡°Everything will be better when you wake up. I love you more than before, and we¡¯ll have babies together when your body recovers.¡± Olivia tried her best to struggle, but it was all for naught. She fell into despair. ¡°Liv, you said you wanted toe here, and I made it happen, but the games end here.¡± Ethan¡¯s voice was gentle, but Olivia could feel the chills when he heard her talk Ethan kissed her on the forehead as he injected the syringe into her arm. ¡°Dear, you¡¯ll be free after you wake up. There will never be any more pain. ¡°There will only be joy and happiness for the rest of your life. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you, Mrs. Miller.¡± Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Olivia tried to break free, but Ethan knew her too well. She waspletely subdued and couldn¡¯t move at all. Olivia was upset. She tried so hard to get to where she was. She almost got into the ck Ravens. She was so close to getting away from Ethan and regaining her freedom. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to lose my memories. Ethan, don¡¯t make me hate you. Where¡¯s the antidote? There has to be an antidote, right?¡± Olivia grabbed Ethan¡¯s cor tightly, but he smiled. ¡°Liv, I never thought about undoing this, so there is no antidote.¡± Olivia slumped to the ground and stared at her battered palm. It was only then that she realized how arduous her journey had been. She endured so many hardships. She even had a few near-death experiences. Her painful memories were the reason she was alive. She tried very hard to get to where she was. She had be strong. No longer weak or fearful. She had broken out of the chains holding her back, but Ethan wanted her to revert to who she used to be. Olivia wanted to hit Ethan, but she started to have a splitting headache. She clutched her head and rolled on the ground in pain. Ethan asked angrily, ¡°What is happening?¡± Brent exined, ¡°It might be due to Mrs. Miller¡¯s physical condition. Everyone experiences different effects after they take the drug. ¡°Also, Mrs. Miller is different from the drug testers. Most of those who agreed to test the drug wanted to lose their memories. ¡°Mrs. Miller is resisting too strongly. That¡¯s why she¡¯s having a headache. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. The side effects will pass in a few minutes.¡± Ethan crouched down and held Olivia in his arms tightly. He tried tofort her repeatedly. Olivia felt like her head was going to explode. She said in a shaky voice, ¡°Ethan, please don¡¯t make me lose my memories. ¡°I¡¯ve experienced a lot of pain, but there are more happy moments than sad ones in my life. My memories are the only things I have left of my father. I don¡¯t want to lose them.¡± ¡°Liv, we¡¯ll make more happy memories together when you¡¯re with me.¡± Olivia grabbed Ethan¡¯s shirt with both her hands. She was in incredible pain, but she said through gritted teeth, ¡°You¡¯re scum, Ethan.¡± Olivia could feel every inch of her head throbbing with pain. She was in so much pain that she could barely breathe. Eventually, she felt like her memories were like pictures shing in her mind. Everly¡¯s teary farewell, Jeff¡¯s calm expression before passing, Mona¡¯s smile while covered in blood, the car losing control and crashing through the guardrail, Chloe¡¯s passing, her wrist being shot, the helplessness she felt as she was pinned on the operating table¡­ Every single memory. Olivia was in so much pain she started to see things. She tried her best to reach out and hold on to the people in the memories. She wanted things to go back to the way they were. But the memories were shing very rapidly. Olivia felt pained, and her emotions were fluctuating. In that snowy winter, she and Ethan divorced. She experienced the pain of losing a child for the first time. Ethan was drunk and told her that he wanted a baby. He nted a whole garden of roses because he loved her. Jeff was rtively younger then. He was gentle and elegant. He was also the most loving father she could ever ask for. She was the genius student that everyone looked up to. She stood on the stage with pride. She saw the handsome man in a white shirt standing in the field. When she was a child, she would always ask Jeff when Chloe would be back, but she was happy most of the time. Her memories stopped at the scene where she picked up a young man covered in blood in an alley. She saved his life and smiled at him before she left. Olivia had just realized that the young man from the long-forgotten memory was Ethan. So, they had met so long ago. Memories rewound to when she was a child. It was the first time other kids bullied her. Jeff shielded her behind her back. And Chloe¡¯s departure¡­ Olivia could see her 22-year-old self bing and getting further away. Then, before she went out of sight, she smiled and waved at her as if she was bidding farewell. Olivia was crying as she ran frantically toward her 22-year-old self. ¡°Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me!¡± Chapter 570 Chapter 570 ¡°Liv, you have to find your happiness.¡± ¡°I told you, I would¡­ k-keep you safe. Thi-This is goodbye, Olivia.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll protect you and your baby.¡± ¡°My daughter is so pretty, but I came around toote.¡± ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re so awesome. You¡¯re number one in the city.¡± ¡°Olivia, I like you. Would you be my girlfriend?¡± ¡°Kid, are you here to buy buns again? The usual, right? Got it.¡± ¡°Olivia, if my grandson bullies you again, I¡¯ll beat him up even if I have to climb out of my grave.¡± ¡°Olivia, are you nning to study abroad with those grades? You¡¯re the most talented kid I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Girlie, what¡¯s your name? I¡¯lle looking for you.¡± The people she had met appeared before Olivia again like they were saying goodbye. Olivia tried to reach out and grab them, but they always vanished before she could touch them. Ethan watched worriedly as she ran around frantically and grabbed the air with her hands. Then, she sat on the ground dejectedly and cried. Ethan walked toward Olivia. Olivia¡¯s memory stopped at the time when she was a teenager. She met the young man in the white shirt on the field. He reached out to her with a gentle expression. He said, ¡°Come home with me.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia¡¯s mind nked. Then, her vision faded, and she fell to the ground. Before she lost consciousness, she heard him calling out. ¡°Liv.¡± Ethan carried Olivia in his arms. Although there were some tiny idents along the way, everything was still in his control. Everyone else looked on in bewilderment. They couldn¡¯t process what they were looking at. Milton stopped enjoying the peanuts he was munching on because he saw that Ethan¡¯s gaze had fallen on him. His blood froze in his veins as a bad feeling crept up his chest. ¡°S-Sir, this is all a misunderstanding, we¡­¡± Before he could exin further, Ethan red at him and said coldly, ¡°No loose ends.¡± Elias, who stood behind him, rubbed his hands and said, ¡°Understood.¡± Before Milton could yell, he was already on the ground. Thest thing he saw was Ethan carrying Olivia into the woods. A group of intimidating men followed him. Even in his final moments, Milton didn¡¯t know who Ethan was. His head slumped weakly, and he closed his eyes for thest time. Ethan¡¯s long-suppressed emotions took a turn for the better as he carried Olivia into the helicopter. He couldn¡¯t help but smile as he thought about how he would be able to repair his rtionship with Olivia soon. Ethan had been exhausted in the days he spent looking for Olivia. He fell asleep with her in his arms. In his dreams, he saw Olivia running toward him like she used to in a white dress. She leaped into his arms like an innocent child. Then, she smiled brightly and said, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯ve missed you¡­¡± Ethan frantically wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the top of her head. ¡°Me, too.¡± He thought, ¡°Liv, there will be no rift between us after tonight. All the unhappiness will be gone with the wind. You¡¯ll be my only Mrs. Miller from then onward. ¡°I¡¯ll never let anyone hurt you. You¡¯ll never be in pain again. ¡°We¡¯ll have babies of our own. A lot of babies. ¡°Wee home, dear Liv.¡± Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Warm sunlight streamed through the enormous windows, casting onto the magnificent and spacious bed. A pretty woman was lying on the bed. She had skin white as snow and exquisite facial features. She was like a princess. The sunlight seemed to be too bright. The woman frowned and woke up. As soon as she woke up, she felt like her mind waspletely nk, and her head was throbbing. It was like something had siphoned everything she had in her mind. It wasn¡¯t just her mind that was feeling empty. Her heart was the same. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Who was she? Where was she? She heard water flowing and looked toward the bathroom. Was someone washing up in there? Who was it? She lifted the nket and got off the bed. Her bare feet stepped on the soft, fur carpet. Although it was freezing outside, the room was air-conditioned and as cozy as it was in spring. The woman surveyed her surroundings. The room¡¯s decoration was mainly in warm yellow tones, emphasizing a creamy theme. The bed looked like soft cotton candy, while the couch looked like milky white clouds. There was a massive photo on the wall. It was of her falling into a man¡¯s embrace while wearing a bridal gown. The man who was holding her was tall and incredibly handsome. She went to the dressing table and saw that she looked exactly like the woman in the photo. That was her? Was she married? She still had countless questions when the bathroom door suddenly opened. The man from the picture walked toward her wearing a bathrobe. The photo of the man was already very handsome, but somehow, he looked manlier in person. He came out of the bathroom slightly soaked. He had tried to hold back his cold temperament, but Olivia still sensed dangering from him. There was a long scar on his bare chest, which looked out of ce for a man who seemed so noble. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Liv.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t reply. She pointed at the picture on the wall and asked, ¡°What¡¯s our rtionship?¡± Ethan wanted to wrap his arms around her, but she stepped back cautiously and stared at him.. Ethan noticed the crystal candle holder that Olivia was holding. She was hostile toward him. It was different from what he had imagined. He thought she would be as pure and innocent as a baby after she lost her memories. Or like a newborn kitten. He didn¡¯t know why she was so alert. He quickly pushed down the questions in his mind and looked at her lovingly. ¡°We¡¯re married, Liv. What rtionship do you think we have?¡± He asked. Ethan tried to get closer to her tentatively. Olivia had a weird feeling about him. She didn¡¯t feel like he was a stranger. So, it was apparent they were acquainted. But if they were a married couple, why didn¡¯t she feel love when she looked at him? She only feltplicated emotions. It was like a voice telling her to stay away from that man. Was it hatred? Or was it fear? Ethan took away the candle holder in her hand while she was still spaced out. Then, he gently held her hand and said, ¡°I know you have many questions. I¡¯ll answer them slowly. But the most important thing now is to get some food in that belly. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Olivia looked down at their inteced fingers. They were wearing the same ring. ¡°Are you really my husband?¡± Husband? Olivia hadn¡¯t addressed Ethan as such for a long time. He felt his heart flutter and his throat tighten. He suppressed his excitement and said with a smile, ¡°Of course I am.¡± He leaned in next to her ear and said suggestively, ¡°Do you need me to prove it?¡± Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Ethan tugged lightly, and Olivia¡¯s body fell into his embrace. His skin was still wet from the shower, and he smelled like the shampoo he used. Olivia pressed her palms against his chest. She felt like his body temperature was a little hot to the touch. He whispered in her ear, ¡°There¡¯s a mole on your inner thigh.¡¯ His breath, which smelled like peppermint, brushed her skin and made her blush. Her blushing face reminded Ethan of the time when they just started to date. His gaze became softer. He raised his hand to tap her nose and said, ¡°I¡¯ll stop teasing you. Let¡¯s have some food first. I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know after you¡¯ve eaten.¡± Ethan held Olivia¡¯s hand and led her out of the bedroom. There were a lot of pictures of the two of them in the corridor. She was all smiles in every single picture. She was bright and cheerful, like a miniature sun. For instance, there was a picture of her on a swing in a garden full of roses. Ethan was pushing her from behind. She was looking at him with a sweet smile. He also had an unmistakable gentle look in his eyes. There was another photo of her emerging from the water and grabbing Ethan. He looked like he didn¡¯t know what to do with her, but his lips were curled into a smile. Another picture was of her chasing after butterflies while he watched with a gentle gaze and one hand in his pocket. The images looked very natural, with no signs of being staged. Every one of them gave her a feeling that she was having fun and he was smiling. The house was decorated very cozily. She felt at home. She had lived there before. Olivia subconsciously went to the door of a room. She had a feeling that she had been there a lot of times. ¡°This room is¡­¡± Ethan didn¡¯t expect her to be so hung up on the baby room, even after she lost her memories. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± He led Olivia downstairs. The dining table was full of tasty food. Madam Burgess smiled brightly and said, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Miller,e sit and eat. I¡¯ll be serving up two more dishes.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ethan politely helped Olivia pull out her chair. From Madam Burgess¡¯ warm reception, Ethan¡¯s casual attitude, and fresh flowers on the table to the spotless environment, everything she saw was a sign of a cozy household. It should have been a ce that she loved, but Olivia felt like she didn¡¯t want to be there. Especially the flowers on the table. They made her think of a dark, cloudy sky, withered flowers on a table, and a woman standing alone at the window looking out to the snow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the food not to your liking?¡± Ethan was very sensitive to Olivia¡¯s mood change. Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°No, the food¡¯s fine.¡± She was indeed starving. The living conditions on the ind were harsh, so she had a bigger appetite than usual. Olivia noticed that Ethan was silently staring at her while she was eating. He also had a warm smile on his face. Like the photos, his eyes were filled with love for her. After the meal, Ethan asked, ¡°There¡¯s a new movie recently. You used to love the actors in it. Do you want to watch it with me? ¡°1 Olivia pointed at her head and said, ¡°I want to know how I lost my memories.¡± Ethan reached out, and Olivia put her hand into his palm in confusion. He brought her to the room she looked at just now. ¡°Liv, do you want to know, even if the memory was unpleasant?¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Then, open the door.¡± Olivia stood at the door and suddenly felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest. Then, a wave of pain washed over her. Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Olivia¡¯s subconscious told her not to go into the room. The hand she ced on the doorknob froze. A warm hand enveloped the back of her hand. Ethan whispered gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here with you.¡± The door was opened. There were no monsters. There was no blood. It was just a pink room with all its furnishings removed, The room was almost empty except for a carpet and some baby toy decorations that hadn¡¯t been taken down yet. It was clear that the room used to be a nursery. Olivia could feel a weight on her chest, and her eyes became sore. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She walked into the empty room and stopped at the position where the crib used to be. She slowly crouched down. Olivia couldn¡¯t remember anything, but her body brought her to the location reflexively. ¡°Did something used to be here?¡± Ethan was shocked to see what Olivia was doing. He sat down beside her and said, ¡°A crib.¡± Olivia observed the empty room as thoughts began to fill her mind. ¡°We had a baby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia asked with quivering lips, ¡°Then ¡­ where¡¯s the baby?¡± ¡°We lost it due to an unexpected premature birth.¡± Although it was an established fact, Olivia¡¯s tear ducts reacted quicker than her brain when she heard the baby was gone. ¡°The baby¡¯s gone? How could that happen? Didn¡¯t you say I loved the baby?¡± Ethan met with Olivia¡¯s urgent gaze and stroked her hair tenderly. ¡°Liv, your health wasn¡¯t the best, and there was a car ident. That¡¯s why the premature birth happened.¡± ¡°An ident? So, did I lose my memories because of the ident?¡± Olivia murmured. ¡°It was part of the reason. You couldn¡¯t cope with the death of the baby and fell into depression. Then, there was the shock of both your parents dying. That¡¯s why you lost your memories.¡± It was one blow after another. Olivia clutched her chest and said, ¡°My parents are dead, too?¡± ¡°Yeah, Mom died from an illness, and Dad went into aa due to an intracranial hemorrhage. The treatmentsted for a long time, but he didn¡¯t make it.¡± Olivia held her head, unable to ept this reality. Ethan hugged her gently andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. You still have me. I¡¯ll be with you forever. We can still have babies after your body recovers.¡± Olivia choked and couldn¡¯t talk. She wanted to say something, but her mind nked out. If she forced herself to recall, she would have a splitting headache. She leaned in Ethan¡¯s embrace and tried to calm down. She managed to calm down after a while. ¡°Tell me more about our past. I don¡¯t remember anything. How did we meet?¡± Ethan carried her to the window, and theyy on a soft rug. The temperature in the room was cozy even though it was snowing outside. Olivia leaned on Ethan¡¯s chest and felt his warmth. His deep and pleasing voice rang in her ear. ¡°11 years ago, I was lying on the floor, bloody and near death. You found me. ¡°You were still very young then. But you approached me with kindness even though you were scared. ¡°You called emergency services for me and wiped the blood off me with your handkerchief.¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t help but smile when he recalled the first time they met. ¡°I was almost dead, but the warm smile on your face when you left is forever engraved in my mind. I swore to find you again to repay your kindness.¡± ¡°Then, what happened?¡± ¡°I was swamped then, and a few years passed before I went to see you. ¡°I went to your school to make a speech. I can still remember when I saw you on the field. You were in your uniform, and your hair was in a ponytail. ¡°You looked more mature but still sunny and in the prime of your youth.¡± An image shed through Olivia¡¯s mind. It was a handsome man in a white shirt. But the image passed too quickly, and she couldn¡¯t tell who the man was. Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Ethan continued to reminisce about their lives together. Olivia couldn¡¯t remember anything, but she was able to pick up some clues from Ethan¡¯s words. ¡°I used to love you a lot, right?¡± Ethan looked at her tenderly and said, ¡°Did your memories return?¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°I just think that the me you¡¯re talking about was such an outstanding individual. ¡°But she gave up her family and her studies just to be with you. If she weren¡¯t hopelessly in love with you, she wouldn¡¯t have given up her dreams for you.¡± Ethan had aplicated expression on his face, which confused Olivia. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He looked into the distance and murmured, ¡°Yeah, you would never have given up so much if you weren¡¯t hopelessly in love with me. Liv, I¡¯ll love you with everything I have. I swear on my life.¡± He hugged Olivia so tightly that she could barely breathe. She had no choice but to push against Ethan. Then, Olivia realized her right arm wasn¡¯t as nimble as her left. She looked and saw a scar. ¡°My arm¡­¡± Ethan quickly let go of her and said, ¡°You suffered an arm injury, but it¡¯s getting better.¡± Olivia tried to move her right arm and found that there weren¡¯t many issues other than being less supple. But she thought it was strange. ¡°Why would I get injured out of nowhere? What injury was it? Who hurt me?¡± ¡°It was a bad man, but he already got what he deserved. You don¡¯t have to dwell on it anymore.¡± Olivia blinked and realized that Ethan was keeping a lot from her. Ethan was good to her, but she was still on guard against him. She felt like something was wrong but couldn¡¯t put her finger on what it was. ¡°You¡¯re interested in practicing medicine, so I¡¯ve arranged an opportunity for you to study abroad.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I gave up everything for marriage? Why would you let me continue my studies now?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze was deep and distant, with an unmistakable hint of remorse. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you haven¡¯t been as happy as I thought you would be in the past few years. Liv, you¡¯re free to do whatever you want to do from now on. I¡¯ll always support you, okay?¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Olivia was still a little out of it. She had just woken up, after all. She didn¡¯t know her past and was unsure of her future. She had no idea what she wanted to do, so she just agreed to Ethan¡¯s proposal. She figured that he loved her so much and probably wouldn¡¯t do anything to harm her. Also, it was apparent that Ethan was wealthy from the decor of the house alone. What could a rich and handsome man like him possibly want from an orphaned and bankrupt housewife? Olivia figured that furthering her studies might not be a bad idea. She thought that Ethan was trying to make things up to her for the loss of her baby. Maybe that was why he was so considerate but cautious. She had many questions in her mind, but she decided to leave them for the next time. They still had plenty of time. She could take her time to understand everything slowly. ¡°Also¡­¡± Olivia poked Ethan¡¯s chest with her finger and asked, ¡°How did I used to address you?¡± Ethan gulped and said, ¡°You¡¯d call me ¡®honey¡¯ when you were in a good mood. You¡¯d call me by my full name when you were in a bad mood. And ¡­¡± Ethan paused for a while, and Olivia waited for him to continue. Then, Ethan whispered in her ear, ¡°You like to call me ¡®Ethan¡¯ when we¡¯re in bed.¡± Olivia blushed and punched him lightly on the chest. ¡°You pervert!¡± Ethan grabbed one of her hands and kissed it. ¡°Liv, I¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s phone rang. He looked at the caller and let go of Olivia. ¡°I need to take this call.¡± Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Ethan quickly walked out the door and whispered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, is Mrs. Miller awake yet? How is she feeling?¡± Chris asked. Olivia had been knocked out for three days since she was injected with the drug. Chris figured she had to have woken up. Ethan roughly described Olivia¡¯s condition to Chris, who sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s great. I was afraid that¡­¡± Chris had been feeling anxious for the past few days. He remembered the time when Olivia had a high fever a year ago. The amount of red blood cells and white blood cells she had was unbelievably low. That was usually caused by chemotherapy. But there weren¡¯t any issues on Olivia¡¯s medical examination report, so Chris didn¡¯t bring it up. The drug Ethan injected into Olivia was unique. It would have adverse effects when injected into people with weaker immune systems, like kids, pregnant women, and the elderly. Other than that, it would also be detrimental to the health of cancer patients. Chris would sometimes think about how pale and sickly Olivia looked a year ago. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°I just thought Mrs. Miller¡¯s health hasn¡¯t been too good. I was afraid that her body would reject the drug. I¡¯m happy to hear that everything is fine.¡± After some thought, he added, ¡°You should keep a close eye on Mrs. Miller¡¯s condition during this time. Contact me immediately if something goes wrong.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia noticed the caller ID on Ethan¡¯s phone. It was Chris Atkins. She wondered why Ethan would want to take the call away from her even though it was a man. Then, she figured the vi wasn¡¯t cheap based on the decor and size. It was clear that Ethan was well-off. Perhaps he was talking to the upper management of hispany or an important client. It was understandable. Olivia didn¡¯t know Ethan¡¯s identity yet. Although she had questions, she was sure she could get the answers she sought eventually. She stopped overthinking and started to take a look around the house. She noticed that the house¡¯s decor and every little ornament were based on her preferences. Madam Burgess had just finished doing the dishes and was holding a cucumber. She chewed on it and said, ¡°Of course, all these things were picked out by you, Mrs. Miller. ¡°You¡¯ve given everything in this house some thought, even the slippers. That¡¯s probably why you found the ce familiar despite your memory loss.¡± ¡°Was I ever close with him?¡± Madam Burgess took another bite of the cucumber and said, ¡°That¡¯s for sure. You two got married because you were so in love. ¡°But I was working in the Miller Residence then. I did hear that you learned how to cook for Mr. Miller¡¯s sake and that you cooked for him every day. ¡°Sometimes, Mr. Miller would cook for you, too. You used to love the apple cider that Mr. Miller made.¡± Madam Burgess had a happy expression as she said, ¡°Back then, Madam Eugenia was still alive. She would call you over during autumn. ¡°There was a tall chestnut tree in the yard, which you would climb up and shake the branches of while Madam Eugenia would collect the chestnuts that fell. ¡°And Mr. Miller would be cooking in the kitchen. Those were the days.¡± From Madam Burgess¡¯ story, Olivia could tell that she and Ethan used to be a loving couple who were made for each other. When she nced at the pink roses on the table, an image of a woman sighing deeply at some withered flowers shed in her mind. She unconsciously picked up the roses but was brought back to her senses by the sharp pain from her finger. Olivia looked down at her bleeding finger and felt like it was surreal. ¡°Mrs. Miller, you¡¯ve hurt yourself? It¡¯s my fault for not removing the thorns. I¡¯ll get you a band-aid.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Ethan reacted faster. He had already taken Olivia¡¯s hand, put the bleeding finger into his mouth, and stopped the bleeding. He spat the blood out into a trashcan and applied a cute-looking band-aid on her finger. ¡°You have to be more careful next time,¡± Ethan said. Olivia was stunned. She nodded, then raised her head to meet his loving eyes. Chapter 576 Chapter 576 It was the middle of the night. Burgess had already returned home. Ethan and Olivia were the only ones left in the vi. ¡°Are you tired?¡± Olivia shook her head and said, ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll watch TV for a while.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She felt a little awkward. Even though the two of them were already married, she still wasn¡¯t that familiar with Ethan. She was still reluctant to be intimate with him. Ethan noticed her unease. He wasn¡¯t about to rush things. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll watch with you.¡± Olivia was watching some soap drama while Ethan was typing away on hisptop by her side. Olivia would nce at him from time to time. He was wearing gold-framed sses. The overhead light cast a warm glow on him and made him seem more gentle. It was as if Ethan felt Olivia¡¯s gaze. He raised his head. Ethan was wearing a set of ck silk pajamas. The pajamas had excellent texture, and they emitted a soft glow under the light, which contrasted the bright golden glow from his gold-framed sses. Ethan gently adjusted his sses with his middle finger and looked at Olivia. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±. Olivia inexplicably started to blush from Ethan¡¯s casual movement. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Ethan set hisptop down and asked, ¡°Are you thirsty or hungry? You didn¡¯t eat much at dinner just now. Do you want some supper?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened as she asked, ¡°You really can cook?¡± Olivia thought that Madam Burgess¡¯ words were over the top. She thought the otherdy was just intentionally trying to make Ethan look good. Ethan rolled up his sleeves and patted Olivia on the head. ¡°Wait here.¡± Then, he entered the kitchen. Cooking noises could soon be hearding from the kitchen. Olivia had thought that Ethan would, at best, make her some spaghetti. But, looking at how busy he was, she began to think he might be cooking up a fancy feast. The fire from the stove flickered and cast some shadows that danced on Ethan¡¯s tall and slender figure. After an hour, Olivia heard Ethan¡¯s voiceing from the kitchen. ¡°You can wash your hands and prepare to eat.¡± After she washed her hands, Ethan had already set the food on the table. Camarones a Dia, Ceviche, and Aguachile. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the spicy-looking dishes. She thought an elegant man like Ethan would make some fancy food for her. But instead, it was all regr street food. Ethan pulled out a wet tissue and cleaned his fingers. ¡°I didn¡¯t have enough time to make anything too fancy. Have a taste.¡± Olivia said in a muffled voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to make food like this.¡± Ethan smiled and said, ¡°You used to pester me for street food and cold beer. I don¡¯t think those food trucks were hygienic enough. ¡°So, I learned how to make the food myself. At least the food¡¯s cleaner that way.¡± Olivia nced at Ethan¡¯s hands. His skin was pale, so the blisters from the hot oil were very clearly visible. ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Do you want me to help you peel the shrimp?¡± Although he was just asking, Ethan had already put on disposable gloves and started to peel shrimp for Olivia. Olivia felt Ethan was very attractive when he was focused, whether working or peeling shrimp. Olivia felt warmth in her heart. Although she didn¡¯t have many rtives left, he was so good to her that she thought he might be someone she could rely on in the future. Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Olivia blushed as she looked away. ¡°The shrimp looks tasty. Let me try it.¡± Before she could pick one up, Ethan quickly fed one of the shrimp he peeled into her mouth. ¡°Is it good?¡± Olivia took a bite. The spiciness, umami, and fragrance exploded on her taste buds. The familiar taste slid from the tip of her tongue to her stomach. She hadn¡¯t eaten Camarones a Dia in a long time. She stuck her tongue out because it was too spicy for her, and she gulped down some lemonade. ¡°Is it too spicy?¡± ¡°A little, but it¡¯s delicious.¡± Olivia¡¯s face was flushed from the spice, but she still craved more. Ethan peeled very quickly, but Olivia ate even quicker. ¡°Slow down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re not running a food truck. You¡¯re wasting your talents.¡± Olivia praised Ethan while she was drinking some water. Ethan looked at her with a tender smile. Did she really think he would cook for just anyone? Perhaps it was because Olivia hadn¡¯t tasted such good shrimp in a long time. The spiciness would not stop her from eating more. She wasn¡¯t able to peel shrimp as quickly as Ethan. As soon as he finished peeling one, she stuck her head over, opened her mouth, and chomped on the shrimp. She ate the shrimp in Ethan¡¯s hand in the blink of an eye. Ethan was stunned. In her hurry, Olivia¡¯s tongue touched his finger. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though he wore disposable gloves, he still felt that soft touch. The fleeting contact made his heart flutter. His heartbeat began to quicken. Olivia didn¡¯t know that her actions had aroused Ethan. She began to look very delicious to him. He wanted to devour her. But he knew their rtionship was still in the early stages, and Olivia was still wary of him. Ethan took a deep breath. He knew he couldn¡¯t afford to be impulsive. If he acted rashly, he would destroy the image he had built up over the past few days. He had already stood up before Olivia turned to look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some fruits.¡± Olivia sighed contentedly as she watched Ethan walk away. Then, she went on a random social media tform to make a post. ¡°Guys, can you believe it? I woke up and lost my memories. I thought I was doomed but found out I was already married. ¡°Now, I have a handsome, considerate, and well-built husband. He makes a lot of money at work and still cooks supper for me at night.¡± Her post soon got replies, and it quickly garnered a lot of attention.. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Unless you send your husband over to me and let me check if he really has a sexy body.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in Treledo, but I can see the scheme of the previousment from a mile away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m new here. May I ask where I can get a husband like that? Will the government send one to me? And if he doesn¡¯t have abs and can¡¯t cook supper, can I return him?¡± Ethan finished cutting up the fruits and saw Olivia typing furiously on her phone. Olivia noticed Ethan approaching with the fruits and quickly set her phone aside. She looked at him guiltily and said, ¡°You¡¯re so fast.¡± ¡°I had cut them up in advance and put them in the fridge. I just needed to te them.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to be so considerate. Ethan seemingly guessed what she was thinking. He set the fruits down and put his hands on the edge of Olivia¡¯s seat. Then, he slowly moved his body over and loomed over Olivia. Ethan epassed her with his intense presence and said gently, ¡°Of course, I¡¯d know your habits. I love you so much.¡± Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Olivia seemed to have reverted to the state she was in before their rtionship started to fall apart. She was innocent, cheerful, and filled with hope every day. Even when Ethan was busy with menial tasks, he would perk up immediately when he saw her smile. His casual expression of love sent Olivia¡¯s heart aflutter. She could scarcely hold her urges back when she was close to such a handsome man. Olivia looked away and said, ¡°These cherries are so big and sweet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like them.¡± Ethan seemed to be busy. He made so much food but didn¡¯t eat any himself. He went back to work on hisptop after he peeled all the shrimp for Olivia. Olivia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°I think I haven¡¯t asked you before. What do you do for work?¡± ¡°Management.¡± Ethan provided a concise answer. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re always busy.¡± She didn¡¯t know Ethan was just trying to distract himself with work. She was too cute. Ethan feared he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back much longer if he didn¡¯t divert his attention. Olivia ate a lot of shrimp and fruit. She saw Ethan working with a serious expression when she turned around. She held a cherry near his lips and said, ¡°Do ¡­ you want to eat some?¡± She used to feed Ethan frequently in the past. He didn¡¯t even need to look and was able to suck the cherry up into his mouth. The tip of his tongue unintentionally touched Olivia¡¯s fingertips when taking the cherry from her. It made her blush and sent a shiver down her spine. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten too much. I¡¯ll go walk it off.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Olivia had eaten her fill. So, she got up and went upstairs to alleviate the awkwardness. She didn¡¯t notice Ethan¡¯s intense gaze. Truthfully, Olivia felt pretty good about the day she spent with Ethan. His tenderness and thoughtfulness effectively dispelled her unease about losing all her memories. He treated her like a princess. Even the unopened shower gel was her favorite scent. She was surrounded by a ring of bubbles with a sweet fragrance in the air. Love was budding in Olivia¡¯s heart. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She frowned and inhaled sharply. Was the food too spicy for her? She didn¡¯t know why her stomach hurt so much. Olivia decided to start controlling her diet and not indulge in overeating anymore. The pain slowly subsided after more than ten minutes. An hour had passed when she came out of the bathroom. She thought Ethan would still be working, but she saw him leaning against the bedside when she opened the door. Ethan patted the bed and said, ¡°Come here, Olivia.¡± Olivia had tried to avoid this the whole night, but she failed. She stood awkwardly as she tried to think of a way to refuse Ethan without breaking his heart. ¡°Ethan, I lost my memories, so ¡­¡± Olivia stammered. Before she could finish, Ethan smiled and said, ¡°I know. I won¡¯ty a hand on you.¡± He lifted the nket and walked toward her. He gently held her hand and said, ¡°You lost your memories and feelings for me. I understand that. Liv, I can give you time to ept me again and to fall in love with me again.¡± Under his gentle guidance, she followed him back to the bed in a daze. Olivia took out her phone to check the social media post before she slept. She saw that it already garnered hundreds of replies. She saw that a lot of replies were poking fun at the well-built body that she talked about. She quickly updated me on what had just happened. ¡°Guys, I think I might have saved the gxy in my past life. My husband is so gentle and considerate.¡± ¡°Impossible. That can¡¯t be. Such a perfect man would never exist. You must be dreaming.¡± ¡°Are you writing a telenov? I don¡¯t believe that such a perfect man could exist.¡± ¡°Someone smack her on the head and wake her from her delusion.¡± ¡°Human nature is inherently ugly. If a person seems perfect, it¡¯s only because he¡¯s good at disguising himself. ¡°You might need to be careful. No one in this world will love you for no reason if someone treats you well for no reason. They must be after something.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lingered on thisment, and the smile on her face froze. Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Thement brought Olivia back to reality. It was true that everything she saw and heard since she regained consciousness was trying to convince her that she and Ethan were in love and that Ethan loved her deeply. It was like a gift box perfectly wrapped with no imperfections on the outside. Even if the loss of her baby was an ident, what about her arm? Who injured her arm? When she was taking a bath, she noticed a lot of scars and wounds on her body. None of them were lethal. They were more like scratches, scrapes, or bruises. Her palms were calloused. She had a beautiful figure, but it wasn¡¯t the delicate, frail kind. Instead, she had a more athletic build. The wounds seemed to be recent, and she seemed to be someone who frequented the gym. Or else, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get such a build. All these things directly contradict Ethan¡¯s statement that she was a housewife. The most important thing was that the registered numbers in her phone consisted of Ethan and several bodyguards. The phone was clearly brand new. Even the number might be a new one. Her past was like her memories. It waspletely wiped clean with no trace that it ever existed. Olivia immediately began to feel wary. ¡°What are you looking at? It¡¯s already sote.¡± Ethan¡¯s hand suddenly reached out and touched her. Olivia quickly turned off her phone¡¯s screen and ced it under her pillow. ¡°Nothing, I was just reading some novels. Did I disturb your sleep?¡± Ethan moved over and pressed his chest against her back. But Olivia¡¯s back was covered in cold sweat. It felt like a scene in a thriller novel where the protagonist suddenly realized that the killer was right behind her. Olivia¡¯s body tensed up, and even her breathing froze. She didn¡¯t know that Ethan understood her well. He felt her body tense up and knew that something was wrong. ¡°You didn¡¯t disturb me. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s bad for your eyes to look at your phone in the dark. Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Ethan wrapped his arms around her like nothing was wrong. Olivia stiffened up and didn¡¯t know how to position her limbs. She kept thinking about thement saying that Ethan might be after something. Wasn¡¯t Ethan her husband? What could he possibly be after? Wasn¡¯t she already bankrupt? Was it that her father left her a hefty inheritance before he died, and Ethan was after that? Or maybe he had to keep her alive to receive the inheritance, so he pretended to be nice to her. Perhaps he already had another woman and was waiting for her to be tricked so he could take the inheritance, kick her out, and live happily ever after with that other woman? Olivia thought that must be it. The novel she read just now had that exact plot. With her mind filled with the idea that Ethan was trying to kill her for money, she started to shiver. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Ethan¡¯s gentle voice rang next to her ear. When Olivia heard his voice, all she could think about was that it was the killer¡¯s final moment of mercy before ending her life. ¡°I might have slept for too long before.¡± Olivia asked cautiously, ¡°Did ¡­ my father leave me anything before he passed?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll show you some other day.¡± She knew it! Ethan had revealed his true colors! She would be done the moment she signed the papers. ¡°If you still have trouble sleeping, why don¡¯t I tell you a story? Do you prefer Cindere or Snow White?¡± Olivia grunted and said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a child?¡± Olivia could hear Ethan chuckling softly. She could also feel his chest vibrating because they were so close. Damned cheater. Even his chuckle was so sexy. Ethan told her a story of his own ord. She fell asleep in his arms after ten minutes. He ran his fingers across her face. She was still the same naive woman she used to be. She was like an open book.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. After ensuring Olivia was asleep, Ethan took her phone from under her pillow and found the post she had made through the browsing history. Olivia was in the habit of keeping a diary. It seemed like she kept the habit even after losing her memories. She even posted about them on the inte. Ethan didn¡¯t mind it because she didn¡¯t reveal their personal information. But he was lost in thought as he stared at thement that got Olivia worked up. Chapter 580 Chapter 580 The following day, Olivia was woken up by the bright sunlight. She slowly opened her eyes. They were bright and pure like those of a newborn. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Olivia met Ethan¡¯s smiling face and thought he was the most charming man in the world. Even though some might think it to be an exaggeration, Olivia believed that to be true for Ethan. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Even as she looked at him so closely, she was amazed at how good-looking he was. No matter what angle she looked at him from, she couldn¡¯t find even the slightest imperfection. When he didn¡¯t smile, he was cold as ice. But when he did smile, his demeanor brightened up. Olivia replied, ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± In the past, she was constantly stressed and had trouble falling asleep. She would suffer from insomnia most nights. Even if she did manage to sleep, she would be gued by nightmares. Last night, she had a nice dream and slept through the night. ¡°That¡¯s great. Good morning, honey.¡± Ethan leaned over and kissed her on the forehead lightly. Then, he got out of bed and went to wash up. Olivia touched her forehead in a daze. It was a quick kiss, but she felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Kisses from a handsome man hit differently. A thought shed in her mind, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You don¡¯t know what vicious lies he¡¯s hiding under that handsome appearance. His smiles are just attempts to throw you off.¡± Ethan saw Olivia still sitting on the bed with an upset expression after he came out of the bathroom. He had no idea what she was thinking. He leaned on the bed, and his refreshing fragrance from just having washed up wafted over to Olivia. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± He spoke so naturally, but his voice was full of gravitas. Every syble he uttered made Olivia¡¯s heart flutter. ¡°Nothing at all. I¡¯ll go wash up now.¡± Olivia quickened her steps when she heard Ethan¡¯s chuckle. Once again, she updated her post on her phone. ¡°But he called me his wife. He¡¯s really handsome, and he¡¯s just my type.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re just hopelessly in love. You¡¯re the type to defend him even as he hurts you.¡± ¡°I pray for your well-being. Can¡¯t you just think for a second? The devil always whispers sweet lies before doing horrible things to you. Why are you being tricked so easily? You¡¯re useless.¡± Olivia thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that she was indeed useless. It was just a kiss. In this day and age, it was really nothing major. Besides, she had even been pregnant once before. No matter what Ethan was after, he would eventually show his true colors. Last night, Ethan said they would be going out to shop and watch a movie. So, she picked out a winter skirt and a jacket from the closet. The form-fitting skirt entuated the curves on her waist. The only bad thing about it was that the zipper was hard to pull. Her right hand wasn¡¯t flexible enough, and the zipper got entangled in some hair. It only got tighter as she tried to pull on it. Olivia was close to cursing at the skirt. ¡°Let me do it for you,¡± Ethan said gently. Olivia quickly said, ¡°N-No need.¡± Ethan¡¯s actions weren¡¯t as gentle as his words. He leaned in, and Olivia instinctively used her hands to support herself against the wardrobe. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll untangle your hair. It might hurt a little.¡± They were standing very close together. She could feel his breath on her ear when he talked. ¡°Okay, be quick,¡± Olivia urged. Ethan¡¯s fingers would asionally touch Olivia¡¯s skin, albeit fleetingly. But every touch caused her heart to flutter. The closet wasn¡¯t as spacious, and her face quickly flushed as the temperature rose. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Olivia sighed in relief when she heard that. She was about to move away when Ethan circled his arms around her waist and said, ¡°Liv ¡­¡± Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Olivia reflexively tried to move back, but she forgot there was an open wardrobe behind her. She had ced herself in an even smaller space. She pushed against Ethan¡¯s chest with both her arms and was blushing. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t get on her phone and ask the inte what she should do in this situation. Ethan tapped her lightly on the nose. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. You should wear more clothes.¡± Then, he let go of her and moved away. Olivia was finally able to breathe fresh air again. She said, ¡°Alright.¡± She sighed in relief. She thought he had wanted to do something to her. Ethan moved out of the closet and said, ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming.¡± Olivia waited for her face to stop blushing before she headed downstairs frantically for breakfast. She went out with Ethan after the meal. Looking at the expensive car parked outside, Olivia gulped and asked, ¡°Is this your car?¡± ¡°It¡¯s yours too.¡± Olivia got into the car nervously. It seemed like Ethan wasn¡¯t after her money, or was the bankruptcy of her family faked? She was in a daze as she stared at the cars driving past. It snowed heavilyst night, so the city was covered in snow. It made for a dreamyndscape. The car quickly arrived at a downtown area before stopping at an alleyway. There weren¡¯t any skyscrapers in this area, mostly just single-story buildings. ¡°Does this ce trigger your memory? You used to live here before you were married.¡± Olivia looked at the bustling streets with stalls and food trucks. Nothing came to mind, but she felt like everything was familiar. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She had mixed feelings when they arrived at the Fordham residence. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Ethan pushed the gate open. The ce was frequently cleaned, so there weren¡¯t any dead leaves or fallen branches. Even the snow on the paths had been swept away. The plum tree in the yard was in full bloom. A white cat rushed out from a corner, scaring Olivia. The cat purred. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. This is Snowball, the cat you grew up with.¡± Olivia crouched down, and Snowball jumped into her arms. They hadn¡¯t seen each other in a long time. Snowball purred happily in Olivia¡¯s arms while rubbing her face on Olivia¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what Dad left you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan brought her to a room filled with wooden items. There was a crib, rocking horse, rattle toy, and wooden sword. ¡°These are¡­¡± ¡°These are the things Dad made for our babies before he passed. Sadly, he didn¡¯t get to see them.¡± Each of these items was filled with Jeff¡¯s love. Olivia suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of sadnessing over her. For a moment, she thought of a frail man slowly carving some wood with a carving knife. The dragon on the wooden sword looked especially life-like, but it wasn¡¯t finished. There was a part of it left uncarved. Olivia¡¯s tears started to flow as she said, ¡°He must¡¯ve spent a lot of time on these, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Fate yed a cruel joke on him.¡± Ethan gently wiped her tears away. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Liv. It¡¯s all behind us now. You still have me.¡± Olivia buried her head on his shoulder, and her tears dripped down to his cor. She sobbed, saying, ¡°Why do I feel so sad even though I can¡¯t remember anything? Ethan, did I forget something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± Ethan patted her head lightly. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s all just pain and suffering. It¡¯s better to forget about them. Dad would¡¯ve wanted you to live happily too. He wouldn¡¯t want you to wallow in grief every day.¡± Chapter 582 Chapter 582 What happened waspletely different from what Olivia had thought. The things her father left her were indeed priceless to her, but they didn¡¯t really have any actual mary value. So, thements on her post were wrong. Ethan wasn¡¯t after her money. In that case, what could she have that a man like Ethan would covet? They stayed at the Fordham residence for a while longer, but Olivia couldn¡¯t remember anything. Before they left, Snowball followed Olivia out. She wanted to suggest bringing Snowball with her but stopped herself. It was like she subconsciously knew that Ethan didn¡¯t like cats. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia pointed to Snowball and asked, ¡°Can I bring her with me?¡± Snowball was an old cat and didn¡¯t have long to live. Olivia wanted to stay with Snowball for the remainder of her lifespan. Ethan agreed readily, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get someone to bring her home. Let¡¯s continue our date.¡± Olivia pondered over his words. ¡°So, this is a date?¡± Smiling, Ethan held her hand. ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s perfectly normal for us to go on dates. We¡¯re married. I¡¯m legally allowed to take you on dates.¡± Ethan was in the driver¡¯s seat, and he helped Olivia with her seat belt. ¡°Did we used to go on dates often?¡± Ethan looked straight ahead and said truthfully, ¡°Not really. I used to be very busy and often went on business trips. I didn¡¯t have much time to spend with you. But, from now on, I¡¯ll try my best to make time for you.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression was calm. There wasn¡¯t any sign that pointed to him lying. ¡°Liv, your visa has already been applied for. If you don¡¯t have any objections, we can go to Xndia at the end of the month after I¡¯m done with the work on hand. You can further your studies there. You can meet my mom too.¡± Olivia was puzzled. ¡°Have I never met her before?¡± Burgess had mentioned that they had lived with Ethan¡¯s grandparents before, but she didn¡¯t mention Ethan¡¯s mom. ¡°No, my mom has a mental condition and has been getting treatment these past years. I didn¡¯t bring you to meet her before because I was afraid it might exacerbate her condition. Her condition has stabilized over the past six months. I think it¡¯ll be okay for you to meet her.¡± Olivia felt anxious because she was about to meet her mother-inw. ¡°What kind of person is your mother?¡± ¡°She¡­¡± Ethan fell silent. He didn¡¯t know how to describe his mother. Since he was young, they had spent the better part of their lives apart from each other. After his sister was born, Ethan had to take care of her. His mother¡¯s condition was unstable, and when she had an episode, she would be full of bloodlust and get violent. Leia wasn¡¯t the only one who got abused. Ethan had also been hurt by his mother when he was young. And it wasn¡¯t an isted incident. Since he was young, he had mixed feelings about his mother. He loved her but also feared her. He forced himself to be independent and subsequently became busy with many things. So, he never really interacted with his mother all that much. Whenever his mother had an episode, she wouldn¡¯t even recognize him as her son. Sometimes, she¡¯d even treat him like an enemy. He never felt his mother¡¯s love that much. He barely even saw her in a normal state. So, he didn¡¯t really know what to say about his mother. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see her.¡± ¡°But will she even like me? I heard that mothers-inw never get along with their daughters-inw.¡± Ethan smiled when he heard Olivia¡¯s murmurs. Holding her hand, he said, ¡°Of course, she¡¯ll like you. My wife is the most lovable person in the world. No one could possibly hate you.¡± Face flushed, Olivia shook her hand free. ¡°Focus on driving. We don¡¯t want to get into an ident.¡± ¡°Liv, would you be sad if I died?¡± Ethan suddenly asked.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Olivia¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Turning to look at Ethan, she said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say things like that.¡± Ethan looked into the distance and said calmly, ¡°People die all the time. If I get into an ident¡­¡± ¡°idents don¡¯t happen that frequently. Stop saying things like that.¡± Olivia felt gloomy. She didn¡¯t like the word ¡°ident¡±. She subconsciously ced a hand on her stomach. They spent the rest of the trip in silence. Ethan brought Olivia to the closest mall, and they went shopping. Then, they got some food and watched a movie like a normal couple. It was already past 9:00 pm when they finished the movie. Also, it was getting cold out. So, there weren¡¯t a lot of people on the streets. Shiny decorations were hung up everywhere, illuminating the drifting snowkes. The scene looked very romantic. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The car is just a short walk away.¡± Ethan noticed the misty breath she exhaled from her mouth. So, he took off his coat and draped it over her. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. ¡°But you ¡­¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡± Ethan held her hand even tighter. Olivia had a feeling that he was afraid she would be gone if he let go. She felt a tinge of happiness as she looked at Ethan¡¯s big and warm hand wrapped around hers. It felt like she had waited a long time for this to happen. Olivia abruptly stopped in her tracks. Ethan waited for her patiently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Look, there¡¯s a tree in front of you.¡± There was a tree with a lot of red ribbons hanging from it. Christmas was approaching, and vendors were trying to attract customers by setting up a wishing tree. The tree in question was over a century old. Some marketing whiz utilized this tree for a promotional event. Customers could get a ribbon if they spent over 800 dors in the mall. They could get a strip of ribbon when they showed their receipt. Even though it was apparent that it was just a gimmick to drive sales up, many young couples still participated in the event. But 800 dors was no small amount, which was why there weren¡¯t a lot of ribbons on the tree. Olivia stopped to take a picture and was ready to leave but noticed that Ethan had taken out a receipt to redeem the ribbons. They had spent quite a bit at the mall, so Ethan received ten ribbons. ¡°This is obviously just a marketing gimmick,¡± Oliviained. Ethan looked like he was a materialistic person. Surely he wouldn¡¯t fall for something like this? Ethan held the ribbons in one hand and a pen in the other. He slowly began to write down their names on the ribbons carefully. He only raised his head after he had finished writing on all the ribbons. He gazed at Olivia tenderly. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve never been one for superstitions. But ever since you¡¯ve been with me, I just want to be with you for the rest of my life. I don¡¯t care what supernatural forces I have to believe in as long as my wish can be granted.¡± Olivia muttered under her breath, ¡°But how will it work if you don¡¯t even know what to believe in?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. All I care about is you.¡± The twinkling lights that hung from the tree cast a gentle glow on Ethan¡¯s face. Olivia could see his love for her overflowing from his eyes. She felt like something tugged at her heartstrings. ¡°We have ten tries. Let¡¯s throw them together.¡± Olivia held five ribbons in her hands. Initially, she felt like it was just like a carnival game, but when she saw Ethan¡¯s serious expression, she began to take it seriously too. There was a tiny ball tied to the end of each ribbon. They just needed to aim the ball at one of the branches. It wasn¡¯t that hard. Olivia aimed and threw one of her ribbons. The ball just barely missed the closest branch. Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Olivia was disappointed that she missed on her first try. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we still have plenty of chances.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia tried throwing the ribbons a few more times. She was an athletic woman, so she had enough strength to throw the balls up high. But the balls either scraped the branches before falling, or they missedpletely. She didn¡¯t evennd one sessfully after five tries. Olivia wondered if karma didn¡¯t allow her tond her ribbons on the tree because she didn¡¯t want it to happen. She wasn¡¯t worried because Ethan had five ribbons too. She figured it would be a simple task for a man. Olivia shrugged and said, ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± Ethan threw his first ribbon high up. It was clear he was aiming for the top of the tree. He threw it with just enough force and at the right angle. Strangely, the ribbonnded on a branch, but the ball slowly slid down. Olivia saw Ethan¡¯s expression turn cold. She quicklyforted him, saying, ¡°It¡¯s just an ident. You¡¯ll get it next time.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ethan threw the remaining four ribbons, but the same thing happened every single time. Theynded on the branch, but they didn¡¯t stay put. Even the vendor was dumbfounded. He wasn¡¯t superstitious as well, but other participants were able to hang their ribbons on the tree with one try. He hadn¡¯t seen anyone failing after nine tries. Ethan had one more ribbon left, and his expression was chilling. Olivia chuckled dryly, trying toe up with an excuse for him. But she saw Ethan flipping over the railing and walking straight to the tree. He put his palm on the tree trunk with his back facing everyone. No one could see what he was doing. After a few seconds, he threw the ribbon. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on the ribbon. Olivia jumped excitedly when she saw that the ribbon was hanging on the tree. Ethan¡¯s expression finally eased into a smile. ¡°Alright.¡± He walked back to Olivia and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ethan held Olivia¡¯s hand and left. Then, a sudden breeze blew at them, and Olivia shivered from the cold. The ribbons on the tree swayed in the wind, and one was lifted into the air. Then, Olivia and Ethan heard a metallic clink. Something had fallen next to them. Olivia lowered her head to look and saw that it was the ribbon that Ehtan had just thrown up the tree. None of the other ribbons on the tree had fallen despite swaying in the wind. The vendor scratched his head and muttered, ¡°Now that¡¯s not something you see every day.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t say anything, but his expression was icy. It was like the air around him became even colder. ¡°This ¡­ must be a coincidence. You don¡¯t have to let it affect you.¡± For some reason, Olivia had a feeling that something bad was about to happen. Ethan patted Olivia on the head and said with a faint smile, ¡°It¡¯s just a kid¡¯s game. Of course, I won¡¯t let it bother me. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Olivia rxed when she saw him smile. She picked up the ribbon and said, ¡°We can keep this as a souvenir.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even look back, and Olivia didn¡¯t let what happened bother her. It was 3:00 am. Holding a shovel in his hands, Kelvin asked in confusion, ¡°Mr. Miller, what did this tree do to you? I heard it was supposed to be uprooted when the za was under construction. But every one of the ten excavators broke down before they could start. ¡°People think this tree has mystical powers, which is why they¡¯ve been keeping it around. Why would you want to uproot it all of a sudden?¡± Ethan blew a smoke ring from his mouth as his arm rested on the car window. The cigarette flickered between his fingers. He uttered emotionlessly, ¡°It got in the way.¡± Chapter 585 Chapter 585 Kelvin couldn¡¯t for the life of him understand how the tree could have gotten in Ethan¡¯s way. Did Ethan run into the tree while he was shopping? He didn¡¯t seem like someone so clumsy, nor did he seem like he would be so petty. Even a child wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge against a tree, right? Much less an adult. That didn¡¯t fit Ethan¡¯s personality. Kelvin had seen Ethan raze his enemies to the ground, but it was the first time they were doing that to a tree. Brent pulled Kelvin over to the side and whispered, ¡°Just follow the orders you were given. Can¡¯t you see that Mr. Miller is in a bad mood? Everyone else is trying to avoid angering him, but here you are, making matters worse.¡± ¡°I was just curious. Mrs. Miller has already returned to him. He should be happy. Why would hee out sote at night just to uproot a tree?¡± ¡°Talk less, work more.¡± ¡°Alright, tell the men to start. I¡¯m curious to see if the stories about the tree are real.¡± Kelvin started to direct the excavator with the shovel in hand. ¡°That¡¯s right, move forward.¡± The excavator suddenly stopped moving as it got closer to the tree. The operator couldn¡¯t start the excavator back up no matter how much he tried. ¡°That¡¯s weird. This excavator is new. It was perfectly fine before. Why would it break down now?¡± ¡°Damn, is the tree really magical?¡± Kelvin¡¯s face paled in fright. He quickly went to Ethan to update him on the situation. Then, he raised his head to see Ethan standing under the streemp with a chainsaw in hand. He cast a long shadow on the road. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Kelvin was taken aback. This looked like a scene straight out of a horror flick. ¡°M-Mr. Miller, are you for real?¡± Ethan approached the tree with a stormy expression while carrying the chainsaw. Ignoring Kelvin, he raised his head to look at the tree. ¡°I told you that if you really had powers, you should do your part. But if you don¡¯t want to bless my rtionship with Liv, why should I keep you around?¡± Kelvin, who was standing behind Ethan, asked in bewilderment, ¡°Mr. Miller, are you talking to the tree?¡± Ethan started revving the chainsaw into life. ¡°Since you want to destroy my rtionship with Liv, I¡¯ll pull you up by the roots.¡± That was what Ethan had said when he approached the tree earlier that day. The clouds started churning, and the snow fell even heavier. Kelvin held Brent¡¯s hand, stammering, ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t know if Mr. Miller has lost his mind, but the weather is getting terrifying. Was it this cloudy when we arrived?¡± Even though the za was well-lit by streetmps, the dark, churning clouds were still terrifying. ¡°Mr. Miller, why don¡¯t we give it a rest? It¡¯s just a tree¡­¡± The sound of the chainsaw drowned out Kelvin¡¯s voice. Ethan raised the chainsaw, poised to swing. But thunder suddenly crackled in the sky. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Kelvin yelled in fear. Generally, there were more thunderstorms in spring and summer. They were rtively rare in winter. There also weren¡¯t any signs before the thunder crackled so abruptly. And it happened above the skies of a spacious za at 3:00 am. The hair on everyone¡¯s back was standing on end. Even the usually stoic Brent raised his concern. ¡°Mr. Miller, why don¡¯t we stop? It¡¯s pretty dangerous. What if the lightning strikes¡­¡± In response, Ethan swung the chainsaw at the tree without hesitation. The jarring sound echoed in the za. Ethan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he said through gritted teeth, ¡°Since you didn¡¯t want to bless my rtionship with Liv, I¡¯ll cut you down! I¡¯ll cut down anything that stands between me and Liv!¡± Ethan was determined to be with Olivia for the rest of his life. No one would be able to stop him. Chapter 586 Chapter 586 Everyone in the vicinity was dumbfounded. Ethan wasn¡¯t acting like himself. No one knew why he was so hung up on the tree. Amidst the crackling thunder, sparks flew from the chainsaw in Ethan¡¯s hands. ¡®Brent, look at that lightning. I¡¯m so scared that it might strike Mr. Miller. Did Mrs. Miller upset him again?¡± Brent replied calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Mrs. Miller is the one who upset him. But only matters rting to Mrs. Miller can make Mr. Miller lose control like this. I¡¯m worried about his current state of mind.¡± ¡°I know, right? Mr. Miller used to be soposed. His emotions were almost impossible to discern. However, after the series of incidents with Mrs. Miller, he has be mentally unstable. I fear that he might be like Mrs. Miller Senior ¡­¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller can still act as a calming influence when she¡¯s by his side. I¡¯m worried he¡¯ll lose all reason if Mrs. Miller leaves him. The consequences would be unimaginable if he were to lose control completely.¡± Kelvin furrowed his brows. ¡°But the drug seems to be very effective. Mrs. Miller has lost her memories completely. Besides, Mr. Miller will be bringing Mrs. Miller away from this city that¡¯s filled with sad memories for her. ¡°The assassins might not be able to find Mrs. Miller then. After a while, Mrs. Miller can get pregnant again, and they can raise a child together. As long as Mrs. Miller doesn¡¯t regain her memories, everything will be better.¡± Brent sighed deeply and said, ¡°If only it¡¯s that simple. There¡¯s so much uncertainty in this world. If there¡¯s even the slightest hitch in Mr. Miller¡¯s n, his rtionship with Mrs. Miller will be over. And there won¡¯t be any more room for reconciliation.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hopefully, things can stay the way they are now, and nothing unexpected ever happens again.¡± ¡°Hopefully.¡± Olivia was sound asleep when the thunder crackled and woke her up. The sound of thunder scared her so much that her face paled, and her entire body trembled. It was as if something heart-wrenching had happened to her during a thunderstorm in the past. ¡°Ethan.¡± Olivia looked to the side and saw no one next to her. Even the sheets were cold, which meant that he had been gone for some time. She wondered if he had gone to work in the study. Olivia no longer felt like sleeping. She didn¡¯t know why, but her heart was beating quickly, and she was gripped by fear. As she walked out of the bedroom, the thunder crackled again. Olivia unlocked the study via the fingerprint lock. It was pitch ck in the study. He wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Where are you, Ethan?¡± Olivia called out timidly. The vi was empty. There wasn¡¯t anyone there other than herself. Thunder roared once again. Olivia crouched on the floor in fear and hugged her legs. She ced a hand on her stomach and called out for her baby. She did it subconsciously, but she was already in tears when she returned to her senses. Olivia touched her face. She could feel the cold and wet sensation of her tears on her fingers. She looked at the snow out of the window in a daze. Did she lose her baby in a thunderstorm? She could see the image of a person jumping from a high ce in her head. Where was that? She felt like her head was being torn to pieces when she tried to recall what had happened. It was really painful, so painful that she wanted to die. She could barely breathe. She took out her phone with great effort and dialed Ethan¡¯s number. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re awake?¡± Ethan seemed to be in a noisy ce where machinery was buzzing. Enduring the pain, Olivia asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Something happened at a construction site. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-Nothing. I¡¯ll stop bothering you.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to bother Ethan with her trivial matters. As she was holding her head in her hands, she felt a pain in her stomach. The intense pain from two parts of her body was suffocating her. She didn¡¯t understand why her stomach was hurting. She didn¡¯t even eat any spicy food that day. Ethan was worried about Olivia, so he came home as soon as possible. As he returned home, covered in snow, the first thing he noticed was Olivia. She was curled up on the floor. ¡°Liv!¡± Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Only a wallmp was lit in therge bedroom. Olivia was wearing thin pajamas and was barefooted as she curled up in a corner. Her face was filled with terror. Ethan¡¯s heart broke when he saw that, and he dashed up to Olivia. ¡°What happened, Liv?¡± As if grabbing her final lifeline, Olivia threw herself into Ethan¡¯s embrace. When Ethan saw the wet trails of tears on her face, his heart ached terribly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m back.¡± Ethan¡¯s body was still wet, but Olivia didn¡¯t mind it at all. She gripped Ethan¡¯s arm with both hands. ¡°Tell me, how did our children die?¡± ¡°Why are you mentioning the children again?¡± Reaching out, Ethan wiped away the tears on her face. ¡°I think I saw a person jump from a very high ce.¡± As Ethanforted her, he patted her back. ¡°It was a stormy night, and the rain was heavy that night. The road was dangerous. ¡°The car was out of control, and it veered off the winding mountain road. In the end, it fell into the sea. Is that the image in your mind?¡± Olivia shook her head. She kept mumbling to herself, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anything at all. I just feel pain in my heart. When I recall the past, my head hurts as well. It feels like it¡¯s going to explode.¡± Ethan hugged her head tightly. ¡°Then don¡¯t think about it. It¡¯s in the past now. I didn¡¯t want to mention these things in front of you because I didn¡¯t want you to be sad. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve said this before. You have me. Let¡¯s not think about the past anymore, alright?¡± Olivia slowly calmed down in his embrace. After choking a few times, she stopped crying. Seeing that Olivia didn¡¯t even wear her shoes, Ethan couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°I know that we have a heater at home, but you can¡¯t go around barefooted. ¡°You might get wet easily. Your body is weak enough as it is. It can¡¯t handle the cold.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°Alright. When I woke up, I didn¡¯t see you anywhere, and there was thunder outside. I don¡¯t know what came over me. I was very scared just now. I looked for you everywhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t leave without telling you ever again.¡± Ethan felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. Crouching down, he picked her up in his arms and took her back to the room. ¡°If you can¡¯t find me in the future, just contact me or Brent. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about troubling me. We¡¯re a married couple, so you can tell me anything, alright?¡± While Olivia settled into the warm bed, Ethan poured a ss of warm water for her. ¡°You¡¯ve been crying for so long. You must be thirsty now.¡± Olivia drank some water to wet her throat. Her tears had stopped, but her eyes were still red. She looked like a little rabbit. ¡°What happened at the construction site? It¡¯s sote at night.¡± ¡°Nothing important. I¡¯m overseeing the project, so I can only rest assured after I take a look at it,¡± Ethan exined in brief. Then, he took off his coat. Olivia noticed some sawdust on the ck woolen coat. She thought that it was from the construction site, so she didn¡¯t think too much about it. Ethan returned to the bed. Then, he reached out and took Olivia into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s still early, so you can sleep a little while longer. I¡¯ll tell you a story.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Like a startled rabbit, Olivia leaned in his embrace. As she listened to his attractive and melodious voice, she fell asleep. She didn¡¯t notice that she was bing more dependent on Ethan by the day. She had spent several days with him now. Her initial suspicion had turned into familiarity. She could see that he loved her for real. The look in his eyes and those tiny details couldn¡¯t be faked. Olivia realized that this man was deeply in love with her. His fingers gently caressed her hair. He pampered her like a child. She could feel the wedding ring on his ring finger. For the past few days, she never saw him taking it off. It felt good to be loved. It felt so good that she could temporarily forget about losing her parents and her children. Her memory was nk, but she wasn¡¯t scared in the least. Her small hands trembled as they wrapped around Ethan¡¯s waist. Ethan froze. This tiny movement was proof that Olivia was beginning to open up to him. She was starting to ept him. His heart leaped in joy, and he tried his best to suppress the smile on his lips. ¡°And so, the prince and the princess lived happily ever after. They were inseparable until the end.¡± The woman in his arms had already fallen asleep. Lowering his head, he nted a kiss on her. ¡°Liv, we¡¯ll also live happily for the rest of our lives, just like that fairy tale,¡± he thought. Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Olivia slowly got used to life without memories even though she always felt an emptiness in her heart. Also, she would sometimes stare at a spot and zone out for some reason. But Ethan pampered her greatly. This was proof enough that love could melt everything. Olivia counted the days. She would be going overseas with Ethan in a few days. She heard that in the past, she often traveled around the world on her days off. She had been to many ces, but sadly, she couldn¡¯t remember any of them now. Olivia fantasized quite a lot about life overseas. She felt like she previously didn¡¯t want to stay in this city at all. Before they left, Olivia suggested that they visit the graves of their loved ones. After all, they had no idea when they would being back. As soon as winter rolled around, Aldenvine would be covered in snow. It was very cold, and the roads were quite slippery as well. Olivia wore a thick down jacket, covering herself from head to toe. The mountain path was difficult to walk on. Ethan extended a hand toward her. Compared to a few days ago, Olivia didn¡¯t think twice before cing her hand on his palm now. Olivia¡¯s body temperature was cooler. She was very sensitive to the cold, especially in winter. Ethan thought that these changes were because Olivia had given birth prematurely twice. It had weakened her body. So, he pampered and took care of Olivia even more than he used to. After making sure that there was no danger, he would allow Olivia to meet Connor. No matter how hard it was for her to get pregnant again, they still had a child together. So, they wouldn¡¯t feel regretful about it. The ck Ravens¡¯ loss due to Olivia had be the joke of the industry. Hence, the industry had added Olivia¡¯s name to the cklist. No one dared to ept any missions that involved her. They all feared that they might get involved in needless trouble. In their line of work, it would take a long time for them to raise an elite. No one would want to risk their people for a mission. The assassins were out of the way now, but the mastermind might go for other options. Thus, Connor¡¯s identity shouldn¡¯t be announced yet. Enveloped by Ethan¡¯s burning warmth, Olivia¡¯s hand gradually grew warm as well. The first grave they visited was Eugenia¡¯s. Back home, Olivia had heard Madam Burgess¡¯ stories about Eugenia. Olivia even brought along some chips and milkshakes which Eugenia loved. Back then, Madam Burgess would tell Eugenia to avoid cold drinks at her age. Eugenia always retorted. She said that if she didn¡¯t drink cold drinks now, she wouldn¡¯t have another chance. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. From Madam Burgess¡¯ descriptions, Eugenia was an interesting olddy. She had pampered Olivia a lot too. Once at the grave, Olivia looked at the loving old woman in the photo. Even if she couldn¡¯t remember those things, she could still sense that Eugenia was very kind. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m sorry, I got into an ident and forgot everyone. You won¡¯t me me for it, will you?¡± Kneeling on the ground, Olivia took out the drinks and the chips. ¡°I heard that you loved these, so I brought some over for you. Do try them and see if they taste the same as before.¡±! Ethan didn¡¯t say much. He simply ced Eugenia¡¯s favorite bouquet at the grave. His fingers rested upon Olivia¡¯s shoulder, and he said in a low voice. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll take good care of Liv.¡± A single sentence was enough. They were walking away from Eugenia¡¯s grave when Olivia stopped in her tracks. Ethan frowned deeply, a confused look passing over his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Liv?¡± Olivia looked up at the plum blossom on the branches. ¡°Why would people nt plum trees here? It¡¯s so weird, but it looks quite nice.¡± ¡°Every family has their traditions. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s visit Dad¡¯s grave.¡± Taking her hand, Ethan was about to leave when Olivia pointed at the photo of one of the gravestones. ¡°Look, Ethan. The person in the photo looks a little like you.¡± Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Ethan, who used to be extremely patient with her, didn¡¯t have any intention of staying at that moment. He kept urging Olivia, ¡°It¡¯s someone else¡¯s grave. There¡¯s nothing interesting to look at. Let¡¯s go.¡± Olivia thought that it was bad luck to say such things. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at it. ¡°Amazing. If her name wasn¡¯t Jodie Ferguson, I would¡¯ve thought that she¡¯s a rtive of the Millers.¡± Olivia repeated the name. ¡°Jodie. Why does that name sound so familiar? Ethan, did I know her in the past?¡± The gravestone was remade for Jodie after Ethan had confirmed that Leia didn¡¯t die. All the information was changed to Jodie¡¯s. Ethan didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be so hung up about it. After calming himself, Ethan answered calmly, ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Olivia nced at the gravestone a few more times before looking away. ¡°I must be overthinking it. There are so many people in this world, so it¡¯s normal for some to look alike. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ethan took a cloak and draped it over her. His eyes were filled with tenderness. ¡°Yes, the snow is falling heavily again. Let¡¯s finish up the rounds and go home as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Olivia left with Ethan. After taking a few steps, she still couldn¡¯t help but look back. The plum blossoms were blooming well. There was ayer of clear snow on the red petals. As the wind blew, the snowkes and flowers rained down, covering the gravestone. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Olivia looked away, ignoring the unknown emotions in her heart. After visiting the graves, Olivia suggested dining at the restaurant fromst time. Ethan got someone to reserve a table for them. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia liked being with Ethan. She wondered if it was because Ethan rarely spent time with her in the past. Taking Ethan¡¯s hand, Olivia strolled around the square. The two were very good-looking. So, no matter where they went, people would be looking at them. Olivia asked curiously, ¡°I remember seeing a tree here that night. Why is it gone?¡± The spot where the century-old tree stood was now covered with cement. It was also tiled just like its surroundings. Ethan was surprised that Olivia remembered. Ethan replied indifferently, ¡°Perhaps it was blocking the view, so they cut it.¡± ¡°What a pity. It was such a huge tree, and it was probably at least a hundred years old. It¡¯s a waste to cut it down just like that.¡± ¡°Both humans and trees have their fates. It¡¯s nothing worth your pity.¡± Olivia scratched her head. She thought about the new coffee table and wooden chairs at home that were just delivered yesterday. They didn¡¯tck any furniture at home, so she couldn¡¯t understand why they suddenly got more wooden furniture. Ethan had calmly said that a change of furniture would be nice. She didn¡¯t think too much about it back then. She just wondered how many trees had to be cut down to make a coffee table that big. ¡°Ethan, is it possible that the coffee table at home was made from this tree?¡± Reaching out, Ethan patted her on the head. His expression was calm as always. ¡°What are you talking about, Liv? Why would I get mad at a tree and turn it into a coffee table?¡± Olivia looked at the man¡¯s upright figure in the snowy wind. His handsome face was cold, and his movements were filled with endless nobility. He had a point. An elite like him wouldn¡¯t get mad at a tree. Olivia took Ethan¡¯s hand again. ¡°Sorry, I keep overthinking things. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Ethan patted the back of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have to go somewhere after the meal.¡± ¡°Hm? Where are we going?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when we arrive.¡± Like a child, Olivia eagerly looked forward to the surprise. It wasn¡¯t 6:30 pm yet, but she was already urging Ethan, ¡°Hurry up. Where are we going?¡± Reaching out, Ethan touched the tip of her nose. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She was taken to a high-end studio, where people would get customized makeovers. Olivia rarely came to ces like this, so she felt a little wary. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Ethan patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, someone will guide you.¡± In a daze, Olivia was brought to the makeup room. Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Olivia didn¡¯t know what Ethan was nning. She simply allowed the makeup artists to apply various cosmetics on her face. She could hear praises from time to time. ¡°Goodness, your skin is so supple! I can see that Mr. Miller treats you very well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just your skin too. Even your features are wless. Seriously, I¡¯ve done many celebrities¡¯ makeup before. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether they were born pretty or if they worked for itter on, I¡¯ve never met someone with features as perfect as yours.¡± Olivia was a little stunned by the praise. She asked in a small voice, ¡°Um, where am I going? Why am I being dressed up like this?¡± The makeup artists were surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Miller tell you? Well, then we won¡¯t tell you much either. We wouldn¡¯t want to ruin Mr. Miller¡¯s surprise.¡± Before this, Brent had already told them not to reveal too much. The makeup artists didn¡¯t know which parts they should keep secret, so they simply shut up. They quietly dressed Olivia up. Suddenly, an ear-piercing voice sounded outside the door. ¡°I flew here just to get Emily Lowe to give me a makeover, but what¡¯s with this treatment? Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Olson. Someone has already booked an appointment with Emily early on. Our other artists are quite famous too.¡± ¡°I only want Emily. It¡¯s just a matter of money, right? I can pay double.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Olson, it¡¯s not about the money.¡± ¡°You ingrates! You¡¯re only working for the money anyway. Get Emily here.¡± Despite being coaxed for a long time, the customer seemed to have a short temper. Seeing that Emily wasn¡¯ting out, the customer dashed inside instead. ¡°Let me see who¡¯s so important that you¡¯d refuse to let someone else book Emily.¡± Olivia looked at the customer. The woman seemed to be her age, but her fashion style was quite bold. It was snowing heavily outside, but the woman was wearing long boots on her bare legs. It didn¡¯t matter since they were indoors. Still, Olivia couldn¡¯t quite ept this fashion style. When the woman saw Olivia, her expression turned fouler. ¡°You again? Why won¡¯t you leave me alone? I keep running into you everywhere I go.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t remember the woman. She pointed at herself. ¡°Are you talking to me? Do we know each other?¡± Lydia crossed her arms as she studied Olivia. They hadn¡¯t met in a few months, but Olivia seemed to have changed a lot. When Olivia was pregnant, she was quite stern when she hit Lydia. But now, she looked like an innocent woman. She even pretended not to know Lydia. ¡°My cousin isn¡¯t here, so why are you putting on an act?¡± ¡°Your cousin?¡± Olivia was confused. This woman didn¡¯t look like a friend, so she wondered if the woman was a rtive. But she didn¡¯t seem too friendly. When she looked at Olivia, there was no respect in her eyes. Instead, her eyes were filled with enmity and disdain. ¡°Is this how you usually seduce my cousin? I¡¯m warning you, no matter how you try to cling to him, it¡¯s no use. You¡¯re not on par with him at all. You can¡¯t evenpare to a tenth of Nikki.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± A stern man¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from the door. Ethan didn¡¯t expect someone to cause trouble during the time he took to change his clothes. Lydia had a special identity, so the bodyguards didn¡¯t dare to offend her. So, they could only get Ethan toe over as soon as possible. When Lydia saw Ethan walking over to them, a trace of nervousness appeared on her arrogant face. Gulping, she said in a small voice, ¡°C-Cousin? What a coincidence. You¡¯re here as well.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t waste his breath on her. ¡°Get lost.¡± Sticking out her tongue, Lydia hastily ran away without even looking back. ¡°Ethan, is she your cousin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention her before?¡± ¡°I rarely keep in touch with her.¡± Olivia frowned slightly. ¡°She said something about Nikki just now. Who is that?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not important.¡± Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Olivia didn¡¯t see any emotions on Ethan¡¯s face. She recalled the woman¡¯s arrogant attitude just now. She could guess that Nikki wouldn¡¯t be a friendly person either. Ethan seemed to be very worried that she might overthink things. He rarely exined things of his own ord in the past. But now, he was crouching down and cing Olivia¡¯s hand on his palm. He was half-crouched on the ground, causing his huge body to now be much shorter than the seated Olivia. But Ethan didn¡¯t mind it at all. Looking up, he had a stern and earnest expression on his face. ¡°Liv, I spent some time with my aunt¡¯s family when I was young, ¡°Nikki Shaw is an old friend of the Olsons. When we were kids, we¡¯d get together and y during banquets. That was all.¡± When Olivia saw how serious he was, she felt a little embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m suspecting you.¡± Ethan took her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel the least bit ufortable because of people who don¡¯t matter. If you do feel that way, you have to tell me.¡± The strong sense of security he exuded caused the women around them to feel a flutter in their hearts. He was truly a wonderful man. Embarrassed, Olivia pushed him out of the room. Anyone could feel Ethan¡¯s immense love for her. She didn¡¯t suspect him. She was just curious. After receiving a reassuring reply, Olivia felt warmth in her heart. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. As night fell, Olivia was wearing an evening gown and looking at her slender figure in the mirror. After she regained consciousness, she never even put on makeup. Even she was startled at her transformation after the makeover. It was no wonder that the people kept praising her. Even Olivia herself couldn¡¯t see any ws in her appearance at all. When she opened the door and walked out, Ethan was also stunned for a moment as he turned to look at her. As expected, no one couldpare to his precious Olivia. On their way to the destination, Ethan¡¯s lips were sealed. He didn¡¯t reveal anything at all. Olivia noticed that he had also undergone a minor makeover. He had changed into a proper suit. He also wore flowers of the same color as her dress on his tie and chest. She guessed that they would be attending an important event. Seeing her nervous expression, Ethan reached over. His fingers slid between the gaps of her fair fingers, interlocking them. The ring on his ring finger rubbed lightly against her skin. But Olivia somehow felt reassured because of it. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. You have me.¡± The car drove through the VIPne. Olivia couldn¡¯t see anyone other than the sea of bodyguards. She curiously followed Ethan into the hotel. The hotel had very luxurious decorations. Olivia was even more convinced that a huge event was waiting ahead of her. Her palms began to sweat. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ethan gave Brent a look. Brent brought some men with him to make sure that there were no dangers in the bathroom. After that, Olivia went in. Olivia didn¡¯t know what had happened in the past. she only knew that Ethan was protecting her the way he would protect a treasure. He seemed worried that if he wasn¡¯t. looking, she might fall from his hands and break into pieces. She washed her hands and adjusted her breathing. Then, she applied ayer of hand cream before walking out confidently. Ethan was waiting for her in a corridor nearby, Olivia was about to go over to him when she saw a figure dashing toward Ethan. ¡°Ethan! Long time no see.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was sweet. She was walking too fast, and she was also wearing four-inch stilettos. So, she identally stepped on the hem of her dress and fell right into Ethan¡¯s arms. A few journalists suddenly appeared in the quiet corridor. The cameras in their hands were aimed right at Ethan. When Olivia saw that, she paused her eager steps which were headed toward Ethan. The smile on her face froze. Chapter 592 Chapter 592 Olivia had lost her memory, but she wasn¡¯t a fool. The corridor should be cleared beforehand. So, these journalists couldn¡¯t have appeared out of the blue. Also, the woman with exquisite makeup and elegant clothes wouldn¡¯t just trip in her high heels. It was obvious that she had gotten the journalists to lie in wait beforehand. The scheme was shallow but quite effective. But Olivia couldn¡¯t understand something. Ethan came from a good background, but he was only a slightly more respected employee. It didn¡¯t make sense for the woman to go to such lengths. Olivia wondered what Ethan would do about the woman¡¯s actions. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia realized that she didn¡¯t feel as bad as she had imagined. She was even watching Ethan¡¯s reaction calmly. A weak-looking woman had tripped. Anyone, not just men, would instinctively try to catch her. Ethan was on the phone at first. At that moment, the lights stretched out the shadow of his slender body. He was standing upright. Throughout the incident, his expression was calm and cold. When the woman was about to fall into his arms, he took a step backward. Ethan had gained control of his instincts a long time ago. He could calmly deal with any situation now. Even if the woman were tomit suicide in front of him, he would take a step backward all the same. He would merely be worried that her blood might dirty his clothes. Much less could be said of her tripping and falling. Right before the woman fell, Olivia caught sight of her expression. There was shock, fear, and confusion. She was wondering if he was serious when he took a step back. She had calcted everything without any mistakes. The shutters of the cameras went off right at that moment. They happened to capture the scene of her falling embarrassingly to the floor. The corridor wasn¡¯t carpeted, so the woman hit the cold hard floor. Even from a distance away, Olivia could hear her grunt when she hit the floor. It must be quite painful. The woman had tears in her eyes as she looked pitifully at Ethan. ¡°Ethan¡­¡± She only called his name, but her expression was filled with usation. Any man would have felt bad for her. s, Ethan looked at her as if he were looking at a monster. He frowned deeply, making it clear that he was upset. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me, Ethan? I¡¯m Nikki. I think I hurt my knee. Can you help me up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ethan replied quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for a man to touch a woman.¡± Nikki¡¯s eyes widened even more. She thought that she was hearing things. It wasn¡¯t in the old days. No one cared about men touching women anymore. ¡°But we yed together when we were young. I¡¯ve been thinking of you in all the years we were apart. I ¡­¡± Nikki wanted to continue. Ethan seemed to have seen something. His gaze turned from dissatisfaction to tenderness. The air about him turned gentle as well, and the fierce atmosphere from just now hadpletely dissipated. Nikki thought that he was smiling at her, and she was d. She knew that no man would be able to reject her. When Ethan strode toward her, Nikki had already adjusted her expression. She reached out helplessly, waiting for the man to help her up so that she could throw herself into his arms. She had already prepared her best expression, but Ethan walked past her without even looking back. He even sped up as he whisked past her like the wind. He didn¡¯t have the slightest intention to pause. They were so far apart, but Ethan spent only a few seconds to arrive before Olivia. ¡°Liv.¡± Nikki was in disbelief. He hadpletely ignored her! She wanted to see how capable that woman was. Just then, a hand reached out in front of her. Chapter 593 Chapter 593 The hand extended toward Nikki was fair, but the palm wasn¡¯t too nice-looking. It was filled with visible scars. There was a saying that a woman¡¯s hand was just as important as her face. From the woman¡¯s hand, Nikki could see that Ethan shouldn¡¯t be that serious about her. From her calloused hand, she must regrly do lots of physicalbor. Nikki extended her hand. She had been pampered since young, and she would insist on getting full- body care every week. Hence, her hands were very nice-looking. Her joints were bnced, and her fingers were slender. Her palms were pale and soft, and even her nails were taken care of wlessly. The glitter on her manicure shimmered. She looked like a luxury item on disy. After making theparison, Nikki felt strongly superior. She was confident that she would win this round. ¡°Thank you.¡± She didn¡¯t decline Olivia¡¯s kindness. As their palms touched, she wanted Olivia to realize the difference between them. She was the youngdy of a century-old noble family. She was far above this woman, who was from a family that had gone bankrupt and fallen to ruin. When their hands touched, Nikki felt something hard. It was only then that Nikki saw the ring on Olivia¡¯s finger. The ring wasn¡¯t extravagant, but it was well-designed. It looked quite special. Looking up, Nikki finally saw Olivia¡¯s face. No one had taken a photo of Olivia from the front before. Later on, Ethan wiped out all the information about her. So, no one could find her photos online. When Lydia came back, she did tell Nikki about Olivia. She said that Olivia was an ugly woman who couldn¡¯t evenpare to a tenth of Nikki. This was Nikki¡¯s first time meeting Olivia. Olivia¡¯s features were well-defined, and she looked good even without makeup. Now, with makeup on, she was so beautiful that people would feel that she was on another level. Even Nikki, who was quite confident with her looks, felt like she paled inparison. Olivia¡¯s expression was calm, and she looked quite harmless. The silver glitter under her eyes made her look like a total beauty. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t forced, sounding casual and clear. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Nikki was stunned for a few moments. Then, she regained her senses. She realized that the woman in front of her was none other than her enemy. She had lost to Olivia in the looks department. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± Reaching out, Ethan pulled Olivia into his arms. ¡°Liv, this is Nikki Shaw.¡± It was only then that Nikki noticed the ring on his finger. It matched Olivia¡¯s. It was quite rare to see married men wearing their wedding rings at such events. Also, Ethan¡¯s fingers were interlocked with Olivia¡¯s. He didn¡¯t care how others looked at him at all. Olivia didn¡¯t say anything, but Nikki felt like she was utterly defeated. ¡°Hello, Ms. Shaw,¡± Olivia greeted calmly. Nikki was stunned for a moment before she returned to her senses. ¡°Hello.¡± Seeing the woman leaning against Ethan, Nikki was in a daze. Then, her heart was filled with jealousy. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Nikki pretended that she didn¡¯t know their rtionship. After all, Lydia said that Ethan had gotten married in secret. No one knew that he had married Olivia. If he truly loved her, there was no reason for him to hide her. After all, love should be expressed and shown to all. Nikki concluded that Ethan didn¡¯t love Olivia that much. Hence, she still had a chance. Taking Olivia¡¯s hand, Ethan said straightforwardly, ¡°This is my wife, Olivia Fordham.¡± Those few words were as clear as day. They were enough to shock Nikkipletely. She could barely maintain the smile on her face. Chapter 594 Chapter 594 The atmosphere was a little awkward. After taking a deep breath, Nikki struck first. ¡°Back then, you said that you¡¯d marry me. I didn¡¯t expect you to marry someone else just like that. When did you get married? You never told me about it.¡± Those words were quite damaging. Olivia nced at Ethan, waiting for him to exin. Ethan¡¯s gaze seemed to beyered with ice as he red coldly at Nikki. ¡°Ms. Shaw, we¡¯re neither friends nor rtives. I don¡¯t have a reason to inform you about my marriage. ¡°As for me saying that I¡¯d marry you, are you referring to the time when we were kids? You guys forced me to y house with you, and you even threatened me. ¡°You said that if I rejected you, you¡¯d go home and tell your parents about it.¡± His words had shamed Nikki greatly. Nikki didn¡¯t realize how cold Ethan had gotten in all these years she hadn¡¯t seen him. But then Nikki remembered Lydia saying that Ethan had treated her like this too. So, she quickly got over it. By the looks of it, Ethan treated everyone the same. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have kept Olivia¡¯s identity a secret for so long. ¡°Sorry, Ethan. I thought that you were happy to y with us like I was. After all, I¡¯ve liked you ever since I was young. I didn¡¯t realize that I caused you so many unhappy memories.¡± With an apologetic look on her face, she turned to look at Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Olivia. You won¡¯t mind that I¡¯ve liked Ethan for a long time, right? After all, Ethan never announced his rtionship with you. I thought he was still single.¡± Olivia had always seen on the inte how pick-me girls behaved. She had thought that those stories were fake. After all, there couldn¡¯t possibly be such disgusting people in real life. But reality had given her a much-needed lesson. She had really encountered a pick-me girl in real life now, and she was even more disgusting than flies. Nikki was disgusting enough, but she just had to unt around, making others even more disgusted. Olivia wasn¡¯t mad, though. Instead, she took Ethan¡¯s hand and swung his arm as she imitated Nikki¡¯s pitiful voice. She asked, ¡°Ethan, she¡¯s so devoted to you. You were single for so many years, so why didn¡¯t you marry her? You caused her to suffer in a one-sided rtionship for so long.¡± Reaching out, Ethan scratched her nose. ¡°Tons of people like me. If every one of them wants to marry me, when will I finally be able to marry you?¡± He was gentle to Olivia, but when he turned to look at Nikki, he put on a cold expression. ¡°Ms. Shaw, even though Liv graduated early, it¡¯s because she¡¯s a genius and skipped some grades. In reality, she¡¯s a few years younger than you. You can¡¯t treat her like she¡¯s older than you. ¡°Also, I was only forced to y along with your games. It¡¯s not a valid reason for you to ask me to take responsibility, yes?¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers caressed the back of Olivia¡¯s hand as he spoke carelessly. ¡°Going by that logic, when I was forced by your parents to y with you, I had also thought about killing your whole family. Before I marry you, should I fulfill my childhood wish as well?¡± When he said that, everyone else fell silent. They couldn¡¯t believe that Ethan had said those words. The men fell silent when they heard that, and the women burst into tears. Nikki was just like that. Crystal-like tears welled up in her eyes before they trailed down her face. She sobbed prettily, and Olivia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had trained in acting before. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°How could you think that, Ethan?¡± ¡°Nikki, we¡¯re all adults here. Stop pretending like you don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve already introduced her as my wife, so what are you trying to do by saying those misleading things? ¡°My heart is very small, so small that it can only hold one person. I can¡¯t bear the thought of her being even a little bit upset because of irrelevant people. ¡°Since we haven¡¯t met in such a long time, let¡¯s keep it that way.¡± Ethan walked up to the journalists and asked them for their films. ¡°If you appear in front of Liv again, I don¡¯t mind sending everyone in the country the photos of you falling to the ground.¡± Chapter 595 Chapter 595 With that, Ethan took Olivia¡¯s hand and walked away, leaving the furious Nikki alone. Ethan was even less caring than he had been when he was young. He was as stubborn as they came. When Nikki saw the two walking away hand-in-hand, she gritted her teeth so hard that they almost broke. She sneered coldly, looking like a snake hiding in the shadows. A venomous glint shed across her eyes. Olivia angled her body to look at Ethan. Sensing her gaze, Ethan looked down at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? If you have any questions, just ask them. Don¡¯t overthink things.¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow. ¡°I do have a question. Did you truly think about killing her whole family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ethan said without any hesitation, ¡°My mother wasn¡¯t mentally well, so she rarely took care of me when I was young. Back then, to establish connections, my aunt took me in. ¡°That was when I got to know Nikki. She was the neighbor¡¯s child, but she kept trying to y with me. When I said that I didn¡¯t like to y house, she insisted on ying the games that I yed.¡± Olivia was a little curious. ¡°What games did you y?¡± ¡°Shooting, boxing, fencing, horseback riding, skiing, diving¡­¡¯ ¡°What happened next?¡± ¡°At the shooting range, she couldn¡¯t even fire the gun. She was even bitten all over by mosquitoes. When she boxed with me, her nose bled when I hit her. ¡°When we went horseback riding, the horse left her behind¡­¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Olivia reached out her hand. ¡°Putting her personality problems aside, you did it on purpose when you hit her until she bled, right?¡± Ethan felt a headacheing on when he thought about those incidents. ¡°She was the one who told me not to go easy on her. ¡°She had received training before, so going easy on her would be the same as looking down on her. Since she said all that, I just swung randomly at her. I didn¡¯t expect her to take a basic punch like that head-on. ¡°It even hit her squarely in the face. Her nose bled, and the blood got on my body. It was annoying.¡± Hearing hisints, Olivia was alreadyughing. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re such a straightforward man. She said that just to attract your attention. She wasn¡¯t telling you to get serious about it. ¡°She was probably startled back then, so she started dodging blindly. But you hit her right on the nose.¡± Ethan said, ¡°Liv, can you stop mentioning that useless woman in front of me?¡± Ethan visibly hated Nikki. After Nikki was hit, she went back and told her parents something. Then, they came over and pressured Ethan, forcing him to y house with her.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia saw the foul expression on Ethan¡¯s face. Still, she was quite interested. Reaching out, she poked at Ethan¡¯s arm. ¡°Tell me, then. How did you y house with her? That should be interesting.¡± Reaching out, Ethan flicked her on her forehead. She was excited to learn about his cringe-inducing past. Still, he didn¡¯t mind it if it would make her happy. He described what had happened back then. It wasn¡¯t as simple as a normal game of ying pretend. Nikki wanted him to y the role of someone in a vegetative state. She would then y the role of a bride who would bring him luck. She even got someone to decorate a room so that it looked like a wedding venue. As the adults watched, Ethan acted in the y where a man in a vegetative state got married. Olivia was amazed. She wondered if all rich children yed house like that. It was quite a realistic experience. The more Ethan spoke, the sadder he got. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Liv. When she wanted to kiss me, I pushed her away.¡± Olivia smiled sweetly. ¡°I never expected you to defend your purity so well since a young age.¡± Ethan nted a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Liv, throughout all these years, you¡¯re the only one who managed to win my heart.¡± Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Olivia and Ethan were the only people in that passageway. Olivia could hear the noisy sounds of music and the host¡¯s voice on the other side. They were at some sort of event. She didn¡¯t understand it. If Ethan wanted to bring her to an event, it didn¡¯t make sense for him to keep it a secret. Looking at Ethan, she asked in a small voice, ¡°What event is this? You should at least tell me beforehand so that I can prepare myself.¡± There was amp above them, and the light shone on the man¡¯s well-defined face. The sharpness of his features disappeared This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. in the light. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what event it is. The important thing is that I¡¯m attending it with you.¡± The host¡¯s voice could be heard outside, followed by cheers from the audience. Olivia realized that they were at the award ceremony of some film festival. Olivia was even more curious about Ethan¡¯s identity now. She thought that he was the construction site supervisor of some huge project. She didn¡¯t understand why he would be able to attend an event like this. Once she came back to her senses, Olivia would realize that she could just search online to figure out Ethan¡¯s identity. But of course, she wouldn¡¯t have expected her husband to be from the number one wealthy family in the area. Then, the host¡¯s loud voice sounded. ¡°We¡¯re very honored today. The president of Miller Group and his wife havee here in person to present the awards. Everyone, let¡¯s give a round of apuse for Mr. and Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia was caught off guard. She couldn¡¯t believe that her husband was the president of a corporation! He looked very busy, but she had never seen a president who could spend time with his wife every day at home. Olivia elbowed Ethan. ¡°What are you up to? You never told me about this!¡± ¡°I just thought that there¡¯s no better chance than this to tell the world that you¡¯re Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia was shocked. ¡°You did this so that-¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers slid between the gaps of Olivia¡¯s fingers. He held her hand tightly until there were no more gaps. Then, he kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I want everyone to know that you¡¯re my wife.¡± The backdrop gave way, and all the lights and cameras were focused on Olivia and Ethan. Everyone happened to catch sight of Ethan kissing the back of Olivia¡¯s hand. Their excited screams almost broke through the roof. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°They¡¯re so handsome and so pretty!¡± ¡°This is something straight out of novels! I had a feeling that Mr. Miller had an unavoidable reason when he said that he was going to marry Marina.¡± ¡°When you love someone, your eyes won¡¯t lie. He had never once looked at Marina with a gaze like this.¡± ¡°So this is his ex-wife. She¡¯s so beautiful.¡± ¡°I know her! We used to be in the same high school. She¡¯s not just super smart, she¡¯s a genius! She skipped lots of grades. Later on, I heard that she got married in secret. I didn¡¯t expect that she had gotten married to Mr. Miller!¡± The people who mocked Ethan for being a jerk in the past had now changed their minds. After all, many people in this world judged a book by its cover. People loved stories of broken rtionships getting mended. Many people in the audience were overwhelmed and wished the couple well. Smiling, the host looked at the two. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re quite the popr couple. Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve never attended an event like this before. Can you tell us why you epted the invitation?¡± Ethan led the slightly anxious Olivia as he slowly walked to the center of the stage. Throughout the whole process, he never let go of Olivia¡¯s hand. Taking the mic, he had a face filled with tenderness. ¡°My wife is fond of some old artists. We heard that ¡®Besieged Hearts¡¯ was nominated, and we¡¯re d to be here to present the awards. My wife can finally meet the celebrities she idolizes.¡± Instead of the movie, everyone was more interested in Ethan¡¯s and Olivia¡¯s rtionship. The host was even more excited to see Ethan in an uncharacteristically good mood. ¡°I heard that you and your wife were married in secret for a few years, Mr. Miller. Why did you choose this moment to announce your rtionship?¡± Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Olivia¡¯s mind was in a mess, and her heart was racing too. She felt like she had been looking forward to this moment for a long time. She looked at Ethan quietly. Ethan was glowing under the gaze of the audience. When he looked at her, his gaze seemed to hide a whole gxy in it. ¡°In the past, I loved my wife too much. I loved her so much that I stubbornly hid her and blocked out the light that radiated from her. Now, I want to return to her all the light that belongs to her.¡± Ethan had worked hard before, trying his best to hide her so that he could protect her. But in the end, he was the one who scarred her. So, he wanted to change his methods. He would make it up to her and pamper her. If this was what Olivia wanted, he would cast everything aside to fulfill her wishes. He wouldn¡¯t hide Olivia again. He would boldly tell everyone that Olivia was none other than his Mrs. Miller. The microphone carried Ethan¡¯s voice to every corner of the hall. Olivia¡¯s heart was beating so fast that it almost stunned her. While she was panicking, Ethan gently took her hand. ¡°It truly is an honor for us as a couple to be invited here to present the awards.¡± But people could see that he wasn¡¯t there to present the awards. He was there to unt his rtionship. His high-profile speech caused all the spotlights to center on the two. For a moment, they were more attractive than the main characters of the event. Nikki was also one of the special guests. She painstakingly got information that Ethan would be attending this event. Thus, she worked so hard to create a chance encounter. But never in her dreams had she expected this to happen. Olivia, who was wearing a pale gold dress, stood beside Ethan. The dress outlined her perfect figure. Ethan¡¯s tieplemented the color of her dress. They were both noble and matching. They were indeed a match made in heaven. Nikki¡¯s fingers had created a huge wrinkle in her dress. She wished that she could be in Olivia¡¯s ce right now. She had nned for this meeting, but it had turned into a chance for Ethan to announce his rtionship with Olivia. She couldn¡¯t take it at all. ¡°Are you okay, Nikki? I told you, Ethan has been charmed silly by that woman. She can¡¯t even keep a child alive. How can she still stay by his side after all that?¡± Nikki was pissed, but her expression remained calm. ¡°Ms. Fordham looks like a perfect match for him.¡± ¡°A perfect match? Her family has fallen into ruin, and all the members have died. She doesn¡¯t deserve Ethan at all! ¡°When she was enjoying her rtionship with Ethan, you were the one who kept Aunt Quinna company. She¡¯s nothing!¡± Nikki replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who she is. The important thing is how Ethan sees her. Ethan did this so that I¡¯d back off. He¡¯s paving a path for Olivia.¡± ¡°Oh, silly Nikki. Since ancient times, only marriages blessed by parents can survive time. In ancient times, someone like her could only be a mistress.¡± Nikki didn¡¯t say anything, but there was more hope in her heart now. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia only had her looks going for her. She was like a luxury item. She looked nice at first, but soon, other brands would take her ce. At that thought, Nikki felt much better. She thought, ¡°Just wait, Olivia.¡± Onstage, Olivia listened to the screams and cheers, each wave louder than thest. She felt a little nervous and lost. She wondered why Ethan would announce his love at such a high-profile event. But she also felt a sense of satisfaction she had never experienced before. She wondered if Ethan was right and if she had always been waiting for this day. At that moment, Olivia couldn¡¯t hear any other sounds as his words echoed in her ears. He had called her his wife. Chapter 598 Chapter 598 After presenting the awards, Ethan took Olivia¡¯s hand. They made their way to the seats reserved for them. When the lights had dimmed, Olivia grumbled in his ear, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? I wasn¡¯t prepared for it at all. I looked so stupid onstage just now.¡± Hearing Olivia¡¯sints, Ethan put on a loving smile. ¡°I wanted to give you a surprise.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more of a shock. My palms are still sweaty. I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia had just gotten up when Ethan gave Brent a look. Brent immediately took some men with him to follow Olivia. From an appropriate distance, they protected Olivia in the shadows. Ethan leanedzily in the chair, fiddling with his wedding ring. A cold gleam appeared in his eyes. His phone kept vibrating in his pocket. After Ethan had rejected the calls a few times, the caller still refused to give up. Ethan had no choice but to get up and leave to answer the call. After presenting the awards, Olivia felt like she was walking on clouds. She hadplicated feelings in her heart. She felt the satisfaction of having her wishes fulfilled, but she also felt a little reluctant. She didn¡¯t know why she would feel like this. In her daze, she identally bumped into a person. It was only then that Olivia returned to her senses. She hastily said, ¡°Sorry. The man was wearing a high-fashion suit with a subtle rose pattern on it. His hair was dyed silver, and he wore a rose diamond earring on his left ear. The man had a bold style, and his face was much more exquisite than most women¡¯s. His eyelids were lowered, covering a third of his pupils. He looked extra cold and indifferent. Olivia wondered if she was seeing things. For an unknown reason, she sensed something familiar about his face. The man never intended to stop walking, but when he saw that it was Olivia, he paused in his tracks. ¡°Ms. Fordham?¡± Olivia looked at him. ¡°Do you know me?¡± She wondered if he was someone she knew in the past. It would exin the sense of familiarity. ¡°We¡¯ve never met before, but I¡¯ve heard about you. Thank you very much for what you did for my sister. I never had a chance to thank you in person. I wonder-¡± He was about to say more, but his assistant started urging him from the side. The man took out a name card and passed it to Olivia. ¡°Avery is my older brother. Sorry, I still have something to attend to right now. If you need anything, Ms. Fordham, you can call me.¡± Olivia watched the man leave in a hurry. Then, she lowered her head to look at the name card in her hands. Troy Fordham. She wondered who he was. Hisst name was Fordham as well. She wondered if he was a distant rtive. Olivia put the name card away. She decided to ask Ethan about itter. The venue was huge, and she took up to ten minutes to get to the bathroom. At that moment, everyone was gathered in the hall. As such, the other ces looked deste in comparison. Olivia fixed her makeup in the bathroom. Then, someone walked in behind her. It was Nikki. Nikki had removed her mask, and she was staring viciously at Olivia. Olivia looked up, her gaze meeting the woman¡¯s through the mirror. ¡°Ms. Shaw,¡± she greeted first. Nikki twisted the cap of her lipstick. She said in disdain, ¡°The Shaws have been a reputable family for a hundred years. In what ways do you think you¡¯re better than me?¡± Olivia felt a little exasperated. ¡°Is it considered an advantage to be prettier than you?¡± She wasn¡¯t boasting. Nikki was just a decent-looking woman. No matter how she looked at her, there wasn¡¯t anything special This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. about Nikki¡¯s features. Nikki only had her high-fashion dress and jewelry going for her. If not, Olivia would be the first person to be spotted in a ceremony like this. Meanwhile, Nikki would be lost in the crowd. ¡°You!¡± Olivia had touched on the worst subject. Nikki¡¯s expression instantly changed. ¡°Also, he seems to love me a lot. Is this considered my second advantage?¡± In her most innocent voice, Olivia spoke the harshest words. Chapter 599 Chapter 599 Seeing that Nikki¡¯s expression had changed, Olivia dried her hands with a tissue. Then, she slowly applied hand cream. ¡°Ms. Shaw, I don¡¯t know what exactly you¡¯re trying to prove to me. Is it the pretend y you had when you were a kid or your family background that you¡¯re so proud of? ¡°I only know that in love, the loser is the one who doesn¡¯t get it. Moreover, it¡¯s not like he just doesn¡¯t love probably be more invested in a passerby than in you.¡± you. He¡¯ll Olivia put down her hand cream. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d feel too ashamed to even think about hurrying forward to prance around.¡± ¡°Just wait, Olivia. We¡¯ll see who¡¯s the real loser here. We¡¯ll meet again soon.¡± Nikki was nning to threaten Olivia. But she didn¡¯t expect to be caught off-guard by Olivia¡¯s words. Olivia was proud of none other than Ethan¡¯s love for her. Without Ethan, she was nothing. But with Ethan around, she owned the whole world. Olivia didn¡¯t feel much about Nikki¡¯s threats. If Ethan loved her, there was no need for her to be afraid of other women. If he didn¡¯t love her, no matter how much she cried or shouted, no amount of pleading would work. Other women didn¡¯t matter at all. What mattered was how Ethan thought of her. Olivia calmly walked away in her high heels. She didn¡¯t care how Nikki mocked her from behind. She had just rounded a corner when she heard a woman¡¯s piercing voice. ¡°Do you know how expensive my dress is? I had to beg the brand owner so hard before it was lent to me. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that couture fabric like this should never get wet? It¡¯s not something a poor janitor like you can afford topensate for!¡± A distance away, a woman in a blue evening gown was holding the hem of her dress. She was yelling at a man in a janitor¡¯s uniform in front of her. The man was tall, but with his lowered head, he looked very humble. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry? If apologies were of any use, there¡¯d be no reason for the justice system to exist. Well, I¡¯m not going to bully you for this. Give me 500 thousand dors and I¡¯ll just make up for the rest of the amount for you.¡± ¡°500 thousand dors?¡± Smiling, Olivia walked out. ¡°You¡¯re asking for too much, Miss. The dress you¡¯re wearing only costs four digits at most.¡± The woman crossed her arms, looking at Olivia with an arrogant air. When Ethan announced their rtionship just now, the woman wasn¡¯t there. So, she didn¡¯t recognize Olivia. She thought that Olivia was an outsider, but she sure had exquisite looks. So, the woman thought that Olivia was a mistress some random man had brought with him. ¡°Are you out of your mind,dy? My dress is the newest design by the famous Niko. When you get out of here, you¡¯d better ask around and see how expensive this series is. ¡°You can¡¯t even get it for 500 thousand dors on the market. I¡¯m already being very kind to just have him pay 500 thousand dors aspensation.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°If it¡¯s genuine, then, of course, 500 thousand dors won¡¯t be enough. But Miss, you¡¯re wearing a counterfeit product, and it¡¯s a rtively nice replica. That¡¯s why I said it costs only four digits. ¡°If someone can spot that it¡¯s a fake right away, it¡¯d only cost around a hundred dors or so.¡± The woman had a foul expression on her face when Olivia said right away that it was a fake. ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m a celebrity. Why would I wear a counterfeit product? ¡°I worked very hard to borrow this dress. You¡¯d better mind your own business.¡± Olivia had lost her memories, but she could see from the woman¡¯s air that she wasn¡¯t a top celebrity. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. There was arge wound on the janitor¡¯s face. The exposed skin on his body was also coarse and tanned. Anyone could see that he was used tobor. Hunching over, he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Thank you, Miss. But you should leave. I don¡¯t want to drag you down. I¡¯llpensate for the dress. I-I¡¯ve saved up some money over the years. ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll sell my house. I¡¯ll be able to pay it back somehow.¡± Olivia said, ¡°You don¡¯t have topensate for a counterfeit. The most you should give her is 50 dors as a cleaning fee.¡± Their argument attracted the attention of other people. More people gathered around to look. Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Everyone was discussing among themselves. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mrs. Miller to be so kind to a fault. Should offending janitors be released without punishment just because they¡¯re from marginalized groups?¡± ¡°If I go out and hit a Rolls-Royce tomorrow, I¡¯ll just say that I¡¯m poor so that I can be let off the hook. Is this how things work now?¡± ¡°If Mrs. Miller is so rich, she can just pay the measly 500 thousand for him. She doesn¡¯t have to trouble a minor celebrity with her superior sense of morals.¡± ¡°I know, right? When they were on the stage just now, I thought that she and Mr. Miller were a perfect match. But now, it looks like she¡¯s not that special at all. Money doesn¡¯t grow on trees even for us celebrities.¡± ¡°The dress was difficult to borrow, and now, it¡¯s ruined because of the water. Compensating for it is one thing, but she¡¯ll also be cklisted after ruining it. The loss isn¡¯t something that can be solved through words alone.¡± ¡°Even a million dors isn¡¯t enough topensate, let alone 500 thousand. Mara was quite kind to have asked for that sum.¡± Hearing the discussion, the janitor spoke urgently, ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t concern yourself with me. I¡¯ll just pay for thepensation.¡± Mara Hudson was even more arrogant now. ¡°You hear that? I won¡¯t me you for not knowing the value of things, but there¡¯s a limit to how kind you can be. If you¡¯re not paying for him, you should shut up.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°Sure. I can pay 50 dors for the cleaning fee.¡± ¡°Goodness, is Mr. Miller going bankrupt? Why is his wife so stingy? She refuses to pay even a measly 500 thousand dors.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Does Mr. Miller know how stingy she is? I wonder what he likes about her.¡± Olivia said leisurely, ¡°Calm down, everyone. If this dress is the real deal, I can pay five million dors for it, let alone 500 thousand dors. But the point is, this is a counterfeit product. ¡°500 thousand dors is enough for someone to work a lifetime for. Why should the janitor pay that sum of money for no good reason?¡± ¡°A counterfeit? That can¡¯t be, right? The feel of the fabric indicates that it¡¯s from a major brand.¡± ¡°I can only say that it¡¯s a good counterfeit product, but at the end of the day, it¡¯s still a fake.¡± Seeing her insistence, Mara was even madder now. ¡°What do you know about these things? What proof do you have to say that my dress is a counterfeit product?¡± cing her hands behind her back, Olivia said calmly, ¡°Proof? The proof is that the real dress is in my house right now. This dress is the only one of its kind. How could there be another dress in existence?¡± As soon as Olivia said that, the gossiping crowd suddenly fell silent. They could suspect anyone else, but Olivia was Mrs. Miller, after all. Ethan could move an entire mall for her as long as she wanted it, let alone buy her an expensive dress. Their opinions changed in an instant. They realized that they had insulted the wrong person. No one would expect a celebrity to threaten someone with a counterfeit product in public. After all, as soon as she was exposed, she would be done for. As soon as Mara heard that, she panicked. She had used the same tactic to earn quite a lot in a short amount of time. She specifically chosemonborers who were poor and without status. They wouldn¡¯t know much about brands, and even if they were at a disadvantage, they wouldn¡¯t dare to expose her. She had repeated the same tactic today, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into trouble. Things were getting out of hand. Mara didn¡¯t want this incident to spell the end of her entertainment career. At her wit¡¯s end, she insisted that her dress was the real deal. ¡°Who do you think you are? Do you know how difficult it is to buy dresses made by Niko? You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± A cold voice rang out from among the crowd. ¡°She¡¯s my wife, and I was the one who bought the dress for her. Do you have a problem with that?¡± The crowd stepped aside to clear a path. Ethan appeared with a dark look on his face. Mara didn¡¯t know Olivia. But she had seen this man who often appeared in the financial and economic section. ¡°Y-You¡¯re¡­ Mr. Miller?¡± Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Ethan strode up to Olivia, pulling her into his embrace right away. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I happened to see someone getting bullied, so I helped out.¡± After exining, Olivia looked at Mara. ¡°I can show the receipt for the dress, and I also have a photo of the dress hanging in the closet at home. But Ms. Hudson, what evidence can you provide?¡± Seeing that Olivia was getting serious, Mara had no choice but to keep insisting. ¡°My manager was the one who borrowed it. She has the receipt.¡± ¡°Alright, then call your manager over. Ask her where she borrowed it from. She can help support your im too.¡± ¡°S-She just left for some urgent business. I can¡¯t get her here, can I?¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t have any evidence, and you also falsely used someone and lied about the price. This is extortion, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mara said nervously, ¡°Extortion? Quit trying to nder me! Fine, I can¡¯t afford to mess with someone high and mighty like you, Mrs. Miller. I¡¯ll just take it as a loss.¡± Mara didn¡¯t dare to go up against Ethan. So, she found an excuse and fled the scene. If this went on, they might figure out that she was wearing a counterfeit. If they wanted to get to the bottom of this incident, she would be done for. Olivia looked at the man at the side, whose head was lowered. ¡°Be more careful next time. If you get into trouble like this in the future, don¡¯t give in so easily.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Miss. You were a huge help.¡± After thanking her, the janitor hobbled away. Olivia sighed silently as she watched him leave. There were too many people like him. She could help them once, but she couldn¡¯t help them forever. Looking away, she was about to leave with Ethan. But then, she noticed that Ethan was still staring at the janitor. ¡°Do you pity him, Ethan?¡± Ethan had aplicated expression on his face as he nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the fuss, Olivia didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention. So, she left hand-in-hand with Ethan. When they passed by Kelvin, Ethan whispered an order to him before getting into the car. ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Kelvin hastily left. Olivia paused in her steps, looking at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Reaching out, Ethan patted her on the head. Then, he opened the car door for her. The car started. Olivia yawned as she leaned in Ethan¡¯s embrace. It was snowing heavily outside. The snow looked extra pretty under the streetlights. On a cold winter night like this, there were barely any people outside. As Mara made a call, sheined, ¡°Damn it, I bumped into a tricky fellow today. That beggar was already going to pay up, but I ended up wasting a dress. She thinks she¡¯s all that just because she¡¯s rich! ¡°I just wrote a post. Share it anonymously for me. Make sure no one figures out that it¡¯s me. Also, pick me up at the back door. Don¡¯t let anyone see me.¡± After hanging up, she was about to rub her hands together. The weather was too cold. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. A short distance away, someone was standing under a streetlight. The light was too dim, so Mara could only see that the person was quite tall. The light from the streetlight stretched his shadow into the distance. Mara felt a little nervous for some reason. She had taken this detour on purpose, and no one should be here. When she examined the man in detail, she realized that he was wearing a janitor¡¯s uniform. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Mara wasn¡¯t scared anymore when she realized that it was the janitor from before. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even take the money, Ms. Hudson. Are you leaving already?¡± Mara was ted to find that the escaped prey hade back running. ¡°At least you¡¯re decent enough. I don¡¯t want that much anymore. You only have to give me 100 thousand dors.¡± The man was wearing a cap. She couldn¡¯t see his eyes under the brim at all. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded extra eerie on a night like this. When Mara saw him hobbling toward her, she suddenly felt that something was off. Goosebumps appeared on her skin, and her sixth sense told her to run away. She was about to leave when the man moved quickly, choking her. Mara wanted to struggle, but she realized that she was powerless in his hands. Her eyes widened as she fearfully red at the man in front of her. Chapter 602 Chapter 602 Before Mara joined the entertainment industry, she was famous for being a bully. She had always been the one bullying others, and no one had ever bullied her before. She was a lowly celebrity in the entertainment industry, but she was good at socializing. She never lacked men. She only focused on earning money. She didn¡¯t care if she was able to film shows. As long as she could get money, she didn¡¯t care what methods she had to use. But she didn¡¯t expect that someone would want to kill her. Her eyes widened even more as she squeezed out the word, ¡°W- Why?¡± This man looked so weak before. How did he suddenly turn out like this? Cold murderous intent emanated from his body. He wasn¡¯t a normal janitor at all. ¡°me yourself for messing with people you should never have provoked, Ms. Hudson. Someone paid for you to die.¡± Mara had never gotten involved with things like that before. It was only then that she realized the gravity of the situation. This was awful society! How could someone be so bold that they would murder others in public? ¡°D-Don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll pay you. I¡¯ll give you all my money.¡± But the man simply sneered. As he tightened his grasp, Mara felt herself suffocating. Mara¡¯s body kept wriggling in the air. She finally saw the man¡¯s eyes beneath the brim of the cap. Those weren¡¯t amon man¡¯s eyes at all. He was an assassin! In thest few seconds before she died from suffocation, she heard the man say, ¡°This is what you get for snatching things from others. If you owe someone, you¡¯ll eventually have to pay up.¡± As all signs of living left her body, it was tossed cruelly onto the ground. The plum blossoms were blooming vividly on the branches. The man broke off a branch and then ced it on her chest. Mara¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t closed. Her bodyy stiffly on the ground, and she stared up at the sky with a twisted expression on her face. Snow danced under the dim streetlights. The woman would never wake up again. ¡°Who is it?¡± When Kelvin¡¯s voice rang out, the man had disappeared into the night. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. By the time Kelvin hurried over, he found Mara lying on the ground with her eyes wide open. He hastily crouched down and checked her breath, but she wasn¡¯t breathing anymore. Before he could go after the man, he saw a woman dashing over in panic. Her scream resounded in the night. ¡°Help! Murder!¡± Olivia had just arrived home with Ethan. Before she had a chance to remove her makeup, Brent appeared in the living room with an anxious look on his face. ¡°Bad news, Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia, who had walked up to the staircase, paused in her footsteps. ¡°What happened?¡± Brent nced at Ethan. Instead of asking about it, Ethanforted Olivia, saying, ¡°Something to do with work. It¡¯s gettingte, so you should take a bath and rest.¡± Olivia nced at Brent suspiciously, but he spoke in a calm tone as well, ¡°Yes, Mrs. Miller. I just have some work-rted matters to talk to Mr. Miller about. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stay up toote, then.¡± Olivia looked away as she went back to the bedroom. Ethan and Brent walked to the study, one after the other. When the soundproofed door was closed, Brent finally spoke up, Bad news. Kelvin was arrested.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t panic. ¡°For what reason?¡± ¡°Your guess was correct, Mr. Miller. There¡¯s something wrong with that janitor. When Kelvin went after the janitor, he found Mara dead. ¡°Before he could leave the scene, he happened to bump into Mara¡¯s manager and driver, who were there to pick her up. They mistook him for the murderer. ¡°The culprit chose a blind spot from the surveince cameras. He¡¯s also a professional assassin. Kelvin had appeared at the crime scene, and for the moment, there¡¯s no evidence to prove that he¡¯s innocent.¡± Chapter 603 Chapter 603 Brent looked a little panicked. This matter could either be a trivial issue or a huge incident. Professional assassins would usuallyy out the n beforehand. They would calcte precisely how they would kill the person and deal with the body. They would never expose themselves, nor would they leave any fingerprints. Kelvin was an easygoing person, so that was why he ended up shouldering the me. ¡°Mr. Miller, that jerk was wearing gloves. There are no fingerprints or any surveince footage. Kelvin also happened to be at the scene. Even worse, rumors are starting to appear on the inte.¡± Ethan rubbed his wedding ring. In contrast to Brent¡¯s urgency, Ethan looked more calm and reserved. ¡°What rumors?¡± ¡°Someone posted about the incident between Mrs. Miller and Mara. They imed that we abuse our power Even news of Mara¡¯s death is making the rounds. to oppress others. ¡°She¡¯s not too famous, but she made quite a fuss shortly before her death. Also, Kelvin was found at the crime scene. People started hinting that we¡¯re the ones behind Mara¡¯s death. ¡°After the news gained traction, they¡¯re now convinced that we¡¯re the ones who did it. Should I settle this right away?¡± Ethan lit a cigarette. ¡°Tell the PR department not to deal with any rumors at the moment.¡± ¡°Why? Things have snowballed to this extent in such a short time. If we drag this out, it¡¯s going to influence Miller Group¡¯s reputation and share prices even more.¡± ¡°Two reasons. Firstly, it has already gotten out of control. People will only think that we¡¯re feeling guilty if we spend money to suppress the matter. ¡°Before any evidence is found, no one will believe what the PR department says. ¡°Secondly, we don¡¯t know if someone nned this or if it was a mere coincidence. If we fight back recklessly, we might fall into the trap the enemyid out beforehand. That¡¯ll drag us into the pit.¡± Brent knew that Ethan was right, but he was still worried about Kelvin. ¡°Then what should we do now?¡± ¡°Look up information on Mara. We¡¯ve never had anything to do with her, so it doesn¡¯t make sense that she would cause trouble for us. Look into her family background and past experiences.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ethan puffed out some white smoke through his thin lips. ¡°Investigate Warren too.¡± They couldn¡¯t be more familiar with that name. Warren was the main culprit behind the incident that caused Olivia¡¯s premature childbirth. Many of Ethan¡¯s men were lost in that incident. Brent¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold. ¡°So, Warren was the janitor?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure about it before, but now, I¡¯m convinced.¡± After the incident, Ethan researched Warren¡¯s past in detail. Even though Warren escaped by luck that night, his leg was injured. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to recover in such a short time. In the past few days, Ethan had already issued a warrant for him on the dark web. But there were no traces to be found. When he passed by the man just now, Ethan noticed that something was off. That was why he asked Kelvin to take a look. He didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Why would Warren kill an unknown celebrity? Didn¡¯t the ck Ravens cancel their bounty on Mrs. Miller already? ¡°He put in so much effort to make this happen, but the most he can do is affect Miller Group a little. Assassins are only ever in charge of killing people. What does this have to do with him?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t say for sure.¡± Ethan rubbed between his eyebrows. He had a feeling that Warren wasn¡¯t targeting Olivia. Too many idents happened today. No one would¡¯ve expected Olivia to go to the bathroom at that moment. If she had gone a little earlier orter, she wouldn¡¯t have bumped into them. ¡°Send someone from the police to ask around. Even if Kelvin appeared at the crime scene, no one has any evidence that he¡¯s the one who did it. He won¡¯t be charged for now. We still have time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It waste in the night. Olivia was about to go to sleep when she received a news notification on her phone. When she tapped on it, she saw a blurred photo of Mara¡¯s corpse. Chapter 604 Chapter 604 On the screen, Mara was shown lying on the snowy ground. Her face was blurred out, so Olivia couldn¡¯t make out her expression. Mara was still wearing that dress. Before this, she was causing a ruckus because some water had gotten on it. But now, the dress was covered in snowkes. Mara was fine just moments ago. Olivia could hardly believe that she died without any warning. Olivia¡¯s sleepiness was instantly gone. She tapped into the article and then read it in detail. She saw that Kelvin was involved. She remembered that Ethan seemed to have given Kelvin some orders before they left. Now, Mara was dead, and Kelvin had been caught at the scene. Olivia had an anxious look on her face. Pushing the nket away, she ran outside. When she opened the door, she ran headfirst into a man¡¯s chest. Raising her head, her gaze met Ethan¡¯s concerned eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing shoes again. Where are you going thiste at night?¡± ¡°Ethan, I saw the news. Is Kelvin okay?¡± ¡°He was there at the crime scene, so things have gotten a little tricky. I¡¯ve already sent someone to look for evidence.¡± Olivia¡¯s fingers held his cor lightly. She said in a small voice, ¡°Um¡­ What did you tell him to do before we left?¡± When Olivia¡¯s gaze met Ethan¡¯s, she looked away in embarrassment. Ethan lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. ¡°Tell me, Liv. What sort of person do you think I am?¡± Olivia met his gaze. After thinking for a moment, she spoke up, ¡°You¡¯re gentle and considerate. You¡¯re very nice to me. You¡¯re a good man.¡± Ethan¡¯s thumb gently caressed her lips. Olivia felt a little ufortable with the odd sensation on her lips. His gaze was dark, and his tone was low as well. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Liv. I¡¯m nice to you only because I love you. Everything I do is centered around this goal. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not a bad man, but I¡¯m not a good man, either.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Then Mara-¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. I won¡¯t kill her just for something so petty. I felt that there was something off about the janitor. That¡¯s why I asked Kelvin to look into it. ¡°In the end, Kelvin was toote. He happened to appear at the scene where the janitor murdered Mara.¡± Ethan did this to remind Olivia not to idealize him too much. In the future, if something rted to Olivia happened, he might do things even crueler than this. Olivia sighed in relief. ¡°Do you know that janitor?¡± ¡°He looks very much like a murderer on the run. People like him are very skilled at disguises. Be careful if you meet someone like him in the future,¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Alright. By the way, there¡¯s one more thing¡­¡± Turning around, Olivia took out the name card she had ced in her bag. ¡°This was given to me by a man named Troy Fordham. ¡°He said that I saved his sister or something, but I don¡¯t remember anything anymore.¡± Ethan took the card from her hands. Reaching up, he caressed her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember. He¡¯s no one important anyway. You only did him a small favor.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want Olivia to get too involved in the matters of the past. He didn¡¯t want to stimte her too much in case her memories came back. They would be leaving Aldenvine in a few days anyway. He had already arranged a medical practice course for Olivia that wouldst a few years. Olivia wouldn¡¯t be going back to the country anytime soon. In the future, a brand new life awaited Olivia. Before they left, he still had one thing to do. He had to clear all the obstacles for Olivia. This time, he would be the one taking the initiative. After Ethanforted her, Olivia finally went to bed. But for some reason, as soon as she closed her eyes, Mara¡¯s face appeared in her mind. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°Yeah. I just feel that all this is so unbelievable.¡± Ethan gently caressed her back. ¡°Some people just have iting. She messed with a professional assassin, which means that someone had paid for her to die. This has nothing to do with you. ¡°Back then, the janitor kept telling you not to get involved with this matter. He must have set up a n to kill her early on, and he didn¡¯t want you to ruin it.¡± Olivia muttered to herself, ¡°Who could it be?¡± ¡°Remember, Liv, human hearts are the dirtiest things in the world. They¡¯re also the things you should trust the least.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 605 Chapter 605 Olivia took a long while to fall asleep. Ethan kept soothing her gently as if he were coaxing a child. She had been acting as usualtely, and there weren¡¯t any side effects. But Ethan still felt a little worried. He had read the experimental reports of other patients. They would more or less show some signs of a bacsh. But Olivia didn¡¯t. This wasn¡¯t a good thing. She hadn¡¯t experienced any bacsh because it wasn¡¯t time yet. If it happened, the bacsh she experienced might be the worst in history. Ethan felt like there was a bomb nted in his heart, but he didn¡¯t know when it would explode. He had never rxed a day since. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Not long after falling asleep, Olivia screamed in his arms. ¡°Ah!¡± Ethan instantly opened his eyes. He hugged Olivia tightly, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Liv?¡± Olivia¡¯s body was covered in cold sweat. She trembled uncontrobly. ¡°Blood. I saw lots of blood in my dream!¡± ¡°What else did you see?¡± ¡°I also heard someone telling me to run away.¡± Subconsciously reaching up, Olivia touched her face as if blood had sttered on it. She felt as if the warmth of the blood still lingered. Ethan didn¡¯t miss her movements. He hastily gripped her hands andforted her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a nightmare. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± For a long time, Olivia couldn¡¯t calm down. Her fingers clutched his clothes tightly. She looked like a frightened little mouse. This might be one of the side effects. Ethan sighed helplessly. She had already forgotten the terrifying memories, but her body remembered the wounds. Ethan¡¯s heart ached as he embraced Olivia tightly. He knew that the unseen wounds might need an entire lifetime to heal. ¡°You must be startled by the news about Mara. Don¡¯t read news like that again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia felt that it made sense. If she saw something during the day, she might dream about it at night. She kept thinking about the incident before she fell asleep, so it might be why her dreams were bloody. But now, she felt that the dream was too real. It was so real that she thought she could feel the sensation of the rain mixing with the blood. Ethan spent a long time putting Olivia to sleep. She became even more careful than before, and she instinctively curled up. Even in her dreams, she would lean firmly against his arms. She had to feel the warmth of his body to fall asleep. The terrible night passed, but an even worse incident happened. There were no updates from the PR department of Miller Group. So, after a night of festering, the rumors online brewed up another storm. Mara¡¯s manager revealed that Mara had suffered unfair treatment before she died. Then, her death happened without warning or reason. Mara¡¯s manager didn¡¯t specifically mention Olivia, but her every word was an usation toward Olivia. Everyone was paying attention to the incident. So, the medical examiner announced the autopsy results in the middle of the night. It was proven that Mara had died from being strangled. When Mara died, only Kelvin was at the scene. After linking it to the conflict between the two, everyone was now using Olivia. In an instant, the negativements on the inte hurtled toward Olivia like snow. Olivia didn¡¯t know about all this. When she woke up, she realized that her phone had gone missing. Ethan was working at the study table. The contours of his profile looked handsome, and he was completely wless. Rubbing her eyes, Olivia asked, ¡°Ethan, where¡¯s my phone?¡± ¡°It ran out of battery, so I asked someone to take it away and charge it.¡± Olivia was stunned at the obvious excuse. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, ¡°Something happened, right?¡± Chapter 606 Chapter 606 Ethan remembered what had happenedst night. So, he decided not to let Olivia receive any more stimtion. But he didn¡¯t want her to think that he was deceiving her. He skirted around the issue and said, ¡°There was a small problem. It¡¯s the incident with Kelvin. Things are getting out of hand online, so I don¡¯t want those trivial matters to upset you.¡± ¡°Is it very tricky?¡± ¡°Not exactly. I didn¡¯t let the PR department do their job because we¡¯re still collecting evidence. Some people are trying to make use of the chaos to stir up trouble.¡± Leaning in, Ethan gently pinched her cheek as he spoke lovingly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about these things. After resolving this issue, we¡¯ll be moving overseas. ¡°Rest well at home for the next few days, and avoid these negative news articles. I wouldn¡¯t want you to get affected by this.¡± Olivia knew that he was doing this for her good. So, she didn¡¯t insist on her opinion. ¡°Alright. Please save Kelvin as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Sure. I have to go out to handle some matters today. Be good and wait for me at home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan nted a kiss on her forehead. Then, he turned around and went downstairs. Listening to the sounds of the car starting outside, Olivia saw him off. She wasn¡¯t fond of looking at her phone anyway. The biggest role her phone yed was to fill in the holes in her memory. Madam Burgess had already prepared a feast for breakfast, and she was even humming in the kitchen. She seemed to be in a good mood as she pulled out the chair for Olivia. ¡°Mrs. Miller, you¡¯re so skinny, so you should eat more. When you¡¯re overseas, you won¡¯t be able to taste my cooking even if you wanted to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll miss you so much, Madam Burgess.¡± Madam Burgess had always been a straightforward woman. She was happy at first, but then, she thought about their imminent parting. A look of longing shed across her face. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too. Mr. Miller suggested that I go overseas with you to take care of you, but I have my children and family as well. For most of my life, I¡¯ve been rooted to this ce. ¡°Out there, it¡¯s an unfamiliar territory with strangers everywhere. It¡¯s also quite inconvenient to go home and visit. So, I had no choice but to decline Mr. Miller¡¯s suggestion.¡± As Madam Burgess spoke, she never stopped moving. She served Olivia some food. ¡°Mr. Miller is a good man. He truly does love you. You two have been through too much all these years. ¡°But no matter what happens, Mrs. Miller, just trust Mr. Miller. He¡¯s the one who loves you the most in this world.¡± Madam Burgess wiped her tears as she spoke pausingly. This was probably a good ending for Olivia. She would take good care of Olivia in thest few days so that there would be no regrets. Affected by the mood of parting, Olivia felt a little downcast as well. ¡°It¡¯s almost New Year¡¯s. You can spend New Year¡¯s Day with your family this year.¡± Smiling, Madam Burgess said, ¡°Yes, but after you two go overseas, you can spend New Year¡¯s Day with family as well. ¡°After Madam Eugenia passed away, Mr. Miller has been through quite a lot of hardships in recent years.¡± At the mention of Ethan¡¯s family, Olivia felt nervous for some reason. ¡°Madam Burgess, Ethan rarely tells me about his family. What are his parents like?¡± ¡°Oh, Mrs. Miller, I¡¯m just a housekeeper. I shouldn¡¯t gossip about these things. I can only say that Mr. Miller has been through tough times. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior had always been a little unstable in her mental state. Mr. Miller never received motherly love from her. ¡°They rarely meet each other, and even if they spend time together, it¡¯d always be filled with conflict.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°How so?¡± Madam Burgess pulled up a chair and sat down next to Olivia. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s not a bad thing for you to hear about these things sooner. ¡°You can learn from it, or you¡¯ll be at a disadvantage when you get there in the future.¡± Olivia nodded eagerly. ¡°Go on, Madam Burgess.¡± ¡°It all started with Mr. Miller Senior.¡± He was the man who never showed up, and Ethan had never even mentioned him before. ¡°What happened with his dad?¡± Chapter 607 Chapter 607 ¡°Don¡¯t you find it odd, Mrs. Miller? You¡¯ve been married into the family for so many years, but you¡¯ve never met Mr. Miller¡¯s parents. ¡°To sum it up, Mrs. Miller Senior isn¡¯t the woman Mr. Miller Senior loves. Mr. Miller Senior¡¯s heart belonged to someone else. ¡°But then, Mrs. Miller Senior got pregnant with his child with underhanded methods. She thought that Mr. Miller Senior would change his mind, but he only hated her even more. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thus, he chose to take care of the woman he loved, who was also pregnant then.¡± When Olivia heard about the events, she felt her chest tightening. She felt as if someone was prying open an unseen spot with a needle. ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior had hated that woman from the start. She was shunned by her husband, and she had some hormonal changes during pregnancy. So, Mrs. Miller Senior¡¯s mental illness worsened. ¡°She had depression, but she held on for the sake of her child. On the day she gave birth, she and the other woman had early childbirth at the same time. ¡°And Mr. Miller Senior didn¡¯t even hesitate as he chose the other woman.¡± With a loud crash, the bowl of soup in Olivia¡¯s hands fell to the floor. It shattered into pieces, and the soup sshed everywhere. ¡°Goodness, Mrs. Miller. What came over you? Did you get burned?¡± Madam Burgess hastily took some tissues. She wiped the soup that had spilled onto Olivia¡¯s feet. Olivia was bewildered for a moment. She felt as if there was once a wound in her heart, and now, someone was opening it by force. The wound hadn¡¯t healed yet, but it was now exposed. The old wound had yet to heal, and blood began to drip from it. Olivia lowered her head to look at her feet as if that was her wound. She had no idea what was going on with her. It was someone else¡¯s story, so why did she feel like she had gone through the same thing? ¡°I¡¯m fine. What happened to them after that?¡± Madam Burgess threw away the tissues. After making sure that Olivia was fine, she sat down again and continued, ¡°This incident became Mrs. Miller Senior¡¯s biggest trauma. ¡°After giving birth, she seemed to have turned into another person altogether. Mrs. Miller, you¡¯re a woman too, so you should know how terrifying postpartum depression can be. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior was quite pitiful, to be honest. Was she to me for falling in love with someone? That was why she vented her anger on Mr. Miller. ¡°She became aggressive, and she¡¯d hurt herself or other people from time to time.¡± At that, Madam Burgess sighed. ¡°I heard that Mr. Miller was a premature baby, so he was ced in an incubator right after he was born. Then, he was finally taken out and brought to Mrs. Miller Senior. ¡°But without any warning, she took him and threw him to the floor. If Madam Eugenia hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, Mr. Miller would¡¯ve been done for.¡± Olivia said, ¡°But he¡¯s her biological son.¡± ¡°Indeed. Mrs. Miller Senior was already deep in postpartum depression back then. So, Madam Eugenia could only separate her from Mr. Miller. ¡°Madam Eugenia and the nanny would then take care of Mr. Miller. Mr. Miller was a considerate child from a young age. He wanted to get close to his mother too. ¡°On the day of his third birthday, Mrs. Miller Senior had been receiving treatment for a few years by then. She looked just like any other person. ¡°But when everyone had let down their guard, Mrs. Miller Senior suddenly lost her mind. She took Mr. Miller and tried to jump off a building.¡± When Olivia heard that, she felt her heart squeeze. Ethan was only three years old back then. ¡°Did she jump?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that they weren¡¯t too high up. She jumped from the second floor of the vi, and there was a patch of grass underneath. ¡°Mr. Miller was a lucky child, and he only had a minor issue with a leg bone. He recovered after six months. Since then, Madam Eugenia never dared to let Mr. Miller get close to Mrs. Miller Senior. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior had lived a pitiful and hateful life. She had tried to attack Mr. Miller countless times. But Mr. Miller was innocent all along, and he was so young then¡­¡± Madam Burgess had a sorrowful look on her face. ¡°So, Mr. Miller looks like a cold man, born into a family where his parents didn¡¯t love him. but what would you expect? He was ¡°Even Madam Eugenia, who treated him well, has passed away. To be honest, he has suffered a lot. He only has you now. You¡¯re Mr. Miller¡¯s family and also the love of his life. ¡°Please get along well with him in the future.¡± Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Olivia felt a little more sympathetic now. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to have a family background like that. ¡°What¡¯s it like with the Millers right now?¡± ¡°Madam Eugenia¡¯s death was a huge shock to her husband, Mr. Harold. He¡¯s also quite old, and he has dementia. ¡°He has been resting and recuperating overseas since then. He generally doesn¡¯t care about what goes on in the family.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°Then¡­ what about Ethan¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Back then, he had a strained rtionship with Mr. Harold. In his anger, Mr. Harold disowned Mr. Miller Senior and drove him out of the Miller family. ¡°Mr. Miller Senior started another family a long time ago, and he¡¯s living a happy life with the woman he loves.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like Mrs. Miller Senior, but doesn¡¯t he even care about his son?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. To be honest, every man in the Miller family is deeply devoted to love. From Mr. Harold right up to Mr. Miller, and even Mr. Miller Senior, they¡¯d hold onto the person they love for life. ¡°But it was just too cruel for Mrs. Miller Senior and Mr. Miller.¡± Madam Burgess then told Olivia many stories about Ethan¡¯s childhood. Olivia was shocked to hear them. To her, all this was a nk canvas. She even had a feeling that Ethan had never once mentioned these things to her. No one would willingly open their wounds and expose them to someone else. Seeing the dark expression on Olivia¡¯s face, Madam Burgess slowly lightened her tone. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much, Mrs. Miller. All those things I said are trivial stuff in the past now. It has been more than 20 years since then. Even rivers can dry up in that period. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior must have let go of it a long time ago. I heard that she¡¯s recovering well, and she even asked to meet Mr. Miller. She must be just like everyone else by now.¡± Olivia replied, ¡°I see.¡± Olivia and Madam Burgess chatted for a long while. They were at least acquaintances, after all. So, Olivia decided to buy something for Madam Burgess. After getting ready, the two went out under the protection of bodyguards. Meanwhile, Ethan was in the president¡¯s office at Miller Group. He had a grave look on his face as he looked at the screen. It was filled with dishonest news and angry fans. Things had already spiraled out of control, and it was getting even more absurd by the second. Topics like ¡°Miller Group kills at will¡± and ¡°Mrs. Miller forced a celebrity to death¡± kept popping up. Brent didn¡¯t sleep throughout the night. He looked very tired right now. After the changes overnight, the situation could no longer be controlled. ¡°Mr. Miller, I found something. A foreign force is making use of this incident to blow things up. They¡¯re ming everything on Mrs. Miller. They¡¯re fanning the mes of the innocent crowd¡¯s anger.¡± ¡°Any clues about the murderer?¡± ¡°None for now. But Mara did die because someone had paid for it to happen. ording to the information, Mara¡¯s private life is a mess. She doesn¡¯t care for morality or shame at all. ¡°She was expelled from school at ten years old, and she has been hanging around in society since then. She had quite an interesting history in school.¡± Ethan lit a cigarette. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Bullying, cheating in exams, hitting teachers, dating too early¡­ She even forced a student to the point of death. Later on, she hung out with hooligans and even slept with lots of men. ¡°She somehow got lucky and entered the entertainment industry. She didn¡¯t join the industry to act, though. She was just there to earn money. She extorted many people, and she only targetedborers. ¡°She would get 30 to 50 thousand dors every time. Warren probably knew about this habit of hers, so he purposefully dressed up as a janitor and got close to her. ¡°He had already nned the killing method and location.¡± Ethan shook off the cigarette ashes. A dark shadow loomed over his face. ¡°So, Warren wasn¡¯t targeting Liv?¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve guessed, no. Mara probably seduced a man she shouldn¡¯t have, so the man¡¯s wife got upset with her. Then, the wife hired someone to kill Mara. ¡°Mrs. Miller and Kelvin somehow got involved by ident. Some people with ulterior motives heard of it, and they¡¯re using it to cause controversy and trouble.¡± Ethan pondered aloud. ¡°Who could it be?¡± Chapter 609 Chapter 609 ¡°I looked into the provocative posts. The IP addresses are from different areas around the globe, but they were posted at the same time. It¡¯s the work of a professional hacker.¡± ¡°They could achieve so much in such a short time after the incident. They must be quite skilled.¡± Brent¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you suspecting the person behind the hired assassination?¡± ¡°Yes. They could afford the 100 million dors to hire up to a hundred people from The ck Ravens. They could also get hackers to direct theizens right after the incident happened. ¡°Other than power and wealth, this person also has malicious intentions. They¡¯re nowhere near righteous either.¡± Ethan frowned deeply. After investigating it for so long, they still hadn¡¯t found any clues. The person was very careful, and they would prepare a way out beforehand every time. Even if someone tried to investigate, they would only be met with an unrted corpse in the end. ¡°Who did Mrs. Miller offend? Why would they try so hard to kill her?¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably setting things up for the next part of their n. We have to resolve the situation as soon as possible.¡± Brent sighed. ¡°They don¡¯t have evidence to prove that Kelvin isn¡¯t the culprit for now, but he was at the crime scene, after all. Also, there¡¯s a clear motive, so the police won¡¯t let him off anytime soon. ¡°Warren must have gone into hiding by now. This is a dead end.¡± Ethan responded, ¡°That may not be the case. Since the incident started because of Mara, we have to look into her history. We have to figure out who it was that paid for her to die.¡± ¡°But Mr. Miller, even if we find out who it was, they wouldn¡¯t just admit that they had killed Mara, would they?¡± ¡°No, but at least we¡¯d have some grounds for negotiation. That person might have some evidence on hand.¡± When Ethan said that, Brent¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I get it now. I¡¯ll send someone to look into it right away. Mara had slept with a few men recently, so we should find something if we investigate their wives.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ethan rubbed between his eyebrows, feeling tired. Olivia¡¯s enemy was far more skilled than he had imagined. He decided that they should leave the country in secret. He had just given some orders when Brent hurried in again. ¡°Bad news, Mr. Miller. Our chain shopping malls in various areas are in trouble.¡± Ethan¡¯s closed eyes immediately shot open. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Mara¡¯s fans have gathered around. They started causing trouble at the properties belonging to Miller Group. Look.¡± Some had sshed paint and waste on the signs. Some had even damaged the stores. More than ten cases had already cropped up within an hour. People were even holding banners, demanding apologies from Ethan and Olivia. Some even went to the extreme, wanting the couple topensate with their lives. ¡°How can an unpopr celebrity have so many fans? This can only mean that the second wave of attacks has already started. The enemy is also aware of Mara¡¯s identity. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°So, while we¡¯re struggling to find evidence, they took the initiative to attack us.¡± Brent said, ¡°If this goes on, our losses will be huge! Some are even making use of the situation. Those who have been fearing Miller Group are also wreaking havoc in the shadows. ¡°They¡¯re trying to take the opportunity to uproot Miller Group.¡± Ethan leaped to his feet, mming a hand on the desk. His handsome face was cold. ¡°Hah, let¡¯s see what they¡¯re capable of. Someone is stirring up trouble on purpose. ¡°Our utmost priority right now is to stay calm. Send an announcement. If it¡¯s necessary to involve the police, tell them to file a report. Compensate thewyer teams if they ask for it. ¡°If anyone should be sent to jail, don¡¯t miss out on even a single one of them!¡± As soon as he had evidence, he could start his retaliation. He would take back double the things he lost. So, Ethan wasn¡¯t panicking at all. He could even use the situation to find the rats causing trouble behind the scenes. He could clear all the obstacles before he went overseas. ¡°Of course, the most important mission is to tell Madam Burgess to keep an eye on Liv. Don¡¯t let her go out. As long as Liv doesn¡¯t reveal herself in public, I¡¯ll be able to deal with this issue swiftly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Brent dialed a bodyguard¡¯s number. Then, his expression changed. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller went to a mall with Madam Burgess not long ago.¡± Damn it! Olivia didn¡¯t have a phone, so she didn¡¯t know how messed up things had be outside. If she went out right now, she would only be targeted! ¡°Find out where they went. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Ethan grabbed his coat and then hurriedly tried to leave. But when he opened the door, he saw police officers standing there expressionlessly. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m the leader of the criminal investigation division, Xavier Harper. You¡¯re suspected of being involved in a murder case. Pleasee with us to cooperate with the investigation.¡± Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Ethan said coldly, ¡°I have a very important matter to deal with right now. If you have anything to say, talk to my assistant.¡± He was about to leave when Xavier stepped forward, blocking his path. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Miller. The murder case aside, someone also reported yourpany for tax evasion and other issues. You have toe with us.¡± Someone was trying to dy him with these things at this particr moment. A trace of impatience appeared on Ethan¡¯s calm face. ¡°If you have anything to say, just talk to mywyer and assistant. Step aside.¡± Xavier took out a pair of handcuffs right away. ¡°Mr. Miller, if you refuse to cooperate, we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way. Thew enforcement recorder is running right now. Please follow the procedure.¡± ¡°I said, get lost!¡± Lifting his hand, Ethan was about to strike Xavier. Xavier didn¡¯t dodge either. It was as if he was waiting for Ethan to get mad. Brent hastily took a step forward, stopping Ethan. He gave Ethan a look. ¡°Mr. Miller, they¡¯re just following procedures. You should go first. Leave the rest to me.¡± Things were already chaotic enough, but now, Ethan was even used of tax evasion. Someone was pulling strings in the shadows just to stir up even more trouble. Ethan was prone to losing his sense of reason when Olivia was involved. If he was charged with assault on a police officer, it wouldplicate things even more. Ethan recovered his calm. He couldn¡¯t mess up at a moment like this. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller.¡± Brent had just finished speaking when Xavier blocked Brent¡¯s path as well. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Ingram, but you have toe with us for the investigation as well. Someone has also reported yourpany for falsifying ounts, among other illegal activities.¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes widened. He couldn¡¯t suppress the cold air emanating from him anymore. Reaching out, he gripped Xavier¡¯s cor. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t recognize you, Mr. Harper. Quit acting all high and mighty here!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Their gazes met, and their eyes were filled with confrontational looks. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t remember these things, Mr. Miller. You¡¯re an important figure, after all. It¡¯s a good thing that you remember. I told you that you¡¯d better wish you didn¡¯t fall into my hands.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± Brent coughed. He feared that they would get into a conflict, and someone would use this incident against Ethan. Ethan nced at the runningw enforcement recorder. They hade prepared. He was in a foul mood, but still, he remembered assigning bodyguards to Olivia. She should be safe for the moment. He suppressed his anger. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°This way, please, Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia and Madam Burgess arrived at the mall. Madam Burgess earned quite a lot every year, but she was quite frugal so that she could give more money to her family. So, she wouldn¡¯t spend money at ces like this. ¡°Mrs. Miller, I already told you. You don¡¯t have to do this. The things here are frighteningly expensive. I can buy things online, and they¡¯re not too expensive either.¡± ¡°Madam Burgess, please don¡¯t decline my earnest gift for you. Just take it as a New Year¡¯s gift from me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t possibly ept a gift from you.¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that. You just got a grandson, didn¡¯t you? I haven¡¯t even met him before. I can at least buy something for him, right?¡± Madam Burgess smiled. ¡°Then, allow me to thank you on his behalf, Mrs. Miller.¡± The two went to the baby store. Small cute clothes filled their vision. Reaching out, Olivia subconsciously touched her t belly. ¡°Are you okay, Mrs. Miller?¡± Olivia finally returned to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go and pick something out. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it, then.¡± Madam Burgess happily hurried into the clothing department. Olivia watched the future fathers and mothers picking out items for their babies. She felt a little sad. She was supposed to have a child too. Suddenly, a baby¡¯s cry sounded in her ears. Olivia¡¯s motherly instincts were activated as she looked up toward the sound. She saw a man in a mask who was wearing a thick down jacket. He was pushing a double stroller. He picked up the crying baby, coaxing them patiently. He had a tall and huge figure, but he seemed to be quite skilled with these things. But he had just picked up one baby when the other started crying as well. Olivia didn¡¯t know what came over her, but she began walking toward the child. Chapter 611 Chapter 611 Olivia didn¡¯t know the children at all, but when she heard them crying, she felt her heart squeezing. She quietly walked up to the tall man. She asked, ¡°Do you need help?¡± As soon as she said that, she wondered if she was seeing things, but she saw the man freezing. The man had his back to her, and he was wearing a mask as well. She couldn¡¯t see his expression. She exined in a kind tone, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, sir. I just saw you taking care of two children alone, so I thought you might need a hand.¡± The man remained silent, but the child in the stroller was crying even louder now. Olivia¡¯s attention was drawn to the baby. In the milky white stroller was a baby girl wearing a pink jumpsuit. She was crying so hard that her face was all wrinkly. Her tender face was filled with a pitiful look. Olivia hastily picked the baby up, and the man didn¡¯t stop her. ¡°Good girl, are you feeling hungry? Be good and don¡¯t cry.¡± Her voice seemed to have an enchanting allure. The baby who was wailing just now instantly stopped crying. The baby had probably been crying for too long. She now leaned in Olivia¡¯s embrace, sobbing quietly. It was only then that Olivia saw the child¡¯s face. Her features were very exquisite, and her eyes were huge and round. Clear teardrops still hung on her long and thick eyshes. The baby was very pretty. But for some reason, Olivia felt that she had seen the baby somewhere before. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The baby seemed to have thought of something, and she started smiling through her tears. There was a shallow dimple on her left cheek. It wasn¡¯t very obvious thanks to her baby fat. Returning to her senses, Olivia hastily apologized, ¡°Sorry, I was so anxious that I picked your child up. She¡¯s not crying anymore, though.¡± The man beside her stared at her for a long while. He suddenly asked, ¡°Do you not recognize me anymore?¡± The man¡¯s voice was low, and he sounded as if he was torn. It was a very small voice, so small that Olivia thought she was hearing things. Thinking that she was imagining things, Olivia looked at the man with a curious gaze. ¡°Sir, did you say something?¡± The man nced around them warily. ¡°This isn¡¯t a good ce to talk. Let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡± Olivia could hear him this time. ¡°Do we know each other?¡± The man turned around. Every part of his body was covered except for his eyes. Somehow, he gave off a dangerous feeling. A look of confusion shed across the man¡¯s eyes. But soon, he said again, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the caf¨¦ on the seventh floor. Come alone, and don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± When he took the child from Olivia¡¯s arms, he said again, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the whole truth.¡± As soon as the baby left Olivia¡¯s embrace, she began crying again. The man stuffed the children into his jacket. Then, he loaded the baby items he had picked out onto the stroller. After that, he rushed toward the counter to pay for the items. A bodyguard came over as well. ¡°What did that man say to you, Mrs. Miller?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t remember what had happened between her and that man. Still, she instinctively chose not to betray him. ¡°He was taking care of two children on his own, and he seemed to be struggling, so I helped him out. He was thanking me.¡± Cyril said with a stern expression, ¡°Mrs. Miller, that man looks a little suspicious. Please stay away from him, and don¡¯t approach any strangers recklessly. We¡¯ll leave right after picking out the items.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia averted her gaze from the man at the counter. She felt a little nervous. The man said that he would be waiting for her at the caf¨¦. Should she go, or should she not? Chapter 612 Chapter 612 Olivia could see that the man knew her, but he had covered himself up on purpose with his outfit. He didn¡¯t seem like a normal person at all, and danger emanated from him. But it was this creepy man who was holding two babies in his arms. It formed quite a stark contrast. If he was a kidnapper, no kidnapper would willingly buy so many clothes for the children. Olivia nced at the price tags. The clothes cost hundreds of dors each. The stroller was also filled with diapers and infant form. The items in the stroller would total up to thousands of dors at least. No kidnapper would spend that much money on children. The babies were still crying, but the man didn¡¯t look impatient at all. He even took out two pacifiers from his pocket. The pacifiers were sealed in sterile bags. This meant that the man had sanitized them before setting out. He stuffed the pacifiers into the babies¡¯ mouths, and the crying finally stopped. Olivia saw the two children sprawling on the man¡¯s shoulders, one on each shoulder. Trails of tears still hung on their chubby cheeks, yet to be dried. Their round andrge eyes were looking in her direction. Their noses were red, and they were so adorable that they looked like two kittens. Olivia felt something odd about it. Babies more than three months old could be carried vertically. However, when Olivia held the baby girl just now, she felt very light. It was as if she was just born moments ago. ¡°What are you looking at, Mrs. Miller?¡± Madam Burgess smiled as she walked up to Olivia with a few articles of clothing in her hands. ¡°Madam Burgess, look at that man with the two babies. How old do you suppose those children are?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Carrying the children, the man was about to arrive at the sightseeing elevator. Madam Burgess nced at them and replied, They look about as old as my grandson. ¡°But my grandson isn¡¯t even a month old, and his body is still very soft. His neck can¡¯t even support his head, so you can¡¯t hold him like that.¡± Madam Burgess¡¯ analysis was just like Olivia¡¯s. She added, ¡°There¡¯s also another possibility. Mrs. Miller, you can see that they¡¯re fraternal twins. ¡°Their mother must have endured some shock, causing her to give birth prematurely. So, they¡¯re a little smaller than other babies their age. ¡°Oh, Mrs. Miller, if your children were still around, they¡¯d probably be around that size.¡± Seeing Olivia¡¯s expression darken, Madam Burgess reached up and pped herself. ¡°Forgive this rude mouth of mine, Mrs. Miller. I shouldn¡¯t have brought that up. You¡¯ll have many more children in the future, I¡¯m sure.¡± Olivia smiled bitterly as she changed the topic. ¡°How¡¯s it going with the clothes?¡± ¡°Look, Mrs. Miller. Clothes these days look so nice. They¡¯re very soft to the touch too. Back in my day, we didn¡¯t even have diapers!¡± Olivia nced at the jumpsuits Madam Burgess was holding. Then, she picked out a few more. Madam Burgess kept saying that it was enough, but Olivia ignored her. ¡°Children grow up fast. It¡¯s better to buy more just in case.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Mrs. Miller.¡± Olivia looked at the pretty clothes. She couldn¡¯t help but think that if her children were still alive, they would be very adorable. Olivia recalled the baby girl leaning in her arms just now. The baby had tender skin, and her eyes were surprisingly huge. She looked just like a doll. Olivia felt her heart melting when she saw the baby. The man told her to see him at the caf¨¦. Who could he be? Olivia felt uncertain. She had lost her memories, so she couldn¡¯t decide if the man was an enemy or a friend. He wanted her to go there alone. When she closed her eyes, the image of Mara¡¯s body appeared in her mind. Ethan had also told her to stay out of danger. Olivia decided against the idea. She would go home right after shopping for the sake of her safety. She didn¡¯t have a reason to go there. After she was done shopping with Madam Burgess, they headed to the parking lot. But then, they heard an ear-piercing noise. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Someone is destroying a store.¡± Amidst the chaos, Madam Burgess took Olivia¡¯s hand, trying to lead her away. But unexpectedly, someone shouted, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Olivia? She¡¯s the culprit who forced Mara to her death!¡± Chapter 613 Chapter 613 Madam Burgess was just a middle-aged woman in charge of cooking. She had no idea about the viral news on the inte at all. Olivia only knew that Kelvin was arrested despite being innocent. She didn¡¯t know how bad things had be in real life. When someone called out to her, she even looked at the crowd in slight confusion. Neither Olivia nor Madam Burgess knew what was going on. Everyone instantly turned around to look at them. It was only then that Olivia saw the mixed group of men and women. Some were holding a banner while others were holding buckets. The buckets were in various colors, so they probably contained something like paint. When they saw Olivia, they swarmed toward her like zombies. The bodyguards hastily stepped in front of Olivia and Madam Burgess. Madam Burgess said anxiously, ¡°Mrs. Miller, let¡¯s leave right now.¡± ¡°You heartless capitalist! Pay for Mara¡¯s life with your own!¡± An extremely angry voice sounded behind her. When Olivia turned to look, she saw someone sshing something at her. ¡°Watch out, Mrs. Miller!¡± Madam Burgess stood in front of Olivia right away, protecting her. Olivia reacted quickly. She pushed Madam Burgess away with one hand. Then, she grabbed the bag with another hand to block some of the liquid that had sshed out. Madam Burgess was shoved onto the floor. Before she could cry out in pain, she heard Olivia screaming in agony. Olivia did her best to block the attack, but she couldn¡¯t avoid getting a few drops of the liquid on the back of her hand. She felt an intense burning sensation spreading from the back of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s sulfuric acid!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! Are you okay, Mrs. Miller?¡± Madam Burgess was shocked out of her mind. The person who sshed the acid hadn¡¯t left when someone suddenly sprung up from the side. The man had a dagger in his hand as he lunged toward Olivia. The bodyguards were fending off the other people making a fuss. Those people looked like they had already nned to distract the bodyguards beforehand. The sharp de was about to pierce Olivia¡¯s heart. The man moved as fast as lightning. This wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. He had to be a trained assassin. The thought had just urred to Olivia¡¯s mind when she saw the gleaming de being brought down. The passersby covered their mouths in terror. But then, Olivia¡¯s limbs reacted faster than her brain. Shended a kick squarely on the man¡¯s wrist. The dagger produced an ear-piercing noise as it ttered against the floor tiles. The man was stunned as well. He probably didn¡¯t expect Olivia to react so quickly. She was only a wealthydy. When faced with something like this, shouldn¡¯t her first reaction be to scream? While the man was still stunned, Olivia delivered another kick at the man¡¯s calf. The sudden pain caused the man to get down on one knee. Grabbing the chance, Olivia locked her legs around the man¡¯s neck. With a forceful turn, she flipped him onto the floor. By then, Olivia had already picked up the dagger and held it against the man¡¯s neck. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. From getting assaulted to getting the man under control, she spent only a few seconds. Her sequence of actions looked very natural and skilled. It was as if she were in a movie. Madam Burgess was stunned at the sight. With a face filled with murderous intent, Olivia asked in a cold voice, ¡°Who sent you?¡± She was startled at her own actions as well. She didn¡¯t have any memories of doing things like this. But when she was faced with danger, all these seemed to be survival instincts etched into her bones. Blood was already seeping out from the man¡¯s neck where the de was held against it. It roused a murderous instinct. ¡°Are you alright, Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s something off about these people. Call the police,¡± Olivia said in a calm tone. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom first. Madam Burgess, prepare some sodium bicarbonate.¡± Even though her hand wasn¡¯t burned too badly, she had to deal with it as soon as possible. If not, her skin might be further ruined. Madam Burgess was puzzled. ¡°Sodium what?¡± ¡°Baking soda. Hurry.¡± Olivia hurried toward the bathroom. Unbeknownst to her, the man with the two children was standing upstairs. He had quietly put his gun away. Aforted look shed across his dark eyes. She had grown up. Chapter 614 Chapter 614 The incident just now was simply too shocking, so the police quickly arrived at the scene. Some passersby who joined in themotion were terrified by the turn of events. They all ended up getting arrested. Olivia had to go to a hospital as soon as possible for treatment. Thus, she wasn¡¯t called over to record a statement right away. Fortunately, the area of the wound wasn¡¯t toorge. She had also carried out emergency treatment on time, so the damage was minimal. After Olivia received advanced treatment, Madam Burgess finally rxed. She let out a heavy sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you reacted quickly, Mrs. Miller. If not, it would¡¯ve be a tragedy.¡± Olivia patted Madam Burgess on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯re fine, aren¡¯t we? Also, you shouldn¡¯t try to protect me at dangerous times like that. ¡°If the acid had sshed onto you, the consequences would¡¯ve been unthinkable.¡± At the mention of the matter, Madam Burgess was furious. ¡°Who knew that the guy would be so cruel? I thought that it was paint or something. I never expected it to be sulfuric acid.¡± ¡°Those people came prepared, so you can¡¯t predict their movements withmon sense. You must¡¯ve been so shocked today. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Mrs. Miller. It¡¯s my fault ¡­¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°It¡¯s over now, so let¡¯s go home. Prepare something delicious for me tonight. I want to eat two huge servings to calm my nerves,¡± Olivia teased. ¡°Okay.¡± Madam Burgess wiped her tears. She had been alive for quite some time, but she still felt a chill run down her spine when she recalled the incident. If there had been even one mistake in the incident today, Olivia¡¯s life would¡¯ve been ruined. As they left the hospital, the bone-chilling wind blew at them from all directions. Thanks to that, Olivia¡¯s mind cleared a little bit. A man dashed up to Olivia, pulling her into his embrace. Ethan¡¯s voice rang out from above her head. ¡°Are you okay, Liv?¡± Olivia almost couldn¡¯t catch her breath as Ethan hugged her tightly. She sensed that Ethan¡¯s heart was racing, and his body was trembling a little as well. When she met his gaze, she found his eyes filled with worry. To be honest, after everything that happened, Olivia felt uneasy and anxious inside. But all those emotions disappeared with this embrace. It felt as if her world was raining heavily, but when he arrived, the whole world lit up. She recalled the stories Madam Burgess told her about Ethan¡¯s childhood. People like him probably felt the least secure. Reaching out, Olivia patted Ethan on the back. She coaxed him gently like she would a child. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine now, aren¡¯t I?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze turned cold as it focused on the gauze covering the back of her hand. Olivia said with a smile, ¡°It looks serious, but it¡¯s nothing much. Only a few drops got on my skin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with you. You didn¡¯t want me to be troubled by the rumors online. I was the one at fault. I should¡¯ve listened to you and stayed at home.¡± Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist, nuzzling against his neck. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s in the past now. I¡¯m alive and well. Let¡¯s go home now. It¡¯s so cold outside.¡± It was only then that Ethan¡¯s cold expression softened. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home.¡± He carefully led Olivia to the car and then opened the car door for her. ¡°Hold on, let me make a call.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Ethan closed the door, his expression instantly turned cold as he turned around. Taking out his phone, he walked to the side to make a call. Olivia couldn¡¯t figure out what he was saying. She only felt that his figure looked extra cruel. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you have to do. Get the person out for me. Yes, just tell him that we won¡¯t hold him ountable.¡± Chapter 615 Chapter 615 Ethan brought Olivia back home. She was still suffering from the aftershock. When she recalled what had happened in the mall, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Ethan, today, I bumped into-¡± His phone rang, interrupting her. He was so busy that his phone didn¡¯t stop ringing throughout the journey. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± he answered the call before looking at her. ¡°What did you want to tell me, Liv? What happened in the mall?¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. Go ahead ande back early.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He stroked her head and turned to leave. Olivia thought about that strange person. Even if that person wasn¡¯t a bad guy, she figured that it wouldn¡¯t be something important. She was merely worried about how things would go now that it hade this far. It was cloudy. Ethan, who was sitting in the back seat of the car, was wearing a gloomy expression. Considering that Brent and Kelvin were detained and what Olivia had encountered, it was natural for Ethan to be this moody. He had been paying attention to public opinion about the matter. ¡°Mr. Miller, things havee this far. Are we still not going to release an official statement?¡± Ethan caressed his ring repeatedly. ¡°No. No one will believe it without evidence. Plus¡­¡± He stopped midway. Cyril gazed at the cold-looking Ethan through the rearview mirror. Murderous intent was looming in the air from Ethan. ¡°I want to know who¡¯s the one plotting all this. Just let it be. Their good days won¡¯tst long.¡± Cyril had a feeling that Ethan already knew who it was although he didn¡¯t say it. Ethan¡¯s men had found out the mastermind who hired the assassins. He didn¡¯t expect it to be an old acquaintance. ¡°There it is, Sunset Mansion.¡± Ethan snorted lightly in response. Sunset Mansion was located at the seaside. It was an ancient building with an aesthetically pleasing and romantic touch. It was a hot ce for pictures during summer evenings. However, it was winter right now. The gloomy clouds gave it a slightly deste and eerie mood. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Upon entering the yard, Ethan saw a woman¡¯s side profile. She was wearing a long wool coat while enjoying her coffee gracefully. Her red nails were rather striking in contrast with the white cup. The sea breeze was strong, but she appeared calm and collected. She looked out of ce with the bad weather. Hearing footsteps, she turned to look at the iing man. The ck coat outlined Ethan¡¯s built stature, and his expression remained icy as usual. With a cold air around him, he approached Ka Harper, who was wearing full makeup. She greeted, ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Miller.¡± Her brief salutation dripped with friendly sentiments. Instead of going along with the courtesy, he dived right into the topic. ¡°Where¡¯s the evidence?¡± She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re still the cold man as ever. Since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t you take a seat and have a cup of coffee?¡± ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m busy. All you have to do is to tell me where the evidence is.¡± Considering that Ethan wasn¡¯t being patient with her, Ka took a few snippets out of her branded bag. ¡°Look at these yourself.¡± The photo wasn¡¯tplete; it had been torn. After piecing the snippets together, it vaguely showed a tall man in a janitor uniform strangling Mara, leaving her feet dangling in midair. It was the perfect evidence to clear up the misunderstanding! ¡°Is this present significant enough to open the floor for negotiation?¡± Ka set her cup down before propping her chin while resting her elbowzily. Only then did Ethan sit down. The photo had been edited, hence the blurry image. On top of that, it had been torn. He could tell that she was a careful person. ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± Chapter 616 Chapter 616 When Ka slowly rose from her seat, Ethan realized that she was wearing robotic legs right from her knees underneath her coat. ¡°Your legs¡­¡± He was slightly surprised. Her striking red lips beamed into a smile. ¡°Is it weird? You should¡¯ve known that anything could happen the moment you abandoned me.¡± He wasn¡¯t happy with the way she put it, but he was toozy to correct her. He asked indifferently, ¡°Tell me, what do you want?¡± Ka didn¡¯t expect him to be this indifferent after noticing her legs, hence the unhappy glint in her eyes. Suppressing the upsetting emotions in her, she smiled. ¡°I know that you¡¯re loaded with cash, so I don¡¯t want anything material. I want you to sleep with me.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ethan¡¯s fingers, which were holding the photo, froze. He thought he heard it wrongly. ¡°What did you say?¡± She didn¡¯t show a hint of awkwardness at all. Her eyes seemed crazed instead. Abruptly, she hugged him from behind him. Frowning, he shoved her away. Since her legs were disabled, she failed to capture her bnce and fell onto the ground. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re still heartless as you were before,¡± imed Ka with teary eyes. He slid his chair to stand up. His eyes were cold. ¡°And you¡¯re still having wild imaginations as you did before. Ka, I told you five years ago that I don¡¯t like you.¡± She shed a self-mocking smile. ¡°You chose to sponsor me that year because of my face, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. You looked somewhat like her, especially your side profile,¡± Ethan answered without hesitation. That was the cruel truth, but she had been having delusions. Ten years ago, he sponsored Ka, who came from poverty and aced her studies. Her journey moving from that little vige to Aldenvine was full of hurdles. She had always wanted to meet the person she was indebted to, then she met him. At that time, although Ethan was aloof to her, he had never mistreated her when it came to material goods. He even took her to his mansion after she was bullied in school. The busy Ethan often went on many business trips, but seeing him a few times a year was enough to make her happy. She worked harder to develop herself like an ugly duckling determined to be a swan. Other people had always thought she came from a rich family. No one knew her past. Even she herself almost thought that it was the reality. When she turned 18, she confessed her feelings to Ethan in hering-to-age ceremony. Ka had always thought that she was someone special to him. Even though he had never done anything intimate to her, he often stared at her nkly. The naive Ka mistook that as a sign that he liked her. To her surprise, a sweet rtionship didn¡¯t come to her after the confession but a cruel reality instead. Ethan turned her down explicitly, stating that he helped her out solely because of pity. Never once had he bore feelings for her. In order to quell her feelings for him, he even sent her abroad for studies. Ka didn¡¯t know where it went wrong. She clearly sensed that he treated her differently. If it wasn¡¯t love, why would he choose her out of so many people? She didn¡¯t want to go abroad, so she made a daring decision and asked someone to kidnap her. She wanted to test Ethan. In the end, reality proved that she didn¡¯t mean anything to him. She lost her legs in that tragic kidnapping incident. Ethan never once paid her a visit after that. So, her furious elder brother confronted Ethan. Her brother visited Miller Group for a week before managing to meet Ethan, but he still refused to see Ka. He told her brother to ry a message. ¡°We have nothing to do with each other from today onward.¡± Chapter 617 Chapter 617 It happened a long time ago, but Ka could still feel the agonizing pain in her bones. She was hospitalized for six months, and Ethan left her. Even after threatening that she would give up on her studies, he merely replied, ¡°Have it your way.¡± Then, he blocked her contact number. Ka spent her days and nights crying. She also married Diego Welsh, who was older than her by 20 years, out of revenge. He didn¡¯t look down on her even though she had lost her legs. Instead, he married her and treated her well. However, he messed around with some non-famous celebrities because Ka gave him the cold treatment. Little did he know that the person in her heart was Ethan. She had been keeping an eye on Ethan, and she was more obsessed than before. Ka was overjoyed when she learned the news that the engagement between Ethan and Marina was called off. Ka was confident that he wouldn¡¯t fall in love with any woman that easily, thinking that no one in this world deserved him. Thatsted until not long ago, when Ethan announced Olivia¡¯s identity at the award ceremony that night. Ka finally knew the reason behind Ethan¡¯s sponsorship after looking at Olivia¡¯s face. It was not that she was any special but simply because Ka resembled Olivia a bit. Ka had never imagined that the restless celebrity her husband was sleeping with would keep provoking her with messages. Hence, she decided to hire someone to eliminate her. And that brought her a lot of trouble. Even Ethan and Olivia were dragged into it. Ka believed that God was fair, for He had bestowed her this opportunity knowing that she had been yearning for it. She was unbothered that she was pushed to the ground. She got to her feet pitifully. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m not asking for anything. Just one night. I have a higher-resolution video and photo. I¡¯ll give them to you.¡± Ethan¡¯s big shadow loomed over the petite woman. His gaze was colder than the weather. It was as though he was looking at trash. No matter how she tried, she was still the pitiful country bumpkin to him. ¡°Ka Harper, you¡¯re seriously disgusting.¡± That was Ethan¡¯sment on Ka. She loved him for ten years only to receive that reply in return. She quickly wiped her tears away. ¡°I¡¯m disgusting? Am I that bad in your eyes? Will you never spare me a nce even if I give you all of me? Will I never beat Olivia?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°At least you know your ce.¡± Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach, and her expression turned crazed almost instantly. ¡°Very well. Since you think that I¡¯m disgusting, I won¡¯t force you. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll clear Kelvin¡¯s name. ¡°I heard that your right-hand man is detained and that yourpany is in a mess. How are you going to avert the crisis without my evidence?¡± She crossed her arms as if she was waiting for an interesting show to happen. ¡°Karma is real. You¡¯re having it worse than how you treated me back then. Let us see how your lovely lover can help you. ¡°Your family has always been the dominant family in Aldenvine. Those rich families beneath you have been waiting by the sidelines long ago. I wonder how yourpany will be dissolved after it loses its footing? When that happens, how will you disy your public affection?¡± Ethan sneered. ¡°As I expected, I underestimated you. It seems like you haven¡¯t wise up during the past five years.¡± Ka softened her tone, approaching him. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m no longer the innocent woman I was five years ago. I know that I can never have you. I don¡¯t wanna steal anything from Olivia either. ¡°One night. Just one night. Can¡¯t you grant me this wish of mine?¡± He avoided her. ¡°Ka, do you think that my family managed toe this far because of women? Or do you think that a mere woman can take us down? How dare someone like you steal anything from Liv?¡± She wasn¡¯t showing any intention of giving up. He snorted at her expression. ¡°As for what¡¯s happening right now, they¡¯re just barking up the wrong tree, and so are you.¡± Finishing that, he turned around and left without hesitation. Ka shouted behind him, ¡°You will regret this, Ethan Miller! Miller Group is going to be ruined because of you!¡± ¡°Stop puffing yourself up. You don¡¯t have the right to do so.¡± His words were only getting cruel. She watched him leave. Gritting her teeth, she dialed a number. ¡°I agree to your request.¡± Chapter 618 Chapter 618 Ethan shut his eyes in the car, taking a break. Cyril noticed that the air in the vehicle was so silent that it creeped him out. Thus, he took the initiative to ask, ¡°Mr. Miller, did the negotiation go bust?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. The negotiation was impossible in the first ce. She¡¯s ill.¡± Ethan covered his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, yet she hasn¡¯t changed at all. She¡¯s even be worse than before. I shouldn¡¯t have softened up and saved her back then.¡± Ten years ago, he saw the suffering Ka by coincidence when he was passing by a vige in the mountains. Her family favored sons over daughters. Her brother went to a high school in another area, and her family wanted her to quit school to marry her off to an old man in the vige. They were nning to sell the wedding gift so that they would have the money to send her brother to school. Ka fought for herself through reasonings only to be beaten up by her parents. Ethan never showed kindness to random people. It was simply because he saw her side profile when he passed by the ce. She was still young at that time, but she seemed to be older than Olivia by two to three years. That one nce reminded him of the girl he had met only once. Since he had gone through a painful experience before, he wanted to help out others so that they didn¡¯t have to go through the same thing. Out of kindness, he helped Ka and sponsored her studies. He had never thought anything about her, yet she bore feelings for him since that day. Her feelings drove her into doing those extreme matters to force him. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. However, there was something that she couldn¡¯t understand. A man would only soften up for the woman he loved. Therefore, the more Ka forced it on him, the more repulsive she appeared to him. ¡°Mr. Miller, the evidence is with her. What should we do?¡± ¡°Her social circle isn¡¯t clean. It has only been five years, yet she has learned how to hire an assassin. We can¡¯t handle this matter through the usual procedures. If my guess is right, she¡¯ll resent me and confront me out of anger. What would you do if you were in her shoes?¡± ¡°Join allies. Based on the leads we have right now, eight families are starting to join hands. Not only have they exposed random information, but they also paid a few ghostwriters to drive Miller Group to the edge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯ll surely join allies with others to bring me down. I bet she¡¯s also expecting me to beg her to show mercy.¡± ¡°How ungrateful of her. You shouldn¡¯t have intervened in her business back then, Mr. Miller. She clearly plotted the whole kidnapping herself, yet her brother put all the me on you. How could she drag her personal feelings into it? How detestable. ¡°This is how humans are. The smallest revenge can offset any favors that have been done. Let¡¯s head back to thepany first. The senior management is causing a racket.¡± ¡°Okay. Since we know that the evidence is with her, should we use other means to get it?¡± Ethan kneaded his brows. ¡°I have my ns. Let¡¯s go.¡± He took his phone out. After editing a voice recording, which was recorded not long ago, he sent it to someone else: That person¡¯s profile picture was ck. ¡°Send it to her husband.¡± Since Ka was not going to let Ethan off the hook, he wasn¡¯t nning to hold himself back anymore. The senior management and shareholders gathered in Miller Group. Considering how capable Ethan had always been, everyone was rest assured to let him handle thepany matters. Who knew that such a huge issue would break out this time? Some of the shareholders, who were having a holiday overbroad, even rushed back to the country. The elderly, who had always acted cautiously around him, began mming the table. ¡°What the hell are you doing? It¡¯s been a day since the issue hase up! And the wholepany is a mess. The people from the finance department have been taken into custody, and the PR department is doing nothing. The HR department is on edge. Just what are you thinking as the president of thepany?¡± Chapter 619 Chapter 619 Ethan sat in the main seat without uttering a word. Usually, his gaze alone was enough to scare one. But everyone was gutsy enough to tell him off today. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯ve never let me down with your capabilities. That year, everyone agreed to the idea of handing thepany over to you. And you didn¡¯t disappoint us. You¡¯ve been managing thepany well. ¡°But how could you make such a big mistake? It¡¯s not only the share price, but our reputation and company have been ruined overnight. Our ancestors worked so hard to build them up. As the president, you should give us an answer to this.¡± With a cold expression, Ethan said briefly yet confidently, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Wait? Wait for what? Do you know how many people are waiting to see us fall to rock bottom? And how many people are biding their time to make things harder for us so that someone else can rece us? ¡°Honestly speaking, even someone who doesn¡¯t mingle around much in this industry is aware of how important the PR department is. It¡¯s been a day, and what has Miller Group done? What have you done as the president? ¡°You can wait, but we can¡¯t. How about this? Since your wife is the cause of this, let¡¯s hold a press conference. Ask her to apologize to the victim and the public as our representative.¡± As soon as Ethan heard this, he shot a cold stare at that person. His voice was icy. ¡°Apologize? Mr. Hopp, an apology should be made by someone who has done something wrong to convey their regret and make up for their mistake. ¡°My wife stood up for the right cause, and she¡¯s innocent. But she¡¯s suffering from bacsh now. This is the first time I heard that the victim is supposed to apologize to the perpetrator.¡± ¡°Forget about the truth. Is Ms. Fordham really innocent? The victim had a fight with her before passing away. When the victim was dead, Kelvin showed up at the crime scene too. We believe that he¡¯s innocent, but will the others believe the same? ¡°Ethan, people sometimes don¡¯t care about the truth. They simply want to believe what they think is true. Call Ms. Fordham out to make an apology.¡± ¡°I agree. It won¡¯t hurt to make an apology.¡± Everyone agreed to that. When they spoke enough of it, Ethan drank some coffee to wake himself up. After hydrating his throat, he raised his head. ¡°Have you guys said enough?¡± Despite his soft volume, the weight in his tone was significant enough to cause a wave of immediate impact. The noisy people hushed instantly, and pin-drop silence dawned upon the ce. Like a school principal, he swept his gaze across all of them. ¡°Instead of talking about whether my wife should apologize or not, I think you should give me an exnation.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Miller? What does this have to do with us? You and Ms. Fordham are the cause for this.¡± Ethan smirked. ¡°What does this have to do with you? Had it not been for this matter, I wouldn¡¯t have known that there¡¯s a rat in the senior management. He¡¯s benefiting from both me and my opponent.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Everyone began exchanging nces. Some of them dropped their gazes as they didn¡¯t dare to look at Ethan. He mmed the table, and two people fell off their chairs immediately. ¡°Dear shareholders, are you guys mistaken? I gathered you here not to listen to your nonsense or give you any exnation. As long as I¡¯m still sitting here, there won¡¯t be a day where you¡¯ll be in the position to give me orders.¡± Ethan¡¯s grandfather transferred all of his shares to him after his grandmother passed away for unknown reasons. Ethan only took some of it under his name. He transferred some of the shares to his confidants. Even if someone revolted and took Ethan¡¯s shares, no one could shake him off as the core of Miller Group. Obviously, some of the shareholders didn¡¯t know that Ethan and his grandfather had a backup n. Now that the topic hase this far, Gary Miller-Ethan¡¯s uncle-said, ¡°It¡¯s wrong of you to say that, Ethan. You¡¯re the president. We can¡¯t interfere with how you usually manage thepany. ¡°But thepany¡¯s status is shaken because of you. As the shareholders, we have the right to suggest a vote.¡± He nced at Ethan¡¯s expression and gulped before continuing, ¡°You brought this to thepany and aren¡¯t going to save it. You¡¯re also turning a deaf ear to our opinions. ¡°As a shareholder as well as one of the Millers, I can¡¯t let you have it your way anymore. So, I propose to dismiss you from your position as the president.¡± Chapter 620 Chapter 620 Ethan¡¯s slender finger tapped on the table. Finally, Gary had shown his true colors. As soon as Gary finished speaking, all eyes were on him. Some of them understood the situation, while some of them were furious and questioning what he was doing. On the contrary, Ethan, the main character of the issue, appeared calm. His finger was making tapping sounds rhythmically. Ethan wasn¡¯t frantic, but Gary became jittery. Thetter¡¯s forehead was sweating as he was on tenterhooks. Anyone in Ethan¡¯s shoes would¡¯ve be nervous and scared after Gary made such a proposal. However, why was Ethan so calm as though he had foreseen this situation? ¡°He must be testing the waters!¡± Gary thought. As an afterthought, Gary recollected himself. He tried to calm himself down so as to not give the game away. Ethan said to Gary indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m more curious about who you¡¯ll suggest to take my position after dismissing me.¡± ¡°There are a lot of capable young men in the family. There will be someone who can rece you. You¡¯re an outstanding person, but your quick and decisive actions have offended many people. ¡°After making such a mistake, do you know how many people are waiting for their chance to make it harder for us? If we let you handle thepany, it¡¯s a matter of time before it¡¯s ruined.¡± Ethan smiled. ¡°Uncle Gary, you don¡¯t say that whenever it¡¯s time to receive dividends every year. A lot of capable young men? Do you mean your druggie first son or your second son who¡¯s addicted to gambling?¡± Now that Gary was confronted at his sore spot, he pped the table and rose to his feet. ¡°It¡¯s true that my sons aren¡¯t as outstanding as you are. But is it impossible to get someone within the family who¡¯s better than you? ¡°Even if the answer is negative, can¡¯t we hire another smart president? Do you think that you¡¯re indispensable to Miller Group?¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give all of you a chance. Whoever agrees with Uncle Gary, stand up. If the majority agrees, I will grant your wish and start the vote.¡± All of them exchanged nces. With Gary standing up as the leading man of the proposal, people began to rise from their seats. ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s not that I have an opinion of you, but you¡¯re handling this matter too poorly.¡± ¡°I think so too. I heard that everyone in the finance department was taken into custody. If the police find a problem, thepany will be over. We should have another person handle this matter at this crunch time.¡± ¡°I second that. This isn¡¯t a personal attack against you.¡± There were over 30 people at the scene, and 15 people stood up. A few of them were hesitating. After Ethan met their gazes, the number of people standing increased. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Gary showed joy. ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not showing you respect, but look. Look at how many people have an opinion of you.¡± Ethan yed with his wedding ring out of habit. He would do that whenever cruelty was creeping into his heart. The thought of Olivia would cate him a bit. ¡°Very well.¡± Those standing people were frightened after meeting Ethan¡¯s murderous gaze. They had been waiting for this for a long time. If they didn¡¯t join hands to bring Ethan down this time when he was in serious difficulty, there might be no chances in the future. ¡°Mr. Miller, look-¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man of his word. Get a notary, and we shall start the vote,¡± announced Ethan firmly. Gary couldn¡¯t mask his joy. It was as if he could already see Ethan being dismissed from his position. The triumphant glint in Gary¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Ethan. Ethan reminded him indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no turning back from this. Please give it a serious consideration. Don¡¯t do something that you¡¯ll regret forever. You won¡¯t get a second chance from me.¡± Chapter 621 Chapter 621 Ethan was very busy during the short period of break. Since Brent and Kelvin weren¡¯t around, Ethan had to handle a lot of things himself. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Cyril was transferred over at ast-minute notice. Thinking about the shareholder voting that was going tomence half an hourter, Cyril wasn¡¯t afraid of it. He felt sorry for Ethan instead. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve poured so much effort into thepany, and that¡¯s why it could achieve such achievements. How could they repay your favor by trying to dismiss you from your position?¡± Ethan lit a cigarette. ¡°This might not be a bad thing. I¡¯ve long noticed someone plotting something behind the scenes. I can use the opportunity to lure the rat out.¡± ¡°Are you trying to clear the decks, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll happen sooner orter.¡± Ethan exhaled a cloud of smoke. ¡°I¡¯ll make him know what¡¯s the consequence of coveting something that doesn¡¯t belong to him.¡± Cyril took his phone out and nced at it. ¡°As you¡¯ve expected, Ka met a man after you left.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Cyril zoomed in on the photo, which showed a gentleman in a white suit. He was sipping on a cup of coffee. His side profile alone was enough to disy his gentle side. Ethan sneered. ¡°It is him. He has frequently interacted with the senior management these years. It takes a long time for hard work to pay off. Judging from how many people stood up today, it looks like he has spent a lot of effort on this.¡± ¡°You can seize this chance to root all of them out, Mr. Miller. Oh, right, the person who sshed the acid will be released tonight.¡± ¡°Lock him in. Let him be first. I have a use for him. Where¡¯s Diego?¡± ¡°He disembarked the ne not long ago. I bet he knows the news.¡± ¡°Have you found out who¡¯s the person manipting public opinion from abroad?¡± Cyril shook his head. ¡°Their IP address is fake. It changes every few seconds. It¡¯s a professional who¡¯s manipting things behind the scenes. I bet it¡¯s his doing.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s another person beside him,¡± Ethan responded confidently. ¡°His target is me and Miller Group. It¡¯s the same person who ordered someone to ssh acid and kill us. Liv is his target. This person must be the mastermind who hired the ck Ravens for that assassination job.¡± A lot of matters and people were involved in this. It was a jumble of mess because the leads were gathered in one picture. Among them were baits, who were being used to mislead Ethan. It wasn¡¯t easy to analyze and investigate the details. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Mrs. Miller might be in danger at any time.¡± ¡°My announcement of Liv¡¯s identity wasn¡¯t only to grant her wish but also to lure that mastermind out. He¡¯ll only take action when Liv shows up. The more he exposes himself, the easier it is for us to catch him. ¡°From what I see now, he¡¯s a capable person. He didn¡¯t leave a trace at all! We can ascertain that he¡¯s not in Aldenvine. He¡¯s somewhere abroad.¡± ¡°Yeah. That assassin killed himself in the police station not long ago. I don¡¯t know what happened to that person who sshed acid, though.¡± ¡°Since his n has failed, that mastermind wille at us again. Is the arrangement at Liv¡¯s side done?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ve increased the number of men.¡± Ethan¡¯s assistant knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Miller, all of the shareholders are here. They¡¯re waiting for you in the meeting room.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ethan stood up and headed to the meeting room. When he opened the door, he noticed that someone else had taken his seat. That person resembled Ethan, but he seemed gentle. His features weren¡¯t that sharp. That person raised his gaze to meet Ethan¡¯s as he smiled provokingly. ¡°Long time no see, Ethan.¡± Chapter 622 Chapter 622 The two men were half-brothers of the same father. One of them owned all of their father¡¯s love, spending his childhood that was pampered with parental love. The other person was born without receiving love from anyone, yet he owned 80 percent of the family¡¯s assets. They were born on the same day, month, and year. They were born earlier than the expected due. Ethan was born five minutes earlier than that man, but their status was that of the sky and earth. Keh Miller-their father-stayed outside the delivery room the whole time, waiting for the child to be born. But Ethan hadn¡¯t received love from Keh since he was born. His grandfather granted him a name, yet his biological father didn¡¯t visit him once after he was born. Meanwhile, Keh gave Darrell Miller his name. As his name suggested, he was his parents¡¯ dearly beloved son. Ethan looked forward to his birthday when he was three because he heard from his grandfather that Keh was going to celebrate his birthday. Hence, the anticipation grew in him two weeks before his birthday. He couldn¡¯t even sleep the night before his birthday. He waited at the door for Keh before the sun rose. The little boy waited and waited until the sky brightened, but his father didn¡¯te. The little Ethan wondered, ¡°Did Dad lose his way because he has nevere home before?¡± He then begged the driver to pick Keh up. When they arrived at the destination, Ethan finally saw the person he always saw in videos and pictures. The man was tall and handsome. ¡°Is that Dad?¡± he wondered. However, the man was holding another boy of Ethan¡¯s age. Keh would hold the boy, who was about to trip He would coo at the boy when thetter threw a tantrum and let him ride on his shoulders, saying, ¡°Here we go!¡± A gentle-looking woman watched them ying around with a smile. Soon, a lot of kids arrived. They were hugging beautiful birthday presents, wishing the boy ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Before Ethan realized it, he was already there. He simply wanted to hold his father¡¯s hand to see if it was as rough and warm as his grandfather¡¯s. ¡°Who are you?¡± the little boy questioned Ethan. Keh saw Ethan, too. Keh was stunned at first until Ethan carefully called, ¡°Dad.¡± Anticipation was bubbling in him as he wondered if Keh missed him as he did. However, what awaited him wasn¡¯t love. The handsome man frowned, and his tone was cold. ¡°What brings you here? Did your mother tell you toe?¡± It was a meeting between a father and a son, but there was no love. Like apletely different person, Keh looked at Ethan with loathing as though the boy was the most hateful person in this world. ¡°No, I-I just¡­¡± the little Ethan exined clumsily. But Keh didn¡¯t want to waste a single second on this. ¡°Leave! Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t a crybaby because his grandfather told him that a man had to be strong and courageous. That way, he would be able to protect his family when he grew up. However, Ethan couldn¡¯t control his emotions at that time. Tears were pooling in his eyes. He thought, ¡°Is this man my father? Why is he treating me this way?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t somewhere you should be,¡± said Keh before leaving. Tears ran over Ethan¡¯s cheeks. Right then, a little kid helped him wipe his tears away. ¡°I know you. Are you my older brother? Then, it should be your birthday today, too. How about we celebrate our birthdays together?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The boy, who resembled Ethan, appeared gentle. Ethan¡¯s head was a mess as he nodded without thinking much. Ethan wondered if Darrell was the reason why Keh hadn¡¯t returned home all this while. Ethan wiped his tears away before chasing Keh, pulling his hand. ¡°Dad, why didn¡¯t you bring my younger brother back home to live together? Are you afraid that I would bully him? I won¡¯t. ¡°Grandpa told me that a man has to protect his family. I won¡¯t bully him.¡± Keh shoved Ethan¡¯s hand away. The loathe in Keh¡¯s eyes became more evident. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Ethan knew that Keh¡¯s hands were big and smooth, unlike his grandfather¡¯s hands, which were rough and cold. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat the cake soon. Let¡¯s cut it together,¡± Darrell suggested. Ethan had no time to dwell on sorrow. ¡°Okay.¡± After cutting the cake, the kids, who had taken their share of it, smacked it onto Ethan¡¯s face. While Ethan remained dazed, Darrell whispered to him in an eerie voice, ¡°I know you a long time ago. Happy birthday.¡± Chapter 623 Chapter 623 Ethan¡¯s grandfather was strict with him, but the older man protected him well. His grandfather didn¡¯t tell him the truth, simply saying that Keh was busy with work, so he didn¡¯t have the time toe home. At that time, the innocent Ethan believed that Keh was working to feed the family, not knowing that Keh actually had a family out there. While Ethan knew nothing about it, Darrell knew Ethan like the back of his hand. Darrell and the other kids joined hands, smearing cake over Ethan¡¯s face, arms, neck, and body. Every part of Ethan¡¯s body was dirty. Theyughed at him, andughter jared into Ethan¡¯s ears. Still, he was unbothered by it as he stared at Keh in a daze. Ethan thought that Keh would be in pain watching him getting bullied and carry him or stop the kids fromughing. However, Keh just stood over there indifferently like a passerby. Darrell said the most hurtful thing with his angelic face, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re like your mother. You shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. One day, I will steal everything from you because they are supposed to be mine.¡± Ethan¡¯s driver rushed over from afar to carry Ethan, who was covered in cream, away. The car was slowly driven away. Ethan saw his supposed father wiping the cream off Darrell¡¯s fingers so carefully, as though Darrell was someone precious. Ethan didn¡¯t know what he had done wrong, why Keh wouldn¡¯t acknowledge him as his son, and why he hated him so much. That night, Keh didn¡¯t return home to celebrate Ethan¡¯s birthday. Thinking that he could at least see his mother, Ethan cheered himself up. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Yet, before he could make a wish to blow the candles out, his emotionally unstable mother suddenly carried him and ran to the balcony. She jumped off from the balcony, and Ethan gazed at the starry sky. Ethan recalled Darrell¡¯s face when Keh let him ride on his shoulders. Darrell told Ethan that he was going to steal everything from him, and Ethan wondered if Darrell need not do so if he was dead. That little boy¡¯s face matched with the man, who was d in a white suit. Despite his smooth and sleek clothing, he was using the most disgusting method possible. Darrell bought off the senior management and shareholders one by one like a poisonous insect. Everything that Keh gave him couldn¡¯t satisfy him. Keh had built up anotherpany, which showed good development abroad. But its achievement couldn¡¯t bepared to Miller Group, which carried histories since over a century ago. It wasn¡¯t that Darrell¡¯s family didn¡¯t try to butter Ethan¡¯s grandparents up these years. They actually wanted to return to the family. However, Ethan¡¯s grandfather didn¡¯t give in. ¡°I don¡¯t have a son like you, and that¡¯s final. Ethan will inherit all of the assets.¡± Ethan had caught on to the fact that Darrell was plotting something behind the scenes. But Darrell covered his tracks well enough to make it difficult for Ethan to collect evidence. This time, Darrell catastrophized Olivia¡¯s incident, intending to gain something good out of this. That was why he showed up. Brazenly, Darrell seated himself in the main seat as though he was the true owner of Miller Group. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ethan.¡± Darrell was wearing a dazzling smile like he always did when he was young, yet he could do the cruelest thing possible. ¡°Call the security guards to take out whoever is unrted here,¡± ordered Ethan. He showed no intention to continue the courtesy. Darrell assumed that his n was so perfect that it had caught Ethan off-guard, hence the triumphant smile. ¡°Sorry, Ethan, but I¡¯m attending this asion as a shareholder.¡± Ethan crossed his arms, looking at Darrell disdainfully. ¡°So you do know that you¡¯re a shareholder and not the chairman. ¡°I thought you¡¯ve lost a screw in your head after not having seen each other for so long.¡± Chapter 624 Chapter 624 While the discord between the two men was going on, the others had already split into two groups, standing with the person they supported. It was as if they had discussed doing so beforehand. The voting hadn¡¯t even started yet! Although Darrell was an illegitimate child, Keh showered him all of his love. After Keh divorced Ethan¡¯s mother, Darrell officially held the title of Mr. Miller. Still, Ethan¡¯s grandfather wouldn¡¯t acknowledge Darrell as his grandson. He didn¡¯t even want to acknowledge Keh! Ethan¡¯s grandfather went as far as removing Keh¡¯s name from the family tree! Since it was the Millers¡¯ family matter, it wasn¡¯t something everyone could intervene in. But now, the future of thepany was depending on it. Everyone stepped away from the duo, who were fighting for the right to be the president of Miller Group, not wanting to get into trouble. No one expected Ethan¡¯s public disy of affection would cause this. The toppany was cornered bypetitors and suffering from internal conflict at the same time. Everyone thought that they would be able to witness something unprecedented with their own eyes. Considering that it was a fight for the throne between the two sons, the others were sensible enough to keep their mouths shut. They didn¡¯t even dare to breathe loudly. It was a duel between two great men! They wouldn¡¯t want to get into trouble by joining the fray. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Now that Ethan was driving Darrell out of the room, Darrell said calmly, ¡°It¡¯ll be my ce soon. I just wanna know what it feels like to sit here beforehand. Do you have an opinion about it, Ethan?¡± Despite his gentle demeanor, his formidable aura didn¡¯t lose one bit. ¡°It¡¯s either you get out of here yourself, or I¡¯ll help you with it. Which one do you choose?¡± Ethan gave Cyril a look. Cyril cracked his knuckles intimidatingly. Darrell read the room and stood up. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s nothing to rush anyways.¡± He then sat on Ethan¡¯s right, and Ethan frowned. It seemed like Ethan didn¡¯t like the close distance between them. The others took their seats. An untrammeled Darrell yed with the water bottle in front of him. He lowered his voice. ¡°Ethan, I dare to sit here because I can guess what your trump card is. But you might not know what¡¯s mine.¡± Ethan was uneasy for a second upon hearing that, wondering if there was a variable to the situation. Darrell continued, ¡°Your trump card is the shares Grandpa gave you. But Ethan, you¡¯re foolish for transferring them to others to maintain the deceptive peace within thepany. ¡°People change their minds very easily. Do you think that things will go ording to your expectations?¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re confident that it¡¯ll be your win.¡± ¡°Ethan, do you still remember what I said when I was young? I said I will steal everything from you. I¡¯ve poured so much effort into this. ¡°Why are you the sessor of the Miller Group when no one likes you? That should be me. ¡°Grandpa is stubborn as a bull. Since he didn¡¯t want to give it to me, I might as well steal it myself. You think that you own 45 percent of thepany shares, don¡¯t you?¡± Ethan was taken aback at how unexpected Darrell was. ¡°It looks like I guessed it right. I know that you were aware of me buying thepany share in secret. And you were relying on Grandpa¡¯s confidant. I can tell you that you¡¯ve lost this game.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze ¡°Jeez, let this younger brother of yours teach you a lesson, Ethan. About why the trick is always the opted method in situations like this.¡± Darrell grinned as though he was confident that he would win. ¡°Let¡¯s start the voting.¡± Right then, the door was opened. Standing by the door, Olivia looked at Ethan. ¡°I¡¯m notte, am I?¡± Chapter 625 Chapter 625 Olivia appeared different from usual. She was wearing light makeup and tied her hair up. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Her blue gemstone earrings matched her teal wool sweater. She was dressed up and was the epitome of grace and sophistication. She entered the meeting room in high heels. Although she didn¡¯t appear as posh as she did during the award ceremony, she looked gentle. Not even the celebrities could overthrow her when it came to looks. Her aura was one of a kind too. Even Darrell was put in a trance. It was his first time seeing her in person. The air Olivia brought was that of a goddess whom no one could approach. It was his first time describing a woman as a goddess. Ethan stood up to wee her personally. He reached out his hand to her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform me beforeing?¡± Naturally, she ced her hand on his. Their wedding rings came to the same picture. Compared to the uneasiness when she first regained consciousness, she no longer found his presence repulsive. They were like a new couple who had been seeing each other for two weeks. Although they hadn¡¯t reached the infatuation stage, they were getting along well. Olivia smiled gently. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re in trouble, so I came.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I can handle it.¡± Ethan pulled her to his seat, motioning for her to sit. She stayed quiet. Darrell, who finally pulled himself together, eximed, ¡°I¡¯m impressed by how strong your mentality is, Ethan. You¡¯re on the edge of falling rock bottom. ¡°And yet, you¡¯re still in the mood to disy your love for your wife.¡± Olivia sat down and finally gazed at Darrell. Her driver recounted the current situation to her while she was on the way there. Madam Burgess had also told Olivia what Darrell did. He joined hands with other kids to bully Ethan when he was at the tender age of three. Only then did Olivia realize that some people were born to be bad guys. It had nothing to do with his age. No matter how well he dressed himself up, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that he was rotten on the inside. ¡°It¡¯s the era where even pigs are allowed to vote. Is it wrong to disy his love for his wife? If you¡¯re not happy with it, you can bring your partner-whom I assume is a pig as well-along to disy your love for her. I¡¯m sure no one will stop you.¡± The others drew a sharp breath with how provocative her words were. Ethan would never poke someone with words, but Olivia couldn¡¯t care less about it. She was a woman anyway. The worst-case scenario would be going full-on aggressive by roasting Darrell. The idea of it didn¡¯t fear her, but would he be able to put his ego aside for it? Darrell was stunned momentarily. Based on his understanding of Olivia¡¯s character through his investigation, he thought that she wasn¡¯t a feisty woman. Who would roast someone on their first meeting? She was more interesting than he thought she would be. ¡°You have a point, dear sister-inw.¡± Darrell smiled and lowered his head humbly. Olivia didn¡¯t expect him to smile this brightly after having been told off. These kinds of people were the scariest. He could give you their brightest smile and yet set you up in secret. ¡°Don¡¯t take advantage of me. My husband doesn¡¯t have a brother.¡± His smile only beamed wider at that. He was like a fox. ¡°Sure. I won¡¯t call you that if you don¡¯t like it.¡± He stared at her without holding himself back, making her ufortable. Ethan punched his fist against the table. ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna humiliate yourself by getting driven out of here, shut your damn eyes.¡± The sense of danger could be felt in the air, exuding from Ethan. His acquaintances retreated two steps back in reflex. It seemed like Darrell was the only person who grew up drinking gutsy juice as he responded, ¡°Ms. Fordham is so pretty that I can¡¯t move my eyes off her. You haven¡¯t forgotten my words, have you, Ethan?¡± Darrell imed that he would steal everything from Ethan. That included Ethan¡¯s woman. Chapter 626 Chapter 626 A loud thud resounded in the meeting room. Ethan kicked Darrell¡¯s chair. The kick was so powerful that the swivel chair moved very quickly. Before everyone could react to it, Darrell was kicked to the wall before falling onto the floor. It was totally embarrassing. The bystanders helped him up. ¡°Mr. Darrell, are you alright?¡± Ethan was being serious. Even the chair was damaged. Had the chair not taken most of the pressure, Darrell¡¯s bone would¡¯ve been broken. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Darrell forced a smile, but it wasn¡¯t as wide as before. Gary¡¯s face turned crimson out of anger, for he had not known the couple to be this malicious. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Since he couldn¡¯t vent his anger at Ethan, he targeted Olivia. ¡°Ms. Fordham, the shareholders¡¯ voting is today. You shouldn¡¯t be here. ¡°If you want to wait for Mr. Miller, I suggest you wait at the VIP guest room.¡± Ethan hid her very well all these years. Not even Gary knew how much Ethan cared for her. Thus, he didn¡¯t see her as Mrs. Miller. Noticing that Ethan was going to throw a tantrum again, Olivia quickly held his hand in an attempt to cate his anger. ¡°Since it¡¯s a voting among the shareholders, there¡¯s no reason for me to leave. Uncle Gary, I bet you still don¡¯t know that I also held some shares when there was a change to the shareholding a few days ago.¡± Gary was baffled. ¡°What did you say? You hold some shares?¡± ¡°The share transfer process was still ongoing, and it ended today. So, I¡¯m officially a shareholder.¡± On her second day of regaining consciousness, Ethan made her sign some documents. She didn¡¯t take a good look at the content because there were too many of them! It was only today that Olivia found out that they were agreements for transferring shares, properties, assets, and whatnot. The value of the transfer was huge. If the driver hadn¡¯t rushed over to tell her about it, she might have been kept in the dark until now! Ethan was really giving her the best he could. Since it took a few days to process the procedures, there were no changes to the shareholders. That was why Darrell went all- in by gambling his everything. He didn¡¯t foresee this! But he collected hisposure in no time. He had spent a lot of time preparing for today. He had bribed the necessary targets. Even if Ethan had transferred some shares to Olivia, he could only transfer those that were under his name. The number of shares Darrell was holding didn¡¯t change. Dusting himself and ignoring his scraped skin, he returned to his seat. ¡°Since Ms. Fordham is also a shareholder, let¡¯s officially start the voting. Don¡¯t waste time on something unrted to this matter.¡± He acted so naturally, as though he was the man of the moment, and Olivia found it weird. It was their first timeing to the Miller Group, but why couldn¡¯t she be as shameless as he was? Ethan sat on her left while Darrell was sitting on her right. The two men, who looked simr, were sitting in the same position. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Darrell was confident. He always took action when he had full chances of winning. The votes were counted, and the first few votes agreed to the agenda. When more of the votes were counted, the smile on Darrell¡¯s face slowly turned stiff. ording to the final result, only one-third of the votes agreed to dismiss Ethan from his position. Darrell mmed the table and sprang from his seat. ¡°No way! This is impossible!¡± Chapter 627 Chapter 627 Darrell had done everything in his power to gain favor from the majority of the shareholders. Thus, Ethan should be the losing party. But how could this be? Darrell requested to know the names of the voters only to realize that the people he bribed, especially those who held a lot of shares, were still siding with Ethan. Even those who swore that they would support Darrell sided with Ethan! Some of them even transferred their shares to Olivia without Darrell¡¯s knowledge. Now, she possessed ten percent of the shares! The effort he put in for years had gone down the drain. It was a huge blow to him. Things weren¡¯t going ording to his n. Just where did it go wrong? It wasn¡¯t like he spent one or two days getting in touch with those shareholders. He knew that they were Ethan¡¯s confidants, so Darrell showed them his sincerity as best as he could. The other party agreed to side with Darrell, but they didn¡¯t dare to get in Ethan¡¯s bad books. In order to keep Ethan in the dark, they reached a verbal agreement without going through the necessary procedures. ording to the initial agreement, the other party would transfer their shares to Darrell when he became the president after dismissing Ethan. They had even negotiated the price. At that very moment, Darrell realized that those people didn¡¯t betray Ethan at all. It was just a show! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Darrell looked at them with red eyes. ¡°You lied to me!¡± He was humiliated as much as he was proud a moment ago. He had spent a lot of money and effort on this. Yet, it was all for nothing. Anyone in his shoes would not be able to ept such an oue. Forget about money. He had turned into a big fool. The notary announced the final result. ¡°Due to insufficient votes, the proposal is rejected. Mr. Miller will remain as the president.¡± Ethan gazed at Darrell¡¯s contorted expression. Instead of making things difficult for the other party, Ethan said coldly, ¡°It looks like now you know why trick isn¡¯t always the opted method in situations like this. I would like to thank you for letting me know who the rats are here.¡± Darrell could no longer maintain that smile on his face. The nerves on his forehead protruded as he gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. This is not over yet.¡± Ethan was unbothered. ¡°Security guards, send the guest off.¡± He stood up and left while holding Olivia¡¯s hand. His gaze swept across Gary and the gang casually before he left. Although he did not utter a word, their hearts sank to the pit of their stomachs. Ethan did not punish anyone for the past two years, but everyone knew what the aftermath of betraying him was. There was only one oue for siding with the wrong person. When Olivia walked out of the meeting room, she felt a beastly gaze eyeing her. She looked back and happened to meet Darrell¡¯s crazed and obsessive expression. It was as if he was determined to have her. It seemed like the Millers were crazy to a certain extent. Olivia strode out of the suffocating room. The air outside was fresher to her. ¡°I was overly concerned about you. I didn¡¯t know that you would win that easily,¡± she muttered. Her heart surged to her throat when the driver told her everything about it. The past two days were chaos. If someone seized the chance to set their carefully concocted n into action, Ethan might not even stand a chance. In the face of her concerned look, warmth seeped into Ethan, sweeping away the cloud of negative emotions. He raised their holding hands to peck at the back of her hand. ¡°I will never lose for you.¡± Chapter 628 Chapter 628 Ethan exined the whole story to Olivia in his office. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. In fact, he had long known that Darrell was getting in touch with his men. Ethan yed along with it by asking his subordinates to betray him in order to earn Darrell¡¯s trust. Darrell fell right into Ethan¡¯s trap, and Ethan was able to root out the rats in the meantime. Olivia was gaping the whole time. Two days ago, she came across a content regarding the business scenarios in real life. But the description was nothingpared to this. She thought, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be like the boss asks me to remove the cable in thepetitor¡¯s building or use ck magic to ruin their business development?¡± Ethan grazed her nose. ¡°You¡¯re drooling.¡± Comment by soonyoung gu: Huh ¡°I mean, you can tell me more about your studd. Otherwise, I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯m a good-for-nothing.¡± Comment by soonyoung gu: Huh Her adorable expression made him chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t really wanna drag you into this.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve averted thepany crisis, what about Mara¡¯s case? Kelvin and Brent are still detained. I heard the Finance Department was taken into custody. The public opinion is worrying me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve never messed up the financial statement. Someone¡¯s copying the bad guys by reporting us. Let them be. I have my ns.¡± Darrell was the only person out of his concern. After all, there was only one thing Darrell could win against Ethan. That was family. Now, Ethan was worried about the mastermind who was targeting Olivia. That mastermind was a very careful person. The hired assassin killed himself after getting caught, leaving no trace behind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You won the game with perfection.¡± Considering that Olivia appeared more mentally stable than before, he added, ¡°Liv, Darrell is not scary. The scary person is the one who hired an assassin to kill you when things were a mess.¡± He hoped that she would watch out for a bit. ¡°The acid and dagger incident? Aren¡¯t they merely Mara¡¯s hardcore fans?¡± ¡°No. Someone bought him off to make him pretend to be her fan. He was only nning to cause a ruckus, but he noticed that you were there. ¡°So, he came up with a n on the spot to kill you. Thank God you dodged it. I can¡¯t bring myself to think what could¡¯ve happened otherwise.¡± Olivia¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°No wonder I sensed something off about him. He seemed murderous. Was he a professional?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She touched her belly. ¡°Be honest with me. Do they have to do with my early delivery?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t tell you because I didn¡¯t wanna upset you.¡± She clenched her fists tightly. ¡°What did I do wrong? Who do they want to kill me?¡± Ethan caressed her cheek. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ve done nothing wrong. That person hid himself well. I¡¯ve been looking for him with everything in my power.¡± ¡°Have you found him?¡± ¡°No. All I can say with certainty is that he¡¯s out of the country. Not only can he hire an assassin whenever he wants, but he¡¯s also a hacker. ¡°He can spend millions of dors and use all of his resources to kill you. My only guess is that it has something to do with your identity.¡± ¡°My identity?¡± Ethan recounted the situation briefly. Olivia lowered her gaze while giving it a serious thought for a moment. ¡°That means my parents could be someone extraordinary. My existence is posing a threat to some people. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t mind spending so much money to eliminate me?¡± ¡°That is one of the reasons. That¡¯s why I publicly disyed my love for you. I was trying to lure that person out.¡± The glint in her eyes turned determined. ¡°We will be able to catch them one day. I will avenge my children.¡± ¡°We will. We will catch them one day.¡± The loving man hugged her. The children were his sore spot. Unlike Connor, Ethan had showered those two babies with a lot of care and love. He had looked forward to their birth more than anyone else. His phone vibrated, and he answered the call. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Chapter 629 Chapter 629 In an underground garage, Darrell stood there with a stormy expression. His phone was called by a virtual number. He picked up and said coldly, ¡°If you want to make fun of me. I suggest you keep it to yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling to offer you a job.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I know you have spent a lot of money over the years. I have a billion-dor job. Interested?¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± The man over the phone said slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a billion dors if you kill Olivia Fordham for me.¡± In the CEO¡¯s office, Olivia turned to look at the man. ¡°What is it? Do we have a new lead?¡± ¡°No leads on the person, yet. But it¡¯s about time we end this. Do you want toe along and watch the show?¡± Olivia blinked and asked, ¡°Can I really?¡± ¡°Of course. They are the ones that should apologize, not you.¡± Ethan finished dealing with work and personally drove Olivia to the beach. The sun was setting, and Olivia could make out the horizon. She had an inherent fear of the sea. Her heart rate spiked as they got closer to the sea. Ethan knew what was troubling her. He yed soothing music and said, ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia tried to divert her attention by going through social media on her phone. After a while, they arrived at the Sunset Mansion. Olivia had ate dinner, so her stomach started to hurt. Ethan noticed that she was walking slower. He turned back to look at her anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia knew Ethan had something important to do. She endured the pain and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a little chilly. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Olivia had asked Madam Burgess if she had any illnesses in the past, and Madam Burgess told her that she used to be healthy. She was weakened by the premature birth, but her stomach should be fine. So, Olivia didn¡¯t think the pain was anything serious. She thought it was probably some minor gastric issue, so she didn¡¯t bring it up. Olivia entered the room while holding back the pain in her stomach. When she entered the room, she was met with a gust of warm air. But the smell of blood in the air made Olivia, whose stomach was already in difort, retched. ¡°Liv.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t vomit. It was probably because she had an empty stomach. She forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Olivia looked at the living room. The smell of blood came from that direction. There were several bodyguards in the spacious living room. A woman was lying on the floor. Olivia¡¯s gaze fell on the woman¡¯s legs. They were prosthetics. The woman was covered in her own blood. It made the ce look messy and bloody. A seemingly elegant middle-aged man quickly stood. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve arrived. I was just teaching this bitch a lesson. I¡¯m sorry that you had to witness such an unsightly disy.¡± The man was Diego. Even though he was a middle-aged man, he didn¡¯t look like a typical aging man. His face and figure were still in decent condition. He was probably a very handsome man in his youth. Olivia would think he was a friendly older gentleman if there wasn¡¯t blood on his hands and his white shirt. ¡°This must be Mrs. Miller,e¡­¡± Diego¡¯s gaze fell on Olivia, and he lost his voice. He instinctively looked at the woman on the floor and returned to his senses after several seconds. ¡°Come, have a seat.¡± Olivia asked politely, ¡°Is there any hot water?¡± ¡°Of course, right this way.¡± Diego kicked the woman on the floor when he walked past her. After a while, the maids served some fruits, snacks, and all sorts of beverages. The pain in Olivia¡¯s stomach subsided after she drank some warm water and ate some of the snacks to ease her hunger.. Diego said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Miller. I didn¡¯t expect this bitch to have the audacity to make a move against the Miller Group and you. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience caused. Please name your price.¡± Diego was much older than Ethan, but he was very humble. Ethan raised a hand to silence Diego. He looked at the woman on the floor and asked coldly, ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°Of course not, Mr Miller. You asked me to keep her alive, so I spared her life.¡± ¡°Wake her. I have some questions for her.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Although Olivia felt they were a little cruel, she knew Ethan well. He didn¡¯t need to push others so hard. So, Olivia just watched and didn¡¯t speak up to stop them. A bucket of salt water was sshed on the woman, and she regained consciousness from the pain. The woman screamed in pain. When she raised her head, the first thing she saw was the woman sitting next to Ethan. Chapter 630 Chapter 630 The woman on the floor, Ka Harper, realized that it was Olivia whom she was looking at, the woman that Ethan loved. Ka finally realized that it wasn¡¯t that Ethan wasn¡¯t interested in women. He had been waiting for Olivia to show up since a decade ago. He had never exined himself to Ka because he didn¡¯t need to, nor did he want to. Ka knew she had just been chasing a dream she would never achieve. She worked hard out of his sight. She even dreamed of being his woman every single day. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. When he rejected her, Ka spent her days wallowing in sadness. She even did many extreme things. Thinking about it, Ka felt like she had been a joke all along. The woman sitting beside Ethan was elegant anddylike. Not only was the woman more beautiful than her, but she was also more refined. Ka was even more frustrated when she looked at Olivia¡¯s perfectly fine legs. Why was fate so cruel? Why did she have to meet Ethan? ¡°You awake?¡± Ethan sat upright in his chair and gazed at Ka nonchntly. ¡°Talk, who were you working with?¡± Ka¡¯s attention was fixated on Olivia. She stared intently at Olivia and made her skin crawl. Seeing that the woman¡¯s face somewhat resembled herself, Olivia asked, ¡°Do you know me?¡± Kaughed hysterically. ¡°So it¡¯s you! You ruined my life!¡± Then, she broke down and started wailing. Her cries echoed in the room and made Olivia¡¯s hair stand on end. Olivia looked at Ethan with confusion and asked, ¡°Ethan, did I know her before?¡± Although Olivia had lost her memories, she could still feel a subconscious feeling of familiarity toward people and things that she had seen before. Ka was obviously a stranger. She didn¡¯t feel a sense of familiarity toward her. ¡°You didn¡¯t. And you don¡¯t need to know her.¡± Ethan¡¯s reply was cold. He felt that even knowing Ka¡¯s name was a disservice to Olivia. Olivia bit her lip and wondered why Ka would look at her so intensely if they weren¡¯t acquainted. Diego kicked Ka in the waist and barked, ¡°Mr. Miller asked a question. Answer it! Who were you working with?¡± Ka looked at the man who used to shower her with love. He was yelling at her so mercilessly. Men were all liars. Ka said with a crazed expression, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you. Come here, and I¡¯ll tell you who I¡¯m working with.¡± Ethan slowly leaned forward as Ka painstakingly crawled toward him. She was like an injured snake. She left a trail of blood behind her, which looked gruesome. Strangely enough, Olviia didn¡¯t feel any pity for the woman. It was as if she was meant to be like that. Ka crawled over to Ethan with great effort. Her eyes were filled with longing and resentment. Even though Ethan was already leaning over, he was still a little out of her reach. She could only try her best to raise her head. The blood flowed down her face and dripped onto the pure white carpet. The blood kept dripping. Raising her head took up all her strength. It was just like how her life had been. No matter how hard she tried, she could never stand by his side. She could only do this one thing in the final moments of her life. She kissed Ethan on his right cheek. She finally managed to do it. She came in close contact with the man of her dreams. Almost instinctively, Ethan kicked Ka in the chest and sent her, who was already gravely injured, crashing to the floor. His kick took all her strength from her. Diego went over and started kicking Ka mercilessly. His elegant face was filled with malice. ¡°You bitch. I didn¡¯t mind that you were disabled and treated you well. This is how you repay me?¡± The situation became chaotic. Ethan kept wiping at the spot on his face that Ka kissed. Shey on the floor, smiling at Olivia. ¡°Do you see now? I¡¯m the one who loves him the most.¡± Chapter 631 Chapter 631 Olivia¡¯s first reaction wasn¡¯t anger. She just felt like there were a lot of weird people around Ethan. What was the deal with this woman that looked like her? Ethan was visibly angered. The veins popped on his forehead. He stopped Diego. Diego worked up a sweat from kicking Ka, but his expression was still humble when he talked to Ethan. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Miller. I had people look into her chat logs and phone records. There wasn¡¯t anything suspicious. But I did find the original copy of the video.¡± Ethan walked next to Ka, who was panting on the floor, and said, ¡°Tell me, what did you talk about with Darrell?¡± ¡°Nothing, really. Meeting you was the biggest mistake in my life,¡± Ka said with a sneer. Ethan was at a loss for words. It was the first time he felt like a woman in love could be so terrifying. He thought the woman would at least tell the truth since he had helped her in the past. He didn¡¯t expect her to be so thankless. Even in her current situation, she bore resentment for him. Diego was frustrated to see that Ka was still looking at Ethan intently. Ethan saw that she wasn¡¯t nning on letting up. He didn¡¯t want to waste any more of his time, so he got a copy of the video and left with Olivia. He spected that even if that person was involved in this matter, it should have been an impromptu contact with Ka. There probably wasn¡¯t a deeper connection between the two of them. Ethan came over because he didn¡¯t want to miss out on any leads, but it seemed like she was just a disposable pawn. Nothing useful woulde out of interrogating her. Ethan didn¡¯t even spare her another look. He reached out to Olivia and said, ¡°Liv, let¡¯s go.¡± Olivia looked at him, and then she looked at Ka, who was gritting her teeth while lying on the floor. She looked like she was about to lose her mind. Ultimately, she decided not to ask anything and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she reached out and held Ethan¡¯s hand. He liked holding her hand, be it when they were in public or in private. Olivia also felt safe when he was holding her hand. Ka lost it when she saw them holding hands. She shrieked like a crazed beast, ¡°Ethan Miller, I hate you! Why make me hopeful if you never loved me? Why did you bring me out from the mountains?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even feel like wasting another minute on someone like Ka. He stopped in his tracks. Ka stopped yelling. She thought Ethan would turn around and look at her, but that didn¡¯t happen. Instead, Ethan grabbed some tissues from the table. Everyone else stared at him. No one knew why he did that. Ethan suddenly crouched and used the tissues to wipe off the blood thatnded on Olivia¡¯s shoes. He was focused and careful when he did it. Diego and the others were stunned. They had only known Ethan to be cold and heartless. None of them had seen Ethan treat anyone so tenderly. Ka was so shocked that she lost her voice momentarily. She froze up as she stared at Ethan. He waspletely different from how she remembered him. He was never so gentle, nor would he ever polish a woman¡¯s shoe so humbly. Why couldn¡¯t she be the woman he treated like that? Ka frantically crawled toward Ethan. ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me? I love you so much. Why can¡¯t you even look at me?¡± This time, Olivia stepped in front of Ethan and blocked Ka¡¯s view. ¡°Enough¡± Ka turned her aggression toward Olivia. ¡°Why are you so smug? Do you see my face? Before you showed up, I acted as your substitute *Then, I was abandoned. Take a good look because this will happen to you in the future.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Even though Olivia didn¡¯t remember anything, she could still tell how ridiculous Ka¡¯s statement was. ¡°Ms Harper, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m not trying to show off or anything. I just wanted to tell you that you should put yourself first before falling in love with someone.¡± After saying that, Olivia turned around, held Ethan¡¯s hand, and left with him. Ka¡¯s screams can be hearding from behind. Chapter 632 Chapter 632 Olivia wasn¡¯t bothered by Ka¡¯s words at all. She was still calm and confident, which was in stark contrast to Ka, who was still on the ground. The instant the door closed, Ka felt she understood why Ethan fell for Olivia, but it was toote. The door cut off her blood-curdling screams. She didn¡¯t have a future anymore. She had destroyed her own marriage with her own doing. The man who loved her once no longer did. Ethan was still holding Olivia¡¯s hand when they got into the car. Everything he was worried about since Olivia regained consciousness didn¡¯t happen. But her personality waspletely different. She was calm andposed. She no longer felt jealous when other women approached him. The good thing was she didn¡¯t reject him either. Overall, she was very emotionally stable. Sometimes, she was so calm that it scared Ethan. ¡°Liv, do you have any questions for me?¡± Sitting in the dark, Ethan was the one who started the conversation. Olivia spoke in a seemingly calm voice, ¡°You can tell me if you want. You and her ¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. I mentioned that I met you 11 years ago. I found her in a mountain vige the next year. She was being forced to be married off for money by her parents. ¡°She wasn¡¯t even of legal age yet. Her face reminded me of you, so I helped her out. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. I think I can guess what happened next. She treated you like her savior and fell for you. ¡°Then, you distanced yourself from her when you found out about how she felt. She went crazy because she couldn¡¯t ept that, right?¡± Ethan rubbed his temples and said, ¡°Yeah, she was rather extreme. She did some things to force my hand and ended up the way she was. Now, she has also hurt the man that loves her.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia could picture the bloodshot eyes on Diego¡¯s elegant face when she closed her eyes. Both Diego and Ka fell in love with people who didn¡¯t want them, and they were driven mad by their love. Olivia thought it was a very pitiful situation to be in. ¡°Did you bring me here today so I could meet her?¡± Ethan thought about the time he met with Ka in private, and she hugged him from behind. He wasn¡¯t sure if she arranged for people to take pictures of that. Ethan held Olivia¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Liv, I love you. I don¡¯t want anyone toe between us, and I don¡¯t want the existence of an insignificant woman to sow seeds of dissonance in our rtionship.¡± Olivia could feel Ethan¡¯s concern and anxiety. She nestled her head on his chest gently. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± When Olivia opened her eyes, she could see the boundless love that Ethan had for her in his eyes. He was hopelessly in love with her. He acted like he was afraid of scaring her away every day. Olivia felt lost. She had a feeling that something big might have happened between her and Ethan. Whatever happened could be hurtful, and Ethan didn¡¯t want her to relive the trauma. Since it was a traumatic memory, Olivia didn¡¯t want to look into it deliberately. Even though she had a hollow feeling sometimes, like there was something important that she needed to do, she would suppress those emotions. She just wanted to enjoy a peaceful life. Olivia¡¯s stomach began to hurt, so she gently massaged it. Kelvin was released from police custody after they acquired the evidence. The Miller Group¡¯s PR department finally went to work. They would drown in criticism if they continued to stay silent. Other than the PR department, legal department, and marketing department, everyone else in the company was also burning the midnight oil. Ethan was getting ready for the final stages of his n. They have organized all the information. Mara Hudson¡¯s past, her death at the hands of the janitor, her manager setting her rivals up for the sake of gaining publicity, and someone sshing sulfuric acid on Olivia when she went to the mall. Thepany posted everything onto the inte in great detail. Suddenly, everyone who had been criticizing the Miller Group on the inte was dumbfounded. Why did the tides change? Chapter 633 Chapter 633 The plot twist came so abruptly that no one saw iting. Mara was a ruthless bully and did a lot of immoral things. A lot of the people that she bullied came forward and exposed her. Some of the victims of her bullying were even diagnosed with depression and were affected for life. There was even a middle-aged couple that had a child thatmitted suicide due to false usations by Mara. They stood before the cameras and condemned Mara with a yellowed picture. Then, there were Mara¡¯s teachers, ssmates, and neighbors. Everyone came forward and shared their experiences with her. Makeup artists, stylists, and other lower-level workers in the entertainment industry also spoke up anonymously about Mara¡¯s arrogant and domineering behavior. The most surprising thing was that several other cleaners and servers also mentioned that Mara had scammed them in the same way. The altercation between Mara and Olivia had be public knowledge. Even the original evening gown in Olivia¡¯s home had been shown to the public. The person who sshed the sulfuric acid cried and repented before the camera. He imed that he had been paid to do it. Anyone with a brain could tell who was in the wrong. On the other hand, people tried to ssh acid on Olivia. Then, someone tried to assassinate her. As for the Miller Group, otherpaniesmitted corporate espionage and caused thepany to incur massive losses. The Miller Group had already dealt with the people who tried to take advantage of the situation. Everyone received their rightful punishment, be it fines or imprisonment. Some were sued, and others were made to release public apologies. The tide had changedpletely. Everyone that insulted Olivia started to feel bad for her. They also started to feel bad for what they had said. Many of them imed that they would be spending money at the Miller Group¡¯s stores. The change in public opinion would make the Miller Group¡¯s profit increase several times. But Ethan didn¡¯t really care about that. It was already the middle of the night. Olivia was sound asleep while Ethan was smoking on the balcony. He puffed out the smoke with a gloomy expression. The gentleness and warmth he showed Olivia was gone. Brent and Kelvin had returned to his side safely. Ethan didn¡¯t turn on the lights. There were only the faint lights in the yard that illuminated their tall, muscr figures. ¡°Mr. Miller, Darrell left the country in the afternoon.¡± Ethan grunted and said, ¡°That little bastard sure is good at running away.¡± Both Kelvin and Brent knew the grudges between Ethan and Darrell. As soon as Kelvin was released from custody, he caught up on thetest gossip from Cyril. He was frustrated that he was away during such a crucial time. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you just letting him off just like that? He has been plotting against you over the years. And he even tried to stab you in the back when the Miller Group was in trouble.¡± Brent cleared his throat lightly and ended the topic. It was not a secret that Ethan wouldn¡¯t need to exert much effort if he wanted to deal with someone. The only reason he had been turning a blind eye to Darrell¡¯s antics was because they shared the same blood. Anyone else would be disgusted to share the same blood as the son of a mistress. Although Ethan looked indifferent on the surface, only those who knew his past would know how much he craved to be loved. The only reason Darrell was still roaming free was because Ethan saw him as family. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I hope he has learned his lesson this time. Or else, Mr. Miller might not let him off the hook so easily next time. But, we were able to root out the traitors in Miller Group thanks to him. ¡± That was a little bit of a blessing in disguise. Ethan snuffed out his cigarette with a displeased expression. ¡°The situation escted so much, but we didn¡¯t even pick up a single lead on whoever did this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. They will eventually reveal themselves.¡± Ethan wouldn¡¯t be able to rest easy as long as the culprit wasn¡¯t dealt with. ¡°What about the person that sshed the acid?¡± ¡°He is no longer useful to us.¡± Ethan turned and left. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him personally.¡± Chapter 634 Chapter 634 A tall man was curled up in a corner of a cold, dark room. Shane could hear a click. He was like a rat in the dark and was silently paying attention to what was happening outside. The tiniest sound would attract his attention. He adjusted his sses and stumbled toward the door. A ray of light shone in through, and Shane became hopeful. Ethan¡¯s men didn¡¯t do anything to him after he made the video clearing up the misunderstanding about Olivia. But he hadn¡¯t had anything to eat or drink for over half a day. His throat was parched. The door was finally being opened. Was he going to be freed? A tall and well-built man appeared at the door. Shane anxiously asked, ¡°I did what you asked. You should let me go now.¡± Someone turned on the lights in the room. The bright light shone right into Shane¡¯s eyes, so he covered his eyes with his This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. hands. After his eyes adjusted to the light, he heard an indifferent voice say, ¡°You think you¡¯d be leaving?¡± The voice wasn¡¯t loud, but Shane felt like he had been hit by a bus. He had a feeling that he might not be able to leave this ce in one piece. He saw a handsome man in a suit before him. He had only seen the man on television before. ¡°M-Mr. Miller!¡± Maybe it was because Ethan had such amanding presence, or maybe it was because he had learned his lesson; Shane knelt on the floor without hesitation. ¡°I was fooled by the rumors online, Mr. Miller. Trust me, I wasn¡¯t really nning on hurting your wife.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t nning on hurting her?¡± Ethan thought that was the funniest joke he heard in a long time. Ethan wasn¡¯t someone who would bully the weak, nor would he look down on others. He would¡¯ve forgiven Shane if it was just a minor issue and Olivia wasn¡¯t hurt. He reviewed the footage repeatedly. If Olivia reacted a little slower, she would¡¯ve been doused in sulfuric acid, especially her face. The majority of it would be eroded. The consequences of Shane¡¯s actions would be devastating, but he glossed over it by saying he didn¡¯t n on doing it. Ethan smiled without saying a word. Shane¡¯s heart started to beat quickly, and his back was covered in sweat. Just as Shane was trying to guess what Ethan would do, Ethan suddenly shed Shane¡¯s arm with a knife. Ethan¡¯s actions were so swift that Shane could already feel the pain when he realized what had happened. He screamed in pain. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do it. Can you forgive me?¡± Ethan asked with an icy expression. Although Shane was in pain, he didn¡¯t care about it as long as he could get out of there alive. He quickly said, ¡°Of course I can forgive you. I deserved that.¡± ¡°You are quick-witted.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Shane was excited. In response, Ethan cut Shane a few more times ruthlessly. He didn¡¯t even blink as he swung the knife repeatedly. Shane finally realized that Ethan¡¯s question was meaningless. No matter what his reply was, Ethan had no intention of letting him go. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°A lot. Mr. Miller, please don¡¯t hurt me anymore.¡± ¡°You want me to stop hurting you? Did you think about that when you tried to hurt Olivia?¡±¡± Ethan grabbed him by the cor and said, ¡°Do you know what happens when a person is doused in sulfuric acid?¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was stormy. Shane was sweating profusely from the fear. He muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t. Mr. Miller, I don¡¯t know what came over me. I was blinded by greed. I didn¡¯t think too much about it ¡­¡± Ethan said coldly, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll give you a taste of what happens when you¡¯re doused in sulfuric acid.¡± Chapter 635 Chapter 635 Shane felt a chill when he heard Ethan¡¯s words. He looked at Ethan in disbelief. ¡°Mr. Miller, wha-what did you say¡­¡± Kelvin brought over a huge bucket carefully. He didn¡¯t hurt himself while doing so because he wore specialized gloves in advance. ¡°I¡¯m a fair man. I¡¯ll ssh you with some sulfuric acid. If you can dodge it, good for you. But if you get doused in acid, don¡¯t me me for it.¡± Fear shed in Shane¡¯s eyes. He had already been cut by Ethan. It would be bad if the acid touched his wounds. Shane knelt on the floor and begged for mercy, groveling with all his might. ¡°Mr. Miller, I was wrong. I realize that now. I¡¯ll die if you ssh that acid on me.¡± Ethan kicked him away and straightened up. He looked at Shane emotionlessly and said slowly, ¡°So you do know that sulfuric acid can be lethal. ¡°Yet you sshed it at a woman without hesitation. You know how important a woman¡¯s face is to her, right? If it¡¯s ruined, how would she live even if the acid didn¡¯t kill her?¡± Shane raised his hands and started to p himself. ¡°Yes. I was a fool. I only cared about myself and didn¡¯t spare others so much as a thought. It¡¯s all my fault. I ¡­¡± ¡°Then you should bear the punishment for your mistake.¡± Ethan looked at Kelvin and said, ¡°Do it.¡± Ethan had already looked into Shane¡¯s background. He¡¯s apulsive gambler who was down on his luck. He was also Mara¡¯s fan. After the incident with Olivia and Mara happened, Shane criticized Olivia online. Someone contacted him and gave him some money to ssh sulfuric acid on Olivia. Shane had been driven to his wits¡¯ end by his debt collectors. He thought it was a good thing to be able to avenge his idol and get paid at the same time. He agreed to do it without hesitation. But he didn¡¯t expect tond himself into so much trouble. Ethan walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. After a while, blood-curdling screams could be hearding from the room. Ethan was wiping the blood stains from his knife with a towel as Brent stood behind him and reported. ¡°We¡¯ve looked at everything. They dealt in cash, and the person was very careful. They made the transaction in a pce where there weren¡¯t any surveince cameras. ¡°ording to Shane, the person is a man. He covered himself up thoroughly and didn¡¯t reveal any defining features. ¡°His height and build resembles mine, and he didn¡¯t sound like he was from Aldenvine.¡± ¡°Is that all you got?¡± ¡°Yes. Even his voice had been altered. He was careful not to leave any clues. All we can guess is that the person who wants Mrs. Miller dead is not in the country, but he is a man of means.¡± Ethan toyed with his knife and said with a cold expression, ¡°What a pity. I thought we would be able to root him out with how the situation had escted. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. Ask around on the street where the transaction happened. There might be other witnesses.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller, I have people on that.¡± ¡°Be sure to keep our trip abroad under wraps. Don¡¯t raise anyone¡¯s suspicions.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ethan patted Brent on the shoulder and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot this time round.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Miller. They didn¡¯t have any evidence, and they couldn¡¯t beat the information out of us. We only had to record a statement. ¡°But Xavier Harper seems to me you for what happened to his sister. He might be trouble. Do I need toe up with a reason to get him transferred?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I won¡¯t be staying for long, and we don¡¯t really cross paths often. Be sure to tie up loose ends.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ethan walked into the darkness. They still didn¡¯t know who was plotting against them. Who was trying to harm Olivia? Chapter 636 Chapter 636 The Miller Group made an amazingeback. The stock prices went through the roof overnight. The company¡¯s business was booming. The franchise supermarkets had customers lining up outside the doors before opening hour. It was the same for their jewelry shops, clothing shops, and even real estate agencies. Their live streams had tens of thousands of viewers demanding that they line up the products to be bought -especially the people who criticized the Miller Group and Olivia mercilessly online. Olivia¡¯s face was almost destroyed, and the Miller Group was on the verge of bankruptcy. So, they went to the Miller Group¡¯s shops and spent their money. Ethan had nevercked money in his life. Everyone knew that the Millers were wealthy, but no one knew exactly how wealthy Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. they were. Only Ethan knew that the wealth umted by the previous generations was worth more than 100 Miller Groups. The Miller Family¡¯s assets span various industries and countries. Some assets were public information, and there were also some well-hidden ones. Only the head of the Miller Family knew everything about the family¡¯s assets. So, Ethan didn¡¯t really care even though the Miller Group lost several hundred million dors. Nor did he care about the malls being damaged by people. He didn¡¯t care about the losses then, and he didn¡¯t care about the profits that were being generated. Ethan gave it a quick nce and set his phone aside. He turned to the side and gazed at Olivia. All of the riches in the world were nothing to himpared to her. Perhaps his gaze was too intense, and Olivia began to wake from her slumber. The moment she opened her eyes, she was met with Ethan¡¯s loving and tender gaze. ¡°Good morning, Liv.¡± Ethan found her bewildered look adorable, so he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Olivia reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeper. She felt a sense of tenderness for Ethan hearing about his past. Although Jeff wasn¡¯t her biological father, she could tell that Jeff loved her a lot and gave her a happy childhood based on what Ethan told her. Ethan didn¡¯t have a dad or a mother¡¯s love. To him, she was his only family. So, she didn¡¯t push him away and epted the kiss. Ethan broke off before he lost control. It had been several months since the premature birth, and Olivia was in good enough health for intercourse. But Ethan didn¡¯t want to take advantage of her. He could feel that she had some affection for him, but she wasn¡¯t really in love. Ethan wasn¡¯t in a rush. He had plenty of time to let her fall in love with him. ¡°Liv, I might be a little busy in the next couple of days. There are a lot of things I need to take care of personally. We¡¯ll travel abroad after I¡¯m done with that, okay?¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± ¡°The peopleing after you haven¡¯t been identified yet. I¡¯ve arranged a secure ce for you to study medicine for your safety.¡± Olivia subconsciously looked at her hand wrapped in bandages and said, ¡°Okay.¡± She figured that Ethan wouldn¡¯t do anything to hurt her. Ethan got up and went to the bathroom. Olivia stretched and caught up with the news on her phone. Everyone was talking about the Miller Group. It was like the weather outside at the moment. The storm had cleared. The good weather was a long timeing. The sun was shining brightly, and the snow had melted. Olivia¡¯s mood improved with the weather. Ethan hugged her from behind, smelling like peppermint. He said, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about my future.¡± Ethan¡¯s body was still slightly wet, and several droplets of water dripped onto Olivia¡¯s neck. Ethan leaned toward her ear and asked, ¡°Am I in your future?¡± Chapter 637 Chapter 637 Olivia fell silent. She felt lost about her future. She felt like she was a priest who had attained enlightenment and had lost her desires, love, and even hatred. She agreed when Ethan asked her to study medicine, but she didn¡¯t feel strongly about it. She didn¡¯t really care if she studied medicine or business. Anything was fine. Theck of a response didn¡¯t anger Ethan. He nibbled on her ear and said seriously, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not the same. In my eyes, you¡¯re my past and my future.¡± After he got dressed, Ethan kissed Olivia on the forehead and left. Olivia watched him leave with Snowball in her hands. She was expressionless, and her heart was calm. She didn¡¯t reject Ethan, but she didn¡¯t love him either. She counted the days until they would be leaving Aldenvine. There was nothing else for her there. In the following days, Ethan went out at the break of dawn but would alwayse home in time for dinner with Olivia. He would also watch some movies with her after dinner. The flowers on the table were changed every day, and his ring never came off his finger. His eyes were filled with his love for her. The day before their departure, Ethan hugged Olivia and asked, ¡°Liv, is there anything else you want to do in Aldenvine? We won¡¯t being back in a long time after we leave.¡± Olivia answered without hesitance, ¡°Not really.¡± There wasn¡¯t even a hint of reluctance in her voice. Although that was what Ethan had wanted, he felt a little uneasy. He didn¡¯t know why he felt that way, but he quickly dismissed the feeling. He reassured himself that everything would be better. Ethan figured that Olivia would grow ustomed to her current life after a couple of years. And when the danger had passed, they could be reunited with their kids, too. It started snowing again on the day they were leaving. Madam Burgess wiped her tears away as she said her goodbyes. Olivia handed Madam Burgess a check that she had prepared in advance and said, ¡°Take care, Madam Burgess.¡± ¡°You take care of yourself, too, Mrs. Miller.¡± Madam Burgess ced the check in her pocket and held Olivia¡¯s hands. ¡°I hope you and Mr. Miller will be happy together.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The car started moving. Olivia gazed at the slowly shrinking vi through the rearview mirror. She heard it was the house she lived in with Ethan when they were newly wedded. Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t feel a shred of sadness as she left the ce behind. Madam Burgess, dressed in a thick down jacket, stood at the intersection and waved goodbye. After a while, she was covered with snow. Olivia wondered if her family would be waving her goodbye like that if they were still alive. In the VIP waiting lounge of the airport, Olivia put on her headphones and read a magazine while eating. Olivia noticed that her stomach pains became more frequent. So, she stopped eating overly spicy foods and tried to keep herself well-fed. She woke up too early in the morning and didn¡¯t have time to eat breakfast. So, her stomach was throbbing in pain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ethan noticed the sh of pain that appeared on her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to eat breakfast, so my stomach is hurting a little.¡± Ethan recalled that Olivia did mention that she had some gastric issuesst year. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± They were about to board the ne, so Olivia didn¡¯t want to inconvenience Ethan. So, she shook her head. ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just a minor difort. I¡¯ll feel better after eating.¡± Ethan handed Olivia a ss of water and said, ¡°Drink some water. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As they were lining up to board the ne, a woman yelled from behind, ¡°Are you really abandoning me, Ethan?¡± Olivia tried to look back, but Ethan stopped her. ¡°I think someone¡¯s calling your name.¡± ¡°No, you must¡¯ve misheard.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. There seemed to be a woman in the wheelchair who was crying and trying to get to Ethan, but someone stopped her. ¡°Is she calling out for you?¡± Ethan replied emotionlessly, ¡°No. Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 638 Chapter 638 The nended safely at its destination after over ten hours of flying. Olivia took off her sleeping mask and stretched her stiff limbs. Xndia was halfway across the globe from Aldenvine, and its weather was theplete opposite. It was snowing heavily in Aldenvine, but it was warm in Grovale, the capital city of Xndia. The ocean breeze brought in fresh air with it. Olivia felt refreshed as soon as she disembarked from the ne. At the entrance to the VIP channel, Brian, dressed in a ck uniform, was already there to pick up Ethan and Olivia. ¡°Wee to Grovale, Mr. Miller.¡± Brian¡¯s gaze turned to Olivia, and he sized her up. Then, he said slowly, ¡°Wee to Grovale, Ms Fordham.¡± Olivia picked up on Brian¡¯s scrutiny. Her intuition told her that the man didn¡¯t like her much. But Olivia had nothing to prove to him. She nodded at him and walked off. Ethan looked at Brian disdainfully and said, ¡°Something wrong with your eyes? I don¡¯t mind poking them out for you.¡± Brian¡¯s skin crawled, and he quickly lowered his head. Kelvin looked at Brian with an amused expression and said, ¡°Mr. Copely, my brother briefed you before we arrived. ¡°Why are you feigning ignorance? ¡®Ms. Fordham¡¯? You got to be kidding me.¡± ¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Brent tapped Kelvin on the shoulder as he walked by. He didn¡¯t want Kelvin to cause needless trouble. Brent didn¡¯t even look at Brian when he walked past him. Brian worked for Mrs. Miller Senior. He reacted the way he did because she didn¡¯t like Olivia. Ethan quickly caught up to Olivia and held her hand. He exined softly, ¡°I kept our marriage under wraps before. He didn¡¯t know who you were.¡± ¡°Now he knows.¡± Olivia had an idea of what was happening but didn¡¯t say anything. It would seem like her mother-inw didn¡¯t like her that much. Ethan turned his head to observe Olivia¡¯s expression. Olivia went to a restaurant in the airport and started to order food. She didn¡¯t seem fazed by Brian at all. Olivia was already used to her surroundings. Her emotions were incredibly stable. She was different from before. No one could impact her mood. ¡°I looked up guides before. I had wanted to try the local cuisines in Grovale for some time.¡± Ethan said lovingly, ¡°The food in the airport isn¡¯t that authentic. Rest and recover from the jetg. I¡¯ll bring you to eat more food when you¡¯re rested.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Olivia responded quickly. Brian followed them into the restaurant. Ethan had just reprimanded him, so he felt a little fearful. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He mustered his courage and walked next to Ethan and Olivia. He kept his head lowered and said carefully, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Miller Senior is still waiting to dine with you at home.¡± Olivia could guess from Brian¡¯s attitude how Ethan¡¯s mother felt about her. If the mother-inw didn¡¯t like her that much, she probably wouldn¡¯t get much chance to eat her fill at dinner. Olivia saw the time was gettingte, so she didn¡¯t want to risk going hungry. Her stomach was delicate. It would hurt if she ate too much, too little, or didn¡¯t eat. So, it was important that she got to eat. Olivia didn¡¯t care who she used to be. She just wanted to treat herself better. Before she could answer, Ethan said, ¡°I just need to take a quick bite. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Ethan took the me upon himself. Brian couldn¡¯t say anything more, so he took his leave. Olivia didn¡¯t beat around the bush. Her goal was to eat her fill. She ate until she burped with satisfaction. Then, she wiped her mouth and stood up. Ethan said with a smile, ¡°You ate so much. Are you even going to eat dinner at home?¡± Olivia winked and said, ¡°I have a feeling that trouble is waiting for us at home.¡± She leaned toward Ethan¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Does your mother not like me?¡± Chapter 639 Chapter 639 Olivia had asked the same question a while back when she had just woken up. Back then, Olivia was a lostmb, and she talked in a soft-spoken tone. Olivia had changed since. She was radiating confidence. She pursed her lips and added, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if she doesn¡¯t like me. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to marry her.¡± Then, she walked out of the restaurant briskly. Ethan watched as Olivia left and fell into contemtion. Olivia could be so carefree when she wasn¡¯t bound by her children and family. Olivia had a spring in her step. It might be because she slept well on the ne or because she was in a good mood after arriving at a new location. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Olivia was skipping like a child. Gone was the depressed demeanor that she had for the past year. When they walked past the shops that sold local snacks, Olivia would ask Ethan to buy her some of the snacks. The time was gettingte, but Brian didn¡¯t dare to speak up. He didn¡¯t know what Olivia was trying to pull. Olivia thought she had suppressed herself for too long. So she became very excited and happy after coming to a new environment. As Ethan was buying some snacks for her, she went into another ship. She bought a bunch of souvenirs and walked into someone as she wasing out of the shop. Her souvenirs fell all over the floor. A gentle voice said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She thought it sounded familiar. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Olivia replied as she picked her stuff back up. Then, the two of them reached for the same box of snacks, and their eyes met. Keith¡¯s face lit up when he saw Olivia. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here, Olivia. Has your illness been cured?¡± Olivia was confused. ¡°You¡­¡± Illness? What illness did she have? Before Olivia could inquire further, a woman came over and grabbed Keith¡¯s arm. She said, ¡°Get a move on, Dr. Rogers. The show¡¯s about to start. Why are you still dragging your feet here?¡± Keith said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to go. We¡¯ll catch up next time. I¡¯m relieved to see that you¡¯ve recovered so well. Goodbye, Olivia.¡± The woman pulled Keith away in a hurry. Olivia was confused as she wondered who the man was. Ethan tapped her shoulder and said, ¡°Why are you spacing out?¡± ¡°I just met a man. He seemed to know me. A woman called him Dr. Rogers. He said I had recovered from an illness. Was I sick before?¡± Ethan recalled the winter ofst year. Olivia was away from home for one whole week. He heard that she caught a cold and was hospitalized. Ethan figured that Keith was probably talking about that. ¡°Yeah, he was a senior in your school. He used to care for Dad when he was hospitalized. Then, he went to study abroad.¡± Olivia was puzzled. ¡°He said I was sick.¡± ¡°It was a cold. There was a period when you were in bad health and were hospitalized.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what it was.¡± Olivia felt like something was wrong. Keith¡¯s tone seemed to imply that she had a severe illness. She saw that Ethan¡¯s expression was calm. Olivia shook her head and thought that she must be overthinking. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t keep your mother waiting for too long.¡± Ethan tapped her on the nose and said, ¡°She¡¯s your mother, too.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know if she even acknowledges me as her daughter-inw yet.¡± ¡°Of course, she¡¯d acknowledge you. You¡¯re so awesome.¡± Ethan wrapped his hand around Olivia, and they left the airport. Keith looked back uneasily and saw that. He was puzzled. He thought the rtionship between Olivia and Ethan was already irreparable. But they looked like they were lovers in heat. It was not long ago that Ethan was all over the news. Keith thought he misunderstood something. Ethan had been secretly married for years. Then, he suddenly held a public ceremony. It was weird, no matter how he looked at it. The thing he was most worried about was Olivia¡¯s condition. The report showed that Olivia¡¯s cancer was already in stage three. If it develops to stage four, Olivia would only have around six more months to live. Olivia had been alive for a year, so the cancer cells had probably stopped spreading. Herplexion looked pretty good, too. Her condition was perhaps under control. But cancer is tricky. It could alwayse back within five years. If she could survive five years, her chances of recovery would increase significantly. If the cancer rpsed and spread within five years, no one would be able to save her. ¡°She¡¯s long gone, and you¡¯re still staring. Was she a woman you secretly admired for years?¡± Keith withdrew his gaze and smiled lovingly at the woman beside her. ¡°Are you jealous? It¡¯s all in the past now. You¡¯re the only one I love now. Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 640 Chapter 640 The Miller Residence was located in the suburban area of Grovale. It was a lovely ce with mountains and rivers around. Lush vegetation covered every corner along the way to the residence. The city¡¯s lights were unique. Some resembled star-shaped light strings cascading from tall nts. There were also lights shaped like mushrooms, pumpkins, various small animals, and fairynterns. It was like Ethan and hispany had wandered into a fantasy world rather than a typical city. By the time they arrived at the Miller Residence, it was already 8:00 pm. The Miller Residence was enormous. A garden surrounded it. It was hard to see in the dark, but one could discern the silhouettes of the pruned rose bushes at the roadside. There was a rich scent of flowers in the air. Birds flew away frantically as the car drove by. The vi possessed the unique style of this city. It was brightly lit from all sides. Olivia looked at it from afar. It was countless times bigger than the vi they lived in. Looking from the front, it looked like it was the pearly gates of heaven. It looked like a holy and sacred ce. Olivia followed Ethan into the living room while stepping on the soft, long-pile carpet. Everywhere she looked, the decor was grand and magnificent. Olivia felt like she was in a pce. There were valuable paintings and antiques wherever she looked. The whole ce was simply glorious. Luckily, Olivia wasn¡¯t from a regr family either. So, she didn¡¯t react too strongly to her surroundings. Instead, she felt a little uneasy. The ce didn¡¯t feel like a home. It was more like a museum or pce. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. It didn¡¯t feel like a ce where people lived. Ethan¡¯s expression was solemn. Olivia felt like he wasn¡¯t returning home but visiting a grave, or it was like he was at a formal event. Even Olivia started to feel tense. Olivia hadn¡¯t asked about Ethan¡¯s mother much on the way here. His three-year-old birthday party probably left a deep impression. They were about to meet. What face would he make? Olivia looked at Ethan with curiosity. He was pursing his lips, and he had a piercing demeanor. An emotionless female voice came from above, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± The voice was calm and indifferent, like a chilly beaming from the sky. Olivia raised her head instinctively and saw a woman in a white dress standing on the second floor of the spiral staircase. Olivia gasped. She had guessed that the mother of a handsome man like Ethan would be gorgeous. Thinking back to her past, Olivia thought Ethan¡¯s mother would be a wild but beautiful woman. But the woman before her wasn¡¯t at all wild. She was like a queen. Elegant and majestic like the moon, someone you could only admire from afar but never dare to approach. Her exquisite features made her look like she hadn¡¯t aged a day. Her white dress, pale skin, and the blue bracelet on her wrist made her look stunning. No matter how Olivia looked, Ethan¡¯s mother, Janice Procter, was a calm and beautiful woman. She didn¡¯t look like she would lose her mind for love. What was Keh Miller thinking, leaving such a beautiful woman like her? Even Olivia felt attracted to Janice when sheid her eyes on her. Olivia thought Janice would be more excited to see the son she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Instead, she was calm. Ethan replied calmly, ¡°Yeah.¡± Like mother, like son. Ethan grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand and introduced her. ¡°Mom, this is your daughter-inw, Olivia Fordham.¡± Chapter 641 Chapter 641 Olivia was prepared for the worst. She was only there to introduce herself to Janice, If Janice didn¡¯t like her, she would just leave. Before Janice could speak, a familiar voice said, ¡°Ms. Procter, has Ethan returned?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. A familiar figure appeared from the corner of the second floor. It was Nikdd, who they had met in Andia not long ago. Ethan could feel goosebumps all over his body when he heard Nildd¡¯s voice. His expression turned cold. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Nikki quickly walked to Janice¡¯s side and held her hand tenderly, She said, ¡°Ethan, I have been keeping Ms. Procterpany these past two years.¡± Olivia finally understood why she had been so cocky. So she had been currying favor with Janice. Nikki¡¯s trump card was Ethan¡¯s mother. What a plot twist. Olivia didn¡¯t feel jealous at all. She was still trying to guess what else Nikk had up her sleeve. She felt relieved that she had already eaten at the airport. Or else, she would probably have to starve now. Olivia didn¡¯t try to start anything. She just waited silently for the scenario to unfold. Was Janice going to tell her that her social standing wasn¡¯t on par with Ethan? Olivia rubbed her chin and wondered how Janice would react if she just didn¡¯t care about what Janice had to say. Nikki looked at Olivia smugly, but things didn¡¯t go as she had anticipated. Janice nced at Ethan, and then her gaze fell on Olivia for a good moment. Janice broke the heavy silence. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. The food is getting cold.¡± Nikki was disappointed. She thought Janice would side with her since she had taken good care of her for the past two years. On second thought, it was still carly. Janice had an image to uphold. Nikki realized she had to give it time. She couldn¡¯t afford to rush things along. Nikki quickly got over her emotions and put on a virtuous act. She said, ¡°Ms. Procter, I¡¯ll help in the kitchen.¡± Olivia watched as Nikki rushed toward her. When Nikki ran past Olivia, she even bumped into her. It was apparent she was provoking Olivia. Janice descended the stairs slowly. Her movement was elegant. Olivia stared at her as she walked. She realized that sometimes people do get bewitched by beauty. If she were a man, she would love a woman like Janice to pieces. Olivia wondered how pretty Keh Miller¡¯s other woman had to be to make him give up on Janice. As Olivia was deep in thought, Janice approached her and asked, ¡°Are you not going to help in the kitchen?¡± Janice¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t demanding. It was casual, like how someone¡¯s tone would be when they asked about the weather. Olivia knew that Janice didn¡¯t like her, so she didn¡¯t try to win Janice¡¯s favor. If Janice disliked her, there was nothing she could do that would change her mind. So, Olivia didn¡¯t even want to put up an appearance. She said nonchntly, ¡°The Miller household has plenty of malds. Why would I need to help? They are paid to do that.¡± Olivia thought Janice would be angered by her reply, but Janice remained expressionless. She sneered lightly and said to Ethan, ¡°Your wife is an interesting one.¡± Olivia was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know what Janice meant by that. Chapter 642 Chapter 642 Before Olivia could make sense of the situation, Janice had already walked away, leaving Olivia confused. Olivia batted her eyes at Ethan and whispered, ¡°What is your mother thinking?¡± ¡°Come try some authentic Grovale cuisine.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he led her to the dining room. Janice was already seated when they entered. She nced at their inteced fingers, and her gaze froze momentarily. Nikki brought over a bowl of soup and saw Ethan pulling out a chair for Olivia. He sat down after Olivia took her seat. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Then, he brought the appetizer, which was ced quite far away, before Olivia. If he was just putting on a show as a loving husband in public, why would he do it here when there were no outsiders? There was only one exnation. It was how the two of them interacted on a daily basis, like a regr couple. Looking back at herself, Nikki was trying to curry favor with Janice, but she ended up looking like a cook. She put the soup down and said to Olivia with a pitiable expression, ¡°Ms. Fordham, I envy you so much. You married Ethan, and you¡¯re still acting like you¡¯re a guest in the house.¡± Nikki was trying to insult Olivia, but Olivia wasn¡¯t fazed. Olivia smiled and said, ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I never liked doing chores. I¡¯m not as talented and kind as you, Ms. Shaw. You do better work than the maids, and you do it for free.¡± Olivia was basically saying that Nikki was freebor. That gave Nikki more to say. She nced at Ethan shyly. The difference between her and Olivia should be apparent. She was hardworking, kind, gentle, and considerate. Olivia was just azy woman. Ethan raised his chin and said coldly, ¡°Get out of my sight.¡± Nikki was upset. She looked at Janice and said, ¡°Ms. Procter, look how¡­¡± Janice said emotionlessly, ¡°You should go home. The meal is served, after all.¡± Nikki¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But¡­ But I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡± She thought she had heard wrong. Surely, Janice wouldn¡¯t ask her to leave. ¡°It¡¯s a family dinner tonight. You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Janice was insinuating that Nikki was an outsider. Nikki was in disbelief. She treated Janice with care, but she was met with such indifference. She helped out in the kitchen the entire afternoon to curry favor with Janice and didn¡¯t even get to eat a bite yet. But Nikki had been by Janice¡¯s side for two years. She had figured out Janice¡¯s personality. Maybe it was because Janice had been traumatized before, but she didn¡¯t trust anyone and was indifferent to most things. Nikki quickly recovered. She put up an understanding demeanor and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll visit you next time. I¡¯ll be taking my leave, Ms. Procter.¡± Nikki rolled her eyes at Olivia before she left. She failed in currying favor with Janice after two years. Olivia wasn¡¯t going to change Janice. Olivia waved and said, ¡°Goodbye, Ms. Shaw.¡± The room fell into silence. Ethan was a man of few words. Janice was even less talkative. Olivia sat in her seat uneasily. What was wrong with these two? Weren¡¯t they apart for a long time? Why weren¡¯t they saying anything to each other? Olivia didn¡¯t eat much at all. But it wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault. It was because she was already full. Janice looked at her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself to eat.¡± Olivia wanted to say that she was hungry and could eat more. Janice wiped her mouth with a tissue and said, ¡°Spaghetti, mashed potatoes, hamburger, shrimp, tuna sd, salmon sandwich, and meatballs. Did you digest all that already?¡± Olivia was at a loss for words. Chapter 643 Chapter 643 Olivia blushed. It was true she ordered a lot of food, but she didn¡¯t finish them all. She only took a few bites of each. But her stomach was tiny, and she was bloated after that. Janice rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t eat if you¡¯re full. The Millers won¡¯t go bankrupt because you wasted some food. Even if they do go bankrupt, it will have nothing to do with us.¡± Olivia was stunned. Janice was different from what she imagined. ¡°Sorry, I thought¡­¡± Olivia wanted toe clean. Janice finished Olivia¡¯s sentence for her. ¡°You thought I would be hard on you, and you won¡¯t get to eat much when you¡¯re here. So, you filled yourself up before you got here.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need. I was nning to make things difficult for you.¡± Olivia was at a loss for words. Why was Janice such a wild card? She didn¡¯t even know how to respond. ¡°Truthfully, I also ate beforehand because I thought I would lose my appetite at the sight of you. So, if you¡¯re full, walk with me.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t refuse Janice¡¯s invitation. She wiped her mouth and stood up. ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan was the only person left with the feast at the table. He saw that Janice wanted to talk with Olivia alone and recalled the traumatic events of his third birthday. He immediately stood up and went in front of Olivia. ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯m going to hurt her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might push her down the stairs.¡± Janice paused momentarily, then said, ¡°How can you talk to your mother like that? I should never have given birth to you.¡± Ethan said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be born into this family, either.¡± After all, his mother tried to kill him on more than one asion. Their rtionship didn¡¯t just crumble overnight. Janice sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll admit I made a lot of mistakes in the past. I was unwell back then. ¡°But I¡¯ve grown past that now. I will nevermit the same mistakes again. If you still can¡¯t trust me, then you shoulde walk with me.¡± Janice and Ethan walked away and left Olivia alone. She didn¡¯t mind. She sat back down and started to eat some fruit. A maid approached her and said, ¡°Mrs. Miller, your room is ready. You can rest in the room if you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia followed the maid upstairs. Even though she had seen how rich Ethan was, she still gasped in surprise when she saw that her room wasrger than an apartment. As expected, the rich livedvishly. The bathroom was almost as spacious as an entire room. There was a huge jacuzzi that could fit at least four to five people. Olivia felt like it wasn¡¯t a jacuzzi but rather an aquarium. They could probably fit a dolphin in there. The maids had already filled up the jacuzzi. One of them even brought over a medkit. ¡°Mr. Miller said that your bandages needed to be changed.¡± Olivia waved her hand and said, ¡°Leave it there. I¡¯ll do it after I¡¯m done bathing. Please leave me alone. I can do it myself.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Miller. You can ring the bell if you need us. We¡¯re here to help you out whenever.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The maids bowed and left the bathroom. Ethan was walking behind Janice steadily in the yard. They cast long shadows onto the ground as they walked. ¡°I think this is the first time we¡¯ve taken a walk together.¡± Ethan lowered his head, and his hair covered the gleam in his eyes. ¡°Well, I used to run after you when I was young, but you would kick me away.¡± He was only one year old then. He opened his arms to hug his own mother, but she kicked him away. Janice stopped in her tracks and looked at her son, who was taller than her. ¡°You look a lot like that man.¡± ¡°So you hated me because of that?¡± Janice stood there in silence. She knew her actions were unforgivable. So she changed the subject. ¡°I heard you found your sister?¡± Chapter 644 Chapter 644 Ethan looked at Janice with mild surprise. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t care about us. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so well-informed.¡± Janice needed to raise her head slightly to meet Ethan¡¯s gaze. She felt a little emotional when she heard that. ¡°You were still the little kid that chased after me in my mind. But you¡¯ve grown so much.¡± Janice raised her hand to touch Ethan¡¯s face, but she stopped midway. She had always had mixed feelings toward Ethan. In the beginning, she hoped that his birth would make the mane back to her. But, all she got was his cruel disregard. That was why she resented Ethan. She had never been a good mother to him. Even as he stood before her, she felt like she didn¡¯t know him at all. Janice withdrew her hand awkwardly with a disappointed expression. ¡°You and Leia must detest me. I¡¯ve never given the both of you any love.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying all this now? He didn¡¯t return to you, but you gave birth to his offspring anyway and became aughingstock.¡± Ethan stared right into Janice¡¯s eyes when he said that. In the past, Janice would be throwing a fit at his words, but she was calm this time. It seemed like she had really gotten better. She didn¡¯t even get mad when he brought up the man she hated the most. ¡°My mind grows clearer the older I get. I feel like I¡¯ve wasted the first half of my life obsessing over a man like that. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping tabs on you in secret for the past two years. That¡¯s why I know about Leia. She must hate me with every fiber of her being with what I did to her in the past. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why she didn¡¯te looking for me even though she was alive.¡± Ethan never thought he would hear Janice repent. ¡°So, did you call me back to match me up with Nikki?¡± Ethan asked directly. Janice smiled faintly and said, ¡°What do you think of her?¡± ¡°Since you know about Leia¡¯s existence, I¡¯m sure you know how I feel about Olivia. If you want to break us up, I don¡¯t mind disowning you. I¡¯ll never let you hurt her.¡± Janice shook her head and said, ¡°You¡¯re just like him. Even when ites to rtionships, you¡¯re as committed as he was. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I never got the chance to be with the man I love. I would never ruin your rtionship.¡± She was indeedpletely different from the crazy woman in Ethan¡¯s memories. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Then why did you call me home?¡± ¡°I ¡­¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Janice licked her lips and exined weakly, ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that I realized my mistake long ago and I just wanted to apologize to you in person?¡± Ethan was stunned. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I was afraid that I was still unstable and might do the things I did to you when you were young. So, I forced myself to stay away. ¡°Now that I¡¯m finally sure that I¡¯vepletely recovered, I wanted to see you, my dear son, and your wife.¡± Ethan could feel tears welling up when Janice called him her dear son. Janice stood there anxiously. She didn¡¯t even dare to embrace him. ¡°I know I¡¯m an evil person. I me you and Leia for your father¡¯s hate. I was the one that brought ruin to our family. ¡°In the past years, I¡¯ve spent a lot of time in a stupor or in a frenzy. I was rarely myself. Whenever I was conscious, I would think of you and your sister.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s so, what¡¯s the deal with Nikki?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a ything for me when I am bored.¡± Chapter 645 Chapter 645 If anyone else said those words, it would seem cruel or heartless. But, for a woman who threw her three-year-old son down the stairs, it was pretty tame. She didn¡¯t even care about her child, much less another person¡¯s. In a way, Janice was the same as Keh. They only cared about themselves and the one they loved. Nothing else mattered. Janice drew some hair back to her ear elegantly and said, ¡°That kid, she starteding over every other day since two years ago. She would go on walks with me sometimes. ¡°Other times, she would massage my feet. I saw she had nothing better to do, so I kept her around.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ethan was speechless. ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who had nothing better to do.¡± He knew his mother wasn¡¯t thedylike type. She was more like a viin. For example, she did a lot of things to hurt the woman Keh loved in an attempt to win him back. Naturally, all she aplished was push him further away, to the point where they got a divorce. She spent a long time thinking back to what she had done in the past. It wasughable. She made herself so pathetic for a man. ¡°Yeah, I was feeling a little bored. Who could refuse a toy that¡¯s delivered right to their doorsteps?¡± Janice said with a smile that lit up her face. Ethan was stunned. He hadn¡¯t seen her smile in a long time. It used to be his dearest wish to see his mother smile at him. When he was young, she used to be expressionless most of the time. Other times, she would re at him with hate-filled eyes. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve really made your peace.¡± ¡°Son, can you forgive me?¡± Janice said, sticking a hand out at him. Ethan felt like she looked gentle and kind now that he longer feared her like when he was young. But he didn¡¯t take her hand. He can still remember vividly everything she did to him as a child. Janice sighed and said, ¡°Oh well. I knew you wouldn¡¯t forgive me so easily. I¡¯ll give you time to think about it.¡± ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re not against my rtionship with Olivia?¡± That was the one thing that Ethan cared about the most. It was natural for a son to want their parents to approve of their partner. ¡°Why would I be against it? With the Miller Family and Procter Family¡¯s current status, I don¡¯t really have to care about my daughter-inw¡¯s status. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter, even if she were homeless. All that matters is that you love each other.¡± ¡°Thanks for your blessing.¡± Ethan felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. Janice patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Has he ever contacted you?¡± She was talking about Keh. Ethan shook his head and said, ¡°Not at all. There were a few asions when we could¡¯ve met, but I avoided them.¡± He would never forget when he was three years old. He went to see Keh joyfully. When the other kids smeared cream all over him, Keh drove him away disdainfully. Ethan would never forgive Keh. The greatest kindness he could offer Keh was not bing his enemy. ¡°Don¡¯t let someone like him bother you.¡± ¡°What about you? Have you truly let go of your feelings for him?¡± Ethan asked. Janice ced a hand over her heart and said, ¡°I think so. At least my heart no longer aches when he is brought up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the best. You¡¯ll feel better that way.¡± Janice stared at Ethan and said, ¡°I¡¯ve let go, but what about you? Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Something is wrong between you and her. Your wedding with that Carlton girl was all over the news. ¡°Olivia doesn¡¯t look at you with love or hate. It¡¯s illogical.¡± ¡°What do you know about it?¡± Janice yed with her nails and said calmly, ¡°I heard that Toxic Hive¡¯s bases had been raided not long ago. They lost a lot of drugs and data. ¡°One of those drugs was something Ms. Rosa had been researching for over a decade. It would cause whoever took it to lose their memories.¡± Chapter 646 Chapter 646 Ethan¡¯s gaze grew intense. ¡°What else do you know?¡± ¡°Judging by your reaction. My guess was spot on. I don¡¯t mean anything by it. I just wanted to meet the two of you. But there¡¯s something I need to tell you. ¡°People in our family are wed. We¡¯re stubborn and dedicated. Once we fall in love with someone, it lasts for the rest of our lives. It¡¯s a double-edged sword.¡± Janice said sincerely, ¡°Both your father and I weren¡¯t able to teach you to love. Ethan, I don¡¯t want you to follow in my footsteps. ¡°Love is never one-sided wishful thinking. My biggest regret was the things I did to your father. My actions caused permanent trauma to you and your sister.¡± Her words seemed surreal to Ethan. He never imagined that Janice would say something like that. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡± He paused before saying, ¡°Since you know about Ms. Rosa, can you find something out for me? It¡¯s Liv¡¯s origins.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Janice was surprised. ¡°She isn¡¯t Jeff Fordham¡¯s daughter. Ms. Rosa is the only person who knows what happened. ¡°Some people kept trying to harm Liv when we were back in Andia. I suspect that had something to do with her actual family. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you. Now, can I talk to her?¡± Janice said in a sweet tone, like she was acting cute. Ethan agreed silently. Olivia saw Janice sitting on her bed just as she got out of the bathroom. ¡°Ms. Miller Senior.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Janice waved at her and said, ¡°Come here.¡± Olivia went over to ept Janice¡¯s scrutiny obediently. She was prepared for this. She pictured the scene where Janice would give her some money to leave Ethan. Given Ethan¡¯s worth, Janice would probably offer a lot of money. ¡°Sit with me,¡± Janice said, patting the space beside her. Olivia sat down and said, ¡°Feel free to speak your mind, Mrs. Miller Senior. I¡¯m prepared for it.¡± Janice smiled and asked, ¡°What do you think I was going to say?¡± ¡°Just the regr harsh words. Putting me on the spot so I¡¯ll leave your son, telling me that I¡¯m not a suitable match for him. ¡°Or that Nikki is the daughter-inw you like or something along those lines. I ¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Olivia saw Janice cover her mouth and smile. ¡°Everything you just said wasn¡¯t things I wanted to say to you.¡± ¡°Then, what do you want to tell me?¡± Janice handed Olivia a box and said, ¡°Open it and take a look.¡± Olivia thought it would be a check or other things she wanted to give her as an incentive to leave Ethan. But there was only an azure bracelet in the box. It looked clear and was gleaming faintly in the light. It was prettier than the one Janice was wearing. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the heirloom given to the daughter-inws of the Miller Family. Ethan¡¯s grandmother put it on me personally.¡± Janice said with sigh, ¡°This bracelet basically tied me down for life. I used to think that as long as I was Mrs. Miller, he would eventually return to me. In the end, we got divorced anyway.¡± Olivia lowered her head to look at the scar on her wrist. She sensed Janice¡¯s gaze and showed her the scar. ¡°People don¡¯t actually die so easily when they slit their wrists. I was bleeding while I waited for him to return. ¡°Did hee back?¡± ¡°No. I watched my blood flow and fainted from the blood loss, but he never came. Wasn¡¯t I stupid?¡± Chapter 647 Chapter 647 Before meeting Janice, Olivia thought she would be a maniac. After their meeting, she realized she was wrong. Janice was just a poor woman who wasn¡¯t able to be with the man she loved. ¡°You weren¡¯t stupid, just stubborn.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t remember her past, but she was able to rte to Janice¡¯s emotions. It was like the same thing had happened to her in the past. ¡°Those are the same thing. In the past, I had been a failure of a mother. Now that I¡¯m older, I¡¯ve thought things through. ¡°You¡¯re luckier than me. You have all his love. You¡¯re the most suitable person to wear the bracelet.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°So you¡¯re not opposed to our rtionship?¡± ¡°Why would I be? You¡¯re a match made in heaven. But there is something I need to tell you. ¡°Ethan might be an outstanding person, but he grew up in our family. There are serious ws in his personality. ¡°Others might not be able to notice them. Only the people closest to him would be able to see these ws. ¡°Ethan isn¡¯t really capable of love. But you¡¯re different. I heard you grew up in a loving family. It¡¯s only natural that he is attracted to you. ¡°A Miller man will never have a change of heart once he falls in love. It¡¯s a blessing and a curse at the same time. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°You¡¯re both still young. You have a long life ahead of you. I hope you can stay by his side no matter what he has done to you. Please don¡¯t let the misfortunes of my generation affect you.¡± Olivia had mixed feelings about what Janice said and didn¡¯t know how to respond. She was already married to Ethan, and he loved her so much. Logically speaking, she should love him deeply, too, but a voice in her head kept warning her to stay away from Ethan. Janice held Olivia¡¯s hand when she saw that Olivia wasn¡¯t responding. She asked, ¡°Can I call you Liv?¡± ¡°If you want to.¡± ¡°I also have a daughter; she¡¯s about your age, but I didn¡¯t take good care of her. That¡¯s why we have been separated for so long. If you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Mom from now on.¡± The sudden motherly love took Olivia aback. She paused for a while and agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Good girl. Do you have any ns for the future?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°I have no idea. I heard that I used to study medicine. I¡¯ll probably continue my studies on that.¡± Olivia felt lost. She felt like her future was shrouded in mist. She was like a little doll, pretty and attractive but soulless. She didn¡¯t know what she wanted to do. Dreams? Aspirations? She had no desires or longing. She didn¡¯t feel hopeful for the future. She would asionally feel heartache when children were brought up, but she didn¡¯t feel like getting pregnant again. The most intimate things she had done with Ethan recently were hugs and morning kisses. Ethan was very considerate of her. He respected her wishes and said he would give her all the time she needed. He was wless and almost too perfect. But Olivia managed to remain calm. Janice looked like she wanted to say something else, but she nodded and said, ¡°Studying medicine is good.¡± Janice was more understanding than Olivia expected. ¡°You can make yourself at home here. Whether it¡¯s studying medicine or business, you can take your pick. Ethan loves you a lot. I hope you can love him for us. He has ¡­ been through a lot.¡± Chapter 648 Chapter 648 The meeting with her mother-inw went smoother than Olivia expected. She kept staring at the pretty bracelet, which seemed to look prettier with age. She didn¡¯t put it on but was examining it closely. She subconsciously felt that the bracelet didn¡¯t belong to her. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Ethan¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind her. Olivia jumped in fright. She was too focused on the bracelet and didn¡¯t notice Ethaning in. ¡°Yeah, it looks nice.¡± Ethan picked up the bracelet and said gently, ¡°I¡¯ll help you put it on.¡± Olivia pulled her hand away reflexively and said, ¡°Not right now. This is such a valuable piece. I should only wear it to important events. ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of wearing jewelry, anyway. So I don¡¯t want to wear it now.¡± Ethan was stunned, but he didn¡¯t call her out. ¡°Okay, whatever you want.¡± Although Olivia was with Ethan every day, she still didn¡¯t fall in love with him. She felt some affection for him, at best. Ethan even felt like Olivia was hiding from him. He knew they still had plenty of time, so he shouldn¡¯t rush things. He brought a hairdryer over and carefully dried Olivia¡¯s hair for her. Olivia held his hand. She thought his hand looked nice. His fingers had well-defined joints. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s such a waste for you to use such exquisite hands to dry my hair?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Doing anything for you is never too much.¡± Ethan lifted her hand and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I love you, Liv.¡± Ethan always expressed his love for her without reservation. It was like Olivia was the only person he had on his mind and the only person he had his eyes on. Olivia reached out and caressed Ethan¡¯s cheek. She had a lost expression on her face. ¡°Ethan, how did we feel about each other in the past?¡± ¡°You love me a lot, and I love you a lot, too.¡± Olivia brushed her fingertips on Ethan¡¯s brows and eyes. She said in confusion, ¡°I feel like your face is very familiar to me, but I don¡¯t understand why I am not feeling any love for you even though we used to be deeply in love. ¡°Did something happen between us?¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t look her in the eye. He pulled her into his embrace and said tenderly, ¡°Liv, if I have hurt you terribly before, would you be able to forgive me?¡± ¡°Was it a matter of principles? Did you betray me? Or did you touch another woman?¡± Ethan said resolutely, ¡°No.¡± He had neverid a hand on Marina ever. He only ever agreed to marry her because of his promise to Kurt. Olivia was the only one he ever loved. Ethan didn¡¯t lie when he answered any question regarding his loyalty. ¡°I can forgive you as long as it isn¡¯t a matter of principle.¡± Olivia raised her head from within his embrace and asked seriously, ¡°So, you¡¯ve never betrayed me, right?¡± Her eyes were clear and innocent. Her gaze pierced through Ethan¡¯s heart and made him inexplicably uneasy. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re the only woman I¡¯ve ever been with.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it. It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll be sleeping now.¡± Ethan kissed her on the forehead and said, ¡°Goodnight, I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± Olivia stopped thinking about it and went to sleep almost instantly. It had been a tiring day. Olivia was already fast asleep when Ethan came out. He sat beside her and sighed as he gazed at her. He believed that everything would be better. They would have a new life starting tomorrow, and they would sever themselves from their past. ¡®Liv, I would never stop loving you.¡¯ Chapter 649 Chapter 649 The following day, Olivia was awakened by the birds chirping outside. The warm sunlight shone on her bed. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the colorful birds perched on the pirs on the terrace outside. Some birds were chirping. Others were tending to their feathers. The sky was blue, and the world looked peaceful. As Olivia was rubbing her eyes, she recalled that she had moved to another country. The climate here was mild and perennially moist. The ce was also filled with dense vegetation. It was entirely unlike the often dry and cold weather in Aldenvine. Olivia liked it here. She got out of bed and went to wash up. She felt like she was a princess living in a castle whenever she looked at her surroundings. When she opened the door, she was met with a row of smiling faces. ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Miller.¡± The hearty greeting took Olivia aback. She looked over and saw the maids that were cleaning the windows, mopping the floor, and trimming the flower bushes. They greeted her as soon as they saw her. Back home, they only had Madam Burgess to help around the house. Olivia wasn¡¯t used to seeing so many maids. She responded awkwardly, ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡± A maid whose attire differed from the rest walked over and said, ¡°Mrs. Miller, breakfast is ready.¡± Olivia turned to look at the maid and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Ethan?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller went to visit Mr. Angelo. You can call me Sharon, Mrs. Miller,¡± Sharon introduced herself. She exuded an air of leadership with her every move. Olivia learned from the maids that Angelo Miller, Ethan¡¯s grandfather, used to treat her well. He left Aldenvine after his wife passed. It seemed like he had Alzheimer¡¯s disease, so he hadn¡¯t been out and about for some years. Since she was already here, Olivia felt like she needed to visit Angelo as well. After she had freshened up, the maids brought Olivia to the backyard. Angelo lived in a peaceful and quiet area that was surrounded by greenery. There were snakes slithering on the branches sometimes. Before a snake could even touch Olivia, one of the maids would already have pulled it away and set it somewhere else. Sharon calmly exined to a stunned Olivia, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Mrs. Miller. This ce is surrounded by greenery, so there are a lot of critters. But, rest assured, most of the snakes aren¡¯t venomous.¡± Olivia asked with quivering lips, ¡°So, does that mean some snakes are venomous?¡± ¡°Yes, but you¡¯ll be fine as long as you don¡¯t go looking for trouble. The snakes are very intelligent. They won¡¯t normally attack people on their own.¡± Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Understood. So the building ahead is where Mr. Angelo lives, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Olivia slowly walked into Angelo¡¯s building. There were colorful flowers everywhere in the yard. ¡°Mr. Angelo is just inside, Mrs. Miller. I¡¯ll be going back to work.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Olivia walked further into the yard. She saw that the ce was suitable for a retired older man. It was gorgeous. She was about to ask someone for directions when someone emerged from behind the vegetation. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± An old man suddenly grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm and said, ¡°You¡¯re Ms. Nat.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The man was old, but Olivia could tell he was a Miller from his facial features. Olivia was confused. Who was Ms. Nat? Was it someone she used to know?¡± Chapter 650 Chapter 650 Olivia quickly rified, ¡°Mr. Angelo, I¡¯m Liv, not Ms. Nat. Pleasee to your senses.¡± Angelo stared at her for a while and tightened his grip on her wrist. ¡°Impossible. You are clearly Ms. Nat. You can¡¯t fool me. What¡¯s this Liv nonsense?¡± Olivia was rendered speechless. She didn¡¯t understand why all of the Millers seemed to have some mental issues. Ethan appeared just as Olivia was at a loss for what to do. He came forward and pulled Angelo¡¯s hand from Olivia. ¡°Grandpa, this is my wife. You made a mistake.¡± ¡°Stop spewing nonsense. How can Ms. Nat be your wife? And brat, who are you calling Grandpa? I don¡¯t even have a son, much less a grandson.¡± Ethan looked at Angelo with pain in his eyes. Angelo loved him a lot when he was young, even though Angelo was very strict with him. Angelo was someone important to Ethan. He felt bad when he saw that the once sessful businessman had be a senile older man who didn¡¯t recognize his own family. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Angelo instinctively tried to grab Olivia¡¯s hand again. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you, Ms. Nat.¡± Angelo scared Olivia so much that she hid behind Ethan. Realization suddenly struck Ethan. He grabbed Angelo¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°You know her? Who is she?¡± ¡°She is ¡­¡± Angelo was about to say something, but he suddenly grabbed his head. It was like he was trying to remember something but couldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you okay, grandpa? Do we need to get a doctor? Grandpa seems to be in pain,¡± Olivia said nervously. ¡°Liv.¡± A hint of rity returned to Angelo¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re Liv. It¡¯s been a while.¡± He ced Ethan and Olivia¡¯s hands together and said with a satisfied expression, ¡°I¡¯m happy to see the two of you so close. Your grandma will be able to rest in peace.¡¯ ¡°I ¡°You¡¯ve regained your memories, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Yeah, my condition has been unstable since your grandma passed. Especially recently. I have been living in a daze. Ethan, the two of you are the ones I worry about the most.¡± Angelo smiled and said kindly, ¡°It has been so long. Tell me, do you have any good news for me?¡± Evidently, Angelo knew nothing about what had happened in the past three years. He thought Ethan and Olivia¡¯s rtionship was still the way it was when he left them. ¡°Not yet. I have been busy in the past few years.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t provide much of an exnation. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy? Do you think work is more important than your marriage? If your grandma is still alive, she would crack your head open with this stick. Do you have some sort of hidden ailment?¡± Ethan was rendered speechless. Angelo was still as annoying as ever. He was more adorable when he didn¡¯t remember anything. ¡°Oh, Grandpa, you grabbed Liv¡¯s hand and talked about a Ms. Nat. Who is this woman to you?¡± Ethan had never stopped looking for the Ms. Nat the olderdy talked to him about. However, that era was just too chaotic. To find someone from that time, especially a woman who deliberately hid her identity, was not a simple matter. Ethan had a premonition that Ms. Nat, whom Angelo talked about, was the same person the olderdy told her aboutst time. And it was obvious that Angelo had mistaken Olivia for Ms. Nat. Chapter 651 Chapter 651 It would be best if they could get information from Harold about Ms. Nat¡¯s whereabouts. Then, Ethan wouldn¡¯t need to go on a wild goose chase for her. Harold red at them and said, ¡°Who is this Ms. Nat? Eugenia is the only woman I know. Don¡¯t nder me. ¡°If Eugenia suspects I have another woman, she¡¯lle crawling out of her grave to beat me up.¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not kidding. You were clutching Liv¡¯s arm and calling her Ms. Nat.¡± Harold grunted and said, ¡°Why are you still so naive? You believe the ramblings of a delusional old man? What if I told you I¡¯ve seen an alien?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t have a response to that. Harold¡¯s personality was more lively than he used to be. He would often act or talk childishly. Ethan couldn¡¯t handle that. After a while, Harold started to ignore Ethan and went to hold Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°You should¡¯vee here long ago. Aldenvine is such a horrible ce, unlike here. We have beautiful mountains and rivers. ¡°There¡¯s also the beach, and our weather is way better. It¡¯s a good ce to live. You might even get pregnant easier here.¡± Olivia smiled and replied, ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ll be staying here for the foreseeable future to further my studies.¡± ¡°Studying is good. Learning new knowledge is always useful, but don¡¯t stress yourself out. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Look at how malnourished you look. Has that brat not been feeding you well? If Eugenia ever finds out, she will crawl out of her grave.¡± Olivia could tell that Harold treated her like his own granddaughter. The love he had for her was overflowing in his voice. ¡°If you have anything you need, just tell me. Stay away from your mother-inw. She¡¯s off the deep end,¡± Harold said as he pointed at his head. Then, Harold added, ¡°But I¡¯m also out of it sometimes. Ethan is the only normal one in this household now.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what to say. Ethan wasn¡¯t that normal, either. ¡°You¡¯ve finallye to visit me after so long. Come, I¡¯ll give you a tour around my ce.¡± ¡°Alright, Grandpa.¡± Olivia and Ethan each took one of Harold¡¯s hands and supported him as they walked. Harold said emotionally, ¡°Since your grandmother passed, I felt like spending my days in a daze isn¡¯t that bad. ¡°At least I won¡¯t have to spend time wallowing in sadness as I think of her. Cherish your time with your loved ones so you have no regrets when they are gone.¡± ¡°Understood, Grandpa.¡± Harold red at Ethan and said, ¡°Do you really understand?¡± It was like Harold¡¯s gaze pierced right through Ethan. It was as if he had sensed something wrong. Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Harold changed the subject and said, ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t have much longer to live. I just hope you two can stay with me more. I¡¯ll be satisfied if you can bear me a grandchild.¡± When babies were mentioned, Olivia quickly interjected, ¡°You¡¯re still in good health, Grandpa. We¡¯re still focusing on our careers. So, we won¡¯t be nning for a baby anytime soon.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know why she would give birth to Ethan¡¯s child at 21. She must have loved Ethan deeply. In her opinion, she was still in her prime and didn¡¯t need to be a mother yet. At the very least, she didn¡¯t feel like she wanted to do it at the moment. Ethan¡¯s nails dug into his palm, but he kept a straight face and said, ¡°That¡¯s true, Grandpa. Liv is still young. We¡¯re not in a rush.¡± Chapter 652 Chapter 652 Chapter 652 Although Harold felt anxious that neither Ethan nor Olivia wanted kids at the moment, there was nothing he could do. He was a quick-witted man and would think of other ways to achieve his goal. He proceeded to change the topic. ¡°Alright, it''s fine if you don''t want a baby yet. Now that I think about it, my birthday is just around the corner, and I haven''t celebrated it since your grandmother passed. "Since both of you are here this time, we should take the chance to liven things up. Why don''t you take care of it, Liv?" Olivia waved her hand in refusal and said, "This won''t do. Mrs. Miller Senior should be the one to do it. She''s the head of the household. ¡°Also, I just got here and don''t really know how to start. I won''t be very good at it." Harold''s birthday celebration had to be a huge event, not just a simple dinner. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. It would be a very challenging task, from inviting the guests to handling every detail of the banquet. The Millers were a prestigious family. They would beughingstocks if Harold''s birthday celebration were subpar. Ethan frowned and asked, "Grandpa, do we have to organize a banquet? We should just have a simple family dinner." Harold flicked Ethan on the forehead. "You brat, it''s not every day that one celebrates his 8oth birthday. It might even be myst birthday before I''m reunited with your grandmother. ¡°Why can''t you just let me have my fun? Alright, that''s settled. Now,e have breakfast with me." Harold didn''t give them a chance to talk back. He just dragged them along for breakfast. As they were walking, Ethan whispered to Olivia, "Grandpa wants to use this opportunity to announce your identity to the public. You''ll be the mistress of the Miller Family after that." Olivia furrowed her brows. Subconsciously, she was rejecting the prospect of bing the mistress of the Miller Family. "But your mother is still in her prime. The title shouldn''t fall on me." Seeing that she repeatedly refused anything to do with the Millers, Ethan held her hand and said patiently, "Liv, my mother has been burdened by the title of Mrs. Miller Senior her entire life. "In the past, she clung to it with her life. And then, she spent her days wasting away. ¡°Now that she has finallye to her senses, she won''t want to do anything with that title attached to her. You''re the most suitable person to inherit that title. "Be honest with me. Is there something on your mind?" Olivia said worriedly, "I ... don''t know. I know we''re married, but I still don''t remember anything. "Even if we used to be close, I still feel like you''re a stranger sometimes. That''s why I don''t want our rtionship to move so fast." "Liv, I understand your feelings, but have you ever considered my situation? You''re the person I love the most, and you suddenly lost all memories of me. Your rejection makes me feel sad." Olivia hugged Ethan and apologized, "I''m sorry. I was only thinking about myself and didn''t even consider how you felt." "Liv, I don''t mind giving you time to ept me. But I hope it won''t take forever, okay?" "Yeah. I know. I''m sorry." Ethan gently patted her on the back and said, "You never have to apologize to me, no matter what. I''ll try my best not to pressure you, but you know how it is with my family. "You''re going to be Mrs. Miller. I''ll handle everything at work, but I''ll need your help in getting the domestic affairs in order." Olivia lowered her head and said, "I''m afraid that I might not doa good job." Ethan tilted her chin up and gazed into her eyes. His eyes were gentle and loving. "I''m sure whatever you do would be perfect." ¡°You ... What if I mess up?" "Don''t worry, I''lle up with a backup n. Just try your hand at our family''s domestic affairs with Grandpa''s birthday banquet. Chapter 653 Chapter 653 "Look at you. I looked away for a bit, and you''re all lovey-dovey." Harold appeared out of nowhere. Olivia quickly pulled away from Ethan while blushing. She kept a distance due to the embarrassment of being caught red-handed when sharing a moment of intimacy. ¡°Alright, no need to be shy. You two have been married for so long. I''ll stop poking fun at you. "Eugenia would be happy to know that you''re getting along so well. Ethan,e and y a few rounds of chess with me." "Okay, Grandpa." Olivia and Ethan parted ways as he was led away by Harold. After he was sure they were alone, Harold asked, "What''s going on between you and Olivia?" "Nothing." ¡°Nothing? Do you think I''m blind? She''s not reacting to a lot of things I mentioned. ¡°Also, why don''t you have kids yet? She wanted to bear your children three years ago, and now she''s unwilling?" Harold''s mind was clouded sometimes, but he was still sharp. Ethan knew he couldn''t fool Harold, so he came clean. "There were indeed some issues between us, but I''ve taken care of it." Harold''s expression hardened, and he demanded, "Spit it out. Don''t make me look into it myself. ¡°I taught you everything you know. Do you think I don''t know what''s wrong with you?" Ethan recounted the past events and said, "Grandpa, the most important thing is we''ve made up ..." Harold pped Ethan before he could finish his sentence. He was old but still had enough strength for a hard p. Ethan''s face was visibly swollen after the p. "You fool!" Harold was outraged. "How could you marry Marina because of a promise you made to your deceased friend?" "Grandpa, I never intended to sleep with her. I just wanted to provide a home for her and her children." "Do you realize that you''ve done a foolish thing? Do you think it''s fine as long as you don''t touch her? The worst thing you can do in a marriage is sow seeds of doubt. "You married someone else out of nowhere. Did you even think about how she felt?" "T see Ww "What about when you made a move against the Fordhams for revenge? I understand Leia manipted things, and you were kept in the dark. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°But why did you hurt your wife and child? Were you even in your right mind? "Why would you save the woman who pushed your wife into the water when both of them fell into the water together? I can''t take much more of this. You''re killing me." Harold clutched his chest and said, "Bring me my aspirin. You''re probably the dumbest man I''ve ever met.¡± Ethan quickly helped Harold to a chair and said, "Grandpa, don''t get worked up. It''s all in the past now." "In the past? Do you think you can put it behind you because she lost her memories? You injected her with the drug after hurting her repeatedly. ¡°Do you think that makes everything okay? There are so many misunderstandings that you haven''t cleared up. "She doesn''t even know her own son is alive. Don''t you think that''s too cruel fora mother?" 1 "Since we''ve alreadye to this, it''s toote for me to tell her now. I don''t want to get her worked up by bringing up the past." Harold sighed. "You''ve already made the worst choice possible. Once she regains her memories, she''ll hate you even more. "When that happens, nothing you do will mend your rtionship with her." Chapter 654 Chapter 654 That was something Ethan had already thought about. It was also his biggest fear. "The drug''s effects are stable. I won''t give her the chance to regain her memories." "Nothing in this world is guaranteed. The most important thing you need to do now is to settle things with Marina. Make sure she doesn''t show up and throw a wrench into your ns. "Since it''s alreadye to this, you need to cut losses before it''s toote. You should also try to get her pregnant again." Ethan frowned. "Both of Liv''s pregnancies ended up with premature births. Her body isn''t in good shape. It would be hard for her to get pregnant." "Get someone to nurse her back to health then. Women are emotional creatures. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Have you ever thought of what would happen if she found out what you did to her in the past?" Ethan thought about how she was still wary of him despite suffering from amnesia. It was apparent how she was subconsciously rejecting him. "She would leave without hesitation.¡± "That''s right. She would. In her perspective, Connor is the son you had with Marina after you betrayed her. "You need to have a baby with her that belongs to both of you. Once there''s a baby in the equation, she will stay with you for the baby''s sake, no matter how she feels about you. ¡°She''s the granddaughter - inw that I approve of. She was also your grandmother''s favorite person. I don''t want to see you lose her." Ethan couldn''t bear the thought of losing Olivia. "Grandpa, I won''t let that happen." "I''ll make sure it doesn''t. I''ll think of a way to get her pregnant as soon as possible." Ethan looked like he had something to say as doubt shed in his eyes. The two premature births were incredibly bad for Olivia''s health. Thest one happened just a few months ago. Ethan didn''t want to impregnate Olivia again too soon. But Harold''s words made sense. A baby would be able to bring them closer together. Should he get her pregnant after all? "Grandpa, I have another question." ¡°What is it?" "Do you really not know who Ms. Nat is?" Harold replied without hesitation, "I don''t know who that is. Never heard of the name." Ethan tried to see if Harold was lying by looking him in the eye, but to no avail. He didn''t notice Harold''s clenched fists behind his back. Olivia went from the yard to the living room. Harold suddenly thrust this task upon her. She had no choice but to ask for Janice''s advice. Before she walked up to Janice, a voice said passive-aggressively, " Ms. Procter, this is a dish I just learned how to make. Is it to your tastes? Isn''t this Ms. Fordham? Did you just wake up?" Olivia rolled her eyes speechlessly. "Ms. Shaw, you sure came early. Even the maids aren''t as eager as you." ¡°How can you be sozy as a daughter-inw? Is it because your parents died early, and you had no one to teach you manners? ¡°You must''vee from a poor family, so you aren''t as disciplined as someone from the Shaw Family ..." Olivia couldn''t help but let a chuckle slip as she went over to sit next to Janice. ¡°What are youughing at? Was I wrong?" Olivia said cheerily, "Well, weren''t you? I''ve never seen any well- disciplineddy who would visit the home of a married man so frequently. ¡°Are you just dumb or oblivious? Don''t you know what it means when a man is married? Or are you waiting for Ethan to take you in as his mistress?" "You..." "But you seem to have forgotten about one thing. "Even if we ignore the fact that monogamy is the socially epted norm, Ethan would need to ask for my permission if he wanted to take you as his mistress. "Do you want to try currying my favor by doing some chores for me?" Chapter 655 Chapter 655 Chapter 655 Nikki was visibly upset when Olivia said that. She said ina honeyed tone, "Look at her, Ms. Procter. She''s so uncivilized. I meant well..." Janice had just been enjoying the show. She didn''t expect to be dragged into it. ¡°You mean well?" Janice huffed. She put down her cutleries and wiped her lips elegantly. "I didn''t pick up on that at all. You were insulting her parents, too. " Nikki looked at Janice in disbelief. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She had stayed by Janice''s side for so long. She didn''t expect Janice to side with Olivia. "Ms. Procter, I just felt bad for you. She isn''t even taking good care of you as your daughter-inw. She wakes upte in the morning. I don''t think she even cares about you." Janice nced at her with narrowed eyes. "If she doesn''t care about me, who does?" Nikki blushed and said shyly, "Ms. Procter, you know how I feel toward Ethan..." She heard a sneer. Janice lifted her chin with a finger and said, " Do you know what I hate the most?" Nikki met Janice''s gaze. She felt bloodlust from the other''s eyes, sending chills down her spine. "J ae Ww Janice continued coldly, "I hate bitches that intentionally try to steal another person''s man." Nikki''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. She recalled Janice''s past and realized that she was just the type of person Janice hated. ¡°Ms. Procter, I''m not like that. I am Ethan''s childhood friend. I''ve known him for a long time," Nikki exined. Janice withdrew her hand and took a wet tissue to wipe the part of her finger that touched Nikki. "If I remember correctly, I''ve never heard Ethan say he has feelings for you. Are you sure you''re not forcing yourself on him, Ms. Shaw?" "But, Mrs. Procter, I like Ethan a lot. That woman is not even worthy of him. She doesn''te from an affluent family, hold no notable positions, or even have a degree. "She''s nothing but a pretty face. I''m more suited to be Ethan''s wife. He should just divorce her already." "You like him? What''s the value in that? Or are you implying that the Miller Family has fallen so far that we need an arranged marriage to survive? "The resources that the Shaw Family has are inconsequential to us. Also, you''re just a pianist. There''s nothing special about that. ¡°How dare you nder my daughter-inw in my face repeatedly?" Janice didn''t respond to Nikki''s words because she didn''t want to argue with someone younger. But she started to go all out on Nikki. Nikki looked at her with an aggrieved expression. "Ms. Procter, what did I do wrong? I''ve treated you like my mother for the past two years. "If it''s something I did, please tell me, I''ll change ..." "Did I ever ask you to take care of me? Am I paralyzed or disabled? Do you not see the maids we have? Or do you think you can doa better job than them?" Nikki was so shocked that she even stopped sobbing. She looked at Janice in disbelief. Ms. Procter, that''s not what you said back then." ¡°what should I have said? I couldn''t exactly drive free labor away. Chapter 656 Chapter 656 Freebor? Nikki was stunned. She thought she was hearing things. She couldn¡¯t believe Janice had actually said that. ¡°Ms. Procter, do you really hate me so much? But you¡¯ve been so kind to me these two years.¡± Tears were streaming down her face as she said that. She looked like a sad little kitten. Unexpectedly, Janice reacted negatively to her actions. Janice said coldly, ¡°Drop the act. I¡¯m not a man. All that does is make me even angrier.¡± Nikki was dumbfounded. She thought Janice noticed how much she cared for her these two years. She thought Janice was just bad at expressing her emotions. But it seemed like Nikki was being delusional. ¡°Mrs. Procter, I¡¯ll stoping over if you hate me so much. You have to remember to take your meds¡­¡± Nikki hoped that Janice would at least try to stop her from leaving. Funnily enough, her behavior reminded Janice of Jessica Potts. Keh initially had feelings for Janice, but Jessica pulled the same trick as Nikki to extinguish Keh¡¯s affection for Janicepletely. Then, Jessica yed the victim and med everything on Janice. That caused Keh to detest Janice. He even said that he didn¡¯t want to see Janice ever again. So, Janice hated people like Jessica and Nikki. ¡°If you wanna go, just go and stop whining. I can¡¯t stand the sight of women like you.¡± Even Olivia was surprised at how aggressive Janice was. Nikki came to the Miller Residence with a smile but left in tears. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Olivia pointed in the direction Nikki left and asked, ¡°Ms. Procter, is it really okay to humiliate her like that?¡± ¡°I have to correct the way you address me. You¡¯re the Millers¡¯ daughter-inw. You should call me ¡°Liv, you can¡¯t be too docile. Or else, the bastards would just take advantage of you.¡± Olivia looked at Janice with curiosity. ¡°Was that woman the same?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important anymore. I spent half my life trying to figure that out. I hope you can understand that from the start. ¡°You and Ethan will lead a happy life. Don¡¯t let these unimportant people affect your lives.¡± Olivia nodded slowly and said, ¡°Mom, Grandpa wants me to organize his birthday banquet, but I don¡¯t even know where to start.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Mom, have you truly gotten over it?¡± Olivia had heard that Janice did a lot of absurd things just to force Keh toe home to her. But Keh ultimately left her and her son, and she became aughingstock. The rumors and nder hadn¡¯t stopped since, which caused Janice to cut herself off from society. If she were willing to attend Harold¡¯s birthday banquet, it would be proof that she hadpletely let go of the past. ¡°A man like that is not worth my time. This household could use some liveliness. No one knew about your marriage with Ethan. ¡°Grandpa wants to use this opportunity to announce you as the mistress of the Miller Family to the world. So, this banquet has to be as grand as possible.¡± ¡°Mom, you have to show me the ropes. ¡°No problem. As mistress of the Miller Family, you will be handling things like this in the future. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s banquet is a good chance to learn. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell you all about his preferences.¡± Olivia was surprised that she was able to get along so well with Janice. In the span of a day, they went from organizing Harold¡¯s birthday banquet to shopping together. Before Olivia realized it, they were already at thergest shopping mall in the city. Chapter 657 Chapter 657 Olivia felt slightly strange as she was shopping with Janice. It was the first time she went shopping with her mother-inw. She finally understood what it meant to be a big spender. Janice had many brand-new clothes at home but still bought a whole pile of them without even batting an eye. Olivia wasn¡¯t sure if she was the same before she lost her memories. But at the moment, she felt troubled when she looked at those prices. Janice waspletely unfazed. ¡°Just spend the money. If you don¡¯t spend it, are you nning to let some other woman spend it for you? Don¡¯t worry, the Millers are stacked.¡± Olivia smiled awkwardly, then she heard Janice add, ¡°The Procters are pretty well off, too.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know anything about the Procters. She had heard that Janice was adamant about marrying Keh. She even turned down her childhood friend for Keh, which made her grandfather furious. The Procters had tried to stop her from marrying Keh, but to no avail. When they learned that the Miller Family was mistreating her, they tried to bring her home several times. Back then, Janice was devoted to Keh. She was sure that he woulde back to her, so she kept on doing reckless things. So, even the Procters had enough. They gave up on her and cut ties with her after she tried tomit suicide by slitting her wrists. Since they cut ties with Janice, they barely ever connected with Ethan. Olivia noticed the sh of loneliness in Janice¡¯s eyes when she brought up the Procter Family. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mom, do you ever regret your decision?¡± ¡°Of course I do. I abandoned my family for a man. I came to another country to marry him with reckless disregard. ¡°Everything just feels like a nightmare now. I wasted away for 20 years. I was so pathetic.¡± Janice was a proud woman. She wore a smile and put on a brave face even though she was feeling immense regret. Olivia held her hand and lightly patted the back of her hand tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t even fear death. Why would I be afraid of living?¡± Janice looked at Olivia tenderly and said, ¡°Pick something out for yourself. Don¡¯t worry about the money. Even though I¡¯ve been a mess most of my life, I still have plenty of money.¡± The Procter Family might have cut ties with Janice, but that was only because her actions saddened them. They wanted to use that as an ultimatum to change her mind. Financially, they never actually cut her off. Her parents and older siblings would send her money every month. The Miller Family felt they had failed Janice, so she was also given plenty of dividends annually. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The money had umted for over twenty years, and it was a hefty amount. Janice sat in the VIP room and watched as the models tried on different clothes. ¡°Is there anything you like?¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t too interested in fashion. ¡°I think they¡¯re all fine, but I already have too many clothes at home. You don¡¯t have to buy any for me.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. Buy everything you want.¡± Olivia rubbed her temples and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± Janice waved her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take everything.¡± The salesperson smiled from ear to ear while Olivia felt a little speechless. ¡°Miss,e this way so I can take your measurements.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia turned to Janice and told her, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be getting my measurements taken.¡± Janice waved at her dismissively and said, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll check out the jewelry store next door.¡± Olivia winced as she thought about the huge amount of money Janice was about to spend. She knocked into someone as she was spacing out. The clothes in the person¡¯s arms fell to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Olivia and the woman crouched down at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The woman had a clear voice. Their eyes met, and the woman visibly froze when she saw Olivia. Chapter 658 Chapter 658 Olivia saw an unfamiliar face. The face was exquisite, but she didn¡¯t feel a sense of familiarity. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. So, she figured that the woman was a stranger. But the woman looked at Olivia like she knew her. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Olivia asked. The woman regained herposure and said with a smile, ¡°In a way.¡± The woman stood up. Her posture was elegant and confident as she stuck her hand out. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Jacqueline Fordham.¡± This name¡­ Olivia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You¡¯re a Fordham?¡± Avery had just given her his card not long ago. She didn¡¯t expect to meet another Fordham so soon. ¡°Yeah. Avery told us about you. We wouldn¡¯t have found my sister¡¯s remains without your help. I¡¯ve been meaning to visit you, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. You¡¯re more beautiful in person.¡± Jacqueline smiled. A dimple appeared on her left cheek, which made her seem even more delightful and charming. Olivia had asked Ethan about her encounter with Avery. He casually glossed over it and told her about what happened. ¡°It was no big deal. You don¡¯t have to thank me for it, Ms Fordham. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± Jacqueline grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm, but she quickly withdrew her hand when she realized what she did was rude. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­ May I have your contact information? I just got to this city, and I will be leaving soon. ¡°I hope to at least have a meal with you to express my gratitude before I go.¡± ¡°Thanks for the gesture, but I didn¡¯t help much. I appreciate your kindness, but there¡¯s no need for a meal.¡± Olivia nodded and left with the salesperson after she said that. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was imagining things, but Olivia felt someone¡¯s gaze following her. As she approached a corner, she turned around and took a nce. The corridor was empty, not a single person in sight. Olivia came back to her senses and shook her head. It was probably just her imagination. After getting her measurements taken, Olivia went looking for Janice. She felt the atmosphere. change entirely when she entered the jewelry store. Janice was sitting cross-legged on a stool. Even if she didn¡¯t utter a word, she exuded an air of charm and maturity. There was a woman standing a short distance from Janice. The woman wasn¡¯t young anymore, but she took good care of herself, and her figure was Her makeup was light, but there was more than met the eye. Her entire look was meticulously designed. Only other women would be able to pick up on the finer details. Most men wouldn¡¯t even notice. The woman gave off the delicate charm of a docile and reserved woman, while Janice exuded the grace and elegance of a noblewoman. The woman was clearly not on Janice¡¯s level when it came to looks. The woman said in a seemingly feeble tone, ¡°Janice, I didn¡¯t know you wanted that ne. I¡¯m sorry. Why don¡¯t I buy it for you?¡± Janice snorted and set her coffee down as she looked at the woman condescendingly. The woman seemed to be waiting for Janice to continue talking. Unexpectedly, Janice fell silent after grunting. It seemed like she didn¡¯t care about the woman in the slightest. The woman spoke up again. ¡°You probably haven¡¯t seen Keh in a long time, Janice. He¡¯s here, too. I¡¯ve always felt bad about what happened. ¡°I¡¯ve never had the chance to meet you all these years. I¡¯ve been meaning to apologize Janice didn¡¯t even look at the woman. She noticed Olivia from the corner of her eye. She waved at Olivia noticed the atmosphere wasn¡¯t right, but she obediently went to Janice¡¯s side. ¡°Mom, this is¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s nobody. You can ignore her. Look at these essories that I picked out for you.¡± Chapter 659 Chapter 659 Olivia could sense that something was wrong, but she didn¡¯t try to ask any questions since she noticed Janice¡¯s aloof attitude. Olivia nodded at the woman politely and said, ¡°Please make way.¡± The woman took Olivia¡¯s hand affectionately and said, ¡°You must be Olivia. I¡¯ve seen the news. ¡°You¡¯re a good match for Ethan. You two look like a match made in heaven when standing next to each other.¡± The woman saw the confusion in Olivia¡¯s eyes and introduced herself, ¡°Look at me. I forgot that we haven¡¯t met. I¡¯m Ethan¡¯s stepmother. You can call me Ms. Potts.¡± Olivia immediately understood who she was-Jessica Potts, the love of Keh¡¯s life. Comment by soonyoung gu: wasn¡¯t it bonnie what happened to bonnie She was also the one that brought misfortune upon the Millers, and she was also a ss-A bitch. Olivia didn¡¯t expect to meet Jessica in person. She finally understood why Janice was acting that way. Also, Jessica was probably trying to cozy up to her so she could ruin Janice¡¯s day. Jessica was obviously more skilled at putting up appearances than Nikki. Her smile was so warm that Olivia might have been fooled if she didn¡¯t know what Jessica did in the past. Olivia smiled politely and said, ¡°Miss, please make way. You¡¯re blocking me. I just want to try on some essories.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t engage Jessica. She just remained polite and kept her distance so that Jessica wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to start anything. Janice had also changed. She used to throw a fit whenever she saw Jessica, but she was ignoring Jessica entirely at the moment. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Come, check this sapphire ne out. It looks good on you,¡± Janice said as she put the ne on Olivia. Initially, Olivia felt like Janice was a high-and-mighty empress who was dispassionate and After spending some time with Janice, Olivia realized that Janice was just a very straightforward person. She would wear her emotions on her sleeve and wouldn¡¯t even try to keep up appearances for people she hated. Olivia felt at ease when she was with someone like Janice. Jessica smiled and reached for the ne on Olivia¡¯s neck. ¡°It really suits you, Ms. Fordham. Look at how good the gem looks. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me pay for it? Consider it a gift from me. You¡¯re Ethan¡¯s wife, and we shouldn¡¯t be strangers.¡± Olivia already got a taste of how fearsome Jessica was. She was all smiles, yet her words were like knives aimed at Janice¡¯s heart. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was just imagining it or if Jessica was deliberately trying to make Janice mad. Janice pped Jessica¡¯s hand away and said, ¡°Keep your grubby hands off my daughter-inw.¡± Although Janice¡¯s actions were rude, Olivia was shocked to see Jessica take a few steps back from Janice¡¯s p. Her performance was so convincing that Olivia thought she could be an actress. Coincidentally, someone appeared just in time to catch Jesa on the waist. The man said coldly, ¡± What¡¯s going on here?¡± Olivia turned around to look at the man. He looked handsome and elegant. His features resembled Ethan¡¯s. The man was tall, looked like he took good care of himself, and was wearing expensive clothes. He looked like he was in his 40s. Olivia figured the man had to be Keh Miller, whom she had heard so much about. From the looks of it, Ethan looked more like Keh than Darrell did. Darrell¡¯s features were softer and more feminine. Looking at Keh, Olivia was reminded of what he did to Ethan when he was three. She had no love for Keh or Jessica. Olivia was worried about Janice. She met both Jessica and Keh quickly after she stepped foot outside of the house. Was it an ident or a coincidence? Chapter 660 Chapter 660 Olivia was afraid that this meeting would cause Janice¡¯s condition to worsen. She observed all of their expressions anxiously. Keh finally noticed Janice¡¯s presence. His gaze fell on her momentarily before moving away. The emotions in his eyes were conflicted. Several emotions were swirling within. Janice didn¡¯t even look at him. She muttered, ¡°Just my fucking luck.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but everyone could hear it. Janice waved at the salesperson and said, ¡°Pack up all these I have tried on.¡± The salesperson said uneasily, ¡°About that¡­ Mrs. Miller Senior had reserved them in advance. They are ourst pair. I showed them to you to match them with the ne.¡± Mrs. Miller Senior. These three words were quite ironic. Jessica quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Janice. We¡¯re a family, after all. If you like these earrings, you can have them. ¡°Keh can pay for them. It¡¯ll be our gift to Olivia. ¡°Right, Keh. This is Ethan¡¯s wife. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve met her before.¡± What a considerate woman Jessica was. Olivia suddenly understood why Keh would leave Janice for Jessica. Janice¡¯s upbringing basically made sure she would be a proud heiress. She never needed to be considerate of other people¡¯s feelings, and everyone in her family doted on her. Even when she fell in love, she did things her way. She never stopped to consider other people¡¯s feelings like Jessica. Keh¡¯s status was simr to Janice¡¯s. It was only natural that he would prefer a more docile woman like Jessica. Keh said slowly, ¡°How much is it? I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Janice, who had remained silent the whole time, looked at them expressionlessly and asked Olivia, ¡°Do you like these earrings, dear?¡± Olivia quickly shook her head and said, ¡°The design and color are subpar. After a closer look, I don¡¯t really like it.¡± She proceeded to take off the ne and put it back. She even thanked the salesperson politely. Her actions pleased Janice. Janice leaned on the counterzily and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take everything other than the ones that woman looked at or touched.¡± The salesperson stammered, ¡°All¡­ All of them?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Janice took out a ck card and said, ¡°Swipe this card. Pack everything up and deliver it to my ce.¡± The salesperson carefully picked up the card and went to process the transaction. The salesperson had rarely seen such a big spender, even in a ce like this. Olivia finally witnessed the scene where the rich and powerful man stands up for the helpless woman, just like in the movies. But she felt like Janice was still the cooler one. Janice patted Olivia¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve told you before. You don¡¯t even need to hold back when spending. ¡°We have plenty of money. Let¡¯s look at some handbags over there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia nodded at Keh and Jessica. Then she said, ¡°Please let us through.¡± Jessica watched as Janice left. She felt like Janice was different from before. In the past, Janice would throw a fit when others addressed Jessica as Mrs. Miller Senior. But she didn¡¯t even look at Keh, whom she loved so much, this time. Janice walked away without looking back, treating Keh like he didn¡¯t exist. Keh felt ufortable being ignored by Janice. He spoke up again. ¡°Janice.¡± In the past, Janice woulde running whenever he uttered her name. She was like his most faithful believer who yearned for his love. But this time, her footsteps didn¡¯t even slow down. Curious about the expression Keh was making, Olivia looked back at him. Chapter 661 Chapter 661 Ethan really did resemble Keh. Both of them were mostly expressionless. Keh¡¯s expression made it hard to discern his feelings at the moment. After they had walked away, Olivia asked, ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? She¡¯s just as underhanded as ever. She was just trying to make me angry.¡± As if recalling something, Janice smiled. ¡°Her tactics weren¡¯t that ingenious. She simply manipted my feelings for Keh. ¡°The more I cared about him, the easier I would lose control of my emotions. ¡°Even if I knew she was setting me up, I could never stop myself from falling for it. And the misunderstandings piled up over time.¡± ¡°Since they were misunderstandings, have you ever tried to exin yourself?¡± Janice brought Olivia to a cafe on the top floor to rx. She stirred her coffee in the air- conditioned cafe and told Olivia about her past. ¡°If he loves you, he should believe you even if you didn¡¯t exin yourself. If he doesn¡¯t love you, anything you do would irritate him. ¡°I was also stubborn then. I kept believing he would see that woman for who she was and return to 1. ¡°I¡¯vemitted suicide several times. I¡¯ve jumped off a building, slit my wrists, taken sleeping pills, and even jumped in the sea. ¡°Everyone thought I was forcing him toe back to me with my life. In reality, I had lost the will to live. ¡°He hurt me so much that I became mentally ill. I became quick-tempered, and people started calling me crazy.¡± Janice liked drinking ck coffee. She took a few sips to collect herself. ¡°But people forgot that I was his wife. The woman he rightfully married. No one felt for me. ¡°They thought I was a fool that didn¡¯t get what she wanted and a failure that couldn¡¯t even keep her husband at her side.¡± Olivia patted Janice¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom ¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now. You should just stay away from that woman. The kindness you saw is just a facade. After so many years, I only realized why I had been so unhinged back then. ¡°She had nned it all out. She bribed the people around me and learned about my habits. She knew that I had fresh flowers in my room every day. So, she had someone spray them with drugs.¡± Olivia was stunned. ¡°What kind of drug?¡± ¡°One that was colorless and odorless. Prolonged exposure to it would cause delusions and emotional breakdowns. People exposed to it would be driven to madness slowly.¡± ¡°How could she be so evil?¡± Janice said calmly, ¡°Liv, not everyone is born into a well-off family like us. I¡¯m not saying that This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. impoverished people are inferior, but they lead difficult lives. ¡°They would do anything in their power to improve their situations because they have experienced hardships. ¡°Getting with Keh was the only way Jessica could change her life, the lives of her whole family, and even the lives of her offspring. Naturally, she would cling to Keh with all her might.¡± ¡°Does Ms. Pottse from an impoverished family?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why she has learned to read people well. Maybe she¡¯s not even in love with Keh, but she would act docile and y the victim to keep her position as Mrs. Miller Senior. ¡°But men just eat that act up. Back then, she would frequently do things to agitate me. Pair that up with the drugs she used on me. I started to be unhinged.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Mr. Miller Senior?¡± Janice smiled faintly. ¡°Why would I tell him? They deserve each other. It doesn¡¯t matter if it was the drugs or something else. ¡°The fact is that I had slit my wrists, jumped into the sea, and jumped off a building. He never cared about me. ¡°Even if I used to love him deeply. The love slowly disappeared after my repeated suicide attempts. ¡°It took me years to heal physically and mentally. I hope they stay together forever and never spread their toxicity to anyone else.¡± Chapter 662 Chapter 662 Olivia frowned. ¡°But that¡¯s so unfair to you.¡± ¡°And what is fair? Love, some people work hard just to survive, some have to do the most. degrading and tiring jobs. ¡°Some people can only gaze at the towering buildings, yet others were the sessors of such buildings when they were born. Life¡¯s never fair.¡± Olivia fell silent. Janice said sincerely, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re still young. Many things aren¡¯t as simple as you think they are. Can you guess why I hadn¡¯t made a move against Jessica even though I knew the truth?¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re afraid of Mr. Miller Senior?¡± ¡°Afraid of him? You would only care about a man¡¯s feelings and what he thinks if you loved him. If Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. the love is gone, he might as well be a stranger. I¡¯m not doing anything because I know what Jessica is after.¡± There wasn¡¯t a trace of love on Janice¡¯s face anymore. Her expression waspletely indifferent. ¡°She wants to be the rightful Mrs. Miller Senior?¡± ¡°Smart girl. Keh was head over heels for her back then, and Mr. Harold was furious. He insisted on casting me out and marrying Jessica. ¡°Even Jessica thought she had it in the bag because she was sure Mr. Harold wouldn¡¯t sever ties with Keh. ¡°But Mr. Harold actually did it. Not only did he cut Keh off from all the financial resources and social connections of the Miller Family, he also publicly announced that Ethan was his sole sessor.¡± Olivia thought about Harold, who had been nothing but kind to her. She didn¡¯t expect him to be so decisive ¡°What happened next?¡± ¡°Keh wasn¡¯t able to make a living here, so he left with Jessica to start a business elsewhere. The funny thing is that I was the one who gave him the funds to start his business. ¡°I thought I would be able to control him because I held a 51% stake in hispany. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hurt him. In the end, I was the one who was hurt.¡± Olivia pitied Janice. She was too naive,promising time and again for the man she loved. Such humble love would never change a man¡¯s mind. ¡°He is the sessor that the Millers had trained, after all. Even if he started from scratch, he managed to do pretty well for himself. In order to prove himself, he has been moving his business. back here. Also, he had been trying to repair his rtionship with Mr. Harold. ¡°I know him too well. It must have been Jessica¡¯s idea to reconnect with Mr. Harold.¡± ¡°So, Ms. Potts isn¡¯t satisfied with what they have, and she¡¯s eyeing the Millers¡¯ fortune?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter how much money Keh earns, it is nothingpared to the assets held by the Miller Family, not to mention the old money that the Millers inherited from their ancestors. ¡°That woman will never be satisfied unless she has it all. She had been bringing her son to the Miller Residence in the past few years, but she would always be driven away before she could meet Mr. Harold.¡± Janice fiddled with her spoon. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to her because I wanted to see them fight amongst themselves. ¡°Think about it. How would he feel if he found out the woman he loved has always been a ruthless and cunning vixen?¡± Olivia could already imagine the sense of satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten people to look into her these past two years. She is a cunning one. I don¡¯t have concrete proof for a lot of the things she has done. ¡°But just wait until I get to the bottom of it all. It would be interesting to see what happens to her then.¡± Janice reminded Olivia, ¡°But you have to be careful. I told you that she¡¯s a formidable foe. She might make a move against you.¡± ¡°I got it, Mom.¡± Olivia nodded in agreement. She drank a few sips of her iced coffee and winced in pain. Chapter 663 Chapter 663 Janice looked at Olivia and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Where does it hurt?¡± Olivia pointed toward her stomach with a pained expression. ¡°My stomach just started acting up. It¡¯s nothing much.¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you should stop drinking that iced coffee. I¡¯ll get the family doctor to give you a checkup.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through all that trouble. I just got checked back in Andia not long ago.¡± ¡°You might not have gotten a proper examination of your stomach. Since your stomach is acting up, you should get an endoscopy,¡± Janice suggested. Olivia said dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s just some mild stomach aches. Maybe it¡¯s because the coffee is too cold. ¡°I¡¯ll just take some medicine for it when I get home. For now, I need to n Mr. Harold¡¯s birthday banquet. I¡¯ll go for an in-depth checkup after we¡¯re done with that.¡± ¡°That works.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Janice beckoned for a bodyguard toe forward and asked him to buy some stomach medicine. She also asked someone to get Olivia a ss of warm water. Olivia enjoyed the feeling of being cared for. She was starting to ept Janice as her family. They talked about a lot of details for the birthday banquet after lunch. Olivia inquired hesitantly, ¡°Mom, do we need to invite Mr. Miller Senior to Mr. Harold¡¯s birthday party?¡± Janice said firmly, ¡°Remember this. There¡¯s only one Mr. Miller that matters in the Miller Family, and that is your husband, Ethan Miller.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get Joanne topile the list of guests for you. If you have the time to spare, you should familiarize yourself with thedies in the Millers¡¯ circle of friends. ¡°You and Ethan will be the ones at the helm of the Miller Family in theing days.¡± Olivia wanted to turn Janice down. Between studying medicine and managing the Miller Family, she would prefer the former. Harold and Janice were intent on having her take on the mantle of the household¡¯s mistress. Olivia decided that she woulde clean with them after the banquet. As the two of them were talking, Keh entered the cafe with his arm wrapped around Jessica¡¯s waist. Olivia was actually pretty impressed by Keh. He loved the same woman for so many years. Even at his current age, he was still in love with his wife. Most of the younger generation couldn¡¯t do the same. Janice whispered to Olivia, ¡°What did I say? She¡¯d show up no matter where I go.¡± Jessica was like a cockroach: harmless but disgusting. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m done eating. Let¡¯s go.¡± Janice stopped Olivia from putting down her cutleries. They had been talking for some time, and Olivia had just started to eat. ¡°No need. Eat your fill. We¡¯re bound to meet them again in the future. I¡¯m not the one in the wrong If anyone should be hiding, it¡¯s not me.¡± Olivia continued eating after she realized that Janice was unfazed. She knew about what Keh had done to Ethan in the past. She figured that Keh might not like her because she was with Ethan. So, she didn¡¯t intend to introduce herself to him. Jessica¡¯s voice came from behind. Her tone was still soft and docile despite being in her 40s. ¡°Janice is here, too, Keh. Do we sit together?¡± Olivia had the urge to tell Jessica to start a ss on how to be a two-faced bitch. She was sure it would be a huge sess. Keh was about to sit down. Janice waved to a server and said, ¡°We don¡¯t really know them. Please bring them to another table further away from us. I can¡¯t stand the sight of either of them.¡± In Keh¡¯s memories, Janice had always been head over heels for him. She was his biggest fan, but everything she did disgusted him. It was the first time he saw disgust in Janice¡¯s eyes. Keh, who was a proud man, couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. He had a dissatisfied expression as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Janice, I have something to tell you.¡± Janice didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°Hey, can someone call the police? Someone¡¯s harassing us.¡± The server noticed that the two parties weren¡¯t on good terms. He smiled politely and said, ¡°Sir, miss, there are plenty of empty seats over there. Why don¡¯t we move you over there?¡± Chapter 664 Chapter 664 Keh felt disrespected. He hadn¡¯t seen Janice in a long time. The woman who had been chasing after him was giving him attitude. Not only did he not leave, he sat down and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. We¡¯re acquaintances.¡± The server looked at them awkwardly and didn¡¯t know what to do. Janice put down the knife in her hand elegantly. She took out some tissues and wiped her lips. She ignored Keh and Jessica. Then, she looked at Olivia tenderly and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to another ce for food?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia had been waiting a long time for her food and was already starving. But she didn¡¯t feel like eating while looking at Keh and Jessica. She nodded politely at them and said, ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Keh was visibly upset as he watched Olivia and Janice leave hand in hand. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Keh was fed up by Janice¡¯s attitude. So, he took it out on Olivia. ¡°You¡¯re Ethan¡¯s wife, which means you¡¯re my daughter-inw. Is this how you treat your elders?¡± Janice was able to keep her cool before. But her anger red up when Olivia, who was innocent, was dragged into it. As she was about to lose it, another voice rang, ¡°Daughter-inw? Surely you must be mistaken, Mr. Miller Senior.¡± Ethan walked over from a distance and pulled Olivia into his embrace like a mother protecting her child. Like father, like son. Both of them protected their wives the same way. Keh hadn¡¯t seen Ethan in a while. Even though they had met years ago, his deepest impression of Ethan was when he suddenly came looking for him when he was three years old. Back then, Keh had been agitated by Janice¡¯s antics, and he took it out on Ethan. In the blink of an eye, the boy who had been smeared with cake had already grown so tall. And that face looked very simr to his own. Ethan looked more like him than Darrell, Ethan didn¡¯t know what Keh was thinking. He was no longer the little boy who yearned for his father¡¯s love. He exuded maturity and stoicism with his every move. Ethan said calmly, ¡°Mr. Miller Senior, you told me that you weren¡¯t my dad and that you didn¡¯t have a son like me 20 years ago.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Did you also forget that Grandpa had cast you out of the Miller Family? If I¡¯m not your son, how could she be your daughter-inw?¡± Olivia almost let out augh. Ethan just said the most vicious words with the calmest tone. Every word was like knives stabbing into Keh¡¯s chest. ¡°Ethan Miller!¡± Ethan was very calm, in stark contrast to Keh¡¯s anger. Ethan said, ¡°My mom had just barely gotten over her trauma. We¡¯re very happy as a family. Please watch your wife closely, and don¡¯t let her disturb our peace.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°And tell that foolish son of yours that I won¡¯t let him go so easily the next time he tries something.¡± Ethan¡¯s words were spoken withplete disregard for Keh¡¯s image. Keh¡¯s ears were flushed, but it was unknown if that was due to anger or embarrassment. But Olivia was sure that someone as heartless as Keh wouldn¡¯t have a sense of shame. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving now. Enjoy your meal.¡± As they were about to leave, Ethan bid them farewell politely. Olivia didn¡¯t know if Janice enjoyed the show, but she enjoyed every moment of that exchange herself. After they left the cafe, Janice said with reddened eyes, ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t you hate me for what I did in the past? Why would you defend me in front of him?¡± ¡°I used to hate you.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want to spend his days consumed by hatred. Cherishing every moment of happiness was the best option. Before he helped Janice into the car, he said, ¡°I was too weak then. But now that I¡¯m grown up, I will be able to protect you.¡± Chapter 665 Chapter 665 By saying that, it meant that Ethan had forgiven Janicepletely. She had been ill during that time and was in a lot of pain. Besides, Janice was his mother that gave him life. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Ethan had thought he would just cut ties with her and live his life away from her. He never expected Janice toe out of her trauma and reflect on her past mistakes. After everything he went through with Olivia, he just wanted to cherish the family that he had. Janice got in the front passenger seat while Ethan and Olivia sat together at the back. Olivia looked at him with a smile and asked, ¡°Why did youe here?¡± ¡°I came to bring you home. You didn¡¯t get to eat your fill just now, did you? I¡¯ll cook something up for you when we get home.¡± Looking at the man who waspletely devoted to him, Olivia smiled sweetly and replied, ¡°Sure.¡± She was starting to believe Janice¡¯s words. Ethan was different from Keh. A man like him would never hurt her, right? The bodyguard handed over some water and medicine. Ethan asked, concerned, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My stomach was acting up after drinking chilled coffee. I¡¯ll be fine after I take some medicine.¡± Olivia had wanted to eat her fill at the cafe, but her meal was cut short by Keh and Jessica. Her stomach was still hurting, but she didn¡¯t talk about it. She just quickly ingested some medicine. Noticing Ethan¡¯s mindful stare, she gently pushed his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to be so worried. I promised Mom that I would get an endoscopy after the birthday banquet. ¡°So, you¡¯re really okay?¡± Ethan confirmed once more. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m in pain?¡± Olivia had brought up stomach pains several times recently. But stomach issues generally reur frequently. Sometimes, it was normal for the pain to happen every day. Ethan¡¯s worries were temporarily alleviated when he thought about the medical examination Olivia did in the past that revealed nothing majorly wrong with her. He asked someone to bring Olivia something to eat before starting the car. ¡°Here, eat something to ease that pain. We¡¯ll be home soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate. The roads weren¡¯t packed at that hour. Olivia leisurely enjoyed the scenery on both sides of the road. She liked it here more than Aldenvine. The air was better here, and the nts on the roadside looked pretty. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯spletely different from Aldenvine. There are a lot of flowers on the side of the road.¡± ¡°The scenery is better on the Seaside Streets. Let¡¯s take that route home.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± The driver changed the route. Olivia¡¯s mood improved as she rolled down the window to feel the ocean breeze. The driver prepared to slow down as they were approaching a downward slope. His expression instantly paled, and his hands tightened around the steering wheel when he stepped on the brakes. The driver was a trained professional, so he was able to remain calm. ¡°Mr. Miller, I have bad news. The brakes have malfunctioned.¡± Olivia, who was eating a snack, froze. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°The brakes aren¡¯t responding, and we¡¯re approaching a long downward slope. The car will speed up, but I will try my best to steer us to safety. Make sure to brace yourselves, Mrs. Miller Senior, Mrs. Miller, and Mr. Miller.¡± Ethanforted the two women calmly, ¡°Mom, Liv, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll contact some people to handle this.¡± Ethan called the police immediately. He requested for the road to be locked down, the vehicles in the area to be redirected, and to prepare for an isted collision buffer in advance. The other cars driven by Ethan¡¯s bodyguards took up thene on the left so no one could overtake Ethan. As long as oing vehicles adhere to the designated routes, there shouldn¡¯t be any issues. Even though Ethan had already made arrangements for everything, Olivia¡¯s heart still began to beat faster. An image of a stormy night shed in her head. Ethan wrapped his arms around her when he saw her pale expression. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here. We¡¯ll be fine.¡± Chapter 666 Chapter 666 Olivia¡¯s fear didn¡¯t reallye from the car spiraling out of control. It came from her subconscious. As they approached the slope, the driver tried his best to keep the car steady, but the car quickly elerated to a dangerously fast speed. Olivia could hear the winds roaring in her ears. The winds were so loud they drowned out the sounds of Ethan¡¯s heartbeat. Images began shing in her mind. A car barrelled down the road in the rain, lightning shed, and the sound of the thunder was deafening. There were also the blood-curdling cries of a woman. Olivia cried out in pain as she clutched her head. She was having a splitting headache. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Liv. I¡¯m here,¡± Ethan said as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. Olivia reflexively grabbed Ethan¡¯s cor. She closed her eyes and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m scared, Ethan. I¡¯m so scared!¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t scared of death. It seemed to be something that was worse than death. But she didn¡¯t understand what she was afraid of if she wasn¡¯t scared to die. As the winds kept blowing into the car, Olivia felt like her soul was being sucked out of her body. For an instant, a dreadful thought shed in her mind. Maybe it would have been better if she died here. Her life was terrible anyway. Olivia was shocked by that thought when she came back to her senses. She was living a good life. Why would she want to die? The car was going over 100 miles per hour. Ethan hugged Olivia tightly andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Olivia felt like the truth was within reach, but it didn¡¯te to her. She simply couldn¡¯t recall what had happened. The driver said with a serious expression, ¡°Brace yourselves. We¡¯ll be arriving at the designated collision area in around six miles. It wasn¡¯t a long distance, but every second of it was torture. A single miscalction or ident could be catastrophic. If any car from oing traffic crossed over, the results would be devastating. Luckily, Ethan managed to get the situation under control quickly. There weren¡¯t a lot of cars around. They were able to get to the designated collision area that the police set up without a hitch. ¡°Everyone get ready. We¡¯re about to crash.¡± The driver was a man of great mental fortitude. He was calm from the beginning. The car¡¯s momentum carried it for some distance beforeing to a stop. The instant the car screeched to a halt, Olivia didn¡¯t feel weak at the knees, just that the stomach pains subsided while she was overwhelmed with anxiety. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ethan immediately checked on her. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Olivia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Mom, are you okay?¡± Janice, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, took off her seat belt. Her expression was calm as if they were just on a road trip. She never let out a scream throughout the entire ordeal. ¡°Death doesn¡¯t scare me.¡± Janice had had several close encounters with death. She was calm as she got out of the car. Olivia¡¯s head was still throbbing as Ethan helped her out of the car. She looked at the ocean and frowned as she tried to recall the images in her mind. What important memory did she forget? It was right before her, but she couldn¡¯t figure it out. Olivia sharply inhaled as she clutched her head and crouched down. Ethan hugged her from behind. ¡°Liv, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to remember the past. You¡¯ll only make yourself suffer.¡± ¡°But what have I forgotten?¡± Ethan tried to ease her restlessness. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. The future is what matters, and the present. Don¡¯t you want to know who did this to us?¡± Olivia raised her head slowly and met Ethan¡¯s gaze. ¡°What happened wasn¡¯t an ident. Someone intentionally sabotaged our car.¡± Chapter 667 Chapter 667 Even a regr person would take good care of their car, let alone a wealthy family like the Millers. Why would the brakes malfunction? Olivia¡¯s mind gradually cleared up. ¡°Is this the person who also plotted against my baby?¡± ¡°My mom had cut herself off from society for so long. It¡¯s unlikely that he is after her. The car I came over in was fine. Only your car was sabotaged. This person is probably after you.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He is so ruthless.¡± Ethan had given her all his love since she woke without her memories. Even though he had told her repeatedly to be careful, the danger only started to feel real after she narrowly escaped death. The front of the car waspletely warped. If there wasn¡¯t a buffer, and they drove straight into something solid, the car wouldn¡¯t just be warped. It would bepletely crushed. Olivia pinched her own palm hard. ¡°Did I really not have any mortal enemies in the past? How much does someone have to hate me to go so far?¡± ¡°Liv, I won¡¯t let him off easy.¡± Ethan brought Olivia and Janice home. Olivia was down in the dumps, so Ethan stayed with her andforted her patiently. Olivia finally fell asleep after the skies werepletely dark. Ethan left the room after she fell asleep. He saw Janice leaning on a white pir and smoking a short distance away. ¡°Mom, smoking is bad for your health.¡± Janice snuffed the cigarette out and sat down. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exercise at this hour?¡± Janice was a very disciplined person. She would fast and practice yoga at night whenever she could. ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± Janice leaned on the back of the chair nonchntly and said, ¡°Tell me, what happened today?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you there as well?¡± Janice fiddled with the ring on her finger and said, ¡°I might have been crazy, but I am not stupid. The one who drove us to the mall was James. Why did our driver suddenly get swapped to one of your men? ¡°And when you called the police as things went wrong, they were too quick to respond. No matter how fast they mobilized, the buffer should be another 12 miles out, at least.¡± ¡°Nothing escapes you indeed.¡± Janice nced at him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you were the one that nned everything.¡± Ethan shook his head. ¡°Of course not. Do you remember when I told you that someone has it in for Liv?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Since I know someone nned to make a move, I wouldn¡¯t allow any danger toe close to us. James bought a bottle of water while he was waiting for you. ¡°He had an upset stomach shortly after drinking it. Someone tampered with the car after he left.¡± Ethan yed a segment of a clip for her on his phone. In the video, a man who wore a cap, sunsses, and a face mask. With his entire body covered up, he got in the car while James was gone. The man got out of the car after a few minutes. There weren¡¯t any security cameras in his location. The clip was recorded by someone on the scene. Janice nodded. ¡°Since you¡¯ve known about this, why did you still put us in danger? What were you trying to do? ¡°I¡¯vemitted suicide so many times, but you¡¯re the one who got closest to killing me. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered this person a few times. He¡¯s very cautious. If I changed cars, he would definitely be alerted. ¡°So you n to catch him off guard?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ethan leaned on the table and said in a deep voice, ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve discovered his hiding ce, and Brent is headed over there with some men. Chapter 668 Chapter 668 Janice stared at him for a while and sighed helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re indeed his son. You¡¯re just as ruthless as he is. Weren¡¯t you afraid that an ident might have happened? Everyone in the car would have been killed if anything happened.¡± ¡°Mom, did you think I would put Liv in danger? That person is too cunning. He¡¯s not in the country but still has enough influence to pull the strings from behind the scenes. ¡°Every time I got somebody, they turned out to be scapegoats. Olivia would be in danger as long as this person is still alive. ¡°Do you know? I would see the twins when I closed my eyes. They were still so small. They stopped breathing as soon as they were born. I can¡¯t even find their bodies¡­¡± Ethan looked into the distance. There was a bird perched on a branch and chirping happily. It didn¡¯t notice a snake behind it with its mouth wide open, ready to pounce. Ethan wrapped his fingers around the edges of the table. He loved the children as much as Olivia did. He had been anticipating the babies¡¯ arrival every day. He didn¡¯t expect things to go south. He tried to n for everything but still failed to protect Olivia and the babies. He suppressed the pain of losing his children and didn¡¯t dare to show his pain before Olivia for fear it might affect her emotions. But whenever he was alone at night, he would toss and turn in bed as he watched the recording of the babies still in Olivia¡¯s womb repeatedly. He would even space out sometimes when he saw babies in their strollers on the streets. Ethan would never forget this grudge. He yearned for revenge every single day. Since the person dared toe after Olivia again, Ethan decided to do what he did after careful consideration. The person was so cautious. The people he sent on missions would be the best of the best. They would have strong counter-surveince awareness. Ethan made the decision after much hesitation. He wanted to take this chance to catch the person The reality was that he already had contingencies in ce. He changed the route to Seaside Streets, where there was less traffic, and the roads were wider. The person was probably already celebrating when he saw them getting in the car. Janice asked, ¡°So how did it turn out?¡± ¡°The person is very cunning. He remained in the downtown area because he didn¡¯t want to be followed. But Brent has been on his tail. The operation should be nearing its end.¡± Ethan had a feeling that he would be able to get some useful information if they could capture the man. This man had the same figure and walking posture as the one who pushed Connor down the stairs. Ethan had kept Connor¡¯s identity a secret for so many years. Even Marina didn¡¯t know, but this person managed to find out. The person had to be after Olivia and Connor. But why? What grudge could he have against Olivia? Ethan¡¯s phone vibrated. It was another message from Brent. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m heading out.¡± Ethan stood up immediately. Janice looked at him coldly and said, ¡°No matter what your goal is. Love is not the same as Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. everything else. ¡°Don¡¯t treat the woman you love like you do work. Your actions today were uneptable. ¡°Even if you were trying to draw your enemies out and take them all out, idents can never be fully anticipated. If they happen, no one would be able to predict the oue. Ethan paused for a bit and replied, ¡°Understood.¡± He left hurriedly after that. Janice called out casually, ¡°Joanne.¡± The woman in a maid¡¯s uniform appeared and stood next to Janice. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior.¡± ¡°Watch over that kid. This is not Aldenvine. The situation in this city is not as simple as he thinks it is.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Janice pushed open the door and frowned when she looked at Olivia, who was fast asleep. She sighed and muttered, ¡°What an unfortunate child.¡± Ethan had inherited the obstinance from her and Keh. Janice couldn¡¯t really say if the woman being loved by Ethan should be considered lucky or not. ¡°No!¡± Olivia abruptly woke from a nightmare. She was covered in sweat. The person she saw when she opened her eyes was Janice instead of Ethan. She felt like she had embarrassed herself. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Dear child, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m just here to check on you. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a nightmare.¡± Olivia rubbed her head. ¡°What kind of nightmare?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t remember the details of the dream. She could only recall that it was very chaotic and bloody. She couldn¡¯t recall the faces she saw in the dream. But she could feel the person¡¯s blood on her face like it was real. The dream was so realistic that Olivia felt like it was something she had experienced. In the dream, people were lying motionless on the ground everywhere. It was raining, and the ground was soaked in rain and blood. If that was something that actually happened, Olivia couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how gruesome it was. She could still feel a chill when she thought about it. Olivia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anymore. I just know that it was terrifying.¡± Noticing that she was feeling down, Janiceforted her, ¡°I heard that you have a pet cat in Aldenvine. I¡¯ll get someone to transport it over here. ¡°You might feel better if you¡¯re reunited with your pet in a foreign ce. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡± Olivia felt closer to Janice. Janice was a really considerate person, but she was hurt so deeply by a man. Olivia felt bad for her. Olivia suddenly inhaled as she clutched her stomach. She was in shock during the day, so she didn¡¯t eat much. Her stomach was acting up. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m quite hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to bring food over right away.¡± Olivia drank a ss of warm water to ease the pain. For some reason, she started to feel uneasy. Even if she had gastric issues, she felt like the pain was too frequent. She wasn¡¯t like this when she had just regained consciousness. The pain slowly increased over the days. The medicine could only ease the pain temporarily. It was like a wound that didn¡¯t get better after medication and worsened instead. She figured that it was time for her to get an in-depth checkup. She endured the pain and ate dinner so Janice wouldn¡¯t be worried. Olivia had figured out a pain. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. pattern. It wouldn¡¯tst. She just had to bear with it for a few minutes. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Ethan?¡± Olivia tried to change the subject to take her mind off the pain. ¡°He went to find the culprit.¡± ¡°The culprit? Does he know who it is?¡± Janice wouldn¡¯t tell Olivia what methods Ethan used, so she glossed over it. ¡°Yeah, surveince footage showed that someone had tampered with the car. You should stay home for now. It¡¯s dangerous out there.¡± ¡°What about Ethan? Wouldn¡¯t he be in danger as well?¡± Olivia asked concernedly with her hand over her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± Ethan met with Kelvin. They were at an abandoned warehouse by the beach. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr Miller. Brent followed him all the way here. We must be in the right ce. ¡°I saw him entering the building. The ce is surrounded by our people. He can¡¯t possibly escape. We just need to go in and capture him.¡± Ethan cautioned, ¡°Be careful. This man is very alert.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll rush in to capture him when Brent gives the signal.¡± Chapter 670 Chapter 670 ¡°Mr. Miller, Brent has given the signal. We¡¯llmence the operation. You just have to wait here while we capture him.¡± Kelvin led the charge into the abandoned warehouse in excitement. For some reason, Ethan started to feel uneasy even though the operation had been nned carefully. He felt regret as he watched Kelvin rush in excitedly. He reached out to try and stop Kelvin reflexively. Cyril had hurt his leg a few months ago. Although he was recovering, he still wasn¡¯t in good enough shape to take part in the operation. He looked at Ethan curiously and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. Brent is a meticulous man. We pretended to fall for the person¡¯s trap, too. The operation should be wless. Besides, the target is alone.¡± Ethan frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t he lead Brent around the downtown area for quite some time before ¡°You mean we¡¯re the ones that are being fooled?¡± Ethan scanned the area and felt like something was wrong. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Signal for Brent to retreat.¡± Ethan¡¯s intuition had saved him countless times in the past. It was telling him that they were in danger. Cyril didn¡¯t doubt Ethan¡¯s judgment. He immediately contacted Brent and Kelvin and told them to retreat. Just as the text was sent, explosions could be hearding from the abandoned warehouse. Kelvin, who hadn¡¯t even gotten to the warehouse, was surrounded by the mes. Hey on the ground and called out toward the warehouse, ¡°Brent!¡± No one knew what happened, but one thing was clear. Ethan was right. They had been tricked! The fire started to spread, and chain explosions were set off. ¡°It¡¯s an ambush. Run, Mr. Miller.¡± Cyril yelled as he ran toward Kelvin. Kelvin was always an emotional person. The sudden explosions made Kelvin lose his mind. His first reaction wasn¡¯t to get away from danger but to run toward Brent. Cyril reacted just in time to grab him. ¡°You have to get away. This is an abandoned factory site. The explosions would carry toxic substances with them. Tears were streaming down Kelvin¡¯s face. He bellowed, ¡°Brent! Brent is still in there!¡± ¡°Fool! He was right in the middle of the explosion. If he couldn¡¯t escape in time, he would be blown to pieces. ¡°Even if he survived the explosion, the fire would¡¯ve gotten to him. You should¡¯ve been prepared for this eventuality in this line of work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of death, but I¡¯m afraid of my brother dying.¡± ¡°Your brother wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to you, too. Listen to me. Get away from here. It¡¯s not safe.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Cyril had to drag Kelvin away as the explosions intensified. Dark clouds rose into the sky. Toxic gasses and fire started to spread in the area. Ethan finally understood what the person was doing while he was leading Brent around. They pretended to fall for his trap, but he was also doing the same. The person was too alert. He probably noticed Brent quickly. It was toote for regrets. Ethan calmed himself down and analyzed the situation. Since the person set up such a trap, his target would have to be Ethan. So, it was just the beginning. As he thought about that, a beam of infrared light cut through the smoke, aimed at his forehead Chapter 671 Chapter 671 Olivia was eating. For some reason, she felt uneasy, even though she was starving. She picked up a ceramic spoon but dropped it. It fell to the floor and broke into pieces. Olivia reflexively bent over to pick it up. Janice spoke up, ¡°Leave it. Let the maids pick it up.¡± But Olivia had already cut herself on one of the broken pieces. Her blood dripped onto the white ceramic piece. Janice called over a maid to bandage Olivia¡¯s wound. Ol¨ªvia spaced out as she looked at the blood. ¡°How long has Ethan been out?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He should be back soon,¡± Janice reassured her. Suddenly, Janice¡¯s phone, which was on the table, rang. ¡°I need to take this.¡± She let go of Olivia and took the call. It was unclear what the person said over the line. Janice¡¯s expression turned serious, and she stood up abruptly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll send reinforcements immediately.¡± Olivia¡¯s uneasiness grew. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just a minor issue. You should finish the food. I¡¯ll deal with the problem.¡± Janice left as soon as she said that. She didn¡¯t even stick around and provide a more detailed exnation. Olivia had a feeling that the call had something to do with Ethan. It was already dark out. She quickly dialed Ethan¡¯s number, but he didn¡¯t pick up. She tried calling the other bodyguards, but their phones were turned off, or they didn¡¯t pick up. Olivia quickly ran after Janice, but she saw Janice getting into a car and driving away. What was going on? Olivia tried to call Janice, but the line was upied. It was evident that Janice was busy. Joanne, who was always with Janice, was also nowhere to be seen. Olivia felt uneasy as she paced around the house. She was still a stranger in this city. She had no choice but to run toward Harold¡¯s building, hoping he wasn¡¯t in a haze. As soon as she reached the yard, Olivia saw Harold holding his cane with a serious expression. ¡°Grandpa¡­ something might have happened to Ethan.¡± Harold was different from his usual self. ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry. Our people are already on the way.¡± Olivia noticed that Harold was holding a cross in his hand. He clutched the cross tightly as he was talking. Although Harold was in his casual clothes, he was exuding bone-chilling bloodlust. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m still worried. Can you please tell me what happened?¡± ¡°Simply put, he fell into a trap set up by his enemies.¡± Harold sighed. ¡°Ethan grew up in Aldenvine and spent a lot of time there. Even though he came here for business trips a lot, he never stayed long enough to learn about the situation here. ¡°He tried to go after the man who was after your life but was lured to an abandoned factory site. ¡°There were bombs nted there, and when Ethan got there¡­¡± Olivia covered her mouth in disbelief. ¡°Bombs?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°There were also toxic substances spread in the area by the explosions. The amount is lethal to humans.¡± Harold¡¯s words were like heavy blows on Olivia. She nked out. How could this happen? Ethan was just talking to her not long ago. Why did this happen so suddenly? After a long while, Olivia returned to her senses and asked, ¡°Is ¡­ Is he okay?¡± Harold sighed. ¡°He might not make it.¡± Chapter 672 Chapter 672 Olivia felt like someone had hit her on the head. She staggered and took a few steps back. She barely managed to steady herself after leaning on the table. She felt weak at the knees. ¡°Olivia, nothing is absolute. My conclusion was made based on the perspective of a normal man. Explosions and toxic substances would be too much for any regr man. ¡°But Ethan isn¡¯t a regr person. He had been trained professionally and survived all sorts of extreme situations. ¡°We have to have faith in him. He will be fine because he will ovee the odds. He¡¯s currently missing. ¡°I do not have confirmation yet. The explosions were too widespread. ¡°They were at an abandoned factory site. No one lives there, and the surveince cameras there have fallen into disrepair. So, no one knows what happened there.¡± Olivia was in despair. Since she regained consciousness, Ethan had been telling her that people were trying to harm her. But she had no memories of the past, so she couldn¡¯t grasp the gravity of the situation. Olivia started to feel anxious and scared after learning that Ethan had gone missing and had likely died in the fire. Even the men he brought with him hadn¡¯t been found yet. ¡°Grandpa, can you have someone bring me to the scene? I have to take a look. I would only feel restless if I stayed home.¡± ¡°No. It might still be dangerous there. Like I said, there are toxic substances. No one knows the situation there. ¡°You¡¯re the target, to begin with. They took Ethan out to remove people that are protecting you. The Miller Residence is the safest ce for you. So, you must stay here.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Harold¡¯s expression was stern. ¡°This is something you must get used to as his wife. You can¡¯t go there even if he dies, Harold mentioned death so casually, but it was a heavy blow to Olivia. ¡°All we can do now is have faith in him as the situation remains unclear. We need to believe that he will survive.¡± Haroldforted Olivia for a while and then asked a maid to bring her back to her room. After Olivia was gone, Harold¡¯s expression turned dark. He didn¡¯t expect someone to target one of the Millers in this city. Theposure he kept before Olivia was gone. His expression was solemn, and his temperament This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. turned chilling and dominant. ¡°Erik.¡± A man emerged from the shadows. ¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°Dispatch some men to look into it. Find Ethan, no matter the cost. Also, utilize the SkyNet. I want to see who¡¯s behind this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The man disappeared into the night. Harold leaned on his cane, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He was the one who raised Ethan and cared for him more than anyone else. He wouldn¡¯t ept that Ethan is dead. He couldn¡¯t ept that. Edmund quickly approached Harold and said, ¡°Calm down, Mr. Harold. Don¡¯t forget that your health isn¡¯t what it used to be. ¡°Fortune will smile on Mr. Miller. He will be fine.¡± Edmund handed Harold an aspirin as he said that. Harold leaned back into his chair, but his expression was still stormy. ¡°The person was clearly after Olivia. Why would he resort to lethal methods when dealing with Ethan? Edmund, do you think that illegitimate bastard is behind this?¡± After Harold regained rity, he quickly caught up with domestic and international happenings. Naturally, he knew about what Darrell had done in Aldenvine. Edmund poured him a ss of warm water. ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. There isn¡¯t enough proof yet. But, I have faith that Mr. Miller will be fine.¡± Chapter 673 Chapter 673 After taking the medicine, Harold realized that his heartbeat was slowing down. Ethan wasn¡¯t an amateur; he had always been experienced in this area. Harold believed that he would escape as well. Still, when Harold closed his eyes, he could imagine the mes filling the sky. Humans were powerless when faced with huge disasters like this. It was like an avnche. Even a skilled fighter couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Seeing his exhausted expression, Edmund hastily coaxed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Mr. Harold. The fire at the scene still hasn¡¯t been put out yet, and there is poisonous gas everywhere. ¡°Our men have gone to search for Mr. Miller. They should have news soon. Haroldy back on the chair, cing his hands on his forehead. ¡°If he dies there, how am I going to face his grandmother when I die and see her in the future?¡± Edmund stood at the side. Looking at Harold¡¯s graying hair, he finally realized how old Harold was getting. He sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s trust that Mr. Miller will be fine.¡± Olivia went back to her room in a daze. As soon as the door closed, she leaned against the door and slid onto the floor. She kept recalling Ethan¡¯s actions. She could see in her head images of the deep look in his eyes when he looked at her and the passionate embrace he held her in. She felt her eyes turning warm, and the hot liquid sshed onto her arm. Olivia reached up to touch her cheeks. Were those tears? Her heart was aching terribly. Was she so worried about Ethan? It wasn¡¯t until that moment that she realized something. Perhaps Ethan was more important to The scariest part was that she was very worried about him, but she couldn¡¯t do anything. Olivia felt like she was a beast trapped in a cage. She didn¡¯t know what happened in the past, nor did she know where her enemies were. She felt extremely helpless in this situation. As she hugged her head, her mind was in a mess. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. The enemy was targeting her, so how could she drag other people into this? ¡°Where are you, Ethan?¡± she whispered in her heart. Olivia dialed the number she hadmitted to memory over and over again. It still wouldn¡¯t go through. What should she do? What could she do? Olivia navigated around her phone, but she found that there were only a few contacts listed. Also, none of them could be reached right now. She seemed to have everything. But when she thought about it, Olivia realized that she had nothing. She didn¡¯t have family or friends. Ethan had been protecting her all this while. But if he disappeared from this world, she only had herself left. She didn¡¯t want to cry, but the tears kepting. Could it be that her disinterest in Ethan was only an illusion? Was it possible that, in reality, she was already deeply in love with Ethan? Her phone on the floor suddenly rang. With tears streaming down her face, Olivia answered it right away. ¡°How is it, Mom?¡± The howling wind sounded from the other end of the line. She didn¡¯t know where Janice was, but Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. thetter¡¯s voice was mixed in with the loud wind. ¡°No news yet so far. Were you crying?¡± Janice¡¯s voice sounded extra cold. Olivia hastily wiped her tears away. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m anxious about Ethan. Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°Take care of yourself. I¡¯ll tell you if there¡¯s any updates. For now, no news is good news, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Rest early. I¡¯m taking care of things here.¡± After reassuring Olivia, Janice hastily ended the call. At that moment, she was in a helicopter, looking down at the fire that was still burning. The fire was lighting up the edge of the ocean. Chapter 674 Chapter 674 Under the glow of the fire, the sea looked like a roaring monster. Joanne described the situation back then. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior, our people hadn¡¯t even approached the ce when an explosion sounded from Mr. Miller¡¯s location. ¡°I even heard gunshots in the fire. When we hurried there, the situation was already out of control. We didn¡¯t bring any gas masks with us, and the fire was too big. ¡°There were also snipers getting ready in the distance, so¡­¡± Joanne¡¯s eyes were filled with guilt. Ethan didn¡¯t expect that, but even she wasn¡¯t aware that the enemies would be so cruel. Their n was also so tightly linked together that there was no room forpromise. They made use of Ethan¡¯s intention to capture them alive. Then, they set up a trap for Ethan to jump into. Janice said with a dark expression, ¡°I heard that they hired a hundred elite mercenaries to assassinate Liv a few months ago. ¡°Now, Liv has already gone overseas. But they not only knew her location quickly, but they also prepared all this in such a short time. Who exactly is this person?¡± ¡°No matter who it is, they can¡¯t have been an ordinary person. We underestimated them this time. We can only pray for Mr. Miller¡¯s safety.¡± The helicopter circled in the air. They couldn¡¯t descend in that situation. Janice felt extremely annoyed in her heart. ¡°Look into them at all costs. I want to know who it was that was bold enough to attack my son.¡± Janice frowned deeply. ¡°Investigate the illegitimate son. He has a motive.¡± ¡°Understood, Mrs. Miller Senior.¡± It waste at night. A person was standing on a balcony of a presidential suite in a hotel. They wore a bathrobe, and they held a wine ss in their hand. They took a sip from it. It felt amazing to look down at the world at their feet. The Millers couldn¡¯t sleep a wink throughout the night. Olivia also waited through the night with her eyes wide open. Her phone was right next to her. She wished she could hear the familiar ringtone again. But she had waited a whole night, and the sky had turned from darkness to light. But in the end, she didn¡¯t get anything. The maid coaxed her. ¡°Please rest for a while, Mrs. Miller. If you don¡¯t want to, you can have breakfast, too.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Olivia had gastric pain a few timesst night, and she felt like she was numb to the pain by now. She turned mechanically to look at the maid. ¡°I can¡¯t stomach anything.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior told me to bring you downstairs for breakfast.¡± When Olivia heard that it was Janice¡¯s orders, she rushed down the stairs. Janice sat at the dining table as always. ¡°Is there any news, Mom?¡± ¡°The fire was put outter in the night. They found a few burnt corpses, and they¡¯ve already sent the bodies for autopsy.¡± When Olivia heard the word ¡®corpses¡¯, her vision cked out. She almost fell from the stairs. Fortunately, Joanne caught her in time. ¡°Mrs. Miller, calm down. Even if they found corpses, it might not have been Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia was helped to the dining table. Harold was dining with them today, which was a rare sight. He seemed to have gotten much older overnight, but he remained patient as heforted Olivia. ¡°That kid won¡¯t get killed so easily. Sit down and eat breakfast for now.¡± Janice and Harold trusted Ethan a lot. But Olivia didn¡¯t understand where the trust came from. She sat down as she was told. Taking a bowl of soup, she drank it carelessly. ¡°Grandpa, when are the autopsy resultsing out?¡± Harold nced at his watch. ¡°Soon.¡± Olivia tightened her grip on the spoon. Just then, Edmund strode in. ¡°Mr. Harold, Mr. ¡­ I mean, Keh and his family are here.¡± When Harold heard that name, his eyes widened in rage. ¡°Who allowed them toe in? Aren¡¯t we in a mess enough as it is? Tell them to get lost right now! Chapter 675 Chapter 675 ¡°Dad, I¡¯m d to hear your voice as loud and lively as always.¡± Keh¡¯s voice rang out calmly from the living room. He had visited a few times in recent years, but he was driven off every time. He was a proud man, so he didn¡¯t want toe over often, either. But today was different. Because of his forceful attitude, the security guards didn¡¯t dare act too recklessly. After all, everyone knew that Keh was Harold¡¯s only son. No one dared to offend him lest he came back and took over in the future. This time, he wasn¡¯t the only one who paid a visit. He even came with his whole family, Jessica and Darrell. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Olivia put down the bowl she had barely taken a few sips out of. Looking at the three, she was confused for a moment. She had no idea who was the joke here: her and Janice or Keh and his family. Noticing that Olivia had put down her bowl, Janice told her, ¡°Eat more. Don¡¯t let some trash ruin your mood.¡± Her love rival hade knocking to express superiority. But Janice remained calm. Olivia drank some more of the soup. This concerned a grudge in the Miller family. She got married into the family halfway through, so it had nothing to do with her. Jessica was holding a few exquisite bags in her hand. There was a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Dad, Darrell knows that you¡¯re fond of tea. He nurtured and handpicked the leaves for this Darjeeling tea. ¡°It came from the most premium sources, you know. Why don¡¯t I make some right now for you? You can try and see if it¡¯s nice.¡± Lifting his hand, Harold grabbed the container she handed to him and then smashed it onto the ground. Olivia was stunned. If it truly was tea from premium sources, she couldn¡¯t imagine how much the whole container might cost. But then, Olivia remembered that it was a gift from a homewrecker. She wished that she could step on the container and ruin it even more. ¡°My house has all the nice things I ever wanted. I don¡¯t need your useless things, so don¡¯t even think of pleasing me with them! We haven¡¯t met in a long time, but you¡¯re as shameless as always. ¡°I told youst time that the only daughter-inw I acknowledge is Janice alone. Ethan is also the only grandson of the Miller family. Don¡¯t even dream of getting into the Miller family! ¡°Get lost with that illegitimate son of yours, and bring my insolent son with you. I don¡¯t want to see you at all!¡± Harold¡¯s fury toward the family was even deeper than Olivia imagined. After Harold said those words with a reddened face, Olivia hastily helped him sit down. She calmed him down. ¡°Grandpa, calm down. Don¡¯t get so worked up!¡± With that, she passed Harold a ss of water. Harold shouldn¡¯t get worked up with a condition like that. His condition had always been fluctuating, and he finally went back to normal in the past few days. When Olivia was calming Harold, she sensed a gaze falling upon her. When she looked up, she realized that it was Darrell, whom she met only once before. Darrell had lost miserably to Ethanst time. When they met again this time, he never changed his ways. The things he did were getting more disgusting than thest. As their gazes met, Olivia red viciously at Darrell. The others didn¡¯t notice their movements. Keh walked over to Harold. For the first time in many years, he took the initiative to lower his head toward Harold. ¡°You¡¯re so old now, but your temper is as stubborn as always. Mom could still hold you back in the past.¡± Theint brought the two closer. ¡°After so many years, what exactly are you mad about? Do you think that disowning me will cut off the blood ties between us? Your blood runs in my body. ¡°He is your grandson, and your blood also runs in his veins.¡± Darrell approached from the left, reaching out to support Harold. He pretended to touch the back Olivia felt as if a venomous snake had grazed the spot where his skin touched hers. She hastily let go and then took a few steps away from Darrell. Chapter 676 Chapter 676 But Darrell supported Harold as if nothing had happened With a considerate look on his face, he said, ¡°Grandpa, Dad was right. It doesn¡¯t matter if you acknowledge me or not. It won¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re still family in nature.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, Dad. Keh was too rash back then, but now, he has seen the error of his ways. He came over today to apologize to you. Please forgive him They were bombarding left and right, using the term ¡®family¡¯ as they wished. These people came prepared Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia gradually calmed down as well. Something had just happened to Ethan, but these people came over right away. Was it an ident or a coincidence? Harold wasn¡¯t feeling well right now. He felt a little weak, and he didn¡¯t even have the energy to reprimand them. Janice, who had been silent all this while, spoke up coldly. ¡°Are you deaf or stupid? Do you not understand what Mr. Harold said? ¡°Keh, you said before that you would never take a step into the Miller residence. Why are you eating your own words now?¡± Keh looked at Janice with aplicated gaze. He was more shocked than anything. For the past few days, Janice had been disgracing him when they met. If it were in the past, this would never happen. Janice didn¡¯t even look at him. Instead, she turned around and brought Harold¡¯s emergency medicine. When Jessica saw that, she finally saw a battlefield she could fight on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Janice. I know you hate me for snatching Keh away, but I didn¡¯t mean for things to turn out like this. I¡¯ll return Keh to you. ¡°People have to return to their homes, so please let hime back.¡± Jessica¡¯s tactic wasn¡¯t new, but Keh fell for it anyway. He was about to fly into a rage night away But this time, Janice spoke up before he did. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Jessica? Why are you talking to me in such an intimate way? ¡°Or are you trying to admit that you¡¯re part of a king¡¯s harem, and I¡¯m the queen? Fine, if you¡¯re already convinced of this, you can work for me from today onward. ¡°You¡¯ll serve me, and you¡¯ll let me bully you without even saying a word in return. Keh hastily held Jessica as he red at Janice. ¡°Shut up. We¡¯re already divorced, so Jess is my legal wife now. You¡¯d better show some respect.¡± Olivia only felt sad when she saw that. Janice was deeply in love with him for so many years, and she had also given birth to his son. But in the end, he treated her like an enemy. Fortunately, Janice had already thought things through. There wasn¡¯t even a trace of hurt on her face, only sarcasm. ¡°You know that we¡¯re already divorced, and we don¡¯t have anything to do with each other anymore. So why is she treating me like that? I don¡¯t even know her. ¡°She¡¯s from some rural slum, but she dares to talk to me like equals? Does she think that she is on par with the Procter family?¡± Jessica¡¯s goal was to provoke Janice, but her background had always been a thorn in her flesh. It was even worse now that she was the wife of a president. The thing she hated the most was anyone bringing up her past. ¡°Enough! Janice, you know why I don¡¯t like you. It¡¯s because of your aggressive attitude! You¡¯ll never be as good as Jess!¡± Janice wasn¡¯t mad. Instead, she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re such a joke, Keh. Do you think I¡¯m the same woman who kept waiting for you toe home 20 years ago? ¡°Why would I want topare myself with a lowly woman? My family has been in the business ¡°I was ordering people around in my old home, prettying myself up with jewelry and skincare. But what was your little flower doing back then? Throwing out the trash or working the fields? ¡°Back then, people lined up to court me. And even now, as long as I¡¯m willing, I can have all the men I want. ¡°Why would I get hung up on someone like you? Stop thinking you¡¯re all that!¡± Chapter 677 Chapter 677 Janice¡¯s words almost pissed Keh to death. In the past, Janice had always spoken carefully to him. But now, even her punctuation was attacking him. Had this woman always been so sharp-tongued? The thing that gave Keh the most heartache was Jessica¡¯s painful childhood. But now, Janice had talked about it in such detail. Keh felt a little ufortable as he held Jessica¡¯s waist.. Jessica was already sobbing, and she meant it this time. Her greatest taboo was someone mentioning her past. Of all the things to talk about, Janice had chosen the worst topic. ¡°Look at you, Janice! You don¡¯t look like a properdy at all. You look more like an aggressive woman. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed at all?¡± Keh couldn¡¯t find any other words to insult her with, so he kept repeating the same things. Keh always said that Janice was an aggressive and rude woman. Janice wanted to say something more, but this time, Olivia stepped forward and spoke up. ¡°Mr. Miller Senior, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re already divorced. ¡°Even if she¡¯s a random stranger on the street, you shouldn¡¯t use words like that to nder her. ¡°Moreover, she¡¯s a woman who used to love you with all her heart.¡± Janice looked at Olivia in shock. She didn¡¯t expect Olivia to stand up for her. Olivia felt nervous, but anger overtook her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two. ¡°From the two meetings I¡¯ve seen, your wife is like a glue that keeps sticking to you. She looked gentle, but every word she spoke was an attempt to provoke Mom. ¡°And you kept scolding Mom without even realizing what was happening. I can only imagine the horrible attitude you had 20 years ago. ¡°Other than loving you, what did Mom do wrong? She even had a child for you, but you never once cared about her. You even insulted her with crude words like that. ¡°In the past, she was a pampered princess. But now, she¡¯s spoken of as a rude and terrible woman! ¡°Your heart ached for your wife, but have you ever thought about Mom¡¯s feelings at all?¡± Being reprimanded by someone younger, Keh immediately had a cold look on his face. ¡°Shut up. This is no ce for children to talk. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, she ended up like this because she deserved it. From the very start, I told her that I won¡¯t love her.¡± Keh was probably the most straightforward man in the world. As an onlooker, Olivia got furious in just a few minutes of their conversation. But Janice had experienced the same pain countless times. It was no wonder that Janice would be driven to insanity. Olivia wanted to speak up more for Janice, but Janice pulled Olivia behind her back. Then, she faced Keh. ¡°Everyone knows that, so you don¡¯t have to emphasize that point to every person you see. ¡°You don¡¯t have to degrade me just to make yourself look high and mighty. You have no right to say anything about me.¡± Janice had indeed changed a lot. If it were before, she would start throwing things around and scream hysterically. But now, she coldly admitted to the fact. Then, after giving Harold the medicine, she helped him up. She gave Keh a cold re. ¡°If you truly care about your father, don¡¯t provoke him at times like this. This ce is no longer your home. Edmund, see the guests off.¡± At that moment, Janice carried herself like thedy of the house. She was noble and firm. Inparison, Jessica leaned into Keh¡¯s embrace as if she didn¡¯t have a skeleton. Olivia thought that she looked quite shameless. The two nked Harold, getting ready to help him leave. But then, Darrell blocked their path. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m going to repeat the same things I said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you acknowledge me or not; I¡¯m still your biological grandson. Without Ethan, the Miller family will still need an heir.¡± When Darrell spoke of Ethan¡¯s absence, everyone in the room looked at him. Chapter 678 Chapter 678 Harold looked up at Darrell with a fierce gaze in his eyes. ¡°What did you say? Do you know something?¡± An innocent smile remained on Darrell¡¯s face. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯d like to have a word with you alone. Are you free right now?¡± He was smiling, but a cold, venomous gaze filled his eyes. It sent chills down the beholder¡¯s spine. Harold gave him a thoughtful look. ¡°Come to the study with me.¡± Olivia helped Harold to the door. Harold only allowed Darrell and Edmund to enter while the others waited outside. Olivia felt a little uneasy. Harold¡¯s emotions were too unstable right now. After all, he was quite old, so she feared that Harold couldn¡¯t take it. Janice patted the back of Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Harold knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± With that, she took Olivia to the terrace, where they sat down together. Janice asked the household staff to bring them two portions of snacks. Through it all, she never once spared Keh a nce. With Janice coaxing her, Olivia ate a few snacks to relieve the difort in her stomach. Joanne hurried over and spoke a few words in Janice¡¯s ear. Olivia hastily put down the fork in her hand, asking, ¡°Do they have an answer?¡± Janice nodded. Lowering her voice, she said, ¡°ording to the autopsy, the bodies didn¡¯t belong to Ethan and the others.¡± It was only then that Olivia sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± It was probably the best answer so far. But Janice touched the bracelet on her wrist. There was a cold look in her eyes, There wasn¡¯t anyone else at the scene, and Ethan was missing. Darrell had visited Harold at that moment, so could it be that Ethan was in his hands? Perhaps he wanted to use Ethan to negotiate. Of course, Olivia thought of that as well. Was that jerk trying to piss Harold to death? But Keh, the idiot, didn¡¯t know what was going on. Walking up to Janice, he said in a haughty andmanding tone, ¡°I want you to apologize to Jess.¡± Janice red viciously at him. Her patience had run out. ¡°Apologize my foot! Get lost!¡± With that, she walked toward the study. Keh grabbed her arm. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I nice enough to you, Janice?¡± Olivia was wondering which part of this man attracted Janice other than his good looks. Jessica shouted at the side, ¡°Kenny, don¡¯t hurt Janice.¡± Even after acting in the over-the-top love triangle for years, Jessica didn¡¯t seem to tire of it. In the study, Harold was sitting in the chair. Darrell stood like a grade schooler listening to a lecture. ¡°Grandpa, this must be our first time talking at such a close distance, right?¡± Darrell was trying to y the family card. Harold could see from a nce that Darrell would never be on his side. Darrell waspletely different from Ethan. Ethan was reserved, and he hid all his emotions in his heart. Darrell looked obedient, but he was the best at betraying people. Harold always disliked people like that. ¡°Get straight to the point. What do you want to talk to me about, traitor? Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do. You can quit the grandson act now.¡± Darrell put a hand to his chest, pretending to look sad. ¡°Oh, Grandpa, I¡¯m your grandson after all. How can you be so cold to me? I feel so hurt.¡± He sighed. But then, when he looked up again, he already had a cocky look on his face. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Never mind, you don¡¯t have much time left anyway, Grandpa. I won¡¯t waste my time on a dying. man like you. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to you about the inheritance rights to the Miller family. ¡± Chapter 679 Chapter 679 Even Edmund, who was standing at the side, looked up at the arrogant, illegitimate child. Without waiting for Harold to speak, Darrell continued. ¡°You¡¯re quite biased, aren¡¯t you, Grandpa? The person Dad likes is Mom, but you barred her froming into the house. ¡°You won¡¯t even acknowledge me, and you call me an illegitimate child. People insult and humiliate me because of that. ¡°Ethan shouldn¡¯t even have been born in the first ce. But he received your love and the resources of the Miller family. Aren¡¯t you being too unfair to me?¡± Harold smashed the paperweight near his hand onto the desk. ¡°You¡¯re a mutt born from an unrecognized union, but you dare make a fuss in front of me? ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I never acknowledged your mom back then, and I won¡¯t acknowledge you now. And you even want to inherit the family with your position? In your dreams!¡± Darrell sneered. ¡°Is that so? Then, if the person you valued so much has died, who are you handing the Miller family to?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Darrell walked toward Harold. Edmund stared at him warily. ¡°I heard that Ethan brought some men to a factory in Silk Bay. Why would he be so foolish? That area is filled with chemical factories, and toxic substances are everywhere. ¡°Also, there isn¡¯t a single soul within a radius of dozens of miles in that area. If something happened to him, no one would hear his cries for help.¡± Harold had told some men to investigate Darrell. But now, Darrell had exposed himself right away. More urately, if Darrell wanted to use Ethan to threaten Harold, this would be the best chance for him to do it. ¡°Is he in your hands?¡± Harold was quite calm about it. He didn¡¯t turn against Darrell right away ¡°Don¡¯t put it in such a bad way, Grandpa. I heard that Ethan was in danger, so I went to save him right away. You know, I paid a huge price to rescue him.¡± ¡°How is he now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯re both from the Miller family, and we have the same blood flowing in our veins. Of course, I wish for Ethan¡¯s safety more than anyone else. ¡°I did quite well, so shouldn¡¯t you reward me with something, Grandpa?¡± Darrell put on a triumphant smile. After all, he had been waiting forever for this day. ¡°What do you want?¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°I saved Ethan, but he¡¯s gravely injured. I¡¯ve already had a doctor operate on him overnight. In his current condition, even if he wakes up, he probably can¡¯t go back to thepany anymore. ¡°You could give me thepany, you know.¡± Darrell crouched down, putting his hands on Harold¡¯s knees like a docile person. ¡°Grandpa, if you acknowledge me as part of the Miller family, I¡¯ll treat you with respect as Ethan does. ¡°I don¡¯t ask for much. I only want you to acknowledge Mom and me at your birthday banquet.¡± Harold was furious. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m negotiating with you. You know that Dad has worked very hard to establish a business for the past few years. ¡°He finally got to where he is right now, but he can¡¯t evenpare with a hundredth of the Miller family. He is your only son, so how can you bear to let him be criticized out there? ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m on par with Ethan. I can do the things he can and even the things he cannot do. I just want you to look at me, too.¡± ¡°What if I decline?¡± Harold spoke in a cold voice. ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Darrell¡¯s voice suddenly turned cold as well. He said nonchntly, ¡°I won¡¯t be able to guarantee Ethan¡¯s safety.¡± Just then, Olivia opened the door to the study. She red coldly at Darrell. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± Chapter 680 Chapter 680 Faced with Olivia¡¯s questions, Darrell smiled victoriously. He looked like victory was finally in his hands, hence erasing his past shame. ¡°Calm down, Olivia. Ethan shares the same blood as mine, so why would I hurt him? I especially went to save him, but he was severely injured. They¡¯re still trying to save his life.¡± ¡°How is he exactly? Where is he?¡± Harold touched the beads on his bracelet. ¡°You say that he¡¯s in your hands, so where¡¯s the evidence?¡± Darrell took out his phone and then yed a video thatsted a few seconds. In the video, a man was lying on the bed, and he was seemingly going through an emergency rescue. He wore an oxygen mask on his face, and he was surrounded by doctors. Everyone could see that the face was Ethan¡¯s. ¡°How is he right now?¡± ¡°After the emergency rescue, his life is no longer endangered. You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Ethan is an important pawn under my control, so how can I let anything happen to him?¡± Having gotten the upper hand, Darrell decided to quit pretending. He tantly called Ethan his pawn. ¡°How can I believe you with one video?¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t have to believe me, Grandpa. But since you refuse to acknowledge me as one of the Millers, he¡¯s not my older brother either. ¡°If the doctors refuse to do their best, you can¡¯t me me for that.¡± ¡°You jerk!¡± Harold grabbed Darrell¡¯s cor, a furious expression appearing on his face. But Darrell remained calm. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad, Grandpa. You shouldn¡¯t ruin your health over this. I Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. don¡¯t want to do this, but it¡¯s your fault for not acknowledging me. ¡°I only want to take back the things that rightfully belong to me.¡± Edmund and Olivia came forward to calm Harold down as well. They feared that he might have ¡°Grandpa, sit down and take a break. You can take your time to discuss it. It¡¯s fine as long as Ethan is still alive.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Harold. You have to take good care of your body at crucial times like this.¡± Harold panted heavily, finally managing to adjust his breathing. ¡°Let me see him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. If you know where he is, I¡¯ll lose this ace up my sleeve. Just acknowledge me as part of the Miller family at your birthday banquet, Grandpa. Then, I¡¯ll let you see Ethan.¡± Harold red at him with a vicious look. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re just like your mom. You¡¯re all ambitious scum.¡± Instead of getting mad, Darrell smiled. ¡°For the Millers, a cruel person has more potential, right, my wonderful grandpa?¡± Harold could only agree to his demands for the moment. After all, if Darrell was telling the truth, Ethan was on the brink of death. It wasn¡¯t the time for Harold to be concerned about those things. Having received the answer he was expecting, Darrell smiled. ¡°Thank you for being understanding, Grandpa. That¡¯s more like it. We¡¯re a family, so we should¡¯ve behaved like this. sooner. ¡°So, you won¡¯t object if my parents and I move back, right?¡± Harold suppressed the rage in his heart. ¡°Do whatever you like. I¡¯ve already agreed to your requests, so show me more of Ethan¡¯s videos. It¡¯s best if you can let him video call me.¡± ¡°Ethan has just undergone an operation, so he hasn¡¯t woken up yet. I can¡¯t arrange for a video call, but videos should be fine. I¡¯ll ask someone to send moreter. ¡°You don¡¯t look too well, Grandpa. Should I help you back to your room to rest?¡± ¡°No need!¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m busy with loads of stuff, after all. I don¡¯t have time to spend with you. Edmund, get someone to prepare three rooms,¡± Darrell said in amanding tone. Edmund nced at Harold. Then, he said in exasperation, ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I hope that when you talk to me next time, you¡¯ll call me Mr. Darrell.¡± Chapter 681 Chapter 681 Darrell hadpletely revealed his true colors. He didn¡¯t hide his arrogance at all, which was a far cry from Ethan¡¯s solemn calmness. He slowly walked up to Olivia, extending a hand toward her. ¡°d to be here, Olivia.¡± Meeting his malicious gaze, Olivia didn¡¯t reach out. Instead, she walked past him and helped Harold up. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll take you back to your room.¡± Harold nodded as he slowly got up to leave. Edmund felt helpless as he looked at Harold¡¯s wizened figure. ¡°Grandpa, are you seriously going to ept his conditions?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any news of Ethan for now. If Darrell is telling the truth, then that¡¯s the only thing I can do. But don¡¯t worry. ¡°I¡¯ve already given Ethan many of the important properties and shares many years ago. Even if I acknowledge Darrell¡¯s identity, the properties are all under Ethan¡¯s name. ¡°Darrell won¡¯t be able to get them.¡± Harold¡¯s eyes were gleaming cunningly as well. ¡°His only betting chip is Ethan. He wants Ethan to stay alive more than us so that he can use Ethan for negotiations. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s also the possibility that the video he showed us was faked. I agreed to him only as a makeshift n. If Ethan isn¡¯t in his hands, then we have to locate Ethan as soon as possible.¡± But Harold knew that it was a very slim possibility. If Darrell wasn¡¯t confident enough, he wouldn¡¯t have made that move. ¡°Don¡¯t give up, Olivia. We have to believe in Ethan.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Olivia helped Harold back into his room. After lying down on a reclining chair, Harold finally felt a little better. ¡°Olivia, light a calming candle for me. My head hurts too much.¡± ¡°Alright, Grandpa.¡± Olivia went to the rack. Other than containers of tea, it also housed some handmade candles. She wasn¡¯t quite familiar with candles, so she searched the rack. Her elbow identally knocked over a box. Some fragrant spices spilled from the box, along with a photo that was ced in the box. Olivia picked it up. Before she could see it properly, Harold shot up and snatched the photo from her hand. The photo was yellowed, so it must have been around for some time. Olivia caught sight of a young woman in a cocktail dress, and the woman¡¯s face seemed to be quite pretty. But before Olivia could look at it in detail, Harold snatched the photo away. Seeing Harold¡¯s stern expression, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Grandpa, is it a photo of Grandma when she was young?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Harold mumbled in response, ¡°Just go out for now. Edmund wille overter to handle these things.¡± Olivia felt that Harold¡¯s reaction was a little weird. He seemed to be very concerned about the photo, and when she asked if it was Eugenia, he couldn¡¯t give a clear answer. Sadly, the photo was too old, so it wasn¡¯t clear enough. Olivia couldn¡¯t see the woman in the photo well. Then, she thought about it. Not everyone would stay with their first love forever. The woman might be an unreachable presence for Harold. Olivia couldn¡¯t be bothered about those trivial things, though. The most important thing right now was to figure out Ethan¡¯s whereabouts. She had to know if he truly was in Darrell¡¯s hands. After Olivia left, Harold carefully ced the spices back into the box. As he touched the photo with his fingers, a gentle expression shed across his face. ¡°Ms. Nat, I don¡¯t even know if you¡¯re still alive. It¡¯s been so many years¡­¡¯ After looking at the photo for a while, he put it back with the spices. This time, he took the box and ced it in the safe, sealing it off forever. The box was like that period in his past,pletely hidden in the dark. Chapter 682 Chapter 682 An earth-shaking change had taken ce in the Miller family. Darrell walked out of the study with Edmund following him. He was as gleeful as they came. Meanwhile, Janice was involved in the dramatic love triangle, and she couldn¡¯t get out of it. Jessica was making a fuss again. For the sake of his so-called chivalry, Keh gripped her hand and refused to let go. Janice grew annoyed. Janice pped Keh viciously, making him stunned. After such a long time being apart, Janice had gotten bold enough to p him! The movement provoked Jessica. As if protecting a child, Jessica dashed forward and began to attack Janice. The family was thrown into chaos. Thedies of the house were pulling each other¡¯s hair, and the household staff didn¡¯t dare to take sides. Only Sharon dashed forward straight away, throwing Jessica onto the floor. Jessica was in so much pain that she started crying. The scene was in chaos. Then, Darrell appeared. ¡°Aunt Janice, apologize to my mom.¡± Janice was still tidying her hair, which Jessica had messed up. When she heard those words, she slowly looked up at Darrell. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She didn¡¯t see Darrell often, and she still remembered him as a small child hiding behind Jessica. She looked at Darrell, whose face looked a little like Ethan¡¯s, but there was a vicious coldness to it. Like his mother, he looked just like a venomous snake. ¡°Apologize? Who does she think she is?¡± Janice patted her dress as she spoke in disdain. Darrell pulled Jessica to his side andforted her. Then, he turned to look at Janice. ¡°Aunt Janice, you should be more self-aware. I admire yourmitment to love, and I feel bad for you too. ¡°You could persist for so many years for someone who doesn¡¯t even like you. But then again ¡­¡± He changed the topic. ¡°You should have some shame. I don¡¯t want to be rude since you¡¯re an elder, 1.2 ¡°My mom had been humiliated by people over the years, and now, it¡¯s about time you realize your position.¡± Darrell was stepping over the line. Even Keh felt offended when he heard those words. Keh spoke up, ¡°Darrell, is this how you speak to your elders?¡± Darrell smiled. ¡°Dad, you love my mom the most, don¡¯t you? So what¡¯s the matter? This woman has bullied my mom for years, so I reprimanded her a little. ¡°But are you pitying her now? Or have you just been faking your feelings for my mom?¡± ¡°Kenny!¡± Jessica shouted. Keh held Jessica in his arms,forting her as he denied it. ¡°Nonsense. I just don¡¯t want other people to think that our familycks proper manners.¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, Dad. She has said even worse things to my mom. I was just giving her a taste of her medicine. Moreover, Grandpa has already agreed to acknowledge me as part of the Miller family.¡± Keh knew Harold too well. Both Keh and Harold were stubborn men, and neither of them would easily admit defeat. Darrell had only gone to the study for a short while. What did he use to convince Harold? ¡°Really?¡± Keh¡¯s expression was filled with suspicion. ¡°Of course, Dad. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Edmund about it. By the way, Mom, you¡¯ve always wanted to move in, right? Go and pick out a room for yourself. We can move in by today.¡± Keh was bewildered by the sudden change. He looked at Edmund. As expected, Edmund didn¡¯t seem to deny it. By the looks of it, Darrell was telling the truth. ¡°W-We can move in for real?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Edmund nodded. Janice frowned, wondering if Harold had softened his heart. Chapter 683 Chapter 683 Janice didn¡¯t know what happened with Harold. But she could see that Darrell had already treated the house as his own. ¡°Aunt Janice, you and my dad divorced a long time ago. Logically speaking, you¡¯re no longer part of the Miller family. ¡°The Miller family has already shown you enough kindness by providing for you for so many years. Now, my mom is back, and she¡¯s the rightfuldy of the house. ¡°If I were you, I would leave this ce of my own ord in case I made a fool of myself.¡± Jessica said, ¡°Darrell, how could you talk to your Aunt Janice like that? Janice, I¡¯ve pampered this child too much. Please don¡¯t mind what he says. ¡°This is your home, so you can stay here for as long as you want. No one will chase you away.¡± Jessica emphasized her status with every word she spoke. As long as she could make it in here, she would have all the chances in the world. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. But with Keh around, she still had to put on a generous front. Janice crossed her arms. ¡°As expected, your son takes after you. If you don¡¯t set a good example, he won¡¯t be any good either. Let¡¯s see how many days you canst here.¡± With that, Janice swaggered away. Sharon hastily followed. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior, those people are going too far! Why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± ¡°I trust that Mr. Harold knows what he¡¯s doing. Something must have happened to Ethan. Let¡¯s observe the situation first instead of acting recklessly,¡± Janice lowered her voice as she spoke. ¡°Understood, Mrs. Miller Senior.¡± After Olivia hurriedly out of Harold¡¯s room, this was the scene she saw. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve suffered so much injustice.¡± Janice smiled nonchntly. ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all. It¡¯s not even a hundredth of what happened in the past. By the way, did you hear anything?¡± ¡°Darrell-¡± Olivia was about to speak when her phone rang. Her immediate reaction was to answer the call. It was an unfamiliar number. Olivia had a feeling that it was Ethan. It had to be him! After all, few people knew about her phone number. She had also never received scam calls. ¡°Hello¡­¡± Her heart was racing. She feared that she might get disappointed again. But then, she heard the familiar voiceing from the other end of the line. ¡°It¡¯s me, Liv.¡± Olivia¡¯s heart finally settled down instead of being on edge all the time. ncing around her, she asked in a whisper, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Some issues cropped up when I was trying to capture those people alive, so I could only make use of their ns.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know where Ethan was, but his voice was suppressed. She hid the expression on her face. ¡°Got it.¡± They hadn¡¯t talked much before Ethan ended the call. Before Ethan hung up, he said, ¡°Wait for me toe home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia knew that he was trying to avoid alerting the enemy. The enemy was very vignt. If they knew that Ethan hadn¡¯t died, they would do something else. Janice was about to ask some questions when Olivia gestured for her to stay quiet. Janice instantly realized what was going on. She muttered, ¡°Good to know that he¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Grandpa about it. We¡¯ll have to y along with him.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After learning that Ethan was still alive, Olivia could finally shed the burdens on her heart. To avoid exposing this secret, she quickly hid her emotions and then left dejectedly. Janice¡¯s acting skills were even better. She pouted. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see what this family is up to.¡± Meanwhile, the others had already arrived at the bedrooms. Jessica fell in love with the master bedroom, which was about 3,000 square feet. ¡°Darling, can I stay here? This room is so pretty.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s pretty. Mrs. Miller Senior decorated it herself,¡± Edmund responded coldly. Chapter 684 Chapter 684 Jessica had already noticed that this was the master bedroom. But when she heard Edmund¡¯s words, she put on an innocent look. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know that this was Janice¡¯s room. I just thought that it had a nice view. Look, you can see theke opposite us from here. It has great lighting too. I thought no one was staying here. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mom, if you like this room, just take it. You¡¯ll be the realdy of the Miller family in the future, so you can stay anywhere you want. Don¡¯t you agree, Dad?¡± Raising an eyebrow, Darrell looked at Keh. This time, Keh didn¡¯t agree with that sentiment. Instead, he looked at the room that hadn¡¯t changed from before. It was the room Janice personally decorated ording to Keh¡¯s preferences. A few memories surfaced in his mind. ¡°There are lots of empty rooms in the vi. If you want a view of theke, you can get a room upstairs. It¡¯s troublesome to move into an already upied room.¡± Unlike his tame behavior in the past, Darrell turned extremely arrogant. ¡°Dad, do you seriously think that this is just a room issue? This is a representation of identity. ¡°From today onward, Mom is the onlydy of the Miller family. Have you forgotten the hardships Mom has gone through with you throughout these years? ¡°Now, you finally have a chance to acknowledge our status, but you¡¯re throwing that chance away? As Darrell spoke, Jessica began to cry. She looked like she had suffered a lot of injustice with him. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I don¡¯t mean anything else by that. I¡¯m just worried that you can¡¯t get used to staying in rooms other people have already lived in before. If you want the room, feel free to take it.¡± As Edmund watched the two put on an act, he rolled his eyes. He wondered how confused Keh was back then that he would be manipted to this extent. Keh looked at Janice. No matter how shameless he was, he couldn¡¯t pretend like it was nothing. With an ufortable expression, he said, ¡°Jess likes this room. Can you let her have it?¡± Unable to ignore this, Sharon interrupted, ¡°Mr. Miller Senior, the vi is so huge, it¡¯s overflowing with rooms. I can¡¯t believe that after so many years, Jessica hasn¡¯t changed her ways. ¡°She¡¯ll take anything that Mrs. Miller Senior likes. She snatched a man from Mrs. Miller Senior previously, and now, she won¡¯t even leave a room alone. What¡¯s her problem?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Keh also felt that it wasn¡¯t an appropriate thing to do. There were so many rooms for Jessica to choose from, so why would she insist on this one? Even if Jessica didn¡¯t feel bad about it, he did. He was forced into a corner by Jessica and Darrell, so he didn¡¯t have the option to decline. Janice lifted her hand to stop Sharon. ¡°Sharon, since they like it, just give it to them.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior!¡± Sharon stomped her feet. ¡°How can you let them have the room?¡± Janice had carefully picked out every decoration in this room. The prized collection consisted of things she got from auctions to please Keh. She spent a lot of money to create a warm room for them, but Keh had never once looked at it Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. in detail. ¡°If I can let go of a man, why would I get hung up over a room?¡± Janice said in a nonchnt tone, ¡°Keh, I can let you have the room, but I spent a lot of money on the decorations. You won¡¯t mind if I take those away, will you?¡± Keh thought that she would go crazy, but the woman in front of him was too calm. She didn¡¯t look like the Janice he knew. He felt something bitter in his throat. ¡°Of course.¡± Janice pointed carelessly. ¡°Sharon, get someone to help you. Clear my things from this room. I¡¯ll be sleeping with Liv tonight.¡± ¡°Understood, Mrs. Miller Senior. Should we move the collection over as well?¡± When Sharon said those words, she formed another grudge toward Keh. Other than spending money, Janice had also spent lots of time and effort collecting those things. When Janice lost her sanity, she never once smashed the items in her room. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Move them to the storeroom. Find an auction sometime and get rid of them at low prices. We¡¯ll give the money to Liv as a present.¡¯ Once again, Keh looked at Janice in disbelief. Chapter 685 Chapter 685 No one knew better than Keh how stubborn Janice was with her feelings toward him. He could still remember her showing him the paintings and antiques she had gathered. He remembered the expression on her face back then. She looked like she was offering treasures to him. She was born with arrogance, but for his sake, she tried her best to hide it. She also couldn¡¯t help the smile on her face. ¡°Look, Keh. This is a drawing by a famous artist. I worked very hard to win it at an auction.¡± Back then, Janice had stars in her eyes, and she was as proud as the sun in the sky. When had she changed? She had turned from a brilliant sun into a cold moon. There was no longer any trace of love toward him in her eyes. She even nonchntly asked that the items be sold at a low price. ¡°Janice!¡± Keh grew furious. Janice looked at himzily. ¡°Do you have anything to say about how I deal with my things?¡± Before Keh would reply, Janice added coldly, ¡°Even if you do, hold it in! I bought them with my money. They have nothing to do with you at all.¡± With that, Janice turned around to leave. She didn¡¯t even look back. Keh gazed in the direction she left. He had aplicated feeling in his heart. Jessica could see what he was thinking. This was what Keh was like. He didn¡¯t treasure Janice when she tried so hard to win his favor. But now that Janice didn¡¯t have any feelings for him anymore, he couldn¡¯t get used to it. ¡°Kenny, is Janice mad at me? Why don¡¯t I give up the room? I think it¡¯s fine to stay upstairs.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just stay here if you like it.¡± Kehforted Jessica, shaking off the weird feeling in his heart. ?- Jessica sniffled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll talk to Janiceter to apologize to her.¡± ¡°Just leave her be. She¡¯s born with that temper,¡± Keh said coldly. In his arms, Jessica smiled gleefully. After waiting for so many years, she finally had her wishes fulfilled! This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Only onest step was left. After driving Janice out of the house, she would be the real Mrs. Miller Senior now! Olivia only learned of this after she returned to her room. Sheforted Janice, asking, ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course, I am. Every painting in that room seems to be mocking my past self for being so foolish. I don¡¯t want to stay in that room anymore, but I also don¡¯t want them to take advantage of the things I bought. ¡°I¡¯ll sell them off soon.¡± After making sure that Janice wasn¡¯t sad at all, Olivia was finally reassured. ¡°Grandpa wants us to work with Ethan. We¡¯ll observe the situation first, and we shouldn¡¯t do anything to alert the enemy. ¡°Ethan is following the mastermind. That person most probably has something to do with Darrell.¡± Janice¡¯s expression turned dark. ¡°As expected, a venomous snake can only give birth to another snake. I knew that this had to be rted to him! ¡°He used AI to edit the person¡¯s face so that we¡¯d believe that Ethan is in his hands. Things must have been in chaos back then, and even he thought that Ethan had died. ¡°That¡¯s why he dares toe back with such arrogance.¡± Janice replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what ns Ethan has. Only the three of us should know about this. Let¡¯s not disrupt his ns no matter what.¡± ¡°Understood, Mom.¡± Olivia responded obediently. She would be fine with it as long as Ethan was safe. They were out in the open, but the mastermind was in the shadows. They didn¡¯t have a better n, so they could only act ording to the circumstances. ¡°Mom, are you seriously going to sleep here tonight?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you worried that your bed won¡¯t fit us?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m just worried that you can¡¯t get used to it.¡± Reaching up, Janice caressed Olivia¡¯s head. ¡°I have a daughter about your age. She left me a long time ago, and to be honest, I treat you like my daughter. ¡°So, don¡¯t be shy around me. If you have any requests, just tell me.¡± Olivia nodded, wondering if she was seeing things. She felt as if she saw traces of guilt in Janice¡¯s eyes. Chapter 686 Chapter 686 Janice and Olivia maintained a low profile. It was a stark contrast to the image given off by Jessica and Darrell. Jessica was a little nervous at first. While no one was around, she asked Darrell, ¡°Darrell, what did you do to convince Mr. Harold?¡± No one knew better than Jessica the stubbornness of that old man. He wouldn¡¯t give in to anything, and he was a monster who would even part with his biological son. But Darrell had only spoken a few words to Harold. How did he do it? ¡°I have my ways, Mom. Anyway, just rx and enjoy your position as Mrs. Miller. From today onward, you¡¯re the owner of this huge vi.¡± With Darrell¡¯s guarantee, Jessica grew much bolder. To verify Darrell¡¯s words, she gave Edmund orders on purpose. After all, Edmund represented Harold¡¯s intentions. Even Edmund respectfully carried out her orders. Now, Jessica could rest assured and have her way here. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She hadpletely made herself thedy of the house. She would get anything she asked for. In contrast, Janice, who used to keep arguing with her over a single ring, seemed to avoid her Even though they were both living in the vi, the vi was simply too huge. If Janice wanted to avoid Jessica, it would be quite difficult for them to meet each other. Seeing that Janice had given in, Jessica was even bolder with her actions. Keh, who used to always side with her, felt a little upset. Before this, he saw Jessica as a gentle and understanding woman. But now, he felt as if Jessica was the aggressive woman here. He didn¡¯t know about the deal between Harold and Darrell either. When he asked Darrell about it, Darrell only smiled and told him to stay put in the Miller residence. Darrell said that he would take care of everything else. Harold¡¯s birthday banquet was just around the corner. Olivia was supposed to be the one preparing The two were eager to prove their identities to the world. Even before the banquet, everyone had already heard about the change in the Miller family. Someone also spread rumors that Ethan had died. As a result, the entire upper-ss society was thrown into chaos. Keh only heard of it the night before the banquet. He went to Darrell in a rage. ¡°What exactly happened to Ethan? What did you say to Harold?¡± ¡°Why are you being so mad, Dad? You hate that woman and her son, don¡¯t you? Why would you be concerned about him?¡± Keh was even more convinced that this had something to do with him. ¡°He was your brother! Were you the one who did it?¡± ¡°Dad, what are you saying? You¡¯re the one who disowned him, right? If you don¡¯t acknowledge him as your son, why would he be my brother? Moreover, if he¡¯s dead, it¡¯ll benefit us even more. ¡°After he dies, the Miller family will be ours. Hasn¡¯t this always been your wish? I helped you return to the Miller family. You should be thanking me instead.¡± Keh pped Darrell with all his might. In the past, he only felt that Darrell was too stubborn. He didn¡¯t expect Darrell to be so vicious. ¡°What exactly did you do? Is Ethan alive or not?¡± ¡°His current situation doesn¡¯t concern you anymore, Dad. At the banquet tomorrow, Grandpa will announce that I¡¯m his biological grandson. ¡°I will be the one inheriting the Miller family in the future, and I¡¯ll be the only son you¡¯ve ever had!¡± It waste at night. On a balcony of an apartment in the city, a slender figure entered through the window. When the man heard the sounds, he had already jumped out of bed. He skilfully retrieved a weapon from under his pillow. But the intruder moved even faster than him, and the cold weapon was held against his head. ¡± Don¡¯t move.¡± The man looked up. When he saw Ethan¡¯s eyes, a look of shock shed across his own. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Chapter 687 Chapter 687 The glint in Ethan¡¯s eyes was so cold that it was frightening. ¡°I¡¯ve finally caught you.¡± The man was going to bite his own tongue in reflex, but thetter took the chance to shove the gun handle into the man¡¯s mouth. Ethan¡¯s icy tone could send chills down one¡¯s spine. ¡°Wannamit suicide with poison? Not a chance!¡± Since the man¡¯s n had gone out of the window, he smashed his elbow toward Ethan¡¯s chest. Ethan, who had lost to the man a lot of times, came fully prepared this time. Ethan would never give the man any chance. The man was ruthless, but not to Ethan¡¯s extent! Ethan stopped the man¡¯s move by breaking his arm, and the sound of bone cracking could be heard. After sharing a few moves in between, Ethan kept the man under control. The man probably couldn¡¯t understand why a president like Ethan would be so skillful in fighting. Ethan was definitely that of his kind! It was no wonder Ethan could escape such a situation! When the man wanted to send a message with his other hand, Ethan kicked his knee to force him to kneel. Before the man knew it, his phone was already in Ethan¡¯s hand. Men began swarming the room. Ethan instructed icily, ¡°Keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t let himmit suicide.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± responded Brent indifferently. His hand, which was holding the man down, was covered with a new scar. He almost lost his life in the incident. Kelvin had also gained moreposure after what had happened. Without uttering a word, he took out a rope to tie that man so that he couldn¡¯t escape. Meanwhile, Ethan was unlocking the man¡¯s phone, only to realize that fingerprint and face recognition were useless. It was a pattern lock. He coldly snorted. ¡°You¡¯re a careful guy, aren¡¯t you? Are you going to unlock it yourself or do you need help from me?¡± The man was stubborn. ¡°I have nothing to say. Just kill me.¡± ¡°Kill you? In your dreams!¡± Ethan grabbed the man by the cor. ¡°Death is your best option to get out of this, but I¡¯ll make sure you pay the price for all of your deeds first. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t wanna say anything. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to spend more time unlocking your phone, then. Search the apartment. Ask someone to unlock his phone.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Ethan brought the man to a confined room. Holding a stack of documents, he dragged a steel chair to sit opposite the man. Ethan seemed like a cruel officer. The man¡¯s information was written on the documents. He was the most mysterious special agent in a country with the code name ¡°ck Fox¡±. He won the championship in the International Special Agent Competition before. His position was high in the military. Sea,nd, and air-he was skillful in every kind ofbat. However, he vanished five years ago. It was not a retirement. He fell off the cliff and went missing during a mission. He had been living. in secrecy as of today. ¡°ck Fox, I¡¯ve heard of you before.¡± Ethan put the document down. ¡°Since you haven¡¯t retired, who are you working for by putting your life at stake?¡± ck Fox raised his head to look at Ethan with an indifferent gaze. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯ll tell you anything?¡± ¡°There are a lot of ways to make someone speak up. Which one do you prefer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless. Since you know my identity, you should know that people like us don¡¯t fear threats at all.¡± ¡°I expected that you¡¯d be tight-lipped. But ck Fox, you¡¯ve been away from the industry for five years. Do you know that threats, force, benefit, and traps are not what people opt for when ites to interrogation?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ethan took out a syringe. ¡°This is thetest illegal drug ever made. After I inject it into you, you¡¯ll lose consciousness and listen to me. In other words, if I tell you to bark, you¡¯ll bark, if I ask for the truth, you¡¯ll tell me the truth. ¡°I¡¯m quite old now, and I can¡¯t stand the sight of blood. Give it a thought. Are you going to tell me, or do you want me to question you?¡± ck Fox¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°There¡¯s no such drug in this world.¡± Ethan snorted. ¡°You¡¯ll find out after you try it. He slowly approached ck Fox with the syringe and whispered into his ear, ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll know what it feels like to be in hell.¡± Chapter 688 Chapter 688 Death and pain would never fear people like ck Fox, but they were afraid of one thing-losing consciousness. The light above his head shone upon him, showing how wet his forehead was due to sweat. The cold needle pricked into his skin. The pain was that of an ant¡¯s bite to him. But veins were protruding on the back of his hands as they were balled into fists. He was fighting back in reflex. Ethan watched him coldly. ¡°Either you spill it now or you¡¯ll do it without dignityter. Who have you been working for by putting your life at stake all these years? ¡°Who ordered you to hurt my son and Liv? Considering that we¡¯re from the same line of work, I can let you die with dignity.¡± ck Fox gulped down his saliva. ¡°Give up, dude. I will never tell you no matter what. You can deceive others with this but not me.¡± His countersurveince was good, and his mentality was much better than average people. ¡°Very well. I have all the time in my life to wait until the drug kicks in.¡± Ethan returned to his seat. Casually, he flipped through ck Fox¡¯s information. ¡°Nationality, Andia. An orphan. ording to the document, you have a younger brother.¡± ck Fox¡¯s eyes widened. Throughout his years of hiding in secrecy, he hadn¡¯t expected someone This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. else to find out about that. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know anything. Leave him alone.¡± He was finally fazed. Ethan flipped the pagezily. ¡°Really? Innocent? What about my barely two-year-old son? Isn¡¯t he innocent too? When you pushed him off, did you ever think that he was just a child who didn¡¯t know anything?¡± Brent entered the room. He whispered a few words into Ethan¡¯s ear and passed over a phone. ¡°Unluckily for you, your phone is unlocked.¡± There were no suspicious contacts in his phone. There was not even a picture of his younger Thetest message he received was a message from his apartment¡¯s management, urging him to pay the rent. ck Fox didn¡¯t mingle around with others, let alone have friends. He was a disciplined man ¡°You should know that messages can be restored even after getting deleted.¡± ck Fox sneered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that I have no chat history at all? Do you think that I wouldn¡¯t have expected to get caught? Stop wasting your time. As I said, I won¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°You have iting.¡± Ethan snapped his fingers, instructing Brent to show footage. Standing under a dim light, a young man was washing the dishes in a barbeque restaurant with smooth movements. Sweat was trickling down his forehead. Looking at the busy man, ck Fox could recognize his brother at one nce. ¡°Your brother is a model student. He takes up three part-time jobs during summer break to earn money to pursue studies abroad. He has a lot of potential, but it¡¯s too bad Ethan sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve always favored people with potential. But a debt should always be repaid. He can repay whatever you owe me. What do you think of Starry Building?¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Simple. I¡¯ll do the same thing you did to my son to your brother. Brent, if I remember correctly, Starry Building has 32 floors, right?¡± Brent added, ¡°You¡¯ve remembered it wrongly. There are 52 floors. Someone jumped off that building a month ago. I heard that his head cracked and his brain juice sttered all over the ground. His whole body broke apart.¡± ck Fox was aware that that was the mostmon threat to exist. However, he couldn¡¯t keep his cool because his brother was involved. It seemed that the drug was kicking in too as beads of sweat were flowing to the tip of his nose. Brent¡¯s phone was put on speaker. A man¡¯s voice resounded amidst the noisy background noise. Man, my sister is going to jump off the building. You look like her ex. Could you please talk her out of it? ¡°She¡¯s my only family. I really can¡¯t lose her.¡± ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°She wrote a suicide note. She¡¯s going to the rooftop of this building. Pleasee with me.¡± ¡°Okay. Calm down. I¡¯lle with you.¡± The innocent young man sounded anxious. Chapter 689 Chapter 689 ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± ck Fox shouted, but the other party couldn¡¯t hear him. Ethan smiled faintly. ¡°What a bright and innocent man. Even though he lost his parents, he doesn¡¯t know that his elder brother is still alive. He gets by every day by looking on the bright side. ¡°But someone like him is going to leave because of you. What a cruel reality.¡± ck Fox¡¯s eyes were red, and he lost hisposure for real now. He barked at Ethan, ¡°Juste at me! If you wanna kill me, just do it! He doesn¡¯t know a thing!¡± Ethan grabbed him by the cor, smirking. ¡°And why didn¡¯t youe at me and hurt a kid instead? Did my son know all of this? Do you finally know that it hurts now that you¡¯re tasting your own medicine? ¡°How could youy a finger on my son? He¡¯s such a young child! And what did you do to Liv in that heavy rain when she was pregnant? ¡°What right do you have to beg me for mercy when you can bring yourself to hurt other people¡¯s families?¡± ck Fox licked his dry lips. It was indeed his fault, so he didn¡¯t have any excuse for this. ¡°Please, leave him alone.¡± ¡°I can do that, but you gotta show me how sincere you are to the deal. Tell me the truth, and I¡¯ll leave your brother alone. Otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to see the next sunrise. ¡°Of course, you can keep silent, which is what you¡¯ve been doing until now. There are no secrets in this world. It¡¯s a matter of time before I find that person. ¡°I just need more time. Well, this is the only option you have. Are you going to sacrifice your brother?¡± ck Fox was quiet as he fell into a dilemma. At that moment, hurried footsteps and a conversation could be heard on the other end of the line. The man was recounting his sister¡¯s situation. The young man eximed in surprise, ¡°We attended the same school. What¡¯s her name? I might ¡°Eliza Weaving.¡± ¡°It¡¯s her¡­¡± ¡°Do you know her?¡± The young man hesitated. ¡°She¡­ She confessed to me two days ago. But I turned her down.¡± ¡°No wonder there are pictures of you at every corner of the house. Why? Why did you turn her down? Is she bad?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. It¡¯s not that she¡¯s bad, it¡¯s me. My parents passed away when I was young, and my elder brother went missing many years ago. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a partner. I wanna focus on my studies because I wanna go to Zudson University. It was my brother¡¯s childhood dream. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°I want to look for him in that university. Considering my circumstances, it¡¯ll be irresponsible of me to ept your sister¡¯s confession. The young man¡¯s voice was gentle, and it made ck Fox tear up. ck Fox¡¯s mind was clouded by haziness due to the drug. The past memories shed through his mind. He couldn¡¯t control his emotions anymore. On the other hand, the two men had reached the rooftop as their footsteps paced up. The young man said innocently, ¡°But I¡¯ll try my best to talk her out of it. I won¡¯t let her choose this route.¡± The door to the rooftop was opened, and ck Fox almost had a heart attack. He tried his best to rein his emotions in, but his consciousness was leaving him. ¡°Damn it! Is there really such a drug in this world?¡± he wondered. He finally knew why Ethan wouldn¡¯t torture him physically. It wouldn¡¯te anywhere close to mental anguish. The sound of the wind almost drowned out the young man¡¯s voice. ¡°Are you sure this is the right ce? There¡¯s no one up here.¡± ¡°She might be at the tform ahead. Cross the fence and check if she¡¯s there. She¡¯s as stubborn as a bull. The man¡¯s voice was as luring as a devil¡¯s. ck Fox was on the edge, but his head was getting dizzy. His vision was getting blurry too. ¡°No¡¯ Don¡¯t go there!¡± He slowly flopped onto his knees as his body couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Ethan looked at him. ¡°You have ten seconds to think whether to sacrifice your brother or not. Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Ethan was like a devil pushing someone to their deaths. The phone was ced next to ck Fox¡¯s ear. He could hear his brother running. ¡°Eliza, don¡¯t do anything silly! Where are you!¡± ¡°Stop! Glen! Just stop right there!¡± ck Fox shouted at the top of his lungs. Glen suddenly stopped in his tracks. ¡°Did you hear that? I think I heard something.¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for this. We haven¡¯t found my sister yet.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Glen crossed the fence. He thought that his ssmate would be there, but he didn¡¯t see a shadow after crossing the fence. The ce he was standing was a 15-centimeter tform. It would only take one careless move to fall off the building and die horribly. Glen had yet to sense that something was off. ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t here. Are you sure that this is the right ce?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± The man¡¯s face suddenly darkened like a devil. ¡°I don¡¯t have a sister. The person I¡¯ve been looking for from the start is you.¡± Glen, who had never experienced such a thing, asked innocently, ¡°What? Have I offended you in any way?¡± ¡°me your brother if you wanna me it on someone.¡± ¡°My brother? You know where my brother is?¡± ¡°Three, two, one. Time to bid goodbye to your brother,¡± said Ethan. ck Fox lifted his head, mustering every ounce of energy in him to say, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you! I¡¯ll tell you. Just leave him alone¡­¡± ck Fox had been sponsoring Glen¡¯s studies with an anonymous name all this while. ck Fox had also made early preparations by saving up some money for Glen. Nothing mattered more than family to people like ck Fox. ¡°You should¡¯ve done that sooner.¡± Ethan then motioned at Brent. The man on the other end of the line changed his mind and let Glen go. The call was terminated. Ethan injected another drug into ck Fox. ¡°You have ten minutes to sober up.¡± ¡°I wanna know if my brother is safe.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I never kill innocent people, especially normal citizens.¡± After making sure that Glen was fine, ck Fox slowly said, ¡°That year, I lost my memories after falling off the cliff. Someone saved me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen him in person. By the time I regained consciousness, he had left. He wanted me to join his organization. You should¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Pris.¡± Ethan¡¯s brows furrowed. There were a lot of huge and small mercenary organizations, but he could count the famous ones with his hands. Pris ced in the top three among them. Their nature was different from that of The ck Ravens. The ck Ravens basically epted any mission as long as they were paid while Pris was Rumor had it that they received financial support from someone. They kidnapped sovereigns, stole chips and national confidential information, as well asunched terrorist attacks. Getting involved with Pris was significant enough to draw attention from all over the world. Why would such an organization get involved with Olivia? ¡°What¡¯s his position in Pris?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. The internal management is very mysterious. Even if there¡¯s a mission, you¡¯ll ¡°We won¡¯t even know the background of our so-called partners. All I know is that he¡¯s sitting in a very high position. That¡¯s why he was able to give me a mission.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Kill Olivia at all costs.¡± ck Fox thought for a second before adding, ¡°I¡¯m the first to execute this mission. It¡¯s not considered a mission from Pris. It¡¯s a mission he personally gave. ¡°He told me that I could leave the organization as long as I killed Olivia. I¡­ had no choice!¡± Chapter 691 Chapter 691 Sitting, Ethan tapped on the armchair. ¡°Continue. How many times have youunched an attack in total?¡± ¡°He gave me a mission to kill Connor. But you hid Connor after that, so I didn¡¯t have the chance to execute my mission. That person then told me to think of a way to kill Olivia. ¡°The ck Ravens incident was a wake-up call to him. I didn¡¯t have the chance to take action. until he suddenly contacted me to do something to her car and disguise it as an ident. ¡°You guys know what happened after that. I sensed something off, so I yed along with it. I plotted this up at the old factory by the sea.¡± As soon as ck Fox finished, Kelvin punched his chest. ¡°You told us a lot, but they¡¯re all useless information. Don¡¯t make me violent. Get to the point. Who is he?¡± A streak of blood flowed from the corner of ck Fox¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t wanna tell you, but he¡¯s a careful person. I¡¯ve never seen his face before. ¡°We normally keep in touch through phone calls. He uses a voice changer too. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s a man or a woman; or an old person or a kid.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know his identity, but I bet you at least know how to contact him.¡± Ethan touched his wedding ring. ¡°You caught on to the fact that my men were following you. How did you contact him? Don¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t know either. I don¡¯t have much patience to y games with you.¡± ¡°He normally contacts me first. He always uses foreign numbers, and you can never track his exact IP address. There is a way to contact him, which is to contact another migrant smuggler.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ck Fox was reluctant to reveal the name. After all, he would be considered going against the rule by spilling the name. ¡°If I tell you the name, will you be able to protect my brother? His way of doing things is malicious. Since you can find out about my brother, he can do the same too.¡± ¡°You have my word. Who¡¯s the migrant smuggler?¡± Pris has mercenary soldiers all over the globe, working in different lines of industry. Most of them are prominent figures in their industry too, likewyers and doctors. It¡¯s difficult to track Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. them.¡± ¡°Aside from Cameron, I need more information about this person. What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°I only know his code name-Rubus.¡± ¡°How can we meet him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s very mysterious. I¡¯ve known him for so many years, but I¡¯ve never met him in person. He either calls me or passes the message to Mr. Lancer to give me missions.¡± ¡°Okay. You lure Mr. Lancer out. Then, I¡¯ll guarantee your brother¡¯s safety for a lifetime. He¡¯ll have a smooth life too.¡± The crickets sang under the night sky. Olivia was sitting on the swing in the yard, surrounded by blooming flowers. There was a dim light. It had been days since she received a phone call from Ethan. He didn¡¯t contact her thereafter. Although she was aware that he was still alive, she couldn¡¯t help but worry. Jessica and Darrell were abusing their authority in the mansion while Janice was closing herself off. Anxiety was guing Olivia 24/7. She didn¡¯t let go of her phone for even a moment the whole day, feeling that she might miss a phone call from Ethan. Gazing at the gray clouds that shrouded the moonlight, she felt pressure from the darkness. She rubbed her stomach, which was hurting more and more as time passed. She thought that it wasn¡¯t as simple as gastric. These frequent stomachaches could be a result of her overthinking and nervousness. The number of stomachaches was increasing, and not even medicines could stave it off. Harold¡¯s birthday banquet was tomorrow. ording to his n, he would reveal Darrell¡¯s identity Would Ethan return tomorrow? While she was deeply absorbed in her thoughts, a man¡¯s breath brushed her ear. ¡°What are you doing here instead of sleeping, Olivia? Are you waiting for me?¡± Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Olivia, who was deeply absorbed in her thoughts, was taken by surprise. She hopped off the swing Straightening her back, she watched the man with rm. Her eyebrows were knitted. ¡°Don¡¯te near me.¡± Instead of staying away from her, he slowly approached her step by step. He casually sized her 1. ¡°Ethan is lucky to have a beauty like you. ¡°If I were him, I would¡¯ve looked after you with love and care. I¡¯d never betray and upset you.¡± The crease between Olivia¡¯s brows deepened. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Darrell had been seeking a chance to approach her these days. Unlucky for him, Olivia and Janice kept cooping themselves up in their rooms. Now, he finally had the chance to approach Olivia, hence the smug expression on his face. ¡°What are you pretending for? Before this, it was huge news that Ethan divorced you to marry Marina Carlton. I can understand why you women keep forgiving men as long as they look back at you. ¡°I bet you don¡¯t feel entirelyfortable on the inside, though. How could he impregnate another woman while pretending to be in love with you?¡± Each and every word from him hurt her deeply. Olivia¡¯s head was a mess. She didn¡¯t know what had happened. She had a guess that Darrell could be making up a story because Ethan wasn¡¯t around right now. Despite knowing Darrell¡¯s ill intentions, she was hurt by his remarks. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Olivia, I know that you¡¯re angry because this is the truth, Frankly speaking, Ethan isn¡¯ting back. Otherwise, why hasn¡¯t he done anything after so many days? Think about it. How long can. Janice protect you?¡± He added haughtily, ¡°Yes, the Procters are rich and influential in other countries. But don¡¯t forget that she was expelled from her family two decades ago. ¡°She¡¯s no longer one of them, and there will be no ce for her to stay in the Miller residence. ¡°Soon, we¡¯ll drive her out of here. When that happens, she won¡¯t be able to fend for herself. And how will she be able to look after you, a mere orphan?¡± The word ¡°orphan¡± was jarring to Olivia¡¯s ears as she clenched her fists tightly. ¡°Olivia, I heard that you don¡¯t have any family in Aldenvine, do you? Allow me to offer some advice. Since Ethan is dead, why don¡¯t youe with me? You¡¯re still young and pretty. I can look after you for a lifetime. How¡¯s that?¡± Darrell couldn¡¯t help himself from reaching out for her face. She instinctively grabbed his wrist, dislocating it. He red at her, furious. ¡°How dare you hurt me! You¡¯re insane!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She looked at his dislocated wrist. Her action was done out of instinct. How was she able to do that? The same thing happened when she encountered the person sshing acid in the mall. Her body dodged it of its own ord before she could register the situation. Olivia let him go. ¡°Shut your fat mouth up! Next time, I¡¯ll dislocate your jaw too!¡± She turned and left after that, not wanting to interact with him any further. The glint in Darrell¡¯s eyes shone brighter in the darkness, but it went unnoticed by her. Putting up with her stomachache, she kept repeating his words in her head. ¡°Who¡¯s Marina? Ethan impregnated another woman? We divorced? How could this be? ¡°I saw our wedding photo with my own eyes, and Ethan is deeply in love with me. Every move he makes tells me how much he loves me. How could he have an affair?¡± Despite her doubts, she took her phone out to look up Marina and Ethan online. Chapter 693 Chapter 693 While Olivia was looking up Ethan and Marina¡¯s names online, her mind was full of his affectionate expression. However, her body was trembling instinctively the moment she clicked the word ¡°search¡±. Her unconsciousness was telling her that she was afraid, but she didn¡¯t know what she was afraid 1. Was she afraid that what Darrell said was the truth? Right when the articles were going to pop up, she thought her heart was going to jump out of her chest. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Soon, the articles were shown. Despite Olivia¡¯s nervousness, there was no information rted to Ethan and Marina. Olivia deleted the search column to look up Ethan and Marina separately. Based on a webpage regarding Ethan, Olivia¡¯s name was clearly stated as his spouse. There was also a tag about the recent announcement that she was his hidden wife. She heaved a sigh of relief, reprimanding herself for thinking nonsense. She figured that Darrell was making up a story to drive a wedge between her and Ethan while Ethan wasn¡¯t around. In order to verify her guess, she deleted his name and typed Marina¡¯s name. As soon as Olivia finished typing Marina¡¯s name, Janice¡¯s voice resounded behind her. ¡°Liv, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking into someone.¡± ¡°Who? You can ask me.¡± Olivia showed Janice her phone without hiding anything. ¡°A woman named Marina Carlton.¡± ¡°Why are you bringing her up all of a sudden?¡± Janice remained smiling, but her heart missed a beat. ¡°I bumped into Darrell downstairs a moment ago. He mentioned a few things, about how Ethan ¡°Of course not. Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. That brat is no less different from his mother. They can do anything just to ruin someone¡¯s rtionship. ¡°Back then, Keh, that bastard, had feelings for me. But he divorced me because Jessica caused a rift between us.¡± Only then was Olivia relieved. ¡°I see. I guess all Darrell knows to do is say bad things.¡± ¡°Liv, don¡¯t bottle up everything. You can ask me anything.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Is there someone called Marina Carlton, though?¡± ¡°There is. She¡¯s my old friend¡¯s daughter. They¡¯re friends with the Millers.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that she and Ethan grew up together.¡± ¡°Nonsense. Ethan hadn¡¯t seen her for ten years. How could you say that they grew up together? You¡¯re the only person he loves. We should have faith in him.¡± ¡°Okay. But Mom, the birthday banquet is tomorrow. If Ethan doesn¡¯te back, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll put him at a disadvantage.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He knows what he¡¯s doing. All we have to do is support him and not cause him trouble. Let Darrell and Janice be the clowns all they want. ¡°I¡¯m sick of wasting my time on them. Come, let¡¯s put on a facial mask. We should be the belles of the ball tomorrow.¡± Olivia chuckled as the weight in her chest was lifted. ¡°Sure.¡± There were all kinds of people in the underground casino, which was called Sleepless City. The deeper one explored, the more chips one would need. The number of people would decrease too. Ethan, Brent, and the others disguised themselves and splurged money in the casino. Ethan won every single round, and the people around him no longer yed against him. They followed his bets. After he won the 18th round, an ordinary-looking man walked out of the crowd with a straightened back. ¡°Sir, you seem to be on the roll. Would you like to y a game downstairs?¡± Chapter 694 Chapter 694 The man¡¯s appearance corresponded to ck Fox¡¯s description of Mr. Lancer. Ethan raised an eyebrow. The fake mustache on his face masked his aura. He tossed the chips in his hand and responded brusquely, ¡°Count me in. Although Cameron Lancer looked ordinary, his eyes were shrewd. He smiled faintly upon hearing Ethan¡¯s answer. The glint that shed across his eyes indicated that the prey had taken the bait. Cameron looked at Ethan¡¯s chips. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have enough chips yet.¡± Brent chimed in haughtily, ¡°He¡¯s loaded with cash. Show us the way.¡± Noticing that Brent was another prey swimming in cash, Cameron deemed that it was his lucky day today. He led Brent the way to exchange chips worth three million dors. Then, Cameron led the group downstairs. The farther they went, the fewer people they saw. It was safe to say that the game would be more confidential ande with bigger bets. Brent reminded Cameron, ¡°There are no surveince cameras, right? Small bets can be seen as entertainment, but my friend here might be crippled if his grandfather finds out that it¡¯s a huge bet.¡± Cameron could tell that Ethan came from a well-off family from hisvish outfit. It was the best way to earn money through this kind of person. He replied hurriedly, ¡°I understand. There are no surveince cameras downstairs. I bet you¡¯ll be able to have the time of your life there.¡± Next, he beckoned over two sexy women. ¡°Mandy and Sandy are the ones who bring the most luck here. Would you like them to be in yourpany?¡± Ethan was displeased at how the women were going toe near him. ¡°Get them away from me. I¡¯m not down for this.¡± The women retreated in a grievance. He snorted coldly. ¡°I¡¯m here to rake in money, not mess ¡°Of course. This way, please,¡± Cameron nodded while smiling before showing Ethan the way. The elevator door opened, revealing the strict internal surveince. Cameron reminded them, ¡°Please stop here for a moment. Based on the rules, only the client is allowed to enter.¡± Kelvin wanted to say something, but Ethan stopped him with a look. Kelvin muttered in displeasure, ¡°How troublesome.¡± ¡°Sorry, sir. This is the rule.¡± Cameron helped Ethan to carry his chips. Ethan yed with his wedding ring casually. ¡°Are you sure that there are no surveince cameras here? I don¡¯t want my grandfather to get his hand on any leaked footage.¡± ¡°Rest assured, sir. May I know your name?¡± ¡°Craig Sallow.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°What an unusual surname. You don¡¯t sound local.¡± ¡°Are you trying to pry into my background?¡± ¡°No, no, no. It¡¯s because it¡¯s my first time seeing you.¡± Cameron chuckled. ¡°Where do you normally frequent?¡± Cameron and ck Fox were smart. Every question they asked was an attempt to pry more information. Cameron had brought Ethan to the third floor in the basement. The real bosses were downstairs. Obviously, Cameron was trying to find out how rich Ethan was while attempting to pry into his personal information. Unfortunately, the casino wasn¡¯t Ethan¡¯s target. He wasing after Cameron. ¡°Where¡¯s the toilet?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± Ethan made sure that there were no surveince cameras before contacting Brent. ¡°Shit. Why is there no tissue?¡± ¡°Please give me a moment, sir,¡± Cameron replied. The second he handed a tissue paper to Ethan, Ethan grabbed his elbow. Cameron defended himself with quick moves, but Ethan was prepared for that as he tightened his grasp. He managed to keep Cameron under control in no time. Cameron intended to scream for help, but Ethan fettered his hands behind him and had him at gunpoint. Ethan lowered his voice. ¡°Stay still. Don¡¯t move.¡± Chapter 695 Chapter 695 As ck Fox had said, there were all kinds of people in Pris. Not all of its members were skillful in martial arts. Some of them acted as an informant while some of them acted as a middleman, some of them were in charge of the early stage of the tasks while some of them were in charge of executing them. Cameron was under Ethan¡¯s control in a fleeting second. He spilled some tea under Ethan¡¯s threat. From there, Ethan found out that Rubus was in the same city as well. ¡°Sir, my authority only allows me to contact Rubus. He¡¯ll never meet me. I¡¯m just the middleman. Please spare my life!¡± Ethan exchanged nces with Brent, and thetter understood what he meant. As long as Rubus was in this city, they would track down his whereabouts through his number. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to catch him. Brent immediately prepared the devices. In case Cameron rebelled, Ethan took a syringe and approached him. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Do as I say. If you snitch on us, I¡¯ll have you taste what it feels like to be in hell. Plus, your newborn baby will go to hell with you too.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Make the phone call longer. If it¡¯s less than one minute, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± The greatest advantage of confronting sly people like Cameron was that they were not as stubborn. as mercenary soldiers. While buttering someone up was their forte, they were vtile. Once everything was ready with the devices connected, Cameron began dialing the number. ording to Cameron, Rubus¡¯ contact number often changed. A number would be used for ten He and Rubus happened to be in contact a few days ago. The line got through. Brent¡¯s heart was racing. They finally had a lead after looking into it for so long. It was nerve-wracking considering that they could finally hear that person¡¯s voice. The other party was very careful. It would take a single mistake to rm him. Kelvin, who had always been the carefree man, was so jittery that he held his breath. Cameron hung up the call after it beeped three times. Ethan raised the gun at Cameron¡¯s forehead menacingly. ¡°Got a death wish?¡± ¡°Patience, sir. This is our secret code. He will only pick up the call after I call him three times. This is how it works every time.¡± The other party finally answered the call at the third beep after Cameron called three times. As ck Fox had said, Rubus used a voice changer, so they couldn¡¯t know whether he was a man or a woman. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Boss, ck Fox finally contacted me!¡± Cameron sounded distressed. ¡°What for?¡± Rubus was calm, seemingly an emotionally stable person. This kind of person was the scariest kind. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°He told me that he needs to talk to you in person about something. Do you have time?¡± ¡°Someone like him wants to talk to me in person? He should know his ce. Just turn it down. with an excuse.¡± Noticing that Rubus was going to hang up the call, Ethan held the gun closer to Cameron. Trembling, Cameron added, ¡°Boss, I think he has something important to tell you. He told me that he has an idea to make you agree to this request. He said he¡¯llplete the mission by tomorrow.¡± As a middleman, he didn¡¯t know the details of the mission. Rubus contemted for a moment before saying, ¡°Fine, tell him to contact me.¡± ¡°Okay. The casino is swarmed with clients at the moment, and I don¡¯t know where ck Fox is. I will tell him to contact you as soon as I find him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rubus terminated the call ¡°Will this do?¡± Cameron was drenched in sweat. Ignoring him, Ethan looked at Brent. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Found him. He¡¯s at Emerald Vi of Seaside Streets in Gordam.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move! Remember, don¡¯t rm him.¡± Ethan¡¯s gazended upon ck Fox. ¡°Contact him three minutester to distract him.¡± Kelvin made the arrangements. ¡°The helicopter is ready. You can fly to Seaside Streets in five minutes.¡± Chapter 696 Chapter 696 Ethan raised a finger. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Contact each other if there¡¯s anything¡± ¡°Got it ¡± Kelvin left with the bodyguards. But there was no sign of excitement on Ethan¡¯s expression, only tranquility. After going against Rubus a few times, Ethan realized that Rubus was a careful person. If Ethan wanted to win, there would be no room for mistakes. ¡°Brent, look into his residence. See if there¡¯s any problem.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Miller.¡± Brent¡¯s fingers danced across the keyboard. Soon, he found out the exact location of the residence. He zoomed in to see a mansion by the sea, The scenery was breathtaking. ¡°Mr. Miller, look. This is the ce.¡± ¡°Find out who the owner is.¡± ¡°On it.¡± Ethan controlled the cursor to observe the building. ¡°There are woods behind the house. The house is facing the sea. Be careful not to lose him.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll inform Kelvin of the details.¡± Ethan touched his wedding ring. This was their best chance to capture that person, Ethan couldn¡¯t afford to let him escape. As long as he could get rid of this dangerous person, Connor and Olivia would be safe. Thus, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose this fight. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Three minutester, Kelvin was already approaching the mansion. Ethan gave ck Fox a look.¡± It¡¯s your turn. Remember, don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± Simr to before, ck Fox called three times before the call was answered. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Boss, it¡¯s me.¡± ck Fox lowered his voice. There was nothing out of particr with his tone Brent stared at the monitor, ensuring the other party wasn¡¯t moving to other ces. Rubus Besides, he answered the call on the balcony. They could hear the waves pounding and the vague helicopter sound. Kelvin was going tond above Rubus while ck Fox tried to distract him. ¡°Tomorrow is Mr. Miller Senior¡¯s birthday banquet. It¡¯ll be a lively party. I¡¯m thinking of taking action at that time.¡± ¡°The details.¡± Rubus didn¡¯t want to waste his time on the useless descriptions. ¡°This is the n. I¡¯ve got myself the blueprint of the Miller residence. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll ¡­¡± ck Fox exined slowly like how Ethan had taught him. The sound of the door sliding could be heard from the other side of the line. Someone was obviously on the balcony. They didn¡¯t know if he was looking at the helicopter. ¡°How confident are you that it¡¯ll be a sess?¡± ¡°80%. Ethan¡¯s dead. No one can protect her. As long as I can intrude into the ce-¡± ¡°Intruders!¡± It became noisy on the other side of the line before ck Fox could finish his words. The call was hung up right there. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. We can watch the scene through the device worn on Kelvin¡¯s head.¡± Brent disyed the footage on full screen. Rubus reacted quickly as the first thing he did was take defense. Brent connected the microphone. ¡°To the balcony on the west. Quick!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Tonight¡¯s movement was different from their attack on Olivia. Ethan took them off-guard by intruding on their headquarters. At the same time, cars were driven over there to send help. They were nning to root the nemies out today. F¡¯han couldn¡¯t sit still and do nothing. ¡°Keep an eye on both of them. I¡¯m going over there.¡± ¡°Be careful, Mr. Miller¡± ¡°There¡¯s no room for mistakes. I have to personally catch him tonight¡± Ethan vanished into the darkness Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Ethan didn¡¯t stop for a moment at all. Even though it waste at night, he showed no sign of exhaustion The thought of living a happy life with Olivia after catching the mastermind spurred him to rush to Seaside Streets as soon as possible. The car was driven in the darkness at full pelt. There were a lot of cars on the street, carrying hundreds of people who then surrounded the whole mansion Ethan alighted from the car hurriedly before dashing over. The smell of trees and blood lingered in the salty sea breeze that brushed past those men¡¯s faces. They worked for Ethan. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± asked Ethan anxiously. Cyril walked out of the crowd. ¡°Mr. Miller, that person was injured and jumped off the sea. Kelvin and the others are after him.¡± Ethan¡¯s brows knitted, not expecting such an ident after making so much preparation for it. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Take me there.¡± Karma always found its way to its prey. Previously, Olivia was forced to jump into the sea; now, it was the mastermind¡¯s turn. ¡°Did you see that person¡¯s face?¡± inquired Ethan. Pursing his lips, Cyril looked hesitant. ¡°We had the wrong idea the whole time. Rubus isn¡¯t a man but a woman.¡± ¡°A woman?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m mistaken, but Rubus looks like someone from the back¡­¡± ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Like Ms. Miller.¡± Ethan failed to control his expression at that. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying that she¡¯s Ms. Miller. They look simr based on their heights and physiques. We didn¡¯t see her face.¡± Ethan tightened his fists, and veins protruded along his arms. He closed his eyes. Memories of their farewell in the mountain filled his mind. Leia had her back to him, asking him to pretend that he didn¡¯t have a sister because there was no turning back for her. But why? Previously, she had been hiding in secrecy by Ethan¡¯s side. She became a janitor and protected him. If she plotted all of this, why would she think of killing him too? Ethan¡¯s instinct told him that there was no way Leia would do that. But judging from her motives, there was enough reason for her to do that. Leia resented Olivia, so Leia might¡¯ve begun hating him because of that. ¡°Could it really be her?¡± he wondered. He gazed at the sea under the somber sky. Like a beast, the sea was swallowing everything. Ethan felt empty as though someone had dug his heart out. He initially thought that the mastermind had something to do with Olivia¡¯s family background. But could it be that he had gone in the wrong direction since the beginning? The morning sun rose. Today was Harold¡¯s birthday banquet. The maids had gotten busy early in the morning. Olivia didn¡¯t have a good night¡¯s sleep. It could be because she was worried about Ethan or that Darrell¡¯s words had made her uneasy. Her stomach ached from time to time the whole night. She figured that she couldn¡¯t wait anymore. She decided to take an endoscopy test after Harold¡¯s birthday banquet. It was early in the morning, but herplexion looked bad. She covered her eyebags with foundation. She checked her phone, but there were still no messages or calls from Ethan. ¡°Is he still not going toe back today?¡± she wondered. Compared to Olivia¡¯s concern, Janice appeared rather happy. She had changed into a cocktail dress and tied her hair into a bun beforeplementing it with essories. She was already slim to begin with, but the dress embraced her body and defined each of her curves. She didn¡¯t look like a mother with two adult sons. Despite the in dress, Olivia felt that Janice was cool after giving up on love. Chapter 698 Chapter 698 Janice chose a cocktail dress for Olivia too. Different from Janice''s dark green dress, Olivia''s was white. Wearing white pearl earrings and the bracelet that was specially meant for Mrs. Miller, Olivia seemed like the prettiest flower of all. Meanwhile, it was Jessica''s first time attending the Millers'' event as Mrs. Miller Senior. She looked like a jewelry model with all the essories she donned. It was as if she was afraid that others wouldn''t know that she was rich. She hoped she had more heads and arms to flex her wealth with all her essories. The Miller family hadn''t made an official announcement, but word had gotten out within the circle. Janice had been resting in the Miller residence after getting dumped. Harold was already old, but his son worried him. In the end, Jessica managed to be Mrs. Miller Senior. So what if Janice was married to Keh early on? After trying to win his heart for so many years, she still divorced in the end. Janice hadn''t shown herself yet, but there were a lot of nosy people in the hall. Everyone was fawning over Jessica. Although she was never acknowledged by the Millers, she managed to make herself known as Mrs. Miller Senior. Previously, everyone would mock her behind her back by iming that she was a shameless homewrecker. Now, she was able to hold her head high after bing the official Mrs. Miller Senior. Even if they looked down on her, they were deeply impressed by her hard-won achievement. ¡°Mrs. Miller Senior, what''s your skincare routine? You don''t look like your age at all. You''re different from us. Not even an iron could smoothen our wrinkles." Jessicaughed heartily. "You''re putting yourself down, Mrs. Gill. That''s exaggerating. I try to stay positive and keep up with my exercise routine, so myplexion looks good. ¡°I don''t like beauty salons. Taking too much dermal fillers will make our face look stiff." ¡°That''s right. You''re a natural beauty, Mrs. Miller Senior. Mr. Miller Senior''s love for you never changed despite so many years. "Unlike us, you''re lucky. No one loves us, so we need cosmetics to get through our life." "I know, right? I heard that Mr. Miller Senior is head over heels for you. The custom-made gown you''re wearing is worth tens of thousands, isn''t it?" "Talking about it, what a tragic life Mrs. Miller Senior has. She married Mr. Miller Senior a long time ago, but someone else took her ce for so many years." "Mr. Miller Senior''s ex-wife is a mad woman. She threatens others by saying that she''llmit suicide out of the blue. She should''ve epted the fact that Mr. Miller Senior didn''t love her long ago. Why is she always throwing a tantrum? She shouldn''t be here today." ¡°Her presence is a bad omen. I wonder how she is right now? It''s been over 20 years since west saw her. I bet her life is nothing like Mrs. Miller Senior." The more they spoke ill of Janice, the happier Jessica was. She had waited so many years for today. In the face of everyone''s respect for her, she figured that her sacrifice was worth it. From today onward, no one wouldugh at her for her origin and cruel means. Only the winner had the right to write a new chapter in life. She would be the person everyone admired and ttered. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. While the heated discussion was going on, Harold¡ªthe man of the hour¡ªfinally appeared in a wheelchair. He seemed slightly tired. He might''ve not been able to rest well for the past few days, hence the low spirit. Two women stood next to him¡ªJanice and Olivia. They looked different yet equally gorgeous. Like the moon in the sky, they seemed unapproachable to others. Those people calling Janice a mad woman before were at a loss for words. To their surprise, Janice''s appearance hadn''t changed much. The years offered a unique kind of patience to her. It wasn''t only her aura, but her whole existence was beautiful. She stood with Olivia in the same frame, looking like sisters whose styles were pr opposites. All eyes were on them. Keh and Darrell, who were standing from afar, were put into a trance while looking at them. Chapter 699 Chapter 699 Time seemed to cease. Janice''s and Olivia''s beauty was too surreal to be true. One of them was like a flower blooming in spring while the other was like the moon in fall. Keh''s fingers tightened around his wine ss. It felt like a dream to him. He began doubting if that was the Janice he knew. Countless images of Janice smashing items and her anguish screams yed in his mind. His memories of her had always been of her begging him not to go or her scolding and humiliating Jessica. Now, her cold gaze swept across the crowd like that of a superior woman. It didn''t stay on him for a second. It was so unfamiliar that it seemed like they were strangers. On the other hand, Darrell was staring at Olivia in a daze. He was aware of how pretty she was, but he didn''t expect her to turn into a belle in that minimalistic dress. As she looked at everyone with an indifferent gaze, she ignited his sense ofpetitiveness for some reason. The three''s appearance drew everyone''s attention. Janice''s situation waspletely different from people''s description, especially when they saw that she was standing by Harold''s side. Jessica¡ª Mrs. Miller Senior ¡ªcouldn''t evene near him. She had dolled herself up, even getting a manicure. However, Janice managed to impress everyone with her inherent grace as someone who grew up in a rich family. Compared to Janice, Jessica was like a Christmas tree. Jessica wore the most expensive gown and a lot of essories. All of them fell silent upon Harold''s appearance. Jessica didn''t miss how Keh was stunned by Janice''s beauty. Jessica almost crushed all her teeth from clenching her jaw! In order to let everyone know that she was the host, she lifted her gown and approached Harold. A sweet smile was stered on her face. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Dad, why didn''t you call me to bring you over?" She walked toward behind the wheelchair, pushing Janice away unobtrusively to show her position in the Miller family. Janice disapproved of Jessica andmented in her head, " Attention-seeker." Janice figured that Jessica was waiting for her to get mad and humiliate her in front of everyone. That way, Jessica would be able to make up an excuse to put herself down to earn everyone''s sympathy. Jessica was never tired of this kind of y, but unfortunately for her, Janice didn''t even spare her a nce. Since Jessica was trying to be a good daughter-inw, Janice dly took the chance to enjoy her freedom. Janice turned and left without a care of the world. At the same time, Harold was wearing a long face because Ethan hadn''t shown up. Jessica thought that it was her win, hence the warm salutation. It made Olivia''s skin crawl and worsened her gastric. She whispered a few words to Harold before he waved his hand gently at her. "Go ahead. Grab something to eat. You''re too skinny." Nodding, Olivia headed to the food section under watchful eyes. She left Jessica alone with her one-man show. Even so, Jessica was in a good mood as she thought that no one could waver her position in the Miller family. She was nning to drive Janice out of the house once the banquet was over to take her revenge. Olivia grabbed some food and sat on the couch. She had taken medicines before this. They staved off the pain in the beginning, but they weren''t helping much right now. It hurt so much that she drew a sharp breath. She drank some warm water to alleviate the difort. ¡°Olivia, you don''t look well. Are you alright?" Chapter 700 Chapter 700 It was Darrell again. Olivia lifted her head and shot him a cold gaze. "Is anything the matter?" He was wearing a white suit. In addition to his good looks, others perceived him as a gentleman. She was the only person who knew how evil his intentions were beneath that facade. ¡°Why are you giving me the cold shoulder? I''m just worried about you." "Didn''t I tell you that I''ll dislocate your jaw if you aren''t careful with your words?" He touched his wrist instinctively. "You look cold, but you have quite a temper. It makes me curious about something¡ªdoes your character change this much in bed as well?" As soon as he finished, Olivia sshed the ss of warm water in her hand onto Darrell''s face. Despite her small action, everyone turned to them within a fleeting second. The two were involved in the gossip, so people''s eyes were always on them. Jessica, whose expression had changed, hurried over to them. ¡°Liv, what''s going on here? Did my son do anything to you? You''re humiliating him in public." Darrell only dared to show his true colors in front of Olivia. Now, he had already put on a wronged face. ¡°Mom, don''t bnce Olivia. I thought she looked unwell, so I asked her a few questions. It seems like she''s still holding a grudge against me. That''s why she lost her cool in the heat of the moment. Ww His act worsened her gastric. "Nonsense!" she retorted. "T asked that out of concern for you. Did I say something else?" Darrell put on an innocent face because he knew that she would never repeat what he said. He was shameless, but she needed to protect the Millers¡¯ dignity. Olivia finallyprehended what it meant by "like mother, like son". How could the son be a gentleman when his mother was otherwise? Darrell had fully mastered Jessica''s tricks. He yed the victim card to cause a misunderstanding, incurring the public''s wrath. Jessica began whining, ''''I know that you look down on the both of us because of how we came this far. But your parents-inw have long divorced. Darrell is one of the Millers. How could you do this to him?" ¡°Mrs. Miller is right. Talking about this, the unloved one is the homewrecker. Let alone the fact that Mr. Miller Senior has been divorced for so many years." "T heard that Olivia''s an orphan, and her family was announced bankrupt a long time ago. I wonder how she won Mr. Ethan''s heart? She could be a vixen. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. What right does she have to look down on others?" People were throwing mud at Olivia. She wanted to say something, but her stomach hurt like hell. Had it not been for the blush on her cheeks, her paleplexion could''ve surprised the others. Darrell added fuel to the fire. "Mom, don''t me her. After what has happened to Ethan, it''s understandable that she''s feeling this way. It''s just a ss of water anyway, not acid. It''s nothing a man like me should be afraid of." The voices of reprimand became louder. "Mr. Darrell, you and Mrs. Miller Senior are too kind. That''s why you were bullied for so many years." Jessica nestled in Keh''s arms, whining, "Kenny, I think we should get out of here. The people here have no respect for us." Keh, who had heard this kind of remark lots of times, was sick of it. Still, he looked coldly at Olivia to protect his wife''s dignity. " Apologize." Chapter 701 Chapter 701 It hurt so much that Olivia couldn''t speak. Janice wanted to take a seat to enjoy the show, but to her surprise, Jessica and Darrell were on it again. It seemed like they were seizing this chance to make up an excuse for Harold to drive Olivia and the others out. "Keh Miller, if you like that word so much, why don''t you carve it on your gravestone in the future?" Janice said. Displeased, Keh looked at her and said, "Zip it. This is none of your business." Janice then stood in front of Olivia and barked fiercely at him, "You shut the fuck up!" Keh was stunned, and so was Jessica. The spectators were equally dumbfounded too. Harold was the only person feeling awkward as he coughed lightly, ¡°Watch your words, Janice. Your mother-inw is the most feisty person. She might call you up tonight." In the past, even when Janice was angry, she never scolded Jessica with bad words before. Janice was raised with a good upbringing in arich family after all. However, she had be feistier after over 20 years. She even dared to use bad words now. "Keh Miller, just what are your eyes for? Are you blind? If you''re blind, I bet you still have a brain to think. ¡°Olivia was just sitting and didn''t offend anyone. Darrell was the one who came up to her to cause trouble. No one overheard their conversation, yet you believed his story. Olivia isn''t a mad woman. Why would she ssh water at someone on this kind of asion?" Janice put Keh in an awkward spot. Keh''s brows furrowed tightly as he thought, "This woman isn''t a goddess. Her temper has be viler than before!" ¡°What else could Darrell say? He was simply worried about her. Janice, I know you hate me. But even though we''re back, no one''s stealing your positions. Your son will forever be Mr. Miller. You guys don''t have to see Darrell and Jessica as enemies," he eximed. Olivia hugged her hurting stomach. Pale-faced, she stood up and bit her lip. "Her son? Is Ethan not your son?" Keh had nothing to say against her question. He also felt that he had put it in the wrong way. Never once had he perceived Janice as his wife. Even Ethan was a loathing existence to Keh because Jessica disliked him, and it made Keh feel sorry for her. Harold couldn''t watch any longer and mmed his wheelchair, intending to stand up. But the butler forced him to sit down and said, ¡°Calm down, Mr. Harold." Harold took a deep breath before saying, "Everyone, silence!" Although Darrell and Jessica didn''t have good intentions, it was still Harold''s birthday. Harold had already lost his wife. He was also old and couldn''t think straight at times; his days were numbered. Half of Harold''s lifetime was spent fighting with Keh, hence the wish to have called it a truce for today. Harold simply wanted to enjoy the happy asion with his children and grandchildren. As long as there were no fights, he was happy with a simple celebration. But to his dismay, Darrell and Jessica were plotting something again, and it had ruined his birthday banquet. Darrell was aware that Harold wanted peace, but Darrell was reluctant to grant his wish. Darrell knelt immediately. "Grandpa, it''s all my fault. Don''t me Mom. I''ll ept any punishment. She simply cares for me. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. That''s why." The weaker he acted, the more forceful Olivia and Janice seemed inparison. Olivia finally knew what kind of life Janice had lived in the past. Chapter 702 Chapter 702 Jessica was crying so much that she could barely catch her breath. " Keh, I thought that Grandpa would finally feel our sincerity as long as I raised Darrell and managed the household well. Not to mention, you and Janice had already divorced. Still, he''s taking us as strangers after all these years. "I think we should leave. There''s no ce for us here." Although Janice hadn''t said anything, Keh got mad from Jessica''s provocation and helped Darrell up, blurting, Who''s leaving? They''re the ones who should leave!" However, Keh regretted his words as soon as he finished speaking. Knowing what kind of horrible life Janice had lived in the past, he had no intention of driving her out. He would even agree to her request if she wished to spend the rest of her life in the Miller residence. Yet, he hadn''t realized what he was saying in the heat of the moment. Throwing out hurtful words was like plunging a knife into someone''s heart. And even if the wound turned into a scar, it would still hurt. But regardless, Keh was used to it. Even though he sensed that he had put his foot into his mouth, he couldn''t take back his words. Quickly thinking of a solution, he thought of giving Janice some sort ofpensation to make up for it. Meanwhile, Harold was livid as he said, "As long as I''m still alive, you have no right to make the call in this house! This is Janice''s ce. Where are you asking her to go?" ¡°Calm down, Dad." Janice remained calm and poured a ss of water for him. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Casually, she mocked, "He must''ve forgotten that I''ve cut ties with the Procters a long time ago." Her words served as a reality check for Keh as memories flooded his head. After her suicide attempt, the Procters had wanted to take her away, but Janice insisted on staying. So then they asked her to choose between them and him, forcing Janice to leave with them. Yet, she imed that Keh was her world and that she couldn''t live without him. That was what broke her family''s heart. Her father himself said that he didn''t have a daughter like her and that she would be all by herself from now onward. After they left, Janice had cried. And although Keh was impatient to leave, he softened up at her crying face. "Miller residence is your home," he said. He had promised Janice that, and yet he was driving her out right now. The Procters had abandoned her, and there was no ce for her in Miller residence. The world was big enough, but she had still lost a home. Complicated feelings churned within Keh. "I¡ª" ¡°Don''t feel guilty, Kenny. There will never be peace as long as people like us stay under the same roof. I wished to host a nice birthday banquet for Dad, but I never expected that the peace couldn''t be protected even on a day like today. If there''s someone that has to leave, I wish that it could be me." Jessica interrupted. Keh grabbed Jessica''s waist. "Why are you leaving when you''re my wife?" He then turned to look at Harold. "Dad, I''ve been building up my career for so many years, and I''ve neverined once. If this is my punishment, I''m willing to ept it. But it is undeniable that Jessica is your daughter-inw. Since everyone''s here, we might as well tell them who my wife is." Harold red at him, furious. "As I said, you have no right to make the call in this house!" Darrell put on an innocent face. "Grandpa, we can understand that you have faith in Ethan. But he''s gone now. Now that you''re not acknowledging me as your grandson, do you want to end the bloodline with me?" Chapter 703 Chapter 703 The way Darrell said that Ethan was no longer around prompted Keh to look at him sideways. "What did you say?" ¡°Ethan was involved in an explosion, Dad. He''s been missing till this day. He may have already passed away," Darrell said the most hurtful words with the gentlest tone. It left everyone dumbstruck. Even though Ethan spent many years building up his career in Andia, no one could doubt his identity and capability. If Ethan was dead, Darrell would be the heir of the family! It was no wonder Harold was willing to let Darrell and Jessica return. That was the exact reason! Keh had heard of the rumors, but he simply deemed them as nonsensical stories made up by someone up to no good. He wouldn''t believe that Ethan would pass away all of a sudden. Keh felt uneasy after hearing what Darrell said. "There''s no irrefutable evidence for that. Why would you say that?" "Dad, you''ve heard of the news of the exploded abandoned factory a few days ago. Do you think he could survive such a powerful explosion?" Darrell questioned back. Keh went silent for a while, his expression cold. Meanwhile, Harold had slowly recollected himself thanks to Janice''sfort. He reseated himself on his wheelchair and calmly looked at Darrell and Jessica. "Enough. Apologize to Olivia. Let''s put an end to this matter." Darrell narrowed his eyes, wondering why things weren''t going ording to his n. Jessica grumbled, "Dad, Liv was the one who sshed water at Darrell. Why should he apologize?" ¡°Why should he apologize? Because I know how kind and bright of a person she is after spending some time with her. And I know how evil your son is too!" Harold eximed. After getting used to wielding her power at home these days, Jessica thought that the Millers were under their control. She couldn''t put up with how Harold reprimanded Darrell right in front of so many people. "Dad, I know that you have always looked down upon me because of my family background, thinking that I don''t deserve Keh. But we''re genuinely in love. ¡°The past long years have proven that this is a fact as well. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. It wasn''t easy for us to build up our careers all these years. Why do you have such a biased opinion of us? What did we do wrong?" Jessica cried. It put Harold in the limelight, making the spectators think that he was a cruel father. ¡°Mr. Harold, what is there that you can''t get over with after so many years? A forced marriage isn''t common nowadays." "I know, right? I would''ve been grateful if my son was as devoted as Keh." "There''s never a happy ending when the process is a forceful one. So why? Darrell''s your biological grandson. Don''t take it so far." The other people joined the gushing, criticizing Harold for being cruel. "Enough talking?" Harold pointed at Jessica. "Do you think that you''re innocent after wrecking someone''s family? You plotted so many schemes just to ruin a family. I''ve never looked down on anyone poor, but I do look down on someone who''s poor and could stoop this low." Jessica held her hand on her chest, pretending to be hurt. Harold didn''t even humiliate her like this that year. "Don''t cross the line, Dad. Jessi is my wife." Keh still stood up for Jessica. But Harold found it a waste of time to debate with him, so he simply wore an indifferent expression. "Your wife? Very well, let me show you what kind of person your wife is. "I was going to tolerate it considering that today was a happy asion, but they''ve taken advantage of it and ruined my birthday. Now that I''m upset, don''t think that you can get away with this!" Chapter 704 Chapter 704 "Dad, there''re a lot of people watching. Don''t cause trouble, you''ll be aughing stock," Darrell said, trying to stop Harold too. " Grandpa, since you dislike me this much, Mom and I might as well leave. Hope you won''t regret this. Let''s go, Mom." It was clearly a threat. Keh grabbed Darrell and Jessica''s hands. "As long as I''m here, I won''t let you leave. Dad, Olivia''s the cause of this matter. Is it that difficult to demand an apology from her?" ¡°T think the person who should apologize isn''t her, but your son." A gentle voice resounded from the crowd. Olivia turned in the direction of the familiar voice. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. It was the person she met once in the airport¡ªKeith! The girl standing next to him was tugging his hand, seemingly disliking the idea of him getting involved in the Millers'' family matter. However, Keith didn''t yield to power and approached them confidently. As a doctor, he first asked Olivia, "Are you alright?" It had been two years since theyst met after separating ways during that winter. He didn''t know how her condition was, but he reckoned that her illness was under control. Still, the next five years after surgery were a dangerous period for Olivia. He asked her that question because he noticed that she didn''t look well. Olivia forced herself to smile. "I''m alright. Thanks for the concern. uw "You''re pushing yourself too hard again. You better get to the hospital after this," Keith kindly reminded her. Their interaction was a new reason for Darrell to cause trouble. " Who is this? Olivia, it''s only been a few days since Ethan left. Are you that desperate to find your next target?" Keith responded gently, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Darrell. I''m a doctor, and I have a fianc¨¦e. I''m here with her, so I hope you can watch your words. We''re grown-ups, after all. Sharing a few words doesn''t mean that something''s going on between us. Olivia and I are alumni. She was also my patient. We have been friends since we were in the country." After exining, he added, "This is your family matter, so I don''t want to intervene. But I just couldn''t put up with your bad acting anymore. ¡°When my fianc¨¦e was shooting a video of the interior, she happened to record the scene of you getting sshed. If you don''t want me to reveal it, please sincerely apologize to Olivia instead of causing trouble. " Darrell never expected someone to stand up for Olivia. If what he said to Olivia was revealed, his image would be ruined! However, an apology from him would be tantamount to admitting that he was at fault. Darrell looked at Keith coldly. "Since you know that this is our family matter, stay out of this." Keith was unfazed. "It seems like you have no intention to apologize to her." Keith took his phone out, and a look of guilt shed across Darrell''s face. "Don''t you dare!" "You can try me, Mr. Darrell," Keith replied. The people watching were excited for the show; a show with a surprising plot twist at that! They were curious about what had happened that made Olivia so angry that she sshed water at Darrell. Keith had been putting up with it for a while, and his patience had reached its limits. Ignoring Darrell''s threat, Keith clicked the video file. He then put the video on full screen and raised the volume to the max. Darrell''s provocative voice echoed in the hall, "You look cold, but you have quite a temper. It makes me curious about something ¡ª does your character change this much in bed as well?" Everyone surged into amotion. It was clearly harassment! Not to mention that it was directed at his sister-inw! Everyone wondered if Darrell was a pervert. Chapter 705 Chapter 705 Never in Darrell''s dreams had he imagined someone would''ve recorded that scene, let alone reveal it by disregarding the Millers'' reputation. Keith had literally torn down Darrell''s facade. Thedies around woke up from their dream, not expecting such a gentleman to be a pervert. Janice couldn''t rein her anger in. Infuriated, she smashed a champagne bottle onto Darrell''s head. Darrell and Jessica had been doing everything in their power to anger Janice, but it had been in vain. However, that remark of Darrell alone made Janice lose it. ¡°I''m gonna send you to hell, you bastard!" she cried. Darrell''s head began bleeding along his forehead. Jessica couldn''t keep acting anymore either. She wanted to use the same method to hit Janice back, but the butler stopped her. ¡°Keh, it was only a tease! Even if he''s at fault, Janice shouldn''t have hurt him! I guess there''s no ce for us here. Darrell,e on! Let''s get out of here!" Jessica eximed. "Fine! Get out of here as you wish! Don''t be a pain in the ass here," Harold roared. He wished he could smash Darrell''s head himself. "I didn''t acknowledge you guys before this, and I never will. Someone menacing like you doesn''t deserve to be my grandson." Hearing that, Darrell raised his head with dark eyes. His malicious gaze stared right at Harold. "Are you sure, Grandpa?" Darrell''s wound hadn''t stopped bleeding. The streak of blood flowed down his forehead, making him appear even more evil. "Since everyone is here, please be our witness. Laugh at us all you want, but I, Harold Miller, announce that Darrell Miller shall nevery a foot in Miller residence again. Since you wanna leave, I''ll grant your wish. Call the butler over. Pack their things up and throw them out. That includes Darrell and Jessica," Harold roared. Jessica finally came back to her senses. She was used to controlling other people by putting herself down, yet she forgot about one thing¡ªit was only useful against Keh. Harold resented her to begin with, let alone the fact that Darrell and Jessica kept causing a ruckus today. They even attempted to force the Millers to drive Janice out of Miller residence. It wasn''t something that could be tolerated. Thus, Harold finally made up his mind. These kinds of people were like snakes. No matter what he did, there was no sense of kinship in their bones. There were only facades and benefits. Jessica was frantic. She finally got to enjoy the feeling of bing Mrs. Miller for the past few days; everyone was at her beck and call. And now, Harold''s announcement was like a lightning strike upon her, destroying her whole world. How would she be able to ept such a sudden downfall? Hurriedly, she threw herself into Keh''s arms. "Hubby, I almost passed away from losing too much blood during delivery back then. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I worked hard to raise Darrell, and yet, this is how the Millers treat us." "Don''t cry. I''ve said that both of you don''t have to leave as long as I''m here. Edmund, call the doctors. Hurry," heforted Jessica while covering his wound with a cloth. Darrell''s expression had darkened and he hadpletely lost it because of Harold. "Grandpa, this is your choice. Since you don''t want to acknowledge me, don''t me me for not seeing us as a family. Do you believe that it just takes a phone call from me to¡ª" Before Harold could say anything, a man''s voice resounded, "It takes a phone call from you to what?" Darrell''s body stiffened and Olivia immediately raised her head. Chapter 706 Chapter 706 Unbeknownst to everyone, a group of men in suits had suddenly appeared at the entrance. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Kelvin and Brent had obvious wounds on their solemn faces. They respectfully stood behind Ethan. Meanwhile, there was a scar on Ethan''s brow. Ethan''s cold and dominant aura loomed over the ce. Darrell gaped in disbelief. "How could this be? Didn''t you ..." Ethan strode over with an icy expression. He then picked up the pace and stood right before Darrell in no time. Ethan reached out and grabbed Darrell''s neck without a word. Inparison to Ethan, Darrell was thinner. This put him on the chopping block against Ethan''s attack. The only thing Darrell could do was to reflexively take a few steps back. However, Ethan was walking faster and faster. Noticing that there was some champagne behind them, Jessica yelled, "Stop! Stop right there!" She shouted with all her might, but it was in vain. Her only hope was Edmund. "Edmund, stop him!" But Edmund stood still with an indifferent expression. "Mr. Ethan is rooting out the bad guys." His response almost made Jessica faint from anger. She swayed Keh''s arm, pleading, "Kenny, save our son!" However, Keh didn''t move a muscle. "It''s toote," he said. As soon as he said those words, there was a smashing sound. Everyone was dumbfounded. The small mountain of champagne fell just like that. Like a waterfall, the champagne drenched the duo while the floor got scattered with broken sses. Darrell''s back hit a pir, and dizziness kicked in. Before Darrell could react, Ethan''s icy voice rang into his ears, "It seems like you didn''t take my warning seriously." Ethan then casually grabbed a champagne bottle, cing it near Darrell''s neck. The fragmented ss was close to Darrell''s veins. ¡°If you don''t learn how to stay low, I can teach you how to do it," Ethan said. Seeing that Darrell''s neck was going to bleed, Jessica couldn''t care about anything else anymore. She ran toward Ethan. "Ethan, let him go! He''s your brother!" "Brother?" Ethan scoffed and sneered. "I''ve let him off the hook again and again because we''re brothers, but he kept crossing the line. Darrell Miller, you had thising." Ethan pushed Darrell down. Darrell knelt on the floor of shattered sses because he couldn''t withstand Ethan''s enormous strength. The fragments of ss cut his knees and he shrieked in pain. Keh chimed in to stop Ethan, "Don''t go too far. Let him go!" Ethan merely spared Keh a cold nce and in an icy tone, he said, "You have no right to intervene in the Millers¡¯ matters." Withdrawing his gaze, Ethan looked at Kelvin. "Keep an eye on him. If he stands up, break his legs." ¡°Got it, Mr. Ethan. What should I do if someone stops me?" Kelvin asked. That question clearly served as a warning for Jessica. ¡°Then beat that person up too." Ethan then approached Olivia without looking back. He walked through the crowd, finally meeting the person he had missed all day and all night. Without a care for everyone''s gazes, Ethan hugged Olivia and whispered into her ear, "Sorry for making you have a hard time." Chapter 707 Chapter 707 Olivia''s gastric was killing her, and frustration bubbled up in her due to Darrell''s scheming. But Ethan''s embrace made her feel safe, as though she was an abandoned puppy that finally found its owner. Ethan gently caressed Olivia''s face. And although she was wearing makeup, he could tell that something was wrong with one nce. " Feeling unwell?" Since there were a lot of watchful eyes, Olivia put up with the pain and smiled. "I''m fine. I''m d that you''re back." Ethan nced at the cold sweat on her forehead, assuming that Darrell and Jessica''s scheming was the cause of her difort. Hence, Ethan was determined to clear up the mess as soon as possible. He cooed, "Don''t be afraid. I''m back now. No one can bully you again." He then shifted his gaze onto Jessica. "I''ve heard of what happened in the past few days. I thought of saying this after today since today''s Grandpa''s birthday. But since you keep rambling about wanting to leave, I might as well grant you your wish. Edmund, pack her stuff." Jessica wanted Janice out of Miller residence, but why was she the person who was going to end up leaving instead? A sense ofpetition zed in her. She quickly grabbed Keh''s hand. "Kenny, look at him. I''m his stepmother, how can he treat me this way?" Ethan responded before Keh could say anything, "You cut ties with the Millers 20 years ago. Now I''m the rightful heir of the family. I can make the calls for the Millers'' matters. Mr. Keh, please take your wife out of my house." Ethan had finally run out of patience and intended to straighten things out as quickly as possible. His remarks didn''t leave a tinge of respect to Keh at all. Before this, Ethan had to consider their kinship, but Keh hadn''t done the same. Keh hadn''t respected Janice and Olivia. Thus, nothing was holding Ethan back anymore. As long as he didn''t have morality, no one would be able to guilt-trip him. Blood was thicker than water? Well Ethan didn''t receive any parental love since he was born, so why should he try to please Keh? "How dare you speak to me that way? I''m your father!" Keh eximed. Ethan smirked, not wanting to waste time with him. Turning around, Ethan faced the guests. "Dear guests, I apologize for the disgraceful hospitality. It is our fault for the unbing ministrations. It looks like we have some family matters to deal with today. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Next time, I will entertain all of you with something more grand." Ethan''s extraordinary aura and inherent leadership rendered everyone to naturally yield to him. Ethan was different from his gentle brother and clueless father. This was how the head of the Miller family should act. Although the guests would have loved to enjoy the show, they could only leave because Ethan had said to. ¡°Okay, Mr. Ethan." Kelvin scanned the surroundings. Following that, he approached Jessica with a white napkin. "Mrs. Miller, are you going to stop or do you need my help for that?" Jessica was dumbfounded by how cruel Ethan was. Keh, whose dignity as the father was challenged, roared, " How dare you!" Jessica cried louder since Keh had her back. However, Keh''s response merely prompted Ethan to take and shove the white napkin into Jessica''s mouth. "I''ve reminded you." Chapter 708 Chapter 708 Now that Jessica couldn''t speak, she red at Ethan in disbelief. She hadn''t expected him to do that to his stepmother! "Jessi!" Keh hurriedly removed the napkin from her mouth. Jessica wanted to whine in reflex, but Ethan''s cold gaze stopped her. She then pointed at Darrell lying on the ground. "Save our son first. Keh knew that now was not the time to fight with Ethan. Darrell''s life was of utmost priority. ¡°Okay, stop crying." Ethan let go of Jessica before striding toward Kelvin. "Let him go." Despite Keh''s forceful aura, Kelvin wasn''t working for Keh. So why would Kelvin listen to him? Besides, Kelvin was infuriated upon learning what Keh had done to the young Ethan. Not giving Keh two punches was already Kelvin''s best mercy. So Kelvin ignored Keh. Keh''s expression turned gloomy, feeling that he wasn''t being respected again. "I told you to let go of him. Are you deaf?" Kelvin dug his ear while boldly looking at Keh. "Can''t do that without Mr. Ethan''s orders." "You have a death wish." Keh angrily raised his hand, wanting to p Kelvin in the face. But Kelvin would never let Keh do as he wished, and he was happy that he had the chance to fight back. Keh exercised every day, but Kelvin was a trained special agent. Even though Kelvin was injured, he could readily take Keh down. Kelvin restrained Keh''s hands to the back and shed a rxed smile. "I have no choice, Mr. Keh. Mr. Ethan has said the words. I can beat anyone up if they stop me. The first time is a warning. Next time, I''ll do it for real." Keh was so angry that his face turned crimson. He didn''t expect his dignity to be stomped by a younger man. Anxiety and anger got the best of him as he yelped at Ethan, "Manage your men properly!" Ethan motioned Kelvin to release Keh. With a flushed face, Keh primped his clothes to let out his awkwardness. He then angrily pointed at Janice. Look at how rude your son is! Why doesn''t he just go to hell!" As soon as Keh blurted that, Janice stepped forward to p him, putting him into a trance. Keh was in utter disbelief. He had seen a lot of women falling head over heels for him, but it was his first time getting pped by a woman. "y¡ªYou pped me?" he stuttered. Janice coldly deadpanned, "I pped you because you''re a bastard. You''ve never fulfilled your duty as the father, so what right do you have to ask him to acknowledge you as his father?" Harold spoke up, "You should''ve foreseen this awkward scene the moment you gave up on your family, child, and inheritance right? We''re all grown-ups. We should be responsible for our choices. One can never have everything in this world. You own the love you''re proud of but lose the power. That is fair." At that moment, over ten maids carried bags over from upstairs. Harold waved his hand. "Leave, and do not return anymore. I''ll pretend that I don''t have a son like you." Keh stared at his old father. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. He was no longer the vigorous figure who had caned him back then. He had repented his past actions. But it didn''t matter if they were right or wrong. There was no turning back for him. All he could do was to move on. There were so many things he wanted to say, but they ended up into something simple. "Take care, Dad." Jessica, who was unwilling to ept her defeat, grabbed Keh''s hand and shouted, "Hubby, this is our home. Why should we leave? Chapter 709 Chapter 709 Keh turned at Jessica. "Aren''t you the person who keeps wanting to leave?" Hurt, tears trickled down Jessica''s cheeks. "Do you think I want to stay here? I simply can''t bring myself to make our son leave. He followed us around while we built our careers for so many years. He''s suffered a lot." Jessica then knelt before Harold. "Dad, do you know how tough our life was? I know that you look down upon me because of my family background, but what did Darrell do wrong? The Millers'' blood runs in him, and the person Keh likes is clearly me. You drove us apart and drove Keh out of the house. Even though we''re married, people outside still look down upon us. "Darrell is the most pitiful person here. He has a family, but he has to bear the title of an illegitimate child. He was bullied since he was young and used to return home with bruises over his body. Do you know how much it hurt to see him like that as his mother? He''s an innocent child. He should be getting good teaching and enjoying all sorts of resources like Ethan. "Yet, he was called an illegitimate child and humiliated. Things shouldn''t have been this way. Take pity on us and acknowledge Darrell, please. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He''s your biological grandson!" Jessica cried. Harold remained unfazed at her touching words. He then turned to look at Edmund. "Bring the box in my study over. we Edmund nodded. Keh wanted to help Jessica up, but she wouldn''t let this chance slip through her fingers. She yanked him over instead. "Kenny, tell him what you really want to say. Don''t bottle it up." Keh turned his face away. "I have nothing to say." Jessica just wished he wouldn''t be this stubborn. Had he not been this stubborn, they would''ve been able to return to the Millers a long time ago. She wouldn''t have needed to put on a show. Edmund held a steel box and Harold opened it to take some things out of it. ¡°Back when I drove Keh out of the house, I froze his bank ounts because I wondered if you would reveal your true colors when he was broke. But Janice was silly and lent him money. Here''s the credit note." The credit note was worth ten million dors. He continued, "She was the person getting hurt the most and yet she couldn''t bring herself to see Keh¡ªthat foolish man¡ª having a rough time. She lent him money behind my back. She found out that he was going to develop his career somewhere else and then contacted her acquaintance over there to help him out. " Hearing that, Keh looked at Janice in disbelief. "Is that true?" Back then, his career had been smooth and he had been thinking that it was because he was one of the Millers. He didn''t know that it was Janice''s money. Janice indifferently answered, "It''s no longer important." "Do you think that you were so lucky to have so many clients? She begged her father and grandmother and contacted her rtives to help you out. That was why you were sessful. While Janice was helping you out, what was Jessica doing?" Harold asked. Keh didn''t know. Harold threw a few pictures. They were pictures of Jessica purchasing luxuries and posh cars. She also headed to high-end restaurants and house agencies and traveled. Harold continued, "She splurged your money buying houses and cards. She led her poor family in and sucked your money dry." Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Keh''s brows furrowed. He thought of those days when he was busy round the clock; Jessica had kept asking him for money. She told him that her father fell seriously ill; her mother was having a heart attack the next day; or her brother was in trouble. She even imed that her father was sent to the ICU, which had cost a lot of money every day. And there were many other expenses too. After Keh gave her over ten thousand dors, she would make up all sorts of excuses again. To him, Jessica had always been a simple and innocent woman. He didn''t perceive her as someone materialistic. Thus, he didn''t think of her that way. They were a married couple anyway, so his money was hers as well. It was just that he didn''t have much money in his hands back then, and ten million dors wasn''t enough to run apany. Jessica would make excuses to take over every project too. His circumstances were rough, but he didn''t evenin once. He even suggested paying her father a visit, but Jessica told him that it would be enough for her to look after her father because Keh was busy with work. At that time, he evenid off his driver and assistant to save some money. He took everything upon himself and worked hard. One day, he was so tired that he even fainted after meeting a client. Before he lost his consciousness, Keh had thought he sawa woman. But she vanished after he regained consciousness. From that day onward, the value of his orders grew. Some of them even forwent a deposit from him and let him dy the material payment for six months. In fact, he was able to slog through those rough days all thanks to Janice. Harold then threw out another stack of pictures again. There were pictures of Keh getting drunk after meeting clients, and Janice was kneeling and kneading his legs. There were also pictures of Jessica going on a family trip. Her bright smile was a stark contrast to his situation. Now, Keh finally realized that the person suffering with him wasn''t Jessica, but Janice! "Do you think that people will pay you respect once you''re driven out of the family and have moved to a new ce? You should be grateful that they didn''t take advantage of you. While you were out there working, Janice begged them behind your back so that you could run your business smoothly. And what was the woman you love doing? "She was ready to run away at any time. She was afraid that you might not be able to rise back up again, so she kept wanting money from you to buy houses for herself and her family. She brought them on trips and bought them luxury goods. You see her as your whole world, but she sees you as a cash cow." Despite Harold''s soft voice, it hit home. Keh''s head was buzzing. Jessica hurriedly exined, "Hubby, it''s not like that. Dad just hates me so much. Those pictures are edited. I didn''t do those things." Keh pointed at the dates on the pictures. "Are those edited as well?" "Yes. Editing technology has advanced a lot nowadays. It''s even able to add a date. You know what kind of person I am. Don''t you believe in me? Besides, it''s not like you don''t know Janice''s character. Why would she do something and not ask for credit from you?" No matter how hard Jessica tried to prove herself, it was useless. Harold snorted coldly. "Edited? I have a lot of evidence like this. Just name it and I can show it to you." Edmund added, ¡°Yes, Mr. Keh. I can vouch for that. After all, Mr. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Harold was still worried about you that year. So I was asked to protect you in the dark. That''s why I knew everything that Mrs. Miller and Ms. Potts had done. ¡°If you don''t believe it, I can give you the memory card. Other than this, Ms. Potts intervened in a lot of relevant matters. If Mr. Harold and Mrs. Miller didn''t help you out in secret, you would''ve gone broke because of Ms. Potts'' family." Keh was dumbstruck to learn that that was the truth. Chapter 711 Chapter 711 Jessica attempted to exin her stance, but it wasn¡¯t convincing in the face of such irrefutable evidence. All she could do was tell Keh how much she loved him. However, Keh yanked her hand, and, for the first time, there was something simr to resentment in his eyes. ¡°Enough talking. Let¡¯s go.¡± No matter what kind of person she was, her actions today made her a stranger to him and humiliated him. His sole wish was to leave this ce. Even though Jessica was reluctant to go, she could only listen to Keh. Although she had gotten enough money from him, who would actually give up on a cash cow? ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you. Let¡¯s get out of here with Darrell,¡± Jessica said. Ethan looked at her with a cold gaze and crossed his arms. ¡°I never said that he could leave.¡± Jessica furiously red at him. ¡°How long do you want him to kneel here?¡± ¡°Until I¡¯m satisfied. Even if he dies a thousand times over, it will never be enough to atone for his deeds. Edmund, send them off.¡± ¡°Ethan Miller, let go of my son or I¡¯ll call the cops!¡± Jessica yelled out of anger, ¡°Sure. Call ¡¯em. I want them to investigate what he¡¯s done as well. A murder attempt? Arson?¡± Ethan retorted. Although Jessica didn¡¯t know what Darrell had done out there, Harold¡¯s change of attitude had given her the hint-Darrell did something to Ethan, and Ethan had something over Darrell¡¯s head. Jessica gripped her phone, hands slightly shaking. She was at her wit¡¯s end. But in the end, she could only re at Ethan and scolded, ¡°Karma will find its way to an ungrateful son like you!¡± Suddenly, Janice yanked Jessica over by the cor and gave her two ps. Meanwhile, Keh just stood there watching. He didn¡¯t know why he was acting that way. He could¡¯ve stopped Janice, but he didn¡¯t move a muscle, as if someone had pushed the ¡°stop¡± button on him. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°What are you doing, Keh Miller? She pped me, and you¡¯re just going to stand there watching?¡± ¡°What did you call me?¡± Keh asked. The Jessica in his memories had always been a gentle and empathetic woman, unlike the twisted person before him. ¡°Hubby, it hurts. I was vexed so¡­¡± Jessica tried to exin. Olivia watched the scene while covering her stomach. She had no intentions to meddle in the Miller family¡¯s matter. What mattered to her was Ethan¡¯s safe return.. Olivia stood up, preparing to head upstairs to get some rest. However, Keith hurriedly supported her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± It had been a while since theyst met, so he didn¡¯t know how far her treatment had progressed, or what kind of treatment she was taking. Her expression made him uneasy. Olivia answered weakly, ¡°I-I¡¯m alright.¡± Olivia wanted to go to the hospital, but she deemed it untimely due to the huge ruckus in Miller residence. She thought that it would be fine to put up with it for now. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. You didn¡¯t undergo the surgery?¡± Keith was unaware of her amnesia. ¡°A surgery?¡± Olivia was in a daze. She thought, ¡°He once mentioned that he was my doctor in charge. He should know what kind of illness I¡¯m suffering from.¡± Right when Olivia was going to inquire about something, a woman¡¯s soft voice resounded in the noisy hall. ¡°Ethan, do you really not want me anymore?¡± Olivia looked in the voice¡¯s direction and a woman in a wheelchair appeared at the entrance. The woman seemed familiar to Olivia. After giving it a thought, Olivia recognized that she was the woman who appeared at the airport. At that time, the woman had kept yelling at them. Olivia asked Ethan if he knew the woman, but he gave a negative answer. So what was that woman doing here? Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Everyone¡¯s attention was on the woman at the entrance. Harold¡¯s and Janice¡¯s expressions changed. They shared the same notion and wondered, ¡°Why is Marina here? We¡¯d ensured she wouldn¡¯t be able to get close to Olivia. Who helped Marina?¡± With his face covered in blood, Darrell let out a triumphant smile at the turn of events. ¡°Ethan, it seems like you haven¡¯t won either.¡± Ethan frowned. He had been dealing with the mastermind for the past two days. He didn¡¯t expect this coming from that person. Now that Olivia had seen Marina, it didn¡¯t matter if he drove Marina out of there anymore because he couldn¡¯t exin the situation. ¡°Edmund, send the guests off,¡± Janice said. Being a sensible man, Edmund took action as soon as he received the orders. ¡°Miss, we¡¯re sorry for the inadequate hospitality. But we¡¯re not seeing any guests today.¡± Of course, Marina would not do as he said. Instead, she maneuvered her wheelchair and charged at Ethan. She said, ¡°Ethan, you can¡¯t do this to me. You promised that you¡¯d marry me! I cried all day while you were away. I know that it was my fault. I won¡¯t set Olivia up again. Can we take things back to how it used to be? I seriously can¡¯t live without you.¡± The moment she blurted that, Janice and Harold knew that they were doomed. Olivia was suffering from amnesia, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. Even Jessica, who had been whining, stopped crying and looked at Marina. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Here came the new storm. Ignoring Marina¡¯s pestering, Ethan quickly looked over at Olivia. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was seeing things, but Olivia¡¯splexion seemed pale to him. She stared at him quietly without any shouting nor crying. However, it was this kind of tranquility that made Ethan lose confidence. At longst, Olivia squeezed out a word, ¡°She¡­¡± Ethan parted his lips, but nothing came out of his mouth. Anything he said would be a lie anyway. And he could neither exin nor lie to Olivia anymore. Marina gazed at Olivia resentfully. ¡°You¡¯re asking me who I am?¡± Recalling Darrell¡¯s words, Olivia had a guess in her mind. ¡°Marina Carlton?¡± she asked. Marina was baffled because Olivia appeared weird to her. She questioned back, ¡°Are you sick?¡± Olivia thought, ¡°There¡¯s someone named Marina Carlton. Does that mean Ethan had betrayed me before?¡± Olivia shifted her gaze onto Janice while wearing a helpless smile. ¡°Mom, even you lied to me.¡± Ethan frantically hurried to Olivia¡¯s side. ¡°Liv, hear me out. It¡¯s not what you think it is.¡± ¡°If so, then what is it?¡± Other than her stomach, Olivia could feel her heart aching. She had tolerated it for the whole night, and she wasn¡¯t able to stand it for much longer. Just as Ethan was about to exin, a brisk sound could be heard from the entrance. ¡°Daddy, Mommy!¡± Olivia shifted her gaze toward the entrance, where there was a three-year-old kid who resembled Ethan a lot. After not meeting each other for such a long time, Connor could already walk on his own. He scurried over to Marina and Ethan. At that moment, Olivia felt like she was a joke. She thought, ¡°So the person who was lying was not Darrell, but the Millers.¡± Suddenly, an image shed across her mind-It was a snowy day. Olivia and Marina fell into the sea at the same time while Ethan swam toward Marina without looking back. She thought, ¡°He betrayed me and had a child with another woman.¡± Suddenly, Olivia coughed up blood and fell onto the floor. ¡°Liv!¡± Chapter 713 Chapter 713 The first thing Ethan did was run toward Olivia to hold her, preventing her from falling down. However, blood kept oozing out of her mouth. The whole Miller family was sent into a frenzy. They surrounded Olivia and said, ¡°Call the doctor! Why isn¡¯t he here yet!¡± Ethan hugged Olivia¡¯s frail body and tried to wipe the blood away from her lips. However, the blood stained his hand and Olivia¡¯s white dress. Ethan began to sense that something was off. ¡°Liv, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Ethan¡¯s question stunned Keith, who hadn¡¯t been around for the past two years. He asked, ¡°So, you still don¡¯t know what illness she¡¯s suffering from until today?¡± Ethan shifted his gaze onto Keith. ¡°Illness? What illness?¡± Instead of answering Ethan, Keith helplessly nced at Olivia. ¡°You said that you wouldn¡¯t regret making this choice, yet this is the person whom you love with all your heart?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what kind of past she shared with Ethan, but she was aware that this wasn¡¯t what he had told her before. He and the Millers had joined hands to weave a beautiful lie for her. Meanwhile, it seemed like Keith knew her past. Olivia wanted to reply to Keith, but the pain made it impossible. Like a vine, it crept and shrouded her other organs. Her whole body hurt. Olivia parted her lips, but she couldn¡¯t speak. Instead, she knelt on the floor and coughed up blood again. The pool of blood shocked Marina so much that she didn¡¯t dare to speak. Harold and Janice didn¡¯t know what was going on either. Ethan didn¡¯t dare to touch Olivia. His walls of rationality-which he was always so proud of-crumbled in that moment. He grabbed Keith by the cor. ¡°What¡¯s happening to her?¡± Keith thought that Ethan genuinely loved Olivia, but the current situation told him otherwise. Keith shed a mocking smile. ¡°Mr. Miller, you could¡¯ve found out what illness she¡¯s suffering from with a Two years. Those little details began flooding Ethan¡¯s mind. Keith didn¡¯t keep in touch with Olivia for over a year, so it meant that it was something that happened during their divorce phase. Ethan recalled the fact that the skinny Olivia had kept wearing thick coats every day. Her voice filled his mind. ¡°No, I¡¯m not lying. I¡¯m just feeling weak because I¡¯m sick¡­¡± ¡°Ethan Miller, do you hate me so much?¡± ¡°So¡­ will you be happy if I¡¯m dead?¡± ¡°Nothing. I stayed in the hospital for a few days because of a cold.¡± ¡°Ethan Miller, I can pay the price with my life.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m suffering from a terminal illness or whatnot, will you let me go?¡± The mention of a terminal illness; the withered flowers on the table; Olivia¡¯s paleplexion; and the night she almost died due to a high fever were vivid memories to him. The epiphany struck Ethan, and his body couldn¡¯t stop trembling. Still, he was holding on to the hope that he might be wrong. ¡°W-what illness is she suffering from?¡± His low voice was shaking too. Keith stared at the tall and handsome man, who wielded the highest possible authority. Ethan loved Olivia a lot, but he was also the same person who had been hurting her the most. Keith didn¡¯t know how to describe Ethan anymore. Looking sideways at Olivia, he let out an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, Olivia. I can¡¯t keep it a secret anymore.¡± The uneasiness grew within Ethan as his fingers slowly curled into fists. ¡°What ¡­ What¡¯s wrong with Liv?¡± Keith announced with emphasis, /Stomach cancer.¡± Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Ethan immediately froze, and color drained from Janice¡¯s face. Even Haroid couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Nonsense! Olivia¡¯s been healthy all the while. Why would she suddenly have stomach cancer?¡± Keith removed Ethan¡¯s hands from Olivia. Anger red in his eyes as he exined, ¡°When you were fighting because of a divorce two years ago, she already had Stage Three cancer. Look at her. I¡¯m afraid it has already advanced to thest stage.¡± Thosest words pulled Ethan back into his senses. Olivia was exhausted from coughing up blood and Ethan quickly carried her up. Without a care in the world, he ran outside. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re gonna be fine. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right now. You¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said. But unbeknownst to them, it was already raining. Raindrops trickled on Olivia¡¯s face. She raised her head weakly and looked at the glisten in Ethan¡¯s eyes. She wondered if the water droplets were tears or raindrops. But it seemed like nothing mattered anymore. Olivia could feel something invisible sucking her soul away. She had so many things to say, and it suffocated her chest. Ethan was in such a hurry that he almost tripped onto the ground. Anyone could tell how anxious he was because of this. Chris¡¯ words kept reying in Ethan¡¯s head, ¡°Mr. Miller, M1 doesn¡¯t have much effect on ordinary people. Old people, kids, and pregnant women, especially cancer patients, are not allowed to take them.¡± ¡°What happens if they take it?¡± he had asked. ¡°M1 can erase a person¡¯s memories, as well as shut their immune system down. If a cancer patient¡¯s immune system ispromised, the cancer cells can¡¯t be killed and will spread very quickly. It might even spread within their whole body. ¡°It¡¯ll be a disastrous situation for the patient.¡± Never in Ethan¡¯s wildest imagination had he thought that Olivia was suffering from such an illness. It was no wonder she didn¡¯t have any side effects other than gastric pain after regaining her consciousness. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Etahn had hurt her sore spot, and he rued his decision. Like a frantic child, he kept apologizing to Olivia, ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t want it to turn out this way. I didn¡¯t know.¡± Warm tears fell onto Olivia¡¯s face. Although Olivia had a lot of questions in her head, she calmed down after realizing that she was reaching the end of her life. Staring at the raining sky, she softly said, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m so tired ¡­¡± Be it love, resentment or memories, she didn¡¯t want to question them anymore. She simply felt that someone was sucking her dry, as though her soul was slowly leaving her body. ¡°Liv, I will never let you leave my side.¡± Ethan ced a bloody Olivia into the passenger seat. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right now.¡± Olivia¡¯s face was pallid as she caressed Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°If I can¡¯t live long, just let me go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such words. You¡¯ll be fine,¡± Ethan said. But Olivia¡¯s fingers slowly slid down his cheek, and she gradually shut her eyes. She was so tired. She needed to rest. Before losing consciousness, Olivia could hear Ethan¡¯s anguished scream. But that had nothing to do with her anymore. Olivia didn¡¯t have any objective in her life anyway. The only thing thatforted her was the fact that she had had a sweet family and a loving husband. But in the end, it all turned out to be lies. Her wonderful dream was shattered. So what reason did she have to go on living her life? Chapter 715 Chapter 715 Olivia was sent to the emergency room. Chris felt his world crumble when he heard about it. The ominous feelings he had hade true. He immediately took the earliest flight from Aldenvine and went over to her. Outside the emergency room, Ethan was there with his shirt covered in Olivia¡¯s blood. But he paid it no mind and his eyes slowly turned bloodshot. Brent approached Ethan cautiously. After hesitating, he said, ¡°Mr. Miller, I got someone to go to the hospital Keith used to work at to retrieve Mrs. Miller¡¯s medical record.¡± Ethan stood with his hands behind his back and a cold expression on his face. He had been deep in thought until Brent spoke to him. Brent handed him the medical reports. There were two of them. ¡°The first report contains the results of the tests done when Mrs. Miller fainted while caring for Mr. Fordham. Keith suspected that she had a tumor in her stomach, so he performed an endoscopy on her and discovered it was Stage Three stomach cancer. ¡°The second report was from when you¡¯d asked Chris to give Mrs. Miller a full-body checkup. After looking into it, we discovered the CT scan report had been tampered. The cancer would¡¯ve shown up on the scan, but someone bribed a doctor and altered the report so we wouldn¡¯t notice.¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers trembled when he looked at the size of the tumor on the report. He then looked at the date of the report and realized that the examination was done when he was out doing the checkups with Connor. Olivia, who had not been talking to him for three months, suddenly called him that day. Her voice over the phone was different from her usual self. She had sounded very fatigued and weak. He could still remember her tone when she said, ¡°Ethan, let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± She had found out that she had cancer at that point in time. She was probably terrified. What was he doing then? He went back to a lifeless home with withered flowers in vases. It was clear that something was wrong. Olivia loved life. She wouldn¡¯t allow the flowers to wither if she could help it. Why didn¡¯t he notice sooner? Why didn¡¯t he believe her, even though she told him repeatedly that she was Ethan clenched his fingers and slightly crumpled the report in his hands. When Olivia needed him the most, he had hurt her over and over because he wanted revenge. He imed to love her, but he was always the one who hurt her the most. Keith stood behind Ethan. He could only see Ethan¡¯s lowered head, but not his expression. He said softly, ¡°I told her she wasn¡¯t in the terminal stage yet. There was still a 50 percent chance of recovery. But she gave up on treatment. Do you know why?¡± Ethan knew the reason very well. The pressure she felt was crushing her. He had even hid the truth about his rtionship with Marina from her. Both her family¡¯s situation and love life were pushing her to the edge. She had nothing else to live for. ¡°It was me,¡± Ethan replied. ¡°Yes. You were the reason. She had decided to go through with treatment. I even got her through a session of chemotherapy. The effects were good too. But that silly woman gave up again. She said it was because she owed it to you,¡± Keith said. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Ethan¡¯s usually upright back was hunched over. His shoulders were trembling as tears rolled down his face and fell onto the report. Keith slowly walked toward Ethan, a proud man turned into a wreck. He looked at Ethan coldly and questioned him, ¡°So, did she really owe you anything? Or do you owe her everything?¡± Chapter 716 Chapter 716 She had actually gone for chemotherapy once! That was something Ethan didn¡¯t know about. His voice was hoarse as he said slowly, ¡°That happened in the few days you were taking care of her?¡± ¡°Yes. She came to the hospital every day back then. She was working multiple jobs to take care of Mr. Fordham. She was growing more frail by the day. And when she was diagnosed with cancer, she didn¡¯t even have anyone to sign the authorization for the chemotherapy,¡± Keith replied. He continued, ¡°She needed to leave the hospital the day after the chemotherapy. That was when her body was at its weakest. Her head would have been spinning, and she would have been bedridden too. But she lied and said she had a friend to care for her. ¡°When I finally found out, she was already bedridden, alone, and couldn¡¯t even get up. After a few days, when the side effects of chemotherapy had passed, she immediately went through with the divorce.¡± Even Keith was shaken by the things he was saying. ¡°Olivia was resistant to anesthesia and needed a mediport inserted. The doctors had to cut open her arm to insert the mediport. ¡°Not long after the first chemotherapy session, I saw her injure her hand. Do you know how dangerous it would be if the mediport had fallen off?¡± Ethan could imagine what Olivia was going through as Keith was retelling the events. He finally knew why Olivia looked pale and weakened whenever he saw her. And theughable thing was that he thought she was just putting up an act to stop the divorce. She wasn¡¯t in the best shape when Connor fell down, but she leaped toward him to save him anyway. Who knew how long she was lying in the snow? Keith added, ¡°She was still so young. Her wound had just closed up, and they had to cut her up to take out the device. Do you know how much pain she was put through?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know, because no matter how much she was hurting, what he did next devastated her even more. He was the one who caused her life to be full of hardships. He was the one who sent her into despair when she was already dangling on the edge. She waspletely spent because of him, and he was the one that destroyed herpletely. No wonder everyone else was telling him to treat Olivia better. But he never listened. The door of the emergency room finally opened. But Olivia was still unconscious. Ethan quickly went up to the doctor. ¡°How¡¯s my wife doing, doctor?¡± The doctor removed his face mask and said sternly, ¡°What the hell have you been doing? The patient bled so much, which meant she should¡¯ve disyed symptoms before. Why have you only brought her here now? We already took some samples. We¡¯ll know the specifics after the biopsy.¡± Looking at Ethan¡¯s pained expression, the doctor added, ¡°Based on my experience, the patient is probably in Stage Four. You have to be prepared for the worst.¡± Ethan staggered backward.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Brent quickly came up and stopped him from falling over. ¡°Be careful, Mr. Miller.¡± The doctor quickly left. He still needed to perform examinations on Olivia and provide treatment. The cold winter air flowed in and Ethan felt a chill consuming him. He stared nkly at the nurses as they pushed Olivia into the next room for examinations. It was like he was frozen in ce. After a while, Ethan raised his head to look at Keith. ¡°There¡¯s still hope for Stage Four cancer, right?¡± Ethan grabbed Keith¡¯s hand like his life depended on it. Keith looked at him without a shred of pity, only indifference. He said slowly, ¡°If she had gone through with treatment two years ago and recovered over five years without anyplications. She had a high chance of recovering. But her condition is so much worse now. ¡°Most stage four patients only have a couple of months to live. In some extreme cases, they would only have a few days.¡± Ethan¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°What did you say? A few days?¡± Keith pulled his hand away. ¡°When ites to Stage Four, the cancer cells would have spread everywhere. There¡¯s no point in going through any treatment anymore. It¡¯s out of our hands now. No one can save her.¡± Chapter 717 Chapter 717 Olivia¡¯s test results came out quickly, and it was indeed Stage Four cancer. The worst thing was that it had already spread to her head. There was an early-stage malignant tumor in her head. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After a consultation gathering of various oncology experts, the consensus was simr to Keith¡¯s opinion. They also advised against treatment. Ethan¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°You haven¡¯t even given it a shot. Why would you just give up?¡± The head of the hospital wiped the sweat on his forehead and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, cancer is unlike any other illness. If it had been discovered earlier, we could just remove it surgically. ¡°But Mrs. Miller is already in the terminal stage. You saw how extensive the tumor was. It doesn¡¯t meet the requirement for surgical removal. We¡¯ve also discovered a tumor in her head, where there¡¯s a lot of cranial nerves, so surgery is also ill-advised.¡± The head of the hospital noticed Ethan¡¯s expression growing colder. He quickly added, ¡°There is also the option of conservative treatment. We can start Mrs. Miller on a round of chemotherapy. But¡­ the side effects are serious. If Mrs. Miller is frail, the chemotherapy would only work against her. ¡°There are quite a lot of patients that don¡¯t die from the cancer, but instead, they die from the side effects of chemotherapy. ¡°Normally, when a patient reaches the terminal stage, their mental and physical state would be terrible. Chemotherapy would be torture to them. The effects aren¡¯t that positive either. We would usually advise the family members to stop the treatment.¡± Ethan sped his hands together and propped his chin up. There was a gravity never before seen in his eyes. No matter what decision he made, it would put Olivia through a lot of pain. But he wasn¡¯t ready to just watch as Olivia left him. He remained silent for a few minutes. Then, he raised his head, with the decision already made.¡± Schedule her for chemotherapy as soon as possible.¡± It was an expected oue. Anyone would try every way possible to stop their loved ones from dying. For those patients who were sent to the ICU, their families knew the costs would be high. They also knew the treatment wouldn¡¯t necessarily save the patient and might even cause them more suffering before they passed. But the family members could never watch the patients die without at least trying every option avable. Maybe a miracle could still happen. Ethan stood up and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what methods you use. You have to stop the cancer cells from spreading.¡± He wouldn¡¯t give up as long as there was still a chance. There was still Peace¡¯s Embrace and Toxic Hive. Ethan knew both had been trying to find cures for incurable diseases. There was still hope for Olivia. Even if it was just the slightest inkling of hope, he would try his best to grab hold of it. Chris was almost at the hospital. Ethan quickly walked away, wanting to discuss how they should proceed with the situation with Chris. Olivia¡¯s condition had been stable for two years. That would imply that her immune system had been keeping the cancer cells under control, which meant it was the M1 drug that he injected her with that caused her condition to worsen. Would Olivia stand a chance if he reactivated her immune system? Just as Ethan was leaving through the hospital¡¯s entrance, Keith quickly approached him and punched him in the face without hesitation. ¡°How could you be so heartless? When will you stop hurting her? Chemotherapy is like poison to her. It¡¯s extremely harmful to her. Do you know how severe the side effects will be? ¡°Why can¡¯t you just let her go in peace? She¡¯s already in such a terrible state. Why do you insist on torturing her?¡± he cried. Ethan would have dodged the punch, but he chose to take it. He looked at Keith with bloodshot eyes. ¡°I want her to live. No matter the cost.¡± Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Keith felt a chill down his spine. Ethan looked like he was about to lose his mind and Olivia was the anchor that was keeping him sane. No one would know what he would do if anything happened to Olivia. ¡®Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too decisive? Shouldn¡¯t you at least ask Olivia¡¯s opinion on her treatment?¡± Keith said. Ethan said slowly, ¡°Her survival is the optimal oue. I don¡¯t care about the process. I just want her to live. Understood?¡± Ethan then quickly left after saying that. Keith watched as he walked away. He felt bad for Olivia. Ethan was still as self-centered as ever. He never learned how to love another person. Chris rushed over as soon as he could. He looked at Ethan guiltily. Then, he pped himself on the face and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, it¡¯s all my fault. Mrs. Miller has be like this because of my negligence.¡± Ethan had no right to me anyone. He was the main culprit that made Olivia the way she was. There was no one else to me. He said, ¡°This is not the time to be pointing fingers. This is Liv¡¯s examination report. Take a look and tell me how we should proceed.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chris wiped the raindrops from his hand and took the report. His eyebrows furrowed as soon as he started reading it. ¡°How could this be? She¡¯s already in the terminal stage?¡± Ethan suppressed the pain within him and punched the wall. He then lowered his head and spoke in a subdued voice, ¡°M1 triggered the cancer cells.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you shouldn¡¯t be too hard on yourself. My brother told me that Mrs. Miller¡¯s report had been tampered with. She was also trying to keep it a secret. You couldn¡¯t have known,¡± Chris said. Sometimes, the tighter one held on to something, the more it would slip away. Ethan tried to do everything in his power to keep Olivia close, but he only managed to drive her further away. Ethan gritted his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s Leia.¡± Chris didn¡¯t want toment on his family affairs, so he quickly changed the subject. ¡°How¡¯s Mrs. Miller ¡°The doctors suggested that we give up on treatment. I told them to schedule a chemotherapy session for Liv. I need them to stop the cancer cells from spreading while I find out if Peace¡¯s Embrace or Toxic Hive have more effective treatments avable,¡± Ethan replied. Chris nodded. ¡°I caught wind of their research on a new cancer treatment drug. You can give that a try.¡± However, Brent cautioned, ¡°Mr. Miller, Toxic Hive might not be the best option. Ms. Miller has tried to kill Mrs. Miller on more than one asion.¡± Brent didn¡¯t mention that Leia would never try to save Olivia. They should consider themselves lucky if Leia didn¡¯t try to make things worse. ¡°No, there¡¯s someone else.¡± An icy gleam shed in Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Colin!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°That¡¯s right. He wanted to take Mrs. Miller away. So he would never hurt her. He¡¯s also a core member of Toxic Hive. He might have a way to save Mrs. Miller. But he¡¯s gone missing ever since we raided the Toxic Hive base. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to get in contact with him.¡± ¡°Try contacting him with Liv¡¯s phone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Ethan. We¡¯ll find him, no matter what we have to do.¡± Ethan took his phone out. He nned to contact Avery because he still owed Olivia a favor. He was the backer of Peace¡¯s Embrace. He was the best man for the job. He tried calling Avery, but the call didn¡¯t go through. So Ethan told Brent, ¡°Contact Avery.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan had stopped the kidney transnt back then. But a person like Avery should have found a recement. Quite some time had passed since then. Maybe he had even made a full recovery. Seeing how busy Ethan was, Chris couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m not sure if Toxic Hive or Peace¡¯s Embrace can save Mrs. Miller. But I think you need to prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario.¡± Chapter 719 Chapter 719 ¡°Mr. Miller, chemotherapy is like fighting fire with fire. The treatment would destroy cancer cells and regr cells indiscriminately. Mrs. Miller¡¯s condition is very serious now. Cancer cells paired with the side effects of chemotherapy might be the end of her ¡­¡± Ethan lowered his head and said hoarsely, ¡°That will never happen. Liv won¡¯t die!¡± Chris didn¡¯t know how tofort Ethan. Their only option at the moment was to pray for a miracle. After a night of emergency treatment, Olivia¡¯s condition stabilized, but she was still in bad shape. She was very frail. The doctors repeatedly advised against chemotherapy because she might not be able to take it. Ethan looked at an unconscious Olivia. He didn¡¯t know what to do, but he had no choice but to hold off on chemotherapy. Suddenly, Kelvin rushed over to Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, bad news! I heard something had happened to Mr. Avery.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It seems like his illness acted up. He was sent to a private hospital in the middle of the night. The Fordhams are keeping him well-protected. We don¡¯t know his current situation, and we¡¯re unable to get in contact with him.¡± The situation just kept getting worse. Even Avery was in trouble. ¡°What about Colin?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°We still haven¡¯t located him. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. We¡¯ll let you know as soon as we get more updates. Chris rushed over. ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller is awake.¡± Just as Chris finished speaking, Ethan was already walking toward Olivia¡¯s room. Olivia was lying in bed. Her face was pale and she was extremely frail. Janice also came into the room. As strong as she was, she started crying when she saw the state Olivia was in. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you Olivia had just regained consciousness. The smell of chemicals filled her nostrils and the pain in her stomach was temporarily gone. She felt like Everything that happened the night before seemed like a dream. She was still dazed. She met Ethan¡¯s bloodshot but concerned gaze and asked softly, ¡°Terminal-stage cancer?¡± Ethan crouched next to the bed and held her hand. He felt a lump in his throat. ¡°You¡¯ll get better.¡± Olivia smiled weakly. ¡°So it wasn¡¯t a dream.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry. I ¡­¡± Ethan wanted to exin, but Olivia withdrew her hand from Ethan¡¯s grasp. She said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin. I¡¯m not curious, nor do I want to know. I¡¯m tired.¡± Ethan conspired with the entire family to lie to her. How truthful could his exnation be? Olivia no longer had the energy to discern the truth from the lies. Janice wiped her tears and changed the subject. ¡°That¡¯s true. Liv, I¡¯ll tell you everything after you get better. I swear, no more lies. You must be hungry. You should eat something.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t make a fuss and was very cooperative. ¡°Okay.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She was indeed hungry. It was probably because she had been feeling too much pain recently. And she dreaded the pain. Ethan quickly brought over the soup he had prepared. Meanwhile, Janice rolled the bed up and ced a pillow behind Olivia¡¯s waist. Ethan blew on the soup and made sure the temperature was right before feeding it to Olivia. However, Olivia didn¡¯t open her mouth. Ethan asked worriedly, ¡°Do you not want soup? What do you want to eat?¡± Olivia said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want soup. I just don¡¯t want you to feed me.¡± She stared into Ethan¡¯s eyes filled with worry and said slowly, ¡°I feel disgusted by your presence.¡± Chapter 720 Chapter 720 Ethan almost dropped the bowl he was holding. He tried to exin, ¡°Liv, it¡¯s not what you think. Marina and I, we didn¡¯t¡­¡± Olivia cut him off. ¡°What story are you trying to spin this time? Let me just ask you. Who did you save when we both fell into the water?¡± That was the only memory that came back to her. Thinking about it made Olivia feel a piercing pain in her heart. Ethan knew he couldn¡¯t hide the truth anymore since she was able to ask that question. ¡°Liv, I had no choice back then,¡± he replied. Olivia said calmly, ¡°Even if you have some perfectly justifiable reason, you still abandoned your wife to save someone else. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t feel for you. I just feel bad for myself. You were right. These memories should¡¯ve remained forgotten. Having them is a burden.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know how to exin his actions to such a clear-minded Olivia. No matter what he said, Olivia wouldn¡¯t believe him anymore, even if he were telling the truth. In her eyes, he was already a pathological liar. Janice red at Ethan and took the bowl of soup from him. ¡°Liv, ignore him. He¡¯s just an obstinate fool. I¡¯ll feed you. Eat more so you can recover quickly.¡± ¡°Recover quickly? Mom, I¡¯m not going to recover from this.¡± Olivia chuckled weakly. She wasn¡¯t a child. She knew the chances of her survival were extremely slim. Besides, she was in a terrible state at the moment. She probably didn¡¯t have long to live. ¡°Stop saying stuff like that. Modern medicine is very advanced now. There¡¯s nothing the doctors can¡¯t treat. You don¡¯t have to scare yourself. Everything will be better.¡± Janiceforted Olivia patiently. After all, the psychological burden of knowing how serious their condition was would sometimes severely reduce the life span of the patient. Olivia looked calm, like she had been through too much to be stirred up. She didn¡¯t argue with Janice about the possibility of recovery. She simply drank the soup with her head lowered, docile like a kitten. Ethan thought Olivia would throw a fit and demand answers. He didn¡¯t expect her to be so calm, and almost eerily so. After Olivia finished the soup, Ethan wanted to talk to her, but she said, ¡°You¡¯ve been up the whole night. You should go home. Besides, I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. Olivia said the cruelest thing with the calmest tone. There wasn¡¯t even a shred of hatred in her eyes. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Janice noticed the dissonance between the two of them. But Olivia needed to remain calm, or it might make her condition worse. ¡°Go home and change. The blood on your clothes just looks so disturbing,¡± Janice urged. Ethan thought about it and agreed. He did look like a mess. Ethan saw Jessica dozing off on the couch. Darrell had also received treatment due to the blood loss because he was forced to kneel on the ss again after regaining consciousness. Darrell had been kneeling for the entire night and his knees were almostpletely numb. Seeing that Ethan had returned, Jessica quickly approached him and said, ¡°Ethan, please let Darrell off the hook for now. He¡¯s your brother, after all.¡± Ethan, who was still in a bad mood, red at her. ¡°He asked for it.¡± It was unclear if Ethan was talking about himself or Darrell. After all, he was the reason everything had turned out the way it was. Chapter 721 Chapter 721 Ethan went back to the master bedroom and headed straight to the shower. He turned on the water and walked under it before it turned warm. The cold water rained down on him, but his heart felt colder. He thought about the night two years ago. He had tied Olivia in the bathroom and sshed her with cold water. So the water was this chilling. He wondered how much despair she must have felt. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Whenever he thought about Olivia, Ethan felt endless remorse. Every punishment he had inflicted on Olivia became knives that stabbed him right in the heart. All the love he had for Olivia turned into remorse. Brent quickly came into the bedroom and walked to the bathroom door. The lights in the bathroom were not on and he could barely make out Ethan¡¯s silhouette through the lights outside. He saw Ethan sitting against the wall, head tilted as the water fell onto his face. The bloodied shirt clung to his body tightly. He looked dested and in despair. Brent shut the door quietly and gave Ethan the space to lick his wounds. He then went to the balcony and lit up a cigarette. Even as a bystander, he felt bad for Ethan. He couldn¡¯t even imagine the despair Ethan must be feeling. ¡°Brent, do you think Mrs. Miller will¡­¡± Kelvin asked in a whisper. Both of them knew how important Olivia was to Ethan. What would happen to Ethan if she was gone? Brent snuffed out his cigarette and sighed silently. He made sure Ethan wasn¡¯t in the vicinity before saying, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. If it was Stage One, even Two or Three, the survival rate would be pretty high. But for Stage Four cancer, the cancer cells have already started to spread. She ¡­ probably won¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°What do we do? If she dies, Mr. Miller¡¯s life would be hell.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not lose hope yet. If Toxic Hive can manufacture a drug that induces memory loss, there might still be a way to save Mrs. Miller.¡± Although Brent was trying to perk Kelvin up, they both knew Olivia¡¯s condition was beyond horrible. The only way she could survive was if a miracle happened. By the time Brent went downstairs, Ethan had already freshened up. He looked cold as usual, but his bloodshot eyes gave away how he was really feeling. ¡°Good news, Mr. Miller. We¡¯ve got news about Colin¡¯s whereabouts, Seems like he has been doing research for cancer treatments in the past year or so. He might have known about Mrs. Miller¡¯s illness for a long time.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± Ethan quickly asked. ¡°A month ago, he left Toxic Hive¡¯s base alone and went to Vochmead Mountain. Reliable sources say his research is in its final stages. He just needs a rare herb as a final ingredient.¡± ¡°Do we have an approximate location?¡± Brent shook his head. ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± The light in Ethan¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°Vochmead Mountain is located within the Faramir teau. Its length is over 1500 miles, and its total area is about 19 thousand square miles. There are also plenty of danger zones with restricted entry. People rarelye out of there alive. How do we find him?¡± Brent said, ¡°It¡¯s at least another ray of hope. He¡¯s been there for a month. Maybe he has found the herb he¡¯s looking for.¡± ¡°Brent. I¡¯ll leave this to you. Send people to locate Colin.¡± Ethan ordered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ve already set some people on it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not enough. Even special forces soldiers have a hard time dealing with acute mountain sickness. Set up a heavy bounty for the locals, tell them we¡¯re looking for a missing person. Someone is bound to be tempted by the money.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Any updates on Avery?¡± Ethan asked. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t contact him, try contacting the other Fordham. They still owe Liv a favor.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller,¡± Brent said as he went to carry out Ethan¡¯s orders. Meanwhile, Kelvin stood next to Ethan and said, ¡°What do we do with Darrell, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan flexed his wrist. He had forgotten all about Darrell. Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Darrell wasn¡¯t doing great. Meanwhile, Harold got emotional and rpsed into his dazed state when Olivia was sent to the hospital. Keh and Jessica wanted to take Darrell away, but Ethan¡¯s orders were absolute for the bodyguards. So they stopped the two of them from taking Darrell. Darrell fainted once and was tended to by doctors on the spot. However, he was forced to kneel again. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. after that. And he had remained kneeling since. The night before, while themotion was going on, Darrell could at least throw in some snide remarks. But after one whole night of kneeling, he felt like he was about to drop dead. His knees were numb, and the wound on his forehead was hastily dressed. He also couldn¡¯t feel his lower body anymore. He was tired, hungry, and sleep-deprived, but he didn¡¯t dare to fall over. He fell over once because he was too tired and the ss shards had pricked him all over, and he was in terrible pain. Darrell noticed Ethan slowly walking toward him. Ethan¡¯s gaze waspletely emotionless and piercing like the icy wind. Darrell licked his parched lips and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been kneeling for the entire night. What else do you want from me?¡± Ethan asked coldly, ¡°How are you associated with Rubus?¡± Darrell put on a tough act. ¡°Who¡¯s Rubus? I don¡¯t know anyone by that name.¡± Perhaps it was because Ethan always let him off the hook after his schemes that he hadn¡¯t realized how scary Ethan could be. But he forgot that Olivia being in the hospital had caused Ethan to be unhinged. As soon as Darrell said that, Ethan grabbed him by the hair and pressed his head onto the floor. It was still littered with ss shards. Jessica had never seen something so bloody before. She covered her mouth and screamed. Ethan mmed Darrell¡¯s head onto the ground. Darrell, who was already gravely injured, felt like he was about to die. His head was ringing and spinning and his eyes were seeing doubles. At that moment, he thought he saw his great-grandmother telling him After her initial shock, Jessica quickly ran over and said, ¡°Ethan, are you out of your mind? He¡¯s your brother. How can you do that to him?¡± Ethan red at her with bloodshot eyes and it caused a chill to run down her spine. ¡°Fuck off,¡± he said. Jessica was scared to death, but she was even more afraid that Ethan might kill Darrell. So she gathered her courage and tried to stop Ethan. She wanted to pry his hand off Darrell. Because she had had her nails done, they were long and sharp. In her urgency, she scratched the back of Ethan¡¯s hand and left several bleeding red marks. But Ethan didn¡¯t feel the pain. He just found her screaming to be annoying and shoved her impatiently. He wasn¡¯t trying to hurt her, but he was too strong for her. Jessica couldn¡¯t help but fall to the ground. ¡°Jessi!¡± Keh wanted to stop her from falling, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough. Jessica fell onto the ss shards heavily as she cried out in pain. Keh looked at Jessica with a pained expression. She had ss shards all over her. He said, ¡°Doctor, please help her.¡± ¡°You have to save Darrell,¡± Jessica continued insisting. But Ethan ignored them and picked Darrell up with one hand. There was a wound on Darrell¡¯s head, and the blood flowed down his face. ¡°I¡¯m not a patient man. I¡¯ll ask you onest time. How are you associated with Rubus?¡± he asked. Darrell said weakly, ¡°I really don¡¯t know who Rubus is.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll ask a different question then. How did you know I died in the explosion? Who gave you the information?¡± Darrell fell silent again. Ethan sneered, and the veins on the back of his hand popped. He grabbed Darrell¡¯s head and continued mming Darrell¡¯s head onto the ground. Chapter 723 Chapter 723 Keh then stepped in between Ethan and Darrell. He said self-righteously, ¡°Enough! You two are brothers. Stor hurting him. I¡¯ll have him give up all his inheritance rights and bring him away. He¡¯ll never appear before you again.¡± Keh was still speaking condescendingly. He didn¡¯t think he was in the wrong at all. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Ethan would¡¯ve been sad if he were still a kid. But that was no longer the case. He turned to look at Keh with his bloodshot eyes. Then, he said amusedly, ¡°Do I need him to give up what¡¯s rightfully mine? Keh Miller, I would get out of here if I were you. You¡¯re an eyesore.¡± ¡°What did you call me?¡± Keh asked. In the past, Ethan would at least address Keh as Mr. Miller Senior. This was the first time Ethan had called him by his full name. Ethan didn¡¯t want to argue with Keh. Instead, he looked down at Darrell and said, ¡°Spit it out now. Or else I have my ways to make you talk.¡± I Then, Ethan grabbed Darrell¡¯s arm and dragged him on the floor. Darrell had already been bleeding, so there was a trail of blood behind him as he was dragged. Darrell¡¯s life was smooth sailingpared to Ethan¡¯s. He had grown up under the care of his parents and had never been humiliated like this before. But now, Darrell finally started to feel fear. Ethan waspletely different from before. ¡°Save me, Dad!¡± Darrell started to call for help. Ethan was already doing such horrible things to Darrell right in front of them. Keh couldn¡¯t even imagine what Ethan would do to Darrell with no one watching. Things were getting out of control and Keh had no choice but to take his phone out. He didn¡¯t care what would happen next. He just wanted Darrell to get away from Ethan in one piece. ¡°Let him go, or I¡¯ll call the cops,¡± he said. Ethan stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Keh. ¡°Call the cops? Do you think you¡¯ll be able to do it?¡± Ethan tilted his chin and Kelvin immediately went to take Keh¡¯s phone away. ¡°Ethan Miller! You bastard! What are you nning to do?¡± Keh cried. Ethan was like a demon in human skin. He looked at them coldly. ¡°Keh Miller, I gave you the chance to leave. You asked for it. Since the two of you are adamant on staying, I¡¯ll take good care of you. ¡°Edmund, escort these two to the room my mother used to live in.¡± Keh red at Edmund and said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to that bastard.¡± Edmund said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. You don¡¯t have the authority to give me orders. Mr. Miller is the head of the Miller family right now.¡± Bodyguards then forcibly took Keh and Jessica away. Jessica was screaming and struggling. She even dropped one of her heels in the struggle. ¡°My son. My Darrell! Ethan, please let him go. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. Punish me instead. Leave my son alone.¡± Ethan looked at the man slumped on the ground. He said softly, ¡°Toote for that.¡± Keh and Jessica were brought to the backyard where there was a room prepared specifically for Janice. Janice had been mentally ill back then. She would hurt other people and sometimes, even herself. So her room was special; the door and windows were all welded up with steel bars. Keh and Jessica were pushed into the room. As Edmund locked the door, they pleaded with him and held onto the steel bars, ¡°Edmund, you¡¯re holding us captive illegally. If the police ¡­¡± However, Edmund cut them off coldly. ¡°Mr. Miller Senior, do you think you would get the chance to call the police?¡± Keh¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Edmund dropped the respectful demeanor and said, ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯ve wanted to do this long ago. You can take this chance to experience how Mrs. Miller Senior and Mr. Harold lived. You deserve everything happening to you.¡± Chapter 724 Chapter 724 Darrell fainted yet again. Kelvin srat on him and said with disdain, ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s such a sissy. We haven¡¯t even done anything to him yet and he¡¯s already half dead. I feel so bad for Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan was the eldest son of the Miller family, so Harold was very strict with him ever since he was young. The first half of Ethan¡¯s life was fraught with hardships; he didn¡¯t have it any better than Leia. Ethan looked at Darrell calmly, saying, ¡°Get the doctors to patch him up. We need him alive for now to extract useful information from him.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan then walked into the kitchen without looking back. The maids were systematically cleaning up the mess in the house. Sharon went over to Ethan. She said, ¡°Mr. Miller, there¡¯s no need to cook yourself. You can just ask one of us to do it for you.¡± Ethan ignored her and dressed the chicken he had just killed. Sharon was stunned. Ethan was so violent a moment ago, but after putting on the apron, he became completely different. Ethan ced several ingredients, including the chicken, into a pot. He then proceeded to prep the other ingredients. After he was done, he poured the chicken soup into a thermos sk in one smooth movement. After that, he drove himself to the hospital. Olivia was still as sickly as before. Her face was pale, and she had slimmed down considerably. She had fallen asleep after she finished taking antibiotics. Janice had been with her almost the entire day. She didn¡¯t sleep the entire night and kept yawning. Ethan walked to Janice¡¯s side quietly and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of things here. You should head home for today.¡± Janice pulled Ethan to the corridor. ¡°What are you nning to do? Liv isn¡¯t doing so well right now. The doctors said the cancer cells are spreading very quickly. If this keeps up, she¡¯ll ¡­¡± ¡°I have a n, Mom. I need your help. Toxic Hive has created a type of drug for cancer treatment. It can prevent the cancer from spreading temporarily.¡± Janice knew about Ethan¡¯s grudges with Toxic Hive. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll see what I can do. Take care of Liv. Don¡¯t agitate her anymore.¡± Ethan lowered his head and muttered, ¡°I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t agitate her ever again.¡± Janice wanted to scold him, but she could only sigh when he was being like this. So she simply patted him and the shoulder and left. Ethan was the only one left in the room. He quietly stared at Olivia in her sleep as he started to recall everything that had happened in the past few years. He had punished Olivia so harshly for a crime she didn¡¯tmit. He wished he could suffer in Olivia¡¯s ce. It was no wonder Olivia had tried to kill herself several times. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how she survived the past two years. A tear fell from his eye. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly, Olivia opened her eyes in a daze and saw Ethan frantically wiping away his tears. He was such a cold man, but he was wiping his tears frantically like a helpless child. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Liv. Are you thirsty or hungry? I¡¯ll get you a ss of water.¡± Ethan got up in a hurry to pour Olivia some water. He then got tripped by a chair and fell over. While Olivia was physically, Ethan was mentally distraught. He was afraid that all his efforts wouldn¡¯t be enough to keep Olivia, and he would only be able to watch helplessly as she was taken from him by Death. Ethan didn¡¯t feel embarrassed when he fell over. Instead, he got back up on his feet quickly. ¡°Li-¡± Olivia¡¯s face was pale, but her eyes were clear. ¡°Ethan, please set me free.¡± Chapter 725 Chapter 725 Ethan was stunned. For a moment, he didn¡¯t understand what Olivia was trying to say. ¡°Liv, please let me exin. I never had intercourse with¡­¡± he tried to exin. But Olivia didn¡¯t want to hear anything about Marinaing from him. She felt disgusted. ¡°Ethan, I told you I don¡¯t care about your rtionship with her. I¡¯m talking about my illness.¡± Ethan held the ss in his hand. He suddenly felt lost. He set the ss aside and tried to calm himself. ¡°Alright. You talk. I¡¯ll listen,¡± he said. ¡°Help me get discharged. I want to get out of here.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that. You can¡¯t leave the hospital in your current condition.¡± Ethan exined, ¡°The doctors havee up with a treatment n. I¡¯m also looking for a cure for you. Don¡¯t give up now. This isn¡¯t something we can¡¯t ovee. Please, just go along with the treatment. You¡¯ll definitely get better.¡± Olivia smiled calmly. ¡°Ethan. I¡¯m a medical student. All I¡¯ve been reading recently are medical books. Do you think I don¡¯t know my own condition? I¡¯m basically at death¡¯s door.¡± ¡°Liv ¡­¡± ¡°Your so-called treatment ns are probably one of the two. I can¡¯t go through surgery in my current state, so it¡¯s either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. ¡°The side effects of both these treatments are severe. My body is weak, so I might not be able to keep my illness under control. If I can¡¯t hold on, I might die even quicker.¡± Olivia looked right into Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°If I guessed correctly, you¡¯re nning to have me get chemotherapy to get the cancer cells under control.¡± She was right on the money. Ethan said, ¡°That¡¯s the n. It¡¯s the only n we have currently.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do it.¡± Ethan added, ¡°Liv, this is not the time for tantrums. The cancer in your body is spreading fast. If we don¡¯t get it under control as soon as possible, you might¡­¡± ¡°Die soon, right? I¡¯m not afraid of dying,¡± Olivia said, finishing Ethan¡¯s sentence. Ethan hugged her tightly. ¡°But I¡¯m scared. I would rather die in your ce. Liv, please don¡¯t leave me. There are still so many misunderstandings between us. I¡¯ll tell you everything slowly. I never had a child with Marina. I¡¯ve never slept with her.¡± Olivia sneered and said, ¡°What¡¯s next? Are you going to tell me that the child is actually my son?¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not lying to you.¡± Olivia pushed him away and pped Ethan hard. She couldn¡¯t help but feel angry whenever Ethan brought Marina up. ¡°Haven¡¯t you lied enough? I trusted you so much, but you lied to me with your whole family as aplices. ¡°Ethan Miller, am I a fool to you?¡± ¡°Liv, trust me this time. Connor really is¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s cheeks began to flush from the anger. ¡°I trusted you so much, but look what you did to me. Who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to manipte other people? I¡¯m starting to think you made me lose my memories. You bastard¡­¡± The more she talked, the more agitated she became. Suddenly, she spat out some blood. ¡°Doctor!¡± Ethan shouted. Keith rushed in as soon as he heard. He was furious to see Olivia in that state. ¡°Ethan Miller, are you out of your mind? Why can¡¯t you just leave her alone? Why did you rile her up again?¡± Chris was also at a loss for words. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re really¡­ Never mind. You need to get out of here. Mrs. Miller will only get more emotional if you stay.¡± Ethan was worried, but he didn¡¯t want to aggravate Olivia any further. So he exited the room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll handle it.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 726 Chapter 726 Ethan didn¡¯t dare to approach Olivia anymore. He could only watch over her from afar. ¡°Brent, arrange a paternity test for Connor and Liv. She¡¯ll believe me when she sees the results,¡± he said. ¡°Mr. Miller, may I say something?¡± Brent asked with aplicated expression. Ethan turned to look at him. Brent continued, ¡°Mr. Miller, the biggest issue between you and Mrs. Miller isn¡¯t the truth. Every one of us knows you never touched Ms. Carlton. But the fact is you lied to and hurt Mrs. Miller. Even if you exined yourself, would she believe you?¡± Ethan thought about Olivia¡¯s intense reaction just a moment-ago. ¡°She won¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if you showed her the report, she would only think you were manipting the results with your authority. Bluntly put, Mrs. Miller¡¯s condition is very bad right now. You shouldn¡¯t do anything to further upset her.¡± Brent¡¯s words were very straightforward. Ethan¡¯s existence would only agitate Olivia. At the same moment, the doctors came out of the room. The man in the lead was the head of the oncology department. He didn¡¯t care about Ethan¡¯s status and yelled at him with a stern expression, ¡°What the hell were you thinking? Do you want the patient to die sooner? Why would you repeatedly upset her? She had just been stabilized, and you made her vomit blood so soon.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my wife?¡± Ethan still asked. ¡°How is she? If this keeps up, she¡¯ll only have a couple of weeks left. If you want her to die in a couple of days, you should definitely upset her more.¡± Dr. Tucker didn¡¯t pull any punches. He was the uncle of Keith¡¯s girlfriend. He had heard bits and pieces of what happened to Keith. He knew Ethan exercised his authority to force Keith to study abroad. Then, he neglected his own wife and caused Olivia to be in so much pain. Dr. Tucker¡¯s anger red up when he saw Ethan. So he was especially harsh with him. It was the first time Ethan didn¡¯t get angry, even after such a harsh scolding. Brent tried to ease the tension. ¡°Dr. Tucker, what treatment should we proceed with for Mrs. Miller?¡± ¡°Treatment? It¡¯s toote for that. It would only put more burden on her body. We can only do our best to take care of her.¡± Keith cleared his throat. ¡°He was just worried about Olivia, sir.¡± Only then did Dr. Tucker change his statement. ¡°The tumor in her brain is only at Stage One. We can get it under control with targeted drugs. But the one in her stomach is too big. Any mistake would cause massive internal bleeding. We can¡¯t operate on it. At the moment, all we can do is focus on anti- inmmatory and pain relief measures.¡± Ethan finally spoke up, ¡°What if we proceed with chemotherapy?¡± ¡°Chemotherapy? Do you think she¡¯s in any shape to go through that?¡± Dr. Tucker red at Ethan. ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and watch her die. I can¡¯t do it. Please schedule her for chemotherapy as soon as possible.¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t sure if he could find Colin in two months. He had to keep Olivia alive as long as possible to buy time. Keith red at him. ¡°Mr Miller, she¡¯s already suffering so much. What else do you want from her?¡± Ethan said solemnly, ¡°Dr. Rogers, I know you said that in Liv¡¯s best interest. But my desire for her to lead a happy life is only going to be stronger than yours.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just let her have peace in the final days of her life?¡± Keith said. Ethan smiled bitterly. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t do that. Please schedule her for chemotherapy as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Olivia didn¡¯t know what was in store for her. She was lying in bed when Keith came in with some food. She said, ¡°Keith, I don¡¯t have an appetite.¡± ¡°Even so, you should eat a little. Your body is very weak now. You need to give your immune system a boost to keep the cancer cells at bay. It¡¯s home-cooked chicken soup. At least take a sip.¡± Keith didn¡¯t tell her Ethan cooked it. Or else, she would never try it. Olivia didn¡¯t turn him down. ¡°Keith, I¡¯ve lost my memories. Can you tell me about the past?¡± Keith couldn¡¯t believe she had lost her memories. No wonder he felt like something was off the two times he met her. ¡°How did you lose your memories?¡± Keith asked. Olivia thought about how big a liar Ethan was. What he had said might not be true. ¡°It¡¯s not important. Can you tell me what kind of person I used to be?¡± she asked. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Keith didn¡¯t dig too much into it. ¡°You¡¯ve been an outstanding person ever since you were young. You skipped a few grades, so you weren¡¯t even 18 years old when you got into university. ¡°You were a radiant person. My teacher once said you were the most talented student he had ever seen. He said that you would make waves in the medical field one day. Unfortunately ¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunately, what?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you gave up your studies for a man.¡± Olivia thought the story of her past was unbelievable. She felt like only a person who waspletely love- struck would do something like that. ¡°Was Ethan that man?¡± she asked. Keith replied, ¡°Yes. But the two of you married in secret back then. No one knew you were his wife. I met you after a few years in the hospital. Your father was gravely ill. You came to the hospital often, and even you fell sick in the end.¡± Olivia stared at Keith and said calmly, ¡°Did I love him a lot?¡± ¡°You werepletely obsessed with him. Sometimes it even felt like you were Keith said truthfully. demeaning yourself,¡± ¡°He must¡¯ve hurt me many times, right?¡± Keith didn¡¯t want toment on their marriage. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s all in the past. It might be a good thing for you to forget. ¡°Olivia, you should focus on getting better.¡± ¡°Keith, do you really think I can survive this? I¡¯m well aware of my current situation. Help me get discharged and help me get away,¡± Olivia said. Keith shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve never changed. You made the same choice even when you lost your memories.¡± Keith didn¡¯t tell Olivia that Ethan had already decided for her that she would be getting chemotherapy. It was the same as two years ago. They couldn¡¯t do anything against Ethan¡¯s authority. Telling her would only cause her more worries. So Keith simplyforted her patiently. Olivia froze after taking a sip of the soup. Keith looked at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This soup ¡­¡± ¡°Ah. The Millers sent it over. I think your mother-inw had someone make it for you.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, but she felt like she had tasted the soup before. It was so familiar that she feltplicated feelings bubbling up after she drank it. A nurse brought over some medicine bags. Olivia frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already take the medication in the morning?¡± Keith was a bad liar. He looked away and said, ¡°Yeah. This is just some anti-inmmatory and hemostatic medication for you.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression changed after she nced at the medicine. ¡°Do you need paclitaxel in hemostatic medication? Don¡¯t forget I was a medical student as well, Keith. These are chemotherapy drugs, right?¡± Paclitaxel was a highly effective anticancer drug extracted from the Taxus tree. Its side effects were rtively mild. Keith sighed in resignation. ¡°I thought you would find out. ¡°Yes. This is a chemotherapy drug.¡± Chapter 728 Chapter 728 Olivia¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°It was his idea, right?¡± Keith replied, ¡°Yes. He didn¡¯t want to stand by and do nothing. The cancer cells in your body are spreading fast. This was the only option.¡± Chemotherapy was a high-stakes gamble. It would have a strong inhibitory effect on the tumor if it were sessful. But if it didn¡¯t work, it would speed up Olivia¡¯s demise. The worst thing was that her death would be painful as she suffered from the side effects of chemotherapy. Keith licked his lips and exined, ¡°He wants you to live, Olivia. I¡¯m also hoping for a miracle. Just like two years ago. I said you only had three to six months left to live. But the results of your chemotherapy were very good, and your condition stabilized. Maybe this time¡­¡± ¡°Keith, I know you mean well, but¡­ I don¡¯t really want to live anymore.¡± Two years ago, when she said that, she was sad. It was because life was hard on her, and she couldn¡¯t see the light at the end of the tunnel. But at this moment, Olivia waspletely calm. It was like she had already been through everything, as if she had attained enlightenment. There was no desire, longing, or emotions in her eyes. ¡°My father is dead, my family is bankrupt, and I lost my babies. Even my marriage was built on lies. I don¡¯t have a reason to live anymore,¡± she said. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t say that. Life itself is precious. You shouldn¡¯t give up on yourself just yet.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Keith, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m giving up. I¡¯m just letting life run its course.¡± Olivia refused to go along with the chemotherapy. She even started to drive the nurses out. Suddenly, Ethan appeared at the door with a paternity test report in hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t have a reason to live, I¡¯ll give you one,¡± he said. Olivia didn¡¯t want to see Ethan. She didn¡¯t know what tricks he was trying to pull this time. Ethan handed her the report. Olivia opened it and saw it was a paternity test for her and Connor. Connor? It must be the child that looked exactly like Ethan. The report showed that she was the mother of Connor. Olivia took one look at it and threw it away. ¡°Ethan Miller, you¡¯re willing to resort to all sorts of trickery just for someone like you to falsify a report, right?¡± Brent was right. Even though there was a report, Olivia hadn¡¯t believed him. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m not iying to you about this.¡± ¡°Alright. If he is indeed my child, why would you save Marina instead of me? Why would you tell me my baby died?¡± Ethan crouched by the bed humbly. ¡°I have reasons for doing so, Liv. All you need to know is that Connor is our son. It¡¯s true. ¡°Please fight through this illness for his sake, okay? You won¡¯t want our child to grow up without a mother, right?¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t moved by Ethan¡¯s sincere words. Instead, she looked at him coldly and said, ¡°Toote. You shouldn¡¯t have lied to me when I trusted you. You¡¯ve betrayed my trust, and I¡¯ll never believe you again.¡± ¡°Liv, what do I need to do for you to believe me? I¡¯ve never slept with Marina. You¡¯re the only woman I¡¯ve been with. Please believe me.¡± Olivia felt her head throb and a scene shed in her head. In the scene, she was kneeling on the floor. Her face was pale as she pulled on Ethan¡¯s pant leg. With tears streaming down her face, she said, ¡°Ethan, I didn¡¯t push Ms. Carlton. Please believe me. Please!¡± But how did Ethan respond? He had looked down at her with indifference and said, ¡°Olivia Fordham, you shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Chapter 729 Chapter 729 Olivia, you shouldn¡¯t have done that. Those words reverberated in her mind. She saw how self-deprecating she used to be and how haughty Ethan was. He didn¡¯t trust her at all. He looked at her like she was a piece of trash. What heinous crime did shemit to have him look at her with such disdain? Olivia¡¯s head started to hurt as the memories resurfaced. The pain was unbearable. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liv? Is your stomach hurting again?¡± Ethan asked as he held her hand. Olivia looked at Ethan and grabbed his wrist. With an icy expression, she said, ¡°Ethan, you shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Ethan¡¯s expression froze. Then, Olivia flung his hand away. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me gone? That¡¯s fine. Just stop all treatment. Things will turn out the way you want them to.¡± Obviously, Olivia remembered something. It made Ethan fearful and uneasy. This was the worst-case scenario. ¡°Liv, there were some misunderstandings between us in the past. But that¡¯s all behind us now. Don¡¯t think too much about it. Right now, I just want you to live,¡± Ethan said. ¡°What if I refuse to go through with chemotherapy?¡± ¡°Liv, if there is a way to get through this without chemotherapy, I wouldn¡¯t have asked for it. There isn¡¯t a better way. Give me more time, okay? I¡¯ll find a way to save you.¡± No matter what Ethan said, Olivia wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Liv, don¡¯t force my hand.¡± Ethan reached out and caressed her face gently. A haunting look filled his slightly reddened eyes. ¡°Ethan, if I can¡¯t choose how I live, I will choose how I die. Let me go. I just want to live the remainder of my life with dignity,¡± Olivia said. Ethan didn¡¯t let up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. My only desire is for you to live.¡± BONUS Then, he ordered Keith, ¡°You can begin now.¡± Olivia still had a catheter on the back of her hand. She started to struggle when she saw Keith hanging up a bag of medicine. She wasn¡¯t as strong as Ethan, so he was able to subdue her very quickly.. She was like an angry little animal as she red at Ethan. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely remove the needle unless you keep me under control. Keith quickly advised, ¡°Olivia, the chemotherapy drugs are corrosive. It would be bad if they leaked. Please cooperate.¡± ¡°Let me go, Ethan! I don¡¯t want chemotherapy!¡± Olivia protested. Ethan hugged her tightly andforted her, ¡°Please endure it, Liv. You¡¯ll get better.¡± With the life she was living, was there even a difference if she recovered? She would just spend her days like a lifeless corpse anyway. Keith looked at the two of them. One wanted to leave, while the other wanted her to stay. Both of them were trying their best to go in the opposite direction. But the only oue would lead to both of them getting hurt. As an outsider, Keith was in no position to interject. He could only watch the whole thing unfold. ¡°Mr. Miller, we¡¯re ready. You shouldfort Olivia and stop aggravating her. Also, you have to keep still when we start the glutathione drip, as it would cause nausea.¡± As things were, that was the only thing Keith could do for Olivia. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Keith left after he said that. Only Ethan was left, hugging Olivia tightly. Olivia¡¯s expression darkened as she was locked down in ce by him. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Ethan replied, ¡°I¡¯ll do anything as long as it keeps you alive. Liv, please promise me that you won¡¯t give up, okay?¡± Chapter 730 Chapter 730 When they were halfway through, Olivia tried to break free while Ethan wasn¡¯t paying attention. But the effects of the medicine made her dizzy and nauseous. She felt like the strength in her body had been sapped away. Ethan quickly helped her back into the bed. ¡°Stop moving around, Liv.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have the strength to move even if she wanted to. As soon as she tried, her head would spin. She could only close her eyes to ease the difort. Chemotherapy took much longerpared to the usual intravenous injections. It wasn¡¯t until nightfall that thest bag was approaching its end. Ethan was with her the whole time. He was also uneasy. He was afraid that she would copse before the medicine was fully administered. But although she was weak, Olivia had pulled through. She didn¡¯t dare to move in the slightest as she felt the familiar sensation. She couldn¡¯t even open her eyes because she was so dizzy. Ethan asked Keith, ¡°Did the same thing happen when she went through chemotherapy for the first time?¡± Keith replied, ¡°Yeah. She is one of the stronger ones. A lot of patients didn¡¯t evenst until the chemotherapy was over. At least she pulled through. The side effects are the most severe during the first three days. They will start to get better after three days. ¡°A cyclests 21 days. The next treatment will have to be scheduled at least 21 dayster. Of course, the decision to proceed depends on the effectiveness of this treatment and her overall physical condition.¡± Ethan was guilt-ridden as he looked at Olivia. She was lying in bed and was trying her best to remain still. Keith exined, ¡°The side effects are less serious today. She¡¯ll start to feel worse tomorrow. Remember to get her to drink more water for detoxification. Also, she¡¯ll need to have a diet that replenishes protein. After the chemotherapy, various indicators in her body, such as white blood cells and red blood cells, will rapidly decrease. ¡°At this time, she may feel nauseous and reluctant to eat. You must persuade her to eat and keep a close eye on all indicators. Take immediate action if any of them fall below normal values.¡± Ethan listened carefully and took Keith¡¯s words to heart. After Keith finished talking, Ethan suddenly said, ¡°Thanks. And ¡­ sorry for what happened before.¡± Keith was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s such a rare asion, hearing you say those words. I¡¯ve put it all behind me. I have to thank you, actually. I wouldn¡¯t have met the woman I love otherwise. ¡°My rtionship with Olivia is purely tonic now. She¡¯s had a hard life, so I felt the urge to take care of her. Besides, I learned a lot in the two years I was abroad. In the end, it wasn¡¯t really a bad experience.¡± Ethan said, ¡°Liv¡¯s emotionally unstable now. Please provide her with more encouragement and support.¡± Keith shook his head in resignation. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re the only person that can change her mind. You¡¯re the source of her trauma, after all. Let her sleep while she can. In the next three days, she won¡¯t be able to sleep even if she wanted to. ¡°But luckily, the toxins from the chemotherapy two years ago are already out of her system. The side effects of chemotherapy will get worse after every session. Every inch of her body will hurt when ites to the fifth or sixth session. ¡°The pain is almost unbearable. But it would be a good sign if Olivia couldst until then. Her condition is so bad now, I fear that ¡­¡± Keith trailed off. ¡°The day you fear will nevere.¡± Ethan quickly cut him off. Keith read the room and stopped talking. ¡°I¡¯ll be going. Call me if anything happens.¡± Ethan then went back to the room. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Olivia was already asleep. She was visibly weakened, but she was still able to fall asleep that night. The next morning, when she tried to get up and go to the toilet, Olivia felt light-headed and weak. Then, she fell over abruptly. ¡°Liv!¡± Chapter 731 Chapter 731 Ethan had just fallen asleep when he heard the movement. He raised his head to see Olivia falling over and quickly wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Are you okay, Liv?¡± Ethan¡¯s back was covered in a cold sweat despite already holding Olivia in his arms. Olivia¡¯s condition wasn¡¯tparable to a regr person. Even a tiny fall could cause irreversible damage to her. Olivia¡¯s face was extremely pale. ¡°I ¡­¡± She had no energy to argue with Ethan. Even uttering a single word caused her major difort. It was like she was suffocating. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you thirsty or hungry? Let me know whatever you need.¡± Olivia found it hard to speak up. ¡°Get ¡­ Get me a female nurse.¡± Ethan immediately understood and quickly brought her to the toilet. However, Olivia drove him out awkwardly, so he just waited by the door. He then gave Sharon a call to ask her toe over. Then, he proceeded to prepare breakfast for Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia had exhausted all her strength after briefly washing up. Ethan helped her back onto the bed. ¡°Liv, please don¡¯t throw a fit. The most important thing is to nurse your body back to health.¡± Olivia looked at the seafood risotto. It would normally be appetizing for her, but she felt the urge to gag when she saw the food this time. She frowned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating.¡± ¡°Even so, you need to eat a little, please,¡± Ethan coaxed her gently and patiently. He hadn¡¯t been sleeping well these past few days and had just pulled an all-nighter. The dark circles under his eyes were very obvious. There was also a hint of fatigue on his face. He slept on the small bed next to Olivia, and his expensive shirt was wrinkled from sleeping on it. But Ethan didn¡¯t care about himself, he only had Olivia in his eyes. Olivia found it strange. In the memories she had of Ethan, he had always acted coldly toward her. However, he had been nothing but loving toward her since she woke up. Olivia didn¡¯t understand why he would change so much. She didn¡¯t have anything that he could take anymore. As she was spacing out, Ethan fed her a spoonful of risotto. Olivia immediately gagged and spat it out after she swallowed. She spat it right on Ethan¡¯s chest. ¡°I ¡­¡± She felt a little awkward. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ethan took some tissues and cleaned it up. Then, he brought over a bowl of soup. ¡°Since you can¡¯t take the risotto, try drinking some soup. It tastes fine. I¡¯ve tried it beforehand. There are some chunks of fish in there. You should try to eat some to replenish protein.¡± Olivia looked at Ethan in confusion. ¡°What do you want from me, Ethan?¡± ¡°Liv, you have to believe that I love you. Everything I do is in the hope that you can get better. Come, take a sip.¡± Under his patient coaxing, Olivia drank a good amount of soup and forced herself to eat some of the fish while suppressing the nausea. She was basically like a disabled person. She couldn¡¯t do anything excepty in bed. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to turn over. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. For the entire day, Olivia drifted in and out of sleep. The difort she felt didn¡¯t subside either. Instead, it only got worse. Ethan felt devastated when he looked at Olivia unable to eat or sleep well. He wished he could suffer in her ce. In her extreme pain, Olivia didn¡¯t even have the energy to stand up to Ethan. Three days passed just like that. Ethan had stayed by Olivia the whole time and she finally started to regain some energy on the fourth day. But Ethan became more fatigued. He barely had time to sleep for the past few days and his eyes were bloodshot. The rainy weather passed too and Ethan noticed that Olivia was now in better spirits. He took ab and went over. ¡°Liv, the sun¡¯s out today. I¡¯ll bring you out for some sunlight.¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t even in the mood to turn him down. After all, Ethan was a stubborn person. There was no Olivia sat quietly as Ethan gentlybed her hair. But Ethan¡¯s smile froze after a stroke of theb. He didn¡¯t use much force, but a huge clump of hair was stuck to theb. Ethan then looked at the pillow. It was even more shocking. There were hundreds of strands of hair on the white pillow. Chapter 732 Chapter 732 Noticing his sudden pause, Olivia asked casually, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ethan¡¯s movement became even lighter. He didn¡¯t dare to use the slightest bit of force. Even so, her hair was still falling off. Ethan finally understood why Olivia chose to cut her hair short. He wasn¡¯t there with her in the past when she was at her most vulnerable. This time, he swore to be with her no matter what. He brushed his fingers gently through her hair and helped her into a jacket. Then, he carried her to a wheelchair and pushed her out of the room. He even asked someone to change the bedsheets before they left. It was in every woman¡¯s nature to want to be pretty. Ethan remembered that Olivia loved her long, glossy hair back when they were close. She would wear simple and elegant dresses and secure her hair with a hairpin. He remembered how smug she was when she told her she could pin her hair up with one hand. Olivia used to be talkative, but she barely ever spoke these days. She looked straight ahead, and no one could tell what she was thinking. Ethan pushed her into the shade of the trees. In front of them was awn where some patients and their family members werezily basking in the sun. Birds were perched on the branches and chirping. The sky was blue, and the clouds were white. For a moment, the world seemed like a better ce. Suddenly, a yellow ball rolled next to Olivia. The cartoon character on the ball had big, bright eyes and a smile on its face. ¡°Mom¡­¡± the tender voice of a child sounded. Olivia raised her head and saw a little boy running toward her. He was wearing a shirt, a tie, and suspenders. They briefly met once some days ago. The smile on his face looked brighter under the sun. ¡°Is that Connor?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Yes. You came up with that name.¡± Connor was already able to run freely by himself. He ran very quickly and soon approached Olivia. ¡°Mom.¡± He reached out and held Olivia¡¯s hand. His hand was small and soft, like cotton candy, like it would be broken with the slightest squeeze. As a mother, she couldn¡¯t resist it when he called her ¡®mom¡¯. Her heart immediately softened. It was her instinct. Even if she couldn¡¯t remember anything, intense feelings of affection blossomed in her heart when she saw Connor.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. But when she remembered what Darrell had said. The gentle expression on her face faded. She withdrew her hand and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not your mother.¡± Connor didn¡¯t know why Olivia would suddenly give him the cold shoulder. He hadn¡¯t seen his mother in such a long time. Olivia had always been happy to hug him. Why did she suddenly change? She didn¡¯t even smile at him and was so mean to him. Tears welled up in Connor¡¯s eyes. He said, upset, ¡°Mom. You¡¯re my mom!¡± Olivia turned around to re at Ethan. ¡°You¡¯re sick. Not only did you round your whole family up to lie to me. You even got a child to do the same? ¡°He¡¯s still so young. Yet you¡¯re teaching him to lie, abandon his actual mother, ande cozy up to me? I truly have seen everything now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, Liv. I¡¯m not lying to you. He¡¯s actually your son.¡± A girl¡¯s voice spoke weakly, ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Erina also showed up. She tugged at Ethan¡¯s sleeve and bit her lip in a pitiable expression. Marina was sitting in a wheelchair and looking at them from afar. Olivia looked at Erina¡¯s face and noticed she looked a lot like Marina. So, they were a pair of fraternal twins. The brother resembled the father, while the sister resembled the She forcibly propped herself up using the armrest and stood up, then pped Ethan¡¯s face hard.¡± Scumbag, get out of here!¡± Chapter 733 Chapter 733 Sharon was standing a short distance away. She noticed the conflict and quickly came over to bring Olivia away. Before she left, she red at Ethan disappointedly. She didn¡¯t understand why he would do something like that. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The tension had barely eased a little, and he managed to make things ufortable so quickly. Brent approached Ethan and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, you can¡¯t rush things. The more you rush, the more likely you¡¯ll get disappointing results.¡± Ethan sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid she doesn¡¯t have the will to live. I just want to give her a reason to live. ¡°I thought seeing Connor would trigger her maternal instinct, but things didn¡¯t go ording to n.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, you should stop trying. Mrs. Miller is already in a terrible state. You can¡¯t rile her up again. You should tell her about Master Connor next time.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s my only option.¡± Ethan crouched down and lifted Erina up. Although he hated Marina, Erina was the only baby Kurt left behind. Because of that, Ethan took good care of her. Marina slowly approached Ethan in her wheelchair. She said tentatively, ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m just here to visit Ms. Fordham. I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives.¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy misses you a lot,¡± Erina said timidly. ¡°Good girl.¡± Ethan patted Erina on the head. For some reason, Olivia suddenly turned around. She saw Ethan carrying Erina in his arms like a loving father and smiling gently. The four of them looked like a close family when they stood together. The sight of that was quite jarring to Olivia. So, this was how Ethan wanted to show his love for her. It wasughable. Sharon quickly exined, ¡°Mrs. Miller, don¡¯t misunderstand. Mr. Miller only has eyes for you.¡± ¡°Please stop saying that, Sharon.¡± Olivia felt disgusted by those words. Olivia was sent back to her room. Naturally, Ethan didn¡¯t allow Marina to visit her, but he was also shut out. Sharon stood at the door and said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Miller¡¯s orders, sir. Please don¡¯t hold it against me.¡± ¡°Liv misunderstood. I want to exin to her ¡­¡± ¡°Do you really think your exnations would work? In her eyes, you¡¯d just be telling her more lies. I beg of you. Stop doing things that would upset Mrs. Miller.¡± Ethan was rendered speechless. He did a lot of things, and he did them in hopes of helping Olivia. In the end, everything he did just made things worse. Sharon felt bad for him when she saw how devastated he was.. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve been here for days. You should go home and rest. Stop causing trouble for Mrs. Miller.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want to add fuel to the me, so he took Sharon¡¯s advice and gave Olivia some space. Sharon went back into the room. Olivia was lying in bed, deep in thought. ¡°Mr. Miller has gone home, Mrs. Miller. He will be giving you some space for now.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t respond. She just looked into the distance. Sharon felt bad for her when she looked at her frail silhouette. ¡°Sharon, I want to get discharged.¡± Sharon quickly exined, ¡°Even if the chemotherapy is done, your condition is still unstable. You need to be kept under observation at the hospital. ¡°If you¡¯re missing home, we can go back after you¡¯ve recovered a little more.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Olivia smiled bitterly. ¡°The Miller Residence isn¡¯t my home.¡± She stared nkly at the ceiling. She said with a hollow voice, ¡°Nowhere is my home. I lost my home long ago.¡± Chapter 734 Chapter 734 Sharon wanted to try to talk Olivia out of it. Olivia waved her hand and said, ¡°I want to rest. Don¡¯t let hime in. I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Sharon tucked Olivia in and left the room. Ethan was carrying Connor in his arms outside. Connor was still crying and looked very pitiful. ¡°Dad, I want to see Mom,¡± Connor said as he tugged on Ethan¡¯s cor. Connor was almost three years old. He was able to express himself clearly. He hadn¡¯t seen his mother in a long time. He couldn¡¯t understand why his mother, who used to hug him all the time, suddenly became so aggressive. He just wanted to be hugged. Ethan was carrying him with one hand. He felt bad for Connor, too. ¡°Your mother is sick, so she can¡¯t hug you yet.¡± Connor rolled his eyes around and asked, ¡°She¡¯s sick? Like this?¡± He imitated the way he coughed when he had a cold. Ethan tapped him on the nose lightly and said, ¡°Mom is very ill.¡± ¡°Take meds, get injection.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll get Mom some meds. She¡¯ll get better.¡± Ethan sighed quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± When they walked past the garden, Connor thought about something. He pointed at the flowers in the garden and pointed at his head. ¡°Wreath, Dad. Make Mom a wreath.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ethan felt another pang in his heart. He didn¡¯t expect Connor to remember something that happened over a year ago. Back then, they went for a pic as a family. They collected a lot of flowers and made a wreath for Olivia. Even though he was still very young, he remembered how happy Olivia was when she put on the wreath. Every time Ethan thought about the past, he would feel as if he had been stabbed in the chest. ¡°Pick flowers.¡± Connor didn¡¯t think too hard about it. He ran into the garden to pick out pretty flowers and handed them to Ethan. ¡°You want to make a wreath for Mom?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± As they were picking flowers in the garden, a loud, feminine voice eximed, ¡°Flower thieves! Are you really that broke? Why would you need to steal flowers to visit a patient?¡± Connor didn¡¯t know what was going on. It was the first time Ethan was used of being a thief. He immediately carried Connor in his arms and ran without looking back. The head nurse yelled from behind, ¡°You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover, indeed. Such a tall and well- dressed man is actually a thief.¡± Olivia was lying in bed. The image of Ethan patting Erina¡¯s head kept appearing in her head. Whenever she even thought Ethan might be telling the truth, the image would pop up and steel her resolve. Did Ethan think she was a fool? He told her so many lies. Did he think she was an idiot? The head nurse came into the room to take some blood samples from Olivia for testing. ¡°How are you feeling today, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling better but still weak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You¡¯re recovering fasterpared to other patients. The first two weeks will be hard, but it will get better. Then, the next round of chemotherapy begins ¡­¡± ¡°Next round?¡± Olivia frowned. The head nurse noticed her distress and changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, just let things run their course. Ms. Fordham, don¡¯t worry too much. ¡°Funny story. I saw a father and his son stealing flowers from the hospital¡¯s garden. That¡¯s absurd. Who ¡°There truly are all sorts of people in this world. That father is also setting a bad example for his son. The kid¡¯s future is bleak.¡± Chapter 735 Chapter 735 Olivia responded mildly, ¡°They must have been desperate. Why else would anyone steal flowers from the hospital?¡± ¡°There are just too many weirdos in the world. They don¡¯t even have basic morals. Rest well, Ms. Fordham. The head nurse closed the door and left. Oliva became drowsy after a while. She felt like she heard the door open but was too tired. So, she ignored it. She didn¡¯t notice the sound of footsteps. There were also some rustling sounds beside her, like someone was creeping around. Suddenly, she felt something being ced on her head. It wasn¡¯t a doctor? Olivia opened her eyes abruptly. She met the gaze of a set of bright, round eyes. The adorable little face was very close to her. Connor became embarrassed when he saw that Olivia had woken up. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Mom, wreath.¡± Connor was trying to set the wreath straight, so his arms were still hanging mid-air. ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Olivia murmured. Her gaze fell on the wreath he was holding. She was taken aback. She wondered if Connor and Ethan were the father-son duo the head nurse talked about who stole flowers from the garden. She was at a loss for words. What were they trying to pull? Connor noticed that Olivia didn¡¯t have a solemn expression anymore. So, he slowly climbed up the bed and leaped into Olivia¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, I missed you.¡± His words struck a chord for Olivia. But after the moment of tenderness, she felt a stab of pain in her heart. She didn¡¯t know why Connor would call her mom, but she knew he wasn¡¯t her child. But he was so cute and adorable that Olivia just couldn¡¯t resist. He knelt on the bed and put the wreath on her head with a serious expression. Then, he broke into a bright smile. The dimples on his cheeks caught Olivia¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mom, get well soon.¡± Olivia just couldn¡¯t get angry at him. That innocent smile was too precious. So, she nodded her head absent-mindedly. Connor was overjoyed. He kissed her on the cheek and ran away. Ethan told him that he should let Olivia rest. He kept that in mind. Olivia touched the wreath and felt a surge of familiarity within. In the end, she didn¡¯t throw it away. Instead, she ced it next to her pillow. She could see it as soon as she opened her eyes. Connor was sent back home. He got to see his mother, so he was pleased. Erina was ying with dolls in the room. She saw hime home and greeted him. ¡°Connor,e y with me.¡± ¡°Dolls are for girls. I want to learn to shoot guns so I can protect Mom when I grow up,¡± Connor said with a smug expression. Mina cleared her throat. ¡°Master Connor, you must be hungry. Come eat.¡± Marina suddenly appeared at the door quietly. She looked at Connor and said, ¡°Connor,e here. I have something to tell you.¡± Mina followed him into the room. Marina said to her, ¡°Go prepare dinner for Connor.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Carlton.¡± The door was closed. Then, Marina beckoned Connor. ¡°Come over here.¡± Connor was instinctively wary of Marina. She looked at this young face that was almost identical to Ethan¡¯s. She felt it was weird. Although Kurt looked like Ethan, it was still weird that his son looked so much like Ethan, too. If she hadn¡¯t witnessed her own child being born on the day of delivery, she would have thought that this was Olivia¡¯s child. After all, Connor wasn¡¯t close with her at all. She smiled gently at Connor and said, ¡°Good boy, call me ¡®Mom¡¯.¡± Connor had never called her ¡®Mom¡¯ before. Initially, she thought he had some sort of speech impediment. But she clearly heard him call Olivia that at the hospital. She tried to guide him patiently repeatedly, but Connor didn¡¯tply. She finally lost her temper and pped him. ¡°You little bastard. I¡¯m your real mother. You called that bitch your mom but not me. I¡¯m going to smack you.¡± Chapter 736 Chapter 736 Connor was already grown up. His first reaction after getting pped wasn¡¯t to cry. Instead, he felt lost. He didn¡¯t know what he did wrong. Why did Marina beat him? A handprint appeared on his face, and his right cheek became swollen. Marina¡¯s rage quickly dissipated, and she started to feel guilty. She drew him into her embrace and said, ¡°Baby, did it hurt? I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± She hated Olivia with every fiber of her being, but her mood quickly improved when she thought about Olivia¡¯s dwindling lifespan. A hint of joy shed on her face. ¡°That bitch is going to die soon. That¡¯s great! ¡°Baby, we¡¯ll have your father with us again. You look so much like him, so you have to cozy up to him so he will treat us better.¡± After everything she has been through, she became mentally unstable. She would change her mood abruptly. Her expressions were crazed. Connor feared her more and more. The fear was apparent in his eyes, and he was too scared to speak. Mina knocked on the door. She saw Connor¡¯s swollen cheek. In the past, Marina had spanked Connor when she had emotionally unstable moments, but she had never pped his face before. The sight of his swollen cheek pained Mina, who had practically raised him. ¡°You saw everything, didn¡¯t you? I was just disciplining my son. Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Marina asked nonchntly. Mina suppressed her anger and said, ¡°I want to know what terrible thing Master Connor did that would warrant such harsh treatment. ¡°How could you be so heavy-handed with discipline on a child who is barely three years old? ¡°He is so well-behaved that I can hardly bear to see him hurt. How did you find it in yourself to do such a thing?¡± ¡°How dare you talk to me like that? Who do you think you are?¡± Marina tried to stand up and hit Mina. She forgot that her legs werepletely crippled, and she could not stand. She fell as soon as she tried to stand. Mina hugged the child with a tender expression. She said, ¡°In the past, I endured your treatment of Master Connor. But you¡¯ve only gotten worse. Do you know that pping can potentially cause him to go deaf?¡± Mina thought Marina would learn her lesson after she had been through so many hardships. The sad truth was that some people were born evil, and they could never change their ways. Marina had only gotten worse. She was even venting her frustration on Connor. Marina¡¯s expression quickly changed when Mina picked Connor up and began to walk away. Her cocky demeanor quickly faded. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Master Connor had be strong and confident after almost a year of solitary training. You were the one who cried and begged to see him. ¡°That was why Mr. Miller gave you a chance to meet. But he has only been here for such a short time, and he¡¯s be so sensitive. ¡°This is proof that you¡¯re not suited to be a mother. You¡¯re also not worthy of raising Master Connor.¡± Marina immediately cried and started to beg, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mina. Please don¡¯t take him away. I¡¯ll never do that again. ¡°I was just angry because he called Olivia his mom but not me. I swear I will treat him better. Please don¡¯t tell Ethan about this.¡± Marina knew that she had almost exhausted the gratitude Ethan had for Kurt. If she angered Ethan again, the cancetion of the engagement would be the least of her worries. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The entire Carlton Family would be at stake. She wiggled on the ground and, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she said, ¡°I beg of you, Mina. Please give me another chance.¡± Chapter 737 Chapter 737 Mina had been with Marina for a few years, but she had never seen Marina in such a pitiful state. Marina kept sobbing. ¡°I¡¯ve already lost my parents and my home. I won¡¯t ever be able to stand again, either. ¡°I only have these two children. If you tell Ethan about this, he won¡¯t let me see the children ever again.¡± Marina tugged at Mina¡¯s pants with great difficulty, pleading with all her might. Mina had no choice but to say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see this happening again.¡± With that, she left with Connor in her arms. While she treated his swelling, she felt disbelief as well. How could a mother treat her son like that? ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Connor simply shook his head without saying anything. Mina¡¯s heart broke when she saw how deste he looked. Mina sighed. What a mess. When Olivia fell ill, the whole Miller family was thrown into chaos as well. Ethan returned to the small building while Harold sat under a cherry tree. Harold seemed to be mumbling something. ¡°Is Grandpa¡¯s illness acting up again?¡± ¡°Yes. Ever since Madam Eugenia passed away, Mr. Harold¡¯s illness woulde and go. He was quite well these days, but then Mrs. Miller¡¯s incident happened. Oh, well.¡± It wasn¡¯t the season for the cherries on the tree to ripen yet. But Harold kept staring at its branches. ¡°What are you looking at, Grandpa?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the cherries to turn ripe.¡± Ethan was puzzled. ¡°Mr. Thorne, does my grandpa like cherries?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him being particrly fond while he was sober. But when his illness acts up, he would often sit under the cherry trees. ¡°Now that I think about it, he had someone nt these trees two years ago. He loved to sit under the Ethan asked, ¡°Does my grandma like cherries?¡± ¡°She would eat some cherry jam from time to time. She doesn¡¯t seem to have a particr preference for it.¡± Ethan slowly walked toward Harold. He heard Harold saying to himself, ¡°O tall cherry tree with leaves so green, bear some cherries for Ms. Nat to see.¡± Ms. Nat? Ethan¡¯s expression shifted. He felt that something was off about Harold. ¡°Who is Ms. Nat?¡± He asked in a whisper. ¡°Ms. Nat is Ms. Nat, of course. She¡¯s the prettiest woman in the world.¡± When Harold spoke those words, he looked like a youngster who had just fallen in love. His rough cheeks were even tinted pink. ¡°Do you like Ms. Nat?¡± ¡°Ms. Nat is so pretty. Everyone likes her. Sadly, she doesn¡¯t like me.¡± A sorrowful look shed across Harold¡¯s eyes. Ethan took out Olivia¡¯s photo. ¡°Is this Ms. Nat?¡± ¡°Ms. Nat¡­¡± Harold looked shy, but he quickly denied it. ¡°This isn¡¯t Ms. Nat.¡± Olivia looked a lot like Ms. Nat, especially from certain angles. But Harold could tell the difference right away. It was clear that he truly cared about this woman. If Ethan¡¯s guess was correct, Ms. Nat must be the woman Harold loved before he met Eugenia. Men would never forget the women of their dreams. Take Ethan, for example. After a nce at Olivia back then, he decided that his whole life would be dedicated to her. When Harold wasn¡¯tpletely aware, he had forgotten about the present. Instead, his memories lingered on his first love in the past. If Harold met Eugenia after death, Eugenia might beat him up until he died a second time. It was no wonder that Harold would deny ever knowing Ms. Nat. After all, who would tell their descendants about their first love?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. To get more information from Harold, Ethan asked, ¡°What is Ms. Nat¡¯s full name? Which family did she come from? Harold looked at him warily. ¡°Why? Do you like Ms. Not as well? I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Ethan was exasperated. Softening his tone, he said, ¡°Grandpa, if you know anything about Ms. Nat, please tell me. If I can find Liv¡¯s family for her, she will have the motivation to keep living.¡± Chapter 738 Chapter 738 Even after a long while of questioning, Ethan couldn¡¯t get any information from Harold. Based on the information he had gathered, Ms. Nat must have been a fugitive who had escaped to Andia. She had also used a fake identity and name. Then, she disappeared during the chaoster on. Ethan was exasperated. There was still no news of Colin. If this went on, only death awaited Olivia. The only difference was whether she would die sooner rather thanter. Still, the past few days weren¡¯tpletely fruitless. When he went back to the shed, Darrell was barely hanging on. His whole body was drenched in blood. By the looks of it, Kelvin didn¡¯t hold back so that he could get even the tiniest bit of information from Darrell. ¡°Mr. Miller, Darrell said that he had known Rubus for two to three years by now. They had never met in person, but Rubus helped him out a few times before. ¡°Those few times are rted to the purchase of the Miller Group¡¯s shares.¡± Ethan said, ¡°No wonder Darrell has so many shares. He had help from a powerful figure. ¡°That person could fork out up to 100 million dors to kill Liv. I can see that they¡¯re very wealthy.¡± Kelvin nodded as well. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Miller Senior¡¯s properties alone aren¡¯t enough to support Darrell¡¯s actions. Still, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. ¡°If Ms. Miller is Rubus, I can understand her enmity toward Mrs. Miller. But why would she spend money to help Darrell? She must hate Darrell even more, right?¡± ¡°Leia is not Rubus.¡± Ethan rejected the possibility right away. ¡°She has disguised herself as a janitor by my side for years, but she never had the intention to hurt me. *If she wanted to harm me, she could¡¯ve drugged me or sent the Miller Group¡¯s data to its rivals. She was so close to me that she had a hundred ways to destroy the Miller Group. ¡°Why would she take the longer route and spend so much money to help a weak man¡±¡± Miller dead is a woman. *From the back, she resembled Mrs. Miller a lot in terms of height and figure. ¡°She must not be more than 30 years old. She¡¯s a young woman.¡± Kelvin rubbed his chin. ¡°Why would a youngdy want to kill Mrs. Miller and even spend money in astronomical numbers to get her killed?¡± ¡°What other clues did you get from Darrell?¡± ¡°Oh, right. After Darrell failed in Andia, Rubus once took the initiative to contact him. She told him to make use of the opportunity to kill Mrs. Miller. Darrell wasn¡¯t a fool, either. ¡°Realizing that he was exposed, he quickly left.¡± Ethan said, ¡°So this woman willingly spent two to three years and even arge sum of money so that she could get Darrell on her side. Defeating me wasn¡¯t her main purpose. ¡°Most importantly, Darrell¡¯s identity gave him chances to get close to Liv. Then, she could attack Liv without anyone noticing.¡± Kelvin felt a chill running down his spine. ¡°This woman is so terrifying. She had already begun to set up a trap two to three years ago! ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that this guy prioritizes sex over everything else. His mind was filled with ns to conquer Mrs. Miller, so he didn¡¯t get to kill her in time.¡± Ethan red at Kelvin, who hastily pped himself. ¡°Sorry, that was the wrong thing to say. This guy¡¯s thieving heart is still beating, and he still wants Mrs. Miller. Mr. Miller, how are you going to deal with him?¡± ¡°Rubus must be wary now, and she won¡¯t contact him anymore. Investigate their interactions in the past. No matter how well-guarded it is, we can still find something.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Kelvin noticed Ethan¡¯s bloodshot eyes. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. He gave a few words of advice. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard looking after Mrs. Miller for the past few days. You should rest. ¡°It¡¯s after you¡¯ve rested that you can have the energy to protect Mrs. Miller. I¡¯m worried that Mrs. Miller s condition will be like Mrs. Carlton¡¯s before she dies. ¡°If someone uses this incident to provoke her. Ethan said, ¡°True, it¡¯s easy to run into trouble with so many people at the hospital. Go and get the discharge procedures done. Take Liv home.¡± ¡®Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Chapter 739 Chapter 739 After staying in the hospital for a week, Olivia was discharged. She had been recovering for a week. So now, she could get out of bed and walk around on her own. Still, her red blood cells and white blood cells had very low counts. She would feel dizzy every day, and she was still extremely weak. But it was already great news to her that she could leave the hospital. When Olivia returned to the Miller residence, Sharon spoke as she moved Olivia¡¯s wheelchair. ¡°Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller has prepared a room for you on the first floor. You can go out into the yard from there. Just concentrate on recuperating. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get better in the future.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ethan was probably worried that he might stimte her, so he never appeared in front of her in recent days. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. But Olivia knew that most of the time, he waited until she was asleep to sneak in and watch over her. When she woke up, he would leave quietly. Olivia didn¡¯t understand why he would do that. He had his wife and children, so why was he investing so much effort in her? Still, Olivia was in a better mood now that he wasn¡¯t around. After returning to her room, the first thing she wanted to do was to take a shower. During the week she was hospitalized, Sharon took great care of her. Picking up a brush, Olivia got ready to brush her messy hair. As she moved the brush down, her hair fell in dense heaps. Lots of her hair was caught on the brush as well. Olivia was startled as she looked at the hair on the basin and the brush. She had been suffering for the past few days, and she almost forgot about the numerous side effects of chemotherapy. One of the most prominent side effects was hair fall. Within two sessions, her hair would bepletely gone. Soon, even if she didn¡¯t die, she would bepletely bald. Grabbing a tissue, she picked up the hair that had fallen onto the floor. She wanted to pretend as if nothing had happened. As the water from the shower rained down, her hair kept falling. She felt her head getting heavy, so she could only sit down slowly as she leaned against the wall. Scenes shed across her mind, and she saw herself in the past. Ethan had tied her up in the bathroom. Holding the showerhead in his hand, he poured water on her over and over again. It was in the cold winter. The chilly water drenched her from head to toe. The coldness ate into her body, causing her immense suffering. She heard herself begging Ethan to let her off. But the only response she received was the man¡¯s even colder attitude. It had happened so long ago, but Olivia could still feel the coldness. It was so cold that it seemed to prate her bones. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. She couldn¡¯t understand why Ethan would be so cruel that he would hurt her like that. Knocks sounded on the door. Sharon asked worriedly, ¡°Are you okay, Mrs. Miller? Should Ie in to help?¡± Olivia suppressed the sobs in her voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± After putting on her clothes, she walked out. Her hair was still wet, and she looked terrible. Sharon hastily came over with a hair dryer. ¡°How can you not dry your hair? What if you catch a cold? Mrs. Miller, your immune system is very weak right now. You absolutely mustn¡¯t catch a cold. ¡°It will be very dangerous if you have a fever.¡± With that, she started the hair dryer. Hair began to scatter and fall, and the scene was quite rming. It was only then that Sharon realized why Olivia didn¡¯t dry her hair. As soon as she did, her hair would get all over the ce. ¡°T-This is a normal urrence, Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller. After you stop chemo, your hair will grow back again.¡± Olivia smiled faintly. ¡°Keep drying. They¡¯ll fall sooner orter, anyway.¡± *¡­ Understood.¡± After washing her hair, Olivia felt as if a third of her hair was gone. When she touched it with her fingers, she could feel that her hair had decreased a lot. She couldn¡¯t even save her own life. A few strands of hair wouldn¡¯t matter. Chapter 740 Chapter 740 Seeing that Olivia was in low spirits, Sharonforted her. ¡°You haven¡¯t been eating well these days. Now that you finally have an appetite, Mrs. Miller Senior is making some food for you.¡± Olivia nodded. Instead of getting in the wheelchair, she slowly moved to the living room. Janice was wearing an apron. ¡°Hurry and have a seat. The food will be ready soon.¡± There were freshly picked flowers in the exquisite white vase on the dining table. Every leaf was fresh and green. Once again, Olivia recalled the snowy weather. She was arranging flowers in the warm indoors. Her belly was bulging, and her lips were slightly curved. The door opened, and Ethan walked in. He angrily questioned her why she would cause trouble for Marina, especially when Marina was pregnant. But he seemed to have forgotten that Olivia was also pregnant at that moment. When the coldness reached its peak, he smashed her vase. Fresh flowers scattered onto the floor. Olivia held her head, hissing. For some reason, she would recall the memories from the past from time to time. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Olivia? Does your head hurt?¡± Janice hastilyforted her. ¡°¡­¡± Olivia was about to say something when a series of images appeared in her mind. She was almost always alone, keeping watch over an empty house. The flowers in the vase were changed out time and again, but that man never returned. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t scare me like this! What is happening to you? Should I call a doctor over to have a look at you?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia shook her head. With a trembling finger, she pointed at the vase. ¡°Take it away.¡± ¡°Alright, sure. I¡¯ll take it away right now.¡± ¡°I learned to cook for the sake of that jerk. It¡¯s so pathetic when I think about it. I¡¯ve never even made a meal for my parents.¡± Olivia realized that her memories from the past kept entering her mind. For example, her hands were meant for working in medicine. But for Ethan¡¯s sake, she took up the knife and shovel. Every time those memories surfaced, Olivia felt extreme pain. She had to experience the suffering all over again. Janice noticed Olivia¡¯s changes. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good. I have a bad feeling about this.¡± Sharon spoke up. ¡°Mrs. Miller used to have a cat, and it should have arrived by now. They say that animals can heal people¡¯s hearts, so why don¡¯t we try with the cat?¡± ¡°Sure. But I have a feeling that Olivia¡¯s illness lies in her heart.¡± Olivia forced herself to eat some of the food. Then, she sat in the yard, basking in the warm sun. Suddenly, a white cat darted over to her. ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°This cat is Janice introduced them. ¡°This is the pet cat you used to own. Her name is Snowball.¡± Snowball. Yes. An image appeared in Olivia¡¯s mind. A little girl had a backpack on her shoulders as a small white cat followed her and meowed. Every time she came home from school, the little cat would be waiting for her at the junction. She would run toward the white cat right away and then raise it into the air. The scene was mirrored in the present. Olivia was sitting in the wheelchair as she lifted Snowball. ¡°Long time no see, Snowball.¡± ¡°Meow!¡± All the memories of her time with Snowball since she was young began to surface in her mind. She felt that she should be d that she had a happy childhood. She had her father¡¯s love. Fearing that she would feel lonely, he even adopted Snowball for her. Snowball wasn¡¯t a purebred cat, but it was quite understanding toward humans. When Snowball was young, it helped her get through the loss of her mother. Now that Snowball was old, it would heal the pains caused by her illness. Olivia held Snowball in her arms. She and her cat looked very peaceful together. Janice was even more convinced now that they had made the right decision. Sharon suddenly remembered something. ¡°By the way, when Snowball was sent here, it came with this bottle along with some of its toys. ¡°I heard that when it came back from the ind, it was already holding this bottle in its mouth. ¡°I looked inside, but I¡¯m not sure if the contents were medicine or candy. It doesn¡¯t look like cat food, either. ¡°I¡¯m also worried that it might harm Mrs. Miller.¡± Janice nced at the ubeled bottle. The things inside looked a little like small pills. ¡°Snowball is an old cat now, and old cats usually understand humans. ¡°This means that the things inside the bottle are very important to Snowball. Tell Ethan to test the contents to see what they are.¡± ¡°Understood, Mrs. Miller Senior.¡± Chapter 741 Chapter 741 Chris had been busy looking into Olivia¡¯s matters. Finally, he learned of some top-secret news. His assistant came over with a bottle. ¡°Dr. Atkins, Mrs. Miller Senior sent someone to deliver this. She wants you to test it and figure out what sort of cat food this is.¡± ¡°Cat food?¡± Chris nced at the bottle. A small bottle like that couldn¡¯t possibly contain cat food. No cat would have an appetite this small. ¡°It might also be supplementary food for cats. They couldn¡¯t figure it out, so they wanted you to take a look at it.¡± ¡°Alright, put it at the side. I¡¯ll test itter. I have a very important matter to attend to right now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Chris left in a hurry. Then, he found Ethan, who looked a little worn out. ¡°Mr. Miller, I have thetest news. Colin¡¯s team has always been researching cancer. ¡°Some time ago, he had already developed a new anti-cancer medication. In the past two years, almost a hundred cancer patients have taken the medication. ¡°But for now, he had only conducted phase one of the clinical trials, and the sample data was far from enough.¡± Ethan asked, ¡°What about the 100 testers? How¡¯s their condition?¡± ¡°In the two years, almost three years by now, the patients in the first three stages have had their conditions stabilized. The cancer data reached normal levels.¡± Ethan felt his heart tightening. ¡°What about the patients in the advanced stage?¡± ¡°For now, their survival rate is 50%. Half of them are still alive, whereas the other half have passed on. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Also, you should know about the five-year survival rate of cancer patients. ¡°The research hasn¡¯t even reached its third year, so the data isn¡¯t too urate. For now, one thing is certain. If a patient in the earlier stages takes the medication, it will be highly effective. ¡°But as for the patients in the advanced stage¡­¡± Chris hastily added, ¡°Don¡¯t be too discouraged, Mr. Miller. At the moment, there¡¯s a very small chance of patients in the advanced stage to live for three to five years. ¡°No medicine on the market can ensure that more than 50% of their patients in the advanced stage can live for up to three years. Thisrgely indicates that his medicine is very effective. ¡°If we can find this medicine, it should be able to prolong Mrs. Miller¡¯s life. Also, the side effects of this medicine are far less severe than chemo.¡± ¡°Can an insider of Toxic Hive get their hands on it?¡± Ethan began to have hope. ¡°From what I heard, the original medication was destroyed before they hurriedly relocatedst time. ¡°The form is in Colin¡¯s hands. As soon as he left, the medicine no longer existed.¡± Ethan thought for a moment. ¡°No, not yet. Look for the testers and get the medicine from them.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m thinking that as well. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve already sent someone to look for the list of the testers. ¡°It might need some time. I came here just to tell you the good news. ¡°Please don¡¯t stimte Mrs. Miller anymore during this period. We have to think of a way to prolong her life. ¡°When we get our hands on that medicine, we can extend her life by a year at least. ¡°By then, if Colin can leave Vochmead Mountain, Mrs. Miller may truly have hope of recovery.¡± Ethan suddenly had hope as well. ¡°Tell Brent to send some more men. They have to find the testers as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller. Please rx and don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± Chris had just left when Janice came over to talk. ¡°Where have you gone, you brat?¡± ¡°Mom, what happened to Liv?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something off about her condition. When she looks at a certain thing, she will be reminded of past events. It happens so often that she¡¯s living her life in stimtion. This is bad news for her illness.¡± Biting her lip, Janice thought for a moment before speaking. ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the M1 injection you gave her. She also has a tumor in her brain, and I¡¯m not sure if it has anything to do with all this. ¡°Can you give her the antidote so that she can recover her memories on her own? If not, those shbacks will tear her apart. ¡°Her body is already suffering from chemo, and now, she also has to undergo mental torture. How can she live like this?¡± Ethan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Let her recover her memories¡­¡± Chapter 742 Chapter 742 Now, Olivia hated Ethan even from just a few shbacks she remembered on asion. If she recalled everything that had happened, she would hate him to the core. But Janice had a point. Olivia¡¯s Illness suddenly worsened because of the drugs. If there was a way to stop the drugs, could it also prevent her cancer cells from getting worse? Ethan was reluctant, but for the sake of Olivia¡¯s body, he had no other choice. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask the doctor to reevaluate. I leave Liv In your hands.¡± Ethan managed to find the medical team who had researched M1 back then. After some discussion, they came to the same conclusion Janice did. Chris suggested carefully, ¡°Mr. Miller, to be honest, I¡¯ve been meaning to say this a long time ago. ¡°Drugs that can wipe memories will have to break through the human immune system as well as various other barriers. They are also longsting drugs. ¡°The side effects aren¡¯t too severe in normal humans, but they will be amplified if the drugse into contact with cancer cells. So, the drugs will naturally be an aplice for the cancer cells. ¡°You can¡¯t just suppress them, either. You¡¯ll have topletely remove the negative effects brought on by M1. ¡°If not, with the various drugs taking effect on top of the anti-cancer drugs, things will only get worse. ¡°Still, Mr. Miller, from the papers and information you gave us back then, we can only develop drugs like this for the moment. ¡°For now, we can¡¯t make anything like an antidote. You¡¯ll have to get it from Toxic Hive.¡± In the garden, Olivia was basking in the sun with Snowballzily leaning near her mouth. Ethan stood on the balcony on the second floor, his hands behind his back as he gazed tenderly at Olivia. It was a peaceful scene, but Olivia suddenly clutched at her chest. A look of pain and agony appeared on her face. Sharon hastily came forward to check on her. ¡°How are you feeling, Mrs. Miller?¡± Olivia covered her head. ¡°It hurts. It hurts a lot.¡± Before she could finish speaking, Olivia vomited again. Unable to hold it in any further, Ethan hurried Olivia was extremely week. Like a small rabbit, she curled up into a ball. She looked very pitiful indeed. Ethan got her a ss of warm water. ¡°Here, have some water first.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Olivia had just drunk the water when she vomited it out the next second. She was also throwing up blood, which sttered on Ethan¡¯s body. The doctor. Hurry and call the doctor,¡± For the sake of past friendships, Keith specifically requested to be transferred to the Miller residence. Hence, he could treat Olivia whenever necessary. He arrived within a minute. When he saw the blood on Olivia¡¯s bed, he frowned deeply. This wasn¡¯t a good sign. Olivia¡¯s head and stomach were in excruciating pain. She was already in difort. But after chemotherapy, other parts of her body were more or less affected, too. Now, with a headache thrown into the mix, Olivia was in indescribable pain. ¡°It hurts! It hurts so much!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Olivia. I¡¯m here.¡± Keith hastily gave her some painkillers, but Olivia was still suffering. As she endured the horrible pain, she even had thoughts of killing herself. It was simply too much. She was hurting every single second she lived, and even breathing was painful to her. Snowball circled Olivia a few times. Then, as if thinking of something, it returned to its cat bed. All of its toys were brought over. It rummaged through the toys as if it were looking for something. Realizing that its white bottle was gone, Snowball jumped around anxiously. It even kept meowing with urgency. Janice felt anxious as well. ¡°Shoo! Why are you still meowing at times like this?¡± Chapter 743 Chapter 743 That day, Olivia was once again sent to the hospital for a checkup. Keith nced at the data and various reports from CT scans and NMR tests. The more he read, the deeper his frowns became. ¡°The chemo session she underwent two years ago was quite effective. But this time, it yielded minimal results. ¡°Also, the cancer cells are beginning to take over the tissues around them. Olivia¡¯s body can¡¯t take chemo sessions anymore. ¡°It will only put more burden on her body and hasten her death.¡± His words seemed to have sentenced Olivia to death. Ethan¡¯s hand, which was behind his back, gripped a corner of his shirt. ¡°Then she¡­ Keith shook his head. ¡°For some reason, her cancer cells are spreading even faster now. If this goes on, Olivia will have another month to live at most. ¡°If her condition worsens, she may only have two weeks¡­¡± Ethan felt his vision turning dark. He almost fainted on the spot. She only had two weeks to a month left, or maybe even shorter than that. Keith patted Ethan on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve already tried your best. No one wanted things to turn out like this. Keep herpany and treasure thest moments you can spend together.¡± Olivia was unconscious, and she refused to eat anything. Hence, she could only rely on nutrient solutions to replenish her energy. Ethan kept watch silently by her side. The corners of his eyes were crimson. She had said a long time ago that she wouldn¡¯t be alive for long. Why wasn¡¯t he willing to believe her? Why did he force her into this situation? No matter how sad or regretful he was, he couldn¡¯t change the ending. The person on the bedypletely still. Other than the rising and falling of her chest, she looked like she was dead. Ethan was frightened every time he caught sight of her in that condition. She was doing fine some time ago. How did she turn out like this in such a short time? Ethan pped himself violently across the face. ¡°I deserve to die!¡± Hearing the noise, Olivia slowly opened her eyes. Back when she had just woken up, her first impression of Ethan was that he was a man favored by the heavens, noble beyondparison. But now, when she saw him again, she noticed the unshaven stubble on his chin, and his clothes were wrinkled as well. He stood there with reddened eyes, looking like a helpless child. When Ethan saw Olivia waking up, he hastily walked up to her. ¡°How are you feeling, Liv?¡± ¡°Am I going to die?¡± Olivia felt much weakerpared to before. Ethan gripped her hand tightly, shaking his head. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, you won¡¯t die.¡± She scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re not a deity. How can you control whether I live or die?¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t say anything in return. He simply held Olivia¡¯s hand tightly. Back then, he used to say that he would never let Olivia leave unless she died. As if to verify his statement, Olivia¡¯s life wasing to an end. ¡°Liv, would you like to recover your memories?¡± ¡°So, as I suspected, you were the one who messed with my memories?¡± Ethan held her body in an embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I loved you too much.¡± Olivia had lost a lot of weight within a week. As then held her in his arms, he didn¡¯t feel much flesh. He felt like he was holding a bag of bones ¡°Let me recover my memories, Ethan. I don¡¯t want to leave this world in ignorance. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you love or hate me. You don¡¯t have the right to control me ¡± Ethan fell silent for a moment. ¡°Alright.¡± The sky was turning dark. In a garden filled with thorns and roses, Helen was wearing a green cocktail dress as she held a fan in her hand. She fanned herself from time to time. A woman¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°You look quite rxed. I feel like it¡¯s always spring here. No one will be able to find this ce of yours.¡± Helen turned around. A woman wearing a cape stood under the moonlight. The cape fell away to reveal her identity. She was none other than Janice. Under close examination, the two had slightly simr features. ¡°Long time no see, cousin.¡± Chapter 744 Chapter 744 Janice and Helen were cousins in the first ce, and they were pretty simr in their devotion to love. "Looks like you''ve finally cured your blindness. You no longer treat mon stone like treasure." Holding the fan in her hand, Helen fanned herself from time to time. Every movement of hers was charming. This was their first time meeting each other in a long while. Even so, the first thing they said to each other was a direct hit to the other''s weak points. Janice didn''t back down, either. "It''s nothingpared to your longsting love. you''ve been divorced for so many years, but you still spent so much effort to do all this. ¡°But in the end, you never did win over that Carlton guy, did you?" Helen replied, "I didn''t win his heart, but at least I''ve gotten my revenge by destroying their family. I''m not as soft-hearted as you are, Janice. "You gave your husband to another woman, and you even gave them money to help them make a comeback. "Janice, you''re so kind that even Mother Teresa pales inparison." Helen came from a difficult background. When she was young, everyone looked down on her because she was an illegitimate child. Only Janice, a proper daughter from a rich family, would talk to her. The two had a love-hate rtionship with each other since they were young. Unlike in the past, Janice didn''t continue the argument today. Instead, she took a seat and poured a cup of tea for herself. ¡°We''re more or less in the same situation. Let''s not be hypocrites." Janice sighed. "Is that child ... alright?" "I thought you only had eyes for that jerk named Keh, and you''ve already forgotten that you had a daughter." "I wasn''t of sound mind years ago, and I hurt those children. "I was the reason they couldn''t have a proper family, and they had to be separated from their loved ones for so many years. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Leia all these years." Helen lit a cigarette, sayingzily, "Janice, Leia no longer exists in this world. Only Begonia remains." "T want to see her." "I apologize for being so blunt, but she may not want to see you. The things you did when she was young had turned into a nightmare in her heart. "Even now, she would be startled awake in the middle of the night because of those nightmares. Your existence itself is hurting her, so you shouldn''t meet her." From a long distance away, Leia kept watch. She felt restless ever since she heard that Janice would being. She hadn''t seen her mother in years. Her impression of Janice was stuck in her childhood when Janice strangled her and shouted in agony for her to die. But the beautiful woman standing under the moonlight tonight was noble, elegant, and wise. She was like apletely different person from the mother in her memories. When Leia heard Janice asking about her, she still felt a little emotional. Like Ethan, she had Janice''s blood flowing in her veins in the closest way possible. No matter how scared she was, she didn''t hate Janice. Leia panicked when she heard that Janice wanted to see her. Her fingers subconsciously touched her face. Her face had been burned beyond recognition in a huge fire. In the past few years, she had to undergo countless operations to keep her face intact. Janice probably wouldn''t recognize her. Even so, Leia was like a small child waiting at the kindergarten gate on a rainy day, hoping that her mother woulde and pick her up as soon as possible. Having her request declined, Janice thought about how the pain she had inflicted on Leia had continued to this day. She thought that Leia must have hated her to the core. So, of course, Leia wouldn''t want to see her. She had an even more important reason foring here. She would still need some more time to mend the rtionship between her and Leia. But Olivia couldn''t wait any longer. Just when Leia thought that her mother would keep asking to see her, Janice spoke up. "T''ll get straight to the point, Helen. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I came here for amore important matter. I need the antidote to M1." Chapter 745 Chapter 745 Helen was curious. Oh? Why would you want that out of the blue?" "It''s embarrassing, but that lovestruck and stubborn son of mine used it on his wife. In the end, we found that the drug would stimte the growth of cancer cells. ¡°Now, my daughter-inw is dying. You''ve been researching this drug for years. Since we''re cousins and all, please help me just this once." When Leia heard that, the fear and anxiety disappeared from her face, and an even colder expression took its ce. So Janice didn''te here for her at all. It was Olivia again. Ethan loved Olivia. And now, Olivia was even trying to snatch Janice''s love from her. Leia didn''t even notice that a thorn had pierced her finger. What was she still fantasizing about? Her mother never loved her in the past, and it wouldn''t change now. She was an unwanted child. Leia turned around to leave as a trail of blood dripped down her finger. Helen fiddled with the fan in her hand. "This drug was developed within our organization. I''d like to know how your son managed to get his hands on it." "Helen, ahuman life is at stake here. Don''t bother about how he got it." "By the looks of it, he''s the one sneaking around that night. Sadly, the version he took was the one with side effects. I guess his n backfired." Janice was about to lose her temper. ¡°Can''t you be a little nicer when you talk? Why haven''t you changed even a bit? No wonder that Carlton guy didn''t like you." "Do you think you''re any better? Keh also called you a mad woman, didn''t he?" "Fine, let''s stop arguing. We''re not young anymore. If we argue, we''ll just be a disgrace to ourselves. Just tell me if you have the antidote with you." Helen nced at her. "Even if I do, I can''t give it to you. Someone has already paid for Olivia to die." "Who is it?" "Do you think I''d tell you?" ¡°No wonder my son told me to investigate you. You were the one who made it so Marina and Liv were switched back then, weren''t you?" ¡°Janice, we''re no strangers to each other, so allow me to give you some advice. You''d better not get yourself involved in Olivia''s mess. "Even if I gave you the antidote, she may not be able to live. It would be best if she could die like this." With a dark look on her face, Janice said coldly, "I can''t interfere in someone else''s matters. ¡°But now that there''s a way to save her, I have to try. Helen, please at least do it for my sake." Helen sighed. "In all these years, I''ve never seen you begging like this. Fine, you owe me one. But I can''t help further than that." "T understand." ¡°Also, here''s another tip for you. This antidote can only get rid of M1''s side effects. It''s not anti-cancer medication. If she dies because of cancer, don''t me it on me." ¡°Thanks, Helen." Janice knew that it was already quite difficult for Helen to give her the antidote. After getting the antidote, Janice handed it to Brent right away, telling him to pass it to Olivia. "What''s the matter? Why aren''t you leaving?" Smiling, Helen asked, "Do you want to reminisce with me?" With an earnest look on her face, Janice said, ''''Helen, please let me see that child. Even if she hates me, I still want to see her." ¡°Fine. But she hates you so much. It''s not up to me whether she wants to see you or not." "T''ll just look at her from a distance." Helen slowly got up. "Come with me, then." One after the other, the two arrived at theb in the underground base. Helen stopped in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. It was a one-way mirror. They could peer in, but the people inside wouldn''t be able to see what was going on outside. It was useful for checking on everyone''s progress and condition whenever they wanted. Helen pointed. "There. That''s your daughter. Don''t ask me why she doesn''t look like you. Her face was burned in a fire, so she got her current face from stic surgery." A pained look appeared on Janice''s face. "My daughter." Chapter 746 Chapter 746 Janice gazed at Leia''s face. Even though she couldn''t make out the burn marks on Leia''s face, she heard that Leia had undergone dozens of skin transnt surgeries to get to her current look. Janice''s heart ached terribly. If she hadn''t had mental problems back then, she wouldn''t have harmed her biological daughter. ¡°You should leave. She''s doing very well right now, and she loves researching and developing drugs. But your existence is harmful to her." Janice stared at her. "I''m just looking." As if sensing something, Leia walked over to the two. But she could only see the sheer white of the ss. She smiled self-mockingly. Janice never loved her at all. How could Janice be here to see her? Meanwhile, in the Miller residence, Brent handed the antidote to Ethan right away. "This is the antidote, Mr. Miller. When Mrs. Miller takes it, she will be able to recover all her memories." "... Alright." With his hands behind his back, he stood before therge floor-to- ceiling windows, mumbling. "It must be dawn soon, yes?" ¡°That''s right." With the antidote in his hands, Ethan slowly walked out. It was time to end everything. He knew that as soon as he gave Olivia the antidote, it wouldn''t matter if Olivia could survive or not. They would never be together again for the rest of their lives. Because of all those things he had done to Olivia in the past, she hated him to the core. As the first rays of dawn shone into the room, Olivia slowly opened her eyes. Sharon''s gentle voice rang out. "Mrs. Miller, the weather is great today. Would you like to go outside and get some sun?" ¡°Alright." Olivia nced at the sunlight outside, which blinded her eyes a little. She probably wouldn''t have many days left to see sunlight like this. Her body was weak and helpless, so she could only sit in the wheelchair as Sharon brought her to the dining room. In the kitchen, she saw a man in a white shirt waving a spat around. Olivia guessed that the food she ate in the past few days, which tasted familiar, must be Ethan''s cooking. Soon, various delicious breakfast foods and snacks wereid out before her. She didn''t have an appetite at all. "You don''t have to put in this much effort. I don''t have the appetite, anyway." Ethan looked at her with a gentle gaze. "Still, you have to eat something.¡± "Fine, I''ll treat it as myst breakfast." Picking up a spoon, she drank the fragrant soup. The tastes of the separate ingredients blended very well. His cooking was great. "Did you cook often in the past?" Perhaps because she was going to die, Olivia spoke in a calm voice. Ethan shook his head. "I rarely cook in recent years. When we were just married back then, you''d pester me to make soup and other foods as long as I''m home. As time went on, I got better." Judging from his words, he seemed to be saying that he was very nice to her in the past. So, how did they end up like this in the end? As soon as Olivia closed her eyes, she could picture Ethan standing next to Marina. They looked like a happy family. The tenderness she felt in her chest waspletely gone, leaving only coldness. Olivia didn''t even want to ask any questions about them. She lowered her head and continued drinking the soup. Ethan passed to her a ss of soy milk. Olivia was about to take it when Ethan held her hand. "Liv ..." Olivia looked at him, puzzled. She had no idea what he was trying to do. ¡°What''s the matter?" Ethan wanted to say something but decided against it. "Nothing. Drink it while it''s hot." Olivia felt that Ethan was behaving very oddly today. He looked like he had something to say, but he had to suppress it and stay silent. She didn''t eat much during the meal. She was in low spirits, so she went back to her room andy down to rest. The sunlight was just nice at that moment. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Snowbally curled up under the window ledge, napping. Gazing at the flowers blooming outside, Olivia felt sleepy. She slowly closed her eyes. She had a very long dream. In the dream, she saw some familiar faces. Like old friends, they gathered around her and chatted with her. Olivia slept for a long time. Ethan stayed by her side all the time, quietly waiting for judgment when she woke up. For him, those 24 hours seemed to drag out forever. When it was almost daybreak, Olivia woke up from her dreams. She panted heavily, feeling as if someone was strangling her in her dreams. She felt extremely ufortable. Her memories were stuck in the image of when Ethan forcefully injected drugs into her. When she suddenly opened her eyes, she met the same gaze she had seen in her dreams. In the past, there was a cold determination in his eyes. But now, he was looking at her carefully. His throat was a little dry because he had stayed up all night. "Liv." Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Gentle sunlight shone in through the window. Ethan had his back to the light, and the sunlight coated him with a gentle golden glow. His firm features appeared much gentler as well. He sat there quietly, and tiny dust particles danced around him. At that moment, it seemed like they had gone back in time to when they first met each other. In just a few years, they could no longer return to who they once were. Long silence reced their rare greetings. Ethan wasn''t confident at all. "Did you rernember everything?" "Yes" Olivia''s expression had changed. It was resolute and cold. She spoke up straight away. "Ethan. If you still have the tiniest shred of conscience left, let me go." A bitter and exasperated smile appeared on Ethan''s lips. As expected, after she regained her memories, the first thing she wanted was to get away from him. "Liv, I know that you hate me. But your body is not in a good condition right now. It''s not that I don''t want to let you go, but I simply can''t. I promise, when you''ve gotten better, I''ll let you go. ¡°But for now, you have to cooperate and get treatment." Olivia sneered. "If I can truly get better, will you let me go?" Her questioning was startling. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. It was as if Ethan knew her very well, and she also had a thorough understanding of Ethan''s character. If she weren''t this close to death, he wouldn''t have recovered her memories. Even if there truly came a day when she got better, it would be even less likely for him to let her go. "Yes"! Ethan leaned in, gazing into her eyes as he said slowly, "As long as you stay alive, I can let you go." He then changed his tone. "But not now. Your body is very weak, and you have to rest and recuperate in the Miller residence. You must be hungry. I''ll ask Sharon to¡ª" Olivia interrupted him without hesitation. Ethan, I don''t ask for anything else. Just let me go ..." Ethan paused for amoment in his footsteps. But then, he hastened his pace. He had gently closed the door. Oliviay quietly on the bed, all alone. The huge Miller residence was like a cage that bound her here. She didn''t deny the fact that Ethan loved her a lot, but his love was like chains tightly binding her. She couldn''t run away nor breathe in those chains. Even though she had recovered her memories, she didn''t feel any better. Olivia felt like a flower slowly wilting. Perhaps fearing that he might upset her, Ethan disappeared again. Sharon came in with some food. "How are you feeling, Mrs. Miller? we "I want to see Dr. Rogers." ¡°Alright, I''ll call him over right away." Keith hurried over. "Are you feeling ufortable again?" Olivia looked at him quietly. "Long time no see, Keith." The look in her eyes had changed. Keith instantly realized what was going on. "Do you remember everything now, Olivia?" "Yes. Keith, how much longer do I have to live?" To prevent her from overthinking, Ethan didn''t tell her the truth. Olivia herself felt that her days were numbered. ¡°Don''t think about those things, Olivia." "Just give it to me straight, Keith. I''m prepared." "Two weeks to a month at most." Keith sighed. "The chemo session this time wasn''t very effective. The cancer cells in your body are very active, and there are even signs of them spreading and diffusing." "Two weeks, you say?" A cold look shes across Olivia''s eyes. But she didn''t want to die. She still hadn''t figured out the identity of the culprit who had killed her children. How could she die now? ¡°Don''t feel burdened, Olivia. You have to depend on your immune system to deal with cancer. "Two years ago, you''ve also survived it on your own, right? You should believe in yourself." "Thank you, Keith." Olivia thought about the medicine Colin once gave her. She wondered if it was still on that ind. Even though there was a very slim chance of her surviving, she had to cling to that hope. Chapter 748 Chapter 748 Sharon was ted when she heard Olivia taking the initiative to ask for food. In the past week, Olivia didn¡¯t have much of an appetite. So, this was a good sign. Unbeknownst to her, Olivia still didn¡¯t feel like eating right now. But Olivia could only try her best so that she could survive. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Sharon feltforted when she watched Olivia taking huge bites of the food. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a good thing to eat more. You¡¯ll strengthen your immune system.¡± Olivia ate too quickly. So, after feeling nauseous for a bit, she threw up. When Sharon saw how much Olivia was suffering, she felt heartbroken as well. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it easy for now, Mrs. Miller?¡± After drinking some water, Olivia calmed down. Then, she began to eat again. Many cancer patients in the advanced stage couldn¡¯t eat much. The less they ate, the weaker their immune system became and the more active their cancer cells would After eating, Olivia threw up again. When she was done, she continued eating. She only had one thing on her mind. She had to stay alive. The thing Ethan feared the most was that Olivia would get discouraged and give up on living after she regained her memories. After Olivia listened to Sharon¡¯s words, she began to have hope again. She refused and that was the best thing she could do. ¡°Alright. If anything happens to her, tell me right away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller.¡± ein to death, Olivia¡¯s voice sounded cold from the other side of the door. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want to talk about, just talk to me.¡± Ethan looked at the entrance. In her wheelchair, Olivia looked coldly at him. Sharon had no choice but to leave. Ethan couldn¡¯t figure out what Olivia was thinking. So, he took the initiative to step forward and take her inside. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you came to see me, Liv.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for my old phone.¡± There was a trace of bitterness in Ethan¡¯s smile. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a bottle. You saw it on the ind before, and I told you that it contained vitamins. Can you get someone to send it over?¡± ¡°What¡¯s inside the bottle?¡± Now that things had turned out like this, Olivia decided not to hide it from him anymore. She said slowly, ¡°I should have died two years ago. Do you know how I survived? It¡¯s all thanks to the anti- cancer medication Colin gave me.¡± Olivia¡¯s words were like a fierce p to Ethan¡¯s face. Everyone else knew that Olivia had an incurable disease, but he was the only one who had no idea. He even did everything in his power to hurt her when she was at her weakest. Ethan was about to inform Chris about it when he received a call from thetter. ¡°Good news, Mr. Miller! I¡¯ve tested the cat food. I mean, the medicine in the bottle you sent over. ¡°All itsponents have anti-cancer properties! Hurry and give it to Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°I already know that.¡± Chris sent the medicine over right away. Olivia took the medicine without hesitation. In the days that followed, she didn¡¯t have time to go against Ethan. She knew her current condition, and she also knew that the most the medicine could au was to prolong her life for some time. She couldn¡¯t be cured. If she wanted to survive, she couldn¡¯t count on anyone else. She could only save herself. She contacted Avery right away, but the call never went through. If it were before, Olivia would simply give up. But now, to stay alive, she couldn¡¯t care less about those things. She found the number she got from Troy back then. The call went through, and Troy¡¯s assistant was the one who picked up. When Olivia spoke her name, the call was quickly forwarded to Troy himself. ¡°Were you looking for me, Ms. Fordham?¡± His voice sounded a little tired, but fortunately, she managed to contact him. ¡°Mr. Troy, I have something important to talk to Mr. Avery about, but I can¡¯t get a hold of him. Can you please contact him for me?¡± ¡°Avery¡¯s body isn¡¯t in the best condition right now. If there¡¯s something you want to talk about, you can tell ¡°With the kindness you¡¯ve shown our family, we will do our best to repay it.¡± ¡°Do you know about Peace¡¯s Embrace, Mr. Troy?¡± Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Back then, Avery was wearing a mask throughout the process. He was the boss behind the scenes of Peace¡¯s Embrace, so only a few people would know about his identity. Perhaps even his family was in the dark. So, Olivia could only gather information discreetly. As expected, Troy scratched his head in confusion. ¡°Peace¡¯s Embrace? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Nothing. I was just asking. Is Mr. Avery in a very bad condition?¡± She recalled the man¡¯s haggard face from two years ago. It had been two years since then, so he must have found a suitable kidney by now, right? With the position and status of the Fordhams, no matter what methods he used, it wouldn¡¯t be much trouble for him to get a matching kidney. Troy¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a littleplicated. Ms. Fordham, if you have any requests, feel free to ask.¡± Olivia asked some questions. They weren¡¯t quite familiar with each other, after all. So, without revealing Avery¡¯s current situation, Troy ended the call. If Olivia couldn¡¯t get help from Peace¡¯s Embrace, the only option she had left was to look for Colin. Olivia looked at the profile picture of his ount, which had been inactive for a long while. She took the initiative and made the first move. In the past, Colin would reply to her messages instantly. But now, she felt like she was talking into the void. She had lost contact with him. His number was also deactivated a long time ago. Olivia gripped her phone as she zoned out. Was fate truly leading her to her death by blocking off all her options? Before she realized it, Ethan had already appeared behind her. He informed her of the current situation. ¡°We don¡¯t know if Avery is dead or alive at this point. Colin has entered Vochmead Mountain, and we can¡¯t locate him.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression grew dark. She smiled in exasperation. ¡°Maybe this is fate. I¡¯m not even given a way Ethan¡¯s heart ached for her. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve already sent more men to look for Colin. I¡¯m sure they will bring him back in one piece.¡± Olivia questioned him. ¡°What if I can¡¯t hold out until that day?¡± Ethan fell silent. He didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t dare to think about that oue, let alone mention it. ¡°Humans will die eventually, and I¡¯m no exception. Ethan, we¡¯ll part ways in the end.¡± Olivia looked at him calmly. ¡°My heart no longer belongs to you.¡± Ethan pursed his lips tightly. His hands fell limp on either side of his body. He looked like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°I know.¡± Watching his behavior, Olivia chose not to say the words she was about to speak. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you back to rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± In the next two weeks, Olivia ate and slept well. In just a week, herplexion looked a little better, and her stomach ached less frequently. Without the effects of the drugs, the cancer cells in her body were getting under control. It was a good start. After all, she had already experienced it before. Like a seed in the ground, Olivia waiti she would push her shoots out of the ground. the day when After preserving enough energy, Olivia slowly moved her body. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. When the side effects of chemotherapy had passed, she could already get off the bed and move about as she wished. Even though her body was still weakpared to before, it was much better than it had been during her episodes. She didn¡¯t reveal her recovery to the others. When Sharon and Janice came over to visit, she pretended that she was still weak and sickly. She was building the foundation of her escape from the cage. Kerth had been taking good care of her these days. He was sincerely happy for her when he saw her He took out a blood pressure monitor. ¡°Olivia, let me measure your blood pressure for a moment.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia looked at Sharon, who was standing at the side. ¡°Sharon, tell the kitchen staff that I¡¯d like to have some duck soup.¡± Sharon was ted to hear Olivia making requests of her own ord. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have them prepare it right away.¡± After Sharon left, Olivia¡¯s expression turned serious. Lowering her voice, Olivia said, ¡°Please help me, Keith.¡± Chapter 750 Chapter 750 ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll help as long as it¡¯s something I can do.¡± Olivia spoke a few words in his ear. Keith looked a little worried. ¡°Are you sure you want to do that?¡± ¡°Keith, I want to leave this ce no matter if I¡¯m dead or alive.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try my best.¡± When Ethan received her blood test report, he was a little puzzled. ¡°Her red and white blood cells have increased a little, and all her health indicators are improving as well. Why can¡¯t she get out of bed yet?¡± Chris shook his head as well. ¡°That can¡¯t be. Logically speaking, Mrs. Miller should be able to walk around now.¡± Keith had a cold look on his face. ¡°Do you know how strong the drugs used in chemotherapy are? Other than her cancer cells, her normal cells were destroyed as well. ¡°Just one session was enough to impair her health. Her knees were weak, and her limbs were cold, too. ¡°It has only been around 20 days since then. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. So, it¡¯s normal that she can¡¯t get out of bed. ¡°You can¡¯t recover from damage like that within months. It¡¯ll take at least a year or two. Some patients were even haunted by the side effects of chemo for seven or eight years.¡± After all, Chris didn¡¯t specialize in oncology, so he wasn¡¯t as knowledgeable as Keith was. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s already great news that Mrs. Miller is improving. You can¡¯t expect her to recov she caught the flu.¡± Ethan rubbed his tired eyes. ¡°I was too anxious.¡± quickly as if ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller. It¡¯s already wonderful news that Mrs. Miller¡¯s condition has stabilized. She has to rest and recuperate slowly. You can¡¯t rush it too much.¡± ¡°Even though Olivia isn¡¯t in the best condition, any sign of recovery is a good thing. Til constantly keep watch on her health indicators. Still, Mr. Miller, the same old rule applies. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke Olivia. And make sure she maintains a stable and good mood.¡± Ethan replied, ¡°Got it.¡± To make sure that Olivia could rest and recover in peace, Ethan avoided meeting her. He even grounded Marina in the backyard. To prevent her from causing trouble, he felt that it was safest to keep her nearby and have people keep an eye on her. He provided the best environment for Olivia to recuperate. He would also constantly pray for her recovery. Unbeknownst to him, Olivia would discreetly get out of bed and exercise her body every night. She practiced climbing in the yard. Keith had already sent her the blueprint of the Miller residence. She was on the first floor, but arge gardeny beyond the walls. There were also surveince cameras everywhere. There was a very small chance of her escaping. As soon as Ethan noticed that she was running away, he would only strengthen the security. He wouldn¡¯t give her another chance again. So, Olivia could only abandon her ns of running away from the Miller residence. She only had one way of escaping. She would have to leave the Miller residence first. ¡°Keith, I have a n, but it¡¯ll need a fuse. I need you to y along with me when the timees.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia had already heard that Marina was living in this vi as well. Marina presented the perfect opportunity. But someone was keeping watch over the yard Marina was in. Olivia¡¯s legs weren¡¯t doing well, and it was quite hard for her to walk out there. It was quite a challenging task to lure Marina. One afternoon, Olivia asked Sharon to show her around. ¡°Sharon, I¡¯ve never gone down this path before. Can you bring me there so that I can have a look?¡± That path led to none other than Marina¡¯s yard. Sharon¡¯s expression shifted a little. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. The doctor suggested that you eat small and frequent meals. Let¡¯s go back and get you something to eat.¡± ¡°Sharon, I¡¯m not hungry. That looks like a nice ce, so let¡¯s go. I feel like I¡¯m rotting from lying in the room every day.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only a yard in that direction, and you won¡¯t find anything interesting there. I¡¯ll bring you to the front yard ¡­¡± Olivia looked coldly at her. ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me go there? Could it be that Ethan is hiding someone in the yard?¡± ¡°What are you thinking, Mrs. Miller? That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Bring me there, then.¡± Sharon didn¡¯t know why Olivia insisted on going to that yard. Wasn¡¯t she just looking for trouble? Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Sharon could understand why Janice did what she did in the past. How could any woman tolerate her husband taking care of another woman? Sharon was in a dilemma. If they didn¡¯t go, Olivia might overthink it. If they went, though, the two women might get into a fight if they met. ¡°Sharon, I can see that there¡¯s something off about this yard.¡± To Sharon¡¯s surprise, Olivia stood up from the wheelchair. Staggering, she walked forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°I want to see who exactly is being hidden there.¡± Realizing that the situation was getting worse, Sharon hastily told someone to get Ethan here. Olivia had a cold look on her face when she saw Ethan striding over to her. ¡°Open the door. Let me go inside to have a look.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Liv.¡± ¡°You keep saying that you love me, right? Let¡¯s see who you love for real.¡± Refusing to back down, Olivia red at the bodyguard. ¡°Open the door.¡± Ethan wanted to take her away by force, but when he remembered her current condition, he could only do as she asked. When the door opened, Olivia saw Mina and Erina chasing after butterflies in the yard. Olivia pointed at Erina. ¡°Is this your love for me? You tell me that you love me, but you¡¯re taking care of another girl in the dark?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know how to respond. He had exined it before, but even if he showed Olivia the DNA test results, she wouldn¡¯t believe that the children were hers. How could he exin things now? ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside, Liv. If you believe me, I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know.¡± Just then, Marina came out in a wheelchair as well. ¡°Ms. Fordham, please don¡¯t misunderstand. Ethan and I have already canceled our engagement. ¡®Now that I¡¯m like this, I¡¯ve never once thought of snatching anything from you. I just want a ce that can shelter me. Please spare me and my children. Don¡¯t chase us out.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°I just hope that the children can see their father from time to time. You¡¯ve been a mother before, so you should be able to understand me.¡± The words sounded harmless enough, but every syble was hurtful. Even though Olivia hade over to look for an opportunity, she was still hurt by Marina¡¯s words. Ethan swept a cold re at Marina. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Go on, why are you stopping her from speaking? Ethan, what a nice n you have there. You want to get us both.¡± ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t¡­ I was just¡­¡± Ethan felt that there was something off about Olivia today. It was as if a usually gentle and reasonable youngdy had suddenly started picking fights out on the streets. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you onest chance today. Are you choosing me or this woman?¡± To prevent Ethan from suspecting anything, Olivia could only act more convincingly. ¡°If you love me, drive her and her children out. Promise me that you won¡¯t see them again after tonight, and I¡¯ll forgive you. If not, I¡¯m leaving the Miller residence.¡± Ethan nodded, promising her so that she wouldn¡¯t get angry. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do everything you say. Anything. can be done as long as you don¡¯t get angry. ¡°Mr. Thorne, pack up Ms. Carlton¡¯s things and send them out of the Miller residence.¡± Olivia was stunned. Why weren¡¯t things ying out the way she had nned? Ethan cared a lot about Marina in the past, right? She had assumed that Ethan would hesitate, and then she could make use of that hesitance to make things worse. Ethan¡¯s reply was so decisive that she didn¡¯t even have a chance to borate. But Marina behaved exactly the way Olivia wanted. When Marina heard that she and the children were getting driven out, she was instantly in tears. ¡°Ethan, I only have these two children left. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else. You promised them that you would take good care of us. You can¡¯t drive us out.¡± Yes, that was how she should act. Olivia gave Marina a thumbs-up in her heart. If Marina didn¡¯t act like this, she wouldn¡¯t be able to faint from getting too emotionalter. Ethan waved his hand. ¡°Kelvin, escort Ms. Carlton out of here!¡± +15 BONUS He had no mercy at all. At critical times like this, nothing was more important than Olivia¡¯s life. Marina was still sobbing. Olivia was building up her emotions when she heard a meow. Looking up, Olivia saw Snowball falling off the rooftop all of a sudden. With a thud, its body crashed in front of Olivia. Chapter 752 Chapter 752 Blood sttered before Olivia¡¯s eyes, reminding her of the day Mona died. She froze on the spot, her eyes suddenly widening. It felt like a dream. Snowball was curled up in her arms just this morning, but now, It was lying at her feet, dying. ck blood flowed out of its mouth and nose. Olivia crouched stiffly. She had to be dreaming ¡°Snowy, p-please tell me you¡¯re joking.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice trembled as her tone shifted. Reaching out, she wanted to hug Snowball, but Ethan pulled her into his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it, Liv. Snowball was poisoned.¡± The blood that flowed out of its body wasn¡¯t crimson but ck. Olivia couldn¡¯t consider those things right now. She threw herself at Snowball at the risk of her own life.¡± Snowy, wake up! Open your eyes and look at me!¡± ¡°Liv!¡± Ethan hugged her tight with both arms, stopping her from touching Snowball¡¯s body. Sharon was quick to react. She hastily got someone to clear up Snowball¡¯s body. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. But like a crazed woman, Olivia stomped toward Marina in a rage. Grabbing Marina¡¯s cor, she shouted, It was you, wasn¡¯t it? If you don¡¯t like me, juste at me! Why would you do such a thing to a cat?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! I swear it wasn¡¯t me.¡± Marina had just finished speaking when Olivia pped her right on her face. ¡°How dare you say that it wasn¡¯t you? Why would Snowball be in your yard? Marina, how cruel can you be? ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned your lesson after causing the deaths of Dad and Mom?¡± Olivia bombarded Marina with usations, refusing to listen to a word of Marina¡¯s exnations. Erina ran over from a distance and grabbed the fabric of Olivia¡¯s pants. ¡°Bad woman, don¡¯t hit my mom.¡± Ethan pulled her away. ¡°Liv, please calm down.¡± Calm down? Olivia watched as people cleaned up Snowball¡¯s body and took it away. There was still blood on the ground Snowball had kept herpany through her youth. After Jeff died, she treated Snowball as thest surviving member of her family. But today, Snowball had left her too. Olivia felt tears stinging her eyes when she thought of that, and her heart grew heavy. With the strong emotions pent up in her chest, she coughed up blood. Then, her vision turned ck as she fainted. Olivia never thought that this would be thest straw. At the cost of Snowball¡¯s death, Olivia was hurriedly sent to the hospital again. After all the fuss, Dr. Tucker was furious. ¡°What sort of a husband are you? It has only been a short while! I can¡¯t believe you provoked her so much that she fainted again!¡± Ethan wanted to p himself as well. He had ced Marina in the Miller residence just so that he could keep an eye on her in case she caused trouble again. But he never expected Olivia to talk to Marina of her own ord. Snowball even died in the process. Not only did he not expect it, but Olivia also never saw iting. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her in your hands, Dr. Tucker.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so unlucky to have gotten a husband like you.¡± When Olivia woke up, she found Keith next to her. ¡°You did it.¡± ¡°No, someone killed Snowball!¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes were red. Even if she wanted to escape, she would never do it over Snowball¡¯s dead body. Snowball¡¯s death couldn¡¯t have been an ident. Someone must have done it on purpose It didn¡¯t matter if that person wanted to provoke her with Snowball¡¯s death or if they wanted to poison her by drugging her food, which Snowball ate by ident. Either way, they were targeting Olivia. Snowball had died in her ce. It would have lived for a few more years otherwise. Olivia gripped the bed sheets tightly as tears rolled down her face. She wouldn¡¯t let Snowball die in vain! Chapter 753 Chapter 753 Keith continued coaxing her, ¡°Olivia, you have to pull yourself together. Don¡¯t get affected by this incident. You have to take care of your health.¡± ¡°I know, Keith.¡± Now, her desire to live was stronger than it had ever been. She refused to just be led by the nose and be manipted time and again. Her mind was filled with images of Mona¡¯s face and Snowball¡¯s dead body. She wouldn¡¯t let that person have their way. ¡°Keith, let¡¯s proceed with our ns after this.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Miller family was thrown into chaos after Olivia¡¯s incident. All the household staff stood in a row with their heads bowed. Snowball¡¯s autopsy report was released. Snowball was found to have died from a potent toxin. Before it died, the toxin had affected its nerves, and that was why it had fallen off the roof and died. Its cause of death was poisoning. An old cat like Snowball wouldn¡¯t eat random stuff. There were some undigested pieces of dried fish in its stomach. After some testing, it was found that the dried fish wasced with a potent toxin. Marina sat in the wheelchair, her face swollen as she hastily exined, ¡°Ethan, how could I possibly get poison in my current condition? That cat did y in my yard two days ago. ¡°Erina liked it, so I didn¡¯t chase it away. I had no idea that it was Olivia¡¯s cat. I swear it wa To prevent Marina from causing trouble, her meals and daily routine were strictly controlled. She was bound to a wheelchair too, so she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to get her hands on poison. The Miller residence was too big, and not every spot had surveince cameras. Someone must have fed Snowball in a certain blind spot. The person who fed it must have been in the yard! There were professionals in charge of Olivia¡¯s meals, so it was too difficult to poison her. Hence, that person wanted to provoke Olivia with the cat¡¯s death, using that to speed up her death. +15 BONUS They wanted to kill Olivia by breaking her heart! They had poisoned Snowball, and the viciousness behind that action was immeasurable. The most terrifying fact was that someone hadmitted the act in the Miller residence, right under Ethan¡¯s nose. ¡°No one¡¯s owning up, huh? Then remain standing until someone admits to it!¡± Before the sky turned dark, someone stepped forward of their own ord. It was a maid in charge of the garden. She liked Snowball a lot, and she was sometimes seen giving Snowball scratches. At that moment, she was kneeling in front of Ethan while sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°Mr. Miller, I seriously didn¡¯t know that the dried fish was poisoned. I love Snowball so much. Why would I hurt it?¡± ¡°Where did you get the dried fish from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from my neighbor, Mrs. Wilson. She said that cats love dried fish, and she said that she had made the dried fish herself, so they¡¯re clean. ¡°I saw that the fish she was drying did indeed look quite clean. So, I got a bag from her. I didn¡¯t know that it was poisoned at all.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t expect these people to find a way into every opening. They had thought of every possible way. ¡°Brent, look into this Mrs. Wilson.¡± Mrs. Wilson¡¯s connections were simple. Soon, there was a response. They found that a young woman had told her to do it. Brent even showed Ethan a photo taken from a surveince camera nearby. ¡°No need to investigate further, Mr. Miller. It¡¯s the work of Ms. Miller.¡± Leia¡¯s face was clearly shown in the photo. She didn¡¯t even hide her face as if she was letting herself be seen on purpose. Ethan clenched his fists tightly. ¡°She¡¯s using this method to tell me that she wants Liv dead!¡± Ethan and the Fordhams were sworn enemies at this point, but Leia kept making things worse. She wanted to make it so that Ethan and Olivia would never have any chances of going back. ¡°She¡¯s trying to drive me crazy.¡± Ethan sighed. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Leia would stop at nothing to separate the two. She was also slowly pushing Olivia into the depths of hell. Chapter 754 Chapter 754 After what happened with Snowball, Olivia was deeply shocked. Since then, she had been drained of all energy, and the positive changes from before werepletely gone. Ethan was anxious when he saw that, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He couldn¡¯t endure the pain in Olivia¡¯s stead, be it physical or mental pain. Olivia was getting weaker by the day, and there was still no news of Colin. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ethan was anxious and panicking. On top of that, Olivia also refused to see Ethan. He could only check in on her by looking through the ss outside the door and asking the doctor about her. These days, Olivia would just lie in bed and wipe her tears most of the time. Sharon and Janice took turns to persuade her, but it wasn¡¯t very effective. She was suffering from a mental illness, so even the best doctors couldn¡¯t cure it. Janice patted Ethan on the shoulder. ¡°Mental illnesses require mental healing. Olivia has lost her will to live. You should mentally prepare yourself.¡± Everyone told him the same thing, but even now, he still wasn¡¯t prepared to be separated from Olivia. Ethan walked hesitantly into Olivia¡¯s ward. She was curled up into a tiny ball under the nket. She looked pitiful and weak, and the liveliness from before waspletely gone. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen if she hadn¡¯t gotten married to him regardless of everything back then. He wondered if she would¡¯ve had a different ending. Olivia slowly looked up at him. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Reaching out, Ethan tucked her hair on her face behind her ear. ¡°Liv, can you keep living? Please, I¡¯m begging you.¡± She stared straight at the white ceiling above her. ¡°Ethan, just take me away. I don¡¯t want to die in the hospital. It¡¯s so cold here.¡± ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re not going to die.¡± ¡°I had a dream about the two childrenst night. They told me that they missed me a lot. I want to reunite with them now.¡± Ethan choked. His voice was hoarse as he said, ¡°Liv, there must still be a way.¡± +15 BONUS But Olivia ignored him, saying, ¡°Looking at the calendar, Connor¡¯s birthday is in a few days, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I quite like that kid. I want to celebrate his birthday with him for once.¡± Ethan held her hand. ¡°He¡¯s also your child, Liv. Believe me, I treated Marina like that to repay a favor. I never loved her at all. I owed Kurt-¡± But Olivia couldn¡¯t be bothered to listen to those lies. She interrupted him in annoyance, ¡°I don¡¯t like Erina and Marina. Can¡¯t we just make it the three of us?¡± Ethan had no choice but to agree. ¡°Sure, anything you say.¡± Following Olivia¡¯s instructions, Ethan brought her and Connor to a wooden house by the beach. Olivia sat on the balcony while Connor leaned against her with the yellow ball in his arms. The glow of the sunset shone warmly on the two, and it was quite a peaceful sight. Ethan was just done preparing dinner in the kitchen when he came out and saw that scene. Connor leaned into Olivia¡¯s arms obediently. ¡°Mommy.¡± Olivia caressed his head gently. If this child truly were her son, she could die without regrets. In herst days, she could finally live the life of her dreams. She could have a happy family, and she would have given birth to an adorable son for Ethan. The days were simple and cheerful. When Ethan came back from work, he would bring a small cake with him. Connor happily danced around him. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re so nice.¡± From a distance, Olivia watched Ethan and Connor interact with each other. This was the always dreamed of. As she watched, she smiled. As she was smiling, she began to cry. he had She wondered if she wasughing at her fantasies in the past or at herself now, who had lost everything. ¡°Mommy,e and eat cake!¡± The tiny Connor tried to move the wheelchair over to the dining table. When Olivia saw that, she felt warmth welling up in her heart. When he hugged her to sleepst night, he said, ¡°Mommy, when I¡¯m all grown up, I¡¯ll be able to protect you. Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Connor had no idea how long Olivia had cried because of those words. It was a candlelit dinner. Ethan lit the candles for Connor. Olivia and Ethan sang the birthday song for Connor together. Connor sped his hands together, earnestly making a wish. ¡°What wish did you make?¡± Olivia asked discreetly. Connor smiled. ¡°It won¡¯te true if I say it.¡± He wished that Olivia would get better soon and that she and Ethan would always be by his side. The candlelight flickered. Looking at Olivia¡¯s gentle face, Ethan wished that this moment wouldst forever. Connor was smiling happily, and Ethan was reminded of the day of his third birthday. Of course, his son wouldn¡¯t have a childhood like that. He would do his best to love Olivia and Connor. Olivia smiled very joyfully tonight. She allowed him to fool around andughed with him. She even shared a bed with Ethan, which was a rare sight. Connor slept between the two. Olivia said, sighing, ¡°If that child was still alive, would they be just like this?¡± Ethan wanted to exin, but Olivia refused to believe that Connor was none other than that child. ¡°Liv¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been very happy these days. It feels as if we never had a conflict. It¡¯s not a bad thin gone. If they were still alive, they¡¯d suffer because of me.¡± Olivia was quite talkative tonight. Most of the time, Ethan was just listening to her. Her voice was very slow, but Ethan felt anxious for some reason. He felt as if he was going to lose Olivia soon. he child is When it waste at night, Connor had already fallen asleep when Olivia nted a kiss on his cheek. Connor obediently snuggled in her arms. He was even mumbling, ¡°Mommy.¡± She gently caressed the child¡¯s face, seemingly thinking of something. +15 BONUS Feeling uneasy, Ethan finally fell asleep soundly in theter hours of the night. Olivia didn¡¯t sleep at all. Countless memories shed across her mind. The first half of her life had been wonderful but also quite tragic. Finally, when the sun was about to rise, she let go of Connor. Ethan had just gone to sleep then. It was the time when he was in deep sleep. Olivia carefully got out of bed. Then, she put on her shoes. This time, she didn¡¯t feel any longing at all. She didn¡¯t even look back. Since she had already decided to do it from the start, she would not look back anymore. She wanted to get rid of her hesitant self. In the past few days, she had gotten a clear grasp of the vi¡¯s structure. She slowly slid down the venttion pipe next to the balcony. She had put on a decent act these days. In others¡¯ eyes, she didn¡¯t even have the energy to walk. No one would have suspected that she was pretending just for Ethan. Taking off her shoes, she ced them on the reef. Then, she took off the wedding ring on her finger. Even if she was burdened by a severe illness, she could still feel long-lost happiness. She no longer had any hindrances or restraints. She had finally struggled free of the shackles, and she felt like a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon. Step by step, Olivia walked toward the sea. Ethan had only slept for three hours before he woke up, startled. When he opened his e Connor was still in his embrace, but Olivia was missing. At a nce, he could see that the bathroom was empty. ne saw that Ethan immediately turned and got off the bed. Walking around in the vi in strides, he shouted, ¡°Liv! Liv, where are you?¡± He looked in every corner of the vi, but he couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. Kelvin also said that Olivia didn¡¯t leave. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. Mrs. Miller is very weak, so how can she escape? Unless Everyone thought of the same possibility. +15 BONUS Thinking of the words she saidst night, Ethan could figure out the next words to Kelvin¡¯s sentence- unless she chose suicide. Ethan dashed over to the balcony. Looking down, he only saw cliffs. He couldn¡¯t see anyone there. Kelvin also said that it wasn¡¯t quite possible. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. If Olivia jumped from here, she would¡¯ve fallen onto the rocks underneath. If she wanted to go to the beach, she would have to go down. She couldn¡¯t have done that in her condition. Ethan had already jumped over the railing and ran out. He had a bad feeling about this. The words Olivia saidst night seemed to be concluding her life. As the ocean breeze blew in his direction, he ran toward the coastline. He almost tripped and fell a few times. When he finally arrived at the beach, he only saw a pair of white shoes along with a letter ced on a rock. The wedding ring on the letter shone brilliantly. Chapter 756 Chapter 756 With trembling hands, Ethan picked up the wedding ring and the letter. The act of opening a letter was so simple, but his hands kept trembling as if he had Parkinson¡¯s. Brent said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Miller, let me do it.¡± It didn¡¯t matter that much whether he read the letter or not. Everyone had already guessed the ending. Still, Ethan took out the letter in terror and agony. The familiar handwriting came into sight. In the past, she would write him letters in secret when he was out on business trips. She didn¡¯t know the address, so she would put the words she wanted to say into a bottle and then bury it in the garden. After he discovered it by ident, every time he came back, the first thing he would do was to go to that secret hole and dig around to check if there was new mail. Back then, she wrote like an adorable teenage girl. But this letter was different. Not many words were written on it, but every stroke conveyed farewell. ¡°Ethan, it¡¯s too painful to live. I don¡¯t want to hold on anymore. Farewell. I only desire the sweet release of death. Death has done us part. ¡°Finally, Olivia.¡± Tears welled up in Ethan¡¯s eyes, and it began to drizzle. Drops of water dripped onto the letter. No one could tell if it was Ethan¡¯s tears or the rain from the sky. Holding the letter to his heart, Ethan slowly got on his knees. He mumbled, ¡°Liv, I was wrong Come back. Don¡¯t die. I should be the one to die instead.¡± He gripped the ring tightly in his hand. She had once sold and thrown away this ring, but in the end, he still managed to find it and bring it back. He would never forget Olivia¡¯s smile when she put on the ring. ¡°After I put on this ring, I¡¯ll be your woman. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The rest of my life is yours, hubby.¡± In the period when he gave her the cold shoulder, she never once took the ring off. After she lost weight, he even had the ring adjusted a size smaller. Now, the ring had returned to its owner. She gave her farewells and said that death had done them part. How cruel. They were so deeply in love in the past, but now, they ended up being separated forever. Ethan kissed Olivia¡¯s ring. Then, he took off his ring as well. He ced the two rings neatly together, He slowly got up. Staggering, he walked toward the beach. His mind was filled with images of Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t leave me alone. I¡¯m scared of the dark. ¡°Let me go. Please don¡¯t treat me like this.¡± Ethan mumbled, ¡°Liv, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ming to keep youpany right now.¡± It was very dark at the bottom of the ocean. She must be terrified. He couldn¡¯t imagine how painful it must have been for her when the water rushed into her lungs. She chose to leave this way, so he would go the same way to keep herpany. He thought, ¡°Liv, I told you. Even in death, I won¡¯t let you go. Let us die together, alright? With me around, you wouldn¡¯t have to be scared of the dark anymore.¡± The ocean breeze blew toward him, bringing with it a hazy mist. The surface of the sea was fogged over, just like his chaotic life. He had already lost direction. He continued to think, ¡°Liv, did you think of me when you left? Be it love or hate, we¡¯ll leave it all behind. From today onward, we¡¯ll spend eternity together.¡± Kelvin and Brent sensed that something was off. They hastily stopped Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, please calm down. You still have Master Connor. You can¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Connor has already lost his mother. If you die, he won¡¯t have a father either.¡± The word ¡°father¡± pierced Ethan¡¯s heart. He recalled his childhood. But he only hesitated for a moment before making his choice. ¡°Tell Mom that I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be around for her anymore. Tell her to take good care of Connor.¡± With that, Ethan flung himself into the sea without consideration. ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± Chapter 757 Chapter 757 In the Miller residence, the man on the bed moved his fingers. Then, he shouted, ¡°Liv!¡± Opening his eyes, he sat up and looked around him in terror. Janice sighed in relief. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. You¡¯ve been unconscious for three whole days.¡± Ethan¡¯s memories were still stuck at the beach. He hastily asked, ¡°Mom! Liv, did you find Liv?¡± Janice¡¯s heart ached. She didn¡¯t dare tell him the ending. ¡°Ethan, please prepare yourself for this. Olivia is¡­ She is¡­¡± ¡°No, that can¡¯t be! Liv can¡¯t be dead!¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t ept the truth. He got out of bed bare-footed and then ran outside the door. ¡°Liv, where are you? Are you avoiding me? Liv, stop hiding!¡± Ethan searched the ce, feeling desperate and lost. He walked into the bedroom on the first floor. Everything in the room remained the same as when Olivia left. The clean bedding was neatly folded. The flowers in the vase were the ones picked from the yard a week ago. The flowers had wilted, their heads drooping as if life had been drained out of them. Olivia still hadn¡¯t finished the book on the desk. Ity open on the page she had stopped at previously. Everything remained the same in the room, but Olivia was no longer there. Ethan opened the door to the yard and went to the spot she loved the most. He could only see a wheelchair there, along with flowers that bloomed vividly. Like a crazed man, Ethan ran around in the garden while shouting anxiously, ¡°Liv, where are you? I¡¯m begging you, please juste out! ¡°Liv, I was wrong. I swear, I¡¯ve repented for real. I¡¯ll do anything just for you toe back.¡± His feet had turned bloody from getting cut by the stones, but Ethan didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t know how long he had been running. In the end, he knelt under the flower rack with tears on his face. He looked at his finger, at the spot where the ring should have been. Like Olivia, the ring hadpletely disappeared from his world. Footsteps rang in his ears. As If he had regained hope, Ethan shouted, ¡°Liv!¡± He whipped his head around, but the person who arrived was Kelth. ¡°Stop looking. Olivia has already left.¡± Keith yed a video on his phone. It must have been footage taken from a surveince camera on the cliff. On the screen, Olivia took off her ring and her shoes. Then, she walked slowly into the depths of the sea. She had never once looked back. She was resolved to leave. When the sea covered her head, Ethan felt himself suffocating. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re so cruel!¡± He thought that their rtionship had gotten better, but he had no idea that it was just an act Olivia carefully put on. She still left in the end. She chose to leave him in this way. Keith sighed. ¡°You have to understand her. It¡¯s already a huge feat for her to have held out for so long. The pain in her body was too much, and every living second was torture. She didn¡¯t have a better choice.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯m already looking for Colin. She could¡¯ve waited a little longer, and she might¡¯ve been saved then!¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, I won¡¯t deny that you love Olivia deeply. But you don¡¯t know how to love someone at all. You¡¯ve never considered what Olivia wanted, and you only forced her to live ording to your demands. ¡°She was a person, not a pet. She had her own thoughts, and she would also feel sad as ¡°Did you know? You left scars all over her body, and you reopened the wounds time and again. She was just a meek woman, yet she had suffered losses three times. ¡°She lost her family, her friends, and even her child. Even if her illness could be cured, how long would it take for the wounds in her heart to recover?¡± Keith looked at Ethan, who was kneeling on the ground in agony. There was not a trace of sympathy in his eyes. He said coldly, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller is dead. Please ept my condolences.¡± Chapter 758 Chapter 758 Once again, Ethan went back to the sea. Kelvin and Brent looked exhausted. They had shifts, but they hadn¡¯t rested much in the past few days. There were dark circles under their eyes. They were all too aware of how important Olivia was to Ethan. They had added countless men to this operation, and they were using all their resources to look for Olivia. When they saw Ethan, they hastily went up to him. ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes were red. He was wearing a ck suit, but he didn¡¯t look as upright as he used to be. He looked more haggard instead. When he spoke, his voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Brent shook his head. ¡°Not for now. The area Mrs. Miller disappeared in is a littleplicated. Back then, she encountered an offshore current, and she was brought far out to sea. ¡°The area over there happens to be a fault zone, and it¡¯s more than 300 feet deep. The visibility isn¡¯t too great either, so it¡¯s more difficult to salvage anything there.¡± Ethan clenched his fists tightly, turning his knuckles white. He stared in the distance. ¡°Let me do it.¡± He put on a diving suit and secured an oxygen tank on his back. Then, he followed the salvage team into the depths of the ocean. The deeper they went, the lower their visibility became. They could see many schools of fish, corals, and other marine life. It had been three days. Even if Olivia¡¯s body wasn¡¯t eaten by the fishes, it would have bloated beyond recognition. Ethan feared that he might see her body, but he also wanted to find her as soon as possible. He didn¡¯t want her to stay in the sea all alone. He thought, ¡°Liv, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ming to take you home. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. We¡¯ll never be apart in the future, alright?¡± Hence, Ethan dove into the sea multiple times to search for Olivia. He did it until he ran out of energy, and he kept at it from sunrise until sunset. Still, he couldn¡¯t find any traces of her. Hey on the deck, facing the sky. Looking at the starry sky above his head, he panted heavily. At that moment, he was so tired that he couldn¡¯t even lift a finger. +15 BONUS ¡°Don¡¯t go into the sea anymore, Mr. Miller. You¡¯ll be in danger if this keeps up.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t say a word. He felt as if someone had sucked his soul dry. ¡°We still haven¡¯t found her after so many days. Do you think Liv is still alive?¡± Even though everyone felt that it wasn¡¯t quite possible, no one wanted to hurt him at that moment. ¡°That may be the case. Mrs. Miller has survived so many difficulties that she might still be in one piece. after this. Mr. Miller, you have to take care of your body. You still have things to do.¡± Ethan suddenly shot up. ¡°Yes, I still have many things to do. I have a feeling that Liv didn¡¯t die!¡± Brent asked curiously, ¡°How so, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°If Liv wanted tomit suicide because of her extreme pain, why wouldn¡¯t she choose a simpler method? She could¡¯ve used a de or drowned herself in the bathtub. ¡°Even cutting her wrist would¡¯ve been much faster. Why would she n so much and go about it the long way?¡± Brent said, ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯re saying that Mrs. Miller was putting on an act to deceive you?¡± ¡°It may be possible. If my guess is correct, she didn¡¯t want to die at all. Instead, she has a very strong desire to live. She just wants to use this method topletely get away from me.¡± Ethan had recovered his calmness as he analyzed Olivia¡¯s condition in an orderly manner. ¡°Assuming that you¡¯re right, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller really did enter the ocean. She couldn¡¯t have survived on her own, so she must¡¯ve had someone help her out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Keith. Now that I think about it, he didn¡¯t look sad at all when this incident happened knew that Liv didn¡¯t die. ¡°I¡¯m the one to me. I was so absorbed in Liv¡¯s death that I didn¡¯t realize it right away.¡± ady A look of joy shed across Kelvin¡¯s eyes. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we only have to control Keith to locate Mrs. Miller.* ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ll look into it right away.¡± Chapter 759 Chapter 759 Ethan nced at the stars in the sky. A helpless smile appeared on his face. ¡°Even if she didn¡¯t dle and I brought her back after finding her, history is only going to repeat itself. I¡¯ll only be making her sad again. ¡°If I let her stay with me, she¡¯ll be like flowers in a vase, which will wilt in no time. Perhaps ¡­ she¡¯ll live a better life if I let her go.¡± Kelvin and Brent were in disbelief when they heard Ethan saying those words. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you truly willing to let Mrs. Miller go?¡± ¡°In the past, I always wanted her to stay with me. But idents kept happening, and Liv now hates me to the core. If this is what she truly wants, then I¡¯ll let her have her way.¡± Ethan sighed. ¡°Those are all my spections, and I don¡¯t have any evidence to back them up. For now, verify if she¡¯s still alive. Check her phone location and Keith¡¯s movements in the past week. Remember, don¡¯t alert them.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°Would you like to go back first?¡± Ethan shook his head. ¡°If Liv is still alive, she¡¯ll be keeping an eye on my movements. I don¡¯t want her to be scared, so I¡¯ll spend a few days at sea.¡± In his craze, Ethan would focus solely on salvaging her body. He wouldn¡¯t give up after just one day. He knew Olivia, and of course, Olivia knew him very well too. But he never expected that a day woulde when he would let Olivia go for the sake of protecting her. For the next few days, the salvage operation continued. Brent also discovered something. ¡°Mrs. Miller¡¯s phone wasst seen at the beach. It has probably sunk to the bottom of the ocean by now. I looked into Keith¡¯s recent movements. In the past few days, he¡¯s been going to work and clocking out regrly. *After work, he would go shopping, have dinner, and watch movies with his girlfriend. Everything is normal. Ethan said, ¡°The more normal he looks, the more abnormal it is in reality. After all, he¡¯s only putting on an +15 BONUS. ¡°Yes, I also discovered that he withdrew some money some time ago. It¡¯s in cash. In this day and age, who would go outside with so much cash? I¡¯m suspecting that he had prepared this sum for Mrs. Miller.¡± ¡°Have you found Liv¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°Not for now. I¡¯ve already checked all modes of transport. People have to verify their identities before getting on any transport these days, so we¡¯ll be notified right away if Mrs. Miller leaves. ¡°Do you think she went by sea? After a span of a few days, she must¡¯ve left international waters.¡± Ethan shook his head. ¡°No, Liv still hasn¡¯t left.¡± ¡°How are you so sure, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°Firstly, the most dangerous ce would be the safest. If Keith wants to send Liv out to sea, they can¡¯t take the official routes, so they can only use hidden methods. That¡¯ll narrow down our search. ¡°Liv was already caught once, so she won¡¯t risk her life again. To her, we¡¯re no different from demons. She thinks that if we catch her again, we won¡¯t let her go easily. ¡°She has no choice but to treat this chance very seriously. Without a 100% guarantee, she won¡¯t leave. ¡°Secondly, Liv¡¯s body is still very weak. She can¡¯t move long distances in her current condition. The seas. are rough, so it¡¯s not a suitable condition for her to recuperate. ¡°Also, if something happens, she won¡¯t be able to get medical help in time. So, she couldn¡¯t have gone out to sea.¡± Brent asked, ¡°Then what are you suggesting, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still here. If you can¡¯t find anything with Keith, look up the Tuckers instead. It¡¯s very easy to expose your identity if you rent a house. She might be lodging in the Tuckers¡¯ house.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± *I¡¯ll go back and put on another act. Remember, if you find her, don¡¯t do anything. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Don¡¯t give up on searching for Colin either. Try your best to protect her in the shadows.¡± Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Brent said, ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve changed, Mr. Miller.¡± ¡°In the past, I always thought that my arrangements were the best decisions for her. But in reality, I¡¯ve hurt her time and again. Moreover, it¡¯s not a bad thing for Liv to fake her death. ¡°She can fool me and also her enemy, so this can indeed be the safest route for her. She doesn¡¯t have to constantly worry about being assassinated.¡± Brent said, ¡°So, Mr. Miller, other than putting on this act to deceive Mrs. Miller, you¡¯re also trying to fool the enemy.¡± ¡°Only then can we have more time to investigate. This is the time when that person will let down their guard. But before that, I have something to do.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have to clear some obstacles.¡± News of Olivia dying from her incurable disease quickly spread. Olivia¡¯s funeral was held tonight, and almost everyone from the upper-ss society attended it. Janice¡¯s eyes were red. She quite liked this daughter-inw of hers, but sadly, Olivia passed away too early. Harold still hadn¡¯t recovered. Standing in the hall with a dazed look on his face, he asked Edmund, ¡°Who died?¡± Edmund had a pained look on his face. ¡°Please stop asking, Mr. Harold.¡± The others were discussing it as well. ¡°I heard that Mr. Miller loves his wife very much.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be that much, can it? Wasn¡¯t he preparing to marry another woman some time ago?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Mrs. Miller is such a pitiful woman.¡± Marina didn¡¯t have the right to attend the funeral. But when she heard of Olivia¡¯s death, she was so overwhelmed that she sobbed. The day had finallye. Olivia was dead, so no one would snatch Ethan from her anymore! Fate was on her side. She had finally ousted Olivia. When Ethan made his appearance, the people who knew him were all shocked. +15 BONUS He was still wearing a formal suit. His usually clean chin now had stubble on it. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He had a haggard look on his face, and his eyes were red. He looked like he had aged a decade. He had lost a lot of weight In a short period. Keith almost couldn¡¯t recognize him. Keith had expected Ethan to be greatly affected by Olivia¡¯s death, but he didn¡¯t expect Ethan to be affected this much. It was as if Ethan had turned into another person. Ignoring everyone¡¯s gazes, Ethan slowly walked up to Olivia¡¯s photo. The photo was taken in her student days. Back then, she was innocent and cheery, and her smile was radiant. Ethan reached out to touch the photo. He wished that time would freeze at that moment. That way, Olivia wouldn¡¯t have to go through so much suffering. He recalled everything they had gone through together. He had stripped her of all her strength, pride, and dignity and then trampled them under his feet. He had twisted her into an extremely pitiful woman. He thought, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. From today onward, I¡¯ll set you free. I know that you can¡¯t forgive me for what I¡¯ve done. I¡¯ll atone for it with my whole life.¡± A single tear streamed down his face. He shed that tear for the sake of their past. From today onward, he would start over as well. ¡°Ethan!¡± A woman¡¯s voice rang out. While everyone was being emotional, the voice startled them. They instantly looked at the woman. Everly was dressed in all ck except for a white flower, which adorned her chest. She spotted Olivia¡¯s photo hanging in the middle right away. When she received the news in Andia, she didn¡¯t quite believe it at first. But at that moment, when she saw the haggard Ethan, she knew that Olivia had died for real. Everyone was wondering who this woman was. Could it be a homewrecker causing trouble? Perhaps some drama was about to y out. Everly rushed over to Ethan. Raising her hand, she pped Ethan across the face. Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Ethan didn¡¯t dodge. Stepping forward, Brent separated Everly from Ethan. ¡°Please calm down, Ms. Hilton. Things have tumed out like this, but Mr. Miller never wanted it to happen. ¡°It was Mrs. Miller herself who chose this path. Mr. Miller is already sad enough as it is.¡± Everly couldn¡¯t hold it in. With tears running down her face, she howled, ¡°You jerk. Liv was already recovering, but you must¡¯ve provoked her again. Liv is so unlucky to have met you.¡± She stepped around Brent. She was wearing high heels, so she was only half a head shorter than Ethan. She grabbed Ethan¡¯s cor with both hands. ¡°What crimes did Livmit that you had to treat her like that?¡± Ethan lowered his gaze, saying calmly, ¡°She never did anything wrong. I¡¯m the one at fault.¡± Everly was pissed, but now that things had turned out like this, she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. It wouldn¡¯t make a difference even if she killed Ethan. Olivia would not being back. But she couldn¡¯t just hold in her fury. She tried to hit Ethan again. This time, someone grabbed her hand. It was her boss, who was also the man who told her the news and brought her here. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ms. Hilton.¡± The man had a stern look on his face. Everly was still fuming, so she refused to let go. ¡°Let go of me, Henry! I¡¯m going to kill this jerk! Liv wouldn¡¯t have died if it weren¡¯t for him. He was the one who forced her to her death.¡± Everly grabbed the white rosesid at the side, throwing them all on Ethan¡¯s body. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. One of the thorns on the white roses scratched his cheek, leaving a bloody scar on his face. Blood slowly streamed down his face. Ethan never resisted throughout the process. His expression didn¡¯t even change. He was in the wrong, so he would take his punishment. He would pretend that Everly was hitting him in Olivia¡¯s stead. The floor was in a mess. Henry felt that Everly had vented enough, so he grabbed her waist and carried. her away. ¡°Let go of me, jerk!¡± +15 BONUS ¡°You should know when to stop, Ms. Hilton.¡± Henry had a threatening look in his eyes. Everly¡¯s voice turned smaller. Ethan bent over and picked up the roses scattered on the floor. His figure was broad and tall, but for some reason, he looked like an old man. Many people were affected by Ethan¡¯s sorrow, and their eyes turned red as well. Someonemented, ¡°He must be deeply in love with his wife.¡± A child asked innocently, ¡°But if he loves her so much, how could he bear to hurt her?¡± An adult hastily covered the child¡¯s mouth. ¡°Quit the nonsense.¡± Ethan was nearby, so he heard what they said. He chuckled bitterly. ¡°Yes, Liv. I like you so much, so why did I hurt you? Even children know this truth, but I only understand it now. Is it toote now?¡± When he ced the roses back in ce, he lowered his head in front of the photo. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liv. I won¡¯t have mercy on anyone who ever hurt you.¡± As Ethan spoke, he turned around and swept his gaze across the venue. Everly noticed that the look in his eyes had changed. Just now, he looked like a deted balloon who lost his will to fight. But now, he looked more like a spirited eagle. His gaze was sharp as if he were looking for his prey. The people who noticed his gaze felt chills running down their spines. A person among the crowd subconsciously took a step backward, but Ethan had already locked onto her. He swiftly stepped forward. Before the woman left, he grabbed her hand in time. There was a look of surprise in Leia¡¯s eyes. She had disguised herself very well, so how did he find out? Ethan seemed to have seen through her thoughts. An eerie smile suddenly appeared on his face. ¡°Silly child. We came from the same womb, so how could I forget your gaze? Be good and pay your respects to your sister-inw.¡± His voice was very gentle, but it sounded terrifying. The others had no idea who the woman was. They watched as Ethan grabbed her hand and then pulled her up to the photo, +15 BONUS ¡°Kneel.¡± Of course, Leja refused to do it. Before she could open her mouth to exin, someone kicked her in the calves. In the next second, Ethan pushed the back of her head, forcing her to kneel. With a thud, blood sttered in the air. Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Everyone was startled at the loud sound of flesh hitting the tiles. This wasn¡¯t paying respects, this was attempted murder! Was Ethan crazy? What had the woman done to him that he would be so cruel toward her? Leia probably never expected this. She was just here to look on, but she was found out in the end. Also, the one who did this to her was her older brother, whom she cared about the most. In herpetition with Olivia, she had always been the one Ethan chose. Last time, he even injured Olivia¡¯s hand for her sake. So how did things turn out like this? Leia¡¯s head was spinning from the impact. The skin on her head was also in a bloody mess. Did Ethan know how hard she had worked just to get her current appearance? ¡°You must have gotten the wrong person, Mr. Miller! I¡¯ve never done anything to you. Why would you treat me like this?¡± Leia lowered her voice on purpose, but she couldn¡¯t hide the hoarseness in it. Even if her face could be restored, she couldn¡¯t fix her voice, which was damaged by the smoke of the huge fire. But Ethan wasn¡¯t in the mood to y with her faked ignorance. Pressing Leia¡¯s head, he leaned in and spoke coldly in a small voice that only the two of them could hear. ¡°Leia, Liv is gone. I won¡¯t have mercy on anyone who has ever hurt her. Kneel in front of her and repent. You have no choice.¡± Leia stopped pretending as well. ¡°It was the path she chose. What does it have to do with me: you want. to me someone for it, you should go to the afterlife yourself and me her.¡± ¡°You still won¡¯t repent, huh? I don¡¯t care if you want to do it or not, you have to kneel either way!¡± With that, Ethan gripped her head and pressed it downward with all his might. Leia didn¡¯t even have a chance to struggle. From their movements, Janice could already guess the rtionship between them. Her heart ached when she saw Leia being treated like that, but she didn¡¯t stop Ethan. It was her fault for owing Leia an apology. But it was only reasonable that Leia pay for what she had done +15 BONUS In the past, Ethan had caused Olivia to despair time and again just to defend Leia. As an outsider, Janice had no right to interfere. It was because she knew that Ethan did this only to repent and vent his emotions. In the end, Ethan would still hold back reasonably for the sake of their rtionship. He had just lost the love of his life. If he didn¡¯t vent his emotions, he might lose his mind. Leia¡¯s head was knocked against the tiles time and again. With every knock, people could hear the sound of bones being rammed against the floor. Ethan¡¯s eyes were red as if he had lost his wits. Time and again, he thought that if he hadn¡¯t been misguided by Leia at the start, he and Olivia wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this. Olivia wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much either. Why would an innocent person have to endure all this? Leia¡¯s head was knocked against the ground nine times. But those nine knocks were done at full force. Leia¡¯s forehead turned bloody, and she felt dizzy. Her whole face was pale, and she looked extremely weak. Leia¡¯s body was already on the weak side, so she could barely hold on right then and there. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ethan¡¯s vicious voice rang out. ¡°Kneel here until the funeral is over.¡± The people around them found it weird, but they dared not say anything. People who came over to pay respects had odd looks on their faces when they saw Leia. They looked at the normal-looking woman who had a slender figure. Ethan himself also knelt next to Leia. That was the scene Keith and the Tuckers saw when they arrived. Now, Ethan lookedpletely different from the image Keith had in his mind. By the looks of it, Olivia¡¯s death had affected Ethan more severely than he had imagined. But the things Ethan was going through were nothingpared to the suffering Olivia experienced. So, Keith still had a stern look on his face. He wasn¡¯t sympathetic in the slightest. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯m here to see Olivia off.¡± Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Ethan already had a lead. He was about 70% sure that Olivia was still alive and that he could soon find out where she was right now. His expression remained unaffected as he said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Keith met Ethan¡¯s gaze. Ethan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like he had lost a lot of weight. Keith could see that for the past few days, every single second had been torture to him. The people who attended the funeral found it weird. Never mind someone bleeding at the funeral, the Miller family didn¡¯t even stop Ethan, allowing him to continue kneeling. There was a great meaning behind a man prostrating himself, and it was only reserved for the most reverent of times. But now, Ethan was kneeling to pay respects to his wife. He was even kneeling for a long time, refusing to get up. Time ticked by, and the sky grew dark. Unable to endure it any longer, Leia fainted. Janice hastily went forward. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ethan.¡± Ethan looked at Leia. The blood on her forehead had already clotted, and she looked very weak. For some reason, he kept recalling Olivia¡¯s pitiful look after chemotherapy. Leia¡¯s current condition paled inparison. Ethan sneered. The other people around them were still wondering about their rtionship. So, Ethan. nced at Brent and said, ¡°Send her to get treatment.¡± Then, he continued kneeling and repenting. He knelt for a whole day. Leia never expected that this was how she would return to the Miller family. She had no idea how long she had been out. But eventually, she woke up. She had just opened her eyes when she heard an anxious voice ringing in her ears. ¡°Are you alright? How are you feeling?¡± She looked in the direction where the voice came from. It was Janice, who was wearing a ck cocktail dress at the moment. +15 BONUS Janice had a worried look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t move. The doctor said that you have a concussion, and you need to rest for now. ¡°You must be thirsty or hungry after sleeping for so long. What would you like to eat?¡± Leia looked at the woman in front of her, seemingly a little dazed. The woman in front of her looked exactly like the face that had haunted her dreams But the only difference was that she had never seen Janice with this expression before. Leia parted her lips, saying in a hoarse voice, ¡°You¡­¡± Janice¡¯s heart ached when she heard Leia¡¯s voice. She hastily stood up and said, ¡°You must be thirsty. I¡¯ll get some water for you.¡± She had never been a good mother all her life, so this was her first time doing something like this. She was both overwhelmed and nervous, so she looked a little panicky. Before she could reach the kettle, she tripped over a chair and took a great fall. Janice hastily scrambled up. Then, after pouring some water into a cup, she brought it to Leia. ¡°Leia, try drinking some water.¡± Leia only felt that she was dreaming. Was this truly her mother? In the past, Janice had always looked at her with a gloomy expression and asked why she was born into this world. Leia opened her mouth and took a sip of water. Her head still felt heavy. She had no idea if this was reality or just a dream. When Leia finished drinking the water, Janice told Sharon to bring Leia some food. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Janice fed Leia patiently and gently. Throughout the whole process, she wasn¡¯t annoyed at something Leia had never experienced before in her childhood. is was ¡°Are you full?¡± Janice helped Leia wipe her mouth. Leia nodded. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± 1.¡± Just then, someone opened the door. Ethan appeared at the entrance, clothed in ck. ¡°Now that you¡¯re full, we can begin. Leia looked at Ethan, who looked like the Grim Reaper, His pale face was void of emotion, and it looked cold and stern. Chapter 764 Chapter 764 After what happenedst time, Leia was filled with fear toward Ethan. She subconsciously trem Janice thought that Ethan had vented enough. After all, Leia had been unconscious for a whole day, and the medical team Ethan hired had taken extra care of her during that period. ¡°Kid, Leia has just woken up. You¡¯re scaring her like this. Ethan nced at her calmly. ¡°Mom, did you think that the matter of her hurting Liv would end here?¡± Janice¡¯s expression shifted as well. She warily stood in front of Leia, blocking Ethan¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°Look, her head is already injured. Even if she did something bad to Liv in the past, isn¡¯t this enough to make up for it?¡± Janice liked Olivia, and she pitied their marriage. But Leia was her daughter, after all. The human heart was made of flesh, not stone. If Janice had to choose between her deceased daughter- inw and her daughter, of course, she would choose her daughter. Sneering, Ethan hobbled up to Leia. He had knelt for so long that his knees were injured. So, his gait was different from usual. ¡°You know very well what she did. She sacrificed countless lives and sowed discord between me and Liv to ruin our marriage. ¡°She tried to kill Liv on multiple asions, and even when Liv was in the advanced stage of cancer, she still maliciously provoked Liv. I¡¯m wondering if she¡¯s a human or a demon at this point.¡± Seeing the sorrowful look on the face of her son, who was much taller than her, Janice felt hart soften a little. But both of them were dear to her. What could she do? ¡°Ethan, your sister is at fault, but Liv is already gone. No matter what you do, she won¡¯t hear of it anymore.. ¡°Let the dead rest in peace, and let the living continue to live so that they can atone for their sins, alright?¡± Ethan wouldn¡¯t have any of it. Reaching out, he pulled Janice away. ¡°Mom, I can understand your remorse toward her. But what you owe her and what she owes Liv are two different things.¡± ¡°What exactly are you trying to do, Ethan?¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°I just want to do unto her all the things she has done to Liv.¡± There was a sharp dagger in his hand. Leia looked at Ethan, stunned. ¡°Are you going to kill me for her sake?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ethan took her left hand. ¡°Liv once lost a hand. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. You should return it to her.¡± Leia held her breath. ¡°You know that my hands are the most important things to me.¡± Ethan gently caressed her face. Her face was clear of obstructions now, and her original features were exposed. This face was different from his. He had felt ted when he found out that this sister, whom he thought was gone forever, had returned to him. He swore to himself that he would protect his sister well. But in the end, his efforts to protect Leia resulted in him losing the love of his life. Ethan cupped her face gently. ¡°Why would you do this? Leia, I was your brother who loved you the most!¡± He was saying the tenderest words, but he was unsheathing the dagger and cutting the tendon on her hand. Leia was in extreme pain, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. She simply stared at the blood streaming from her wrist, stunned. Hot liquid dripped on her wrist. It was Ethan¡¯s tears. Their gazes met, and Leia saw the pain in his eyes. She felt pain in her body, but he felt pain in his heart. Back then, with two of his most beloved people in front of him, he had chosen Leia. But after Olivia left, he hurt his sister. He was the most shameless person in the world. He was the one who should have died. But he couldn¡¯t die just yet. He had to clear all the obstacles for Olivia. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Leia asked him. Chapter 765 Chapter 765 Ethan stared at Leia as though she was a beast, wondering why she was quiet and calm. She reached out another hand to caress his face, smiling. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re hurting more than I am, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why do you have to do this? Liv was such a good person. Why did you have to hurt her?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason. I just hate her to the bones.¡± People said that madness could run in a family. Leia and Ethan were as mad as their mother to some extent. ¡°Even up to this point, why are you still not repenting your wrongful deeds!¡± He quickly broke the ligament of her right hand, and blood sttered onto her face. However, Leia smiled so dazzlingly. ¡°No matter what you do to me, she¡¯ll nevere back.¡± Janice didn¡¯t expect Ethan to take it this far. He had injured his sister¡¯s hand within such a short period! Janice pushed him away with all her might and faced Leia¡¯s smiling face. ¡°You guys are crazy! Doctor! Call the doctor, hurry!¡± An anxious Janice, who wanted to check on Leia¡¯s wound, rolled up thetter¡¯s sleeve only to see those scars. It took one single nce to tell that they had been there for many years. Even today, they hadn¡¯t vanished. Janice¡¯s eyes reddened as she wondered what her daughter had been through. After looking at Leia¡¯s bleeding hand, Janice stood up to p Ethan. ¡°She¡¯s your sister! What are you doing, you bastard!¡± Ethan had seen those scars too. He had heard that Leia lived a hellish life after being sold to the mountains, hence his pity for her. He kept letting her off again and again. Still, the person who sold Leia to the mountains wasn¡¯t Olivia; the person who consigned Leia to misery wasn¡¯t Olivia. Thus, what right did Leia have to shift the agony to Olivia? Olivia was innocent! Ethan didn¡¯t dodge the p. He said solemnly, ¡°Brent, break her legs.¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it himself. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Janice gazed at him with red eyes. ¡°Are you insane? What do you expect her to do with her life in the future if she bes disabled?¡± Ethan sneered at the bloody bed. ¡°Liv doesn¡¯t even have a future, so how could Leia have one?¡± Olivia suffered from a serious illness at such a young age. Ethan could¡¯ve found out about it earlier. However, Leia did something behind the scenes and drove the couple apart. So what if Leia was a pitiful person? Did Olivia deserve to make up for it by sacrificing her life? ¡°Mom, this is what she owes Olivia. She will never be able to atone for her sins.¡± On top of that, there was blood on Leia¡¯s hands. Ethan was showing mercy for going only this far. Janice was determined to protect Leia. ¡°You¡¯re my children. It was my fault. She¡¯s my daughter. Let me take the punishment for her. You can break my legs instead.¡± Surprised, Leia looked at Janice. Leia thought, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she hate me? Why is she saying that?¡± In fact, death didn¡¯t bother Leia. She had been through several near-death experiences when she was a child. Thus, death didn¡¯t fear her. Janice¡¯s reaction was beyond her expectations. ¡°Mom, this is between us. If you truly love her, you shouldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to her actions. Leia is no longer the little girl we knew. ¡°She¡¯s one of the core members of Toxic Hive. Everyone wants the members of that organization dead. If she falls into the hands of the army of other countries, she¡¯ll end up worse. ¡°From now onward, there¡¯s no more Begonia. There¡¯s only Ms. Miller who was lost and found. Leia, I will look after you forever. Don¡¯t be afraid. It won¡¯t hurt that much.¡± Chapter 766 Chapter 766 ¡°No!¡± Janice shouted at the top of her lungs. Once a wrong step was taken, the rest of the decisions made would be wrong. The fact that she was blinded by love had turned her family into this. They weren¡¯t like a family. Ethan was a man of his word. He really crippled Leia, turning her into a disabled person. Janice stayed by Leia¡¯s side as if trying to make up for the ungiven maternal love. Janice didn¡¯t mind showering,bing, and feeding Leia,pensating Leia for the lost maternal love. In actuality, Leia didn¡¯t ask for much for her future. Life and death didn¡¯t make much difference to her. Other than the coincidental warmth from Avery, she was used to humanity¡¯s cruelty a long time ago. Now that Janice suddenly treated her this way, she couldn¡¯t get used to it. In the past, her mother resented her while her brother gave her warmth. Now, it was the exact opposite. Ethan resented her to the bones while Janice gave her the warmest treatment ever. Janice lived under the same roof as Leia, and she even helped bathe Leia. In the beginning, Leia didn¡¯t speak a word. Like a wooden doll, she neither knew pain nor how to smile. It was only three dayster when she questioned Janice, ¡°Why?¡± Her sudden question surprised Janice. The emotion soon gave way to happiness. ¡°Leia, art, me?¡± Janice¡¯s joyful expression confused Leia more. Leia asked, ¡°Why are you treating me this way? Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± It pained Janice to notice the curiosity in Leia¡¯s eyes. It was natural for parents to treat their children with care and love. No children would question that. Leia was crippled, but she didn¡¯t grumble a word. There was only one answer to that. Leia had been through something more painful than this. That was Leia neither cried nor caused a ruckus. No one would exim how magnificent a stream was when he had seen the sea. Janice hugged Leia and choked on her words. ¡°Because I love you.¡± ¡°Love?¡± Leia still couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Janice gently exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have directed my hatred for Keh on you guys. I wasn¡¯tpletely conscious at that time.¡± She wasn¡¯t aware that she had been fed poison, which messed up her consciousness. The things she did knew no bounds in terms of extreme. Even though she learned the truth after that, it was already toote. She had iting, and she had given traumatic experiences to her children. ¡°I was drugged. It numbed my nerves, and so I was diagnosed with severe mental illness. Whenever the illness kicked in, I would hurt myself and you guys. ¡°I managed to recover from it after long years of rest, but I¡¯ve lost you guys forever. I won¡¯t ask for forgiveness. I just wanna look after you for the rest of my life to make up for the harm I¡¯ve caused.¡± Janice¡¯s tears pattered on Leia¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for making you have such a hard time.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Leia¡¯s gaze wavered vehemently. Her voice was shaking. ¡°You really love me?¡± Never once had she wished for love in her lifetime. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Silly girl. You¡¯re my daughter. How can I not love you?¡± Leia began crying. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for this day for many years, Mom.¡± She addressed Janice somewhat shakily because she wasn¡¯t used to it. Chapter 767 Chapter 767 It was night when Keith secretly arrived in a mansion in the mountains. The lights on the first floor were turned on. Noticing Keith, Irene Tucker weed him. ¡°No one noticed you, right?¡± ¡°No. How¡¯s she doing?¡± She pouted her lips, wrapping her arms around his neck in displeasure. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re being too much? You asked your girlfriend to look after your first love. And the first thing you ask about after returning is her.¡± ¡°Sorry, Iri. It¡¯s because Olivia¡¯s situation is not like any other normal situation.¡± His frantic exnation prompted her to chuckle. The dimples adorning the side of her mouth were adorable. ¡°Alright, I was just kidding. Am I that kind of narrow-minded woman? Besides, I can understand you. She has the brain and looks. Even a woman like me finds it easy to fall for her with her looks alone, let alone you.¡± Keith heaved a sigh of relief as he had been worried that Irene would misunderstand the situation. Although he indeed had feelings for Olivia, he had fallen for the adorable Irene two years ago. ¡°Nonsense.¡± She sped her hands together as her eyes twinkled. ¡°I can finally understand why Mr. Miller did everything in his power to make her stay. Her smile alone is enough to melt my heart. If I were him, I wouldn¡¯t want her to run away.¡± She stuck her tongue out. ¡°Sorry for the discourse. Anyway, don¡¯t worry about it. I like her, and I won¡¯t get jealous. She¡¯s recovering well these days, unlike her gloomy self when she was in the hospital.¡± ¡°Great. Is she asleep? I have something to tell her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call her for you.¡± Irene hopped to Olivia¡¯s room. She knocked on the door and only entered the room after hearing a response from inside. Olivia was wearing a white sleeping gown, and her hair was let down. She was reading a medical book. She seemed calm. The way the light shone upon her put Irene into a trance. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia looked like a fallen angel! She was the epitome of one¡¯s first love. ¡°Iri, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Olivia looked at Irene gently. Irene gulped down her saliva. ¡°Olivia, Keith is here. He has something to tell you.¡± Olivia felt sorry for troubling Keith. In addition to the fact that he had a girlfriend, she should avoid interacting with him more. ¡°What is it that Dr. Rogers wants to tell me?¡± She addressed Keith formally in order to not cross the line. Irene was smart enough to catch on to Olivia¡¯s intention. She was trying her best to not trouble the couple by diminishing her sense of presence. ¡°Don¡¯t be burdened, Olivia. Keith is helping you not only because you¡¯re an alumnus. It¡¯s also because we hope you can find happiness. As for his feelings for you, he told me about it before we started dating.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mind it?¡± Irene kneaded her forehead. ¡°How can you be this naive? Nothing happened between the two of you. You¡¯re innocent. I¡¯m afraid he never even held your hand before, right? ¡°You¡¯re such a nice person. It¡¯s normal for guys to fall for you. If he dislikes you, I¡¯d doubt his standards.¡± The bright and confident Irene reminded Olivia of her past self. Olivia was only one year older than Irene, but she felt old. She figured that she wouldn¡¯t be able to smile as brightly as Irene forever. ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s wrong? Did I say something wrong?¡± Olivia smiled lightly. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s head outside together.¡± Irene hummed in response. Although Olivia didn¡¯t say anything, it pained Irene to see Olivia¡¯s smile for some reason. Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Olivia had been resting well these days, so her stats were showing Improvement. Keith could tell that herplexion looked better than before. She seemed alive. ¡°How does it feel to live here, Olivia? Are you getting used to the environment?¡± he inquired. ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s great. Iri takes care of me meticulously. I¡¯m happy here.¡± Most importantly, she didn¡¯t need to live under Ethan¡¯s control or worry about assassinations. The majority of illnesses were rooted in bad mental health. Since there was no pressure, she was able to recover quickly. ¡°d to hear that. Iri loves helping people out when she can. Just tell her if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be sure to remember this favor. If I¡¯m still around in the future, I¡¯ll be sure to repay your favor.¡± Irene said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a stranger with us, Olivia. Come, sit down. Let¡¯s have a talk.¡± Olivia slowly sat down. ¡°What is it that you want to tell me, Dr. Rogers? Did he find out something?¡± She knew how skeptical Ethan was, so she had been keeping out of contact with the outside world. Considering that her body was not found, she was afraid that Ethan would be able to find out about the truth. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. He didn¡¯t catch on to it. He stayed at sea for three days, personally diving into the waters. to look for you. In the end, he lost hope and held a funeral for you.¡± Irene coldly snorted. ¡°So what if the funeral is a grand one? He didn¡¯t appreciate you when side.¡± Keith continued, ¡°I attended the funeral. Ethan looked worn out and thin. He yanked a woman to the coffin and made her kneel before you. He didn¡¯t give her any leeway. ¡°He forced her to kneel with him. She fainted after a few hours of kneeling, but he knelt the whole night.¡± Olivia kept quiet. Ethan was a stubborn man. If he had really assumed that she was dead, that was indeed something he would do. ¡°After that, I heard from my colleagues that the woman had a miserable end. Not long after she regained consciousness, she was crippled and became a disabled person.¡± ¡°What the fuck? He¡¯s insane! How could he let his emotions out on others?¡± Irene disapproved of Ethan¡¯s actions. She patted Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank God, you left. I bet he¡¯llmit domestic violence one day.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Olivia, who had a guess that it was L, was surprised upon hearing that. After ail, family mattered the most to Ethan. He had never hesitated to choose Leia between the two women. Now that Olivia was ¡°dead¡±, he was willing to hurt his sister. But so what? He gave Olivia the cold treatment and kept disappearing when she needed him the most. When she tried to clear her father¡¯s and her name, she wished that Ethan could¡¯ve sided with her. All she asked for was understanding and support, yet he was blind to see that. He was aware of Leia¡¯s deeds and yet he covered for her. Oliviamented indifferently, ¡°She deserves it.¡± Not only that, Ethan deserved it too. Had it not been for the Miller siblings, the Fordhams wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Leia was merely a disabled person while Jeff had lost his life! This was Ethan¡¯s and Leia¡¯s karma. Chapter 769 Chapter 769 Keith heaved a sigh, relleved by Olivia¡¯s current condition. ¡°I thought it would pain you to know his situation and you¡¯d regret your decision. I¡¯m d that you¡¯ve gotten over him.¡± ¡°Dr. Rogers, the past Olivia has died in that sea. I made this choice myself, and I won¡¯t regret it.¡± He suddenly recalled the moment he asked her if she regretted marrying Ethan, and she had calmly answered that she did not. This time, the determination settled in her eyes steadily. She showed pertinence as though she had been. given a new lease of life. ¡°Before I finish what I should do, I¡¯ll never give up on my life.¡± She had made up her mind. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Other than escaping from Ethan, there were so many things Olivia had yet to do. She had to find out who the mastermind was and one more person. After regaining her memories, she thought of the person she met when she was suffering from amnesia-Jack. He had been carrying twins in his arms. The kids looked familiar to her. Most importantly, they weighed the same as newborn babies. She knew that because she had carried one of them. However, Jack carried them horizontally. That was because babies¡¯ spines weren¡¯t fully developed before they were three months old. Thus, there was only one possibility. They were premature babies, hence the smaller phue than their peers. When Olivia was pregnant, Jack had warned her that he was with those people and that he simply wanted to protect himself. After calcting the days, those babies might have been her children. Unfortunately, she had amnesia and didn¡¯t hold their promise. She let the chance slip through her fingers. The thought of her babies being alive spurred her to live on. The conversation continued for a while before Keith asked, ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s your next n?¡± ¡°Keith, I want to go for a second round of chemotherapy.¡± ¡°But your condition¡­ Olivia exined honestly, ¡°Two years ago, I underwent chemotherapy and it went well. I¡¯ve been taking medicines thereafter. And I haven¡¯t suffered from gastric pain for a long time. ¡°My condition deteriorated because of the drug given by Ethan. He wanted us to get back together at that time. That¡¯s why it rendered the chemotherapy useless. Then, I was able to regain my memories because he gave me the antidote. I think it was that memory loss drug that worsened my condition. Now that it has slowly lost its effect, my body is recovering. This is the time to ept chemotherapy.¡± ¡°Although you¡¯ve recovered a little, the second round of chemotherapy will cause more serious side. effects than the previous one.¡± ¡°Death doesn¡¯t fear me. Dr. Rogers, please.¡± ¡°Okay. As long as you¡¯re confident about it.¡± There was only one goal in Olivia¡¯s head-she had to live at all costs! After 21 days, Keith asked someone to prepare the medicines and medical instruments so that he could perform the treatment tonight. ¡°Olivia, you have to tell me if you feel ufortable.¡± ¡°Okay. Go ahead.¡± Now, she no longer cared about her body as long as she could live. Unbeknownst to Olivia, there was a figure standing at the top of the mountain opposite the mansion. Resting his hands behind him, Ethan let the breeze ruffle his hair. The moonlight shone expression icy ¡°It is confirmed that Mrs. Miller is right here.¡± Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Brent took his phone out. ¡°This is what we got from the micro camera.¡± Based on the footage, Olivia was reading a book in the yard quletly. Although the camera was the size of a spider, its recorded footage was of high-resolution quality. Lifting his hand, Ethan caressed Olivia¡¯s face on the screen. As he had thought, letting her go was a good decision. She seemed better than before. ¡°We have updates. Keith asked someone to prepare the medicines for chemotherapy. It seems like Mrs. Miller is going to undergo her second round of chemotherapy.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Even though Ethan could barely see the lights in the mansion, he was assured at the idea that Olivia was in there. However, they shouldn¡¯t rm the people in the mansion. They could only ce the micro camera in the yard and wait for Olivia toe out. ¡°We should head back, Mr. Miller. You can¡¯t see Mrs. Miller from here either. Now that we know she¡¯s still alive, please be rest assured.¡± Recalling how strong Olivia¡¯s reaction was against the first round of chemotherapy, Ethan was worried. He wished he could meet her, but he couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for a while longer.¡± He didn¡¯t leave and stood at the top of the mountain the whole night.. Meanwhile, it was a restless night for Olivia. She had vomited thrice during chemotherapy. Keith kept requesting to stop the treatment because her body couldn¡¯t take it. But she knew that only death was waiting for her if she dyed the treatment any longer. Chemotherapy was the only way for her to recover for now. She gritted her teeth, stopping him. ¡°Dr. Rogers, I can put up with it. Really. Don¡¯t give up. Give me a chance.¡± He sighed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die after jumping through hoops just to escape from him. I wanna live.¡± Staying alive was the only way for Olivia to see her children again and bring the mastermind to justice. Uneasiness gued her the whole night. Thest time she felt this way was because of Ethan. ¡°Dr. Rogers, are you sure they haven¡¯t noticed that I¡¯m still alive? Ethan, that guy, is skeptical. I¡¯m worried¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. He hasn¡¯t caught on to anything. He believes it all. If it doesn¡¯t put you at ease, I can free up some time to check on his next n.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The groggy Olivia drifted into sleep. She had a nightmare. Like a demon, Ethan kept telling her that she couldn¡¯t run away while following her everywhere. The morning sky was brightening when the final fluid finished. Keith removed the needle for Olivia. ¡°You¡¯ll be in hellish pain for the following days.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She weakly said, ¡°I know, Dr. Rogers. As for Ethan, I¡¯ll be counting on you with that.¡± ¡°Get some good rest. I¡¯ll update you first thing if there¡¯s anything,¡± heforted her. Irene ran over and hugged him when there were no watching eyes. ¡°Keith, did you miss me?¡± ¡°Of course, I did, Iri. It¡¯ll be tough for you these days. Olivia has it rough. Her parents passed away, and she now lost her lover. I hope you can understand her situation.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be able to get through this.¡± She pecked him on the cheek. ¡°Alright. Go ahead. I¡¯ll get out of your hair.¡± Keith ruffled her hair before heading out to the Miller residence. Ethan looked haggard and pale. In addition to his red eyes, his appearance was scaring Keith. Keith wondered if Ethan had slept. ¡°Sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Miller. I previously left some medical tools here. Since Olivia is gone, there won¡¯t be any need for them here, so I¡¯d like to take them home.¡± Ethan casually nced at Keith, whose intention wasn¡¯t as simple as taking the things home. ¡°Sure, Dr. Rogers.¡± Keith kindly reminded him, ¡°We can¡¯t bring the dead back to life. Please take care of your health.¡± Chapter 771 Chapter 771 Ethan yed along with Keith. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Olivia is gone. What¡¯s your next n?¡± Ethan was a clever person. It took him one second to know what Keith meant by that. Ethan thought, ¡°It seems like taking his things home is an excuse. He¡¯s trying to check on my ns for Olivia.¡± Ethan turned and answered, ¡°I initially nned to start life anew with Olivia. But unexpectedly, I didn¡¯t get to wait for that day toe. I¡¯ll be returning to the country soon.¡± Since Olivia was afraid of Ethan, he figured that it was better for him to leave.. Keith quickly asked, ¡°When are you nning to leave?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Noticing that he seemed anxious about it, he hurriedly added, ¡°As a friend, I would like to send you and Olivia off.¡± ¡°Tomorrow. You cane if you want to.¡± After Keith left, a dubious Kelvin questioned, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller has just finished her second round of chemotherapy. Can you leave her with peace of mind?¡± Brent added, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Mrs. Miller is still worried, which is why she made Keithe over to see what Mr. Miller is nning next. Mr. Miller said that on purpose so that she can be rest assured.¡± Only then did Kelvin understand Ethan¡¯s intention. Ethan wished to give Olivia assurance so that she could live without burden. The next afternoon, Keith showed up on time. Considering theirck of interaction and Ethan¡¯s indifferent character, they merely shared a brief conversation. It was time to board the ne. Ethan led Kelvin and Brent to the securityne before vanishing from Keith¡¯s sight. Keith heaved a sigh of relief and headed back to the mansion. Olivia was bedridden. She couldn¡¯t move. Irene and the caretaker were meticulous in looking after Olivia. ¡°How is she today?¡± Irene expressed her concern, ¡°Not good. She¡¯s in very bad shape. But she forced herself to take some meals She threw up a few times before she could finish them. Even so, she didn¡¯t give up. She really wants to live.¡± It pained Keith to hear that. ¡°She¡¯s determined to live.¡± ¡°I thought she would¡¯ve given up on her life after all those things that happened.¡± ¡°She still has the will to live on.¡± He smiled. ¡°We¡¯re the same as the weeds out there. As long as we have the will to live, we can still start anew after being driven to the edge. I¡¯m here to tell her good news.¡± Keith opened the door, revealing the frail person on the bed. Although Olivia was exhausted, her body hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. The moment she heard the door open, she opened her eyes and looked over. ¡°Dr. Rogers, you¡¯re here. Any news about Ethan?¡± ¡°There is. He has returned to the country. I personally sent him off to the airport. I watched him enter the securityne. He should be on the ne by now.¡± She felt the weight on her chest lifting upon hearing that. Ethan had left. She was finally free. ¡°Olivia, I bought you a new phone. The memory card is registered under someone else¡¯s name. He won¡¯t be able to track you down.¡± Smiling faintly, she nodded. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Rogers. Could you look for someone for me?¡± ¡°Sure. Who is it?¡± ¡°Colin Moriarity. He¡¯s in Vochmead Mountain. If he¡¯s out, he should be able to treat me.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ask someone in the country to look for him. Rest up.¡± Chapter 772 Chapter 772 Back in the Fordham residence, Avery¡¯s life was finally no longer In danger. Troy heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Avery, you finally woke up. You don¡¯t know how worried I was that you might not regain consciousness.¡± Avery had just regained his consciousness, hence the paleplexion. He gave Troy aforting smile. ¡°How could I leave you behind? Look at your hair. You¡¯re like a disheveled lion.¡± Troy was a designer, so he dressed fashionably. He didn¡¯t clean himself up during the days he was looking after Avery. Therefore, his golden hair was a mess, and he looked like an ungroomed Husky. ¡°Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re joking right now, Avery. Look at how unlucky you are.¡± ¡°How am I unlucky? I¡¯m still alive, so I think I¡¯m lucky.¡± Troy snorted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to look for someone who was willing to donate a kidney that matches yours. ¡°Who knew that such an ident would happen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like he asked for it. We can¡¯t do anything about the car ident.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Avery. I contacted the donor half a year ago. You shouldn¡¯t have cared that it was from the ck market. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as long as you can stay alive. Even if they didn¡¯t sell it to you, do you think those people could¡¯ve lived? They¡¯ll just be given to someone else.¡± Troy was speechless when he brought that up. *Avery, about that, our family has indeed been unlucky these years. Our younger brother is involved in a car ident. Although he managed to survive it, his legs were paralyzed.¡± Avery smiled helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I believe that we¡¯ll be able to wait for someone who¡¯ll do it out of their own will. Right, has anything happened recently?¡± Troy thought of something. ¡°Oh, Ms. Fordham contacted you before.¡± ¡°Ms Fordhamn? Do you mean Olivia?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡®It must be something important. Don¡¯t forget that our family owes her a big one.¡± ¡°I know, Avery. I asked her, but she didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t ask much because you were in trouble at that time.¡± ¡°There must be something going on on her side.¡± Avery called Bryce over, asking thetter to look into it to see if Olivia needed help. Bryce was shocked after looking into it. Avery was drinking water. ¡°What? Is she in trouble?¡± Looking at the deep frown on Bryce¡¯s face, Troy urged, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Speak.¡± ¡°Ms. Fordham She¡­ Bryce couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it aloud. Avery became tense after noticing Bryce¡¯s expression. ¡°What happened? What happened to Ms. Fordham? ¡°She passed away a few days ago.¡± The ss in Avery¡¯s hand fell onto the floor. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°What did you just say? She was doing fine. Why is she suddenly gone?¡± Bryce recounted what he had found out. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Ms. Fordham passed away due to cancer. I think she contacted you to ask if you have a better idea. ¡°In the end, she couldn¡¯t tolerate the agony and ended her life by jumping into the sea.¡± Olivia¡¯s face appeared in Jeff¡¯s head. He didn¡¯t expect that the rushed farewell would be thest time they met. He couldn¡¯t even bid goodbye to her for onest time. ¡°Is her funeral over?¡± asked Jeff gruffly. ¡°I would like to send her off for thest time.¡± ¡°It is over.¡± Jeff sighed deeply, expressing his pity. ¡°What a shame.¡± Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Seven days after the chemotherapy, Olivia could get out of the bed. However, she became bald due to the treatment this time. She looked at her sharp jaw and her bald head. Irene, who helped her out of bed,forted her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Olivia. Your hair will grow again once you. stop taking the medicines.¡± Olivia was unbothered and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the use of a beautiful face when ites to matters of life and death? I¡¯m already grateful at the fact that I¡¯m still alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Olivia. Frankly speaking, you should not be bothered at all. Even if you¡¯re bald, you¡¯re prettier than most people. ¡°Just one look at you makes me understand how a person can make others fall in love at first sight. If I had your looks, I would¡¯ve been smiling in my dreams.¡± ¡°Irene, take me outside. I would like to get some fresh air.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± There wasn¡¯t as much snow in this city as Aldenvine. The temperature here was perfect. It wasn¡¯t easy to catch a cold. It was a suitable ce for Olivia¡¯s recovery. Now that she knew Ethan had left, she was rxed. She knew that there was no point in rushing things. As long as she underwent treatment, she would be able to recover. The sun wasn¡¯t that strong today. The light breeze caressed her cheeks, fanning flower petals onto her face. It reminded her of a lot of things, like the meek Snowball. Olivia lost it forever. If it wasn¡¯t because of them, Snowball could¡¯ve been able to live for a few more years. And there was Mona, too. It had been a long time, but Olivia still remembered Mona¡¯s cheerful expression. The past conjured in her head one by one like pages. Olivia would think of them whenever she was Her suffering was nothingpared to theirs. No matter how much it hurt, she had to slog through it. On the other hand, Ethan waited for seven days to see Olivia through the camera. She was a lot different from before. She was skinny and bald. Herplexion was too pale. His heart wrenched as he could feel how much pain she was in despite only watching through the screen. Even the bright Kelvin almost cried after watching Olivia in such a state. ¡°I feel so sad for Mrs. Miller. I heard that chemotherapy will only get stronger as the treatment goes on. ¡°The drug will seep into the bones, and even the bones will start to hurt.¡± Brent red at the insensible Kelvin for bringing that up. He should know that Ethan was having it rough right now. ¡°Mr. Miller, she¡¯ll be able to get through it. As long as she¡¯s alive, there¡¯s hope, right?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t say anything. He rued his decision for driving her to the edge, consigning her to agony. He turned around and said in a low voice, ¡°Continue recording. Don¡¯t let her find out about it.¡± Brent could hear Ethan¡¯s voice shaking. ¡°Okay, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan quietly left Leia¡¯s residence. Even if she was crippled, he told the bodyguards to make sure that security was tight, rendering the possibility of escape nil. The dazed Leia stared at the dancing butterfly from afar when Ethan sat next to her. He asked hoarsely, ¡°It¡¯s been so long. Could you tell me why you hurt Liv?¡± Thinking that Olivia had died, Leia was finally willing to tell the truth. ¡°Would you like my story?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Chapter 774 Chapter 774 This was the first time Leia took the initiative to exin her stance. Ethan was sitting before the tea table brewing tea. ¡°Fire away.¡± She looked at the patterns on the teapot. ¡°That year, I lost my way and was sold to the mountains. I had a rough time over there. ¡°I was fortunate enough to be able to escape from there¡­¡± She glossed over her suffering instead of going into the details. Ethan asked, ¡°How did you escape?¡± The information he managed to find was only on the surface. There was no detailed description written. Still, she didn¡¯t go into the details. ¡°Easy. I nned for it for a long time. I hid a lighter to light up the stored hay. They were poor, so there wasn¡¯t much hay for me to burn. But¡­¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She paused momentarily before continuing, ¡°Before I burned the hay, I locked that family up in a room, and they burned alive. I walked for a month to get out of the mountains. ¡°Since I was burned, everyone saw me as a monster. I was lucky enough to bump into a kind person. It took me years. I fixed up my face a lot of times before I was able to look like this.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you return home sooner?¡± ¡°I was confined and suffered for so many years. I snatched food from the pigs in the sty and slept in the dog house every single day. ¡°Had it not been for my young age, I¡¯m afraid I would¡¯ve been taken advantage of. ¡°They were waiting for me to grow up into an adult so that they could marry me to their silly son. ¡°Even if I managed to escape from them, I didn¡¯t have a pretty face anymore, not even an ordinary look. How was I supposed to meet you? ¡°When I finally-and barely-looked like a human, do you think that I didn¡¯t want toe to you? But what were you doing at that time? You were busy dating. ¡°When I approached you, you failed to recognize me. You assumed that I was a woman trying to win your heart and asked someone to drive me out.¡± That incident didn¡¯t leave a deep impression on him. After Leia went missing, the Millers spent a lot of money on advertisements to look for her. Thus, a lot of people were aware that she was missing. Back then, there were a lot of people pretending to be her. That was why everyone thought that Leia was fake; her face waspletely different from Ethan¡¯s, She didn¡¯t even look like her younger self. Leia, who was driven out of the house, watched him hug Olivia and shower thetter with love. ¡°You held her hand, crouched down to slide the shoes onto her feet, and draped your coat over her. It reminded me of our childhood. ¡°The one you treated that way was clearly me, but why was I reced by another woman?¡± At this point, Leia¡¯s expression was slightly contorted. ¡°Do you know what kind of life I had in the mountains? What kind of hope did I hold on to live? I was hurt a lot of times and crawled in the darkness for so long just to meet you one day. ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to love me and look after me forever? Why were you caring for another woman when I was suffering?¡± Her mindset waspletely twisted. Frowning, Ethan reprimanded, ¡°She¡¯s your sister-inw, and you¡¯re my sister! Both of you are different and have different kinds of ces in my heart. ¡°I can love both of you at the same time. Someone as kind as Liv would¡¯ve even epted you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need that! Olivia and I were born into a rich family. But why could she live a good life while I have to go through that painful experience? ¡°What did she do to deserve such happiness? So, I wanted to see her live in hell. I wanted to let her have a taste of agony!¡± Ethan, who couldn¡¯t help it anymore, pped her. ¡°You hurt her and our children simply because of this absurd reason? You¡¯re insane!¡± Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Although L was pped, the obsessive and distorted smile remained on her face. ¡°I am insane. Why do I have to suffer alone? Since I was already in hell, I wanted to drag more people into the fray. Ethan, if you wanna me anyone, me yourself for loving Olivia.¡± Then, she recalled something before adding, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you hit me. I was the mastermind, but don¡¯t you forget the fact that you were the executor. ¡°You didn¡¯t believe in her. You ignored her, neglected her, and bullied her. You were the one who hurt her the most, not me.¡± Ethan let down his hand, knowing that she was right. He was the one to me. He didn¡¯t have the right to me others. He was drained, and he lit a cigarette while staring nkly. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Are you happy now that she¡¯s gone and I¡¯ve lost everything?¡± Leia¡¯s gaze fell onto his haggard face wordlessly. No one knew what was going on in her mind. His cigarette was burnt until its tip throughout the suffocating silence. Only then did Ethan scrutinize her. Her mentality was distorted after she experienced those things. Thus, there was a chance that Leia resented Olivia to an extreme degree. Because of that, Leia ruined the couple¡¯s rtionship. They even lost their children! No matter how he thought about it, that reason was a feeble one. ¡°Aside from you, is there anyone else involved in this?¡± ¡°No. I did it alone. My objective was to torture her to death. Now that I¡¯ve achieved my objective, you can kill me if you want to. I won¡¯tin.¡± Considering that Leia had turned this way, Ethan didn¡¯t do anything to her. After he left the house, Brent approached him. ¡°Did you get anything out of her, Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°She said that she was jealous of Liv, but something seems off to me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about those years when she disguised herself as a janitor by my side. ¡°She was there before Liv and I were married. Leia would give me the right medicine every time I was sick. ¡°If she wanted me dead, she could¡¯ve done it earlier on. This meant that she didn¡¯t want to hurt me. She cared for me. ¡°She clearly knew how important Liv was to me. I would be devastated if Liv was dead. Isn¡¯t it Ironic?¡± Kelvin couldn¡¯t quite follow. ¡°So, you mean¡­¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s still something we don¡¯t know. This reason can¡¯t stand on its own. L¡¯s tight-lipped. I wanted to seize this chance to squeeze something out of her, but she wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, are you suspecting that Ms. Miller has something to do with the mastermind who wanted to harm Mrs. Miller?¡± Brent could pinpoint what Ethan intended to say right away. ¡°Yes. We won¡¯t be able to find anything because that person covers his tracks well. Why don¡¯t you look into it with the leads given by Leia?¡± ¡°Got it, Mr. Miller. I¡¯ll ask someone to look into it immediately. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m also curious about who¡¯s been holding grudges against Mrs. Miller. She had nned it all out for so long!¡± Kelvin pped his thigh. ¡°That was a good chance to catch her. We were so close! I should¡¯ve aimed right. at her chest and killed her for good that time.¡± ¡°If you had shot her on the hand or leg, it would¡¯ve been easier to recognize her. But it happened to be her back. We won¡¯t be able to find her as long as she¡¯s clothed.¡± The glint in Ethan¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°We will surely find out who it was. Keep an eye on L ¡°See if that person would contact her. And you mustn¡¯t let anyone know that Liv is still alive.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 776 Chapter 776 Olivia underwent six chemotherapies in one go, with one treatment every 21 days. By the time she finished the sixth chemotherapy, it had already been six months. The past six months were hell for her. The side effects of the chemotherapy seeped into her organs. She couldn¡¯t stand the cold at all. Her hands and feet were always cold. Her legs weren¡¯t strong enough for her to walk, and her bones were throbbing in pain. It broke Irene¡¯s heart. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯ve managed to get through it. You finished six chemotherapies! You¡¯re more amazing than most people.¡± Olivia, who was bedridden lifelessly, felt dizzy. Weakly, she said, ¡°Irene, take me outside. I need some fresh air. I¡¯ve been lying in bed for a long time.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Irene pushed her out in a wheelchair. It was the beginning of winter for the southern countries. Overall, the temperature here was warmer than Aldenvine. Even if it was the coldest season, it wouldn¡¯t snow. The winter sunlight cast warmth onto her. Olivia narrowed her eyes, raising her hand to block the striking sunlight. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Olivia. Even though the side effects are strong, it is normal. All you have to do is to get some good rest. ¡°You¡¯re still young, so your metabolic rate is high. You¡¯ll get better in six months at most. ¡°Six months¡­¡± muttered Olivia, who couldn¡¯t wait that long. After calcting the days, she figured that her children would already be almost two years old. She wondered what they looked like. Could they call their father and mother? Could they run? Considering they were premature babies, she wondered if they were slimmer and shorter than their peers. It wasn¡¯t easy for a premature baby to survive. She bet Jack had a hard time taking care of them. Every time Olivia was tortured to the point of dying, she would think of the child she held before. That small figure nestled in her arms, but too bad she didn¡¯t get to give him a kiss. Lifting her hand, she outlined the child¡¯s figure in the air. s, she couldn¡¯t quite remember because it had been a long time. All she could vaguely remember was that the kid had eyes simr to hers. She looked forward to meeting her children every day. Unfortunately, her body weakened as the day passed. In fact, Keith disapproved of her undergoing thest chemotherapy. But she begged him, convincing him. that she could handle it. However, the side effect was unprecedentedly strong. She could barely get out of bed. Fortunately, her stats were improving based on her blood test results. That meant that her cancer was under control. Once she got better after a one-month rest, she could take an MRI to check her condition. At longst, there was hope. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Olivia? Do you have something important to do?¡± Irene assumed that nothing was holding Olivia back. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Other than getting some good rest, there shouldn¡¯t be anything that bothered Olivia. Still, Olivia stared at the sky absent-mindedly like a bird that desired to fly out of the cage. Before this, Ethan was the one restraining her. Now, it was her illness fettering her. Even without getting tied up, she couldn¡¯t walk 100 meters away herself. ¡°I was just thinking about when I¡¯ll be able to get back on my feet.¡± ¡°Based on the medical records I¡¯ve read, the toxin in your body would slowly be reced with new cells during the first six months. ¡°Your stomach and limbs will also gradually get better. Your other organs will recover, too. ¡°You should be able to return to your past self after six months. The side effects will still be there for three to five years or longer.¡± ¡°I know. I just wish I could walk like a normal person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy. You can do that after a month.¡± Chapter 777 Chapter 777 Every second in sickness felt like years, let alone a month. Olivia sighed, hoping she could contact Jack as soon as possible. She wished she could at least have a picture of her children. However, he seemed to have a special identity. Hence, she dared not contact him via the previous number. She couldn¡¯t contact him at all. Meanwhile, Ethan, who had waited for eons, finally received new footage of Olivia. Judging from how it had been days since shest headed to the yard, she was very weak. Today, she was out in the yard in a wheelchair. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He touched the screen, thinking that she appeared skinnier than before. Her cheeks were no longer chubby, and her chin seemed sharp. Her eyes were bigger than usual. ¡°Is this the sixth time?¡± ¡°Yes, thest one. Now, all she has to do is to get some rest.¡± ¡°Based on Liv¡¯s character, she won¡¯t trouble others for a long time. She will leave once she gets a little better. Ask someone to keep an eye on the vicinity.¡± ¡°Alright, Mr. Miller. Do you wanna head over there?¡± Ethan had been in the country for six months. Previously, the low-profiled man would never attend any events. Now, he had been attending profitable and charitable events. He even established a foundation to help cancer patients suffering from poverty. The media kept releasing news about him, and thus, Olivia could see his face on TV frequently. Obviously, her staged death was a huge blow to him. He looked skinny, and hisplexion looked bad. But regret couldn¡¯t do anything about it. She paid attention to his news only to make sure that he was in the country. That way, she could live with peace of mind. It had nothing to do with her feelings. Ethan recently attended a charity event. Instead of a suit, he was wearing a simple white shirt with the logo of the charity foundation. His skinnier figure added a luster of maturity, making him look younger. He didn¡¯tb his fringe to the back, letting it rest over his forehead. The youngdies present couldn¡¯t shift their eyes away from him. The construction of the kindergarten Ethan donated was finally done, hence its first wave of enrollment. The kids surrounded him, but he didn¡¯t treat them with indifference. He carried one of them, but still, there wasn¡¯t a smile on his face. Olivia initially wanted to turn off the live broadcast. Now that he was still alive, she had achieved her objective in Aldenvine. Right then, the reporter ced the microphone in front of Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller, why are you so active in charitable events?¡± ¡°Previously, someone told me that she would help those homeless and poor people if she was capable of doing so. I¡¯m simply granting her wish.¡± ¡°Is she important to you?¡± Ethan, who was looking at the kid, suddenly raised his head to gaze at the camera. ¡°She is. She is a very important person to me. She is my only one.¡± ¡°Is she your-¡± Before the reporter could finish the sentence, he interrupted by saying, ¡°No matter where she is right now, I will remember every word she said. I will do whatever she wishes to do in her stead.¡± ¡°Gosh, how devoted!¡± the host eximed. Ethan kept staring at the camera. For a brief moment, Olivia thought that he was able to see her through the screen as he said, ¡°I love her.No matter where she is, I will always love her.¡± Chapter 778 Chapter 778 Hearing that, Olivia identally let her phone slip through her hand. It dropped onto the floor. The thud surprised Irene, who had been on the phone with Keith for a while. She hurriedly hung up the call and looked at Olivia. ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Olivia seemed pale. ¡°Nothing.¡± Irene picked up Olivia¡¯s phone and saw the screen showing Ethan¡¯s face. After wiping the phone screen, Irene handed it over to Olivia whileforting her. ¡°Put your worry at rest, Olivia. He doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re alive. It¡¯s time to walk out of his shadow.¡± Irene didn¡¯t know what Ethan had done to Olivia that thetter was so afraid of him. Olivia nodded, but she couldn¡¯t shake off the fear. Her hunch kept telling her that he was speaking to her. ¡°Right, there¡¯s no way he knows that I¡¯m still alive,¡± she muttered. She tried to persuade herself in her head. ¡°If he knew that I¡¯m still alive, he wouldn¡¯t have let me wander out here. He would¡¯ve asked someone to bring me back to him.¡± After considering Ethan¡¯s character and way of doing things, she was slightly relieved. Quickly, she turned the live broadcast off, ming the radical effect he had on him. With Keith¡¯s help, Olivia got better as the day passed. He also gave her a lot of medical books, wishing that she could choose the medical in recovered. One month flew by in the blink of an eye, and Olivia could move around without a wheelchair. The number of vomiting and suffering from dizziness decreased a lot this month. Keith pulled some strings so that he could run an MRI scan on her in secret at night at the hospital. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The pin-drop silence in the hospital at night was deafening. A lot of medical instruments were turned off. Calmly, Oliviay on the counter. Half an hourter, she came out of the room. Ireneforted Olivia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯m sure the results are good.¡± As she had expected, Keith revealed the good news while they were on their way back. it has diminished a lot in size. ¡°But it might rpse at any time, so you gotta be careful.¡± At longst, Olivia¡¯s eyes seemed alive. She was still bald and skinny, and she wanted to cry so much upon hearing that answer. Her persistence for six months had finally borne fruit. She gazed at the couple with teary eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry. The sadder you are, the happier the cancer cells in your body are. Stay happy. ¡°This is only the first step toward victory. There¡¯s a long way ahead of you before you defeat it.¡± Irene wiped Olivia¡¯s tears away. ¡°Yeah. As long as you get better, our effort won¡¯t go down the drain.¡± Olivia was emotional and couldn¡¯t utter a word. Only those who had near-death experiences could rte to that. On their way back, she could see the starry sky that greatly described her current emotions. She believed that she would be able to reunite with her children soon. ¡°Dr. Rogers, Irene, I¡¯ve been troubling you guys for a long time. I guess it is time for me to leave.¡± The couple responded simultaneously, ¡°No! It has only been a month since youst underwent thest chemotherapy. ¡°There¡¯s only been little improvement in your recovery. It¡¯s dangerous for you to leave alone.¡± For the past six months, Irene was the person nursing Olivia because Keith was afraid tha. unforeseen circumstances. Back then, Irene waspleting her internship in a hospital and was going to be a permanent staff there. However, she stopped working because she had to take care of Olivia. It had been six months. The favor was burdensome to them, considering that she had nothing to do with them. Everyone had their own lives. Even if the couple was not bothered by it, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to stay shamelessly. ¡°Yeah, for your case, you should at least rest for six months. Olivia, you can go wherever you want after that. But now, you mustn¡¯t leave.¡± Chapter 779 Chapter 779 Olivia felt warm when she looked at their kind and sincere faces. She had been through a lot of hardships and met a lot of bad people. But there were also nice people who came along and helped her. Her life wasn¡¯t just filled with misfortune. At least she was lucky just this once. ¡°Alright. But I am much better now. Irene can go back to work. She doesn¡¯t have to take care of me anymore.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°That settles it. I¡¯d feel bad if either of you wasted any more time on me. This is supposed to be your love nest, and I shouldn¡¯t impose on both of you for too long. ¡°I¡¯ll get myself a smaller condominium. All I need is a caregiver who can cook. I can even go downstairs for walks asionally.¡± Keith didn¡¯t want to trouble Olivia over minor issues. So, he agreed to her proposal. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll get someone to arrange that for you.¡± Keith was very efficient. He quickly found a new ce for Olivia. It was a luxurious condominium on the first floor that came with a yard, which would be convenient for Olivia to go to. More importantly, the yard was filled with flowers. It would make her feel more rxed just by looking at them. Olivia didn¡¯t have anything to pack, so she moved in on the same day. A caregiver who could cook went with her. It was clear that Olivia was pleased with the new ce. It was located in the middle of the city, so shopping for groceries would be easy. The greenery in the area was beautiful as well. ¡®Olivia. You can live here temporarily. Tasha will cook for you. I¡¯ll find a bodyguard for you, too. Or else it might be dangerous for you to go out alone.¡± Olivia wanted to turn down the offer, but she understood that she shouldn¡¯t push her body too hard. Without her wheelchair, she could only walk up to five minutes before she waspletely exhausted. It would be inconvenient if she wanted to go out when Tasha was cooking. ¡°Alright. Thanks.¡± ¡°I told you that you don¡¯t have to be so formal with us. Check if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re unsatisfied with, and let me know as soon as possible.¡± ¡°The environment is good. The facilities are convenient. I like it here.¡± ¡°Okay. Not many people know you around here, but you still need to be cautious when you¡¯re out and about. ¡°It would be troublesome if the Millers found out where you are.¡± Keith talked for a little bit more before leaving. After three days, Keith visited Olivia again. This time, he was followed by a man. Keith was tall, but the man was slightly taller than him. He looked like he was around 6 feet 3 in height. ¡°Olivia, this man will be responsible for your safety.¡± Keith lowered his voice and said, ¡°He¡¯s from another country. You don¡¯t have to worry about him.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. It was very considerate of Keith. Olivia wanted to thank him, but he stopped her with a wave. ¡°Iri and I won¡¯t be able to visit you every day from now on. ¡°We¡¯re going to be busy with the preparations for the engagement ceremony. Call me if you need anything. ¡°Okay.¡± Keith beckoned for the man toe over. He introduced the man to Olivia. ¡°His name is Logan.¡± Olivia observed the man. He was slightly tanned and as unassuming as his name. He would be able to meld into a group of people pretty easily. Logan lowered his head. His long eyshes covered up one-third of his eyes. He looked very docile. He said, ¡°Ms. Fordham.¡± His ent wasn¡¯t discernable and sounded a little awkward. Keith proceeded to tell Olivia about Logan¡¯s background. ¡°He grew up in Nath and spent some time in Andia in his childhood. He can speak a little bit of Andish, but he is not too fluent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Olivia looked at Logan calmly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care. Sorry for any trouble I might cause.¡± Logan waved his hands repeatedly with a sincere expression. ¡°Not at all, not at all. I¡¯m thankful to Mr. Rogers for giving me this job.¡± Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Olivia was still calm. She asked, ¡°Are you in need of money? Is there anyone else in your family?¡± Logan scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah. My mother is living in my hometown, and there are also a few cows.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not married?¡± ¡°People in my profession don¡¯t have time for love. Even if I get married, my wife would be alone most of the time. So, I decided not to put any woman through that.¡± Olivia continued to ask, ¡°Where did you used to work?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wandering around my whole life. My family was poor when I was young. I enlisted in the armyter. ¡°After I was discharged, I worked in many different ces. I¡¯ve worked in casinos and pubs. I¡¯ve worked. as a personal bodyguard and hired muscle. I¡¯ve worked all the hardest jobs for money.¡± ¡°Who was your previous employer?¡± Olivia wasn¡¯t the kind and innocent girl she used to be. Her expression was calm, but she exuded a commanding presence. She became more mature, and she no longer trusted anyone. Logan answered smoothly, ¡°My previous employer was the owner of a casino. I was basically his hired. muscle that collected debts for him.¡± ¡°The job should¡¯ve paid well, right? Why did you stop working there?¡± ¡°The pay was good, but I made a major mistake.¡± ¡°Oh? Tell me more.¡± ¡°When I went to collect a debt with some men, the debtor was struggling financially. ¡°ording to the policy, if the debtor couldn¡¯t pay up, we would have to bring the wife to our ce to work off the debt. ¡°Their daughter knelt before me and begged for mercy. I helped them¡­ So, I lost my job.¡± Keith added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. I¡¯ve looked into his background. He isn¡¯t lying. He only came to us because he crossed the local gangs. ¡°A trusted friend referred him to me. He¡¯s a very capable fighter. He¡¯ll be able to keep you safe.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Okay. You can stay.¡± Her attitude was cold. She also set some ground rules. Logan wasn¡¯t allowed to step foot into her room without expressed permission. When he was not needed, he must stay at least 10 feet away. Also, he must not try to strike up conversations with her. Basically, he was of no use when they were at home. Logan was very obedient. He would lean against the wall with closed eyes, lost in thought when Olivia sunbathed in the yard. He was exactly 10 feet away from Olivia. Olivia looked at him. His hands were crossed, and his head was lowered like he was asleep. It was a very casual stance, but it reminded Olivia of Ethan. She frantically shook her head. She must be crazy to think about that man again. Although the two of them were simr in build, their personalities were wildly different. Besides, Ethan had pale skin, while Logan was tanned.. She had just seen Ethan¡¯s cold and elegant demeanor on a live stream justst week. He was completely different from this rugged man before her. Logan rarely looked at Olivia. He would be like a robot in hibernation mode if Olivia didn¡¯t c¡­ on him. During meals, Olivia and Tasha would eat first. Logan would eat after Olivia returned to her room. After Mona¡¯s passing, Olivia didn¡¯t want to get close to anyone else, even if it was her bodyguard. If they got close, even if they were just friends, it would make saying goodbye that much harder. The best way to handle it was to remain distant. Olivia leaned back on the lounge chair as she was reading a medical book. Coincidentally, there was also a plum tree here. A plum blossom fluttered down andnded on her book. She looked up with a wandering gaze. She would frequently think about Snowball, who used toy on the A lot of her memories felt like they just happened yesterday. She could remember every image vividly, but the people and moments had already passed her by. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. There was no going back. Chapter 781 Chapter 781 Two uneventful weeks went by. Olivia was satisfied with Logan¡¯s performance. He was basically a ghost. During the day, he would be in the yard when she was in the house. He wouldn¡¯t even enter the living room, much less the master bedroom. He would only return to his room after Olivia was asleep. The following day, he would already be exercising in the yard when Olivia woke up. Whenever she wanted to go out, she would call for him, and he would push her wheelchair. asionally, they would go out shopping at the supermarket. Other times, they would take a walk around the neighborhood. Logan rarely talked. He would only speak up when absolutely necessary. So, most of the time, people would even forget he existed. That was until one day when he suddenly knocked on the ss door outside the living room. Olivia opened the door and looked at him calmly. ¡°What is it?¡± A sh of awkwardness shed on his nk face. ¡°Ms. Fordham, I saw a kitten outside. It looked kind of sad. Should we adopt it?¡± Olivia put her book down with a surprised expression. ¡°A cat?¡± Logan¡¯s hands were behind his back. He slowly pulled his hands to the front and revealed the cat. His. palms were big, and the kitten was tiny. It was a newly born white kitten. A bit of its ear was missing, like some animal bit it off. The teeth marks were still fresh. Tears welled up in Olivia¡¯s eyes when she saw the kitten. It looked exactly like Snowball, down to the color of its pupils and its damaged ear. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. When she thought about Snowball, she could still see its cold carcass falling next to her from above. ¡°This¡­¡± Olivia felt a pang in her heart. She slowly reached out, trying to touch the kitten. But she was being wary as if her touch would hurt the kitten. Onvia had been pretty emotionally was But she waspletely worked up at the moment, with aplicated expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Fordham. I didn¡¯t know you disliked cats. I¡¯ll get it out of here immediately.¡± The kitten was still purring. Olivia eximed frantically, ¡°Don¡¯t throw it out. Give it to me.¡± She grabbed the kitten from Logan¡¯s grasp. The kitten¡¯s fur was soft. It was a bit dirty, but its eyes were innocent and pure. The kitten observed Olivia curiously. It wasn¡¯t afraid of her at all. Olivia asked in a whisper, ¡°Snowball, have youe back to me?¡± Logan was puzzled. ¡°Ms. Fordham, do you know this cat?¡± ¡°I had a pet cat that looked like this kitten.¡± Olivia carried the kitten in her arms lovingly. Logan reminded, ¡°Ms. Fordham, if you want to adopt it, we should probably bring it to a veterinarian. ¡°This kitten is probably a stray. We can get it treated if it has any health issues. Besides, it needs to be cleaned.¡± ¡°Okay. Can I leave this to you? Never mind. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Olivia was treating the kitten like the seconding of Snowball. There was finally some joy on her face. ¡°We¡¯ll go to a vet now.¡± ¡°Okay, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯ll make preparations now. Hold on a moment.¡± Olivia had the kitten in her arms throughout the entire drive. She didn¡¯t mind that the kitten was dirty. She smiled tenderly as she patted the kitten. Logan said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, I¡¯ve heard people say that sometimes people or things you lose would come back to you eventually.¡± Chapter 782 Chapter 782 The first thing that appeared in Olivia¡¯s mind after Logan said that wasn¡¯t Snowball. It was Ethan¡¯s face. She was so stunned that she trembled. Logan slowly added, ¡°Maybe your cat hase back for you. Every meeting is meant to be. Perhaps your cat has returned to you in a different form.¡± Olivia¡¯s brows unfurrowed. That exnation made her feel better. Everyone should have a new chance at life. Snowball was like that; she was the same. When they arrived at the veterinarian clinic, the veterinarian performed a thorough check on the kitten. He noticed that Olivia was very tense the whole time. She was worried that the kitten might have a weak immune system. It would be bad if it was infected with something like the feline panleukopenia when it was a stray. The veterinarian took off his gloves and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The kitten is in good health. ¡°It¡¯s just a little dirty. It doesn¡¯t even have ear mites. We just need to clean it up and vinate it. Miss, please wait while I take the kitten for a bath.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia waited outside the room, but her eyes were fixed on the kitten the whole time as she looked at it through the window. It was because she had lost Snowball before that she cherished the new kitten. Olivia had the kitten in her arms the entire way home. In her eyes, the kitten was Snowball. The kitten was very close with Olivia, too. It would either y right next to her or follow her around everywhere. Even when they sleep at night, the kitten would be in her arms. Olivia felt like a piece of her heart had been restored. For some reason, she kept feeling like someone was looking at her at night. She didn¡¯t know if she was just imagining it. She felt it again, so she quickly opened her eyes. But no one was there. Her curtains weren¡¯t drawn, so she could see what was going on in the yard. It was quiet there. Upon closer inspection, she could see someone under the plum tree. It was Logan. But Logan wasn¡¯t looking at her. Snowball was no longer sleeping next to her. It had gone out to the yard. Under the dim lights, Logan crouched on the ground and yed with Snowball. The normally quiet man had a gentle expression. He was also holding a cat teaser in his hand. The man and the cat were having a lot of fun together. Oliva didn¡¯t expect such a burly man like Logan to have a soft side to him. For a split second, Logan¡¯s crouching position reminded Olivia of Ethan. She quickly dispelled the unrealistic thought from her mind. That was impossible. Ethan never liked cats, while Logan seemed to like Snowball a lot. Olivia thought she was bing deranged. Why did everyone look like Ethan to her? Logan was obviously more slender than Ethan. He was also very quiet and honest, unlike the dignified demeanor that Ethan had. It was clear that Logan liked cats, but he didn¡¯t dare to show it when Olivia was around in the day. So he could only y with Snowball in the middle of the night. No wonder Snowball had been sleepy during the day recently. Olivia wasn¡¯t drowsy anymore, so she got off the bed. Snowball purred and ran toward Olivia when it noticed her. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Logan didn¡¯t expect Olivia to wake up. He quickly stood up with an anxious expression. ¡°Ms. Fordham, I¡¯m sorry. I- Did I rouse you from your sleep? Snowball came out to y, so I yed with it for a little.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I slept too much during the day. Continue ying with Snowball. It likes you a lot.¡± ¡°Maybe it just likes the cat teaser you bought.¡± Logan scratched his head, looking embarrassed. Chapter 783 Chapter 783 Olivia wondered why she would rte an honest man like Logan to Ethan. ¡°Do you like cats?¡± ¡°Yeah. I had a pet cat back in my hometown when I was young. But we never fed it anything special, just leftovers.¡± Olivia had been putting on a stiff expression on most days, but she finally smiled at that moment. ¡°If you like it, you should y with it more often. Kittens have a lot of energy, and I am sick. So I can¡¯t y with Snowball too much.¡± Olivia¡¯s legs were still in bad condition. She still couldn¡¯t crouch. If she moved too much, she would start to feel dizzy. It was a good thing Snowball was very well-behaved near her. It wouldy quietly on her things and keep herpany. Logan scratched his head. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Fordham. I can take care of Snowball.¡± ¡°Thanks for putting up with my requests.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. Are you going to be sitting here for some more time?¡± Logan looked at her. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Logan went to the living room, took a nket, and draped it around her. I heard Mr. Rogers say you were very sick. Although it doesn¡¯t snow here during winter, it is still pretty cold. ¡°You have to be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Olivia was stunned as she looked at the nket. She didn¡¯t know what to feel. She raised her head to see Logan standing in ce anxiously. "- Ms. Fordham, did I do something wrong?¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°No. I was just thinking about something.¡± It was rare that they got a chance to hold a conversation. Logan mustered up the courage to ask, ¡°What were you thinking about, Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°I was just thinking about how you showed concern for me even though we barely know each other. *Meanwhile, the people that were close to me only hurt me repeatedly. Why is it so?¡± Logan sat down some distance from Olivia. While ying with Snowball, he said, ¡°I had a female cat at home when I was a child. I watched its stomach grow, and I looked forward to the birth of her kittens. ¡°When that happened, I didn¡¯t sleep for the entire night. I feared the kittens would be in danger because they were left outside. ¡°So I took them into a little nest I made for them when their mother wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°The funny thing is we were living in poverty in that vige. Most people in the vige don¡¯t even have enough food or clothes. ¡°The winter winds were freezing. So, I used my own sweater to make the nest for the kittens. I also prepared clean water and food for them. Guess what happened?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°My kindness doomed the kittens. The new nest caused them to carry different scents. The mother was very sensitive and suspicious after birth. ¡°She thought she was ced in a dangerous environment, so she killed all the kittens.¡± Snowball finally grabbed the cat teaser. Then, Logan looked at Olivia. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°So, do you think I didn¡¯t love the kittens enough, Ms. Fordham?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have a response to that. He added, ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t love them-quite the contrary. I loved them too much. I did everything in. my power to give them the best life. ¡°But my actions caused them to be killed. I was devastated when they died. I think the person you¡¯re talking about might be the same as me. He loved you too much and ended up hurting you.¡± Olivia was at a loss for words. Logan saw that the atmosphere got tense. He quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Fordham. I overstepped. I shouldn¡¯t have brought up the past like ¡°It¡¯s okay. I couldn¡¯t sleep and was bored anyway. I don¡¯t mind chatting with you. You must¡¯ve been to many ces, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Even though I don¡¯t have much money, I¡¯ve been to many ces. What do you want to hear about, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°Anything is fine. I don¡¯t mind listening to stories about interesting people or events.¡± Chapter 784 Chapter 784 ¡°Have you seen a cave full of fireflies? It was so beautiful. The fireflies were like stars in the sky. ¡°There was also a ce called the Earth¡¯s Eye. It¡¯s a colorfulke that looks like an eye when you look down from above. ¡°There¡¯s a ce called Death Gorge. Have you heard of it? ¡°There are also ciers in the North Pole that flow into the valleys. They form icefalls that cascade down the side of the valleys. It is truly an amazing view.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes were filled with yearning as she listened. ¡°How nice would it be if I could see these sceneries in person? It¡¯s embarrassing, but I¡¯ve never been to many ces. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ms. Fordham. You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve seen many people with terminal diseases survive miraculously. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to these ces when you get better, as long as you pay me. How about that?¡± A breeze blew and sent shivers down Olivia¡¯s spine. She pulled the nket tighter around her. Then, she raised her hand and caught a falling plum blossom. Snowball became excited and started chasing falling plum blossoms around. It was a very serene atmosphere. Olivia smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll visit these ces someday.¡± The world was a big ce. She wanted to visit many ces. Do things that she had never done. She also wanted to look for her missing twins. As her mood improved, the days were more tolerable. Keith was relieved to see herplexion improve. So, the frequency of his visits declined. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. At the end of the month, Keith and Irene held their engagement ceremony. Although they didn¡¯t exactlye from the most prestigious families, they still hailed from families of renowned medical professionals. Many people showed up to congratte the couple. Olivia wanted to attend, too. But she didn¡¯t dare to risk it. She didn¡¯t want the Millers to find her. So, she could only wait at home and look at the pictures and videos Irene sent her. Irene also talked to her in a proud and happy voice. ¡°I really wish you could be here, Olivia.¡± Olivia zoomed in on the picture. Irene had a bright smile and a hopeful glow in her eyes. Keith stood beside her. He was tall and handsome. There was a faint smile on his face, too. Olivia could feel the happiness emanating from them from the photos. It brought a smile to her face, but tears suddenly started to flow as she was smiling. The tears fell on her phone¡¯s screen. She could see her past self in Irene. She was also excited and happy when she registered her marriage with Ethan at the City Hall. When the photographer took a picture of them that day, she thought that would be how it was for the rest of her life. Who knew things would turn out the way they did? Two people who loved each other ended up bing strangers, never to be reunited. The love was gone, reced by seething hatred and crippling grief. She looked at the sky as tears streamed down her face. She was reminiscing about the youth she lost. Suddenly, a ss of lemonade appeared before her. She raised her head and saw Logan. He was carrying several bags of groceries. He had a sincere smile on his face. ¡°Ms. Fordham, I bought these at the supermarket just now. I heard that young women lo ¡°I thought you would love it, too, since you¡¯re still very young. Why are you crying?¡± Olivia wiped her tears and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just happy for Dr. Rogers and Irene. I hope they can live happily ever after. ¡°There are too many couples that love each other but end up separating. ¡°I hope they can break the curse and stay together for the rest of their lives.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being so sentimental now, Ms. Fordham. Did you love someone with such vigor in the past?¡± Chapter 785 Chapter 785 Olivia touched the cup of lemonade with her fingers. The lemonade was cold, so there were water droplets on the cup.It felt cold to the touch.She didn''t answer the question. Instead, she asked, "What about you? You don''t look that young.You must have someone you love, right?" Logan smiled brightly and didn''t try to keep it a secret. "Yeah.I met a woman a long time ago.I was very poor, and I was injured.But she didn''t care about all that and saved me.It was love at first sight for me." "What happened next?" Other people''s stories were always nice. They wouldn''t make Olivia feel sad. "Nothing.She was a good woman.Someone like me, who would do anything for money, wasn''t worthy of her. "She was like the moon, forever out of reach.I''m happy to keep her in my memories." "You never told her how you felt?" Logan looked up to the moon that was almostpletely hidden behind clouds. Olivia couldn''t see his face. Logan paused for a few seconds before replying, "I didn''t.She was so perfect like she belonged in the heavens. "I could only admire from afar.If I ever got closer to her, I''m afraid ...that I might hurt her." Olivia smiled. "Even if you understand, you shouldn''t hurt the one you love.But some people just can''t seem to get it." "Actually, I didn''t understand this in the past.I only realized my mistake after that litter of kittens died. "I know that too much love would be detrimental.So, I am satisfied with admiring her from afar." "Where is the woman now? Is she living a good life?" For some reason, Olivia thought of herself. Logan took a good look at Olivia. Olivia thought she was imagining it, but there seemed to be a dark gleam in Logan''s eyes. "Yeah, she is doing well.Is the person you mentioned your lover?" Logan changed the subject. Olivia also told the truth. "He was, in the past.I loved him a lot." "What about now?" "Not anymore." Snowball purred. Logan had been scratching Snowball, but he suddenly increased the pressure.So, the kitten called out in dissatisfaction. Logan lowered his head to check. The kitten bit his fingers in anger, but he didn''t resist. Snowball was still very small, but its teeth were sharp. The bite left two little injuries on Logan''s fingers, and they started to bleed. He ignored the injury and asked, "Since he used to be so important to you, why did you stop loving him?" "There wasn''t a point in loving him anymore." Olivia didn''t want to talk about Ethan anymore, so she got up to go back to her room. Suddenly, a series of crackling sounds can be heard overhead. Olivia stopped in her tracks and saw fireworks being set off a small distance away. She remembered that the fireworks were set off in the direction of the hotel where Keith''s engagement ceremony was held. Those fireworks were probably to celebrate the asion. She stood under the palm tree as she gazed at the fireworks. "Do you like fireworks, Ms.Fordham?" Olivia replied calmly, "It''s only natural to like things that are pretty. But as pretty as they are, fireworks burn out very quickly. "Soon, the night sky will return to being calm, like nothing ever happened." "Even so, at least the beauty is preserved in our memories, and we will remember it for a long time." Olivia shook her head in resignation. "That''s true, but I don''t think I would live long enough to see the day." She never did get a fireworks show for herself. Ethan prepared fireworks shows for Marina and Connor but never for her.She wasn''t angry, just sad that it never happened. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Logan set Snowball down and draped the jacket he had prepared on her. "The show willst for quite some time.This will keep you warm." "Thanks." Suddenly, Olivia asked, "What day is today?" Chapter 786 Chapter 786 Logan promptly replied, "It''s the 22nd.Why?" Olivia almost forgot that it would be the first anniversary of Jeff''s death in a few days. The weather waspletely different in this country, so her perception of time was blurred. "Prepare some flowers for me." "Alright, Ms.Fordham." She couldn''t return to Andia, but she still wanted tomemorate Jeff on the first anniversary of his death. Logan wasn''t only obedient.He was very efficient as well. Not only did he bring back flowers, he also got a cat-themed knitted hat. Olivia noticed that Logan would bring something back for her whenever he went on errands. Sometimes, it would be lemonade. Other times, it would be candy.It was actually a hat this time. Olivia didn''t take it. Logan exined, "Please don''t misunderstand, Ms.Fordham.Mr.Rogers paid me very well.I thought you were being too gloomy, so I just wanted to buy things for you to cheer you up. "They aren''t worth a lot, so I hope you don''t hate them." Seeing how anxious he was, Olivia gradually started to understand his personality.He was cold on the outside but warm and gentle on the inside. She took the hat and smiled. "Thanks, I like it." "I''m d that you like it.I just think you''re different from my past employers.If I treat you better, will you not fire me?" Olivia chuckled. "I used to think you liked keeping to yourself.Now I know, you''re just a little slow." Would anyone admit aloud that they want to be a people pleaser? Logan smiled. "People are reciprocal.If I treat you well, wouldn''t you remember what I''ve done for you when you decide to let me go, Ms.Fordham?" "Yeah.You''ve done so much for me.Don''t worry.I have no intention of firing you." A twinkle appeared in Logan''s eyes as he went to the car. Olivia wanted tomemorate the death of a loved one.So, she asked Logan to bring her to a beach with no one around. The sun hadn''t set yet. She sat in her wheelchair and looked at the sea quietly. Logan was standing next to her. For some reason, she felt Logan was tense, like he was constantly on guard, as if he was afraid she would fall into the sea. She looked at the hand holding on to the wheelchair, which was grasping so tightly that veins were popping. "I''m just enjoying the breeze.Why are you so nervous?" Logan smiled awkwardly. "I ...thought your expression wasn''t right.I thought you might do something rash." "Aren''t you a truthful one? Don''t worry.I fought hard to live.I wont try to kill myself." She still had so many things she needed to do.She didn''t want to die yet. "I just wanted to look at the sea." Her child died in the ocean.He would be old enough to run after her and call her "Mom"if he were still alive. The sky was gradually getting darker. The winds were also getting stronger. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Logan urged, "Ms.Fordham, why don''t we start now?" "Alright." Olivia couldn''t crouch, so she sat in her wheelchair while Logan helped her set the flowers down. A breeze blew, and some petals danced in the wind. Olivia gazed at the petals as they flew away. "Dad, are you watching over me from above? Don''t worry.I''m doing fine." She was more emotionally stable than before.She sat for a while longer as she looked at the flowers. Then, Logan urged, "Ms.Fordham, it''s gettingte.We should head back.It''s windy on the beach." "Let''s go." Logan started to push her wheelchair. Suddenly, he said excitedly, "Ms.Fordham, look over there!" Dazzling fireworks shot up into the sky, blooming into a magnificent flower. Chapter 787 Chapter 787 The fireworks shot up into the sky and made exploding sounds as they burst. Thest time there was such a beautiful fireworks show was on Connor''s birthday. Marina spent a lot of money to hire professionals to set up that show.It was a pity that Olivia wasn''t in the mood to enjoy the show back then. The most beautiful fireworks show she had seen happened when she was 15 years old. Jeff arranged a show for her. Fifteen years old was an age when she had no worries.She was a genius who hadn''t been hurt and was hopeful for the future. Back then, Jeff was elegant and gentle.He was her loving father. She could still remember that many people showed up at the Fordham Residence. All of them were there to celebrate her birthday. Snowball was nuzzling against the plum tree and looking at the fireworks above. Jeff said gently, "If you like it, I''ll hold a party like this for you every year." But that was thest time she ever had a party like that.She only recalled Jeff''s death anniversary, but she forgot that her birthday wasing tomorrow. Four years ago, she was pregnant. Initially, she thought Ethan would take care of the preparations for her birthday. But he didn''t even show up the entire day. Olivia thought he was just busy, so she went into the kitchen to cook up a feast and waited for him to come home. In the end, he didn''te back. Instead, she saw trending news of Ethan and Marina sharing a candlelit dinner.It was the middle of summer, but Olivia felt a chill that consumed her. What followed was the series of incidents that happened during their divorce. She didn''t have the time to celebrate her birthday.So she forgot about it eventually.She only realized she hadn''t celebrated her birthday in four years when she saw the words "Happy Birthday" in the sky. Olivia watched the fireworks show in silence. Itsted for 30 minutes. There was even a drone performance. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. There was a huge cruise ship in the distance. The person for whom the fireworks show was for would probably be on that ship. After the fireworks were gone, the world fell silent once again. Olivia could only hear the waves crashing onto the shore. "Your expression was solemn, Ms.Fordham.What were you thinking about?" Olivia smiled bitterly. "Nothing.I just thought of my own birthday when I saw another person''s birthday celebration." "Your birthday is today? Why didn''t you tell me? I''ll go get a cake for you." "No need.I haven''t celebrated my birthday for years now.It''s cold here on the beach.Let''s head back." Logan didn''t say anything else as he pushed her back toward the car. It might be because they were on the beach for too long. Olivia sneezed as soon as she got in the car. Logan quickly adjusted the temperature in the car. Even after they arrived home, Olivia was still feeling down. Tasha slept very early.She was lights out at 8:00 pm. Olivia went back to her room for a while.Snowball was a cunning cat. It would keep Oliviapany before she fell asleep. But after she fell asleep, Snowball would sneak outside and y with Logan. A few times, when Olivia woke up in the middle of the night, she would see Logan ying with Snowball. She washed up andy quietly in bed. Subconsciously, she took out her phone and searched for information about Ethan on Andian social media tforms. Recent news about him mentioned that he had gone to Vuckburg to help with disaster relief efforts. Olivia turned off her phone. She felt like Ethan hadpletely changed after she faked her death. He was the sessor of the Miller Estate, but he wasn''t even focused on work. He had been going all over the ce and wasmitted to doing charity and welfare activities. Did he think that would bring her back to life? Or was he just trying to ease the guilt he was feeling? Olivia wasn''t interested. She didn''t want to know. Her rtionship with him was a thing of the past. She turned off the lights and went to sleep. It was a habit she adopted after countless sleepless nights. Olivia turned to her side and looked at the view outside the window.She was counting the days until she would recover.She was dying to return to Andia to look for her children. Suddenly, someone knocked on her door. Chapter 788 Chapter 788 Olivia quickly looked toward the door. "What''s wrong?" Logan usually abided by the rules and wouldn''t bother her when she was resting. "I ..Ms.Fordham, are you asleep? I''m sorry to bother you." Olivia wasn''t asleep yet, so she figured she might as well see what Logan wanted. She got up and made herself presentable before she opened the door. Her voice trailed off abruptly. Logan was holding a cake with some candles on it. The candlelight illuminated his face and flickered in his eyes. "It might be a littlete, Ms.Fordham, but birthdays are important.You shouldn''t ignore them." It was exactly 11:59 pm at the moment. Logan probably made the cake himself. There were still traces of flour and cream on his face. "Thanks." Olivia was moved. "It''s almost 12:00 am.You should make a wish and blow the candle out, Ms.Fordham." She didn''t make a fuss and quickly closed her eyes to make her wish.She wanted to be reunited with her children as soon as possible.She blew the candles out after she made her wish. The time was 12:00 am. The room fell into darkness after the candles were blown out. For some reason, she felt like Logan''s voice was more solemn in the dark. "One moment.I''ll go turn on the lights.Be careful not to fall over." The lights were switched on. Olivia noticed that there was a te of pasta on the table. "Ms.Fordham, it was a tradition back in our hometown to eat some pasta on our birthdays," Logan exined. Olivia didn¡¯t expect him to do so much for her while she was resting. "You ...don''t really have to do all these for me." "I still need to express my gratitude to you for giving me a job.Or else I won''t be able to fund my mother''s retirement.A cake and some pasta aren''t that much trouble. "The only issue is that this is my first time baking a cake.I had to follow a tutorial to make it.It might not be good.The cake might be a little burnt.You can just eat the pasta." Olivia didn''t have the heart to turn down his kindness. "Okay.They went to sit at the table.Olivia looked at the pasta that looked and smelled delicious. The first thought that came to her mind was still Ethan.He made a te of pasta for her on her birthday once. That was when they were just married. Back then, he would go on business trips asionally. She thought he wouldn''t be able to make it in time for her birthday. But he woke her up at 11:50 pm and handed her a te of pasta. He said it would bring good luck if she ate pasta on her birthday. Sheughed at him for being a superstitious old geezer and finished the dish joyfully. He did love her a lot back then. He also gave her whatever she wanted. That was why she would still think about him despite all the things he had done to her."What''s wrong? Does it taste bad?" Olivia took a few more bites and said, "No.It tastes pretty good.Thank you for being so thoughtful.I''ll be sure to add a bonus to your pay this month." Logan scratched his head. "You''re so generous.Thank you in advance, Ms.Fordham." "I''m the one who should thank you." Olivia continued to eat the pasta. Logan asked softly, "Are you going to eat the cake? I kind of failed at it.Can I eat it? I don''t want it to go to waste." Olivia looked at that tiny cake. It was a simple one with some words written in cream, wishing her a happy birthday and good health. Logan wasn''t good with words. The words were also slightly distorted. Olivia smiled. "Sure, but leave a slice for me.I wouldn''t want your efforts to go to waste." "Okay." It was midnight. Olivia and Logan were eating cake and pasta. It was a simple gesture, but her mood improved immensely.She went to the yard to sit for a little before returning to her room, satisfied. "Thanks for today." Before she could close the door, Logan suddenly held the door open and said, "Please wait ..."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Olivia looked at him in confusion, "Is there anything else?" Logan took something out of his pocket. He said shyly, "How can you not get a present for your birthday? "Thai is something I got for myself back when I was out and about, working different jobs. "It''s a lucky charm that has kept me alive through several close calls. So, I want to give it to you, Ms. Fordham." Logan held a crescent-shaped pendant in his palm. "That won''t do. It''s your lucky charm. How can I possibly take it from you?" Logan put the pendant in her hand and said, "Take it. I''m not taking on any dangerous jobs anyway. I hope it brings you some good luck. "It''s nothing too precious, so I hope you won''t dislike it." Olivia saw that he was adamant about this, and it was a kind gesture. "Thanks. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I''ll dly ept it." After she closed the door, she examined the pendant closely. The ne wasn''t gold or silver but colored threads. She didn''t even know what material the pendant was made of. It didn''t seem like stic or look like any type of gemstone. The design looked nice. She also wished for a healthy body, so she hung the pendant around her neck. Olivia wanted nothing else. She just wanted to lead a peaceful and healthy life. She slept soundly that night. Her interactions with Logan remained the same. He didn''t try to get closer to Olivia just because he helped her celebrate her birthday. He still kept her instructions to heart. When nothing was going on, he would stay far away from her and never approach. After two more months of rest, three months had passed since she ended chemotherapy. The side effects lessened considerably. Olivia was no longer bound to her wheelchair. She could walk again. So, there wasn''t a need to keep Logan around anymore. She checked online and realized that Ethan was still in Vuckburg, which meant that was the best time for her to return to Aldenvine. On that day, Keith and Irene came to visit her. She told them her request. She wanted to go back to Aldenvine by ship. If she were smuggled into the city, it would lower her chances of being found out. ¡°Why do you want to go back? Is there anything you''re unhappy about here?" "No. I am very happy here. But I have something very important that I have to do back there. Keith, you''re the only one that I can count on." Irene shook her head. "No, Olivia. I won''t object to your leaving after six months. But it has only been three months. I''m worried about you. "Besides, isn''t Aldenvine a sad ce for you? Why do you want to go back there?" ¡°There''s a reason why I must go back." Olivia couldn''t tell them what it was. The two of them couldn''t help but agree because they couldn''t convince her to stay. They were also afraid that she would sneak off by herself. "Give me a few days. I''ll help arrange the trip for you. You have to be prepared, too. Going by the sea route isn''t that simple. "If it''s acargo ship, you might be on the sea for a couple of months. The waters can get very rough. Will you be able to handle it?" "Yes," She could handle any hardship if it were for the sake of being reunited with her children. She had to go back to Aldenvine even if it was raining knives. She had already missed the most important years of her children''s lives. All she wanted was to make it up to them. "Since you''ve already made up your mind. We won''t force you to stay. Wait for my word." "Thanks." Olivia looked at Logan, who was ying with Snowball in the yard. She hesitated briefly before saying, "Logan is a good man. I don''t need a bodyguard anymore. Can you get him a good job?" As if sensing her gaze, Logan looked at her through the window and smiled at her. Chapter 790 Chapter 790 Keith agreed to her request and promised to sort everything out. Olivia was genuinely grateful for everything he had done for her. On that day, Olivia asked Tasha to make a whole spread of food. She even invited Logan to eat with her. Logan stood at the side anxiously, clearly realizing something was about to happen. ¡°Sit down and eat with me." "But your rules ..." "Sit." Logan didn''t argue. He sat at the table with his back straightened. He didn''t eat. Instead, he asked, "Ms. Fordham, do you not need me anymore?" In the past week, Olivia no longer needed a wheelchair. Other than tailing her from a distance, his only function was to help carry stuff. Olivia had noticed long ago. Logan might seem a little slow, but he actually paid attention to detail. "I can already take care of myself on a daily basis. It''s a waste of your talents to keep working for me. "Don''t worry, I''ve asked Mr. Rogers to find you a good job." Olivia set those rules initially because she didn''t want to get close to anyone. But after several months ofpanionship, she couldn''t just drive Logan away like a stranger. She did notice all his effort. "You''re not that young anymore. Stop working dangerous and illegal jobs. There are plenty of ways to make money. "You''re a good person. Find a good job and settle down. Getting married and having offspring will do you a lot of good." Logan sat in silence as he listened to Olivia. Then he said, "Alright. Understood." Olivia didn''t know if she had struck a chord with him. The atmosphere became tense, so she didn''t say anything else and finished the meal in silence. As he got up, Logan suddenly asked, "When are you nning to travel?" "In a week," Olivia said, then she quickly froze. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She never told Logan that she was going away. But he had guessed what she was going to do. He even used such a method to get information from her and made her tell him the truth when she was not on guard. Logan met with her surprised gaze and exined, "I have nown for some time that your heart doesn''t belong here, Ms. Fordham. ¡°You would always gaze at the sky like a bird in a cage. You wanted to escape the cage, but your sickness was like the chain that was holding you down. ¡°Now that you''re feeling better, you can''t wait to leave." Olivia smiled in resignation. "I couldn''t have said it better myself." ¡°No matter which path lies ahead of you, I hope you can be safe." Logan bowed and left. Olivia feltplicated emotions as she watched him leave. She couldn''t really describe how she was feeling. 1 Just like how he came, Logan left without dragging things out. Snowball didn''t know that he was noting back and tried to follow him. But Logan closed the door on it. Snowball was much bigger now. It sat beside the door and tilted its head in confusion, wondering why Logan didn''t bring it along on the errand. Its bright eyes were filled with confusion. Olivia looked on as Logan walked away. All thingse to an end eventually, and as long as you care about them, whether a person or an animal, you will feel sad when it is time to say goodbye. She walked over to Snowball and lifted it into her arms. She rubbed its head lovingly with her fingers. ¡°Snowball, he''s gone. He won''t being back." 1 When Snowball heard that, it actually broke free of Olivia''s grasp and jumped out. It disappeared from her sight. Chapter 791 Chapter 791 Olivia thought Logan would bring Snowball back to her, but she waited until nightfall, and he didn''t come. It was fine. She nned to hand Snowball over to Irene before she left, anyway. She was destined to live a life on the road. She couldn''t keep Snowball around that much longer. Besides, Olivia felt like her misfortune would spread to the people around her. So, it was best if everyone stayed away. Jeff, Mona, and Snowball were all victims of her misfortune. She didn''t want to see anyone else get hurt because of her. Logan was alone, and he was gentle toward cats. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Leaving Snowball with him was also a good option. Tasha had some personal issues to tend to, so she went home early. Olivia was the only person left in the spacious yard. The sr-powered lights in the yard lit up automatically and shone on her face. The lights in the condominium weren''t turned on. Olivia was sitting at the spot where the light and dark intersected. Her expression was cold. In the past, Snowball was very energetic. It would be running around the yard every day. Sometimes, it would also y with the cat teaser and make the bell on it ring constantly. At that moment, Olivia was alone. Even her shadow looked lonely as the lights stretched it out. A gust of chilly wind blew at her. She looked up and saw thenterns hanging above her swaying in the wind. Olivia smiled self-deprecatingly. It was fine if she was alone. At least she wouldn''t cause trouble for others, nor would she bring misfortune to others. She got up and went into her room. The darkness slowly swallowed her up entirely. That was the path she had chosen. She would never regret it. Olivia had started to do some simple exercises recently. Although she would feel unwell if she exercised too intensely, she sucked it up and went through with it. Seven days passed. Keith and Irene came to see her off at the docks. It was spring, and life was slowly returning to the world. Olivia liked this city a lot. Even the sea was like a gentle mother who embraced her children. Oliva wore a huge hat and a cloak that covered her from head to toe. Only her face was slightly visible. She was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed around 90 pounds. She was very slim. Irene wiped her tears as she was sad to see Olivia go, but she could understand how Olivia felt. She didn''t want to cause them any trouble. If the Millers found out that they were helping Olivia fake her death, they would definitely punish both their families for it. Since they couldn''t keep her around, the best decision was to support her, show her some understanding, and let her live her best life. "Olivia, safe travels. You have to contact us often." "Okay." Olivia reached out and wiped Irene''s tears away. Then, she said gently, "Live your life to the fullest with Keith. I''ll never forget what the two of you have done for me." ¡°We just want you to be happy. You''ve lived such a hard life." "It''s okay. I''ll be careful." Keith handed her a card. "You can''t use your own money now. Take this card." Olivia wanted to turn him down, but she didn''t know what was waiting in the road ahead, so she epted it. "T''ll ... pay you back someday." "The best way to repay us is to stay alive." Keith patted her on the shoulder and said, "I don''t know when we''ll meet each other again. You have to take care of yourself. "I''ve prepared all the medication you need. Remember to take them. "T''ve already talked to the captain and the sailors. They won''t mistreat you, but you''ll be spending quite some time at sea, around two months." "It''s okay. I''ve been through worse. This is nothing. Alright, time''s almost up. I''ll be boarding the ship now." ¡°Safe travels, Olivia." "Farewell." Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Irene rested her head on Keith''s shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched Olivia walk up the ship. ¡°For some reason, I just feel like crying. I feel like Olivia has suffered too much. She left as things were just starting to get better. "And now she will be spending so much time at sea. What if ... What if something happens to her at sea?" Keith wrapped his arm around her shoulder andforted her. ¡°Everything will be fine. Tobias has sailed for more than 20 years without any incident. Olivia might have suffered a lot, but her luck isn''t that bad. ¡°I''ve worked as a doctor for so many years. Fortune had to have smiled on her for her to survive what she had gone through. "She has already been through so much. Things will get better for her. Every dog has its day, after all." "IT hope so. I don''t understand why she would go back to Aldenvine at the risk of being discovered. It''s much safer here, far away from Ethan." Irene sighed. ¡°She must have something important that she needs to do. Something so important that she couldn''t wait a few more months. ¡°Don''t worry, I kept an ace up my sleeve. I arranged for someone to protect her. I wouldn''t have let her go on the journey alone." ¡°That''s reassuring. Let''s head home." A sailor helped Olivia onto the boat. He was very polite to her, like she was an important guest. It was clear that Keith spent a pretty buck to sort things out for her. She was very grateful for his help. She nned to repay his kindness several times over in the future. After she got on the ship, the captain started to tell her about the ship''s structure with a warm attitude. "Miss, I''ve been briefed by Mr. Rogers. I''ll make sure your trip is asfortable as it can be. "But since this is a cargo ship, it wouldn''t be as fast as other transportation. We''ll be at sea for quite some time. I hope you can bear with us." "T understand." "Alright. My name is Tobias. Look for me if you need anything. I''ll get someone to show you to your room." "Thanks, Mr. Tobias. I appreciate it." "No need to thank me. I''m just doing my job. Right this way." Olivia''s room was on the fourth floor. She had a good view, and the room had been touched up beforehand. Even the sheets were new. There were even flowers. "Ms. Fordham, if you need anything, tell me now since the ship hasn''t set sail yet. After we set sail, you''ll have to wait until we reach the next stop. We won''t stop midway." ¡°Everything looks fine. I don''t have anything I need for now." ¡°Alright then. We''ll be setting sail." The ship started to move. Olivia stood on the deck and looked at Keith and Irene, who were on shore. Irene was waving at her. Olivia also waved back at her. They might never get to meet again after this. She really liked this city. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. It was safe, the weather was nice. Even the winters weren''t as chilly. Spring arrived so quickly, and it brought life back into the world. Flowers blossomed and decorated the city with bright and beautiful colors. It was autumn in Aldenvine. The difference was night and day. Time passed really quickly. A few more months and a whole year would''ve passed. Olivia wondered if her acquaintances in Aldenvine were doing good. The winds at sea gradually grew stronger, so Olivia prepared to return to her room. She was met with a familiar face when she turned around. She looked at the smiling man in surprise. "Why are you here?" Logan smiled as he exined, "Mr. Rogers gave me another job. To bring you back to Aldenvine safely." Olivia was pleasantly surprised by the reunion. But in a way, she kind of expected it. Chapter 793 Chapter 793 Right after they met, Olivia asked, "Is Snowball doing okay?" "It''s doing fine.I''ve entrusted it to one of my friends.They''ll take good care of it.Mr.Rogers didn''t trust others to take care of you, so he sent me." "I''ll be in your care." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia turned around and walked into her room after she said that. Was she imagining things? She didn''t feel a shred of joy after being reunited with Logan. In fact, she had a weird feeling, like this person wasn''t supposed to show up here. But his appearance waspletely justified. Olivia''s intuition was telling her that she should stay away from him. It was never good to stay with someone you didn''t know too well for too long. Subconsciously, she wanted to stay away from Logan. In the following days, she mostly kept to herself in her room.She didn''t even go outside for meals. Logan would bring the meals to her, and she would thank him and close the door. They barely even talk every day. Logan''s expression was unchanged.He didn''t treat his job any less seriously because Olivia distanced herself.He would still bring her three meals on time every day.He would also bring her fresh tea and fruits every afternoon. Even the apples would be cut into slices for easier consumption.He was a burly man, but he was very considerate. Olivia poked around at the grapes Logan sent her, deep in thought. Back when they were living in the condominium, Tasha was the one who prepared her food. Olivia didn''t like to trouble others, so she never told Tasha about her preferences.She would eat anything Tasha prepared, whether it was food or fruits. Although Keith had taken care of her for a while, she never asked for anything in particr.So, he didn''t know her preferences either. Since she got on the ship, the food and fruits sent to her were different daily. But all of them were her favorites. Even Tasha might make a couple of dishes that she didn''t like. The past few days on the ship, she hadn''t gotten any food that she didn''t like. In terms of probability, that was not really possible. And only one person in the world knew her this well. After two hours, Logan came to collect her meal tray.He saw that the grapes were untouched. "Ms.Fordham, are the grapes too sour and not to your liking? I''ve tried them.They should be okay." Olivia waszing on the bed. She propped her chin up with one hand and asked calmly, "I''ve never told you I don''t like sour things.Why do you know?" Logan quickly replied, "I thought women preferred sweet things.I figured it was the same for you, Ms.Fordham. "Do you like sour ones? I''ll go find some sour fruits for you in the kitchen.I think there were some sour apricots." As he was turning around to leave, Olivia called out, "No need.I just didn''t have much of an appetite.I''ll be fine after some rest." "It will be dull at sea, and we''ll be here for quite some time.Mr.Rogers specifically told me that you need to take your meals on time so you can absorb more nutrients and recover sooner. "You don''t have to be afraid of causing trouble for me.You can tell me anything you need.I''m paid to do your bidding." "Alright.I''ll be taking a nap." "Okay.I''ll be outside the door.Call me if you need anything." Logan left and closed the door behind him. Olivia looked at the door, deep in thought.She was observing his expression when she asked her questions.His expression didn''t change at all. If he were lying, he wouldn''t be so calm.She rubbed her temples and wondered if she was just traumatized by Ethan. Maybe that was why she was so suspicious of others. Chapter 794 Chapter 794 The food for dinner was on the sour side. Olivia didn''t like that but took a few bites of everything. In the following days, there were more sour foods in the meals.She couldn''t take it anymore.She called Logan over and said, "There have been too many sour dishes recently.I''m a little tired of them." "Alright, Ms.Fordham.What do you prefer? I''ll note it down and tell the kitchen." Olivia observed his expressions carefully.But his mannerisms and movements didn''t resemble Ethan at all. Even if Ethan were the only one who knew her so well, he wouldn''t drop everything to stay by her side. Besides, he was a proud man.He wouldn''t be so subservient. Olivia had observed Logan for a few days but found nothing suspicious.She started to rx and stopped distancing herself from Logan. The days out at sea were indeed dull. Even if the view was great, it got old after an extended period of time. Olivia was sitting on the deck. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The sunset was most beautiful at this hour. The evening breeze was blowing gently. Olivia wasn''t wearing a hat. She didn''t care about her image at all. Even if some of the sailors¡¯ gazes fell on her bald head, she could face them calmly. Some hairs were starting to grow on her head, making it look like a kiwi fruit. Logan nced at her head and asked with concern, "Ms.Fordham, the winds are getting a little chilly.Do you need a hat?" "I don''t.This is fine." Olivia patted the seat next to her and said, "Come talk with me." After observing Logan for a few days, her suspicions were cleared up.So, she was more open with him. The days on the ship were very dull. Her emotions had been bottled up, and she was starting to feel depressed. Logan was considerate.He started the conversation. "Ms.Fordham, do you know what our next stop is?" Olivia gazed at the sea, and her mind was nk. "I''ve never paid any attention to that." "Falconer Straits." Olivia''s expression changed. Even though she had never been here, she had read about the ce in books and heard about it on social media tforms. It was one of the most notorious ces in the world. It wasn''t because of the view but because of its nickname¡ª Devil''s Chasm. This part of the ocean had been abandoned by all the countries from thest century. Since then, it had developed into awless ce where criminals thrived. There were plenty of pirate groups in this area that scared people away. This route was a necessary passage between the north and south. A lot of merchant ships were plundered in the earlier years. Some horrifying and atrocious incidents also happened in the region. The military forces of the surrounding nations joined forces to eliminate the pirates. Most of them were killed, while others ran away. The route has been rtively peaceful in recent years, but the pirates weren''tpletely rooted out yet. "Are there still pirates in the area?" Olivia asked with a frightened expression.She just wanted to have a smooth trip without any complications. "The surrounding nations banded up and took down the pirates five years ago.A lot of the pirates¡¯ main forces were obliterated. "But these people are like roaches.Theye back very quickly." Olivia felt a chill down her spine when she heard his serious voice.She bit her lip and asked, "Are we in danger?" Logan looked at her and said slowly, "I won''t let anything happen to you." "You ...Why are you telling me all this?" Olivia was puzzled. "I just wanted you to have a clearer understanding of your current situation." Chapter 795 Chapter 795 Logan said matter-of-factly, "This is a breeding ground of crime. Criminals do whatever they want here. "Even if they had be more restrained in recent years, there is no guarantee of safe passage. You need to prepare yourself for the worst." Olivia was puzzled. "Since it might be dangerous, why didn''t we take another route?" "There''s a little bit of a gambler in everyone, especially businessmen. If we don''t take this route, we would have to take the further way around. That would be an extra two weeks at sea. "Besides, the other routes posed some dangers as well, like the risk of hitting reefs, not to mention the additional costs of a longer journey. "Since there were fewer pirate sightings in recent years, everyone feels more at ease passing through this route." Logan''s exnation was very detailed, but Olivia felt like there was more to it. "Do you have a different opinion?" "I just feel like we have to prepare for the worst for anything, especially when we''re talking about notorious criminals." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Logan turned and saw Olivia''s grave expression.He softened his tone and said, "Did I scare you? I''m sorry. I just wanted to fill you in on the situation." Olivia smiled. "It''s okay.We won''t be so unlucky.If others didn''te across the pirates, surely we wouldn''t either." "Don''t worry.We won''t be so unlucky.This is the Devil''s Chasm.Have you heard of the Blissful Isles?" "Olivia shook her head. "I haven''t.Tell me about it." "Okay.The Blissful Isles are located ..." Before they realized it, the sun had already set. Olivia realized that Logan might not be the most knowledgeable person, but he must be one of the most insightful. From his description, Olivia felt like she was transported to these ces.She didn''t know that there were such dangerous yet astounding ces in the world. "Have you been to all these ces?" "Yeah.When I was younger, I did a lot of things for money.So, I''ve been to a lot of ces." Logan leaned back and propped himself up with his hands.Then, he raised his head to look at the stars. The night sky out at sea was beautiful. It was untainted by pollution, and the air was clear. There weren''t any clouds blocking the view. The stars looked like gorgeous and shiny gemstones. "Ms.Fordham, what I want to say is that the world might be imperfect, and life might be hard.But you shouldn''t be tied down by your past. "You have to face the future.There are a lot of ces you haven''t been to before, views you have yet to see." "I''ll do that.Thanks." Logan noticed that her mood had improved significantly. He said, "It''s gettingte.You should go back to your room.The temperature changes significantly at night, and the breeze is chilling." Sometimes, Olivia would have a weird feeling about Logan, like she had known him for a long time.He was dense at times, but sometimes he would be like a considerate gentleman. Even as a bodyguard, he was able to do the work of a nanny without any issues. The conflicting elements blended seamlessly within him, which made Olivia feel like he was mysterious and weird. "Okay.You should rest, too." Logan escorted her to the entrance of her room. Olivia paused and asked, "How long do we have until we get to Falconer Straits?" After some calctions, he said, "Given the current sailing speed, we''ll get there in three days, tops. "I''ve checked.It will be a clear day.Don''t worry.Pirates won''t show up when the weather''s good." "But ...what if they do?" Logan smiled. "They won''t.I talked about that because I saw you were in a bad mood.I was just trying to cheer you up. "The area has been peaceful for a long time.We won''t be so unlucky.Get some rest. "We''ll stop at an ind for supplies tomorrow.If you''re interested, we can get off the ship and take a look around the ind." Chapter 796 Chapter 796 Olivia shook her head. "We should keep things simple and just stay on the ship." Logan hesitated before saying, "Ms.Fordham, may I ask why you''re taking such a risk just to get back to Andia? "You aren''t exactly in the best of health, and I heard you don''t have any rtives there.Why would you want to go back?" "Yeah.I have some things I need to do." Olivia was tight-lipped.She didn''t reveal anything to him. Logan respected that and didn''t ask any more questions. "You should get some rest, then." It would take around half a day for the ship to dock, resupply, and get maintenance work done. Olivia didn''t even get off the ship.She didn''t even leave her room.She marked her calendar with a red pen.She was getting closer to Aldenvine.She would be able to see her children after some more time. After a while, a sailor came to update her about the situation. "Ms.Fordham, I''m sorry.There''s some problem with the ship.Technicians are looking into it, but we won''t be able to set sail today." "How long would repairs be?" "If everything goes well, we can finish in a day.If not, it might take two to three days. "Everyone is working overtime to get the ship running.The captain instructed me to update you about this. "If you''re bored, you can take a look around the ind." "Okay.Thanks for letting me know." Olivia wasn''t really interested in going on the ind.She replied, "Thanks for the invitation, but I don''t feel like going to the ind." "Alright.The captain and some of the other men will be going to the tavern for some drinks.You can call us if you need anything." "Will do." The night seemed more peaceful at the dock. There weren''t any roaring waves. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia was sitting on the deck. Stargazing had be one of her habits on the ship. Suddenly, someone draped a cloak on her. Logan went to sit beside her, and for the first time, he had a beer in his hand. "Why didn''t you go to the tavern for a drink? Surely, spending sO many days out at sea has been unbearable for you." Logan opened the beer and took two swigs. Then, he slowly replied, "My duty is to keep you safe.I can''t just take the money and do nothing.Besides, I don''t think it''s that unbearable." Olivia propped her head up with her hands and gazed at the twinkling stars. "What do you n to do after you''ve escorted me to Aldenvine?" Loganid down on the deck and said, "I''ve been a wanderer all my life.I''ll go where life takes me.I live until fate decides to end me." He raised his beer in the air and continued, "Here''s a toast to tomorrow and to the future.May we enjoy life whenever we can, for life is short." Olvia looked at his carefree demeanor and felt a little envious.She wanted to be free, too. Suddenly, gunshots sounded at the docks. A silhouette dashed to the side of a cliff and hid the two children he was holding under a rock.He told them, "Be good and stay here quietly.I''ll be back soon." The children nodded at him and said, "Daddy, be careful ..." They were used to life on the run. They were still so young, but they were already well aware of what dangers there were out there. The man quickly leaped away and started running. Countless gunshots were fired behind him. There were gunshots and footsteps. The little girl was so scared that she was trembling all over.She had just seen a cat shot by a gun recently. The caty in its own blood and never opened its eyes again. Chapter 797 Chapter 797 The little boy sensed her fear, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her.He said, "Don''t be afraid, Alicia." He covered the little girl''s ears and tried his best tofort her. The girl wasn''t as brave as him, after all. Tears started to stream down her face when she thought about her dad ending up like the cat.She was scared. Terrified. Her dad and brother were the only people she had left in the world. What would they do if their dad died? The breeze blew on the sea, and the waves crashed against the reef. They could hear the sounds clearly. Then, they heard more and more people running around them. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The girl bit down on her lip.She didn''t dare to make a sound. Back on the cargo ship, Logan sprung to his feet when he heard the gunshots.He quickly went to the side of the ship to look at what was going on. Olivia heard the gunshots, too.She started to feel nervous even though she felt like the gunshots were far away. "What happened?" Logan said with a serious expression, "Don''t be afraid. It has nothing to do with us. Something must have happened on the ind. "Sometimes, incidents happen on these inds that don''t belong to any countries.We''ll be safe as long as we stay on the ship.Even though Logan''s words made sense, Olivia felt like things wouldn''t be so simple.The ship needed repairs so suddenly.And they had to dy the departure time.Those were ominous signs.These ces werewless.No one knew what would happen if they stayed for too long. "Go ask for updates on the ship.When can we set sail?" "Okay, Ms.Fordham.You should go back to your room and stay there.I''ll take you away if things go wrong." Logan suddenly thought of something and turned around to look at Olivia. "You can always trust me." Then, he ran off quickly. Olivia headed back to her room for safety. Logan came back to her after a while. "Don''t worry, Ms.Fordham.I''ve looked into it.There was a gunfight on the shore not long ago. "The gunshots came from that area.The person got away.We are not the targets." Olivai sighed in relief. That was good news. "I''ve talked to the captain.They will being back on the ship as soon as possible.There are some big and strong sailors on board.They will do their best to keep you safe." Olivia rubbed her temples. "I might have been overthinking.You should rest.It''s gettingte." "Alright." It waste. Oliviay on her bed and waited for a while. There weren''t any more gunshots. So, she closed her eyes and prepared to sleep. The ocean breeze was blowing at the two children hiding under the cliff. The little girl sobbed and said, "Zack ...my leg hurts." Their legs were numb from the long period of crouching. They were still too young, and they didn''t know better. The little girl only knew that her leg wasn''t feeling good, but she didn''t dare to move. They waited for a long time, but the man never came back. The little boy signaled for the girl to stay silent and tried to climb out of the hiding spot to check their surroundings. Unexpectedly, his stiff legs didn''t get folded under him, and he tumbled toward the sea. The girl cried out, "Zack!" Chapter 798 Chapter 798 Olivia opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she was suddenly jolted awake.She instinctively scanned her surroundings. There weren''t any noises, and even the sea was calm.She didn''t know what caused her to wake.It was late. Olivia opened the door and saw Logan, who was smoking at a distance.She had never seen Logan smoke before. But he was leaning on the railing and smoking at that very moment. The lighting in the corridor was dim.She could barely make out his face. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. His body was also shrouded in darkness.Only his fingers holding the lit cigarette were visible. His demeanor waspletely different from his usual self. He was like the new moon shrouded in the dark, exuding a sense of mystery. As soon as he saw Olivia, he flicked the cigarette into the ocean. He approached her and asked, "What''s wrong, Ms.Fordham? Can''t sleep?" When he stepped into the light, he still had the harmless expression that he always wore. Olivia thought she was seeing things. "Why aren''t you back in your room?" Olivia was shocked. Why was he still out here at this hour? Had he been doing this all along? Guarding her silently without her knowing? "Yeah.I was afraid something would happen.I don''t need that much sleep.I couldn''t sleep even if I went back to my room.Why did youe out, Ms.Fordham?" "I came out for some air." Olivia couldn''t put her finger on what was wrong.She just felt uneasy for some reason. "Don''t worry, I''ve contacted the captain.They''ll be back soon.Logan observed her expression carefully.He felt like there was something she wanted to say but was holding back.He wondered if she was frightened by the gunshots earlier. "Ms.Fordham, if you''re afraid.I can stay with you in the room.You may feel more at ease if I''m with you. "Okay." Olivia agreed to his request and allowed him into her room.Shey on the bed while Logan sat on the floor. He was in her line of sight, but he stayed 10 feet away. It made her feel safe. Unbeknownst to the two of them, the captain, whose cheeks were flushed from drinking, was carrying two children in his arms as he staggered onboard. "Poor kids.Why would there be parents so cruel as to abandon their children in such a deserted ce? "Maurice, go check if anyone living in the area lost their children tomorrow." "Yes, captain." Tobias brought the children back to his room. The little boy was very dirty, with some leaves sticking to him.His clothes were dusty, and he had a few scrapes and scratches. "Oh god, my poor child.This is so sad.Where are your parents?" Both of the children didn''t speak. They only shook their heads. Tobias figured that they were just too young and couldn''t talk yet. The young girl''s nose was red, and she looked very adorable. "Okay, don''t be afraid, kids.I''ll go get you some food." Tobias brought them some food. The children were initially on guard, but they were too hungry.So, they started to eat. The little boy was like a hungry wolf. He kept his eyes on Tobias and kept the girl behind him. Tobias marveled at the sight. The boy already knew he should protect his sister at such a young age.He took out a first-aid kit and wiped the boy''s face with a warm towel. "Does it hurt?" Chapter 799 Chapter 799 There were some scrapes on the boy''s face. His fingers were also riddled with scratches. Tobias felt bad when he saw such a tiny hand being so badly hurt. The boy didn''t squirm when he was applying medication on him. Tears were welling up in his eyes, but he held them back. Tobias stared at the boy. He felt like the boy looked familiar like he resembled someone he knew. After he cleaned the children up, he tried asking some more questions, but they didn''t respond. The girl started to nod off after she had her fill of food. She fell asleep after a few minutes. The boy was visibly tired, too, but he perked himself up and stared at Tobias. ¡°Don''t be afraid. I won''t hurt you. What is your name? Did you get split up with your parents?¡± The boy remained silent. He didn''t want to reveal anything about himself. Tobias sighed. "I''ve never seen such a cautious little kid. Alright, I won''t ask any more questions. ¡°Rest if you''re tired. We''ll be here for one more day. I''ll help you find your parents tomorrow.¡± He gave the bed to the child while hey on the couch next to it. The boy finally fell asleep at midnight. The following day, Tobias woke up early in the morning and started to look for the children''s parents. Unbeknownst to him, a man snuck into his room through the window as soon as he left. The boy opened his eyes warily. His eyes lit up when he saw the man. "Daddy!" ¡°Be quiet,¡¯ the man said as he gestured for the boy to quiet down. The boy quickly fell silent. When he noticed the blood stains on the man''s shirt, he said, "Blood." Even though he should be at an age when he was carefree and knew nothing, the boy understood what the blood signified. "I''m fine. It''s not my blood. They are right on our tails. We''ll hide out here for a while,¡± the man said in a deep tone. The boy nodded. Ever since he could remember, the man had been on the run while bringing him and his sister along. And the men that were after them would find them only after a few days of peace and quiet. They had adopted a cat before, but it died before their very eyes. Tobias looked like a good man. Maybe he could adopt them. The man patted the boy on the head and looked at him with pain in his eyes. "I''m sorry you two have to suffer so much because you''re with me.¡± The boy nuzzled against the man''s palm andforted him like a puppy. "After we get away. I''ll bring you to your mother''s grave. She must miss you a lot." A tinge of sadness appeared in the man''s voice when he said that.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. "You have to grow up healthily. Your mother went through hell to give birth to the two of you." The boy nodded, seemingly understanding, his eyes filled with tears. ¡°You''re so well-behaved. Your mother would be so happy if she could see you." "Mom," the boy muttered. The man talked to him for a while longer before sneaking back out through the window. The sun had just risen. Logan got a few hours of rest. He looked at the time and got up to go prepare breakfast for Olivia. As soon as he walked out the door, his expression became cold. He started to check his surroundings warily. ¡°What''s wrong, Logan? You have a scary look on your face.¡± One of the sailors walked past him and gave him a look. The sailor could feel goosebumps on his skin when he saw Logan''s expression. Logan regained hisposure and said, ¡°Did anyone walk past here just now?" The sailor scratched his head. With a hungover expression, he said, "I didn''t see anyone. It''s early in the morning, Logan. Please don''t scare me. I''m very timid.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Logan waved his hand. After he turned around, his gaze became icy again. He wasn''t mistaken. It was the smell of blood. Chapter 800 Chapter 800 The kitchen was on a different floor. The ship didn''t carry any livestock onboard. There shouldn''t be blood for no reason. Since shots were firedst night, Logan was extra cautious. He wouldn''t allow anyone the chance to harm Olivia. He went to the monitoring room after he made breakfast for Olivia. He would get his answers there. Ruben, who was supposed to be watching the screens, dozed off. Logan operated the device with ease to check the feed from 30 minutes ago. He typed on the keyboard quickly but noticed that something was wrong with the surveince system. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He couldn''t find the footage he was looking for. Someone had tampered with the system. Seems like someone had snuck onboard. Tobias sent people to look for the children''s parents for an entire day. None of the families on the ind were missing two children. What kind of parent would leave their children badly hurt next to a cliff in the middle of the night? No matter how much he asked, the children didn''t speak up about their parents. Tobias spected that the children were deliberately abandoned. "We''re leaving today. Do you want toe with us?" Tobias crouched before them and asked patiently. The children nodded obediently. The boy knew his dad was on the ship. They needed to hide on the ship to evade detection, so they didn''t mind staying. The girl grabbed the boy''s sleeve timidly and called out, "I''m scared.¡± "So you two can speak? What are your names? The boy spoke up, ¡°Zack.¡± ¡°Alicia.¡± Tobias¡¯ eyes lit up. "What beautiful names? Where are your parents?" ¡°They''re dead," Zack said calmly. Tobias sighed. He didn''t know what kind of environment these two children had to grow up in to be so calm. "Do you have any other rtives?" "No." The children were still young. He couldn''t get any more helpful information, but they had agreed to go with him. ¡°Alright, let''s head back to the ship.¡± The ind wasn''t affiliated with any countries. Maybe escaped convicts and other dangerous criminals called it home. These two children were so good-looking. Maybe some human trafficker brought them here, and they escaped. If they really didn''t have family, Tobias would bring them to Aldenvine. They were easy on the eyes, so they would have no trouble getting adopted. The sun was setting. The resupply wasplete, so the ship set sail. The children were very well-behaved. They didn''t run around. Instead, they stayed in Tobias'' room the whole time. They weren''t picky eaters either. They ate everything that was brought to them. Tobias wondered what kind of life they had before this. They reminded him of his one-month-old grandson. So, he treated them lovingly. There weren''t any kids¡¯ clothes on the ship. Tobias tore his clean clothes apart and altered them into two sets of smaller clothes. He picked up sewing from his years at sea. "Wear this for now. I''ll buy some new clothes for you at our next stop.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr. Tobias.¡± The children were very well-behaved. Tobias couldn''t help but grow fond of them. He had nned to send them to an orphanage initially. But as he spent more time with them, he felt like he didn''t want to leave them. The injuries on the children healed quickly under his care. "Kids, we''re heading into dangerous waters. The ship might get a little rocky. Stay here and don''t run around, okay?" "Okay, Mr. Tobias.¡± After two days of searching, Logan was able to eliminate all the rooms. Atst, his sights were set on the storage room. He stood at the door. Chapter 801 Chapter 801 They were approaching Devil''s Chasm. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Logan figured it was time to eliminate the threat. He was sure the stowaway would be hiding in the storage room at this hour. He had asked the crew beforehand. There were only some tools in the room. People rarely came here. Logan pushed the door open and a foul smell wafted toward him. The smell of blood was mixed in with the moldy odor. It was a cloudy day and the sun was setting. It was also very dark out at sea, so the storage room on the bottom floor was shrouded in darkness. It was deathly quiet and only the sounds of the waves hitting the ship''s hull could be heard. Logan slowly walked into the room. His intuition was telling him that the person was in the room, like a venomous snake, waiting for the best moment to strike. The weather was growing stormier and the winds were picking up. Olivia didn''t know how the wind entered her room when her door and windows were shut. It was making her feel uneasy. She raised her head to look outside the window. The winds were bellowing and bringing up huge waves. They were entering Devil''s Chasm soon. The weather was worse than before. It was like the sea was trying to swallow them up. The huge waves crashing against the ship caused it to shake violently. asionally, there were huge waves that would strike fear into anyone who saw them. The sea took on a darker hue, looking more ominous without the sun. The Devil''s Chasm was very aptly named. Olivia stood beside the window feeling uneasy. It looked like it was about to rain, which would worsen the situation. Olivia''s anxiety grew when she thought of how they would be traversing such turbulent waters for the following days. Another huge wave struck the ship and caused it to shake. Olivia almost lost her bnce and fell. She paced around the room for a while and decided that she wanted to look for Logan. At least she would feel reassured with him around. She had started to feel attached to him after spending so much time together. As soon as Olivia opened the door, the winds surged and mmed it shut before she could even take a step outside. The door was closed so abruptly that it almost hit her on her nose. Then, she heard a sailor''s voice through the wind saying, "Miss, you should stay in your room. The weather''s really bad right now. And the ship''s swaying a lot. You might get hurt if youe out." Olivia wondered where Logan went. Her heart was racing. Logan was slowly exploring the storage room. He held a high- power shlight that shed light on some mostly broken tools. Dust was swirling in the air and the corners of the walls were lined with glistening, swaying cobwebs. Just as arge spider slowly descended from its web, Logan abruptly swung his shlight to the back. Behind him stood a masked man holding a dagger. The de was only an inch away from piercing Logan. Logan reacted promptly and shone the shlight into the masked man''s eyes to disorient him. Then, he kicked the masked man with all his strength. The man fell into a toolbox with a loud "thud". Some of the hammers hanging on the wall fell and brought up acloud of dust. ¡°Don''t move." Logan shone the shlight directly at the man. The man raised his arms to shield his eyes. His tall frame appeared forlorn amid the debris. Then, Logan finally got a good look at the man. He was shocked when he saw the mask. "It''s... you." Chapter 802 Chapter 802 Chapter 802 The mask belonged to Jack. Jack squinted as he sized up the man before him. The man looked like Ethan, but Ethan had arger frame. Jack''s gaze then fell on Logan''s face. It was a very in face. Jack had never seen it before. Was he not one of the assassins sent to kill him? ¡°Do you know me?" Yes. That was Jack''s voice. Logan took a few steps forward and grabbed his cor. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He said coldly, "Spit it out. Why are you here?" Jack thought the man''s attitude was weird. If he was one of the assassins after his life, they would have put a bullet through his head by now. They wouldn''t ask silly questions. Who was this man? Logan''s kick from before hadnded on Jack''s wound and caused the wound to reopen. Blood started to flow and stain his shirt. However, before Logan could question Jack further, a terrified sailor yelled in the corridor, "Pirates! Pirates are here!" Acold gleam shed in Logan''s eyes. So they crossed paths with pirates after all? Those scum. Outside, the sound of sailors running around followed. Even though they were just on a regr cargo ship, they were still armed with some weapons. Back when pirates were rampant in the area, everyone had to pick up some skills in order to survive. But the pirates had just been eliminated a few years ago and peace returned to the area for a bit. But now, the pirates were back. Logan immediately tied Jack up and threw him aside. "Stay put." Then, he quickly left. No matter what Jack''s goal was, he would never hurt Olivia. He wasn''t a threatpared to the pirates. Jack was only thinking about the two children. Damn it. Why would pirates appear at that very moment? Tobias was ying with the two children in his room. He noticed that despite being young, they were very intelligent. They were very mature too, more mature than children their age should ever be. "Genius! You''re an utter genius, Zack," Tobias said. He had only intended to teach Zack how to y chess to pass the time. But he didn''t expect Zack to pick up the game so quickly. It had only been a few days since Zack learned the game, but Tobias was no longer a match for him. Tobias would be ridiculed if word got out that he lost at chess to a child who was barely three years old. As for Alicia, she didn''t like to y chess. Rather, she enjoyed using hisputer. Other kids their age couldn''t even count to three, but these two had already built an extensive vocabry. Zack moved a piece on the board. It was a checkmate. He had ended the game in less than five minutes. Tobias was beyond excited. He knew that Zack would be able to make a name for himself if he was given a proper education. Before Tobias could pester Zack for another game, amotion was heard outside the room. "B-bad news, captain! Pirates are here!" The door was pushed open with a "bang". A frightened young sailor stood at the entrance. This sailor hadn''t been on the ship for too long. He had only seen peaceful days. He had never seen such chaos. The smile on Tobias'' face faded. "Don''t piss yourself. It''s toote to run. We can only face them head-on." He put down the chess piece he was holding. Then, he patted both the children on their heads. ¡°Be good. Stay here and don''t go out. I''ll protect you." Alicia tugged on his sleeve worriedly. ''''P-please don''t go." "Silly child, I''m the captain. I have to be there for my crew. Don''t be afraid. I promised I would bring you ashore." Chapter 803 Chapter 803 Tobias stood up and left. He had no more time to exin the situation to the children. Alicia looked at Zack worriedly. However, Zack wasn''t looking at her. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the chessboard, on Tobias''st move. He then moved the king forward even though it was a checkmate. No matter what he did, the oue was already decided. ¡°Zack ..." Alicia called. Zack had heard about pirates from Jack¡ªthey were a bunch of heartless monsters in human skin. They used to rule the seas and would do anything to fill their own pockets. Naturally, they had their eyes on this ship transporting raw mineral materials. Zack knew that they were in big trouble. He knew of the dangers but he didn''t have the capability to neutralize them. All he could do was try to find Jack as soon as possible and have him bring them away before chaos ensued. He was only three years old, but he already knew the meaning of life and death. The two children didn''t know why they were trying so hard to live. They were like mindless drones that could only push on even when life was hard. They didn''t even have the chance to visit their mother''s grave. "Let''s go." Zack grabbed Alicia''s hand. Before they left, he tooka tablecloth and put the unfinished cake and snacks in it. Then, he tied it around his neck with two knots. They were still young, but they knew exactly what to do when they needed to run away. Alicia knew Zack very well and she immediately understood what he wanted to do. "But, Mr. Tobias ..."" Alicia started. Zack said calmly, "We have to find Dad." Zack knew that Jack was the only person on the ship who could get them out of trouble. They opened the door and saw the sailors gathering. There was a huge ship in the distance. Its lights pierced through the dark and its gs fluttered in the wind. They didn''t have a telescope, and it was very dark out. So they couldn''t see the symbols on the gs. But the two of them didn''t care about that. They just wanted to find Jack while no one was paying attention to them. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But before they could get anywhere, the pirates¡ªbeing the despicable people they were¡ªopened fire at the hull of the cargo ship without any warning. A loud, deafening explosion could be heard. Then, the ship began to shake and the children were thrown off bnce. They were at the edge of the ship, and they were very light. Alicia was flung through the gaps of the railing. ¡° Alicia!" Zack reacted quickly and grabbed hold of her. Alicia''s entire body was hanging in mid-air and the sea breeze was howling. The ocean was like a gigantic monster with its mouth wide open, ready to devour its prey. Alicia was scared to tears. She had never been in such a scary situation before. She grabbed the railing with one hand and her brother''s arm with the other. But Zack was only a little over two years old. How long could he hold on for? "Save my sister!" Zack cried for help, but no one heard him. The ship was already thrown into chaos. "Dad, where are you? I can''t hold on anymore," Zack cried inwardly. Zack was just a child. He had already reached his limit. He knew he would lose his sister forever if he let go. Ever since he could remember, his dad had told him his sister was his only family. He had to take good care of his sister. Zack tried his best to pull Alicia up, but he wasn''t strong enough to do it. He could only watch as Alicia''s hand started slipping away. "Mom, if you''re watching over us, please help me save Alivia. I''ve already lost you. I can''t lose her, too." Zack prayed. He gritted his teeth and held on to Alicia tightly, his legs wrapped around the railing. He was using every bit of strength he could muster to keep Alicia from falling. Chapter 804 Chapter 804 Olivia looked at her watch. Logan would usually bring her some fruits at this hour. Where was he? She could see raindrops falling on the window under the dim yellow lights. It was raining. Olivia hated the rain. As she lied in bed, she had no desire to sleep at all. So she put on some headphones and tried to space out. After a while, she abruptly opened her eyes when the ship started to violently tremble. Something was wrong! Was it pirates? Olivia quickly took off her headphones. She started to hear the chaos happening outside. Something was very wrong. Olivia was a cautious person. Since she didn''t know what was going on, she didn''t dare to run around aimlessly. So she stayed put and waited for Logan toe to her. But Logan didn''te rushing in like she thought he would. Unable to suppress the anxiety anymore, Olivia decided to get out of her room. Her attention wasn''t drawn to the ship''s burning parts. Instead, a child''s voice attracted her gaze. "Help!" It was the voice of a very young child. Where did hee from? Olivia''s maternal instincts took over. She didn''t care whose child it was, nor did she care if it was a trap. She started to run toward the voice. When she turned the corner, she saw a little boy holding onto a tiny hand. Upon closer inspection, she saw a little girl dangling outside the railing. Olivia was horrified. She started to run toward the children with reckless disregard for her own health. At that moment, Zack had already exhausted all his strength, but he was still unable to pull Alicia to safety. He could only watch with tears in his eyes as Alicia''s hand slowly slipped out of his grasp. "Zack!" "N-no! w As Alicia was about to fall, ahand suddenly appeared and grabbed her, stopping her from falling into the ocean. Zack was stunned as he looked at the woman in pajamas who had just appeared next to him. Half her body was outside the railing. She was very slender, especially the hand holding on to Alicia. It was almost just skin and bones. Olivia sighed in relief. She made it in time. Alicia''s head was lowered as she swayed in the air like she was about to fall. Tears were rolling down her face. Oliviaforted her softly, "Don''t be afraid. I''ll pull you up immediately." Alicia¡ªwho thought she was a goner¡ªraised her head to look at the woman pulling her up. As their eyes met, both of them were dumbstruck. Alicia looked at Olivia, who was holding her hand. Her face looked exactly like the mother in the photos that Jack had shown them before. Olivia looked more slim and frail, but the facial features and the look in her eyes were exactly like her mother''s. For a moment, Alicia thought she was dreaming. Was she dead? Is that why she was seeing her mother? Olivia was also stunned by Alicia''s facial features. She looked too much like Ethan, as if they were made from the same mold. She couldn''t help but think that her own children would be Alicia''s age if they were still alive. Despite the shock, Olivia understood that the most important thing was to get Alicia to safety first. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She was holding Alicia with her left arm, which had been hurt before. Even though it recovered, her hand could never go back to normal. Olivia couldn''t muster enough strength. As she tried to reach her right hand down to pull Alicia up, the pirates fired another round at the ship. The ship shook again. In the explosion, Olivia couldn''t hold on to Alicia''s hand and Alicia started to fall toward the ocean. Before she fell, Olivia heard her call out, "Mom!" That single word stunned Oliviapletely. Chapter 805 Chapter 805 Olivia felt her blood freeze in her veins when Alicia fell. How could that happen? She was about to pull Alicia to safety. Why was Fate so cruel to her? Then, the little boy beside her let out a heart-wrenching scream, " Alicia!¡± Olivia turned to look at the boy. She was stunned by his face, which resembled her own. A thought crept into Olivia''s mind and she had to confirm her suspicions. When the thought appeared, Olivia could no longer stop herself. She climbed over the railing and jumped. Her mind was filled with memories of three years ago when she was looking at the ultrasound images of the babies in her womb. She had a boy and a girl in there. The girl looked like Ethan. She was active and loved to smile. On the other hand, the boy''s features resembled hers and he was well- behaved. Were these her kids? Olivia didn''t even have the time to bask in the joy of being reunited with her children. She was too consumed by the pain of seeing her baby girl fall into the sea. So she went after Alicia without regard for herself. "Baby, I''ve missed you so much. You have to be alright.¡± she thought. The sound of both of them falling into the water was barely noticeable in the chaos. Logan rushed to Olivia''s room as soon as the pirates fired the first shot. He opened the door and the howling winds rushed into the room. There was no one there. Did something happen to her? Logan''s expression turned grave. Then, he heard the cries of a terrified child when he got to the corner. He followed the voice and saw a boy sitting on the floor with a cloth bundle tied around his neck. ¡°What happened here?" he asked. Zack was crying. He stuttered and said, "Ali-Alicia, mi-miss ... Se- Sea." Logan felt like he understood, but not entirely. He quickly asked, "Did you see a woman who was about this height, pale, and slender? She doesn''t have any hair on her head." Zack nodded frantically as he pointed to the sea. "F-fell! Alicia fell. uw "You mean, your sister fell overboard, and that woman jumped after her?" "Yes. w Logan was dumbfounded. The situation was already messy as it was. Why would Olivia jump into the sea to save someone without a thought for herself when she had barely recovered? She could barely care for herself. Without a second thought, Logan also jumped in. Olivia''s health wasn''t what it used to be after chemotherapy. She was as fragile as a porcin doll. She immediately felt the bone-chilling cold of the waters as soon as she jumped in. Her body temperature was already lower than normal and she started shivering uncontrobly in the water. It was like she was on the verge of a cramp or losing consciousness. But she knew she had no time to dwell on her own fears. Her daughter was still so young. If she gave up here, she would never see her daughter again. She had finally found her baby. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. There was no way she was going to lose her again so easily. But she had no tools to illuminate the pitch ck waters. Olivia couldn''t see her daughter. She was close to tears. Why was Fate so cruel to her? She had already lost so much. Why was she faced with such misfortune yet again? If she could choose, she would rather bear the suffering herself. She didn''t want her daughter to live such a hard life at such a young age. Olivia was sure her daughter was scared. The sea was so dark and cold. "Don''t be afraid, my baby. I will definitely save you." Olivia steeled her resolve. In a stroke of luck, she was able to grab hold of Alicia''s arm in the turbulent waters. She burst into tears when she raised Alicia above the water. She had finally found her daughter! Chapter 806 Chapter 806 Alicia had already swallowed a few mouthfuls of seawater. Her body was shivering from the extreme fear she was feeling. ¡°Don''t be afraid. Mom''s here to save you," Olivia tried to calm her down. Alicia was still just a child, after all. Not to mention, the situation on the ship was very chaotic. The pirate ship was also approaching and Tobias had already ordered his sailors to return fire. Alicia''s life was hanging by a thread. Scared out of her mind, she started to struggle. Olivia was already using every bit of her strength to keep Alicia above the water. But the struggling made it hard for her to keep it up and her stamina was quickly depleting. The waves were intense and Olivia herself had swallowed a few mouthfuls of seawater, but she was still trying her best to keep Alicia afloat. She was afraid that Alicia would choke on the water. Olivia felt like her strength was leaving her. As she felt her body get heavier and heavier, she cursed inwardly. She knew that if this kept up, both of them would be dead. At that moment, Olivia despised herself for having such a weak body. She couldn''t even save her own child. As she was holding Alicia and floating on the water, the rain mercilessly pelted her on the face. Olivia started to curse Fate for being so cruel. She also cursed her own weakness. She had finally found her daughter, but why did their reunion have to be like this? In a ce like this? Olivia''s optimism was slowly fading. She went from being determined to get back to safety to thinking it would be pointless. The pirates would already have their eyes on them anyway. They would be doomed either way. Olivia held Alicia tightly,pletely spent. She looked at Alicia tenderly under the flickering light of the fire from the ship. ¡°Baby. I''m so happy I got to see you. I''m sorry our time together was so short." she said. Olivia started to rx her body. Then, she nted a kiss on Alicia''s forehead. ¡°Baby, I love you more than you will ever know. Don''t be afraid. I''ll be with you, in life or in death." Olivia was prepared to die. Slowly, she sank into the ocean with Alicia in her arms. Suddenly, a man''s voice pierced through the noise. "Ms. Fordham!" The water was already up to her chin. Olivia raised her head and saw aman jumping straight into the ocean. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She could also make out two huge ships behind the pirate ship. They were military ships from Andia, no less. The same scenario reminded her of the time she was in the ocean with Ethan. Logan had alreadynded in the water and raised both of them out of the water while Olivia was still spaced out. ¡°Are you okay?" he asked. Olivia couldn''t really hear Logan''s voice over the cannon shots. But she cried tears of relief. They were saved. "You''re finally here." Olivia cked out and fell into Logan''s arms. Logan''s gaze fell on both their faces. This girl and the boy on the ship ... Realization struck him and a wave of joy swept over him. The pirates were quickly defeated with the help of the military. They were decimated before they even got the chance to board the cargo ship. Olivia didn''t stay unconscious for too long either. Her survival instincts quickly jolted her from her slumber. Logan''s drenched body was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. "Ms. Fordham, are you okay? You ..." he started. "The child, where is the little girl? Is she alive?" Olivia asked anxiously as she grabbed his arm. Chapter 807 Chapter 807 Logan had just gotten Olivia out of the water. He had a towel draped around him and hadn''t even changed out of his wet clothes yet. However, Olivia was already asking about Alicia. Her lips had turned blue from the cold and her face was very pale. ¡°Ms.Fordham. We''ve been saved. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. The little girl has been sent to one of the military ships. A doctor is performing some checks on her. You should get changed first, or you might catch a cold," Logan said. "No.I want to see her." Olivia frantically got out of bed and ran out of the room barefooted. The men she saw in the corridor were all wearing uniforms and armed. Olivia immediately felt intimidated. She finally realized that she wasn''t on the cargo ship anymore. She was on a military naval ship. Everyone''s gaze fell on her when she stepped out of her room. Olivia awkwardly froze in her tracks and didn''t know what to do under all the pressure and anxiety she was feeling. Although they simply looked at her without speaking up, she still felt uneasy. Logan came out after Olivia and said, "Don''t worry. I''ll take you to her." He noticed that Olivia was frozen in ce, so he tugged on her sleeve. "This way." Olivia lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong. She suddenly noticed that Logan seemed to feel at home amongst the military personnel. His back was straight, and his expression was calm. His strides were rhythmic and precise too. He brought Olivia to another room without much trouble. Meanwhile, Alicia was lying in bed, still unconscious. Olivia didn''t care about anything else anymore. She rushed toward her daughter. Looking at her tightly shut eyes, Olivia frantically asked a military doctor nearby, "How is she, doctor?" The doctor replied in a friendly tone, "Don''t worry, Ms.Fordham. She swallowed some seawater, but I''ve helped her expel it. But she''s still very young and was probably in shock. She''ll regain consciousness soon." Olivia sighed in relief and looked at Alicia quietly under the bright, white light. Compared to the blurry ultrasound she had seen before, Alicia''s features had be more defined. She also looked a lot like Ethan, as if they were made from the same mold. There was also another person she resembled¡ªshe looked like the young Leia in the pictures before she was disfigured. It was clear that she was a Miller. Zack was the one who resembled Olivia more. Olivia had the urge to hug Alicia and kiss her. She had been longing to see her for so long. Olivia reached out and felt Alicia''s soft cheeks. However, she quickly withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted. Olivia realized her own body temperature was low. She didn''t want Alicia to feel the chill. "Ms.Fordham, I''ve performed a detailed check on her. She''s fine, but both of you need to change into dry clothes immediately. Or else you might catch a cold. "We don''t have any children''s clothes on the ship, so we can only wrap her in adult clothes. Please bear with it for the moment. We''ll think of something else when we reach the shore," the doctor said. Olivia nodded. "Thank you, doctor. I''ll help her change." "Okay." The doctor handed her some clean male clothes. "By the way, I''ve asked someone to prepare some warm milk for you, Ms. Fordham. Don''t forget to drink it and warm yourself up." "Understood," Olivia replied. Suddenly, she abruptly looked at the doctor. "This is the first time we''ve met. How do you know my name?" Chapter 808 Chapter 808 Logan replied slowly, "I told him your name when we were rescued, Ms. Fordham." "Yes, it''s .. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Irving who told me. I''ll leave you alone for now," the doctor replied. For some reason, Olivia felt like the doctor was running away. He had left the room a little too urgently. "Ms. Fordham, you should get changed. I''ll bring you the warm milk," Logan said calmly. ¡°Alright." Olivia was alone in the room with Alicia. She carefully took off Alicia''s clothes. Alicia looked as tall as other kids her age and there were no signs of a premature birth. Her body was also pale and clean. There were only minor scratches on her hands. It was clear that Jack took good care of the children. Olivia wrapped Alicia in arge men''s shirt. Then, she changed out of her wet clothes herself. Olivia was given the same shirt as Alicia, which covered her up to her upper thigh. Then, she put on the men''s trousers. It was loose, but it was still better than nothing. After a few minutes, Logan knocked on the door. ¡°Come in," Olivia said with a nod. Logan then brought in some food. Besides the warm milk, he also brought some gran for nourishment. "Ms. Fordham, how are you feeling? Do you feel any difort?" he asked. Olivia had been immersed in the joy of being reunited with her daughter that she only just started to feel the chill. "I feel a little cold," she answered. "Cold?" Logan frowned. The room''s heater was on, and he felt warm even with just a shirt on. But Olivia felt cold? Logan realized she might have caught a cold, so he quickly handed Olivia the warm milk. "Drink some of this. It''ll warm you up." "Okay." Olivia finished the milk in a few gulps. Then, she noticed that Logan was still in his wet clothes. ¡°Why haven''t you changed out of those clothes yet? You''ll catch a cold," she said. "I''ve always been healthy, so I don''t get sick so easily. I''ll change when I have the time. I''m a man. This is nothing." ¡°What''s the situation right now?" Olivia started to think about her other child. "The battle between the military and the pirates is still ongoing. The situation is pretty rough right now. But you don''t have to worry. Tobias'' ship might have been hit, but no one was injured. They''ll be safe when the pirates are cleared out," Logan exined patiently. But Olivia still felt uneasy. The boy was still so young. She had jumped into the water in a hurry and left him alone. Surely, he was terrified. ¡°What''s wrong, Ms. Fordham? You seem quite worried. Tobias is an experienced seafarer. He knows how to handle these situations. The seas used to be much more dangerous than this." However, Olivia''s brows were still tightly knitted. Then, Logan''s gaze fell on the little girl. He asked, Why are you so concerned about her? Do you know her? Who is she?" "She''s my daughter." Olivia didn''t keep it from Logan because he would find out after Alicia regained consciousness anyway. Logan appeared surprised. "But you look so young. How would you have a daughter her age already? Where''s your husband? How could he leave you alone out here? Did he leave you and the kids because you got terminal cancer?" ¡°He ..." Olivia''s expression turned cold. "I don''t have a husband. He''s dead to me." ¡°You must hate him so much, right?" Olivia didn''t want to talk about it anymore. "Alright, I''ll be here with her. You should get changed." "Okay." Logan left the room quietly. Olivia wasn''t sure if she was seeing things, but she felt like Logan seemed dejected as he walked away. Meanwhile, Logan''s expression became icy right after closing the door. Then, he went to the bathroom on the second floor. He stood before the mirror and took out the colored contact lenses he wore to reveal his ck pupils. Chapter 809 Chapter 809 Chapter 809 Then, he took off the thin mask on his face. An exquisite face with defined features appeared in the mirror. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ethan''s face looked paler because it hadn''t been in the sun for months. His cor was slightly open and he looked like a vampire straight out of the medieval ages¡ªelegant and noble. He walked into the steaming hot shower and stood under the water. A ck liquid flowed from his body as the water rained down on him. When he came out of the shower, hismanding presence could no longer be concealed. Ethan then put on his mask, donned his military uniform, and went to themand room. Everyone cleared a path for him as he walked by. They also stood at attention and saluted him. "Sir." Ethan walked into themand room with brisk steps. Kelvin put on a serious expression and said, "Sir, the pirate ship has been sunk. Some of the pirates are trying to get away on life rafts." "Leave no survivors." "Yes, sir." ¡°How''s the cargo ship?" ¡°Brent boarded it with some men. Rest assured that he will guarantee everyone''s safety." Ethan was still thinking about the boy who was sitting beside the railing. He felt anxious and worried. But back then, he didn''t have any time to think about anything else. The only thing on his mind was to guarantee Olivia''s safety. A sense of joy and anxiety bubbled within him when he thought about how both his children were still alive. He had tried to probe Olivia just now, but she didn''t even want to mention his name. It was a sign that she still hated him immensely. She would never let him close to the children. After an intense battle, all of the pirates were either captured or shot and killed on the spot. None of them got away. Tobias thanked the stars for his luck. They would''ve been doomed otherwise. Keeping the cargo safe wasn''t even the most important thing. If the pirates boarded, most of the people on board would be ughtered. In his earlier days, Tobias had encountered pirates a few times while working on a ship. He had seen how cruel the pirates could be. He couldn''t even bear to recall what they had done. He was really lucky that the military naval ships were close by. Fortune really smiled on him. Ethan boarded the cargo ship with some men. He searched high and low, but there were no signs of the little boy. ¡°Where is he?" Brent asked while grabbing Tobias'' cor. ¡°Who are you talking about?" Tobias wiped away his tears. "A little boy around two years old." "You mean Zack? I told him to stay in my room," Tobias replied. But the room waspletely empty. Zack was long gone. Ethan suddenly remembered something and rushed to the storage room. The ropes he had tied Jack with were severed. He must have escaped with Zack when Ethan was trying to save Olivia and Alicia. "Sir, a life raft is missing. Someone must have left during the chaos." ¡°Damn it. Go after them. They couldn''t have gone far." Ethan had a stormy expression on his face. They were finally reunited as a family. He would not allow Jack to get away with his son. Olivia risked her life to return to Andia to look for her children. How would he be able to face her if one of them was gone? Everyone was busy that night. They were trying to clean up the mess made by the pirates. Ethan was all over the ce, too. The sun hadn''t even risen yet when Kelvin rushed to him and said, ¡°Bad news. Mrs. Miller has a high fever!" "What?" Ethan''s expression turned grave. He knew Olivia''s body was very weak. She had an extraordinarily low count of white blood cells. A fever could be life-threatening. Chapter 810 Chapter 810 When Ethan rushed back to the military naval ship, Olivia was already in a feverish daze. Her body was burning up, yet she murmured that she was cold. "Sir, I''ve already administered some medications for Ms. Fordham. But her circumstances are unique. It would be dangerous if this fever doesn''t go down soon," the doctor said nervously. Fortunately, the ship was well-stocked with medical supplies too. Ethan stayed by Olivia''s side, but he could only wait for her fever to subside by itself. The sky was still gray before dawn arrived. It was also misty outside, and the roaring of the sea could be heard clearly. Ethany down beside Olivia while fully dressed and gazed at her tenderly. They had been together every day for quite some time, but he had to pretend to be someone else. He didn''t even dare to look her in the eye. He even raised her suspicions a few times. It was a good thing that he was able to keep calm and avoid blowing his cover. He reached out to caress Olivia''s face. Her skin was still very soft, but it was burning up. Ethan felt boundless remorse whenever he saw the thinyer of hair on her head. He murmured, "Liv ..." It seemed like Olivia was dreaming. She frowned as she muttered inaudible words under her breath. Ethan carefully pulled her into his arms and patted her on the back tofort her. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here." Olivia was indeed having a nightmare. She had gone back to the year when both she and Everly traveled around the world. Both of them were youthful and spirited. They had promised themselves that they would see all the sights and taste all the delicious foods in the world. That night, the seas were turbulent, the winds were howling, and the rain was pouring. There was an ident on the cruise ship and they fell into the sea. Olivia cried for help desperately. At that moment, aman in an army uniform descended from the heavens and said in her ear, "Don''t be afraid. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. I''m here." His arms were strong and supple. They were wrapped around her waist tightly. Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck in fear and began to float on the waters with him. The man was aplete stranger, but she felt safe in his arMs. Olivia was a more innocent and shy person back then. She noticed that the man''s figure was muscr and built. It made her blush. Olivia wrapped her arms around Ethan''s waist. He knew she did it unconsciously, but it still lit a fire within him. He hadn''t seen any action since they had a falling out. The only time it happened was when he was feverish and barely conscious. Olivia''s actions reignited the desires that he hadn''t had for several years. Her body was pressed tightly against his and he could feel her curves very clearly. Olivia might have slimmed down a lot, but her bust size didn''t shrink by much. Her waist had slimmed down and her thighs were thinner. Her figure was still incredibly sexy. She was still murmuring unintelligibly next to his ear. Her breath ran across his skin, making his body temperature rise. He stared at the face that was right next to him. Olivia''s facial features were exquisite, to begin with. With her face slimmed down, she looked even more charming. Even if she had her eyes closed, she looked like a seductive angel. Ethan slowly pressed his lips against hers. It was as soft and tender as he remembered. However, he didn''t dare to make any sudden moves for fear of waking Olivia. Ethan was like a wanderer in the desert who finally found an oasis. He carefully relished in the precious moment. He looked at Olivia''s face closely. He wanted to remember her face forever. Chapter 811 Chapter 811 At that moment, someone knocked on the door. It was a very faint sound, but it brought Ethan back to his senses. He quickly moved away from Olivia. What was he doing? Why did he take advantage of Olivia while she was asleep? If Olivia woke up, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin his actions to her. Ethan quickly went to the door and said nervously, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Kelvin rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Was he seeing things? He thought he saw Ethan blush. ¡°About that¡­ The doctor asked me to bring these meds for Mrs. Miller¡¯s fever,¡± Kelvin said. ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan silently took the meds. Then, he asked, ¡°Has the person who escaped been caught yet?¡± ¡°The weather conditions at sea at night are too harsh. We can¡¯t send out the drones. So we haven¡¯t located him yet. Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s taking the young master with him. He couldn¡¯t possibly have gotten too far away.¡± ¡°Okay. Keep me posted.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ethan closed the door and went back to Olivia¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t show any signs of waking up. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He then ced a palm on her forehead and felt that the fever wasn¡¯ting down at all. Ethan looked at the meds with a troubled expression. How was he going to feed meds to an unconscious person? After giving it some thought, he felt that there was no better way. In the end, he grounded the meds up and fed them carefully into Olivia¡¯s mouth. Olivia¡¯s body reflexively resisted the insertion of foreign objects into her mouth, but she was eventually forced to swallow the meds. Ethan sighed in relief when he saw that she had swallowed them. He then tucked her in properly and quietly left the room. Given how their rtionship was right now, they weren¡¯t ready to meet yet. Then, Ethan went to another room to look at Alicia. Ethan was used to seeing Connor¡¯s face, but his features looked fine on a girl too. He caressed Alicia¡¯s cheeks lightly. They were soft and tiny. He didn¡¯t dare to press down too hard for fear of hurting her. She was so tiny and light as a feather. Gradually, Alicia¡¯sshes began to move. Her eyes opened before Ethan had the chance to leave. Alicia blinked as she looked at the handsome man before her. ¡°Mister,¡± she called out in her adorable voice. Ethan was sad to hear her call him that. She was his daughter after all. But he didn¡¯t dare to correct her. He couldn¡¯t risk Olivia discovering his true identity. Alicia was still too young to understand theplicated emotions in Ethan¡¯s eyes. His eyes were like the sea-deep and unfamiliar to her. Despite that, she reached out to try and hold his hand. Ethan pulled Alicia into his embrace and said in a deep and emotional voice, ¡°My child, we meet at last.¡± He had spent countless nights in agony. His heart would be in unbearable pain whenever he thought about the twins. He had bought so many clothes and toys for them. But in the end, he received the news of their deaths. His pain was no less than Olivia¡¯s. Now, they were finally reunited. Ethan carefully wrapped his arms around Alicia and his warm tears fell on her neck. Alicia raised her head in confusion. She met Ethan¡¯s gaze as she reached out and wiped his tears away. She tilted her head. ¡°Mister?¡± Alicia didn¡¯t understand why this strangely familiar man was crying like that. Chapter 812 Chapter 812 It was too hard for a child like Alicia to understand theplicated emotions of an adult. Her eyes were filled with confusion. Ethan was still very emotional. ¡°Dear child, you must have endured a lot of hardships, right?¡± he asked. Hardship? Alicia didn¡¯t know what that was. All she knew was that she was happy as long as she was with her brother and father. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Ethan asked as he quickly ordered some people to bring over some food. Alicia¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked at the food before her. However, her eyes dimmed as she was about to eat. ¡°Zack,¡± she said. Ethan patted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve sent people to look for your brother. You¡¯ll be able to see him. soon. For now, eat. Your brother will also get his share when we find him.¡± Ethan could tell Alicia was starving, but she didn¡¯t eat in a hurry. It was like she was born to be elegant. Alicia may have looked like him, but her actions carried her mother¡¯s elegance. The more Ethan looked at Alicia, the more he liked her. It was fine if she couldn¡¯t address him as her father for the time being. He was content as long as she was alive and he could stay by her side. After eating for a while, Alicia noticed the man with her wasn¡¯t eating. Being the good girl she was, Alicia pushed some food before Ethan and said, ¡°Here, mister. Eat.¡± It was a simple gesture, but it brought Ethan to tears. He hugged her again. ¡°Good girl.¡± Alicia thought he was being weird, but she didn¡¯t dislike him at all. She looked at his face carefully and felt he was very handsome. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Not only that, but he was very patient too. He would pick out all the bones in the fish and feed it to her. He also told her stories and reassured her that her brother would be with her soon. He even gave her some candy Alicia liked this man a lot. It was dawn. The sea had gradually calmed down. The rain stopped too, and the sky cleared. Olivia¡¯s fever was on and off. Sometimes it would get better. Other times, she would be burning up. This went on for several days. When the ship finally docked at an ind, Olivia finally regained consciousness aftering out of the terrible conditions on the ship. She opened her eyes to the piercing sunlight outside the window. She covered her eyes with her hand. She had just woken up. In the past few days, she had been surviving on IV drips. Olivia felt dazed, and her head was heavy. Then, a man¡¯s voice said, ¡°Ms. Fordham, how are you feeling?¡± Olivia blinked a few times before she came to her senses. ¡°¡­¡± She got up slowly while holding her head. Ethan quickly adjusted her pillows to help her sit up properly. ¡°We¡¯re on an ind right now. A few days ago, you got a fever after you got out of the ocean. Itsted for a few days. How are you feeling now?¡± ¡°My head hurts, and I¡¯m thirsty,¡± Olivia said hoarsely. As soon as she said that, Ethan held a ss of water beside her lips. ¡°Drink this.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have the chance to ask about her children. Rather, she instinctively started gulping down the water. She was drinking too quickly and some of the water dripped from the corner of her lips. ¡°Slow down. Don¡¯t drink too fast.¡± Ethan reached out and wiped the water from the corner of her lips. The moment his fingers touched her skin, Olivia looked at him cautiously. Ethan suddenly realized what his current identity was. Then, he nonchntly changed the subject. ¡°You just woke up, so you can only eat liquid foods for the time being. There¡¯s no need to rush. I¡¯ve already prepared some.¡± Olivia felt more rxed after she drank the water. ¡°My children, where are they?¡± she asked. Ethan¡¯s expression turned grave. ¡°Alicia is here, but someone took Zack. We don¡¯t know where he is yet ¡­¡± Chapter 813 Chapter 813 Olivia instantly became anxious. She grabbed Ethan¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°What did you say? He was taken? Where was he taken to?¡± ¡°Calm down, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯ll tell you what happened.¡± Ethan then took out the surveince footage and showed it to her. ¡°Look here. This was the man who took Zack. But from the looks of it, he willingly went with the man. I think he knows the man.¡± Olivia calmed down after she heard that. She looked at the video repeatedly. The video might be fuzzy, but it did show that Zack willingly went with the man. The man who took him was none other than Jack. Olivia rxed a little when she realized that Jack was the one who took Zack. After all, the situation on the ship had been very chaotic. Jack didn¡¯t even know she was on board. If he had jumped into the sea to save Alicia, she would have lost both of her children. Olivia was also sure Jack saw someone jump into the ocean to save Alicia. He had snuck onto the ship to begin with. Things would be bad if he were discovered, so his only option was to leave Alicia on the ship and escape with Zack. Olivia didn¡¯t know what to feel. She had just found her children, but one was separated from her again. ¡°The ¡­ The ¡­¡± Ethan added, ¡°The girl¡¯s name is Alicia.¡± ¡°Alicia,¡± Olivia muttered under her breath. She had thought about a lot of names. But she never did decide on the names of the children. She didn¡¯t expect Jack to give them such pretty names. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the next room. I¡¯ll bring you to her,¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia frantically got off the bed, forgetting that her body was still weak. She fell over as soon as her legs touched the floor. But fortunately, Ethan reacted quickly and caught her. Olivia couldn¡¯t control her momentum, so she fell into his arms. Olivia was dizzy. She tried to get up, but was too weak to do so. ¡°Ms. Fordham, the doctor said you need rest. Why don¡¯t I carry you?¡± ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± Olivia wanted to see her daughter as soon as possible, so she didn¡¯t refuse. It was the first time in several months Olivia was in such close contact with a man while she was conscious. Even though it was Logan, whom she trusted, she still felt uneasy. Logan might have tanned skin, but a faint smell of shampoo came from him. It was lemon-vored, a refreshing scent While she was being carried in his arms, Olivia could feel that Logan was very well-built despite his slim look. She didn¡¯t dare to move at all. Ethan was the only man she had ever been with. So being in the embrace of another man made her uneasy. Ethan was also very careful when he was carrying her. He was afraid that she might find out about his true identity. After they left the room, Olivia saw Alicia ying in the pool. She was wearing a pink swimming suit with wings on the back. There was a bright smile on her face. An innocent smile like that could make anyone feel better just by looking at it. Olivia had no words to describe how happy she felt when she saw Alicia standing there unscathed and smiling at strangers. The scenery on the ind was beautiful. It looked a little like the ind that Ethan designed for Olivia. Blue skies, white clouds, coconut trees, and a forest. Music yed as some workers blew bubbles near Alicia with bubble machines. Sheughed happily. Herughter, pure and innocent. Then, Alicia turned around and saw Oliva. She ran toward Olivia happily. ¡°Mom!¡± Ethan set Olivia down. Then, Alicia jumped into Olivia¡¯s arms as soon as she was on the floor. Chapter 814 Chapter 814 Blood ties were inseverable. Even if Alicia had never seen Olivia before, she recognized her mother immediately. In the pictures Jack showed her, Olivia had a warm smile, and she had hair. Olivia was also slim and frail at the moment, but Alicia could tell she was her mother. Olivia¡¯s reaction was simr to Ethan¡¯s. She hugged Alicia tightly and couldn¡¯t stop crying tears of joy from the reunion. With Alicia in her arms, Olivia recalled all the struggles she had gone through on the day she was born. She thought she would never see her children again.. But her baby had grown into a fine youngdy. How could she not be moved to tears? Alicia was puzzled. The handsome man had just hugged her and cried a few days ago. Why was her mother crying too? She didn¡¯t understand. Alicia wiped Olivia¡¯s tears away gently and even blew on her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, she said. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. In the past, Jack would blow on her wounds whenever she was hurt. Then she¡¯d stop crying. Olivia raised her hands to wipe her tears away. She then gently cupped Alicia¡¯s face. She took a good look at the girl¡¯s pretty little face. She looked a lot like Ethan, but Olivia still loved her to bits. ¡°Your name is Alicia, right?¡± Alicia nodded and replied, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Alicia.¡± Olivia¡¯s tears started flowing again. She crouched on the floor and caressed Alicia¡¯s face with trembling fingers. She murmured, ¡°It¡¯s a good name. A very pretty name.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t understand why Olivia would cry over her name. She reached out and touched Olivia¡¯s head. ¡°Head.¡± Olivia wiped her tears frantically and said, ¡°I was sick, so my hair fell off. It¡¯ll grow back.¡± She lifted Alicia into her arms and said, ¡°Let¡¯s stay together forever, okay?¡± ¡°Zack.¡± Alicia reminded Olivia. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll definitely find Zack. We¡¯ll all be together again.¡± Alicia smiled when she heard that. Then, she thought about Ethan, who also promised to find Zack for her. She muttered, ¡°Mister¡­¡± ¡°Mister? Who is that?¡± Olivia asked. Alicia couldn¡¯t really describe Ethan. She didn¡¯t know his name. She only knew him as ¡°mister¡±. han slowly walked up to them. ¡°You¡¯ve just regained consciousness, Ms. Fordham. You need to be looked at by a doctor. You should eat something. The staff will look after Ms. Alicia here. It¡¯s safe here on the ind.¡± Olivia finally realized her surroundings were different. ¡°Where are we? Where¡¯s Tobias?¡± ¡°We were lucky that we happened toe across the navy. They captured the pirates. Tobias¡¯ ship was under attack, but the good thing is that he didn¡¯t lose any of his cargo.. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for the past few days. Tobias couldn¡¯t really take you with him since his ship wasn¡¯t in the best shape. The navy brought us to the nearest ind to rest up. ¡°We¡¯re in Andia territory now. There won¡¯t be any more pirates,¡± Ethan exined. ¡°How long was I out for?¡± ¡°On and off for a few days. That¡¯s why your body¡¯s so weak. Ms. Alicia recovered quicker than you. She only swallowed some seawater. I¡¯ve observed her closely for the past few days. There aren¡¯t any more issues.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m so thankful you¡¯re here. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯m fullypensated by Mr. Rogers. Besides, we¡¯ve been together for a few months. I think we can be considered friends. It¡¯s only natural that I help a friend out.¡± ¡°Friend? I don¡¯t need friends,¡± Olivia said coldly as she thought about Mona. Chapter 815 Chapter 815 Olivia tightened her arms around Alicia when she thought about how she brought misfortune to the people around her. Now that she had finally found her child, she swore to protect her no matter the cost. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Olivia was relieved to know that both her children were still alive. The next thing she needed to do was nurse herself back to health. Then, she would try to uncover the truth in secret. As long as the people after her weren¡¯t found, she had to live her life on the run. If she ever got discovered, her children would be in danger too. She wasn¡¯t the one in the wrong. Why was she the one forced into hiding? She was an innocent woman. Why should she hide her children away their whole lives? Why were they forced to live like sewer rats? The mastermind behind it all was to me. They caused her marriage to fall apart, destroyed her family, and separated her from her children. They were the reason Olivia lost everything. Olivia would never forget witnessing Mona¡¯s death before her eyes. She vowed to find the mastermind. and make them experience the pain she felt a hundred times over. But Ethan didn¡¯t have much of a reaction. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve overstepped.¡± He apologized. Olivia regained herposure. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s mine.¡± She didn¡¯t want to exin further. The less contact they had, the less sorrowful it would be when they went their separate ways. Family was the only thing she couldn¡¯t leave behind. Then, Olivia asked Alicia softly, ¡°Do you want to eat with me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Alicia answered without any hesitation. Olivia reached out and Alicia obediently ced her hand in Olivia¡¯s palm. For an instant, Olivia felt like she was dreaming. She held Alicia¡¯s hand carefully. It was so small and soft that she dared not grab her hand too hard. She finally found her daughter after so long. Olivia walked very slowly Ethan came up to her and said, ¡®Ms. Fordham, why don¡¯t I give you a hand? I don¡¯t want to risk you falling.¡± Olivia was still dizzy, so she didn¡¯t refuse. Thanks.¡± ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯ Ethan held her arm and acted like a makeshift walking stick. Olivia¡¯s attention waspletely focused on Alicia. She didn¡¯t notice the look Ethan had when he looked at her. She was looking at her child, but Ethan was looking at the both of them. Although Ethan couldn¡¯t reveal his true identity, they were still reunited as a family at the moment. Alicia raised her head and saw Olivia¡¯s calm face. She also noticed Ethan¡¯s tender and loving gaze. She rubbed her eyes. Was she seeing things? Why did this man look like the handsome man? The ind had plenty of supplies. Other than the meals, there were also cakes and fruits. Olivia was puzzled. Why were there so many fresh fruits on the ind? ¡°Is this a very prosperous ce?¡± she asked. Ethan exined. This isn¡¯t really a tourist spot. Not many people know about it. Some experienced tourists wille here every year. ¡°Although this ind isn¡¯t asmercialized as other ces, it¡¯s still being developed slowly. We might soon see some tourist spots here.¡± Then, Olivia asked about the ind¡¯s geographical location and coordinates It was no wonder she thought the ind looked familiar. It was very close to where Ethan¡¯s private ind was. Unbeknownst to her, a lot of the food was transported over here from Ethan¡¯s ind. ¡°Ms. Fordham, if you¡¯re not in a rush to get back to Aldenvine, I think you should stay here for a little longer to rest. You¡¯re still too frail.¡± Chapter 816 Chapter 816 Olivia frowned. She was still worried about Zack. Although Jack was with him, they had left in a rush. Not to mention, it had been raining. Were they okay? But Olivia knew that worrying didn¡¯t help. As things were, she couldn¡¯t contact Jack in the foreseeable future even if she went back to Andia. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll wait for a little longer then.¡± She agreed. Alicia was with her, so Jack would definitely reach out to her. But the most important thing she needed to do now was to nurse herself back to health. Alicia was a very well-behaved child. She neverined and wasn¡¯t a picky eater. She had no bad habits that were typically seen in children her age. Olivia was happy every day she was with Alicia, but she also felt sad for her. The reason why a child would be so well-behaved was because she had been through a lot of hardships. Why else would a child be so obedient? Children who have been through a lot are usually the obedient ones. Olivia wasn¡¯t ming Jack. She was very grateful that Jack saved her children and raised them by himself. She just felt bad for the children because of what they had been through. They were separated from their parents at such a young age. She swore to try her best and take care of them in the future. ¡°Mom.¡± Alicia noticed that Olivia had spaced out, so she waved her hand at her. Olivia snapped back to her senses and said, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m here.¡± She reached out and patted Alicia on the head. With a loving smile, she asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Alicia observed Olivia¡¯s expression first, as if she was checking if Olivia was hungry too. She didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for Olivia. ¡°Baby, if you want to eat, just let me know. You don¡¯t have to concern yourself with anything else. Tell me if you¡¯re hungry, thirsty, cold, or hot. You¡¯re not alone anymore. You have me.¡± Alicia blinked like she didn¡¯t understand what Olivia was saying. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, you can cry if you want to, and make a fuss if you want to. That¡¯s what children are ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia said gently. ¡°You can tell me what you want to eat.¡± ¡°Sandwich, cake, and apple pie.¡± This was the first time Alicia had ever asked her for anything. Olivia was pleasantly surprised. She reached out and tapped Alicia on the nose. ¡°Good girl, I¡¯ll make them for you, okay?¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom!¡± Alicia finally disyed the innocence and liveliness a child her age should have. ¡°Go y with Uncle Logan for a bit. I¡¯ll go make the food for you.¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Alicia had gotten close with Logan after a few days. She also didn¡¯t know why she liked him so much. ¡°Uncle Logan.¡± Alicia smiled as she quickly ran toward Logan. Ethan promptly crouched and spread his arms to catch Alicia in his embrace. ¡°Slow down. You might trip,¡± Logan said lovingly. ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia made the food and ced them on a table that was outside. She saw Alicia riding on Ethan¡¯s shoulder and shouting delightfully, ¡°Go faster, horsey!¡± Ethan held her hands firmly and allowed her to have her fun. The sea was blue, and the wind was blowing gently. It was a truly beautiful sight. It made Olivia a little emotional. She could¡¯ve given the children aplete family if she hadn¡¯t gone through all those incidents with Ethan. But what was done couldn¡¯t be undone. The children were destined to be without a father. Chapter 817 Chapter 817 Olivia¡¯s thoughts drifted far away. Her mother left her at a young age and she grew up in a single-parent family. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Her father had been nothing but good to her. He gave her the best life and education he could. He taught her how to be generous, kind, and cheerful. But there were a lot of things that Jeff couldn¡¯t make up for, like the family sports days at school. There were a lot of activities that required both parents toplete together. Ever since Olivia was young, she has been envious of other people who had their mothers to hold their hands, cook them meals, and pick out their clothes. She always envied other people who had their mothers, no matter how outstanding she already was. Olivia swore she would take good care of her children when she had them. She would give them all the love she could and never let them grow up in a single-parent family. Then, she fell in love with Ethan at first sight. Initially, the feeling was mutual. Olivia felt like he was a man she could spend the rest of her life with. That¡¯s why she married him at such a young age. But in the end, she couldn¡¯t keep her word. She couldn¡¯t give her children aplete family. ¡°Mom!¡± Alicia saw Olivia and waved at her excitedly. ¡°Come and have breakfast, dear,¡± Olivia said. Ethan gazed at Olivia. She didn¡¯t have her long hair anymore, but she had the gentle expression on her face that she used to have when she saw him off. He had yearned for that smile for a long time. ¡°I¡¯m still weak, so I can¡¯t makeplicated dishes. I just made some simple food. But I¡¯ll cook better food for you when I get better,¡± Olivia said. Alicia smiled at her. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡± Alicia wasn¡¯t a picky eater. She would be happy no matter what Olivia made for her. Olivia picked up a te of food and handed it to Ethan. ¡°This is for you. Thank you for entertaining her Ethan was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect Olivia to prepare his share too. He scratched his head and said shyly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just doing my job. Thanks, Ms. Fordham.¡± Ethan hadn¡¯t eaten Olivia¡¯s cooking for a long time, so he took his time to savor every bite. He thought about the time when they were newly married. Olivia would get up early to prepare the clothes he needed for the day. Then, she would go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She would also adjust his tie and tell him toe home early with a smile. If he had known those days wouldn¡¯tst, he would have cherished every moment with her. Maybe then things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. He could only stay by her side, cautiously pretending to be another person. He couldn¡¯t even tell his child who he was. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the sandwich not to your liking?¡± Olivia asked when she saw his serious expression. Ethan¡¯s eyes were slightly reddened. Olivia knew Logan to be a tough guy. Was her food poisoned? ¡°No, no. Your cooking is great, Ms. Fordham. It just reminded me of the food a person very important to me used to make. She used to cook for me every day, but I didn¡¯t cherish that. Olivia thought about his past and saidpassionately, ¡°I understand that feeling.¡± Did Olivia see through him? Ethan began to scoff the food down. Then, Olivia sighed and said, ¡°You must be missing your mother, right?¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know what to say. Olivia patted him on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to hold back next time. Just eat with us. Alicia likes you. I¡¯m also thankful to you. If my food reminds you of your home, you can treat it like your mother¡¯s cooking.¡± Ethan was rendered speechless. Chapter 818 Chapter 818 They ended up staying on the ind for over a month. Life there was simple yet fulfilling. Olivia¡¯s health visibly improved too. Although the tumor in her body was still there, she was more hopeful for the future. Her rtionship with Ethan also improved greatly after spending so much time together. She didn¡¯t have much energy, so Alicia would y with Ethan most of the time. It was unavoidable for the three of them to have some close contact. Like when Alicia wanted to y at the water park, Olivia couldn¡¯t refuse, so she agreed. Olivia had sat by the pool and did not intend to enter the water. Alicia could only look at Ethan. ¡°Come y with me, Uncle Logan,¡± she said. Ethan had been staying away from the water when he was disguised as Logan. He had applied a unique sap on his body that could temporarily change his skin tone without damaging his skin. But the only side effect was that the sap couldn¡¯te into contact with too much water. Otherwise, the color would fade. Olivia hadn¡¯t seen through his disguise because of his skin tone. But the other reason was that he had also slimmed down a lot due to grief when Olivia faked her death. Olivia had lived with him for years. Her impression of him remained rooted in his former physique He only had to alter his habits, figure, skin tone, ent and looks to keep her in the dark. Olivia was very familiar with the scars on his body too. If they got revealed in the water, Olivia might be able to guess his true identity. Ethan stood far away as he watched the interactions between Alicia and Olivia. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Alicia knew Olivia was sick, so she couldn¡¯t y to her heart¡¯s content. Even Olivia looked at Ethan and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you y with her for a bit?¡± Ethan pretended to look at his watch. ¡°I ordered some fruits this morning. They should be here soon III go take a look Olivia was surprised Logan never turned down any of her requests before. This was the first time. She thought about it and realized he had never gone near the water other than when he jumped into the sea to save her. Was he afraid of the water? Olivia understood that everyone had their own weaknesses, so she didn¡¯t probe further. She continued to y with Alicia by the pool. Alicia was a little disappointed but quickly immersed herself in ying with Olivia. Alicia yed for a little while, then, she picked a flower and ced it on Olivia¡¯s ear. ¡°Mom, pretty,¡± Alicia said sincerely. After over a month, a denseyer of short hair had grown on Olivia¡¯s head. Although it was still far from the flowing long hair she had before, she was no longerpletely bald. Olivia smiled and weaved a flower wreath for Alicia. When she met Alicia¡¯s expectant gaze, she thought. about Connor. He had put a wreath on her some time ago. ¡°Mom? Alicia looked at Olivia in confusion. Olivia came back to her senses and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll put it on you.¡± Ethan¡¯s words about Connor being her son lingered in her mind. She shook her head. How could he be her son? She was sure Ethan said that because she was on her deathbed. Olivia dispelled the thought and ced the wreath on Alicia. Alicia hopped around the pool happily, but she suddenly slipped and fell into the deeper end. Olivia saw that and quickly jumped in. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Alicia. I¡¯ll save you.¡± Something unexpected urred as she grabbed Alicia and was about to get out of the pool-her leg cramped. Olivia had been resting most of the time and hadn¡¯t been exercising recently. So the sudden contact with the cold water made her leg cramp. An intense difort came from her leg. Olivia suddenly felt helpless, like the time she fell into the sea while pregnant. Alicia Suddenly, a silhouette jumped into the water. Chapter 819 Chapter 819 Olivia thought they were done for. It was a private pool, after all. There were no trainers or lifeguards. No one was there to save them in the cze of an ident. Ethan had suddenlye from nowhere. He lifted Alicia up with one hand and grabbed Olivia¡¯s waist with the other. He then ced Alicia by the pool and turned to look at Olivia. ¡°Are you okay, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°Leg my leg cramped. Let me catch my breath.¡± ¡°Okay. You can hold on to me.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t have the luxury to care about being too close to a man. She wrapped her arms around Ethan¡¯s neck and waited for the cramp to pass. Ethan wasn¡¯t in a rush either. After he made sure Alicia was fine, he stood by quietly and waited. After around ten seconds, Olivia¡¯s leg stopped cramping. She sighed in relief and came back to her senses. Then, she realized that her Ledy was pressed against. Ethan. She had subconsciously got closer to him while her leg was cramping. The worse thing was that they were facing each other. Her chest was pressed against his. And while she was struggling with the cramp, she identally exposed her cleavage. Ethan was afraid that she might slip, so he had one hand wrapped around her waist and the other holding the railing. Olivia could feel the warmth of his body through the contact. Anyone would think that they were very intimate based on the position they were in. Olivia felt like it was inappropriate, so she promptly let go of him. She forgot that she was in the water and she sank Luckily, the water wasn¡¯t too deep, so Ethan could grab her by the waist and bring her above the surface. Olivia was fully aware of her situation. She didn¡¯t struggle anymore as she pressed herself against Ethan¡¯s body. The most important thing was to get out of danger Ethan was only wearing a thin, long-sleeved shirt. Olivia had Inadvertently touched his tight and firm waist and abdomen when she wrapped her arm around him. Thest time he saved her from the sea, she felt he had a good figure. But this time, they were in closer contact, and she could clearly feel that his body was extremely well-built. Olivia felt shy, but she didn¡¯t dare to let go. She could only walt as Ethan carried her out of the pool. Her cheeks werepletely flushed. Ethan said, ¡°Don¡¯t let go. I¡¯ll bring you back.¡± Olivia kept her head lowered. She didn¡¯t know if her ears were ying tricks on her, but she felt like his voice had be deeper. She kept her head buried in his chest and didn¡¯t look at his face. She was very embarrassed. Alicia, the culprit that caused everything to happen, was the most innocent. She followed behind Ethan. until they were back in the room. He set Olivia down gently and said, ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t fall over.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia¡¯s head was still lowered. She looked at the water dripping from his clothes and asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m very clumsy?¡± Ethan almost broke intoughter. It was the first time he saw such a cute side to Olivia in such a long time. ¡®Not at all. I know you didn¡¯t mean for that to happen. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re yet to recover. You should get changed so you don¡¯t catch a cold. I¡¯ll be going back to my room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia quickly closed her door and shook her head to dispel the thought of what happened out of her mind. Ethan also rushed back into his room. He looked at his shirt. It was a little stained. Then, he removed his contact lenses, undressed, and walked into the shower. His mind was filled with images of what happened at the pool while he was taking the hot shower. He felt a lump in his throat, and his body tensed. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. He murmured, ¡°Liv.¡± Chapter 820 Chapter 820 Olivia calmed down after she washed up. She thought about how she had already been divorced from Ethan. It would be okay even if she married another man. Some Intimate contact was nothing. Was she supposed to be a widow for life because of Ethan? Olivia held Alicia¡¯s hand as they were about to leave the room. Suddenly, Alicia stopped in her tracks and pointed at some greenish-purple liquid on the floor. ¡°Mom, look. Olivia lowered her head to look. What was that? It looked like mulberry juice, but they didn¡¯t eat any mulberries that day. The cleaner came to clean up the room in the morning too. Why would there be such a significant stain on the door? Olivia opened the door and realized the floor had been mopped. However, it was still wet. The staff reminded them to be careful because the floor was wet. Olivia asked in confusion, ¡°I thought you cleaned in the mornings and evenings. Why did you clean in the afternoon today?¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s because a server tripped and dropped food everywhere, so we cleaned the ce up.¡± ¡°Alright. Thanks for letting me know.¡± Olivia thought to herself that it was just a few drops of juice, probably identally spilled by someone else. Ethan didn¡¯t reappear for the rest of the day. Olivia didn¡¯t go looking for him either. But Alicia was clearly uneasy when the two of them were looking at the sunset by the beach. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Alicia looked at the sunset and said, ¡°I miss Zack.¡± They had been together since they were born. They were the same age, but Zack would always take care of her. When they were on the run with Jack, they would sometimes not have any food, so Jack would hunt rabbits or fish. They would always give her the most tender parts of the meat. When they were in cities, they let her take the first bite of everything they bought. They were twins, and they were meant to be together. She was very happy when she was with Olivia, but she never forgot about Zack, not even for a second. Olivia hugged her tightly. She missed Zack too. The days on the ind were safe and reassuring, but Olivia was also thinking about Zack. They met very briefly and were separated quickly on the same night. He didn¡¯t even have the chance to call her ¡°Mom¡±. Jack¡¯s phone number was no longer in use, and Olivia faked her death overseas. So Jack didn¡¯t know she was still alive. If she attracted too much attention, she would risk being discovered by Ethan. He would take her and Alicia away, and they would lose their freedom. There was only one way for her to find Jack-it was on the ind where they first met and the people on the ind. Maybe someone on the ind was still in contact with him. She could find him through a third party. She needed to let him know she was alive, at least. She had no choice but to go back to Andia. She had to go even if Ethan might find her. The following day, Logan, who had been gone for the entire day, appeared again. He was respectful and distant, just like before, as if nothing had happened the previous day. ¡°Ms. Fordham.¡± Alicia was excited to see him. She held his hand and called out, ¡°Uncle Logan.¡± Olivia would make his portion for breakfast whenever she made some food so he could experience the feeling of being at home. ¡°Sit down and eat.¡± Thanks, Ms. Fordham.¡± He then looked at Olivia and said, ¡°You looked troubled, Ms. Fordham. You can tell me what¡¯s on your mind. Maybe I can help.¡± Chapter 821 Chapter 821 Olivia counted the days. Logan had been with her for around half a year. They went from being distant to him bing a full-time nanny for her child. He helped care for Alicia without anyints and she had long since dropped her guard with him. ¡°I¡­¡± But Olivia was reluctant to tell him. The story was too long, and she didn¡¯t know where to start. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m very tight-lipped. I¡¯ll never tell anyone else.¡± Olivia nced at Alicia and said, ¡°Maybeter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t in a rush. He waited for around half a year for her to open up. He didn¡¯t mind waiting for a while longer. He sat by the flowerbeds and waited for her while Alicia was taking her nap. When Olivia walked over, he stood up. ¡°Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°No need to stand. Let¡¯s sit and talk.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ethan had prepared a ss of juice for her. They sat under a parasol as the sea breeze blew toward them gently. Olivia took a sip. It was fresh lemonade. The taste was refreshing with a sour tinge. ¡°Are you willing to hear a story?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Olivia set the ss down and gazed at the ocean. ¡°The story starts from that one ident at sea¡­ This was the first time Ethan heard about their story from Olivia¡¯s perspective. He never knew she fell for him the moment he rescued her. She didn¡¯t mention all the reprehensible things he did to her over the years. She only glossed over them. Ethan fell into a deep silence after she finished talking. He had experienced the same things as her, but hearing her recounting the events felt like he was putting salt on her wounds. He had the urge to p himself. ¡°I¡¯m already divorced, but he is a very obsessive man. He will never give up on whatever he decides on. If he knew where I was, he would definitely take me and my child prisoner.¡± Olivia used a very harsh word-prisoner. Ethan collected his thoughts before speaking. He said, ¡°Judging from what you said, your ex-husband must have loved you a lot. Maybe he just wants to protect you and your child and doesn¡¯t n to hurt you. ¡°Besides, they¡¯re his children too. He might be overjoyed if he knew they were still alive. Have you ever thought about getting back with him?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Olivia turned down that notion without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll never go back to him, not for the rest of my life. Love was not an excuse for him to hurt me. I won¡¯t deny that he might¡¯ve loved me a lot. But he hurt me repeatedly under the guise of love. His actions hurt me too deeply.¡± Intense hatred appeared in Olivia¡¯s eyes when she said that. ¡°If not for him, my adoptive father would still be alive. I would still have a home. My son would still be alive.¡± Olivia raised her hand. ¡°He didn¡¯t just hurt me emotionally. This is proof of the physical harm he caused No matter how many evil deeds his sistermitted, despite her multiple attempts on my life, he still sided with her and shot me without hesitation. ¡°If I forgave him, I would be doing myself a disservice. All the suffering I had been through, the blood I shed, and the pain I felt would have been for nothing.¡± Even if her hand had recovered, it would never return to how it was, at least not in the foreseeable future. The scar was also forever carved on her skin and on her heart. ¡°I hate him with every fiber of my being. I despise him. I would never live with that monster, even if it were for the children¡¯s sake.¡± Chapter 822 Chapter 822 Olivia¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but her words were deafening. Ethan didn¡¯t have a response to them. It was true. He had hurt her so deeply. Why would she evere back to him? He was being delusional. A hint of uneasiness shed on Olivia¡¯s face when she noticed Ethan had fallen silent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost myposure for a bit.¡± ¡°No, I think a man like your ex-husband could die a hundred times over, and it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to make up for the pain you felt.¡± ¡°I just hope that I don¡¯t meet him ever again,¡± Olivia replied. Ethanposed himself and said, ¡°I understand now. We have to sneak into Aldenvine without him noticing, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why I tried to sneak onto Tobias¡¯ ship. It was unfortunate that we encountered pirates. We have to find another way now that the cargo ship is no longer an option. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham. Leave it to me.¡± Olivia had only wanted him to helpe up with an idea. She looked at him in surprise. ¡°Can you really pull it off?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to so many countries over the years. I have a few underhanded tricks up my sleeve.¡± Ethan looked at her with a straight face and said, ¡°You can always trust me, Ms. Fordham.¡± Their eyes met and Olivia could see the sincerity in his gaze. Ethan wore contact lenses that covered up his eye¡¯s original color. They looked yellowish to her. For some reason, she had a weird feeling in her chest. Ethan suddenly kneeled on one knee. He raised her hand. There was no levity in his actions, only solemnity and respect. He was like a medieval knight. ¡°I will never betray you.¡± It was like a promise that surpassed their rtionship as employer and employee. Olivia was stunned. Her mind nked out. She didn¡¯t expect Logan to do something like this. What did he mean by that? But before she could think further about it, Ethan had already gotten up. ¡°I¡¯ll go make arrangements now. You may need to wait a few days, Ms. Fordham.¡± Olivia nodded absent-mindedly. The hand he touched and her face were both flushed. He was confessing, right? Probably not. In the past, Olivia would be very confident. She had plenty of men pursuing her. But Logan met her when she was terminally ill and extremely frail. She figured no sane person would fall for such a sickly woman. She even went back to her room and looked into the mirror. In the mirror, she saw the short hair on her head, shorter than potted nts. Although her features were fine, her reflection still looked weird to her. He probably¡­ meant what he said. She shouldn¡¯t think too much into it. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. As she was thinking about it anxiously, Ethan returned to normal and dispelled her concerns. She knew he wasn¡¯t really into her. If he did have feelings for her, things would get awkward for them. Logan kept the usual distance from her and looked at her calmly. There would only be shes of tenderness in his gaze when he was looking at Alicia. ¡°Ms. Fordham, we can leave in three days.¡± Olivia was overjoyed. ¡°You really found a way?¡± ¡°Yeah. I contacted some of my old friends. We can go near Aldenvine on a ck ship.¡± ¡°ck ship?¡± Olivia was confused. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a ship that isn¡¯t entirely legal. There will be a lot of illegal transactions on the ship. They would sail to the international waters for the transaction. Then, they¡¯ll return after a while. ¡°We just need to be on it until we¡¯re near Aldenvine. These ships have powerful backers and can evade investigations.¡± Chapter 823 Chapter 823 This route was more befitting of Logan¡¯s character. It wouldn¡¯t rouse Olivia¡¯s suspicions. ¡°A shady ship? Is it safe?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed my friend beforehand. As long as we stay in the room and avoid messing with anyone else, we¡¯ll be fine. We won¡¯t participate in any activities on the ship. We¡¯re just hitching a ride.¡± In her subconscious mind, Olivia wasn¡¯t quite willing to get on a ship like that. She feared that it would be dangerous, but this was one of the very few ways for her to go back. ¡°Alright¡± She agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯ll protect you guys.¡± Olivia nodded, putting more trust in him now. After spending thest three days on the ind, Ethan prepared a wig and a mask for Olivia. ¡°Ms. Fordham, most of the passengers on the ship aren¡¯t good people. Ordinary people like us might raise suspicion, so we have to pretend to be a married couple. ¡°As for Ms. Alicia, she¡¯ll have to put up with it.¡± Ethan paused for a moment. ¡°Normal children wouldn¡¯t appear on ships like that unless they¡¯re¡­ goods.¡± Olivia frowned deeply. She could also make some guesses. In shadowy corners where the sunlight couldn¡¯t reach, filth and darkness prevailed ¡°Make arrangements as you see fit,¡± she said. On the day of their departure, they took a yacht and boarded a huge and luxurious cruise ship. Alicia hid in the suitcase, all curled up. As for Olivia, the long wig she was wearing fluttered in the wind. She and Ethan were wearing high-end clothes and they both wore masks. They encountered a few passengers on their way. Under the masks, their eyes swept across Olivia as if they were appraising goods. The masks could hide their faces, but their human nature was in full view. Of course, Olivia didn¡¯t like those gazes. She was about to re back at them when a strong arm appeared on her waist, pulling her in a certain direction. She rammed into Ethan¡¯s firm chest. Lowering his voice, Ethan spoke in her ear, ¡°Excuse me.¡± Olivia knew that he wasing to her rescue. He was using this method to tell the others that Olivia was already taken. This was the simplest and most direct method. The other people averted their gazes as if they had lost interest. Still, some shameless passengers took the initiative to scoot closer. Sweeping his leery gaze across Olivia, a man said, ¡°Sir, are you interested in joining us? We have a multiyer session tonight. Even though his voice was small, it still reached Olivia¡¯s ears. ¡°It¡¯s a trading game.¡± He added. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. When he spoke those words, Olivia felt herself getting worked up. Before they boarded the ship, Ethan had already told her that there were various kinds of people there. She had just arrived, but she had already received such shocking treatment. The man had just finished speaking when Ethan whipped his head around to re at the man. His gaze was extremely cold. ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Tch, just say you¡¯re not joining. What are you so mad for?¡± It was a short route, but Olivia had already met several perverts along the way. When they arrived at their room, they carried the child out of the suitcase right away. Ethan told the two not to sneak out at all costs. As long as they paid the price, they could have all their needs met in the room. After staying there for around two weeks, they would be able to arrive at Aldenvine. ¡°Allie, we¡¯ll just stay here from today onward. We must never go out this door, understand?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia nced around the room. It was a huge suite. I''ll be sleeping in the small single room outside. You and Ms. Alicia will be sleeping inside. If anything. happens, you can call me right away.¡± Ethan said. "Thanks.¡± Olivia handed Ethan the card Keith had given her. ¡°It must cost a lot to stay here. I got this card from Dr. Rogers, so you can hold onto it for now.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t decline. ¡°Sure You and Ms Alicia should rest first. I¡¯ll go out and make arrangements.¡± *Be careful.¡± When Ethan closed the door, the expression on his face instantly turned cold. He nced at his phone. Then, he entered one of the rooms. The man who asked for a trade just now was tied up and kneeling on the floor. Kelvin spat, Boss, we caught this dude.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even look at the man. When he approached the man, he kicked the man over. Stepping on his chest, Ethan crushed the man with his shiny shoe. ¡°Tell me, what do you want to trade?¡± Chapter 824 Chapter 824 The man¡¯s mouth was stuffed with someone¡¯s used sock, his face filled with terror. After all, he had only boarded the ship in search of excitement. He felt that the woman¡¯s figure was his cup of tea, so he just gave a suggestion. Did they have to treat him like this? The passengers on the ship were all indecent fellows. Why was this guy pretending like he was different? When Ethan removed the sock, the man hastily begged, ¡°Sir, I was just kidding. Look how worked up you are! You don¡¯t have to y with us, alright?¡± ¡°Hah Sneering, Ethan took off the man¡¯s mask. ¡°I¡¯ll y with you then.¡± The masks hid their shame. If someone removed the masks, it would be the same as stripping them naked and throwing them out into the streets. Ethan knew that face. The man was a renowned entrepreneur in Aldenvine. The media imed that he was a man who loved his wife and children. His children were quite distinguished as well. But this sessful man was doing such horrible things in the shadows. It was truly disgusting. ¡°My mask! Give it back,¡± the man shouted. The mask fell from between Ethan¡¯s fingers and dropped onto the floor. Then, he stepped on it, crushing it into pieces. He was crushing all their disguises. Ethan moved his foot away. He always thought that he knew the ugliness of human nature. He was also aware that some rich people were quite reckless out there. He wasn¡¯t interested in those things, so he never bothered about them. But now that he found out the man¡¯s identity, he recalled having been in contact with the manst year. The man was described as a good person by the media, so Ethan was considerably polite to him. But after finding out the man¡¯s true colors, he felt that even stepping on the man was too dirty for him. He even found the man¡¯s graceful-looking wife disgusting. When Ethan thought of the man eyeing Olivia, he said in a cold voice, ¡°Break his arm.¡± ¡°Got it, boss.¡± Kelvin was wearing a mask as well. Free from the chains of his identity, he held a baseball bat in his hand as he put his hands behind his head, looking like a hooligan. ¡°W-what are you doing? Do you know who I am?¡± Kelvin grinned. ¡°Of course I do, Mr. Cruz I never thought you¡¯d be such a womanizer despite your ugly face. No one cares how you usually fool around, but sadly, you messed with the wrong guy.¡± Ethan nced at the man coldly before turning around to leave. When the door closed, he could hear the man¡¯s agonizing screaming from within. Ethan stood at the entrance and adjusted his cor. He looked natural and elegant. It wasn¡¯t that Ethan was being unnecessarily cruel. After all, there weren¡¯t many normal people on the ship. That man had already had his eyes on Olivia, so if Ethan didn¡¯t teach him a lesson, he might try to make a move in the shadows. He would take the demon¡¯s path so that the demon had nowhere to go. This time, he wouldn¡¯t give anyone a chance to hurt Olivia and the child again. Ethan felt a little irritated, so he leaned against the railing and lit a cigarette. The wind and waves were quite strong on the sea. He slightly bent over, blocking the wind with a hand. His tall figure and noble air caught the attention of a masked woman nearby. The woman was wearing a super short skirt. With seductive steps, she approached him. ¡°Can I borrow a light?¡± she asked. It was a secret code on the ship. If he gave her the lighter, he would be silently agreeing to it. Ethan calmly looked up and swept his gaze over the woman. She had struck a seductive pose and tried to emphasize her breasts. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Under her determined gaze, Ethan tossed the lighter into the sea. Then, he walked away emotionlessly. The woman looked at his cold figure. There was an amused smile on her face. What an interesting man.¡± She thought. When Ethan returned, he hadpletely shed his cold and cruel exterior. He took off his mask and was even holding a small cake in his hand. Alicia beamed when she saw that. She ran toward him happily. ¡°Uncle Logan.¡± Chapter 825 Chapter 825 Reaching out, Ethan caressed Alicia¡¯s head. In recent times, she had been getting closer to him. Other than the fact that she didn¡¯t call him her dad, he was no different from a father to her. ¡°It¡¯s freshly baked. Have some,¡± he said. Olivia shook her head in exasperation. ¡°Don¡¯t spoil her too much. Eating too much sweet food will give her cavities ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a small piece.¡± His gentle demeanor was a stark contrast to how he treated outsiders. Olivia wondered if it was just her, but she felt that Logan was quite different from when she first met him. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. But when she thought more about it, it seemed normal. After all, who would reveal their truest selves on the first meeting? ¡°Is everything arranged already?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Yes Ethan continued, ¡°By the way, Ms. Fordham, this is theyout of the ship. Take a look.¡± Olivia felt that the ship was quite big when she boarded it. But when she looked at it in detail, she realized that it was indeed enormous. The lowest floor housed arge casino. The second floor showcased various antiques, herbs, weapons, and even human organs, all of which were obtained via illegal methods. There was nothing they couldn¡¯t buy as long as they had the money. The third floor consisted of world-ss luxury brands, whereas the fourth floor was a gourmet haven, serving top-grade cuisines from all over the world. The floor they were on right now was the amodation area. There was also a huge infinity pool on the top floor, which also served as a venue for wealthy people to have parties and set off fireworks. As long as they had the money, they could even live on this ship forever. Olivia¡¯s gaze fell on the second floor. ¡°There¡¯s lots of medicinal herbs here, right?¡± Ethan nodded. ¡°They not only have herbs, but also some skilled doctors too.¡± ¡°Do you think I can find someone who specializes in treating cancer?¡± ¡®Well I can¡¯t say for sure. I¡¯ll take a look for you. Just don¡¯t go out that door.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia¡¯s illness had always been a heavy burden in Ethan¡¯s mind. As long as the tumor still existed, there would always be a risk of it spreading. He was also worried that Olivia would have an episode anytime soon. Her body couldn¡¯t take another chemotherapy session after all. So if that happened, and if she didn¡¯t have any special medication, only death awaited her. Perhaps he might really encounter a miraculous doctor in this sort of ce. After all, he usually wouldn¡¯t get in contact with ces like this. Those uwful individuals were hical, and they only wanted to get more money. Still, there were skilled and remarkable people within their midst. People usually rested during the day. So when the sky darkened, the whole ship would light up. The true night had begun. Carrying Alicia in her arms, Olivia sat on the bed and looked up at the moon hanging above the sea. There was no wind that night, and the moon and stars shone brightly in the sky. Olivia told Alicia stories about her childhood and Jeff. ¡°When we get back home, we¡¯ll visit Grandpa at his grave, alright? Your grandpa was looking forward to your birth back then, Allie. But sadly. much.¡± He didn¡¯t live to see the day. He made lots of toys for you two, and he loved you very, very Alicia supported her head with her hands, saying softly, ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Good girl. Mommy will bring you two home very soon.¡± Even though there were too many painful memories in that city, it also housed her memories from childhood into adulthood. Now, she was bringing her daughter back home. Her feelings this time were different as well. Leaning in her arms, the child slowly fell asleep. Olivia gazed at the sea quietly. She felt like she was drifting on the sea, and she had no idea where she would end up in the next second. In his formal attire, Ethan went to the second floor. Various goods caught his attention. They even had thetest personal firearms. Seeing how skilled Ethan was at handling the weapons, the arms merchant whispered in his ear. ¡°Sir, I cam see that you know your stuff. Are you interested in the big ones? I can add you on WhatsApp.¡± Chapter 826 Chapter 826 Kelvin behaved like a vain woman who just spotted branded purses and clothes. ¡°Brent, look at this! It¡¯ll be so cool to use this in closebat. ¡°Brent, buy these for me. I also want this one and that one.¡± Brent fell silent Ethan took a small handgun meant for women. The merchant enthusiastically introduced, ¡°You have a good eye. This is thetest model. It has low recoil, so it¡¯s especially suited for women. ¡°I¡¯ll take it. And this too. Ethan eyed apact portable dagger. It would hide very well. After picking out some weapons, he went to the herb area. There were quite a lot of people in the area. They even looked like they were peddling goods at a market. Many drugs were prohibited in the country. Butws didn¡¯t exist here, only money and greed. If they had enough money, they could have all their desires fulfilled. There were no auctions tonight, so Ethan could only browse the various counters. ¡°What do you fancy, sir? I have quite the variety here,¡± someone called out to him enthusiastically. Because of theck of regtions, the selling price of items on the ship was multiple times more expensive than onnd regardless of rarity. The customers were rich, so they wouldn¡¯t bother too much about it. Ethan fiddled with a medicine bottle. Before he could ask about it, the merchant scooted over with a mysterious look. ¡°Good choice, sir. This is our most popr item. ¡°You¡¯ll be full of vigor for the whole night. Even the toughest woman will give in once she has experienced it. Can you imagine Ethan had no idea that he was holding a drug like that. He hastily put it back and coughed lightly. ¡°Do you have any anticancer drugs?¡± ¡°Of course! How can I not? Do you know what they call me?¡± Ethan studied the middle-aged man in front of him. The man seemed to be in his forties, and there weren¡¯t many wrinkles on his face. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He looked like a guy who smiled often, but when he smiled, he had a certain cunning air to him. ¡°No, Ethan said. ¡°Sir, they call me the Reviver.¡± ¡°Oh, I know this one.¡± Kelvin appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Yo, yo, what¡¯s up! Check it out, the cream of the crop! Get it while it¡¯s hot, and I¡¯ll even throw in a discount, chop chop!¡± Kelvin started rapping all of a sudden. Feeling a little exasperated, Ethan shoved him to the side. Then, he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it. What drugs do you have here?¡± ¡°You came to the right person, sir. I¡¯m the miraculous doctor who can even revive the dead. I can cure any disease, and cancer is a walk in the park for me!¡± Kelvin whispered in Ethan¡¯s ear, Boss, all swindlers say the same thing.¡± ¡°Swindlers? Who told you I¡¯m one of them? I researched malignant tumors for years. Coupled with some traditional scrolls left by my ancestors, along with an original recipe, I can prolong a person¡¯s life even if the Grim Reaper is after them.¡± If he hadn¡¯t said those things, Ethan might have believed him. But now that he had said such outrageous ims, Ethan immediately turned around and left. No one would dare to im that they could cure a malignant tumorpletely. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t leave so soon. I mean it! If I weren¡¯t poor, I wouldn¡¯t havee to a ce like this. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try some of my other drugs. ¡°I guarantee you¡¯ll want to use them again after the first try.¡± Kelvin retorted, ¡°Why would a perfectly healthy person take drugs? Are you trying to jinx my boss?¡± ¡°Who said that your boss is perfectly healthy? The fire in his body is burning wild! He should vent properly.¡± Ethan¡¯s ears turned red as he quickened his pace. Kelvin caught up to him. ¡°Ahem, um, did that quack hit the bullseye? Boss, have you never dealt with it yourself while Mrs. Miller was gone?¡± Ethan paused in his tracks. Then, he red coldly at Kelvin. ¡°Shut up.¡± Kelvin stood where he was, stunned. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Did Ethan abstain in all those years ever since Olivia left? Chapter 827 Chapter 827 Kelvin stared at Ethan from the back. He couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for him. He was simply too pitiful. When Ethan agreed to marry in the beginning, it was just because of a promise. He had never once touched Marina. Through it all, Olivia was the only woman he had ever slept with. Kelvin was different. Even though he was single, he had many ways to let it out. But Ethan was fully devoted to one woman only. If they couldn¡¯t get back together in the future, he would have to be alone for life. When Kelvin thought about that, he pitied Ethan. ¡°Brent, why don¡¯t we buy a life-sized doll for Mr. Miller? They have a lot of lifelike ones these days, so it¡¯s not considered a betrayal, right?¡± Brent was exasperated. ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to die, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Kelvin said sadly, ¡°I was just being considerate of Mr. Miller. If he keeps holding it in, will he break down someday? This won¡¯t do, Brent. You have toe with me to buy something for him. He shouldn¡¯t continue keeping it in.¡± Ethan had to walk for quite a while before the blush on his ears receded. He had to admit that he did indeed feel a little impulsive around Olivia, and he had tried his best to endure it. Was his desire so obvious? Did that quack figure it out just by grabbing his hand and measuring his pulse? Ethan shook his head. That man was nothing more than a random swindler. Since Ethan couldn¡¯t get the drug he was looking for, he decided to bring something delicious back for Olivia and Alicia. Perhaps because of what the drug merchant said, Ethan did feel a little hot and bothered in his heart. So he ordered a cocktail for himself. Staying by Olivia¡¯s side was too tiring for him. He had to pretend he was another person at all times. Sitting in the booth, he closed his eyes as he rubbed his temple with one hand. There was an exhausted expression on his face. Suddenly, a waft of fragrance entered his nostrils Opening his eyes, he saw the bartender cing a cocktail on his table. ¡°Sir, this is our signature cocktail, Allure. Enjoy!¡± Allure? Ethan had only ordered a signature cocktail just now, but he didn¡¯t expect its name to be so suggestive. The alcohol came in two colors-purple and dark red. True to its name, the cocktail looked alluring. Ethan had always had a decent tolerance for alcohol. He drank the cocktail casually, but then, he noticed that the woman still hadn¡¯t left. She was wearing a bunny-themed uniform, and she wore a pair of bunny ears on her head. She wore a super short skirt paired with white stockings with ribbons on them. She was also wearing stilettos. She didn¡¯t wear a mask. Her features were pure yet seductive, which matched her outfit very well. Even her makeup gave her a pitiful look. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ethan only nced at her before looking away. ¡°You can leave now.¡± ¡°Sir, did you like the cocktail?¡± The woman didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she asked him a question. After drinking the wine, he noticed that the alcohol wasn¡¯t too strong. It was just some fruit wine with ice cubes and mint added in. A few secondster, there was an irresistible sweet aftertaste in his mouth and he waspelled to keep drinking Before he knew it, he had already finished the whole ss. Hemented calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± The woman suddenly bent over. If he looked up a little, he would be able to see her curves. Her tone shifted as she breathed in Ethan¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s a custom-made order for you, sir. I¡¯m so d that you like it. It¡¯s a good thing I waited for you.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold. This woman was the same flirty woman from before. The same woman who had hit on him and asked for a lighter. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Smiling, the woman approached him. Then, she ced a hand next to Ethan. Lowering her voice, she said, ¡°I sense a familiar vibe from you. Would you like to have a try with me tonight? I guarantee It¡¯ll be even more interesting than wine.¡± Chapter 828 Chapter 828 Ethan nced behind him. Kelvin and Brent were missing. Before this, he was able to drink alcohol without any worries because those two were around. But now, they were nowhere to be found, so Ethan was faced with this situation. The woman in front of him thought that with her looks and figure, no man would be able to resist her charm. But when Ethan turned to look at her, she didn¡¯t see any trace of desire in his eyes. There was only endless majesty and coldness. He was the one sitting, and she was standing. But they gave off immensely different vibes. Ethan supported his head with a hand. He looked like a king sitting on his throne, looking down on everything beneath him. She felt like she was a mere insect in his eyes. But the woman refused to surrender. She thought that this was all because the drug hadn¡¯t kicked in yet. She sashayed closer to Ethan, trying to get close to him. She refused to believe that her figure, which she took pride in, did not affect him at all. If Olivia were here to see this, he would be done for. So Ethan decided to escape while he could. Despite his extreme fury, Ethan appeared calm. But the calmer he looked on the surface, the stronger was the storm raging within. The woman had no idea that her flirtatious figure was nothing more than a disgusting pile of rotten meat in Ethan¡¯s eyes. He asked coldly, ¡°How do you propose we try?¡± The woman was ted when she finally heard his voice. She said in an even more seductive tone, ¡°I¡¯ll y along with you no matter how you like it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ethan¡¯s gaze turned dark. He spoke through his thin lips, ¡°Let¡¯s have it your way, then.¡± The man had agreed to it, but the woman somehow felt a chill running down her spine. She nced at the man¡¯s throat. ording to her many years of experience, this man must be of the highest quality. When she imagined the man getting crazy over her with that body of his, she was so excited that her blood boiled. She licked her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room, then.¡± She was nning to suggest going to the infinity pool, which was even more exciting. But this was their first meeting, and she couldn¡¯t scare this top-quality man away. Ethan¡¯s mask covered half of his face. She couldn¡¯t make out his expression, but she could see his deathly cold lips, which were slightly curved. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll y with you to your heart¡¯s content tonight.¡± Soon after Olivia told her a story, Alicia fell asleep. However, Olivia herself was wide awake. Putting on her coat, she stood on the balcony and enjoyed the ocean breeze in a moment of peace. Sometimeter, she heard the sound of a door closing. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Logan must have returned. She wondered if he had gotten any useful information. After covering Alicia with a nket, she carefully made her way to the partitioned room outside. She even closed the door in the partition to avoid waking Alicia. In the darkness, she could hear the man¡¯s heavy breaths. He sounded like a beast quietly licking its wounds in the dark. Olivia found it odd. The lights in the room were off. Olivia was about to turn on the lights when a fiery palm was ced on the back of her hand. The man¡¯s low and hoarse voice sounded. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Olivia could hear something off about his voice. She hastily asked, ¡°What happened? Did you get hurt?¡± Ethan had no idea what sort of drug he was given. Its effects were astonishingly strong. To avoid scaring Olivia, he tried his best to control his voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s gettingte, so you should rest now He didn¡¯t sound fine at all. Olivia thought of the possibilities. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± she asked. ¡°No.¡± Olivia reached out toward his body. The fabric her fingertips touched was drenched. Logan¡¯s body was incredibly hot. Olivia panicked. ¡°Just let me turn on the lights to have a look. What exactly happened?¡± Chapter 829 Chapter 829 Taking advantage of his height, Ethan covered the switch with his hand and blocked Olivia¡¯s actions. He didn¡¯t want her to see his embarrassing appearance right now. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯m fine, I swear. You should go and keep Ms. Aliciapany.¡± The more he tried to hide something, the more Olivia was worried about him. She was sure that this man had gotten hurt, but he hid it on purpose so that she wouldn¡¯t worry about him. The man had stopped her from turning on the lights and in her panic, Olivia reached out to touch his body. Ethan, who was at the breaking point of his endurance, almost lost control. He said in a suppressed tone, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Then tell me what exactly happened to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡¯ But Olivia refused to believe it. His body was drenched in sweat, so he must have suffered a serious injury. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have sweated so much from the pain. But where was his wound? Olivia kept groping around. Unable to endure it anymore, Ethan suddenly reacted, pinning her onto the single bed at the side. Their bodies fell onto the bed together. Olivia subconsciously wondered if he was losing his bnce because of the extreme blood loss. She didn¡¯t even suspect anything in that aspect. ¡°Logan, where are you hurt? Just tell me.¡± Her anxious voice rang out behind Ethan¡¯s ears. He felt her breath tickling him a little. Ethany there, not moving as he took inrge gulps of air. ¡°Please stop asking, Ms. Fordham. I¡­¡± He was trying so hard to hold it in that his voice began to tremble. Olivia was a nervous wreck. ¡°You can¡¯t leave it like that. I¡¯ll get a doctor for you. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± Ethan¡¯s seductive voice rang out, ¡°Do you sincerely want to help me?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯ve helped me for so long. If you¡¯re in danger, I¡¯ll help you too.¡± In the beginning, Olivia distanced herself on purpose and didn¡¯t dare to approach anyone. But now, after spending so much time together, Olivia had to admit that she had already acknowledged him as her friend ¡°Alright. Ethan gulped. Olivia was still waiting for him to tell her what had happened, but in the next moment, Logan suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. Their bodies were instantly pushed against each other¡¯s. Olivia didn¡¯t even have a chance to react. The first sensation she felt was the man¡¯s hard and hot body. In the next second, she noticed something off near his thigh area. She was a woman who had given birth to a few children before. So she knew very well what that was. But she had only ever touched Ethan before. She had never even held the hand of another man, much less been in such an intimate position. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Olivia¡¯s body froze, and she was stunned. She felt as if her mind had just exploded. Ethan could sense the woman in his arms halting her actions. She was as stiff as a stick. ¡°You¡­¡± Her voice had begun to tremble as well. It was no wonder that Logan refused to tell her what happened. How could he possibly mention such a thing? Olivia had the urge to p herself. She shouldn¡¯t have been so enthusiastic about it. But she had already spoken those words. She wondered how she could clear that up. She said shakily, ¡°How did this happen?¡± Waves of heat crashed continuously onto Ethan¡¯s body. Still, he gritted his teeth and answered, ¡°Someone drugged me. If even he could be drugged, then this ship truly was riddled with danger. Olivia stammered, unsure of what to say. She wasn¡¯t experienced in helping someone deal with this. ¡°Would you like to have a cold shower?¡± she asked. The hand on her waist was burning. Gritting his teeth, Ethan spoke in her ear. ¡°Ms. Fordham, help me Chapter 830 Chapter 830 That damned woman must have anticipated his reluctance to give in, so she enhanced the effects of the drug. Ethan thought that things would blow over if he endured long enough. He didn¡¯t expect the effects of the drug to pick up pace as time passed. The feeling got even stronger too, and he also grew lightheaded. He felt as if he was floating on a cloud. His hot breath spilled over Olivia¡¯s ear. She was sensitive there, so she trembled. She declined righteously. ¡°No, I¡­ Mm¡­¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Olivia widened her eyes. The man¡¯s lips kissed hers without any warning. Her heart was thumping wildly. She had only ever loved Ethan, but they were divorced already. She was free, so she wasn¡¯t breaking any morals if she did it with someone else. But she never intended to be involved with other men. She was both shocked and furious at the sudden kiss. After she recovered from the shock, she hastily struggled ¡°Logan, wake up. I-¡± Logan¡¯s body was like a huge furnace that enveloped her, preventing her from escaping. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Ethan spoke into her ear, ¡°I can¡¯t stop now. I¡¯m sorry.¡± In the beginning, before Olivia appeared, he could still hold it in. But now that things had progressed to this point, this was out of his control. He had abstained for a few years, and he was also reunited and then separated from Olivia. He had suppressed all his emotions in his heart, and the drug served as the trigger. The drug gave him a chance to release everything he had been holding in. Olivia panicked. How did things turn out like this? The man¡¯s burning lips found her neck. Ethan knew her body too well. Every part of his body felt like it was being set on fire.. Olivia knew that he had lost his rationality, but this wasn¡¯t an excuse for him to do as he pleased. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Logan.¡± Her hands were weak, so when she pushed him, it only felt like she was teasing him and ying hard to get. Ethan¡¯s eyes were red. His remaining sliver of rationality told him that he shouldn¡¯t do this, but his instincts had already taken control. Time and again, he was dragged into the devil¡¯s abyss. ¡°Ms Fordham, I can¡¯t hold it in. I feel so awful. Can you hug me, please?¡± He was so needy that he even pleaded for a hug. The contrast between his current behavior and his usual attitude was just too huge! ¡°Logan, wake up. Let go of me. I-I¡¯ll help you think of a way.¡± Olivia knew that he wasn¡¯t doing it on purpose, so she was still quite polite toward him. ¡°There are doctors on the ship. I¡¯ll get a doctor for you, alright? If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll get a woman for you What¡¯s your type? Pretty ones? Seductive ones?¡± If it were before, Olivia wouldn¡¯t even say such things. She was truly out of options now, so she could only arit her teeth and speak. She thought that anyone would be better than her. She was a sickly patient whose hair hadn¡¯t even grown. out. She was probably ufortable to hug. No man would choose her. Logan must be treating her like this because of the drug¡¯s effects. The ship did provide services in that area. As long as they had the money, they could get anyone they wanted. When Ethan heard her words, he didn¡¯t let go. Instead, he hugged her even tighter. ¡°No, I only want you.¡± Olivia was stunned. She recalled that time when they were on the ind. The man had gotten on one knee and held her hand, saying that he would never betray her. Could it be that he truly¡­ Olivia could only tolerate them being friends. If he had such feelings for her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to be with him in the future. He had hidden his feelings so well that Olivia didn¡¯t even sense anything After realizing his thoughts, Olivia finally sensed danger. She began struggling in a frenzy. ¡°Logan, stop!¡± She no longer had mercy on him. Lifting her leg, she kicked in the direction of his private parts. Once he felt the pain, he would let her go. Then, she would take the chance to escape. But the man was already anticipating her reaction. Ethan blocked her move, wedging a leg between hers as he trapped her firmly in his arms. His words sounded like the devil¡¯s whisper. ¡°Ms. Fordham, please. Chapter 831 Chapter 831 Ethan was a huge man, but at that moment, he behaved like a clingy puppy. Olivia''s body trembled slightly. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The difference between their capabilities and strength was just too huge. She knew that she couldn''t provoke him too much under such circumstances. If not, he would feel an even stronger sense of possessiveness when he got furious. When that happened, it would truly be game over. Olivia took a deep breath. While he still had some rationality left in him, she began to appeal to it. "Logan, I can help you in other matters, but I can''t do this." "You can''t? Is it because you''re still thinking of that man?" At that moment, Ethan''s wits were also on the verge of breaking. He was suppressing his desires as much as he could. He wanted to grab this chance to understand Olivia''s deepest thoughts. She didn''t want other people to touch her. Did it mean that she still loved him? Olivia frowned deeply. "No, we''re already divorced.The both of us can get married to whomever we please.This has nothing to do with him." A look of disappointment shed across Ethan''s eyes. "If that''s the case, then why can''t I do it? Ms.Fordham, I can take responsibility for you. "I''ll love and care for your child, and I''ll treat her like my biological daughter.I will never let you down." After a pause, he added, "If you don''t like rtionships like that, I can still treat you with the utmost respect, like always.I won''t be involved in your life.Just treat tonight as an adult game and nothing more." "Sorry, I''m not interested in games like that.Logan, it''s not that I can''t ept you.It¡¯s just that that man has hurt me too deeply.I never want to be involved with any man again for the rest of my life. "It''s not your fault.Just let go of me right now.We can still get along like we used to, and I''ll pretend this never happened." But Ethan''s fingers kept rubbing her delicate skin. Leaning in, he asked, "Ms.Fordham, it has been so long.Don''t you ever have needs you want to fulfill?" His voice was suggestive, and it caused her imagination to run wild at times like this. Olivia blushed. Under the dim lights outside, she could see Ethan''s throat sexily moving as he gulped. Parts of his corbone could be seen peeking out from his slightly open cor. They were very close to each other.She could feel Ethan''s decent build.It was quite attractive for women. "No." She looked away. "Let go." Ethan didn''t proceed further. Instead, he tightened his hug. Olivia didn''t know what he was nning. Her heart thumped wildly, but she didn''t dare make any reckless moves in case she provoked him. Then, Ethan spoke as if he had given in, "Don''t move.I''m just going to hold you." Olivia was surprised at his request, but she was quite cooperative as she maintained her current posture. Time seemed to havee to a standstill. Ethan kept his word. He didn''t do anything else and simply hugged her. In the past, he could hug her whenever he wanted. But now, he had to make use of another identity and the effects of certain drugs to achieve this goal. In the silence of the night, Olivia could only hear Ethan''s irregr heartbeat. Even her heartbeat was growing restless as well. He ced his chin on her shoulder. She could sense his heavy breaths. After about three or four minutes, Olivia asked tentatively, "Are you feeling better now?" He was exasperated. "How could I feel better?" Still, he got up as promised and let go of Olivia. Standing near the bed, he said, "Sorry for being rude tonight." Olivia''s clothes were a mess. For a moment, she didn''t know what to say. "Go back to your room and lock the door.The drug''s effects are quite strong.I''m worried that I won''t be able to control myself ..." Chapter 832 Chapter 832 Olivia couldn''t see the expression on Ethan''s face, but she could sense that he was feeling ufortable. "Then you ..." "I''ll find a way." Olivia decided that this should be enough. If she stayed here any longer, she would be giving him a chance. She quickly slid into her room and then immediately locked the door. Fearing that he would have a burst of energy and go rampant, she moved all the desks and chairs to the door, blocking it. By the time she was done, Olivia was already panting in exhaustion. She slowly sat down on the carpet, touching the spot he had kissed just now. To be honest, she was so shocked just now that she didn''t feel anything much. It was her first time being kissed and hugged by another man. It was quite an intriguing feeling. Oddly enough, when he ced his hands on her body, she didn''t feel too opposed to it. She felt as if her body had already gotten used to his touch a long time ago. She kept recalling the times when she was with Ethan. Olivia hastily sshed some cold water on her face. Then, she drank arge ss of water. It was only then that her burning desire quietened down. She wished Logan luck tonight. Oliviay down next to Alicia. She felt like a thief, and her heart refused to calm down. Ethan bathed with cold water, but it could only bring down the heat a little. It was as if he was scratching an itch through thick fabric. The root of the problem still existed, and he was in agony. Wrapping a towel around him, he went out. When Ethan opened the door to Kelvin''s room, he found Kelvin sitting amid his loot. Kelvin looked as happy as ark. "Boss, what''s up with you?" He was astonished to see Ethan with his mask shed and making an appearance with his original looks. Water dripped from his hair inrge droplets, and a red blush appeared on his skin. "I was drugged.The effects are quite serious." Remembering Ethan''s stubborn personality, Kelvin knew that he couldn''t ept any woman other than Olivia. Kelvin hastily said, "Why don''t you drug Mrs.Miller as well? When she wakes up, she won''t know anything." Ethan red at him. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. What sort of outrageous idea was that? "Stop giving me stupid ideas and ask your brother to find a sedative for me.As for you, get me as many ice cubes as possible." "Oh...Alright." Ethan walked toward his bathroom.He feared that he might disturb Olivia if he remained in the suite.He soaked his whole body in the bathtub. Kelvin had gotten someone to carry in buckets and buckets of ice cubes. "Boss, if this keeps up, you''re going to turn into an ice cube." "Quit spouting nonsense." Ethan stayed motionless in the water. Even in the extreme cold, his body was burning like an erupting volcano.He was stuck between ice and fire. Kelvin nced at the spot hidden by bubbles. "Um, Boss, have you never dealt with it on your own before? If you don''t know how to do it, I can teach you." "Shut up!" Raising his head, Ethan closed his eyes tightly as he ced his hands on both sides of the bathtub. His exposed skin was pink, and his throat moved rapidly as he gulped. With just a few nces, Kelvin waspletely captivated. Ethan''s looks and figure were simply too stunning. Even Kelvin, a straight man, seemed to be feeling something. "Shut your damned eyes and get lost!" Ethan said coldly. As Kelvin walked away, he mumbled, "How did he know that I was looking at him even with his eyes closed? Amazing." Before he left, he even considerately closed the door for Ethan. Later on, Brent hurried over with a doctor. The doctor was shocked. "Oh, no, it has swollen too much.You have to find a woman to release it." Chapter 833 Chapter 833 Ethan''s sense of reason was slowly breaking down, and his eyes had turned red. Enduring the difort in his body, he said, "No need." "Boss, you''re maintaining this condition under the effects of a drug.If you don''t relieve yourself for a long time, you''ll face even bigger trouble. "I suggest that you find a woman.This is the most straightforward solution and also one without any side effects." Ethan red at him with his reddened eyes.He almost tore his thin lip because he was biting it too hard.His low and hoarse voice rang out. "I said, no need! Just give me medicine." The doctor sighed. He had encountered yet another stubborn patient. "Fine, don''t me me if you experience any side effects.Also, judging by your condition, one shot isn''t enough.You''ll need two." Ethan gritted his teeth. "Do it." The needle slowly pierced his skin. Ethan closed his eyes, and there was only one thought on his mind. He almost hurt her again. Meanwhile, in another charming room, which was decorated with great taste, wererge mirrors all around. Every angle of her was reflected without any blind spots. A womany on the bed. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. It was none other than Flora Colt, the woman who failed to seduce Ethan. She thought that she had reeled in a big catch, but she didn''t expect him to be a killer whale who took the abnormal route. He was more like a devil who toyed with imps. Not long ago, Ethan had entered the room and nced around at the decorations. Flora was already eagerly approaching him. Back then, the drug hadn''t taken effect, so Ethan extended his hand to stop her advancements. Then, he asked, "What sort of drug did you give me?" Flora only thought of him as a kindred spirit. Thus, she took out a small medicine bottle without any hesitation. "This is a unique recipe.I feared that you wouldn''t want to do it, so I increased your dosage." A cold smile appeared on Ethan''s lips. "Is that so?" Then, his gaze fell upon a box at the side. Flora immediately introduced its contents as if they were treasures. "I have every type you can think of.I guarantee you''ll be satisfied." Ethan kicked away a few toys with the tip of his shoe. Then, he picked out some lengths of rope. Flora smiled seductively. "You look like a decent man, but I never expected you to have such preferences.Don''t worry, I can y along with you." "Let us begin, then." "Aw, you won''t even let me shower first." "Let''s skip the trouble." Picking up a rope, Ethanmanded her, "Stand here." Flora stood at the steel pole he had gestured at. Taking the rope, Ethan began to tie her up. Soon, Flora felt that something was off. Ethan was tying her up the way police officers would bind normal people. He had also bound her hands in countless loops, and he even finished it off with a dead knot, which normal people wouldn''t think of doing. With her hands and feet bound, Flora felt her heart racing. ¡° What sort of technique is this?" Ethan fiddled with the medicine bottle in his hands. Then, he looked at her coldly. "What''s the matter? You wanted to y with me, didn''t you? Are you scared now?" "What exactly are you trying to do?" "Give me the antidote." "How can there be an antidote for something like this? You''re a man, aren''t you? Don''t you know what the antidote is?" "So, you don''t have the antidote, right?" Ethan gripped Flora''s chin firmly. Then, he stuffed the remaining drugs into her mouth. Flora struggled with all her might, but she was tightly bound. Ethan didn''t care what would happen if he did this.He had always been gentlemanly toward women.He had already given this woman a chance, but she was the one who insisted on messing with him. After forcing the pills down her throat, he poured arge ss of water into her mouth. Flora subconsciously swallowed. Water trailed down the corners of her mouth, and she looked extremely sexy. But Ethan didn''t spare her another nce. Grabbing some wet tissues, he wiped his fingers which had touched her chin just now. Then, he picked up a random toy from the floor. He stuffed it into the woman''s mouth. "If you like ying so much, go ahead and y as much as you''d like."With that, he left the room.He even hung a "do not disturb" sign on the door. That night, Flora, who was bound tightly in ce, went through a greater suffering than Ethan. She red at the door with a vicious look.She swore she would get revenge! Chapter 834 Chapter 834 Olivia didn''t sleep for almost the entire night. She was constantly worried. She feared that Logan would break in, but she was also worried about him. While the whole ship was partying, Olivia was the only one keeping watch over this pure space. She sat on the floor, hugging her knees as she gazed helplessly at the cold moon outside the window. Now, she only had the moon aspany. Olivia''s heart was in a mess. When she recalled everything that had happened in her life, she found it absurd and pathetic. What crimes had shemitted for her to be separated from her child? Why was she forced to live in the shadows, unable to see the light of day? She even wondered what she could do if the door was opened. Of course, she couldn''t do anything at all. Her strength was a far cry from Logan''s. If he truly forced himself on her, she could only endure it passively. For her child''s sake, she couldn''t kill herself either. She could only remember this humiliating night in the depths of her mind. She couldn''t escape. Olivia just wanted a peaceful and normal life. But in the end, she found herself in this situation. She spent the night in anxiety. Then, it was daybreak. The sunrise on the ocean was quite a majestic sight. Having stayed up all night, Olivia had only fallen asleep for half an hour. When the sunlight shone on her, it woke her up from her dreams. Lifting her hand, she blocked the piercing sunlight from her eyes. In the next second, she suddenly remembered what happenedst night. She immediately grabbed a wine bottle, preparing for battle. The stool and the desk were still pushed against the door. There were no signs of them getting moved. The whole world was silent, and she couldn''t hear any sounds outside. "Mommy." Alicia sat up on the bed. Her hair was fluffy and messy, and there was even a strand of hair standing on its end. She looked very adorable when she was half awake. "Allie, you''re awake." Alicia rubbed her tummy, saying in a small voice, "Milk." She had a habit of drinking milk every morning. Logan was usually the person in charge of these things. Olivia hastily said, "Alright, I''ll prepare some milk for you right away." "Uncle Logan." Alicia got out of bed, following Olivia in her bare feet. She looked like Olivia''s shadow. In the few days they were staying in the suite, Alicia would run into Logan''s room to y every morning. Their scope of movement was small enough as it was, so Olivia didn''t stop Alicia. Olivia didn''t know what it was like outside. She was just worried that Alicia would see something she shouldn''t. Olivia hastily pulled Alicia back. "Wait for me in the room.I''ll go and talk to Uncle Logan.Don''t peek, alright?" Alicia was very obedient. She didn''t ask why either.She just listened to Olivia. Olivia moved away the furniture blocking the door and carefully poked her head out.The room was perfectly clean, and even the bedsheets were smooth and void of wrinkles. He wasn''t in the room. Olivia sighed in relief. He must have gone out to look for a woman. At that thought, she finally let go of the heavy weight on her heart. She feared that he would have indecent thoughts about her. By the looks of it, he must have said those words under the influence of the drug. So, she didn¡¯t mind it that much. Soon, someone knocked on the door. Olivia opened it warily. She found an unfamiliar man standing at the door. "Hello, is this Ms.Fordham? I''m here to deliver your breakfast." Logan would usually be the one doing these things. The look of suspicion was obvious in Olivia''s eyes. The man hastily exined, "Don''t worry, Ms.Fordham.Logan was the one who told me to deliver the meal.You can call me Joshua." "What happened to Logan?" Olivia already knew that Logan had connections, so it was only reasonable that he had acquaintances on this ship. "Logan has ...something to attend to." Joshua Wembley had no idea how to answer that question. "Thanks." After receiving the breakfast, Olivia closed the door. She thought that the effects of the drug were quite severe. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Hadn''t he had enough after one night? Chapter 835 Chapter 835 Logan didn''t return for the entire morning. Alicia asked about him a few times, and Olivia always found an excuse to appease her. However, Logan ended up being away for a whole day. Every time Olivia asked Joshua about it, he avoided the question. Olivia was a little worried as well. No matter how strong the drug was, its effects shouldn''t have persisted for so long. Early the next morning, Joshua was about to leave when Olivia stopped him. "Joshua, what exactly happened to Logan?" Her attitude made it clear that if he didn''t give her an exnation, she wouldn''t let him leave. Joshua sighed. "Logan fell sick." "Sick?" Olivia never expected this oue. After all, he usually looked quite healthy. "I guess I''lle clean, then.The effects of the drug were too strong that night, so Logan got another room for fear that he might affect you.He soaked himself in ice water for a whole night. "The temperature difference between day and night is quite huge.Bathing in cold weather in the middle of the night was bad enough, but he even added ice to the bathtub.Also..." Olivia was shocked that he didn''t get a woman to deal with the problem. "Also what?" "The doctor said that the best way to solve it was to get a woman, but he refused. He forced the doctor to give him extra doses of sedatives. He was also freezing for the whole night. "His body isn''t made of steel, after all.No one can withstand that." When Olivia heard all that, she had aplicated feeling in her heart. "Is he alright now?" "To be honest, no.He had a fever for the entirety ofst night.Logan feared that you would get worried, and he didn''t want you to get infected either.So, he arranged for me to deliver your meals." Biting her lip, Olivia asked in a small voice, "Can go and visit him?" "I don''t think you should.Logan insisted that you don''t leave the room.Just hang in there for another ten days or so, and we''ll arrive.His illness isn''t anything serious." "Alright, thanks." "Please don''t say that, Ms.Fordham.Logan saved my life, and he told me to take good care of you two.I''m just carrying out my duties.I won''t disturb you anymore, then." After closing the door, Olivia felt something heavy in her heart.She couldn''t quite describe that feeling. This was Logan''s private matter, and she wasn''t dating him. What could she have done to help? It was only reasonable that she declined him that night. It was also his choice that he refused to get a woman to deal with his problem. They didn''t owe each other anything. But then, she recalled Logan''s care for her and Alicia in the past few days. He had also soaked himself in ice water for a whole night, so Olivia was quite bothered about it. At the very least, she wanted to know how he was doing. Olivia was dispirited for the whole morning. She would usually read for a long time. Today, she held a book in her hand, yet she hadn''t even turned a page after half an hour. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Mommy." Alicia looked at Olivia worriedly. "Where is Uncle Logan?" Olivia patted her head. "He''ll be back soon." She began to realize that things were progressing in an odd direction. If Logan liked her, then they couldn''t maintain their rtionship as simply an employer and an employee. After she arrived in Aldenvine and settled down, she would have to bid Logan goodbye. But Alicia depended on Logan more than she expected. When the time came for them to say goodbye, Alicia would be so sad. "I miss Uncle Logan." "He has some things to deal with, so be good and keep drawing, alright? You can show it to him when he''s back." "Okay." Alicia nodded obediently. Olivia would usually teach Alicia how to draw, but today, she wasn''t in the mood for that. She was wondering when Logan would be back. When Alicia finished drawing, she showed Clivia her work. There was the sun, along with clouds and birds. On the green grass stood a man and a woman, who were holding the hands of a little girl and a little boy. Olivia could see that the woman was her, and the man was Logan. Judging by the drawing, it was clear that Alicia had given Logan the role of a father. Chapter 836 Chapter 836 Pointing at the people in the drawing, Alicia exined, "Mommy, Uncle Logan, Zack, me.A family." Olivia pursed her lips. She opened her mouth, but she didn''t know how to exin it to Alicia. This was a problem a child from a single-parent family would experience. No mother would be able to solve this problem, and Olivia was no exception. After hesitating for a long while, Olivia exined, "Allie, Uncle Logan is Uncle Logan.Only Mommy and you are a real family.Uncle Logan is just here to protect us, just like your godfather. "He can only be with you for some time.Once we arrive at our destination, Uncle Logan will have to leave." Alicia had always been a well-behaved child. But when she heard Olivia''s exnation, she began to make a fuss. "No! No leaving! I like Uncle Logan." "Yes, I know you like him, but Allie, you''ll meet many more people in the future.Not everyone can be with us until the end.Uncle Logan has his job and things to do too. "He can''t stay by your side forever, right?" Large tears hung from Alicia''s long eyshes. Olivia''s heart ached when she saw that. "But ..." Alicia didn''t know how to describe it. She just didn''t want Ethan to leave. Olivia pulled Alicia into her embrace. Then, sheforted Alicia in a gentle voice, "Other than your parents, no one can stay with you forever, alright? "Uncle Logan will have his own baby in the future, and he has to take care of them too.He has his own life to live.I promise you that when you miss him, you''ll still have a chance to see him, alright?" Alicia sniffled, looking up at Olivia. "What about Daddy?" Olivia was at a loss for words. Alicia repeated her question, "Where''s my daddy?" "He ..." Olivia closed her eyes as the image of Ethan''s face appeared in her mind. If he knew that the children were still alive, he would be ted. But there was a deep grudge between them. Even if she set their grudges aside, there was still Marina, Connor, and Erina standing between them.If Alicia knew that her father had another family, the father figure she anticipated would be immediately ruined. She decided to leave a positive impression on Alicia. Olivia said, "He died." "He died?" As soon as the lie was spoken, she could no longer turn back. Olivia continued, "He had an incurable disease.Nothing in this world could save him.In the end, the doctors failed to save him, and he left this world forever." "Boo-hoo, Daddy ..." Olivia gently patted Alicia''s back. "Don''t cry.Your father loved you a lot, but sadly, he didn''t get to see you." In the past, Jeff kept telling Olivia that Chloe left because she had a better choice, not because she didn''t love Olivia. He told her that Chloe loved her more than anyone in this world. That was how Olivia could grow healthily and cheerfully. Jeff had held up an umbre for her, so now, it was her turn to shield her children from the storm. She nted a soft kiss on Alicia''s cheek. "Daddy loved you, and I love you very much as well.You''re a blessing to me.I''m truly very happy to have you." Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Mommy ..." Alicia threw herself into Olivia''s arms. Olivia sighed with a guilty look in her eyes. She thought, "I''m sorry, Allie.I brought you into this world, but I couldn''t give youplete love." A helpless feeling spread from the depths of her heart. If she didn''t have money, she could earn more. If she got sick, she could get a doctor. But feelings and rtionships were impossible to recover. She and Ethan could never get together again. The only thing she could do now was to do her best to raise Alicia. Chapter 837 Chapter 837 Joshua was right. Ethan was indeed sick.He had been running a temperature for the whole night.He was bedridden, almost losing his life. Kelvin was peeling an apple next to the bed like a maiden.His mouth didn''t stop running. "Mr.Miller, look at you.What''s all this for? You''ve been following Mrs.Miller around for half a year in disguise.In the end, you couldn''t even hold her hand once." Brent red at him. "Can''t you stop talking for a moment? Do you think Mr.Miller asked for that?" Brent then handed a ss of warm water to Ethan. "Mr.Miller, have some water.You''ll get better." Ethan, whose face was pale and lips were chapped, appeared haggard. After drinking water, he rested against the headboard.He kneaded his forehead, trying to fight through the dizziness. The first thing he mentioned was about Olivia. "How''s Liv doing?" "Joshua is as meticulous as ady is.Leave it to him.He knows Mrs.Miller''s favorite foods like the back of his hand.He wont send the wrong thing.It''s just that ..." Ethan gazed at the hesitant Kelvin. "Spill it." "She keeps asking about you, and he had no choice but to be honest with her." "What did she say?" "She wants to pay you a visit, but Joshua turned her down." Disappointment settled in Ethan''s eyes. "I see." "You should focus on your recovery, Mr.Miller.You''ve been in bad shape since losing Mrs.Miller.Your immunity isn''t that strong.Had it been the previous you, you wouldn''t have run such a serious fever after only staying in the cold water for a night." Brent added, "There''s a discrepancy with Kelvin''s logic, but he has a point.You''re not as healthy as you were in the past.Not to mention that burning the midnight oil has be a routine for you. "Mr.Miller, if you don''t take care of yourself, how are you going to protect Mrs.Miller in the future? You haven''t even found out who wants her dead either." Ethan was aware that the two of them were right. Had it been the previous Ethan, all he needed to do to recover from a cold or fever was drink warm water. It wouldn''t have been as serious as it was right now. "Where''s the oatmeal?" "I''ve asked Joshua to bring it over.Right, you gotta eat more to recover sooner." Ethan hummed in response. Seeing how cooperative Ethan was, Kelvin carried over a bunch of stuff from the other room. "Mr.Miller, I chose these presents specially for you." Ethan, who was having oatmeal, didn''t raise his gaze. "What are they?" "Good stuff.Come, look.I bet you''ve never seen them before." Only then did Ethan look at Kelvin, wondering what was there in the world that he hadn''t seen before. Kelvin rummaged through the box for a while before taking out something made of rubber. It was indeed Ethan''s first time seeing this item. "That''s ..." Kelvin introduced it enthusiastically, "This is specially for managing men¡¯s sexual frustration.It''s the best for self- pleasure." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. The glint in Ethan''s eyes turned cold. "Get out of here with that thing.Don''t make me repeat myself." Brent scolded him too, "Get out!" "So they left to buy this kind of stuff," thought the livid Ethan. Kelvin''s voice could be heard from afar. "Don''t drive me out! If you don''t like that, you can customize a life-size doll.You can even make its voice as realistic as it could be.Just give them some time¡ª" Ethan threw the bowl at the door, spilling the oatmeal on the floor. Brent hurriedly exined, "He''s just that kind of guy.He has good intentions.Don''t be mad, Mr.Miller." Ethan said coldly, "Are women simply a tool for pleasure to you guys? Can they be reced by anything? I love her simply because it''s her.It''s meaningless to make love with someone you don''t love." Chapter 838 Chapter 838 Time ticked by. It had been three days, but Logan wasn''t back yet, let alone the child. Olivia''s patience was running thin.She stopped Joshua again. "How is Logan? It''s been days.Has he not shown improvement yet?" "Don''t worry, Miss.He''s feeling a lot better now.He''s just worried that he might spread his illness to you." She wasn''t certain that Logan was avoiding her on purpose or if it was really due to serious illness. After all, he had treated her well all this while. She thought that she would be able to have peace of mind after paying him a visit. Olivia inquired, "I''d like to see him.Where is he?" "It''s fine.Logan doesn''t want you to be there." "I''ll drop by for a moment.I''ll leave after making sure of his condition.Where is his room?" Joshua showed hesitance. "I..." "If you don''t want to tell me, don''t think of stepping out of this door today." He scratched the back of his head. "Miss, I brought you food under Logan''s request.Please don''t make things difficult for me." "I just want to see him.How am I making things difficult for you?" "Fine, I''ll inform Logan about it." Only then did she give in. "I''ll be waiting for your good news." Joshua ran back to Ethan, who had yet to recover. His fever had subsided, but he needed some time to fully recover due to his bad health. Other than being sick, the other reason he didn''t return to Olivia was because he couldn''t face her. Knowing that she was going to visit him, he decorated his room. When Joshua came to send dinner, Olivia entrusted the child to him. He told her Ethan''s room number, and she headed there. It was her first time going outside after boarding the ship. The cold sea breeze caressed her face as she strolled along the long corridor. The wild waves pounded against the ship, shaking it.While Olivia was looking for the right room, there stood a woman in red nearby. Thetter was pinching a cigarette. Her back was resting against the guardrail, and one of her legs was extended. The low-cut dress revealed the rose tattoo on her corbone. Olivia said softly, "Make way, please." The woman raised her head to size Olivia up. Olivia was wearing a mask that covered her whole face. The woman withdrew her leg, and Olivia shifted her gaze. Olivia felt that the woman''s gaze was still on her although she had walked to the end of the corridor. She wondered if it was simply her delusion. When she finally arrived at the room, she keyed in the password given by Joshua. The door clicked and opened. The lights weren''t turned on, so she could only make out the room''s structure based on the dim light cascading through the window. Therey a person on the big bed. Olivia intended to turn the lights on, but she didn''t want to disturb the other party. Hence, she walked over gingerly. "Logan?" she asked. "It''s me." She heaved a sigh of relief at the familiar voice. "Can I turn the lights on?" "Sure." She turned on the light at the headboard upon receiving permission. Ethan was resting against the headboard, and he didn''t seem better than before despite having rested for days. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She never expected the drug to be this strong. "How are you feeling?" "Don''t worry, Miss. I feel much better already." Noticing the awkwardness on her face, he took the initiative to break the silence. "Sorry, I wasn''t in the right mind that night." "It''s fine." She took a deep breath. "Aside from checking in on you, there''s another reason why I''m here." "I''m all ears." "There''s a week left before we arrive in Aldenvine.I''d like to know your ns." Ethan was aware of that. "My ns aren''t important.Yours matters more.What''s your n, Miss?" Chapter 839 Chapter 839 Ethan knew Olivia so well that he was certain she wouldn''t stay by his side after what had happened. He had long expected such a day woulde, so he had been avoiding her and simply wishing that the day wouldeter. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She first poured him a ss of water before seating herself on a chair. ¡°Speaking about it, this is the first time I''ve poured you a ss of water even though you''ve been looking after us for a long time.¡± Looking sideways, Ethan coughed with a fist over his mouth. ¡°Thank you." ¡°Would you like to take your medicine?¡± asked the concerned Olivia. "It''s alright. It''s just the coughing. I''m much better now.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for what you''ve done for us. You''re a nice person. You''re hard-working and experienced. It''s unbing of me to make you look after the kids. You''re still young. You should try building a career out there,¡± she said implicitly. Ethan held the ss with two hands. His fingers caressed the smooth surface slowly. He lowered his gaze, and no one knew what he was thinking. He responded after a moment of silence, ¡°My feelings for you are troubling you." His blunt remarks rendered her at the end of her wits. Judging from his stiff character¡ªwhich was simr to her¡ª she initially assumed that he would pretend nothing had happened that night. To her surprise, he was forcing her to answer him face-to- face by bringing it up. Olivia licked her lips and sped her hands, gazing at her fingers with her head hung low. "This is only one of the reasons. Even if not for that incident, I was already nning to go our separate ways after arriving in Aldenvine.¡± ¡°Alicia likes me a lot.¡± "I know." "So ... can''t you give me a chance?" Ethan was nearly pleading. "I won''t hurt you like your ex-husband did. I''ll only love and protect you. If the fact that I''m poor is putting you off, I can earn a living. I have a lot of ways to do so. I''m sure I can feed you guys. "Don''t misunderstand me. I have no intention of doing anything to you. It simply pains me to see you like this. You haven''t recovered yet, and it''s dangerous for you to raise a child alone. ¡°If my feelings for you are what concerns you, I can return to my original ce. I''ll neithere close to you nor disturb you. I''ll protect you in secret. Miss, please don''t drive me away.¡± Olivia''s head was in a mess. People said that sincerity would always be the sharpest weapon that ever existed. Ethan''s sincere and honest remarks were thwarting every possibility of rejection possible. "I¡± ¡°At least let me make sure that you and Alicia are safe. Only then can you drive me away. Please?¡± Noticing her fazed emotions, he added, "Miss, you''re a clever person. Are you sure you wanna drive me away because of my feelings for you? What are you going to do when you guys are in danger? ¡°Besides, didn''t you say that person is influential in Aldenvine? Without help and cover, he might be able to find you as soon as you return there. Do you want everything to go back to how it was in the past?¡± The mentioned factors were exactly the reasons Olivia couldn''t reject him. "You can stay, but I hope that you''ll maintain a safe distance from us.¡± Despite the disappointment, Ethan was d that he could stay. "Got it.¡± The way he lowered his head was making it harder for her. ¡± Logan, as I said that night, it''s not that I dislike you. It''s simply because I don''t have feelings for any man. It''s nothing directed at you. You''re a good person. I''m sure you can find yourself a perfect partner in the future.¡± Raising his head, he looked right into her eyes. "There''s no one better than you." Chapter 840 Chapter 840 Before Olivia spoke, Ethan added, ¡°Don''t see it as a burden. The fact that I like you is my business to deal with. I''ll diminish my presence as I did before. I won''t intervene much in your life but ... liking you is my right. You can kill me, but you can''t stop me from liking you.¡± Her ears were burning at his honesty, which caught her off- guard. She didn''t know how to respond to that. Ethan broke the awkwardness as he lifted his nket to get out of bed. "Okay, I told you not to see it as a burden. Let me send you back. It''s gettingte. You should rest up.¡± ¡°It''s alright. I can walk back by myself. It''s not that far.¡± "The ship''s not that safe at night. I can walk you back.¡± He had already put on his coat. Noticing that she was wearing thinyers, he casually draped another coat over her shoulders. Before she could reject him, Ethan exined, "It''s clean.¡± "I-I didn''t mean it that way. I ...¡± ¡°I know.¡± Standing by the door, he reached out his hand for her. Olivia blinked her eyes a few times. Only then did she realize that it was indeed dangerous for a single woman to be on the ship. His mask covered half of his ordinary face, adding a mysterious touch to his aura. Olivia thought Logan''s physique was simr to Ethan''s for a brief moment. Soon, she put that absurd idea at the back of her head. Although their heights were simr, Ethan was more robust than Logan. Logan appeared to be thinner than Ethan. Every single time Ethan wore a suit, he would always put on a necktie neatly. There was no crease over his outfit. Even his actions expressed sophisticated grace. Olivia looked at Logan again, who seemed to not wear suits that often. The top two buttons were left unbuttoned, and his shirt wasn''t tucked into his pants. The hem of his shirt was peeping out of his coat. In addition to the mask, there was a tinge of untrammeled character to the casual air around him. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Slowly, Olivia ced her hand on his. His hand was covered with calluses, hence the rough skin. It was the same as Ethan''s. That was why she thought she could see that man again for a fleeting second when he tightened his hand around hers. Once the door was opened, the sea breeze pulled her senses back. Olivia recalled the articles she read about Ethan yesterday. The media reported that he was helping out victims in Vuckburg.He had established a factory there to build a new industry. That fit his identity as a businessman more. Indulging in charitable works was merely a facade. It was a trick to gain profit. Considering how stagnant the local economy was, the rich people were thinking of a way to turn other ces into their territories. Undeveloped countries were poor, but they were valuable. Olivia pulled her senses back and stood next to Ethan. A few men and women were heading toward them, reeking of alcohol. One of the men pinned a woman against the railing and began kissing her without a care in the world. Olivia could even hear the smooches when she walked past them. It was such a passionate kiss. She dared not watch them for another second longer. When the others looked at her, Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist to assert dominance. She paced up. Instead of the people kissing, she was the one feeling awkward. After the two left, Flora Colt walked out of that group of people. She casually leaned against a man while repeatedly tossing an apple in her hand. However, her gaze remained locked on the two departing figures. Chapter 841 Chapter 841 Ethan would still cough at times. After walking Olivia to her door, he gave her a few reminders and left. Her body was weaker than the average person''s, and he had yet to fully recover. It was easy to spread the disease to her and Alicia. So, Ethan decided to return to her only after he recovered for their sake. Moreover, it was a difficult decision for Olivia to let him stay. It was better for him to distance himself from her for now so as to not pressure her. Ethan handed her a dagger, reminding her not to leave the room randomly for safety purposes. Olivia entered her room, where Joshua and Alicia were having fun together. Alicia had stered stickers of stars and moons on his face. He was wearing a ne and a pair of earrings. There were even acrylic nails on his fingernails. Holding a magical wand, he was in the middle of a transformation. ¡°In the name of the moon. ...¡± Before he could twirl aplete circle, he noticed Olivia standing by the door. His smile went stiff before he let out a wry cough. ¡°Miss, you''re back. That''s fast.¡± Olivia felt that he was enjoying himself, more than Alicia at that. She wondered where Logan found such a bright man. "Yeah. Was she being a good girl?¡± "She was. It''s gettingte. I should get going.¡± ¡°Allie, say goodbye to Uncle Joshua.¡± "Bye-bye." Alicia waved her hands. She suddenly thought of something and held his hand. "Where''s Uncle Logan?" Olivia exined, "He''ll return after he recovers. Allie, Uncle Joshua has to get some rest too.¡± "Okay." Disappointment dimmed Alicia''s eyes as she had assumed that Ethan would''vee too. She didn''t know what kind of dispute happened between Olivia and Ethan. She was curious about why he hadn''t returned after going away for so many days. Now that Joshua was keeping herpany, she wondered if she wouldn''t be able to see Ethan again. A thought that sprouted in her mind became deeply rooted in her heart. It elicited wistfulness in her as time passed. Two dayster, Ethan had yet to return. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Olivia could clearly notice that Alicia was in low spirits these two days. She wondered if it was because of their long stay at sea. ¡°Allie, we''ll be reaching thend in a few days. Could you hang on a little while longer?" Not wanting Olivia to worry, Alicia nodded. Tonight, Alicia finally found her chance. Olivia closed the door after Joshua brought them desserts in the afternoon. She always did some exercises during this period while Alicia took a nap. Since Alicia napped in the outsidepartment, Olivia did yoga while ying music in the master bedroom so as to not disturb the child. Once Olivia entered the bedroom, the kid in bed opened her eyes. Alicia''s thought was simple. She thought that she would be able to meet Ethan by following Joshua. Quietly, she stood on a stool to open the door. She didn''t make a noise during the whole process. However, by the time she walked to the corridor, there was no sight of Joshua. She thought, "Uncle Joshua always turns to the left. I should be able to catch up to him if I run faster.¡± As an afterthought, she paced up and began running. Olivia had finished her yoga session. She managed to train some abs after maintaining a healthy routine for quite some time. She decided to increase the intensity once she got better. She wiped her sweat away and took a short bath. Then, she was ready to wake Alicia up to have fruit. She hadn''t noticed the problem when she saw the empty bed. ¡°Allie, are you in the toilet?¡± She walked to the toilet in thepartment, but Alicia wasn''t there. She looked at the stool next to the door and thought, "This is bad!¡± Chapter 842 Chapter 842 Alicia had gone missing! She ran away while Olivia was exercising! Alicia had always been a good girl, so Olivia didn''t expect the child to run out of the room without her knowledge to look for Logan. Olivia thought, "Does she know what kind of ce this ship is? Does she know how many perverted people are on board?¡± Despite her young age, Alicia was a beautiful girl. What if she became someone''s target? There were a lot of rich people with twisted minds, and there were a lot of consequences scarier than threats. For instance, people with kinks for legs and hair would announce a job on the dark web. Then, that particr business would look for suitable candidates worldwide. After securing their targets, they would approach their prey. Some naive girls would go abroad to meet their online dates, only to be sold after that. Some of them had their organs or body parts sold. Once their value depreciated, they would be sold to perverted buyers to be part of their disabled collections. Such twisted people were everywhere on the ship! Olivia was on the verge of losing it as she could only pray for Alicia to catch up with Joshua so that she would be safe. The ship was going to make a stop soon, and Olivia didn''t want another trouble at such a crunch moment. She hoped her child, whom she had searched for a long time, would be safe. She wore a wig and a mask before putting on whatever clothes she could grab. She then left in a hurry. Had she not known that Alicia was alive, her life could''ve been much easier. The idea of losing her precious child feared her after she had a taste of bliss. She even broke into a cold sweat due to apprehension. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Frantically, Olivia ran toward Ethan''s room. However, she fell onto the ground due to her hurried steps. Even though the side effects were mitigating, she had yet to recover fully. The fall definitely stunned her for a moment. By the time she was ready to get back on her feet, a pair of high heels appeared before her. They were a pair of ck leather stilettos. The woman''s skin was fair, contrasting her ck fis stockings. "Do you need help, Miss?¡± The woman''s seductive voice rang in Olivia''s ears. Olivia''s gaze traced upward from the slender legs to the sexy woman''s face. To Olivia''s surprise, the woman wasn''t wearing a mask! Was the woman not afraid of the bad guys? Otherwise, there could only be one answer¡ªshe was a bad person herself! It was a familiar face. Olivia had seen her smoking a few days ago. "I''m fine, thanks,¡± rejected Olivia while standing up. When Olivia was going to bypass the woman, the sound of a lighter clicking resounded behind her. "Judging from your distressed face, it seems like you''re looking for someone.¡± Olivia stopped in her tracks as her eyes widened. She turned to look at the woman. "What do you mean?" Casually, the woman took a drag from the cigarette and approached Olivia. The woman breathed out a cloud of smoke right at Olivia''s face. Olivia, who had never smoked before, began coughing. The woman grinned. "You''ve never smoked?" "Cut out the nonsense. I''m asking, what did you mean by that?" Olivia emphasized, trying to suppress her anger. The woman smiled. "What else could I possibly mean? Take it at face value. Are you looking for a little girl about this tall, carrying a rabbit toy?¡± Chapter 843 Chapter 843 Olivia almost went insane at that moment. A sense of foreboding clouded her. "Have you seen her? Where is she?¡± Flora crooked her finger at Olivia. "Follow me. I''ll take you to her.¡± It was a lure by a devil. If Alicia was in Flora¡¯s hands, Flora could''ve just handed over the child. Flora didn¡¯t have to bring Olivia over there. Therefore, Olivia realized that Alicia wasn''t the only target. She was one of the targets too. Olivia wondered, "Is it the mastermind? No, she wouldn''t have done it this way. She always takes it simpler. Judging from this woman''s ent, she seems to be from Andia. She doesn''t sound like someone from Aldenvine. I haven''t seen her before either.¡± Since it wasn''t an old grudge, it was a new one. Olivia touched the dagger from Ethan, which could be used during danger. The calm Olivia yed dumb. "Really? The girl is with you? That''s great! She''s so little. I was afraid that she might run into danger after running away. You''re so kind.¡± As Olivia had expected, Flora smiled triumphantly upon hearing thepliment. It was as if Flora wasughing at Olivia''s naivety and stupidity. "I bumped into her by coincidence. Since it''s dangerous here on this ship, I took her to my ce. I saw you in a hurry, so I wondered if she was your child.¡± ¡°Take me to her,¡± Olivia expressed anxiety. Flora smiled. ¡°Calm down. I''ll take you to her right now. The moment Flora turned, Olivia''s expression changed as she took action. Olivia kicked Flora¡¯s calf, making her get on her knees. Then, Olivia swiftly held the dagger at Flora''s neck. "Give me back that child or I''ll kill you!¡± Olivia knew that she didn''t have much energy left for a long fight, hence leaving her with one chance. If the other party counter-attacked, she would be done for! That was why she didn''t show hesitation in her moves at all. No matter how quick Flora¡¯s response was, the dagger was already held by her neck before she knew it. "I didn''t expect you to be this feisty,¡± teased Flora, who didn''t show a tinge of nervousness. With a single touch of the sharp dagger, blood oozed out of her skin. Ethan had given Olivia a good weapon. "She''s in my room. It''s not far from here.¡± "The key card,¡± demanded Olivia coldly. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The woman did as she was told, and they arrived before the room. "Open the door.¡± Olivia tightened her grasp around the dagger. "Don''t y tricks with me.¡± The door clicked and opened. The first thing Olivia saw was mirrors everywhere instead of Alicia! The whole room, including the ceiling, was covered in mirrors. Just what kind of person was this ce for? "The child¡ª" Before Olivia finished, Flora suddenly attacked her by the arm and took the chance to turn the tables. Olivia was under Flora''s control now! The dagger was now in Flora¡¯s hand as she held it by Olivia''s neck. Flora checked Olivia''s right hand. "My guess was right. Your right hand is injured, and your left hand isn''t that nimble. I found my chance to turn the tables.¡± Olivia was at a disadvantage after just a fleeting second. Flora let out a triumphant smile. "Let me see what kind of face you''re hiding underneath that mask. Just what do you look like to make him so devoted to you?¡± The moment the mask was taken off, Flora was stunned. She saw herself as pretty, but the woman before her was on a whole new level of beauty. Olivia was drop-dead gorgeous! Chapter 844 Chapter 844 How gorgeous was Olivia? Even without any makeup and fixes, her skin was as pale as the snow and her soft lips were naturally rosy. Her features were sharp and defined. Despite Olivia''s cold gaze, Flora couldn''t help but exim at Olivia''s beauty as a woman herself. Flora had seen a lot of women before, but none of their bare faces were on par with hers. It was no wonder that man didn''t budge an inch no matter how she seduced him. How could he possibly avert his eyes onto another woman when he had the perfect woman? Flora caressed Olivia''s cheek. "What a beautiful face.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Judging from Flora''s immersed expression, she didn''t seem like she would kill Olivia. Flora waspletely different from those who came after Olivia''s life in the past. ¡°Who are you? What are you after? If it''s money, you can name the price as long as you let go of the child.¡± Olivia had ten million dors when she divorced Ethan. In addition to the dividends she received annually, she was loaded with cash. She didn''t have the guts to use them due to the fear of getting caught by Ethan. However, considering the situation right now, it was better to expose herself than consign her daughter to danger. ¡°How bold. How much can you offer?¡± Olivia wasn''t stupid enough to expose herself when the other party clearly didn''t know who she was. Thus, she thought of a decent figure in case Flora demanded more. "100 thousand dors.¡± It was a huge figure for a kidnapper. Flora reached out to stroke Olivia''s cheek. "It''s an enticing number. But I''m not interested in money. Don''t me me. If you wanna me someone, me your man for provoking me.¡± Olivia couldn''t follow as she wondered if Flora was referring to that man in Vuckburg. ¡°Are you taking me for the wrong person? My ex-husband is in Vuckburg, and we haven''t kept in contact for eons.¡± Flora clucked her tongue. "! didn''t expect someone innocent- looking like you to be this untrammeled. I''m referring to the person on the ship.¡± "Logan?" Olivia recalled what happened that night and this woman''s outfit. After having a vague guess of the current situation, she frowned. ¡°You''re the one who drugged him?" ¡°It''s me. And that foolish man put up with the effects and abandoned me. It''s all because he has someone like you by his side. No wonder he didn''t want to touch me and treated me that way!¡± It wasn''t the time for gossip, but Olivia couldn''t help her curiosity. "What did he do?" "He¡ªwhy should I tell you that?" "How about this? Juste at me to settle the score. Release my daughter. She''s innocent,¡± Olivia tried reasoning with her. "I don''t know what happened between the both of you, but as long as you let go of my daughter, you can name anything that you want. Money? Car? Just tell me. If Logan upset you, I can apologize in his stead. I¡ª" ¡°Who are you to apologize to me? Why should I receive an apology from a bitch like you?" Flora then pped Olivia all of a sudden. Thetter was stunned. "Do I need money? What I need is a man, and he¡¯s one of a kind. Plus, no one has ever turned me down." Suppressing the stinging in her cheek, Olivia coldly retorted, ¡°Pervert!¡± Flora scoffed. ¡°Now that you guys are in my hands, let''s see if he can still hold his head high. I want him to kneel before me, lick my toes, and repent!" Chapter 845 Chapter 845 Ethan was feeling better after two more days, but his coughing didn''t get any better. Since they were reaching Aldenvine soon, Kelvin and Brent alighted from the ship in secret. Firstly, they needed to deliver the contracts signed by Ethan back and handle some stuff in the company. Secondly, Ethan needed to make early arrangements so that Olivia wouldn''t suspect him after alighting from the ship. The days passed by peacefully. Joshua brought meals to Olivia as usual, and nothing went wrong. It was only when the sun rose today that something unusual happened. Someone knocked on Ethan''s door. It wasn''t time for housekeeping, so he wondered if it was Olivia. His expression changed as he was still in the middle of a meeting. He hadn''t changed yet! He motioned for Joshua to check on the iing guest. ¡°There''s no one.¡± He opened the door, only to realize that there was no one. A box was ced in front of the door. "Weird. Is this a little gift from the crew?" Curious, he opened the box. He was so surprised by the picture in it that he almost dropped the box. ¡°Mr. Miller, this is bad! Mrs. Miller and Ms. Alicia are in trouble!" Ethan, who was in the middle of an online meeting, went offline at that exmation. He removed his earphones and turned theptop off. He turned to look at Joshua. "What''s wrong?¡± Joshua strode over with the box. "Look." There were two pictures and a rabbit plushie. One of the pictures was Alicia in her pajamas. They didn''t know what she was seeing, but her eyes were watery. The other picture was a tied-up Olivia on a pole. It was the exact same thing that happened to that woman that night! "Damn it!" thought Ethan, who was on the verge of losing himself. Back then, he let that woman off because she was a woman. He thought that she would learn her lesson, but she was now targeting Olivia instead! Judging from this, it seemed like the woman had a death wish. "Get the men ande with me.¡± "Yes, sir.¡± Ethan didn''t even have the time to put on makeup. He simply covered his face with a mask and took his coat before heading out of the room. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He found his way to that room based on his memories. It seemed like the other party was waiting for him because the door was left ajar. He kicked the door open to reveal the empty room. There was no sight of Olivia. ¡°It''s empty.¡± A letter was left on the table. Opening it revealed the fluid handwriting that wrote, "Do you like my present?¡± There was also a plumpy kiss mark on it. The second part read, "If you wanna know where they are,e to the party.¡± The mention of the party almost drove Ethan to insanity. Olivia might not be aware of it, but he knew what kind of ce that party was. There were a lot of underhanded things regarding the ship, and the party topped the list. One of the programs was an auction. Sometimes, antiques and valuable items were sold; sometimes, the sold items were unique¡ªpeople! They came from different countries, with different ages and genders. They looked either peculiar, gorgeous, or special. No matter who they were, as long as they were sent on stage, they became an item on sale to have their values judged by the guests. Ethan didn''t expect such a thing to happen so soon after Kelvin and Brent left! "What should we do, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan crumpled the letter. His voice was cold and merciless. ¡°Contact the owner of the party to release them.¡± "But the owner has always been a mysterious one. They''ve never let anyone pull strings with them.¡± "Is that so?¡± An immensely cold aura loomed over Ethan. * Ruin their ship and business then. Let everyone die with them." Joshua was so scared that his face went pale. It was scary to watch Ethan acting this way. Chapter 846 Chapter 846 Flora injected drugs into Olivia, making her feel sluggish. Her legs felt light, and dizziness clouded her mind, adding weight to her head. It slowed down Olivia''s response system. She could hear what Flora was saying, but it took her a few seconds longer than usual to respond. For example, rationality was telling her to escape, but her sluggish limbs weren''t listening to the orders. She didn''t have the energy. Now that she was given drugs, Olivia wondered, "How''s Alicia? Where is she? Did this perverted woman do anything to her?¡± Someone changed Olivia''s clothes and styled her forcefully. Flora looked at the dolled-up Olivia, who was as beautiful as the moon in the sky. "God shows kindness to you without holding back, huh? How could He give you such a face?" Flora touched Olivia''s face like a pervert. The repulse made Olivia''s skin crawl. Her voice was lifeless. "Let us go or you''ll regret it. My ex-husband won''t let you off the hook ...¡± Flora scoffed. "As you said, he''s your ex-husband. You should mind your other man more." ¡°We''re just friends." "I don''t care what kind of rtionship you have with him, but he pissed me off and I hold grudges. I''ll be sure to torture him.¡± ¡°Just what do you want to do?¡± ¡°You''ll find out soon.¡± Olivia''s eyes were covered before she was ced somewhere. It was small, like a cage. ¡°Let me go!" She couldn''t figure out how long it had been due to the drugs. There was only one question in her head¡ªwhere was Alicia? Later, an innocent voice resounded in her ears. "Where''s Uncle Logan?¡± "Be a good girl and you''ll be able to meet him soon.¡± ¡°Alicia! Alicia, where are you?" ¡°Mommy!¡± Someone removed the cover over Olivia''s eyes. A few secondster, she finally got used to the lights. She noticed that Alicia was wearing a silver dress like her. The only thing was that they were separated into two cages. "Mommy!" Alicia grabbed the bars, looking all healthy. Flora didn''t use drugs on the girl. Olivia hurriedly calmed Alicia, "Don''t be afraid. I''m here.¡± Although Olivia didn''t know what time it was exactly, she was certain that it was past dinner time. Joshua must''ve noticed her disappearance. But she wondered if Logan would be able to find her. "How touching.¡± Flora sat on the table with crossed legs that were covered with fis stockings. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. She grabbed a bottle of drugs. ¡°I have a bottle of drugs with me. It has the same effect as that drug that night. Should we feed some to you or your daughter?¡± Olivia got up to her feet with difficulty and grabbed the bars. "We don''t know each other. Why must you do this to me and a kid? As I said, let us go and I can pay you however much you want!" Flora lifted Olivia''s chin. "Miss, don''t feel wronged. Someone has to settle the score. I''ll do the same thing he did to me to his woman. me yourself for choosing such a man." Realizing that things were getting out of control, Olivia knew that she had to bring Ethan up no matter how reluctant she was. "My ex-husband is Ethan Miller. This is his daughter. If you hurt us, he''ll torment you to death no matter where you are.¡± "Mr. Miller?" Flora spent most of her time overseas, so she didn''t know much about the news in the country. But she did hear that Aldenvine was reigned by a rich man. If Olivia was that rich man¡¯s ex-wife, Flora mustn''ty a finger on her. "Yes, I''m his ex-wife.¡± Chapter 847 Chapter 847 How could Olivia not feel miserable for saying that? Ethan was someone she desperately wished not to meet again, yet she had to use his name to escape from danger. ¡°If you don''t believe it, you can check it online. As long as you let us go, I''ll pretend nothing has happened. I won''t look into this.¡± The people beside Flora began persuading her. "Flora, this woman does look like she has a certain background. Let''s not ask for trouble. It won''t be easy to escape from the rich people once we tick them off.¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s not like we have to bring ourselves trouble just to take revenge." Flora red at them. ¡°Shut it, cowards! You''re buying it just because she imed that she¡¯s Ethan''s ex- wife? Well, I can say that I''m the daughter of the prime minister.¡± Despite that, she searched it up online. ording to the information online, he was married. However, she couldn''t look into more information other than that. There was nothing regarding his divorce or ex-wife. There wasn''t even a photo of his current wife. "Bitch, how dare you lie to me! How could he have an ex- wife when he hasn''t even divorced? Look!¡± When Olivia looked up Ethan''s name previously, he had deleted all information and pictures of Marina. Her name was clearly stated as his spouse. Yet, why did he change it right now? Only his marital status was stated. There was no name and photo of his wife. Unbeknownst to Olivia, the media in the country kept mentioning her to drive up their traffic after her staged death. Therefore, the infuriated Ethan taught the media a lesson by omitting his past, leaving only his marital status. To him, his only wife was Olivia. He wouldn''t have expected his move to bring her trouble. "No. I am his ex-wife. I can prove it ...¡± ¡°Lies again.¡± Flora chuckled, showing her impatience. "Fine, let''s say that you''re his ex-wife. Now that you''re already divorced, why would he be concerned about you? I''ll ask this for the final time, should I feed the drug to you or to your daughter?" When Olivia intended to exin further, Flora grabbed Alicia''s chin as she wanted to feed the child the drug by force. "No!" Olivia shouted. "I''ll take it! Let her go! Don''t hurt her!¡± "You should''ve said that sooner.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The corners of Olivia''s eyes were watery the moment she was forced to take the drug. She thought, "Why does it have to be me? Why does it have to be me again! Why is God this merciless to me? Whenever my days are getting a little better, whenever I see hope, He always brings me to misery again.¡± She wouldn''t mind it if she was the only one suffering, but her daughter was involved as well. She was still young! ¡°What a beautiful face. You''ll drive those men crazy.¡± Sensing her consciousness fading, Olivia grabbed the bars. * Let us go. You can still make another choice ... right ... now ... "Do you really think that you''re Mrs. Miller? If you really are, why would you be here?" Flora twirled in front of the cage. ¡± The people here are either filthy or perverted. We''re a bunch of monsters lurking in the dark. Which one are you?" Olivia gradually slid onto the ground. "You''ll regret this ...¡± Flora waved her hand. "I never drag things when ites to revenge. Take both of them to the auction table.¡± She then took a mask from her subordinate while smiling provokingly. ¡°Today''s items are going to make the guests go wild." Chapter 848 Chapter 848 When it was time for a living person to be auctioned, the atmosphere was livelier than it was for items. The guests had already taken their numbers and entered the ce early, looking forward to what kind of prey they could obtain today. Right before the opening ceremony, Flora received news that someone was trying to stop it. She knew who it was very well. "That''s quick. Proceed.¡± "Ms. Colt, the other party seems toe from a prominent background. Even Mr. Stamford treats him with respect. The boss isn''t on the ship this time. If things go south, we won''t be able to handle the consequences.¡± She crossed her arms. "I don''t care even if he''s the prime minister. He has to abide by the rules as long as he''s on the ship. Don''t forget what kind of ce this is. ¡°It is because the country''sw isn''t capable of keeping this under control. That''s why there are so many people splurging money on this ship. Once he breaks the rules, who else woulde in the future?¡± "But¡ª" Flora waved her hand impatiently. "Tell him that he has to earn his rights if he wants to see them.¡± "Ms. Colt, that bitch mentioned Ethan Miller too. Do you think that it could really be him?" "You fool! Have you not read the news? He has been in Vuckburg for half a year. Even if he has wings, he won''t be able to arrive here this quickly.¡± She snorted coldly. "That person is trying to pull a trick. Let''s see what he has up his sleeves.¡± "Ms. Colt, my hunch keeps telling me that something''s off. I''ve looked into how those two people boarded the ship, they "Enough with the nonsense. The auction is going to start soon. Get ready.¡± Flora set this up to make Ethan regret it. She couldn''t care less about anything now. The thought of the humiliation she suffered that night alone made her blood boil. He fed her the entire bottle of drugs and stopped her from venting her frustration. The waves of heat tortured her again and again. She almost lost her life! She didn''t even know how she overcame it. Flora kept thinking about Ethan¡ªthat bastard¡ªthe whole time. She swore that she would return him the pain tenfold. Meanwhile, Ethan had received the news that the other party wouldn''t release Olivia and Alicia. "Mr. Miller, I''ve asked around about it. That woman is the second-inmand. The owner of the ship isn''t around today, so she''s in charge. It''s obvious that she''sing for you. ¡°We have more than ten men on the ship. Their crew has more than a hundred people. It''s equivalent to a small group of mercenaries. We can''t go head-to-head for now. Otherwise, Mrs. Miller and Ms. Alicia will be in danger.¡± The air around Ethan was cold. "How long will it take Brent and the others toe?" ¡°It''ll take at least five hours by helicopter.¡± In other words, Ethan had to tolerate it for such a long time. "Mr. Miller, there''s one more thing. Previously, you used warships to eliminate those pirates. Now that you''ve delegated the army without permission, it''ll be difficult to give an exnation to the higher-ups. You know that the people on this ship ...¡± Joshua was worried about Ethan. There would always be someone to fill up the pit of the ugliness of this world. And there would always be someonemitting underhanded things in the dark. There were never only ck and white in this world. The gray area would always be the most sensitive territory. Even if Joshua didn''t point it out explicitly, Ethan knew about it as well. Aside from offenders, there were a lot of ¡°righteous¡± people mingling around here. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. They were the backers that rendered the existence of this ship possible. Now, Ethan had intruded the ce, affecting their business and trampling on their ego. Thus, it might do no good to his future. During the past two years, he had stepped down from half of his responsibilities because of Olivia''s matter. His enemies were taking advantage of the situation bying after him. If he wasn''t selected during the election, he wouldn''t just lose his position but also the entire Miller family. Chapter 849 Chapter 849 The poor could never win against the rich, while the rich could never win against the influential. The Millers were able to stand on their feet for decades not only because of their business background. They wouldn¡¯t have been able toe this far without the support from the higher-ups. No matter how well-off Ethan was, he would¡¯ve been bullied by others without that kind of background. His actions would get in the way of the others¡¯ benefit, which would affect his future career. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a wise choice because it would give his enemies the chance to pounce on him. But what other choice did he have? The other party had his wife and daughter, and there was always something getting in his way. This was the simplest and the only way to save Olivia. He sighed lightly. ¡°There¡¯s no turning back for me.¡± Unlike Kelvin and Brent, Joshua never showed himself that easily. He had always been eliminating troubles for Ethan in secret. Now that he was called forward, it was an indication of how dangerous the situation was for Ethan. ¡°Mr. Miller ¡­¡± ¡°Call upon all of the men we have on the ship. Let¡¯s prepare for the worst.¡± With one knee on the ground, Joshua responded firmly, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The moment Ethan made up his mind, he had chosen to go against many powerful parties Perhaps, some people would betray and attack him. But benefits always came first. The best way to solve the problem was to ask the other party to release Olivia and Alicia, but they wouldn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t even contact them. Flora was abusing her power to take revenge on a personal matter. She wouldn¡¯t settle the scores behind the scenes. Once things went out of control, there would be a huge change among the powerful parties. Some might even meet their downfall. Then, Ethan would be everyone¡¯s equal enemy. He was aware of the consequences awaiting him once he set his n into motion. But he didn¡¯t have any other choice. He was doing this for Olivia even if it meant gambling his future. He wore his mask again. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Flora looked at Olivia, who was sent to the stage. Madness tinges Flora¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is Logan here yet?¡± Rhys shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on him. Once hees, ry the message to him.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± He nced at her deranged expression as uneasiness grew in him. He secretly dialed a number. After the third beep, a gruff voice came through the line. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Boss, I have something to report to you¡­¡± The man on the other end of the line was shrouded by darkness. ced before him was a huge projection screen. The screen was showing a lot of high-resolution footage, which came from the security cameras on the ship. After listening to Rhys, the man calmly replied, ¡°Let her do whatever she wants to do.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rhys was stunned, not expecting his boss to support Flora¡¯s n instead of stopping her. Rhys thought that he was hearing things. Holding a ss of red wine, the man stood up and overlooked the view out of the window. The squeaky clean window reflected his tall stature. Due to the high altitude, he seemed like the creator of all beings overlooking its subjects. ¡°I said, let her do whatever she wants. Got it?¡± A sheen of cold sweat drenched Rhys back. ¡°Got it, sir.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The call was terminated, and the man turned to stride toward a sandbox. There stood an Ursa Tower made out of toy bricks. He poured red wine over the tower. The red liquid drew its trace over the sandbox, smearing its striking color over everything. Chapter 850 Chapter 850 Ethan followed the crowd, entering the auction. Before it started, he could hear noisy and vehement exmations. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a beauty tonight.¡± ¡°I heard that too, that there¡¯s something good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so boring these days. We¡¯re going to reach thend soon. Shouldn¡¯t we seize the chance to y something big?¡± Everyone present was wearing a mask, and beneath those masks were hideous faces. Not long after Ethan seated himself, someone approached him. ¡°Mr. Irving?¡± With his legs crossed, Ethan exuded the aura of a big shot. He no longer wore the meek facade he had put up when Olivia was around. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± His murderous aura alone was enough to make one distance themselves from him. ¡°Here¡¯s a letter for you The content was written in the same handwriting. After Ethan read the letter, Joshua noticed the veins protruding from the back of Ethan¡¯s hands. It was obviously ire. ¡°My superior has said the word. If you reject this, you¡¯ll see both of them bing someone¡¯s toy¡± The word ¡°toy¡± was jarring in Ethan¡¯s ears. He tore the letter into pieces. Tell her to clean herself up. ¡°Is this an eptance?¡± Ethan responded with a light voice, ¡°It¡¯s for her death.¡± It would¡¯ve been a joke if it was blurted from someone else. But things would only be more serious when the words came from Ethan. He was on the verge of going berserk for Olivia. if he could buy her, everyone would be safe. Joshua prayed for everything to be fine deep down in his heart. Based on Ethan¡¯s wealth wasn¡¯t a difficult matter to buy Olivia and Alicia. However, the other party might do something behind the scenes to cause trouble. Then, things would get out of control. Once Ethan made use of his authority, he would be used of abusing his power. Whatever awaited him thereafter was obvious That person ryed the message back to Flora, who was applying lipstick after getting changed. Upon hearing that, she threw the lipstick at the mirror, making it crack into pieces. ¡°How dare he!¡± People were inherently rebellious; the more they couldn¡¯t gain something, the more their yearning for it. If Flora couldn¡¯t have something she wanted, she¡¯d rather ruin it! ¡°Ms. Colt, it¡¯s not worth getting angry at a man. You¡¯re one of a kind. What kind of man can¡¯t you have? Does it have to be him?¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do. There¡¯s nothing that I can¡¯t have, and that includes a person. Since he doesn¡¯t appreciate my kind offer, I might as well grant his wish.¡± In fact, Flora was breaking the rule. She had expected Ethan toe and beg her. Yet, not only did the other party not beg for mercy, but he even blurted such cruel words! On top of that, rules were meant to be broken anyway. ¡°Tell everyone to get ready for the show. That woman will be saved for thest; she¡¯s the best, after all.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Flora underestimated Ethan¡¯s wealth. After all, everyone on this ship was rich. She thought that he was a more small fry. When it was Olivia¡¯s turn to be sold, Flora was confident that all the men would go crazy with their bids. She wanted Ethan to watch the woman he liked getting sold to another person! On the other hand, Ethan had already seen through Flora. He was certain that Flora would leave Olivia as thest person to be sold. That way, he would have more time. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The auction officiallymenced. Flora took the most conspicuous seat to personally start the game. Meanwhile, the man in the city center zoomed into the live screen to watch the show unfold. Chapter 851 Chapter 851 Ethan grasped the armrest tightly. During this whole time when he lost Olivia, he was worried about Olivia and Alicia getting harmed. Despite knowing that the items should be clean before getting sold, he couldn¡¯t help the restlessness. When he heard the host introducing the first goods, his heart raced. Only when he realized that it had nothing to do with Olivia did he heave a sigh of relief. It seemed like things were going as he had expected-Flora ced Olivia as thest good. He grabbed the armrest tightly. Time ticked past second by second. Due to the early teaser of decent goods, the tension wasn¡¯t high during the beginning. Everyone was waiting for the final auction item. In the meantime, Joshua had given Ethan water several times, but thetter didn¡¯t drink it. When it was finally time to reveal the final item, Flora personally went onstage. Her high heels cked as she trodded to the middle of the stage in a red dress. Her hot body had all of the men gawking. Some of them even whistled. Her mask covered her malicious expression. ¡°I bet everyone is on the edge after waiting for so long. We¡¯ll be revealing our final item soon.¡± She pped her hands, and her subordinates pushed over two cages that were covered with a ck cloth. Ethan¡¯s chest tightened. ¡°Stop ying tricks with us. Let us see the goods!¡± ¡°I know, right? We¡¯ve waited all night long; we¡¯re not interested in these small theatrics. Hurry up! Show us the good stuff!¡± Flora¡¯s gaze swept across the masks, and she could recognize Ethan right away. The man sat amongst the crowd with his face covered with a mask. No one could see his expression. She could only see him crossing his legs while resting his arms on the armrest confidently. She could feel the cold aura looming from him despite the far distance. Flora felt that the man somehow carried the air of a big shot. He did not seem like the small fry she expected. Now that things had escted this far, there was no turning back for her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Although her boss wasn¡¯t around, she knew that he was aware of what was happening on the ship. Flora reckoned that the news of her auctioning the guests had reached his ears. The reason why she ced Olivia as thest item was to observe what he would do. The fact that he didn¡¯t show up to stop Flora was a silent acknowledgment of her actions. She thought. ¡°Figures It¡¯s not like the people here are any good. There¡¯s no problem with me selling this woman off This was their territory. As an afterthought, the final concern that bugged her was lifted off her mind. ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting. I promise that you¡¯ll be satisfied with the next item. Let¡¯s count down together. ¡°Three! ¡°Two! ¡°One!¡± The deafening noise was jarring in Olivia¡¯s ears. Due to the two drugs in her body, she couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on. The only thing she could feel was the ball of me zing below her abdomen. The effect kicked inter than the drug fed to Ethan. Hers had started kicking in just a little, so her walls of consciousness were still standing. But where was her daughter? When the countdown finished, someone slowly removed the ck cloth. Ethan watched the two cages that confined the two people whom he treasured the most. They were Noticing the vein on Ethan¡¯s hands, which indicated his anger, Joshua pressed Ethan¡¯s shoulders. Joshua silently shook his head at Ethan. It wasn¡¯t time yet. Chapter 852 Chapter 852 Ethan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Olivia and Alicia were wearing exquisite silver gowns. In addition to the silver chains, they appeared oddly beautiful. Alicia¡¯s face wasn¡¯t covered, so her innocent face was shown on the huge screen. Everyone was mesmerized by her angelic beauty. She wasn¡¯t fed any drugs, so her beady eyes were crystal clear. Her hair essory came with diamonds and feathers, turning her into a princess of an exotic country. Her innocent eyes indicated that she didn¡¯t know what was going on. She didn¡¯t cry. Instead, the curious girl scanned the surroundings like amb intruding on a lion¡¯s den by. mistake Her rosy lips parted, and Ethan read her lips. ¡°Mom. Uncle Logan.¡± Ethan¡¯s fingers were already touching his weapon. He wished he could fire his gun at Flora at this moment. Alicia¡¯s beauty surged the crowd into amotion. A lot of them were even nning to renew their collection. Some of the twisted people nned to take her in for a few years before turning her into their partner. Some of them were looking forward to seeing Olivia. If Alicia was this beautiful, how gorgeous would Olivia be? Olivia wasn¡¯t as unconstrained as Alicia was. She was leaning against the bars as though she was out of breath. Flora was still introducing enthusiastically, ¡°Frankly speaking, this woman is the prettiest person I¡¯ve ever met. No one¡¯s beautyes close to hers. She¡¯s a belle! Thus, let¡¯s y a different game tonight. Would you like to remove her mask before the auction?¡± Everyone began gushing. Some of them even scolded Flora for ying tricks with them. Still, her game managed to pique everyone¡¯s interest in Olivia After all, they had witnessed how beautiful Alicia was. They couldn¡¯t imagine how gorgeous Olivia would Olivia was tall and slim to begin with, but she became even skinnier due to illness. Even though she had a good rest, she was still skinnier than before. Glitter was smeared across her body, including her corbone. As the silver chain fettered her, she appeared like a confined angel who could elicit empathy from others readily. The stylist had put on a wig over her head. The silver curly hair cascaded down her body. Even her ears were made into fairy ears with special effects makeup. She stood out with the mysterious air around her. How could one not be enticed by the sight of her? Olivia founded a new rule-the minimum bid to remove her mask was one million dors. The guests beganining about Flora for being an underhanded mercenary. However, when she announced that the bidder would be able to receive a kiss from Olivia, everyone turned eager Olivia¡¯s face was half covered, revealing her plumpy lips. Coupled with her slim neck and defined corbones, her slightly parted lips were enough to seduce the men present. One million dors for a kiss from Olivia? It was worth it. Meanwhile, Ethan was on the verge of losing himself. As a woman, Flora clearly knew what kind of method could be used against him for revenge. A clean-cut revenge couldn¡¯t be as satisfying as tormenting the enemy slowly. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She was avenging herself for what had happened that night. She was adding fuel to the fire little by little. Flora wasn¡¯t in a rush to ruin him, but it was sufficient to make him suffer! Flora¡¯s gaze fell on Ethan. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Chapter 853 Chapter 853 Flora wanted to see Ethan getting anxious. He naturally didn¡¯t want Olivia¡¯s mask to be taken off as other men would see her face. If he didn¡¯t give the money, there would be others willing to fork it out. Thus, he had to give the one million dors first. That figure was only the minimum. It was also Flora¡¯s chance to test Ethan. If he could pay so much money for a kiss, the following figure wouldn¡¯t be as little as this time. What could he use to bidter? If he were to save up the money forter to buy Olivia, someone else would kiss her. Flora had set her mind on disgusting Ethan. This was a hard choice for him to make. However, che underestimated something about Ethan. Although he yearned for love, he hadn¡¯tcked money since his birth. The Millers had been running their businesses for decades, and he was a prodigy in the field. The Miller family was a prestigious family. It was not that Ethan looked down on the others, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to overthrow him even if they joined hands. Needless to say, he wasn¡¯t afraid of the auction. His concern was that Flora would y tricks with him by getting in his way.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. The minimum bid of one million dors had stopped 90 percent of people from bidding. Although the guests on the ship were well-off, they wouldn¡¯t spend one million dors to buy something they weren¡¯t sure of On top of that, they could see Olivia¡¯s face as long as someone spent that money. They weren¡¯t foolish. Everyone was waiting for the second round, which was the real auction. Of course, the remaining ten percent was loaded with cash. They could splurge however they fancied. 1.1 million.¡± "1.2 million.¡± Every bid went up by 100 thousand dors. Grogginess clouded Olivia¡¯s consciousness. She observed Alicia and sighed in relief after making sure that she was fine. Soon, Olivia realized what kind of situation she was in right now. She wondered, ¡°is Logan here?¡± There were hundreds of people present with their masks on. Due to the drugs, she couldn¡¯t focus, hence the blurry vision. ¡°Mommy,¡± Alicia softly called her. Olivia mustered every ounce of every in her tofort Alicia, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Allie. I¡¯m here.¡± Ethan could read her lips from the huge screen, and it hurt him to know what she was saying. Yet, he could only put up with it before his men arrived. He prayed in his head, ¡°Liv, Allie, hold on a little longer.¡± Without him even knowing, his palms were bleeding because his fingers were digging deeply into them. Everyone was eager at first, but the number of bidders gradually decreased. Ethan gave Joshua a look, and thetter made a gesture. A stranger raised his card, saying calmly, ¡°Two million.¡± Right after Ethan joined the bidding, there was only one personpeting with him. Ethan whispered to Joshua, ¡°Find out who he is.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Joshua found out that person¡¯s identity very quickly. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Dale.¡± The Kingston family was renowned in Aldenvine. While the Millers indulged in businesses, the majority of the Kingstons were involved in politics. Both families hade to a silent agreement not to get into each other¡¯s way. The Millers¡¯ headquarters was located abroad, and there weren¡¯t many Millers in the country. Not to The Kingstons alwaysid loy as well. Peace had been shared between the two parties for the past few decades. Since their expertise was different to begin with, they never crossed each other. Ethan had heard of Dale Kingston, the second son of the family. Dale¡¯s uncles frequently showed up in the news, and his elder brother had a bright future. The only problem was with Dale, who had an untrammeled nature. He had messed around with women several times, but his family made sure that the news was kept out of the public¡¯s knowledge. Ethan never expected to see Dale here Dale¡¯s presence was making things more difficult. Chapter 854 Chapter 854 Dale was known to be a yboy. His strong background gave him more reason to be one. Ethan didn¡¯t want to cross the Kingstons. Once things got out of control, Old Mr. Kingston would be a pain in the ass for him. Dale was the only personpeting against Ethan. The price to remove Olivia¡¯s mask had reached up to four million dors. Even Dale himself found it ridiculous. Frustrated, he asked, ¡°Who¡¯s that foolpeting against me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve looked into it, Mr Dale. But we don¡¯t know who he is. He¡¯s mysterious. See how he bids a price as soon as you raise the bid? I think he¡¯s determined to win this round. Why don¡¯t we leave it at that and focus on the next round? Dale shorted coldly ¡°Fine. Seems like I got a great deal for nothing. Let¡¯s see if that woman is worth four million dors. If not, I bet he¡¯ll be infuriated¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. The bid ended with four million dors Everyone wished to know who spent so much money for a mere kiss Some of them even doubted if the bidder could pay that much. Yet, unbeknownst to others. Ethan wrote a check right on the spot. Flora nced at the unfazed Ethan, thinking, ¡°As I expected, he¡¯s poor Forget about four million, I doubt he can even cough up one million dors.¡± If that event came to pass, he could only witness his woman getting trampled by another man Flora wondered if he regretted rejecting her. Had he not rejected the offer, she wouldn¡¯t have taken things this far. ¡°He had thising!¡± she concluded in her head. Meanwhile, the dizzy Olivia was aware of the situation. She looked at the stranger, who was invited onstage. Her feeble body began retreating, causing the silver chains to rattle. ¡°No! Get away from me!¡± The man, who received the key, slowly unlocked the door. The cage was huge. Although he was tall, he could enter by slightly bending his body. Under those anticipating eyes, he kneeled before her. Olivia¡¯s eyes were teeming with horror. She¡¯d rather die than kiss a stranger in front of the public. ¡°Mommy,¡± Alicia called as she sensed something off. But she couldn¡¯t do anything because she was confined in another cage. She could only watch as the man approached Olivia. His back was facing the audience. Bending over, he whispered softly into Olivia¡¯s ear, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Olivia knew immediately that it was someone trying to rescue her under Logan¡¯s order. Horror slowly subsided in her. However, she didn¡¯t know how Logan could cough up that much money. Although she had given him a card, he couldn¡¯t use the money. Where did he get that money from? ¡°Take it off! Take the mask off!¡± the people began shouting. They wanted to know how beautiful the woman was to have her kiss worth four million dors. When the man slowly removed Olivia¡¯s mask, the crowd held their breath out of pleasant surprise. Since Olivia knew that someone hade to save her, she gave full cooperation by staying still. The moment the mask was taken off her face, the people who wanted to grumble again zipped their lips. Dale, who was eating grapes, dropped one. Gaping, he eximed, Fuck! What a beauty! But why does she look familiar to me?¡± Chapter 855 Chapter 855 The light shone upon Olivia¡¯s face, adding luster to her exquisite makeup. She looked like she had stepped right out of aic book. Even Ethan, who had always known how gorgeous she was, held his breath. She was wearing silver contact lenses, so she looked different Her exposed skin was shimmering because of the glitter, conjuring images in his head. Her beauty was surreal like that of a beached mermaid, fallen angel, or a fairy. ¡°Fuck! I should¡¯ve raised the bid earlier,¡± Dale huffed. The person next to him hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Dale, she¡¯s beautiful, but she¡¯s not that young. Can¡¯t you see how old her daughter is already? So what if you can get a kiss from her? As long as you can buy her off, you can y with her however you fancy.¡± Dale caressed his chin. ¡°You¡¯re right. She can settle down at Pearl Mansion. We mustn¡¯t let those conventional geezers know about this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± But don¡¯t you think she looks familiar? I think I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve met such a beauty, you wouldn¡¯t have forgotten about her.¡± ¡°You have a point. It had been years since Olivia revealed herself at the award ceremony. At that time, she looked healthier than she did right nowPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Back then, even her baby cheeks were evident due to her young age. Now, she had be skinnier and gave off another kind of aura. Only her close acquaintances would be able to recognize her in this special makeup. Thus, Dale didn¡¯t recall the wife Ethan had officially announced. While everyone was waiting for the kiss to happen, the man took a step back after removing the mask. Everyone found it strange. Even Flora suspected that he was working for Logan. However, if that was the case, why didn¡¯t Logane onstage himself? ¡°Sir, why are you giving up on this special perk?¡± The man coldly answered, ¡®I¡¯m leaving the best forst. She¡¯s going to be mine anyway.¡± It was understandable. If that came out of someone else¡¯s mouth, they would¡¯ve thought that it was a mere haughty remark. But this man had proven his wealth by paying four million dors right away. It was also an indication that he had set his mind on buying Olivia ¡°Mr. Dale, this man might be a toughpetitor to deal with. He seems stubborn.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? He¡¯s ying tricks to hide his true wealth. I reckon he has not much money left after spending that much. ¡°Others might take it at face value, but I¡¯m not buying it. He might just be fooling around with her, but who would spend so much money to fool around with a woman?¡± Flora took the microphone to add, ¡°As you see, she¡¯s a rare beauty. But she¡¯s kinda feisty. That¡¯s why I drugged her. I bet it¡¯s almost time for the effects to kick in. I wonder which big shot will be able to win her for a heaty night. You can y with her however you want.¡± Her statement added fuel to the fire, infuriating Ethan. Flora was driving herself to the edge little by little, and there was no turning back anymore. Joshua pressed Ethan by the shoulder while praying for Flora. The more she crossed the line, the more miserable she would end up. Chapter 856 Chapter 856 Following that was a whole new round of bidding. Flora¡¯s spur definitely stimted the guests. The starting price of one million dors soon increased by multiple folds. The figure increased faster than Usain Bolt The huge screen was disying Olivia. Her face was perfect no matter from which angle one looked. The high-resolution screen showed her forehead covered in beads of sweat. Her eyes were zed over. The drugs were kicking in. Some of the men were willing to splurge money to have her without a care in the world. Dale wasn¡¯t one of the bidders. The bid went up to seven million dors even before he raised his card. The businessmen knew what they were doing. Once they were sick of Olivia, they could hand her over to someone else. A beauty like her could be sold around like hotcakes. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they could earn their capital back. Hence, the bids were raised higher and higher. It was going to exceed nine million dors soon. ¡°Things are not looking good, Mr. Dale. Are they insane?¡± ¡°Insane? They seem to be in the right state of mind to me. They can sell her off for profit after they¡¯re done with her.¡± ¡°But if this keeps up, it won¡¯t be easy for us to raise the bid. What if Mr. Edgar finds out that you used up so much money in one go-¡± ¡°So what if my elder brother finds out about it? He¡¯ll tell me off, and that¡¯s it. It¡¯s just a woman. How serious could it possibly be?¡± As soon as he finished, he raised his card. ¡°Ten million dors.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The real battle began. Joshua said softly, ¡°Mr. Miller, Mr. Dale has raised the bid.¡± ¡°Follow suit.¡± Ethan grabbed the armrest tightly. ¡°Raise the bid every time he does.¡± When it came to wealth, the whole Kingston family stood no chance against the Miller family, let alone Dale. And Dale noticed that as well. Once he raised the bid, the other party would follow suit. As the bid was raised by 500 thousand dors each time, the number of bidders gradually decreased. In the end, it became a duel again. When it reached up to 15 million dors, Dale slowly lost his confidence. ¡°What the fuck? Is he out of his mind? It¡¯s just a woman. Why is he so desperate?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we back out, Mr. Dale? We don¡¯t have that much cash anyway.¡± ¡°Can you bring yourself to back out from this? I wanna know who¡¯s the fool that keeps getting in my way. Raise the bid! Don¡¯t stop!¡± When he raised the bid to 20 million dors, Ethan¡¯s side raised it higher casually. It was as though it was merely 200 dors. It was the highest bid on record. As time ticked past, Olivia¡¯s eyes slowly lost their focus Ethan genuinely didn¡¯t want her to see her shudder any longer. Then, he raised his card for the first time. ¡°30 million dors. The crowd surged into amotion, wondering who wore a ten-dor hat on a five-cent head. Spending 30 million dors for a child¡¯s mother? They thought the man was out of his mind. This was Ethan¡¯s first time calling a bid, serving as a reality check to Flora, who initially intended to watch him in misery. She wondered if he knew how much that money was worth. ¡°Sir, please keep in mind that bidders who can¡¯t pay the price will be punished severely,¡± she reminded with gritted teeth. Ethan wrote a check before pinching it with his fingers. ¡°Here¡¯s 30 million dors. There were ATMs on the ship operating 24/7. It could be credited immediately. As long as it was discovered as a fake check, the bidder would be prohibited from alighting the ship. No one dared to take it as a joking matter. It meant that this guy really had 30 million dors at his disposal! Chapter 857 Chapter 857 Flora nced at the scene. ¡°Is there any bidder who¡¯d like to raise the bid?¡± Dale wanted to raise his card, but the person next to him pressed his hand down. ¡°Give it a serious thought, Mr. Dale! We can¡¯t afford 30 million dors. He¡¯s filthy rich. We should give up on this. It¡¯s just a woman. If you want to have her, we can figure out something else.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Dale had no other choice despite his sense ofpetitiveness. A man¡¯s best asset was his own capability. Ethan remained in his position with his legs crossed and his chin resting on his palm. He sat like a boss. Flora wanted to turn him into aughingstock, but she became one instead. ¡°30 million dors, once. 30 million dors, twice. 30 million dors, thrice¡­ The lot is knocked down at 30 million dors!¡± she announced the result reluctantly. She didn¡¯t expect that man to be able to pay such a high price. Ethan stood up, looking at Flora as though he was looking at a clown. ¡°Can I take her away now?¡± Kelvin and the others would arrive half an hourter. Even if Flora had something up her sleeve, Ethan would be able to put up with it. There was nothing Flora could do for now. There were so many watchful eyes. Taking her words back was tantamount to breaking the rules. Even though it was an underhanded business, rules were rules. If she broke these people¡¯s trust, who else woulde for a deal? Besides, she was only a manager. If things got out of control, her boss would punish her once he found out about it. She wanted to take revenge on Ethan, but now wasn¡¯t the time. She faked a smile. ¡°Be my guest.¡± He strode toward the stage, reaching out his palm at Flora. ¡°Keys.¡± She maintained the smile and gave him the keys despite her reluctance. Never before had she imagined this man to have such a strong background! He paid 30 million dors like it was nothing Ethan first unlocked Alicias cage and checked on the girl She threw herself into his arms. ¡°Uncle Logan¡± ¡°I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Fortunately, Flora wasn¡¯t mad enough toy a finger on a kid. Ethan caressed Alicia¡¯s head before entrusting her to Joshua. After making sure that Alicia was fine, Ethan slowly walked toward Olivia, who was drenched in sweat. She bit her lip, quelling any noise from escaping her lips. Her red lips earned more empathy from others. She could barely stay awake due to the grogginess. She didn¡¯t know who it was. She pried her eyes open, staring at the iing man. The light behind him outlined his figure. The tall man had his face covered with a mask. He knelt before her. ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting, Miss.¡± The chains around Olivia¡¯s limbs were unlocked, and she fell into his embrace. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°I-I¡¯ve been drugged,¡± she barely said those words into his ear. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll help you.¡± He caught her and carried her bridal style. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± She thought that the person carrying her was Ethan for a brief moment, especially due to the fact that she couldn¡¯t see his face. ¡°A-Alicia¡­¡± ¡°Joshua¡¯s here. She¡¯s safe and sound.¡± He left with Olivia in her arms, and the others watched him in envy. ¡°Put your mind at rest. Leave it to me.¡± Olivia, who was having it rough, nestled against his chest. Chapter 858 Chapter 858 Although it was embarrassing, Olivia couldn¡¯t be bothered about it anymore. She simply wanted to cover her face so that others couldn¡¯t see her. Her long dress cascaded downward, making her look like an injured mermaid. While carrying her, Ethan took big strides out of the area. Joshua followed behind while carrying Alicia. ¡°Get a doctor. Hurry.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ethan wanted to have Olivia, but not in such a situation, hence the annoyance. Besides, he didn¡¯t know what kind of drugs Flora gave Olivia and whether they would take a toll on her health The doctor checked on her while Ethan gave them space. He lit a cigarette in the corridor. A lot of helicopters appeared above the dark sea. Joshua¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Mr. Miller, did you hire mercenary soldiers?¡± He thought that Ethan would call over the army with his official identity, yet Ethan hired mercenary soldiers instead! That way, if things went south, the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t have the right to look into the matter. Joshua lowered his voice. ¡°No way, our men are in-¡± Ethan ced his finger before his lips, signaling Joshua to not say that aloud. In order not to let others catch on, Ethan established his own army base on an ind afar. Five hours wouldn¡¯t be enough for them to rush over even by helicopters. Thus, whose mercenary soldiers were they? ¡°This is urgent, so I asked for some help.¡± Help? This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Who possibly had such power? Even though Joshua hadn¡¯tpletely understood Ethan, he could sense that something big was waiting ¡°What are your ns, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan breathed out a cloud of smoke. ¡°A few years ago, I suspected that someone on our side was covering Cherno. So, I asked someone to investigate it.¡± ¡°Did they find anything?¡± ¡°No. The other party caught wind of it and covered their tracks perfectly. But I managed to minimize the boundary thanks to them.¡± Joshua was stunned momentarily. ¡°So you ¡°Other than sending Liv back, I wanted to confirm my guess. Not long ago, I could basically confirm who the mastermind is. Joshua didn¡¯t expect Ethan to be this calm when such an infuriating matter happened. It was no wonder Ethan dispatched his subordinates who had always worked for him secretly. Firstly, it was to protect Olivia; secondly, it was to investigate the matter. ¡°This is a personal grudge between Flora and me. But she broke the rules by selling her guests off.¡± Ethan snorted coldly. ¡°If you¡¯re the mastermind, what would you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯d never allow such a thing to happen. If the trust is broken, who else woulde to the ship?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But he acknowledged Flora¡¯s move instead of taking action. He didn¡¯t answer my call when I contacted him. What does this mean?¡± Joshua scratched his back. ¡°My head is spinning, Mr. Miller. What does this mean?¡± ¡°It means he figured out who we were when Olivia¡¯s mask was taken off. He let Flora have it her way. It¡¯s his way of making things worse behind the scenes. ¡°He was gambling that I¡¯d go insane because of Olivia. If I abused my powers, he could take the chance to oust me.¡± Joshua suddenlyprehended the situation. ¡°Mr. Miller, the owner of this ship is¡­¡± He nced at the side to check if there were any surveince cameras. Ethan disposed of his cigarette. ¡°Rx. I destroyed the surrounding cameras when I first boarded the ship. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s that person in your mind. He wants me dead!¡± Chapter 859 Chapter 859 The sea breeze blew over, giving Joshua goosebumps on his back. In the past, his job was to simply carry out orders from Ethan. He didn¡¯t know theplex story behind this. Just what kind of fray was Ethan in? Other than having a dysfunctional family, he had to face multiple schemes in business. ¡°Mr. Miller, what should we do now?¡± inquired Joshua. Ethan¡¯s eyes were dark, and his voice was icy. ¡°Tell Brent to not hold himself back. Make himself at home. Destroy anything that has to be destroyed. I want to tell them that it isn¡¯t easy to gain that 34 million dors.¡± He threw the cigarette butt into the sea. His expression behind the mask turned gloomier. ¡°Since they¡¯ve taken what¡¯s mine, they should pay back with interest.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes brightened at Ethan¡¯s brilliant idea. During the past few days, Ethan got to know the number of enemies on the ship. If he took action now, he would have the upper hand. Even if the enemy called for backup, it would take at least six hours, which was enough time for Ethan and his men to leave Even if the other party knew that it was Ethan¡¯s doing, he didn¡¯t have evidence. Shrouded by darkness, Ethan emphasized, ¡°Let them enjoy to their hearts¡¯ content tonight!¡± Later, he entered the room and asked with concern, ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± ¡°Bad. She¡¯s weak to begin with, so I can¡¯t give her a tranquilizer.¡± Considering that even Ethan fell sick because of it, Olivia might lose her life. ¡°Is there a better way?¡± Annoyed, the doctor red at him. ¡°Do you call yourself a man? Do I have to teach you what to do? I just don¡¯t get it. Youngsters nowadays are missing some screws in their heads. Anyway, I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end.¡± The doctor grumbled and left. Ethan looked at the sweating Olivia, softly saying, ¡°Miss, I-¡± She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Despite the tinge of consciousness left, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to make love with a stranger. She grabbed his sleeves. ¡°Take me to the bathtub.¡± ¡°But your body-¡± ¡°Take me there!¡± she insisted. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. He sighed and did as she was told. ¡°Fill the tub.¡± Warm water sshed over her. She added, ¡°Cold water.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t want to do that, but he couldn¡¯t talk her out of it. She waspletely drenched in the bathtub. The glitter over her exposed skin was shimmering. In addition to her wet hair, she looked like a mermaid. She was gorgeous. The dress wrapped around her body tightly. Despite its luxurious design, the garment was so thin that it outlined her perfect curves easily. Ethan hurriedly shifted his gaze away, ming the stylist for being so professional. That outfit definitely highlighted her features. Her beauty was surreal. Huffing and puffing in the water, she grabbed the rim of the bathtub. ¡°G-Get out!¡± He refused seriously, ¡°No. I can¡¯t leave you alone in this state. You might drown yourself.¡± He had a point. Olivia gulped down her saliva and bit her lip. It took her a while before blurting out, ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to hold myself back with you here.¡± Chapter 860 Chapter 860 Olivia¡¯s face turned beet red after she blurted that. Had she not built up her willpower through chemotherapy, she would¡¯ve already lost control of herself. Ethan stared at the embarrassed woman. Despite knowing that she was acting this way because of the drugs, he couldn¡¯t help his racing heartbeat. ¡°I¡¯ll face my back at you then. I won¡¯t look at you.¡± He turned around, gazing out of the window. The night sea was somber without the touch of gleaming sunlight. He could hear the whirring sound of helicopters approaching. The real party was going to begin. Almost ten minutester, the sound of a woman moaning suddenly resounded behind him. Ethan hurriedly turned around, only to see her red face. Aside from her hair and body, her eyes were watery too. The corners of her eyes were red. She was fatally sexy. ¡°Miss, are you¡­ alright?¡± The groggy Olivia wanted to get up in the bathtub, but her weak limbs wouldn¡¯t listen to her head. She fell the second she stood up. ¡°Be careful!¡± He quickly held her hand, and she yanked him into the bathtub. Fortunately, he held the back of her head, so she was unscathed The two drenched people were so close to each other. Without a care in the world, Olivia listened to her instincts and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled herself closer to him. ¡°I feel so ufortable.¡± Ethan held her tightly and didn¡¯t do anything else. ¡°I know.¡± He could rte to her. Back then, this man with strong self-control almost lost it too. Had it not been for the medicine, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to slog it through. How could Olivia possibly stave the effects off by simply dipping her body in cold water? All he could do was hug her, giving her the temporaryfort that she needed so as to mitigate the effect. She rested her cheek against his cold mask. Her body slightly ground against his. ¡°Logan, I can¡¯t put up with it any longer. What should I do¡­¡± she cried. ¡°It¡¯s so ufortable. I¡¯m going crazy. I¡¯m seriously going crazy. This is harder than dying.¡± Ethan¡¯s rough fingers caressed her cheek as he let out a silent sigh. ¡°I know. I understand, Miss, I can help you.¡± ¡°No! I can¡¯t do it!¡± Olivia¡¯s tears trickled down his neck. He patted her back,forting her. ¡°Miss, is it because of that person? Is it because you still love him? Is that why you can¡¯t ept others?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s definitely not because of him.¡± Olivia clenched her teeth. ¡°I resent him to the bones.¡± Resentment roots from love. You resent him because you love him a lot.¡± He suddenly questioned, ¡°If he were the one with you today, would you ept him?¡± Olivia¡¯s head was a mess. She was on the verge of losing her rationality. Would she have epted Ethan if he were here? There was no cure, and she couldn¡¯t handle it alone. Ethan was her only man. ¡°No,¡± she answered confidently. ¡°He¡¯s filthy. He¡¯s touched another woman. I¡¯ll never let him touch me again!¡± Ethan sighed. It seemed like he needed to talk to her when the time was right. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He swore to God that he had never touched Marina! ¡°Fine, let¡¯s not talk about him. Let¡¯s talk about you. Miss, you clearly know how strong the drugs are. Back then, I was only able to handle it after taking two injections. ¡°We can¡¯t simply give you anything because you¡¯re weak. Otherwise, it¡¯ll stimte the cancer cells again. You have a daughter, and there are so many things you want to do. Do you want your health to deteriorate because of this?¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t think of anything as she shook her head vigorously. ¡°What should I do? Why does it have to be me Chapter 861 Chapter 861 Ethan hugged Olivia in silence. He had no intention of forcing her. ¡°Miss, now that things havee to this point, let¡¯s leave other matters aside. We can talk about them later. Now, we gotta solve your situation. I know you don¡¯t want to give yourself to others. But there¡¯s no other solution we can opt for.¡± He took a breath before continuing, ¡°I can guarantee you that I won¡¯t tell anyone about tonight. After today, nothing will change. Everything will be the same. If you don¡¯t like me, I can¡­ ask others to rece Like Joshua or- She covered his mouth, ring at him. ¡°If I have no other choice, I¡¯d rather it be you.¡± At least, they knew each other well. However, she didn¡¯t want to take it that far. Unlike her words, her body was following her instinct, grinding against his. Hugging the man¡¯s waist no longer satiated her need. The urge to proceed to the next step was killing her. Images of intertwining with Ethan on the bed shed across Olivia¡¯s head. She wanted it; she wanted it so badly. He scooped a part of the hem of her dress and bit down the veil. She became uneasy. ¡°W-What are you trying to do?¡± He slowly covered her eyes with the veil. ¡°Miss, you can think of me as anyone.¡± She still couldn¡¯t shake the shyness off as she stammered, ¡°Logan, no. I-I can still hold on-¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He drained the cold water in the bathtub before refilling it with warm water and turning the lights off. Only the dim light from outside lent them some brightness. It wasn¡¯t striking to the eyes; it fitted the mood. Frantic grew in Olivia. She pushed Ethan¡¯s chest. ¡°I-I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± Ethan bent over, whispering in her ear, ¡°Your body has been ready for it since a while ago. It¡¯s just that your heart isn¡¯t ready yet. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t want your heart.¡± Like a demon, he said in an undertone, trying to open her up. He cupped her cheek gently, and that simple move made Olivia tremble uncontrobly. Her eyes were covered, sc she couldn¡¯t see anything. Darkness consigned her to uneasiness, yet it was the best prompt to feel the mood. She didn¡¯t know what she should do.. She grabbed Ethan¡¯s shirt with one of her hands while the other was fluttering around. She touched his mask, which was cold and hard. He prompted, ¡°Take it off for me.¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded more attractive in the dark. It was so low that it reminded her of Ethan.. Olivia thought that she had gone mad for still thinking about that man at this moment. She reached out to the back of his head to untie the ribbons. The mask dropped into the water, and water droplets sshed against her skin. She could feel Ethan¡¯s gaze on her. ¡°D-Don¡¯t look at me.¡± Okay, I won¡¯t look. He knew that she was almost losing control. Her rationality was still battling against her instincts, attempting to prevail over thetter. Therefore, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He didn¡¯t want to put her under pressure or make her uneasy when it came to this kind of matter. ¡°Miss, I swear to my name that I¡¯ve never touched another woman before.¡± Olivia¡¯s cheeks were burning. She felt that she was on fire. She honestly didn¡¯t care about his past. Her sole wish was to leave, but her body wrapped itself around his. Her instinct was telling her to take it to the next step. The strings of rationality were tightening. She bit her lip, and a helpless sigh brushed her ear. He touched her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t bite it. It hurts me to see you do that.¡± Chapter 862 Chapter 862 ¡°Don¡¯t bite it. It hurts me to see you do that.¡± An image converged in Olivia¡¯s mind. Back when she first dated Ethan, she hadn¡¯t had sex before. Thinking that it was embarrassing to moan, she bit her lip every time to stop herself from moaning. Until that one day, Ethan raised her chin from behind and said those words. She could still vividly remember how crazy that night was. Now, Olivia didn¡¯t know how enticing she looked right now. Her eyes were covered by the silver veil. He lifted her chin, forcing her to raise her head and reveal her neck. The messy dress drooped from her shoulders, exposing her fair arms and sexy corbone. The glitter shimmered under the light. Slowly, Ethan bent over to kiss the lips he had been missing crazily all this time. Olivia¡¯s first reaction was to avoid his kiss. After all, he was conscious right now. How could he She ced her hands against his chest, feeling the warmth seeping from his body before warming her palms. She wondered why the way Logan kissed was simr to Ethan¡¯s. She had never shared a kiss with another man. She simply assumed that kissing felt the same regardless of who it was with to exin the delusion. Grogginess left her head in a mess, and she couldn¡¯t care less about anything anymore. All she did was leave it to her instincts. At that moment, the person in her head was still that one man. Unlike the heated intimacy in the bathroom, the situation was different outside. It was the first time the ship encountered such a predicament since its opening. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. After the auction, Flora stormed into her room and shoved the tea set off the table. ¡°What are you mad about, Flora? We should be celebrating! It¡¯s freaking 34 million dors! I bet the boss She threw a teacup in his direction. ¡°Shut up! Why can¡¯t you find out anything about that guy? How can an ordinary person cough up 30 million dors?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it, Flora. I¡¯ve shown you Logan¡¯s information. He¡¯s penniless. He worked as a loan shark at casinos and became a fighter before this. He grew up in a poor vige.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± That aura would nevere from an uncivilized person. Not even the mask could hide the sophisticated air around Ethan! Obviously, it was a rich man with a strong background. He couldn¡¯t be a random fighter. ¡°It must be a fake identity, then. We can¡¯t find out anything immediately anyway. Calm down, Flora. He¡¯s just another man. If this doesn¡¯t work, we can figure out something else. Don¡¯t forget that this is not his territory.¡± Flora crossed her arms, looking at the man coldly. ¡°Fine, tell me what to do to let the steam off.¡± ¡°Easy. We just need to-¡± Before he could finish, they heard a whirring sounding from above. ¡°A helicopter? Where did ite from?¡± Flora grew uneasy. She wasn¡¯t in the state of mind to care about other things. Instantly, she opened the door and ran to the deck. There was a lighting from a helicopter. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± There were over ten helicopters flying in the middle of the sea at the same time! Such a thing had never happened before. Frantic shrouded her with coldness. ¡°W-Where did theye from?¡± ¡°Are theying after us?¡± Someone kicked open the door to the room. Chapter 863 Chapter 863 The one who kicked the door open was none other than Joshua. The stiff character he usually disyed in front of Ethan and Olivia was no longer there. Joshua had even changed his mask to a Grim Reaper one. He appeared cool as the sea breeze caressed his skin. ¡°Bingo! I aming after you.¡± Flora barked, ¡°Who are you? Do you know where you are right now? How dare you act this way on the ship! In the meantime, she armed the rm system. The enforcers charged over with their weapons first thing after hearing the rm. She had yet to realize the solemnity of the situation. ¡°Do you know what happened to the previous person who acted waywardly on the ship? He was dismembered and fed to the sharks.¡± At this moment, the men on the helicopters slid down the ropes andnded on the deck. Each one of them was wearing bulletproof gear and holding a weapon. Their heavy boots stomped on the deck, unleashing an intimidating aura. The majority of Flora¡¯s enforcers had their hands stained with blood. They could easily go against an ordinary person, but they stood no chance against mercenary soldiers. Gunfire, screams, and the sound of fists punching at the air happened at once. Flora intended to escape, but Joshua had informed someone to block all exits. Even the windows were surrounded. ¡°This way, Ms. Colt.¡± He stood by the door. ¡°What are you trying to do? Do you know whose territory is this?¡± He sneered. ¡°That¡¯s not important. Attack!¡± Everyone charged at the enemies, and the game started They barged into the rooms where illegal sex deals were made. ¡°Freeze! Hands on your head and get to the corner!¡± The guests, who didn¡¯t know what was going on, did as they were told. By the time they registered the situation, they recalled the fact that they were at sea. There was no other way for outsiders toe. Furthermore, the iing people weren¡¯t wearing police gear but mercenary outfits. ¡°Who are you?¡± A fat man confronted them. ¡°Whose orders are you under?¡± He was ignored as the sound of cameras shing didn¡¯t stop. The perverted Kelvin barged into a room while a steamy moment was going on. He looked at his watch. ¡± Bro, do you call yourself a man? You didn¡¯t evenst for a minute.¡± The man shouted. Brent, who bypassed the area, smacked the back of Kelvin¡¯s head. ¡°Get back to work! Don¡¯t waste your time on such filthy scenes.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Kelvin took a photo of the couple and even gave them a peace sign cheekily. Needless to say, his face was covered, so no one recognized him. Ethan¡¯s men were taking photos for evidence so that he had something over the enemies¡¯ heads when they wanted toe after him. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Kelvin was in a rather good mood. Ethan had always told them not to cause trouble all this time. But they didn¡¯t have to hold themselves back tonight. ¡°Brothers, enjoy the night to the fullest!¡± Kelvin was livid upon learning that the owner of the ship was Ethan¡¯s enemy, as well as the fact that it was a trap for Ethan. When Kelvin saw expensive decorations, he smashed them onto the ground. If he couldn¡¯t destroy them, he would at least leave scratches with a knife. These people were everywhere on the ship. Other than hurting people, they had done every immoral deed possible. If Olivia witnessed the scene, she would¡¯ve taken them as pirates. Alicia woke up due to themotion outside. ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± Joshuaforted her gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Ms. Alicia. It¡¯s just a bunch of drunkards. It¡¯ll end soon.¡± ¡°Mommy ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Uncle Logan is with her. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Not even a mosquito could fly near Olivia¡¯s room. The night was bound to be a lively one. Chapter 864 Chapter 864 The man on the rooftop of a skyscraper, which was located far away from the ship, was watching the incident transpire on the vessel. When a worried Rhys contacted him to tell him about the helicopters, he had been celebrating the asion because he had finally caught Ethan¡¯s fault. ¡°Let them be. The merrier the better.¡± Rhys wondered, ¡°Is the boss drunk? How could he say that?¡± It was worth sacrificing a ship to take Ethan down. Yet, Ethan¡¯s backup was unexpectedly mercenary soldiers! The man¡¯s expression changed almost instantly. Ethan didn¡¯t wield his military authority! In other words, the man couldn¡¯t prove that it was Ethan on the ship! ¡°Stop them! Hurry!¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote, sir! They-¡± The call ended with a scream. Anxious, the man turned on the surveince footage, only to realize that someone had broken the surveince cameras. The positions of the surveince cameras werepromised. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence. A few days ago, Ethan had set his n into motion when he boarded the ship. Only then did the man know that he became the prey while setting Ethan up! This round, it was the man¡¯s utter defeat. Thest surveince camera was broken by Kelvin. He even showed his middle finger at the camera before stomping it, mocking the man. Next, he crushed it with his foot. The surveince footage turned pitch-ck. The demons were reveling on the ship, but the man couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He had fallen for the trap. Frustrated, the man flipped the Ursa Tower on the sandbox over. Over 10,000 toy blocks were destroyed, and the red wine sttered across the floor. It was as though they were gloating over his defeat. It had been years since he confronted Ethan. They had been testing each other andunching attacks. This was the most miserable defeat to him. Back then, Ethan didn¡¯t find out anything despite boarding the ship personally. Yet, the man gave the game away himself tonight because of Olivia¡¯s incident. Ethan seized the chance to ruin the man¡¯s territory. Now, the ship was in chaos. The man couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He didn¡¯t show up, so how did Ethan guess that it was him? On top of that, if that man showed up right now, he would be revealing himself to the public that he was the mastermind. He thought, ¡°Well, well. I received 34 million dors from him and yet I lost billions of dors.¡± He chuckled out of anger before downing his drink in one go. Still, it was not like he didn¡¯t know anything. Before this, the man couldn¡¯t do anything to Ethan because thetter didn¡¯t have a weakness. The man shifted his gaze onto Olivia¡¯s photo. Now, he was confident that she was Ethan¡¯s weakness. A man with weakness was no longer invincible. The man vowed to make Ethan pay back for tonight¡¯s deeds in multiple folds! Olivia wasn¡¯t aware of what was going on outside, let alone what she had gotten herself into. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. She heard some screams outside and wanted to check out the situation, but Ethan held her waist to bring her back to him. The pleasure filled her head to the brim, putting other thoughts at the back of her head. Her eyes were covered, so she couldn¡¯t see the man before her. All she could do was to wrap her arms around him, orgasming again and again. Later on, she slowly lost her rationality. Her body became sluggish. She didn¡¯t even have the energy to make a sound. Ethan was treating her gently, so much so that she kept mistaking him for that man. ¡°Ethan¡­¡± she muttered unconsciously while holding his hand. At that moment, she forgot about the resentment and the past as though there were only the two of them left in the world. Chapter 865 Chapter 865 The gentle sunlight shone on the sea. The surface glimmered as it reflected the light. Peace had finally returned to the ship after a night of chaos. The vessel gently floated on the sea. It had been a devastating night for the guests. The basic infrastructure on the ship was destroyed. The ATMs were broken into, and the cash inside was taken. The cash in the casino was taken too. Everything else was either destroyed or taken. The wealthy businessmen were naked. The gamblers lost so much that they crouched in a corner and dared not make any moves. They were still lucky to be alive. They got off easy, just losing their money. Brent dragged Flora to a high ce so that she could see all the chaos below. With tears in her eyes, she shrieked, ¡°No, no. Please stop!¡± She didn¡¯t expect her moment of desire to lead to such a catastrophic disaster. She was used to getting her way on the ship. She was the queen of the ship when her employer wasn¡¯t around. She did whatever she wanted. She didn¡¯t expect to cross the wrong people this time. Years of her employer¡¯s work had gone up in smoke. She prostrated before Brent and begged, ¡°Please stop it. Please. I was wrong. I apologize. Kill me instead. Throw me overboard. Please don¡¯t destroy the ship!¡± Flora finally realized that she had crossed a very important man. He was someone who wasn¡¯t afraid of her employer. That was thew of nature. The strong had power over the weak. Brent snickered. ¡°Did you ever forgive anyone¡¯s wrongdoing against you when you were in a position of power? We tried to settle things privately with you. Did you even spare us a thought then?¡± Flora slumped to the floor, at a loss for words. Brent was sneering under his mask. ¡°You didn¡¯t. You only had one thought in your mind-revenge. You even brought an innocent woman and a child into it. Do you know¡­¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Brent sighed, adding, ¡°My employer let you go easy because you¡¯re a woman. He just gave you a taste of your own medicine. But you¡­ You forced him to do this. Do you know what the woman and child mean to Flora shook her head frantically. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I really didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Did you ever think this would happen to you when you lord over other people? You and your employer deserve everything that¡¯s happening here today. Take a good look as the ship falls into ruin.¡± Flora wailed. ¡°No!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel good to have someone in control of your fate, right? Don¡¯t forget this is what you did to a mother and her daughter a while ago. Did she not beg you to let her child go?¡± Flora recalled Olivia¡¯s face. It was true. Olivia had begged her with a sad look. ¡°What did you do? Did you even think about sparing them? You didn¡¯t. You drew it up to their misfortune. They were just the sacrificialmbs for your revenge. You wanted to use them to appease your anger.¡± Brent made his conclusion coldly. ¡°You¡¯re just reaping what you sowed. Feel this pain of helplessness and never forget it. You did this to yourself.¡± Flora couldn¡¯t do anything but watch as her life¡¯s work was destroyed. Her bitter tears flowed from her face and dripped onto the deck. Chapter 866 Chapter 866 The mercenaries took everything of value on the ship and left. Olivia had been moved in her sleep shortly before daybreak. Ethan freshened himself up and opened the door. The fresh sea breeze brushed against his face, lifting his spirits. Apart from the floor they were on, everywhere else was in a mess. Most of the people had left the ship. Only his men remained. More than a hundred thugs were tied up and left crouching on the ground. Brent released Flora, who then rushed downstairs. Everything was a mess-the restaurant, ballroom, luxury stores, and entertainment facilities. Flora fell to her knees and wept. ¡°It¡¯s destroyed. Everything¡¯s ruined.¡± She staggered to the bar. She used to enjoy sitting here and mixing some drinks for herself. She enjoyed looking down at the others from a high ce. All of the expensive alcohol had been taken. The cheap ones were smashed on the floor. She slowly walked over, kneeled down, and picked up half a bottle of wine. She held the broken bottle in her hand and slowly sipped at the wine. As she drank the final drop, despair shed in her eyes. She grabbed the broken bottle and tried to cut her aorta with it. She was to me for the ship¡¯s destruction. Her employer would suffer immense losses because of this. He would chase her to the ends of the earth to make her pay. Flora knew she had made a huge mistake. The thought of running away never crossed her mind. Paying for her mistakes with her death was the only option she had left. Suddenly, a gunshot rang. A bullet shattered the broken bottle she was holding. She felt her hand go numb before the bottle fell apart. Flora looked behind her in a daze. Ethan was standing behind her. He put away his weapon and walked over to her slowly. He was in a brand-new suit. He looked handsome and irresistible even as he stood among the debris. ¡°Who are you?¡± Flora asked through gritted teeth. Ethan had yet to show his face to her. Even then, it was enough to bewitch her tomit such a huge mistake. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He looked at her condescendingly as if he was looking at garbage. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of knowing my name.¡± ¡°You want to get back at me for what I did to her. Why did you stop me?¡± Ethan grunted and said, ¡°For someone like you, killing you would be doing you a service. Do you really think I¡¯d let you off so easily?¡± Flora¡¯s face was ashen. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t kill me, my employer will. I¡¯m dead either way. Do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you. I want you to live a life worse than death for the remainder of your life. Your love men, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ll make sure you get all the men you want.¡± ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Ethan stopped walking and added, ¡°I¡¯ll have you sleep with thousands of men. I¡¯ll let you experience what you did to her a hundred times over. Flora¡¯s face paled. ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°I let you off once because you¡¯re a woman, Flora. You asked for this. You can hurt me, but you should never haveid a hand on those two.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t even look back. He continued in a deep voice, ¡°Everyone has a bottom line. You shouldn¡¯t have crossed mine.¡± Kelvin came over with some men. Ethan gave him an order coldly. ¡°Send her to Gilded Trove.¡± Flora shook her head frantically when she heard that. ¡°No. Kill me! Kill me now!¡± Ethan ignored her and walked away. Chapter 867 Chapter 867 Olivia woke up groggily after sleeping for a long while. Her entire body felt sore before she even opened her eyes. She felt a cool sensation on her lower body. She lifted her nket to see that she had been changed into soft andfortable pajamas. The sheets smelled nice. Logan was considerate enough to bathe her. He even applied some ointment on herher regions, so there wasn¡¯t any swelling. She blushed when she thought about what happened. How was she going to face Logan ever again? Logan was not around. Looking around, she noticed that she wasn¡¯t in her room. There was no rocking feeling anymore. She was onnd. How did she get onnd after a night of sleep? She felt uneasy as she scanned the unfamiliar environment. Where was her child? Olivia got off the bed quickly without paying any attention to her weak and tired body. She fell to the floor immediately This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luckily, a thick fur carpet was on the floor, so she didn¡¯t hurt herself. Hearing the sound in the room, Alicia called out, ¡°Mom!¡± Alicia came running over from the next room. Olivia sighed in relief when she saw that Alicia was unscathed ¡°My baby.¡± She spun Alicia around and confirmed that she was indeed uninjured. Olivia¡¯s mind was still in haze. She didn¡¯t know what had happened. She had a lot of questions. Propping herself against the bed, she slowly got to her feet. She took a moment to regain her composure before exiting the room with Alicia in tow. She was stunned when she opened the door. It was snowing outside. The scenery was familiar, and so was the atmosphere and temperature. Olivia didn¡¯t know what emotions she was feeling, but tears began to flow down her face. ¡°Mom? Alicia didn¡¯t understand why Olivia¡¯s mood changed so suddenly. She grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand Olivia wiped away her tears. She was back in Aldenvine, the city she grew up in. The events of the past year felt like a dream, from losing her memories to regaining them. She lost her children and met them again. Also, she went from being on her deathbed to being able to stand here and look at the snow. Only she knew how hard her life had been in the past year. She reached out to catch a snowke falling from the sky. She was already a 23-year-old adult, yet she was bawling her eyes out like a child. ¡°I¡¯m back. I¡¯m finally back.¡± ¡°Ms. Fordham.¡± Joshua¡¯s voice sounded. Olivia wiped her tears away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lost myposure for a bit. I¡­ I got too emotional.¡± No one would understand how she felt. She had gone through so much in a few years. Looking back, her life had been wrought with misery. ¡°It¡¯s okay After she collected her thoughts, Olivia asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Logan? What happened? How did we get here?¡± Joshua said, ¡°I was about to get you up to speed. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll answer your questions one by one.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°After you were taken, Logan tried his best to get information about your whereabouts. After he found out where you were, he contacted Mr. Rogers and borrowed a huge amount of money from him. ¡°Mr. Rogers also asked his friends for help as a contingency. He spent a small fortune hiring mercenaries. who saved us from the ship. We got to the city on a helicopter. ¡°By the way, this house was arranged by Mr. Rogers as well. He said you had lived here before.¡± ¡°Keith did all that?¡± Chapter 868 Chapter 868 Joshua¡¯s exnation sounded bulletproof at first, but Olivia had her suspicions. The amount required was over 300 million dors, not three thousand or 30 thousand. Besides, no one knew how high the bid was going to get. The money Keith had to lend would be more than 300 million dors. Keith¡¯s family was well-off, but he came from a family of doctors. Did they even have several hundred million in cash? She was just a friend, not his lover. Also, how did he get in contact with the mercenaries? It wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility for Keith, but it didn¡¯t seem like something he would do. But who would help her out other than Keith? It couldn¡¯t be Ethan, could it? Olivia shook her head when she thought about him. He was still in Vuckburg. He couldn¡¯t get there in time even if he wanted to. If it were indeed Ethan, he would¡¯ve taken her away. He wouldn¡¯t allow her and her child to roam free. ¡°Yes. It was a very close call. Logan and I tried all sorts of ways to gather the money. Mr. Rogers was also panicking. We couldn¡¯t have saved you if he didn¡¯t somehow get that money.¡± Olivia was stunned. ¡°That much money¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I say Mr. Rogers is such a reliable man. He came through when we needed him the most. In the situation you were in, we probably couldn¡¯t have saved you if someone else won the bid on you.¡± Joshua continued to describe the situation vividly. Olivia only knew she had been rescued. She didn¡¯t know that the luxurious cruise ship had been destroyed. What did its passengers go through? Ethan, vengeful as he was, gave every man who spoke ill of Olivia a beating. They would be bedridden for weeks after they got off the ship. ¡°Where did L-Logan go?¡± Olivia finally asked. Joshua scratched his head and said, ¡°Logan told me that his agreement with you was he would leave when you arrived somewhere safe, Ms. Fordham. He told me to keep you safe. As per the agreement, he has left.¡± Olivia knew Logan did it for her sake. He didn¡¯t want her to feel awkward in his presence, so he chose to leave. She really didn¡¯t know what to say about him. ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡®You don¡¯t have to be so courteous, Ms. Fordham. I¡¯m very close with Logan. Besides, I get paid helping him take care of you. It¡¯s a good thing for me too.¡± Olivia took her phone out and called Keith. She needed some answers. ¡®Olivia, how are you? Are you okay? Logan contacted me out of the bluest night. I didn¡¯t know why something so horrible would happen. It was so scary,¡± Keith said in a gentle tone. Was it really Keith who helped her out? ¡°How did you manage toe up with so much money?¡± ¡°I borrowed some from the Tuckers. Money doesn¡¯t mean muchpared to your safety.¡± Olivia frowned. ¡°Give me your ount number. I¡¯ll transfer you the money in a bit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in Aldenvine now. Ethan will know if you move the money.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I can¡¯t hide forever. I can¡¯t just let you spend so much money for my sake. It¡¯s not a couple hundred dors we¡¯re talking about.¡± That was a huge amount of cash. It could cause Keith¡¯s family business to be illiquid. Or if he had to borrow the money from loan sharks, he would incur a lot of debt based on interest alone. Besides, Keith took care of the expenses in the six months she was recovering from chemotherapy. He also arranged everything for the cruise back to Aldenvine. They were not even rtives. He was also not running a charity. Olivia had been feeling bad about relying on him so much. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. Your safetyes first.¡± ¡°Give me your ount number, or I¡¯ll just bring the money to your house.¡± Chapter 869 Chapter 869 Keith sighed. ¡°Alright, I give up. I¡¯ll send you my ount number in a bit. Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Will do. Keith, thanks for your help in the past year,¡± Olivia said sincerely. If not for him, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get to where she was. She also wouldn¡¯t have been reunited with her daughter. Compared to the life filled with despair that she previously led, she was already in a much better ce. Keith was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know how to exin his situation. ¡®You don¡¯t have to thank me. I didn¡¯t do much. Anyway, stay safe out there.¡± Keith¡¯s palms were covered in sweat when he hung up. Irene leaned over and asked, ¡°How was it? Did Olivia get suspicious?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. After all, she probably doesn¡¯t know who else could¡¯ve helped her other than me.¡± Irene sighed in resignation. ¡°I feel bad about lying to Olivia. She¡¯ll be so sad if she finds out we lied to her. That damned Ethan. How did he find out Olivia was still alive? ¡°Thinking about it sends shivers down my spine. That man is too maniptive. He actually held a funeral and kneeled before the grave for an entire day just to convince Olivia he thought she was dead. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good thing or not to be loved by such an obsessive man.¡± ¡°Love has always been a double-edged sword. In moderation, it brings happiness. If not, it¡¯d be hell. It¡¯s our fault for failing to protect Olivia. Now, we can only do as he says. Keith was dumbfounded when he received the call in the morning. He thought they had fooled everyone, but Ethan had known about what they were doing all along. ¡°But he isn¡¯t taking a forceful approach this time. I hope he has really learned his lesson and will treat Olivia better.¡± Keith sighed. ¡°I hope so too.¡± Then, he took out his phone to contact Ethan and tell him about Olivia¡¯s demand. Ethan was rtively courteous when he talked to Keith. He provided Keith with an ount number. Then, he thanked him sincerely. Irene sighed in relief and scratched her head. ¡°So this is why everything has been going our way this year. My mom¡¯s business has been doing very well. She received severalrge orders. I thought it was just pure Keith also thought about his rtives who were in Andia. Especially his father, who had called him several times recently. He seemed to be in high spirits. Ethan was a great ally to have but a terrifying enemy to go up against. At the moment, Keith and Irene¡¯s hands were tied. They could only pray for Olivia¡¯s safety. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Ethan was on an unnamed ind near Aldenvine. Other than to soothe Olivia¡¯s emotions, there was another reason why Ethan left her side. He had a lot of work that needed his attention. So, he was busy taking care of that. Kelvin took off his mask. He had a bright smile on his face. ¡°I bet that man must have seen the state Cherno is in by now. The ship ispletely worthless now. I destroyed everything I could get my hands on,¡± Kelvin said.. ¡°The boat¡¯s value isn¡¯t the most important thing. This incident has caused him to get on the bad side of everyone on the ship. Some of them are bound to go after him. ¡°Even if he manages to get another ship up and running, the customers won¡¯t trust him again. His business ispletely ruined.¡± Kelvin smiled and said, ¡°We spent a few hundred million dors to cause billions in damages. It¡¯s totally worth it! The most important thing is I don¡¯t like that brat. He¡¯s always plotting against you. This should humble him a bit. I hope he learns his lesson.¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t as optimistic. He looked into the distance and said, ¡°He¡¯s not so weak that he would back down with just this. He¡¯ll definitely try to retaliate. Chapter 870 Chapter 870 Kelvin¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Mr. Miller, are you saying he mighte after you?¡± ¡°He would¡¯ve guessed my identity because of Liv. Do you really think he wouldn¡¯t do anything after I caused him such great losses? He¡¯ll definitely try to hit me where it hurts¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller is your Achilles heel. He¡¯ll try to hurt her.¡± Ethan had a troubled expression on his face. ¡°Back then, I married her in secret because I was afraid my identity would be exposed and it¡¯d bring trouble to her doorstep. ¡°In the end, her identity was still exposed. Those people even hold some power over her. Other than the enemies she already has, my identity will bring her the most danger.¡± ¡°What should we do, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan stood at the edge of the cliff with his hands behind his back. His eyes were filled with determination as he listened to the waves crashing against the reefs. ¡°If Liv is my weakness, it would mean I¡¯m still too weak. That¡¯s why those people could threaten me with her safety. I need to be even more powerful and destroy everyone who would be a threat to her.¡± In the distance, everyone was celebrating. The cash they took amounted to several billion dors. They were partying while surrounded by mountains of cash. They were making it rain on the ind. A slender person walked over to Ethan. Kelvin and Brent nodded at him as a greeting and walked away. Ethan turned around and saw Henry¡¯s elegant face. ¡°You¡¯re giving me over a billion dors just like that?¡± The gentle and noble demeanor was long gone from his face. The top two buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, making him seem like more of a yer. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You really pulled through for me by sending those men at a moment¡¯s notice. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do without them. Is it okay that they¡¯ve now been exposed?¡± ¡°Why would it be a problem? You know how I roll. We¡¯d hit a location and move to another one. We¡¯re just a tiny operation, unlike your establishment. I haven¡¯t been to your ce in a long time. ¡°Are you nning for world domination? I heard from my brother that you created several powerful weapons two years ago.¡± Henry had been to Ethan¡¯s military base several times. He was awestruck every time. It didn¡¯t look like a ¡°I¡¯m just trying to protect myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re so good at making money. Or else you wouldn¡¯t be able to keep such a huge operation afioat.¡± Ethan rubbed his temples with a fatigued expression. ¡°These things aside, has your woman settled down yet? I hope you won¡¯t make the same mistakes I made.¡± Henry¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a very nice person. When ites to treating women, I¡¯m usually¡­¡± His phone rang before he could finish his sentence. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Hilton. She¡¯s about to jump off a building, Mr. Synder.¡± ¡°Stop her! I¡¯lle back right now.¡± Henry¡¯s words were proven to be wrong almost as soon as he said them. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°I have some business to tend to. I¡¯ll be going back. Feel free to call me if you need anything. Looking at him leaving frantically, Ethan called out, ¡°Everly is a very headstrong woman. You should tone down your temper a little, or you¡¯ll regret it when you end up like me.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± The world was silent once again. Only the sound of nature could be heard. Ethany down on the grass and looked up at the starry night sky. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Liv¡­¡± He murmured. If he could start over, he would never treat her the way he had. People like him had all the power and authority. They always got their way. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t even keep the woman he loved by his side. It wasughable, but such was life. Even if one was rich and powerful, not everything would go one¡¯s way. Chapter 871 Chapter 871 On the top floor of the Imperial Strait Building, a man was smashing the entire tea set before him. His assistant stood before him and reported fearfully, ¡°The estimated losses from this incident is at 18.7 billion dors.¡± The cost of acquiring the cruise ship and its furnishings was over five billion dors. The assets on the ship, including weapons, medical equipment, goods, and antiques, were worth nearly 20 billion dors. ¡°Other than the mary losses, we also lost our customers.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Flora?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t find her body on the ship. She must¡¯ve been taken. Many of your customers are asking for compensation. The total amount is also in the billions. What should we do, Boss?¡± The man was furious. ¡°Ignore them.¡± ¡°But won¡¯t we incur the wrath of the masses if we don¡¯tpensate them?¡± ¡°Do you think they would board one of our ships again even if we paid them?¡± The assistant fell silent for a bit before saying, ¡°No, they won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Most of the people who board the Cherno are a sanctimonious lot. Would they reallye to us to demandpensation? The people demandingpensation are mostly gangsters. ¡°Those people get their money illegally. They won¡¯t be satisfied even if we pay them. So, why should we waste the money and effort on them? It¡¯s not like they¡¯d do business with us again. The assistant closed the folder and said, ¡°We¡¯ve suffered heavy losses this time, Boss. What should we do?¡± The man looked at a photo of a woman before him and replied, ¡°She¡¯s the one who caused this incident. We¡¯ll end it with her.¡± Olivia was wearing a thick down jacket as she walked with Alicia in themercial district. The winter in Aldenvine came early, as usual. It would snow half of the time during winter. The snowkes danced in the sky. It looked pretty and romantic. Alicia had a scarf wrapped around her neck, and she was wearing a hat. She reached out to catch a ¡°Mom, snow. Pretty.¡± Olivia looked at her tenderly. The lights on the street were shining brightly. Alicia smiled as she walked in the snow. Everything seemed perfect. In the past few years, Olivia would be depressed whenever she thought about her child. But her daughter had finally returned to her side. Alicia¡¯s presence gave her hope for the future. Her life wasn¡¯t gloomy anymore Christmas songs were being yed on the streets. Olivia was amazed by how quickly time passed. Another year had passed, and Christmas was just around the corner. Olivia had booked a slot with the bank. Luckily, Ethan didn¡¯t terminate her ount after her faked death. All the money was still in her ount. The amount even increased significantly due to the interest generated in the past few years and her investments growing exponentially. Olivia looked at the bnce in her ount. She could live the rest of her lifefortably without having to work She was prepared for Ethan to find her once she performed therge-sum transfer the next day. She figured that she might not even be able to leave the bank. But she couldn¡¯t care less. She wasn¡¯t about to let Keith incur such a huge loss for her. She had also called Everly in advance. Her fake death had devastated Everly. ¡°Mom.¡± Alicia tugged at Olivia¡¯s hand. Olivia looked at her lovingly and said, ¡°Baby, we¡¯ll meet Aunt Eve in a bit. She¡¯s my best friend. Be sure to say hi when you see her, okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Okay.¡± What Olivia didn¡¯t know was that Everly was standing on the roof of a 108-floor building. The snow was swirling around her. There was a group of people behind her. *Ms. Hilton, please calm down. Mr. Synder is on his way back. You can tell him your demands. He¡¯ll definitely give you what you want.¡± Everly was wearing a very thin nightgown. There were tears streaming down her pale face. ¡°I want my baby! Can he give me my baby back?¡± ¡°Ms. Hilton, pleasee over here. We can talk this out.¡± ¡°Talk, my ass Tell Henry I¡¯ll haunt him for the rest of his life.¡± Everly jumped after she said that. Chapter 872 Chapter 872 The bodyguard rushed toward Everly and was able to grab her hand in time. ¡°Ms. Hilton, please don¡¯t do this. We won¡¯t be able to answer to Mr. Synder if you die.¡± ¡°Fuck off. I don¡¯t care about that. I¡¯ll never be his match when I¡¯m alive. I¡¯ll definitely haunt him and all of you after I die.¡± Everly¡¯s voice was very loud. It didn¡¯t sound like she was a dying person at all. I¡¯m even wearing pure white clothes. I¡¯ll turn into the scariest ghost there is. Boy, you better not wake up at night, or I¡¯ll scare you to death. The bodyguard was rendered speechless. ¡°It was supposed to be a serious situation, but he almost burst out inughter. Why was Everly so funny even when she was trying to die? ¡°Laugh if you want to. You don¡¯t have to hold it in.¡± ¡°Stop joking, Ms. Hilton. I will not let you die.¡± ¡°Young man, do you know what¡¯s one thing you can never control?¡± ¡°Death?¡± Everly said with aposed expression, ¡°No. Stocks.¡± ¡°Ms. Hilton, that¡¯s not a very funny joke.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°What about this? Let go of me at the count of three.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that.¡± ¡°I have a little bit of cash stowed away in my bag. Let me go, and you have half of it. Use the other half to buy me flowers at my funeral.¡± The bodyguard shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Ms. Hilton. If Mr. Synder finds out that I did that, he will kill me as well.¡± ¡°Do you have a big appetite?¡± I guess I have a normal appetite?¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t mind. You can be my bodyguard in the afterlife as well. At least we won¡¯t be lonely that way.¡± The group of people that were standing behind them didn¡¯t know how to react to the conversation. Suddenly, a phone rang, and it ended the conversation. ¡°Ms. Hilton, it¡¯s your phone.¡± ¡°It must be that bastard Henry. I¡¯m not taking that call. Just tell him I¡¯m dead. I¡¯ll talk to him at night.¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not Mr. Synder. It¡¯s an unknown caller.¡± ¡°Then it must be an insurance salesperson. Tell him it¡¯s toote. I¡¯m dying soon. Insurance won¡¯t be of any use. ¡°Why would anyone try to sell you insurance at this hour? It must be someone important.¡± Everly yelled at him, ¡°Why would I not record an important person¡¯s number? If it¡¯s not an insurance salesperson, it must be myndlord asking for rent. ¡°I won¡¯t be paying rent. I¡¯m dying soon, anyway. Ask him to get the money at my grave.¡± The bodyguard was getting desperate because Everly wasn¡¯t listening to him at all. He had no idea how Henry was able to keep her under control. The bodyguard took the call and put it on speaker. A woman¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Eve, are you there?¡± Everly¡¯s eyes widened when she heard the voice. ¡°Say, do you guys think I¡¯m hallucinating? Why am I hearing the voices from the afterlife when I¡¯m still alive?¡± ¡°What afterlife? Eve, where are you? It¡¯s me. I¡¯m not dead,¡± Olivia said anxiously. Everly looked at the bodyguard and asked, ¡°Did you hear what she said?¡± The bodyguard didn¡¯t care who was on the other end of the phone. He noticed that Everly got very excited, so he quickly answered, ¡°She said she isn¡¯t dead. She asked you where you are. And, what afterlife?¡± Chapter 873 Chapter 873 Everly red at the bodyguard. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Why would you think I need you to recount everything she said?¡± The bodyguardined inwardly. It was so troublesome trying tomunicate with Everly. Olivia noticed something was off. ¡°Eve, where are you? Who are you talking to?¡± Everly didn¡¯t know how Olivia came back to life. But since she was still alive, Everly decided that life was worth living again. At least she didn¡¯t want Olivia to worry about her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just talking to my new bodyguard. ¡°Liv, you may not know yet, but I¡¯ve been living the high life since you were gone. I bring eight bodyguards wherever I go. ¡°All of them are very well-built.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I¡¯d hate it if your life were miserable.¡± ¡°Of course. Life is good. I¡¯m staying at a vi and driving around in expensive cars. I finally got a taste of the life of a rich person.¡± Although Everly was talking with a smile, Olivia could still sense it. ¡°Are you crying?¡± Everly looked at the swirling snow and smiled in resignation. ¡°I¡¯m just crying tears of joy since I just discovered you are still alive. I¡¯m allowed that much, right?¡± The bodyguard took this chance to pull Everly up with some help. She slumped into the snow. She felt pitiful even though she was surrounded by people. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she said, ¡°Liv, I miss you.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t know what was going on with Everly. She thought Everly was actually crying tears of joy. ¡°We¡¯ll meet at the usual spot I have a surprise for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°When will you be here?¡± ¡°In half an hour. Wait, no. I¡¯ll be there in an hour. I¡¯m rich now. I need some time to make myself presentable.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll meet in an hour. It¡¯s a date.¡± Everly hung up Before the bodyguard could say anything, she said, ¡°How do I look?¡± The bodyguard answered honestly, ¡°Like a pretty ghost¡± ¡°Fuck you¡± Everly ran off without looking back. The bodyguard chased after her. ¡°Ms. Hilton, you¡¯re not going to jump off another building, are you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? I have a date with my best friend. Tell that bastard Henry that I¡¯m heading out. If he insists on keeping me inside, I¡¯ll slit my wrists.¡± The bodyguard was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t understand why Henry would fall for such a headstrong woman. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll report to Mr. Synder right away.¡± Henry took the call and sighed in relief when he confirmed that Everly was safe. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Let her go. Don¡¯t agitate her for now. Send someone to tail her.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Synder. ¡°She loves money. Take that sapphire collector item from my collection and give it to her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Everly rushed back to her room and looked in the mirror. She didn¡¯t look like a pretty ghost. She was more like a malnourished, vengeful spirit. She didn¡¯t want Olivia to see her like this. So, she went to take a quick shower and started to put on some blush and eyeshadow. She even picked out a bold, red lipstick. Then, she put on an extravagant mink coat before leaving. ¡°Ms. Hilton, we¡¯ll be escorting you to your destination. Mr. Synder¡¯s orders.¡± Everly wasn¡¯t in the mood to start another fight. Her mind was filled with her memories of Olivia. Was she doing well? They hadn¡¯t met for so long. When she thought about it, she knew Olivia¡¯s life couldn¡¯t have been easy. She was with Ethan, after all. There was no way he didn¡¯t make her life hard. Then, Everly thought about herself. Her life wasn¡¯t that awesome, either. They were very simr in that aspect. She quickly went to the cafe they both loved in their university days. Olivia and Alicia were standing at the door. Even though Olivia was covered in a thick down jacket, she still looked slender. There was a child standing next to her. Tears streamed down Everly¡¯s face when she met Olivia¡¯s gaze. Chapter 874 Chapter 874 Everly rushed toward Olivia even though she was wearing heels. Then, she wrapped her arms around Olivia. ¡°Liv. I was so worried about you! I thought you were really-¡± ¡°Sorry. The circumstances were dire at the time.¡± Everly hugged her tightly. ¡°Why have you lost so much weight? Have you been eating at all? You¡¯re all skin and bones. Olivia pinched Everly¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°I lost weight? What about you? You¡¯re so skinny, too. Have you been busy with work?¡± A hint of awkwardness shed in Everly¡¯s eyes. That¡¯s for sure. I¡¯ve moved up the corporatedder. Surprising, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always known you could do it.¡± They remained in each other¡¯s arms for a while more as they reminisced. Then, Everly finally turned her attention to Alicia. She didn¡¯t need an introduction from Olivia. It was clear that Alicia resembled Ethan. ¡°Hi, Auntie Eve,¡± Alicia greeted her obediently. Everly¡¯s heart almost melted when she looked at her. ¡°Good girl! Come, let me give you a hug.¡± Alicia reached out, wrapped her hands around Everly¡¯s neck, and ced her head on her shoulder. Tears streamed down Everly¡¯s face as she held Alicia in her arms. When she saw Everly crying so profusely, Olivia felt like something was wrong. ¡°Are you okay, Eve?¡± Everly came back to her senses and started to wipe her tears frantically. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m just too excited after seeing you. God, I¡¯m so emotional right now. The tears just won¡¯t stop flowing ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Let¡¯s take a seat inside.¡± ¡°Alright. We don¡¯t want our little cutie here to catch a cold.¡± Everly seemed to like kids a lot. She kept Alicia in her arms the whole time. After they entered the cafe, Everly helped Alicia take off her scarf and hat. ¡°Did you feel cold, baby? Look at that cute little nose, red from the cold. ¡°You¡¯re so cute. What do you want to eat? It¡¯s my treat today.¡± Olivia scanned her surroundings and said, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since west came here. The owner didn¡¯t change, but the decor changed quite drastically.¡± ¡°Yeah. In this world, even people have to change to adapt, much less these inanimate objects. Sitting here, I¡¯m really starting to miss our glory days.¡± The cafe was close to a university. So, university students passed by the corner frequently despite the cold weather. There were youthful and lively smiles on their faces. They were pure and untainted. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me what happened after you faked your death. Where did your childe from?¡± Olivia began to retell the events of everything that happened. Everly¡¯s jaw dropped when she heard the entire story Tears welled up in her eyes, and she grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm when she heard that Olivia had almost died from cancer. ¡°You¡¯ve been through so much, Liv.¡± Olivia smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all behind me now. I even got my daughter back. I am content. ¡°What about you? How has life been for you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m doing very well. You know me. I¡¯m very straightforward with my feelings. I¡¯ll never mistreat myself. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. I¡¯ve gotten a raise and a promotion. I¡¯m living my best life.¡± Everly had a carefree smile on her face. She hid her troubles very masterfully. ¡°Have you ever thought about getting married? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still hung up on Josh after so many years.¡± Everly realized it had been so long since herst rtionship after Olivia brought Josh up. ¡°Why would I be hung up on a punk like that? I have the money to be the sugar mommy for a dozen hunks. ¡°I don¡¯t need his scrawny ass. I¡¯m pretty and sessful. We women really have to focus on our careers. *Obsessing over love is not the way to live.¡± Olivia smiled when she heard Everly say that. ¡°Are you talking about me? I think you¡¯re talking about me.¡± Chapter 875 Chapter 875 Upon meeting again, Olivia seemed more cheerful than before. She would even crack a joke or two. Everly patted her on the head. ¡°You¡¯ve finally put that rtionship behind you I¡¯m so happy for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I used to feel like my life was a living hell. Every day was torture for me. ¡°Ever since I was reunited with my child, it was like a fog had lifted. Life was worth living again.¡± Everly stared at Olivia with envy in her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger. Have you not met anyone you wanted to date?¡± Olivia asked that question because she noticed that Everly seemed like she loved children. She seemed to sense that Everly felt uneasy when she brought that up. Everly would try to change the subject quickly every time. ¡°Although I¡¯m as beautiful as ever, and countless people want to be with me. But I¡¯m too busy. I have no time for rtionships.¡± Olivia smiled. ¡°So, should I be honored that a busy person like yourself took the time to meet with me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re such good friends. I¡¯ll make time to see you even if I¡¯m going to kill myself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re still as unhinged as ever. Don¡¯t you know these things mighte true if you keep saying them?¡± ¡°Why have you be so superstitious after I¡¯ve not seen you in a couple of years? ¡°I seem to remember you saying you never believed in things like that.¡± Olivia picked up her cup of warm tea and took a couple of sips. ¡°That was because I was young. I thought I would be able to change the world. I¡¯ve sumbed to reality time and again. ¡°I¡¯vee to realize my insignificance. No matter how hard I try, I won¡¯t be able to change my fate.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still so young. Why are we talking like old geezers?¡± Everly asked as she propped her face with her hand. ¡°I guess this is the price of growing up.¡± ¡°Tell me the truth. What are you nning to do next?¡± Olivia said in a resigned tone, ¡°I want to pay Keith back.¡± ¡°But Ethan would know you¡¯re alive if you do that.¡± Everly¡¯s expression turned serious when the topic was brought up. No. He should have already known that Olivia was still alive. So many people witnessed Olivia¡¯s phone call to her. Henry also knew she wasing to meet Olivia. If he knew, Ethan would also know. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he knows. If that¡¯s my fate, I ept it.¡± Everly looked at Olivia with a pained expression. She knew how hard Olivia¡¯s life had been. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on these unhappy memories on the day of our reunion. Come, let¡¯s raise a toast to our reunion! Everly raised her cup of tea and said, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get wasted tonight!¡± They smiled as they looked at each other. It was like they were back in their university days again. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But both of them knew those days were behind them. Olivia asked, puzzled, ¡°I thought you loved iced beverages. When did you start drinking warm ones?¡± Everly scratched her head and said, ¡°I let myself go too much in the past. I used to drink cold beverages in the winter. ¡°It would hurt very badly when my periodes ¡°I¡¯m not getting any younger, so I¡¯m trying to take care of my health now. Look, I even carry a sk of herbal tea around.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve made this change long ago. I¡¯ve been telling you not to drink so many iced beverages. ¡°You¡¯ve finally learned your lesson. I guess you have to learn from experience.¡± Everly put a hand on her stomach subconsciously. Aplicated glint shed in her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t make this mistake again. I¡¯ve learned my lesson.¡± Chapter 876 Chapter 876 Olivia and Everly drank tea, walked around the mall, and watched a movie. It was just like old times. They cherished the time they had together. Alicia yawned when the movie ended. Joshua drove an Audi A8 over and asked, ¡°Ms. Fordham, do you want to head home now?¡± Olivia looked at him in confusion. ¡°Where did you get the car?¡± ¡°I rented it. It¡¯s pretty cheap for such a good car. Ms. Alicia is falling asleep. I figured that it would be troublesome for you to take the bus. ¡°Hurry up and get in. It¡¯s very cold outside.¡± Olivia beckoned for Everly to get in the car. Alicia had already fallen asleep in her arms. Joshua ced their bags in the trunk and asked, ¡°Where is thisdy headed?¡± ? Everly replied hesitantly. Olivia asked, ¡°Are you still living at Azure Oasis?¡± ¡°Yeah, same ce.¡± Everly nodded. ¡°Alright. Sit tight.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The snow was getting heavier outside. There were fewer people on the street. Olivia noticed that Everly would often space out, but she would say she was fine every time Olivia asked her about it. Olivia knew something had happened to her. They had been friends since high school, and Olivia understood her too well. If something could cause a carefree woman like Everly to avoid talking about it and space out during conversations, it had to be rted to a man. It was likely that this man was not someone she could talk about, or their rtionship needed to be kept a secret. Back then, when Everly managed to get Josh to be her boyfriend, it was like she wanted the whole world to know Olivia couldn¡¯t force her to speak up if she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. The car pulled up in Everly¡¯s neighborhood. She feigned a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave here. Your daughter is asleep. You should go home as soon as possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost Christmas. Do you want to hang out?¡± A hint of disappointment shed on Everly¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll confirm with youter. I might be busy.¡± ¡°Okay. Then you should save my new phone number. Call me when you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Okay. Goodbye¡± Olivia closed the door. Through the rearview mirror, she could see Everly looking at her on the side of the road. It pained Olivia to see Everly like that. She finally understood why Everly looked at her like that back then. They were adults. They could only endure the misfortune that befell them quietly. They couldn¡¯t express their emotions freely like kids anymore. Even as a bystander, they could only watch. They couldn¡¯t do anything, even if it pained them. Everly walked away after Olivia¡¯s car was out of sight. Olivia said coldly, ¡°Turn back.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just do as I say. Drive slowly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Olivia saw another car at Everly¡¯s ce. It was a silver Spyker. A tall and elegant man got out of the car. Olivia was shocked. How could it be him? It was a man she only met briefly before-Henry Synder, Everly¡¯s employer. Olivia would understand why Everly wanted to keep her rtionship a secret if it were him. A taboo rtionship between an assistant and her employer was indeed not something she would want to tell others. But if they truly loved each other, they could ovee any difficulties. Henry said something to Everly, and it made her very agitated. She ran to the flowerbed and picked up a brick. She looked determined to fight him to the death. Henry took the brick from her and pulled her into his arms. He pressed her against the car and kissed her. The snow kept falling around them. The brick also dropped to the ground. There were tears flowing down her face, but she didn¡¯t push him away. Olivia looked away and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Everly had fallen for him. But in a rtionship, the one who falls in love first would always end up losing. Chapter 877 Chapter 877 Olivia remained silent on the way back. She kept thinking about the days when she and Everly were students If they had known what would happen to them, would they have cherished their happiness more? Joshua helped carry Alicia out of the car when they got home. Olivia didn¡¯t head indoors straight away. She stood under the streemp and looked at the swirling snow while deep in thought. ¡°I know you¡¯re here A person walked out from behind the streemp. Ethan looked at her from afar and said, ¡°I told you I won¡¯t disrupt your life.¡± They looked at each other in silence. Olivia tried to look into his eyes, but she realized she couldn¡¯t discern the ernotions within. ¡°Thank you for that night It didn¡¯t matter what happened between them. If he didn¡¯t find a way to get the money to save her, she would be doomed if she fell into the hands of those people. ¡°It was my fault for letting them get to you, Ms. Fordham.¡± He seemed to have stood there for some time. There was ayer of snow on his shoulders and his head. Olivia slowly walked toward him. Ethan felt a little uneasy. He wasn¡¯t sure if Olivia had figured out his true identity. He didn¡¯t know what she would do if she knew. It was a quiet night with no one walking around. A thickyer of snow quickly formed on the roads. Olivia¡¯s steps made a crunching sound as she walked on the snow. Ethan¡¯s heartbeat quickened as she approached him. Olivia walked up to him and patted the snow on his shoulders. What was she- ¡°I¡¯ve already made an appointment. I¡¯ll be going to the bank tomorrow.¡± ¡°What are you nning to do there, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°Give me your ount number. I¡¯ll pay you for your services in this period of time.¡± Ethan lowered his head. ¡°So you no longer need me, Ms. Fordham?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll find me when I use the money. I won¡¯t be able to escape then. He won¡¯t let you off, Logan. Run, run as far away as you can.¡± Ethan finally realized how much he had traumatized Olivia. He was like the devil to her, always lurking. ¡°He¡¯s still in Vuckburg now. Besides, you¡¯ve pretended to be dead for so long. He wouldn¡¯t find you so easily. ¡°You¡¯re not safe now, Ms. Fordham. You need my protection. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll hide in the shadows. I won¡¯t appear in your life and cause you trouble.¡± Olivia sighed when she saw his meek expression. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± She didn¡¯t want to drag Logan into her mess. ¡°Ms. Fordham.¡± ¡°Find somece safe and live your life to the fullest. Find a good woman and marry her. If I still have a future, I¡¯ll look forward to meeting you again.¡± Olivia smiled at him gently. ¡°Logan, you¡¯re a good man. Our rtionship ends here. I¡¯ll take care of myself from now on.¡± Olivia walked away without looking back after she said that. ¡°Ms. Fordham, have you ever fallen for me? Even a little?¡± He called out from behind. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Olivia stopped and looked at the footprints she left on the ground. ¡°No. Never. I¡¯m sorry. I will never fall in love again.¡± Ethan watched as she walked away in the snow. He felt a pang in his heart. She had turned him away again. There was no way they could be together. Olivia walked away resolutely. She hoped that Logan could forget about her and start his own life. As for herself, she could only press on even if her path was strewn with thorns. Chapter 878 Chapter 878 Olivia went back to her room. Alicia was already fast asleep. She wiped her down with a warm towel. As she left the room, she noticed Logan standing under the streemp. He stood there like a fool, looking in her direction. Why would he do something so pointless? The longing for unrequited love would always cut deep. The frustration of love lost was soul-wrenching. Olivia drew the curtains after ncing at him. Since she could promise him anything, she wouldn¡¯t give him any false sense of hope. Joshua slowly walked to Ethan and said, ¡°Mr. Miller, you should go. Mrs. Miller is already asleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay a little longer.¡± Ethan stood in the snow and lit a cigarette. He stood still as the snow rained down on him. He left after the cigarette reached its end. The following day, Olivia entrusted Alicia to Joshua and went to the bank alone to make the transfers. She was prepared for the possibility that she won¡¯t even be able to leave the bank. The staff were very polite to her. They even prepared snacks in advance. The branch manager served her personally He even escorted her to the exit after she was done. For a moment, it was like he was about to pile her with gifts. Olivia exited the bank. No one was waiting for her. Was she overthinking things? Did Ethan not send anyone? Or did he really ept the fact that she was dead? Standing amidst the snow, Olivia felt like she was pathetic. She hated it when he tried to control her, but she felt a hint of disappointment now that he had let go of her. It was fine. She had to move on from the past as well. Olivia went to visit her alma mater. She looked at the youthful faces of the students as she strolled through the campus. It was like she could see a reflection of her past self in them. A youthful voice rang beside her. ¡°Ms. Olivia!¡± The voice was a little shaky. Olivia turned to see a boy in the Aldenvine High uniform running toward her. The boy who used to be her height had grown a lot in the past few years. He was several inches taller than her already. Jerry always had a gentle and refined look. After gaining ess to education, he appeared more cultured and graceful. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, Jerry.¡± Olivia looked at the nametag on his chest. The name ¡°Norman Miller¡± was printed on it. Ethan handled all the paperwork for Tom and Jerry after he brought them into the city. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to give these two brothers hisst name. Noticing Olivia¡¯s gaze on his nametag, Norman exined, ¡°Mr. Miller gave us these names. He said. people with the Miller name won¡¯t be bullied in Aldenvine.¡± ¡°He gave you the names?¡± ¡°Yeah. Tom is Ss Miller, and I¡¯m Norman Miller. Ms. Olivia, do you like our names?¡± Olivia was shaken. ¡°Yeah. I like them. How have you two been these days?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing good. Mr. Miller knew I loved art and hired renowned artists to teach me. He even sent me to school. ¡°I¡¯ve already caught up to kids my age. I even got a rmendation spot and a full schrship.¡± Olivia had to raise her hand to pat him on the head. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I¡¯ve always known you¡¯re a great artist. What about Tom?¡± ¡°Him? He never liked writing or drawing. He likes fighting a lot, so Mr. Miller sent him to the police academy. He has been going out on missions since the year before. ¡°I can¡¯t get in contact with him when he¡¯s out on missions. I¡¯m always so worried about him, but I can only support him since that is his passion.¡± Norman scratched his head. ¡°By the way, Mr. Miller hasn¡¯t visited me in some time. Is he doing okay?¡± Chapter 879 Chapter 879 The innocent boy didn¡¯t know what happened in the past few years. Olivia said gently. ¡°He¡¯s out doing business overseas. Did he visit you frequently in the past?¡± ¡°In the first two years, he would help me with my homework personally and look at my paintings. I haven¡¯t. seen him much in the past two years. ¡°He must¡¯ve been busy. Thest time I saw him was around six months ago. He lost a lot of weight.¡± Norman scratched his head. About that, Ms Olivia I don¡¯t know how you feel about Mr. Miller. At first, I thought he was the worst person in the world. ¡°After I got to know him, I realized that he didn¡¯t like to talk much, but he is a thoughtful and responsible man Olivia didn¡¯t want to talk about Ethan. So, she brought up the reason for visiting. ¡°Has Jack ever contacted you?¡± ¡°Jack has always been elusive. He visited a few times when I started school, but I haven¡¯t seen him since then.¡± Are you able to contact him?¡± Norman shook his head. ¡°I have his old number, but it has been terminated. I don¡¯t know what he has been doing for the past two years. He hasn¡¯te to visit me at all.¡± Olivia was disappointed. Norman asked worriedly, ¡°Ms. Olivia, did something happen?¡± ¡°I have an important matter I need to talk to Jack about.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we return to the ind and check? It¡¯s been a few years. Mr. Miller has developed the ind into a beautiful ce. ¡°He even set up a dedicated sea route and built new roads on the ind. The fishermen also operate more systematically now. The ce has changed a lot. You¡¯ll see when you go back with me.¡± ¡°Is it okay for you to cut ss? Olivia said as she looked at the other students in the distance with books ¡°I¡¯m already guaranteed a spot in university. sses aren¡¯t that important for me. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you to the ind.¡± Norman used to be a very reserved boy. He had changed a lot since. His personality improved a lot. He was no longer gloomy. Instead, he was very cheerful. When Olivia got to the ind with Alicia, she was shocked by what she saw. In the past, the ind didn¡¯t even have decent roads or enough electricity. The people on the ind were still living off thend. Things had changed. The ind had roads that led to all corners of the ce. The roads were all paved with asphalt. Every household had electricity and wifi. Some of the run-down houses of the fishermen had been. renovated, too. The ind looked like paradise. It was romantic and scenic. ¡°Mr. Miller put a lot of thought into this. The inders have different job options. ¡°They can either maintain their lifestyle as fishermen or go for one of the jobs Mr. Miller prepared for them. Everyone thinks life has gotten better.¡± As soon as Olivia got on the ind, some olderdies started to chat her up and gave Alicia some candy. It was all thanks to Olivia that their lives got better.. The house she used to stay in was the biggest on the ind. It had been transformed into a vacation home. There was even an infinity pool on the top floor with a great view of the sea.¡± ¡°Tom and I woulde back whenever we have time. Our new home is beautiful. We¡¯ve kept your room for you, too, Ms. Olivia. ¡°Mr. Miller knows you love cherry blossoms, so he nted sorne around the house. It looks amazing here from January to March.¡± She could only imagine how beautiful the view was. Olivia wanted to leave Ethan, but she realized that he was already a part of every aspect of her life. ¡°Mom.¡± Alicia tugged on her sleeve. Olivia raised her head and saw that there were a lot of ribbons on the cherry blossom tree in the yard.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. They fluttered in the wind. She picked one up and saw ¡°May my wife be safe¡± written on it. Chapter 880 Chapter 880 She knew that handwriting very well. Ethan wrote it. There were at least a thousand ribbons on the tree. ¡°Ms. Olivia, Mr. Miller wrote all of these. I think he loves you very deeply.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t reply to that. ¡°I¡¯ll go in and check on Martha.¡± Martha looked younger. She felt more at ease as the days got better. She was very weing when she saw that Olivia hade. She went to the chicken coop and picked out a chicken. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Olivia. You¡¯ve lost so much weight. I¡¯ll cook this chicken for you. You have to eat it.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t say no. So, she went to the kitchen to help Martha prepare the food. Unexpectedly, the kitchen waspletely modernized. Gone were the days when they couldn¡¯t even afford to eat meat. ¡°Martha, has Jacke back recently?¡± As she prepared the ingredients, Martha said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in a long time. But he would call me asionally to let me know he¡¯s safe.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°How often do you get his calls?¡± ¡°About once every two to three months.¡± ¡°When was thest time he called you?¡± ¡°I think it was a couple of months ago?¡± ¡°Does that mean he will be contacting you soon? Martha, I have something important I need your help with.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite. Our lives improved so much because of you. I¡¯ll help you out however I can.¡± Olivia talked to Martha for a while more. She then settled down on the ind. It was very safe here. She didn¡¯t have to risking in contact with strangers. She could hide from Ethan and the person who wanted her dead. The facilities on the ind were veryplete. She had no issues living there. Norman would bring Alicia all over the ind to have fun every day. Alicia also liked the ind a lot. Olivia watched the tide ebb and flow and the sun as it rose and set. She thought Ethan would find her very quickly, but she was wrong. There was a sense of unease in her heart. She would never know when he woulde for her. Her phone rang. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. It was a call from Everly. She had tried to contact Everly the past few days. Everly never picked up her calls ¡°Finally, a call from the busy Ms. Hilton.¡± Olivia knew about Everly¡¯s rtionship with Henry. But she could only feign ignorance since Everly didn¡¯t bring it up. Everly¡¯s voice sounded happy and carefree. It sounded like there was nothing wrong with her. ¡°Where are you? Do you have time to meet up?¡± Olivia asked. Everly looked at the snow outside her ward. She smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I¡¯m still on a business trip in Estrana. When I return, I will treat you and your daughter to some good food.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting. Olivia felt frustrated. Everly didn¡¯t want to talk to her about her situation, so she couldn¡¯t really help her out. Before she hung up, Olivia said, ¡°Eve, you have to take care of yourself.¡± Everly was taken aback. Then, she smiled. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll never mistreat myself. You have to take care of your health, too. By the way, has Ethan come looking for you?¡± ¡°No. Why?¡± ¡°Nothing. I was just asking. It¡¯s better that way. You can enjoy life more without him. My boss is calling for me ! have to go. Bye.¡± Chapter 881 Chapter 881 Everly¡¯s face had slimmed down considerably. The caregiver brought her dinner over and said, ¡°Ms. Hilton, you just had a miscarriage. You need to rest and recover. You have to eat more food. ¡°You¡¯re still young and can recover quickly. You¡¯ll be able to get pregnant again soon.¡± ¡°Take it away ¡°Ms. Hilton, please don¡¯t make things difficult for me. I¡¯m just a lowly employee.¡± As soon as the caregiver said that, Everly swept everything off the tray, scattering the food onto the floor. ¡°Get out. The caregiver carefully picked up the scraps and broken tes. She didn¡¯t dare to utter another word. Looking at the snow outside her window, Everly finally understood how Olivia felt.. One thing didn¡¯t make sense to her. Henry already knew that Olivia was in Aldenvine. He wouldn¡¯t keep that a secret from Ethan. Wouldn¡¯t Ethan be overjoyed to know that Olivia was still alive? This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Why would he leave Oliva to her own devices? Did he reallye to terms with her departure? But Everly didn¡¯t believe Ethan had really given up on Olivia. He might just be cooking up an even bigger scheme. After she hung up, Olivia had a worried expression on her face. She didn¡¯t know how Everly was doing, nor did she know what happened between Everly and Henry. From the looks of it, they weren¡¯t in a happy rtionship. She received a text on her phone. It was from Everly. She thought it would be another attempt to feign happiness, but there was only a short sentence. ¡°Be wary of Ethan Miller.¡± Olivia was dumbfounded. She immediately tried to call Everly again, but her phone had already been What did she mean by that? Did Everly know something? Olivia felt uneasy. What happened to Everly? Why would her phone be switched off so abruptly? In the hospital, Everly was ring at the man who took her phone away. He was a handsome and elegant man, but his actions were heartless. ¡°Give it back, Henry Synder!¡± Henry switched off the phone and threw it out the window. He didn¡¯t even care if it hit someone. ¡°Ms. Hilton, didn¡¯t I tell you that you shouldn¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s business? You should focus on yourself.¡± He leaned in with a tender expression on his face. ¡°I heard that you broke the tes again. Why don¡¯t you want to eat? Do you want me to feed you?¡± Everly felt frustrated when she looked at Henry¡¯s gentle expression. She knew that he was a despicable man underneath his gentle appearance. Henry brought over a bowl of soup and said, ¡°You can¡¯t just go without food. Come, open wide¡± Everly turned her face away. She didn¡¯t even want to talk to him. She heard him sigh. ¡°Ms. Hilton, I seem to remember you being very obedient when you just started working for me. You would listen to whatever I said. Unlike now¡­¡± Henry leaned over and cast a shadow on Everly. It was like the darkness that had shrouded her heart all the time. Everly was instinctively afraid of him. She shivered when his fingers brushed against her face. Henry whispered in her ear, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll feed that baby¡¯s body to the dogs.¡± Everly¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She almost thought she heard wrong. ¡°What did you say? You crazy bastard, the baby might not have been born. He is still your flesh and blood!¡± Henry sneered. ¡°Flesh and blood? To be precise, he¡¯s just an undeveloped piece of meat.¡± He pressed against her forehead. A hint of viciousness shed on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience, Everly.¡± After saying that, he took out a sapphire ne and put it around her neck. He said lovingly, ¡°Look, it suits you. Don¡¯t worry. The person that hurt our child will never see the light of day again. ¡°You need to focus on getting healthy again. Don¡¯t think unnecessary thoughts.¡± Everly¡¯s face was pale. She felt chills down her spine, and her forehead was covered in sweat. Chapter 882 Chapter 882 Olivia felt uneasy ever since she got the text from Everly. Everly was with Henry. Maybe she had some information about Ethan. Maybe she sent that message because she didn¡¯t know what exactly was going on. What did Henry do to her? Olivia wanted to return to the city, but she feared she might miss Jack¡¯s call. She tried to call Everly¡¯s phone for an entire day but to no avail. She felt restless. She couldn¡¯t just forsake Everly. After telling Martha about it, she left Alicia on the ind and snuck back into Aldenvine on a boat. Ethan was notified as soon as Olivia left the ind. He monitored her every move on the ind closely, but he didn¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t wait for Jack¡¯s call on the ind. Why would she want to return to Aldenvine? It was very cold in Aldenvine that day. There weren¡¯t many people on the streets. Olivia hailed a cab and went to Everly¡¯s apartment. Everly bought this unit after she worked as a salesperson. It wasn¡¯t that big. It had two bedrooms and a living room. It had a very homely decor. Olivia used to visit very often, so the security guard knew who she was. He let her into the premises without any trouble. Olivia knocked on the door, but there was no response. She felt her heart skip a beat, so she quickly keyed in the password and entered the apartment. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The ce was shrouded in darkness. The air was stale, like the ce had been vacated for some time. Olivia turned on the lights and saw a pair of slippers at the entrance. Why would Everly set out a pair of slippers during winter? There was only one logical conclusion. She hadn¡¯t been living in this apartment since summer. Olivia went to talk with the security guard for more information. ¡°You mean Ms. Hilton. It¡¯s true that she didn¡¯te back here often. She must be in a rtionship. ¡°Initially, she woulde back once every couple of months. But she starteding back less and less. ¡°I even asked her if I should help her list her unit for sale. This location is great, and the market has been looking good. She could make a good profit selling her unit.¡± ¡°Have you seen her boyfriend before? Olivia asked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a man a few times, but I¡¯m not sure if that was her boyfriend. But two weeks ago, I saw her when she came back to get some stuff. ¡°Her belly was bulging. It seemed like she was pregnant.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What did you say? Her belly was bulging?¡± ¡°Yeah. She was wearing a form-fitting sweater and was carrying her jacket on her arm. ¡°She had such a good figure, so that couldn¡¯t be excess fat. I reckon she was about four months pregnant. Everly was pregnant! But Olivia had just met her two days ago. She wore heels, and there wasn¡¯t a bulge on her stomach when she removed her jacket A four-month pregnancy would be impossible to miss. There was only one possibility: she had a miscarriage! That exins why she didn¡¯t drink anything cold and looked so weak and tired. Olivia even asked why she applied so much blush on her face. It was because she didn¡¯t want Olivia to see how pale her face was. She just had a miscarriage not long ago. Olivia finally understood why Everly had been staring at Alicia the whole time. She felt terrible for Everly when she thought about the look in her eyes. The security guard¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Is Ms. Hilton getting married? If so, please congratte her for me.¡± Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat and asked, ¡°Do you know where she¡¯s living now?¡± ¡°One time, when she was taking a taxi, I happened to be outside smoking. I overheard her telling the taxi driver to go to Imperial Vista. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s her new address.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Olivia nodded, and then she walked outside. She felt her body getting abnormally cold as she looked at the people walking around her.. Everly had lost her child. She must be in so much pain.. Chapter 883 Chapter 883 Olivia was a mother, too. She had experienced the pain of losing her children twice. She felt even more worried about Everly after she knew what had happened to her. Given Everly¡¯s personality, she would have told Olivia about her miscarriage if she was in a normal rtionship with Henry. But she didn¡¯t. It would suggest that their rtionship needed to be kept a secret. What woulde out of a rtionship with an imbnce of power? Olivia was very anxious. She wanted to find Everly as soon as possible. Imperial Vista was one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. Luckily, Ethan had a housing unit there. He had transferred its ownership to Olivia. She didn¡¯t care about the specifics. In a ce like Imperial Vista, only property owners and people who have received permission from owners could enter the premises. The rules were stricter here. The property manager was very polite when he realized Olivia was a property owner. ¡°Wee back, miss.¡± Olivia managed to get Henry¡¯s unit number with an excuse she came up with. Coincidentally, their units were in the same building. But her unit was on the first floor while Henry¡¯s was on the top floor. She had never stayed here before, so she had never encountered Henry here. Since she had Henry¡¯s address, she wasn¡¯t about to sneak into other people¡¯s residences for fear of exposing herself. The people living in this neighborhood were rich and powerful. There were also some top celebrities living there. The upancy rate was only at 60%. At that hour, not many of the units had their lights on. There were a total of seven floors, with one residence on each floor. The lights of the bedroom and living on the top floor were on. Someone was home. Olivia took out some cash when she saw a cleaningdy cleaning up snow some distance away. ¡°Madam, please help me out.¡± The cleaningdy epted the bribe and helped Olivia get upstairs. Olivia hid in the stairwell as she watched the cleaningdy ring the doorbell. The door opened, and it was Henry, in his pajamas, who answered it. He looked as gentlemanly as ever. ¡°Mr. Synder, some resident had just reported that her child had gone missing. ¡°Since the child is very young, she¡¯s not sure if he might have entered the wrong unit. Have you seen a boy this tall entering the wrong unit?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t Do you need me to help you inform the authorities? The cleaningdy shook her head. ¡°No need. We¡¯ve checked the surveince footage. ¡°The child should still be in the area. I¡¯ll stop bothering you and look somewhere else.¡± Henry closed the door. He adjusted his sses with a glint of inquiry in his eyes. There were only six units in the southern area. The first three units were vacant. There were only two other residences. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. One unit had a family without children, and the other belonged to a celebrity who was working overseas most of the time and only came back in the summer. Where did the childe from? Besides, the public area was under surveince. They only needed to check the cameras to see if a child hade to his ce. Why did they need someone toe and confirm? Something wasn¡¯t right. The cleaningdy met up with Olivia at a corner. ¡°Miss, I took a look. There was a woman in the living room of Mr. Synder¡¯s unit. She looked sickly and pale.¡± Olivia took out Everly¡¯s picture and asked, ¡°Is this the woman you saw?¡± ¡°Yes, this is the one I saw ¡°Thanks,dy.¡± Olivia handed the cleaningdy another wad of cash. She had confirmed that Everly was here but couldn¡¯t contact her by phone. What did she have to do to see Everly? She pulled her hat lower and left the area. While walking, she identally ran into another woman. Olivia was afraid of attracting attention, so she apologized and left quickly without looking up. She didn¡¯t notice the woman freeze in ce. The woman turned around and stared in the direction Olivia went. After a while, a hint of anger shed on the woman¡¯s face. ¡°How are you still alive? Chapter 884 Chapter 884 That night, Olivia tossed and turned in bed. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She didn¡¯t know how she could help Everly. Was she staying with Henry willingly? Or did Everly want to get away like she did? She couldn¡¯t think of a better solution, so she decided to ask Everly in person. The following day, Olivia started to investigate Henry¡¯s whereabouts. She kept it up for a few days. Everly¡¯s miscarriage should have happened recently. She had been resting at Henry¡¯s ce without evening out. Ady was responsible for buying the groceries, cooking, and cleaning every day. She was very tight-lipped. Olivia tried to cozy up to her, but she didn¡¯t get any information from thedy. A week had passed. It had been around two weeks since Everly¡¯s miscarriage. Given her personality, she would be out the door very soon. On the sixth day of her tailing Henry, Olivia heard him asking Ethan to join him for some drinks. Henry rubbed his temples and said with a troubled expression, ¡°Does Olivia really think we haven¡¯t noticed her?¡± He took out a stack of photos. They were all of Olivia when she was tailing him. She looked adorable while she was poking her head around in the photos. ¡°Or do you think I have nothing better to do other than y this game with her every day?¡± Henry discovered Olivia quite some time ago. He had to order the bodyguards to ignore her so she wouldn¡¯t know he already knew. ¡°Take your woman back with you. I don¡¯t have time for her games.¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Ethan took the photos away like they were some treasure. ¡°Where¡¯s the film?¡± Henry looked at Ethan and said, ¡°Do you have to be so creepy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I want to keep photos of my wife for myself.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t think his actions were embarrassing at all. In fact, he was a little proud of himself. He didn¡¯t get to see such a cute side of Olivia that often. Henry shook his head in resignation. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless. Both of you are messed up. She¡¯s tailing me, and you¡¯re tailing her. Can¡¯t you just y your games at home?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand if you¡¯re in my shoes.¡± Henry swayed the ss and sipped on the wine elegantly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, nor do I want to. Women are all the same. Give them the carrot when they¡¯re obedient or the stick when they act out of line.¡± Everyone had a different view on rtionships. Henry didn¡¯t understand Ethan¡¯s perspective, and vice versa. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re training a dog.¡± Ethan hit the nail on the head. ¡°You dote on your wife too much. You¡¯re so obsessed with her, but you don¡¯t even get to hold her hand. ¡°You even have to sneak around. To be frank, I find that appalling.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t exin himself. He looked at Henry with a weary expression. ¡°You¡¯ll regret your actions someday.¡± ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Henry finished his wine with a sneer on his face. ¡°Do you know the biggest difference between us? Women are like ythings to me. ¡°Why would I feel regret for a toy? I¡¯ll just get another one if I grow tired of my current one. I¡¯ll never let a woman control my emotions.¡± ¡°I hope you still feel the same way after three years.¡± Love was something that would trap someone in its grasp before they realized it, and it would be too late to break free by then. The more clear-minded they were, the more deeply they would fall in love, and the more it would hurt. ¡°Alright, what about the person I asked you to investigate? My son is still with him.¡± ¡°Investigate? I don¡¯t even know what he looks like. How am I supposed to look into him?¡± Henry rolled his eyes at Ethan. Then, he added, ¡°But I did get some information. The person used to be a member of The ck Ravens. ¡°He is an S-rank assassin. His codename was Shadowhawk¡± Chapter 885 Chapter 885 Ethan was dumbfounded. ¡°He¡¯s a member of The ck Ravens?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a deserter, to be precise. He ran away from the organization two years ago. He¡¯s currently wanted by The ck Ravens. ¡°So, he¡¯s been running around and evading The ck Ravens. Finding him will not be an easy task.¡± Henry poured himself another ss of wine. ¡°I¡¯ve already told my brother about this. He¡¯ll also keep an eye out. He¡¯ll let you know if he finds anything. ¡°What are you going to do next? Do you n to follow behind a woman for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°Liv is different. Ethan ran his fingers over the photos. One of them had most of her face on disy. He looked at the photo affectionately. ¡°I¡¯ve experienced the pain of losing her too many times. Now, I just want to keep her safe.¡± ¡°Man, you¡¯ve put yourself in such a pathetic position in this rtionship. You¡¯re not the man you used to be.¡± Henry sneered. ¡°You better not fall in love then.¡± Ethan chuckled before he noticed something. ¡°This photo¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Ethan picked out two more photos from the pile. Both had Olivia in the front and center, but Ethan pointed at two people in the photos. ¡°It¡¯s the same person!¡± Henrypared the photos closely. The person¡¯s clothes and appearance were different in the two photos, but the person¡¯s figure and the way they held items with their left hand were identical. No one would notice such minute simrities in photos, but people like Ethan had extraordinarily sharp senses, Both of them noticed the problem almost immediately. ¡°Where¡¯s the film?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have someone send it over right away.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Liv?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She followed me to the bar. She was right outside when I came in. I had my bodyguards keep an eye on her In the past few days that Olivia had been tailing Henry, Ethan didn¡¯t want his men to be found out. So, he asked Henry to have his men watch over her. Henry was always at the same ces every day. Nothing could possibly go wrong. But Ethan noticed something wrong with the photos. Someone was tailing Olivia. The person was clearly scouting out the locations. Olivia followed Henry to the bar. She intended to get a grasp on his daily routine so she coulde up with the best n to save Everly. She didn¡¯t like bars because all sorts of sketchy people were in these ces, even if it was the most opulent bar in the city. The high-ss ces had even more dubious activities than the regr bars. Olivia wore a thick down jacket and a furry hat. She even covered most of her face with her scarf. The other patrons of the bar scoffed at her attire Olivia tried to push through the crowd to get closer to Henry. She wanted to know who he was here to meet. She also wanted to see if he led a decadent life or if he was cheating on Everly. Suddenly, a young man tapped her shoulder. ¡°Hey, olddy in the down jacket, are you here to catch your cheating husband?¡± Olivia ignored him. It seemed like she was the designated target of a game of his. So, he didn¡¯t leave her alone. ¡°Help me out,dy. I¡¯ll pretend to be your boyfriendter if you do. Look at me. I¡¯m young and handsome. I¡¯ll definitely be able to show your husband¡¯s mistress up.¡± ¡°Leave me alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very simple. It¡¯s just a game.¡± The young man yanked her scarf off. He was stunned when he saw her face. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, miss Why don¡¯t we go out on a date?¡± Olivia was rendered speechless. ¡°I told you to leave me alone!¡± Just then, a tall man appeared. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that she¡¯s not interested? Go away.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your problem, old man?¡± As the young man was talking, a group of his friends stood up. They looked like high-school athletes. They were all very well-built. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Fuck!¡± The tall man punched the young man in the face. Then, he grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand and started to run outside before Olivia realized what was going on. ¡°Run!¡± Chapter 886 Chapter 886 The man dragged Olivia away before she could react. He was followed by a group of tall guys. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Olivia yelled. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here. It¡¯s not safe for a woman like you.¡± The man started to run faster. He ran into a server, which caused him to spill alcohol all over the ce. Henry¡¯s bodyguards caught up. Chaos ensued. The man had a tight grip on Olivia¡¯s arm. She frowned and said coldly, ¡°I told you to let go!¡± ¡°Youngdy, I¡¯m doing this for your sake. I¡¯m taking you to somece safe.¡± He brought her to an alley as he was talking. Olivia began to realize how bad her situation was. The man was very strong. She wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against him. Her gaze fell on an abandoned shovel in the alley. She picked it up and swung it at the man¡¯s head. He reacted quickly. He let go of her arm and took a few steps back. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken, miss. I¡¯m just trying to help.¡± Olivia said expressionlessly, ¡°Stay away from me. At that moment, two dark figures rushed out from the trash cans behind Olivia and leaped at her. She dodged to the side and swung the shovel at one of the men. Her intuition was right. This man created amotion on purpose to take her away. She could sense the air of danger from the man from the beginning. He wasn¡¯t a regr Joe. He was probably an assassin. These people were after her. ¡°Who are you?¡± The men blocked the entrance of the alley. One of them rotated his wrist and said, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t waste time talking to her. Just do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms Fordham.¡± The man who brought her to the alley took out a pistol with a silencer attached. They nned to kill her all along. The snow was swirling in the air. Olivia looked at the men before her. ¡°Who sent you?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± The man pulled the trigger, and a gunshot sounded. A loud bang sounded in the quiet alley, and blood sttered. There was a bloody hole in the man¡¯s chest. He fell to Olivia¡¯s feet. ¡°Boss''¡± The other men were shocked by the sudden turn of events. Who did it? Two more gunshots sounded. The shooter¡¯s aim was precise. The two other men dropped to the ground. Olivia noticed a tall man standing in the alley. He was covered in a cloak. She couldn¡¯t tell who he was. Was he her ally or enemy? The man took off his hat and revealed the easily recognizable totem mask. Olivia looked at him in disbelief. ¡°How did you get here, Jack?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Come with me.¡± Jack left the alley with Olivia in tow. They hadn¡¯t gotten too far when Olivia turned around and saw Ethan and Henry rushing out of the bar. Ethan? Why was he here? She could feel the blood freeze up in her veins. When did he return? Jack led her to a shabby ck car. The inconspicuous car drove right past Ethan. Olivia pressed her face against the window and looked at him in a daze. If Henry was here to meet Ethan, it would mean he knew she had met with Everly. That would mean that he knew she was still alive. Did he fall out of love for her, or was everything under his control? In the swirling snow, Olivia saw Ethan run to the alley anxiously. ¡°Liv!¡± Ethan¡¯s heart-wrenching cry echoed in the alley. Chapter 887 Chapter 887 Ethan had a bad feeling in his heart when he saw blood at the entrance of the alley. He saw a few corpses lying in the alley. His vision cked out, and he almost fell. Was Olivia dead? He didn''t even dare to entertain that thought. Henry swiftly went over to the bodies. After confirming the identities of the dead bodies, he said, "Don''t worry, your wife isn''t among them.¡± It was only then that Ethan let out a sigh of relief. He finally regained energy as he checked the bodies. "They died not long ago.¡± A bodyguard identified the body. "This man was the one who took Ms. Fordham away. "Back then, we ran after them right away, but they had messed up the bar so badly that we were held back by some people.¡± In such a short time, Olivia had disappeared, but the man was dead. Was this the work of Olivia? But he hadn''t given her the gun yet. Where did she get her weapon from? "It''s not too possible. These men all died in one shot. It requires someone with good aim, which means that there was a third party present.¡± The events that happened tonight were totally out of Ethan''s expectations. He was beginning to regret attending the meeting. If he hadn''t gone, Olivia wouldn''t be in trouble. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°They didn''t go far.¡± Jack sped all the way, taking Olivia into the wild. Then, he abandoned the car. He had already hidden another car there. ¡°Get in the car. Olivia trusted him unconditionally. The car drove into a huge forest. Jack alerted her, "It''s going to get a little bumpyter. Grab onto something.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The two never spoke a word throughout the journey. Jack was a man of few words, after all. Also, they were more or less just normal friends. They were following a dirt path in the forest, and the car was jolting a lot. It was also very difficult to see ahead of them. With help from the headlights, they could only see a few yards within their radius. Olivia gripped the handle tightly. Finally, she asked the question. "Is Zack alright?" "He''s doing quite well. You''ll see him soon." Olivia sighed in relief. "That''s good to hear. Thank you for what you did in the past two years, Jack.¡± "The situation was urgent back then, so] couldn''t exin it to you. Later on, someone was trying to kill me, so! didn''t dare contact you. "I could only roam around with the children. It''s a good thing that you didn''t die.¡± The car pulled to a stop. Olivia saw a small wooden cabin nearby. The person inside seemed to have heard the sounds of the car. A head poked out of the window. It was the boy she met on the ship that night! Olivia felt a stir in her heart. The car had just stopped when she eagerly dashed toward the boy. Zack noticed her as well. He opened the door and came out of the cabin. But he wasn''t too sure of the identity of the woman before him. In a small and tender voice, he asked, "Mommy?" Olivia didn''t answer. Instead, she pulled the child into her embrace. Tears streamed down her face. "My child. I finally found you.¡± When Zack felt her warm embrace, he began to cry pitifully as well. "Mommy, Mommy. Alicia." "Good boy. Alicia is in a very safe ce. Don''t worry, she''s fine.¡± The children had been apart for so long that Zack must have been extremely worried in that period. Jack parked the car. "It''s cold outside. Let''s go in and talk." "Okay." Olivia picked up the child, her eyes filled with a loving look. She nuzzled against Zack''s cheek. At that moment, she felt as if she were in a dream. She had truly found her child! Zack wrapped his arms around her neck, hisrge eyes examining her time and again. He was also in disbelief. The mother he had dreamed of had finally appeared. Chapter 888 Chapter 888 Olivia was about to ask Jack what happened back then when her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was Joshua. Olivia answered the call ¡°Hello.¡± "Ms. Fordham, where are you right now?" Joshua sounded a little anxious. Before sending the children to the ind, Olivia had already paid off Joshua''s sry. Why would he contact her at a time like this? ¡°What''s the matter?¡± "Something happened to Logan. Pleasee and visit him.¡± Olivia hadn''t quite figured out the reason why Ethan had appeared at the bar. When she heard that something happened to Logan, her first reaction was worry. "What happened to him?" ¡°Logan was ill a few days ago, and he drank a lot tonight. He had alcohol poisoning, and I''ve already sent him to the hospital. He kept mumbling about meeting you. "Where are you, Ms. Fordham? Are you free toe visit Olivia didn''t know where she was right now. Even if she did, she couldn''t recklessly reveal her location. "I don''t think I can. How is he now?" "He has acute severe alcohol poisoning, and it caused bleeding in his upper digestive tract. He coughed up a lot of blood, and he was sent in for emergency treatment. "He still hasn''te out. I''m worried that ... If they can''t save him, he won''t be able to see you for one last time.¡± Olivia had no idea why Logan would get so unlucky. How did he drink so much that he got into this situation? "Ms. Fordham, Logan has always liked you. To avoid adding to your burdens, he hid his love in his heart. "If he couldn''t see you, the regret would stay with him for life. Olivia was hesitant. She still didn''t know where those people came from, and her life was in danger. "Joshua, I can''te over for now. I''m sorry.¡± With that, she ended the call. She was already in danger. She couldn''t get the children involved, too. Jack stared at her phone warily. "Who is it from?" "A friend. He''s not a bad man. He isn''t a threat.¡± ¡°I don''t believe anyone else but you. We''re not safe right now, and I had risked my life to get close to you." Olivia had too many questions in her mind. "How did you know that I''m still alive?¡± "I saw your name on the assassination list on the dark web. Someone paid to get you killed.¡± Jack told her everything. ¡°Now that things havee to this point, I''m not afraid to tell you. I was once a member of the ck Ravens. ¡°I wanted to warn you of the danger in my way. But in the end, the organization still nned that assassination. "When I hurried to the scene, I found the two children. ¡°They were only choked by the amniotic fluid, so I brought them away. I wanted to find a chance to tell you. ¡°Later on, the ck Ravens lost too many of its members. I was alsobeled a traitor, and the organization sent orders to have me killed. "I had no choice but to run for my life with the children.¡± Olivia asked, "Then do you know who it was that paid to have me killed back then?" Jack shook his head. "Only the ones in charge know about top secrets like that. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Even if I asked around in secret, I could only find a subordinate of that person. I couldn''t figure out who it was exactly. ¡°Because of its huge loss, the ck Ravens removed you from its list and no longer epted any requests involving you. "Justst night, I suddenly found that your bounty post was epted by someone else early on. ¡°I spent a long time trying to figure out who it was. Then, I hurried over. Fortunately, I managed to save you." Meanwhile, after Joshua ended the call, Brent moved his fingers away from the keyboard. "Mr. Miller, I found her. Mrs. Miller''s location is in the forest in the western suburbs. ¡°Judging from her voice, she''s not in danger for now. Should we head there?" Chapter 889 Chapter 889 Joshua had set his phone on speaker mode. So, of course, Ethan heard that as well. When Olivia answered the call, her voice sounded natural. She also sounded a little wary, and she refused to reveal her location to Joshua. ¡°She went to the western suburbs in such a short amount of time, so someone must have taken her away. "She didn''t ask for help over the phone, which means that this person wasn''t a threat to her. "They probably even helped her kill those assassins." Kelvin had a puzzled look on his face. "Judging by the injuries on those men, they died from one shot. It was one against three, so this person must have great marksmanship. "Since when has Mrs. Miller gotten to know such an amazing person?" Ethan said, "This person has great aim, will kill someone without hesitation, and doesn''t pose a threat to Liv. Only one persones to mind.¡± He thought of that man he encountered on the ship some time ago. "It''s Jack!¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Olivia had returned to Aldenvine just to meet Jack. It had been so many days, so the code she left must have matched up with Jack''s. "Mrs. Miller should be safe if she¡¯s with Jack. What do we do now? Should we get her back? After all, they''re alone together¡ª"¡± "If we go right now, we''ll be exposing my identity.¡± Ethan had finally gotten close to Olivia by making use of his identity as Logan, hence earning Olivia''s trust. If she realized that he was Logan, Olivia would be furious. He had spent six months slowly building her trust in him. It would be destroyed in an instant. "Send someone to protect her in the shadows, and don''t ever show themselves. Alicia is still on the ind, so she will eventually look for her child.¡± "Understood." ¡°Remember, Jack is very good at shaking off surveince. Do not get too close to them." ¡°Got it, Mr. Miller. We''ll get to it right away.¡± Ethan looked at Brent. "Investigate the identities of those dead men.¡± Olivia was still alive, and the news was making the rounds. Could it be that she had revealed her face on the ship? The enemy was quite vicious. If Jack hadn''t arrived on time today, Olivia''s life might truly be in danger. Ethan had to guard against that. The furniture in the cabin was quite simple. There was a wooden bed with a mattress on it. There was only one nket as well. Zack felt sleepy early on, but he held out for a long time. Jack stopped the conversation as well. "It''s gettingte, so you and Zack should go to sleep first. This ce is safe, at least." ¡°There''s only one bed.¡± "I''ll keep watch for the night. You and Zack should sleep. This ce isn''t veryfortable, so please endure it.¡± Even so, Jack was kind enough to boil some water so that Olivia could wash up a little before going to bed. Holding Zack in her arms, Olivia was wide awake. Jack was sitting at the door, leaning against the wood as he closed his eyes and rested. Olivia felt bad for him. As if sensing her gaze, Jack said calmly, ¡°You don''t have to mind me. I''ve already gotten used to life like this. "We have a cabin here, which can shield us from the elements. It''s a decent enough ce. "Just go to sleep. We''ll make ns tomorrow.¡± After going through so much, Olivia was tired out as well. There was only a candle lighting up the cabin, and it exuded a gentle light. She observed Zack''s face in detail. He was a boy, but he looked very much like her. He had a light dimple on his left cheek, and when he smiled, he looked adorable. If he wore a skirt, people could mistake him for a girl. Olivia gently caressed Zack on the back. She finally felt whole in her heart. The child she had been searching for and missing for so long was right in her arms. She thought of the torturous days and nights in the past. They weren''t in vain, after all. She would protect her children well. She wouldn''t let them go through the pain of losing their mother again. Olivia gently nted a kiss on Zack''s forehead. "Go to sleep, darling. I''ll always love you.¡± Chapter 890 Chapter 890 The night quickly passed by. The room was very cold, so a mere nket couldn''t provide much warmth. Olivia thought that she wouldn''t fall asleep. But oddly enough, she felt very reassured with her child in her arms. So, she quickly went to sleep. Like a small firece, Zack cuddled in her arms and provided her with unending warmth. Olivia had a dream. In the dream, she was in a vast grasnd. She held her two children¡¯s hands as she ran freely. Ethan stood at the end of their path, waving toward them. "Liv ..." Olivia''s eyes shot open. It was already bright outside, and Jack was long gone from the room. The windows didn''t have curtains, so Olivia could see outside right away. It had been snowing the whole night, so everything she saw was white. Olivia quietly left Zack and got out of bed. When she opened the door, a cold breeze blew in her face. She had seen many snowy scenes before, but she was still shocked by what she saw. It was simply too beautiful! Endless white enveloped everything under the sun, washing away all the filth and leaving only clean whiteness. Olivia spotted a trail of a small animal''s paw prints in the snow. On a tree, two squirrels poked their heads out. When Olivia noticed them, they quickly leaped away. The air was cold but also very refreshing. When Jack came back from his inspections, he saw Olivia leaning against the door. She wasn''t wearing a hat, and her hair had only grown out a little. She wasn''t much different from being bald. Jack hadn''t noticed itst night, and he only realized it now. "Your hair ...¡± Olivia smiled. "It all fell off when I had chemo in the past. It''s already starting to grow, so it''s fine. It''ll slowly grow out anyway.¡± She didn''t want to frighten Zack, so she put on her wig beforehand. "It looks much better now, right?" Her cheerful smile caused Jack to feel a trace of pity. What had she experienced in the years they were apart? Jack could only change the topic. "There arepressed cookies in the cabin. We escaped in a hurry this time, so] didn''t manage to buy any food. Eat some to fill your stomach first.¡± Olivia ate the dry cookies and drank some mineral water. She was already quite grateful for it. "If you hadn''t arrived on timest night, I would''ve be a dead body by now. I wouldn''t have a chance to eat cookies like this.¡± ¡°What do you n to do in the future?" ns ... Olivia''s original goal was to find her two children and Colin. She had already found her children, but Colin was nowhere to be found. Vochmead Mountain was a huge ce. She couldn''t search the ce aimlessly. She thought about Ethan, whom she sawst night. Seeing how he rushed out, he must still have feelings for her. She recalled Everly''s message that warned her to be careful of Ethan. Olivia kept feeling as if there were some details she overlooked. What could it be? She seemed to be missing one point. If she could find it, she would be able to link everything together. "I don''t know. I just wanted to find my children, but I never expected to have someone trying to kill me. ¡°Also, Ethan''s attitude toward me is quite vague. After leaving this cabin, I have no idea what awaits me.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Seeing her hesitant look, Jack took arge gulp of the mineral water before mustering the courage to ask. ¡± Have you divorced him?" "Yes." "If you don''t mind, I can take you away.¡± Olivia widened her eyes. "You?" ¡°Yes. Since you don''t like your original life, there''s no point in staying in this city. "It''s better to go to a ce far away from here, and you may find a path that truly belongs to you. ¡°Do you remember what you said under the cherry blossoms back then? You desire freedom, and you want to break all the chains and leave without looking back." Chapter 891 Chapter 891 Jack said calmly, "Look ahead. What do you see?¡± Olivia took a few steps forward before finding herself at the edge of a cliff. Through the forest, she saw mountains in the distance. The snowy mountains seemed to go on forever, and they looked magnificent. ¡°Freedom.¡± "Yes. AS soon as you cross over the ravine and go forth, freedom awaits you.¡± But after getting stopped by Ethan so many times, Olivia had lost her courage. She was scared. She feared that she might get caught again and sink into the endless dark abyss. "Are you worried about him?" Olivia shook her head. "No. I''m ... scared.¡± "What are you scared of?¡± "I''m scared that if we fail, you might get involved in this mess. I''m scared of what the future might be. As soon as I close my eyes, I think of Mona''s death.¡± Jack''s voice was gentle. "There''s nothing to be scared of. You''ve already survived the most difficult times. You shouldn''t stop at the present unless you still want to live the life you had in the past.¡± "I don''t. I want to change. I want to get stronger. I want to avenge Mona.¡± Reaching out, Olivia caught a falling snowke. The snowke quickly melted into a small puddle in her palm. The snowke knew that it would disappear if it fell, but there were still thousands of snowkes falling from the snow. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. There was not a single snowke that was afraid. "Take me away, Jack.¡± ¡°Alright, but you have to give me a few days. I need to prepare.¡± "Don''t forget Alicia. I have to take her back." ¡°Leave it to me. I''ll just get Jerry to escort her back. As for you, don''t go anywhere before Ie back. Just stay here. We''ll leave in three days.¡± "Got it.¡± Jack took out a weapon. ¡°Do you still remember how to use it?¡± ¡°Ves.¡± "Keep it to protect yourself. There''s a cer I dug in the pine forest behind the cabin. If there''s any danger, take Zack with you and hide in there. "I''ve covered it beforehand, so it shouldn''t be discovered. Obeying Jack''s instructions, Olivia stayed in the cabin. It was very cold here, but the scenery was amazing. Zack was a boy, after all, so he was quite active. After he woke up, he asked her to have a snowball fight with him. It had been a long time since Olivia ran so freely in the snow. Even though she would be out of breath after running for a short while, she was still very happy. Zack seemed to have endless energy. He dragged her with him to build snowmen next. Olivia built a huge snowman while Zack built two small ones next to hers. He pointed at one of them, saying, "Alicia, me, Mommy.¡± Olivia caressed his face gently. ¡°Alicia will be reunited with us soon.¡± "Where''s Daddy?" Zack blinked. "Oh, he¡¯s dead.¡± Ethan sneezed without any warning. Kelvin hastily went forward, saying, "Mr. Miller, please rest for amoment. Mrs. Miller is surrounded by our men, so she¡¯s safe right now. "It''s snowing here. What if you get frostbite?¡± A telescope was set up in front of Ethan. It was a professional one that could be used to observe stars. He stood on a high cliff, watching Olivia and Zack ying around in the snow. Of the two children, the girl looked like Ethan, whereas the boy looked like Olivia. They were quite different from their older brother. Ethan thought that if Connor knew that he had two other younger siblings, he would be ted. But when Ethan thought about his rtionship with Olivia, he sighed heavily. He had done this to himself. He regretted it with his entire being. Why would he be so cruel back then? Brent strode over. "I just received news from the ind. Norman wants to take Alicia away, and Jack is also headed toward the ind. He wants to leave with Ms. Alicia." Chapter 892 Chapter 892 Ethan stood with his hands behind his back. There was a worried look on his face. "I''m afraid Alicia isn''t the only one he''s trying to take away. He also wants to bring Liv with him. ¡°Liv has always been looking for a chance to leave me, and this is the best opportunity.¡± ¡°What do we do? Should we stop him right now? If not, with his capabilities, once he took Mrs. Miller away, it would be difficult for us to track them.¡± Jack had always been a man who lived in the dark. He had many shady ways to disappear without a trace. Of course, Ethan knew that. He was in a dilemma. He had given Olivia too much trauma, and she probably needed a whole lifetime to heal from it. If he forcefully brought her back again, it would only add to her trauma. Their already tense rtionship would worsen. But if he had to let go, this was the furthest Ethan could go. If he couldn''t see Olivia and had no idea if she was safe, every second would be torture to him. "Get her back, but we can''t reveal ourselves.¡± "Mrs. Miller has already made up her mind to leave. If we don''t do it by force, what other choice do we have?¡± ¡°What is Liv most concerned about right now?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Brent didn''t even have to think about it. He answered, "Ms. Alicia and Master Zack are everything to Mrs. Miller right now. If we want to do something to Ms. Alicia, we won''t make it in time. ¡°We can''t kidnap her on purpose, can we? If we get exposed in the future, Mrs. Miller will be mad.¡± Ethan shook his head. "No, there¡¯s someone else. Everly.¡± "Right. Mrs. Miller doesn''t have any family members. After Mona''s death, she only has her best friend, Everly, left. ¡°To Mrs. Miller, they''re both the most important people in her life!¡± ¡°She has been rushing about for Everly''s sake for the past few days. It''s not hard to see how important Everly is to her.¡± But Brent was bothered about one thing. "But Ms. Hilton may not be willing to cooperate. She must be on Mrs. Miller''s side.¡± ¡°Even if she doesn''t cooperate, we have ways to deal with that.¡± There was a vicious look in Ethan''s eyes. As long as it wasn''t Olivia, he didn''t mind hurting anyone else. "Ms. Hilton has an aggressive personality. If we go overboard, we might get ourselves in more trouble.¡± "I know. That''s why I''m doing it myself this time.¡± Everly didn''t expect to see Ethan under such circumstances. Right after she opened the door, she put on a sullen expression. "Why are you here? Did something happen to Liv?" She wouldn''t think that Ethan was here to visit and talk about old times. "Something did happen. Let''s sit down and talk.¡± Everly looked coldly at him with a wary gaze in her eyes. "No matter what it is that you''re going to say, I won''t help you if it has something to do with Liv.¡± "You''re quite smart.¡± Ethan took out a check from his pocket. "I just need you to do something for me, and this money will be yours." "10 million dors. You''re putting quite a lot of money into this, Mr. Miller.¡± "If it''s not enough, you can name your price.¡± Everly took the check between her fingertips. "Mr. Miller, I can see that you have high hopes for me. You gave me 10 million dors just to help you with one thing.¡± Ethan knew that she liked money, so the first thing he produced was a check. He also wanted to make use of this action to test if Olivia was worth 10 million dors in Everly¡¯s heart. "I indeed like money, but I wouldn''t exchange my friendship for it. Please ask someone else. I''m not doing it.¡± Everly tore the check into pieces right in front of him. "As expected, I was right.¡± Everly looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" "Sorry, that was a prank just now. I''m d to know that you truly care for Liv.¡± Chapter 893 Chapter 893 Everly stared at Ethan in confusion. "What exactly are you nning?¡± Ethan got right to the point. "Liv wants to leave me.¡± "If I Have to put up with a demon like you, I''d run far away from you, too." "I won''t deny that I did a lot of horrible things in the past. But now, I only want to make it up to her. "I''m not doing it to own her. Liv has a very powerful enemy out there." "How strong are they?¡± Ethan clenched his fists. "Even until today, I still haven''t figured out their identity. They continuously hired assassins to kill Liv. "Two years ago, on the night Liv gave birth prematurely, the enemy had sent almost a hundred assassins to kill her. Liv almost died on that rainy night.¡± Olivia had mentioned those things in passing, so Everly didn''t know about those details. When Everly learned the truth from Ethan, she was shocked as well. She couldn''t believe that Olivia had gone through so much in the two years they hadn''t been in contact with each other. "After her fake death, I could guess it right away. I was in a dilemma back then. I wanted to get her back. "But on that day, I also realized that if I got her back, I would only be repeating the same mistakes. "So, I protected her within a range I could control, and I quietly watched over her as well. I swear I won''t hurt her ever again, Everly.¡± Ethan had a pleading look on his face. ¡°I asked you to help, but it''s not because of selfish reasons. Liv hasn''t recovered from her illness yet, and her body is still weak. "She also has two children with her. If she gets into danger, how can she protect herself?¡± Everly had never seen Ethan so humbled before. She remembered that when she met Ethan four years ago, he always had a proud air about him. ¡°You''re her best friend, so you should be concerned about her safety, right? If I wanted to hurt her, I could have brought her back straight away. "I wouldn''t have to take the long route and ask you for help.¡± Being earnest was the most convincing option. He didn''t threaten her. Instead, he used the simplest and most direct method. Everly lowered her gaze as if she was thinking of something. "I admire your friendship with Liv. Liv had once waited downstairs for days with Henry just to help you. Now, you''re also willing to go so far for her sake. "Both of you truly care about each other, so you should know the right choice to make.¡± Everly rolled her eyes at him. "Your conspiring friendship with Henry is quite admirable, too.¡± Ethan fell silent. The clock in the living room ticked the time away as it snowed outside. Every single second was torture. But Ethan had always been a patient man. He was betting on his decision. When Everly saw his tightly clenched fists on his knees, she could guess Ethan''s current feelings. "You should be d that you came here with sincerity.¡± Ethan''s expression shifted a little. "So you mean ...?¡± "I''ll help you just this once. Never again.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Everly''s thoughts were simple. She couldn''t think of anything safer than this n. Ethan might be a bad man, but he sincerely wanted to protect Olivia. They shared the same stance on this matter. They were both doing it to protect the same woman. Even if Olivia wanted to leave, now wasn''t the time. Olivia''s illness wasn''t cured yet, and she had children with her. If something bad happened to her, who would be there for her twins? Everly was much calmer and more rational than Olivia when it came to doing things. She couldn''t get emotional at times like this. "I''ll help you, but you have to promise me one thing. Don''t ever hurt her again!¡± Chapter 894 Chapter 894 When Jack wasn''t around, Olivia had a lot of fun ying with Zack. Zack was much better than Alicia at speaking, and he could say a sentence or two. Olivia and Zack got along well together. When Olivia saw Zack''s innocent smile, she began to look forward to the future. Just then, Everly called. Olivia answered the call right away. Everly''s anxious voice rang out. "Liv, save me.¡± "What happened to you, Eve?" Olivia was instantly worried. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "It''splicated. Let''s meet up and talk.¡± ¡°But¡ª" Everly hastily asked, "What''s the matter? Are you not avable right now? I''m feeling very weak, and I need someone to help me." Olivia heard Everly''s pitiful voice. She knew about Everly''s family situation very well. Everly didn''t have any rtives here, and her friends were few and far between. Her body was at its weakest, for she had just undergone a miscarriage. Olivia thought about Everly taking care of her in the past. Then, she quickly replied after dealing with the dilemma in her heart. ¡°Where are you? I''ll go get you.¡± Everly must have escaped from Henry''s home, for she sent a new location to Olivia. Olivia looked at the off- road vehicle still parked outside. It was a little rundown, but it probably still worked. After leaving a letter and contact information for Jack, Olivia left with Zack. It was precisely because she had been through hardship that she would want to help others as well. When she saw Everly again, even without makeup, Everly''s face seemed to have gotten much smaller. It was quite pale as well. "Liv, you''re finally here.¡± As Olivia watched therge teardrops fall, she touched Everly''s face. Her heart ached for Everly. "Don''t cry. I''m here." Everly hugged her, sobbing for a long while. Last time, she kept hiding and enduring it. But now, her emotions burst forth. Hugging Olivia, Everlyined about Henry for a whole hour. If Olivia hadn''t covered her mouth, Everly would evenin about how long Henry tormented her in bed. When Everly noticed Zack, who was standing at the side with a confused look on his face, she hastily shut up. "Sorry, I said too much.¡± "Well, I guess you never change. You''re as talkative as ever. Are you feeling better now?¡± Smiling, Olivia handed her a ss of water. "I''m feeling much better after venting.¡± Olivia ced Zack onto her thighs. Then, she peeled a grape and fed it to him. She was already quite used to taking care of children. "Why did you hold it in when we met that day? Why did you decide to vent today?" Olivia asked, pretending to be casual about it. Everly had already prepared an excuse for that. ¡°You had just returned then, and I didn''t know about your situation. I didn''t want to cause you more trouble.¡± Olivia peeled some more grapes. When Zack expressed that he had enough, she let go of him and patted him on the back. "Go along and y.¡± Her children were very easy to take care of, and they never caused her to worry. As Olivia watched Zack ying at the side, she said calmly, "It wasn''t that you''re afraid of causing me trouble. You''re scared that I would leave, right?" ¡°Liv, you ...¡± "Eve, Ethan talked to you, didn''t he?¡± It wasn''t a question but a confirmation. Everly still wanted to bluff, but Olivia exposed her. "Whenever you were trying to lie to me, you would subconsciously look away in case I saw through you." Everly decided to just pull her nket over her face. "You''re a married couple, all right! You saw through each other just like that! What''s the point in me bluffing anyway? "If you already know that he¡¯s behind this, why would youe over?" Pulling the nket from Everly''s face, Olivia said slowly, * Because you''re my best friend. I don''t mind you lying to me, but I fear for your safety.¡± Chapter 895 Chapter 895 Everly''s tears had just stopped, but they threatened to fall again. "Olivia, you ... I''m going to cry myself to death at this rate. Forget talking. Give me a hug.¡± Olivia patted Everly gently on the back. ¡°Of course, I know. When we met at first, you didn''t want to say anything so that I wouldn''t be worried. "But today, you helped him to get me back for the sake of my safety. Am I right?¡± Everly said, "If you''ve already figured it out, then why would youe back, silly?¡± Olivia shifted her body away. She was younger than Everly, but she had gone through so much that her mind was much more mature than Everly''s. Like an older sister, she wiped Everly''s tears away. "Because I want to save you as well. This is the only chance I can get to save you.¡± Everly heard from Ethan about the things Olivia did a few days ago. She didn''t expect Olivia to be so concerned about her when Olivia could barely protect herself. "I couldn''t contact you before. Tell me, what exactly are you nning?¡± When Everly thought of Henry, her eyes reddened again. "It''s all my fault. I thought I found my one true love. ¡°But in the end, I was nothing more than a toy.¡± Olivia sighed. ¡°He may not dislike you. But to him, his love for you is not as important as his status and future. ¡°People of their status want wives on par with them. Love isn''t important to them.¡± "Yes. Back then, he had also told me that he only got married to deal with his family. "He said that he would always maintain this rtionship with me, and he could give me anything other than the position of his wife. "No matter how much I like money, I can''t be a homewrecker, can I?" Olivia asked, "What''s with the child, then?" Everly''s eyes turned red again. "I didn''t intend to destroy his marriage at all. I sent in my resignation letter early on. I''ve earned quite a lot in the previous years, and also when I worked in sales back then. ¡°He was also a generous man, and I don''t like to spend money recklessly. ¡°I''ve saved up enough money that I won''t have to work for the rest of my life. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "I''ve already prepared myself to be a single mother. But his partner began to cause trouble, and I ended up losing my child.¡± Everly choked. "I lost my child, and I almost died from the severe blood loss. The doctor said that there was a very slim chance of me getting pregnant again. I may not have children ever again.¡± "It''s okay, Eve. You can slowly heal your body. Also, pregnancy is a matter of fate. When you''re fated to be, you''ll naturally get pregnant. ¡°You must be hungry. I''ll make something for you to eat. Seeing how sad Everlyn was, Olivia could only pause their conversation. She made some of Everly¡¯s favorite foods. When Olivia was learning to cook back then, Everly was her taste tester. In the early days, Olivia''s cooking was horrible, and Everly suffered a lot. Now, as they ate the delicious food, they felt a littleforted. "I can still remember the fish stew you made back then. You didn''t scale the fish, nor did you gut it. When you put it in the pot, the fish was still swimming in the stew. Recalling her terrible antics in the past, Olivia smiled as well. "Yes, time flies. My cooking has improved a lot now. Time not only increases our age but our experiences as well.¡± ¡°Liv.¡± Everly lowered her head, falling silent. "It''s okay. Even the most painful nights will pass, and the sun will rise again. When we have gotten through those days, we''ll eventually wee a new life.¡± "Liv, I feel like you''ve changed.¡± "I was just like you in the past. I thought that life was difficult. "Butter on, I realized that an even tougher life lies ahead. We have no choice but to grit our teeth and endure it. "Compared to the people who have lost their lives, we''re quite lucky. What do you n to do next?" Everly put down her spoon. "I don''t want to be his essory, nor do I want to be in the dark for life. I don''t want to be the homewrecker everyone hates.¡± She gripped Olivia''s hand. "Liv, can you take me away?" ¡°Eve, I was waiting for you to say that." Chapter 896 Chapter 896 Ethan didn''t expect to receive a call from Everly soon after Olivia came back. "Liv wants to see you.¡± Ethan sighed. "I knew she would catch on." In the snowy evening, Olivia met Ethan once again. After Olivia''s fake death, she had been catching glimpses of him in various news. It was only after she got closer to him that she noticed how much weight he had lost. He was in a ck wool coat, leaning against the car. In just a minute, snow had piled on his head. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Olivia approached him. "Why didn''t you wait for me in the car?" Ethan wasn''t confident. He didn''t know how much she had figured out. Seeing that she was in a rtively stable condition, he licked his dry lips as he said in pleasant surprise, "I wanted to see you sooner." He wanted to hold an umbre for her against the snow, but he didn''t want her to feel disgusted. So, he could he didn''t want her to feel disgusted. So, he could only stand where he was, unsure of what to do. "Get in the car. Let''s talk." ¡°Alright.¡± Ethan scrambled to open the car door on the passenger seat for her. Because he had matters to discuss, he drove here on his own. Ethan got into the car. He didn''t know what Olivia was nning, so he didn''t start the car. Olivia had all the power to call the shots. "Have you eaten?¡± "No. I came over as soon as I received the call.¡± "Me neither. Let''s go to Lunar Glow Eatery." Ethan hastily called and made reservations. Lunar Glow Eatery was a ce that served homemade dishes, and they used to frequent it in the past. With a hand on the steering wheel, Ethan turned the car around. Olivia didn''t say anything, and he didn''t know what to say, either. It waspletely silent in the car. To hide the awkward atmosphere, Ethan yed a song. Olivia used to like that song. It was called "Destiny¡¯. The lyrics in the song seemed to be mirroring their current situation. He drove very slowly. As Olivia listened to the song, she was immersed in her thoughts. Thest line of the lyrics, "I want to forget you, but I can''t. You''re still haunting my mind, tormenting me,¡± described them perfectly. ¡°When did you figure out that I''m still alive?¡± Olivia took the initiative to ask. Ethan replied honestly, "A long time ago. I knew you too well. ¡°You won''t choose tomit suicide at that time. Keith''s reaction during the funeral only confirmed my guess.¡± ¡°The funeral ...¡± "I held it on purpose. I want the mastermind to hear that you''re dead. Then, they will give up on hunting you down.¡± "Have you been tracking my movements?¡± Ethan nodded. "Yes, but I know that you''re disgusted with me. You me me, you hate me, and you''re also afraid of me. That''s why I didn''t dare to get close to you.¡± ¡°Were you behind the warships that suddenly appeared at sea?¡± "I asked my men to figure out the pirates¡¯ location beforehand. Then, I had the warships tail them a long distance away." Olivia closed her eyes. ¡°You were involved that night on the ship, too?¡± "Yes." "So Logan is your subordinate?¡± Ethan was silent for a moment before answering slowly, "Yes. I was worried about you, so I sent him to protect you.¡± ¡°Then did you know that we ...¡± Ethan stepped on the brakes, pulling up by the road. ¡°Liv, I know very well about what happened that night. He was trying to help you." Olivia didn''t believe it. "Logan disappeared as soon as we came back. Last night, Joshua told me that he''s dying. ¡°Were you behind this? You can''t possibly tolerate another man. What did you do to him?" Ethan was conflicted. He was d that Olivia still had no idea that he was Logan, but he was also afraid that she would hate him even more if she found out. But now that things hade to this point, he couldn''t turn back anymore. "I swear I didn''t do anything to him.¡± Chapter 897 Chapter 897 Ethan looked at Olivia. There was a hint of red in his eyes. ¡°Tell me, did you fall for him?¡± Olivia returned the question. "What are you going to do if I fell in love with someone for real someday? Ethan, we''re already divorced.¡± Ethan still wore the wedding ring on his hand, which was ced on the steering wheel.In his heart, he had never acknowledged the end of their marriage. ¡°Liv, I can tolerate letting you free, but I can''t tolerate the thought of you falling for someone else." ¡°What if that dayes?" Ethan said slowly, "I will kill him. For real.¡± Olivia threw herself at him. "I knew it. You must have done something to Logan. He''s dead now, isn''t he?¡± Ethan didn''t expect the conversation to take this turn. How could he prove to Olivia that he was alive and well? To put on a more convincing act, he grabbed Olivia''s hand. There was a sharp re in his eyes. "So you met me today for the sake of another man?" In reality, he was regretting it with all his heart. He thought, * In reality, he was regretting it with all his heart. He thought, "Liv, I swear I''m not mad at you for real.¡± Olivia originally felt that Ethan was too calm when he mentioned Logan. So, his reaction quelled her doubts. "I don''t love him, but he saved my life. I have to make sure that he¡¯s alive.¡± Ethan sighed. ¡°Fine, I''ll let you meet him.¡± He started the car again and drove to Lunar Glow Eatery. He moved very quickly as he grabbed the umbre and walked over to the passenger seat. Olivia was covered from head to toe. Holding a ck umbre, Ethan shielded her from the wind and snow. It was as if they were just married. Pausing her footsteps, Olivia stared at the snow from under the umbre. "What''s the matter, Liv?" "I was just reminded of the past. Ethan, how nice it would be if those things never happened, right?" She could feel that she still loved him, and his feelings toward her hadn''t changed either. They were two people in love with each other, but the distance between them was so wide that they could never cross it for the rest of their lives. The food was delicious, as always. When the owner heard that they wereing, he even gave them a ss of orange juice for free. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. It was Olivia''s favorite drink in the past. Back then, she was as innocent as a fawn. Her eyes were always bright and sparkly. The sweet taste spread in her mouth, but her heart was filled with bitterness. The two didn''t speak during the meal. After they were done, Olivia wiped her mouth elegantly. Then, she got to the topic at hand. "What exactly are you nning?¡± "Liv, I''ve already found some clues about Colin. But now, the news of your being alive is spreading. It''s not safe for you to stay in Aldenvine. "I won''t ask for you to stay by my side, but you have to at least make sure that you and the children are safe. Can you go to the ind, please? It¡¯s very safe there." Olivia asked, "So you want me to hide on the ind for ¡°Yes, at least for now. After I''ve figured out their identity ..." ¡°As long as I don''t appear, they will never show themself. Am I supposed to hide until the day I die?¡± Olivia put down her spoon. "Ethan, I''ll be frank with you. Other than Logan, I came here to talk about something more important. I hope that you''ll let me go for real.¡± "You want me to let go¡ª" "Yes. Divorce means that we won''t have anything to do with each other anymore. You should have your own life, and I should keep moving forward as well. Our rtionship belongs to the past.¡± Ethan had a bitter look in his eyes. ¡°Liv, you''re so cruel ...¡± ¡°Ethan, we''re both adults now. You should know that it''s best to leave in peace while you can. Don''t tell me that you still believe that we can be together someday.¡± Chapter 898 Chapter 898 Olivia''s question had hit the bullseye. Ethan could only stay silent. "I know that you were deceived by your sister back then, but what happened with the Fordham family was real. It was also true that you have hurt me. ¡°You broke my wrist to protect your sister. And even now, I still remember the scene vividly.¡± Ethan said, "I''m sorry, Liv." "All these things have be obstacles between us. Sorry, but I can''t cross over those past grudges and love you all over again.¡± Olivia''s tone was very calm today. She wasn''t mad. She spoke as if she were reminiscing with an old friend. "It''s no longer possible between us, so why don''t we let go without hesitance? "If we stay together, history is only going to repeat itself. The hurt will reach me again and even touch the children.¡± Ethan couldn''t retort to anything Olivia said. He said sullenly, ¡°I want to see the children.¡± "No need for that. I''ve already told them that their father was dead. If you can''t love them, I''d rather you never meet them at all.¡± Olivia said with a calm expression, ¡°I''ve loved you and hated you. But you''ve also saved me from danger countless times. ¡°We can''t measure the past grudges and kindness between us.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "So, the best ending I can think of is to break up right here. It''s better than making enemies of each other, right? Why don''t we just forget each other?¡± Ethan''s heart sank. After everything Olivia had experienced, her attitude had turned unusually calm. She looked like an immortal being who had gotten used to the happiness and sorrows of life. She no longer involved herself in it, and she was always calm and reserved. But he was like a demon who had fallen into the pits of hell. He was obsessed with their past, and he couldn''t break free from those bondages. They formed extreme contrasts with each other. Now, he was yielding a lot because it wasn''t hisst straw yet. But if they ever crossed over the line, Ethan would break free of all restraints andpletely turn into a beast. Now, he was hiding his beastly side very well. He feared that he might startle Olivia again. "And if I say that I can''t do it, what then? Even after divorce, I have a right to see you and the children, right?¡± Ethan clenched his fists tightly. When he thought about a future where he wouldn''t be able to see Olivia, he knew that he would break down. "So we can''te to a consensus.¡± Olivia thought that he had changed a lot these days, so he might be willing to let go now. But now, she realized that Ethan''s love for her was only increasing. She couldn''t understand how a man like Ethan could betray her in the beginning. ¡°Liv, you insist on leaving me, but do you truly believe that Jack can protect you and the children? You''d rather believe him instead of me?" Ethan stood up, pushing his palms against the desk as he leaned toward Olivia. He was forcefully getting in her face. ¡°Liv, how long have you known Jack? Do you know about his background? Or, he isn''t your friend or family, so why would he help you? "People have ulterior motives when they''re being kind for no reason. What do you think he wants from you?¡± Olivia was stunned by the question. "Liv, we''ve known each other for years, and we know each other very well. "Yes, you should thank Jack for taking care of the children for us, but are you sure that it''s the right choice to leave with him? ¡°Even if it''s not for you, please think of the children. Do you want them to live a stable life or a life full of uncertainty?¡± Ethan was too skilled at understanding people''s hearts. In just a few words, he managed to mention Olivia''s weakness: the children. ¡°If you came to this point because of me, you should rethink your choice. It has been almost a year since your fake death. ¡°Even when I knew where you were, have I ever done anything to hurt you?¡± Ethan was trying his best to prove one thing. ¡°Liv, I won''t hurt you. Don''t be so scared of me that you would make the wrong choice.¡± Chapter 899 Chapter 899 Noticing Olivia¡¯s silence, Ethan continued, ¡°I did do a lot of things that hurt you in the past, and I can¡¯t do anything if you insist on leaving me ¡°But other than being your ex-husband, I am also the father of your children. Even in court, I can have custody of them or even visitation rights ¡°Do you think it¡¯s fair to strip me of all those rights just like that?¡± When Ethan said that, Olivia¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°You¡¯re trying to snatch the children from me now?¡± If they truly took it to court, she couldn¡¯t win against Ethan in terms of qualification. Olivia¡¯s calm expression began to waver. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Liv. It was just an example. I didn¡¯t mean to snatch the custody rights of the children from you Ethan hastily coaxed Olivia. ¡°I just want to tell you my obligations I also have the responsibility of protecting you and the children. ¡°On the ind, you can rx and focus on healing, and the children can grow freely as well. You¡¯ll all be safe Olivia lowered her gaze, thinking for a long while. ¡°Alright, I agree. But I have one condition.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Everly was also emotionally hurt. I want to bring her with me for a change of pace. We can look out for each other, too.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll have it arranged.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t see the victorious look shing across Olivia¡¯s lowered gaze. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing to be overly familiar with him. She could guess Ethan¡¯s ns right away. ¡°One more thing. I want to see Logan.¡± Ethan had an upset look on his face. ¡°Liv, if it weren¡¯t for the special circumstances that night, do you think I¡¯d let him live? ¡°You want to see someone like that, but have you ever considered my feelings?¡± ¡°I just want to make sure that he¡¯s still alive.¡±Fine. I¡¯ll send you there.¡± After paying the bill, Ethan walked out. It was alreadypletely dark outside. Snow dufted below the streetlights, and it looked extra romantic. Ethan sent Olivia to the hospital. Joshua was keeping watch in the corridor. You¡¯re here, Ms. Fordham.¡± Olivia hastily asked. ¡°How¡¯s Logan now?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°He had dialysisst night, and he¡¯s still in the ICU right now. But don¡¯t worry, his life is not at risk anymore. Olivia couldn¡¯t get close, so she could only peer through the ss. She could see the silhouette of a man lying on the bed a distance away. Olivia transferred some money into Joshua¡¯s ount. She also told him to take good care of Logan. Olivia didn¡¯t have any feelings for this man, only gratitude. After that, she walked out of the hospital. Ethan was standing by the car, smoking. The fiery red flickered at his fingertips. The white smoke covered his face, hiding it from view. He probably didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be out so soon. He put out the cigarette right away. Disregarding the snow piling up on him, he held an umbre and walked over to Olivia. ¡°He has already passed the life-threatening stage, and he¡¯ll get better after he rests for some time. I told you I won¡¯t hurt him.¡± Olivia had confirmed it with her own eyes, so she was reassured. Nodding, she said, ¡°Alright. Please take me back, then.¡± ¡°Liv, can I see our son?¡± Ethan had a pleading look on his face. When they were on the ship, he yed with their daughter every day. But Zack was a mischievous boy who got separated from him after a fleeting look. Olivia looked at the time. ¡°It¡¯s toote. He¡¯s already asleep.¡± I''ll just take one look at him, Liv-* ¡°No need for that.¡± Clivia declined coldly. Since she had decided to walk that path, she would not soften her heart. She wouldn¡¯t look back, and she wouldn¡¯t hesitate. Chapter 900 Chapter 900 ndscape. Very few people were out on a cold winter night. Because of New Year¡¯s Day, colorful lights were everywhere. The whole world looked quiet and gentle. It was painstakingly quiet in the car. Ethan wanted to say something, but he didn¡¯t know how to start. Meanwhile, Olivia watched the scenery outside the window, deep in thought. They were about to round a corner. Ethan slowed down ahead of time. Just then, a vehicle from anotherne hurtled toward them. Aimed at Ethan¡¯s car, it sped toward them with abandon. Startled by the sudden turn of events, Ethan hastily turned the steering wheel, moving the car onto the pedestrianne at the side to avoid the vehicle. Ethan had already reacted quickly, but when the vehicle sped toward them, it still grazed the side of the driver¡¯s seat The vehicle was a middle-sized truck. With fearsome power, it rammed into their car diagonally, shoving the car even further. The closed ss doors of a shop were right in front of them. The car had gone out of control. Everything happened too fast. When Olivia registered what was happening, she heard Ethan¡¯s shout. ¡°Liv, watch out!¡± Olivia¡¯s vision turned ck. Right after that, she heard a loud noise caused by a collision. The noise almost shattered her eardrums. She squeezed her eyes shut and heard the sound of ss breaking. Ethan had thrown himself at her before she realized it. She only felt a firm muscr wall shielding her from harm. The ss on the windscreen and the door werepletely shattered. She felt some of the shards cutting her hand. It hurt But she couldn¡¯t be bothered about that. Because of the intense movement, the airbags puffed out, enveloping her firmly. A momentter, there was no movement in the car. She felt warm liquid dripping on her cheek. Olivia opened her eyes, meeting the gaze of the man right in front of her. His forehead was injured. Blood ran along his chin, dripping onto Olivia¡¯s cheek in the end. It was blood. Olivia widened her eyes in fear. Once again, the image of Mona dying shed across her mind. She looked at Ethan¡¯s face. His forehead was injured, and the blood wasing from his forehead. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. The injury on Ethan¡¯s face wasn¡¯t the worst. Many ss shards were embedded in his back, and he looked like a gruesome hedgehog He had used his body to shield her from the ss shards. ¡°Ethan, how are you feeling?¡± There were gunshots outside, but Olivia couldn¡¯t register those sounds anymore. Her whole focus was on Ethan¡¯s bloody body. Her body was secured in ce, so she couldn¡¯t move. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She could only watch as Ethan¡¯s blood dripped onto her face, trailing down her chin and then slowly tracing the line of her neck. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± He forced a weak smile at her. Then, he reached out and slowly caressed Olivia¡¯s face The back of his well-defined hand was also covered in ss shards. But he didn¡¯t seem to notice them as he wiped away the blood on her face. ¡°I-If I died, would you shed a tear for me?¡± Olivia¡¯s whole body was frozen. Even at that moment, she couldn¡¯t believe that the man covered in injuries was the Ethan she knew. To her he had always been something akin to a deity. How did he turn out like this? Her lips quivered subconsciously. She wanted to do something, but she was powerless. It was just like that time with Mona. They had used their bodies as a shield to protect her, yet she could only watch as the scenes unfolded before her. Tears streamed down her face. ¡°No. You won¡¯t die.¡± Chapter 901 Chapter 901 Kelvin dashed forward amidst the gunshots. When he saw the terrifying scene, he was startled as well. ¡°Mr. Miller Ethan was in so much pain that his forehead was covered in cold sweat. His lips were pale, but still, he said, ¡°Save Liv first.¡± The door on the passenger seat was right against a wall, so it couldn¡¯t be opened. Therge truck was on their left. So, Kelvin could only squeeze in through the broken windscreen from the top of the car. ¡°Hang in there. Mr. Miller.¡± Olivia caressed Ethan¡¯s face with her trembling fingers. Tears rolled down her cheeks inrge droplets. Ethan smiled weakly at her, saying, ¡°Liv, you were right, after all. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be giving back my life to you. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of death. I¡¯m just afraid that when I die, no one will protect you and the kids anymore. I¡¯m sorry, I never got to be a good father or husband. ¡°I caused you and the children to suffer and get hurt¡­¡± He coughed, and blood streamed out of the corner of his lips. Even when he was on the brink of death, he was still solely concerned about Olivia. ¡°D-Don¡¯t cry. I told you I won¡¯t hurt you anymore.¡± The blood on his palm only dirtied Olivia¡¯s face even more as he wiped her tears. Other than crying, Olivia had no idea what she should say. She only had one thought in her mind: she wanted Ethan to survive! A fierce gunfight was taking ce outside. Fortunately, after realizing that someone wanted to assassinate Olivia, Ethan stationed lots of elites around them. Also they had rammed against a shop. The wall of the shop served as a cover for them, giving Kelvin and the others time to rescue them. The quafight went on for around ten minutes. It only came to a stop when the sirens of the police cars Giang sirens filled the air of the otherwise quiet street Ethan was sessfully rescued as well, but his back was covered in ss shards Kelvin didn¡¯t dare to touch him, so he could only get Ethan into the ambnce Brent¡¯s arm was injured Covering his wounded arm, he said calmly, ¡°Mrs. Miller, I¡¯ll escort you to a safe ce first. These people aren¡¯t assassins! But Olivia shook her head ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital with him. Get my children and Everly to the ind, please!¡± Olivia got into the ambnce as well. The ss shards had pierced his body, but she didn¡¯t know how deep they went. She had no idea if his organs were hurt If his organs were ruptured, then Ethan might not make it past tonight On the way to the hospital, Olivia grabbed his hand as she said, ¡°Ethan, promise me that you won¡¯t die Ethan¡¯s breaths were getting weaker, but he tried his best tofort Olivia. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t die. I still have to protect you Olivia¡¯s eyes were filled with heartache and nervousness He was sent to the military hospital. As soon as he arrived, he was taken into the emergency room He was wearing a ck coat today, so the blood on his body wasn¡¯t quite obvious In contrast, the white sheets under his body were dyed red from his blood. It was a terrifying sight. Olivia kept holding his hand. ¡°You promised me. You have to survive.¡± When he was taken inside, someone pulled Olivia¡¯s hand away from him. Please wait outside.¡± Before the doors closed, Olivia heard Ethan¡¯s voice. ¡°Liv, walt for me The does closed with a bang with Clivia,forting her. ment we had the county are bare They ho rescued Mr. Miller fro With Ethan severely injured, the heads of all the departments arrived at the operating room ahead of time. They had even prepared the blood he would need from the blood bank. Even though Kelvin wasforting Olivia, he couldn¡¯t hide the worry in his heart either. ¡°Mr. Miller lost a lot of blood. His blood type is rare enough as it is. I fear that the blood in the blood bank won¡¯t be enough.¡± Olivia suddenly looked at him. Chapter 902 Chapter 902 Olivia had no idea about Ethan¡¯s blood type. Kelvin exined, ¡°Mr. Miller¡¯s blood type is the rare P1 type.¡± When Olivia heard that, her vision tumed ck. She almost fainted on the spot. She had learned medicine before. So, of course, she knew how rare this blood type was. The P blood group system was a different system from the ABO and RhD systems. It was categorized into five types P1, P2, P1k, P2k and P P1 and P2 were moremonly found, and thest three types were even rarer. P-type blood was already difficult enough to obtain. But Ethan was injured, and he needed a massive blood transfusion. The blood in the blood bank might not be enough for him. ¡°How can this be Olivia took a step backward. If Kelvin hadn¡¯t supported her, she would have gone weak in the knees and fallen to the floor. If she knew that this would happen, she would rather be the one who got hurt. ¡°Don¡¯t be too worried, Mrs. Miller. Mr. Miller has always had a strong body, so he will be fine. ¡°If those shards flew at you, disfiguration is the least of your worries. ¡°Your body is already weak from illnesses, after all. Mr. Miller had made the right choice.¡± Olivia grabbed Kelvin¡¯s sleeve, her palms drenched in cold sweat. ¡°Do they have backup blood in the blood bank?¡± ¡°They do, so don¡¯t worry. Because of Mr. Miller¡¯s special blood type, they had already prepared it a long time ago. If all else fails, there¡¯s also-¡± When Kelvin said that, a doctor came out from within. Even though the doctor had his mask on, Olivia could see the urgent look in his eyes. Olivia wanted to ask about Ethan, but the doctor didn¡¯t even nce at her. He said to a nurse, ¡°Krystal on¡¯t here yet? Ms. Heath has gone to perform military duties, but we¡¯ve already notified her. She should be here som With a m, someone kicked the door of the fire exit open. Olivia saw a woman in a military outfit, and she looked quite distinguished. The woman dashed out of the fire exit. She probably thought that the elevators were too slow, so she had run down from the helipad on the roof. She had a calm expression on her face, but her strides were quite urgent. ¡°How is he, Uncle Tucker?¡± The woman hadn¡¯t even approached them before she asked in a hurry. She even looked like she was going to tear up. ¡°Hurry and get in. The blood in the blood bank isn¡¯t enough, so it¡¯s a good thing that you arrived on time.¡± With that, they ran inside in a hurry. Olivia looked at the woman from the back, recalling her urgent and worried expression. Olivia¡¯s sixth sense told her that this woman treated Ethan differently. Kelvin sighed in relief as well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Miller. Ms. Heath has the same blood type as Mr. Miller. With her around, Mr. Miller should be fine as long as his vitals aren¡¯t injured.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°How did you know that her blood matches his?¡± ¡°Oh, well, every time Mr. Miller got hurt in the past, she would be the one transfusing blood to him. We even joked and said that she¡¯s Mr. Miller¡¯s personal blood bank. ¡°We would bring her along when we were going on very important missions in the past. Mr. Miller¡¯s blood type is simply too rare, so we can¡¯t help that.¡± Olivia stood where she was, feeling like she was surrounded by ice and snow. She had always known that Ethan¡¯s identity was special, and she never asked about it. But it was only then that she realized that to her Ethan was like someone from another world. She had never understood him before. There was a tiny ss shard embedded in the back of her hand. Everyone¡¯s attention was on Ethan just now, so even she had forgotten about it. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. When the blood dripped from her fingertips onto the floor at her feet, Kelvin finally noticed it. ¡®Mrs. Miller, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Chapter 903 Chapter 903 Kelvin hastily got someone to bandage Olivia¡¯s wound. Now, Olivia was wholly focused on Ethan, so she didn¡¯t feel the pain at all. The doors to the operating room opened. Krystal walked out. When she walked in, she was spirited and noble. But when she came out, even her lips were pale. She needed help to walk, too. She must have drawn too much blood, so her limbs had weakened. When Krystal came over, she was in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t notice Olivia. Now, as Olivia observed her, she was examining Olivia as well. She recognized Olivia right away. Olivia was the woman Ethan always had on his mind. After the operation, Krystal was also aware of what happened just now. With Ethan¡¯s capabilities, he would be able to protect himself under any circumstances. Even if he got hurt, he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to get so seriously injured. Almost his entire back was wounded, so there could only be one exnation.. He was shielding someone. Who would be the woman he was protecting under his body? Krystal didn¡¯t even have to think to figure it out. Krystal was already quite weak by then. Still, she strode firmly toward Olivia. Before Olivia could say anything, Krystal raised her hand and pped Olivia across the face. Kelvin didn¡¯t expect Krystal to behave like that. He hastily stepped forward, stopping Krystal. ¡°What are you doing, Krystal?¡± Krystalpletely ignored Kelvin. She stared at Olivia with a vicious look in her eyes. She looked like a hungry wolf, wishing she could tear Olivia apart and swallow thetter. Who do you think you are? Do you seriously think you¡¯re worth sacrificing his life for? Even if you fame your wretched life thousands of times, it¡¯s not even worth his one life! Olivia was still worried about Ethan, so when an unfamiliar woman pped her without any warning, she was stunned. The words the woman said were extremely hurtful, and they could even be considered vicious. Olivia licked her lips, looking at the woman coldly. ¡°Who I am is none of your business, and you don¡¯t have a say in how he makes his decisions.¡± Ethan¡¯s love for her was her greatest source of confidence. Krystal suffered utter defeat in this aspect. Kelvin hastily tried to lighten the atmosphere. ¡°Krystal, the situation was dire back then. Also, Mr. Miller did it willingly. Don¡¯t me Mrs. Miller for that. She was hurt, too.¡± ¡°Mrs. Miller?¡± Krystal sneered. ¡°Didn¡¯t they get divorced a long time ago?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Kelvin had an awkward look on his face. Everyone knew that she secretly liked Ethan. She had always been subtle about it, so everyone pretended they didn¡¯t know. But unexpectedly, when she saw Ethan getting hurt today, she immediately shouted at Olivia and insulted thetter. ¡°Krystal, in Mr. Miller¡¯s eyes, Ms. Fordham will always be his only wife. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have risked his life to protect her tonight. ¡°Well.. You¡¯ve drawn a lot of blood, so you must be feeling very weak. You should go back and rest for now.¡± Before Krystal left, she said to Olivia, ¡°His only wife? You still became his ex-wife, didn¡¯t you?¡± It was like cold water being poured on Olivia¡¯s body. Krystal wasn¡¯t the only one who treated her with enmity. Even the doctors passing by pretended not to have seen her.. Even the medical staff who bandaged her hand hade because Kelvin begged. She was like the outlier who had identally entered this world. No one weed her. Kelvin suggested, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s serious business to remove the shards from Mr. Miller. And no one knows how long that¡¯ll take. ¡°You should rest for now, Mrs Miller With your health, you can¡¯t stay up for too long When I get news of Ignoring the cold looks from the others, Olivia straightened herself. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll wait for the news here.¡± She touched her cheek, which was swollen from the hit. She would return that p someday. Chapter 904 Chapter 904 The events tonight had happened too suddenly, and Brent was busy cleaning up as well. Kelvin was the only person apanying Olivia right now. When she was in the car just now, she had taken off her down jacket. She was only wearing a thin sweater now. There weren¡¯t any heaters in the corridor. The cold wind picked up, making her feel colder. Olivia thought of that night a few years ago. She had stood there, waiting for Ethan in the cold wind as well. Kelvin wasn¡¯t too considerate. He only felt that Olivia looked a little pitiful from behind. The medical staff hurrying over seemed to be targeting her on purpose. ¡°Step aside. Please don¡¯t stand in our way.¡± It wasn¡¯t a bustling time at all. They simply didn¡¯t like her. If Ethan wasn¡¯t trying to save her, he wouldn¡¯t have suffered such severe injuries. In their eyes, Olivia was just a burden to Ethan. Kelvin was a lowly figure, and even he had to make sure he didn¡¯t piss anyone off. Many doctors in the army hospital had been on the frontlines and held military ranks. They were extremely proud, and they didn¡¯t care who Olivia was. Olivia knew that very well. So she didn¡¯t feel offended when the others looked down on her. She didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so why would she care about how others looked at her? One day, she would grow to the point where people would be shocked at her change. It was only then that Olivia realized something. She had made a very stupid decision by abandoning her studies for the sake of a man. If she hadpleted her studies, she would have be an outstanding doctor by now. She wouldn¡¯t be treated as a burden or a wallflower, and she wouldn¡¯t have to endure their cold gazes. She clenched her fists, swearing that one day, she would take back all the glory that belonged to her! Olivia ignored their gazes as she stood rooted to where she was, waiting for news on Ethan Unexpectedly, not long after leaving, Krystal came back again. She had gone back to change her clothes. She had changed into a casual outfit, but she still looked quite noble and spirited. She was a soldier, so she had a different air from normal people. When Olivia stood next to Krystal, she looked helpless and pitiful. But Krystal looked strong and brave instead, just like a heroine. Even if Krystal applied some light makeup on purpose, when she appeared in front of Olivia, she was a far cry from Olivia in terms of appearance. Krystal stared at Olivia, furious. ¡°You¡¯re just a wench, but you keep pestering him! For your sake, he-¡± Olivia looked at Krystal, saying in a calm voice, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that he willingly protected me. If you have anyints or doubts, you can interrogate him when he wakes up. ¡°I don¡¯t know you at all, so I am not obliged to tell you anything. I¡¯m curious, though. Is it your people¡¯s policy to disrespect others?¡± Krystal retorted, ¡°Get off your high horse! It¡¯s because of your face that he¡¯s so smitten with you.¡± Olivia sneered. ¡°How does it concern you if he¡¯s smitten with me? Are you jealous because you like him. but can¡¯t get him?¡± ¡°Why would I be jealous of a wench like you? Without your face, you¡¯re nothing. ¡°I can at least give him my blood when he needs it. What can you do for him?¡± If it were before, Olivia would calmly reply that she could cook for Ethan. But today, she only said coldly, ¡°I can do lots of things for him. Which one are you referring to?¡± Krystal seemed to have thought of something. With a fierce look in her eyes, she red at Olivia. ¡°You shameless wench! You-¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. With a bang, the doors opened. Chapter 905 Chapter 905 After an operation that went on for hours, all the ss shards on Ethan¡¯s body were removed. For the moment, Ethan could only lie on his stomach. If a normal person suffered such injuries, they would get anesthesia. But Ethan painstakingly endured it. Those few hours were like hell to him. He had to constantly be awake so that he could see Olivia right away. Krystal walked up to him first. ¡°Are you okay, Sova?¡± Ethan ced his chin on his crossed hands. He had already used up his energy, and he constantly had cold sweat because of his pain. He was already exhausted, but after the door opened, he still perked up and looked at the door. The first person he saw wasn¡¯t Krystal but Olivia instead. Ignoring Krystal¡¯s greeting, he said weakly, ¡°Liv.¡± It was only then that Olivia slowly walked over to him. Ethan reached out a hand, and Olivia held it. His palm was no longer dry. There was still sweat on it. ¡°I promised you that I would leave the operating room alive.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. With that, he finally passed out. But he never let go of Olivia¡¯s hand. His actions were like a cruel p across Krystal¡¯s face. His love was the best source of Olivia¡¯s confidence. Kelvin hastily asked, ¡°Uncle Tucker, how¡¯s Mr. Miller?¡± Dr. Tucker snorted. ¡°He¡¯s quite the lucky man. A ss shard almost pierced his heart, but it¡¯s a good thing that it missed by an inch. Also, it was a good thing that it was winter, so he had worn thick clothes. ¡°If this incident happened in summer, he would be dead by now.¡± Kelvin asked, ¡°So Mr. Miller is fine, right?¡± He simply did this to himself. He didn¡¯t want to use anesthesia, and he insisted on enduring it. Remember, change his dressings regrly these days. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get any infections, or it¡¯ll be very troublesome.¡± Kelvin replied, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Tucker.¡± Dr. Tucker waved his hand. ¡°He¡¯ll be hospitalized for two days for observation. Go.¡± Perhaps because he had confirmed that Ethan would be safe, Dr. Tucker was a little reassured now. His expression wasn¡¯t as cold as it was before. Ethan refused to let go of Olivia, so Olivia could only apany him to the ward. Dr. Tucker nced at Krystal. ¡°Girl, why are you interfering in the couple¡¯s business? You know the sort of person he is. When he has made up his mind, he will never give up on it.¡± Krystal stomped her feet. ¡°Who said that they¡¯re a couple? They divorced a long time ago! He¡¯s now single, so why can¡¯t I court him? Or do you think I¡¯d lose to a doll like her? Other than her face, she can¡¯t win against me in terms of background and position!¡± Dr. Tucker sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t bother about matters between you youngsters, but I have a word of advice for you don¡¯t go too far. Don¡¯t keep pushing even after you¡¯ve met a dead end.¡± Krystal couldn¡¯t be bothered about that. She left and followed Ethan to his ward After Ethan had settled down, she volunteered. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch over him. You can leave now.¡± Even though Olivia never intended to reconcile with Ethan, Ethan had gotten hurt because of her. Out of obligation, she couldn¡¯t just leave Ethan like that. She moved her hand, which Ethan was holding tightly. ¡°I do want to leave, but he won¡¯t let me. But Ms.Heath, if you want to stay, I won¡¯t object to that.¡± With that, she asked Kelvin to get her a stool. Then, she sat on it. Kelvin suggested in a low voice, ¡®Mrs. Miller, you¡¯ve stayed up for a long time. It¡¯s a double bed anyway, so why don¡¯t you sleep next to Mr. Miller?It¡¯s morefortable that way. I¡¯ll go get a nket for you.¡± Chapter 906 Chapter 906 Originally, Olivia thought that it wouldn¡¯t be good for her image. But then, she thought more about it. People were always prejudiced, and she had already left a bad impression on everyone. Even if she stood and kept watch over Ethan today, the people who looked down on her would continue to do so. So, why should she worry about other people¡¯s gazes? Her body was already weak enough. She had also been standing for a long time, so her calves were turning sore. If she was half-sprawled on the bed, it would be torture for her waist and back. ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Taking off her socks and shoes, Olivia got onto the bed. When Krystal saw that, she was extremely pissed. ¡°Y-You shameless woman! What are you doing?¡± Olivia blinked, saying with an innocent look, ¡°As you can see, the wench is tired and needs to rest.¡± ¡°How can you sleep in the same bed as him?¡± Krystal was so frustrated that she almost stomped her feet. Olivia was even more exasperated now. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but he refused to let go of me.¡± While they were speaking, Olivia had alreadyy down on her side. She said calmly, ¡°Also, Ms. Heath, why are you so worked up about it? ¡°I¡¯ve already done lots of intimate things with him, let alone sleep on the same bed. What does it have to do with you?¡± Her question shut Krystal up. Krystal didn¡¯t know how to reply to that. So, Krystal could only go back to her usual argument. ¡°You¡¯re already divorced! If you have even a little bit of shame, you wouldn¡¯t pester him.¡± ¡°Sorry, Ms. Heath, but you must have gotten it wrong. Between him and I, the one getting pestered was Frie Kelvin dashed into the ward with the nket in his arms. ¡°Mrs. Miller, I¡¯ve brought the nket. Please rest well You must be tired after what happened tonight.¡± Krystal said scornfully, ¡°What did she do that could tire her out?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Kelvin covered Olivia with the nket. Turning around, he exined earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s already tough for Mrs. Miller to stand for such a long time. ¡°She can¡¯tpare to a rough woman like you, Ms. Heath. You¡¯re always storming around Before he finished speaking, Krystal kicked his call. ¡°Who are you calling a rough woman? I dare you to say it again! If you¡¯re getting a nket, why didn¡¯t you get another one for me?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a couple here. Stop being the third wheel and just leave.¡± Krystal hit him harder. Olivia sat up, unable to stand it anymore. ¡°Get out, both of you! He can¡¯t rest like this!¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t too loud, but it was filled with authority. Krystal looked at her. Olivia nced at Krystal with a cold look in her eyes, her gaze as sharp as an eagle¡¯s. At that moment, Krystal felt chills running down her spine. Olivia¡¯s gaze right now was extremely simr to Ethan¡¯s! Kelvin didn¡¯t dare protest. ncing at Krystal, he realized that she didn¡¯t intend to leave. So, he couldn¡¯t care less as he left the room. As if she was sulking, Krystal sat on the couch opposite them, staring straight at the two. Olivia ignored Krystalpletely. Instead, she quietly kept Ethanpany. She didn¡¯t fall asleep. With his injuries like that, she was worried that he might get inmmation and a constant high fever. So, once in a while, she would test Ethan¡¯s temperature with her hand. It was very quiet in the military area at night. The hospital was surrounded by lots of trees as well. When she looked out the window, she could only see the shadows of tall trees bending under the wind and snow. She couldn¡¯t see any skyscrapers at all. Her heart calmed down as well. Her mind was very active, though. The people who tried to assassinate her in the past had used underhanded tactics. They had never started a gunfight on the streets. This wasn¡¯t like an assassin¡¯s secretive moves. Instead, it resembled the work of people from the underworld, away from the mainstream. They were quite direct but also cruel as well. She wondered if these people were targeting her or Ethan. Olivia had a feeling that she had gotten into trouble. Chapter 907 Chapter 907 They didn¡¯t manage to find the mastermind from before. But now, a new enemy had shown up. Also, their style waspletely different from the person before. Olivia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had to hide under someone else¡¯s protection all her life. She recalled Mona¡¯s death and memories of other people getting hurt just to save her. That cruel rainy night had already turned into a shadow that forever loomed over Olivia¡¯s heart. If she didn¡¯t get stronger, she might not be lucky enough to survive the next hit. She thought about it for a long time. When it was almost dawn, and Ethan¡¯s vitals seemed to be stable, Olivia finally closed her rested for a while. The room was eerily quiet. It was only then that Krystal had a chance to peer at Ethan¡¯s face. When he was carrying out missions in the past, he would always wear a mask. No one knew his true appearance. And even if Krystal wanted to see it, she couldn¡¯t. At that moment, she envied Olivia a lot. Olivia could not only be close to Ethan, but she could also see him every morning when she woke up and said good morning to him. What bliss! When Krystal was earnestly studying Ethan, thetter suddenly opened his eyes. In her panic, Krystal averted her gaze. She felt uneasy as if she was caught red-handed. Unexpectedly, her whole focus was on Ethan, but Ethan never noticed her! When he woke up, the first person he saw was still Olivia. Like how Krystal had studied him, Ethan stared at Olivia greedily. He looked like he wanted to carve her appearance on his heart, and he only had eyes for her. His hand must have gotten numb. Changing his posture, he reached out as if to touch Olivia¡¯s face. But then, he seemed to have thought of something as he quickly retracted his hand. He looked like a child who had done something wrong. It was only then that Ethan noticed that there was another person in the room. When his gaze moved away from Olivia¡¯s face, the look in his eyes instantly turned cold. Krystal met his gaze. For a moment, her heart thumped wildly out of control. She opened her mouth to speak. Lifting his hand, Ethan put a finger to his lips, shushing her. It was like cold water poured onto Krystal¡¯s body. Krystal examined his face earnestly. She realized that he wasn¡¯t as overwhelmed as she was at all. Ethan even raised his hand and waved at Krystal, gesturing for her to leave. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to be here and disturb his time with Olivia! Realizing that, no matter how sad she was, Krystal didn¡¯t dare express her emotions in front of Ethan. She was as obedient to Ethan as she was arrogant to Olivia. She was extremely well-behaved. After saluting Ethan, she turned around and left. When she went out, she even softened her footsteps and closed the door quietly. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Finally, only Ethan and Olivia were left in the room. Even if his back hurt like hell, Ethan was quite happy. He gazed tenderly at Olivia. No matter how long he spent looking at her, he couldn¡¯t get tired of her. Even though Olivia had saved him back then, her looks were more important to him. Back when she was younger, she already had well-defined features. She looked like she had walked out of a painting. It was a rare chance for him to look at her as much as he liked. As if sensing Ethan¡¯s gaze, Olivia woke up from her dreams. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the deep, loving gaze in his eyes, threatening to drown her in love. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Ethan smiled. ¡°Were you hurt anywhere?¡± Ovo licked her dry lips. She exined right away. ¡°No. After you fainted, you grabbed my hand and refused to let me ins Chapter 908 Chapter 908 Ethan chuckled, ¡°I know. Whether Im sleeping or awake, I never want to let go of you.¡± His face was very pale. His already fair face looked even more sickly now He had just survived a close brush with death, and the operation alone took hours. But when he woke up. he behaved as if it wasn¡¯t his business ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t get anesthesia ¡°I didn¡¯t. I feared that if I died, I wouldn¡¯t be able to see you for onest time,¡± he replied calmly. In reality, he only thought of one thing: Olivia was born with resistance to anesthesia, so every time she got hurt, she could only endure the pain. It was the same when she bled profusely during childbirth, when she was getting her arm stitched, and even when her wrist was hurt So, Ethan didn¡¯t use anesthesia either. He wanted tomit to memory the pain Olivia had once gone through More importantly, he wanted to see her as soon as he woke up. If the operationst night had failed, he would die in his sleep. When Olivia heard his answer, she seemed to be thinking of something. Suffocating silence settled in between the two. Ethan spoke up first. ¡°I''ll send you to the ind as soon as possible. It¡¯s not safe here anymore.¡± ¡°When you say that it¡¯s not safe, do you mean¡­¡± Ethan called Brent over. Brent had been bustling about. He also looked like he was in a hurry when he came in. Even his eyes were bloodshot. *Mr. Miller, it¡¯s our fault for failing to protect you well enough.¡± As soon as Brent came in, he knelt on one knee. Ethan crossed his hands, cing his chin on top of them. He seemed quite nonchnt about it I¡¯m lucky enough to have survived. Go and make arrangements so that Liv can be sent away as soon as possible.¡± His tone was firm. At times like that, his greatest wish was for her to stay with him. But he had chosen to send her away as soon as possible. Ethan was nning something. He must already have a clue about the incidentst night. Olivia looked at Brent. ¡°What did you find out?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. But Brent looked at Ethan. If Ethan didn¡¯t give permission, he didn¡¯t dare to say anything recklessly. ¡°Liv, the children must have missed you quite a lotst night. Alicia and Zack must have met up by now, so hurry and go to them. Everything¡¯s fine on my end.¡± His behavior was too abnormal. In the past, he wished he could bind her with chains, but now, he kept trying to push her away. Once again, she felt the feeling of being discriminated against, just like she had feltst night. Olivia could stand other people judging her, but how could Ethan do the same thing? She said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to leave, right? Why are you being stubborn now? ¡°Come on, Everly will keep youpany on the ind. You two can rx and recuperate on the ind.¡± Ethan seemed to be in a hurry. ¡°Brent, what are you doing, zoning out like that? Send Liv away.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mrs. Miller. Mr. Miller¡¯s life is not at risk anymore, and he¡¯ll recover after some good rest.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t budge. ¡°I almost diedst night. I should have the right to know the identity of the culprit, at least.¡± She thought that it was normal for everyone to regard her with disdain, but she didn¡¯t expect Ethan to think the same. They had been intimate with each other and lived under the same roof. They had also experienced life and death together. But in the end, she was still an outsider to Ethan. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to be close to Ethan. She just didn¡¯t feel that it was fair to her past self She loved him so much, and she had abandoned everything to stay with him. He knew everything about her, but she didn¡¯t know anything about Ethan. Liv, there are some things you shouldn¡¯t know about I¡¯m doing this for your good.¡± Chapter 909 Chapter 909 It would have been fine if Ethan hadn¡¯t said that. But once he did, Olivia¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°How long are you going to act selfishly under the pretense of doing it for my good?¡± Olivia vented all her dissatisfaction. ¡°I loved you so much in the past, and I gave up everything for you. You have a mysterious job, and I didn¡¯t ask you about it. ¡°I also never asked you where you went on your business trips. I thought that this was my way of loving you, but what became of me in the end?¡± ¡°Liv.¡± Ethan wanted to reach out and hold her hand, but Olivia dodged him. ¡°You know everything about me. When you¡¯re happy, you¡¯ll dly spend arge sum to buy gifts for me, spoiling me to no end. ¡°But when you¡¯re upset, you take everything back and deny me every chance of escape, putting me in hell. ¡°But what about me? From the beginning until now, other than knowing that you¡¯re Ethan, what else do I know? ¡°From the beginning, you loved me like you would love a pet. You thought this was for my good, and that was good for me. ¡°But in the end, I turned out like this exactly because you were too self-righteous!¡± Ethan silently gazed at the fuming Olivia. He didn¡¯t realize that she had been so upset with him all this while. ¡°Liv¡­ I have reasons for doing that. The more people know about my identity, the more dangerous it will ¡°So, the Prescotts moved overseas many years ago. They did it to avoid getting involved in danger.¡± He sighed. ¡°Never mind. Now that things havee to this point, I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know. My identity was leaked, anyway. ¡°Brent, reveal everything you¡¯ve found out. There are no outsiders here, anyway.¡± After getting his permission, Brent closed the door first. Then, he turned around and said to Olivia, ¡°Mrs Miller, the incidentst night wasn¡¯t targeted at you. ¡°Someone wanted to kill Mr. Miller, and you just happened to be involved in it.¡± As expected, Olivia¡¯s intuition was right. These people¡¯s behavior waspletely different from those of the others back then. ¡°Who are they? How dare they do such things?¡± ¡°ording to the intel I¡¯ve gotten so far, these people belong to some local underground organizations. ¡°Our country is very strict in this aspect, so even if there are remaining members, they won¡¯t dare to act so boldly.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°Then why¡­¡± Brent sighed. ¡°It started ten years ago. Back then, there were various foul organizations of all shapes and sizes in the country, and many youngsters and families were their victims. ¡°You could always see them on the news, where families died a horrible death, jumped off buildings, andmitted suicide with gas. ¡°As soon as a family member got involved with it, they would only be dragged further into the abyss. ¡°Only a few minor subordinates were caught in each operation to defeat them, and when it blew over, they would resume their activities. ¡°Their bosses were all in Shadow Valley, a district overseas. It¡¯s aplicated ce that is also the largest crime trading center. ¡°Mr. Miller volunteered to be a spy in a criminal organization for many years. In the end, they were captured along with their subgroups in our country.¡± Olivia was startled when she heard that. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to have such experiences. ¡°Mrs. Miller, even from films and shows, you should be aware of how cruel those people are. Even if their headquarters are destroyed, people like them will keeping back. ¡°As long as people exist, there will always be benefits to be reaped. ¡°As soon as their remnants hear of Mr. Miller¡¯s identity, not only Mr. Miller but also the people close to him will be in danger. ¡°Why did Mr. Miller insist on keeping your marriage a secret? He didn¡¯t want to expose you because he wanted to protect you.¡± As expected, the truth was always too heavy to bear. Olivia said sullenly, ¡°Then, Marina¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Cariton is different from you. Mr. Miller only has gratitude toward her, not love. ¡°Never mind, he should tell you about his feelings. I¡¯m an outsider, so I can¡¯t exin it clearly. *So, let¡¯s continue where we left off. ¡°Mr. Miller did many simr things. He¡¯s the best at disguising himself and working as a spy. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°He did things like getting top-secret intel from other countries and assassinating political figures. ¡°Out there, even his codename strikes fear in the hearts of those who hear it. So, do you understand now why he was able tomand warships as he pleased? ¡°Because all these military achievements were the glory he received in exchange for risking his life. ¡°But now, someone has exposed his identity.¡± Chapter 910 Chapter 910 Bren: had a stern look on his face. ¡°Now that Mr. Miller¡¯s identity is exposed, the various forces that had grudges against him would pouncen him like hungry wolves to get revenge. The incidentst night is one example. The organization behind those people was the central figure in Shadow Valley ten years ago. ¡°They sent suicide squads who weren¡¯t afraid of death and were trying to drag Mr. Miller down even if it cost them their lives.¡± When Olivia heard that, she felt some lingering fear. ¡°Then he¡¯s in great danger now, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rtively safe here, but as soon as he leaves the military area, there will be danger everywhere. Also, I found out on the dark web that someone had posted an anonymous bounty for Mr. Miller. ¡°If anyone killed him, they would get a reward of 1 billion dors. A high-reward bounty like that would usually attract private assassins and mercenaries. ¡°After all, great rewards attract brave souls.¡± As if he were an outsider, Ethan advised Olivia, ¡°In the past, I kept you because I could protect you. But now, being by my side is the most dangerous ce you can be. You have to leave.¡± He was protecting her with his life, but he was convincing Olivia to leave. Olivia had already made up her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll leave, but not now. I¡¯ll leave after the wounds on your back have healed.¡± ¡°Liv, you¡­¡± Ethan thought that she would leave without turning back after hearing the truth, but unexpectedly, she chose to stay. ¡®Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Those are two different things. I never forgot that you hurt me before, but I also admit that you got hurt because of me.¡± ¡®But- ¡°Brent said that it¡¯s safe here, right? It should be fine if I stay here for a few days, yes?¡± He hastily left. ¡°Mr. Miller, I¡¯ve already arranged everything for Master Zack and Ms. Alicia. ¡°I¡¯ve also spared some of those men, so you can deal with them when you¡¯ve gotten better. Please rest for now.¡± With that, Brent went out the door. A nurse came in with a cart, and she seemed a little nervous as she faced Ethan. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s time to change your dressings.¡± Krystal came in as well. She was like a persistent bug. ¡°Leave the things here. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Krystal walked toward the nurse. Then, she even nced at Olivia as she emphasized her words on purpose. ¡°After all, I was always the one doing these things in the past.¡± Ethan said calmly, ¡°Liv can do it.¡± ¡°Sova, she¡¯s just a weak woman. What can she do? Your injuries are severe enough as it is. If she was too clumsy and worsened your injuries, it¡¯ll only be more troublesome. ¡°Let me do it. I¡¯m used to these things.¡± The nurse nced between Olivia and Krystal with a gossipy look. By the looks of it, a drama was brewing. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ethan had a calm look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to you for transfusing your blood to mest night. I heard that you had drawn a lot of blood, so you must be quite weak right now. You need proper rest. ¡°I¡¯m used to Liv taking care of me, so I may not be used to someone else doing it. *Moreover, she had studied medicine before, so basic care like this is a piece of cake for her.¡± Ethan was declining with every single syble, but Krystal refused to give up. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I heard that you got promoted recently, so you should be quite busy these days. You don¡¯t have to visit me anymore. ¡°When I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll visit you to thank you properly.¡± With that, he looked at Olivia with a tender gaze. ¡°Darling, please help me change my dressings.¡± When Olivia heard that, she had goosebumps on her skin. Even when they were married, he never called her that when they were outside, let alone now. If Krystal ignored it, she would be looking for trouble. So, she could only say, ¡°Rest well.¡± Then, she left in embarrassment. Chapter 911 Chapter 911 Olivia earnestly learned from the nurse the procedures to change the dressings. Then, she waited until there were just the two of them in the room. It was only then that Olivia got mad. ¡°You called me darling?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do that, she will keep pestering me.¡± Olivia said coldly, ¡°You have quite a lot of admirers.¡± With that, she pulled the nket away, revealing his back, which was wrapped in bandages. Ethan exined, ¡°Liv, she only changed my dressings once, and it was on my arm. That was all.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already divorced, so I don¡¯t care what she wants to do to you, nor do I want to.¡± As Olivia replied, she cut the bandages away. Even as she spoke, her actions were gentle. She feared that she might touch his wounds. ¡°Liv, ever since the start, you¡¯re the only person who has touched my body. No other woman has done it but you.¡± Ethan sighed. Olivia wanted to mock him. But then, the wounds under the bandages were revealed without warning She had guessedst night that it would be very serious. It was one thing to imagine it but another to see it with her own eyes. There was not an unharmed spot on his back. Olivia felt a slight heartache. Ethan was lying on his stomach, so he couldn¡¯t see her face. He didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, either. ¡°Liv, I think I should exin about Marina and me to you. Now that things havee to this point, I don¡¯t think I should hide some things from you anymore.¡± Olivia cleaned his wounds and then disinfected them. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to the words he was about to say, and she was even a little scared. She feared that he would give excuses like he did it on impulse or he was drugged. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°But back then, your mood was unstable, and I wasn¡¯t sure how the future would pan out. ¡°If I died on the operating tablest night, you would never have a chance to know the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave with regret. Liv, the DNA report I showed you that time was real.¡± Olivia paused her movements. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said a long time ago that I never touched Marina, so how could I have a child with her? Connor was our first child, who was born prematurely.¡± Olivia¡¯s breaths quickened. ¡°You must be lying.¡± ¡°When you were ill, I showed you the report. But you thought that I was just trying to make you happy. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ve already asked Brent to bring a strand of Connor¡¯s hair. ¡°We¡¯re in the hospital right now, so we can have another DNA test.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°But.. How did it turn out like this?¡± Olivia was a little panicky now. She was ted, but she was also scared that this news was fake. Ethan sighed. ¡°As for the reason, it¡¯s a long story. Do you still remember Kurt? Some time ago, you encountered hooligans on the streets, and he helped you out.¡± When Ethan mentioned that, Olivia finally remembered. After all, she had only ever encountered that sort of incident once in her lifetime. Also, she was very young back then. She was frightened, and she didn¡¯t know what she should do. Then, a man suddenly appeared and defeated all the hooligans. Olivia had a deep impression of him. The handsome man had a lollipop in his mouth, and he had a roguish charm about him. Now that she thought about it, he did look a little like Ethan. ¡°He¡¯s my cousin. We grew up together, and we were like brothers.¡± Ceva was still a little puzzled. ¡°So, what is his rtionship with Marina and Connor?¡± Ethan said straightforwardly. He was the biological father of the child.¡± Chapter 912 Chapter 912 Olivia was puzzled. ¡°Exin that, please. I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way. Kurt had been training with me since young, and because he looked simr to me, he was one of my body doubles. ¡°We braved dangers together, but he sadly fell in love with Marina. ¡°He got Marina pregnant. And then, when we were out on a mission, he suffered a lethal attack in my stead. ¡°Before he died, he was worried about Marina, so he asked me to take good care of her and the children. ¡°With gratitude toward Kurt, I agreed to all of Marina¡¯s requests. Back then, I mistook the Fordhamns¡¯ rtionship with my sister. ¡°With the two incidents ovepping, I got revenge on the Fordhams while I took care of the pregnant Marina. That was why you thought I cheated on you. ¡°I didn¡¯t exin anything when you questioned me. ¡°Marina didn¡¯t want the children in her belly to grow up in a single-parent family, so she pleaded with me to give her a home.¡± Olivia felt bitter in her heart. ¡°So you gave it to her?¡± ¡°She used Kurt¡¯s life in exchange for those requests. I couldn¡¯t say no, so I could only divorce you. But later on, I realized that her demands only increased. ¡°The hospital, the dress, and Collington Cove¡­ She wanted everything I prepared for you.¡± Olivia recalled those times. Her heart ached even more. ¡°So you knew that she pushed me into the sea back then?¡± ¡°I knew your personalities from the start. So, of course, I could guess what she had done. Back then, both of you fell into the sea at the same time. I wanted to save you at first, but then I remembered Kurt¡¯s dying face and his request. Back then, Kelvin 2nd Brent had jumped into the sea, too. So, I swam toward her.¡± vias eyes were wet. Holding back the tears, she asked. ¡°Then what¡¯s the deal with the child N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°You couldn¡¯t get anesthesia, so you were screaming in agony in the delivery room. Did you think my heart wouldn¡¯t ache when I heard that? ¡°I was outside the delivery room the whole time. ¡°Later on, you fainted because you lost too much blood, so I switched the children.¡± Tears streamed down Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Why? Why would you give her my child? Why would you take him away from me?¡± If Ethan wasn¡¯t lying down right now, she would grab his cor and give him a few solid ps. ¡°There were a few reasons I did it. Firstly, the two children were very important to Marina. ¡°If something happened to the children and caused her to get hurt, too, I would be letting Kurt down. ¡°Secondly, it had something to do with Mr. Carlton Senior. Even though the Carltons had slowly left the scene, Mr. Carlton Senior still had some power in his hands. ¡°It was rted to my election. If he thought that the child was mine, he would do his best. ¡°Lastly, I was almost delirious back then. I felt that since my sister lost her child, I wanted you to suffer the same pain. ¡°Affected by various reasons, I made that choice.¡± This time, Olivia didn¡¯t hold back. She pped Ethan across the face. ¡°You jerk, how could you do this to me? Do you know how long I was in anguish because of that child? ¡°When I was at my worst, I even wanted to hurt the child!¡± It was no wonder that Olivia liked Connor at first sight. And no matter what Marina did, she couldn¡¯t get Connor to call her ¡°Mom¡±. Olivia couldn¡¯t hold in herplex emotions anymore. She sobbed with all her might. Her child didn¡¯t die! All three of her children were still alive! Chapter 913 Chapter 913 Those were tears of happiness. Olivia was both overjoyed and overwhelmed. She didn¡¯t know what to say at all. Her mind was filled with images of Connor¡¯s adorable face. She had been too foolish. If she had known the truth, she would have spent more time with the child. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Liv. I know it¡¯s all my fault.¡± Olivia hit Ethan on the shoulder. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s your fault.¡± Even though she avoided his wounds, the impact still affected some of his wounds. Ethan seethed in pain. In the past, she kept fantasizing that Connor was her child. But now, it wasn¡¯t a fantasy anymore. Connor truly was her son. The good news took Olivia by surprise. She was right to have endured until this day. She finally had her good ending. ¡°Time and again, Ipromised for Kurt¡¯s sake. Unexpectedly, when given an inch, Marina asked for a mile. ¡°She had already used up all of Kurt¡¯s kindness, so I finally called off the marriage. ¡°Now, the most I can do is to let her live the rest of her life in peace. I won¡¯t do anything more than that.¡± Olivia carefully applied the ointment to his wounds. Perhaps because she knew that Connor was still alive, she was gentler on Ethan now. ¡°Where is the child now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s with me. Back then, after someone pushed him down the stairs, I sent him to get special training.¡± ¡°Do you want him to walk the same path you did?¡± A sad look shed across Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s no coincidence that the Millers could survive for a hundred years. Many things aren¡¯t as simple as you think they are.¡± There were many things Ethan couldn¡¯t exin to her. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°It¡¯s already toote for me to leave now, so the only way is up. When I go higher up and advance further, I only then can I protect you and the children.¡± Even though Olivia didn¡¯t know his ways, she had a subtle feeling that the Millers weren¡¯t simply a rich family. ¡°But you¡¯re also aware of how dangerous this path is. How are you willing to put your child in danger?¡± ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t have a choice. Connor has great potential. He¡¯s the eldest son. ¡°Since he was born into the Miller family, he couldn¡¯t be raised like a rich young kid. ¡°He has to shoulder the heavy responsibility of carrying the family. If it wasn¡¯t him, then Zack would take that ce. I can¡¯t possibly have children with any other women for the rest of my life.¡± Both children were dear to her, so Olivia couldn¡¯t make the choice. They were both her beloved sons, and she had owed them too much. ¡°Does it have to be like this?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a boy. He should defend the country and protect his family. If he were born in wartime, he would be at the frontlines, too.¡± Olivia felt a little sad. She still hadn¡¯t taken good care of that child before. Ethan¡¯s voice turned grave. ¡°Liv, you can only stay with me for up to a week. After one week, you have to leave.¡± After learning about the truth, Olivia could understand why he did what he did. ¡°Nothing happened in all those years you were hiding your identity, so why were you exposed now? Do you know who did it?¡± ¡°Of course, someone got anxious.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Ethan suddenly curled his finger at her. Olivia thought that he would tell her the truth, so she bent down and crouched by his bed. She even moved her ear closer. Lifting his hand, Ethan caressed her head. ¡°Liv, there are some things that would cause more trouble the more you know about them. I didn¡¯t tell you about it in the past, but it wasn¡¯t because I treated you like an outsider. I just wanted you ¡°I didn¡¯t want your normal life to be affected because of me. Comment by soonyoung gu: bruh she almost died like 2938457345 almost lost her child and mind and u tortured her like hell this is the least of ur concerns u narcissistic psychopathic manwhore a ¡°For people in my line of work, once they get in, they cannot leave anymore. That¡¯s all.¡± Chapter 914 Chapter 914 Olivia¡¯s wig was getting messy from Ethan¡¯s rubbing. Ethan chuckled. ¡°I like your previous hair better. It¡¯s soft and smells nice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re annoying.¡± Olivia snorted. Then, she got up and finished applying the ointment to his back. After that, she bandaged him. She had a feeling that Ethan was nning something important, which was why he urgently wanted her to leave. They were already divorced, so he naturally wasn¡¯t obliged to report anything he wanted to do to her. Even though the child was alive, the hurt he had given her was real, too. To repay someone else¡¯s kindness, he had given her pain and suffering. This was quite unfair to Olivia. They wouldn¡¯t reconcile just because of the child. The only rtionship they had was that they were the parents of their children. She would take care of Ethan for seven days to repay his kindness for saving her. But after that, they would go their separate ways. Olivia had a path she wanted to take as well. In the next few days, the time they spent with each other was probably the most normal it had been in the past few years. There wasn¡¯t any enmity or intentional harming. She patiently and considerately took care of his needs. She had no idea what missions Ethan had arranged for Kelvin and Brent in secret. She never saw them in those few days. But Krystal kept popping in. Even if she wasn¡¯t tired, just looking at her made Olivia feel exhausted. ¡°Sova.¡± Krystal always liked to call Ethan by his codename, acting as if it would make them look more intimate with each other. ¡°I peeled an apple for you. Eat it to moisturize your throat.¡± Olivia had just left for a moment when Krystal grabbed the chance to sneak in Frowning, Ethan declined politely. ¡°I don¡¯t like apples. You can eat it yourself.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. But especially peeled it for you. the ¡®t know where she learned it from, but she sounded very clingy. When Ethan heard her voice, he Krystal¡¯s looks were in the upper mid-range. She had a broad figure as well, and her skin tone was uneven. She and Olivia were almost at the same height, which was 5.51 feet She weighed about 132 pounds, and it was quite a bncedbination. But when she stood next to Olivia, even if Olivia didn¡¯t do anything, she was already defeated Olivia had a slender figure, and after she lost weight, her features were even more exquisite. She looked like a porcin doll, delicate and adorable. To hide her uneven skin tone, Krystal always applied a thickyer of powder on her face. She wasn¡¯t too skilled at makeup, so after she had applied too much powder, it turned cakey. With the powder caking on her face, the appearance of her neck and her face presented two extremes Ethan knew that Krystal meant well, and she was just a little more straightforward. He was also on good terms with her father, so he wasn¡¯t too strict with her. Even if she was quite an eyesore whenever she appeared, Ethan endured it After all, it felt like a muscr person had peeled an apple for him and was even speaking with a faked teeny voice. Ethan sincerely felt a little disgusted. Getting her to leave was the nicest and most respectful he could be toward her But Krystal didn¡¯t know that. She even winked repeatedly at him, her eyshes so heavy with mascara. that they might as well be brooms Ethan declined politely. ¡°I want to read, so please be quiet. ¡°Alright. Call me whenever you¡¯d like an apple.¡± Krystal sat on the couch, silently keeping Ethanpany. After washing some fruits, Olivia walked in from outside. It had been a habit of hers to take care of Ethan in the past, so she knew about his preferences better than anyone else. in the past, when Ethan was working in the study, she would slice the fruits and bring them to him. A he worked, he would enjoy Olivia feeding him. This was also one of their ways to get closer to each other. Olivia saw Ethan sitting on the bed, reading a book. After he had lost weight, the contours of his handsome profile were even clearer now. He had an earnest look on his face. Olivia wasn¡¯t as rude as Krystal had been. She walked up to Ethan. Then, without disturbing him, she picked up a sliced apple with a fork. She then held it to Ethan¡¯s mouth. Krystal wanted tough at Olivia and say that Ethan hated apples. She was waiting for Olivia to be disgraced before mocking Olivia. But unexpectedly, Ethan opened his mouth and ate the apple. Chapter 915 Chapter 915 Ethan didn¡¯t even raise his head as Olivia fed him. He hadplete faith in her. His action served as a reality check to Krystal. She felt like she was a joke. The duo had chemistry in them. When the fruit juice oozed out of the corner of his lips after he munched it, Olivia quickly wiped it away for him. After he finished, Olivia sat next to him to wait for him. When he was done reading, she suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it, I can apply medicine for you.¡± He hummed lightly in response. She headed to the restroom to bring over a basin of warm water and cloth. Only then did she speak to Krystal. ¡°Ms. Heath, I have to apply medicine for him.¡± ¡°Sova¡¯s a guy. Don¡¯t tell me that he¡¯s bothered by others looking at his body.¡± It was as if Krystal had swallowed a ball of me. Ethan didn¡¯t eat the apple she cut, but he ate Olivia¡¯s instead! Krystal wondered what kind of spell Olivia had cast upon him. Ethan blurted, ¡°I am bothered by that as long as the person looking is not my wife.¡± ¡°Sova, you¡¯re already divorced!¡± said Krystal, aggrieved. He yanked Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°But I¡¯ve been wanting to remarry her. It¡¯s just that Liv doesn¡¯t want it. ¡°No matter if we¡¯re divorced or not, she is the only wife to me.¡± Krystal stormed out of the room Based on Krystal¡¯s character, Olivia reckoned that Krystal woulde with breakfast first thing tomorrow morning. Others would know when to give up, but not Krystal. She would persevere until the end. Clivia closed the door and walked to the bed. She took the medicine out and said without lifting her head. ¡°Take your clothes off.¡± After spending a few days here, she knew all of the necessary steps. She was like a nurse. Ethan didn¡¯t move a muscle. He stared at her. ¡°Take it off for me. My back hurts whenever I take big actions.¡± What a feeble excuse. Ethan Miller? Afraid of pain? He was the man who pulled through without anesthesia. Still, Olivia gave in because he took the attack for her. Besides, there were only a few days remaining. She slightly leaned over to unbutton his shirt from the top. Her hair strands cascaded across her cheek. She was so serious that she bore no other distorted thoughts Since she came over in a rush, the clothes that she wore were the ones Kelvin hastily picked out for her It took one single bow for her pajamas to reveal her bosom to Ethan. He swore to God that he wasn¡¯t looking on purpose, but it was just too obvious. Suddenly, a red liquid dripped onto the white sheet. Olivia¡¯s expression changed, wondering if his wounds ruptured. However, something was wrong. Even if his wound ruptured, the blood should be dripping from his back as he was only injured there. ¡°Is it hot here? Why are you having nosebleeds? She hurriedly grabbed some tissues to wipe the blood away. Ethan let out a wry cough. ¡°Yeah, it is kinda warm in this room. It¡¯s normal to have a nosebleed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask Kelvin to bring over an air humidifier.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He shifted his gaze away as his ears were burning. She applied medicine to him with swift movements. As it was gettingte, she took out clean clothes for a change. ¡°I¡¯m going to shower. Call me if you need anything.¡± She took a nice shower, but it was a quick one because she was worried about him. Before she wiped away every droplet on her body, she opened the door only to see than staring gaN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Liv, I wanna shower too.¡± Chapter 916 Chapter 916 It was only then that Olivia recalled the fact that Ethan hadn¡¯t showered for three days. She had been wiping his limbs with a cloth and nothing more. He was a man who showered every day back at home. He must be having a hard time putting up with it for so long It was a normal request. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. ¡°I will call Kelvin toe over to wipe your body. Your back must stay away from water.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Olivia made the phone call, and Kelvin sounded busy. The background noise over the line was loud, too. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Miller. Brent and I are busy. I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯te over these two days. Comment by soonyoung gu: hire u for what ¡°If you need anything, you can ask for it from the nurse. She¡¯ll bring you what you need.¡± Now that he had put it that way, she didn¡¯t push him further and ended the call. ¡°I¡¯ll call two nurses over for you.¡± Ethan suddenly pulled her over by grabbing her wrist. She almost fell over, but she managed to support herself. Thanks to the proximity, Ethan could see a few water droplets trickling from her neck to her chest. He licked his lips before saying seriously, ¡°Liv, I don¡¯t like other women touching me. As I said, you¡¯re the only woman I have.¡± ¡°We should consider the situation based on its circumstances. You¡¯re injured. Just make do with it.¡± His deep gaze seemed like he was going to devour Olivia, messing with her heartbeat. He responded in grievance, ¡°But you said you¡¯ll look after me yourself for seven days.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡± She prepared a stool while Ethan got out of bed. Most of the wounds weren¡¯t deep except for three wounds on his back. They could rupture very easily Ethan was never such a high-maintenance man. But it wasn¡¯t easy to have Olivia not give him the cold shoulder. Considering that there were only seven days, he wasn¡¯t that foolish to push her away. The moment the bathroom door was opened, a flowery scent pervaded the air. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The thought of Olivia having just finished her shower made his heart race. Like a young man who was dating his first love, Ethan was excited. However, Olivia wasn¡¯t sharing the same wavelength at all. ¡°Sit here. Wash wherever you can. If you can¡¯t reach it, I can do it for you. Remember not to rupture your wounds.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He stood still in front of her without moving. Olivia initially felt that the bathroom was spacious. But the tall Ethan blocked the light, causing the already dark space to be darker. She undid his button as the tall shadow loomed over her because of the close distance. It was as though she had intruded into his territory. The button was undone one by one, revealing his toned chest. A few old scars covered his fair chest, adding masculinity to him. Gently, she removed his shirt, and his torso was bare. He gulped down his saliva before saying with a hoarse voice, ¡°My pants, too.¡± Olivia¡¯s face turned crimson right away. ¡°D-Do it yourself.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bend over. You said to consider the situation based on its circumstances. Don¡¯t have other funny ideas.¡± He ced her hand on his pants. Chapter 917 Chapter 917 Olivia¡¯s face was as red as an apple. Although the couple had done something more intimate than this, it was her first time removing Ethan¡¯s pants. Not to mention, they were divorced, too. He appeared calm and was waiting for her patiently. Olivia mentally prepared herself. Taking a deep breath, she began moving her fingers. She closed her eyes and pulled his pants down. Following that, she hurriedly turned around to make sure the water temperature was right. By the time she turned around again, he already sat down with his legs slightly open. His muscles were so defined that they could drive any woman crazy. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Yet. Ethan sat with his back straightened. He seemed so serious that having any distorted thoughts about him would be a sin. ¡°Thanks, Liv What else could Olivia say? Although it was a decent ce, it didn¡¯t provide a loofah. After drenching his body with water, she pumped some body shampoo onto her palm. She slid her hands down his body. The calluses on her hands had vanished after two years of rest, so her palms were soft and smooth. The longer her hand traced along Ethan¡¯s body, the more ferocious the lust was bubbling in him. It conjured the image of a blindfolded Olivia on that ship in his head. Meanwhile, she didn¡¯t have much memory from that night due to the drugs. She did her best to wash him up, but how could her body not react to his? They were ex-lovers, after all. They had done so many intimate things together. When her fingers brushed across his abs, she kept repeating in her head. ¡°This is a washboard. This is a washboard This is a big washboard.¡± Ethan¡¯s arms were built. He looked sophisticated in suits. And when he was naked, his arm muscles were a masterpiece. She continued persuading herself in her head. ¡°Drumsticks. These are two huge drumsticks.¡± Olivia was taking her task seriously as she scrubbed his shoulders to his fingers. When she was scrubbing his palms, he suddenly tightened his hands around hers. Their fingers intertwined together, and he was holding her hands tightly. He was still wearing the wedding ring. He didn¡¯t remove it for the past three days. The presence of the wedding ring took Olivia off guard for a second before she put on a fierce look.¡± What are you doing?¡± Noticing her displeasure, he quickly released her. ¡°Sorry. It was a reflex.¡± That was Olivia¡¯s favorite form of physical touch. Sometimes, when Ethan fell asleep, she would secretlyy next to him and intertwine her fingers with his. And they remained that way all night long. In fact, he had always been a light sleeper. He sensed it the second she touched him, but he simply let her be He liked that, too. It was as though Olivia belonged to only him. Whenever the couple watched movies, she would nestle in his embrace and eat chips while holding his hand. She was a happy little pervert bunny back then. She sneaked some peeks at his side profile, thinking how such a handsome man could be her husband. She wondered if she was the most blessed person in the world The moment Ethan released Olivia¡¯s hand, she felt a part of her be empty. He was the man she loved for so many years, so she couldn¡¯t help but be shaken by his actions. Acting like nothing happened, she crouched down and pumped some body shampoo onto her palm. Her mind was wandering off, so she didn¡¯t realize that her hands were getting out of control. When she touched his thighs, he grabbed her hands. ¡°Not there.¡± Chapter 918 Chapter 918 Olivia hurriedly lowered her head only to realize what she was doing. If Ethan had not grabbed her hands, they would¡¯ve moved further up. Quickly, she withdrew her hands from his. The inertia of the sudden movement pushed her onto the floor, ¡°Ouch!¡± The worried man walked over, wanting to help her up. ¡°Liv, are you alright?¡± The floor was covered with soap. He was anxious, so he didn¡¯t take caution and slipped. They were in each other¡¯s arms right now, with Ethan hovering over her. They could feel each other¡¯s bodies. Olivia was going insane. Not even scriptwriters would add such a scene to their works! The first thing she thought of was his wounds. ¡°Are you alright? Did it tear your wounds?¡± The huge movements pulled his wounds, sending agonizing pain over his back. Ethan endured the pain. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just give me some time to catch my breath.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t dare to ask him to get up, worrying that it might hurt him more. Thus, she let him hover over her. However, she could clearly feel the awakening beast under him. ¡°Ethan Miller, you¡¯re a pervert!¡± Her cheeks were burning. He was helpless. ¡°Liv, this is a natural reaction because you¡¯re the one underneath me right now.¡± ¡°Lies. Even if it¡¯s another woman here, it¡¯ll turn out the same.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t understand why she would retort that when it was not the time for it. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°No,¡± he responded confidently After all, he was able to keep himself under control in front of the seductive Flora Even Kelvin had once doubted Ethan¡¯s potency and ended up buying a lot of toys for him. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Liv, you¡¯re the one ying with fire.¡± She red at him. ¡°Stop these shameless remarks, Ethan Miller! I only promised to look after you. I didn¡¯t promise that!¡± ¡°Things havee this far. What should I do?¡± ¡°Deal with it yourself.¡± She blushed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡± Olivia was surprised once again. ¡°Don¡¯t you men know how to deal with it yourselves? We¡¯ve been divorced for so long. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t done it yourself before.¡± ¡°I have,¡± he replied immediately. ¡°See? I-¡± He whispered into her ear. ¡°That is in my dreams. The woman in my dreams has always been you.¡± His hot breath brushed across her ear. The shampoo scent wafted their noses. It was such a heaty moment that it would only take one step before everything would go haywire. ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°Liv, you can say that I¡¯m cruel for hurting you, but I love you as I always do. ¡°My feelings for you never changed. I love you, and that is a fact.¡± Olivia looked away indifferently. ¡°I didn¡¯t stay to listen to your crap. You should know that there¡¯s no second chance for us. ¡°Stop dreaming about a remarriage. I am no longer the innocent girl that you can fool with sweet nothings. He let out a low chuckle next to her ear. His chest vibrated along with his chuckle. ¡®I know. As I said, I won¡¯t force you to do anything. If you don¡¯t want a remarriage, I won¡¯t force it on you.I''m happy enough with how we are right now.¡± d to hear that. My heart is as cold as steel. I will never buy into your sweet nothings. Chapter 919 Chapter 919 Ethan¡¯s wronged tone prompted Olivia to lift her head. He looked like an abandoned puppy with those teary eyes. Was that the Ethan she knew? Or could it be that his body was possessed by a puppy¡¯s soul? She responded wryly, ¡°How can I help you?¡± He tapped on her palm, and her face turned beet red. She refused profusely, ¡°No. I refuse. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll do it. How¡¯s that?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened at that, as she hadn¡¯t expected to hear that from Ethan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liv. I won¡¯t touch you. This will do.¡± She was wearing silk pajamas. The thin fabric rendered the sensation as raw as it could be. He panted right next to her ear, and she felt so embarrassed about it. Covering her eyes with the back of her hands, Olivia scolded, ¡°You¡¯re mean, Ethan Miller!¡± He hummed in response. ¡°I am mean, so what? A mean person like me loves you and will love you for the rest of his life.¡± Her heart raced. ¡°Cut it out, you jerk!¡± Ethan¡¯s panting became heavier. ¡°Liv, I love you. My life is yours.¡± Feeling the friction between her legs, she simply wished she could bury herself in a hole. ¡°Enough?¡± ¡°How is this enough? This is you we¡¯re talking about, Liv.¡± He turned his head and kissed her. Half an hourter, Olivia supported Ethan out of the bathroom. Her steps were wobbly, and her forehead was covered with a sheen of sweat. Even her back was drenched. Meanwhile, he was all freshened up after a shower. We then returned to the bathroom to take another shower. When she came out of it, she could sense that he was in a good mood She thought she saw some pink bubbles surrounding him. gned at her. ¡®Liv, it¡¯s gettingte. We should sleep together.¡± Thosest two words made her flush. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. * promise that it¡¯ll only be sleeping¡± he promised. I can sleep on the couch just fine.¡± How could she possibly stay with him with peace of mind after what had happened? She even suspected that he had been scheming for that for a long time. Hugging a nket, she moved andy on the couch. Ethan set on the bed while grumbling. ¡°There are only four days left, Liv. Can¡¯t you spend more time with me? ¡°No Sleep Olivia answered fiercely. She tossed to the other side and covered the nket over her head, not wanting to see him. Still she couldn¡¯t ignore the weird sensation between her legs. The deed was already done, but her cheeks were still burning. She thought. ¡°That jerk! Oh, well. There are only four days left anyway.¡± The thought of her n quelled the frustration in her. After all, it wasn¡¯t even sex. Ethan stared at her back until her breathing slowly became stable. Carefully, he approached her to carry her. The possibility of his wounds rupturing didn¡¯t bother him at all. He didn¡¯t want her to sleep on the couch. She opened her eyes groggily at that. She looked at him, rmed. ¡°What are you trying to do again?¡± It was as though Ethan was a thief. Helplessness seeped into him. ¡°It¡¯s ufortable sleeping on the couch. You take the bed. I¡¯ll take the couch.¡± Chapter 920 Chapter 920 Ethan ced Olivia on the bed before turning to go to the couch. It was a two-seat couch. Due to his height, he had to stretch his legs over the armrest. She took a deep breath as she felt that she could go mad at any moment now. ¡°Ethan Miller, do you just wanna sonoy me?¡± * can sleep on the couch, Liv. Look. I can sleep this way.¡± ¡®Get your ass back on the bed right now!¡± He meekly moved to the bed upon her outburst. It was the first time they interacted this way, but it seemed harmonious for some reason. Olivia wrapped herself in the nket like a mummy. Ethan wasn¡¯t sleeping. He kept staring at her like a dark spirit. She woke up a few times that night, and that man gazed at her just like that. He almost gave her a heart attack ¡°Jeez! Can¡¯t you just sleep?¡± ¡°My back hurts, so I can¡¯t sleep. Close your eyes I¡¯ll keep a watch out.¡± She was rendered speechless, wondering who was actually supposed to be keeping watch. She turned her back to him, and he stared at the back of her head. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep, can¡¯t you close your eyes?¡± She could feel his scorching gaze prating her head. Ethan blurted, ¡°There¡¯s about 90 hours before you¡¯re leaving I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be able to meet next time. That s why I wanna look at you more.¡± Her heart skipped a beat as she thought, ¡°Did he find out something?¡± ¡°Liv, can I hug you? I just want a hug. I won¡¯t do anything else.¡± ¡°Says the person who told me that you were just gonna grind!¡± She gritted her teeth. Had it not been for her pajamas, her skin would¡¯ve been scraped from all that grinding. A light chuckle came from behind her, and she felt like she was fooled.¡± ¡°Shut your eyes and mouth. Go to sleep.¡± Olivia pulled the nket over her head, She didn¡¯t want to give a fig about it anymore. Ethan didn¡¯t want to get some rest, but she needed it because she had to nurse him tomorrow. Right when she was about to drift into dreand, she felt someone lifting the hem of her nket. She thought, ¡°Is that jerk trying to take advantage of me? If he has the balls to do so, I¡¯m gonna skin him alive.¡± Gingerly, he removed his nket to sneak into hers. His body temperature was high, hence the sauna-like sensation wrapping around her. The sleepy Olivia gave up and let him be. She couldn¡¯t care less about it anymore. To her surprise, Ethan was trying his luck by wrapping his arms around her waist. His warm hand was ced on her skin, waking her up right away That was why one should never believe that a man wouldn¡¯t do anything in bed. The promise of simply sleeping was a lie. His hand rested on her waist for over ten seconds. Receiving zero response from her, his hand began exploring into her pajamas. Now that he was touching her bare skin, her senses spiked to full swing. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. His palms were full of calluses, unlike those of the noble rich people. Even his fingertips were rough. Her heart raced as they grazed along her smooth skin. She could hear his breathing bing heavier. His breath touched the back of her ear at an irregr pace. A tingling sensation ran over every body part he touched. Comment by soonyoung gu: i genuinely hate them both Ethan moved until he cupped her chest. She heard him gulping down his saliva. Next, his low yet hoarse voice rang in her ears. ¡°Liv, I know that you¡¯re awake.¡± Chapter 921 Chapter 921 Ethan¡¯s soft whisper seeped into her ears, and her face turned crimson almost instantly. At first, she didn¡¯t stop him because she assumed that he would go to sleep after hugging her. Yet, who knew that he had the guts to try his luck? When it came to this kind of matter, zero resistance meant silent consent. Comment by soonyoung gu: ????? author jail time Now, she could neither pretend to be asleep nor scold him. She was at her wit¡¯s end. His hand was still wandering on her body waywardly. ¡°Liv, it¡¯s been a while. Have you not thought about it? Olivia was flushing red. Even her voice was breathy. ¡°Staying alive alone is difficult enough. Do you think that I have the time to think about this?¡± Ethan kissed the back of her ear. ¡°I think about you so much that I¡¯m going crazy.¡± Although they had sweet moments before, the reserved man had never made such a bold yet passionate confession. Even though she was right in front of him, he was used to keeping his emotions under control. He didn¡¯t want others to read his mind. It could be said that both of them were beginners when it came to love. He slowly grew after suffering all those painful experiences. As Olivia had mentioned, mimunication was the cause of her discontent with him. Misunderstandings and secrets were the main factors contributing to their divorce. After the near-death experience, Ethan simply wanted to confess his feelings clearly to her. He didn¡¯t want to have regrets anymore. He loved her. Even if she wouldn¡¯t ept it, he wanted to tell her with courage. And how could she possibly withstand this kind of advance? Let me go if you keep this up, I¡¯m going to get angry.¡± Her body was burning. She began to break free from him because things were getting out of control. He suddenly hissed. She quickly stopped. ¡°Is it your wound?¡± He nodded. ¡°Yeah. It hurts a lot.¡± Despite that, he didn¡¯t release her. She didn¡¯t dare to move as she wished, so he began to take it his way. His fingers reached her pants. ¡°Liv, could you help me one more time? Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± Some things couldn¡¯t be stopped once they started. Like a waterfall, no one could stop the cascading lust from running. She huffed, ¡°No. Don¡¯t cross the line.¡± ¡°Liv, I¡¯m afraid that there would be no next time.¡± He sucked the back of her ear desperately, sending tremors down her spine. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Did Ethan perhaps see through Olivia¡¯s mind? This time, she was going to leave him for good. She didn¡¯t want this kind of passive life. She did not want to be leverage that posed a threat to Ethan or trouble him with her issues. Leaving his side was the best option. Although Ethan didn¡¯t say that explicitly, it seemed like he was aware of that. The best courtesy that a grownup could give was leaving words unspoken. While Olivia was in a daze, Ethan undid her buttons with swift moves. It was as though he had broken through her defensive mechanism. With her back to him, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve done it with another man. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m filthy?¡± She could remember how Ethan tied her up under the cold shower in the freezing winter only because Keith draped a coat over her. No matter how desperate she pleaded, it was of no use. She also had sex with Logan. Based on Ethan¡¯s temper, how could he tolerate that? He undid thest button and cooed into her ear, ¡°Liv, you¡¯re not filthy.¡± Chapter 922 Chapter 922 Ethan slowly pulled Olivia¡¯s pajamas down, and she didn¡¯t stop him. Thanks to the dim light, he could see her skinny back and her pretty waistline. She was too thin. In fact, it would hurt a little for him to hug herpared to the past. Her breasts increased by one cup size instead of deting. Perhaps it was because she had given birth to three children. Two of the three deliveries were preterm delivery. There were no stretch marks on her stomach. Her skin was smooth and soft. She was literally every man¡¯s dream woman. Olivia didn¡¯t know how hot and mesmerizing her body was. Although the room came with a heater to warm them up, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble now that she was naked. ¡°Turn around, Liv. I wanna look at you. ¡°No!¡± Ethan abruptly pulled her so that she would face him. She covered her eyes, saying, ¡°Hurry up.¡± He chuckled lightly. ¡°How can I rush things when ites to this?¡± He touched her bare skin, eliciting a moan from her. He kept his promise until the end. A whileter, he panted while hovering over Olivia. ¡°Thank you, Liv.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t owe you anymore, Ethan Miller.¡± Her voice was coquettish. Ethan wanted to take a piece of napkin to clean up the mess between her legs. She propped herself up. ¡°I can do it myself. Happy now? Can we go to sleep already?¡± ¡°Yes. Good night.¡± Oliviay on the bed as her mind was in a jumbled mess. The past bad blood flew across her mind. Previously, she loved him so much that she could sacrifice anything for him. Then, she resented tum so much that she wished she could kill him. Yet, they had sex a moment ago! It was like a romantic story turning into a fantasy. The plot was a series of unexpected turns of events. Ethan hugged her for the rest of the night without crossing the line. Like a loyal Golden Retriever, he rested his chin on her shoulder. He had herpletely in his arms. Three days ago, his back hurt so much that he couldn¡¯t sleep. Fortunately, his recovery was quick. His wound slowly scabbed over within the past three days, hence the bearable pain today. That, plus the sexual pleasure he had, he slept so soundly with her in his arms. Olivia, who had her mind miles away, soon got used to his embrace. She took it as a perfect ending for her 18-year-old self. At least she was able to appreciate him during the past few days by getting over her past resentment. Four dayster, she would move on with her decision without looking back. Their life was chaotic for the past few years. It was full of misunderstandings, hardships, and torture. Thus, it was such a rare moment for the both of them to get a good night¡¯s sleep. The two of them, who usually woke up early, unexpectedly overslept the next day. They didn¡¯t even notice Krystal¡¯s presence! The scene put her into a trance. Olivia was basically a live-action sleeping beauty. Her face was wless. Besides, Krystal had never seen such a peaceful expression on Ethan¡¯s face before. He was hugging Olivia from behind, cing his chin on her shoulder like a puppy. They were a match made in heaven. No matter how much Krystal wanted to deny it, she had to admit that they were perfect for each other. Noticing Krystal¡¯s gaze, Ethan woke up from his dream. Their gazes met, and his eyes slowly regained their focus. Once he noticed that it was an unbidden guest, the glint in his eyes turned cold as though someone had intruded on his territory. Angry, he lowered his voice. ¡°Scram!¡± Chapter 923 Chapter 923 The paper bag containing breakfast fell from Krystal¡¯s hands as she ran out while covering her eyes. Ethan¡¯s voice woke Olivia, who was deep asleep. She frowned but didn¡¯t open her eyes. They had remained in that position for the whole night, so she was ufortable. She tossed to the other side and buried her face in his embrace just like how she always did in the past. It served as a pleasant surprise to him. Noticing that she wasn¡¯t going to wake up, he closed his eyes to continue sleeping. It was a rare moment to see them sleeping in. Due to Ethan¡¯s identity, the nurses didn¡¯t dare to disturb him. Thus, they didn¡¯t check on that room. Olivia would usually take the medicine from the nurses after waking up. Hence, no one would bother them, and they could sleep peacefully. She had a dream in which she saw her three children. Holding the twin¡¯s hands, Connor grinned while running toward her. She spread her arms wide and hugged them. Her kids were finally back. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. This was the first time she woke up from her dream smiling. However, the moment she woke up, what she saw was Ethan¡¯s chest instead of her children. Olivia wrapped herself around him like an octopus. The steamy moment they sharedst night shed. across her mind. Feeling embarrassed, she withdrew her hands. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± He smiled faintly. She thought they had turned back in time to when they first got married. Those were the beautiful moments when she would wake up in his arms. She bummed in response. Neither of them mentionedst night. Otvia turned to the other side to get out of bed so that she could put on her clothes. Her senses were telling her that his gaze didn¡¯t leave her for one second.I¡¯ll get something for you. You should get upter so that I can change the bedsheet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The ingredients were sent over in time. There was a kitchte in the room. Olivia was in charge of making Ethan¡¯s meals every day. Since she overslept, she made two simple sandwiches and washed the fruits. She then warmed up a ss of milk before returning to the room. He had already washed up. She beckoned him over. ¡°Come and have breakfast.¡± Olivia took out a clean bed sheet from the cupboard. Then, she hurriedly threw the dirtied bedsheet into the washing machine before the nurse could see the stain on it. It pricked her guilty conscience for some reason. When she turned, Ethan was staring at her while eating the sandwich. His gaze was teasing. ¡°What are you looking at? Look at what you¡¯ve done.¡± The smile on his face grew wider. ¡°Liv, I didn¡¯t know that you look pretty even when you¡¯re angry.¡± Red tinged her ears. ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you. I¡¯m genuinely angry.¡± ¡°And I genuinely think that you¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°Pervert.¡± Olivia grabbed the sandwich from the te. Like an angry panda, she began munching it with her back facing him. The fact that they could interact this way gave himfort. Even though he was aware that time would fly, he wanted to spend as much time as he could with her. He thought, ¡°80 hours left.¡± After breakfast, Olivia began her routine-applying medicine to Ethan. She cut the bandage and couldn¡¯t help but exim at his fitness inwardly. it had only been three days, but those minor injuries were almost healed as they scabbed over. The serious injuries were recovering fast, too. He should be discharged from the hospital within a week. Olivia smeared the medicine across his wound. He moaned over the cold sensation, making her blush. Chapter 924 Chapter 924 to the next two days, Ethan kept seizing every chance possible to touch Olivia. On the fifin day, she was making a meal in the kitchen while wearing an apron. The kitchen hood whirred. Without her realizing it, he hugged her from the back. It caught her off-guard, making her wonder what he was up to again. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She turned the stove off and moved the food to the te. The food smelled good. Comment by soonyoung gu: perfect chance to feed him thallium. ¡°Nothing, I just wanted to hug you.¡± Ethan simply couldn¡¯t step away from her for a second. Olivia was rendered speechless, wondering, ¡°Did I add something weird to the food? He¡¯s acting weird these days.¡± He hugged her from the beg, acting cute like a little kid. ¡°I¡¯m just regretting how I didn¡¯t appreciate you when you¡¯re such a lovely person.¡± She snorted angrily. ¡°Yes, I had thising. This is my punishment.¡± ¡°Enough, wash your hands. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Their time together wasing to an end. The number of meals she would make for him could be counted with two hands.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Still, Ethan didn¡¯t release her. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me hug you for a while longer.¡± Dead silence filled the room. The steam rose from the meat that was fried a moment ago. There was a snowfall. The snowkes sneaked into the window andnded on the back of her hand. It felt cold, but the world appeared wholesome for some reason. The door opened to reveal Krystal running over with dinner. ¡°Sova, look what I bought you! It¡¯s-¡± Words failed her as she watched the scene. The man she loved for so long was hugging another woman, and she had never once seen that gentle expression he was wearing before this So he did have such a gentle side to him. It was just that it wasn¡¯t for Krystal. He frowned. ¡®How many times do I have to tell you to knock before youe in?¡± She was covered in snowkes and sweat. ¡°Sova, I especially went to the grilled chicken restaurant you love It¡¯s still hot. J-¡± Ethan released Olivia. He thought he had made himself clear a few days ago, but Krystal didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Krystal, I made myself clear a few days ago that I have no feelings for you. You don¡¯t have to do this kind of thing anymore. This is nothing but your one-man show.¡± Sad, she wiped her tears away. ¡°B-But I just wanna treat you better.¡± ¡°Rtionships are supposed to be mutual. When only one party is putting in effort, it is called a one- sided rtionship. I won¡¯t reciprocate your feelings.¡± Krystal pointed at Olivia. ¡°What about her? She doesn¡¯t love you either. Aren¡¯t you involved in a one- sided rtionship, too?¡± ¡°This is my freedom of choice. Instead of wasting your time on me, why don¡¯t you chase after your freedom again? I can¡¯t give you anything. ¡°Meals are something someone makes for their lovers. You¡¯re not that person to do it for me.¡± Ethan put it more cruelly. Once again, Krystal cried and ran away. Olivia filled the te with rice whilementing, ¡°You can bring yourself to do that, huh?¡± ¡°If you give hope to someone you don¡¯t have feelings for, that is hurting them. Krystal is simply a straightforward person. She¡¯s spoiled by her family.¡± The duo sat down. She filled his te with his favorite dishes. ¡°Don¡¯t you like this kind of innocent woman?¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Liv. I don¡¯t like innocent women. I like you.¡± He pinched her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about her pping your face.¡± ¡°Who are you to apologize in her stead? I¡¯ll return the favor sooner orter.¡± She moved his hand away. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. The food is getting cold.¡± He silently watched her. The determination in her gaze appeared different from the past. Chapter 925 Chapter 925 The more Ethan wished the time would slow down, the faster the time passed. On the sixth night, he hugged Olivia as he couldn¡¯t sleep She knew what was running through his mind, but she didn¡¯t utter a word. Life was full of reunions and farewells. People would fall and get back to their feet again and again. That was a process of learning and growing. No one would stay in the same spot forever. The sun rose. After Olivia made Ethan breakfast, Kelvin and Brent secretly appeared by the door. It had been days since theyst showed up. Judging from their dark circles and how they were skinnier than before, they were obviously busy these days ¡°Mrs. Miller.¡± She asked curiously, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys leaving tomorrow?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller called us over. He¡¯s recovering fast, and he wants to be discharged earlier. We¡¯ve done the procedures.¡± She looked back at Ethan, who was d in a suit. One couldn¡¯t notice that he was injured before; he seemed fine as usual. His minor injuries had healed nicely. Only those three wounds would take time to recover. He still needed some rest for the time being. Nevertheless, Ethan considered it to be enough rest. He managed to enjoy the luxury of free time peacefully. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll apany you today.¡± Not knowing what he was up to, Olivia grabbed her coat and left with him. They were moving in secrecy. The safety exit led them to the second-floor basement. tched his car into an SUV Thanks to its special modification, its safety performance was on To her surprise, the fierce-looking Joel was waiting for them. In fact, he scared her a little N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Every time she met Joel to grab Ethan¡¯s medicine or inquire about Ethan¡¯s condition, a cold sheen wet her back the moment she met Joel¡¯s eyes. Joel was very displeased with her in the beginning. Anyone could tell that he hated her. Later on, the displeasure subsided when he found out that she practiced medicine. Sometimes, he would test her with professional questions on purpose Fortunately, Olivia had been developing herself with professional knowledge over the past two years That was why he was satisfied with her answers. The rtionship between the two improved a little. The strict Joel was a respectful yet scary mentor to her. Olivia was going to leave the ce soon. She greeted him softly when she approached him, ¡°Dr. Tucker.¡± She reckoned that he was here to send Ethan off. Olivia, who was used to Joel¡¯s cold attitude, was going to enter the car to wait for Ethan Yet, he beckoned her over. ¡°Olivia,e with me.¡± Slightly surprised, she pointed at the tip of her nose. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Is there another person called Olivia here?¡± Joel left with hurried steps. She nced at Ethan, who patted her shoulder. ¡°Go ahead.¡± She followed Joel to a side before calling nervously, ¡°Dr. Tucker.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve leamed about your story from Rufus.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of that name as she wondered, ¡®Is it my previous mentor-it only was hear at a medical school, he was the top surgeon in the country He had always put her on a pedestal. She became his assistant when she was in her first year, participating in surgeries to learn. He had high hopes for her, so he was the strictest to her in school. He said, ¡°You¡¯re a genius. I am not the end goal of your career. This is only the beginning.¡± Rufus yed the role of a mentor and a father to her, and yet she did something that broke his heart. ¡°Mr. Moran¡­ How is he doing?¡± Joel replied coldly, ¡°Bad. He said the mentee who made him proud gave up on her honor for a bastard.¡± Chapter 926 Chapter 926 As soon as Joel finished, tears trickled down Olivia¡¯s eyes. Until today, she could still remember how Rufus, who had just finished surgery, rushed to the school while holding a scalpel in his surgery gown. N?velDrama.Org ? content. It was because she handed over the application to quit school back then. At first, he had many guesses in his mind. Did her family go bankrupt? Or did someone threaten her? He suggested she apply for a full schrship if she needed money. He even offered her to join surgeries. as her mentor. If Olivia was forced to change her career choice because of her family, Rufus imed that he could discuss it with Jeff. He was huffing and puffing, drenched in sweat from all the running that day. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t do anything stupid. You have a bright future ahead of you! If you¡¯re facing hardships, you can tell me. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help you.¡± When she told him that she was going to marry someone, his jaw almost dropped to the ground. He thought he was hearing things after having performed a long surgery. ¡°Did he cast a spell upon you? How could you say such absurdity?¡± Everyone responded the same as Rufus upon learning the news that Olivia was going to marry someone. He tried to talk her out of it the whole day. After that, he even paid Jeff a visit to talk about it, but it was useless. So, Rufus went to Ethan¡¯s office alone. Ethan treated Rufus with respect. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough to dissuade her from marrying Ethan. How could an outsider convince her not to marry Ethan when she had made up her mind? In the end, the disappointed Rufus looked at Olivia. ¡°Olivia, I hope you won¡¯t regret your decision.¡± ¡°Mr. Moran, I will never regret the choice I made.¡± She was still naive at that time. On the day he left, the insects were singing loudly, and the sunlight pulled his shadow long. Gut grew in Clivia every single time she recalled that scene. She reckoned that Rufus regretted being he mentor Years passed in the blink of an eye. She wiped her tears away. ¡°Yes. I gave up on medicine and gambled my whole life on a man only to be hurt by him.¡± ¡®It¡¯s life. You won¡¯t know it¡¯s the wrong path unless you¡¯ve been through it. ¡°How are we supposed to know what we want without making wrong decisions and mistakes? ¡°Olivia, it is still alright to return to that kind of life,¡± imed Joel He passed her a business card. ¡°Your mentor has never given up on you. I hope you won¡¯t be his biggest regret. A genius shouldn¡¯t meet their downfall that easily. ¡°If you are willing to make aeback, feel free to contact me at any time. I know some top professionals and schrs from all over the world. ¡°Let¡¯s contribute to the medical world for mankind¡¯s sake. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Olivia looked at the business card that read ¡°Golden Medical Institute¡±. It wasn¡¯t a famous medical organization, but she figured that it should be a decent one since Rufus was one of the members. She silently kept the business card and returned to the car to wait for Ethan. She couldn¡¯t hear the noises outside. ¡°Thank you for saving me, Uncle Tucker,¡± Ethan thanked respectfully. He kept Olivia in the dark regarding how risky the surgery was. One of the ss shreds was buried deeply in a vital spot. If it had been removed without care, his life would¡¯ve been in danger. Fortunately, there was an experienced Joel to bring Ethan away from death¡¯s doorstep. ¡®I thought you¡¯ve learned your lesson after all these years I didn¡¯t expect you to be this wayward as you were in the past! ¡°You had thising for being her reason to give up on medicine¡± Chapter 927 Chapter 927 Despite his sharp tongue, Joel had always been a man with a soft heart. ¡°Do you know how many times he had told me off? He just won¡¯t stop scolding me. If I had not told him that you¡¯ll return Olivia to him, I wouldn¡¯t have known what to do.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for pulling some strings, Uncle Tucker.¡± Joel waved his hand. ¡°Enough with this. I promised you because I saw the potential in her. If she was useless, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my time on this. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about you. Are you really willing to let her go? Don¡¯t regret it tomorrow. I¡¯m too old to y games with you youngsters. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Tucker. I was immature back then. I thought that what I did was for her sake. Now, I understand that loving someone is not fettering her wings but respecting her dreams.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way if you realized this sooner. But it¡¯s still not toote to make up for your mistakes. You have a long journey ahead.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Now, scram. Let¡¯s not meet each other anymore.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Thank you for taking care of us this whole time, Uncle Tucker.¡± Ethan left and entered the car. Olivia didn¡¯t know what kind of conversation the men shared. She kept feeling that Ethan had changed a lotpared to before. The car was slowly driven out of the basement. After they steered through the darkness, it was bright ahead of them. The streets were filled to the brim with people who were excited to wee the New Year. ¡°It¡¯s been years since west weed the New Year together,¡± Ethan suddenly eximed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Comment by soonyoung gu: whose fault is that After a race with the death, Olivia felt fortunate to be able to stay alive. She didn¡¯t even notice that it was almost time to wee the New Year. Today¡¯s thest day. Where are you taking me?¡± She looked at him. You¡¯ll find out when we arrive.¡± The car was slowly driven out of the city, heading toward the suburbs. The dancing snowkes adorned the beautiful scenery with a light touch. The road was getting steeper. The farther they traveled, the fewer buildings they could see. In the end, there was only snow and the woods. Olivia grabbed onto the armrest tightly due to the rough journey. She didn¡¯t know how long they had traveled. There was no sign of people at all. As they explored deeper into the mountain, her phone showed no signal. Ethan exined, ¡°There¡¯s no signal here.¡± She wondered, ¡°Just where are we going? What a mysterious ce.¡± Soon, brightness shone ahead of them. Although it was surrounded by mountains, thend was spacious, with an archery range and a drill. They could hear people shouting their slogans from afar. As they approached the crowd, Olivia could see a young man in the snow. He seemed to be ten years old. The kid standing behind him appeared to be five years younger than him. The boys were wearing the same clothes. They wore boots, so they ran on the snowfield with difficulty. She didn¡¯t know how long they had been running, but he seemed exhausted. He was huffing and puffing. The kid before him pulled ahead with a huge gap between them. Although the boy was slow, he showed no intention of stopping. It broke her heart to watch that as she grabbed Ethan¡¯s wrist. ¡°I-Is that our child?¡± ¡°It is. That¡¯s Connor.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still a young boy! How could you let him be!¡± cried Olivia. It was the child she delivered after suffering for months. She already cared about Connor so much when she assumed that he was Marina¡¯s kid, let alone after finding out that he was her own son. How could she bring herself to let him be? ¡°Liv, I have to train him so that he can protect himself. Spoiling him will only do him no good. Comment by soonyoung gu: not ethan if he¡¯s not narcissistic ¡°Besides, he¡¯s stronger than you think he is. Don¡¯t underestimate him because of his young age. He¡¯s willing to take this upon himself. Look.¡± Connor fell onto the ground due to unsteady steps. Her heart wrenched when his little face smacked into the snow. Chapter 928 Chapter 928 Olivia hurriedly opened the door, wanting to get out of the car. However, Ethan pulled her back. ¡°Liv, since I¡¯ve entrusted him to the trainer, let¡¯s not interrupt his training. The rules say it all here. ¡°If you wanna meet him, you have to wait until he reaches all of his targets for all of the training.¡± Olivia leaned against the window to watch outside. The tall man reached out to Connor. It seemed like he was asking the boy if he needed some rest. After all, Connor was Ethan¡¯s son. The trainer would more or less make up an excuse for Connor to rest. Connor didn¡¯t take the trainer¡¯s hand. ¡°I-I can get up on my own. He slowly got back to his feet. Despite the small frame, there was an enormous strength in him. Once again, he slowly ran forward to keep up with the troop. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Olivia didn¡¯t know what was on his mind. Even though he couldn¡¯t keep up with the troop, he still ran forward with all his might. The guilt grew in her because she felt that she owed him too much. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. She didn¡¯t know what kind of life Ethan had been through, but Connor was still a child to her! By the time Connor finished running, the older kids had already gone for a meal. When he arrived at the canteen, there was only leftover food. Olivia couldn¡¯t tolerate that. ¡°He¡¯s just a kid. How is he going to grow up if he can¡¯t even eat well? No. I have to take him with me.¡± ¡°Calm down, Liv. This is how the kids go through their days here. A dietician is looking after them. ¡°Connor is taller than his peers, and he¡¯s healthy. He¡¯s my son. It pains me to watch him like this, too.¡± She watched the boy sit down meekly withoutining. When he was going to start to dig in, thedy in charge of the canteen brought him a te of food. Have this, young boy I left it especially for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She sighed. ¡°How pitiful. Your parents had abandoned you at such a young age! Eat up! Connor let out a faint smile. ¡°My parents didn¡¯t abandon me. I came here on my will. They¡¯re good people.¡± After he took a few spoonfuls of it, a tall kid swept his food off the table. The tall kid smirked. ¡°Eat up.¡± Olivia clenched her fists at that. ¡°Why is bullying still happening here? It is already bad enough.¡± Calm down, Liv. Connor is here not only to build himself up.¡± ¡°What else then?¡± ¡°People like us have to train with our peers. Take Kelvin, Brent, and the others for an example. We¡¯ve been through fire together. They can even take a shot for me in a war. ¡°If we assigned a few men to Connor, do you think that they¡¯ll genuinely respect and protect him? You should know that he might die if they mutiny.¡± Olivia gradually calmed herself down. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here not only to build himself up. Most importantly, he has to tame these wild people whoe from different backgrounds. ¡°In the future, these people will be his significant weapon!¡± Chapter 929 Chapter 929 It was a nearly insurmountable challenge for Connor. He was still so small. It was devastating for him both physically and mentally. The tall and slender boy had a few other kids at his side. He seemed to be the leader of the group. The boy¡¯s frame was slender, and his corbone was very pronounced. It was clear that he had a rough life and was a little malnourished. But the boy didn¡¯t possess the naivete of kids his age. His eyes reminded Olivia of an alpha male of a wolf pack. They were filled with ruthlessness and authority. ¡°The kid¡¯s name is Titus. He might be young, but he¡¯s an orphan we found on the battlefield up north. ¡°He was eating corpses for sustenance when we found him. He often had to fight against vultures for food. Olivia gagged at the thought. ¡°He ate human meat!¡± ¡°Rotten meat, to be precise. Humans would do anything to survive. He would have eaten dirt if he had to. Titus was the name he gave himself.. ¡°He never knew his parents. He was on the verge of death when we found him. He was infected with several illnesses, too, ¡°He was sent here for training right after he recovered. He¡¯s also the leader of the kids here. Do you know why he was bullying Connor?¡± ¡°He wanted to be the Alpha, but Connor didn¡¯t acknowledge his authority?¡± ¡®That¡¯s true. Connor is still young, but he knows what his goal is. He will never admit defeat so easily. ¡°He didn¡¯t submit, so Titus wanted a chance to put him in his ce.¡± After hearing the exnation, Olivia was curious about the decision Connor would make. Titus crossed his arms and had a mocking and cruel smile on his face. ¡®I¡¯m pretty curious. Which wealthy family are you from? What did you do to end up here? Even the canteen Titus didn¡¯t know Connor¡¯s identity. All he knew was Connor waspletely different from the other kids here. Connor had pale and tender skin and a better build than most kids his age. He was unlike the rest of them, who looked malnourished. So. Connor got the nickname ¡°Young Master¡± as soon as he got here. He lowered his head to look at the lunchbox and food scattered on the floor. N?velDrama.Org ? content. No one could see his expression clearly. After a while, Connor said in a deep tone, ¡°Pick it up.¡± He kept his fists, which were red from the cold, at his side. He was still just a kid. Olivia felt bad for him when she looked at him. Titus picked his ear and said, ¡°What did you say? I didn¡¯t catch it.¡± Faced with Titus¡¯ mockery, Connor stood up abruptly and swung his fist at Titus¡¯ face. His movement was so sudden and decisive that Titus was hit before he could react. This was the first time Titus saw Connor angry. Connor was shorter than him but exuded a strong presence. He was like a leopard. His movements were swift, vicious, and precise. That punch made Titus bleed. from the corner of his mouth. ¡°Alright. You dare to hit me? I won¡¯t hold back anymore, then.¡± Brawls were strictly forbidden there. Connor had broken the rules, so Titus didn¡¯t have to hold back anymore. He pounced at Connor like a hungry wolf. Connor was smaller than him. So, Titus was able to get him on the ground immediately. Titus mounted Connor¡¯s waist and started swinging his fists. ¡°My son! My baby!¡± Connor didn¡¯t lose his will to fight after being punched a few times. He managed to turn around and sit on Titus. Then, he began to swing at Titus¡¯ face. ¡°Look at him. Our son is not a loser. Titus is several years older than him and has killed people before, but Connor didn¡¯t back down¡­¡± Ethan was still praising Connor, but when Olivia heard that Titus had killed before, she couldn¡¯t help but Chapter 930 Chapter 930 Titus was also getting angry. He didn¡¯t n to stoop to the level of a kid before this. He called Connor ¡± Young Sir¡¯ because everyone there was an orphan. He always tried to make Connor angry because he was too rebellious. Unlike the other kids, he still hadn¡¯t submitted himself to Titus¡¯ control after so many days. Titus was always looking for a chance to put Connor in his ce and assert dominance over the other kids. Connor was more stubborn than he had expected. Not only did he keep fighting, but he also got more vicious as the fight went on. There was an undying fighting spirit in his eyes. What was wrong with him? Why was he such a tough nut to crack? ¡°You¡¯re dead, kid.¡± Titus was ready to get serious. He raised his hand, about to punch Connor in the head. ¡°Stop!¡± Connor had already closed his eyes in resignation. His weak little body couldn¡¯t possibly hold Titus off. At that moment, someone grabbed Titus¡¯ wrist. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the person who had just run over. Olivia was panting from her sprint. She had made it just in time. She didn¡¯t know that the instructors in the distance had already raised a tranquilizer gun. Even if she hadn¡¯t shown up, Titus would¡¯ve been shot and rendered immobile. Connor felt like he was in a dream. He hadn¡¯t seen Olivia in a long time. His memories of his younger days were fuzzy. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. His father always told him that his mother loved him more than anyone else in the world. When he was younger, he didn¡¯t really know what was going on. As he grew older, he started to have questions. If his mother loved him so much, why didn¡¯t she stay by his side? Even though he hadn¡¯t seen Olivia for so long, Ethan had given him a photo of her before he came here. He had always known that Olivia was his real mother. He was able to recognize her as soon as heid eyes on her. At that moment, he felt like he was dreaming. It was definitely an illusion. Why would his mother show up here? It was clear that she hated him. Titus was surprised too. It was a woman. A woman actually appeared here. The woman apparently came for Connor. She embraced him and asked, ¡°Connor, are you hurt?¡± ¡°You¡­ You are¡­¡± Olivia felt a pang in her heart when she saw the injuries Connor had on his face. She didn¡¯t care about exposing her identity anymore. She held Connor¡¯s hand and led him away. He had grown a lotpared to when they were on the ind. He was much taller, and his face had slimmed down. He no longer had a chubby look. Connor resembled Ethan more. It was like they were made from the same mold. His features were more defined, and he had lost the childishness of kids his age. He didn¡¯t even care where Olivia was taking him. He just followed her dazedly into the snowy unknown. Olivia brought him to the car, and it was warm inside. Olivia took his hands into her palm and rubbed them. Connor¡¯s hands were red from the cold, so she blew on them to warm them up. She was also worried about his face¡¯s injuries but didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Connor¡¯s senses had faded away. He only had Olivia in his eyes and in his mind. He wasn¡¯t dreaming. His mother hade for him.. ¡°But¡­ do you know who I am?¡± Connor asked tentatively. He was afraid that Olivia might give him an answer he didn¡¯t want to hear. Chapter 931 Chapter 931 Olivia didn¡¯t fail to notice the fear and unease in Connor¡¯s eyes. What had she done? Why would her son look at her with those emotions? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Olivia hugged Connor and apologized to him repeatedly. Connor didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Why¡­ Why did youe here?¡± ¡°My baby, Mom is so sorry. I¡¯m sorry foring sote.¡± ¡°Mom?¡± Connor thought he heard wrong. Did Olivia really address herself as his mother? ¡°My dear child, I was mistaken about some things. I only managed to find you again now. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Olivia hugged Connor tightly as tears rolled down her chin and fell on his neck. The hug was the best sce for both of them at that moment. Ethan had someone bring them a first aid kit. ¡°Liv, we should tend to his wounds first.¡± Olivia let go of Connor and looked at his injuries with a pained expression.. ¡°It must hurt, right?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Connor stared at Olivia with a dreamy look, like she would disappear before him if he blinked. As Olivia was disinfecting and applying ointment on Connor¡¯s wounds, Connor looked at Ethan and asked, ¡°Dad, is Mom real?¡± Ethan tapped him on the nose lightly. ¡°Silly boy, of course, she¡¯s real.¡± Connor remained still even after he heard that. He didn¡¯t make a sound even when Olivia was dressing his.wounds. He was afraid that he might scare her away. Connor was as obedient as ever. There were times when he would act up in the past, but he was truly Are you hungry, Connor? Why don¡¯t I make some food for you?¡± ¡°Okay It had been so many years, but Olivia had never once cooked a meal for him. She felt guilty when she thought about that. She was such a failure of a mother. She felt immense remorse when she thought about the time she nned to jump off the cruise ship with Connor, Luckily, she didn¡¯t go through with it. Ethan brought the two of them back to his private room. He would sometimese here to train with Connor. He had to be stricter with a boy, but it didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t love Connor. He loved him a lot. He was just thinking about his future. While Olivia was cooking in the kitchen, Connor took the chance to report his progress in the past few days Ethan caressed Connor¡¯s cheek and asked, ¡°Do you hate me for this? You could¡¯ve lived afortable life at home.¡± Connor shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t. I know you did it for my sake. When I be strong, I¡¯ll be able to protect Mom Dad, have you made up with Mom yet?¡± Connor¡¯s words made Ethan feel awkward. He didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Connor sighed. ¡°With an unreliable dad like you, when will I ever get my mom back?¡± Ethan patted him on the head. ¡°Son, no matter what happens between me and your mom, the three of us will always be a family. Nothing in this world can separate us. I¡¯ll always love you, and so will your mom.This will never change¡± ¡°Does Mom really love me? Didn¡¯t you say she¡¯ll love my brother and sister more when she finds them? She¡¯ll hate the child raised by the enemy, right?¡± Connor was puzzled. ¡°Who told you I would hate you? I can¡¯t love you enough.¡± Olivia crouched and hugged him from behind. ¡°You and your siblings are all precious to me Chapter 932 Chapter 932 Olivia realized that Connor was very sensitive. He was very insecure because he feared losing his mother after finally getting to meet her again. Oliviaforted him patiently. She told him repeatedly how much she loved her. She even made him some delicious food. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Connor ate a lot. He didn¡¯t stop even when he waspletely stuffed Ethan had to take away his cutlery to make him stop. Connor knew he wouldn¡¯t get to eat Olivia¡¯s cooking every day. ¡°Come here, Connor.¡± Olivia sat down on the windowsill and beckoned at Connor. He went to her obediently, and she pulled him into her embrace. They could see a great view from the window. Connor finally noticed a different side to the training grounds from a different angle. It was probably because his mother was with him. Olivia¡¯s lips curved into a smile. ¡°I was the one who came up with your name. You were born with all the love I had to give.¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve loved Dad a lot back then.¡± ¡°Yeah, I loved him a lot.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t lie to him. ¡°No matter what happens between me and him, you¡¯re still the baby I carried for seven months. Your father took you away from me under some false pretenses. He split us up and hid your existence from me. ¡°That was why I wasn¡¯t part of your life for such a long time. But I thought about you every single day. On those countless days and nights, I was always thinking about you and missing you. I love you more than anyone in the world.¡± Connor¡¯s mood improved immensely. ¡°Mom, I love you too. I love you very, very much.¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± Olivia rested her chin on his forehead. ¡°I can¡¯t interfere in any of the decisions your father made. You have to be careful while you¡¯re here. Call for help if you¡¯re in danger. You¡¯re just a kid. Your foremost priority is keeping yourself safe. Everything else is secondary to that ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom Dad has arranged for people to keep me safe. There were several times when I was in shouldn¡¯t cry so easily.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. The most important thing a kid needs to do is to be happy and healthy every day Cry orugh if you need to. That¡¯s the God-given right of every child. ¡°Your father is just mentally sick. He didn¡¯t have a childhood, so he doesn¡¯t want one for you either. You shouldn¡¯t follow his example.¡± Ethan wanted to eavesdrop on their intimate conversation, but Olivia saying he was mentally ill was the first thing he heard. He rubbed his nose awkwardly. Connor smiled. There was a dimple on his left cheek. He finally seemed like a young boy again. Olivia was confused. She didn¡¯t have dimples, and neither did Ethan. She had met everyone else in the Miller family. None of them had dimples. But all of her children had a dimple on the left cheek. Maybe this was something they inherited from her side of the family. It was a pity that all the leads had gone cold. Penny passed away two years ago, and she didn¡¯t recall any useful information before her death. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re so handsome when you smile, like a prince. Did your father tell you not to smile?¡± Connor nodded. ¡°How did you know that, Mom? Dad said I shouldn¡¯t wear my heart on my sleeve. We don¡¯t want people to know what we¡¯re thinking.¡± Olivia grunted. ¡°I knew it. I knew he was the one who told you that.¡± Chapter 933 Chapter 933 Connor enjoyed hearing Olivia criticizing Ethan. She was the person who understood him the most. With Marina, she would only teach him how to cozy up to Ethan so that he would stay with them. ¡°But if Dad is so bad, why did you fall in love with him?¡± Olivia said huffily, ¡°It was because I was stupid. Son, do you know how many people wanted to date me? As many as the fish in the ocean. I was just blinded by his looks.¡± ¡°But if you had married someone else, I wouldn¡¯t have been born, neither would my brother and sister,¡± Connor said with disappointment. Olivia immediately changed her tune.¡± Your dad used to be a decent person. He was good to me once. So, when I was pregnant with you, I was very happy every day. I waited for your arrival with joy and anticipation.¡± ¡°What about now? Dad still treats you well. I know Dad has done a lot of things for the sake of your safety, Mom.¡± ¡°Things are different now. I can only promise you that I¡¯ll always love you no matter what happens.¡± Connor asked softly, ¡°Mom, can you give Dad some of your love too? He¡¯s really sad.¡± ¡°There are a lot of other people in this world who can love him. He doesn¡¯t really need it from me.¡± ¡°But Mom to Dad is like water to fish. A fish would die without water.¡± Connor nestled into Olivia¡¯s embrace obediently. He picked it up so quickly and was able to be an adorable kid in such a short amount of time.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I love Mom, but I love Dad too. I¡¯d love it even more if both of you got together. Other children¡¯s parents are together ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say you love me? You¡¯re still single anyway. Can¡¯t you just forgive what Dad did to you for my sake? I think my siblings would want the same. They would want you two to stay together.¡± Connor had grown up since Oliviast saw him. He was able to voice his opinions clearly this time. Unlike her two other children, even if they had such thoughts, they couldn¡¯t express them. Olivia didn¡¯t know what answer she could give that wouldn¡¯t hurt Connor. He was just a kid, and his world was simple and pure. He wouldn¡¯t understand everything that had happened between Ethan and herself. ¡°Mom, if you¡¯re afraid that he might hurt you again, I¡¯ll keep an eye on him. I won¡¯t give Dad the chance to really realized his mistakes. Please forgive him, Mom Olivia had the urge to relent and give him what he wanted. It was the first request that Connor, the son she felt very guilty toward, had for her. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want anything else. I just want you and Dad to be together. You cane to my parent- teacher meeting and parent-children activities at school with him in the future. I¡¯ll be good. Please, Mom.This is all I want.¡± Connor started to cry in her arms. He seemed to understand that it was his only chance. If he couldn¡¯t get Olivia to stay, she would be gone soon. Olivia patted him on the head lovingly. She could see her past self in him. In the past, she had gone home happily after school one day when she saw Chris there. He was there to take Chloe away. Suitcase in hand, Chloe walked up to her and told her to be good and obey Jeff because she was going away. When Olivia learned that Chloe was going away, she clung to Chloe¡¯s leg and begged her to stay. Chapter 934 Chapter 934 ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be good. I won¡¯t make you angry ever again. Please don¡¯t go. Please stay with me.¡± Olivia fell to the ground after Chloe pulled her away. Even then, she chased after her with a limp. She ran after the car and begged for Chloe to return to her. There was only one thought in her mind. Even though Chloe usually treated her with indifference, she would have a mother as long as Chloe was there. If Chloe left, she wouldn¡¯t have a mother anymore. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Even if Chloe remained indifferent, Olivia would be happy if she could see her every day. After Chloe left, Olivia hoped for her return every single day. Every day, she would watch other children enviously. They had their mothers to bring them home, mothers who brought them lunch and took part in parent-children activities. She would also envy the children with mothers who brought them to theme parks. And those with mothers to carry them in their arms when they fell over. She knew how sad it was to grow up without a mother. She once swore to give her children a perfect family. As things were, she was no different from Chloe. She was about to leave her child and give him an imperfect childhood. ¡°Connor, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Olivia hugged him tightly but didn¡¯t know how to answer his questions. She could only apologize over and over again. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want your apology. I just want you with me. You say you didn¡¯t know I existed in the past, but now you know. Are you still going to leave me?¡± Connor was indeed Ethan¡¯s son. He was very skilled at psychological maniption. In such a short amount of time, he was able to estimate his importance to Olivia. He was also able to grasp her weakness. So, he used the childish tantrum that kids his age would normally have as a bid to get her to stay. This way, even if Olivia might be unhappy with his actions, she could not turn him down. No parent would be able to resist their child throwing a tantrum, especially if it was a child they felt quilty toward and wanted to try their best to make up to. But Connor didn¡¯t want anything. He just wanted Olivia to stay. ¡°Mom, I love you so much. You love me too. And there¡¯s my brother and sister too. I¡¯ve never had a complete family from the start. Do you want them to go without their father as they grow up? ¡°They would wonder every day what it¡¯d be like to have a father. They would envy the families of other people. ¡°Mom, people say that aplete childhood will make your life better, but an iplete one will cause you to be traumatized forever.¡± Olivia was rendered speechless. She didn¡¯t expect Connor to say something like that. He was still so young. ¡°Did your father tell you to say that?¡± ¡°No. Dad never taught me anything like that. He only told me that a man has to be strong and never surrender. And that I¡¯ll be able to protect you when I grow up. ¡°Dad has never spoken ill of you, Mom. He always tells me my mother is the best woman in the world. He¡¯s the one at fault. He¡¯s the one who let you down. ¡°If he could rewind time, he¡¯d give you all the love he had. My teacher told me we should all learn from our mistakes and grow. People should be given the chance to turn over a new leaf. ¡°Mom, please give Dad another chance and see how he does. If he has really changed for the better, you should forgive his past stupidity. Let¡¯s be together as a family, okay?¡± Olivia was rendered speechless by Connor¡¯s speech. Who did he inherit this talent of speech from? Connor nuzzled himself in her arms and said, ¡°Dad and I love you a lot, Mom.¡± Chapter 935 Chapter 935 Olivia patted Connor on the head lovingly. "My dear boy, I understand how you feel, but we don''t always get what we want. It''s not wrong of you to want your family to be together. But have you ever considered whether Mom and Dad would be happy together?¡± Connor looked at her with teary eyes. It was clear he hadn''t thought about that. Olivia patiently exined, "I felt the same way asa child. I wanted my family to be together too. Back then, your grandmother didn''t love your grandfather at all. "She treated me and your grandfather with indifference every day. Do you know what happens when a person is unhappy every day? She would be depressed and angry. She would spread negative emotions to everyone around her. Have you ever had a pet bird?¡± "No, but I have a cat. Dad gave it to me. He said that you love cats." "Birds and cats are different. A cat can run around the house freely, but a bird is trapped inside a cage. It can only look at the sky from within the cage. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "The sky is just beyond the cage, but the bird can never reach it. If you love the bird and feed it the best food every day, do you think it''ll be happy?¡± "Mom, are you trying to say that you''re the bird and Dad''s the cage?¡± Olivia nodded. "That''s right. Maybe this makes me a selfish person. Connor, I used to be a young woman who was looking forward to marriage. I was hopeful for the future. "I was happy that we were able to create a happy family. I was looking forward to bringing you into the world and into a happy family. But there are too many things in this world that we can''t control. ¡°I didn''t want things toe to this point, but this is where we are now, and we don''t have a choice. What I can do is continue to love you. I''ll try my best to make it up to you for the rest of my life. But I''ll never be able to go back to your father. ¡°You''re a good kid. You should understand my decision, right? I have my own path to walk.¡± Connor stared at Olivia for a good while before nodding. "I understand, Mom. I support your decision.¡± He was just a kid. He didn''t know about everything that had happened between Ethan and Olivia. But there was He was just a kid. He didn''t know about everything that had happened between Ethan and Olivia. But there was one thing he knew. He loved his mother and wanted her to be happy. ¡°If that makes you happy, I''ll be okay with it. I''m just afraid that .. you won''t want me anymore." "Silly boy. I told you that you''re the same as your siblings. You''re all precious to me. I love you a lot too. I''ll be visiting Olivia noticed the ne around Connor¡¯s neck. She pulled it out to look at it. It was the emerald ne. "I designed this for you personally. It carries the hope I have for you. I hope you can be happy every day and grow up healthily.¡± Connor stuck his hand out. "Mom, you have to keep your promise. You have toe visit me again.¡± Olivia made a pinky promise to him with a smile on her face. ¡°Alright, I promise. Let''s live together after you grow up a little bit more, okay? You need to grow up into a man soon so that I don''t have to worry so much.¡± "Alright, Mom. I got it." "You''re my perfect little baby." Olivia patted him on the back and started to tell him about the things that happened when he was younger Olivia patted him on the back and started to tell him about the things that happened when he was younger while holding him in her arms. "Do you still remember the cherry blossoms on the ind? Why don''t I bring you there and show you the next time they bloom?¡± "It''s a promise, Mom! I''ll hold you to it!¡± Chapter 936 Chapter 936 Olivia finally managed to convince Connor to see things her way. He was still young and wasn''t as stubborn as Ethan. All his thoughts were centered around Olivia. He might look like Ethan, but his personality resembled Olivia''s. He was considerate. People like them usually had it harder. They would always put other people before themselves and never consider their own interests. That night, Connor fell asleep in Olivia''s arms. His arms grabbed onto her sleeves uneasily. Olivia felt another pang in her heart when she looked at the wounds on his face. She knew there would be more injuries toe. Connor''s path was one riddled with pain and suffering. Despite that, she would still be leaving him. Olivia felt terrible and sad. But she knew that Ethan and Connor wouldn''t be able to protect her forever if she didn''t make any changes. She would be dead if she ever slipped up. She only had one life, so all she could do was grow stronger. Or else people like Krystal could p her without any consequences. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She would be nothing without Ethan''s authority. Moreover, Ethan''s identity had been leaked. It was no longer safe for her to stay with him. Olivia had learned her lesson from her failed marriage with She had to n for her and her kids¡¯ future. Ethan snuck into the room after Connor was sound asleep. Olivia immediately tensed up when his chest was pressed against her back. "What are you doing?¡± she whispered. Ethan wrapped his hands around her waist and said softly, ¡°Don''t be rmed. I''m just going to sleep with my arms around you." Olivia immediately doubted his words. She felt like he was plotting something. But Ethan didn''t do anything to her. He just had his arms around her waist without making another move. ¡°Are you nning to leave tomorrow?" ¡°Yeah,¡± Olivia replied softly. "I knew I couldn''t keep you here ..." Ethan sighed and added, "I have to stay here for a little longer to recover. I won''t be seeing you off tomorrow. I''ve already made arrangements for you to go to the ind.¡± "Alright, thanks. Now sleep,¡± Olivia said in a stiff and distant tone. There were no farewells or sorrows. It was like two friends who met up and were going their separate ways. Olivia slept very well that night with Connor in her arms. She had thought about it a few times. It would be great if they were just normal people. She could stay with her children if that were the case. Olivia woke up from the dreamless sleep very quickly. She left early in the morning before the sun was even up. The sun came outter during winter. There was a gap between the curtains, and Olivia could see that the sky was still dark. Connor was sleeping very soundly in her arms. Even Ethan had a good night''s sleep. The father and son leaned in close to Olivia on both sides. Neither of them wanted her to leave. Olivia got out of bed gently, trying her best not to alert them. But she didn''t know that both of them woke up the moment she left their side. Neither of them opened their eyes. They didn''t say anything either. Olivia freshened up briefly. Then, she lingered before Connor. The light in the room was dim. She could barely make out his face and could only see the outlines of it. A single drop of warm liquid fell on the back of Connor''s hand. He knew it was Olivia''s tears. Chapter 937 Chapter 937 Olivia nted a kiss on Connor''s forehead before she left. Ethan and Connor opened their eyes in unison when they heard the door close. There were tears in Connor''s eyes. "Dad, we really can''t get her to stay?¡± "I''m sorry,¡± Ethan said with a tender look in his eyes. As soon as Olivia walked out of the building, she was faced with icy winds that felt like cold des on her face. It made her face sting a little. As Ethan said, everything had been arranged. ¡°Mrs. Miller, the helicopter is ready for you. You can set off whenever you like." "Thanks." "The helipad is a distance away. You''ll have to walk over there.¡± "It''s okay." Olivia waved her hand. She was wearing a down jacket and buried her entire face under a hat. She could sense someone watching her, but she dared not look back. She was afraid that she wouldn''t be able to leave if she looked back. She kept telling herself not to look back and move forward. Ethan carried Connor in his arms and hid behind the curtains. Tears were streaming down Connor''s face. He reached out like he was trying to grab Olivia''s sleeve. ¡°Dad, I don''t want Mom to leave. Will she leave me for good? "She''ll never do that. She loves you so much. Why would she leave you for good? She''s just leaving us for a while." Connor sobbed and asked, "Won''t you miss her, Dad?" ¡°Of course, I will. I''ll miss her like crazy. I have the urge to imprison her and keep her by my side forever, but ...¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Ethan sighed deeply. "I''ve already made that mistake once. I can''t do it again. Your mother had a bright future ahead of her. ¡°By forcing her to stay by my side, I took away her dream, happiness, and future. She was a caged bird, but I eventually removed the cage and allowed her to soar freely.¡± ¡°Aren''t you afraid she might fall for someone else and start a new family with them? What would you do then?" Ethan had thought about that possibility. But he had pretended to be Logan and stayed with her for so long. They even experienced life-and-death situations together. He was with her during her weakest hours, but she still didn''t fall for him. Ethan was sure Olivia wouldn''t fall in love with He was with her during her weakest hours, but she still didn''t fall for him. Ethan was sure Olivia wouldn''t fall in love with someone else. "You and your siblings link me and your mother together. As long as you three are here, we''ll see her again, no matter where she goes.¡± Watching as Olivia disappeared into the snow, Connor thought about the years he spent without his mother. The yearning that he had kept bottled up exploded. "Dad, I want to say goodbye to her.¡± It was just an excuse for him to talk to Olivia, look at her, and hear her voice one more time. Connor ran like the wind. He yelled as he ran, "Mom! Wait for me, Mom!" The howling winds drowned his voice out. The heavy snow blinded him, and he couldn''t see where Olivia was. He ran a few more steps before falling onto the snow, which quickly covered him up. "Mom!" Olivia was about to step onto the helicopter when she suddenly heard a voice. She looked back but only saw the snowy ground. There was no one there. She figured she was hearing things because she was already missing Connor. She wiped her tears and got on the helicopter. Chapter 938 Chapter 938 "Don''t go, Mom! Wait for me!¡± It had been snowing the entire night, and the ground was covered in thick snow. Connor got out of the snow with great effort, but the helicopter door was already closed, and the rotors started spinning. Connor ran forward as fast as he could. Even though he made a promise to Oliviast night, he still lost control when it came time to part ways. He was running toward his mother instinctively. He was just a kid who had been without his mother for a long part of his life. His face was filled with longing for Olivia. "Mom, don''t go. I finally got to see you. Please stay, Mom! Connor fell over again with tears streaming down his cheeks while he called out to Olivia. The winds were too strong, and the rotors were loud. Olivia couldn''t hear his voice at all. "Mom, I miss you. I''ve been waiting for you for so long. Please stay with me. I''ll be good. I''ll listen to whatever you say. I was lying. I don''t want you to go. I want to see ¡°Mom, I miss you. I''ve been waiting for you for so long. Please stay with me. I''ll be good. I''ll listen to whatever you say. I was lying. I don''t want you to go. I want to see you every day. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "I don''t want to train anymore. I don''t want to be a young sir. I just want to be your son. Mom ... please look at me one "I don''t want to train anymore. I don''t want to be a young sir. I just want to be your son. Mom ... please look at me one more time ...¡± Connor slowly picked himself up, but he slumped to the ground again. He was bawling his eyes out. His instructor had trained him for so long. He had always been strong. No matter how hard or tiring training was, he was able to hold out. This was the first time his instructor saw Connor lose control of his emotions. But to be fair, Connor was not even five years old. It was normal for him to act out asionally. "Dear boy, stop crying.¡± The helicopter had already flown off, taking Olivia away from them. Along with her went all of Connor''s yearning. Ethan picked Connor up from the snow and swept the snow off of him. Then, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around Connor. The instructor saluted Ethan. Ethan nodded at him and said, "Connor will be taking a break for a couple of days.¡± "Yes, sir.¡± Connor buried his face in Ethan''s chest and cried until he could barely catch his breath. "Dad, I''m not as strong as] thought I was. I don''t want anything else. I just want Mom toe back. I want to be a regr child.¡± ¡°Alright, don''t cry. You''re a good boy.¡± "I don''t want to be a good boy. I want to be a bad boy. Only bad boys get pampered.¡± Ethan didn''t expect Connor to react so strongly. He just wanted Olivia to know where Connor was. He failed to take into ount the fact that Connor wasn''t a two-year-old baby anymore. At his age, Connor understood what was going on and was better aware of his feelings and emotions. "I''m sorry.¡± He carried Connor in his arms and began to walk back to his room. Connor was covered snugly in his jacket, but Ethan was exposed to the icy winds. Connor had spent more time with Ethan since he was younger, but Ethan had been going after Olivia for thest two years. So, the child didn''t get to see his father that much either. Connor''s crying subsided when he saw Ethan being covered in snow. He understood that he wasn''t the only person feeling sad. Ethan was very sad as well. He sobbed quietly. Ethan looked straight into his eyes and said, "I promise that I''ll bring your mother back here someday, okay?" Connor''s nose was red from all the crying. He looked sad but also adorable at the same time. "Okay. You can''t go back on your word!" "It''s a promise.¡± Chapter 939 Chapter 939 Olivia saw Ethan carrying Connor in his arms while she was on the helicopter. She felt a pang in her heart. She was such a bad mother. They finally got to see each other again, but she left him again. She knew Connor must be devastated. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She leaned on the window, and her tears never stopped flowing. Ultimately, she watched as the father and son walked away into the snow, and she lost sight of them. She didn¡¯t know when she would see her son again after that day. The helicopter flew toward the ind. It took quite some time for Olivia to recover from the depression she felt from parting with her son. She saw Everly, Alicia, and Zack ying around before the helicopternded. Even though she couldn¡¯t hear their voices, she could feel that they were having a lot of fun. Everly stopped the game when she heard the sound of the helicopter approaching. She brought the children over to wee Olivia. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a week. Everly seemed to be in a better mood, probably because she had left Henry. Herplexion had visibly improved. She wasn¡¯t as pale as before. ¡°Liv!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± The two children circled Olivia like little kittens. Olivia was supposed to feel happy as she was reunited with her two children, but looking at their faces, she was reminded of Connor. Connor was suffering in their stead. She felt terrible when she thought about that. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unhappy? Did Ethan bully you again?¡± Everly rolled up her sleeves. She was ready to reprimand Ethan for Olivia. ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Olivia suppressed her negative emotions. She had already made a huge mistake. She couldn¡¯t let these two kids down too. ¡°Were the two of you good when you were with Aunt Eve?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two children were like cute little birds when they opened their mouths. They were very adorable. Everly smiled. ¡°Stop calling me ¡®Aunt¡¯. I don¡¯t care. They¡¯re my godson and goddaughter now. They need to call me ¡®Godmother¡¯ from now on.¡± ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m more than delighted to have another person care for them so much. Eve, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°I knew you wereing today, so I¡¯ve already asked the kitchen to prepare food for you. Ethan might be a scumbag, but he treats you well. This ind has everything. ¡°I thought the cherry blossom ind he prepared for Marina was great. But that¡¯s nothingpared to this ind. I think he was nning to spend the rest of his days with you on this ind.¡± Olivia was calm. ¡°So, what food have they prepared?¡± Seeing that Olivia didn¡¯t want to talk about Ethan, Everly quickly changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it. Alright, children, follow your godmother.¡± Everly acted like she was a kindergarten teacher. She was full of joy. There were plenty of cameras on the ind. Henry would look at the footage several times each day. He was relieved to see her having a good time with the children. He said to Ethan, ¡°Your suggestion is great. She seems to be in a much better state.¡± ¡°Women tend to do better when they leave the men who cause them pain.¡± His words rendered Henry speechless. He red at Ethan and retorted, ¡°Are you talking about Olivia?¡± Ethan wasn¡¯t offended by his remark. He smiled and said, ¡°Olivia¡¯s life will get better. It¡¯s a pity that I only understand this now.¡± ¡°Stop acting like you¡¯re a saint. If you really mean what you say, you should cut her loose, not keep her right under your nose.¡± Chapter 940 Chapter 940 Ethan looked at Henry, who was as stubborn as he used to be. He didn¡¯t make fun of his na?vet¨¦. He was still new to being in love. He would only mature after going through some hardships. These experiences weren¡¯t something Henry would just listen to if someone else told him. He had to experience them himself. Ethan didn¡¯t mock his arrogance because karma was fair to all. Henry would eventually experience what he hading. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Besides, Ethan already sensed that Henry treated Everly differently. She clearly wasn¡¯t just another lover to him like he imed. It was fine. Love would eventually punish him for his lies. As he was talking, Henry looked at the video footage again. In the video, Everly was sitting on the beach and looking at the sea. She looked more emotionally stable than before. It seemed like Ethan¡¯s suggestion was right. She needed her friend and those children to heal her. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of trouble back at home. I¡¯ll let her stay on the ind for three more months before bringing her home.¡± Henry was angered by Everly¡¯s miscarriage. He had done some reckless things for her sake. His arranged marriage partner was still in the ICU. The woman came from an affluent family too. Her family thought Henry was making too big of a fuss for a lover. He even lost his moral high ground. The arranged marriage was called off, and the two families became enemies. Even Henry¡¯s grandfather was alerted. He, too, felt like Henry was overdoing it. He wanted to take the chance to get rid of Everly. That was why Henry agreed to Ethan¡¯s proposal. ¡°Three months? Maybe you love her more than you realize,¡± Ethan said with a smile. Such a huge incident would take the Synder family way longer than three months to deal with. Even three years probably wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°I heard that you were extremely cruel to that woman. She¡¯s a total cripple now.¡± ¡°She deserved it.¡± Henry¡¯s voice was filled with ice-cold cruelty when he talked about that woman. ¡°So, do you n to let Olivia live on the ind for the rest of her life?¡± ¡°I said it before. I¡¯m giving herplete freedom.¡± The Ethan that Henry used to know would never do that. Everly started to recover with Olivia¡¯s care and the treatment from the doctors on the ind. Even if it would be hard for her to get pregnant in the future, the trauma of the miscarriage had be more manageable for her. Everly was an optimistic person, but Olivia often saw her sitting on a bench alone and spacing out while looking at the sea. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Olivia asked, sitting down beside her. ¡°I¡¯m thinking if I had epted Ethan¡¯s offer to work at hispany, I would never have met that bastard.¡± ¡°Eve, it¡¯s all in the past. Let¡¯s stop dwelling on it.¡± Everly caressed her t stomach and said, ¡°I was even ready to be a single mother. Why was fate so cruel? Why was that option taken from me?¡± She wiped her tears and added, ¡°It¡¯s fine as well. If the baby were born, my life would forever be intertwined with his. I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him anymore.¡± Olivia wrapped her arms around Everly gently. ¡°Eve, we should look to the future. We¡¯ll find our own happiness.¡± Everly scanned her surroundings. After she was sure no one else was around, she whispered, ¡°When are we leaving?¡± Olivia put up five of her fingers. ¡°Five more days?¡± ¡°Yeah. My friend needs some more time to make preparations.¡± Everly nodded. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll follow you to the ends of the Earth.¡± She knew that Henry only sent her here to hide from trouble. She heard that the Synder family had already taken notice of her. They wanted to get rid of all the women Henry had before he got married. That was why Henry agreed to send her to the ind. He would bring her back after the incident blew over. She wouldn¡¯t be able to escape then. This was her only chance. Chapter 941 Chapter 941 Everly started to have hope for the future after she learned that she could leave in five days. ¡°Eve, what ns do you have?¡± ¡°Back when we were in school, I wanted to earn more money to better my life. I''ve been working very hard in the past few years and have made quite some money. "But I lost something more important. I want to go to a normal country and work for a charity. I want to help out less fortunate children. "If I get tired of that, I''ll pick up some skills and open a cafe or a flower boutique. I might even travel the world and live a life that''spletely different from the one I had.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Everly looked at Olivia and asked, "What about you?" "I want to get stronger. I want to further my medical career, and I want to be a person my teacher can be proud of.¡± Olivia had a determined look in her eyes. ¡°That''s great." Everly sighed. "It''s like we''re back to our high school senior days. Back then, we''d sit under a tree at school, filled with hope for the future. If I knew our lives would turn out like this, maybe we should''ve gone abroad.¡± ¡°Eve, there''s no use trying to run. There are many things we''d only understand after we''ve experienced them.¡± ¡°That''s true." Everly cradled her head with her hands as she enjoyed the sea breeze under the shade. She counted down the days. She would be able to cut Henry out of her lifepletely in five days. But something unexpected happened on the third day. Everly had been in a good mood for the past two days. She would even skip around and wave at everyone she came across. Henry probably wasn''t used to seeing her so happy, so he showed up on the evening of the third day. At that moment, Everly was ying hide and seek with the children. She ignored the sound of the helicopter overhead. After all, she had already figured out the schedule on the ind. The maids would go out and purchase supplies every fortnight or so. She thought it was just the maidsing back to the ind and didn''t pay much attention to the helicopter. With a blindfold over her eyes, she was counting under a tree. ¡°Eight, nine, ten. Ready or not, here Ie!¡± Due to the game having too few participants, she would sometimes pick out some maids at random to join the game. She ran into someone after taking a couple of steps. The person''s chest felt solid. Most of the maids she picked out for the game were women. She would asionally pick some men when there weren''t enough women. She ced her hand on the man''s chest and felt it up. She murmured, "How did a man get here?" Then, she snickered. ¡°It''s okay. I love men.¡± When she did that, she imagined herself to be a horny king ying with his lover. Smirking, she said, ¡°Come here, my beauty. Let me feel you and guess your identity." Her hand moved up on the man''s well-built chest. She was puzzled. "Why aren''t you running away today? Seems like you like me too.¡± Her fingers moved to the man¡¯s Adam''s apple. It moved slightly under her palm. She was touching him so intimately. Why wasn''t the man running away? Everly seemed to recall that the men on the ind were very shy. She had teased the gardener once, and now, he would drop his tools and run upon seeing her. He treated her like some sort of wild animal. Who was this bold man she was touching? She moved her fingers up to the man¡¯s chin, lips, nose, and then forehead. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Who are you? Let me guess. Are you ...¡± Everly muttered. As though he didn''t want to hear another man''s name uttered by her lips, Henry asked, "Have you had your fun, Ms. Hilton?" Chapter 942 Chapter 942 Everly''s face paled when she heard Henry''s voice. She quickly took off the blindfold. The man standing before her was none other than Henry. She stuttered, "W-WWhy ... are y-you here?" Henry smiled. ¡°I''ve been missing you every day you''ve been gone, Ms. Hilton. It seems like you''re having a good time on the ind. Have you forgotten about me?" The maids read the situation and quickly left. The two children didn''t know what was going on. They stared at Henry with their bright, round eyes. Under the innocent gaze of the children, Henry had no choice but to suppress his impatience and let go of Everly. "You''re Zack, and you''re Alicia, right?" The two children looked at him with docile expressions. Suddenly, Alicia blurted out, "Dad?" Henry was amused. He crouched and picked her up. She was like a cute kitten looking for its parent. "Dear child, I''m not your dad. Don''t be mistaken.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Disappointment shed in Alicia''s eyes. Where was Disappointment shed in Alicia''s eyes. Where was their father? Henry yed with Alicia for a short while. The affection in his eyes was apparent. Everly looked at him in shock. She recalled a conversation she had with him when they just started dating. She had asked him naively if he liked children, and his answer had been resolute. "I don''t like children. They''re annoying.¡± Then, he put down the magazine he was reading and looked at her. ¡°Ms. Hilton, you''re a smart woman. You wouldn''t do anything stupid, right?¡± He was smiling, but he had a threatening gaze. He didn''t like children, much less children born from a lover. Only his wife could give birth to his children. Everly hadn''t fallen for him too much at that point. She knew that very well, so she managed to do a good job maintaining the boundary in the past two years. That night was an ident, and she didn''t expect to get pregnant from that. Her perspective changed after she got pregnant. There was no point dwelling on that at this point. She turned and walked away resolutely while Henry was ying with the children. When she looked at him, she wouldment the loss of her child. She would also be reminded of his disdain for children that he disyed to her. Everly rushed to find Olivia, who was learning about dissections from a doctor at that hour. "Bad news, Liv. That bastard''s here!¡± Olivia was holding a scalpel in her hand. She looked up from a pile of flesh and asked, "Who?" Everly gagged when she saw the body. It was crazy how Ethan gave Olivia everything she wanted. Olivia had shown an interest in dissecting human bodies, but there were none on the ind. So, she started practicing on poultry and cattle. But those were not human, so it wasn''t the same. After Ethan heard that Olivia wanted to dissect human bodies, several ships stopped at the ind the following day. Everly, being the lover of food she was, thought the ships carried goods. One look and she vomited. It turned out the ships were carrying human bodies. The bodies were of people who died recently and were frozen. They were for Olivia to practice dissection. The bodies were buried at a nearby hill after they were dissected. Everly didn''t even dare to go to the hill after that. Olivia knew she was afraid, so she had people nt some banana trees on the hill. That caused Everly to shudder when she saw bananas. "It''s ..." Everly gagged. She looked away and said, "It''s that bastard, Henry.¡± With the bloody scalpel in her hand, Olivia asked, "Do you need me to stab him for you?¡± Chapter 943 Chapter 943 Everly pursed her lips. "That''s not funny at all.What should we do, Liv? His appearance means our n..." Henry''s voice came from behind her. "Your n? What n? What have you been plotting behind my back, Ms.Hilton?" Everly had the urge to p herself. She almost exposed their n to Henry. Olivia was able to remain calm. She took off her face mask and set down her tools. Then, she removed the scrubs and left the operating room. "It''s nothing.I''m not sure if Everly means the n to stab you in your sleep or the one to poison you.Shees up with hundreds of ns like these every day." Everly sighed in relief. Then, she signaled at Olivia with her eyes as if telling her she did a good job. They had different personalities. Olivia was calm and controlled, while Everly was straightforward and wild. Henry smiled. "You''re so cheeky.Mrs.Miller here is way moreposed than you." Olivia retorted calmly, "Mr.Synder, you should already know I''m divorced.N?velDrama.Org ? content. You shouldn''t call me that." "My apologies, Ms.Fordham." Henry finally understood how Ethan felt. When Everly was angry, she would pounce on him, bite him, and scratch him. On the other hand, Olivia would look at him coldly without making a fuss. It was a very eerie experience. ¡°What''s your business here, Mr.Synder? Eve has just recovered from the trauma.I don''t think she wants to see you yet." Everly felt an instinctive fear of Henry. She would only scream and shout when she was emotional. When she was calm, she just wanted to get away from him. She didn''t even dare to talk back to him. Olivia asked him why he came to the ind directly. Everly had the urge to give Olivia a thumbs-up. She was so awesome! Henry''s smile was a little forced. Olivia was relentless. He didn''t know how to deal with her. "I''m just here to visit Ms.Hilton." Olivia pointed at one of the security cameras above her. "There are plenty of security cameras on the ind.I''m sure you''ve been watching the footage every day.Why did you show up in person today? ¡°I''ll be frank. Nothing good wille out of your rtionship with Eve. Why are you still wasting your time? You''re just making yourself unhappy and wasting her time." Olivia said everything Everly wanted to say but never had the courage to. She looked at Olivia with a look of admiration. Olivia nced at Everly andmented her weakness. She used to be able to talk back to everyone. Why did she falter when it was Henry? "You''re wrong about that, Ms.Fordham.It''s like charity.There''s no guarantee that all your efforts will have a positive impact.If so, why do people still do charity work without that guarantee?" Olivia crossed her arms. She was several inches shorter than Henry, but her presence was just asmanding. "Does that mean Eve is just a charity case for you?" Henry gave her a wry look. "Ms.Fordham, I don''t have to answer to you when ites to my rtionship with Ms.Hilton." ¡°I''m not your mother.Of course, you don''t have to answer to me.But as Eve''s best friend, I''ll never allow anyone who has hurt her to show up here.Eve doesn''t want you here, Mr.Synder.Please leave." "Even if you''re her best friend, you have no right to infringe on her freedom.I have something to tell you, Ms.Hilton." Everly replied, "I have nothing to say to you." Henry''s eyes narrowed slightly, and his smile faded. He was about to get angry. When he was unhappy, he would try to make people around him unhappy too. He also knew Everly''s weakness very well. Everly held out for three seconds before walking over to him. "Liv, I''ll talk to him for a bit." Olivia was frustrated to see Everly so submissive. They were about to leave in two more days. Did Henry sense something was up? Olivia was worried that Ethan might have seen through her n. Chapter 944 Chapter 944 Olivia washed her hands and walked out of the dissecting room. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The two children went up to her. ¡°Mom, Mister ..." ¡°I know.Go y." There was a hint of worry in Olivia''s eyes.She felt like Henry''s appearance wasn''t a coincidence. Since her departure, Ethan never showed up again. There wasn''t any news of him either. As it drew closer to the day they were to leave the ind, the unease she felt grew. Ethan was only willing to let her go because she was on this ind. But she was still right under his nose. He would never let her leave if he knew she was going off on her own. Olivia''s gaze fell on the door to Everly''s room. She didn''t know if Henry would take Everly away. If Everly went back with Henry, her life would be even worse than what Olivia had been through. At least Ethan loved her and only her despite everything he did. Henry was different. Everly was just a toy to him. He would never marry her. Even if they had a child together, Everly would only be a mistress, and her child would be an illegitimate child. If Henry ever got tired of her, she would be abandoned. Olivia had been through too much. She didn''t want Everly to suffer like she did. She was determined to take Everly away no matter what happened. Henry pulled Everly away forcefully. Everly asked coldly, "Why did youe?" Henry didn''t answer the question. Instead, he asked, "Where''s your room? We''ll talk in your room." Everly pointed in the direction of her room with her chin. Then, Henry pulled her by her hand into the room. ¡°Why do you have to¡ª" As soon as the door was shut, Henry leaned in and kissed her. "I missed you, woman." Everly was shocked. She thought Henry came all the way here because he had important business. She had been thinking about the contracts she handled and wondered if anything was wrong with them. Or else, Henry wouldn''t have traveled so far. Only one thought crossed her mind when Henry kissed her. This man must be mad. "Let me go!" She exerted a lot of force to push him away. It has been quite some time since her miscarriage, and she could have sex again. But just because her body had recovered didn''t mean she had gotten over the mental trauma. Why was Henry being so persistent? Henry was displeased when she pushed him away. But her miscarriage was still in his mind, so he was more gentle toward her. "I''m sorry.I haven''t seen you for some time, and I missed you." Henry sat down casually with his legs slightly apart. Then, he beckoned at her. ¡°Come here." ¡°What are you trying to ..." Henry pulled her onto hisp and took a jewelry box out of the pocket of his suit. ¡°Open it and take a look." Everly didn''t move, so Henry opened it for her. There was a pink diamond ring in the box. "Didn''t you say you liked this designer''s workst year? I had to wait six months before this was completed. I wanted to give it to youter, during our second anniversary. ¡°But I couldn''t help but bring it straight to you as soon as I received it.Try and see if it fits." As he was talking, he wanted to put the ring on her. The pink diamond was very pretty, giving off a dazzling glow.It was a work of art. Everly loved money. Initially, she didn''t think too much about it. Henry wanted her body, and vice versa. She thought she was getting older and had nothing to lose by sleeping with Henry. She stood to gain so much too. They both got what they wanted.It was good.She didn''t want to invest any feelings into this rtionship.She never expected to fall in love with Henry and started wanting more from him.She didn''t want a ring. She wanted a title. That was something he could never give her. She removed the ring and said, "Let''s end this rtionship." Chapter 945 Chapter 945 Henry was taken aback. He couldn''t believe Everly would actually say that. Even when she threw fits at the hospital previously, she never talked about ending things. Henry frowned slightly. "Say that one more time." Everly lowered her head and fiddled with her nails. ''''I said I''m tired of this.Let''s end it." The arm around her waist suddenly pulled her closer into his embrace. Henry said through gritted teeth, "I''ll give you one chance to take that back." ¡°Mr.Synder, I''ve thought things through.I don''t want a rtionship like this." "You don''t want a rtionship like this?" Henry sneered as he reached out to tilt Everly''s chin upward. "Do you actually want to be the official Mrs.Synder?" Looking at his mocking gaze and listening to his icy tone, Everly felt relieved that she didn''t say that. She would just be making a fool of herself. "That''s not it.I just want to quit.The agreement we signed was for three years.There are only a few more months left.It''ll be almost time after the three-month break you gave me." ¡°Quit? Why? You don''t want to be aCEO''s assistant anymore? You want to work in sales again?" Everly shook her head, ignoring his harsh tone. She replied seriously, "The past two years have been tiring.I want to take a long break.Let''s end this, Mr.Synder." "Ms.Hilton, you know you''ll have to pay a fee for breach of contract, right?" Henry thought that would make her nervous since she loved money. Everly replied calmly, "Alright.How much is it? I''ll pay." "What if I say the amount would be equivalent to everything you''ve earned so far? It''ll be like you worked for free." Everly''s lips quivered slightly. Henry reached out and patted her on the head. Then, he said matter-of-factly, "I knew you wouldn''t do something that dumb.You love money, after all. "Just rest with paid leave for now.I''ll double your bonus, okay? I''ll be more careful this time, so you won''t have to suffer through another pregnancy." Everly didn''t reply and just looked at him silently. That gaze made Henry feel unfamiliar. Even at that point, Henry didn''t show any concern for her. He just wanted to satiate his carnal desires. There wasn''t anything wrong with that, though. They had agreed on the price since the beginning. Everly sold herself out for a price. She fulfilled her material desires but lost her dignity in the process. She didn''t think too much about it back then. All she thought about was sleeping with a handsome man who was rich and skilled. It was a very enticing offer. After realizing what she had lost in the transaction, it was already toote to regret her decision. The one who fell in love first was always the loser in this type of situation. She lost. That was why she felt Henry''s words were painful to listen to and his gaze painful to look at. She didn''t have anyone to me. The rules of the agreement were already set. She was the one who broke the rules. It was a mary transaction, and yet she brought emotions into it. It was like she was cheating in a card game. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? If you need more money, I can give it to you." "It''s okay.It''s enough." Everly smiled abruptly. Then, she sat on Henry''s thigh and wrapped her arms around his neck like she used to. She was more sure than ever that the best option was to end the rtionship. But she couldn''t afford to let Henry discover her intentions before that. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Everly gave him a seductive look and said, "Triple.I want it now." ¡°You money-grubbing woman." Henry kissed her on the nose and took out his phone to transfer the money to her. "Give it to Liv.I feel bad for using her money while I''ve been living here." ¡°Okay.I''ll do that." Chapter 946 Chapter 946 Everly had ns to leave and wanted to be prepared. She had been moving her money in secret. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She would move small amounts every time. She would also cash the money out through a third party or transfer some to her parents. Her savings ount was shrinking because she was afraid Henry would freeze the ount in a fit of rage. Henry was generous. He transferred three million dors to Olivia. Everly smiled bitterly. She was worth so much money. Henry paid three million dors to spend one night with her. Henry had always had a high sex drive. He had already taken her body measurements when he promoted her. He even tested her for a bit before making a move on her. He looked like a gentleman on the surface, but only Everly knew how vulgar he actually was. He was like the devil. Henry hadn''t done it with her ever since she got pregnant. So, it had been several months. He ced her on the bed anxiously. Everly was a little uneasy. "I haven''t showered ...¡± "You can do that after we''re done." Everly''s hair syed out on the white sheets. Henry didn''t know if he was just imagining things. They used to have great synergy in bed, but she looked like she was being forced at the moment. Her expression made him feel bad. His movements became more gentle. "Have you not done it with someone else in the past few months?" Everly asked. Henry red at her as if he didn''t like what she said. "Do you think I''d allow just anyone to get on my bed?" He put the ring on Everly''s finger again and started to kiss her fingertips. Even though Everly didn''te from money and hadn''t even learned the piano before, she had a pair of beautiful hands. Henry loved them as much as he loved her legs. ¡°Do you remember the music sheets?" Henry asked as he pressed his lips on her earlobe. Damn it! Everly was about to lose her mind. Henry was a maniac. He forced her to learn the piano a year ago. Aplete novice like her had to go through vigorous love- making every night and was forced to memorize music sheets too. He stopped pushing her so hard after she was pregnant, but he was starting again. "I-I don''t remember." "I''ll give you a few months of leave.Learn ten songs during the break." "Okay." Everly nodded. She was about to run away anyway.She didn''t n on memorizing anything.She had always been a good liar.She tugged at Henry''s tie and pulled him down. He was drowning in the affection in her eyes. ¡°Henry, ravage me.¡± One time. Everly wanted to let loose for onest time. She had never called Henry by his name before. Henry''s eyes darkened. He said hoarsely. "What did you call me?" "Mr.Synder." ¡°No, what you just called me." "Henry?" "Call me that when there''s no one around." Henry kissed her on the lips. That night, Everly appeared more eager than she had ever been. Henry felt like he was about to die from pleasure. She nuzzled in his embrace without sleeping. "When can I go back? Ww "Wait two more months.We''ll talk about that after you get better." Henry didn''t exin what was going on to her. ¡°Alright.It''s pretty nice here too.I feel better after staying here for some time.You have so much work to get to.When are you leaving?" Everly asked the question she really wanted to ask. "What? Are you trying to get rid of me already?" " just don''t want you to me the losses you incur while you''re here on me." Henry pinched her waist and chuckled. "Ms.Hilton, I''m starting to fear the day you lose interest in money.I won''t be able to keep you under control then." Everly kissed him and said, "Don''t worry, I''m easy to control.¡± Chapter 947 Chapter 947 Everly was extra cooperative. So much so that it made Henry suspicious, but he couldn''t put his finger on what was wrong. They only got out of bed for lunch in the afternoon. Henry stayed with her for the entire afternoon.He had never felt so peaceful before.He finally left after his assistant urged him repeatedly to do so. Everly even went to see him off. She hugged him in front of the helicopter and pretended like she didn''t want him to leave. ¡°When are youing to see me again?" ¡°Why? Are you already missing me before I''m gone? Didn''t I satisfy youst night?" Henry smiled. Everly didn''t understand how a man who looked so gentlemanly could say something like that. N?velDrama.Org ? content. But it was not her first day with him. Henry was different from Ethan, who adhered to rules very strictly. Henry could even feel her thigh up when he was talking business with someone if he felt like it. ¡°Henry, will you miss me after you leave?" Everly asked suddenly. Henry thought she was just acting cute. He tapped her on the nose lightly and said, "Of course.Especially at night." His words were never the ones she wanted to hear. Everly smiled. " Then I won''t think about you.That''s too tiring." Before Henry could say anything else, the assistant urged him to go again. He had to fly to another country by night.He wouldn''t be able to make it with any more dys.Henry wrapped his arm around Everly''s waist and kissed her on the lips deeply. "Five days.I''ll visit in five days at most.I''ll bring you gifts.You have to think about me.Think about me every day.Don''t take off that ring." ¡°Alright.Safe travels, Mr.Synder." Everly moved away from him and stood at a safe distance. For some reason, Henry sensed something wrong in her tone. It was like she was trying to distance herself from him. He was in a rush, so he didn''t have time to think about it. The helicopter flew away. Henry stared at the direction Everly was standing at. It was a small dot shrinking from his field of view, but he would be missing it every day. Everly''s smile became cold when the helicopter disappeared out of her sight. "He''s finally gone." Olivia, who was standing under a nearby palm tree, crossed her arms and said calmly, "You''re such a good actress.Even I was almost fooled." "I wasn''t acting.I really do love him." "And can you leave him behind? I can tell he treats you pretty well, " Olivia asked tentatively. She was afraid that Everly might regret her decision. "No matter how good he is to me, I''ll only be a lover to him.We still have many years ahead of us.If he finds the woman he truly loves, I''ll surely be abandoned. ¡°He''s not stubborn like Ethan.He''s cold and heartless by nature.I need to get away before it''s toote to avoid further heartbreak." Everly held Olivia''s hand and said, "Let''s leave tonight, Liv.I feel uneasy when I''m here.I''m afraid that he might return.Let''s go while he''s still abroad." Olivia caressed Everly''s cheek and said, "Are you sure? If you leave now, you''ll have to cut all ties with your past." "His visit made me more determined than ever.I''ll always be a toy to him.I need to regain the dignity that I lost." ¡°Alright.I was waiting for you to say that." Ethan didn''t restrict Olivia''s phone.She had been contacting Jack in secret. Ethan was right.He wouldn''t harm her. She wasn''t rted to Jack. Why would he help her? No matter what motive Jack might have, her children would''ve been long dead without him. With that alone, she was willing to trust him. Chapter 948 Chapter 948 After a round ofmunications, they decided to leave that very night. There were a total of 352 security cameras on the ind. Olivia had marked them down some time ago. It wouldn''t be hard for her to avoid all of them. She reached the coastline under the hill with ease while bringing her children along. When the sea breeze blew toward them, Everly shuddered. This was where Olivia buried the bodies she dissected. There were at least 30 to 50 bodies buried in the area. Even the wind felt eerily chilly to her. She also felt a chill go down her spine. For that reason, most of the maids never came here. It was the perfect spot for running away. Everly lowered her voice and said, "I''m starting to think you did this on purpose. You''ve be very cunning, Liv.¡± "I''ve failed too many times. I really don''t want to fail this time.¡± "Mom, where are we going?" ¡°Don''t you miss your godfather? We''re going to meet him now.¡± Jack was already waiting for them. The children ran toward him in delight. "Godfather, I missed you!" Zack leaped into Jack''s arms. Jack wrapped his arms around him. It seemed like he missed the children too. Alicia also went over while calling his name. Jack crouched down and carried her in his arms gently. Everly nudged Olivia and asked, ¡°When did you get a lover like him? So mysterious too. Is it because he''s ..." N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Before she could finish her sentence, Alicia took off Jack''s mask and kissed him on the cheek. "Godfather ..." That was the first time Olivia saw Jack''s face. She initially thought there would be blemishes on his face, but it was clean, and his features were defined. He was a handsome man. For some reason, she felt like Jack resembled Ethan a little. Jack quickly put his mask back on. "Let''s go before things go awry." Olivia came back to her senses. She figured it was probably the dim lighting that caused her to make a mistake. She grabbed Everly''s arm and boarded the speedboat. She didn''t know that there were also a lot of hidden cameras on the ind besides the security cameras. They were hidden in trees and bushes. They could even be moved nimbly. The hidden cameras captured the footage of Olivia and the children and sent it to Ethan''s phone. Ethan had long known that Olivia wanted to leave the ind with Everly. The footage showed them escaping frantically. Brent asked worriedly, "Mr. Miller, are you really letting Mrs. Miller leave? We won''t be able to keep her under surveince once she leaves the ind.¡° It was theirst chance. "I promised to set her free.¡± But Ethan had another contingency n. He gave her Joel Tucker''s business card a long time ago. She would definitely contact Rufus if she wanted to further her medical career. Ethan stared at the man in the video. He could admit that he was jealous to see his children run toward another man with such joy. These two children had never even called him "Dad" before. Alicia suddenly took off Jack''s mask in the video. His face was disyed on the huge monitor. Even though it was just for a few seconds, everyone who saw it was stunned. "K-Kurt!¡± ¡°How could it be him? Isn''t he dead?" "Mr. Miller, are my eyes ying tricks on me? I just saw Kurt.¡± Chapter 949 Chapter 949 Ethan''s entire body was trembling. The image of Kurt''s death appeared in his mind again. The blood that flowed from his chest had covered Ethan''s hands and eyes. Impossible! "It c-can''t be Kurt. He died in my arms. I''m sure of that.¡± The bullet hit Kurt in his heart. He was a dead man. Ethan stared at the mask and said, "It''s Jack. If my spection is correct, Kurt had a twin brother. He must be Kurt''s twin.¡± "Oh my god. What a weird turn of events. Kurt actually had a brother? Why didn''t we know about that?" ¡°That''s a problem for the Stone family. Mobilize the men on the ind. Stop them!" Ethan muttered, "I''m sorry, Liv.¡± He had nned to let her go, but Jack''s identity was too mysterious. If he was really Kurt''s brother, Ethan couldn''t just let him roam freely. Suddenly, the rm on the ind started ring. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Everly started to feel nervous. She almost fell off the boat. She had an anxious expression on her face. ¡°How did they realize we''re missing so quickly? What should we do, Liv? If we''re captured, would Ethan put me in a cage too?¡± "If you have the time to talk, use it to run. Let''s go faster, Jack." Olivia was carrying both her children. They wore thick jackets, and she held them in her arms. Jack sped the boat up, and they zoomed into the distance. Oliviaforted Everly, "Don''t worry. Even if they''ve noticed that we''ve escaped, they wouldn''t know where we are.¡± As soon as she said that, Olivia heard the sound of a helicopter above her. The helicopter was flying over the sea and headed toward them. A thought crept into her mind. Ethan knew her whereabouts all along! "Liv, both of you are so cunning. I thought you were the smart one, but he''s even smarter than you. It''s all over. We won''t be able to get away this time. Will I be punished severely when we get back? "You''re even running away with another man. Should I just say he''s my man instead?" Olivia was rendered speechless. "Shut your mouth.¡± Everly snickered. ¡°I''m so loyal, right?¡± ¡°Don''t be afraid. I''ll take care of it," Jack said. He had spent so many days preparing. The speedboat wasn''t the only thing he prepared. It would take some time for the others to catch up to them. The only threats were the two helicopters above them. Since Olivia was onboard, they could only follow. They could never attack Olivia. The water droplets brought up by the boat sshed on Olivia¡¯s face. She had a very determined look on her face. ¡°Eve, there''s no turning back. We''ve chosen this path, so we''ll have to stick to it. Do you want to go back and be his lover for the rest of your life? Do you want to be given a check and kicked out once you grow old? ¡°We''re still young. We can still change our future for the better. I wasn''t even afraid when I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. You shouldn''t be afraid either.¡± Everly nodded. ¡°I believe in you, Liv!¡± Kelvin was very anxious. If they weren''t so far away, he would''ve gone after them himself. ¡°Mr. Miller, this won''t do. Our men don''t dare to shoot at them to slow them down. They''re in the air while Ms. Fordham is on the water. idents might happen.¡± Ethan hadn''t nned on stopping her, so he didn''t make any preparations. He couldn''t do anything but watch on anxiously. They saw Jack stop the boat at an ind. "The ind is covered by a dense forest. The helicopters can''tnd.¡± Ethan mmed his hand on the table. "Jump onto the trees from the ropedders. The other helicopter will stay on standby. Jack must have made preparations.¡± Chapter 950 Chapter 950 As soon as the boat reached shore, Jack quickly took the children from Olivia and said urgently, ¡°Quick! Follow me!¡± Olivia held Everly''s hand as they got on the ind. They followed Jack to a tunnel that he had dug beforehand. ¡°Although they won''t be able to find us for now, we can''t just stay hidden down here. Won''t we be trapped when they surround the ind?¡± Jack''s forehead was covered in sweat. He said in a deep voice, "If my calctions are correct, they''ll have the people from one helicoptere to look for us while the other helicopter remains on standby. This type of helicopter only has enough fuel for three hours of flight. "It''ll take them some time to get people to surround the ind. With the people they have on the ind now, it''d be impossible to find us in the darkness like this. We just need to wait for two hours.¡± Everly looked at him with admiration. "What''s your name, Mister? You''re so smart. You''ve thought of everything.¡± ¡°Jack,¡± he replied emotionlessly. He brought the others to a huge underground cave. There was food and drinks there. Jack handed Olivia a bottle and said, "Drink some water and take a break. We''ll be on the move for the next few days.¡± "Thanks." The children were used to life on the run. They weren''t fazed by his words. As Jack mentioned, the ind hadn''t been developed by anyone before. It was filled with rich, natural vegetation. It would take three whole days to walk around the entire ind on foot. Ethan''s men weren''t familiar with the ce. It would be impossible for them to find Olivia andpany. Everly leaned on Olivia and fell asleep for a while. When Jack came back, the helicopter was gone. Once they lost the eyes in the sky, they could escape into the vast ocean, and Ethan could never find them. Olivia felt a sense of peace after they left the ind. They had been running for the entire night. Dawn broke, and the sunrise at sea was very pretty. Olivia couldn''t hold herself back anymore. She yelled, ¡°I''m finally free!¡± It had been years. She finally did it. She finally broke free from Ethan''s grasp. From then onward, she could live her own life. Everly was infected by her joy. She hugged Olivia and said, " Liv, I''m so happy.¡± ¡°Eve, look forward ...¡± Olivia was still ovee with joy, but she suddenly felt her stomach churn. She leaned over the side of the boat and started to gag. "Mom!" The children looked at her worriedly. The concern in their eyes was apparent. Everly came over to her and asked, "What''s wrong, Liv? Did you catch a cold from the cold sea breeze?" Even Jack slowed the boat down. "I''ll slow down.¡± "I''m okay. It must''ve been the wind and because I haven''t had anything to eat. Ignore me. Go faster. I don''t want them to catch up.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Alright. To prevent them from finding us, we''ll be on our way after refueling at the next ind. You''ll have to put up with the difort for now.¡± They soon arrived at the next ind. Everly helped Olivia onto the ind and handed her a fresh coconut. "Drink some coconut juice to alleviate your fatigue.¡± Olivia sat under the shade of a tree and enjoyed the sea breeze. She took a sip from the coconut and started to feel a little better. Jack found some fresh ingredients for her. "Are you hungry?¡± Olivia felt much better after eating. She didn''t want to dy the schedule, so she said, ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I''m fine. Let''s go.¡± After they traveled some distance, Olivia started to vomit again. She threw up all the food she ate on the ind. ¡°What''s wrong? Are you seasick?" Everly was worried. Chapter 951 Chapter 951 The two children came over to look at Olivia with tender expressions on their faces. ¡°Mom!¡± Olivia panted softly as shey in Everly¡¯s arms. It was like she waspletely exhausted. Everly¡¯s expression turned grave. ¡°Liv, you¡¯ve never been nauseous from dissecting before. Just out of curiosity, you haven¡¯t been sleeping with Ethan, right? Your symptoms¡­ seem to indicate you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression froze. She had taken care of Ethan a few days ago, but they didn¡¯t actually do it. And the time doesn¡¯t match. Unless¡­ She thought about that night back on the cruise ship. She had sex with Logan for the entire night. She had Joshua buy morning-after pills for her the next day when they arrived in Aldenvine. She couldn¡¯t have gotten pregnant from that. ¡°No, I can¡¯t be pregnant. I took the pills.¡± Olivia¡¯s hands were shaking. ¡°Pills? Liv, you do know that morning-after pills aren¡¯t 100% effective, right? Have you had your period yet?¡± Olivia did some quick calctions in her head. Thest time she had her period was two months ago. Her periods were never on time, so she never gave it much thought. She started to panic when she thought she could be pregnant. She shook her head frantically. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be! I can¡¯t be pregnant!¡± Everly saw Olivia¡¯s panicked and frightened expression. She knew there was more to this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liv. Maybe you just have an upset stomach because we spent the entire night on a speeding boat. Didn¡¯t doctors say it would be hard for you to get pregnant? Don¡¯t freak yourself out.¡± Olivia¡¯s palms were covered in cold sweat. Her mind was filled with thoughts of what she should do if she were actually pregnant with Logan¡¯s baby. She didn¡¯t have romantic feelings for him at all. What happened that night was just an ident. Olivia fell silent for the rest of the journey. They passed several inds, but none of them sold pregnancy test kits. Olivia began to feel more and more anxious because the nausea was getting worse. Even Everly started to worry if it was her cancer rpsing. Neither a pregnancy nor a rpse was good news. Olivia knew that a rpse would only cause her stomach to throb in pain. It wouldn¡¯t make her nauseous. Her symptoms were exactly like the morning sickness of herst pregnancy. After two weeks at sea, they managed to get to a tiny country in the southern hemisphere. ¡°From today onward, we¡¯ll rest here for a few days.¡± Olivia¡¯s face was very pale, and her condition was worrying. Jack looked at her face andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯ll get through whatever trouble you may face.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Zack held her hand. ¡°Mom, we¡¯ll all be with you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia¡¯s spirits finally lifted a little. They were right. No matter what was happening, she had to face it head-on. Jack took a call and said, ¡°Olivia, he¡¯s here.¡± ¡°He?¡± Olivia blinked in confusion. She didn¡¯t know who Jack was talking about. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Was it someone she knew? Olivia took a few sips of water andposed herself as she followed behind. Everly was holding the hands of Alicia and Zack as she scanned her surroundings. Jack had been to many ces. He was also quite familiar with this country. It was a very underdeveloped and tiny country. Even the fundamental infrastructures werecking.. He took them through several streets and stopped before a brick house in the suburbs. Then, he knocked on the door three times. The door opened from the inside. Olivia was stunned when she saw the person. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Olivia.¡± The young man had matured a lot. His skin was more tanned too. It was Colin, whom she had been searching for a long time. Chapter 952 Chapter 952 Olivia waspletely surprised to see Colin. She was so excited she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Why are you here, Colin?¡± ¡°Olivia, it was so hard to track you down. I¡¯m only able to see you because Jack contacted me.¡± ¡°Yeah, the past few years have been eventful, to say the least,¡± Olivia said emotionally. ¡°How has your cancer been?¡± Olivia took off her wig and said, ¡°I almost sumbed to the cancer in the first six months of the year. It only managed to pull through with the pills you left me and chemotherapy ¡°The side effects of chemotherapy have subsided a lot. My hair has started to grow again, but the tumor is still there.¡± Everly couldn¡¯t help but feel bad when she saw Olivia¡¯s short hair. ¡°You¡¯ve been through so much, Liv.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now. I was on my deathbed, but I survived. Colin, I heard you¡¯ve been researching anti- cancer drugs. Have there been any developments?¡± ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m here to cure you.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. She felt like she was dreaming. ¡°Are¡­ Are you saying I can be cured?¡± Although modern medicine had seen massive improvement, cancer was still an insurmountable challenge. Even the best doctors in the world couldn¡¯t guarantee aplete recovery from cancer. ¡°Yes, I went to Vochmead Mountain for over six months to look for an ingredient. Paired with the previous version of the drug, it might not be able to cure all cancer, but it¡¯ll work on you. ¡°You just need to take the drug ording to my prescription for six months. The cancer cells in the body. will be gone, the tumor will disperse, and your body will go back to normal.¡± Olivia was very excited. She had been tormented by the illness for several years. If it rpsed again, she wouldn¡¯t be able to rely on chemotherapy to suppress it. She would be doomed. Everly yelled excitedly. ¡°You¡¯re a miracle doctor! Why don¡¯t you register for a patent? I¡¯ll invest in your Colin looked at the excitable woman next to him in bewilderment. With her hand on her forehead, Olivia said, ¡°By the way, this is my best friend, Everly Hilton, Everly, this is Colin Moriarty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°The pleasure¡¯s all mine. What do you think of my proposal?¡± Colin said in a respectful but distant tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but some of the ingredients required for this drug grow in ces with extremely harsh conditions. They¡¯re very rare and can¡¯t be artificially cultivated. ¡°Gathering enough material for Olivia¡¯s six-month dosage took a lot of time and effort. The drug can¡¯t be mass-produced yet. It doesn¡¯t even meet the requirements for clinical trials.¡± The glow in Everly¡¯s eyes faded. Her dream to be insanely rich overnight was dashed. She was still dreaming about being the missing daughter of a billionaire and that she would one day be reunited with her father. She would drive a limousine full of cash and throw the money in Henry¡¯s face. She wanted him to kneel before her and repent. But that was just a dream. Regr people like her would never reach the heights obtained by Henry¡¯s family over several generations. ¡°Olivia, I need to find somece to give you an examination before I can prescribe the medicine for you. When would it be best for you to do that?¡± Olivia found it hard to tell Colin about the pregnancy. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Colin noticed her unease. He asked, ¡°Olivia, is there something bothering you?¡± Olivia bit her lip and said, ¡°I ¡­ I might be pregnant.¡± Chapter 953 Chapter 953 Colin¡¯s lips twitched as he looked at the twins beside Olivia. ¡°You¡¯re telling me¡­ that you¡¯re pregnant again?¡± Olivia was a little embarrassed. Connor was the only baby she nned for. She didn¡¯t even have a sex life. after that. The twins were conceived while Ethan had a high fever and was barely conscious. This newest pregnancy was even more ridiculous The doctors said it would be hard for her to get pregnant, but she got pregnant both times she had sex. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling nauseous. It¡¯s a lot like the morning sickness I used to have. I¡¯m afraid that¡­¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do an ultrasound first. We can do that in this town. But we can¡¯t do a maic resonance imaging procedure. Let¡¯s do the ultrasound first to determine if you¡¯re pregnant. The cancer treatment will have to wait until we get to our next stop. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± On the way to their destination, Olivia had a gloomy expression on her face. Back then, everyone told her she should¡¯ve aborted the twins, but she ignored them and gave birth to them. Her strong desire to keep the babies was because she was afraid she could never get pregnant again. Also, she was down in the dumps from losing her first baby. So, she showered all the love she had on the twins. They were also Ethan¡¯s children. It waspletely different this time. She didn¡¯t have romantic feelings for Logan. She didn¡¯t want another baby at the moment. It was just the wrong time for it. ¡°Olivia, you don¡¯t want this baby?¡± Olivia said hesitantly, ¡°Colin, I don¡¯t know how to exin it, but this pregnancy happened under circumstances out of my control. I hope I¡¯m just overthinking this. I don¡¯t want to be pregnant.¡± ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s get you checked first. It might not be a pregnancy. You don¡¯t have to feel pressured yet. Even if you¡¯re pregnant, you can still get a painless abortion performed at a good hospital. It¡¯s really convenient.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Even though she knew Colin was right, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but feel depressed. The hospital in the town was a little run-down. Even the room for ultrasound looked deste. The white curtains were stained, the walls weren¡¯t painted, and there were even cobwebs in the corners of the room. ¡°Get on the bed,¡± a tanned and chubby female doctor ordered emotionlessly. Oliviay on the dusty bed. There was a huge cobweb just above her. There was an insect trapped in it and struggling, just like her. Her shirt was lifted up. An old-fashioned probe was ced on her stomach. Initially, it felt a little cold. As the machine started to whirl into life, Olivia¡¯s heartbeat started to race irregrly. After she received the results, her limbs became weak, and her face paled. She looked like she was about. to fall over. ¡°What¡¯s the verdict, Liv?¡± Everly rushed over and took the report from her. The words on the report were in the ind¡¯s localnguage, which wasn¡¯t widely spoken. ¡°What¡¯s thisnguage? I can¡¯t read this!¡± Olivia licked her parched lips. She studied manynguages back when she was living in the Fordham residence. This was one of them. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant. Six weeks. The fetus has already developed a fetal pole and a heartbeat.¡± Everly was shocked. ¡°You¡¯re really pregnant? What do you n to do, Liv?¡± Olivia was in a daze andpletely spaced out. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want the baby. But it¡¯s a life! I¡¯ve seen people close to me die. I don¡¯t want to take the baby¡¯s life away.¡± ¡°Then¡­ why don¡¯t you keep it? You¡¯ve already given birth to three of Ethan¡¯s children. One or two more wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Olivia said reluctantly, ¡°What if ¡­ I told you that Ethan isn¡¯t the father?¡± Chapter 954 Chapter 954 Everly was drinking when Olivia said that. She immediately spat it out. ¡°W-What? Ethan¡¯s not the father?¡± Everly scanned her surroundings before whispering, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had it in you! You¡¯re quite the yer. Who¡¯s the father? ¡°Is it the masked man or the cute young man? Both seem to care for you genuinely. They won¡¯t hurt you as Ethan did.¡± Olivia was feeling conflicted. ¡°Neither of them¡­¡± ¡°Liv, you¡¯re being a stranger. I even told you how long Henrysts each time, yet you don¡¯t tell me anything. Olivia was rendered speechless. She didn¡¯t even want to know about that, but Everly told her about it anyway. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°Then, cut to the chase.¡± A hint of excitement shed in Everly¡¯s eyes. She was clearly in the mood for gossip. Olivia wasn¡¯t able to win an argument with Everly, so she ended up telling her about what happened. Everly fell silent after hearing what happened. Even someone as chatty as her didn¡¯t have the words to describe how she felt. ¡°And¡­ does that man know about this baby?¡± ¡°No, he left after that night. We didn¡¯t keep in contact after that. It was a very dangerous situation, and it just happened. I took morning-after pills as soon as I could. This is apletely unexpected oue. What should I do, Eve?¡± Olivia was extremely conflicted. She was pregnant with the child of a man she didn¡¯t love. She didn¡¯t know what to do. I can give you suggestions on anything else, but not this. I was pregnant once too. If possible, I wouldn¡¯t want to hurt the baby.¡± Suddenly, Colin said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might be unable to keep the baby. If Olivia intends to take my prescribed medication for six months, I can¡¯t guarantee the safety of the baby. It might even cause the ¡°Rather than having it suffer its entire life, it would be better to end its life now.¡± Olivia was met with the same decision she had to makest time. Back then, she had a reason to keep the babies. But at that moment¡­ Olivia longed for greater heights, but this pregnancy was like a chain that tied her down and stopped her from moving forward. ¡°Olivia, you rpsed once. You should know that your body can¡¯t handle another round of chemotherapy. I know you don¡¯t want to end an innocent life, but your health shoulde first. What do you think?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re looking out for me, Colin. But¡­¡± ¡°We still need to go to another ce to perform detailed examinations on you. You still have several days. to make your decision. It¡¯s your choice to make since it¡¯s your body.¡± Everly agreed with that sentiment. Olivia had to make the call herself. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Meanwhile, in Aldenvine, everything before Ethan was being thrown to the floor by Henry. Gone was Henry¡¯s gentle and elegant demeanor. He was like a raging beast with bloodshot eyes. He dropped everything and flew back to Aldenvine when he received news that Everly had run away. They didn¡¯t have any information on her whereabouts yet. Henry couldn¡¯t hold his anger back anymore. So, he threw a temper tantrum and started rampaging. ¡°Where is she? I handed her over in one piece. Now, where has she gone?¡± Chapter 955 Chapter 955 Henry wasn¡¯t the only person that was angry. Ethan was fuming as well. Jack had already gotten away from his men for a week. He still hadn¡¯t received any updates. Ethan didn¡¯t harbor any ill will against Jack before he knew his true Identity. But he had uncovered Jack¡¯s true identity in the past few days. Jack was Kurt¡¯s twin brother. He was born in very bad conditions and was at risk of dying at any moment. A psychic had told his family that he must be hidden from the public eye and needed to be kept at a church for protection. That was why the Stone family only ever made Kurt known to the public. Not even Ethan knew about Jack¡¯s existence. Kelvin sighed. ¡°That¡¯s so crazy. The psychic said only one of the Stone family¡¯s twins would live. They thought the weak and fragile Jack would be the one who passed. But Kurt¡¯s the one who ended up dead. ¡°No wonder Kurt had all those mysterious visits to the church. We thought he went to pray, but he actually went to visit his brother. ¡°This would mean that Jack knew his brother died because of Mr. Miller¡¯s sake. Would he try to harm Mrs. Miller?¡± No one was sure what Jack would do. Even the Stone family wasn¡¯t close to him. Back then, the Stone family had thought about bringing Jack back after they mourned the loss of Kurt. But they were informed that he was already gone when they got to the church. No one knew where he went. In the past, Kurt would frequently mumble about a sickly boy. Ethan finally understood that he was talking about Jack. There was one thing he could confirm. Jack and Kurt used to be close. If Jack was really out for revenge, it would make sense why he got close to Olivia What Ethan didn¡¯t understand was that Jack had the chance to hurt his children in the past two years. But he never harmed them, nor did he ever threaten Ethan. Ethan had no idea what Jack wanted to do. He just wanted to bring Olivia and his children back to his side. But Jack took Olivia, the children, and Everly with him and disappeared without a trace. This was the eighth time Henry hade to his ce that week. His temper grew as days passed. Bryan enjoyed the show thoroughly. Sipping on his tea, Bryanmented, ¡°I seem to remember a certain someone saying Ms. Hilton was just a disposable toy two weeks ago. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you so riled up over a toy, no less.¡± Henry red at him. ¡°You¡¯re only calm because this isn¡¯t happening to you. I wonder if you could still have such a bright smile on your face if your woman left you.¡± Bryan smiled. ¡°Kate and I are just friends. Our rtionship is pure. Don¡¯t even think of us that way.¡± ¡°Pure?¡± Henry was clearly skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of dating close friends.¡± For some reason, Kelvin had the urge to tell Byran that Henry said simr things not long ago. But look what happened. He was out of his mind with anxiety. Brent said, ¡°Mr. Synder, we¡¯re utilizing a lot of resources on this search. Mr. Miller wants Mrs. Miller back more than you. You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s anxious. This is not the time to point fingers. We need to work together to find them as soon as possible.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Henry wasn¡¯t having it. He ced his hands on Ethan and said, ¡°Tell me the truth, did you let them leave intentionally?¡± Chapter 956 Chapter 956 Henry stared into Ethan¡¯s eyes. ¡°The ind is yours. Your men were stationed there. How did they escape without you allowing them to?¡± Henry wasn¡¯t stupid. He sensed the change in Ethan¡¯s attitude toward Olivia long ago. ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t keep it from you.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t try to keep it from Henry. ¡°I don¡¯t care about how you want to manage your rtionship with your woman. But you shouldn¡¯t have meddled in my business.¡± Henry stared at Ethan coldly. Seeing the tension rise between them, Bryan finally stepped in. ¡°Alright. To be fair, you wouldn¡¯t have understood your feelings for Ms. Hilton if you hadn¡¯t been separated. You can¡¯t pin this on Ethan. They couldn¡¯t have taken her if she didn¡¯t want to leave. ¡°So, instead of ming your friend, why don¡¯t you two think about why they wanted to leave?¡± Henry sat down dejectedly. ¡°Why? I gave her so much money. Isn¡¯t she in love with money? Why did she still leave me?¡± ¡°Are you dumb or just pretending? If a woman could be bought with money, that would mean she didn¡¯t. really love you. She didn¡¯t want the money and left you. It¡¯s highly possible that she¡¯s really in love with. you. ¡°But you treat her like a ything. Since she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, she could only leave.¡± Oftentimes, a bystander could see things with a more objective view. Henry was stunned. ¡°Are you saying she¡¯s in love with me? But the rules we made up state that we¡¯ll keep feelings out of this rtionship.¡± Ethan rolled his eyes at him. ¡°If she¡¯s really just a ything to you, why are you so worked up over her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? A ything can be reced, but a lover can¡¯t. You¡¯ve fallen in love with her, but you don¡¯t even know it yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in love. I just give her some special treatment.¡± ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s no love, why have you lost your appetite? You¡¯ve even been struggling to fall asleep in the past few days. You¡¯ve been throwing a fit at your best friend over her too.¡± Ethan¡¯s questions struck a chord. Henry slowly became unsettled, ¡°Just admit it. You¡¯ve fallen in love with her. If you really love her, you shouldn¡¯t keep her prisoner. Or you¡¯ll end up like me and lose her forever.¡± With bloodshot eyes, Henry said, ¡°I don¡¯t love her. I don¡¯t care where she is.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Then, he left without looking back. Bryan shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s just very stubborn when ites to rtionships. He¡¯lle around eventually and realize you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°At least he still has a chance to fix their rtionship, unlike me. It¡¯s toote for me now. Allowing him to come to terms with his feelings sooner isn¡¯t a bad thing. But I¡¯m in the wrong too. Jack¡¯s true identity threw me offpletely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your fault. I heard that things were heated between you and that person.¡± Ethan grunted. Since he had the courage to sell me out, I won¡¯t let him off the hook either. There will be a battle between us eventually.¡± In the past, they only challenged each other behind the scenes. Nothing was ever brought into the light. The incident on the cruise ship intensified their conflict. That person incurred billions in losses, so he turned around and exposed Ethan¡¯s identity. Ethan almost died on the streets because of that. But since he survived, it was only natural for him to get back at the person. They had already escted to open conflicts. Ethan even allowed Olivia to leave his side. It was all for the sake of getting that position. Olivia would only be safe if he could clear out everything that posed a threat to her. But Ethan didn¡¯t know Kurt had a brother. Jack had be the biggest uncertainty in this situation. Who was he? Was he a friend or foe? Chapter 957 Chapter 957 ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve been busy with work these days. You¡¯re even losing your sleep and appetite over Mrs. Miller. Your injuries haven¡¯tpletely healed yet. What will we do if you copse?¡± Brent said. Ever since Ethan¡¯s identity was exposed in the dark web, Miller Group had also taken a hit. Thepany had a lot of subsidiaries. Recently, a lot of them, such as the real estate arm and the F&B arm, experienced some trouble. Some people were manipting things from the shadows. They were from all sorts of shadowy organizations. When running a business, the scariest threats came from the ones hiding in the dark. Even Bryan had received word of what was happening. ¡°If this goes on, your losses will be overwhelming. What¡¯s your next move?¡± ¡°You know me. It¡¯s going to be an eye for an eye. I¡¯ll make them pay a hundred times over.¡± Ethan sneered. ¡°He knows I have the dirt on those people. He¡¯ll only lose if this goes on. That¡¯s why he got desperate and tried to make a move on the Miller family and Liv. ¡°But he didn¡¯t expect me to let Liv go free. So, even I don¡¯t know where she is. Needless to say, no one else knows. Without my biggest weakness, what else can he possibly do?¡± Initially, everything was part of the n. Sending Olivia away meant he could do whatever he needed to without any reservations. The only uncertainty was Jack. If Jack was on his side, he would emerge victorious. But if Jack had ulterior motives, he would be defeated because of Olivia. ¡°Not being able to find Olivia might not be a bad thing. We¡¯ll only have to trust that Jack has no ill intent. ¡°If he really wanted to do anything malicious, he had many chances to do so in the past two years. Your twins were with him the whole time, but he didn¡¯t do anything to them.¡± Ethan sighed. ¡°I hope so.¡± He could only hope that everything would go as he had nned without any more idents. He thought, ¡°Liv, you have to stay safe.¡± As if sensing Ethan¡¯s thoughts, Olivia woke up abruptly and gasped for breath. She actually heard the heart -wrenching cries of a baby in her dreams. There was a person standing a short distance away from her. The mask was reflecting the moonlight. The twins were sleeping next to Olivia. She ced a hand on her chest in fright. ¡°W-What do you need?¡± Jack probably didn¡¯t expect her to wake up. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Olivia couldn¡¯t see his expression because his face was hidden behind the mask. For some reason, maybe it was the dim lighting, Olivia felt like Jack was looking at her in a weird way. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just heard you talking, so I came in to check. Were you having a nightmare?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Olivia wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. She didn¡¯t feel like sleeping anymore after such a scare. ¡°Why don¡¯t we step outside?¡± She always had questions for Jack but never had the opportunity to ask. They finally had a moment of peace. The insects were chirping outside. It was the middle of summer in the southern hemisphere. The town was very poor, and it was especially obvious at night. It was dark everywhere, unlike the city. where lights were all around. There was a lone lightbulb at the entrance of the town. Its dim light could only illuminate a small area, but it attracted a lot of moths. ¡°Is it cold?¡± Jack asked. Olivia sat down on the steps of the door and looked at the starry night sky. She shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Jack, doesn¡¯t this feel like we were back on the ind?¡± ¡°Yeah, when Tom and Jerry were still there.¡± ¡°I met Jerry some time ago. He¡¯s about to go to university. He¡¯s a promising kid and has a bright future ahead of him. ¡°I heard that Tom has been going out on missions. He¡¯s a very impressive young man, too.¡± Olivia was reminiscing. ¡°Jack, there¡¯s a question I¡¯ve been meaning to ask.¡± Chapter 958 Chapter 958 It was like Jack knew what she was about to ask. ¡°Ask away.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a short time. I know you helped me investigate someone because of Martha and the others, but what about the things you helped me with afterward? ¡°You helped me out behind the scenes and raised my children for me. Even when I asked you to help me escape, you helped out to the best of your abilities without anyints. ¡°We¡¯re not family, but you risked your life to do all these things for me. There has to be a reason why you¡¯re doing all this, right? A dagger appeared in Jack¡¯s hand out of nowhere. This was the first time Olivia had seen his weapon. It looked like it was extremely sharp. At that moment, Jack seemed mysterious with a hint of viciousness. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guess why I¡¯m doing this?¡± Jack¡¯s voice was low and sounded especially eerie in the dark. It sent a chill down Olivia¡¯s spine. ¡°I don¡¯t know. All I know is that no one does anything for no reason. I know that there¡¯s a price on everything. So, Jack, what do you want?¡± After meeting up with him again, Olivia suggested paying him some money as payment for taking care of her children for two years. But Jack didn¡¯t ept it. ¡°People like me live each day like it¡¯s ourst. I¡¯ve grown numb to the evils of the world and the deaths of people close to me. ¡°Martha saved my life back then, and I¡¯ve been living on the ind since. Then, you showed up, and the development of the ind started. ¡°I nned to leave the ind and return to walking my own path. Then, I saw a bounty for your life when I was in the organization. That¡¯s why I helped out. ¡°Saving your children was just a coincidence. But now, I¡¯m wanted by my organization, and I¡¯m past the point of no return.¡± Jack turned toward her and said calmly, ¡°As for why I saved you, it¡¯s probably because I saw the meaning. of life in you. You probably find this reasonughable.¡± Olivia could sense that Jack had been through a lot. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any family?¡± ¡°Family? Nothing of the sort.¡± As expected, the sense of loneliness emanating from him wasn¡¯t a coincidence. ¡°My only family has passed away. I don¡¯t have any family now.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Olivia could feel the weight of his loneliness when he said that. ¡°Jack, if you don¡¯t mind, my children and I can be your family. I think If I had a brother, he¡¯d be like you. ¡°Although we¡¯re not blood-rted, you¡¯ve been taking good care of me. You¡¯re just like a brother to me. The kids love you too. You won¡¯t be alone anymore.¡± ¡°Brother¡­¡± Jack lowered his head and murmured. The word seemed so unfamiliar but also familiar at the same time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have a brother?¡± Olivia asked. Jack leaned back and supported himself with his hands. ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What about the rest of your family?¡± Jack sneered. ¡°They¡¯re better off dead. ¡°From now on, Zack and Alicia will be your family.¡± Olivia sighed and added, ¡°My foster parents are both dead. I don¡¯t even know who my actual parents are. I¡¯m the same as you. We¡¯re both without family.¡± Jack muttered, ¡°Family¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡­ Olivia started to gag. Jack looked at her worriedly as he handed her a bottle of water. ¡°What will you be doing about the baby? Are you keeping it? We¡¯ll be setting off tomorrow. We¡¯re expected to arrive in the next city in three days. It¡¯s about time to make a decision.¡± Chapter 959 Chapter 959 Olivia looked at the starry night sky and thought about the dream she just had. The baby¡¯s cries from the dream were still ringing in her ears. Was it because the baby had sensed what she wanted to do? N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Olivia, you can¡¯t keep this baby.¡± Colin heard them talking and came out to sit down beside Olivia. ¡°You underwent chemotherapy before, and the side effects will persist for some time. There are no guarantees that the baby won¡¯t be affected by these side effects. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll be taking my drugs for theing months. Even if the baby survives, the chances of it ending up deformed are very high. Olivia did some calctions. She stayed in the city for seven months after the final chemotherapy session before leaving. Then, she spent two months at sea. She rested on the ind for over a month after the pirates attacked. The baby was conceived around two more weeks after that. It had been almost a year since she underwent chemotherapy. Maybe the baby was safe. But Colin was right. Even if the chemotherapy didn¡¯t affect the baby, the drugs she would be taking would increase the risk of deformation. ¡°There¡¯s another way. I can hold off on the drugs and give birth to the baby first¡­¡± Colin looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Are you out of your mind, Olivia? You want to risk your life for this baby? Have you ever thought about the possibility of a rpse? Both you and the baby will die.¡± ¡°But Colin¡­ I¡¯ve survived many near-death situations. That¡¯s why I cherish life. This baby already has a heartbeat and fetal pole. It doesn¡¯t matter how it was conceived. I can¡¯t just take its life away.¡± Colin sighed in resignation. ¡°Olivia, what do you want me to say? You don¡¯t even love the baby¡¯s father. Even if you give birth to the baby, can you be sure you¡¯ll be able to give it love?¡± ¡°I will. It¡¯s my baby. I¡¯ll treat it equally.¡± ¡°Jack, I can¡¯t talk her out of it. You should try to talk some sense into her. She really can¡¯t afford to keep this baby.¡± , Jack looked at Olivra. Before he could speak, Olivia said. ¡°Let¡¯s make a decision after the maic resonance imaging results are out ¡°If my cancer is in better condition and isn¡¯t at risk of rpse, I¡¯ll take the drugs after I give birth to the baby.¡± Alright, but you have to promise if the results aren¡¯t good, you have to abort the baby. Don¡¯t drag things out if you drag the pregnancy out, the cancer won¡¯t be the only thing sucking life out of you. ¡°The baby will be sapping nutrients from you too. Your body won¡¯t be able to handle all of that.¡± ¡°Okay. I promise. Let¡¯s make a decision in three days.¡± Olivia went back to her room and saw Everly sprawled on her bed. She was scratching her waist with her fingers while murmuring, ¡°Get on your knees, Henry. Bow down to me.¡± Olivia shook her head in resignation. She covered Everly with a nket and went back to her own bed. It had been days since Olivia had a good night¡¯s sleep. She would panic about her pregnancy every time. she closed her eyes. This was the first pregnancy in which she didn¡¯t feel a shred of happiness over. Her mind was filled with Logan¡¯s extremely in face. Even though Logan was a reliable friend, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but feel upset when she thought about having to give birth to his baby. But the baby was innocent. Since it was already in her womb, she couldn¡¯t really change anything. She could only leave it to fate. It was like the baby knew Olivia wasn¡¯t looking forward to its arrival. Olivia¡¯s morning sickness miraculously stopped. Back when she was carrying the twins, she had morning sickness for months. They went quite some distance and arrived at a prosperous city. Colin had some acquaintances here and was able to arrange for Olivia to get her medical examinations. When she was lying in bed for the maic resonance imaging, Olivia felt uneasy. What would the results be? Chapter 960 Chapter 960 Olivia hadn¡¯t gotten a medical examination since she underwent chemotherapy a year ago. Her condition had been stable for the past year. The side effects were slowly dissipating. Her stomach hadn¡¯t acted up since. She felt like the tumor must have shrunk. Even so, she still felt uneasy before the results were out. If her body was in bad condition, she would have an excuse to have an abortion. As a mother, her first instinct was to keep her child safe. It didn¡¯t matter if she liked the baby or not. It was alive, and she didn¡¯t want to abandon it. Colin came out with the results as she was battling with conflicting thoughts. ¡°How is it, Colin?¡± Colin had a grave expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not good, Olivia. You have to get an abortion as soon as possible. Olivia took a step back when she saw the size of the tumor on the report. She couldn¡¯t see or touch the tumor, but it had been torturing her with the side effects of the chemotherapy. Recently, she hadn¡¯t felt any difort that could be caused by the tumor. ¡°Colin, could this report be a mistake?¡± ¡°Olivia, why would I lie to you? I went to the depths of Vochmead Mountain to find the ingredients for the drug to cure you. Everything I¡¯ve done has been for your sake.¡± Olivia quickly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t get mad, Colin. I¡¯m sorry. I was being a little indecisive. I know you¡¯re looking out for me.¡± ¡°Olivia, I know you¡¯re kind-hearted. But you should be a little more selfish. You¡¯re always thinking of other people. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve ended up where you are now. I¡¯ve contacted the head of the gynecology department. You can now go for the preoperative examination. Olivia was still in a daze when Colin pushed her into the gynecological examination room. Perhaps it was because Colin had already taken care of everything in advance. The doctors were very courteous toward Olivia. They told her to take her pants off in Wesnorian. Suddenly, Olivia felt a stomach ache. She apologized to the doctor and headed to the toilet. ¡°it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Olivia went to look for a toilet. But for some reason, she ended up near the smoking area. Before she could get closer, she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Why did you lie to Olivia? What will happen if she finds out?¡± ¡°Jack, Olivia doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s at stake. But don¡¯t you know better? I¡¯m doing it for her sake. She was determined to risk her life for the baby. If anything were to happen, both of them would die.¡± Jack exhaled a puff of smoke and said, ¡°But the tumor is already very small. It could be operated on. ¡°Even though the baby might take nutrients from her, there are also cases where cancer cells just disappear by themselves. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I¡¯ve seen cases where benign tumors in the womb disappear during pregnancies. There¡¯s still a chance for her to save the baby¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Jack, we operate differently. I don¡¯t leave things to chance. I¡¯ll eliminate the risk entirely. Olivia has already agreed to the abortion anyway. This is the best oue, and this is what is going to happen. This way, I¡¯ll be able to cure her without any reservations. ¡± ¡°Have you thought about the repercussions when she finds out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant. I just want her to live. I don¡¯t care about anything else.¡± Olivia was stunned to hear that. She caressed her stomach with her fingers. That was so close. She almost went through with the abortion. Was the stomach ache caused by the baby? ¡°Olivia, why are you here?¡± Chapter 961 Chapter 961 Colin immediately snuffed out the cigarette he was holding. He had a panicked expression on his face. After all, he had always maintained a goody-two-shoes image before Olivia. Even though she already knew that he was a member of Toxic Hive and there were no good people in that organization, he was good at concealing his true personality. ¡°Olivia, did you hear anything?¡± Olivia clutched her stomach and said, ¡°I have a stomach ache. Where¡¯s the toilet? What were you two talking about?¡± She looked calm, so she probably didn¡¯t hear anything they said. Colin sighed in relief. ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Do you need to get another examination?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We did an ultrasound just now. It should be fine. I¡¯ll head to the toilet first.¡± ¡°Alright, Olivia. I¡¯ll help you to the toilet.¡± Colin kept up the act of a polite young man despite already looking like an adult with no signs of adolescence. He always acted like a harmless littlemb before Olivia. Olivia went to the toilet and closed the door. As soon as she was out of sight, she clutched her chest. For a few years, she had known that Colin was a cold-hearted person. He was definitely not the innocent young man he appeared to be. On the other hand, Jack looked very emotionless, but he was able to look at the problem from her perspective. Olivia¡¯s palms were covered in sweat on the way to the toilet. It was as she thought. The treatment from a year ago was very effective. That was why she never rpsed. The tumor had shrunk to a size that it could be operated on. It meant that she had recovered a lot. Colin forged a false report to deceive her with the help of the doctors. She knew he did it for her sake. But it was like Jack said. She had a chance to save this baby¡¯s life. it was just like when she was pregnant with the twins. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on giving birth to the babies, they would¡¯ve been dead. Olivia¡¯s muddled mind cleared up. She had made her decision. No matter how she felt about the father of the baby, the baby was still innocent. Since the baby was in her womb, she wouldn¡¯t give up on it. Olivia exited the toilet. Colin quickly went up to her. ¡°Olivia, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Much better. But Colin, I¡¯ve given it a lot of thought. I¡¯ve decided to keep the baby.¡± Colin didn¡¯t understand. ¡°But Olivia, you¡¯re in bad shape. You¡­¡± ¡°Colin, I know what condition I¡¯m in. Stop lying to me.¡± Colin sighed. ¡°So you did hear everything. I knew you¡¯d want to keep the baby. Olivia, I didn¡¯t really want to lie to you. I was just looking out for you. Cancer is different from other illnesses. If it gets serious, no drug would be able to suppress it.¡± ¡°But miracles happen, don¡¯t they? Some people didn¡¯t even need to take drugs or undergo chemotherapy. They got better after traveling around the world.¡± ¡°Those miracles are one in a million. The chances are too slim. I don¡¯t want to gamble with your future.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°It¡¯s my choice. I won¡¯t me anyone for whatever happens. Colin, I know you¡¯re looking out for me. Why don¡¯t you give me a hand?¡± Colin looked at Olivia with a surprised expression. ¡°Olivia, what do you want me to do? I¡¯ll do anything in. my power to help you.¡± ¡°Colin, I want to learn more about medicine.¡± ¡°No problem, I ¡­¡± ¡°I want to join Toxic Hive.¡± Chapter 962 Chapter 962 Three months had gone by. Ethan had tried countless ways to find Olivia but to no avail. He even tried to locate her by tracking Joel. He had thought Olivia would contact the Golden Medical Institute to further her studies because of Rufus. That way, he would be able to know where she was and how she was doing, even if he couldn¡¯t see her on a daily basis. He didn¡¯t want things to be the way they were. He didn¡¯t have any news on her whereabouts. Ethan was smoking non-stop in his room. Henry was downing ss after ss of alcohol. The atmosphere was incredibly stress-inducing. It took Henry three whole months to understand his feelings toward Everly. She wasn¡¯t a ything to her. But even if he understood that, Everly was still nowhere to be found. Even if he wanted to threaten her with her family, he couldn¡¯t even get in contact with her. He had no way of getting to her, and that made him feel helpless. Ethan was missing Olivia. Although she was safer away from him, he had lost herpletely. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had made the right choice. Henry sneered when he saw Ethan¡¯s brooding expression. ¡°Now that things havee to this, are you happy now?¡± ¡°Honestly, I thought I¡¯d feel better about this.¡± Ethan snuffed his cigarette, picked up a bottle of wine, and started chugging it down. ¡°I miss her. I miss the kids.¡± Henry sneered, ¡°I told you. You¡¯re a self-righteous bastard.¡± Henry didn¡¯t care if Ethan wanted to set Olivia free. But why did they have to take Everly with them? He thought about Everly every time he closed his eyes. He could feel her presence in every corner of the office. There were also traces of their intimate moments all over the house. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After Everly¡¯s departure, other women tried to get close to him. But his anger would re up whenever he saw them. He finally realized that Everly had be irreceable for him. The world was a big ce. If Olivia andpany changed their identities and hid in deste ces, These two very powerful men were at a loss for what to do. Olivia¡¯s foster parents had already passed. She didn¡¯t have anyone else she cared about. As for Ethan, he was the final tie she severed. From then on, she waspletely free to go anywhere and do anything. Ethan couldn¡¯t do anything as years passed. One year, two years, three He still couldn¡¯t forget about Olivia. She was like a wound on his heart that never healed. He would feel a pang in his heart whenever he thought about her. His position was even more stable after three years. It was finally time for him to kick off the final stages of his ten-year n In the three years that Olivia wasn¡¯t with him, Ethan was able to do a lot of things without reservations. His methods became cold-blooded. He would do anything to aplish his goals. Ethan was wearing a mask with a ghost design as he led his men to take down the base of operations in Shadow Valley. The ce was thrown into chaos. ¡°Mr. Miller, we only managed to capture the second-inmand. Golden Shark managed to escape via a hidden route. This Pufferfish was the one behind the incident in the financial district back then.¡± Ethan looked at the man whoy next to his feet. The man had a long scar on his face. Ethan was the one who left it there. ¡°It¡¯s you¡± ¡°Sova, you bastard. We trusted you ten years ago, yet you betrayed us. And now, you¡¯re doing it again. Ethan sneered under his mask. ¡°You¡¯re all murderers and drug smugglers. You¡¯ve harmed countless families. People like you deserve a fate worse than death. It¡¯s time to settle the score from three years. ago. Don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll give you an honorable death.¡± Ethan took his foot off the man and said to Brent, ¡°Cut off his head and post the picture to the dark web.¡± Chapter 963 Chapter 963 Ethan¡¯s Identity was exposed on the dark web three years ago, and a lot of his enemies sought him out after that. Some of them knew they couldn¡¯t kill Ethan, so they plotted against Miller Group. All of a sudden, many of thepany¡¯s subsidiaries were met with major issues. The public didn¡¯t know what was wrong. They thought it was just some sort of corporate espionage The Miller family was one of the richest families in the country. Who could possibly have the courage to cross them? Ethan¡¯s businesses all across the country were in trouble, but he was unfazed. He checked his leads one by one. Other than some shadowy organizations, there were also some wealthy families who were trying to get a piece of the pie. They nned to split the Miller family¡¯s riches once they had toppled the Millers. Ethan personally led his forces to destroy every single shadowy organization he dug up. Everyone in the organizations would be handed over to the authorities. The leaders were beheaded, and their pictures were subsequently uploaded to the dark web. He would even number every one of those pictures. Instead of bing the prey, Ethan was the hunter. He was hunting everyone who had a hand in the attack on Miller Group. In the past, Ethan still had a conscience. He didn¡¯t try to build a monopoly in business. The main reason was that the Miller family had amassed considerable wealth over several hundred years. The money they had wouldst for dozens of generations toe. Ethan was born into immense wealth, so he never really cared about money. Besides, he had been serving his country and taking down any potential threats that could harm the country. He protected his country in secret. Even though it was dangerous, it was more meaningful than earning money as a businessman. Even when he was doing business, he made sure to leave profits for everyone else.. The otherpanies weren¡¯t really grateful for his benevolence, however. Instead, they tried to make Ethan¡¯s attitude changed a lot after Olivia¡¯s departure. He didn¡¯t pull his punches when dealing with the people who made moves against Miller Group. With the help of the Lyons, Moores, and Synders, Ethan was able to defeat everyone who opposed him. He seized the resources from his opposition and redistributed them. Suddenly, every one of the majorpanies in Aldenvine and the surrounding cities started to be wary and afraid. In three years, over 20 families went bankrupt because of Ethan. These families hadpanies in the real estate industry, smart technology industry, microchip industry, financial sector, and more. Ethan began to expand his business. He was like an ambitious tyrant who conquered all his adversaries no matter where he went. In his words, some people would only be submissive after being roughed up. He could ensure that nothing would go wrong if everything was under his control. After he made his moves. Aldenvine was finallypletely under the control of the Miller family. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The Kingston family probably had it worse. They were a family of politicians and military men. Although they had some businesses, they had always kept their heads down. They held a special position in Aldenvine. Most people wouldn¡¯t dare to cross them. In the past, Ethan steered clear of them as well. After being shot on the streets and having his identity exposed, Ethan dropped the act. He stopped ying nice and targeted the Kingston family. The Kingstons had no way to win against him, so the Miller family stood at the top. Right now, another one of the shadowy organizations was taken down. The head of Shadow Valley¡¯s second-inmand, Pufferfish, was posted onto the dark web. His lifeless eyes stared into the camera. The picture struck fear into Ethan¡¯s enemies. Those who hadn¡¯t crossed Ethan felt relieved, while those who had crossed him trembled in fear. Even Shadow Valley had fallen in Ethan¡¯s hands. None of them were safe! He was a terrifying foe! Chapter 964 Chapter 964 Ethan¡¯sbat uniform was stained with blood. It was mostly the blood of his enemies. There were only some minor injuries on his arm. It was like he felt no pain. He had lost track of Olivia for three whole years. He had be a monster that was out for blood. ¡°Golden Shark ran? Doesn¡¯t matter. All of his bases have been destroyed. He¡¯s just a rat scurrying around. Where else can he possibly go?¡± Ethan said with a bloodthirsty smile. ¡°Mr. Miller, your arm is wounded.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ethan looked at the tiny cut on his arm. A woman had cut him with a dagger. The woman resembled Olivia a little. That was why he got distracted when he was about to shoot her. He couldn¡¯t help but look at her eyes for a little while longer. He felt a sharp pain in his arm when he was distracted. It was like he was bitten by a venomous snake. He killed the woman and left emotionlessly. Getting hurt was very normal for people like him, so he didn¡¯t really care about the injury. But the area around the wound was changing color. Ethan cked out before he could say anything else. ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± His men took off his mask and saw his pale lips. ¡°He¡¯s been poisoned!¡± ¡°That cursed Golden Shark! He left this trap for Mr. Miller. He left a woman who looked like Mrs. Miller here just for this! The dagger must¡¯ve been coated in lethal poison.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three years, but Mr. Miller still can¡¯t forget about Mrs. Miller. His emotions will get the better of him someday.¡± Meanwhile, two people were sitting face-to-face in a vi. One of them was a handsome and well-built man. He looked very elegant as he held a wine ss. He was Yale Kingston, the man who had beenpeting with Ethan over the years. Ethan had been like a raging beast for the past three years. The Kingston family was on the verge of ruin. The other man was Golden Shark, who had gotten away. He had a vicious look on his face. There was also a scar on his eyebrow. ¡°They did it. Yale threw away the ss he was holding. That bastard, Sova, killed so many of my people. He destroyed everything I¡¯ve built. He¡¯s getting off too easy!¡± Golden Shark still had a lot of pent-up frustration. On the other hand, Yale was emotionless. ¡°Calm down, Mr. Golden Shark. You can always get more merchandise and manpower. As long as you¡¯re still alive, you can build everything up again. Ethan¡¯s death would mean you¡¯d be able to live in peace without constant threat.¡± ¡°You came up with such a brilliant idea. Never would I have thought the legendary Sova would fall at the hands of a woman.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the woman has disappeared for so long. I would¡¯ve killed her otherwise. Finding a woman who looked like her took a lot of effort.¡± Golden Shark asked, ¡°Does that poison really work? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll definitely die in 72 hours. The poison will spread throughout his body from his veins. It¡¯ll kill him when it reaches his heart. I want him to writhe and experience pain that¡¯s worse than death.¡± Golden Shark picked his ss up again. ¡°As long as we¡¯re rid of him, the world will be ours for the taking.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s to a fruitful partnership, Mr. Golden Shark. ¡°Cheers.¡± Golden Shark¡¯s anger slowly dissipated. He left in his Jeep after he drank his fill. There was another woman with him. She looked a little like Olivia too. Yale made a lot of preparations to find women who looked like Olivia. When Golden Shark learned about Ethan¡¯s undying love for Olivia, he asked Yale for some of those women. In his drunken stupor, Golden Shark vented his sexual desire on the woman in the car. ¡®I¡¯ll fuck you hard, you damn bitch¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. The car screeched to a halt when it drove past some banana trees Chapter 965 Chapter 965 Golden Shark yelled angrily, ¡°Why did you stop the car?¡± ¡°Boss, there seems to be a corpse in front of us.¡± ¡°Why are you overreacting? Just drive over it.¡± Golden Shark didn¡¯t stop what he was doing. The woman who was being assaulted by him was begging for mercy. The driver took a closer look and said with a shaky voice, ¡°Boss, it ¡­ it looks like Mr. Pufferfish¡¯s body.¡± They had already gotten news of Pufferfish being beheaded by Ethan. They even saw the picture on the dark web. The headless corpse in front of their car was indeed Pufferfish. ¡°Nonsense. His body is hundreds of miles away from us. How could it show up here?¡± The driver stepped out of the car to examine the body. The body had been dead for quite some time. There was a dragon tattoo on the arm. Tears began streaming down the driver¡¯s face. ¡°Boss, this is Mr. Pufferfish. I was there when he got this tattoo.¡± Golden Shark felt a chill when he looked at the corpse. He quickly stopped fooling around with the woman and pulled up his pants. ¡°Why is his body here? Someone must be ying tricks on us. Let¡¯s get out of here now!¡± As soon as he said that, the five cars that were following behind exploded simultaneously. He saw someone walking toward them from the mes. It was a slender figure in ck, form-fitting attire. The figure was very curvaceous. It was a woman! ¡°Who¡­ Who are you?¡± Golden Shark drew his pistol fearfully. He was covered in sweat due to the fear. The bright mes were shining into his eyes, so he couldn¡¯t see the expression on the woman¡¯s face. He heard a loud crack when he raised his pistol. The woman had broken his arm, and his pistol fell to the ground. The driver took the chance to fire at the woman. He saw a silver sh and then felt a sharp pain in his chest. When he looked, he saw a dagger stuck in his chest The driver went down while coughing up blood. Golden Shark was no stranger to dangerous situations, but what was happening was too bizane. With the arm broken, he wanted to run away. Another gunshot sounded, and the bullet hit his knee. No matter which part of his body moved, it would be met with a gunshot. In the span of around ten seconds, he was shot five to six times. Golden Shark slumped to the ground. ¡°Who are you? Did Ethan send you?¡± The woman slowly approached him. The dead leaves crunching underneath her feet sent shivers down Golden Shark¡¯s back As she got closer, Golden Shark noticed that she was wearing a mask. There was a picture of a fox on the mask, and the fox had gleaming red lips. It was chilling to look at. The woman looked down at him and said in a sweet voice, ¡°Mr. Golden Shark, I¡¯m Septern Septem. Golden Shark looked at the woman in shock. She was the devilish woman who emerged from the Isle of Hell six months ago. The trials of selection had always been extremely cruel. Only a handful of people would survive the trials each time. Things were different this time. Everyone died except for her. ording to rumors, the people she killed died gruesome deaths. Her methods were very effective. She was known as the She-Devil. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After the trials ended, many organizations bid for her. In the end, the ck Ravens got her with an extremely high bid. She didn¡¯t disappoint either. She achieved impressive results and became an S-rank assassin after six months. ¡°W-Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why else? There¡¯s a bounty on your head.¡± ¡°W-Who? I¡¯ll pay you double. No, I¡¯ll pay you ten times the amount. Please let me go. I have the money f have a lot of money. I¡¯ll give you everything I have. I¡­¡± The woman suddenly took off her mask. Golden Shark¡¯s eyes widened like he saw a ghost l-It¡¯s you!¡± Blood sttered, and Septem beheaded Golden Shark with a smile. And that was the 100th kill. Chapter 966 Chapter 966 The summer weather was hot. The sun was like a fireball that was roasting the Earth. The wooden door was opened. Chris walked in dejectedly, and Brent quickly asked, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Not good. I took some blood samples for testing. Mr. Miller is poisoned with a rare toxin, likely extracted from several highly poisonous substances.¡± ¡°Were you able to determine what toxins they are?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve asked the testing department to work as quickly as they can to identify them. We might not be able to deal with them even if we identify them. ¡°I could only inject him with some medication to slow the toxins from spreading to his heart. Isn¡¯t Mr. Miller usually very cautious? Why did he get so careless this time?¡± Kelvin sighed. ¡°It was those bastards¡¯ plot. They intentionally found a woman who looked like Mrs. Miller. As you know, Mr. Miller might not have said anything, but he has been missing Mrs. Miller like crazy! ¡°He¡¯d personally fly over every time people reported sightings of Mrs. Miller. But it was just false hope every time.¡± ¡°This is a tricky situation. If we don¡¯t find a way, we can only watch as Mr. Miller¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve informed the military doctor. Dr. Tucker will being personally. He should be here soon.¡± Ethan¡¯s body had been corroded by the poison. The pain spread from his veins to every corner of his body. It left him in excruciating pain. A dark red pattern appeared on his skin and was spreading from his limbs. Joel rushed over with his men. His expression paled when he saw the red pattern. ¡°How did he get poisoned with this toxin?¡± ¡°You know what this is?¡± ¡°This is the Ninefold Venom.¡± Joel looked on guard. ¡°This is created with toxins extracted from nine extremely deadly poisonous things. People afflicted with this poison only have 72 hours to live. ¡°A dark red pattern would appear like this. His life will end when the pattern reaches his heart. It¡¯s After all, Ethan was a very capable fighter, and few people were able to eveny a hand on him. Why would he give his enemies a chance to hurt him? ¡°Golden Shark found a woman who looked like Mrs. Miller to distract him. That¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°That bitch again! I knew she was bad luck!¡± Krystal said angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t badmouth Liv.¡± Ethan struggled to get up. He was being ravaged by the poison, but he still couldn¡¯t allow others to speak ill of Olivia. Tears flowed down Krystal¡¯s face. ¡°Sova, even in that state, you¡¯re defending her?¡± Brent looked at Joel and asked, ¡°Mr. Tucker, how can we help Mr. Miller?¡± ¡°Have you identified the toxins?¡± ¡°Yes, we have.¡± Chris handed him the report that he had just received. ¡°Are you able to save him since we¡¯ve identified the toxins?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. We need to go to Alora Vige,¡± Joel said urgently. ¡°Where is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ancient vige with many people who are skilled in the art of poison. We have to find the people. there to save him. They might have a way to cure him.¡± Krystal didn¡¯t expect the situation to be so dire. ¡°Mr. Tucker, what about me?¡± ¡°You have toe along. We¡¯ll need your blood. Let¡¯s not waste any more time. We need to go now, or we might be toote.¡± Chapter 967 Chapter 967 Alora Vige was an ancient vige on the outskirts of a primeval forest. It wasn¡¯t governed by any counties. Since poisonous nts and insects surrounded it, people rarely ventured to the vige. In the past, Joel was brought into the vige by his mentor. He could still remember how to enter the vige. There was ayer of miasma surrounding the vige. There were cliffs and precipices to the northern side. If regr people tried entering the vige, they would either be killed by poisonous insects or the miasma. Joel had prepared the group in advance, so everyone wore protective suits and gas masks. They entered the vige boldly while carrying Ethan. Ethan¡¯s condition was worsening by the minute. He was slowly bing delirious. It was the first time Kelvin had been to a ce like this. He felt uneasy even though he was fully protected. He could still see the venomous snakes and scorpions circling them. ¡°Brother, do you hear hissing sounds? Brent was next to Ethan. He said calmly, There are a lot of venomous snakes in this area. It¡¯s only natural to hear hissing sounds. ¡°But I feel like this is different from the others.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just imagining it.¡± Kelvin trudged on jumpily. He would rather go digging up bodies at a mass grave than be here with all the venomous creatures. Suddenly, a spider, which wasrger than his fist, fell from a tree overhead. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Brent could feel his head throbbing. ¡°We¡¯re close to a tropical forest. It¡¯s only natural for the creatures here to berger. Have you never watched any videos about animals? There was even a sighting of a giant anaconda over 100 feet long in the Mucharian region.¡± Brent didn¡¯t know how to feel. His brother was still so jumpy despite his age. Suddenly, Kelvin was frozen in ce. He asked shakily, ¡°Brent, are you talking about that¡­¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°What did you see this time?¡± Brent wanted to yell at Kelvin again, but he raised his head to see a hulking Kelvin¡¯s legs started trembling. ¡°Is this the legendary hydra?¡± ¡°I told you not to read useless books. Hydras aren¡¯t real. That has to be a python. It isn¡¯t venomous.¡± As soon as he said that, the snake got close. A giant red snake revealed itself to them. ¡°Brent, does that look like a python to you? It¡¯s clearly a venomous snake!¡± Brent was rendered speechless. As expected, a strange ce like this defied logic. Brent remained calm. After all, they were armed with modern weapons. ¡°Be on guard, guys. Be ready to fire.¡± Such arge snake was not only venomous, but it could also swallow a person whole. It was way more terrifying than the regr snakes and scorpions. Joel raised his hand. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t attack without reason. You might agitate it.¡± The snake bunched itself up and observed the group. It didn¡¯t seem hostile. Then, it started to drum its tail on the ground and flick its tongue. It was clearly collecting information on them. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s preparing to attack. Brace yourselves and protect Mr. Miller.¡± Kelvin gulped as the snake was about to attack. As soon as the snake moved, a mysterious tune could be hearding from the forest. It didn¡¯t sound like any sort of musical instrument. The snake calmed down visibly after hearing it. In such a tense situation, they saw someone emerging from the mist. It was a child-a short, young girl. She was wearing clothes made with colorful fabric. There was a weird essory around her neck too. She was holding a leaf. The tune wasing from the leaf. The red snake began to approach the girl. Kelvin instinctively called out, ¡°Be careful!¡± Then, he saw the snake propping the girl up. Chapter 968 Chapter 968 Mist, forest, giant snake, and young girl. A beam of light shone through the gigantic tree and fell on the girl. She had skin pale as snow, and her face was exquisite. Her eyes were actually green, and her features were well-defined. She was dressed in simple and colorful clothes. The weird thing was she wasn¡¯t wearing shoes and waspletely barefoot. Around her ankles, she wore two anklets made of multicolored threads adorned with small bells. She was a pretty little girl who exuded an ancient and mysterious aura. She sat on the giant red snake. The girl didn¡¯t have the innocence of children her age. She looked down at the group of people. condescendingly like a goddess. The beam of light shining on her made her look even more otherworldly, like a saint of legends. She looked at the group cautiously as if asking why they were there. Joel quickly exined, ¡°Youngdy, we have a patient who¡¯s inflicted with lethal poison. We need to enter the vige for a cure. Please let us through. Wee in peace, and we won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡± The girl didn¡¯t reply. She patted the snake on the head. It understood what she wanted immediately. The snake brought her toward the stretcher Ethan was on. Both Kelvin and Brent felt chills down their spines when they saw that. But their dutypelled them to stand their ground. As the snake approached, its massive size and bright red scales looked even more terrifying. The girl got down from the snake and went up to Ethan. He was also covered in protective clothing. She saw his tightly shut eyes through the visor. Kelvin lifted a part of Ethan¡¯s clothes, revealing the red pattern on his skin. ¡°My employer is infected with Ninefold Venom. He only has one more day to live. If we can¡¯t save him soon, he¡¯ll be a goner. Youngdy, please let us into the vige. We really harbor no ill intent.¡± The girl remained silent. She caressed the snake¡¯s head and left while blowing on the leaf. The snakes and other venomous creatures quickly dispersed. Joel said delightedly, ¡°Let¡¯s get a move on. She has allowed us to enter the vige.¡± The group was overjoyed. Fortune was finally on their side. Ethan would definitely be saved. The girl sat on the snake, which slithered along very quickly. But the sound from her leaf was leading the way. It came from one direction and led them out of the forest. When they arrived at the vige, the group felt like they had stumbled upon paradise. The vige was situated near the equator. The average temperature was around 77¡ãF all year long. Vegetables and fruits can be grown in all seasons. Even the flowers could bloom without withering. There was a stream running in the vige. The houses were all built with wood or bamboo. Flowers were blooming everywhere. Kelvin had been to many countries and inds, but none were like this. The temperature was perfect, and the air was fresh. There were wild animals running around. The girl waited for them on a slope. The giant red snake had disappeared. The vige was very clean. There were no snakes or other venomous creatures to be seen. It was like the animals and humans had a pact. The humans wouldn¡¯t hurt the animals, and the animals guarded the humans. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ve really met a benefactor today.¡± Chapter 969 Chapter 969 The girl was young but she was obviously well-respected. The vigers who walked past her would greet her. Brent noticed that they didn¡¯t treat her like a child. They were very respectful when they talked to her. They would stand up straight and pay respects to her. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The girl would nod lightly, but she always remained silent. The group followed her to a bamboo forest. She signaled for them to stop moving. Then, she entered the bamboo forest alone. There was a stream next to the bamboo forest and a stone bridge that looked very exquisite. They saw a gigantic tree a short distance away. It looked like it had been there for over a century. There were some red ribbons hanging on the tree with tiny bells attached to them. They would chime when the winds blew. There weren¡¯t any fancy decorations, but it was very cozy. Krystal whispered, ¡°Is the youngdy mute?¡± Joel red at her. ¡°Shut up before you find yourself in trouble.¡± Brent pointed at a glimpse of red that was a short distance from them. Krystal felt her skin crawl when she saw the dark green eyes. That was the giant red snake they saw in the forest. It had been following them all along. After a while, an olddy came out of a wooden hut. Joel quickly went up to her. ¡°You¡¯re Aunt Wendy. I¡¯m Joel. You saved my life before. Do you remember me?¡± Wendy was quite old but quick on her feet, and her eyes were bright. She didn¡¯t exhibit the typical signs of aging, like blurry vision and hearing loss. She wore an outfit simr to the girl¡¯s. Her white hair was held in ce with a hairpin. She looked energetic and carefree. ¡°Oh, hi, Joel. 40 years just passed in the blink of an eye, didn¡¯t it? You¡¯re still the same. I told you, you wouldn¡¯t grow any taller.¡± Joel blushed at the memory. At that time, he was severely poisoned, and his teacher brought him here when he was only in his teens. Back then, Wendy was in her 40s. She was still in her prime and looked younger than other people her age. She had a fiery temper. After curing him, she told him that he would never grow taller again. Joel drank a lot of milk and yed a lot of basketball after he returned home. But his height remained at around 5.5 feet. He was shorter than the younger people in the group, like Brent. ¡°Aunt Wendy, you haven¡¯t changed a bit. It¡¯s nice to see you. Can you please save this kid? He¡¯s been poisoned with Ninefold Venom.¡± Wendy sighed. ¡°This is a tough one. Ninefold Venom is abination of nine toxins. If I get even one of them wrong, the antidote might be poison too. It would only speed up his demise.¡± Chris quickly took out the examination report and said, ¡°Madam Wendy, please help us out. We¡¯ve already Identified the toxins. Please take a look. We¡¯ll get you whatever you need for the antidote.¡± ¡°Alright, bring him in. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± They quickly brought Ethan into a hut. ¡°Take off his shirt for me.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Krystal was about to do it, but Brent and Kelvin didn¡¯t give her the chance to do so. They quickly removed the protective clothing that Ethan was wearing. Joel rolled up Ethan¡¯s sleeves and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. The red pattern had already spread to his shoulders and his abdomen. He only had one day left. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much time left,¡± Wendy said softly. ¡°Yeah, It took us one day to get here. Aunt Wendy, he¡¯s very important to me. I¡¯ll do whatever you want if you can save his life.¡± Wendy took off Ethan¡¯s gas mask. His face was covered with the red pattern too. She was momentarily stunned when she saw his face. ¡°He¡­¡± Chapter 970 Chapter 970 Krystal noticed the change in Wendy¡¯s expression and hurriedly asked, ¡°Madam Wendy, do you know him? Wendy¡¯s gaze shifted between Krystal¡¯s and Ethan¡¯s faces. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e. Please, save him! He means the world to me. I can¡¯t imagine life without him. If you need blood, take mine! We have the same blood type,¡± Krystal responded before Brent or the others could speak up. Brent and the others frowned. They thought it was inappropriate for her to answer so arbitrarily. But Ethan¡¯s life was on the line at the moment, so now wasn¡¯t the time to address such issues. ¡°Do you love him a lot?¡± Wendy asked. Joel couldn¡¯t help but feel like something was off with Wendy¡¯s expression. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve loved him for many years. I¡¯ll save him even if it costs me my life!¡± ¡°What a pair of star-crossed lovers.¡± Wendy almost pped her hands. ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that I can¡¯t save him. You¡¯ll have to seek help elsewhere.¡± Then, she waved her hand and asked them to leave. Willow stood at the side and gazed at Ethan¡¯s face for a moment before reaching out and tugging on Wendy¡¯s clothes. It seemed as if she was pleading for her help. Wendy gently held the girl¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Willow, we can¡¯t save this person. Let¡¯s send them away.¡± Ethan seemed to have sensed something and struggled to open his eyes to look in their direction. However, his vision had been impaired by the virus. He could only see a hazy image of an elderlydy holding Willow, who was looking back at him. But he couldn¡¯t see the child¡¯s face. Joel chased after them because he felt that Wendy¡¯s attitude had changed too drastically. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, Aunt Wendy. Please save him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, Joel. But you¡¯re also a medical student. You should know how deadly Ninefold Venom is. Besides, what else can I do when he¡¯s already in such bad shape?¡± ¡°Aunt Wendy, there must be a way. There¡¯s still a day left. Please, at least give it a shot.¡± ¡°Give it a shot? Why would I do that? What am I to do if he dies during my treatment? Enough is enough. Our vige does not wee outsiders. Stop wasting your time and leave at once.¡± Wendy then mmed the door shut on Joel. His nose would have been hit if he hadn¡¯t dodged in time. He wasn¡¯t imagining things; Wendy was genuinely upset! But what had gone wrong? Wendy had initially agreed to help. Joel was perplexed by her abrupt shift in attitude. He returned to the room dejectedly. ¡°Mr. Tucker, what¡¯d she say?¡± Brent hurriedly asked. ¡°Aunt Wendy refuses to help.¡± ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t she say she¡¯d give it a shot? Why did she leave without doing anything?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I¡¯m not sure as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and plead with her.¡± Krystal then rushed outside and knelt at Wendy¡¯s doorstep. ¡°Madam Wendy, I¡¯m begging you, please save my fianc¨¦! I love him. We went through so much to be together. I can¡¯t lose him. If you don¡¯t save him, I¡¯ll kneel here and-¡± The door swung open. Krystal looked at Wendy expectantly. She thought Wendy had been moved by her sincerity. However, Wendy picked up a bucket of water and poured it all over Krystal without hesitation. ¡°Stop yapping. How dare you guilt-trip me? I don¡¯t care if you want to kneel or even hang yourself. Just don¡¯t do it here!¡± Chapter 971 Chapter 971 Krystal was dumbfounded. Why wasn¡¯t she ying by the rules? ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think you¡¯re in a TV show?¡± Wendy mocked. ¡°Get lost. Don¡¯t make a mess of my ce!¡± she yelled as she covered Willow¡¯s eyes with her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t look at her. You¡¯ll soil your eyes.¡± Krystal returned to the room, drenched from head to toe. She cursed aloud, ¡°Who does that weird old hag think she is? She could¡¯ve just said she wasn¡¯t going to help! What did she pour all over me anyway? Why does it stink so much?¡± Kelvin pinched his nose and backed away. ¡°Stay away, Krystal. I think that¡¯s probably urine that has been stored for a long time. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want Mr. Miller to faint from the stench.¡± Krystal was almost in tears. ¡°Urine? How could she pour urine on me?¡± Joel sighed. ¡°If I remember correctly, urine is used to ward off the evil spirits here.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a living and breathing human being. Why would she use urine to drive me away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because you ran your mouth. Aunt Wendy was perfectly fine at first. Her attitude changed when you said you were Mr. Miller¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Has she lost her mind because no one ever wanted her? That¡¯s how it goes in TV shows. The people in the shows are usually moved by the woman¡¯s sincerity and help her husband out. How would I know she¡¯d bepletely different?¡± Not only did Krystal fail to move Wendy, but she was even doused with urine. Such misfortune. ¡°There¡¯s a stream over there. You should go wash up. We¡¯ll think of another way. There¡¯s no turning back now. Mr. Miller only has one more day to live.¡± Brent decided to take the risk of getting urine or feces thrown at him and ask Wendy for help. He had to give it a try even if it wouldn¡¯t work. It was much better than waiting for Ethan to die. I¡¯ll go with you, Brent. I¡¯m thick-skinned; I¡¯m not afraid of whatever she might throw at us.¡± Joel went with them. Chris was the only one left in the room. He sighed when he looked at Ethan, who was clutching his sleeves because he was in immense pain. ¡°Why did you put yourself through this?¡± Ethan could¡¯ve ended the women with a single shot, but he froze because of her face, which looked like Olivia¡¯s. That was why he ended up the way he was. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t even know what happened to you if you died here.¡± Ethan¡¯s organs were affected by the poison. He couldn¡¯t really hear or smell anything. When he tried to talk, he could only make unintelligible groaning sounds. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Just then, the little girl returned. The bells on the little girl¡¯s shoes jingled. She looked like she was just about two or three years old. Her innocent face was delicate and beautiful. For some reason, Chris couldn¡¯t help but feel like he¡¯d seen this little girl somewhere before. The little girl bore a resemnce to Olivia. However, her resemnce to Olivia was miniscule. Her features revealed her mixed heritage. ¡°Is your name Willow? Chris asked gently as he knelt with his hands on his knees. Willow walked past him as if she hadn¡¯t heard him and went straight to Ethan. Ethan could only vaguely see the outline of a young girl. He reached out slowly. He couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s features clearly due to his impaired vision, but he instinctively felt close to her. He then felt a soft touch on his palm. Her hand was so small and soft, just like Connor¡¯s when he was younger. However, he had forgotten what Connor looked like when he was younger after so much time. All he remembered was that he was very small and fragile. Willow gently held his hand. Chapter 972 Chapter 972 Chris said, ¡°Youngdy, can you save her?¡± Willow shook her head. She signaled with her hand. Chris guessed. ¡°Are you saying that you can¡¯t, but someone else can?¡± Willow nodded. ¡°Who is it? Is it Madam Wendy?¡± Willow shook her head. This time, Chris understood Willow¡¯s hand signs. ¡°Are you saying that the person is your mother?¡± Willow nodded. Chris¡¯ eyes lit up. He quickly asked, ¡°Where is your mother now?¡± Willow made another sign. ¡°Are you saying that she¡¯s gone somewhere far away, and you don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll be back? This won¡¯t do. Mr. Miller only has one day left. ¡°Willow, do you have a way to make him live longer so we can wait until your mother returns?¡± Willow looked at Ethan. Thetter¡¯s hearing was also affected by the venom. There was a dy in his hearing. He could only hear what Chris was saying after several seconds. He felt all his senses slowly fading away and was sure he was beyond help. He held Willow¡¯s hand as he waited for death to take him. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯ll just wait for death,¡± he mused. After a while, he suddenly felt some liquid on his lips. He licked his lips instinctively. Chris¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. He asked Willow if she had a way to prolong Ethan¡¯s life. She actually cut her palm and fed her blood to Ethan. It was like something out of a fantasy novel. It was too surreal. For a moment, Chris thought he was drearning. After some time, he came back to his senses. ¡°Will this dy the effects of the poison?¡± Willow nodded. Suddenly, Wendy called out from the door, ¡°Willow!¡± Willow¡¯s face paled. She looked at Wendy in fright, like she had done something wrong. She instinctively tried to hide her palm. ¡°Why would you do that? How would I face your mother if you got hurt?¡± Wendy quickly brought some medication and a bandage to stop the bleeding Chris quickly asked, ¡°Madam Wendy, Willow said her mother could save him. Is that true?¡± Wendy snorted. ¡°So what if it¡¯s true? Her mother left some time ago, and we don¡¯t know when she¡¯sing back. We don¡¯t have a phone to contact her in this vige. ¡°Besides, even if she¡¯s back, there¡¯s no guarantee she would be willing to save his life.¡± ¡°Madam Wendy, even if she doesn¡¯t want to help, can you at least tell us how to find her?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time. No one knows when she¡¯ll return. No one can contact her either.¡± Wendy brought Willow away after she said that. Willow looked at Ethan with yearning in her eyes. Why did that man look so much like her sister? Was he her father? N?velDrama.Org ? content. She naturally felt a closeness to the man. She felt a pang in her heart when she saw him in such a state. Wendy brought Willow back to her room and closed the door. She said in a concerned tone, ¡°Willow, my girl, did you sense something?¡± Willow gestured. ¡°Is he my father?¡± Willow was almost three years old. She was starting to understand some things. Wendy said awkwardly, ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± After all, Alicia looked a lot like Ethan, but Wendy wasn¡¯t sure if he was Willow¡¯s father. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But even if he is, he has another woman now. He probably forgot all about your mother. ¡°He will have children with another woman. Even so, do you want to save him?¡± Chapter 973 Chapter 973 Willow pursed her lips, not saying anything. Reaching out, Wendy caressed her head. ¡°Poor child. You know, your mom worked very hard to be able to leave him. ¡°If he knows that you and your mom are still alive, he will lock your mom up again. Do you want that to happen?¡± Willow shook her head. ¡°Then you have to pretend that you don¡¯t know him. After all, your mom and the others aren¡¯t in the vige. As for whether he can survive this or not, it¡¯s entirely-up to him.¡± Wendy sighed. ¡°Your mom went through a lot of hardship in the past. When she was giving birth to you, she was very close to death. You have to be grateful to her and treasure your hard-earned life.¡± Willow nodded obediently. It was quite odd. Not long after drinking Willow¡¯s blood, Ethan could sense that his eyes and ears were getting better. He could even produce simple sounds. In the past, for every hour that passed, the red pattern would advance. After he drank the blood, the toxin seemed to be frozen in time. It didn¡¯t look like it would get worse. ¡°How are you feeling, Mr. Miller?¡± Surprisingly, Ethan could sit up on his own. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better. How¡¯s the situation right now?¡± ¡°Not good. The girl¡¯s mother can save you, but she has left the vige for days. They don¡¯t have any way of contacting the outside world here. ¡°The toxins in your body can only be stalled momentarily. If her mother doesn¡¯te back, we can only¡­¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Kelvin¡¯s voice sounded a little bitter. He refused to say that word. But Ethan was calm. ¡°People have to die eventually.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re Ethan Miller!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± Ethan coughed lightly. If this truly was the end, he only had one regret. He couldn¡¯t see Olivia and the children onest time. before he died. He slowly got up, his footsteps unsteady as he headed outside. Krystal, who had just washed up, hastily went up to him to support him. ¡°Careful, Sova.¡± ¡°Go away.¡± Ethan shook her off. It was a simple action, but he used up a lot of his energy to perform it. He almost tripped and fell. Kelvin hastily came over to support him. Ethan said calmly, ¡°Bring me to the child. I want to thank her.¡± It was thanks to the child that he could stand and speak. ¡°Understood.¡± The sun was setting then. Willow was feeding pigeons in the yard. She couldn¡¯t talk, but she was born with a connection to animals. She couldmunicate with animals without any problems. Be it birds, insects, and fish, or even snakes, reptiles, and mice, all animals were very close to her. And she treated all lives as equals. She was as special as her name. She was like a willow that reached up into the sky while also reaching. down to the ground. She was able to be friends with everyone. She opened her palm. A white pigeon stood on her palm, cooing while it ate. A flock of pigeons was gathered around her feet, too. It was a very wholesome sight to see. It was only then that Ethan saw the child¡¯s profile. Surprisingly, she had a pair of green eyes that glowed radiantly under the sun like emeralds. ¡°Willow.¡± Ethan spoke up, his voice slightly hoarse. The grains in Willow¡¯s hand fell to the ground, and the pigeons pped their wings and flew away. She was a little panicked when she saw that Ethan had woken up. Holding onto the railing, Ethan walked toward her step by step. He walked very slowly, and he looked like he would fall with every step he took. Willow hastily ran toward him, the bells on her leg ringing as she did so. Ethan¡¯s knees went weak, and he fell to the ground.. ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± Ethan knelt on the ground on one knee. The girl held his hands, supporting him. He managed to stay up in that position. As their gazes met, he saw the worry in the girl¡¯s eyes. He wondered if he was seeing things. He felt like he saw Olivia¡¯s shadow on Willow¡¯s face. Chapter 974 Chapter 974 Willow¡¯s eyes were extremely clear. It reminded Ethan of when he first met Olivia more than a decade. Back then, he was wondering how a person¡¯s eyes could be this clear. The thought only stayed in his mind for a second, and it quickly disappeared. Many people looked alike in this world. The woman who assassinated him looked quite simr to Olivia, too. Moreover, his Alicia must be five or six years old now. How could Olivia give birth to a child with green. eyes? He must have missed Olivia so much that he started seeing things. Ethan knew that there were lines on his face. The girl was probably scared of it. N?velDrama.Org ? content. So, he put on a gentle expression as he said, ¡°Willow, you¡¯re the one who saved me, right? Thank you.¡± Willow shook her head, but she didn¡¯t let go of his hand. She feared that if she let go, Ethan would fall. ¡°You can¡¯t speak?¡± Willow nodded. For some reason, Ethan felt his heart ache for her. Reaching out, he touched her face. ¡°I can take you away from here. I can get you to the best hospital in the world so that you can get treatment.¡± Even though the people in the vige were skilled in making antidotes, illnesses like being unable to speak should be examined with medical equipment. Seeing that Willow didn¡¯t respond, Ethan smiled again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you. If you¡¯re scared, you can tell your mom about it when she¡¯s back. ¡°My offer always stands. I¡¯ll make sure that even if I die, someone will still cure your illness.¡± Willow felt sad, and she didn¡¯t know how to reply. Perhaps this position was too tiring, so Ethan sat down and gasped heavily for breath. Seeing how much pain he was in, Willow wished she could give him her blood again. Reaching out, Ethan grabbed her hand, which was holding a knife. He shook his head at her, saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright, kid. Thanks. ¡°Your blood only deals with the symptoms, but it won¡¯t cure the root problem. It won¡¯t be able to save me in the end, so don¡¯t waste your blood on me.¡± He knew that the blood he drank would extend his life by a day at most. Even if Willow¡¯s blood was all drained, it would onlyst him two weeks at most. He would still have to die in the end. Willow looked at him worriedly. He smiled faintly. He knew that in his remaining time, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it out of this vige. So, he wanted to leave some instructions while his mind was still clear. He didn¡¯t want to leave just like that. ¡°Willow, do you have some food? I¡¯m hungry.¡± Willow nodded. Then, she ran off quickly. Ethan waved Brent and Kelvin over. Brent hastily asked, ¡°What are your orders, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan had a calm look on his face. ¡°Give me a pen and some paper. I want to write a will.¡± When Kelvin heard the word ¡°will¡±, he couldn¡¯t maintain his poker face anymore. He had been keeping it in for the past two days. And that had gone to waste as his eyes instantly reddened ¡°Mr. Miller, you don¡¯t have to write a will. You¡¯re fine. You¡¯ll be fine!¡± Now that things hade to this point, Ethan was even calmer than before. ¡°I only have a little more than a day to live. After a lot of hard work, I finally arrived at this vige. ¡°Even if I leave the vige, I have to waste about a day to do it. If her momes back as soon as I leave, there¡¯s not much point in leaving for me. I would rather stay here and wait. ¡°If she doesn¡¯te back in the end, I¡¯d like to leave behind some instructions. I can¡¯t die without making things clear,¡± ¡°Mr. Miller¡­¡± ¡°Go get the things, Brent.¡± Brent¡¯s eyes were slightly red. ¡°Understood.¡± Joel¡¯s eyes were red as he said, ¡°Sorry, kid. I couldn¡¯t help you this time.¡± ¡°Uncle Tucker, I¡¯m very grateful to you. You¡¯re right. There wille a day when you¡¯re unable to do anything. I guess this is my fate, then.¡± Chapter 975 Chapter 975 In just two days. Ethan turned from a normal person into someone whose organs were affected and who was slowly losing his senses. In that period, he thought about many things. The most he thought about were his memories with Olivia. In the three years they were apart, he couldn¡¯t see her, so he could only press forward with the memories. He was busy with various things every day, and he used his busyness to dilute his love for Olivia.. But every time he was free, his longing would take him by surprise. It filled his mind and every inch of his heart. Like thorny vines, it wrapped tightly around him. The more he struggled against it, the more his heart ached. His body was pierced so much that it was filled with wounds. He was in excruciating pain. So, when he was in physical pain, he even felt a little better. He thought that if he died, he would travel to Olivia¡¯s side and see her onest time. Back then, Olivia was suffering from the terror of her cancer cells. He wondered if he was able to experience at least a quarter of the pain she went through. He had only suffered for two days, but she endured it for years. Every time he recalled those memories, his heart would be wrought in pain. He felt that even if he repented thousands of times, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to make up for the pain Olivia went through. Liv ¡­ Even in his dreams, he was haunted by that woman. But he had lost her forever. He might not be able to see her ever again After Ethan got the pen and paper, he began to write his will. There was nothing much he wanted to say. The heir of the Miller family would be Connor. He had left all his property to his child and ex-wife. But the Millers had so much property that just dividing them would take a lot of time to write. Time ticked by. The sun slowly set. Ethan watched as the sun gradually disappeared on the horizon. It proved that his life was also gradually draining out of him. ¡°Mr. Miller, why don¡¯t you take a break before continuing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m worried that I will lose my sight and my hearingter on. I may not even have the energy to pick up a pen.¡± He had to write it while his condition still allowed him to. Krystal burst into tears at the side. She looked at the deity she assumed would never fall. And for the first time, she saw weakness on his face. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only It was as if Ethan¡¯s life was being stolen away instead of time. Why would fate treat him like this? What had Ethan done wrong? ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Kelvin dragged her out. The people in the room were already in a low mood. When she cried like that, everyone found it even harder to keep it in. Ethan felt something tickling his throat. He coughed lightly. However, blood sputtered out of his mouth and stained the white paper. ¡°Mr. Miller! Brent hastily ran over to him. The fruits Willow was holding in her hand fell onto the floor with a thud when she saw Ethan coughing up blood. Everyone looked at her. Tears slowly filled Willow¡¯s beautiful green eyes. Crystalline tears sshed onto the floor. Ethan wiped the blood on the corners of his mouth nonchntly. ¡°Oh no, I startled the child.¡± It was only then that Willow came to her senses. Crouching, she began to pick up the scattered fruits on the floor. She carried some in her shirt. Then, she ced them on the table in front of Ethan. Ethan was extra gentle to her. ¡°Is this for me?¡± Willow nodded, herrge eyes still moist with tears. Ethan¡¯s rough fingers gently caressed the corners of her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I just coughed up some blood. I won¡¯t die for now.¡± Willow held a cucumber-like fruit to his mouth, expressing that he should eat. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll eat it.¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t decline the child¡¯s request. Chapter 976 Chapter 976 Ethan hadn¡¯t eaten in two days. Oddly enough, the cucumber-like fruit exuded a faint fragrance that helped him regain some appetite. He took a few bites of it. It was juicy, and the juice was refreshing and sweet. Everywhere the juicended on felt a little rejuvenating, and his pain was relieved a lot. ¡°Is this medicine?¡± he asked Willow. Willow nodded. Then, she gave him more produce he had never seen before. He wasn¡¯t even sure if they were fruits or vegetables. Ethan hastily ate them. They couldn¡¯t rid him of the toxins, but they did replenish some of his energy. His body got a little better. ¡°Thank you, Willow.¡± He reached out again, caressing Willow¡¯s head. He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I wonder who your parents are to have given birth to such a caring and adorable child as you.¡± Willow blinked as she looked at him. Alicia looked a lot like him, so Willow wondered if he was her father. Willow was deep in thought when Ethan removed his hand from her head. ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t have much time left, so I have to make use of every second I have. I can¡¯t y with you.¡± Even though Willow couldn¡¯t speak, she was a mature and well-behaved child. Ethan wanted to y with her for a bit. Sadly, he was running out of time. He had too many things he hadn¡¯t mentioned in his will. After eating, Ethan had to continue writing the will. He didn¡¯t rest for the whole night. He could feel that his life, which Willow¡¯s blood had extended for him, was gradually trickling out. His senses began to deteriorate again. Fortunately, he hadpleted his will. He wanted to save his remaining time for Olivia and the children. Originally, his life wouldn¡¯t wane so fast, but he was constantly using up energy, so the toxin spread even faster. First, Ethan wrote hisst letter to Connor. The letter was very long, and he mostly wrote about his wishes. for Connor to grow up well. He wrote that he wasn¡¯t a good father and that he couldn¡¯t give Connor aplete family. Instead, Connor was forced to carry the burdens of the Miller family. Still, he had always loved Connor, but he couldn¡¯t keep Connorpany anymore. Next, he wrote to his mother. In reality, he didn¡¯t write much. After all, their rtionship was quite cold throughout the years. He mostly asked his mother to take care of his son. Also, he wrote that if she met Olivia in the future, he wanted her to be nice to Olivia and the children. Lastly, he wrote to Zack and Alicia, the twins. When he first met the two, they were just too young. Now, they should be around five years old, so they must have gotten a good grasp of the world by now. He expressed regret for not being around in their childhood. He promised that after he died, he would watch over them as they grew up. He sealed the letters with red wax, waiting for a chance in the future when someone would hand the letters to their recipients. Ethan¡¯s gaze fell onto thest sheets of white paper. At that moment, his vision was getting very blurry, like someone with severe nearsightedness. Also, it was only getting worse as time ticked by. He wrote a lot. Near the end, his hands were trembling, and his vision blurred even more. As he recalled the past, tears sshed onto the letter. His letter spanned almost ten pages, but he still felt that he had many more things to say. He was almost sprawled on the table by now. His hands were trembling beyond control, and his handwriting was all over the ce. He couldn¡¯t quite see, either. He was writing by intuition. He lost his grip on the pen, so in the end, it fell to the floor with thud. Ethan bent over, trying to pick up the pen. But his vision had gotten so bad that he couldn¡¯t even see the pen. He could only feel around with his shivering hands. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only His fingers touched a small foot. Willow was the only one who wasn¡¯t wearing shoes. He looked up. Willow was very close to him, but he couldn¡¯t quite make out her expression. Willow stuffed the pen into his hand. Gripping Willow¡¯s hand, Ethan said, ¡°I¡¯ve already left instructions. After I die, if you¡¯re willing, just follow them to the city. ¡°They¡¯ll get the top specialist in the world to treat your voice. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to speak in the future.¡± Warm liquid sshed onto the back of his hand. Chapter 977 Chapter 977 ¡®Willow, are you crying? Ethan asked. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He suddenly chuckled. He was so foolish. Willow couldn¡¯t speak, and he was turning blind very soon. ¡°What time is it? Sorry, I can¡¯t see very well anymore.¡± Willow took his hand and traced the number six in his palm. ¡°Almost six, hm? Time flies.¡± Ethan sighed lightly. He could feel that he had almost spent all his energy on staying up. ¡°Kelvin,¡± he called. Kelvin had also stayed up the whole night. His eyes were even redder now. ¡°I¡¯m here, Mr. Miller. There was a sobbing tone in his voice. Ethan chuckled. You¡¯re a man. Why are you crying? I¡¯ve already told you on the first day that life and death are predestined. ¡°I know, but¡­ but I¡¯ve never thought that it would be you, Mr. Miller ¡­¡± Everyone standing here was prepared to take bullets for Ethan and die for his sake. If death were toe knocking, they were sure that they would die before Ethan did. No one expected that Ethan would be poisoned while he was unguarded and that he would end up like this in the end Brent squeezed Kelvin¡¯s shoulder tofort him. ¡°Mr. Miller, if you have anything to say, go ahead. We¡¯re listening.¡± Ethan reached out. ¡°Help me to the table. I want to write myst words.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The two guided Ethan to the chair. One of them ced the pen between his fingers while the other ced the paper by his hand so that he could gauge the distance. Ethan¡¯s hands were trembling like that of a Parkinson¡¯s patient. He couldn¡¯t even hold the pen properly, let With great effort, he wrote thest few crooked words on the letter. ¡°Liv, I¡¯m sorry. I love you.¡± When he had written those words, he seemed to have used up all his energy. He had difficulty folding the papers, much less putting them in the envelope. ¡°Let me do it, Mr. Miller.¡± Sobbing, Kelvin took the envelope. ¡°When you meet Liv in the future, please give it to her in person.¡± ¡°Of course ¡°Brent, help me outside. It¡¯s almost dawn, so watch myst sunrise with me. I won¡¯t be able to see it in the future.¡± Turning away, Brent secretly wiped his tears away. ¡°Understood, Mr. Miller.¡± Ethan¡¯s footsteps were unsteady. He was losing his ability to walk as well. In the end, Brent carried Ethan on his back. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see the sunrise, Mr. Miller. Hang in there. I¡¯m sure we can see it.¡± Brent still remembered thest time he had carried Ethan on his back. Ethan had taken a bullet to his chest, and if the bullet deviated even a little bit, Ethan would have been dead. Back then, Brent carried Ethan across the snowy mountain. Sprawled on his back, Ethan spoke in his ear, telling him that he wouldn¡¯t die. Ethan still hadn¡¯t married the love of his life, and he still had things he wanted to do. But today, Brent had a bad feeling in his heart. He felt that Ethan was truly beyond saving now. Ethan had courted death many times, and he managed to escape every time. But this time, was he unable to withstand it anymore? Why did it have to be Ethan, of all people? Other than Olivia, Ethan had done nothing wrong to anyone else. This wasn¡¯t the ending he was supposed to have. Brent refused toe to terms with it, but what could he do? He didn¡¯t know medicine, and he couldn¡¯t do anything at all. He could only watch as Ethan left. He had always been a strong mar, but he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears now. He sobbed as he walked. The ringing of bells reached his ears. Willow was following them. She didn¡¯t leave. Lastly, they stopped. Brent put Ethan down. ¡°We¡¯ll wait here, Mr. Miller. You¡¯ll be able to see the sun when it rises.¡± Ethan nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 978 Chapter 978 Brent had specially selected a spot under a tree for Ethan so Ethan could lean against the trunk for support. Ethan was visibly weak now. He was like a candle with wax slowly dripping from it. When thest drop of wax was spent, that was when the light would go out. The mountain breeze picked up. Ethan felt his mind bing a little clearer. He spoke slowly. ¡°Brent, the thing I regretted the most in my life was agreeing to Marina¡¯s unreasonable requests and taking out my anger toward the Fordhams on Liv. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, she wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have to be separated from each other, and our family wouldn¡¯t have to be apart. It can¡¯t even be called a family at this point.¡± Brent said, ¡°Mr. Miller, you had your reasons. Please don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°Hah, reasons. In the past, I deceived everyone with that excuse, including myself. But no one would hurt others just because they had reasons.¡± Ethan said softly, ¡°When I was a child, I hated my father. I swore that if I had someone I liked in the future, I would treasure her, spoil her, and love her. ¡°I swore that I would give her a happy family. But in the end, I hurt her deeply while iming that it was love. ¡°I repented, but time won¡¯t turn back, and Liv won¡¯t forgive me, either. I deserved this ending. I can¡¯t me it on anyone else.¡± People would have an unusual rity of mind when their lives were ending. Because they couldn¡¯t see the future, they would be extra aware of the past. He leafed through his memories like an old man repetitively counting and wrapping his money with a handkerchief that had turned white from one too many washes. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no point in saying these things anymore. I deserved this. Liv was right when she said that we won¡¯t meet each other ever again. ¡°In the end, I¡¯m leaving without my wife or my children to see me off.¡± Brent held Ethan¡¯s hand. The joints on Ethan¡¯s hand were well-defined, and his hand was the slender hand of a grown man. But it trembled violently like an old man¡¯s. ¡°You still have me, Mr. Miller.¡± Kelvin had followed them. ¡°And me, too.¡± ¡°Yes, I still have you brothers to see me off. I don¡¯t think I have any regrets anymore.¡± Ethan chuckled. Now that death was upon him, he grew kinder and more sincere. ¡°I should have died a long time ago, but Kurt gave me another chance at life. ¡°Now, I should go and keep himpany. I owe him an apology. In the end, I didn¡¯t carry out my promise to him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take good care of his family. His son died even before he was born, and his precious Marina also had her legs broken. ¡°She is now bound to a wheelchair for life. ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯m such a useless man. I never did anything right. I didn¡¯t keep my promise to my brother, nor did I take good care of my family.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Brent said, ¡°No, you¡¯re the best boss in the whole world. You¡¯re the hero of the nation. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t risked your lifetime and again to protect this country, it wouldn¡¯t be as peaceful as it is now. ¡°Mr. Miller, if there¡¯s another chance at life, I still want to work for you and protect you for life.¡± Ethan gripped his hand. ¡°You¡¯re such a silly man. Why can¡¯t you make a better wish? Haven¡¯t you had enough of this drifting and wandering?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll do everything as long as I can be with you. Don¡¯t die, Mr. Miller. ¡°I¡¯m so clumsy. If you aren¡¯t around to keep me in check, I¡¯m bound to make lots of mistakes!¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, if you die, that bastard Yale wouldugh his head off. After fighting for so many years, he still won in the end. We were so close.¡± ¡°Mr. Miller, hang in there. That miraculous doctor might be back soon. You have to stay alive and give the letter to Mrs. Miller in person.¡± Kelvin¡¯s voice was getting further. Ethan had lost his senses. In his daze, he felt like he heard someone saying, ¡°Mr. Miller, look. The sun is rising.¡± Chapter 979 Chapter 979 When Ethan heard those words, 10 seconds had already passed. A long time ago, he promised Olivia that he would watch the sunrise with her on every significant mountain in the country. Back then, he was very busy. Even if he sincerely wanted to spend time with her, he couldn¡¯t squeeze out any time. He had dyed it, but now, it would never happen. He thought, ¡°Liv, am I being punished for not keeping my promise to you? Is that why I can¡¯t see you for onest time before I die?¡± Like a wizened old man, he slowly turned his head. He realized that when he lost his sight, he wasn¡¯t seeing just darkness. Instead, he couldn¡¯t see any color. Amid the void, he felt like he saw a patch of golden yellow. That must be the sunrise. It was supposed to be an extremely harsh color for the eyes. But for him, it felt like a filter was ced over his eyes. He was like a fire about to be put out by the wind, weak and flickering. He couldn¡¯t hear the breeze anymore. He was slowly losing his senses. He parted his lips, and he felt like he had said something but also nothing at all. Before he lost all his senses, he felt like he had heard the bells ringing for onest time. Oh, right, it was that girl. Willow. Ethan slowly moved his body, depending on his sixth sense, to walk toward Willow. His whole body was trembling. Even the small act of shifting his body had be wishful thinking. But he didn¡¯t give up. Before he lost consciousness, Ethan only had one thought in his mind. Perhaps fate had decreed that he would die without his children being there for him. Willow looked a little like Olivia, so he would treat her like his own daughter. He would like to hug her before he died. The toxins slowly invaded his body and organs, but human potential was limitless. Kelvin was sobbing so hard that his eyes were red and swollen. ¡°What is Mr. Miller trying to do?¡± ¡°Let him be free for onest time. Brent stopped him. The mountain breeze chilled the tears on their faces, but Ethan couldn¡¯t feel that breeze anymore. His knees were trembling violently, and every movement seemed to suck up all his energy. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Even so, Ethan didn¡¯t give up. Gritting his teeth, he took one step and then another. The child was standing in the light. He should be able to hold her soon. It was a distance he could have reached within a second, but Ethan spent minutes, or even longer than that. Willow had her back to him. A flock of pigeons flew in along with the mountain breeze. A speckled pigeonnded on her fingertips and cooed. Willow¡¯s eyes lit up. Mom was back! She whipped around only to see Ethan walking unsteadily and shakily toward her. Willow was stunned. Ethan looked like a zombie. He looked like he had lost his soul, but he was walking solely by will. He reached out, trying to touch Willow. But his body wavered, and he almost fell. ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± Everyone called out to him. Kelvin knelt on the ground. He had no idea what exactly Ethan wanted to do. He heard that people would recall their lives before they died. Perhaps Ethan was dreaming, and his most beloved was in that dream. No one wanted to interrupt his dream in hisst moments. Perhaps he could die peacefully in his wonderful dream, and he could leave without any pain. It was already quite cruel for the living. They couldn¡¯t do anything for him. They could only watch as the events unfolded. Ethan couldn¡¯t hear their voices. Was it just him? He felt like his vision was getting brighter, and he saw the teenage Olivia smiling as she looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m here for you, Ethan.¡± Yes, he had killed the young woman who loved him with all her heart. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing. They could be together in the future. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ll be right there¡­¡± Chapter 980 Chapter 980 Ethan fell toward the void. His body didn¡¯t hit the ground. Instead, someone caught him. Ethan had already lost consciousness. His slender body leaned against the person. Willow danced in tion, the bells ringing as she did so. Even though she couldn¡¯t speak, her face radiated with joy. Kelvin and Brent momentarily forgot their sorrow as they stared at the woman who had appeared out of nowhere. The woman wore a cool ck outfit paired with sturdy Martin boots. The short leather top outlined her perfect figure and curves. Her outfit looked very modern, and it stood out a little in the simple vige. As their gazes moved upward from her elegant neck, they saw a decent-looking face. She wasn¡¯t ugly, and she could be described as nice-looking at most. She couldn¡¯t be considered pretty. They had no idea how a woman like her could give birth to a pretty child-like Willow. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The woman wrapped an arm around Ethan¡¯s waist as she patted the girl¡¯s head with her other hand. Willow gestured urgently. The woman nodded. ¡°I know.¡± Brent hastily asked, ¡°Are you the miraculous doctor who can cure the Ninefold Venom?¡± ¡°It¡¯s doable.¡± Her voice was cold, and she spoke minimally. The woman ced Ethan¡¯s body on the ground. She checked his breath and realized that he could still be saved. She took off his clothes right away. He was wearing a shirt underneath, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to undo the buttons one by one. So, she slit the shirt open with a knife right down the middle. Her movements were slick and decisive. The cold gleam of the knife shed for a moment, and Ethan¡¯s chest was already exposed. Brent and Kelvin were startled. Her knife skills were lightning-fast. If she was slicing skin instead of clothes, she could open a wound right away. The red patterns were like soldiers surrounding a fortress. Now, it was as if the soldiers were at the walls of the fortress, and they would be attacking at any instant. If they made it past the moat, the poison would win. ¡°Is there still hope, doctor?¡± ¡°His heart is still unharmed. There¡¯s still time.¡± The woman looked at her daughter, saying, ¡°Willow, I¡¯ll need to borrow your blood.¡± Willow didn¡¯t object to that as she hastily raised her hand. It was only then that the woman noticed the bandages wrapped around her palm. The woman quickly realized something. ¡°You¡¯ve already given him your blood?¡± Willow nodded. The woman frowned. She didn¡¯t want to cut her daughter¡¯s hand again. Willow was already holding her hand to the woman. She also stuffed a small knife into the woman¡¯s hand. The woman had given this knife to Willow on her second birthday. It could cut through steel with great ease. Willow needed to protect herself from birth so that she wouldn¡¯t be harmed by others. The woman hesitated a few seconds at the thought of wounding her daughter¡¯s hand with that knife. In the end, she made a small incision on the girl¡¯s hand. Blood dripped out of Willow¡¯s middle finger. Even if Kelvin and Brent had witnessed that scene before, they still felt amazed when they saw it again. Where did the girle from, and how did she have such powers? After Ethan drank the blood, the woman helped Willow to stop the bleeding as she said, ¡°Carry him and follow me.¡± Kelvin and Brent rekindled their determination right away as they swiftly carried Ethan down the mountain. The woman carried Willow in one arm while Willow wrapped her arms around the woman¡¯s neck. Kelvin and Brent were surprised that the woman could walk so quickly, even while carrying Willow with one arm. The woman was very modern, and she waspletely different from the in vige. Staring at her from behind, Kelvin wondered why she looked so much like Olivia. Chapter 981 Chapter 981 Willow couldn¡¯t speak, so she could only express her joy with her body. She kept rubbing her face against the woman¡¯s cheek. ¡°Good girl. I¡¯m home.¡± When they returned to the cottage, Krystal had woken up as well. Last night, to stop her from bawling and disturbing Ethan, Brent had knocked her out right away. When she saw the man Kelvin was carrying, she came over as she sobbed. ¡°How can you do this, Sova? How can you leave me alone? Take me with you, please.¡± A cold female voice rang out. ¡°If you¡¯re going to wail again, get out. You¡¯re so noisy.¡± Krystal had opened her mouth wide and was about to cry. But when she heard that, she paused. Caught between sobbing and deciding against it, she looked a little funny. It was only then that she noticed the unfamiliar woman. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Krystal, this is the miraculous doctor who can cure Mr. Miller. Mind your manners.¡± Fearing that Krystal would throw a tantrum again, Kelvin hastily notified her. Krystal was a proud woman, but she truly cared about Ethan. She would do anything as long as it benefited Ethan. So, she changed her expression right away. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the miraculous doctor. I leave my Sova in your hands.¡± Kelvin frowned. Since when had Ethan be hers? Wendy appeared at the entrance. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Madam Wendy.¡± ¡°You just came back, so you probably don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Let me introduce them to you. These people are here to seek treatment. ¡°I met Joel once 40 years ago, so I allowed them to stay here for the night. This man here was inflicted with the Ninefold Venom, and he¡¯s barely holding on. That woman is his fianc¨¦e.¡± As Wendy made the introductions, she emphasized the word ¡°fianc¨¦e¡±. The woman replied calmly, ¡°Got it. You lot, carry him to the cave at the back. Willow, lead the way. I¡¯ll prepare the things to save hi:n.¡± She moved quickly. The others hastily obeyed her, fearing that she would change her mind. The woman went back to her room and changed her clothes. Wendy followed her in. ¡°Look at the state you¡¯re in! You rushed back here, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t seen Willow in a while, and I missed her a lot.¡± ¡°Were you missing her or your ex-husband?¡± The woman, who was changing her clothes, paused for a moment. Wendy continued, ¡°Stop hiding it from me. He¡¯s that ex-husband of yours, right? ¡°Alicia looks exactly like him, and Zack takes after his personality, too. I could guess who he was as soon as he appeared.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my ex-husband.¡± Olivia turned around. She didn¡¯t take off her mask, which was hiding her face. She changed into some coarse linen clothes like Willow¡¯s. The only thing adorning her was the five-colored silk threads. After more than three years, her hair had grown out. She tied it up loosely. ¡°You saw it for yourself. He already has a fianc¨¦e, which means that he has already forgotten about you. ¡°If you ask me, I don¡¯t think you should save an unfaithful man like him.¡± ¡°Madam Wendy, I know you¡¯re concerned about me. But he¡¯s the father of my children, after all. Even if it¡¯s no longer possible between us, the children are innocent. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to lose their father for good. ¡°We have already divorced a long time ago, so it¡¯s normal for him to remarry.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Wendy sighed as she handed the test report to Olivia. ¡°This is the blood analysis. Make your next move ordingly. After all, I can¡¯t meddle in the matters between you youngsters.¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°Thank you, Madam Wendy.¡± She took out some candy from her bag. ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± Wendy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. When are you bringing me out for some skiing again? I¡¯m sick of staying in this vige.¡± Olivia chuckled. ¡°Just wait a little longer, maybe after I¡¯ve cured him.¡± Chapter 982 Chapter 982 Olivia swiftly prepared the medicinal herbs. Now, she was a far cry from who she used to be. She was calm and collected, and she was also powerful and steady. She was an independent woman now. Alora Vigecked many things, but medicinal herbs were not one of them. Wendy had taught Olivia everything she knew about medicine. Olivia had an amazing talent for curing poison, and she was already one of the top professionals in the world. She grabbed the things she needed and then hurried to the cave. She had just entered the cave when she heard Krystal sobbing. The cries didn¡¯t sound fake. Olivia heard that Krystal had liked Ethan for years. The two came from families of simr statuses, and they worked in the same profession. Even their blood type was the same. Perhaps Krystal was the person who suited him perfectly instead. Olivia walked in calmly. Krystal knelt at her feet, saying, ¡°Doctor, my blood type is the same as his. If a blood transfusion is necessary, please use mine. I can give you everything as long as you save his life.¡± Olivia nced at her indifferently. ¡°Shut up and get out. I¡¯ll call for you when I need you.¡± ¡°But-¡± Olivia nced at the others. Then, she pointed at Brent. ¡°Everyone should leave except for him. Don¡¯t get in my way of rescuing the patient.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Krystal was a little worried, so she kept peering in at the entrance. Willow disliked Krystal. So, she took out a flute and yed it. Soon, arge red snake appeared on cue. Its huge body curled up at the entrance, and no one dared to peer inside after that. The cave was partially exposed. There was a crack at the entrance, and light from outside could enter the cave from that crack. There was a small pond under the crack, and it was filled with volcanic spring water from underground. Many peculiar nts grew around it, so the pond had nourishing effects on the body. Only three people were left in the cave. There were also somemon tools and arge bathing tub. It looked like a setup for a traditional way to take baths. Ethan was lying on a piece of animal skin, his eyes tightly closed. If it weren¡¯t for the slight rising and falling of his chest, it was easy to assume that he had just died. Fortunately, as long as the toxin hadn¡¯t invaded his heart, there was still hope for him to be saved. The bathing tub was made of ancient wood, which had detoxifying effects. Paired with the pond water, it would make the treatment much more effective. Olivia lit a fire under the bathing tub. Turning around, she told Brent, ¡°Fill the tub with water.¡± ¡°Understood, doctor.¡± Olivia was used to Brent calling her Mrs. Miller. So now, she felt odd when she heard him call her doctor. ¡°Can you change how you address me?¡± ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°Vanessa.¡± Brent thought that she always lived in the vige, so her name would be nature-inspired like Willow¡¯s. Unexpectedly, her name was quite sophisticated. Wait, what was her name again? Brent almost stopped breathing. ¡°You¡¯re Vanessa? That all-powerful doctor?¡± She was called all-powerful for a reason. Usually, doctors would devote themselves to a certain specialization. Brent had first heard Vanessa¡¯s namest year. She was one of the very few people in the country who could carry out tooth-bone artificial cornea surgery. Comment by Shekinah Lin: tooth in eye surgery / Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) N?velDrama.Org ? content. It was a veryplicated surgery. The procedures wereplex, and the surgeon had to have very high qualifications. They had to be proficient in dentistry, eye care, radiology, and the like. There were less than five people in the whole country who were able to do it. But those people were But a certain dark horse doctor suddenly appeared on the scene. Brent heard that she was only in her twenties, but she managed to seed in this operation. Back then, the incident spread like wildfire in the media. Many people wanted to interview her, and other patients from all over the country came to get treated by her, but they couldn¡¯t find her in the hospital. The second time this name appeared was due to an extremely difficult heart surgery. When everyone learned that it was the same person, the whole nation was in an uproar. The media pounced on every clue. But in the end, they couldn¡¯t even catch her shadow. They only heard that she was a specially invited doctor. In the past year or so, Vanessa¡¯s name was heard both locally and overseas. But today, in a remote vige, Brent encountered the internationally famous doctor. She was even an expert in curing poison! Chapter 983 Chapter 983 While Brent was still stunned, Olivia swiftly mixed the herbs. She handed another portion to Willow, asking thetter to make medicine out of it. Of her few children, only Willow had a special physique and inherited medicine. More than three years ago, Olivia realized that she was pregnant. Colin wanted her to abort the child so that they wouldn''t have to worry about future issues when she was getting treatment. Olivia declined Colin''s suggestion. In the end, after running out of options, Colin thought of a foolproof n. He would send Olivia to Alora Vige into Wendy''s hands. Wendy knew a secret technique, which was to develop a medicinal fetus. It was an approach that contrasted Colin''s. The fetus nourished by medicine alone wouldn''t fear any side effects of medicine while in the womb. Wendy was very demanding toward Olivia as the mother. Olivia had to eat medicinal herbs like they were her meals every day. Under such circumstances, Olivia sessfully cured her cancer. On the day of her delivery, even though she suffered quite a bit, the child was thankfully born without problems. The only unusual characteristics of the child were that she had green eyes since birth and that she couldn''t speak. Olivia had asked the top specialists in the world to have a look at Willow, but none of them could cure her. After all, ording to the various equipment, her organs werepletely fine. The specialists said that the child was probably too young and that she might be able to talk after she had grown a little older. As long as it wasn''t autism, Olivia didn''t have to worry too much about the child. Back then, it made sense that the child developed with medicine was different from normal children. Compared to losing her life, being unable to speak was the smallest price to pay. Also, there was an unusual phenomenon in the sky on the day Willow was born. Many animals appeared around the cottage, and they all surrounded the ce. From birth, Willow would understand animal speech. Even venomous animals wouldn''t hurt her. This was probably a new window of opportunity for Willow after a misfortune had happened. That was why Olivia named the baby Willow. As for why Willow''s eyes were green, there were two possibilities. It might be a gene from the parents who had rtives with green eyes, or the child had absorbed so much medicine in the wound that her genes mutated. Olivia wasn''t familiar with Logan''s family members, nor did she know who her biological parents were. So, for the moment, she couldn''t figure out which reason it was. Anyway, Olivia was already happy enough that Willow survived and could grow up healthily. "Fan the mes more. We have to use a hot medicinal bath to force his toxins out a little,¡± Olivia reminded Brent. "Understood. Since this method exists, why didn''t Madam Wendy mention it yesterday?¡± Olivia answered calmly, ¡°Madam Wendy won''t treat anyone she sees." If Krystal hadn''t mentioned that she was Ethan''s fianc¨¦e, Olivia had a feeling that Wendy would have been more likely to save Ethan. When the people around her heard of her past, they felt like she didn''t deserve it. But Olivia was the only one who had let go. If she remembered all those mistreatments, it would also deepen her feelings toward Ethan. It didn''t matter if those feelings were love or hate. They came hand in hand, anyway. A few years ago, she understood her rtionship with Ethan. If she couldn''t get him, nor love or hate him, she would rather stop loving, hating, missing, and thinking about him. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She still had a life ahead of her, and she also had more important things to do. She wouldn''t waste her time on rtionships. The tub was filled with water from the spring, and many herbs were added to the water. The smell of medicinal herbs permeated the whole cave. Seeing that it was about time, Olivia spoke up. ¡°Help me move him into the tub.¡± "Understood." Olivia supported Ethan on the left, whereas Brent got ready to support his right side. For some reason, Ethan only felt that another person had appeared in his visions. Before he could make anything out, he hugged the person. Then, he said in Olivia''s ear, "Liv, I finally found you.¡± Chapter 984 Chapter 984 Ethan breathed weakly by Olivia''s ear. It had been a long time since Olivia had been in such close contact with a man. Moreover, this man was calling her name. Her body stiffened a little. Wasn''t he already engaged to someone else? Brent was startled when he saw that. He feared that this might offend the doctor, and the doctor would refuse to treat Ethan in her anger. So, he hastily said, "I''m so sorry. My boss doesn''t know what''s going on anymore.¡± ¡°It''s okay." Olivia helped Ethan to the side of the tub. Then, she said, ¡°Take off his clothes and put him inside.¡± With that, she turned around to organize the herbs. A little foolishly, Brent asked, "All of it?" "Yes," Olivia replied sullenly. When Brent said those words, the image of Ethan''s body appeared in her mind. She had gotten herself intertwined with that man''s body countless times, so no one knew that body better than her. Ethan''s body had firmed up even morepared to when she left him back then. When she was holding his waist, she could feel the contours and sticity of his muscles. When his clothes were removed, Olivia could also see a few additional scars on his chest. Ethan knew nothing about her in the past few years, but Olivia had heard about him in the dark. When Ethan was on his missions, there were a few asions when he would almost bump into Olivia. Olivia had avoided him on purpose every time. Since she had already left his life, she would keep it that way. If she hadn''t identally heard that Ethan was poisoned with the Ninefold Venom, she wouldn''t hurry back here. "Vanessa, it''s done.¡± ¡°Watch the fire, and make sure he stays half an hour in there. With that, Olivia gave Brent a lid. "Cover him up.¡± She had nned for Ethan to sweat the toxins in his body out. So, in essence, Ethan was getting a VIP sauna in the tub. Somewhere nearby, Willow held a small fan in her hand, fanning the mes to boil the medicine. Her small figure looked extra adorable. A few butterflies were fluttering around her. Olivia walked up to Willow and ced the child on her thigh. She gently wiped away the sweat on Willow''s forehead. ¡°Let me do it. Your hands are hurt, after all. You can go y for a while.¡± Willow shook her head and then turned to look at Ethan. The worry was obvious in her eyes. Olivia knew what she meant. Willow must have noticed that Ethan''s face was simr to Alicia''s, so she guessed that she was Ethan''s child. But Olivia didn''t tell Willow that her father wasn''t the same man as Alicia''s and Zack''s father. Olivia sighed. It was her fault in the end. Even if she had saved the child''s life, she couldn''t control the child''s background. ¡°It''s okay. I''m taking care of things here. Help Grandma Wendy with her chores.¡± Willow was very obedient. It was only then that she nted a kiss on Olivia''s face. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Then, she left while looking back as often as possible. "With Mom around, Dad will be fine,¡± she thought. Ethan''s sensory organs were deteriorating. So, at first, he didn''t quite sense the heat. He only felt like he was in the middle of chaos. Perhaps because Olivia was the only obsession he ever had, he would call her name every once in a while. "Vanessa, half an hour has passed,¡± Brent reminded her on time. Olivia came over with the medicine. ¡°This is the first dose of medicine. Let him take it.¡± ¡°Should I get him out?" "Yes. Don''t let him stay in there for too long at first. After a ten-minute rest, he can go back in. Add ten minutes to every session, and make sure he gets enough water.¡± "Are we continuing this?¡± ¡°There is no dialysis equipment here, so this is the only way. But don''t worry, this is just supplementary. "The main detoxification lies in this antidote. Brent''s eyes lit up. "Thank you. I''ll give him the medicine right now.¡± Chapter 985 Chapter 985 Oliviaid out the piece of animal skin again. She also brought a small nket over. Brent said, "Vanessa, can you give me a hand? I can''t get him out alone." Ethan had lost consciousness, so Brent couldn''t move Ethan out on his own. Olivia was troubled. She had told Kelvin to leave just now because he was too jumpy and nervous. But now, she realized that she had caused trouble for herself. In the end, she decided to just treat Ethan as a normal patient. ¡°Alright.¡± The two stood on the steps, getting Ethan out after a huge struggle. Olivia didn''t dare to look where she shouldn''t. Ethan was covered in burning heat, and no one knew if his body was covered with the medicinal water or his sweat. Still, he looked a little better than before. "Careful." Brent carefully helped Ethan out. Olivia moved quite gently, but the ground was uneven. Brent didn''t watch where he was going, so Ethan''s body fell. Like a dead body, Ethan''s body weighed upon Olivia, pinning her on the piece of animal skin. His body was naked, and nothing was hiding it. At that unfortunate timing, he even called out, "Liv." Brent''s face turned red. How embarrassing! ¡°Sorry, it''s all my fault." Even if Olivia was pissed, she couldn''t show it. She took great pains to move Ethan away. Then, she covered him with a nket. She patted her clothes, which he had gotten wet. Pretending that she didn''t care, she said, "Hurry and feed him the medicine." "Understood." Brent poured some medicine into Ethan''s mouth, but Ethan didn''t intend to swallow. The medicine dripped out of the corners of his mouth. Brent didn''t dare to waste the medicine. He hastily asked Olivia, ''''Vanessa, my boss'' senses were affected by the poison when he was dying. I don''t think he knows how to swallow right now. ¡°How should I feed him the medicine?" Olivia frowned. If they were in the hospital, feeding medicine would be much more convenient. Some patients with throat cancer couldn''t eat, so they would just create an opening in the patient''s body and guide substances into the patient''s stomach with equipment. But here, the medical resources were very outdated. This wouldn''t work. Willow''s blood could only dy the toxins'' effect, not cure it. If this went on, even with an antidote, Ethan wouldn''t be able to survive. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "He has a fianc¨¦e, doesn''t he? Get her in here and let her feed the medicine to him with her mouth." "That won''t do," Brent hastily declined. Olivia frowned. "Why the shyness even at times like this? Do you want him to die?" "You don''t know this, but that woman isn''t my boss'' fianc¨¦e at all. She lied on purpose to convince Madam Wendy to save him. "My boss has someone else he loves, so even if he survived, he would be mad if he knew that Ms. Heath had fed the medicine to him." Olivia muttered, "It''s just medicine. I can''t get the love of his life here right now, can I?" "We can settle for anything else, but my boss is just too stubborn. ¡°He only ever loved his wife, and he would never allow himself to touch anyone else. I can''t agree to this on his behalf. "Do you have a better idea?" Olivia was stunned. She didn''t expect Brent to give that answer. "Tf he likes his wife so much, where is she now? How can he allow another woman to apany him here?" ¡°She left more than three years ago. My boss looked everywhere, but he couldn''t find her. ¡°If the enemy hadn''t found a woman who looked a lot like my boss ¡®wife, my boss wouldn''t have gotten distracted and then poisoned. Ww So, that was how Ethan got himself into this predicament. Olivia didn''t know what to say to that. ¡°Well, we''re notpletely out of options. There''s another way." ¡°What is it?" Olivia stared at Brent''s mouth. "You''re his brother, right? You do it! Ww Chapter 986 Chapter 986 Chapter 986 Brent subconsciously gulped as he pointed at himself. "Me?" Olivia said coldly, "Who else? Me? Hurry up. The time you''re dying right now is the life he''s losing." Brent was a little exasperated. He didn''t have a girlfriend, but it didn''t mean that he swung that way. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He was as straight as can be. But the doctor was right. The more time he wasted, the closer Ethan was to death. "I...Fine." Brent thought that as long as it could help Ethan survive, this was nothing. With that, Brent took the bowl of medicine and held a mouthful in his mouth. The corners of his mouth kept twitching. "Steady yourself. Don''t waste the medicine. The second dose uses other herbs, and they have different effects." Brent felt like this was even harder than walking on a tightrope. Steeling himself, he closed his eyes and chose not to think of anything as he aimed his mouth at Ethan''s. It was a matter of life and death, so he shouldn''t think too much about it. He would treat it as CPR. Moreover, Ethan didn''tin about him, so what right did he have toin about Ethan? As expected of the helper Olivia selected, Brent was very reliable. Brent was quite a looker himself, so the sight of the two men kissing was quite nice. Olivia''s thoughts were trailing off. Reassured, Olivia continued making the medicine. Ethan had to take 81 doses in total. In the first three days, he had to take one dose every three hours. After all, his life was on the line, so the medicine had to be more potent. After the medicine was fed, Brent ced Ethan on the ground to rest for amoment. Then, he moved Ethan to the tub. He wanted the toxins to get flushed out as soon as possible. The two worked seamlessly together. Olivia was in charge of making the medicine, whereas Brent fed Ethan the medicine and took care of him. After a whole day, the color of Ethan''s lips began to turn normal, and he was able to drink the medicine on his own. When Ethan took the initiative to swallow, Brent was ovee by emotion. "He has the will to survive now!" "It''s too early to celebrate. His various organs were destroyed by the toxins, so he won''t recover so quickly." Brent''s eyes turned red. ¡°No, I''m already grateful enough to you that my boss is getting better. If you didn''t help out in time, he would''ve been buried by now." No matter how slow the recovery process would be, it was wonderful news that he could recover at all. "I was just carrying out my duties. You have worked without any sleep or rest for a whole day, so switch someone in. You should get some rest." ¡°Alright. I leave him in your hands for now." "Sure." Olivia kept the medicine boiling. Then, she went to check on Ethan''s body. After Brent left, they were the only ones left in the cave. Even though Ethan used to be the person she was the most intimate with, Olivia still felt a little awkward. But as a doctor, she had to know her patient''s condition. She removed the lid. The water inside was very hot. Even though it wouldn''t cook a person, it couldn''t have been easy to endure. She touched his skin, intending to see how far the patterns had receded. It would help her decide on the dosage, too. But to her surprise, she had just touched Ethan''s hand when arge hand suddenly held her wrist and pulled. With a ssh, Olivia fell into the tub. The tub was huge, so it could easily fit two people. But Ethan hadn''tpletely regained his consciousness. He simply dragged her in by instinct. He wasn''t careful at all. Despite the hot water in the tub, Olivia was forced to swallow some of it. Ethan''s body pushed hers against the edge of the tub. His burning body was flush against hers as he gripped her neck with his left hand. His cold yet hoarse voice rang out. "What are you trying to do?" Chapter 987 Chapter 987 Olivia was rendered speechless at how energetic Ethan was after having only recovered a little. His hearing recovered fast. After all, thest organ to stop functioning when a human was dying was the ears. Still, there was no improvement in his eyesight. Even though she stood close to him, he could only see a blurred image. He didn''t hear anything familiar, so he didn''t know what kind of situation he was in. Hence, he resorted to self-defense. Ethan strangled Olivia, not giving her the chance to escape. "If you wanna die, strangle me to death." She changed her voice. Not even Brent and the others could recognize her. "Who are you?" This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Your savior." Only then did he rx his grasp a little, letting her breathe. "Sorry. I can''t see, so I have no idea what''s going on right now." "You''re in a bathtub. There''s no dialysis here. All I can do is remove the poison in you with high temperature. I was trying to check on your condition," she exined monotonously. "I''m sorry." He realized how unbing he was. "I can understand that. It''s good that you''ve regained consciousness. Please give me your cooperation. "I''m going to perform a checkup for you. How are you feeling right now? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?" He responded, "I feel hot, and I can''t see. I can scarcely hear things. Sometimes, it''ll ring in the ears. "I have headaches and shortness of breath. I also feel tight in the chest and weak in my limbs, too.¡± "All of your organs are affected by the poison. They won''t recover for the time being. "Don''t worry. You''re healthy, so you will recover soon. Can you stand up? Let me check on your body." The ck water covered Ethan''s body, and she wasn''t bothered to lift him. A question seeped into his head, and he asked, "Am I naked now?" "Yes"! He went silent and didn''t act as she told him, falling into a dilemma. "I''m a doctor, and you''re a patient. I need to check on your condition now." "But you''re a woman," he said unwillingly. "I don''t have the habit of showing myself bare to women." Olivia sighed helplessly. "You''re such a hard nut to crack. If you wanna die, I might as well grant your wish." "Can you close your eyes?¡± the awkward Ethan unexpectedly requested. She felt like he was fooling around with her. "How can I check on you with my eyes closed? Why don''t you think of me as your lover? Will this do?" His face spoke of solitary for a moment. "Sorry, but she''s irreceable." It was difficult for Olivia to breathe in her human skin mask. The hot water rendered it worse, and yet Ethan was taking up a lot of time dilly-dallying. "So, do you want a checkup or not?" "No," he answered without hesitation, which almost made her blood pressure go through the roof. She had never realized how stubborn he was until now. "You don''t want me to look at your body? I''ve seen it a lot of times. You have a scar from a cut on your chest. And I know that you have a mole on your inner thigh." She couldn''t treat him as an ordinary patient. "You ..." His face was already red due to the high temperature. Now, his ears were burning after he heard that. "As I said, I''m a doctor. I''ve seen a lot of men''s bodies. Are you any more special than other men? Do I have to be this desperate to check on your body?" Now that she put it that way, she reckoned that he would give in. Surprisingly, he replied with a somber expression. "You''re not the problem, but I am." Comment by soonyoung gu: what is this shit Chapter 988 Chapter 988 Olivia''s temper was slowly taking over her rationality. "Fine. You don''t wanna let me check on you? Someone else will. Don''t regret thister." Then, she intended to get out of the bathtub. If she stayed there any longer, she would''ve melted from the heat. She was d in a long dress. The bathtub was slippery, and Ethan was at the rim that came with the stairs. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only When she was trying to get out of it, she stepped on her dress and slipped into the bathtub. "Be careful." He held her in reflex as she shrieked in her normal voice. "Liv!" Excitement beamed on his face. By the time Olivia pulled herself together, she realized that she was lying on his bare chest. Her soft palm pressed against his toned muscles. What scared her the most was that he appeared as though he was going to devour her whole. The calm Olivia changed her voice. "Please let go of me." Ethan was stunned by the unfamiliar voice, wondering if he had heard it wrongly. He quickly released her. He realized how absurd it was that he mistook another woman for Olivia! "Sorry, I heard it wrongly. I thought you were someone I knew." "Mr. Miller, it''s great to see you alright ¡ªHuh? What are you doing?" Kelvin shouted by the door. Olivia was in an awkward position as she was still in Ethan''s arms. Anyone who saw that would have their minds in the gutter. She replied with an icy expression. "I wanted to check on his body, but he yanked me over because he thought I was going to do something to him. Had you been a secondter, I could''ve died in his hands." Fortunately, the innocent Kelvin didn''t bear any distorted ideas. He hurriedly ran over to exin. "Mr. Miller, this is your savior. Don''t hurt her. Otherwise, I''ll have to kill myself to look for Dr. Ignaz for you." Olivia carefully got out of the bathtub. She waspletely drenched. "Are you alright?¡± asked Kelvin, concerned. "You have to look after yourself. If you''re dead, no one will be able to save Mr. Miller." He was the same old, straightforward man he was. Olivia gritted her teeth. "I''m alright. Look after him and take care of the fire. I''ll go get changed." "Okay. Please return sooner. I don''t know anything about medicine. That was why Olivia wanted to choose Brent instead of Kelvin. Her human skin mask was threatening to fall after absorbing the water, so she left the scene quickly. Kelvin muttered. "Mr. Miller, don''t just hug anyone. What if she decides to pester you forever? We haven''t even found Mrs. Miller yet. "If we find her and she sees that, you''ll be waiting for her for another ten years again." Ethan was at a loss for words. "Speaking about Mrs. Miller, other than their faces, this doctor appears the same as Mrs. Miller. Their physique and height are very simr." Comment by soonyoung gu: oh wow any woman with a slouch and a crooked pinky is your boss''s wife? get a grip Ethan caught on to the point. ¡°What did you say?" "I said, her physique and height are very simr to Mrs. Miller. "Shake off those nonsensical thoughts, Mr. Miller. She doesn''t look like Mrs. Miller at all. And it couldn''t be this coincidental. "You failed to find her for the past three to four years. And yet, you found her right after you were poisoned? "This is too much of a coincidence to be true. You won''t find such writings even in dramas." Ethan kneaded his eyebrows. Perhaps it was because he missed Olivia so much that he was hearing things just now. Chapter 989 Chapter 989 Olivia returned to her room at full speed.She had not slept for an entire day just to prepare the medication and apply it to Ethan. The treatment in the first three days was crucial for recovery. The medication mustn''t stop. The dispute with him earlier on almost exposed her true self. She took the mask off to wipe it dry meticulously before getting changed. Recalling Ethan''s awkward manner, she reckoned that those days when he was unconscious were for the best. Now, she didn''t know what tricks he would pull off every time she needed to check on his body. Thus, Olivia made a special medicine for emergency purposes. She wore the mask again. Not wanting to waste time, she took the shortcut to the cave with hurried steps. While she was waiting for the medicine, she ate some fruits to stave off hunger and exhaustion. ¡°He''s not willing to let me check his body. Check on him and describe it to me," she informed Kelvin. "Sure." While she was away, Kelvin and Ethan were exchanging information. Kelvin reported to Olivia with a solemn expression, ''The imprint has subsided a lot. "It stretches from his corbones to the bottom of his belly button.As for the back, it has reached his butt." Ethan red at him. Kelvin let out a wry cough. "I mean, hips." "Tell me the details about its color and thickness." "It''s ..." Kelvin thought for a while but couldn''t think of an adjective. So, he simply took a few pictures with his phone. "Here.Take a look at it yourself." Although the pictures didn''t include Ethan''s private parts, any one of them could show how built his body was. His jawline, corbone, and muscles were defined. Even though Ethan didn''t flex his muscles, one could see how toned his thighs were. Olivia observed the red scar for a moment. It seemed like one out of the ten red veins had subsided. "Okay.Got it." Two dayster, Ethan got better. But he was still weak and kept sweating. Kelvin helped Ethan out of the bathtub and helped thetter wear a robe. Ethan no longer needed to dip himself in the warm water like he did two days ago. He ate some nuts and fruits and then rested on an animal''s skin because he felt weak. Olivia brought over a bowl of medicine. "Drink it." No matter how bitter it was, he didn''t frown as he drank it all. "Mr.Miller, I''ll switch slots with Brent." Kelvin was so tired after having spent a white night. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He looked at Olivia. ¡°Don''t you feel tired?" During the past two days, she only had a brief eyeshut. ¡°There''s only one more day left.I''m not tired. The medication mustn''t stop. ¡°Go ahead.Oh, and ask Brent to bring me these." She listed out a list of ingredients needed for Kelvin. ¡°Okay.Leave it to me." Olivia continued making medicine. Considering that Ethan''s eyesight had yet to recover today, Olivia added something to his medicine. Judging from his character, she bet that he wouldn''t show her his body. Let alone touching him. Thus, she was left with this choice. She waited for the medicine to kick in. Ethan, who was a light sleeper, took a nap. He felt like he was dreaming. The grogginess rendered him unable to distinguish if it was reality or a dream. Sensing that someone had walked in front of him, he became rmed. "Who is it?" ¡°It''s me." A familiar voice spoke. "Liv, I must be dreaming." That medicine could incur delusion, making him lose a sense of reality. Olivia intended to perform a quick checkup on him. "Don''t move." Before Ethan could say how much he missed her, he obeyed her orders meekly. He was afraid that he would wake up from the dream. Feeling that someone was touching his belt, he hurriedly held that person''s hand. It was small, and the size was the same as Olivia''s! ¡°Liv, what are you doing?" She was getting anxious. "We don''t have time.Don''t move.Let me see." She quickly removed his robe, revealing his skin. The pictures did no justice to it at all. She scrutinized his body seriously, but he suddenly hovered over him. Her eyes widened. "W¡ªWhat are you doing?" He touched his lips to hers. "Liv, I missed you." Chapter 990 Chapter 990 Olivia couldn''tprehend the situation.She initially thought that Ethan would listen to her and let her check on him.She couldn''t understand how he wanted a kiss as soon as they met. Besides, the kiss tasted bitter because Brent fed him medicine yesterday.She couldn''t take it! She felt that she had dug her own grave for some reason. "Ethan Miller, let go of me!" He hugged her like a ko, not wanting to release her. "Do you know how long I''ve been searching for you, Liv? I miss you every night and day.I was such a fool.Had I known that you''d go missing, I wouldn''t have let you go." Olivia was stunned. It was no wonder that it was a smooth escape. Those people were hot on her heels the moment she escaped. Ethan was aware of her n the whole time. If he wanted to stop her, he could''ve ruined her ns from the beginning. "Why did you choose to let me go?" ¡°Because I''ve done so many despicable things to you.I wanted to make up for them," Ethan blurted the truth, believing that this was a dream. Olivia stared at his eyes. There were red marks on his face. In addition to the red veins crawling over his face, he seemed like a fallen angel going into disarray. It added a tinge of demonic aura to his handsome looks. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Since his eyesight had yet to recover, the emotions swirling in Olivia''s eyes went unnoticed by him. "Didn''t you say that you''ll let me go only over your dead body?" ¡°But I know that if I force you to stay by my side, you''ll wither one day like a flower meeting its end.I didn''t want to see that, so I thought about it for a long time. "In the end, I chose to let you go.I thought that I could still hear news about you when you''re away. "I didn''t expect you to vanish into thin air after you''re gone." He kissed her neck deeply, feeling her presence. "I regret it.I regret it every night.I miss you.It''s hellish not being able to see you." She dodged his kisses. "Stop." He caressed her cheek. "Liv, do you know that I was almost dead two days ago? I wasn''t one bit afraid at that time. "I even thought that I could fly to your side to protect you and our children after I was dead." "You ..." Olivia wasn''t aware of the fact that the thorns over Ethan were smoothed out the past few years. She was even doubting if this was really Ethan Miller. Even though he couldn''t see, he was as happy as a child who had retrieved what he lost. ¡°Why didn''t youe and see me in my dreams? Do you know how much I miss you? Liv, I seriously can''t live any longer without you..." She was wavering, but she recalled the purpose of her visit. Brent would beingter after getting the ingredients she needed. However, there was not much time left. She needed to hurry up and check on Ethan''s condition. ¡°Okay.I know.Listen to me, and I won''t leave.I''m here to check if you''re doing fine or not," she cooed as though he was a child. Her remarks were sacred for the insecure Ethan. The medicine was still kicking in. In addition to the poisonous remnants in him, he became unusually meek. "Really? If I listen to you, will you stay?" "Yes.Justy down.You don''t have to do anything." Olivia heaved a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate that she was able to calm him down. Almost instantly, hey t.She pried his robe slowly to reveal his built body.She merely took a nce at it that day, and all she could think of was the red scar back then. Now, it served as a pleasing yet mind-blowing sight for her. Chapter 991 Chapter 991 It took up so much of Olivia''s will for her to shift her gaze away from Ethan''s abs.She began the checkup seriously and took out a stethoscope to listen to his heartbeat. "What is this, Liv? It''s cold," he muttered. "Why does this dream feel so real?" "Stop talking," she hushed him, not wanting to waste the time exining it to him. After that, she checked on his eyes. His orbs were lifeless, so she couldn''t diagnose anything from them. The only thing she could do was to detox him so that he could check his eyes at a hospital. Once the detox was over, his other organs would recover slowly. Meanwhile, Ethan hurriedly zipped his lips. Even though it was a dream to him, he wished she could stay a second longer. That way, there would at least be more memories he could look back on. "Turn around." "Okay." After a meticulous check, she deemed that the effort she spent over thest two days was worth it. The most important factor was that he was healthier than an average person. He recovered fast every time he was injured. ¡°Okay. Turn around." She pped his butt. Now that she was assured that he was recovering well, he let her guard down. Yet, it was the fuse that sent his whole body burning. Ethan turned over and pinned her down. "Now that you''re done, is it my turn to check?" Olivia ced her hands against his chest. "What are you doing?" He kissed her again. "Liv, did you miss me all these years? Did you miss me even for a moment?" She recalled the resolution she made to herself on the day she left. She wouldn''t look back again for the rest of her life. This time, she was willing to save him only because he was the father of her children. It didn''t mean that she wanted a reconciliation. Since there was no possibility between them, she could only give him the cold shoulder. ¡°No. I didn''t miss you at all. I''m living a good life after leaving your side. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. My days are full of sunshine." His expression suddenly changed. "So, you''ve fallen for Jack?" The sheer thought of the possibility ticked him off. He bit her lips hard. "How cruel of you, Liv. You told me that you''re going to love only me forever." Olivia was his bottom line. Ethan hugged her tighter, rendering it more difficult for her to escape. Raising her hand, she wanted to hit him, but she noticed the wound on his arm. ording to Kelvin, Ethan was injured because of a woman who looked simr to her. Olivia gave it a thought. She put in so much effort and barely pulled him back from death''s doorstep. If he was hurt, she would need to treat him again. She slowly put her hand down. After considering that he was affected by the medicine, she softened her voice. "I was lying. I did miss you." "Really?" "Yes, really. Can you let me go now?" Ethan suddenly reached out for her. ''''Let me see how much you miss me." Olivia was baffled at that. She couldn''t keep up with his logic at this point. Although he couldn''t see, he managed to take her clothes off swiftly. Like a madman, he pulled her closer to him. "Liv." She wondered if she had added the wrong drug. She didn''t know what was going on with him as she found the situation absurd. His organs were more or less damaged, but what about there? Why was sex the only thing he could think of even when he was dreaming? Ethan licked her ear lustfully. ¡°You won''t let me hold your hands during the day. So I can only do it in my dreams ..." Olivia suddenly recalled what he said to her a few years back then, that she was the person in his dream. The question was¡ªwhat did he do to her in his dreams? ¡°Liv, hug me." Chapter 992 Chapter 992 Olivia thought about her newlywed days. Ethan had always been a reticent man. Even if he mustered all his strength on the bed, his expression seldom showed much change. Let alone the times he expressed his emotions aloud. If he had not made it impossible for her to walk the next day every time they had sex, she would''ve doubted his feelings for her. He bottled everything up, not wanting anyone to read his emotions. And after years of ups and downs, it seemed that their positions had changed. Olivia kept all her feelings to herself while Ethan became the pitiful party. He never hid his feelings anymore. Like a loving and passionate dog, he knew where her sensitive parts were. His wet lips traced downward along her neck, leaving wet marks. "Liv, I miss you.I miss you so much that I''m going crazy." Meanwhile, she thought, "Brent''s gonna be back soon.If he sees me under Ethan, he''s gonna throw a ruckus for sure." An idea shed across her mind. She softened her voice. "I miss you, too, Ethan.But I gotta go.Time is running out." ¡°Where are you going?" "I will think of something to see you again." She then took the initiative to kiss him, taking the lead from him. Her action caught him off-guard. Anything could happen in a dream, anyway. Even if it was something absurd, he wouldn''t suspect it. Her kiss got him all mesmerized, and she seized her chance to escape. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Ethan, who was left alone, kept calling for her, "Liv.Liv ..." Olivia hurriedly tidied herself up before walking out of the caves. Those people were long gone, leaving only the red snake outside. Willow was searching for fruits in the mountains nearby, so it was protecting her. The cool breeze blew, calming Olivia down from the heat. She climbed a tree and rested her hands on the back of her head. The sunlight cascaded down on her through the leaves. As she stared at the floating clouds and flying birds, memories of her with Ethan fleeted across her head. Those moments were happy, painful, and despairing. It was as though those days happened only just yesterday. Now that Olivia counted the days, she realized that they had been at this for almost ten years. She would be turning 27 this year. Once, she was a naive girl who gave up on everything to entrust her life to him until their marriage met its demise. She even thought ofmitting suicide for good during her saddest moments. At longst, she stepped out of that kind of life. She should be enjoying her time right now. Why should she look back again? Closing her eyes, she calmed herself down. Brent came to the tree. When he noticed howid-back the woman appeared, he couldn''t help but call her, "Vanessa, how''s Mr.Miller doing?" "Pretty good." Olivia jumped off the tree. "Let''s go.Once we pull it through today, the detox will be halfway done." ¡°Thank you." She replied without looking back, "Save it.I don''t save people for free." Ethan fell asleep on the animal''s skin. Since he was weak, he couldn''t put up with it for long. Once he woke up, he would simply assume that it was a dream. Olivia took the ingredients from Brent to start making the medicine. She took a few pills to stay awake. Back when she decided to prepare for pregnancy, she took all kinds of medication every day. As time passed, it changed her body in nature. Although Olivia''s blood was not as useful as Willow''s, she was slightly different from ordinary people. Brent stayed by Ethan''s side. Now, Ethan only had to take the special bath thrice a day. That was why Brent let Ethan sleep instead of waking him up. An hourter, Ethan suddenly woke up. Sensing that someone was by his side, he hugged that person immediately. "Liv, you''vee to me." Chapter 993 Chapter 993 A helpless Brent answered, "Mr.Miller, it''s me." Ethan reached out to touch him. "Where''s Liv?" ¡°It must be a dream again?" "A dream?" Ethan frowned. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The dream felt too real for him. It was so real that he could feel Olivia''s skin and temperature. He thought he could still hear her voice ringing in his ears. "Yeah.I''m afraid Mrs.Miller is still somewhere far away from here.Why would she appear here?" Ethan''s heart sunk to the pit of his stomach. It wasn''t easy for him to finally look for her, and yet it turned out to be a dream.He lowered his head, letting out a bitter smile. "You''re right.Why would I be able to see her?" Olivia''s icy voice spoke. "You''re awake.Eat something." Only then did he realize that Brent wasn''t alone. The doctor was present, too.He wondered if he had said something while sleeping. ¡°Was she here the whole time?" Brent quickly replied, "No.Vanessa was outside the whole time.She entered the room with me a while ago.What''s the matter?" "Nothing." Ethan took the fruit given by Brent. It had been days since Ethanst ate a proper meal. He always ate fruits and vegetables. Hence, his body was weak. When he heard that they were specially nurtured for good health, he ate a few more of them. Despite having zero protein and fat intake, he felt that it wasn''t too bad to sustain himself with those nuts and fruits. ¡°Refill the bathtub with clean water.I''ll change the medicationter. "We''ll detox the remaining poison in him.He won''t need it starting tomorrow," informed Olivia. "Okay." Brent did as she told him right away.He was willing to do anything as long as Ethan could recover. Olivia yawned while preparing Ethan''s medicine.She didn''t speak to him at all. On the next day, he obviously appeared better than before. Kelvin rushed over to pick Ethan up. "Miss, has Mr.Miller recovered already?" ¡°Of course not. It''s only been three days.He''s halfway through the detox.It''ll take six more days to detoxify the remnants. "But he won''t need to dip himself in hot water anymore.All he needs to do is to spend an hour in a medicinal bath.And he can take the medication once every three days." Judging from her exhausted complexion, everyone could tell that it had been tough for her. ¡°Thank you so much.You sacrificed your sleep just to treat Mr.Miller.You are a living angel! I''ll make you a trophy of appreciation once I return home." The corner of Olivia''s lips twitched. "That kind of thing isn''t worth anything.As for the payment, I''ll seek it from Mr.Ethan.Look after him.I''ll be getting some rest in my room." She yawned and left without looking back. After she left, Ethan suddenly grabbed Kelvin''s hand. "Did you guys mention my name to her?" Kelvin scratched the back of his head. ''''No.We''ve been calling you Mr.Miller." He turned to look at Brent. "What about you, Brent?" ¡°No.Uncle Tucker has been calling you a brat, too.Your name wasn''t mentioned.Even Krystal called you Sova." Half of the red marks on Ethan''s face had subsided. There are only some marks adorning the corner of his eyes and his forehead. The somber Ethan had doubts. "Say, how does she know my name? Not even the meticulous Brent noticed it, let alone Kelvin, who wasn''t the sharpest tool in the shed. ¡°Mr.Miller, do you mean ..." Ethan said, "She knows me." Chapter 994 Chapter 994 Brent exined, "She''s a famous doctor, not a country bumpkin.You''re not wearing a mask, so it''s not weird that she recognizes you, Mr.Miller." Ethan''s brows slightly creased. "Is that so?" ¡°Yeah.It could be because famous doctors have a certain ego.But she did her best to detox you," Kelvin added. Ethan couldn''t put a finger on it. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He kept feeling that the doctor treated him differently from others. Perhaps he was overthinking it. Noticing that he was still alive, Krystal threw herself at him with reddened eyes. "Sova, I was worried sick about you." Ethan trusted his guts and shifted to the other side, dodging her hug. "I''m fine.Sorry for keeping you waiting.I still have to stay for treatment.You should go back home." She gaped in surprise. She jumped through hoops to get there. Yet, the first thing he said was a request for her to leave. "Sova, I wanna look after you.You can''t see.I''ve applied for a leave.Don''t worry about it." "It''s fine.I have Kelvin and Brent looking after me.You''re a woman, so it''s inconvenient." She stomped her feet. "What is inconvenient? We''re both single.Besides, haven''t we always looked after each other when we were on missions?" Wendy happened to pass by the room at that time. Now, she finally realized that it had always been Krystal''s one-sided feelings.She sized Krystal up with a mocking gaze. ¡°Youngdies now are shameless.Can''t you understand that he''s rejecting you? Can''t believe you''re still throwing yourself at him.How shameful." The hatred upon receiving a urine ssh from Wendy is still rooted deeply in Krystal. Krystal retorted, "Sova and I are getting along well.You''re just being salty about it because no one wants to marry you." ¡°Krystal Heath!" Joel called her out. He heard that as soon as he came out of his room. However, someone rushed over to p her before he could teach her a lesson. The p echoed clearly against the four walls. Olivia heard Krystal''s voice when she came out of her room after a meal. Krystal was as supercilious as always. Olivia was so quick with her moves that Krystal was left in a daze. Krystal stared at Olivia with widened eyes, still unable to register what had happened a moment ago. ¡°D¡ªDid you just p me?" Olivia ignored the question as she stared at Krystal icily. " Apologize to Madam Wendy!" Krystal''s anger rose almost instantly. She came from a rich family, after all. Had it not been for Ethan, she wouldn''t have chosen that route. She would''ve still been the youngdy wrapped in cotton back at home. The pampered woman had a vile temper. "How dare you p you? Who do you think you are, you ugly swine? You¡ª" Before she could finish, another pnded on her other cheek. "I''m demanding you to apologize.Otherwise, don''t think of leaving this vige." Olivia was giving off an intimidating aura. "Do you know who I am? I¡ª" Joel hurriedly stopped her by saying, "Stop it, you brat! Apologize to Aunt Wendy at this instant!" "I''m sorry, miss.Krystal is kinda on the edge these days.I apologize in her stead. ¡°Madam Wendy, I hope you won''t take it to heart.She''s just a brat, " said the sensible Kelvin. Kelvin didn''t wish Vanessa to be angry at Ethan because of Krystal. Still, Olivia wasn''t buying that. She still remembered that p from Krystal. Back when Ethan was in trouble, she failed to understand the situation, and Olivia was pped for no reason! What did she do wrong? She thought, "Does Krystal think that the whole world revolves around her?" Chapter 995 Chapter 995 Olivia''s cold gaze swept across everyone. "I don''t care who you are.But since you''re in the vige, you gotta abide by the rules here.Otherwise, get out of here." "Stop it, brat! This is not Aldenvine.Besides, didn''t you say that you wanna save Sova? ¡°Are you going to offend the only doctor that can save him?" Joel managed to keep Krystal''s temper under control. The reluctant Krystal approached Wendy unwillingly for Ethan''s sake. "Madam Wendy, it was all my fault.I was on edge these days because Sova was poisoned.I hope you can forgive me." Wendy was an old woman in her 80s. She wouldn''t take a young brat''s words to heart at all.She merely shot a cold nce at Krystal. "Know your ce." Olivia held Wendy and left without sparing the others a nce. Krystal red at the back of Olivia''s head, touching her red cheeks. No one had ever done that to her before! The glint in her eyes scared Joel. Krystal was no ordinary person, after all. They brought her along this time because of the possibility that Ethan might need blood. Joel had watched Krystal and Ethan grow up, so he knew their temper very well. If this went on, she would surely cause more trouble in the future. ¡°Enough, Krystal.Ethan is fine.It''s ridiculous for a woman like you to stay here.I''ll ask someone to send you off." ¡°I don''t wanna go, Uncle Tucker! I wanna stay to take care of Sova." As the stubborn bull she was, she didn''t listen to him. "Don''t worry, Uncle Tucker.I won''t do anything stupid or impulsive for Sova''s sake." She thought, "Once Sova is detoxed, it''ll be that woman and that old granny''s D-Day!" Willow, who stood at a cottage from afar, noticed Krystal''s maliciousness. Willow was almost three years old, but she was more mature than her peers. She wasn''t a childish kid. She didn''t know how to speak, but she knew human nature best. She could recognize the murderous glint in Krystal''s eyes. Willow raised her hand, and an eagle perched on the fence before her so that she could pat its head. That scene caught Brent''s sight. He noticed her gaze fixated upon Krystal. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. It was that of a mighty hunter overlooking its prey. The eagle¡ªwhich earned the title of "The King of the Sky" ¡ªhung its head meekly like a fledgling to let her touch it. This little girl was a formidable presence in this old yet strange vige. Brent still couldn''t forget what he witnessed on the first day he came to the vige. Everyone in the vige treated the little girl with reverence. Willow shifted her gaze onto Brent as though she noticed his gaze. The moment their eyes met, he broke into a cold sweat from the looming murderous aura. He thought he had seen a mighty ruler. Willow turned and left in Olivia''s direction. Olivia was heading to the medicinal spring, which she frequented for over three years. Once Ethan left, she removed her clothes and mask. She dipped herself into the water. The medicinal spring could nurture one''s body. The tumor in her had vanished, and the number of cancer cells was kept under control at a normal rate. Even her injured wrist was healed. As long as Olivia was in the vige, she would spend some time over here every day. She rested against the edge of the spring and shut her eyes, taking some rest. The temperature was just alright. It was neither too cold nor too hot. It was just perfect for a nap. Meanwhile, Willow was picking flowers in the area. While Olivia was away, Wendy nurtured some herbs in the vicinity. They should be sprouting soon. Due to the warm temperature, the flowers never withered here. Willow made a wreath and put it on Olivia''s head. Sensing something over her head, Olivia opened her eyes and met a pair of green eyes. Those green eyes were always beautiful. Every time Olivia looked at Willow, she figured that she had made the right choice to let Willow stay. Chapter 996 Chapter 996 Resting against the edge of the spring, Olivia caressed Willow''s head and shed a warm smile. ¡°Good girl.I''ll be sleeping for a moment." Willow nodded before pecking her mother''s cheek. Some butterflies danced around them. If they had a camera, it would have been a scene enchanting enough to bememorated with a picture. Olivia was so tired because she had spent several white nights, so she fell asleep by the spring. Her tress was left flowing over her shoulders. Without the mask covering her face, her skin appeared crystal clear. She became prettier than before. As the good girl she was, Willow didn''t disturb Olivia. Willow was harvesting herbs nearby. The little animals seemed to like her very much. Even the little dear, who often visited the ce, would sit before her to let her brush it. The day seemed simple and wonderful. Ethan was weak to begin with. The worst thing was that his eyesight had yet to recover. It rendered it difficult to stay in a foreign ce. Brent led Ethan around so that he could familiarize himself with the small room, which was filled with wooden furniture. When they opened the window, they could hear the birds chirping and the sound of the stream flowing. ¡°Slow down, Sova.Here''s a small table.There''s water on it.If you''re thirsty¡ª" Krystal wanted to help him. Ethan shoved her hand away. "Krystal, as I said, you don''t have to stay here.I''ll ask someone to send you back." ¡°But Sova, I¡ª" Ethan waved his hand, motioning for Brent and Kelvin to leave. Now that they were alone, Ethan said, "Krystal, you''ve reached the age of marriage.I hope you can get over me and don''t look only at me anymore. ¡°Three years ago, I told you that I have someone I love.I will never marry anyone else other than her again." "Olivia left you a long time ago.I know you''ve been looking for her this whole time.If she loved you, how could she leave your side without hesitation? ¡°It''s been years.She might''ve fallen for someone else and have kids¡ª" Ethan smashed the ss on the table. ¡°Have I told you not to nder Liv in front of me? This is thest time, Krystal. I''ve said what I have to say.I don''t love you, and I never will." Noticing his anger, she stomped her feet. ¡°Ethan Miller, how could you be so blind in love and cruel? Can''t you see my genuine feelings for you? " "I don''t know what is so nice about that woman that you can''t get over here for so many years.What do you love about her?" "I love everything about her.Now, leave." Krystal cried while running away. Brent patted Kelvin''s shoulder. ¡°Ask a few guys to follow her.Don''t lose her.There are poisonous animals and fruits everywhere.If something goes south, we won''t be able to handle the consequences." The bitter Kelvin chased after her, thinking, "What a bad omen.Just what is she here for?" Brent gazed at the sitting Ethan, whose feet were surrounded by shreds of ss. Sighing, Brent crouched down to clean up the mess. "Mr.Miller, you haven''t fully recovered.Please don''t be livid." Ethan kneaded his brows. "Find the right time to send her back." "Okay." The thought of Willow''s gaze made Brent''s skin crawl. His hunch was telling him that Willow was targeting Krystal. Considering that this was Willow''s territory, he figured that he wouldn''t be able to stand a chance against the other party if they did something to Krystal. While Olivia was in a deep sleep, Willow yed with the baby deer for a while. Until then, a pigeon flew into the cave and perched on Willow''s shoulder. It cooed, and she stood up.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She nced at the sleeping woman before leaving quietly. Chapter 997 Chapter 997 Everything in Krystal''s life went well, bar one¡ªlove. The moment Ethan saved her, she swore to herself that she must marry him when she grew up. She didn''t have a rough childhood growing up. Everyone paid respect to her. Even if she wished for a star or the moon, there would be someone getting them for her. Yet, she was pped by another woman! Krystal thought, "So what if she''s a doctor? She''s so ugly. She''s not even as pretty as my toes.¡± She ran to the river, looking at her reflection. Judging from how Olivia didn''t hold herself back, Krystal bet that her cheeks were swollen. Today, Krystal vowed to make Olivia pay back in multiple folds. She was so immersed in her reflection that she didn''t sense the impending danger. Kelvin suddenly pulled her backward. ¡°Be careful!¡± Before she could register the situation, she saw a snake jumping out of the water. It revealed its sharp teeth, trying to bite her leg. She was so surprised that words couldn''te out of her. Had it not been for Kelvin''s quick reaction, she would''ve gone to heaven by now. "S¡ªSnake! It''s a snake!¡± she stammered. Kelvin fired to kill the snake, and blood sttered all over the ce. A few drops of blood stained her shoes. Due to her identity, she rarely went to the wild unless she was on a mission with Ethan. Even if she was with him, her sole purpose in the team was to be a blood bag for Ethan. Thus, the inexperienced woman was like a cat on hot bricks in the face of such an emergency. She wasn''t calm at all. She ced her hands on her chest as the scene was still reying in her head vividly. ¡°Krystal, are you alright?" inquired Kelvin. ¡°I-I''m fine.¡± How could she be fine? Her knees already went weak! Baffled, he muttered, ¡°How strange. This kind of snake doesn''t attack humans. Why did it be so brutal? Is it because its babies are nearby?¡± Every animal would be provocative when they were raising their offspring. They would be on guard all the time, protecting their offspring from getting attacked by other animals. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Anyways, I don''t think we should stay here for long. Hurry.¡± Krystal kept staring at something as her legs were trembling. "I-It''s toote.¡± ¡°What''s toote?¡± He followed her gaze only to see a bunch of snakes sliding out of a crevice between the rocks opposite the river. It was a jumble of snakes of different sizes. Even someone without trypophobia would have a hard time witnessing that scene. They swam into the water, heading toward the two of them. ¡°This is bad! Run!" "M¡ªMy knees have gone weak. I can''t run.¡± Krystal was on the verge of fainting due to the shock. ¡°My apologies.¡± Kelvin carried her and ran away as he couldn''t just abandon her. The frantic man could scarcely hear the sound of a bamboo flute whistling from afar. When he recalled how that little girl rode on a big snake, Kelvin soon wrapped his head around the situation. Willow manipted those snakes! If he wasn''t in the middle of escaping, he would''ve given her He didn''t expect the beast tamer, whom he had only read in fantasy novels before, would actually exist! And it was such a young child at that! He could hardly believe it.He thought that it was awesome.However, he could only focus on the escape right now. If he fell, he would be bitten to death by the poisonous snakes. Kelvin had never run this quickly in his life before. He ran toward the source of the sound of the flute. A little girl was sitting on a tree nearby. She was holding a bamboo flute while swaying her legs. The soft waves of whispers from the flute were like a chant calling upon the demons. Chapter 998 Chapter 998 The number of snakes surrounding them increased. Kelvin threw Krystal off his back. Before she could react to that, he pressed her head onto the ground abruptly. She was livid. "What are you¡ª" "Shut up!" He hushed her before pleading, "Please stop blowing the flute. She knows that she¡¯s wrong. She will not do it again. Stop those snakes froming at us!" He lowered his voice, threatening Krystal, "If you don''t wanna die, beg for mercy right now! Otherwise, we won''t be able to get out of this vige.¡± The sound of snakes hissing echoed in the woods. Krystal had never witnessed such a sight before. She wasn''t even wearing protective gear. The snakes didn''t stop in their tracks. Kelvin grabbed her ponytail to press her head onto the ground again. "I am so sorry, miss. Please show us mercy. If your mother finds out about this, she won''t be happy, will she?¡± As he had expected, the sound of the flute stopped as soon as he said that. The snakes ceased, too. Still, it gave them goosebumps to have so many snakes staring at them. Willow was still a kid, after all. The person she cared the most was Olivia. The first time Willow used her ability was when she was two. Olivia had gone to the mountains to harvest herbs at that time. The smell of animal-repellent powder on her subsided because she stayed in the mountains for too long. A leopard sneakily attacked her from behind. Even though she reacted quickly, her arms were scratched. Her blood sttered onto the little girl in the pack basket. Willow''s eyes widened. No one told her what to do, but she managed to call upon the insects, rats, snakes, and birds nearby in a fit of pique. That leopard was bitten to death, leaving only its bones. Olivia wasn''t surprised by the leopard but by her daughter instead. Willow could still remember Olivia''s look back then. It was the look in which one was watching a monster. That look merelysted for a few seconds before Olivia hugged Willow andforted her. Nevertheless, it wrenched Willow''s heart every time she recalled Olivia''s gaze back then. Kelvin was right. Olivia wouldn''t want Willow to misuse her ability. Willow blew the flute again. The melody slowly turned into a soft tune. The snakes retreated like a withdrawing wave that pounded against the beach. The red snake picked Willow up from the tree. When they were about to reach the ground, the barefooted Willow jumped off it andnded before Krystal. Krystal raised her head, meeting Willow''s green eyes. Willow stared at her deeply as thetter trembled in fear. The sound of the bell rang, and Krystal''s heart pounded along with the beat. She broke into a cold sweat. When the bell could no longer be heard, she flopped onto the ground as though her soul had left her body. Her initial n was to leave the vige the next day, but she fell sick that night. She wasn''t in the right state of mind as she kept mumbling nonsense. Kelvin was excited when he told Brent about the incident. ¡°Brent, you don''t know how magnificent the sight was. It was a sea of snakes swarming us to the sound of the flute! It was like a movie! "They came right at us from all sides! It was terrifying!¡± Brent frowned, recalling what Wendy had said before leaving. He had a hunch that Krystal''s illness wasn''t a coincidence. "Brent, what are you thinking about?" This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Did Vanessa say that she won''t let Krystal leave the vige?¡± Chapter 999 Chapter 999 "She did, but that was on the condition that Krystal didn''t apologize. Krystal did apologize to Madam Wendy.¡± Brent shook his head. "Do you think that it was a sincere apology?" "I don''t think so. If it really is Krystal''s fault, what should we do?" Brent sighed. ¡°She should take the responsibility herself. Tell her to apologize to Madam Wendy sincerely.¡± He entered the room where the weak Ethan was resting. Ethan didn''t know what happened out there. Brent greeted him as always when he entered the room, "Mr. . Miller, it''s me.¡± "I know." Ethan could recognize the duo''s footsteps. He wasn''t as weak as Brent thought. "How are you feeling today?¡± Ethan closed his eyes, frowning. "Bad. The headache is killing me.¡± The marks on his face became lighter. He should be getting better because most of the poison was disposed of. Brent wondered, "Why is Mr. Miller''splexion looking bad?" ¡°Hold on. I''ll call the doctor over.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Okay.¡± Brent couldn''t care less about Krystal''s incident as he ran to Olivia''sboratory. She was reading a medical book while preparing medicine. Not only was she practicing herbal medicine, but she also excelled in modern medicine. She even concocted her own treatment for some illness. Noticing the anxious Brent, she figured that something was wrong with Ethan. That was the only matter that could make the calm and collected man anxious. "What''s wrong?¡± She slid a bookmark between the pages before standing up. "Something''s wrong with Mr. Miller. Pleasee with me.¡± She was already heading to the room. "Okay. Watch the fire for me. Don''t let anyonee near the medicine.¡± Although it was her territory, unforeseen idents might happen, too. Ethan''s detox had yet to finish. If someone changed the ingredients of the medicine, it might cost his life. ¡°Okay,¡± replied Brent. Olivia scurried into the house with light steps. ¡°Vanessa?¡± asked Ethan. He was alert because he couldn''t see. "Yeah, it''s me.¡± Olivia approached him. She smelled like herbs. Ethan''s expression slightly changed when the faint scent wafted his nose. It was the same scent he smelled in his dream! It wasn''t the smell of herb medicine. Olivia had been surrounded by herbs around the clock for the past three years. Since she was also taking medicine, she carried a distinct body scent simr to herbs. Not even a perfumer could make that scent. Olivia didn''t notice anything in particr because she was used to it. Besides, she rarely interacted intimately with others. Only the people close to her in the distance could smell it. Anxious, she leaned toward him to check on him without caring about his emotions. She pried his eyelids wider to observe his orbs while asking, ¡±Where do you feel ufortable?" Her long hair strand brushed his neck when she leaned over. It was as light as a feather, hence the ticklish sensation. Ethan pulled his senses back and faced her direction. All he could see was a blurry face. "I''m having a serious headache, and my stomach is churning. I don''t have an appetite either.¡± ¡°Open your mouth and show me your tongue.¡± She grabbed his chin. Her cold fingers prompted him to open his mouth. He could see her getting closer to him and feel her breathing. She released him before announcing solemnly, "I have to check your body.¡± Surprisingly, he didn''t stop her this time as she undid his buttons. It was the same way Olivia removed his clothes in the past! Comment by soonyoung gu: are there many ways to remove clothes should she start from the socks Chapter 1000 Chapter 1000 Ethan recalled the details of the dream involving Olivia. An idea shed across his mind; if that wasn''t a dream, it meant it happened in real life. In other words, the woman before him was Olivia! That sheer thought excited him. Meanwhile, Olivia was listening to his heartbeat with a stethoscope. She frowned while murmuring, ¡°Why is his heartbeat so fast? She covered the nket over him and sat on the chair. Then, she took one of his arms. ¡°Breathe normally. I''m going to feel your pulse.¡± She had no clue that Ethan was in ecstasy. He began connecting all of the clues about why this famous doctor was able to rescue him in time unconditionally. She even sacrificed three night''s sleep to give him medicine. The shriek he heard when he caught her was clearly Olivia''s voice. He didn''t mishear it! Then, why did he have such a dream? Perhaps she resorted to that method to check his body because he refused to let her check. The blurry image of a little girl seeped into his mind. Ethan heard that she was going to turn three years old soon. Perhaps ... He reminisced about what happened four years ago. That night, he helped the drugged Olivia on the ship and sent her to Aldenvine. The next day, Joshua called him to inform him that Olivia had requested birth control pills. At that time, he thought that it was bad for her health and her body was weak. Before that, the doctor also told him that her body was weaker than average people''s. It wasn''t easy for her to get pregnant. Thus, Ethan asked Joshua to give her vitamins instead. To his surprise, she was pregnant at that time! It was no wonder that the little girl resembled Olivia. However, why did the little girl have green eyes, which were different from Olivia''s and his? Ethan couldn''t control the ecstasy blooming in him. Olivia was alive! She gave birth to a daughter and became a famous doctor! The happier he was, the faster his heartbeat was. Olivia''s brows creased. She raised her head, looking at him. ¡°Are you excited right now?¡± He forced himself not to smile because all of this was a mere guess of his. He needed to verify it. Besides, even if he guessed it right, she would escape far away if she found out about it. He gradually kept his emotions under control. Still, his hands were trembling due to his excitement. ¡°¡ª" Considering his fast heartbeat, Olivia assumed that he was undergoing a turmoil of strong emotions. She didn''t know if it was a side effect caused by the medicine or if it was his problem. Right then, Ethan showed fear. "I''m afraid.¡± ¡°Afraid?¡± It was the first time she heard that word from him. She couldn''t follow. "What are you afraid of?" He grabbed her hand. "Miss, I''m afraid that I''ll die.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She had a hunch that he wasn''t afraid of death. It reminded Olivia of her past as she thought, "Who wouldn''t be afraid when they''re dying?¡± It wasn''t the fear of death but the fear of not being able to meet his loved ones. She didn''t mind that he was holding her hand. She softened her voice. "Don''t be afraid. As long as I''m here, you won''t die.¡± He turned his hand to intertwine her fingers. ¡°I''m afraid that I won''t be able to meet my loved ones.¡± Chapter 1001 Chapter 1001 In the past, Ethan and Olivia would intertwine their fingers whenever they were in the heat of the moment. A person could change his face with a mask, face a change in the aura, and fake the glint in his gaze through practice. However, they could never change the size of their hands. How could Ethan forget about the feeling of holding Olivia''s hand when he had held it so many times? Her hand fit in his so perfectly. Unlike the smooth skin before this, her hands grew calluses. She had it rough for the past few years. She suddenly shook his hand off. Guilt tinged his expression. "Sorry for crossing the line. I was thinking about my ex-wife." She stared at his face, realizing that there was no huge change in his expression. Even his eyes lost their sparks. She reckoned that it was simply her being paranoid. "It''s alright." ¡°What''s happening to me?" "It could be a side effect because of the heavy medicine dosage. I''ll reduce the dosage from today onward and make new medicines. "You should visit the spring at the back of the mountain often. It''s good for your health. I''ll make something nourishing for you before checking your pulseter." ¡°Thank you." Ethan shut his eyes in bed, appearing evidently weak. Olivia hurriedly went out of the room to catch a chicken from the coop and pick some mushrooms and ingredients for the medicine. After cleaning the chicken, she stewed it alongside other ingredients to make a pot of porridge. Ethan needed something nourishing, but the meal shouldn''t be too heavy. Thus, she had to control the amount of ingredients she added. On the other hand, Ethan requested Brent''s presence after she left the room. ¡°Mr. Miller, did you ask for me? It''s not time to take medicine yet, though." Ethan nodded. "Close the door. Make sure there''s no one around beforeing into the room." ¡°Okay. iy Brent was more reliable than Kelvin. After doing as Ethan told him, he came to Ethan and lowered his voice. ¡°Done. Is there something I have to do, Mr. Miller?¡± Ethan said in an undertone next to Brent''s ear, "I wanna know exactly how old Willow is. Ask the people around." "Why are you suddenly asking about her?" ¡°Just do as I say. Do it secretly. No one must find out about this." Ethan didn''t exin much about it. "Yes, sir." Despite finding it strange, Kelvin epted the orders withoutints. After all, Ethan''s orders were everything. Ethan didn''t feed Brent the reason behind it because Olivia was smart. If Brent were to investigate Olivia, it might rm her. Thus, it was their best option to act naturally. Ethany in bed, thinking how good it would be if the doctor were really Olivia. Realizing that she had been following up on news about him, he thought, "She doesn''t want to give up saving me. Does that mean she still cares for me dearly?" Besides, they had another child! It was no wonder he felt the attachment toward Willow. It was possible that she had recognized him, which exined why she was willing to donate her blood to him. ¡°Silly kid. I really want to see her. What a shame," he said to himself in his head. His good mood helped him recover faster. Ethan was even willing to take the medicine. Olivia brought the porridge over. "You have to take some even if your stomach doesn''t feel well. Take it slow. It''s porridge." He nodded, giving his full cooperation. "Okay." ¡°This is a bowl. Be careful." ¡°Thank you." He reached out to take the bowl. There was a spoon in the bowl because she figured that he could feed himself with it. As soon as she thought about that, the bowl fell onto the floor. She raised her head to see his innocent face. ¡°Sorry.¡± He got out of bed to clean up the mess, and the fragment cut his finger. She quickly grabbed his hand. "Don''t move. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Let me do it." Chapter 1002 Chapter 1002 Grabbing Ethan''s hand, Olivia checked his wound only to realize that there was a long line of slits adorning it. "I''m fine. I get hurt often. It''s nothing." Unbothered, he withdrew his hand. "Give me a second." She quickly brought a medical kit over to stop the bleeding. "Alright. Make sure the wound stays away from water these two days. I''ll help you to the bed." "It''s alright. You don''t have to."" He shoved her away before dragging his body toward the bed. Although he wanted to stay close to her, she was too smart for him to do that. It would take a single mistake for her to find out about it. Hence, he could only control his impulsive thoughts by pretending that they were strangers and distancing himself from her. Frowning, Olivia said, "There''s no man or woman here but a doctor and a patient. If you insist on distancing yourself from me, I won''t care about the poison in your body anymore." Ethan hung his head low. "Sorry." She brought over another bowl of porridge. "If you wanna get better soon, do as I say." "Sorry for the trouble," he apologized again. Olivia looked at the man, who was hanging his head low like a child at fault. In the past, Ethan had always been on the top with dominating power. When did he ever act this way? She let out a silent sigh. "It''s alright. I understand. Have some chicken soup. It took me long to make it." She was stunned for a moment at what she had said. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. In fact, there was no need for her to add the final sentence. It made it seem as if she genuinely cared for him. Some things were ingrained in her very bones as habits before she realized it. She still practiced that after so many years had passed. "I''ve added some herbs so that you''ll feel better soon," she added. "Thank you." Olivia fed him as silence dawned upon them. The atmosphere could never be any more wholesome than it was right now. On the day she left his side, she had thought of avoiding him for the rest of her life. She didn''t want to see him forever. When she had free time, she would imagine how their reunion would be if it were inevitable. Everything that was happening right now was beyond her imagination. Ethan turned from a cold person into an obedient person. He put up with the difort of interacting closely with others. Whether she was feeding him medicine or food, he would give her full cooperation. He didn''t cause her trouble. Perhaps he was trying his best to get back to his feet soon. Since Ethan felt very ufortable today, Olivia had to stay to observe him. That way, she could decide whether to add, reduce, or change the ingredients for his medicine. There were still poisonous remnants in his body, so she couldn''t afford to be careless. She thought, "The heavy dosage of medicine could be the reason for him feeling ufortable. "But if I reduce the medicine, it might not be enough to keep the poison under control. I guess I should use the traditional way." "Let''s go. We can continue it in the cave. This is the only way to minimize the side effects, as well as the fastest way to remove the poison from you." "T''ll do as you say." Ethan asked for Brent to prepare to return to the cave. Right then, Kelvin barged into the room and bowed at Olivia. "Miss, please check on Krystal. I know her bitchy attitude has offended you, but she''s gravely ill right now. If something happens to her, I''ll be doomed!" He had the nerve to speak ill of Krystal only when she was not around. Acold glint shed across Olivia''s eyes as she wondered what kind of background Krystal had. Kelvin and Brent were afraid of Krystal. Krystal''s family was considered as a family with a middle ie in Aldenvine. Supposedly, they weren''t someone to gain this much respect from the duo. Only then did Ethan ask indifferently, "What happened to her?" "Mr. Miller, she ran away angrily after you said those words yesterday. Then, I brought her back, and she fell sick. She couldn''t even get out of the bed." Kelvin didn''t dare to mention Willow''s incident in front of Olivia. Ethan frowned. "Ask someone to send her back to Aldenvine. Someone will treat her there." Chapter 1003 Chapter 1003 Ethan perceived Krystal as a younger sister. He tried his best to look after her whenever he could. He saved her by chance that year, but she ended up pestering him! In the past, she insisted on going with him for his missions. He assumed that the youngdy yearned for real-life experience to prepare herself for promotion. On top of that, she indeed donated her blood to him during emergencies. Thus, he intended to help her out. As she grew older, her feelings for him became more apparent. That was why he told her that he was married, and she stopped pestering him for a few years. However, she became eager in his pursuit again ever since the mind -blowing news of his divorce. No matter how Ethan rejected Krystal, she tagged along. His patience slowly ran thin at her attempts. Now, he wouldn''t care about their mentor-mentee rtionship anymore. Brent quickly said, "Mr. Miller, she''s seriously ill. If we don''t have her treated immediately and send her back instead, if the superiors wanna find fault in someone, it''ll do no good to you ..." Ethan replied coldly, "She had iting. Don''t be bothered by it." Then, he stood up to head outside. The visually impaired man almost tripped by the door, but Olivia managed to hold him. "This house is smaller than your mansions. If you''re not familiar with it, don''t wander around mindlessly. What if you fall off the stairs? I have to treat your broken bones then." "Sorry." "I''m not that petty to be angry with you when you can''t even see. Slow down." She guided him while holding his hand. Brent stared at their holding hands, which reminded him of Ethan''s orders. Brent soonprehended something. Unobtrusively, he smiled for a second. When she looked at him, he was already wearing a concerned expression. She wondered if it was her delusion. Meanwhile, Kelvin was still pleading, "Miss, what if something happens to him? I''ll be sentenced to death! I''m still young, and I haven''t found myself a wife yet." She replied without looking back, "She''ll get better after sleeping for a few days." She guessed in her head, "It seems like Krystal has a strong background. If something happens to her, Ethan will be dragged into the problem." Still, Olivia kept her expression stoic as she led Ethan to the back of the mountain. The warm breeze caressed their cheeks, bringing the flowery scent to their noses. The birds were chirping while the stream flowed steadily. The crease between Ethan''s brows slowly smoothened out. He initiated a conversation, "It must be pretty here." "It''s not bad." "Too bad I can''t see them. "Your eyeballs are affected by the poison. Your retina and cornea are seriously damaged. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "You gotta be mentally prepared that it might take up a lot of time for them to recover." Her remarks embittered him. "If so, it''ll be troublesome." ¡°Why?" "Kelvin and Brent are my right-hand men. Now that I''m in trouble, I bet it''s a whole mess out there. "I need them to handle some matters in my stead. If they always stay here, I might not be able to see progress in my work." Olivia was aware of how important the duo were to him. Words of Ethan getting poisoned had gotten out. Perhaps the other parties were waiting for an answer to all of this. Yet, there was nothing he could do in such a state. "You should stay for the detox. It''s safe here. No one will hurt you." "I can''t see. Once they''re gone, it''ll cause you a lot of trouble." "This is nothing. I''m a doctor." She calcted the days, concluding that the detox would take up about 20 days at most. When the final day came, he could return to his ce and take a break for recovery. It wouldn''t be much trouble for her. At the same time, she didn''t notice the corner of his lips curling upward. Chapter 1004 Chapter 1004 Before Ethan entered the cave, he told Brent, "You heard it, didn''t you? I have to stay for the detox. "Bring some men with you and handle the chaos out there. Since there''s nothing serious about Krystal, send her back too." The corner of Brent''s lips twitched at how Ethan abandoned his brothers the moment he found Olivia. Ethan was trying to drive them away so that he could spend time alone with her. ¡°Okay, Mr. Miller. Cyril shall stay as the messenger." There was nowork in the vige. The vigers used pigeons to pass letters to keep in touch with people. "Okay. Go ahead. Do not tell anyone about my whereabouts." "Got it." In the name of work matters, Ethan made sure others wouldn''t disturb his moment of reunion with Olivia. Nevertheless, it would really be good news if the couple could reconcile. The sensible Brent left the area instantly. When Olivia was boiling the water, she realized that she had driven the others away too quickly. Now that Brent was gone, who was going to remove Ethan''s clothes? She couldn''t pass a message to Cyril through a bird like Willow did, either. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia convinced herself in her head, "Fine. I''m a professional. He''s just a normal patient." ¡°Take your clothes off." ¡°You turn around." The show had to go on. Crossing her arms, she tilted her head. "Do you think I wish to see your body? It''s meh." She heard him muttering behind her. "It''s more than meh." Her face turned crimson instantly as she thought, "This pervert! Does he treat every woman this way?" "Done," he reminded her. Previously, Brent had always been the person guiding Ethan. Now that Brent was away, she had to take it upon herself. Olivia tried her best not to look at him. "Give me your hand." Holding his hand, she guided him with the way. He didn''t do anything that crossed the line. After that, he got into the bathtub obediently. It was difficult to remain in the bathtub. Before this, he pulled through withoutints. But now that he was aware of Olivia''s presence, he was willing to take pleasure in it. She didn''t know what was on his mind at all. She found some herbs nearby and mashed them to collect their juice, which were ingredients to treat his eyes. Ethan stayed in the water for an hour before Olivia came over to remind him to get out of there. Steam was rising from his body. Holding her hand, he stepped down the stairs slowly. She led him to the rim of the spring. "Stay in the water a little longer. Your robe is here." ¡°Thank you." He quickly withdrew his hand as though she was some sort of a monster. Although she knew that he didn''t like touching others, his actions made her ufortable. She crouched by the spring while holding the bowl of juice. "Come here." He swam toward her. "Close your eyes. I''m going to apply medicine to you." Ethan rested his arms on the rim of the spring, whereas Olivia knelt on the ground and leaned slightly forward. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders, brushing his corbones. The closer she was to him, the more obvious the woody scent was. He was confident that this doctor was the woman from that day! Meanwhile, the oblivious Olivia reminded him softly, "It''s kinda cold. Hold on." "It''s alright." She smeared the juice on his eyelids with a wooden stick before bandaging his eyes. The bandage that covered his eyes softened his features. "I could still make out the outline of an object before this, but I can''t see anything now." "Once you recover, you can see anything you want." He suddenly blurted, ''''The person I wanna see the most is you." Comment by sconyoung gu: would put meds to blind him lol Chapter 1005 Chapter 1005 Olivia''s heart skipped a beat. Ethan added, "Had it not been for you, I would''ve lost my life. "You''re my savior, and I''m genuinely grateful to you. Once I recover, I will surely repay this favor." For some reason, she imagined a story of a hero saving a maiden in distress, in which the maiden would repay the favor by marrying the hero. Olivia and Ethan had divorced years ago, and they had drawn the line that they wouldn''t intervene in each other''s lives anymore. Yet, an ambiguous emotion stirred in her at the idea of him marrying another woman. Perhaps it was her unwillingness to ept her defeat. Ethan was the man she had loved since her school days. She had imagined building a big family and growing old with him countless times. During their newlywed days, her eyes were always on him as he owned all of her heart. At that time, she had never thought that their marriage would fail one day and that someone else would stand by his side. Still, reality would always hit at the most unexpected moments. Olivia tried her best not to be swayed by him. Her voice was indifferent. "How are you going to repay me?" ¡°That''s up to you. What do you want?" he questioned back. Connor was the first person she thought of. She wondered if he would give her the boy''s custody if she asked for it. "T''lle up to you to im what I want in the future." "Judging from your ent, you must be from Andia. What''s your name?" He didn''t expose her. "You can call me Vanessa." "If you didn''t grow up in Andia, you wouldn''t have been able to speak the language this fluently. 1 don''t think this is your real name, is it?" Olivia was annoyed for some reason. ''''Why are you digging into my information, Mr. Miller? Are you going for a cliche? Where you marry me to repay my favor?" "If I''m going to do that, that is still on the condition that you''re willing to do so." She thought, "I guess it''s all bullshit when he told me that I''m the only person he loves. He''s a yboy! I bet he has flirted with a lot of women while I''m gone." The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. "Don''t worry. I''d rather marry a pig than you." She turned and left in frustration. She even waved the fan in her hand stronger. Noticing Olivia''s displeasure, he smiled instead of getting angry. He thought, "I knew you''d still love me, Liv. How could you give up on someone that you''ve loved so deeply before?" However, soon, Ethan couldn''t find himself smiling anymore. Even though she hadn''t forgotten about him, way too many things happened between them and separated them. Comment by soonyoung gu: can the author stop going in circles pls dsfjsdjf The abyss of problems rendered it impossible for her to approach him anymore. He sighed deeply. Olivia watched the fire while contemting if she should make his condition worse as a punishment for flirting with women. By the time she calmed down, she figured that she was being childish. She didn''t have the right to intervene in whoever Ethan interacted with anyway. She had gone missing for more than three years, so he might have assumed that she was dead. ¡°He couldn''t possibly be a widower for her, could he?" she thought. Things broke into pieces to fall back into their ces in reality. That was how life worked. The sound of water sshing resounded behind her. Worrying that something might happen to Ethan, Olivia quickly looked back, only to see him getting out of the spring. He was d in the robe as his fingers fiddled with the belt. Then, he realized that it didn''te with a belt. She looked at the belt, which was ced nearby. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Since he couldn''t see, she admitted her fate and put her fan down. She picked it up from the ground. Olivia reckoned that he wouldn''t be able to tie it properly due to his eyesight, hence the unfriendly tone. ¡°Don''t move." He stood at his ce and spread his arms, and she wrapped the belt around his waist. The water droplets traveled along his chest before vanishing between his abs. The sight caused her to blush as she hurriedly tied it for him. He was so nervous that he didn''t dare to breathe loudly. Given the distance, he could hug her if he withdrew his arms. Chapter 1006 Chapter 1006 Olivia tied the belt into a knot with quick movements. "Done." Then, she pulled it to lead him to the animal''s skin so that he could lie down. ¡°Rest up. You can eatter to replenish." Judging from how the cave was filled with necessities, he figured that she frequently lived here. He thought, "Did she recover from her illness here? How did she raise the kid alone all this time?" There were so many questions in his head, but he didn''t dare to rush his ns. One day, the mystery would be solved. Not long after hey down, he heard the sound of a bell ringing. He held his breath. It was Willow! Although he didn''t know her birthdate yet, he had already seen her as his daughter. He didn''t move, and the sound of the bell got louder and louder. In the end, it stopped right next to him. Then, she caressed his face. His heart raced as he thought, "She already knows that I''m her father, right?" Ethan didn''t want to interrupt such a wonderful moment. Soon, Willow withdrew her hand. It seemed like she had gone to Olivia''s side. "Are you hungry?" Olivia lowered her voice, which was quite simr to her original voice. Willow made a gesture, eliciting a soft chuckle from Olivia. Olivia said, "Okay. You prepare the ingredients. I''ll teach you how to make candiester." The sound of the bell ringing disappeared, but Willow sounded happy. Suddenly, Ethan sensed something getting closer to him. It wasn''t a person. An animal seemed to be sniffing his hand. His heart surged up to his throat as he wondered if it was a beast. Olivia reassured him, "Rx. It''s a baby deer." "There are deers?" "Yeah. There''s a stream nearby. A lot of little animals woulde over fora drink" ¡°Are there wild beasts around here?" A scene shed across her mind. "There was, but not anymore." After the leopard died, all the beasts escaped deeper into the mountains. They never appeared before Olivia again. Ethan, who didn''t know the reason behind it, found it amusing. Animals were spiritual beings. When he was out in the wild, little animals could sense the murderous aura around him and distanced themselves from him. Unlike the baby deer, which even licked his hand! It was weird. The sound of the bell ringing came closer. Olivia had prepared the ingredients for making candies. The smell of burnt marshmallows wafted into Ethan''s nose. Willow slid one candy onto his hand. "Is this for me?" he asked. She answered the question by ringing her bell. He stroked her head. "Thank you." Willow was happy. Noticing that he wasn''t going to eat it, she patted the back of his hand. It was a distinct conversation between a visually impaired person andadumb. 1 Olivia couldn''t bring herself to let them be as she urged, "Willow is asking you to eat it. It''s freshly made." "Can I eat candies?" "It won''t hurt to eat one or two." Ethan ate it.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Sweetness and sourness filled his mouth, reminding him of the past. A long time ago, before he went out, he asked, "Liv, is there any present you want?" Olivia replied, "Fruits." He tapped the tip of her nose. "Okay." Then, he brought home a bunch of fresh fruits. Wearing an apron, she promised him that she would make him candies. In the end, the kitchen turned into a mess instead. The candy syrup was ck in color and tasted bitter. She held the failed product in disappointment, and yet, he tooka candy. Asmile adorned his lips. ¡°It''s sweet." Likewise, it reminded Olivia of the past too. The expression on Ethan''s face was the same as before! Chapter 1007 Chapter 1007 Ethan looked in Olivia''s direction. He couldn''t see because of the bandage, but her heart palpitated nevertheless. She stood up to ce the candies into a basket. "I''m going to bring some to Wendy. Could you look after him?" Willow nodded, and Olivia left. Willow sat next to Ethan while patting the baby deer''s head. Sometimes, it identally bumped into the man. He had a feeling that they were ying around. He should be happy about it, but he realized something¡ªthe candy he ate was made of apples that couldn''t be found in the area. Where did they obtain apples from? There was only one possibility¡ªsomeone else brought it from outside the vige! "It must be Jack!" he thought. So many years had passed. No one knew how Olivia was getting along with Jack. While Ethan wasn''t by her side, another man was recing his ce. Uneasiness crept into his heart. Willow, who sensed his emotions, grabbed his hand to write a few words. "What''s wrong?" ¡°Willow, I''m kinda bored here. Could you take me around the area? " He couldn''t say his concern aloud. She knew that he had finished his medication for the day. Figuring that a light exercise would do good to him, she nodded. She held his hand, bing his guide. Never in Ethan''s wildest dream had he imagined his interaction with his daughter to be this way. Her little hand held his, giving him reassurance. He held her hand carefully, not wanting to hurt her. At that moment, he felt like he owned the whole world. Power and authority couldn''t bepared with the feeling of holding Willow''s hand. "Ts the sun setting?" The sound of the bell ringing was calm, which indicated a positive answer to that question. "Where is your mother?" he questioned again. "My eyes suddenly hurt." As he had expected, Willow led Ethan to where Olivia was. Since he couldn''t see, he walked along the rough road slowly. Still, he was anxious on the inside. Anyone in his shoes would feel the same way. Who wouldn''t be anxious when his wife was running away with another man? Before he went close to Olivia, he could hear a man, thanks to his good hearing. "Olivia, it''s been a while. Did you miss me?" It was a foreign voice. If it wasn''t Jack, who could it be? Judging from the way of speaking, Ethan could only think of a person. He was confident that it was him. Back when he first met Colin, thetter was just a young man with a brisk voice. Now, Colin had turned into a real man after those years. Even his voice sounded mature. Colin posed more of a threat to Ethan than Jack did. Ethan was on the edge, wondering how Olivia would answer that. "How could you still be this greasy when you''ve grown this old?" She sounded happy. ¡°That''s because I miss you, Olivia. How about our old ritual tonight? It''s been so long. I¡ª" "Tonight''s ano-no," she refused without a second thought. "I have a patient." ¡°How can a patient be more important than I am?" Colin was literally a fox. Ethan gnashed his teeth so hard that they almost fell. He thought, ¡°What is there that has to be done at night?" He had mentally prepared himself for the possibility of Olivia falling in love with someone else. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. However, when it was time to really face it, Ethan felt his heart break and sink into an abyss of immense coldness. He thought, "Was this how she felt when I didn''t exin my rtionship with Marina? I was such a bastard!" Chapter 1008 Chapter 1008 The sheer idea of Olivia lying beneath another man got his hackles up. The urge to kill Colin was bubbling in him. Willow''s ringing bell drew Olivia and Colin''s attention. Joyfully, he ran toward Willow. The smile on his face stiffened the moment he noticed the man standing next to her. He pointed at Ethan while asking Olivia, "Is this your patient?" "Yeah. It''s along story." Olivia winked at Colin, hinting at him not to say much. Ethan figured that he should act until the end. "Are you having a guest, Vanessa?" Colinughed. "Should I point out who''s actually the guest here?" "You seem to hold a grudge against me. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Do we know each other?" Ethan feigned innocence. Olivia coldly interrupted their conversation, "No. What brings you here?" Willow gestured to indicate what had happened. Olivia looked at Ethan. "Your eyes hurt?" "Yeah. They suddenly hurt after you left. That''s why I asked Willow to bring me to you." She frowned slightly. "Come with me." She took two steps away before recalling the fact that he couldn''t see. Then, she turned to drag him away with her by pulling his robe belt. Their interaction provoked the murderous intent in Colin, who was watching them the whole time. They went to Olivia''s room, where she ordered Ethan to sit down. He sat down meekly, and the wooden bed creaked. She stood in front of him to remove the bandage over his eyes. There were still stains of juice over his eyelids, so she wiped them off with a cloth for him. ¡°Open your eyes." He did as she told him. "Can you see the light?" She waved her hand before him. Ethan shook his head. "I can only see the outline of the objects. Everything is blurry." He was telling the truth. He couldn''t see clearly. "Do they still hurt?" "Yeah." She dripped another herbal juice into his eyes and blew his eyes softly. It cooled down the ming pain in his eyes and cleared his mind a lot. Even his headache was staved off. The most fatal fact to him was the proximity between them. Ethan could even feel her body temperature. He gulped down his saliva as he clutched onto the bed sheet. He was afraid, afraid that he might not be able to rein himself in and do something impulsive. Olivia stopped after blowing at his eyes for ten seconds. "Do you feel better now?" "Much better. My head doesn''t hurt either. Thanks." Hearing that, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Do I have to return to the cave?" "You can go there tomorrow. It''s enough for today. It''s not like your eyes will recover in two or three days. Don''t worry. "Don''t wander around at night. There are a lot of poisonous beings here. If you''re bitten to death, I won''t hold you responsible for it." "Got it.¡± He nodded and asked casually, "Was that your husband?" Olivia stared at him for a while. Had it not been for his lifeless eyes and calm expression, she would''ve thought that it was a meaningful question. ¡°You don''t have to know that. Rest up." She turned and left. Colin''s appearance hadpletely ruined Ethan''s mood. The old ritual at night mentioned by Colin kept echoing in Ethan''s head. Ethan wondered if they were going to do something tonight. The bedsheet was wrinkled in his hands, and yet, he didn''t realize it. Cyril heard upstairs to report himself to Ethan as usual. "Mr. Miller, is there anything you need?" Murderous intent swallowed Ethan whole. Chapter 1009 Chapter 1009 Cyril could tell the change in Ethan''s mood. Sensibly, Cyril closed the door before lowering his voice. "Any orders, Mr. Miller?" Ethan took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He suppressed his emotions to analyze the current situation. If there were a change in Olivia''s rtionship with Colin, it would be toote for Ethan to stop them right now. On the other side, if they didn''t have sex, that meant that Colin had yet to win her heart. If that were the case, Colin would resent Ethan more than Ethan resented Colin. Therefore, Ethan shouldn''t dig his own grave at such a crunch moment. It was best he figured out the duo''s rtionship first. Ethan cleared up his mind and whispered a few words into Cyril''s ear. "This is too dangerous, Mr. Miller." Cyril was obviously reluctant to do it. "Do as I say. We need to sacrifice something in order to catch the wolf." Cyril couldn''t follow Ethan. What did Ethan mean by catching the wolf? Ethan stayed in the room obediently while Cyril described the yard and surroundings to him. A simple map was drawn on Ethan''s palm to give him a picture of theplicated descriptions. It was tough for an ordinary person to understand. But for someone as smart as Ethan, he was able to structure a map in his head. He familiarized himself with the room again. With calctions, he was clearly aware of the position and height of the objects in the room. "Okay. Take me outside." Cyril held his hand to bring him around the area. ording to Cyril, Ethan learned that Olivia stayed in the house next door. The sky was getting dark. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Wendy was making medicines in the yard. The men could hear her exining the function of the herbs to Willow, too. Olivia and Colin weren''t around. Ethan wondered, "Are they starting their night with their so-called ritual?" Despite the anxiety scratching in him, he appeared calm. Noticing his slow movements, Wendy beckoned him over, "Come over here, young man." Cyril introduced Wendy to Ethan, "Mr. Miller, this is Madam Wendy." ¡°Although I''ve been here for days, this is my first time introducing myself officially to you, Madam Wendy. Thank you so much for saving me." Since she had guessed his identity right, he figured that it was better to be honest than to hide himself. Honesty was the best weapon that could be used. Wendy was Olivia''s savior, and he genuinely respected her for that. "You''re nothing like that haughty brat. I heard that she''s your fianc¨¦e," asked Wendy. She was testing him. Ethan hurriedly exined, "I wasn''t able to exin my rtionship with her because I was poisoned before this. She''s the daughter of my mentor and nothing else." "From the way I see, thatdy likes you a lot. Do you not have feelings for her at all?" ¡°You must be joking. Flowers bloom every year. If every flower has to be appreciated and loved, I''m afraid I''ll be much busier than I am right now." ¡°You hold yourself in high regard, huh?" He said confidently, "I''m merely stating the truth. One might be loving enough to reciprocate everyone''s feelings for him, but that''s what a bastard does. "I''m an obsessive and selfish person. Once I fall in love with someone, my feelings for her will never change." "You don''t look young. You''re married, aren''t you? Since you''re married, how can you let another woman pester you? "1 don''t think your record is as clean as you im it is." Cyril quickly exined, "Ms. Heath started pestering him only after Mr. Miller divorced. "He rejected Ms. Heath before, but she was too stubborn to give up on him. Mr. Miller only has his eyes on Mrs. Miller." Wendy smirked. "If you loved her deeply, why did you divorce? Ultimately, it''s because you didn''t love her enough." Chapter 1010 Chapter 1010 Ethan hung his head low at Wendy''s mockery. Willow raised her head to look at him, seemingly waiting for his answer. Previously, she didn''t know a thing about her father. When Willow asked Olivia about him at times, she would gloss it over casually. Olivia wasn''t willing to tell Willow anything about Ethan. Now, Willow had finally met him. This would be the first time she heard him speaking about Olivia. It seemed like the situation wasn''t as she imagined it to be. Ethan loved Olivia. "Madam Wendy, you can scold me for being a bastard in the past, hurting her so many times. But you can''t doubt my love for her. "Even if she has gone missing for many years, there isn''t one day that I''ve forgotten about her." Colin chimed in, "How hrious, Mr. Miller. If you truly love her¡ª as you said yourself ¡ªwhy did you hurt her? That''s ironic." Ethan could hear Colin''s footsteps getting louder. In the end, Colin ced his palm next to Ethan, leaning closer to Ethan. Colin emphasized, "From the way I see, you''re just a pretentious man. That''s not love. If I love someone, I will shower her with love and care. I can never bring myself to hurt her. Do you think that I''m wrong, Mr. Miller?" Ethan was aware that Colin was talking about Olivia. Whatever Ethanmitted in the past was enough to put his name in the Hall of Shame. Even though he genuinely loved Olivia, everyone would only remember the bad deeds he had done. No matter what answer he gave to that question, he would be the losing party. Ethan''s silence prompted Colin to continue. ¡°Mr.Miller, don''t think that you can clean your name by putting in good words after hurting someone that deeply. There''s no such thing in this world." Ethan tightened his fists. It hurt Ethan more because he knew who Colin was and what Colin was talking about. Still, he couldn''t show a hint of anger on his face. He looked in Colin''s direction with an rmed expression instead. ¡°who are you? Do you know me?" Colin softly chuckled. "How can I not know someone as famous as you are, Mr. Miller? "T can''t even list out the deeds you''ve done to your ex-wife. I don''t know if you''ve forgotten about them, but they are memorable to me, let alone your ex-wife. I bet it''s etched in her head." Olivia was just near Ethan, where a few lights were turned on in the vicinity. The image he saw was too surreal to be true. He couldn''t sense her presence, and he wasn''t angry at Colin''s provocation. Looking at the air, Ethan softly responded, "I didn''t forget about them. I remember every single one of them vividly. And I regretted them." Colin sneered. "Save these words for the Grim Reaper when you''re sent to hell." Olivia let out a wry cough, hinting at him not to cross the line. Colin then said frivolously, '''' Enjoy the moon watching, Mr.Miller. I have something else to attend to. Bye." At that moment, Ethan hated the fact that he couldn''t see so much. Agitation bubbled in him. Wendy ced a basket of peas in front of him. ¡°Since you feel better now, make yourself useful. You''re a grown- up man. Don''t whine like a kid and peel these peas." He was rendered speechless. How could he calm down and peel peas when his wife was running away? Cyril hurriedly said, "Madam Wendy, he can''t see. So, it might be inconvenient for him to do the job. Let me do it." ¡°Can a cripple like you do any better than a blind man, though?" Now, it was Cyril''s turn to go speechless. His leg was injured back when Olivia had a preterm delivery. Although he could walk, his gait was different from that of ordinary people. "Don''t take it upon yourself. I have something else for you to do. Collect the manure in the rear house to fertilize the vegetables tomorrow." Cyril nced at Ethan. "But I need to look after Mr.Miller." "His hands and legs are perfectly attached to him. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. What is there that you need to look after him for? Hurry up!" "Go ahead," Ethan casually prompted. He thought that there was nothingplicated with peeling peas. His fingers fiddled around the peas, peeling their skins off. At the same time, he kept thinking about the fact that Olivia and Colin had left. Colin had his eyes on her for years ago, so he might seize the chance to take advantage of her! Chapter 1011 Chapter 1011 The peas kept springing onto Ethan''s face. Irritated, he threw the pod in his hand into the basket. "I''m out, Madam Wendy." "Calm down, young man. I know you''ve never done such chores at home because you came from a rich family. "But think about it: your eyes can''t recover in two or three days. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only You have to get used to the life of a visually impaired person." Ethan was stunned at the idea that Wendy was training him. Olivia had mentioned something simr. However, he didn''t pay much heed to it because he was immersed in the ecstasy of reuniting with Olivia. He became serious upon Wendy''s reminder. "Madam Wendy, how long will it take for my eyes to recover?" "I can''t say that for sure. The fastest would be three months, but it could take up to a year and a half. "You better go to the hospital after the remaining poison in your body is removed. It is not easy to treat the eyes. In short, they won''t recover that quickly." His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Before this, he was grateful that he was saved. Now that Olivia was the only person he could think of, he wondered how a visually impaired person like him could stand a chance against her admirers. Willow, who noticed his anxiety, patted the back of his hand lightly. She wasforting him. Her little hand seemed to hold some mysterious energy that was able to cate his nervousness. Ethan put that matter at the back of his head and sat down to keep peeling the peas. Willow took out a flute, which Olivia had made, and blew it on the small bridge. It was "Celestial Castle", a wondrous piece that contained beautiful meanings. The moonlight bestowed a silver sheen to the peaceful night as though purifying all beings. At the same time, Ethan''s emotions slowly morphed into tranquility. He focused on peeling the peas out of the pods while feeling his surroundings. Along with the melodic song, the singing of the insects, the sound of birds pping their wings, and the cooing of the owls on the branches harmonized. They filled Ethan''s quiet and void world to the brim. Wendy was right. All he kept thinking about was Olivia, and so he had neglected his surroundings. By the time he finished peeling that basket of peas, it was 9:30 pm. The vigers didn''t spend their time outside at night. ording to their routine, they should be sleeping by now. Ethan felt quite tired, too. Willow walked up to him to hold his hand, wanting to take him to his room. The juice was staining his hands since he had just peeled the peas. " Where can I wash my hands, Willow?" She dragged him along the way while he tried to distinguish the direction. They entered the cottage, and she pulled him to the yard, where a lot of flowers and greenery were nted. A flowery scent whirled at the tip of his nose. He guessed that it was the house Olivia was staying in. Willow turned the water tap, and clean water flowed out of it. The meticulous little girl handed him a bar of soap, too. Right then, he suddenly heard Olivia''s voice. "Ouch! That hurts!" He stopped washing his hands as anger was ring in him. He asked on purpose, "What''s that sound?" Willow shook her head, indicating that she didn''t have a clue. His heart throbbed in pain. "Is someone bullying your mother? Take me to her." She wanted to exin to him that that wasn''t it, but she couldn''t speak. She didn''t know how to tell him that. But she couldn''t do anything to cate his anxiety, so he led him upstairs. The noise didn''t stop. Olivia sounded like she was in pain. "It hurts." "Hold on." Every word Ethan heard hurt him deeply. He thought, "Liv. Liv, what are you doing?" Right now, his body was trembling uncontrobly. It was either due to anger or fear. They reached the door, and Willow opened it. Chapter 1012 Chapter 1012 The door opened. Ethan couldn''t find the exact word to describe his feelings. He was having a rush of blood to the head. Since he couldn''t see, he kept imagining Olivia and Colin spending an intimate moment together. A few years ago, Colin did take advantage of the drug to do something simr to her. Now that she was divorced, it was possible for her to develop a rtionship with Colin. Even if Ethan found out about it, what could he do about it? At that moment, he felt grateful for the fact that he couldn''t witness such a heartbreaking scene with his own eyes. A pleasant smell filled the room. It wasn''t a fragrance but more like the smell of shampoo or body shampoo. Olivia sounded cold. "What are you doing here?¡± Ethan was a little flustered. Exactly. What was he doing over there? Trying to catch a wife in an affair? He reined in the stirred emotions in him, forcing himself to sound as normal as possible. "I heard you were hurting. I thought something happened to you, so I wanted to check on you.¡± ¡°I''m¡ª"This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Before Olivia could exin, he sneered. "Mr. Miller, do you usually worry about the other party as long as she''s a woman? "Don''t you know what it means when a woman is screaming in their room? Or are you pretending not to know?" "She''s my doctor. This is about my life and death. What if something happened to her? Who''s going to treat me? ¡°Isn''t it normal for me to care about her? As for you, why are you so restless whenever I do something?" "You know what you''ve done.¡± Olivia waved her hand, signaling Colin to stop arguing further. Obviously, she didn''t want a dispute to break out between the men. It would make Ethan suspect her instead. She looked at Ethan, whose eyes were covered. Even a stray dog could step on him if it wanted to. Who knew the mighty man would fall into such a state? She let out a silent sigh. "I''m fine. My brother was brushing my hair.¡± After the chemotherapy, it took a long time for her hair to grow. Simr to every other woman out there, Olivia puts a lot of importance on beauty care. She was worried that her hair wouldn''t grow well. Thus, Colin specially made a shampoo for her and learned how to massage. The massage was hurtful, but it was useful. Her hair was smooth and sleek. It grew out better than before. Meanwhile, Ethan released his tightened fists. Judging from how she addressed Colin, Ethan reckoned that Colin didn''t have it his way yet. ¡°Sorry for disturbing you.¡± Ethan fumbled about before holding the railing to walk down the stairs. Willow held his free hand and left together. Once they were left alone, Colin yed with theb in his hand. "Olivia, are you nning to return to his side?" She shook his head. "Colin, I don''t wanna lie to you. I can''t bring myself to watch him dead.¡± "Have you forgotten what he did to you?" "I never forget about them for a day. I am doing this because of selfish reasons. It''s because I don''t want my children to lose a father. ¡°Even though they''re with me, at least their father is still alive. If he''s dead, what is Connor going to do? Connor is with him right now." He asked, "Do you still love him?" ¡°If I still love him, would I rack my brain to escape from him and hide from him for years?" Only then did Colin''splexion turn better. "Olivia, I''m simply worried that you''ll make the same mistake. That guy is a devil. You mustn''t be deceived by his pitiful state now.¡± "Don''t worry. I Know what I''m doing. Thank you. You gave me a massage as soon as you got here. Let''s call it a day.¡± He still had something to say, but he ended up saying, ¡±Okay. Rest up.¡± He left the room with a smile, but his expression turned cold as soon as he left the room. His cold gaze watched in Ethan''s direction. Chapter 1013 Chapter 1013 Olivia, who had washed her hair, rested against the window to gaze at the full moon. She lied to Colin. It had been three years and six months. She thought that she had gotten over Ethan. However, she became frantic and helpless when she learned that he was going to die due to poison. She rushed to his side without hesitation. Her kids were one of the reasons for it, but most importantly, she didn''t want him to die. By right, Olivia shouldn''t have had such emotions. lt seemed like she needed to send him off as soon as he recovered. Otherwise, the longer he stayed, the more difficult it would be for her. She could hear the sound of the flute blowing from afar. Willow was blowing it in Ethan''s room. Willow liked Ethan so much, but how could Olivia tell the little girl that Ethan wasn''t his biological father? If Ethan found out that Willow''s father was another man, would he hurt her? Olivia wasn''t confident about her judgment toward Ethan because he could''ve changed throughout the past three years. Willow stopped blowing after ying three pieces. She patted Ethan''s hand and left him on the bed. She hoped he could get some early rest. He caressed her head. ¡°Good girl. Your father must be proud of you.¡± She smiled faintly. Suddenly, a soft sensation touched his cheek. Realizing that it was a peck from Willow, he was over the moon. ¡°Willow, do you like me?¡± She rang her bell happily in response. He replied joyfully, ¡°I do, too.¡± They werefortable with their distinct interaction now. Willow turned into a happy bunny upon learning that her father liked her, too. She took off the bead ne to wear it around his wrist. It was made of a five-colored string. "Is this for me?¡± She rang her bells again. ¡°Thank you.¡± He touched the special beads. That was a gift from his daughter! "I will take good care of it.¡± The happy girl left his room to return to Olivia''s side. Olivia patted on the ce beside her, and Willow nestled into her arms like a kitten. Willow wrote the word ¡°Daddy¡± on Olivia''s palm. For the first time in forever, Olivia felt it difficult to face those green eyes. How was she supposed to tell Willow that she didn''t share the same father as her elder siblings? Not to mention how happy Willow was. That would rain on her parade. Olivia, who had always loved her kids, didn''t tell Willow the truth. ¡°Do you like him?" Willow nodded with bright eyes. Olivia couldn''t bring herself to let Willow down as she said, ¡± But we have to keep this a secret. Otherwise, he''ll lock me up.¡± Willow couldn''t follow because Ethan appeared gentle to her. Why would someone like him hurt Olivia? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Still, Willow believed that Olivia wouldn''t lie to her. Willow nodded obediently. ¡°Good girl. If you like him, spend more time with him while you can.¡± Zack and Alicia reached school age, and they were studying abroad. Now, Olivia only had Willow by her side. Besides, Willow couldn''t speak. Hence, the more reason for Olivia to pamper her with love. They fell asleep in each other''s arms. On that silent night, the miserable Cyril was still collecting manures in the rear house. He still needed to go to the vegetable farm first thing in the morning tomorrow alongside Wendy. Ethan had yet to recover fully, so he slept quite early. The silence went on until he suddenly heard Olivia''s voice. He woke up. ¡°Liv!" He heard iting from beyond the door. He hurried to the door. "Liv, is that you?¡± Chapter 1014 Chapter 1014 The noise could be heard from afar. Olivia seemed to be chasing after someone. Ethan hurried down the stairs while holding the railing. He chased in the direction of the source of the noise. He fell several times in the meantime but still got back on his feet and continued his pursuit as though it didn''t hurt. The noise was not far away from him, seemingly luring him somewhere. Worrying about Olivia''s safety, Ethan shouted her name, ¡°Liv!Where are you? Are you alright?" Olivia woke up from her dream. She thought she heard Ethan calling her name. "Could it be a dream again?¡± she wondered. Uneasiness shrouded her for some reason. Dismissing the thought of going back to bed, she propped herself up. She figured that checking out the situation could put her mind at rest. Olivia got out of bed after covering the bedsheet over Willow. She headed downstairs and soon noticed the door to Ehan''s room was left ajar. She wondered, "Why did he leave the door open at thiste hour?" She hurried to his room, where only the dimmp light was left turned on. The nket was left untidied, and there was no sign of Ethan. "Mr. Miller?¡± She called but received zero responses. The uneasiness in her went through the roof. Considering that Ethan was visually impaired, Olivia assumed that he wouldn''t wander around mindlessly. She had clearly warned him about the poisonous beings in the area. Where could he be? Olivia checked downstairs but in vain. There were no phones in the vige, let alone security cameras. She heard some noiseing from the rear house. It was Cyril. ¡°What are you doing not guarding Ethan?" she interrogated. She didn''t even notice her voice was trembling. "Madam Wendy made me do some chores. It''s sote. Mr. Miller should be sleeping.¡± Olivia was on the edge of going insane. Cyril had always been this stiff. Back then, Olivia even thought of marrying Mona to him. Yet, he failed to make Mona fall for him, although they spent most of their time together every day. Frustrated, Olivia stomped on her foot. "No wonder you''re single." "Miss, what''s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller is missing.¡± Cyril shook his head. "No way. He can''t see. Where could he possibly go?¡± "How am I supposed to know that? Find him!" She was going mad. Just what made Ethan leave the house? Most importantly, where did he go? Was he aware of what kind of ce this was? The northern cliff was so dangerous that it would take one fall to send one to heaven. There was a snake''s den in the southern area. Not even the locals dared toe close to it. Poisonous beings were everywhere in the eastern and western areas as well. She huffed in her head. ¡°Does he not know that he''s visually impaired? Why can''t he just stay put?" Olivia ran and searched for Ethan for a long time, but she still couldn''t find him. She wondered, ¡°How could he run so fast? Is he the reincarnation of Usain Bolt?¡± The route ahead of them was split into two. Anxious, Cyril asked, "Where should we go?" While she couldn''t make up her mind on which way to choose, she saw a show in the southern direction. ¡°What''s that?¡± ¡°It''s Mr. Miller''s shoe!¡± It was a gravel road. Olivia shone a torch to the ground to realize that there wasn''t only a slipper. She saw a few drops of blood! She bet that Ethan had fallen here and left the ce without staying for a long time. ¡°Mr. Miller must''ve gone there. Miss, where does this route lead to?" Cyril had yet to realize the impending danger. After all, he saw Ethan as a mature and collected man. Meanwhile, the cold breeze added the weight of dread weighing on her heart. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She stared at the endless route and responded, "The snake''s den.¡± Chapter 1015 Chapter 1015 Cyril felt a chill down his spine. He suddenly recalled something that Wendy told him when they were talking. There were 48 species of snakes discovered in this region, of which over 30 of them were venomous. Their bites were deadly, and there were no antidotes avable. Ethan''s eyes were blinded. What would happen if he fell over? Olivia and Cyril didn''t dare to wait around any more. They quickly rushed ahead. ¡°Mr. Miller, please stop!¡± Cyril yelled at the top of his lungs. The forest was quiet. Ethan should be able to hear his voice. After walking a short distance, they noticed one of Ethan''s slippers. There were also the asional drops of blood. Olivia was puzzled. Why would he run ahead with such reckless disregard despite falling over repeatedly? What could be leading him on? Didn''t he know it was very dangerous to do so? Apparently, he didn''t care. He didn''t slow down despite the danger. What he was pursuing seemed more important to him than his life. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Willow was sound asleep when something nudged her arm suddenly. She rubbed her eyes drowsily. The deer that she had been ying with hade into her room. A dove flew in, perched on her bed, and started chirping at her. She turned around and saw that Olivia was missing. Something was wrong. Willow jumped out of bed and ran off with the deer. Ethan gradually slowed down. He could hear Cyril calling for him from a distance, but Olivia''s voice was very close. It sounded like she was in trouble. He could hear her calling for help. ¡°Help, help me ..." "Liv!" Ethan called out, but there was no response. Other than people''s voices, he could also hear the sound of snakes hissing. Judging by the frequency of it, there were quite a lot of snakes in the vicinity. There was a man standing a short distance away from him. It was Colin. He gazed at Ethan, who had fallen over several times in contempt. The hatred in his eyes was practically oozing out. Ethan should''ve died long ago. This was the perfect chance to end his life. Colin didn''t speak. He dropped the phone that was ying Olivia''s voice down. There was a snake pit there with thousands of snakes in it. It looked very horrifying. ¡°Where are you, Mr. Miller?" Cyril''s voice could be hearding from a distance from time to time. The phone in the snake pit was also ying Olivia''s voice. "Help, help me ...¡± ¡°Where are you, Liv!¡± Colin said coldly, "She''s right in front of you. Don''t you im to love her? I would like to see you prove that.¡± ¡°Who are you? What do you have against me? Why did you lure me here?¡± "I don''t really have anything against you. I''m just someone who couldn''t stand how you do things. Your lover is right in front of you, waiting for you to save her. "What? Are you scared? Then stop pretending that you love her. It is absolutely revolting.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Although Ethan couldn''t see, he could guess what was going on with the sounds of hissing and the rotting smell. There wasn''t any fear on his face. He asked calmly, "Why do I have to prove my love to you? Who are you to Liv?¡± Cyril''s voice was getting closer. Colin was getting anxious. He didn''t expect them to get there so quickly. "Do you dare to do it or not? If not, let me give you a hand.¡± There wasn''t enough time. He had to take matters into his own hands. Colin was about to push Ethan into the pit. Then, Ethan turned toward him and smiled eerily. ¡°But I''m more than happy to prove it to you right now.¡± Before Colin could figure out what he meant, Ethan jumped into the pit. Olivia''s heart-wrenching voice echoed. "No!" Chapter 1016 Chapter 1016 Olivia had been running in the forest. She grew more uneasy the closer she got to the snake pit. A healthy man would have trouble getting out of a ce like that, let alone a blind man like Ethan. If he fell into the pit, he would die of a thousand snake bites. That was an image too horrifying for her to imagine. A chilling breeze blew toward her, carrying the rotting smell from the snake pit. Olivia shivered uncontrobly. She was like a hunter whose sole purpose was to push ahead. She couldn''t hear anything else. The howling winds made her panic. She fell to the ground due to her anxiety. Cyril quickly helped her up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He noticed that she was shivering terribly. "Quick! The snake pit is just ahead!" Olivia got up while ignoring the pain in her knee and started to run recklessly toward the snake pit. At that moment, she couldn''t feel any pain. There was only one thought in her head: to save Ethan. She had to save him. He had to live. As she exhausted her strength getting to the snake pit, all she saw was Ethan jumping into the snake pit resolutely. Olivia could hear her own voice crying out for help in the snake pit. So, that was the reason Ethan was running. That was why he jumped into the pit. She finally understood, but it was toote. ¡°No!¡± Olivia yelled, but she was toote to do anything. She could only watch as Ethan disappeared into the pit. He was blind, not dumb. He had to have sensed what was before him, but he still jumped. He didn''t even think about the consequences. Oliviapletely lost her cool. She wanted to jump in after him. Colin grabbed her just in time and held on to her with all his might. He whispered coldly in her ear, "It''s toote. It''s all over now. At that moment, Olivia realized that Colin had never changed. Back then, he intentionally drank the drug on the cruise ship. He pretended to be an innocent and pure young man to stay by her side. Then, he lied in order to have her get an abortion. Olivia tried to see past all those things because he saved her life. But he never changed. He only ever cared about her and never cared if the people around her lived or died. As long as he could achieve his goal, he didn¡¯t care what methods he had to resort to. In essence, he was the same type of person as Leia. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia felt as if she had been stabbed in the chest. Tears flowed down her face as she looked at Ethan, who was surrounded by snakes in the pit. Ethan Miller. That was the man that she had loved with everything she had. Then, she hated her with every fiber of her being. But he was also the man she tried her best to save. It was also this man who jumped into the pit under the moonlight with reckless disregard for himself. It was a very horrible way to die. A living human would be nothing but bones in less than 30 minutes if so many snakes attacked him. ¡°Mr. Miller!¡± Cyril was stunned by what he saw. His leg wasn''t fully recovered yet. So, hegged behind Olivia. He had never seen so many snakes in his life, nor had he seen a person surrounded by so many snakes. When he snapped back to reality, he instinctively moved toward the pit. "Mr. Miller, hold on!¡± Ethan''s men were all incredibly brave. Even if it was just a corpse, he had to get Ethan out of there. He couldn''t just leave Ethan to the snakes. A towering man like him was running toward the pit with tears in his eyes. Cyril wasn''t asposed as Brent or as lively as Kelvin. He was always a very honest man. He couldn''t get it through his mind why things were the way they were. He had just left Ethan for a short while. "Don''te over!¡± Ethan yelled from within the snake pit. He sensed what Cyril was trying to do. So, he gave Cyril one finalmand. "Stop right there. Don''t take another step forward!" Chapter 1017 Chapter 1017 ¡°Mr.Miller, I can''t just stand by and do nothing!" "Don''te here. It''s an order! Stay where you are." Cyril tilted his head upward to stop his tears from flowing. He had witnessed a lot of his friends die on the battlefield before. He wasn''t afraid of dying. Mona''s death traumatized him. His leg was supposed to be crippled, but he gave everything he got during rehabilitation. He wanted to stand by Ethan''s side and protect him. He didn''t want what happened to Mona ever to happen again. Still, a horrible thing had happened. He felt as helpless as the night Mona died. While Colin was distracted, Olivia took the chance to throw him over her shoulder and mmed him into the ground. She ran past Cyril and went straight for the pit. She hadpletely left logic and the thought of consequences behind. The only thing she cared about was the dashing general who saved her from the ocean, the ex- husband who leaped in front of her during a car ident and blocked all the ss shards, and the man who jumped into a pit without regard for himself for a recorded voice. He still owed her so much. He couldn''t die yet! Colin knew he had utterly lost the instant Olivia rushed toward the pit. He didn''t expect Olivia to care for Ethan even after so many years. Hey on the ground as he watched Olivia dash toward Ethan recklessly. He understood she would never pick him, even if he waited another decade. "Olivia, I''ve done so much for you. Why won''t you look at me?" Colin thought. When he closed his eyes, he could still see the youngdy who reached out to him when he jumped down from the plum tree. Her eyes werepletely on him back then. Olivia didn''t have any snake-repellent powder on her. If she jumped into the pit, she would surely die. It was her choice. No one could stop her. Suddenly, the sound of a flute could be heard, followed by the giant red snake appearing in the pit. The snakes surrounding Ethan dispersed. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The giant red snake cleared the path for Olivia. No other snake dared to approach her. The snake pit was a huge basin with slopes on all sides. Olivia ran toward Ethan, who had no idea what was going on. He heard a gust of wind and felt someone hugging him. She was like a woman diving into the mes to be with her lover. She rushed to his side while ignoring everyone else. Olivia''s heart was still pounding. "Are¡ªAre you okay?" If Ethan could see, he would have seen Olivia looking at him anxiously with tears streaking down her face. "T''m fine. Why are you here, Vanessa?" Fine? Olivia looked at his torso in disbelief. He had been surrounded by snakes. As an intruder into their space, there was no reason the snakes would leave him. Why was that? Then, she noticed a bracelet on his arm. It belonged to Willow. So, it was Willow who saved him. Relief washed over her. He was still alive. That was great. Ethan grabbed the phone. Olivia''s voice was still ying. "I''m sorry. I thought I had found my ex-wife. That''s why ..." Olivia gave him a resounding p on his face. Ethan was stunned by the p. Then, he felt Olivia wrap her arms around his neck. Then, some warm liquid dripped on his neck. ¡°You bastard, do you want to kill yourself?" "Li¡ªLiv, is that you?" Chapter 1018 Chapter 1018 Ethan asked like he was afraid Olivia would dissolve like a dream if he raised his voice. Olivia punched him in the chest and said, "You bastard, do you even know where this is?" Ethan snapped out of his shock and grabbed Olivia''s hand. "Liv, there are a lot of snakes here. Get away, quickly." Although Cyril didn''t understand why he would call out Olivia''s name while another person was in his arms, he still reminded Ethan of his situation. "Mr. Miller, the snakes have been driven away. You''re safe now." Willow was riding on the deer with the flute in her hand. She looked like a fairy in the woods under the moonlight. She was ying a beautiful tune, too. When Willow saw Olivia crying in Ethan''s arms, she felt some warmth in her heart. Her mother still had feelings for her father. She turned to look at Colin, who didn''t stay to witness the love between the two lovebirds. He left without looking back. Ethan smiled despite being pped. He wrapped his arms around Olivia. He no longer had to hide his emotions. He had a bright smile on his face like a child. "Liv, I''ve found you atst! So, you''ve been by my side all along." He reached out and caressed Olivia''s face, wiping her tears away. ¡°Don''t cry. I''m fine. I''m really unharmed." Olivia had also calmed down. She pushed Ethan away and wiped the tears off her face roughly. "Go back to bed if you''re not dead." She had just experienced an emotional roller coaster. There wasn''t amoment of rest for her. She felt despair and hope several times. After everything was over, her emotions were back to normal. Her rationality returned to her. As she walked in front, Cyril also realized who she was. He bowed his head slightly and said, "It''s nice to see you again, Mrs. Miller." Olivia stopped before him and said, "You''re still as dumb as ever." Cyril scratched his head. Olivia used to be very friendly. She would never ridicule anyone or curse him to be single forever. "Yeah." Olivia was speechless when she saw Cyril standing in ce and staring at him in a daze. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Take him back." Olivia didn''t care anymore. She decided to let them do as they pleased. Just as she was walking away, Cyril called out, "Mr. Miller''s knee is injured, Mrs. Miller. He''s bleeding a lot." Why had Cyril be as jumpy as Kelvin? Ethan withdrew the hand that was pinching Cyril when Olivia wasn''t looking. Cyril winced in pain. He thought about how hard his job was. He wasn''t as quick-witted as Brent. He couldn''t tell what Ethan wanted just with a nce. Or else, he wouldn''t havee to his senses after Ethan pinched him. As expected, Olivia stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Get him out of the pit first. It''s dangerous here. We need to get away." "Understood." Cyril did as she said. He put Ethan on his back and left quickly. He even walked faster than Olivia. Willow, who was riding the deer, sighed in relief when she saw that. Luckily, she made it in time. Olivia didn''t say anything else. Everything could wait until they were back to safety. She looked at where she threw Colin to the ground. He wasn''t there anymore. Then, she asked Cyril to bring Ethan to the spring while she went to prepare some medicinal herbs. Colin''s room was right below hers. She knocked on the door, but there wasn''t any response. The candle was lit. She pushed open the door, but there wasn''t anyone there in the room. He had left again. Olivia sighed in resignation. She really saw Colin as a younger brother. She was really grateful for all he had done for her and was trying her best to drag him out of the shadows. But it had been many years. Colin was like a snake hidden in a cave, unwilling to step into the light. She could only hope he would meet a woman who could do that for him. That woman would not be her. Olivia exited the room and closed the door lightly. Chapter 1019 Chapter 1019 Willow was standing behind her outside the door. Olivia patted her on the head and said, "Good job, dear. I''ll tend to his wounds. You should get some rest. You must be tired." Willow nodded. Olivia fell silent as she watched Willow leave. She didn''t know what Ethan might try to do if he found out Willow wasn''t his daughter. Ethan''s cold and emotionless face from the past appeared in her mind. He had told her that he wouldn''t tolerate her betrayal. Even if he forgave her for doing it with Logan, it didn''t mean he would tolerate the child she had with another man. Willow''s existence would be like a thorn in his side that he could never forget. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only When Olivia got to the spring, Ethan was already naked in the water. After realizing that Vanessa was Olivia, Cyril became very sensible. He took the chance to sneak away from the cave and left them alone. Ethan licked his lips. He had a lot of things he wanted to tell Olivia. He could only keep those things to himself before he realized who she truly was. He finally had the chance to tell her. "Liv, 1..." Olivia put her finger on his lips and said, "I don''t want to hear anything. As you know, I changed my identity and hid because I wanted to be away from you. "I hope you won''t disrupt the status quo." With one sentence, she silenced everything he wanted to say. Ethan said bitterly, "What status quo is this?" Olivia replied coldly, "I''m the doctor. You''re the patient. That''s all." She casually wiped out all the history they had together. "As for what happened just now, I apologize for Colin. The good thing is, you''re unharmed. I saved your life, so we''re square on this. w "So, Colin is more important to you than me?" Ethan blurted out. Realization struck Olivia as she looked at Ethan abruptly. "You knew he was Colin?" If he had guessed that, it would mean he knew her true identity, too. Why would he pretend not to know her? Perhaps he had realized that Colin was setting him up, and he was just ying along. Ethan understood what she was thinking about. He quickly exined, "That''s not it. He called you his sister. Jack wouldn''t do that. "You look healthy, which means you''ve been cured. Most importantly, only he could do something like that." Olivia didn''t believe him at all. As long as the seed of doubt had taken root, it would only get stronger over time. ¡°Ethan, was that all just a show to get me to pity you? Did you know who I was? Was that why you asked Brent and the others to leave?" Ethan was shocked, but he managed to keep a straight face. He couldn''t afford to be exposed. He felt fortunate that his eyes were still covered up. It was harder to discern his emotions like that. "Liv, you think too highly of me. I''m not a god. I can''t foresee the future, nor do I have the power to manipte Colin to lure me to the snake pit. ¡°There were so many snakes there. Do you think I would gamble with my life?" Olivia stared at him for a while. He was right. Even if he had Willow''s bracelet, he wouldn''t know it could repel snakes and other creepy crawlies since Willow couldn''t talk. In that situation, jumping into the pit would mean certain death. No matter how cunning he was, Ethan would never do something like that. Olivia finally let her guard down. She forgot that Ethan was aplete maniac. Chapter 1020 Chapter 1020 Olivia cleaned him again. After being soaked in the medicinal water, his wounds stopped bleeding. She then used some Iodophor on him to disinfect the wounds. His skin, which used to be smooth and wless, was riddled with scars. Ethan was afraid that he might anger Olivia, so he fell silent. If she found out that everything was part of his n, Olivia would definitely run from him again. He risked his life for the truth. He knew he had won the moment Olivia rushed into danger toward him. Olivia still loved him, but their past had still created a rift between them. Ethan was determined to mend their rtionship, even if the rift was as deep as the deepest part of the ocean. The process would take time. He couldn''t rush things. Olivia was still reeling from the shock. This man chased after a recording. If not for Willow''s bracelet, he would be dead. She didn''t want to talk to Ethan about the past. "I told you not to run off on your own. There''s a cliff in the north and a snake pit in the south. There is also the miasma and all sorts of venomous creatures to the east and west. Only the vige is safe. ¡°Now that I know you''re alive and well, I won''t do it again.¡± His submissive disy reminded Olivia of something Brent had said. Ethan was injured because he couldn''t bring himself to harm a woman who looked like her. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He made the same mistake again. "Ethan," Olivia called out abruptly. ¡°T''m here, Liv." "T''ve learned a lot of skills these past years. I can take care of myself. I''ve changed my name, and no one knows I''m still alive. "You don''t have to worry about me anymore. You might not be so lucky next time." His enemies knew of his weakness. They would definitely pull the same trick again. She still wanted him to be well despite what happened between them. "Understood." They stopped talking as Olivia continued to dress his wounds. Both of them had their own considerations. Olivia didn''t want him to ask about Willow, while Ethan didn''t want her to run away from him. They were walking on eggshells but also on guard against each other. After she dressed his wounds, Olivia took off her mask. Since he already knew her identity, there was no point for her to wear it anymore. ¡°Rest here tonight. It would be easier to treat the poison tomorrow. Ethan quickly grabbed her sleeve. For a second, he looked like a puppy that was about to be abandoned. "What about you? Are you going away?" Olivia sighed. "I''m not." After the entire ordeal, she was tired. She had stayed up for the past few nights to brew the medication for him. She wanted to sleep, too. "Liv, I can''t see. Can you sleep next to me? I don''t feel safe otherwise." "You''re very needy, aren''t you?" Ethan feigned weakness. "Please? I am a patient, after all." ¡°Alright. Go to sleep. I''ll be here." They were just at the snake pit. Ethan was cleaned. Olivia wanted to wash up, too. She secured her hair with a hairpin. She went into the spring without any reserve since Ethan was blind. The temperature was perfect, and it was veryfortable. Shepletely rxed after making sure Ethan was unharmed. After a while, she drifted off by the spring. Oliviapletely rxed after the crisis was over. Ethan didn''t hear hering out of the spring. He called out to her, but she didn''t respond. Ethan became anxious. He stumbled toward the spring in a hurry. "Liv, Liv..." Chapter 1021 Chapter 1021 Ethan misstepped and fell into the spring, sshing Olivia''s face with water in the process. "An ambush?" Olivia scanned her surroundings only to find Ethan sprawled on the ground. She wanted to poke fun at him. Ethan couldn''t see anything, but he was iling around in the water, searching for her with an anxious expression. "Where are you, Liv? Are you okay, Liv?" She was no longer in the mood to tease him after she saw him in that pitiful state. "Ethan, I''m fine." Ethan anxiously rushed toward her when he heard her voice. He wrapped his arms around her and said nervously, "Liv, where did you go? You scared me. I thought you were gone again." There were only a few dimly lit, sr- powered lights in the cave that Olivia brought back The only other light was the moonlight that shone in from outside. Olivia felt her throat tighten when she looked at Ethan''s worry- stricken face. She had no words to describe how she was feeling. The once proud Ethan Miller had been reduced to this insecure state. She wasn''t used to seeing him like this. It felt like a dream. "Liv, why have you gone silent? What happened to you? I can''t see you. Please don''t scare me." Ethan pulled off the bandages on his eyes in annoyance. ¡°Why do I have to be blind? Liv, please talk to me..." Olivia pushed him away and said coldly, "Ethan, you''re the one who''s injured, not me." His palm had been cut by a sharp rock. She had bandaged it for him, but he exerted too much force just now, and the wound was reopened. The blood stained the bandages that were soaked by the water. Ethan waspletely drenched. Droplets of water flowed down his head and dripped into the water before her, creating ripples. "Ethan, you don''t have to act this way." Ethan ignored her words. "Liv, I''m fine as long as you''re unharmed." Olivia felt a sense of gloom. It made her feel like there was a weight on her chest. She didn''t like that feeling. The emotions were bubbling up within her. This feeling of losing control made her feel insecure. Olivia pushed Ethan away in annoyance. "I won''t pity you just because you''re in this pitiful state. You did this to yourself." Ethan''s hair hadn''t been trimmed for some time. It was longer than it usually was. The hair clung to his face and made him look helpless. He pursed his lips. "Yes, I know. I understand you will never marry me again, Liv. I don''t want anything. I just want you to be safe and live along, happy life." Olivia would rather he be as domineering as he used to be. Anything was better than the way he was at that moment. He was the one at fault, but she felt a pang of guilt instead. He was the one who injured himself. It had nothing to do with her. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She understood the reasoning, but she wasn''t exactly feeling rational. Olivia got out of the spring very nimbly. Ethan realized that his eyes had recovered a little. He still couldn''t see clearly, but Olivia''s silhouette was clearer than before. Olivia put on a bathrobe and turned around to see Ethan stillpletely drenched like a puppy in the rain. It made her feel even more irritated. Why would an intelligent man like him end up this way? She reached out in resignation. "I''ll pull you up and dress your wounds again." "Okay. " Ethan waved his hands around and felt her hand. He got out of the spring with her help. As he stepped ontond, he slipped and fell with Olivia being pressed under him. Chapter 1022 Chapter 1022 The two of them were entangled on the floor. Ethan, who was in disarray, struggled to get up. He only made his condition worse. He used to be a calm andposed man, but he lost his cool when it came to Olivia. The more cautious he was, the more it made matters worse. "Don''t move. I''ll handle it," Olivia said resignedly. She understood how he felt. When she found out she didn''t have long to live, she was also depressed for some time. She even considered suicide. No one would be able to take it if they were suddenly thrust into such a situation. Olivia calmed him down to prevent him from making matters worse. Then, she brought him some dry clothes. "There''s a shirt and a pair of pants. Can you change into them yourself?" "T can, but I can''t tell the front from the back." ¡°Never mind. I''ll do it for you." It wasn''t the first time she had seen his body. Olivia didn''t care anymore. She reached for the tie on his waist and removed his bathrobe. Ethan''s back was riddled with scars. Those were the ones he got from saving her over three years ago. Olivia could still remember everything that happened vividly. She was shocked that so many years had passed. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Time was indeed terrifying. She wiped his face and body with a clean towel. He remained still and allowed her to do whatever she needed to do. That was something that never would have happened in the past. After all, Ethan was a proud man. He was used to doing everything by himself. He had kept his true nature hidden at the beginning of their rtionship. They were so close, but she didn''t know him at all. She would only feel that he was actually there with her when they shared intimate moments. It waspletely different then. At the moment, Ethan was basically offering her his heart, but she didn''t care anymore. No one had helped him shave in the past few days. There was some stubble on his chin, and his hair was longer. Also, since he was poisoned, he had a more rugged look to him. Ethan had taken off the bandages on his eyes. He could roughly see Olivia''s silhouette. He wondered if her gaze was as gentle as the moonlight that was shining on them. He subconsciously reached out and touched her hand. With quivering lips, he murmured, "Liv ..." The moonlight shone on them peacefully. The atmosphere was perfect. Olivia fell into his embrace after he tugged at her lightly. He gently lifted her chin with his fingers and kissed her. She was the woman that had always been on his mind. He had suffered through countless sleepless nights only with memories of her to keep himpany. But at that very moment, she was right in front of him. He was like a traveler in the desert who had finally found the oasis. Ethan was very gentle. He was afraid that he would wake up from this dream. Olivia wanted to push him away, but she didn''t. Her body had also been yearning for his touch. The image of him jumping into the pit kept ying in her mind. It was truly unbelievable. She ced her arms on his chest and was about to push him away. Then, she saw all the scars he had on his body, and the force behind her push softened. Ethan''s movements were very tender like he was holding the most precious treasure in the world. No woman would be able to reject such tenderness. He was like a fish out of water, and she was like the ocean. "Liv, T really can''t live without you any longer." Chapter 1023 Chapter 1023 Ethan pressed up against Olivia''s body repeatedly. It was like he wanted to meld her into his very being so they wouldn''t be separated anymore. She never had the fragrant smell of herbs on her before. It felt like a fresh experience for Ethan. Since Ethan''s eyes couldn''t see, his other senses were amplified. He had just wanted to give her a quick kiss because he didn''t want to be too greedy. But once he started, he just couldn''t stop himself anymore. He reached out to the back of her head and took off the hairpin. Her thick and glossy hair dropped down and ran through his fingers. Her hair was smooth and fragrant. Maybe it was because the atmosphere was too good. It made Olivia forget to push him away. Ethan''s hands were starting to get more unrestrained as he felt her up. Her figure seemed to be more curvaceous than before, probably because she gave birth to another child. Olivia felt a chill on her chest and came back to her senses. Ethan had almost stripped her naked! It was like she was under his spell a moment ago. She snapped back to reality and pushed him away. "You''ve crossed the line!" Ethan broke out of his trance. He knew he couldn''t rush things. How would he find her if she ran off again? This chance encounter confirmed that Olivia still had feelings for him. It was great news for him. He was like a kid saving up for something that he wanted very badly. He was yearning for the day Olivia would be his again. Ethan loosened his grip on her and apologized, "I''m sorry, Liv. I don''t know what came over me." "Do that one more time, and I''l] let Cyril take care of you instead." Ethan immediately put on an aggrieved expression and said, " Please don''t do that. You know he''s too bone-headed. He''s not good at taking care of people." ¡°Then, behave." ¡°Okay, I''ll behave," Ethan said matter-of-factly. He was like a giant Samoyed,pletely harmless. Olivia looked away from his face and quickly helped him into some clothes and dressed his wounds. She was exhausted after a long day. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She just wanted to lie down and sleep. As soon as she closed her eyes, Ethan called out, "Liv, are you asleep?" They were roughly 20 feet apart. Olivia yelled in annoyance, "Yes!" ¡°But I can''t fall asleep. I''m afraid. I feel like snakes are all over me when I close my eyes. They are on my legs, my hands, and my¡ª" "Shut up." Olivia tossed and turned as she recalled the horrifying image of Ethan surrounded by countless snakes. Anyone else would probably have been driven mad. Moreover, he couldn''t see. The fear of the unknown would make it seem even more terrifying. Olivia sat up and saw Ethan huddled into a ball. His shoulders were shaking. Was he trembling? For some reason, Olivia felt like he looked like an abandoned puppy. He was poisoned and blind. She was the only familiar person he had close by. "Hey, you..." Ethan had his back facing Olivia. She could see that his shaking had gotten even more vigorous. "Did I disturb your rest, Liv? I''m sorry. You can just leave me be. I don''t really need to sleep. 1 can''t see anything anyway. You should get some rest." Was he doing that on purpose? If he didn''t rest, it would affect his metabolism, which would be bad for recovery. Olivia massaged her temple. "What do you want?" Ethan said hesitantly, "About that ... I think I won''t be scared anymore if you sleep next to me.'''' Chapter 1024 Chapter 1024 Something was wrong. Was Ethan possessed? He was apletely different person from before. Ethan didn''t care about appearances. Olivia was everything to him. His pride would be worthless if Olivia wasn''t with him. Since Olivia didn''t respond, Ethan immediately added, "I''m sorry. I know that request was rude. Just ignore it. Get some rest. I''ll be fine." Olivia knew he was deliberately saying that. But it was true that he was blind, poisoned, and had fallen into the snake pit. She scratched her head in annoyance. Ultimately, she gave in to his demands. She carried her nket and sheets next to him. "I''m here. You can sleep now." ¡°Thanks, Liv." After a while, as Olivia was about to fall asleep, Ethan yelled, "Stay away!" Olivia opened her eyes and asked, "What''s wrong?" Then, she felt Ethan sneaking into her sheets. He trembled as he wrapped his hands around her waist. Before she could burst out in anger, Ethan blurted, "Snakes! There are a lot of snakes, Liv!" His words quickly doused her anger. She said patiently, "It''s all over. You''re fine now." "But I still can''t forget the sensation of the snakes wrapping themselves on my body. Can you hold me while we''re sleeping? If you do that, I would only think about you." Olivia was exasperated. "Are you doing this on purpose?" Ethan said innocently, "Liv, I''m afraid." Olivia was suspicious, but it would be annoying if he kept causing amotion and stopping her from sleeping. So, she moved closer to him and wrapped her hands around his waist. "There. Does this work?" "Ves," That was perfect! Olivia didn''t have the energy to argue with him anymore. She mumbled, "Go to sleep." She quickly fell asleep after that. The familiar embrace made her sleep very soundly. Ethan couldn''t help but smile when he felt Olivia''s steady breathing. Afraid of snakes? He wasn''t even afraid of death. Why would he be afraid of snakes? Everything went ording to his n. It was a gamble. He was sure that Colin would make a move against him. Ethan had ordered Cyril to provide Colin with an opening in advance. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Given how cautious he was, he would never rush in so recklessly for a recorded voice. He yelled Olivia''s name in the yard to wake her up so she would realize he was gone. The bracelet was just another stroke of luck. When Willow gave him the bracelet, he asked her what it was. She wrote the word "poison" in his palm. He remembered that Kelvin had told him that Willow could tame animals. The vige was surrounded by venomous creatures. Clearly, Willow meant that that bracelet would repel venomous creatures. Naturally, that would include snakes. On the way to the snake pit, he seemed to be in a rush, but he was gauging the distance between himself and Olivia with Cyril''s yells. Even when he jumped into the pit, he was sure that Olivia would see him. He gambled with his life for a future where she was with him. He wasn''t sure if he would emerge victorious, but at that moment, it was clear that he didn''t lose the bet. His actions caused Colin to leave and Olivia to reveal her true identity. She was lying in his embrace at that moment, too. He had a loving expression on his face. ¡°Liv, I can wait. I''ll wait until the day youe back to me," Ethan thought to himself. They still had plenty of days ahead of them. He wasn''t in a hurry. That day was sure toe. Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025 Ethan didn''t get a wink of sleep that night. It took him so much time and effort to get Olivia back into his arms. He didn''t want to sleep after he had finally found her again. Even though he couldn''t see her face, he still didn''t want to close his eyes. He held her in his arms gently with a loving expression in his eyes. Olivia got a good night''s sleep. She slept through the entire night. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Ethan''s nk stare. It took her by surprise. "Did you stay up the entire night?" Ethan said hoarsely, "I kept thinking about the snakes, and it made me scared. Besides, you were hugging me very tightly. 1 couldn''t fall asleep." Olivia looked down and saw that she was clinging to him with all four of her limbs. She blushed as she pushed him away. "I didn''t do it on purpose." Ethan looked at her with a smile. "I wouldn''t mind even if you did it on purpose." Olivia wagged a finger before his eyes. She felt relieved after noticing that he didn''t have any reactions. Ethan could feel his eyes getting better. He could roughly make out Olivia''s facial features. Even though it was still fuzzy, the good thing was he was recovering. ¡°You can take a nap now. The sun is up. There is no danger or snakes." "Liv, I''m hungry." Olivia looked at him resignedly. "Alright. I''ll make you some breakfast." Ethan didn''t have a childhood. He was acting like a child at the moment. Olivia seemed to have forgotten that he would need someone to dote on him to have a childhood. The vige used to be a barren ce. Then, Olivia arrived and taught them some agricultural and livestock breeding techniques. After that, the vige''s resources became abundant. Ethan had been on a fluid and fruit diet for the past few days. At that moment, he was able to eat normal foods. It was only natural that he felt hungry. Olivia took some ingredients and made some soup, pancakes, and sd for him. Those were foods he wouldn''t get a chance to eat normally. They retained the original taste of the ingredients. "Liv, you''ve gotten better at cooking." "Shut up and eat." "Okay." Although Olivia revealed her true identity, she still treated Ethan coldly. She would not talk to him at all unless it were absolutely necessary. Needless to say, she didn''t want to talk about their past at all. There weren''t any developments in their rtionship for the next few days. Ethan was starting to get nervous. The poison in his system was almost cleared out. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia had already clearly stated to him that she wasn''t adept at healing the eyes. He needed to get checked out at major hospitals to get treated properly. In other words, Olivia was telling him to go away. Ethan was trying to think of something that would allow him to stay. ¡°Why don''t you stab my leg? She won''t force me to leave if I''m hurt." Ethan sat by the bed as he toyed with a dagger. He didn''t tell Olivia that his eyes could see light again. His sight had also recovered to the level of around 700 to 800 degrees of myopia. He couldn''t see anything that was far away, but he could see things that were close. Cyril rubbed his temples in resignation. "Mr. Miller, don''t you think that would be too obvious?" "You''re right." Ethan stroked his chin in thought. There was some stubble on his chin again after a couple of days. "I should just jump down the second floor. You can tell her that I slipped and fell because I was frightened by a nightmare." "That''s a viable option, but it''s out of our hands. It''ll be toote for regrets if you sustain permanent damage from the fall." "Is there any other way? I can''t really get poison again, right?" As they were talking, Ethan heard some footsteps. He instantly went to bed and acted like he was in pain. Then, he red at Cyril. "Don''t slip up. Be smart." Chapter 1026 Chapter 1026 The door opened with a creak. Olivia entered the room with the medicine. She saw Ethan lying in bed. He didn''t look so good. "What''s wrong with him? Cyril didn''t even dare to look at Ethan. He feared he might identally let the cat out of the bag. He decided to use the excuse Ethan told him. "Mr.Miller hasn''t been able to sleep well at night. He would get shbacks of the snake pit whenever he closed his eyes. "He didn''t get much rest, so his recovery is stunted." Olivia frowned. She had been trying to keep her distance from Ethan for the past few days. So, she never got in contact with him other than when she was bringing him medicine. "You''re still having trouble sleeping?" Olivia looked at the dark circles under his eyes. It was true that Ethan had trouble sleeping. He had been thinking of Olivia every night. He was afraid that Olivia would throw him out the next day. So, that''s why he had those eye bags. Ethan nodded weakly. "That''s right. 1 am haunted by that experience. Don''t worry, Liv. Not getting sleep isn''t a big deal." ¡°This won''t do. Drink the medicine first. I''ll think of something." Olivia figured that Ethan could be exhibiting some sort of traumatic response, which caused him to lose sleep. It would be extremely detrimental to his health if his insomnia persisted. Ethan drank the medicine. He was pondering if he should deliberately catch a cold that night. Unfortunately, the region''s temperature was pretty warm all year round. Even at night, the temperature wouldn''t be low enough that he could catch a cold too easily. In the afternoon, Olivia brought him to her room. It was the first time he entered her room. There was a faint fragrance of medicinal herbs in her room. Suddenly, Ethan remembered that he hadn''t heard the sound of bells in a few days. He reflexively asked, "Where is Willow?" Olivia didn''t really want to talk about Willow with Ethan. She sent her away temporarily after she revealed herself to Ethan. Her doubts were justified. Ethan was a very maniptive person. He tried to force her to get an abortion when he thought she was pregnant with another man''s children. He would never allow Willow to exist if he realized she was a child Olivia had with another man. He wasn''t making a move yet because he wasn''t in control. But it would be toote for regrets if he made a move against Willow after he recovered. So, Olivia sent Willow away for her safety. ¡°None of your business.¡± Olivia didn''t know what Ethan had in mind, so she avoided the subject. Then, she led him to a bed and asked him to lie down. It was a massage bed. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. It was where shey when Colin massaged her head. Olivia lit some scented candles and prepared some essence oils to massage his head. Ethan reflexively grabbed her hand. "Liv, you haven''t given me a massage in a long time." ¡°Stop bringing up the past." Olivia shook his hand off. Before she began the massage, she brought over a razor to help him shave. She was used to seeing his clean-shaven look. The stubble was a little annoying to her. She bent over slightly as she shaved his face. At that distance, Ethan could see her face clearly. She had put on some weightpared to three years ago when she was frail from the cancer. Her weight had gone back to normal. Her face was plump and firm. She no longer had an innocent look on her face after giving birth to multiple children. She looked more mature. She used to be a budding rose but had be a rose in full bloom. She was charming and alluring. Her skin had always been pale. But it had be even smoother and radiant, probably because of the medicinal baths she had been taking. Ethan was confused. Other women would appear older after giving birth because they lost nutrients to the baby. Olivia was an outlier. She became more beautiful after giving birth. Ethan could feel Olivia''s fingers on his chin. She was shaving very carefully because there wasn''t any shaving cream. She didn''t even realize she was breathing on Ethan''s face. Ethan shifted his gaze and saw her white silk bra because she was bent over. The curves he saw were very tempting. Then, Ethan gulped subconsciously. Chapter 1027 Chapter 1027 Olivia hadn''t realized the situation she was in yet. She bent over even more, and her chest touched Ethan''s forehead. It was very soft. Ethan closed his eyes and tried his best to distract himself. Luckily, Olivia was done shaving him after a short while, and he had the opportunity to catch his breath. Olivia washed her hands and then applied essence oil on her palms to massage his head. She seemed to have gotten better at massaging. Ethan wasn''t drowsy at all in the beginning. But Olivia''s massage and the fragrant smell made him fall asleep. Olivia sighed in relief when she saw that he had fallen asleep. She stretched as she looked at the calendar. It would take one more week for 90% of the poison in Ethan''s system to be cleared out. He would have to rest up and get better on his own after that. Olivia was worried that Ethan wouldn''t want to leave. She would have to leave if he didn''t want to leave. Olivia read medical books for a while but noticed that Ethan didn''t seem like he was about to wake. The sun had set, so she went to wash up and prepare to turn in. Ethan woke up to the sound of trickling water. He had slept fora long time. The scented candles in the room were burned out. Only a little bit of fragrance lingered in the air. He felt a slight headache right after he woke up. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. After blinking several times, he realized that his eyesight had improved again. He could see everything in the room clearly except for the tiny print on stic- wrapped items. Then, his gaze fell on the folding screen. The room was illuminated by candlelight, which was quite dim. But it managed to outline Olivia''s figure on the folding screen. Olivia had just finished her bath and was getting out of the tub. She put on a bathrobe and walked out slowly. She didn''t notice Ethan''s gaze as she picked up a towel and wiped her neck. Then, she walked to her bed and took off the bathrobe. Although it was just her back, Ethan caught a good look at her body. He hadn''t seen her body for many years. It made his nose bleed. He scrambled to deal with the bleeding. Ethan had the urge to p himself for being so useless. He fell to the floor with a crash. Olivia finally remembered that there was a blind man in the room. She turned around and saw Ethan iling on the floor. "Stay where you are!" Ethan put up an incredibly convincing performance. Olivia had just put on her bra. She quickly came over and asked, " What happened? Are you hurt?" Ethan pinched his nose and tried his best to maintain a straight face. He had been fine, but then he saw Olivia in her undergarments. The sight of her intensified the bleeding. It wasn''t so easy to pretend to be blind. "I had a nightmare. Then, I fell off the bed and hit my nose. I''m sorry for causing you so much trouble." He was wiping hastily. There was blood everywhere. Olivia started to feel nervous when she saw that he was bleeding so profusely. He might have hit his nose. But it might also be a side effect of her using the wrong dosage of medicine. "Don''t move. I''ll take care of it for you." Olivia crouched down and performed basic first-aid on him. But they were too close. Ethan could see her perfect figure clearly, including her t abdomen and well-defined muscle lines. Her body was more well-built than before and exuded a ferocious beauty. It was very alluring to Ethan. ¡°Why won''t the bleeding stop?" Ethan didn''t know what to say. He wished she would put on some clothes first. They were too close to each other. It was too stimting for him. Olivia stopped what she was doing immediately. She asked coldly, " Have your eyesight recovered?" Chapter 1028 Chapter 1028 Olivia''s sudden question shocked Ethan. It would be very bad for him if he admitted to having regained his vision. He would never admit it! "Liv, I wish my eyesight would return sooner so I won''t cause you so much trouble," Ethan said with a troubled expression. ¡°Don''t move. I''ll get you some tissues." "Okay." Ethan saw Olivia putting her bathrobe back on. Then, she took a dagger from under her pillow and slowly approached him. She was looking at his face, trying to see if he was lying. Ethan knew what she was thinking. She had started to doubt him. He knew a terrible fate awaited him if she found out he was lying about his eyesight. He felt extremely nervous but couldn''t afford to show any emotions on his face. As the blood flowed freely from his nose, Ethan asked innocently, " Where are you, Liv? Are you back yet?" Olivia walked up to him and ced the tissues down. "I''m here," she said in an even tone. She pulled out some tissues and then suddenly drew the dagger. The de moved before his eyes and stopped a couple of inches before his eyeballs. Ethan didn''t blink He didn''t even take a step back. The tip of the de was aimed at his eye. A regr person wouldn''t have such a reaction. Olivia was puzzled. Was she overthinking it? She didn''t notice Ethan''s clenched fists behind his back. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. He used the pain to distract himself so he could suppress the natural instinct to move away from the de. Olivia tried an extreme measure, but he managed to get on over her. Ethan even moved around slightly and asked, "Where are you, Liv? Olivia quickly put the dagger away. ''''I''m over here." She didn''t know that Ethan''s back was already covered in cold sweat. After that little exchange, Ethan''s nosebleed miraculously stopped. He was covered in blood, but it was very troublesome to get new bathwater. ¡°The water I used is still warm. You can use that to wash yourself if you don''t mind." ¡°Of course, I don''t mind. It''s water you used, after all. Is the water over there?" Ethan slowly made his way toward the folding screen. Then, he banged his head on the folding screen. Olivia burst intoughter as he held his head in pain. She walked over to him and caressed his head. "Are you dumb, Ethan?" He had not seen Olivia''s genuineugh in such along time that he fell into a daze looking at her. "What''s wrong?" Ethan snapped back to reality and said, "It hurts. My nose and head hurts." Olivia was slightly amused. Why did Ethan be so silly after he was poisoned? "Bear with it for a while. The pain will pass. I''ll hold your hand." Ethan turned toward her abruptly and said, "Liv, if my eyes never get better, will you hold my hand forever?" Olivia quickly retorted, "Stop this nonsense. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The Miller Family will be able to afford a guide dog for you." "But Liv, I..." Olivia''s expression turned cold. "Don''t forget that our rtionship ended years ago, Ethan Miller. Do you know why I saved you? Because you''re Connor''s brother. I don''t want him to lose his father at such a young age. 1 "If my actions have caused you to get the wrong idea, I''ll remind you again. We''ll never get back together." Never. That word was like a heavy blow to his heart. Ethan submerged himself in the water. When he came out of the water, he had an obsessive look in his eyes. "Liv, I will never let you go, even if I die. You can only be mine in this life." It seemed like Ethan''s condition was getting worse. Chapter 1029 Chapter 1029 Ethan believed there wasn''t anything he couldn''t do. Besides, He had four children binding him to Olivia. He told himself not to rush things. He had to take things slow. The resentment she had for him didn''t form in a single day. He needed a catalyst to resolve the hatred she had for him. Then, he thought about the heartfelt smile she had just now. Sincerity was the key. Ethan started to formte a n. "Liv, where is the towel?" His clothes were covered in blood. So, Olivia had Cyril bring him a new set of clothes. She even left the room and asked Cyril to help Ethan get dressed. "Mrs. Miller told me to bring you back to your room after you''re dressed, Mr. Miller." Ethan had a cold expression on his face. That was Olivia''s way of telling him that they would never get back together. But Ethan was a rebellious man. He would not give up. Ethan didn''t pester Olivia. He left the room with Cyril. There were a few days left. If there weren''t any development between him and Olivia, he would return to the days when he could do nothing but yearn for her. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Gazing at the moon, Ethan knew he didn''t have much time left. He had to make good use of theing days. Olivia thought Ethan would cling to her, but he didn''t seek her out in the next couple of days. Instead, he got closer to Wendy. Wendy would give him some chores, like separating the kernels from the corn. She would also bring him and Cyril along to help when it was time to harvest the corn. In a few days, Ethan had already gotten used to working on the farm. He stood in the cornfield with his pant legs rolled up as he cut down corn stalks with a sickle. Although he was slower due to his sight impairment, he had good stamina. Wendy held his hand and said, "Ethan, you''re so talented at shucking corn. Why don''t you stay here as a farmhand for me?" Ethan didn''t even try to hide his intentions. "Sure, as long as you''ll have me." Before she got to spend time with Ethan, Wendy thought he was a domineering and despicable man. Her opinion of him had since changed to hardworking, sturdy, and good at shucking corn. He wasn''t as annoying as she thought he would be. Most importantly, he would never hide his love for Olivia. He was like an affectionate puppy that clung to Olivia. Wendy was even starting to have the urge to get Ethan and Olivia back together. As payment for helping out every day, Wendy would treat Cyril personally. She promised to heal his legpletely. Ethan would sit on a stool beside them and shuck the corn they harvested. Olivia liked eating fresh corn. Especially the ones that had just been harvested from the field. She would sit on the bridge, watching them as she swayed her legs. Ethan''s shirt was soaked in sweat. His forehead was also full of sweat. After treating Cyril, Wendy pulled Olivia to the side and whispered, "T feel like Ethan is a decent man. He''s doing everything he can for you. ¡°He had worked all day today, but he didn''t even rest before shucking corn because he knows you love them fresh. "For aman, sincerity is very important. He is rich and sincere. Will you really not consider going back to him?" Olivia raised her hand. Her hand had been suffering from the lingering effects of the gunshot. It waspletely healed after years of medicinal baths. Even the scar had be much lighter. ¡°Grandma Wendy, you know how much it hurt when he shot my hand? I''ll never forget that. Just because the scar has gotten lighter doesn''t mean I''ll forget the pain." "But ..."" "It''s still early. I''ll be leaving in a few days. I''ll go harvest the rest of the wheat." Wendy tugged at Olivia''s hand. "You''re leaving again?" "Since he''s staying, I''ll leave. Don''t worry, Grandma Wendy, it''s not like I''m noting back. I miss my children. I''m going to visit them." Chapter 1030 Chapter 1030 Olivia was harnessing the bullock cart. The vige''s primary modes of transportation were either horses or bullock carts. Despite the challenging conditions, Olivia preferred the simple life of the vige over the cutthroat environment of big cities. "You should let Ethan go with you. You''ll be able toe back sooner." Wendy had just finished treatment on Cyril, so he couldn''t move yet. Also, she was trying to y matchmaker for the two of them. Olivia couldn''t turn Wendy down even though she knew what Wendy was doing. It didn''t really matter. She was leaving in a few days, after all. Ethan and Olivia sat next to each other on the bullock cart. It was a very bumpy ride. Every now and then, their bodies would be thrown up and down with the cart''s motion. Ethan suddenly burst out inughter. Olivia looked at him and asked, "Why are youughing?" "| just feel like life here is very interesting. I would never have thought we''d be living such a life, you driving a bullock cart while I shuck corn. "This life isn''t that bad. It''s peaceful and simple. I even have the urge to spend the rest of my days here with you. We can just bea normal married couple." Olivia frowned. "I don''t want that." She had many things she needed to do and people she needed to kill. She would be reminded of how Mona died in front of her whenever she looked at Cyril. Mona had such a bright future ahead of her. She gave someone her heart but ended up getting shot to death by that very same person. Olivia''s two-year n was finally near its final stage. She would give that man a taste of the pain Mona went through a hundred times over. She was ready to exact revenge on everyone who had wronged her. Ethan smiled and murmured, "Just consider it my wishful thinking, then." They got to the field. Then, Olivia led Ethan to a cornfield and said, "Harvest this part. I''lle around and get the cornter." ¡°Alright.¡± Ethan''s eyes werepletely healed, but he had to pretend to be blind when he was with Olivia. That way, he would at least be able to hold her hand asionally. Ethan would stare at Olivia for a while after each corn stalk he cut. Olivia always wore in clothes in the vige. She worked very quickly and efficiently. She quickly harvested arge area. "Liv is so amazing. She''s such a fast learner, and she does everything so well," Ethan thought. But a genius like her almost lost a promising future due to his past failings. Ethan lowered his head and started to harvest the corn seriously. He worked for more than seven hours in a row. He was still standing because of his outstanding stamina. He continued to work as sweat dripped from his face. He slowed down when he noticed that Olivia was approaching. "Take a break and drink some water." "Okay." Ethan put down the sickle and sat down on a bundle of com. Olivia brought over some water and snacks. She handed him the bottle of water. Ethan started to chug the water down. The sweat rolled down his face. He only had his shirt on since it was very hot. He had rolled up his sleeves and pant legs. The first three buttons on his chest were unbuttoned. He looked very manly under the sun. His hand that held the bottle looked very muscr. The cuts on his hands were already healed after more than ten days. He always had great self-healing abilities. Olivia had seen many sides of Ethan, but it was still her first time seeing him working on a farm. His hair had grown much longer. He tied it to the back of his head like those young celebrities, exposing his eyebrows. Aman like him waspletely alluring even though he was sitting in a field. Olivia unconsciously shifted her gaze from him. She wanted to take a small break before finishing the work in the field. The warm breeze blew at the two of them. Neither of them spoke. Suddenly, some of the corn in the field started swaying. Two people were talking.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Let''s do it here." "It''d be bad if someone saw us, Aaron." "There''s no one here at this hour. Besides, no one would want to look at something like this." Chapter 1031 Chapter 1031 The vige wasn''t that big. Olivia basically knew everyone who lived here. The two people in front of them weren''t married or dating. The woman''s name was Isabe. She was the man''s sister-inw. Her husband fell off a cliff two years ago when he was gathering herbs. He was paralyzed and lost the ability to have sex. Isabe was probably too lonely, which was why she was cheating on her husband with his younger brother. Cheating was verymonce in the city. If it was discovered, the couple would just get a divorce. But divorce wasn''t a very popr concept in the vige. If Isabe was found out, she would be done for. They were afraid of being found out. That was why they came to a ce like the fields. At this hour, everyone would have gone home. Ethan and Olivia were outliers. Ethan spoke up, "Liv ..." Before he could utter another word, Olivia covered his mouth. Ethan was new to the vige and didn''t know about its customs. If Isabe was discovered, she would probablymit suicide before her family could beat her to death. She was still very young. She was still in her 20s and had a warm personality. Olivia didn''t want her to lose her life like that. Olivia grabbed Ethan''s hand and led him to hide behind a patch of corn. She whispered, "Don''t talk." Ethan nodded. Isabe''s voice rang out again. "Aaron, I''m still worried. Please go take alook." The two of them came out of the field and scanned their surroundings. Olivia didn''t want to be seen, so she pushed Ethan down andy on his chest. They were sitting on the corn that she had harvested. Their bodies were concealed by a stack of corn stalks. "I told you that you were being paranoid. There''s no one around.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Come on, Isabe, let''s do it. I''m very pent up." "You bad, bad man. You tire me out every time." "you do feel good, right?" Olivia could vaguely see them starting to have sex through the gaps. They didn''t engage in any forey and went straight into the action. Olivia didn''t dare to peek at them anymore as shey on Ethan''s body. She shouldn''t havee to shuck corn at this hour! It was just her luck to encounter something so awkward. The fact that she was listening in on them while hiding with her ex -husband made it even worse. It was a very ridiculous situation. Isabe always appeared to be very gentle, but she was so perverted when no one else was looking. Not only was she moaning, but she was also yelling obscenities. Olivia had the urge to jump into a hole. She lowered her head and met Ethan''s innocent gaze. Surely, he had also realized what was going on. She found two stalks of grass and stuck them into his ears. She wasn''t able to block out the voices and almost poked through his eardrums. With one hand, Ethan grabbed Olivia''s hands. Then, he wrapped his other hand around her waist. He moved his mouth next to her ear and whispered, "Do you want to do it too, Liv?" Olivia immediately blushed. Isabe and the man were doing it and yelling loudly. The feelings of desire seemed to spread. Olivia was lying on Ethan''s well-built body. Ethan was sweating a lot due to the work he had done. The tight shirt outlined the contours of his muscles. She was wearing rather thin clothes. They could easily feel each other''s warmth. Olivia red at him shyly and said angrily, "I don''t want to!" Ethan nibbled on her ear lobe and said seductively, "But I really want to." Chapter 1032 Chapter 1032 Olivia could feel Ethan''s sturdy body. They were in a stuffy field and covered in sweat from the physicalbor. The scent of herbs emanating from her was like an aphrodisiac for Ethan. Olivia smacked his restless hand. "Stay still." Ethan wasn''t that obedient this time. He needed an opportunity. Isabe and Aaron''s actions were a catalyst for him to achieve a breakthrough with Olivia. The two of them were still going at it very passionately. They must have been very pent-up. The sun was setting, and everyone else had already gone home for dinner. No one would be in the fields at that hour. The atmosphere and location only served to spur the two of them more. They began to do it even more intensely. Ethan was breathing next to Olivia''s ear. Even the warm evening breeze was caressing them gently. Ethan sighed. "Liv, I won''t force you if you''re unwilling. But youying on top of me will make me lose control. You should get up." As he said that, he reached out to push Olivia away. She quicklyy back down. "Don''t move," Olivia hissed. "You don''t want me to move, and you don''t want to move. We''re only listening in as they''re doing it. I can''t take much more of this. w With her face blushing, Olivia softly said, "Isabe is cheating on her husband. If she''s found out, her inws will drown her in a pond. Even if that doesn''t happen, she''ll kill herself out of shame. Her blood will be on your hands if you show yourself now." Ethan sneered, "I don''t care if she lives or dies. She''s not you." In that instant, Olivia suddenly realized how cold-blooded Ethan was. ¡°There are no divorces in this vige. Her husband is paralyzed. She had asked to go their separate ways. She also tried to run away three times but was captured and brought back every time." "That''s her reason for cheating on her husband? Liv, I''ve never slept with anyone else all these years. If she really loved her husband, she wouldn''t be tied down by thew. "Her conscience and morality would never allow her to do it. Cheating is cheating, be it mentally or physically. Don''t find excuses for her betrayal. No matter how grand, an excuse will just be an excuse." Olivia clenched her fingers around his shirt. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "So, betrayal is betrayal regardless of any reason?" She wasn''t asking about Isabe but about herself. ¡°Yes, Betrayal will always just be a betrayal. Liv, think about it. I never touched Marina, but you thought I did. How did you feel then? Her paralyzed husband would feel the same. It doesn''t matter why it''s done. A betrayal is unforgivable." Olivia thought about the night she did it with Logan. She was under the influence of drugs. She didn''t remember exactly what happened. She could tell how intensely they did it from the marks she saw on herself the following day. She was also a cheater! Ethan didn''t even think about that. After all, he was Logan. Olivia never cheated on him. He was only talking about Isabe, but Olivia didn''t see it that way. Ethan could feel a shift in Olivia''s mood. He thought it was because she disagreed with what he was saying. His fingers moved up her waist, and he patted her on the back. "Don''t be angry, Liv. I won''t move anymore. I''ll hold it in." Olivia didn''t reply. Shey on his chest quietly and listened to his steady heartbeat. She wanted to leave as soon as Isabe and Aaron were finished. Finally, she heard Aaron groaning. Isabe was moaning too. They were probably done. It was also done between her and Ethan. Chapter 1033 Chapter 1033 Olivia was ready to get off of Ethan at any time. She moved the corn leaves aside to check. Unexpectedly, Aaron and Isabe were just changing their position. Most of the people in the vige had tanned skin. Isabe was an outlier. She couldn''t get tanned no matter how much time she spent under the sun. Her figure was also very good since she had never been pregnant. Aaron was tanned because he worked in the fields all year long. He was also pretty muscr. The two of them continued to go at it as the sun was setting, They were still very young. They couldn''t endure the feeling of loneliness. Olivia withdrew her gaze. They had started another round of lovemaking. It was probably because it was getting dark and they were in an open space. They felt liberated, like they were at the top of the world. One should take risks while one was still young. Even if they understood they were headed toward a dead-end, they wouldn''t give up until the very end. Olivia was young once. She had also taken risks before. Even though the path she took was wrong, she didn''t care about the consequences then. She was happy with her choice. ¡°Aaron, you''re so great. You got up again so quickly. Unlike your brother, he''s so weak. It''s boring to do it with him." "Isabe, why don''t we elope?" "Elope? Our families have lived here for generations. Where can we go?" ¡°Anywhere we want to go. We''re young and healthy. We can make a living. You can give birth to my children when we settle down in a city. "we can be together without having to sneak around. I heard that they have a piece of paper in the city. Couples write their names down on it and stay together forever." There was longing in Isabe''s eyes. She wanted to have a home with the man she loved. She also wanted to have his babies and stay together forever. They were even more passionate. "Go quicker, Aaron. I''m close to climaxing." Their hope for a better future spurred their carnal desires. It was good to be young. They had the courage to go down whatever path they chose. People started to be more cowardly after they reached a certain age. They would think about the consequences of their actions. They were always bound by invisible chains. Ethan noticed the glow in Olivia''s eyes. He could roughly guess what she was thinking. "Liv, if Isabe and Aaron can ignore morality and societal norms to do what they think is right, why can''t we do the same? I know you still love me." Olivia denied it immediately, "Who said I still love you? I ..." Ethan''s palm pressed against the back of her head as he kissed her on the lips. Olivia tried her best to push him away. She wanted to break from his grasp but also didn''t want to make too much noise and alert Aaron and Isabe. It looked like she was feigning resistance to spur Ethan on. He reached out and took off her hairpin. Her head of soft, glossy hair scattered down. Olivia red at him. Unfortunately for her, Ethan was pretending to be blind. So, he simply ignored her. He picked Olivia up and turned over to press her under him. Her hair was spread out on the golden-colored wheat. There was panic and unease on her face. She reached out to resist him, but he easily lifted her hands above her head. She waspletely defenseless. Ethan leaned in and breathed heavily next to her ear. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Liv, I''ve had enough of holding it in." Chapter 1034 Chapter 1034 Olivia could have used her self-defense skills to fight Ethan, but she didn''t want Isabe and Aaron to find out they were there. Otherwise, everything she tolerated before would''ve been for naught. She wouldn''t be able to live with herself if she caused Isabe tomit suicide out of shame. Cheating was wrong, but she didn''t have to pay for it with her life. Too many people had been hurt or killed because of her. Cyril''s leg was still suffering from lingering effects after so many years. Mona was dead, and so was Snowball. She was also the reason Ethan had all those scars on his back. All those things had be a burden to her. She didn''t want anyone to lose their lives for her sake again. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Ethan, you bastard. Let go of me," Olivia hissed. Ethan whispered, "Liv, why can you be so forgiving to everyone else? But you''re always so cruel to me." Olivia looked him in the eye and asked slowly, "Do you really not know?" Sighing, Ethan nestled his head on her neck. "Liv, the mistakes were already made. The damage is already done. How do you want me to atone for my mistakes? My life is all I have. If you want it, I can give it to you." She never doubted that Ethan would give up his life for her. Even when he hated her, he could jump down the building with her. He was also the first one toe to her rescue when she was in danger. But it was also he who had hurt her the most. "I don''t want your life. I just want to sever all ties with you." Ethan smiled bitterly. "Please take my life instead, Liv. I don''t want to live another day without you." "Aaron, you''re killing me. I can''t take it anymore." Isabe moaned. Isabe''s words shattered the icy atmosphere between them. Ethan reached into her thin and loose top. Olivia bit her lip. "You bastard. Touch me again and see what happens." Her shy expression made Ethan''s heart flutter. He slowly licked her ear lobe and said impishly, ¡°Even if you forbid me from touching you, I''ll still do it. I want to make you feel like you''re dying too." Olivia''s face waspletely flushed. "Stop it, you bastard." Their sweat had already dried up. The night breeze felt cold on their skin. Olivia felt her body tingle when Ethan''s hands fell on her waist. "Liv, I want you. I want you really badly ..." It had been several years since theyst did it. They did it after that night on the cruise ship. Ethan was a stubborn man. He refused to relieve his pent-up desires with other women. He even threw away the toys that Kelvin gave him in private. He was extremely obsessed when it came to matters regarding Olivia. He was like a tiger that had gone many years without meat. How could he control] himself when a piece of meat was right next to him? After being apart for so many years, Ethan knew very well how important Olivia was to him. He was afraid that he would never see her again. He was also afraid that he would see her with another man. Olivia was right before him at that moment. There was only one thought in his mind. He wanted to mark her, possess her, and imprint on her. He wanted her to be hispletely. Ethan didn''t use much force. Instead, his movements were extremely gentle as he made her sumb to pleasure. Besides, there was another couple putting up a show close to them, further igniting their desires. Olivia''s body stopped resisting very quickly. Ethan said slowly, "See, Liv. You want to do it too." Chapter 1035 Chapter 1035 Olivia felt embarrassed. She bit her lip and retorted, "It''s just the body''s natural reaction. I can''t control it. It''s not the same as me wanting to do it." Ethan licked her neck. She tilted her neck, making a concerted effort to ignore the peculiar sensations on her body. Ethan was despicable. He knew her weakness all too well. He couldn''t keep his hands off her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He kept caressing her all over and didn''t care how much time had passed. Meanwhile, Isabe and Aaron rested for a while and were ready to start round three. It was like they were trying to make up for lost time. Each roundsted longer than thest. Isabe''s voice also grew louder. Olivia''s body, which had been going back to normal, started to heat up again. There were tears glistening in her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to stop herself from making any sounds. Ethan brushed on her lips repeatedly. He murmured, "You can ask me for it, Liv." "Dream on! We''ll see which of us suffers more," Olivia dered with a flushed face. Her awkward and stubborn expression made him snicker. His Olivia never changed. She was still as stubborn as ever. She was right, though. Ethan was the one who was being tormented more. But neither of them wanted to admit defeat. They hadn''t done anything yet but were already covered in sweat. They were like fishes that were washed ashore, gasping for breath. They used to be a loving married couple, but Ethan was a prim and proper man. Most of their intimate moments were shared on a bed. Even if they let loose asionally, they would still be doing it at home. It was the first time they were doing something like this in a ce like this. Their bodies instinctively yearned for each other. The fact that neither of them admitted defeat only made it more ufortable for both of them. But they were still not letting up. Olivia wiggled under him uneasily. She wasn''t drugged this time, but she still felt extremely restless. The sky waspletely dark. There was only the moon shining down on them. The moonlight in the countryside was very bright. It was so bright it allowed Ethan to see clearly the drops of sweat on Olivia''s forehead and how she was biting her lip. Ethan sighed. "Why are you still resisting, Liv?" Olivia said resolutely, "Ethan, I told you I wanted nothing to do with you anymore. I wasn''t joking." Ethan was actually about to let her go. But a hint of cruelty shed in his eyes when he heard what she said. "But I don''t intend on letting you go, Liv." This time, he started to force himself on her without any hesitation. Olivia shook her head. "No, you can''t do this, Ethan. You can''t ..." Ethan smiled heartlessly. "Liv, the bond between us can never be broken. Even if it''s broken, it can be reconnected." He began to thrust as he said that. Olivia almost let out a scream. Ethan licked her skin with tender cruelty. "I told you I''ll never let go unless I die. Now, control your voice. I trust you don''t want them to hear you." Olivia hit him with all her might. "You ... bastard ..." Isabe and Aaron had already stopped doing it after two hours. They were putting their clothes on. ¡°Aaron, I think I heard something. Did you hear anything?" Isabe''s voice was hoarse from all the moaning. Olivia grabbed Ethan''s arm in fright when she heard that. She was pleading with him with her eyes. Ethan whispered, ¡°Beg me, Liv." Chapter 1036 Chapter 1036 Olivia didn''t want anyone to see her. If word got out, she would be mortified. She could only whisper in Ethan''s ear, "I beg you, please." Ethan temporarily stopped all movement. Aaron and Isabe''s footsteps were getting closer. They were very close, only separated by a pile of corn stalks. Luckily, the pile of stalks was tall enough to hide both of them. Olivia felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. In contrast, Ethan was very calm. So what if they were discovered? It wasn''t illegal to do it with his wife. The breeze blew, and some leaves rustled in the wind. Aaron pointed at the leaves. "Look, I told you it was fine. You''re just too jumpy." Isabe came back to her senses. She lowered her head to look at her shoes. "You know why I''m so scared. I don''t want the others to find out." ¡°There''s nothing to be afraid of. I told you I''ll take you away. We''ll talk to Madam Wendy. She''ll be able to help us. I really like you, Isabe. Let''s elope." As the two of them were talking about elopement, Olivia was feeling tormented both mentally and physically. She could see the sweat on Ethan''s forehead too. She wasn''t the only one suffering. Isabe and Aaron continued to discuss how they would escape. Then, they saw it was gettingte and quickly left. Ethan was the one getting worked up. He leaned in and whispered, "There''s no one to bother us now. You can moan all you want." Even after along time, Olivia would still remember the moonlight and the stars from that night. The wind was warm, and it heated her up. She felt like she was on a neverending roller coaster ride. She felt so many different emotions that her rationality and thoughts left her. Someone once said that low-level desires could be satisfied by indulging in them, while the higher-level desire required abstinence. Ethan didn''t know if his desires were low-level or high-level. All he knew was that he had been waiting for this day for far too long. The emptiness he felt physically and mentally was all fulfilled at that moment. There were insects chirping around them. The sounds of nature and their movements merged into a perfect melody. Ethan stopped after quite some time. Olivia felt like she was half dead. That bastard ... "I''m sorry, Liv," Ethan said with an aggrieved tone while hugging her arm. He hadpletely dropped his haughty demeanor. Olivia felt like she had fallen into his trap. A carrot and a stick. He had nned everything in advance. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She couldn''t kill him or harm him. She even had to cure him of the poison. He was such a maniptive man. "Don''t touch me!" Olivia flung his hands away and put on her clothes hastily. For some reason, Olivia suddenly felt upset. She had told herself not to look back and to sever ties with him. But they ended up doing it again. Tears streamed down her face. "Ethan, you disrupt my life time and again. Is this what you really want?" "Liv, I..." Ethan was panicking. He was prepared to be scolded or beaten by Olivia once she came to her senses. He didn''t expect her to cry. "T had finally gotten out of your shadow and built a life for myself. Yet, you''re dragging me down all over again. Can''t you stand to see me happy, Ethan?" Chapter 1037 Chapter 1037 "Liv, I''m just ..." "Don''t touch me. You''re disgusting." Under the moonlight, Olivia''s face was filled with tears. Like a sharp knife, the sight pierced Ethan''s heart. He thought that Olivia had slightly enjoyed the moment just now. But he could only see disgust on Olivia''s face. Ethan''s hand was outstretched, intending tofort her. But now, it hung in the air as he stared at her. ¡°Ethan, what right do you have to think that you cane back after barging into my life and leaving without notice? What do you take me for? ¡°We were divorced a long time ago. Shall I exin to you what a divorce means? It means that the couple no longer has anything to do with each other. But what are you doing right now?" Lowering his head, Ethan said in a small voice, "I admit to the mistakes I made, but can''t you give me a chance to make it up to you and the children?" "I don''t need it. We''re getting by just fine without you. Ethan, the bestpensation you can give me is to stay far away from me." "Liv, do you truly hate me this much?" "Yes. I hate you to the core. I hate you for putting me through so much hardship, and I also hate you for conjuring up a wonderful dream for me and destroying it yourself. "I hate you for turning me into who I am today." Ethan''s gaze turned dark. It was like a bright moon suddenly getting hidden behind dark clouds. A long timeter, Ethan spoke up, "I''m sorry." He stared at Olivia. "I lied to you once more. My vision has already recovered. I didn''t want to leave, so I pretended to be blind. You must hate me even more now. "T genuinely don''t want to do anything that would warrant an apology to you, but I keep messing up. In the end, I still hurt you. "You''re right, I''m a selfish and stubborn man. You must regret getting to know me." He wanted to reach out and hug her again, but in the end, he decided against it. ¡°All the misfortune happened because of me. I also deserve everything I''m going through right now. I''m the one at fault. I shouldn''t have dreamed of getting you back by my side." Ethan slowly got up. "Liv, it has been three years. It''s only now that I realize that I''m the one who still can''t let go." He looked at Olivia from a greater height, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. "Sorry for intruding." With that, he turned around and left without another look at Olivia. He wasn''t injured at all, but he looked defeated. It felt as if his body was covered in invisible wounds. He looked like a lone wolf in the wild, which only had the moon as itspanion. Olivia''s fingers trembled. Original from N?velDrama.Org. She knew that she could grab hold of him if she reached out her hand. But her sense of reason stopped her. Why would she take hold of Ethan? She would only be repeating her mistakes and going through the same sufferings she had gone through in the past. They should have gone their separate ways from the start. Why would she turn back? It was a decision she made, but her heart still ached. More tears streamed down her cheeks. Once back in the yard, Olivia cleaned the traces Ethan left. But every part of her body was filled with marks left behind by his kisses. She could even recall the warmth she felt when his lips touched her skin and how gentle he was. Olivia held her head. Her heart was in a mess, and she didn''t know what she should do. Ethan''s actions had caught her off guard. He had messed her up and also messed up her heart. She didn''t know how she should face Ethan the next day. Olivia couldn''t sleep all night, and her eyes remained wide open until dawn. She kept reflecting on what she saidst night, wondering if she had gone overboard. While she was still mulling over it, Cyril''s voice rang out from outside the door. "Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller has left." Chapter 1038 Chapter 1038 Widening her eyes, Olivia leaped off the bed. She didn¡¯t even bother putting on her shoes before opening the door. ¡°What did you say?¡± Cyril had a panicked look on his face. ¡°I found this in Mr. Miller¡¯s room.¡± There was a note left for him, telling him to stay here and focus on recuperating. There was also a thick envelope. ¡°When Mr. Miller was poisoned, he thought that he wouldn¡¯t survive, so he wrote a will and some letters. This is his letter to you.¡± Olivia took the heavy envelope. Then, she returned to her room and opened it. She immediately saw Ethan¡¯s familiar handwriting. Unlike his wild and bold signatures, his handwriting was extremely neat. Every stroke was exquisite like Ethan himself. ¡°Liv, by the time you read this letter, I should¡¯ve disappeared from this world already. ¡°When you receive this news, will you be happy or a little sad? Now that I¡¯m at death¡¯s door, I realize that I wasn¡¯t as scared as thought I would be. My heart is even filled with peace. ¡°I wonder if I can finally see you when I¡¯m dead? ¡°In the three years I spent away from you, I was constantly thinking of you and missing you. I think I must have gotten intoxicated, and you¡¯re the only one who can cure that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Connor has grown much taller, and his body is getting stronger. Our son is quite outstanding, and he received third- ss meritst year. ¡°I know that you¡¯re going to me me for not taking good care of him and letting him risk his life. ¡°But it¡¯s the only way for him to grow up well and quickly enough. That way, even if I die someday, he would be able to continue taking care of you. ¡°Without you by his side to guide him, he became a person of few words like me. When I spend time with him, there¡¯s more silence thanmunication. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He often sits in the same spot, holding the small lock you gave him. He would stare at it all afternoon. ¡°I know that he misses you a lot. If you¡¯re reading this letter, please go back and visit him in the spring when the cherry trees are blooming ¡°You once said that when the cherry trees bloomed, you would go back to visit him. So, every year when the cherry trees are in bloom, he would return to the ind where you two had stayed in the past. ¡°He would wait from dawn to dusk, from when the flowers bloom to when they wither. ¡°He would wait for you throughout the whole blooming season. ¡°Zack and Alicia must¡¯ve gotten much taller too. It¡¯s my lifelong regret that I¡¯ve never heard them call me ¡®Dad¡¯. I sincerely love these two children, but I didn¡¯t carry out my responsibilities as their father. ¡°I won¡¯t be alive for long, and I¡¯ve already distributed my property evenly. None of those three children will have less than the others. ¡°As for you, Liv, I have too many things I want to tell you¡­¡± Many words filled the letter. In the secondst page, Ethan confessed to her about Logan. Olivia¡¯s hands trembled as they held the letter. Logan truly did exist, but he died more than four years ago. That was why Ethan chose to use his identity. Back then, Olivia hated Ethan to the bone, so Ethan had no choice but to keep protecting her with another identity. It was no wonder that he wanted to cover her eyes that night. It was also no wonder that he knew all her preferences, and she kept feeling like she saw Ethan in him. Olivia realized that through it all, Ethan never left her. The troubles in Olivia¡¯s heart were finally resolved. Willow was Ethan¡¯s child, just like her siblings. Near the end of the letter, Ethan¡¯s handwriting grew lopsided. Olivia almost couldn¡¯t figure out what he was writing. Olivia thought of him slowly losing his senses. Under such difficult circumstances, he wrote a sentence,¡± I¡¯m sorry, Liv. If I get another chance at life, can you please let me love you again?¡± x Chapter 1039 Chapter 1039 As tears fell onto the letter, Olivia tightened her grip on the paper. She couldn¡¯t control her emotions at all. ¡°Mrs. Miller, we¡¯ve watched everything you and Mr. Miller went through. I believe that we don¡¯t have to tell you how much Mr. Miller loves you. You have no idea how he survived the past few years. ¡°He suffered a lot just to look for you. This poisoning incident isn¡¯t the first, and it won¡¯t be thest either. He almost died countless times. ¡°Yes, he did some bad things in the past. I¡¯m not giving him an excuse, but isn¡¯t he a victim as well? He was deceived by Ms. Miller. Ms. Miller had arranged such a wless trap. ¡°Mr. Miller¡¯s family has been broken since he was young. He never received love from his parents, and he only had Ms. Miller to rely on. He innocently believed that Ms. Miller was his everything. ¡°After searching for Ms. Miller for so long, that was the answer he received. Think about it. If you were in his shoes, what decision would you have made? Wouldn¡¯t you be angry and avenge your kin? ¡°Moreover, Kurt¡¯s death had always been troubling Mr. Miller. His best friend took a bullet for him and died in front of him, after all. Kurt¡¯s only dying wish was for Mr. Miller to take good care of Marina. ¡°Mr. Miller didn¡¯t want to get married to Marina, but he couldn¡¯t do anything against Ms. Carlton¡¯s insistence for him to repay Kurt¡¯s kindness. ¡°She kept saying that if Kurt hadn¡¯t taken the bullet for Mr. Miller, he wouldn¡¯t have died. She would¡¯ve had a family, and her children would¡¯ve had a father. ¡°She kept emphasizing that Kurt wanted Mr. Miller to take care of her. What could he do under such circumstances? ¡°No matter how you look at it, Mr. Miller is the one suffering the most. You endured hardship, but Mr. Miller did too. He suffered the pain of his family estranging him, and his dear friend passed away as well. ¡°He even had to suffer for his wife and themon people too. He¡¯s only human. He can¡¯t possibly be free from mistakes. ¡°Mrs. Miller, you loved him so much in the past, so why can¡¯t you love him once again?¡± Cyril¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°Mr. Miller always thinks about you and misses you. He only ever has eyes for you, and you¡¯re the only person in his heart. ¡°You wanted to leave, so he let you go even if he had to endure the suffering every single day. ¡°You have your children and your career, but what does Mr. Miller have? Countless enemies, responsibilities and burdens that threaten to crush him, and a life filled with mortal danger. ¡°No matter how hard it is, he still walks the path all alone¡­¡± Olivia recalled Ethan¡¯s figure when he leftst night. It looked deste and pitiful. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He wasn¡¯t quite conscious when he arrived in the vige. He had no idea how he got in, but now, he has left the vige alone. What if he¡¯s already-¡± Cyril¡¯s voice trailed off. Olivia gripped the letter tightly. ¡°He won¡¯t die. He¡¯s Ethan Miller, after all.¡± She wiped her tears. ¡°Get out and continue the treatment for your leg.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look for him.¡± Olivia went back to her room. After changing her clothes, she headed east. The path was the easiest to walk on, but the miasma was too strong there. Sadly, Willow wasn¡¯t with her. She couldn¡¯tmunicate with animals. Now, Scarlet Lily was the only one she could get help from. Scarlet Lily was therge snake that appeared outside the house on the day Olivia gave birth to Willow. Wendy said that Scarlet Lily was a snake with a soul, and it was also the guardian of the vige. It had lived for around a century, but no one knew how old it was. It was venomous, but it never hurt anyone. When the vigers saw it, they wouldn¡¯t hurt it either. After Willow¡¯s birth, it came by quite often. One day, Willow touched it, but it never expressed any form of aggressiveness. It even behaved in a friendly way. Perhaps because Olivia was close to Willow, Scarlet Lily slowly became familiar with her as well. Holding the bathrobe Ethan had worn before, Olivia asked the snake to help her locate him. Scarlet Lily took Olivia north. There was a cliff in the north! Olivia couldn¡¯t believe that Ethan had chosen this path. Even the vigers didn¡¯t dare go there. Back then, Isabe¡¯s husband took a fall there, which crippled him. Didn¡¯t Ethan care about his own life at all? Chapter 1040 Chapter 1040 As Olivia stood on the cliff, the wind tousled her hair. Below her, the clouds and mist blocked her view, so she couldn¡¯t make out any figures at all. Olivia could understand why Ethan would choose this path. It was dangerous, but at least it was manageable as long as there was no rain. This path was the only one without poison or wild beasts. The only danger was the weather, but he had experience in rock climbing. But it was too dangerous for him to go down blindly without proper equipment. If he were even a little distracted, he would fall to certain death! ¡°Mrs. Miller, are you sure that Mr. Miller took that path?¡± Olivia nodded. ¡°His scent was cut off here. Look, there¡¯s also a length of rope. He must have made it before he left.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him right now.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not as familiar with this mountain as I am. Moreover, you have to get acupuncture for your leg every day, and you¡¯re banned from any vigorous activities. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be crippled for life, do you?¡± Cyril started, ¡°So you mean¡­¡± Olivia patted him on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s my territory, after all. I can¡¯t let him get in danger.¡± Moreover, she had already decided to leave soon. She was going to leave the mountain as well. ¡°Please take good care of Madam Wendy.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Mrs. Miller. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°Just take care of yourself. I¡¯ve done many dangerous things in the past, so what difference can one more make?¡± With that, Olivia used Ethan¡¯s rope as she found a foothold before slowly descending. Ethan probably left sometime near dawn. If not, it would¡¯ve been too dark and dangerous for him. It had probably only been about two hours since he left. If she quickened her pace, she could catch up to him. This wasn¡¯t Olivia¡¯s first time taking this path. Back then, when she wanted to train, she made full use of this cliff. She kept recalling how the nurses and doctors looked at her when Ethan was sent into the emergency room back then. Krystal¡¯s p also told Olivia that she didn¡¯t belong in this world and that she was an outsider. Olivia was determined. Before giving birth, she worked hard to learn medicine. After she recovered from giving birth, she started physical fitness training. After her illness was cured, her current strength was on par with a man¡¯s. Even Cyril was shocked when he saw her flitting along the rocky cliff with great agility. He could see that other than gaining medical skills, Olivia had also undergone other changes. Olivia¡¯s figure was quickly shrouded by the mist and clouds. The weather was decent today, so there was no risk of andslide. Perhaps because she was progressing too smoothly, not long after she had that thought, the weather started to change. Dark clouds loomed over the area. The rain in the mountains woulde and go in the blink of an eye. A few raindrops had already started to fall. Oh no! Every time it rained, the cliff would be very slippery. Andslide could happen at any moment. She had just descended, so she could make it in time if she started going back up now. If not, she would also be in danger soon. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. But when Olivia thought about Ethan¡¯s forlorn figure when he left, she gritted her teeth and continued making her way down. There was an uninhabited forest under the cliff. Without any locals guiding him, he might get trapped there. The raindrops grewrger, and the rope was already exhausted. She had to continue her journey on her own. She wasn¡¯t well-equipped, and many of the rocks had moss growing on them. They would be very slippery as soon as they got wet. Olivia hadn¡¯t found Ethan yet, but she had already found herself in trouble. The rain kept pouring, and the mountain was enveloped in clouds and mist. She could barely see anything. Every step was riddled with danger. Olivia found a slightly wider tform to stand on. She decided to continue her descent after the rain let up. The rain in the mountains usually didn¡¯tst long, but today, the elements were working against her. The rain didn¡¯t show any signs of stopping, and it even grew heavier. Olivia didn¡¯t dare to stay there, so she had no choice but to find her way. If she dyed any longer, she would die here. Chapter 1041 Chapter 1041 Even though Olivia was very familiar with the terrain, she had set out in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t bring all the necessary equipment. There was no signal in the mountains either. She was now stuck between a rock and a hard ce. She could not turn back now. The rocks were slippery, and she slid downward countless times. Fortunately, she was experienced enough that she could grab onto some branches along the way when she was falling. Because of the forceful tugging, her hands were covered in blood. It was a terrifying sight. It truly wasn¡¯t her day today. She kept encountering misfortunes one after the other. Standing on a small tree, Olivia paused and took a few breaths. She opened her palms and nced at her gruesome hands. Of course, it hurt a lot, but she didn¡¯t have time toment it. Her top priority was to get down the cliff and locate Ethan. The longer the time passed, the further she would be from Ethan. The forest was quiteplicated, after all. They were in a ce where they had no way of contacting each other. Other than a dagger and a gun, Olivia didn¡¯t have any supplies. She realized that she was more worried about Ethan than she imagined. People often didn¡¯t mean what they said. She imed to hate him, but she was worried about him more than anyone else. She didn¡¯t even bring proper equipment before departing, which was already a huge mistake. Gritting her teeth, Olivia continued her journey. Even though there were a few minor episodes along the way, there was, fortunately, a very long vine in thest stretch of her journey. It allowed her tond safely. As the storm poured, the ancient forest looked extra creepy. When it was sunny, the sunlight above her would be blocked. Now that it was raining, the ce was even darker. If the sun was out, she would still be able to figure out the direction based on the shadow cast by the trees. But now, Olivia was in a terrible situation. Logically speaking, she should find refuge in ces like these as soon as possible. After the rain, the temperature in the valley would lower. Without dry clothes, her body would quickly lose heat. If she encountered some creepy crawlies that bit her, she would be done for. But Olivia was still worried about Ethan, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered to rest. Ethan started two hours earlier than her, so when hended, it hadn¡¯t rained yet. The rain had washed away all traces of him. Olivia stood under the shade of the trees. Her body was already drenched a long time ago. She stared at the various vegetation, stunned. For some reason, she felt wronged. What was she doing? Why would she ce herself in such a situation? Last time, in the snake den, she dashed toward Ethan without care for anything else. Did she truly not love him, like she had imed? She thought, ¡°Ethan, where would you be?¡± Olivia was out of ideas, so she had no choice but to head north first. Ethan must have made preparations before leaving, and the exit was in the north. The rain grew heavier, and Olivia picked up pace. If Ethan was headed north, now that the rain was pouring, he would find refuge first. It wouldn¡¯t be too hard for Olivia to find him. She would be d as long as he was alive! When she thought that, her feet gathered more strength. She heard some beast crying in the distance. It sounded like a boar. It was mating season for the boars, and boars that had their younglings with them were the most ferocious of all. Could it be that Ethan¡­ Olivia hastily ran forward. When she drew closer, she realized that it was a boar fighting with a python. The python had wrapped its body around the boar. The boar was strong, and it rammed into trees with the python on its body. It was trying to knock the python off of it. Olivia, who had identally barged onto the scene, was quite unlucky. The boar was charging in her direction. Olivia reacted quickly. She swiftly took out her gun and shot at the boar. She wanted to scare the boar into changing directions. There was a loud bang. The boar didn¡¯t get hit, but the python on its body was shot instead. The boar was startled, but it didn¡¯t change direction. Instead, it ran right at Olivia.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Watch out!¡± Before Olivia could react, the boar took a few shots on its legs. With its legs broken, of course, the boar couldn¡¯t keep running. It crashed to the ground because of the inertia. Because of its great speed, it began rolling like a ball, dragging the python with it. A figure moved even quicker. With a sharp dagger in their hands, the person shed at the python¡¯s head. In the blink of an eye, both the boar and python were taken care of. A pair of thick-soled Martin boots arrived in front of Olivia. The man¡¯s face was streaked with blood, which made him look even more valiant. He slowly crouched down. There was aplicated look in his eyes, which Olivia couldn¡¯t figure out. ¡°Liv, you shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Chapter 1042 Chapter 1042 As their eyes met, Olivia suddenly leaped off the ground. Just as she had done in the snake den, she held Ethan tightly. ¡°Damn it, who permitted you to run away? Do you know how worried I was about you?¡± Ethan knelt on the ground on one knee. His eyes widened as shock filled his face. Last night, Olivia had said so certainly that she hated him and found him disgusting. He thought that he didn¡¯t have a chance anymore. He chose to leave so that she could stop crying and he wouldn¡¯t be an eyesore to her. But Olivia¡¯s embrace made him feel like the dying embers in the firece were rekindled. His heart began to thump wildly, and his suppressed emotions were slowly revived. ¡°Liv, what did you just say¡­¡± Pulling away from his arms, Olivia said through gritted teeth, ¡°I said that I was very worried about you, alright?¡± Grabbing his cor, she jerked him forward. Then, she raised her head and nted a kiss on Ethan¡¯s lips. Ethan felt like his mind had just exploded. What was he seeing? He couldn¡¯t believe that Olivia was taking the initiative to kiss him. In the past, he would have to think of a hundred ways to get close to her. Now that Olivia was taking the initiative to kiss him, he couldn¡¯t quite get used to it. He stoodpletely still. He feared that he was in a dream, and when he woke up from the dream, Olivia would be gone. Rain poured down their heads, but they had forgotten their current situation. Ethan had been suppressing it for so long, and so had Olivia. She was switching between loving him, hating him, and feeling bad for him. She had loved him and hated him deeply in the past, and in the end, they went their separate ways. People always said that everything faded with time, but in the past few years, Olivia didn¡¯t forget about Ethan at all. Instead, their reunion this time had opened her eyes. She finally realized how important he was to her. As it turned out, when he carried her out of the water back then, that single nce changed their lives forever. From today onward, no matter how long the path she had to take or who she encountered, she would never be able to forget him. It felt like there was whole lifetime in that kiss. At least, at that moment, Olivia had forgotten all the grudges between them. After being worried for a long time, she finally saw Ethan safe and sound. The emotions she had been suppressing for so long finally rushed out of her. She couldn¡¯t stop it at all. The kiss almost suffocated them. cing his forehead against hers, Ethan let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Liv, you¡¯re the one who dashed over yourself. Even if you beg me, I¡¯ll never let you go again.¡± Ethan gently pulled her into his arms. With great ease, he carried her away. Olivia didn¡¯t struggle. She had used up too much mental and physical energy, so her body was exhausted. Also, she seemed to have waited too long for this familiar embrace. She leaned her head against Ethan¡¯s arms. She wasn¡¯t thinking of anything now. Other than the sounds of the rain, she could also hear Ethan¡¯s heartbeat. As expected, Ethan had already found a temporary refuge nearby. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He wasn¡¯t as brash as Olivia. After going backst night, he began packing up and nning a route out. He had prepared everything, from weapons to food and sleeping bags. He estimated that he would have to spend about a week or more in the forest. He even brought along a first aid kit in case he got hurt. His backpack was filled to the brim. Fortunately, it only started to rain after he went down the cliff. He had ample time to find a small cave to set up a refuge in. He never thought that Olivia would scale the cliff to look for him. Ethan had just brought Olivia back to the refuge when he couldn¡¯t control his overwhelming emotions anymore. As he undid Olivia¡¯s clothes, he kissed her. Olivia hissed through her teeth. Chapter 1043 Chapter 1043 It was only then that Ethan came to his senses. He was so ted that desire clouded his thoughts. Olivia had descended in the heavy rain, so she must have gotten hurt. ¡°Where are you hurt, Liv?¡± Even until now, Olivia¡¯s mind was in a mess. Before this, she went after Ethan without care for anything else. Now that she had bumped into Ethan for real, her face was filled with an awkward expression. After all, she even spoke harshly to Ethanst night. She was eating her words too soon. She didn¡¯t know how she should talk to Ethan. Her mind was in a mess, and her heart was even messier. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± There wasn¡¯t any illumination in the cave, and the light from outside was meager. It was daytime, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t much different from night. Fortunately, Ethan was very experienced in survival in the wild. He had gathered lots of firewood before it rained. He hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to use them yet, but now that Olivia was here, they came in handy. Ethan took out a lighter. Then, he quickly lit the firewood. A warm glow instantly lit up the dark cave. Turning around, Ethan studied Olivia. She was wearing a ck windproof mountaineering jacket. Her jacket was torn in many spots, and he could faintly see the straps under the jacket. ¡°Where were you hurt?¡± he asked again. Olivia felt that after she had trained herself for so long, she didn¡¯t want to show her weak side to Ethan. She subconsciously hid her hand behind her. ¡°Why would I be hurt? I¡¯m familiar with the paths on this mountain. I¡ª¡± Grabbing her wrist, Ethan pulled her hand out. The sight of her bloody palm caused Ethan¡¯s heart to ache. ¡°Liv!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not as weak as you imagine. Minor injuries like this will heal in a few days.¡± But Ethan¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I caused you to be hurt again.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I didn¡¯t do it for you. 1-1 just didn¡¯t want you to die here. People might say that I¡¯m a bad doctor. I.. Mm¡­¡± That was the only way Ethan could stop her from saying things she didn¡¯t mean. Even if he were an idiot, he could still figure out Olivia¡¯s true feelings. Perhaps because he was in too much of a hurry to get Olivia to reconcile with him, he had overlooked the consequences of his actions on her heart. The troubles weighing on her heart weren¡¯t resolved back then, or perhaps even she wasn¡¯t sure what she truly wanted. He had to give her some time for her to realize that he was being sincere. Ethan let go of her. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I have a first aid kit here, so I¡¯ll apply some ointment for you. It¡¯ll be troublesome if your wounds get infected in a ce like this.¡± Olivia stopped being stubborn. She knew many medicinal herbs, but their effects weren¡¯t as fast as conventional medicine. She obediently allowed Ethan to clean her wounds. Then, he disinfected them and bandaged them in one go. He wasn¡¯t a doctor, but he bandaged wounds very quickly. She could see right away that he was used to getting hurt himself. She subconsciously felt some sympathy for him. Cyril, the kind soul, had put in many good words for him. Ethan added more firewood to the fire. He even set up a simple grilling rack with branches. ¡°Your clothes are drenched. You have to take them off and dry them over the fire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡­¡± Olivia wanted to decline. But Ethan insisted. ¡°If you¡¯re not taking them off, I¡¯ll do it. You know how quick I am with these things.¡± When he saw Olivia pouting, he softened his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I brought a down sleeping bag. Get in and rest for a moment. I¡¯ll dry the clothes for you, and they¡¯ll be done in no time.¡± It truly was ufortable to keep the wet clothes on her. Olivia said exasperatedly, ¡°Fine. Turn around. Don¡¯t look at me.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. When she said that, she regretted it immediately. They had done everythingst night, so wasn¡¯t it too late for her to say these things now? But Ethan was much more obedientpared tost night.¡± Alright, I won¡¯t look. I have some clothes in my bag, so put them on for the time being. They¡¯re clean.¡± With that, he got up and went out. ¡°I¡¯ll scatter the insect repellent powder.¡± Chapter 1044 Chapter 1044 Olivia found arge shirt of Ethan''s. After changing into it, she hastilyy in the sleeping bag. Ethan came back soon enough. Olivia poked only her head out of the sleeping bag. It reminded him of when they were just getting used to each other when they were newlyweds. Even though Ethan was wearing waterproof clothes, he was quite wet as well. Taking off his jacket, he ced it on the rack. He was wearing a white T-shirt underneath. Because of the moisture, his shirt was snug against his body. The lines of his muscles werepletely exposed. Ethan asked in a low voice, "Liv ... Can I take off my top?¡± After what happenedst night, he didn''t dare stimte Olivia again. Olivia turned away. "Okay.¡± Taking off his top, Ethan ced it on the rack as well. When he saw Olivia looking away, he smiled like an idiot. He felt like he was dreaming. He couldn''t believe that Olivia risked her life to look for him. If this wasn''t love, then what was? Ethan suddenly felt that all this was worth getting poisoned for. If not, he wouldn''t have been able to meet Olivia, whom he had been missing forever. He finally saw Olivia budging a little, so from now on, his every step had to be steady and sure. Ethan kept adding firewood to the fire. The firewood burned quickly, and he had no idea how long the rain was going tost. There was an extreme temperature difference between day and night in the forest. He knew very well how cold it could get on a rainy night. If the rain refused to let up, they might have to burn through lots of firewood tonight. He had to prepare ample supplies beforehand. Even though he had gathered a lot of firewood, they wouldn''t keep the fire going until tomorrow. With Olivia around, he wanted her to spend her days asfortably as possible. ¡°Liv, I''m going out for a moment. I''ll be right back.¡± Taking out his knife, he went somewhere nearby. Ethan came back after an hour. He was carrying a large bundle of wood on his bare upper body, and he was also hauling another bundle behind him. Without his clothes to hide it, his stunning figure waspletely exposed. His pecs and abs were in clear view, and his Adonis belt stretched beneath his utility pants. He was wet all over, and droplets of water dripped from the ends of his hair. Ethan looked very manly with that appearance of his! Even Olivia, who didn''t have lustful tendencies, was charmed by him. Her eyes grew hot. Ethan set down the bundles of wood. Because they were wet, they wouldn''t be able to burn for the moment. So, Ethan had prepared to dry them with arge fire beforehand. Then, he and Olivia wouldn''t have to be cold at night. He always had an attention to detail. When he pampered Olivia, it felt like she was truly in heaven. And when he hurt her, it felt like real hell.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. If someone had him as a friend, they would be in bliss. But if he was their enemy, they would suffer terribly. "You''re drenched," Olivia reminded him. "It''s fine. I''m a man, so it''s alright.¡± With that, he took the dried white T-shirt on the rack. He carelessly wiped his head and body with it. Olivia stared at his pants. "Um ... I think you should change.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± As Ethan dug through his backpack, he suddenly heard Olivia''s stomach growl. ¡°Didn''t you have breakfast?¡± Before he set out, he had filled his stomach and replenished his energy. Olivia came over in a hurry, so she truly was starving. Ethan took out a pile of food, tossing them on the sleeping bag. ¡°Eat.¡± Olivia felt a little thirsty, but she was too shy to ask him to get her some water. She crawled out of the sleeping bag and searched the backpack herself. Ethan was taking off his belt. When he turned around and saw Olivia sprawled on the floor to get water, her long and slender legs caught his attention. His shirt only covered the upper part of her thighs. Chapter 1045 Chapter 1045 The shape of Olivia''s legs was quite peculiar for normal humans. It looked more fictional than real. Also, because she often soaked in the medicinal spring, even her soles were fair like porcin. They had a slightly pink tint to them, and they looked quite supple. Her posture hadpletely showcased her best parts, and she looked extremely alluring. Ethan gulped, recalling what they did in the cornfieldst night. It was the most primitive of circumstances and also the most stimting. "Liv..." Ethan''s mouth was dry. When Olivia turned around, she saw the gaze in his eyes. He looked like a predator eyeing its prey. They were the parents of four children already, but after being together and apart for years, Olivia still hadn''t opened up to him. Sometimes, after she subconsciously hid her body, she wondered a little toote if she had been too coy. But many things had already be a habit of hers, so she wasn''t conscious of them at all. Just like now. Her first reaction was to give up on the water and quickly scoot back into the sleeping bag. Realizing that he had startled Olivia, Ethan hastily looked away. Opening the bottle of water, he passed it to her. When Olivia took the water, she identally touched Ethan''s hand. There was still moisture on his body despite his burning temperature. She felt as if her fingers had turned wet as well. They broke away from one another as soon as they touched. Lowering her head, Olivia thanked him. Their current rtionship was quite odd. They looked like a married couple but also not. They could be friends or strangers, but that wasn''t it either. One of them feared that he might make a mistake and get told off for being disgusting and infuriating. Another had her heart in a mess and had no idea what she should do. Still, their hearts were getting closer to each other. It felt like having a secret crush on a ssmate in high school. When your eraser identally made its way to your crush''s desk, and when your crush passed it back and identally made physical contact with you, your heart would barely be able to control the tremors. Ethan couldn''t find another pair of pants, so he took out a towel and wrapped it around him. Other than the sounds of the rain outside, there was only the asional crackling of the fire. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Their drenched clothes began to smoke after being dried by the fire. Olivia ate thepressed biscuits. After having her fill, shey in the sleeping bag and went to sleep. When she woke up again, a pleasant aroma filled the air. It caused Olivia to drool quite a lot. Before she could make out what it was, she heard a man''s thick voice speaking. ¡± You''re up.¡± Olivia had just woken up, so her head felt heavy. "What time is it? Is it still raining?¡± ¡°It''s almost six. The rain stopped for a moment, but it started again.¡± The sky outside had turned dark. There was the glow of fire in the cave, and it was warm and bright. While she was asleep, Ethan had done quite a lot of things. "Something smells good. What are you making?¡± "I went back to that spot from before and killed the boar. I know that you don''t like snake meat, so I roasted the boar instead." Rubbing her eyes, Olivia looked at the fire. As expected, she saw the boar all skewered up. It was seasoned with ayer of salt and spices. The fat of the boar was oozing out, and sizzling sounds could be heard. Even looking at it made Olivia hungry, not to mention the aroma. "It''ll be ready soon.¡± Ethan knew what she was thinking. He ced some wild fruits in her hands. The fruits were sweet and juicy. Ethan had also cut down lots of bamboo and weaved small baskets out of them. He had ced some washed leaves inside and thenyered fruits on top of the green leaves. Olivia was very sure that Ethan wouldn''t waste his time on these things if he were alone. He had truly thought of every detail. She looked at the pile of cut bamboo at the side. "What are you nning to do with these?" Chapter 1046 Chapter 1046 Ethan crouched on the ground and began putting together the bamboo he had cut beforehand. While the meat was roasting, he gathered some bark and vines. After some adjustments, he turned them into rope. His upper body was still bare. When he crouched on the ground, he revealed his scar-filled back. He looked very manly indeed. Lowering his head, Ethan began to work. He exined, "I''m worried that the ground is dirty and there are bugs, so I cut some bamboo to make a simple bed.You can sleep morefortably at night." He was used to these things, so he could build the bed within 30 minutes.He had also gathered some leaves and hay at the side.He had already dried them by the fire, so they weren''t wet at all. Olivia wondered where he found them in the heavy rain. If she imed that she didn''t feel anything, she would be lying. "It''s just a night''s sleep.You don''t have to go through all that trouble." "If it''s you, it''s no trouble for me." Ethan didn''t even turn around as he focused on his work. Olivia nced at the width of the bed. By the looks of it, Ethan didn''t consider himself part of the equation. There was a fire in the cave, but it would still get wet if he slept without a bed for too long. The toxins in his body were notpletely cleared yet. So, Olivia spoke up, "Um ..." Ethan turned to look at her. "What''s the matter? Are you feeling ufortable? Are your hands hurting again?" "No." Olivia felt a little embarrassed when he looked at her like that. "I wanted to say that since you''re making a bed anyway, why don''t you make another one for yourself? "It''s the rainy season, and it might keep raining tomorrow. We can''t possibly travel far in such heavy rain." Ethan replied, "I''ll be fine.It''s too much trouble.I''m a strong man, so I can just lie down and sleep anywhere.It doesn''t matter to me. "When you''re outside, you don''t have the luxury to think about these things." Ethan wasboring away, and he didn''t look like a noble president at all. He was about to grab another bamboo pole when a hand gripped him. The fire was dancing in tion behind Olivia. She was standing barefoot in front of Ethan. "Just make it." "Fine." Ethan nced at her carefully. "But I only have one sleeping bag.If it''s a single bed, I probably won''t be covered at night.If I take the sleeping bag apart, I can turn it into a nket wide enough for two. "Why don''t I make a double bed instead?" Olivia blushed. She knew that there was something off about his logic, but now that things hade this far, there was nothing for her to be shy about. "Sure, whatever." After getting her permission, Ethan worked even harder. It was better to go simple when he was trying to survive in the wild. He managed to make a simple double bed. Halfway through his project, he even reminded Olivia, "Liv, the meat is ready.You can eat it first." Olivia only had biscuits the whole day. She had used up a lot of energy in the morning, so she was already starving a long time ago. Taking in the scent of the roasted boar, she opened her mouth and bit in. She hissed. "What''s the matter, Liv?" Ethan hastily threw away the bamboo pole in his hands as he dashed over to Olivia. "It''s hot!" Ethan lifted her chin. "Let me have a look." "I''m fine." "What if it burned you?" Meanwhile, Olivia was sitting on the sleeping bag in hisrge shirt. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Her hair was spread in haphazard strands. While she was asleep, two of the shirt buttons at her chest hade undone, revealing her exquisite corbones. Ethan''s upper body was bare as he knelt in front of Olivia on one knee. When the two realized what was going on, they had already gotten quite close to each other. They could even sense each other''s breaths. With an awkward look on her face, Olivia said, "I-I''m fine." If Ethan looked down, he could easily see under her shirt. Her posture was too alluring. He gulped as he looked at Olivia with a fiery gaze. "Can I ...kiss you?" Chapter 1047 Chapter 1047 This man...He used to be brash and demanding, and he would try to get anything he wanted. But now, he was so polite about it that Olivia couldn''t quite get used to it. "I''m hungry," Olivia declined. Ethan sighed lightly. He didn''t force her, though. Instead, he patted her head. "Eat as much as you like." With that, he quietly went back to work on the double bed. As Olivia chewed on the meat, she touched her face. She found that her face was red and burning. It must have been the high temperature in the cave. She gazed at Ethan''s strong figure. In reality, no one would hate a man like him. For example, she still felt something during their slightly stimting affairst night. Setting aside their grudges, it was an extreme enjoyment to date and sleep with a man like him. But the greatest difference between humans and animals was their emotions. Every time Olivia thought of those things, she would feel something weighing on her heart. Every time she got intimate with Ethan, she felt like she was betraying her past self. Ethan said that she had gotten over it, but in reality, she hadn''t. The Olivia of the past was knee-deep in the dark mud, and even until today, she couldn''t be saved. As Olivia ran forward, she kept turning back as well. She could never truly set her sights on the future. After experiencing all these, Olivia was convinced that she still loved Ethan. How should she deal with this heart of hers in the future? He had changed too. He had be very careful, but this wasn''t what she wanted to see. She wanted to see the confident and strong Ethan again. She wanted to see the decisive man who had killed the boar without hesitation in the forest. Olivia didn''t want him to be indecisive because of her and fall into trap after trap. "Liv, it''s done.I''ll test it." Ethany on the bed, rolling around to test its endurance. When he saw that it was sturdy enough, he ced some leaves and hay on it. He even mumbled, "It''s a pity that I didn''t run into a tiger.If not, I would''ve skinned it and made a nket out of its skin." As long as he was with Olivia, he would subconsciously take care of her. This was his duty as her husband. He was used to hiding his emotions in the past, but now, he quit pretending. He wasn''t faking it to please her. He truly liked Olivia. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Also, because of all the suffering Olivia went through in the past, he only wanted to give her everything in the world. She deserved the best. He felt that the fewyers of hay weren''t enough. So, he ced his clothes on top of the hay.She wouldn''t feel prickly then. "You''ve been working for a long while.You should eat something." It was only then that Ethan paused his work. He even reminded her, "I made a small water storage tank outside, and the water inside came from the mountain springs. "You can use the water for washing up.I also have toiletries in my backpack." Ethan had truly thought of everything for her. It even felt like they were here on vacation to explore the wilderness. Olivia didn''t know if she shouldugh or cry. Even when she was alone in the wild, she had never lived so luxuriously before. Back then, she would sleep in the trees at night, and she would only nap for a moment. She was constantly on alert. Unlike now, Ethan hadpletely removed all the possibilities of danger. The rain came pouring for a moment and paused for another. As Olivia stood at the entrance of the cave, she could smell the fresh scent of the vegetation after the rain. Olivia took a few deep breaths. Even the sullen feeling in her chest dissipated a lot. An unknown bird cooed in the forest. In the forest, the night after the rain was filled with activity. The predators had begun another hunt as well. Chapter 1048 Chapter 1048 After washing up, Olivia felt much more rxed.Her thoughts slowly turned clear, and she had already decided something in her heart. When she turned around and came back, she saw Ethan toiling away. He was busy making a fish trap. Before he set out, he brought a lot ofpressed biscuits and two bottles of water. Original from N?velDrama.Org. He also brought some fruit along. He was nning to go as fast as possible. He would just drink water from some mountain springs and pick some wild fruits to eat along his way. The rain and Olivia''s sudden presence had messed up his ns. By the looks of it, it would probably rain tomorrow as well. Ethan hastily weaved a fish trap, making preparations to catch fish. Before Olivia realized it, she was sitting on the bamboo bed he had made. Her fair legs were swaying lightly. "Aren''t you tired?" Olivia asked. Of course, he was tired. He hadn''t slept the whole night, and he had also toiled for the whole day. It was extremely hot near the fire too. His forehead and body were drenched in sweat. "I''ll be done soon.There''s a river nearby, and I saw lots of plump fish in it.The rain has stopped, so I''ll take advantage of that and put the trap into the water.We''ll have fish to eat tomorrow." With that, Ethan looked away from her legs. Carrying the fish trap, he walked into the night. When he came back, there were droplets of water on his head and body. He had taken a cold bath. Olivia looked at him. Ethan looked like a merman who had just gotten out of a bath. Drops of water rolled down his well -defined abs, entering mysterious territory. Strands of his wet hair drooped over his face. He wasn''t as stern as he used to be, and never-before-seen gentleness appeared on his face. He was like the leader of a boy band. If he twisted his waist a little, every woman would go crazy over him. For some reason, Olivia recalled a short video she saw some time ago. In the video, a few men wearing masks and caps were dancing with their upper bodies bare. Thements section was filled with crazedments from women. Ethan''s figure was different from those muscles gained from intentional training in the gym. The scars that riddled his body also added to the wild air about him. Before Olivia realized it, he was already standing in front of her. His hands were ced on both sides of her. She was sitting, and he was standing while leaning in a little. The shadow cast by his body loomed over her. "What were you looking at?" It was only then that Olivia averted her gaze. She looked like a naughty child who had done something wrong. If Ethan knew about her thoughts, he would open up her head and try to fix her brain. "It''s nothing." Ethan inched a little closer, enclosing her whole body within his territory. Ethan had just taken a bath, so he was still quite wet. As the fire burned, the moisture from his body invaded her. Sensing her shyness, Ethan let out a low chuckle. His voice was filled with charm. Then, he angled his head and whispered in her ear, "I belong wholly to you, Liv.You can look at me however you like, and you can even make use of your special privileges." With that, he took Olivia''s hand and ced it on top of his abs. "I remember that you were quite fond of this a long time ago." Olivia''s face turned red. She was indeed bolder when they had just gotten married. After all, why would her husband hide anything from her? Any woman would fall for a figure like that. "I..." Olivia tried to exin herself. Ethan said softly, "Touch it." Olivia''s blush deepened. Ethan pinched her cheek lightly. ¡° Liv, I know that you have feelings for me.You don''t hate me, do you?" Olivia looked away guiltily. Ethan''s coarse finger gently touched her lips. "Tell me, do you find this disgusting?" Chapter 1049 Chapter 1049 Olivia sensed that something was off about the atmosphere between them. Pushing her hands against the bamboo bed, she slowly moved backward. But the cunning Ethan had made the bed no more than four feet wide. Where could she run to? Soon, Olivia''s palms touched the edge of the bamboo bed. She didn''t mean what she saidst night; she was just too angry. Even when he touched her as Logan, she never found him disgusting. People would always use the harshest words to scald the people closest to them when they were mad. Of course, she wouldn''t say such things again. "I didn''t mean that." After understanding her thoughts, Olivia lost her confidence from yesterday. Like a wild leopard, Ethan had his knees on the bed as he slowly crept forward. Soon, Olivia was shrouded in the shadow cast by his body. Olivia was supporting her whole body with her hands. Ethan''s lips touched her stretched neck. Olivia was forced to look up, so she was at a disadvantage. When his thin lips touched her skin, she heard him whispering, "What about this? Do you feel disgusted about this? If you do, I''ll stop." Ethan was very sure that she wouldn''t say those words again. In terms of handling people''s hearts and tendencies, Ethan was quite skilled. She was like a blooming flower, her figure swaying and shivering gently in the rain. Ethan''s lips moved upward. He was extremely gentle but also very persistent. Olivia''s breaths became heavier, and her chest heaved greatly. She seemed to be anticipating something. When Ethan''s thin lips found her hair, his teeth closed around her hairpin and tugged gently at it. Olivia''s hair cascaded down her shoulders. He liked it when she had her hair down. Original from N?velDrama.Org. She looked a littlezy but also very charming. The hairpin fell into his hands, and he fiddled with it. His lips were right next to her ear. "Liv, you look the best like this." With that, he held a corner of the hairpin and slowly traced it across her skin. The cold sensation slid across her corbones and continued downward. Then, it stopped in front of a button. As if he was ying a forbidden game, Ethan asked softly, * Do you want me to continue, Liv?" They had already broken the icest night. Now, Ethan would slowly break down her defenses so that she would gradually ept him. As their eyes met, Olivia could see the desire in his eyes. She also saw herself reflected in his eyes. Her cheeks were red, and she was breathing quickly. He gave her the right to decide. In the quiet cave, Olivia could hear the sounds of her heartbeat and the fire crackling. It suddenly started raining outside. Rain fell through the trees, making loud sounds as they sshed onto the leaves. The rain seemed to have fallen into her heart as well, moisturizing her core. Olivia slowly reached out. It was her first time taking the initiative to touch Ethan''s body after they separated. Her palm was wrapped in gauze, and the tips of her fingers sparked fires as they traced across his body. Ethan''s heart was thumping wildly. His body was like a wild beast that had locked onto a prey, gathering strength and tensing up for the kill. Then, her hand slowly moved upward, caressing his throat. Ethan didn''t dare to move a muscle. It was as if a butterfly hadnded on his shoulder, and if he moved recklessly, the butterfly would be startled and fly away. He didn''t even dare to make a sound as he quietly awaited Olivia''s reply. Finally, Olivia''s hands reached his strong shoulders. Her tongue moved past her red lips as she approached his ear. Her voice was soft and small, but it was filled with the charm of a temptress. "Be gentler." Chapter 1050 Chapter 1050 The storm swept everything in its wake, and the tender flower kept swaying in the gale. Countless petals were blown onto the ground. Sometimeter, the rain gradually stopped. Oliviay in Ethan''s embrace. She suspected that Ethan had done this on purpose. He had the time to make a double bed, so why couldn''t he make it a little wider? They were lying next to each other on the four-foot-wide bed. Ethan even had a strong figure of more than six feet tall. It truly was a little crowded for Olivia. She had no choice but to stick to Ethan. If not, she would have to lie on the floor. The sleeping bag had been taken apart, turning into a nket that covered their bodies. Under the sleeping bag, the twoy naked. They could feel each other''s skin and also each other''s temperature and contours. To be honest, they didn''t even stick so close to each other on their wedding night! After all, Ethan had limited himself too much back then. He had to suppress his truest desires in everything he did, even when he was sleeping with his wife. After being alone for a few years, Ethan wished that he could return to that period and p himself in the face. He had been such an idiot! Now, Ethan no longer had any sense of reservation or limitation with Olivia around. He wished that he would just die on top of Olivia''s body so that the emptiness he felt for the past few years could be filled atst. Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist from the back. His satisfied voice rang out in her ear. "Liv, I''m so happy." "Hold your horses. I did sleep with you, but that doesn''t mean that I want to reconcile with you." Leia was still standing between them. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Ethan''s gaze darkened for a moment. Then, he said, "Even so, I''m already happy enough as it is. You gave birth to another daughter for me." He kissed Olivia''s shoulder. "Thank you for your hard work." When Ethan mentioned that, Olivia turned around and red viciously at Ethan. She still had something to confront him about. Chapter 1050(1) Chapter 1050(1) Chapter 1050 (1) "Mr.Miller, how many secrets do you have exactly? Did you know that I once wanted to abort this child because I thought that I was pregnant with someone else''s child?" As Olivia spoke, she felt that it wasn¡¯t enough, so she opened her mouth and bit Ethan''s chest. "Did you know that when I gave birth to Willow, I lost so much blood that I almost died? "Do you know the price I paid just to save this child?" Enduring the pain, Ethan allowed her to vent. When the pain subsided, Ethan gently patted her on the shoulder. "I''m sorry, Liv.I was just thinking that taking birth control pills would be bad for your body. "I didn''t think that you ...would get pregnant on the first try.We''ll stop.We won''t have any more children, alright?" Now, he was quite the winner in life. He even had twins, totaling up to two sons and two daughters. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. His children were all well-behaved and understanding. He couldn''t ask for anything better. Olivia pinched him forcefully. "In your dreams! I won''t have children for you again." Ethan could see how much suffering Olivia had gone through. Even without the children, he wouldn''t let Olivia be pregnant again. But he found it quite odd. The doctors said that she couldn''t get pregnant too easily, so what was up with the coincidence every time they slept with each other? He decided to be more careful in the future. He didn''t want Olivia to experience the pain of getting pregnant again. "Darling, I won''t let you suffer anymore." Olivia''s body trembled. "W-What did you just call me?" The most intimate nickname he had for her was Liv. This was his first time calling her that. After all, Ethan was as boring as a rock! Back then, he would sneer when he heard other men calling their girlfriends "darling". He imed that those sweet words couldn''t be trusted. But now, he hadpletely eaten his words. "I finally realize how stupid I was to have held myself back in the past. If I had told you earlier how much I love you, we wouldn''t havee to this point. "Babe, when we get back, I''ll get sterilization surgery, alright? Chapter 1051 Chapter 1051 Olivia widened her eyes. She didn''t know if she should be shocked that Ethan had called her "babe" or the fact that he wanted to get sterilization surgery. Regardless of whether they would have a future together, she had never told him to get sterilization surgery at all. "Do you know what this means?" Taking her hand, Ethan nted a kiss on the back of her hand. He didn''t like the sensation of the gauze, so his thin lips moved from the back of her hand to her fingertips. He looked like a devoted believer kissing his deity. "It means that I''ll always and forever love you only, Olivia.I loved you in the past, and I''ll keep loving you in the future.I''ve only ever had feelings for you." Olivia''s mind was in a mess. She just wanted to listen to her heart. She was an adult too, and she had her needs as well. Even if she decided to stop going against Ethan, it didn''t mean that she wanted to reconcile with him. But Ethan had said such words regardless. "I didn''t agree to marry you.Nothing you say means anything to me." But Ethan held her fingertips in his mouth. Olivia shivered. "L- Let go.My hands are dirty." Panting heavily, Ethan said, "Liv, I''m happy enough to know that you still care about me. "I long to marry you and make you my wife, but if you like your current life and don''t want the bonds of marriage to hold you down, I''m okay with that too." Olivia wondered if she was delusional. She couldn''t believe that Ethan said those words. Ethan turned her body around. Then, hey on top of her again. "Liv, I only ask for one thing.Don''t drive me away again.It''s okay even if you treat me as a tool to satisfy your needs." As Olivia''s eyes turned moist, Ethan rubbed her lips time and again. "Babe, please be nice to me, alright?" It was only then that Olivia realized that women weren''t the only ones capable of charming people. Ethan was quite good at it too! He looked like some sort of incubus. He used every tactic he knew, teasing Olivia so much that even her voice turned hoarse. When Olivia saw him cing his hand on her waist, she immediately looked at him warily. "What are you trying to do?" Ethan smiled. "Liv, I just want to massage you a little." "Massage? If you massage me, it''ll be morning before I know it.Go to sleep!" She wondered if Ethan was made of steel or something. Ethan pitifully buried his head against her neck. "Liv, I''m so happy that I can''t go to sleep. I''m scared that this is all a dream, and when I wake up, you''ll leave me again. "It''s like the countless dreams I had in the past three years.They felt very real, but they always disappeared as the sun rose." Olivia said, "Are you an idiot? Can''t you tell the difference between dreams and reality?" "I''ll know for sure if you kiss me.You never kiss me in my dreams." "So you''ll go to sleep after I''ve kissed you?" Ethan nodded. "Yes, I promise." Original from N?velDrama.Org. She nted a quick peck on his cheek. "Alright, now close your eyes and go to sleep." "Liv, I won''t be able to sleep if you kiss me so halfheartedly.Later at night, I''ll start to wonder if I was in the wrong position or if I didn''t manage to please you.Were you not satisfied yet¡ª" Olivia blocked his mouth. She ced her palms gently against his chest. His skin was as hot as before. After a deep French kiss, they ended the kiss. "Are you willing to go to sleep now?" Ethan rubbed against Olivia''s legs. "I''m more awake than ever now." "Ethan, you jerk!" "Babe, I like listening to your shouts.Be more gentle ..." "Bastard, get off of me!" "Babe, please call me Ethan." Chapter 1052 Chapter 1052 Ethan finally had a good night''s sleep. Their ordealsted until the wee hours of the morning, and they finally went to sleep after that. They woke up in the afternoon. When they woke up, they were holding each other tightly. Olivia was disoriented, and she felt like her body was breaking into two. Ethan even said before that he practiced moderation in everything. Back then, he would hold back no matter how strong his desire was. He would even n the times he could do it every month. It was only now that Olivia realized how strong Ethan''s determination was in the past. If he let himself loose, he would make it so that she couldn''t even get off the bed. After so much toiling, their bodies had be quite sticky. She felt very ufortable because of that. "The rain¡ª" Before she could finish speaking, he swallowed up her voice. After another passionate kiss, Ethan finally let go of her. ¡°Good morning, Liv." Ethan was in great spirits after what happenedst night. He seemed to have gotten much younger overnight. Olivia wondered if he truly was some sort of incubus. "The rain cleared.I want to bathe for a bit." She could endure it if it was just sweat. But now, she was covered in his smell. "I know the way.I''ll carry you there." With that, Ethan got up and put on his pants. He also gave Olivia his shirt to put on. There weren''t any humans within a radius of a hundred miles around them, only animals. So, they felt quite liberated. "I can walk.Put me down." "But I want to hold you." After the stormy night, the greenery looked quite lively. The brilliant sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell upon the two in speckled patterns. As Olivia held onto Ethan''s neck, she felt surreal. After they got married, she would stay at home all day. She awaited his return every day like a homebound wife. He didn''t announce her identity, nor would he attend any events with her. Even if he did bring her out sometimes, they only went to secluded ces. He would clear the area before they watched a movie too. He never appeared with her in public, let alone do something so intimate with her. It wasn''t that he didn''t love her back then. But his love was bound by chains, so he didn''t dare to express it. Now, Ethan hadpletely let himself loose. Rules and suppression meant nothing, for his wife trumped everything else. Ethan carried Olivia to the clear river. "Don''t worry, I''ve checked out the river beforehand.It''s not suitable for crocodiles to live, so only wild animals wille over for a drink." The tips of her toes had just sensed the temperature of the water. She was used to warm water, so she yelped lightly. "It''s cold!" "You''ll get used to it soon enough." There was various vegetation growing near the water. Flowers bloomed, attracting butterflies. The water shimmered beside them. Before Olivia knew it, she found Ethan standing beside her. The sunlight cast glittering and sparkling waves of light on the water. There was an obvious bite mark on Ethan''s chest along with some suggestive scratches. Olivia had suppressed herself in the past, and she rarely left any marks on his body. They had gone overboardst night. "Liv, you shouldn''t wet your hand, so I''ll help you wash up." Ethan was considerate enough to bring the soap he took from the vige. Cold water wetted her body, and goosebumps instantly appeared on her fair skin. "Hang in there." Holding the soap, he applied it evenly on her body. He was very slow about it.He traced circles on her body every inch or so, creating bubbles and foam. Olivia said in a hoarse voice, "You''re doing it on purpose, aren''t you?" "I swear I don''t mean anything else by that." Ethan¡¯s hand would slow down at her sensitive spots, and he even lightly scratched the skin with his fingernails. Olivia felt like her whole heart was shivering. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Do you need help?" Chapter 1053 Chapter 1053 The fierce rippling of the water gradually calmed down. Blown by the wind, a flower on the branch gentlynded on the surface of the water. Ethan casually scooped it up and put it in Olivia''s hair. Olivia nced at him with displeasure. Then, she skilfully gathered her hair and tied it into a bun. "Let''s leave as soon as we''re done resting. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The weather is nice today, so we should take the opportunity to walk as far as possible. You''ll need at least a week to get out of this forest," Olivia reminded Ethan. "Okay." Ethan brought along the fish he had caughtst night. The fish would suffice as supplies for their next stop. After the two gathered their things, Ethan stood at the entrance of the cave with therge hiking backpack on his back. He turned around and nced at the cave, seemingly a little reluctant to part with it. Olivia stood ahead of him, saying with a cold expression, ''''Come on, let''s get going." It was only then that Ethan returned to his senses. "Let''s go." He would never forget this ce as long as he was alive. The next night, Ethan and Olivia couldn''t find shelter, so Ethan could only build a makeshift hammock with vines. The two huddled together in the sleeping bag, gazing at the sky full of stars above them. It was their first time experiencing something like that. "Liv, I suddenly feel like this is the life I truly want." He was tired of all the fighting. He only wanted to focus on his love life now. But this wasn''t what Olivia wanted, so she didn''t respond to him. Ethan was already happy enough that he could hold her in his arms. He nted a kiss on Olivia''s forehead. "I won''t make you suffer tonight. Goodnight, babe." Olivia was the treasure he had spent a lot of effort to retrieve. From today onward, he wouldn''t hurt her ever again. The journey was smooth for them from then on. Ethan was surprised that Olivia had gotten much strongerpared to before. She could walk vigorously for a few miles in a forest like that, and she didn''t seem unustomed to it at all. It was as if she had already gotten used to days like this a long time ago. By the looks of it, Olivia had led quite an interesting life in the past few years. When the two made it out of the forest, they found themselves at a small fishing vige at the foot of the mountain. Fortunately, the ce had both electricity and inte ess. Ethan managed to contact Brent. Because of the long distance, Brent would only be able to arrive the next day. Olivia and Ethan lodged in a family''s house. The family was very friendly. The elders had loving looks in their eyes, and even their sons and daughters were kind as well. "I can see that you''re a married couple on a camping trip. It''s quite dangerous in the mountains, so you shouldn''t go there at night. I''ve asked Emma to prepare aroom for you two to spend the night in." ¡°Thank you," Olivia expressed her gratitude. The sky was turning dark. After getting out of the mountains, Olivia finally got to take a hot shower. Her whole body felt much better now. Even though the mattress on the wooden bed wasn''t from an expensive brand, it was much more comfortable than sleeping in the mountain. When Ethan was done with his shower, he walked in to see Olivia sprawledfortably on the bed. Her legs were crossed, and she was making a call on her phone. Ethan grabbed her ankle. "Babe, who are you chatting with?" When Ethan spoke up, Olivia had already ended the call. "No one. I was just letting my friend know that I''m safe." Ethan half-narrowed his eyes as a dangerous gleam appeared in them. His hand trailed up from Olivia''s ankle, and his voice had a suggestive tone to it. "Is it Jack?" "No," Olivia replied decisively. "Then is it¡ª" Ethan wanted to keep asking. Olivia grabbed his ill-intentioned hand. "I don''t think we''re close enough for me to tell you everything." After being separated from him for so many years, she had already established her world. Ethan half-crouched by the bed and said in a humble voice, "What do you think we are, Liv?" Olivia bent over, caressing his chin with her fingers. For the past few days, because of theck of razors, short and tough stubble had grown on his chin. "If [have to give our rtionship a name, I''ll call us lovers. I don''t want anyone else to touch me, and I only want your body. Do you understand now?" Chapter 1054 Chapter 1054 Olivia stared at Ethan. She thought that he would be mad, and she had already prepared herself for his outburst. Unexpectedly, Ethan sighed. "I see. So in the end, you just want to be a jerk, Liv." In the past, she had gotten too used to being bound. She didn''t want to limit herself to any rtionship anymore. If they were lovers, she didn''t have to take responsibility, nor did she have to tell him anything. Most importantly, she would be able to leave whenever she had to. She didn''t have to go through the trouble of discussing the past and the future with him either. It was only then that she realized how peaceful any rtionship could be as soon as the responsibility was lifted. How the tables had turned! Ethan remembered back then that Marina insisted that he marry her, but he couldn''t let Olivia go. He had once suggested that Olivia stay by his side as his lover. Unexpectedly, a few years after that, he was begging her to give him a ce by her side. Even if Olivia were to just give him a position as a lover, he was grateful enough for it. He just wanted to be closer to Olivia.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Then, one day, he would be able to find his way into her heart again. Olivia rubbed her fingers against his chin. There was an arrogant look on her face. "So, do you want this position or not?" They were already on unequal grounds at this point. Getting on one knee, Ethan kissed the back of her hand. "Babe, from today onward, I''m yours. Even my life is yours too. You can do whatever you want, but please don''t abandon me." Olivia yed with his slightly prickly stubble. "But Ethan, I can''t make you my husband, nor will I report my life to you. I won''t even tell you things like who I met or who I called. "Our lives will have nothing to do with each other. Are you still okay with that?" Ethan was a very possessive man, so how could he agree to this? "Liv, won''t interfere in your life, but I have a condition too." "What is it?" "You must not be involved with other men. If you have any needs, you can contact me." That was his only condition, and it was also the line she should never cross. Olivia was speechless. When he put it like that, he made her sound like she had immense needs in that area. "Don''t worry about that. I''m not as needy as you imagine." In the past, being alive was the most important thing to her. Then, she prioritized her children. Through it all, her desire for such things wasparatively smaller. In all these years, the only man she had slept with was him and him only. She was usually so busy that she couldn''t even rest. She wouldn''t have time to think about such things. If Ethan hadn''t awoken the desires in her body, Olivia wouldn''t havee up with such an absurd yet reasonable request. After they settled on a consensus, Ethan got up and grabbed her ankle. Then, he leaned in and started kissing her, moving upward from the back of her leg. Olivia felt electricity running through her body. "Stop that. It''s dirty." Even in the past, Ethan had never done this before. ¡°How can my darling be dirty?" A moist sensation slid over every spot of her skin. She became so sensitive that her toes curled up. She gazed at him with ssy eyes. Then, she heard Ethan speaking in her ear, "I want every inch of your body to belong to me and me only." That night, Ethan knew that she would be leaving, so he spent all his energy on her. They did it until daybreak, when they could hear the woman sweeping the small yard of the farmhouse. Only a wall separated them from the woman. Ethan pinned Olivia against the wall, covering her mouth with one hand while his other hand gripped her waist. He went wild. ¡°Remember to think of me every day, every hour, and even every second." He kept repeating the words in her ear. "Liv, I love you. I truly love you to bits. Can I give you my life?" Chapter 1055 Chapter 1055 The sounds of a helicopter rang out in the quiet fishing vige. Ethan knew that Brent had arrived to pick Ethan up. But the yard didn''t have a space wide enough for the helicopter tond. So, the helicopter was still circling the air, its pilot looking for the best ce tond. Olivia bit Ethan''s shoulder. "You jerk, it''s not over yet." "Liv, you should know how long I can endure, unless ..." Olivia recalled how loose Kelvin''s mouth was. She just wanted it to end as soon as possible. Turning around, she took the initiative to wrap her arms around Ethan''s neck. Biting his earlobe, she gasped lightly. "Ethan, hurry Up..." The helicopternded on the small square, drawing so much attention that many came over to look. Kelvin hastily went to the farmhouse. "How did Mr. Miller get here? Brent, this is the right ce, right? You didn''t make any mistakes, right?" Brent took off his sunsses, replying with a cold expression, "No, I didn''t." "Young men, who are you looking for?" The two described Ethan''s features. Then, the master of the house led them to the ce. ¡°Here. The person you''re looking for is inside." Brent took out a wad of cash from his wallet to thank the person. Meanwhile, Kelvin boldly went to open the door. "Long time no see, Mr. Miller. Did you miss me¡ªhuh? Mrs. Miller?" Kelvin hastily took off his sses, wondering if he was seeing things. He wished that someone could give him an exnation. Was this some sort of magic trick? Why was Olivia here? Olivia simply nced at him. "After such a long time of not seeing you, you''re still as silly as always." Kelvin fell silent. Brent''s reaction was much calmer. "Mrs. Miller." "You must be kidding, Brent. You knew about it a long time ago? We came from the same mother. Why didn''t you tell me about gossip as huge as this?" Ethan walked out as well. There was a look of unsatisfied displeasure on his face. He had no idea Olivia would y tricks like this. "Mr. Miller, you and Mrs. Miller ..." Kelvin almost couldn''t get his mouth shut. Everyone else knew about it, but he was the only fool who was in the dark. Olivia couldn''t be bothered to exin. She asked Ethan, "Are you returning to Andia?" "Yes, What are your ns?" Of course, Ethan wanted to be with her, but just now, he had already agreed to Olivia''s conditions. He didn''t dare to go too overboard now. "Great timing. I want to go back to Andia too. Let me hitch a ride. Ethan hastily asked, "What do you n to do after going back to Andia?" This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia nced at him. Ethan hastily exined, "I don''t mean anything else by that. I just thought that if you don''t have any ns, I''ll help you with the nning.¡± "It''s okay. I''m going to see someone." Olivia didn''t say more about it. "Let''s go." She was very sleepy now, and she wanted to get some sleep. Kelvin looked at Ethan with a gossipy look on his face. It was clear that he wanted to know about their current rtionship. Ethan rolled his eyes at Kelvin. "What are you looking at? You shouldn''t havee so soon!" Kelvin was puzzled. He had no idea what he had done to offend Ethan. Olivia followed Ethan into his private helicopter. Then, she wrapped herself in a nket, trying to sleep. She felt that her sleeping position wasn''tfortable enough. So, she curled up on the seat and leaned into Ethan''s arms. Ethan was pleasantly surprised as he hastily held her body close. Behind them, Kelvin muttered, "Mr. Miller is as amazing as ever. He managed to deal with Mrs. Miller so soon." ¡°That may not be the case." Brent recalled the conversation between Ethan and Olivia just now. " think Mrs. Miller was the one who dealt with Mr. Miller instead." "Huh? What do you mean?" "Idiot." After a long journey, they finally returned to Aldenvine. It was snowing in Aldenvine. After being on a flight thatsted more than eight hours, Olivia finally woke up. She crossed her legs as she sat on the chair, stretching like azy cat as she nced downward. ¡°We''re almost there." Ethan nodded. "Liv, for tonight, are you¡ª" "You don''t have to bother with me after we get off the helicopter. I have things to do." Ethan gave her aining look, but Olivia simply patted him on the shoulder. "I''ll visit you when I have time." Chapter 1056 Chapter 1056 Olivia changed her clothes in the changing room at the airport beforehand. She put on a thickrge cap and a mask. No one would be able to recognize her. After Ethan''s return was made known, the cars that came to pick him up had formed a long line outside. Before they left the airport, Ethan looked longingly at Olivia. "Liv." Olivia crossed her arms. "Ethan, we''ve already made a promise to each other. Are you going back on your word now?" "No, I just don''t want to part with you." "your position right now isn''t stable enough yet. It''s not safe for me to be by your side anyway. The best situation is to not let anyone know of my existence, right?" Olivia was more decisive than she used to be. Ethan knew that she was right, but he still felt reluctant to leave her. "I know. I''m just¡ª" Olivia suddenly took off her mask. Then, standing on her tiptoes, she nted a kiss on his lips. Ethan reached out, cing his hand on her waist and pulling her in to deepen the kiss. He had painstakingly gotten this treasure back, so now, he was afraid of losing her again. ¡°Ethan, you know that Leia is still standing between us. If the events back then were to happen again, and your sister and I were facing danger at the same time, who would you save? Her or me?" Olivia put a finger to his lips. "Without marriage, we won''t be bound to each other. I won''t expect anything, so I won''t be sad or upset about it. "You don''t have to be sad because of your choice, Ethan. This is the best way for us to get along with each other." Ethan argued, "Liv, it''s not like that." "Then can you give up on your familial bond with Leia?" Ethan fell silent. Olivia added, "You can''t do it. No matter what she has done, she''s still your biological sister. You''re still worried about her. So, I won''t give you trouble nor make myself sad either. "Let''s just leave it like that. We''ll go our separate ways, and it''s not too bad to meet up once in a while." Ethan kissed Olivia again, and she didn''t reject it. She allowed him to do what he wanted. He looked like he wished to rub her into his very core. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. No matter how reluctant he was, they had to part ways eventually. Ethan looked at her as he said in a hoarse voice, "Liv, don''t make me wait too long." "Okay." With a crowd escorting him, Ethan left through the VIPne. As for Olivia, she wrapped arge scarf around her neck as she left through the crowded normalne. People always encountered each other without meaning to, and they had to part ways when they were still reluctant to leave. After getting out of the airport, Olivia could still see the long line of cars. Reaching out, she caught a snowke. Then, she took in the cold air. She was back in Aldenvine. The people around her were guessing who the prominent figure was, for it was quite a spectacle to behold. Meanwhile, Olivia casually hailed a cab. It was only then that the line of cars parked a distance away finally set off. They were going in the opposite direction from Olivia. Ethan had watched as Olivia got into the car. Brent asked, "Mr. Miller, should we send someone to follow Mrs. Miller?" "No, it''s okay. She won''t like it anyway." Ethan touched the bracelet on his wrist. It was the bracelet Willow gave him. The events that took ce this month felt like a dream to him. He gained another daughter, and he also found Olivia. Now, everything he had was already a blessing. If he got even greedier, everything he had might be taken away from him. ¡°But now that you two have parted ways, you may not be able to see Mrs. Miller again." "No, that won''t happen." Ethan muttered, "I''ll be good and listen to her. She''lle to visit me." Kelvin couldn''t help it as he mmed the brakes. "Mr. Miller, did you get possessed? Do you know what you''re saying?" Kelvin couldn''t believe that Brent was right. Olivia had indeed dealt with Ethan. Meanwhile, Olivia was in the cab as she turned on her phone. She immediately received a phone call. Her voice softened as she said, "Yes, I''m back." Chapter 1057 Chapter 1057 Ethan returned to his and Olivia''s marital home in the past. Ever since Olivia left, Ethan had moved back in. Everything was maintained the way it had been when she left back then. Ethan had also renovated the baby room from back then. Sometimes, he and Connor would stay here. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Every day, Madam Burgess would ce some beautiful bouquets on the dining table, awaiting the return of thedy of the house someday. Perhaps because Ethan knew that Olivia was also in this city, the empty house didn''t seem that cold anymore. Brent eagerly followed Ethan to the study, reporting recent news to him. One of them caught Ethan''s attention. "Did you just say that Golden Shark died? How?" Ethan couldn''t possibly let Golden Shark go just like that, but before he could do anything about it, he received news that Golden Shark was done for. Brent showed Ethan the post on the dark web a month ago. In the post, Golden Shark''s head stood out a lot. Also, the author of the post had tactics simr to Ethan''s when he tackled his enemies in the past. No. 100 was a code that referred to none other than Golden Shark. "Did you figure out who did it?" "Septem." "It''s her." Ethan rubbed between his eyebrows. He had heard of that name before. Septem was the most outstanding member who hade out of Devil''s Ind in recent years. Ethan originally wanted to take her into his fold. With proper training, she could be an outstanding female agent. There were many skilled people under him, but there were simply too few female agents who were capable enough. After all, capable female agents were very much in demand in the entire industry. Women could do everything men were capable of, but men might not be able to do what women could. Sadly, Septem chose The ck Ravens in the end. Ethan missed a golden opportunity. Golden Shark had offended quite a lot of people, so it was only reasonable that someone paid to get him killed. The ck Ravens had their rules to abide by, so they wouldn''t use the same tactics Ethan carried out. Also, even the code was based on the system he established. "Did you figure out who Septem is?" "For now, we only know that Septem is female, and she was already promoted to the S rank. I''m afraid that only the insiders know her true identity." Ethan nced at the time the post was published. It was about half a day after he was poisoned. No matter how he looked at it, there must be more to Septem than met the eye. Was she targeting him? "Get someone to keep an eye on her." "Understood." ¡°What about the Kingston family?" "Yale thought that you''d die for real, so he was overjoyed. He did quite a lot of things in the past month, and he kept trying to win over our people." Ethan lit a cigarette. There was a cold expression on his face as he said, "Good. See who has betrayed us. It''s a great opportunity to purge them. There''s no use keeping people who are disloyal, after all." ¡°Understood.¡± As soon as Ethan came back, the tides in Aldenvine turned yet again. Ethan stood ona skyscraper with his hands behind his back. With a cold gaze, he looked at the traffic beneath him. Before he knew it, it was snowing again. The snowy scene was beautiful, so much so that it could hide all the filth. It was time to end this. When Ethan thought that Olivia was also in this bustling city, he felt warmth surging within his chest. He wondered where she was. Hemitted his oath to memory. He didn''t investigate Olivia''s whereabouts on purpose. Their lives had finally crossed paths, but now, they went their separate ways again. At that moment, Olivia was lying in a bathtub, enjoying a bath. She examined her body, which was filled with marks Ethan had left behind. It hadn''t even been a day since they parted ways, but she began to miss him. She decided that women shouldn''t be too focused on love. She downed the remaining wine in the ss. Olivia liked her slightly tipsy condition. She seemed to be drunk, but she was unusually sober. After putting on her bathrobe, she opened the door and walked out. Aman was sitting on the couch. "Long time no see." Olivia approached him boldly. Jack''s gaze fell upon the small area of her exposed skin below her neck The ambiguous hickeys were a bit too much for him. "T heard from Colin that you two got back together." Chapter 1058 Chapter 1058 Olivia smiled. "We didn''t get back together." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jack put on an expression that said, "Do I look like a fool to you?" Olivia shrugged. "Alright, fine.We''re not remarrying, but we slept with each other." "You''re quite honest about that." "I''m a normal woman too.Isn''t it normal for me to have certain needs?" Olivia was a little simple and naive around Jack. Their rtionship was more akin to siblings than lovers. Jack had helped her a lot through the years, and Olivia had already thought of him as a family member she could depend on. He said that his family was dead, and she didn''t have family members either. "It''s surprising that he''s willing to let you go." "He has no choice even if he''s not willing to do it.The situation now isn''t something he can control." Olivia sat down next to Jack. Then, she elbowed Jack in the chest. "What about you? You''re old enough.Don''t you have any needs in that aspect? How do you deal with them?" Jack gave her a sideways nce. Olivia raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, chill.I was just asking.I don''t want you to break down from holding it in too much." Olivia stuck out her tongue. She looked at the string of prayer beads Jack had been wearing for years around his wrist. Jack was quite a devout man in some ways. He didn''t seem to have any desires or pursuits. But when he murdered people, his decisive strength made him look like another person. Jack had taught Olivia a lot of ways to inflict quick death on people. He could either be a devil or an angel. "What exactly do you want, Jack?" Jack reached up and patted her head. She could smell the wooden scent of the prayer beads. "Like you, I have someone I want to kill." "Who is it?" "You''ll figure out when the timees." Olivia could see her lost self in his eyes. Olivia had suspected Jack at first too. How could someone like him exist? He offered everything to be nice to her, but he didn''t ask for anything in return. He didn''t seem to want anything at all. But after so many years, he would have revealed his ulterior motives a long time ago if he had them. So, Olivia lowered her guard and treated him like a real family. Holding his arm, Olivia said, "No matter what you want to do, the children and I are right behind you.You''re not alone anymore.You have a family now." Jack gazed at her with a meaningful look. There was an unfathomable expression in his eyes. After a long while, he answered, "Alright." The phone on the table vibrated. A message popped up on the lit screen. It was the address of a book caf¨¦ in Aldenvine. Olivia replied to the message. "Look, someone took the bait." "Do you need my help to mask your identity?" Jack asked. Putting down her phone, Olivia smiled brilliantly. "It''s okay.It''ll end right where it started." "Be careful. He''s nomon person." "I have you, don''t I, Jack? Thank you so much for what you''ve done in the past few years." Olivia snuggled into his arms. "If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have made it through.It''s okay even if I don''t find my family in the future; I''m happy enough to have you." Jack had aplicated look on his face. In the end, he lowered his hand and patted her on the back. He didn''t have any feelings for her.He only provided her with the encouragement an older brother would give to his sister. "Just do anything you want to do.I''m with you." "Then can you tell me who exactly your enemy is? You''ve helped me so much; I want to help you too." Jack''s phone rang, and Jack pushed Olivia away."I''m going on a mission soon.Be careful. Contact me if there''s any danger." "You should be careful too." Olivia saw him off at the door. "Okay." After closing the door, Olivia walked to the balcony. She left the window open on purpose. Amidst the fluttering snow, she reached out and caught a snowke. A bracelet on her wrist dangled in the air, letting out a faint glow in the darkness. She thought, "Mona, we''ll let the snow purify all sins." Chapter 1059 Chapter 1059 Oliviay on therge bed of about 6.5 feet. A soft mattress cushioned her. Olivia had no idea if she was too excited or ted, but either way, she didn''t feel like sleeping at all. She had been living with Ethan for the past few days, so she was already used to his warm embrace. After tossing and turning in bed for an hour, not only was Olivia not sleepy at all, but her mind was even clearer than before. Putting on a coat, Olivia grabbed the keys and went downstairs. She headed for the garage. Not long after, a stylish ck coupe sped along the road. After dealing with problems for the whole day, Ethan nced at his watch. Rubbing his temples, he returned to his bedroom. He had just opened the door when he keenly sensed the faint alcohol scent in the room. Someone was here! Before he could make a move, a shadow leaped toward him from the darkness. As the familiar scent invaded Ethan''s nostrils, surprise and joy colored his eyes. "Li¡ª" The woman had already sealed his lips. Goodness. He was still thinking of Olivia when she appeared right in front of him. Ethan was caught off guard. Olivia didn''t turn on the lights. The darkness was the best catalyst she could ask for. Soon, the suggestive sounds made by the two cuddling and kissing lovers could be heard in the room. When Ethan took off Olivia''s coat, he realized that Olivia was only wearing a soft nightgown underneath. Now that things hade to this point, Olivia didn''t want to suppress herself anymore. She took the initiative as she forcefully pinned Ethan against the wall. She kissed him from his thin lips all the way to his throat. Her fingers pulled his shirt out, which was tucked into his pants before. She snuck her hands in, touching his firm waist and abs. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Ethan grunted. "Liv, you''re asking for my life." "So are you giving it to me or not?" "Of course.I''ll give you anything you want." Olivia bit his ear. "I don''t want anything else.I just want your body.Ti Bending over, Ethan picked her up and ced her on the soft bed." I''ll give you everything." This was the bed they had when they got married. But the wedding photos on the wall were all cut into pieces when Olivia left. The two were even more passionate than when they first got married. Back then, Olivia was younger, so she couldn''t let herself loose. Ethan suppressed himself on purpose too, so they always stopped at appropriate times. It wasn''t that they weren''t happy, but, of course, they weren''t as wild and exhrated as they were right now. All limits were broken. There was a snowstorm outside, but the temperature indoors was warm and nice. Leaning in Ethan''s arms, Olivia slept extra soundly. Good, she wouldn''t have insomnia anymore. In reality, for the past few years, she had severe insomnia. At first, it was because Ethan was drifting away from her and was affected by Marina. Then, so many things happened that Olivia would always lose sleep or wake up in the middle of the night. In the year after she finished chemo, she was in greater pain than ever before. She often couldn''t fall asleep. That was why Colin kept thinking of ways to condition her and treat her. She had gotten a little better in recent years, but she would still asionally find it hard to sleep. But in the past few days when Ethan was with her, she slept like a baby. Olivia attributed this to the exercise they did right before going to sleep. She couldn''t ask someone else to do it with her anyway. Ethan had a simr condition to hers. He could only stop worrying and fall asleep when she was in his arms. Olivia opened her eyes before daybreak. It was rare to see Ethan in such a deep sleep. Olivia carefully removed herself from his arms. Their clothes were scattered all over the floor. It looked like a mini explosion had happened here. If it were a few days ago, Olivia would probably blush. But after being so intimate with Ethan for the past few days, she was already used to it. Shended on the floor on her tiptoes. But her knees gave way, and she almost fell. They had gone overboardst night. She tossed her clothes into theundry basket. Theyout of the bathroom was still the same as it was in the past. Even the body wash and shampoo were the same. They were still the brands that she loved. The matching toothbrushes were something Ethan added afterward. They were the same ones from back then as well. There was no sign of another woman at all. Everything was filled with traces of Olivia. Chapter 1060 Chapter 1060 After taking a shower and freshening herself, Olivia walked to the wardrobe. The clothes inside the wardrobe were all newly added for her. When Ethan woke up and leaned against the bed, he saw Olivia sitting at the dressing table and putting on makeup. At that moment, he felt as if they never separated in the first ce. Everything was just like what it used to be. Olivia was applying blusher on her cheeks when she noticed the image of another person appearing in the mirror. Ethan hugged her from behind. She could feel the warm temperature of his chest on her back. Ethan bit her ear gently as he asked, "You''re dressed so nicely, Liv. Who are you meeting?" She wasn''t wearing the mask, which meant that she would be seeing someone with her original face. Her makeup wasn''t too heavy. It was the popr natural-looking makeup. There was glitter under her eyes, and she exuded a pitiful look. Ethan remembered that Olivia didn''t like such makeup. It was too pretentious for her. After applying thest bit, Olivia put down her brush. Then, she picked up some lipstick. She smiled a little. "Why don''t you make a guess?" She looked stunning with that makeup and smile. Ethan felt upset. "It has to be a man, right?" "You''re smart." Lifting her chin, Ethan kissed her on the lips. There was endless affection in his actions. "Liv, I don''t like it." "We agreed, remember?" Olivia looked at him smilingly. Ethan picked her up and sat her on the dressing table. "I can withhold from interfering in your matters, but I can''t control my heart." He kissed her all over. Olivia wanted to push him away. "Stop.I''m running out of time." Ethan pinned her hands above her head. His gaze was as fierce as a wolf''s. "But Liv, I''m only exercising my rights." With that, he lifted her soft white knit sweater to her armpits. The mirror behind her was a little cold, but Ethan, who was in front of her, was way too hot. Before the alluring Olivia lost her sense of reason, she said, "Don''t leave any marks on my neck." "Alright," Ethan replied in a hoarse voice. After their ordeal, Olivia looked at the parts of her body hidden by her sweater. There were various marks all over the ce. "Are you a dog or something, Ethan?" Ethan looked at her pitifully. "But that''s what you said." Olivia snorted. "I have to shower again." "You''re going to bete, anyway, so why worry? I''ll help you with that." Ethan was doing this on purpose! Olivia was dyed by an entire hour. Before Olivia left, Ethan smilingly pushed her against the car, saying, "Liv, will you stop thinking of other men if I fill you up?" Olivia was speechless. She had no idea where Ethan got his energy from. He wasn''t a youngd in his 20s anymore. "Come on, I have to go." Ethan grabbed her hand, refusing to let go. "In the past, you''d always kiss me before we parted ways." Olivia sighed. She truly was helpless against him. Standing on her tiptoes, she nted a kiss on his lips. But then, Ethan turned her over and kissed her deeply. The lipstick was smeared on both their lips. But he licked his lips as he whispered seductively in her ear, "Darling, are youing over tonight?"This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "No!" Even now, Olivia''s legs were still weak. "I prepared a surprise for you." His rough thumb caressed the corner of her lips, wiping away the smeared lipstick. "What is it?" "You''ll know when youe." He took out the lipstick from his pocket and applied it on her lips. Then, he stuffed a room card into her hand. "I''ll be waiting." Chapter 1061 Chapter 1061 Stepping on the gas pedal, Olivia headed out. Ethan nced at the license te number. Back then, he had given Olivia lots of houses and cars. But this sports car wasn''t under his name. Olivia rarely drove in the past. Even if she did drive, she only preferred low-profile cars. She had changed a lot in the past few years. Ethan wondered who she was going to meet today. He sighed. If he knew this was going to happen, he wouldn''t have agreed to it so easily. "Mr. Miller, everyone is waiting for you. You should set out now." Brent''s voice rang out behind him. Ethan almost forgot that he had a bunch of problems to solve. He wiped the lipstick smear away from his lips. When he turned around, he had returned to normal. "Let''s go." Olivia parked the car beforehand. Then, she lowered her sunsses and took out the face foundation from her bag, fixing her makeup. As she gazed at her perfect reflection in the mirror, her lips curved. She was innocent and captivating enough. Touching the bracelet on her wrist, Olivia muttered, "I''ve kept you waiting long enough, Mona. He''lle down soon." In the caf¨¦, a beautiful piano piece was floating in the air. There weren''t many people around at that hour. This was the most refined caf¨¦ in the city center. It had panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, which were perfect for admiring the snow. Hence, many couples woulde here to take pictures, and it was a popr pick for blind dates. It was a snowy winter day, so if one were to sit in a warm caf¨¦ and watch the snowy view of the church opposite, it would be quite a beautiful sight to behold. In a spot near the window, a man was flipping through a Wesnorian magazine. From time to time, he would lift his hand to nce at his watch. His phone vibrated. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. It was a message from the person he was waiting for. The person said that they were in a traffic jam, so they might bete. He typed out a reply with his slender fingers, "It''s okay, I''ll wait for you." Sometimeter, when the person said that they would be arriving in three minutes, the man froze halfway through his action of flipping the page. He felt a little nervous in his heart. They had chatted for two years, and he considered the person his kindred spirit. He didn''t know who the person was, nor did the other person know his identity. He only knew that the other person was constantly traveling around the world and that they only returned to Andia recently. He wanted to pick them up at the airport, but they declined the offer politely. They also agreed to meet up with him today. Judging by the things they posted, the other person seemed to be a woman. She would post pictures of the setting sun, vast grasnds, and fields of flowers. They were beautiful, but they also exuded a sense of loneliness. He had tried to guess her age before, but she sounded like a mature woman at times and a childish girl at other times. He couldn''t quite figure her out. He could finally get to the bottom of this mystery today. He felt a little nervous to be meeting his online friend for the first time. It was probably because he had never encountered someone who got along so well with him before. As the bells at the door chimed, he looked at the entrance nervously. An intimate couple walked in. The nervousness the man felt turned into disappointment. He couldn''t figure out what he was feeling right now. He looked forward to their meeting, but he also felt afraid. It felt very unnatural as if he had walked from the shadows into the sun. When he lowered his head, someone knocked on the table. He saw a pair of exquisite white high heels made from sheepskin. They looked delicate and elegant. He could see that the woman came from a noble background. She couldn''t be amoner. Her straight and slender legs were covered by a white umbre skirt. Further up was the woman''s slender waist. Arge pearl ne hung from her elegant neck. Her pink lips smiled faintly at him. ¡°Hello, are you Mr. Varren?" The man looked up to see the pair of smiling eyes. Her charming face entered his line of sight. The man''s expression shifted. Why was she here? Chapter 1062 Chapter 1062 He had met the woman six years ago. More urately, he had seen lots of photos of her, and he knew everything about her. He knew how outstanding she was, how many prizes she won when she was younger, and how many people courted her when she grew up. He also knew that in the end, she abandoned her future for aman, and she got married early on. But then, the man she loved abandoned her, and she was heartbroken every day. In reality, the two had met before, but back then, his face was hidden in the darkness. The first time he saw her, she was wearing a nightgown. With a protruding tummy, she crashed weakly on the carpet. He had been holding a gun aimed directly at her heart. She was Olivia Fordham, one of the targets he was tasked to kill. The woman who had disappeared into thin air suddenly appeared in front of him. Warren was quite surprised by that. "You''re Alice ..." Olivia tucked her hair behind her ear as she put on a confident and bold smile. "I guess I haven''t introduced myself. Myst name is Fordham." Olivia studied Warren. Back then, he failed in the assassination attempt, and he was removed from the organization because of the huge loss his mistake incurred. He now lived the life of a normal person, putting the dark life behind him. But Mona, whom he killed, was buried deep in the ground. Her corpse had already turned into a skeleton by now. Why did good people have to die so soon and bad people could live as long as they wanted? It had been six years, but Olivia could never forget when Mona took the bullets for her. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Three years ago, Olivia began looking into Warren. She then started to contact him two years ago. She hadid out the n for three years, so it was about time she brought it to a conclusion. Killing him was a simple thing to do, but ending his life with one strike would only be a form of release for the likes of him. Olivia wanted to get revenge on him with the same method. Back then, to aplish his mission, he yed with Mona''s feelings. Olivia would let him have a taste of his own medicine. "Um ... Is there something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?" Olivia touched her face. Warren was wearing a reverse mold mask, and his identity was fake as well. He believed that Olivia wouldn''t be able to recognize him. He was an assassin, after all. So, he began to grow wary. This was too much of a coincidence! "It''s nothing. Please have a seat." Warren was unaffected. If Olivia had intentionally approached him, he wouldn''t mind sending her off to keep Monapany. Olivia saw the momentary viciousness shing across his eyes. Pretending not to notice it, Olivia took a seat opposite him. This was why she didn''t hide her identity. With Warren''s distrustful nature, he would notice it right away. Sincerity was the best ultimate move she had. The photos Warren saw of Olivia were mostly taken when she was in school. She was naive and innocent back then. That night six years ago was so chaotic that Warren didn''t bother too much about Olivia''s looks. Now, as Olivia sat opposite him, she looked like she aged gracefully. She seemed to have be a new person, and she was noble and reserved. She was like an elegant white rose. "you look a little different from how I imagined you, Mr. Varren." Olivia took the initiative to start the conversation. At that moment, Warren was very cautious. He looked at her meaningfully as he said, "Oh?" Olivia was very used to that look. It was the look of someone gazing at a dead person. But now, she was just a divorced woman. Of course, she wouldn''t understand these things. She supported her chin with one hand. The pearls on her ears sparkled with a faint gleam. They were noble and reserved just like her. "1 thought that Varren would be a little slimmer and have a lonely look in his eyes. He wouldn''t have this elite demeanor you possess. ow The face Warren put on could only be considered decent. It wasn''t ugly, but it wasn''t too handsome either. It was just fine. Of course, he constantly worked out, so his figure was quite great. Hence, it boosted his looks a little. "you look much prettier than I imagined." He had seen many things in many years. He wasn''t too interested in women, but he had to admit that Olivia''s face was a perfect masterpiece. Olivia took out a box from her purse and handed it to him. "Here, Varren. This is my meeting gift for you." She put on a faint smile, which was delightful and refreshing. Chapter 1063 Chapter 1063 Everly once said that if Olivia was willing enough, no man in this world would be able to say no to her beautiful face. Humans lived by sight, after all. Appearances would always be an important factor when they were looking for a partner. Falling for a beautiful person was only a matter of time. Warren was stunned. Behind Olivia was a view of therge church in the snowy background. Olivia was sweet and refreshing, and when she smiled at him, Warren could feel his heart skipping a beat. Realizing that this wasn''t a good sign, Warren shifted his gaze to the box. "What is this?" "Open it and see for yourself." It was a wooden box that didn''t look too expensive. But when Warren opened the box, his expression instantly changed. A white edelweissy quietly in the box. It was a flower that only existed in legends. Because it grew at high altitudes, humans couldn''t get somewhere that high up. So, not many people knew about the flower, and it was also extra precious for that reason. One photographer managed to take a photo of it, and the photo went viral on the inte. Many people came to take a look at this flower, but sadly, they didn''t manage to get a peek. Warren had talked to Olivia as an artist for two years, and he mentioned this flower before. "Is this an edelweiss? How did you get it?" Olivia shrugged. "I happened to see it when I was traveling around back then. I remembered what you said about it, so 1 brought it along when I came back. "T have a feeling that it''ll look very nice in your drawings." Warren asked, "How could you just happen to see it? You ..." Olivia happened to lift her hand to tuck some loose strands of hair behind her ear. In the process, she exposed the scars on her palm. Those were scars from when she was looking for Ethan in the wild a few days ago. The wounds had healed, but they were scabbing, so they looked extra obvious on her fair skin. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "What happened to your hand?" As if embarrassed, Olivia hid her hand behind her back. "It''s nothing. Have you ordered? I haven''t eaten breakfast, so I''m feeling a little peckish. Let''s eat something first." Warren grabbed her sleeves. He realized that her palms were full of scabbing scars. "How did this happen?" Olivia hastily took her hands away. "When I passed by Deersong Peak, I heard someone say that they saw some edelweiss there. So, I climbed up the mountain. Guess what happened? "IT managed to pick the flower before I ran out of oxygen. It''s a good thing that I wasn''t alone. The others spent a lot of effort to send me back down the mountain, and I was finally saved. ¡°Even though I was never a lucky person, I had amazing luck this time." Olivia nonchntly made up a story. She knew about Warren''s background. Because Warren was an illegitimate child of the Tovar family, he was looked down upon since young. When he was in school, he was a brilliant student, so he managed to study overseas early on. But in reality, his heart was already twisted by then. He was used to seeing the ugly side of humanity, so he couldn''t trust others so easily anymore. When Mona expressed her feelings for him back then, he didn''t care about her at all. He even found her disgusting. People like him didn''t need warm sunlight. Instead, he needed someone who understood him and was willing to enter his world. "You almost died just for something like this?" "Oh, you''re overthinking it. Why would I pick a flower especially for you? I told you, it was something I did on the side. Moreover, death isn''t scary at all. "The world is terrible enough as it is, so dying is more like a form of release." Warren looked at the gentle and noble woman in front of him. Her words were surprisingly depressing. And he knew very well the reason behind that. "I gave it to you, so just take it. We may not be able to see each other again after this meal." Olivia gave him a mischievous grin. Then, she raised her hand and called over a waiter to take the orders. She was honest and open, so Warren couldn''t see anything off about her. Chapter 1064 Chapter 1064 Olivia ordered enough food to fill their table. Many of the dishes were Warren''s favorites. Warren was a little stunned. "How did you know that I like these dishes?" "You told me before that your mother came from the south, so you probably enjoy southern cuisine. It''s not that hard to guess." Olivia knew where exactly to draw the line. She generously shared with him what she saw overseas. She saw for herself auroras, icebergs, deserts, and oceans. "Varren, have you seen snow in the desert? It''s amazing. You''ll feel like only two colors are left in the whole world." Like a child, she happily described those beautiful sceneries. When the steak was served, Olivia finally stopped talking. "Sorry, I don''t have many friends in Aldenvine, so I spoke a little too much at our first meeting. You won''t mind, will you?" Warren shook his head. He had seen those sceneries before, but when Olivia described them like that, he suddenly felt like his gray past was injected with color. "It''s okay. It''s very interesting." Olivia held a small dessert spoon in her mouth. "You''re as quiet as you are when we chat on WhatsApp." "Sorry, I rarely talk in the first ce." "I knew it." Olivia took a bite of a cranberry treat. It was covered in syrup, and the seeds inside were removed. It was alsobined with ice cream. The three different vors were mixing, and Olivia narrowed her eyes in happiness when she tasted it. "Wow, what sort of dessert is this?" Olivia ced a cranberry treat on Warren''s te. "Try it, it''s delicious! It''s the sort that has ava center!" It was obvious that Warren wasn''t used to socializing with people like her. As an assassin, he would be wary of everyone else. Of course, he wouldn''t eat something someone gave him. "y wl Seeing that he wasn''t eating it, Olivia stuck a fork through it and held it to his mouth. Her eyes were shimmering as she said, "Hurry up and eat it. It''ll melt if you''re too slow." For some reason, Warren took a bite of it. But when he saw the red bracelet around Olivia''s fair wrist, his eyes widened. That bracelet was a gift from him to Mona! Back then, to gain Mona''s trust, he had casually bought a bracelet for her. It wasn''t expensive, but Mona was overjoyed when she received it. AS a proper assassin, Warren had to be skilled in ying any role at all. But now that he had backed out of missions and turned into his original self, he found it hard to endure Olivia''s passionate behavior. "What''s the matter? Does it not taste good?" Olivia widened her eyes as a puzzled look appeared on her face. He bit through the hardened syrup. The sweet and sour taste melted in his mouth along with the ice cream, forming a unique taste. When his tongue had turned cold, he finally swallowed the dessert. "It''s delicious. By the way, your bracelet doesn''t quite fit you. Does it have an important meaning?" The bracelet didn''t cost more than several hundred dors. He casually bought it just because the pendant was Mona''s zodiac sign. He even lied to Mona, telling her that it was a custom-made edition. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Olivia was wearing tailor-made clothes, and her earrings alone cost tens of thousands of dors. Why would she wear a bracelet that cost several hundred dors? Warren was even more suspicious that she had approached him on purpose. Olivia retracted her hand. Her gaze fell upon the bracelet, and she touched the small pendant with her fingers. It was something Mona had done back then. She was ted as she kept caressing the gift her lover gave her. There was a positioning device hidden in the pendant. But after so many years, the device had long since run out of battery. Olivia''s eyes were filled with sorrow. "This bracelet is something left behind by myte friend. I heard that it was a gift from someone very important to her, and she wore it till the day she died. "IT once promised to show her the world after I had given birth, but ... that day never came. She left too suddenly. I..." Olivia''s tears streamed down her face. She wasn''t putting on an act. Those were her true feelings toward Mona. "I never expected her to die in front of me just like that. She was so young, and she had a wonderful future ahead of her. She left even before she could get a chance to get married. "If it weren''t for me, she wouldn''t have died. I can never pay back everything I owe her." Chapter 1065 Chapter 1065 Olivia sobbed so hard that she could hardly catch her breath. A beauty like her looked more pitiful when crying. Meanwhile, the person who made her cry was just right in front of her. It put Warren in a difficult position. Unless she was an actress, she wouldn''t have been able to fake such tears. ¡°Don''t cry. We can''t bring the dead back to life. I''m so sorry for your loss." Choking with tears, Olivia wiped her tears off with a tissue. She apologized, "Sorry for raining on your parade. It''s just that ... whenever I think about my friend ..." He handed her a few more tissues andforted her. The sound of her crying gradually softened. She caressed Warren''s head. "I have a long route ahead. I have to take it somewhere farther to fulfill our promise." "You said you have kids, so are you married? If so, I don''t think it''s a good idea that we''re meeting alone." The glint in her eyes dimmed. "No, I lost them, and I''m divorced." Before she could continue her sad story, a man in white gradually came closer to them. Henry gritted his teeth. "Ms. Fordham, I''ve been looking for you! Where did you hide Everly¡ª" Before he could finish, Olivia threw the tablecloth at him and grabbed Warren''s sleeve. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "Run!" Warren, who didn''t know what was going on, ran along with her. Olivia informed the iing waiter, "The person behind us will foot the bill." Henry, the neat freak, was busy cleaning himself up. At the same time, the waiter grabbed him so that he wouldn''t run away without paying the money. ¡°Damn it!" he thought. Henry watched her escape. A momentter, something crossed his mind. Olivia brought along another man while running away! The idea of Ethan getting cheated on put Henry in a good mood. He removed his coat, saying, "Put the bill under Ethan Miller''s name. Tell him to pay for my coat as well." Since Olivia was already in Aldenvine, he reckoned that there was no chance she could run away from this. He dialed Ethan''s number, but the line was connected to Brent''s number. "Mr. Synder, Mr. Miller can''t answer the phone because he''s attending a very important meeting right now. Is there any important message that you''d like me to ry to him?" Henry chuckled. "It''s not that important to me, but tell him that his wife has run away with another man." He decided to settle this score with Ethan, and he was gloating over the fact that Olivia was spending time with another man. After all, he had been holding grudges for a long time. Ethan''s meeting ended only in the evening. When he walked out of the meeting room, he noticed that Brent was hesitating to say something. "Is something the matter?" Brent had always been an expressionless man. Judging from the hesitance on Brent''s face, Ethan believed that something big had happened. Brent walked back to Ethan''s office with him. After making sure that the insensible Kelvin wasn''t around, he locked the door. "Mr. Miller, I have something to tell you. But you must stay calm." "Is it about Liv?" He would be calm unless it was associated with Olivia. "Yes" Right when Brent was going to recount the situation, Ethan''s phone rang. Henry called Ethan as soon as he learned the news that the meeting was over. "Your wife ran away with another man. You deserve it!" Henry''s voice was so loud that Brent could hear him. The speechless Brent thought, "Mr. Synder, could you please not make matters worse?" Chapter 1066 Chapter 1066 Ethan''s expression was icy. What did you say?" Had it been another informant, he wouldn''t have believed it. After all, he had spent an intimate morning with Olivia just this morning! However, Henry wasn''t that big of a busybody to lie to Ethan. Ethan believed that Henry had witnessed something. "Guess what I saw today." ¡°Don''t beat about the bush." The air around Ethan was cold. "I''m in a good mood, so I don''t wanna say it." "Don''t think about finding out Everly''s whereabouts, then." Henry mmed the table. "I knew it! You''re hiding something from me!" "Tell me what you saw." "If I tell you what I saw, will you tell me where she is?¡± "Deal." Henry shared the surveince footage he received at the restaurant. Olivia didn''t lie to Ethan about the fact that she was going to meet aman today. However, Ethan didn''t know who that man was. Olivia had acted strangely in front of him too. She smiled and then cried the next second. When Ethan saw her feeding the man food, his expression darkened. Brent shrunk his neck, trying to diminish his presence as much as possible. That was Ethan''s bottom line. Still, he was curious about that man''s identity. "Find out who he is." "Yes, sir." Brent hurriedly went out to carry out an investigation. Ethan repeated the footage and noticed something. That man''s gait was a little weird. His leg seemed to be injured before. Although it didn''t affect his mobility much, one could notice the slight difference from that of an ordinary person. Ethan wondered who that man could be. Based on the footage, Olivia even showed her bracelet to the man. Ethan remembered that it was Mona''s. Before Mona''s burial, Olivia took it from Mona''s wrist. Yet, Olivia brought up the bracelet to that man. After studying Olivia''s strange actions, Ethan slowly had an idea of who that man was. Brent returned to the office. "I found him, Mr. Miller. It''s Varren, an artist." Ethan sneered. "He''s not Varren but Warren." "It''s him!" Brent clenched his teeth at the mention of that name. Ethan''s side faced serious casualties during that fight.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Some of Brent''s friends were injured, especially Owen, who almost lost his life to save Olivia. Even though he managed to return from death''s doorstep, retirement was his only option. After that, they investigated Warren. Warren was demoted after failing the mission. He had been personally taking in orders, and the organization caught him red-handed. In the end, he was fired. Mara was one of his targets from personal orders, and he bumped into Olivia by chance during his mission at that time. Back then, there was a problem with Warren''s leg. Ethan noticed it at first nce. There was no news about Warren after he was dismissed by the organization. Ethan''s men searched for him for many years but it was all in vain. Yet, Olivia found him! Brent frowned. "We couldn''t even find him. How did Mrs. Miller find him?" "Don''t forget that she has Jack on her side. They have their sources. Jack was a bad samaritan. Ethan had been looking for him for many years. Ethan was aware that Olivia respected Jack a lot. Since there was a slight improvement in their rtionship, Ethan didn''t mention anything about Jack. "If Varren is Warren¡ªwho we''re looking for¡ªMrs. Miller must be thinking of avenging Mona! That''s why Mrs. Miller came up to him! "But it''s dangerous to leave her with him. He''s an assassin! Why don''t we move right now? Since we know who he is, it''s easy to eliminate him." Ethan raised his hand. "No, he''s Liv''s prey." Chapter 1067 Chapter 1067 If Ethan understood those facts very well, Olivia should be aware of them too. During the days they spent in the woods, she didn''t act like a feeble woman. That year, Olivia grieved over Mona''s death. Olivia wouldn''t let Warren off that easily by killing him right away. ¡°What is Mrs. Miller trying to do?" Ethan said seriously, "She''s trying to make him fall in love with her to the extent of being willing to make sacrifices for her. Then, she''ll trample on his genuine feelings to humiliate him and make him suffer. She wants him to feel what Mona felt before she was dead!" Brent was surprised inwardly, thinking, "Mr. Miller is indeed the only person who understands Mrs. Miller that much." "So, the person Mrs. Miller wanted to meet was Warren. She wants him to fall in love with her? Mr. Miller, aren''t you afraid that they''ll ..." The glint in Ethan''s gaze darkened. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Would you let your enemy touch you however they want? Look. When they left the restaurant, Liv was holding his sleeve. She didn''t touch his hand." In fact, Olivia wished she could kill Warren on the spot. There was no chance she would bear feelings for him. Although she had her objectives, the idea of her hanging out with another man displeased Ethan nevertheless. "So, what should we do with him?" "Let''s sit back and watch. Don''t intervene impulsively. Mona is an important person to Liv. I don''t want this to affect my rtionship with Liv. She has nned this out for more than three years. She wouldn''t put herself in danger. Perhaps ..." Ethan stood up and ced his hands behind him. "I should believe her for once." Previously, Olivia kept iming that he was an egoistic person who wished she could live ording to his will. He was so dominating that he wouldn''t consider her feelings. Thus, he wanted to change this time. He was willing to make changes by believing in her. Kelvin knocked on the door beforeing into the office. Brent, what are you discussing with Mr. Miller without me again? You''re acting strange." Ever since Olivia''s identity was exposed, he kept feeling that everyone was spilling the tea behind his back. "If you have something to say, say it quickly. Otherwise, leave." Ethan, who was in a bad mood, huffed. The insensible Kelvin always barged in at the right time. Kelvin held a paper bag. "I ... Mr. Synder informed the waiter of that restaurant that you''ll pay for the food. And this coat was dirtied by Mrs. Miller." Brent red at him. "You seriously have the inclination to bring up topics at bad timings." ¡°Did I say something wrong again, Brent?" "That is for you to repent yourself. Leave and pay the bills." ¡°What about this suit¡ª" "Leave!" Brent turned to face Ethan. "So, we shall not do anything? Ti "For now. Just do as I say." "Got it." Henry called Ethan again. As soon as the line got through, Henry burst into lines of curses. Ethan replied sinctly, ''"Vuckburg." "Are you saying that Everly is in Vuckburg?" ''"t£¤es_!! "That''s a big continent! How do you expect me to find her? We''ve been friends for so many years. Can''t you give me more hints?" "I told you that because of old times'' sake. If Liv finds out that I told you that, she''ll give me the cold shoulder." Henry gritted his teeth. "How dare you call yourself a friend of mine!" "I bumped into Everly by chancest year. She left overnight after noticing me. So, I don''t know where she exactly is." "Way to go, Ethan Miller." Henry hung up the call thereafter. That call was meaningless. Amomentter, Ethan shared with Henry the ce where he bumped into Everlyst time. Although it had been a year, it was better than nothing. Henry fiddled with the ring that was left by Everly. No one could read through those dark eyes of his. He thought, "It''s been four years. Let''s see how long you can keep it up." Chapter 1068 Chapter 1068 Holding Warren''s sleeve, Olivia ran as fast as she could. They entered her car, and she drove it away. He couldn''tprehend the situation at all. "What''s going on?" She took out a pen out of nowhere to tie her hair with it. She took the wheel with one hand and ced one finger before her lips. "Don''t ask. Leave the talkingter." Olivia no longer maintained her sophisticated manner as she stepped on the pedal. The car was driven to Sea Crest Port at full pelt. Fast and furious was theplete opposite of her usual self. There was no speed limit, and there were fewer vehicles on the road, so she could drive at the car''s full potential. Acar sped up, trying to take over her. She didn''t slow down and forced it to return to its ce instead. When she took over three cars, the other party was so frightened that they broke into a cold sweat. On the contrary, she was wearing a happy smile. Warren thought to himself, "Crazy woman." The car was pulled over by the beach, where the snowkes danced along the sea breeze. After getting out of the car, Olivia lit a cigarette and leaned against the car. She exhaled a circle of smoke, which hid her face. "Sorry about the unforeseen situation, Varren." He stared at Olivia, who now appeared to be the pr opposite of her past self. Previously, she was literally the model student; now, she was so different, like a delinquent woman. It took him a while before blurting, "Smoking is bad for your health." A faint smile adorned her lips. "It doesn''t matter. I''m going to die anyway." She seemed to hate the world so much. "Why should I live such a clean life when this world is so filthy? You can go ahead. I need some time alone." She looked up at the sky as sorrow weighed down upon her. As someone aware of her past, Warren knew why she became this way. Olivia was the only person left in her family. She couldn''t protect her children, and even her friend died right before her eyes. She ended up divorcing Ethan too. She had nothing left. And Warren was the cause for most of them. To his surprise, a pang of pity hit him. Instead of leaving, he approached her. He didn''t say a word, merely keeping herpany. Since his life itself was a tragedy, he couldn''t say anything wise to her. Warren could rte to her pitiful life. Olivia disposed of her cigarette. She asked without looking at him, " Why didn''t you leave?" "No one would leave their sad friend alone." She let out a wistful smile. "Friend? I advise you not to befriend me. I''m a bad omen who brings bad luck to my friends. Let''s end our fate here, Varren. I''ve met you, and my wish is granted. It''s been years since I had someone I could call a friend." Warren knew that this woman would bring him danger. Ethan resented Warren to the bones because of what Warren did that year. Ethan wouldn''t let him off the hook that easily. If Warren didn''t undergo stic surgery, he would''ve been dead a long time ago. Even though Olivia and Ethan were divorced, they didn''tpletely cut ties with each other. Thus, it was Warren''s best option to leave right now. He didn''t need a friend. He only talked to her for the past two years just to kill some time. But her sorrowful expression elicited pity in him, which shouldn''t be happening. "I think we should at least have a meal together. I''d like to hear about your past. Could you tell me about it?" Olivia raised her head, noticing the pitiful glint shing across his eyes. She thought, "Warren, oh, Warren. You''re more easily fooled than expected." When a man started to pity a woman, that marked the start of his downfall.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1069 Chapter 1069 Olivia reminisced about her past in the restaurant by the beach. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She recounted the details of her past, which could be searched online. Her description added colors to those emotionless words. Her eyes reddened as the story reached its climax, but she fought her tears back. ¡°Thank you for listening, Varren. I¡¯ve spent so many years all alone. No family, no friends. Sometimes, when I need someone to talk to, I can¡¯t find anyone. That¡¯s why I keep talking to you. I must be annoying, right?¡± Warren finally understood why she always had so much stuff to talk about. It was because she was Olivia. He recalled their conversations, in which he would always give her the cold treatment. He thought, ¡°Perhaps I was her onlyfort.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He took a sip of coffee. It was bitter. He wondered how many people out there lived bitter lives. ¡°Oh right, you didn¡¯t mention your life before. You don¡¯t seem young. I bet you¡¯re married, aren¡¯t you?¡± Warren shook his head. ¡°No.¡± How could someone like him get married? That would bring suffering to others and himself. Besides, Warren didn¡¯t believe in a happy marriage because of his father. ¡°Someone like me doesn¡¯t deserve to get married.¡± ¡°Why? I think you¡¯re a nice person.¡± Olivia began eating while conversing. She was hungry and thirsty after talking for so long. Although he kept feeding her useless information, he didn¡¯t leave! She was halfway through achieving her objective. Other than avenging Mona, there was something else Olivia was aiming for. ording to Jack, Warren was the only person who had conspired with the mastermind to kill Olivia. Hence, she thought she could get some clues from Warren. During the past few years, she had been investigating secretly to find out the truth. Unfortunately, the other party was so capable that he covered his tracks very well. Therefore, Warren was her only clue right now. The first step was to gain his trust. Someone like him wouldn¡¯t trust others easily. That was why she spent two years talking to him online. After the meal, she didn¡¯t intend to stay any longer. ¡°Do you want me to send you back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have something else to do. I can take a cab. What¡¯s your next n?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t returned here for three years. I¡¯ll stay in Aldenvine for the time being before making a new n. I don¡¯t have much of anything anyway. ¡°I only have a huge amount of money I received when I divorced. I should splurge it to make my suffering worth it, shouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll get going, then. Bye.¡± Olivia entered the car. She waved at him enthusiastically before leaving. Warren¡¯s heart ached in the face of her warm gaze. He thought, ¡°Silly woman. The cause of your unhappiness is just right before you. How could you tell him everything without holding back so easily?¡± Right at that moment, Olivia received a message. She nced at it. It was a message from Warren that read, ¡®We¡¯re friends forever.¡¯ Olivia casually threw her phone to the side. The corner of her lips was reaching her cheeks. The fish was caught in the, and it was faster than she expected. Now, she would ignore him for the moment. After all, someone like him might notice something fishy going on if she contacted him too often. There were a lot of things Olivia wanted to do in Aldenvine this time. Warren wasn¡¯t the only reason for her return. She used another phone to make a call. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m in Aldenvine.¡± The other party replied enthusiastically, ¡°After eons, you¡¯re finally here! Where are you? I¡¯lle over to pick you up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a stranger. I know Aldenvine like the back of my hand. I¡¯ll be there in an hour.¡± She terminated the call. It was time to settle the piled-up scores now. Chapter 1070 Chapter 1070 The butler of the Carlton residence had been waiting by the gates to wee the doctor. He was surprised to see the person getting out of the car. He thought a famous doctor like Vanessa would always travel with her assistant and driver. Yet, there was only a woman in the car. Despite her ordinary looks, her aura was different from others. ¡°Are you Vanessa?¡± ¡°Why? Do I not look like ¡®Vanessa?''¡± She closed the car door. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m just quite taken aback. It must¡¯ve been a tough journey for you toe here. It¡¯s our honor to be able to invite you over to treat our youngdy.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the patient?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste her time listening to his courtesy. ¡°This way, please.¡± Although the house was huge, it appeared rather empty on this snowy day. Marina was the only grandchild in the house. To add on, she wasn¡¯t their biological granddaughter. That was definitely a big blow to Otto. Still, Otto had watched her grow up. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to drive her out of the family, so he settled her down at another ce. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, another heir was selected. Even though Marina had lost the right to be the heiress, the Carltons still looked after her. She was still the Ms. Carlton who didn¡¯tck anything. The moment Olivia stepped into the house, a stranger weed her. ¡°You must be Vanessa. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯ll be entrusting my younger sister to you.¡± She stopped in her tracks. After all, she had never seen him in the Carlton family when she was still in the city. Judging from his outfit, she guessed that it was the newly selected heir of the Carlton family-Fabian Carlton. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± He appeared mild and gentlemanly, not someone calcting. However, he was surely not an easy man considering that he managed to stand out among his rtives and be the heir. Although the Carlton family had receded these few years, Otto wasn¡¯t someone to be underestimated. He still held a certain influence. Olivia wondered how Marina was doing right now. It had been years since theyst met each other. After the divorce, Ethan didn¡¯t take revenge on her to repay Kurt¡¯s favor for saving him. Nevertheless, Ethan didn¡¯t care about her anymore. Her life and death didn¡¯t concern him one bit. Still, there wasn¡¯t a day that Olivia forgot what Marina did to her. When she pulled her senses back from her thoughts, Fabian responded gently, ¡°We¡¯ve looked for a lot of doctors to treat my sister¡¯s legs, but it¡¯s been useless. She¡¯s been relying on the wheelchair for many years. So, she¡¯s kinda grumpy. I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± replied Olivia indifferently. She walked along the long corridor, heading toward the deepest quarters. That was where Marina was staying right now. Ethan stripped her of most of her authority after the divorce. The first thing he did was drive her out of Colington Cove. After all, that was a mansion meant for Olivia. He didn¡¯t sell it off. But he couldn¡¯t bear living there after Marina had stayed there. It was repulsive to him. So, he rented it to a business owner who turned it into a homestay. Now, it had be a popr high- end homestay. The flowers in the Carlton residence had withered due to winter, and there were few nts nted in the yard. Most of the trees were bare like Marina¡¯s lonely life. ¡°Here it is.¡± The butler pushed the door open. Before Olivia could see Marina, she smelled something. In addition to her sensitivity to smell, Olivia had recently been making love with Ethan every day. Thus, she could tell the source of the smell at that instant. Sexual intercourse had taken ce here just a few minutes ago. ¡°Miss?¡± the butler called for Marina, but he didn¡¯t see anyone in the room. Fabian walked toward the bathroom and knocked on the door. He gently said, ¡°Marina, the doctor is here.¡± There was no response from inside the bathroom. Noticing that something was off, Olivia kicked the door open. Marina, who was dressed in a robe, sat in the bathtub. Her wrist was bloody red. Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071 Olivia could still remember the first time she met Marina. Marina had been standing next to Ethan with a protruding belly, wearing a triumphant expression. Olivia could still remember what Marina said before pushing her off the cruise. ¡°Say, will he save you or save me?¡± On top of that, the memory of herself resorting to pawning her wedding ring while Marina was holding her head high was still vivid in her head. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia had imagined herself meeting Marina again countless times, but none of it turned out this way. ¡°Miss! Oh dear, why did it turn out like this? I¡¯ll call the ambnce!¡± The butler became frantic. Judging from the amount of blood bled, Olivia could tell that it happened only a moment ago. She quickly pressed the wound with a cloth to stop the bleeding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she hasn¡¯t bled much. It¡¯s not a deep wound. Her life isn¡¯t in danger.¡± ¡°Who are you? Who told you toe here? Get away from me!¡± Marina struggled to break free from Olivia. She didn¡¯t seem to be in her right state of mind. While Olivia was defending against Marina¡¯s protest, her face was stained with blood. Olivia pped her right in the face without hesitation. ¡°Calm down already!¡± said Olivia coldly. Marina was stunned, not expecting that from a stranger. In fact, that was nothing considering that Olivia had been pped multiple times. She was also forced to kneel on her knees and almost had her face ruined! Marina stopped her antics, and the butler said, ¡°Ms. Carlton, Calm down. She¡¯s the doctor who¡¯s going to treat your legs. Why did you do such a silly thing? Imagine how sad Mr. Carlton Senior would be when he finds out about this.¡± The mention of Otto rendered Marina silent. After all, the only person who treated her genuinely well was him. Even after learning that she wasn¡¯t his biological granddaughter, he didn¡¯t drive her out of the family. He even settled her down so that she could spend the rest of her life without worries. Otto¡¯s condition was getting worse. His time was running out. The fact that Marina attempted suicide would be too much for him to take in. It might cost him his life too! Olviia calmly treated Marina¡¯s wound while informing the butler to prepare some stuff. Anxious, Fabian said, ¡°You must save my sister. It doesn¡¯t matter how much the fee is.¡± He seemed to be worried sick like a good brother would. Still, the hatred in Marina¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Olivia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is my job,¡± replied Olivia indifferently. She stitched the wound up neatly. The needle poked into Marina¡¯s skin without the use of anesthesia. Although Marina wished to die, she failed to do so. The stitching process hurt so much that it made her grit her teeth. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Of course, it does. Won¡¯t it hurt if I were to poke you with a needle?¡± Marina had been living a tough life these years, but her temper was as vile as ever. Lowering her head, Olivia sneered. She thought, ¡°How could this hurt? When I was injured that winter, I dragged myself to the hospital for my stitches. That hurt like hell.¡± Soon, Marina¡¯s wound was treated. Olivia looked at Marina¡¯s drenched robe. ¡°Get something dry for her to change into.¡± ¡°Okay. The maids can do it. You must be tired from traveling so far. You can get some rest outside. I¡¯ll tell you her condition in the meantime.¡± Olivia wondered if Fabian was afraid of her seeing something. He asked her to leave the room as soon as she was done treating Marina¡¯s wound. ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia was smart enough to sense that something was off. She stood up immediately. ¡°Keep an eye on her. I can help out a living person but not a corpse.¡± Before she left the room, she saw a discarded condom in the trash bin from the corner of her eyes. She thought, ¡°Bingo. I¡¯m happy to learn that you¡¯re having it tough right now, Marina Carlton.¡± Chapter 1072 Chapter 1072 Olivia was led to the living room. Fabian handed her the documents he prepared. ¡°Here are Marina¡¯s medical reports from the past few years. Please go through them.¡± She read the huge stack of reports thoroughly. ¡°She underwent a surgery before?¡± ¡°Yes, but it wasn¡¯t that sessful. She still can¡¯t stand. Speaking about it, she¡¯s a pitiful person. Her legs were broken due to a car ident when she was young. ¡°Her parents passed away, and her engagement was called off. What is she going to do in the future? Please save her. ¡°As long as you can make her walk, I¡¯m willing to pay however much you want.¡± If Olivia hadn¡¯t seen the condom in Marina¡¯s room, she would¡¯ve been deceived by Fabian. He appeared to be such a fine man. Which subordinate would have the nerve to do that kind of thing to her when Otto cherished her so much? Original from N?velDrama.Org. Besides, there were only female servants serving her. On top of that, only the butler waited for Olivia¡¯s arrival. Fabian weed her afterward. He was obviously enjoying his business with Marina at that time. Olivia had encountered a lot of fake people like him. She read Marina¡¯stest medical report before concluding,¡± She can be treated.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Based on the recovery of her bones, there is still hope that she could stand up. Besides surgery, she will need acupuncture. It¡¯ll take at most three months to make her stand again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d to hearthat! I knew it! As long as it is a capable doctor like you, she¡¯ll be able to stand up again!¡± He expressed joy. ¡°But this is my judgment solely based on her medical reports. The actual results still depend on her condition.¡± ¡°Okay. Please have some tea. It won¡¯t be toote for you to check on her once she calms down.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush. I have time.¡± She drank the tea casually. After the cancerous tumor in Olivia was removed, it was as though she had started life anew. Finally, she had time in her life to deal with her enemies. A whileter, the butler came over. ¡°Ms. Carlton is ready. Pleasee over to check on her.¡± When Olivia saw Marina again, Otto was there as well. He was right next to Marina. He had definitely aged as the time passed. Marina was using his phone to make a video call. A familiar voice resounded from the other side of the line. ¡°Marina, I told you that I will never see you again. If you call me through Mr. Carlton Senior¡¯s number again, I¡¯ll block-¡° Ethan stopped halfway through his words because he saw a woman walking through the door. And she had the same face he saw in the vige! He thought, ¡°Liv¡¯s at Carlton residence! Just how busy is she?¡± Marina, who didn¡¯t realize that he was acting out of character, raised her hand. ¡°Ethan, I almost died a while ago. Can¡¯t youe visit me? Even if it¡¯s for a second?¡± Olivia thought, ¡°Wow, she hasn¡¯t given up yet.¡± She crossed her arms and questioned indifferently, ¡®Ms. Carlton, am I interrupting something?¡± Marina finally noticed that Olivia was there. Gritting her teeth, Marina couldn¡¯t forget how Olivia pped her amidst the mess. But Marina had to feign misery in front of Ethan. ¡°Ethan, I¡¯m seriously going to die soon. You-¡° He interrupted her, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there soon.¡± He hung up the call, and her face lit up almost instantly. It was as if she found the light in her life. Olivia¡¯s gaze fell upon Fabian, who avoided them. Still, Olivia managed to catch on the cold glint beneath his eyes. She thought, ¡°It seems like Ethan isn¡¯t the only person mad here.¡± Marina said joyfully, ¡°Grandpa, did you hear that? Ethan ising over to visit me! This outfit is out of trend. Poppy, bring over the clothes from thetest collection. I want only dresses.¡± ¡°Since Ms. Carlton is busy, I guess I shouldn¡¯t get in the way.¡± Chapter 1073 Chapter 1073 The Carltons became anxious as soon as they heard that she was going to leave. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave! I jumped through hoops just to find you. You can¡¯t go. My granddaughter is counting on you!¡± said Otto. ¡°Yes, doctor. Please check on Ms. Carlton¡¯s legs. Miss, this is Vanessa, the person I told you about. ¡°Her medical skills are top-notch. She excels in a lot of areas. She said that there¡¯s a chance for you to walk again.¡± Only then did Marina look at Olivia with bright eyes. ¡°Really? Can you make me walk again?¡± ¡°As long as you give me your cooperation,¡± replied Olivia indifferently. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Marina thought of something and decided to shrug off the fact that Olivia had pped her. Marina nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°Ms. Carlton, remember your words. Don¡¯t regret itter on.¡± ¡°Why would I regret it? As long as you can treat my legs, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll check your condition first. Please lie down.¡± Fabian chimed in, ¡°Let me do it.¡± He walked toward Marina¡¯s side and bent over, preparing to carry her. Resentment and fear were written over her face. Her body was trembling when he touched her. She was afraid. Olivia found that ridiculous. Marina had been haughty her whole life. It was rare to see her being afraid of others. Now, it made Marina and Fabian¡¯s rtionship even more questionable. Olivia pulled the hem of Marina¡¯s pants. Since Marina couldn¡¯t walk, her muscles shrunk. How could this bepared to the pain of Olivia losing her parents because of her? Olivia massaged Marina¡¯s legs from the calves to the thighs. Marina suddenly grabbed her hands. ¡°Enough. Did you find out anything?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Olivia withdrew her hands. ¡°I can treat your legs. Before the surgery, I have to perform acupuncture on you every day to stimte the nerves in your legs.¡± ¡°Sure. I have money, lots of money. As long as you can treat my legs, I can give all of them to you.¡± Marina didn¡¯t seem to bepletely sane. She continued, ¡°Grandpa, leave the room. Ethan ising soon. I can¡¯t see him like this.¡± Otto wanted to say something but didn¡¯t in the end. He asked everyone to leave the room. Ethan would always be her obsession. Olivia, who was asked to leave the room, took a few sips of coffee and realized that Fabian was missing. She acted naturally by stating that she needed to go to the toilet. But she returned to Marina¡¯s quarter secretly instead. It was quiet. There were barely any servants in the house, but now, there were none of them. She peeked into the window. As she had expected, Fabian had shown his true colors. The malicious man pped Marina without holding himself back. ¡°Bitch! How could you still be missing him? Am I not treating you well enough?¡± ¡°Fabian Carlton, if you touch me again, Ethan wille right at you!¡± ¡°How affectionate. He¡¯lle right at me? I bet you want him to know how I mess with you, don¡¯t you? Does he know that you¡¯re all filthy?¡± He unbuckled his belt and thrust himself into her. ¡°Go to hell, Fabian Carlton!¡± ¡°You better know who your man is, bitch! How dare you seduce another man? I¡¯m going to punish you severely!¡± ¡°Stop, Fabian! You can¡¯t do this to me. I will tell Grandpa!¡± Fabian chuckled. ¡°Tell him then. I hope he¡¯ll get a heart attack. And then, the family¡¯s property will be rightfully mine! ¡°Even you, too! Has Ethan ever fucked you like this, bitch?¡± Olivia wished she could close her ears to shut out those dirty remarks. Marina covered her eyes, sobbing while calling Ethan¡¯s name. Olivia thought, ¡°These crazy people.¡± Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074 Ethan arrived very soon. Olivia initially nned to visit again some other day. The idea of meeting him in this kind of situation made her feel weird. However, the rushing man arrived before she could bid Otto goodbye. Marina had done so many things back then. She was the cause of the Carlton couple¡¯s and Jeffs death. Otto was helpless and guilty about it, so he requested Ethan to call off the engagement. These years, Marina intended to make up for it to win back Ethan¡¯s heart. But she couldn¡¯t contact him because he blocked her number. Now, Ethan was finallying! It wasn¡¯t easy to meet him. Even Otto was looking forward to it. If Ethan hadn¡¯t refused it, he could¡¯ve been the best candidate to inherit the Carlton family. The butler informed Marina beforehand, getting her all excited. She hurriedly set ayer of powder on her face as she didn¡¯t want Otto to find out about her matter with Fabian. She had driven her parents and Chris¡¯ death. She didn¡¯t want to do the same thing to her grandfather, who was the only person treating her well. Fabian took advantage of her guilt and hence he had it his way on her for so many years. Poppy was the only person in the loop, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. ¡°Hurry, push me out of the room. Ethan is here.¡± Olivia was viewing the snow under the roof when Ethan and his men entered the ce with hurried steps. All these years, Marina could only look up his information online. Now that she saw him in person, mixed feelings churned in her stomach. It was a mixture of joy and excitement. Forgetting about the condition of her legs, she threw herself at him and fell onto the ground. Despite the emotional ride in her, she merely called his name, ¡°Ethan..¡± To her dismay, Ethan paid no heed to her at all. He bypassed her, running toward Olivia. Even though Olivia was wearing a mask, he was experiencing the same emotional moment as Marina did the moment he met Olivia¡¯s eyes. He loved her and was afraid that she would vanish from his life. ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Otto¡¯s voice pulled Ethan¡¯s senses back from the reverie. Only then did Ethan withdraw his gaze and put up an act.¡± It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Carlton Senior. How are you doingtely?¡± Otto, who was sitting in a wheelchair, shook his head. Ever since that woman cut off the medicine supply, his condition was deteriorating. He was stepping into his waning years.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, it was a fate that he had to ept. ¡°How can I be fine at this age? How could you not visit me at least once?¡± ¡°Sorry. I was quite busy the past few years.¡± While they were sharing words of courtesy, Olivia watched Fabian carry Marina from the ground to her wheelchair. Mockeryced the corner of his lips as he whispered into her ear. Although Olivia couldn¡¯t hear him, she could guess what he told Marina. Ethan¡¯s patience was running out as Otto kept talking to him. Ethan averted the topic, ¡°This is¡­¡± Otto introduced, ¡°This is the famous doctor I invited over to treat Marina. She¡¯s Vanessa.¡± ¡°Oh, Vanessa. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. It is an honor to meet you in person.¡± He pretentiously reached out for a handshake. The corner of Olivia¡¯s lips twitched. If someone didn¡¯t give him an award for his acting, it wouldn¡¯t do his acting justice. Left with no choice, she stretched her hand out. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Miller.¡± He tickled her palm lightly while shaking hands with her. In spite of that, he wore a polite expression. ¡°Do you know me? What have you heard about me?¡± She attempted three times before she could withdraw her hand sessfully from him. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re a gentleman who has been staying single after divorce. And that you¡¯re a hot catch among thedies in Aldenvine.¡± Chapter 1075 Chapter 1075 Ethan, who seemed to be into this game, asked intriguingly,¡± You¡¯re young and capable. May I ask if you¡¯re married?¡± Olivia spared him a nce. ¡°A wise man never falls in love.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Marina was stunned, doubting if he was here to see her. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was curious about a stranger¡¯s marital status. Still, she didn¡¯t dare to do anything that might make him hate her. He ignored her for so long, and it was a rare chance for him toe. She said carefully, ¡°Ethan ..¡± Only then did Ethan recall that he came over in the name of visiting Marina. He shifted his gaze onto her. Marina appeared skinnier than years ago. Pale faced, she sat in the wheelchair while staring at him pitifully. Before this, he would¡¯ve pitied her because of Kurt. But the thought of what Olivia had suffered in the past, the pity, gave way to indifference. He inquired, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. How have you been?¡± She answered with teary eyes, ¡°l-l¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Miller. Nothing will happen to her as long as I¡¯m looking after my sister.¡± Fabian drew Ethan¡¯s attention. Ethan was aware of what happened within the Carlton family. His impression of Fabian was from his younger days when thetter appeared sickly and thin. Now, Fabian had grown up into a man with the demeanor of the head of the family. They didn¡¯t interact much before this, so Ethan gave an aloof nod. ¡°I see.¡± Otto was happy. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since youst visited, Ethan. I specially asked the kitchen to prepare more dishes. You must stay for the night to keep mepany for tea.¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t refuse the enthusiastic invitation. He then looked at Olivia. ¡°People say that Vanessa¡¯s a skillful doctor. I wonder if Ms. Carlton can walk again?¡± She definitely wasn¡¯t here to y the good guy; she had her motives. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered briefly. He began showering her withpliments again. Before he could butter her up, she announced, ¡°I can perform the acupuncture on Ms. Carlton starting today.¡± ¡°Great! That¡¯s for the best! I¡¯ll be entrusting my granddaughter to you.¡± ¡°This is my job. Let¡¯s not waste any more time. We should start now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been admiring you for a long time, Vanessa. Do you mind if I watch by the side?¡± ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Marina was disheartened. Ethan only spoke to her once, and yet he treated the doctor enthusiastically. But she didn¡¯t dare to throw a tantrum. She was satisfied at the sheer idea of being able to walk again so that she could see him often. It didn¡¯t matter if their rtionship couldn¡¯t return to how it was before. Olivia wrote a prescription so that the butler could brew the medicine for Marina¡¯s foot spa. The hot water was proffered to the front of Marina. Although she couldn¡¯t stand up, she could still feel her legs after that surgery. ¡°Should the water be this hot?¡± Olivia replied expressionlessly, ¡°Only that will be effective. Ms. Carlton, here.¡± Poppy lifted Marina¡¯s feet to ce them into the basin. Marina pped her. ¡°Are you trying to cook me with that hot water, bitch?¡± Pity was often intertwined with fault. Even though Marina was abused by Fabian, she abused others too. She had always been that Marina Carlton. She didn¡¯t change. Olivia ordered, ¡°Please dip your feet in it for an hour.¡± ¡°That long?¡± ¡°You have to do this for three hours every day from now. Today¡¯s just the start. Please be mentally prepared, Ms. Carlton.¡± Chapter 1076 Chapter 1076 The water was so hot that Marina kept scolding people. Still, she couldn¡¯t lift her legs herself. All she could do was to cry while scolding. Why did she have to suffer that when she already met her miserable fate? Otto sighed and cooed, Marina, put up with it. You¡¯ll reap what you sow. You¡¯ll be able to walk after this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot, Grandpa. I¡¯m burning! I think my skin is going to burn! I don¡¯t want it anymore. It hurts! ¡°Where did youe from, you quack? Why are you doing this to me? I didn¡¯t do anything to you. Ethan, save me!¡± Marina¡¯s whining didn¡¯t stoping from her room. At the same time, Ethan and Olivia were enjoying tea and the snowy view outside. How could he hear Marina when his eyes were only on Olivia? The Carltons wereforting Marina in her room, so the two were alone outside. The design of the Carlton residence was the same as that of the Fordham residence. The buildings were aesthetically pleasing. The scenery was breathtaking whenever it snowed. Ethan proffered a grape to her lips. ¡°Have some grapes to cleanse your mouth.¡± Since he had already ced it in front of her, and there was no one around, she didn¡¯t refuse it. After all, those people were preupied at the moment. She ate it from his fingers, and he caressed the tip of her tongue briefly. Their heart skipped a beat when his rough fingertip touched her wet and soft tongue. She red at him, thinking disapprovingly, ¡°What is he doing? Does he not know where we are right now?¡± Yet, Ethan licked his fingertip that touched her tongue. ¡°The grape is sweet.¡± His actions conjured the images of sexy male leads from movies in her head. But Ethan appeared sexier because he was wearing a suit. Without her realizing it, the grape juice spilled a little from the cornerof her lips. He supported himself by pressing on the couch before propping her chin up to kiss her. Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She wondered, ¡°What is this bastard doing? I¡¯m here to seek revenge, and yet he¡¯s here for a secret lovers¡¯ y? Has he always been this perverted?¡± His soft tongue danced in her mouth, smearing the grape juice in both their mouths. Hearing iing footsteps, she shoved him away. Fortunately, the iing people were slow because the butler had to push Otto over here in a wheelchair. By the time they came, Ethan had released Olivia and sat opposite her.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Otto noticed their weird expressions. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind Ethan¡¯s attitude, Vanessa. He¡¯s a reticent man, not cold.¡± She thought, ¡°Cold? You don¡¯t know how eager he was a moment ago.¡± Ethan said implicitly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Carlton Senior. Vanessa traveled so far, and she¡¯s an important guest. I will treat her well. ¡°I told her to have some grapes. Vanessa, what do you think about the fruit?¡± She huffed in her head, ¡°What fruit? He¡¯s clearly referring to the kiss! This is not perverted. This is a weird kink!¡± She turned her head away, avoiding his gaze. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re not that happy with it. I have high-quality tea and fruits back at my ce. When you¡¯re free, could you do a checkup on me? My chest is hurting these days.¡± Otto, who wasn¡¯t aware of their rtionship, took it seriously. He thought that Ethan was trying to seek medical advice from Olivia. ¡°I heard that Vanessa is knowledgeable in cardiac research. You should definitely let her check on you.¡± Ethan stared at her. ¡°What do you think, Vanessa?¡± The way he called that name was seeped with a tinge of lust. Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077 Olivia, who was certain that it wouldn''t be a simple checkup, scolded the perverted man inwardly. She responded expressionlessly, "It''s almost time. I gotta proceed with Marina''s treatment." Her leaving figure elicited a smile on Ethan''s face. He thought, "Liv, oh, Liv. I love you so much. Where can you possibly run to?" When Marina''s feet were lifted from the water, they were red and covered with blisters. Marina was crying in pain. "Marina, don''t cry. It''ll be fine soon,"forted Fabian, who liked her. Ignoring Fabian, she looked at Ethan while crying. "Ethan, it hurts so much." Her response was no different from a p in the face to Fabian. His eyes dimmed. As the bystander, Olivia saw through everything clearly and found it interesting. Marina inherited the good genes from Jeff and Chloe; hence, she looked pretty. Her eyes took after Jeffs while her features were simr to Chloe''s. If it wasn¡¯t for her haughty attitude, she would''ve been able to win a lot of people''s hearts with that look alone. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Even Kurt made sure she was settled down with a good life after his death. Marina could easily be any man''s first love. Needless to say, her suffering might earn empathy and care from the people who loved her, but that wasn''t the case for Ethan. She drained Kurt''s favor away and made Ethan and Olivia end up this way. All these years, Ethan resented Marina as much as he missed Olivia. If it wasn''t for Kurt, Marina wouldn''t have been able to stay alive as of today. Thus, her tears wouldn''t cause Ethan to waver. Not even a single bit. He replied coldly, "Look for the doctor then. Why are you looking for me? I''m not a painkiller." Marina bit her lip, not expecting such hurtful words from him. Olivia opened her medical kit. "Done crying, Ms. Carlton? If so. I''m going to start acupuncture now." Marina looked at the both of them with widened eyes, thinking, "Demons. They are demons!" If Chloe was the only dead victim in Marina''s hands, Olivia wouldn''t have taken it this far. But Marina drove Jeff to his death. He was Olivia''s adoptive father who had warmed up half of her lifetime. She sacrificed everything to save Jeffs life from danger, and he was gradually recovering. He would''ve been able to live like a normal person after one or two years. Unfortunately, Marina''s ignorance ruined everything. The news was too big of a blow for him to take in. What did he do wrong? And what did Olivia do wrong to the point that she had to lose her father? Jeff looked forward to meeting the twins in her belly at that time. But he couldn''t see their faces in the end. Olivia med Marina for it. Jeff was buried in the cold ground, so how could Marina live the life of a princess? Olivia wanted to return the suffering to Marina a thousandfold. Before the acupuncture, Olivia took out a tube of ointment." Apply it on her feet. Once the skin absorbs it, I''ll start the acupuncture." "I''ll do it." Fabian took the ointment. She said monotonously, "Remember to poke the blisters before applying the ointment. It''ll be more effective that way. If Marina stopped crying. "Are you a demon on a mission to torture me?" "I''m the grim reapering for your life." Of course, Olivia didn''t say that aloud. She replied, "If you wanna walk again, do as I say. Otherwise, I''ll leave." Chapter 1078 Chapter 1078 "Don''t leave! I wanna walk again. I will do as you say." Marina looked at Poppy. "Apply the ointment for me." Poppy looked at the blisters-covered feet and stumbled over her words. "I-I don''t think I can do it. Why not let Mr. Fabian do it?" Comment by soonyoung gu: Is this Darrell or a new person?? Otto, who wasn''t aware of the whole situation, said, "Yeah. Let Fabian do it. He''s daring but meticulous." Fabian appeared to be a loving person to Otto because Fabian treated Marina well even though they weren''t blood- rted. After Fabian began managing the household, he didn''t mistreat her because of her identity. He treated her with care instead. So, Otto believed in Fabian. Marina bit her lip, not knowing what to say. Knowing what was actually going on, Olivia enjoyed the show. It seemed like things were going to get interesting from now. Just a light touch of the blister hurt. Yet, Olivia asked Fabian to poke it before applying the ointment. Even he himself could barely do it. "Just hold on." He didn''t hesitate with his moves, and it hurt so much that Marina wailed. After poking the blisters, he applied the light blue cream onto them. It was the same as smearing salt and covering ayer of spice across the wound. Marina screamed in agony. The pain sent her body trembling. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead. Before she could scold anyone, she fainted. "Vanessa, what''s going on?" Olivia repliednguidly, "I made this ointment myself. It''s a very strong medicine, but it has the best effect. "The normal medicine out there can do almost nothing for her. Just wait and see. "30 minutester, you''ll be able to see the change of her legs. But... the price is that she has to suffer hell." Fabian hurriedly asked, "Will it take a toll on her health?" She sneered. "There''s no such thing as a happy ending in this world. She won''t be able to own everything without sacrifices." Without a care of what the Carltons thought, she took her needle pouch out to perform the acupuncture. She especially brought thicker needles for Marina. "Vanessa, why are your needles this thick?" "This is not a minor illness. Do you think that the usual needles can help?" Olivia questioned back. She began inserting the needles one by one. On the tenth needle, Marina woke up. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The area where the ointment was applied didn''t hurt that much anymore, but the needles were hurtful. She cried while looking at Ethan. "Ethan, it hurts. It hurts so much. Save me." The day of Olivia''s first delivery reyed in his head. It was pretermbor, and she was losing a lot of blood. He stood outside the operating room, hearing her yelp at the top of her lungs. People said that giving birth to a baby was the most hurtful thing in the world. Could Marina understand the pain and tears Olivia shed because of her? He responded icily, "If you''re afraid of the pain, then stop the treatment. It''s not that bad to live in a wheelchair forever." "Are you still ming me, Ethan? I didn''t recognize him back then! If I had known that he was Jeff, why would I say that? It was an ident. I-" She ended up screaming again. Olivia exerted more strength, and Marina was in excruciating pain. "Ms. Carlton, some things couldn''t be glossed over by saying that it was an ident. It''s like how the dead can nevere back to life." Marina met Olivia''s eyes, which appeared familiar to her. But Marina was confident that she had never seen that face before. "What do you want me to do then? He''s dead. Do you want me to go to him? Then, why are you saving me?" "Because the living person should etch the pain of the deceased in their bones." Chapter 1079 Chapter 1079 "Who are you? Grandpa, I don''t want her to treat me anymore." Marina felt an instinctive fear. She could sense the hatred the woman had for her. The woman also reminded her of Olivia. After Olivia left all those years ago, no one heard from her again. Some people said that she was already dead. No matter where she was, this person before her shouldn''t be Olivia, right? Olivia was calm. "I was justmenting on the discussion between you and Mr. Miller. Why are you acting so suspicious? Did you really do something bad?" Marina was the one that caused the deaths of both Chloe and Jeff. She deserved to rot in hell. "Marina, you''re being too sensitive. The doctor is very busy. We only managed to get her toe after contacting her multiple times. "Stop overthinking and endure the pain. It''s all so you could stand up again." "Endure the pain? How much longer do I have to endure it?" "You need to go through three months of treatment. If the results are positive, the timeframe could be shorter. We''ll start the surgery after the treatment." "Three months!" That would mean she would have to endure this kind of torture for almost 100 days. Marina shuddered at the thought. Finally, all the needles had been stuck into her legs. She felt pain emanating from every single pressure point. Marina''s face paled, and she was covered in sweat. "Keep it like this for 30 minutes." Marina thought the torture Fabian put her in was already hell. But that was nothingpared to the pain she felt at the moment. As the sun was setting, Olivia collected the needles and said, "Soak her feet and apply the ointment before I get here next time. I''ll only be performing acupuncture, okay?" Fabian nodded. "Thanks. It''s gettingte. Why don''t you eat dinner with us before you leave?" "Alright, but just this once. You don''t need to prepare food for me next time." Olivia acted very coldly and indifferent the whole time. "Understood." Fabion handed Olivia a check for two million dors. "This is the payment for the treatment. I''ll pay you handsomely when my sister is able to stand up." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia didn''t turn him down. "We''ll talk about that when the timees." When they were at the dining table, Marina initially didn''t have the energy to get up. But Ethan was there, so she had to eat with them no matter what. The seat next to Marina was empty, but Ethan went to sit next to Olivia. "My chest hurts, Vanessa. When can you take a look at it for me?" Olivia didn''t even raise her head. "It''s just a minor issue, Mr. Miller. You just have to get some herbal medicine from an experienced doctor." "Ethan, this is your favorite dish. I specifically asked the chefs to prepare it for you." Marina suddenly butted in and brought some food over to Ethan with great effort. "I used to like it because it was one of the dishes Liv used to make. What I liked was Liv, not the dish itself." Olivia almost choked on the food she was eating from the shock of his sudden confession. What was wrong with Ethan? Was he possessed? Marina''s gaze was filled with disappointment. "You two have been divorced for so many years. Why are you still thinking of her?" Ethan retorted, "Should I be thinking of you instead?" Otto cleared his throat. "Let''s eat. Ethan finally came to visit. Let''s not talk about that." Marina had no choice but to shut up. Then, she saw Ethan putting some meatballs on Olivia''s te. "This is an Aldenvine specialty cuisine. Give it a try and see if you like it." Olivia used to love spicy food. This was one of the few non- spicy dishes that she liked. She would cook it herself asionally. Ethan remembered all her preferences. "Thanks." Marina''s eyes widened in shock. Why would Ethan be so nice to a stranger? Fabian suddenly asked, "Your ent sounds very local. Are you from Aldenvine, Vanessa?" Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080 Fabian had been keeping to himself most of the time. That was exactly why he was the hardest person to grasp. Olivia looked at him and said, "It''s none of your business whether I''m from Aldenvine or not." Initially, Olivia came up with this cold and indifferent persona to avoid trouble. People would think she was bad- tempered and wouldn''t talk to her that much. She didn''t have to care about what others thought of her since she wasn''t the one asking for help. Fabian smiled awkwardly. "That¡¯s true. It''s just that we would be seeing each other for three more months. I was just trying to get to know you. Perhaps we can even be friends." "Did I do something to cause this misunderstanding? I''m here to treat a patient, not to make friends." Olivia''s words were quite rude. The Carltons were a wealthy family. She was just a doctor. What gave her the right to be so arrogant? Marina realized that Vanessa treated everyone the same. She was delighted to see Vanessa snap at Fabion. The meal ended in a very awkward atmosphere. Only Otto acted like a normal person. Olivia set her cutleries down and told them she was leaving. Otto grabbed Ethan''s arm and insisted that he stay and drink a couple of rounds with him.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Ethan grew anxious when he saw Olivia leave. So, he turned down Otto''s offer and told him he had some business to tend to. Then, he rushed out in a panic and managed to stop Olivia before she got in her car. He took the keys from her grasp and threw them to Kelvin.He dragged her into his car, ignoring her resistance. "Ethan, stop this..." Ethan sealed her lips with a kiss while Brent was in the driver''s seat. He would never do something so out of line in the past. He was getting out of control. "Have you been getting along well with Warren, Liv?" Ethan asked as he nibbled on her lips. He knew she would never do anything intimate with Warren, but he couldn''t help feeling angry that she was spending time alone with another man. Olivia knew that Henry would tell Ethan about that. She didn''t expect Ethan to figure out that Varren was Warren. "I''m just doing this to avenge Mona and to find the mastermind. There is information suggesting that Warren has been in contact with that person." Ethan pressed her against the car door and continued to kiss her. "Even so, I still..." Before he could finish his sentence, someone knocked on the car window. It was Marina, who was in her wheelchair. She couldn''t see what was going on in the car, but Ethan could see her clearly. They were only separated by a door. Olivia was panting next to Ethan. Ethan rolled down the window halfway. It was snowing heavily, and Marina was looking at him with yearning in her eyes. "Ethan, are you just going to leave me like this? Do you know how much I''ve suffered in the past few years?" "You are the one who made your own choices. You only have yourself to me." Ethan looked at her coldly, without a shred of concern in his eyes. At her height, Marina couldn''t see Olivia. Ethan had bitten Olivia on the lips, and it still stung. So, Olivia mischievously pulled Ethan''s shirt out of his pants and reached in. She was just out in the snow, so her hands were cold. She caressed Ethan''s abs. Her touch made Ethan shiver. Marina didn''t know what was going on in the car. She continued, "I''ve been reflecting on my mistakes all these years, Ethan. I know I was wrong. "Can you please stop being so cruel to me, for Kurt''s sake? He would still be alive if he didn''t catch a bullet for you. "My children wouldn''t have lost their father, and I wouldn''t be in this pitiful state." Olivia could even feel the sense of gloom and doom through the ss. Chapter 1081 Chapter 1081 For a split second, Olivia could understand what Ethan went through. A man who was like a brother to him since a young age died for him. His dying wish was for Ethan to take care of Marina. But Marina was a despicable woman who kept holding this dying wish over Ethan. After she gave it some thought, Olivia came to the conclusion that she probably wouldn''t have handled the situation better than Ethan. If Marina hadn''t exhausted every bit of Ethan''s patience, he would never have forsaken her. Ethan sneered when she brought up that name. "I''m disgusted when you utter that name. I''m indebted to Kurt, not you. And you''ve gotten more than you deserve from my debt to him.¡± He stared right into Marina''s eyes. "You had alreadymitted an unforgivable sin the day you pushed Olivia overboard on that cruise ship." Ethan rolled the window up after he said that. Brent stepped on the gas, and they were off. With every bit of her strength, Marina leaped forward. She fell onto the snowy ground. She reached out in an attempt to stop Ethan. "Ethan, please don''t leave me. Please! I know I was wrong. I''ve really learned my lesson!" Original from N?velDrama.Org. Fabian slowly walked up behind her and bent over to pick her up. He whispered, "Why won''t you ever learn?" "No. Let go of me. Keep your hands off me!" Fabian smiled devilishly. "You don¡¯t want me to touch you? Do you want Ethan instead? Do you really think you would ever be as important as Olivia to him? "He probably wouldn''t spare you a nce even if youid bare before him." Even though Marina knew he spoke the truth, she still screamed and was unwilling to ept it. She was so close. Onest step. Onest step, and she could''ve be Ethan''s bride. But she made mistakes one after the other. That was why she ended up at the point of no return. Ethan, who was in the car, wasn''t in the mood for anything else. He had his arms around Olivia, but his expression was chilling. Dead silence emanated in the car. Olivia nudged him and said, "Say something." Ethan leaned on her shoulder and said in a deep tone, "I knew about it when she pushed you overboard. "I had the urge to strangle her to death, but I could only act as if nothing happened because of Kurt. I know I''m even more despicable than Marina." Olivia nodded. "Seems like you know yourself pretty well." "I''m sorry. I know you must have been in so much pain when you were inbor, but I wasn''t by your side." Giving birth to a baby was painful indeed. But the mental torment was worse than the physical pain. It went on for years. Those days still felt surreal to Olivia. She didn''t know how she managed to get through those days. "No matter what happens in the future, I will be by your side." "What if Leia and I stand on opposite sides? Who will you pick?" Olivia asked. "Liv, Leia is my sister. We are bound by blood. But I know everything she has done to you. I will never allow any of that to happen again. "I''ve severed her tendons. She can''t do anything else. She is a cripple now." "Who knows what will happen in the future? What if she manages to be my enemy despite that?" "I''ll choose you without hesitation. You''re the most important person in my life. "I regretted my actions for many years after I shot your hand for her sake." Ethan caressed her face gently. "From now on, I don''t want to do anything I might regret." Chapter 1082 Chapter 1082 Brent didn''t drive them home. Instead, he stopped the car at a hotel. After they got on the elevator, Olivia asked, "Why did you bring me here?" Ethan tapped her on the nose lightly. "I never had time to spend with you in the past. We were married, but our rtionship was worse than a regr couple. I want to do all the things we never got to do before, Liv." The lights shone down and illuminated Ethan''s gentle gaze. Olivia could hear her heartbeat quicken. He was different from before. Then, he leaned forward and whispered, "Don''t you think it would be more exciting doing it in a 100- story building?" Olivia was rendered speechless. This bastard. Ethan shamelessly pulled her out of the elevator. Then, he pushed her into a room. Olivia was shocked by what she saw. The entire suite was littered with rose petals. There was a thickyer of petals on the carpet. The fragrance of roses permeated the room. "You..." Ethan pushed her into the bathroom. "Change your face. It feels like I''m cheating on you when I''m kissing this face." Olivia was amused. He was being very peculiar about this. She removed the makeup and took a shower. She noticed a dress had already been prepared on a nearby rack. He was quite thoughtful. Olivia changed into the dress and pinned her hair up with a hairpin. There was also a small, white- colored headpiece on the side. She was curious about the surprises he had in store for her. Olivia opened the door. The lights in the room had been turned off. There were star- shaped lights on the roses. The atmosphere in the room was perfect. For a moment, Olivia was afraid that people would jump out and spray confetti at her. Fortunately, that didn''t happen. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Ethan stood among the petals with a bunch of roses in his hands. Olivia took a few steps forward and stopped. She looked at him with her arms crossed. "It would be veryme if you proposed to me here.¡± As soon as she said that, Ethan got down on one knee. "Liv, I owe you a wedding and a proposal. It is just a formality. You don''t have to take it to heart." When she was in love with Ethan, Olivia thought the love they had could triumph over anything. So, she agreed to be his wife without any ceremonies or formalities. At that moment, Ethan had everything prepared, but she wasn''t that young woman who was madly in love anymore. At her age, she didn''t need formalities. She just wanted her family to be safe and sound. "Liv, I said I would give you everything that I wasn''t able to before. I love you. Will you marry me?" Ethan held a gorgeous diamond ring in his hand. It was different from the ring they had. He probably had a new one designed.He wanted to start anew. Olivia didn''t care about his intentions. She bent over, took the roses, and sniffed them. "They smell great. I''ll take the flowers, but I don''t want the ring." Olivia noticed the disappointment in Ethan''s eyes. But she knew she couldn''t give him the rtionship he wanted anymore. She tried to change the subject. "Didn''t you say you want to do something exciting? Are you sure you want to waste your time on something like this?" Ethan suppressed the disappointment and picked her up. Then, he ced her on the bed covered in rose petals. The bed was very soft, and Olivia bounced up for a bit when Ethan put her down on it. Ethan''s chest pressed against her. "I wont let you go tonight. I* Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and said, Be gentle with me." Chapter 1083 Chapter 1083 The sun had yet to rise, but Ethan''s phone kept vibrating. He wanted to turn it off and keep sleeping but noticed it was a call from Joel. Joel wouldn''t contact him unless it was something very important. "What''s wrong, Mr. Tucker?" Ethan lowered his voice as he looked at Olivia, who was in his arms. He didn''t want to wake her. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "That person is injured." Ethan was instantly wide awake. "When did it happen? Why wasn¡¯t I informed?" "It happened 30 minutes ago. News of the incident is being kept secret by the top brass." "I''ll get there as soon as possible." Ethan hung up and looked at Olivia, who had just woken up. He kissed her on the lips and said, "Liv, I''m sorry. There''s an emergency." Olivia understood that Ethan was a busy man. She nodded and went back to sleep. Her carefree attitude amused Ethan. In the past, she wouldn''t be able to sleep if he needed to leave before daybreak. She would get up and send him off with a worried expression. Ethan left in a hurry. Just as Olivia was about to fall asleep, her phone rang. It was an unknown caller. She picked up. "Hello?" "It''s me." Jack''s voice came from the other end of the line. Olivia''s drowsiness left her immediately. His voice sounded off. "What''s wrong, Jack?" "I''m injured." "Where are you? I''ll get there immediately." Jack was like a brother to Olivia. She rushed over to his side when she heard that he was injured. Jack was a deserter from the ck Ravens. They never stopped going after him. Did they put him on the back foot this time? But she didn''t receive any news on that. Olivia arrived at her vi. The living looked like a crime scene. There was blood everywhere. It seemed like Jack was seriously injured this time. He was sitting on the carpet and leaning against the couch. He was holding on to consciousness with sheer willpower as he waited for Olivia to arrive. "I''m sorry I soiled your carpet." Tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes when she saw Jack covered in blood. She rushed over to him and asked, "What were you doing, Jack? How did you get so badly injured?" Jack smiled in resignation. "I can''t tell you about it." A few days ago, he said he needed to go on a mission. Jack helped her a lot, but he never told her anything. So, Olivia never asked. If she knew he would be injured, she would''ve asked about it. "Let me take a look at your wounds." Olivia was calmer than she had ever been. It was at times like these when she had to keep her cool. With his identity, Jack couldn''t be sent to the hospital. She was his only hope. "I might not make it through this. Olivia, actually, I..." Before he could finish his sentence, Jack cked out and fell over. Olivia quickly held him steady. Jack was in a horrible state. His arms, abdomen, and chest had been shot. Olivia couldn''t even imagine what kind of perilous situation he was in to sustain these injuries. She had to remove the bullets from his body as soon as possible. Luckily, she had fashioned one of the basement rooms into a medical room when she purchased the vi. Olivia carried Jack to the basement. She was alone and didn''t have an assistant. She had to be the anesthetist, general surgeon, and cardiovascr specialist. Olivia put on sterile clothing and quickly removed the bullets from Jack''s wounds. He was gravely wounded. His survival wasn''t guaranteed. Olivia was panicking, but her hands were steady. She had no choice. She had to save Jack. Chapter 1084 Chapter 1084 When Ethan got to the hospital, he saw Joel looking very troubled. "How is he, Mr. Tucker?" Joel shook his head. "It''s not looking good. All the best doctors are looking at him. The bullet hit right below his heart. It is a very dangerous spot. "We can still keep him alive with the bullet in him, but if there are any mistakes when extracting the bullet, he will die on the spot. He is currently unconscious." ''Do we know who shot him?" "We don''t know yet. Keeping Mr. Mason alive was our top priority. Yale just got here, too." "With Mr. Mason in this state, he wouldn''t be able to see him even if he came." Ethan snorted. "That''s true. I just wanted to tell you one thing. There is still one person in the world that could perform that surgery. "You have to find him before Yale. It would help you greatly in the election if you save Mr. Mason''s life." "Who is it?" "The famed cardiovascr specialist Lionel Gatsby." Ethan frowned. "Isn''t he retired? How do I find him?" "You have to find him no matter what, and you only have two days to do so. I can only keep Mr. Mason alive for two more days. "Your rivalry with Yale has reached a crucial stage. If he finds Lionel before you do, he will gain Mr. Mason''s support and emerge victorious." There were only two days. ording to hearsay, Lionel went off the grid after he retired. Ethan had been looking for him in the past year but to no avail. "Understood. I will go take a look at Mr. Mason.¡± Krystal was crouching on the floor and crying profusely in the corridor. An elegant middle- aged woman sat beside her. "Stop crying." "Mom, do you think Dad is already dead?" "Stop that nonsense. Why would he die? Some of the best specialists are treating him right now." Yale, who was sitting next to them, said gently, "Don''t worry, Krystal, Mr. Mason will surely survive. He won''t go down so easily. "You don''t have to worry too much either, Mrs. Heath. I will find Dr. Gatsby." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "I''ll leave that to you then, Yale." As she was crying, Krystal saw Ethaning over. She rushed toward him and jumped into his arms. Ethan pushed her away discreetly. "I''m sorry for beingte, Mrs. Heath." "It''s nice to see you, too, Ethan. Mason is ..." "I''ve heard about it. Don''t worry, I''ll save him." "I''m d to hear you say that. You and Yale have to find Dr. Gatsby as soon as possible." Ethan and Yale left at the same time. Yale had a courteous smile on his face. "I''m very curious. Where are you going to find Dr. Gatsby?" "Seems like you think you have this in the bag?" Yale stopped in his tracks and whispered, "Ethan, luck won''t always be on your side. It''s time for fortune to smile on me for once." "We''ll see about that." Ethan left with brisk strides. Kelvin and Brent followed him." What''s the situation, Mr. Miller." "Look into how Mr. Mason got shot. I feel like something''s amiss." "Are you suspecting Yale?" Ethan saw the confidence on Yale''s face. It was like he already knew where Lionel was. "This is not the time to talk about that. Brent will work on looking for Lionel. Kelvin, do some probing on this assassination attempt." "Understood. What would you be doing, Mr. Miller?" Lionel wasn''t the best cardiovascr specialist in the world. It might be true that he used to be the best. But he had retired for a few years. He was old and hadn''t used a scalpel in a long time. Mason''s life was hanging in the bnce. Ethan knew that Olivia had performed a heart surgeryst year, which garnered international attention. Olivia was the better choice for this! Chapter 1085 Chapter 1085 Brent''s face lit up. "That''s right! We almost forgot about Mrs. Miller. The heart surgery she performedst year is still being praised now. "So, we still have a chance even if Yale has already found Dr. Gatsby." "If Yale has already made preparations. Then, Dr. Gatsby must be with him already. "He wouldn''t make a move so quickly. So he will probably show up with Mr. Gatsby tomorrow." "You should get Mrs. Miller then, Mr. Miller. We''ll beat them to it." Ethan drove to the hotel. He figured Olivia should still be sleeping at this hour. When he went into the room, no one was there. Olivia was nowhere to be seen! The room was still as messy as they left it the night before. Something was off. Given Olivia''s personality, she wouldn''t have allowed her clothes to be scattered on the floor. She would''ve tidied up the ce if she wanted to leave. There was only one exnation. She left in a hurry. Ethan called her number, but her phone was turned off. Why would she leave all of a sudden? Besides, she told him he could contact her on this phone. Why would she turn it off? Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Ethan didn''t look into what Olivia had been doing or where she had been in the past years because he didn''t want her to hate him. So, her turning off her phone was like she had disappeared off the face of the earth for him. Ethan quickly got someone to check the security footage. It showed that Olivia left the room five minutes after he did. She also left in a hurry and didn''t even have the time to put on her disguise. She went out with her actual appearance. Kelvin drove her car home the night before, so she went out of sight at the intersection. "Mrs. Miller probably left in a cab, Mr. Miller. But she was in the cameras'' blind spot. It would take some time to look for her." "We need to find her as soon as possible. Check Warren. See if she is with him." "Yes, sir." Olivia left in a hurry. What would cause her to do that? That was beside the point. Ethan was more worried about Olivia. It took Olivia several hours to pull Jack back from the clutches of death. She slumped into a chair next to him after she noticed his chest heaving slightly. Her forehead was covered in sweat. It was very taxing to perform surgery alone. She had to be extremely precise on every step. One slight mistake and Jack would''ve died on the operating table. Luckily, she was able to remove all the bullets. Jack''s vital signs slowly returned to normal. Jack opened his eyes and looked at her weakly. "Olivia..." "Don''t speak, Jack. You have just gotten out of critical condition, but your body is still weak. You need to be put under observation for a few days." "Thank you." "You don''t have to be a stranger. Did the ck Ravens get to you?" Jack was unwilling to talk about what happened. "You don''t have to concern yourself with what happened." Olivia sighed. "Alright. I won''t force you to tell me if you don''t want to. Get some rest. I will clean up the room. Holler at me if you need anything." "Okay." Olivia went up to the living room, where blood was everywhere, and started to clean up. The rug was soaked in his blood. She couldn''t just throw them away. It would be troublesome if someone found them and took samples. It took Olivia two hours to clean the room. Then, she went and made some liquid food for him and observed his mental state. She finally sighed in relief after she confirmed that he was fine. "Jack, please let me know if you''re going to do something so dangerous next time. You scared me to death." Jack smiled weakly. "If I didn''t make it, would you be sad?" "Of course! Even though we''re not blood-rted, I''ve always thought of you as my brother. I..." Before she could finish her sentence, Olivia received a notification on her phone informing her that someone was pressing the doorbell. Chapter 1086 Chapter 1086 Who could it be at this hour? Olivia didn''t have friends in Aldenvine. She also didn''t have any food deliveries or parcels. She tapped her phone and saw a familiar face. It was Ethan. How did he find her here? Was he a bloodhound? "Ethan is here, Jack. I''ll go see what he wants." "Okay." She had a deal with Ethan. He wouldn''te looking for her here without a good reason. Something was wrong. Ethan wouldn''t do anything to harm her, so she would know what was up after they met up. Olivia opened the door. "Why are you ..." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Her sentence was cut short when Ethan rushed forward and hugged her. Olivia was shocked by his warm embrace. "What''s wrong with you?" "I''m so d you''re okay. Your phone was turned off. I have been searching for you the whole day." Olivia suddenly remembered that she had turned off the phone she used to contact Ethan because she was performing surgery and didn''t want to be interrupted. "I mean ... I was just gone for a day. You don''t need to overreact." She couldn''t really understand what Ethan was thinking. But she suppressed the surprised look on her face when she felt his body trembling. "Liv, do you know how I felt when I lost you? I looked for you for more than 1000 days. Do you even know how I lived through those days? "I''ve finally found you. I don''t want anything else. I just wish you happiness and good health. I noticed that you left in a hurry this morning. I was afraid something would happen to you." Ethan''s words moved Olivia. She really didn''t know Ethan would be so afraid of losing her. She reached out and patted him on the back. "Don¡¯t worry, I''m fine. Do I look like something happened to me?" The panic in Ethan''s eyes slowly dissipated. "I went to the Carlton Residence. They told me you were unwell and didn''t go to treat Marina. So, I was worried." Olivia cleared her throat. "It''s because you overdid itst night. You pressed me against the ss..." She blushed when she said that. Ethan looked at her with a concerned expression. "Are you feeling better now?" "I''m a doctor myself. I felt better after taking some medications. Look at all the snow on you. How long have you been standing outside?" Olivia reached out and swept the snow off his shoulders. Ethan used to be a very calm person. He had never been so pitiful. Ethan''s stomach rumbled. Olivia could see that he was uneasy. "Haven''t you eaten anything the whole day?" "I wasn''t in the mood to eat while you were still missing." Olivia didn''t know what to say. She led him into the house and said, "I''ll make you some food." Ethan''s hand was cold. She could only imagine how hard he worked to find her. Everything outside was covered in snow. Snowkes were still falling in the yard. As Olivia wasining, she brought him inside the house. Ethan observed Olivia''s yard closely. He wanted to know her current preferences based on the items in the yard. His gaze fell on a rug that was already frozen. It was apparent that the rug had just been washed. Most people would use a fabric cleaning machine when washing a rug. It could clean out stains very quickly. Was that rug covered in stains? Ethan was curious. It would take quite some time to clean such a huge rug, right? Did Olivia rush over here to clean? A gust of warm air flowed toward them when they entered the living room. There was also a faint fragrance in the air. The lights were bright. The temperature was warm. The ce felt very homely. Olivia hung the jacket he took off on a nearby rack. "Liv, is this your home?" Chapter 1087 Chapter 1087 "Yeah. This is my temporary home in Aldenvine. "You aren''t nning on moving, right? This entire house is designed based on your preference. You picked out this furniture yourself, right?" Ethan knew her well. Olivia nodded. "Yeah. I was born and raised in Aldenvine. I wanted to have a home here." That was why she spent so much money to acquire the medical equipment. She wanted to be prepared for every asion. Ethan felt bad when he heard that. "Liv. I''m sorry." She used to have a home. When the Fordhams went bankrupt, their residence was seized. Even if it was reacquiredter, it was no longer her home. The house she lived in when she married Ethan was filled with unpleasant memories. Marina lived in Collington Cove before, and the apartment belonged to Keith. This was the only house she bought herself and never belonged to anyone else. She picked out everything in the house personally. "It''s all in the past. I''ll make you some pasta." Olivia quickly headed to the kitchen. Ethan looked at the flowers on the dining table. Olivia was still the same. She ced some fresh flowers there. The main color in the living room was beige. It looked very warm. Ethan took a look around the house. He was like a lion that was surveying his territory. He took a cup of water and was about to sit down and take a break when he dropped his car keys. When he crouched down to pick them up, he noticed a shade of red under the couch. The bright color stood out against the beige-colored couch. It was hard to miss. It was blood. It was a new stain that had been left there not more than ten hours ago. But why would there be blood under the couch? Ethan looked at the spotless floor. It was so clean it was also shining. Then, Ethan thought about the rug he saw when he walked in. A thought began to form in his mind. Someone had bled all over the rug. The blood was everywhere, and it got under the couch. Olivia missed it when she was cleaning. There was indeed a reason for her hasty departure. Ethan''s eyes darkened. Who was the injured person? Why was the person injured? Was the person still in the vicinity? Questions popped up in his head. After a while, Olivia brought two tes of pasta out while wearing an apron. She looked like she was a housewife like she used to be. Ethan couldn''t see anything suspicious about her. Olivia had matured. The Olivia of the past was like an open book. She had grown to be able to keep her emotions hidden when she was with her. "It''s already sote. You haven''t eaten either?" Olivia popped open a can and added the hot sauce to her te. "Yeah. I have been cleaning the whole day. I didn''t have the time to eat." Olivia knew that Ethan was very observant. She was sure he probably already noticed the rug. "Why don''t you hire a housekeeper? It would be a waste of time for you to clean such arge house." Olivia was spreading the hot sauce on her pasta to make it more even. Her face was lowered so Ethan couldn''t see her facial expression. "I''m used to it. I cleaned the house we used to live in by myself, too." "Liv..." "Eat. The pasta is getting cold." Original from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia didn''t tell him anything, and Ethan wasn''t in a position to inquire further. The atmosphere became strained. Ethan didn''t tell Olivia why he was looking for her yet. "Liv, tonight..." Olivia shut him down without hesitation. "I want to rest today. You''ve seen me. You should leave after you finish the pasta." Ethan reached out and held her hand. "Liv, why are you in such a rush to get rid of me? Are you hiding another man in this house?" Chapter 1088 Chapter 1088 Olivia didn''t know if she should be amazed at how urate his intuition was. "Ethan, what does that have to do with you? I''m not hiding anyone. But even if I was hiding a man, you''re in no position to intervene." Her cold demeanor reminded Ethan of his response back when she asked about his rtionship with Marina. He said something simr to brush her question aside. This time, Olivia gave him the same response. That was true. They were no longer in a rtionship. They weren''t even lovers. The night of passion was something he had to beg for. If they really wanted toy everything bare, the truth would only hurt Ethan. He had no one to me but himself. That was how he treated Olivia in the past. It was retribution for his actions. Olivia caressed his face and said, ''Ethan, you should behave while I am still attracted to you physically." She was like a seductive but venomous snake hissing in his ear. "Or else, I can end this ridiculous rtionship whenever I want. What do you think?" Ethan was at a loss for words. He was the weaker party in this rtionship. So, he lost the initiative and his pride. But he was still willing to be part of it. Ethan smiled in resignation. "But Liv, I didn''t seek you out to do it. I need your help for something." Olivia moved away from him and sat down at the dining table. She supported her face with her arm and said, "What can I do about something the great Ethan Miller can''t deal with?" "You can remove bullets from the heart." Olivia looked at him. "Who''s been injured?" If it weren''t for someone important, Ethan wouldn''t be asking her for a favor. She started to think about everyone Ethan knew. No wonder he had been looking for her in such a hurry. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "It''s someone very important." Olivia peeled a grape, "Tell me. How important is this person?" Ethan pointed at the ceiling. Olivia''s expression turned serious. "That man we see in the news?" "Yes." "I don''t want to do it. They''ll kill me if I fail." Ethan was amused. "We''re not in the medieval ages anymore." Olivia bit into the grape. It was sweet with a tinge of sourness. She liked that. "There are a lot of renowned specialists by his side. Why would I be needed? You might trust me, but the others probably won''t. Besides, why would his death concern me? What do I stand to gain? She wasn''t the young and naive she used to be. She was more alert and cautious than before. It would have been better if she hadn''t gotten involved with too many troublesome matters. "If you save his life, you''ll receive certain legal immunities and special privileges. I trust you know the benefits of those gifts." "What if I fail? It''s something the other renowned doctors failed to do. I''m just another woman. I probably can''t do it either." Ethan looked into her eyes. "But I trust that you''ll seed." He licked his lips. "If you fail, I will shoulder all the responsibility. If you seed, you''ll have helped me immensely, Liv." Olivia knew of the rivalry between Ethan and Yale. She figured this was yet another one of their competition. She feigned ignorance but was hesitant. Did she want to help Ethan? After all, this matter had nothing to do with his life, just his ambition. A man like him had all the money he could ever need, and now he''s trying to amass all the power he could muster. She licked the grape juice on the corner of her lips and asked, "What is in it for me if I help you? Would you give me custody of Connor?" Chapter 1089 Chapter 1089 Olivia was acting like a cunning businesswoman. She did away with all her naivete and kindness. All she thought about was her personal interests and gains. Ethan sighed. "Liv ..." All the other children grew up by her side. He had never fought with her for their custody. Connor was responsible for inheriting the Miller family. "I can give you anything except Connor. I know you feel bad for him. But the Miller family needs an heir. I need a sessor." "If you don''t give him to me. I won''t help save the person. Think about it carefully." Ethan suddenly leaned over and started to kiss her roughly as if punishing her for not helping him. His beloved Liv had already grown to be able to stand her ground and negotiate with him. He didn''t want to make things difficult for Olivia. So, he let go of her after a deep kiss. "Alright, Liv. I won''t force you if you don¡¯t want to do it. You can pretend I never brought this up tonight." Ethan went back to his seat. "You''re right. I can''t change anything, no matter what I do. I''m already content that you''re willing to let me be by your side. "I don''t want to lose that. I''m sorry for troubling you tonight." He picked up his jacket and walked to the door. Olivia watched as he disappeared into the snow. His silhouette seemed to be filled with a sense of destion. Gone was the elegance he used to have. For some reason, Olivia thought about the time Ethan saved her from the ocean. "Don''t worry. I''ll save you." She didn''t know when she fell for him, but she was desperately in love with him. From that moment on, she had always been getting the short end of the stick. "Hey, Ethan!" Ethan quickly stopped walking and turned around. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Olivia was leaning on the door with her arms crossed. She smiled devilishly at him. "I don¡¯t want custody of Connor anymore. I''ll take something else instead." She never actually wanted to take Connor from Ethan. She wanted to see if he would sell his own son out for his ambition. Fortunately, he didn''t do that. He didn''t hand over his son so easily. While standing in the snow, Ethan looked at her. "Did you change your mind?" "I don''t have anything better to do anyway. I might as well go take a look. Perhaps I might be pleasantly surprised." That way, she could get closer to his world. Since Krystal pped her and all the medical staff looked down on her, Olivia had been thinking of getting a glimpse of the world they lived in. It wasn''t because she wanted to live in their world. She just wanted to see what it was like. She wanted to see for herself why they thought they were better than everyone else. Ethan ran toward her and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Liv. n "Don¡¯t get too excited yet. The others can''t do it. I might not be able to pull it off either. I''m just going to take a look." "Liv, I am already happy that you could agree to go with me. We should head over right now. Time is of the essence." Olivia pointed at the pajamas she was wearing. "At least let me change first." She went back to her room and sent Colin a message. He had to take care of Jack while she wasn''t there. Colin replied, "Olivia, you''re really a ve driver." Olivia smiled. "Thanks for this, Colin. I''ll make sure to find you a pretty wife someday." After she sent the texts, Olivia changed into her ck coat and followed Ethan into the night. It was her second time visiting this ce. The first time she visited, she came in an ambnce. Back then, it was dark and snowing heavily. Olivia didn''t get a chance to observe her surroundings. She only remembered that it was very cold. The people were also looking at her with icy gazes. And yet, she was back again. Chapter 1090 Chapter 1090 This time, it was different. There were already many people waiting at the door before she got out of the car. There were bodyguards, doctors, and a teary-eyed Krystal. Krystal tugged on Joel''s sleeve and asked, "Would this doctor really be able to save my father, Mr. Tucker?" Olivia looked at Ethan and said coldly, "She''s here, too?" Ethan exined, "She''s from the Heath family as well." "Don''t tell me she¡¯s Mr. Heath''s daughter." Ethan rubbed his temples. "Their situation isplicated. But yes, she is Mr. Heath''s daughter. He is my teacher of sorts." Olivia snorted. "So you two were childhood friends." Ethan was a little troubled. He didn''t know how to talk about these confidential matters. Then, someone opened the door. Krystal rushed over. "Doctor..." Her expression changed when she saw that it was Vanessa in the car. She could never forget the green-eyed girl''s scary expression, like she wanted to kill her. The girl had an angelic face but a venomous personality. This woman who gave birth to that girl couldn''t possibly be a good person! "Why is it you? Why are you here?" Joel was surprised. "You brat, what a pleasant surprise. You actually managed to bring Vanessa here." Joel had wanted to bring Olivia here, but she was in the vige, and there was no way of contacting her. Even if he sent someone over, and she agreed toe, Mason would already be dead before she could get here. So, Joel gave up on that idea. He didn''t expect Ethan to act on that idea and bring her here. Joel pulled on Krystal''s hand. "Krystal, don''t be rude. She''s a very capable cardiovascr specialist. Mr. Heath will be saved with her here!" For some reason, Krystal never liked Vanessa, even when they first met in the vige. It was just her intuition. "Sure, she can cure poisons, but can she really perform surgeries? She better not be a mediocre doctor. My father''s life is hanging in the bnce. If she ..." Olivia looked at Krystal calmly. "Since Ms. Heath doesn''t trust me, I might as well leave." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She closed the door after she said that. Ethan knew Olivia didn''t like Krystal. She was free to choose if she wanted to participate in this matter. He didn''t want to force her to do anything she didn''t want to do. So, he didn''t stop her. Joel barely managed to grab the door before Olivia could close it. "Please ignore Krystal. Mr. Heath''s life is hanging by a thread right now. Vanessa, please save him, for my sake, too." Olivia remembered how Joel looked when he left. He was her teacher''s friend, after all. In the end, Olivia decided to get out of the car. Joel quickly followed behind her. All of the medical staff were checking her out. Some of them even looked at her with admiration. Some people were even talking about her. "So, she''s Vanessa? She''s younger than I imagined." "I didn''t expect to meet my idol!" Their attitudes werepletely different. Even Joel was very polite before her. "Did Ethan tell you about the situation?" "I''ve seen the medical report and X-ray images." "The bullet is in a very dangerous position. None of us dare to operate on him. What do you think?" Olivia said calmly, "I can do the operation." Her words brought ecstasy to Joel''s eyes. "Really? How confident are you?" "I think there''s a sess rate of 80%." That was a very high sess rate. But Krystal''s disruptive voice rang out. "80%? Even Mr. Moran said he couldn''t do it. Who do you think you are? Are you just spewing nonsense?" Chapter 1091 Chapter 1091 Olivia remained calm. "Alright. I can''t do it.'' Since he had interacted with Olivia in the past, Joel knew her personality well. He quickly tried to de- escte the situation. "Ladies, please. Krystal, you should make yourself scarce for now. You don''t know Vanessa that well. The surgery she performedst year was harder than this one. "That time, she removed a bullet from the heart. She managed to save that patient." "That has to be a lie. How could the person still be alive after being shot in the heart?" Olivia sneered. "You won¡¯t get it if you don''t even know anything about medicine. Do I have to exin every detail to you? Even if I did, you still won''t understand. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Tucker, since I''m not wee here, I won''t be performing this surgery anymore. You should just get someone else to do it." "Please don''t. You''re already here. You should go take a look. What if you can save him?" "Sure." Olivia followed Joel into the intensive care unit. She had already seen the reports and the X-ray images of the man. She walked into the ward that was filled with the scent of disinfectant. Then, she saw the man lying in bed. This man could frequently be seen on the news, and yet he was lying there on the verge of death. Krystal resembled him a little. No wonder Krystal was so arrogant. With a background like hers, anyone would be a little unhinged. "When was he shot?" "5:30 am." Olivia paused momentarily. Jack was injured during that period, too. A scary thought formed in her mind. Was Jack the one who tried to assassinate Mason? As soon as she thought of that, Olivia knew she should have no part in this. Jack risked his life to kill this man, and yet she promised Ethan to save him. "What''s wrong? Is there some unforeseen difficulty?" Olivia remained calm. "Alright, I''ve gotten a grasp on the situation. Let''s talk outside." She desperately wanted to know if Mason was the one Jack wanted to kill. As soon as she walked out, Ethan approached her. "How is it?" Olivia was thinking about how she could get out of this situation. Then, a series of footsteps could be heard. It was Yale. There was a bespectacled old man with white hair in a suit next to him. Olivia knew the old man. He was the renowned cardiovascr specialist Lionel Gatsby. It was as Ethan expected. Yale had already found Lionel. Yale had wanted to wait for a little more to avoid suspicion. He wanted to pretend that it was hard to find Lionel. He didn''t expect Ethan to bring another medical genius. Yale couldn''t possibly sit idly by anymore. He changed his ns in a panic and hurried over with Lionel in tow. "Mrs. Heath, I''ve found Dr. Gatsby. He can operate on Mr. Heath." Tatiana looked at Ethan with a troubled expression. "But Ethan also brought a renowned doctor. She said she can do the operation, too." Yale sized Olivia up. Olivia waspletely unfazed. She didn''t mind him looking at her. She had a disguise anyway. He couldn''t possibly glean anything from her face. "Is this thedy?" Yale was veryposedpared to Krystal, even though he knew she was the one who saved Ethan''s life. His gaze was icy, but he had to maintain a gentlemanly facade. Yale took care of internal affairs while Ethan carried out international missions. Ethan hid his identity and helped Mason take down shady organizations. Yale was an elegant man. One stood in the light, while the other hid in the shadows. They had never crossed paths until they started to vie for more power. Chapter 1092 Chapter 1092 Yale might be gentlemanly on the surface, but his methods were vicious. That snowy night all those years ago, his target was Ethan, but Olivia would''ve been killed if Ethan didn''t protect her. Yale was the one behind it all. Olivia never forgot. This time, Yale was in the open while Olivia was in the dark. Krystal spoke up. "Yale, you have to stop her. Mr. Tucker and the others have been brainwashed by her. My father''s life is already hanging by a thread. She''s too young to have the experience to manage such an operation. "If she tries her hand on my father, she could make a mistake that could cost my father''s life!" "Don''t worry, Krystal." Yaleforted Krystal and then turned to Tatiana. "Mrs. Heath, Krystal has a point. I''m not doubting thedy''s capabilities, but she is indeed too young. How could shepare with Dr. Gatsby, who is an experienced veteran." Tatiana didn''t know what to think. So, she looked at Ethan. "Ethan, you''ve always been the stoic one. What do you think r* Ethan didn''t give a long speech. He only said, "I trust her." Olivia honestly didn''t want him to trust her at that moment. If Jack really wanted Mason dead, she didn''t want to save him. But Olivia thought it was weird. The bullet would have killed Mason if it was an inch higher. Did Jack make a mistake? But Yale''s eagerness to help changed Olivia''s mind. It was like Jack meant to do this. His goal probably wasn''t to kill Mason but to create an opportunity for Yale. Why else would the wound be near the heart? Coincidentally, Yale had already found Lionel ahead of time. The truth remained shrouded in mystery. An outsider like Olivia couldn''t possibly know what was going on. She wanted no part of this power struggle. Joel added, "Don''t underestimate her because she''s young. She''s actually very skilled. Ethan would already be dead if not for her. The surgery she performedst year was practically perfect. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Lionel might be experienced, but you should still give the younger generation a chance to shine." Lionel probably had some sort of agreement with Yale. He said, "Joel, it''s not that I want to disrespect you, but Mr. Heath is not a regr Joe. This is a critical operation. Even if you trust this youngdy, I don''t." "That''s right, Mr. Tucker. Dr. Gatsby is here. Everything will be fine. Let''s not waste any more time," Yale urged. "No!" A familiar voice rang out. Olivia, who had maintained an indifferent expression, reflexively straightened her back when she heard that voice. The person who was walking toward them used to be her mentor. A man who had treated her well ever since she started school. When she was only a freshman in university, Rufus took her to sit in and observe operations. He was also the one who said, "Olivia, you''re born to hold a scalpel. You have to take good care of your hands." Even then, Olivia could remember the disappointment in his eyes when she dropped out and the way he walked away from her. She hadn''t seen him in years. He was one of the people she was afraid of seeing again. Rufus had retired. She heard that he had set up his ownb and had been focusing on medical research. His hair was almostpletely white. His face looked more frail, too. Olivia clutched her sleeves tightly. She was afraid she might blurt out and call him her teacher. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Moran?" "I said Lionel can''t do this operation." Chapter 1093 Chapter 1093 Rufus quickly walked up to Olivia. "You''re Vanessa, right? I''ve heard Joel talk about you." Olivia suppressed theplicated emotions she was feeling. She feared that the others might pick up the change in her mood. So, she tried her best to make her voice seem steady. "Yes, Mr. Moran, I''m Vanessa." "IT didn''t expect the renowned Vanessa to be so young. I''ll assist you with this operation. Any objections?" Before Olivia could turn him down, Krystal yelled, "Why should she be the one to operate, Mr. Moran? "She''s not as experienced as Dr. Gatsby. Who will be responsible if anything happens to my father?" "Krystal, I''ve seen videos of her performing surgery. She might be young, but she had steady hands and a calm demeanor. Lionel is pretty old. People like us don''t have the reflexes of a younger person. Also ..." Rufus didn''t mention one crucial issue with Lionel. He shouldn''t be allowed at the operating table. ¡°Mr. Moran, I''m not doubting you, but both you and Mr. Tucker are vouching for an unknown doctor over Dr. Gatsby. If anything happens to my father on the operating table, will you two be able to take responsibility?" Yale said, ''No one can guarantee the sess of an operation, much less such a young doctor like her." Ethan wanted to speak up, but Olivia pinched him on his palm to stop him. ¡°Alright, enough of this. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. I think this is an important surgery. I''d feel better if Dr. Gatsby was the one in charge of the surgery." Tatiana finally made a decision. Krystal''s eyes lit up. "Let''s not wait around anymore. The surgery has to start soon. I''m afraid my dad ..." Joel didn''t say anything else, whilst Rufus looked worried. As they entered the operating room, Rufus asked Lionel secretly, " Tell me the truth, Lionel. How are your hands?" They had known each other for many years. Lionel fell sick abruptly ten years ago. His hands would shake when he was under great mental stress. Rufus was there with him when that happened. So, he witnessed it in person. Lionel didn''t go into the operating room much after that. Then, he retired on time, refusing offers to return to the hospital. Rufus hadn''t seen him for a few years. It was like he hadpletely disappeared from the medical field. The issue with his hands was also unknown. Lionel showed Rufus his hands. "Do I look like I''m in trouble? Rufus, I know you''re looking out for me, but I need this opportunity." Lionel had a son whomitted a crime some time ago. He wanted to save Mason''s life in exchange for his son''s pardon. He had been undergoing treatment for his hands in the past years. It hadn''t rpsed for a long time. Rufus looked at him worriedly. "I really hope that''s the case. Let''s go.|" Krystal nced at Olivia. "Why are you following us? A third-rate doctor like you is not qualified to operate on my father." "Krystal! She''s an important guest of mine. Show some respect," Ethan said coldly. Krystal''s arrogant attitude was quite justified. If they were in ancient times, she would be a princess. Naturally, she felt amoner like Olivia was beneath her. Krystal stomped her foot. "Ethan, why are you so protective of her? She just saved your life. You can repay her with some money. You shouldn''t have brought her here. It''s obvious she''s just trying to climb the socialdder." Tatiana waved her hand, and someone handed her an envelope. "Krystal, don''t be so rude. Miss, I''m so sorry. Thanks foring over. This is your payment. I''ll have someone send you back in a bit. Chapter 1094 Chapter 1094 Olivia didn''t ept the money. She replied calmly, "It''s okay. This is a risky operation. If it goes well, fame and fortune await. But if anything goes wrong, the people handling it would be socially ruined. "T wouldn''t even havee if not for Mr. Miller. This operation doesn''t affect me whatsoever. But if Dr. Gatsby fails, you would be the ones affected." ¡°What did you say? How dare you say that about my father?" Olivia didn''t really care whose daughter Krystal was. They were living in a society governed byws. They couldn''t possibly kill her just for talking. "Ms. Heath, I''m just telling the truth. I really hope you are betting on the right person. Please don''te looking for me in the future. "Mr. Miller, I''d prefer it if you''re the one who drove me home." Krystal wanted to yell some more, but Tatiana covered her mouth. "Haven''t you said enough? Do you know your own position and hers? Why are you arguing with her?" "Mom, I just can''t stand how arrogant she is. There are so many doctors out there. Who does she think she is? I bet you don''t know this. She''s a witch. She gave birth to a monster." Tatiana rubbed her temple. "Enough. I''m not in the mood for your fits. Your father is still lying in bed with his life hanging by a thread. "Your brother is trying to keep everything under control out there. So, behave yourself and stop causing trouble." ¡°Understood, Mom." Yale also followed Olivia as she left. Olivia got into the car first. Yale looked at Ethan with a smug smile. "It''s your loss for sure this time." "Really?" Ethan was calm. "Even if you have won 99 times, this one loss would be the end of you. Time for a change in management for Aldenvine." Ethan rolled his eyes. "Stop staying up at night. You should go home and sleep. That way, you get everything you want in your dreams." He got into the car after he said that. As soon as the door closed, his demeanor changed. He pulled Olivia into his arms with an aggrieved expression. "I''m sorry you had to go through all that abuse, Liv." Olivia smiled. "If you didn''t ask me toe. I wouldn''t have wanted to perform the surgery at all. I wasn''t able to help you. Are you mad at me?" "So what if he wins one time," Ethan said nonchntly. ¡°Even if Yale manages to save Mr. Heath''s life and receives his gratitude, nothing would change. I''ve made ns and arrangements for so many years. "This one thing won''t change anything. Victory belongs to the powerful." Olivia finally understood why Ethan had been calm the whole time. Only the weak would hold on to every tiny opportunity to survive. ¡°We''ll see. The roads are slippery in the winter. Drive slower," Olivia told Brent. Ethan felt like Olivia knew something was about to happen. As expected, before he got his fill of kissing her, his phone began to ring non-stop. "Mr. Tucker." Ethan''s voice still sounded depressed. "Something went wrong! Did you two leave already? Bring Vanessa back here! She''s the only one that can turn the tides now!" Joel''s voice sounded anxious, like he was close to tears. ¡°What''s going on, Mr. Tucker? Calm down and tell us." Ethan nced at Olivia as he spoke. She lookedposed as if she had seen iting. Brent quickly turned the car around. "Lionel''s hands acted up at the operating table. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. It caused Mr. Heath to bleed profusely. Rufus is keeping it under control for now. You have to bring Vanessa back here. Quickly!" Ethan hung up and saw the confident smile on Olivia''s face. ¡°How did you know?" Chapter 1095 Chapter 1095 Olivia said innocently, ''I witnessed a surgery with my teacher when I was a freshman. "A renowned doctor''s hands were shaking in the operating room. That almost caused the patient to die. "My teacher was able to save the patient with great effort. Do you know who that doctor was?" "Dr. Gatsby?" "Yes. He has a neurological illness. Something like that is hard to cure. It gets out of control during stressful situations. "Mr. Heath''s surgery is an extremely difficult one. The stress would almost definitely cause him to rpse." "So, everything was within your calctions?" Olivia shook her head. "It''s not part of my calction. It''s just fate. He made the operation harder for me. I might not be able to save Mr. Heath. You need to prepare for the worst." Ethan didn''t reply. He knew it wasn''t Olivia''s fault. Whether Mason lived or died, it was up to fate to decide. He looked out of the window at the snow. Olivia was browsing her phone in boredom. Ethan suddenly said, "The first time I met him was in the snow, too. He walked toward me with a smile on his face. "He asked me if I was that Miller boy and told me I was just like my grandfather." Ethan sighed. "Back then, he wasn''t in this position yet. Yale and I were the ones that got him to this position. He told me that he would treat us right. "I never wanted profits. The Miller family doesn''t need more money. I just want to be in a position that can protect the Miller family from harm. "T''ve never felt warmth in the family since I was young, but I felt it when I was with Mr. Heath. He was like my teacher and the father I never had. "I know the kindness he showed me was just part of his tactic to amass support, but he did give me warmth and show me concern. I can''t just watch as he dies right before me." Olivia turned off her phone after she finished sending texts. She patted Ethan on the shoulder. "Tell me about your past when we''re free." Ethan held her hand and said, "Liv, you''re right. This operation is very risky. I won''t force you to do it. I''ll support your decision even if you decide not to do it. "] finally understand after going through so much. Be it debts I owe or power I want to acquire, nothing in this world is more important than my love for you. As long as you''re happy and living a good life, nothing else matters." Olivia feltplicated as she met his loving gaze. "So, you don''t have to feel pressured into doing this. Save him if you can. If you can''t, just leave the rest to me." "Understood." The two of them got back to the hospital hand in hand. Luckily, Brent listened to Olivia and didn''t drive too far away. They were able to get back pretty quickly. There were some blood stains on Joel''s scrubs. He looked on nervously as the car stopped. Then, he pulled open the door. ¡°Vanessa,e quickly." He pulled Olivia out of the car and rushed inside. Krystal was bawling her eyes out in the corridor. The doctors had already dered that the surgery had failed. Mason was going to die on the operating table soon. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Yale''sposure was gone. If Mason died, he would have to shoulder all the me. But if Olivia took over the operation, he could shift the me away from himself. So, there was ahint of urgency in his eyes when he looked at Olivia. "I''m sorry. I was wrong. Please head to the operating table as soon as possible, Miss." Tatitana also came over and held Olivia''s hand. "I heard that you are a very skilled doctor. Please, save him." Olivia pulled her hand away. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Heath. I''m just an inexperienced young woman. The experienced doctors are stumped. I wouldn''t have any idea how to save him, either. You think too highly of me." Chapter 1096 Chapter 1096 Tatiana knew their words were too harsh when they sent Olivia away. She was incredibly regretful that she didn''t listen to Joel and Rufus. After all, it was only natural to choose an experienced doctor over a youngdy. Tatiana also noticed that Olivia was a very proud person who didn''t care about bureaucrats. Olivia was someone who spent most of her time in hiding. The wealthy people who wanted her to treat them didn''t even know where to find her. Tatiana got on her knees and said, "Miss, I know we were in the wrong. I apologize for my arrogance and prejudice against you." ¡°What are you doing, Mom? Do you really think she could save Dad? How could you kneel before a peasant like her?" Peasant? Olivia''s lips twitched. It seemed like Krystal had been spoiled by her parents too much. She had never experienced how cruel the world could be. Did she even know what situation she was in? Olivia helped Tatiana up and said, "Mrs. Heath, your daughter is right. You shouldn''t bend your knees at a peasant like me. You should get up." Tatiana pushed Krystal to the ground without another word. "It''s all my daughter''s fault. I hope you can forgive her ..." Tatiana was more aware of her situation, unlike Krystal, who was still throwing a fit. "Mom, why are you making me bow before her? She ..." Tatiana raised her hand and pped Krystal. She didn''t have any other options but to trust Rufus and Joel. The person both of them rmended should be trustworthy. If Olivia hadn''t helped out, she wouldn''t be responsible for the worst oue. But if she did help, she could be the one who saved Mason. Tatiana snapped, "I told you to apologize. Did you hear me? Stop acting so spoiled." Krystal was taken aback by Tatiana''s p. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Her mother had always been a gentle person. This was the first time she struck her. But her mother pped her for this woman. Was everyone brainwashed? Why would everyone trust that woman? Krystal had no choice but to apologize, "I''m sorry I was rude to you. Please save my father." Tatiana looked at Ethan. "Ethan, please help us convince your friend. Time is running out." "Mrs. Heath, I can''t do that. I don''t know anything about medicine. So, I can''t make a decision for her." Ethan rejected Tatiana and left it up to Olivia to make the decision. Olivia''s phone vibrated. It was a message from an unknown number. There were only two words in the text. "Do it." Olivia put away her phone and looked at the crowd. "Before I enter the operating room, I have something to say. "I was 80% sure that I couldplete the surgery, but since the condition has worsened, I can make no promises. "I won''t be held responsible if I fail to save Mr. Heath. I hope all of you can serve as witnesses for my statement." A man''s voice rang. "Okay. I''ll make this guarantee. You won''t be held responsible for the results of the operation." A man was hurrying toward them. He was a tall man. There was snow on his head and his ck jacket. It was obvious that he rushed over here. That was another man Olivia had only ever seen on television, Linus Heath¡ªthemander of the country''s army, air force, and navy. He was around Ethan''s age. He walked over with a cold and vicious demeanor. Then, Olivia turned to look at Krystal. She wondered how the two of them could even be rted. Yale looked away guiltily under Linus'' gaze. On the other hand, Olivia waspletely unfazed. She said with a smile, "I''m relieved to hear you say that, Mr. Heath." Chapter 1097 Chapter 1097 Linus was mature and stoic. He had a verymanding presence. "T heard that you''re the doctor that Ethan rmended. I trust you. Just do your best. At this stage, even if you fail, you won''t be held ountable." Olivia didn''t waste any more time. "I''ll head into the operating room immediately." Rufus became hopeful when he saw Olivia. Olivia looked at her former teacher. He was the one who brought her to sit in and observe all sorts of surgeries when she was a freshman. Back then, she would always look up at him while she was learning and taking notes. At that moment, she became the leading surgeon, and her teacher was her assistant. I didn''t disappoint you, teacher. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia frowned as Rufus brought her up to speed. She could see the worry and helplessness in his eyes. The feeling of helplessness was one of the worst feelings fora doctor when they couldn''t do anything while they watched the patient die before them. Olivia spoke up. "Don''t worry, teacher. It might be a bit troublesome, but I can save him." Rufus raised his head abruptly. Vanessa''s face, which was unfamiliar to him, was hidden under the face mask, but he felt like he saw Olivia for an instant. How could that be? Olivia didn''t evenplete her studies. She would never show up in a ce like this. But the words of a stranger gave him some hope. "Really?" "Yeah." Rufus told Olivia that she was born to be a surgeon. So, she wanted to prove to him that he wasn''t wrong. Everyone outside the door, especially Yale, was anxiously waiting as time passed. Yale and Ethan had been rivals for nearly their whole lives. This was the first time he wanted the same thing as Ethan. If Mason died on the operating table, Yale would be the sinner that killed him. Everyone else was praying for Mason. Only Krystal was still prattling on. "Do all of you really trust her? She''s in her 20s. How could she do it?" "How? She healed me. Should we trust you instead of her? Or are you saying that you can find an even better doctor?" Ethan red at her. Krystal was like a child throwing a fit. She couldn''t do anything to help, but she didn''t want to see Olivia seed either. She had never endured a day of hardship in her life. She didn''t know how to cooperate with others. She only ever did things the way she wanted to. "Ethan, aren''t you hung up on Olivia? Why are you still defending this woman? You barely even know her!" Ethan didn''t want to talk to her anymore. Krystal was a very stubborn and idiotic person. She had a very special status. Back when the Heath family was about to be promoted, they were in a tough position. They didn''t want Krystal to be in danger, so they sent her to the countryside. Although she was in the countryside, she had plenty of people to care for her. She grew up in apletely carefree environment. The Heath family brought her back into the fold after the promotion wasplete. She was treated like a princess after she returned to the family. She grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth, never a day of hardship. No one around her ever refused her demands. Linus barked, "Shut up." Krystal whined. "Linus ..." "Get out of here if you say one more word," Linus said coldly. Krystal stomped her foot. "Trust her if you like. You''ll definitely regret it." Linus grabbed Krystal by the neck and mmed her to the wall. "Our father is lying in the operating room, and yet you''re still saying these things. You''ve been spoiled rotten!" Chapter 1098 Chapter 1098 Apparently, Krystal still hadn''t grasped the severity of the situation. If Mason passed, their family would lose all the power and glory they had. Did she think that would be good for them? Krystal looked into Linus'' bloodshot eyes. At that moment, she truly felt fear. Her brother was different from her. He was enlisted into the army at a young age. While she was still looking at luxury items at the mall, Linus had already gotten countless medals of honor. He worked his way to his current position without any help from the Heath family. He had suffered hardships and starved. He crawled his way from the abyss to the light. Krystal was just a spoiled princess who waspletely oblivious to their situation. "Linus, it hurts ..." Tatiana quickly separated the two of them. "That''s enough, Linus. Your sister is also worried about your father. There''s no need to take your anger out on her." Linus said coldly, "You should stop spoiling her. Both of them are in their 20s. Vanessa is a world-renowned medical genius. What about Krystal? She''s nothing but human trash?" Krystal acquired her current rank with the help of Ethan and the Heath Family. A spoiled princess like her never knew the meaning of hard work. She didn''t have to do anything to get the status that other people had to risk their lives for. Krystal started to cry. She looked at Ethan, hoping to get somefort from him. Linus said everything that Ethan wanted to say but couldn''t due tomon courtesy. He was happy to see Krystal get what she deserved. He wouldn''t even think offorting her. He looked away while pretending not to notice her gaze. In the past, Yale would offer some words offort, but he was the one who caused the predicament. He could only hope to reduce his own presence, so he didn''t speak up either. After a long while, the door of the operating room opened. Everyone instantly gathered around. Joel was the first to walk out. The excitement on his face was apparent. "She did it! She''s an absolute genius! I''ve never seen someone as talented as her. She pulled Mr. Heath from the brink of death! She''s one of the best doctors I have ever seen!" Joel was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. "Mr. Tucker, how''s my father?" "The bullet has been taken out. He''s still in critical condition and needs to be kept under observation for a few days. But rest assured, the surgery was very sessful." Joel couldn''t stop singing Olivia''s praises. A hint of pride shed in Ethan''s eyes. His woman was the best. "The situation was very dangerous. If Vanessa didn''t show up, Mr. Heath would be..." The doctors pushed Mason out of the operating room. Everyone''s attention was on him. Ethan was the only one who quickly walked into the operating room. Rufus was supporting Olivia. She was exhausted after several hours of intense focus. She almost fell over from the fatigue, but Rufus caught her. "Have I seen you somewhere else, youngdy?" Rufus asked. Olivia didn''t want to expose her identity, but she didn''t want to lie to her teacher either. ¡°The surgery was sessful. I knew you could do it," Ethan said, interrupting their conversation. "Mr. Moran, I''m a little tired, so I''ll be heading home to rest. I''ll leave the rest to you all." Olivia was afraid that Rufus would know who she was if she stayed any longer. So, she quickly left the operating room. As she walked out, Linus approached her. ¡°Thanks for your assistance. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I''ll have someone prepare a ce for you to rest. "I''m afraid you need to stay for two more days until my father is no longer in critical condition. Ethan, please help me tend to her." Chapter 1099 Chapter 1099 Ethan nodded. "Okay. Right this way, please." He brought Olivia to a suite. They went in simultaneously. Ethan hugged her as soon as they closed the door. "Liv, it was all my fault. I shouldn''t have crushed your dreams in the past." Back then, there were two reasons for Olivia to drop out. The first reason was that Olivia was married to him, and her identity as his wife would put her in danger. His spouse had to keep a low profile. The other reason was that Olivia was too outstanding. Ethan was so possessive that he didn''t want her to attract the attention of other men. He finally realized how ridiculous he had been. "Liv, I''m proud of you. You''re my pride and joy," Ethan said sincerely. Olivia had grown so much in the past few years. What Ethan didn''t know was she had spent most of her time reading all sorts of medical books and articles while he was bedridden. In the past, she had observed countless surgeries with her teacher. In the past few years, she had performed several hundred operations, too. Also, she was extremely talented and hardworking. That was why she got to where she was. Olivia pushed him away. "I''m very tired after that operation. Let''s talk tomorrow." He had kept her up almost the entire night before. She rushed to perform surgery on Jack with only three hours of sleep. She also cleaned her house. Then, she was here operating on Mason. Olivia waspletely exhausted. She fell asleep almost immediately. Ethan patted her head tenderly. "Sleep well." He wanted to stay by her side but needed to meet with the others. So, he left the room after Olivia fell asleep. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The doctors were talking about the surgery. ¡°That youngdy is truly talented. Her hands were steadier than most veterans. "I wonder who her teacher is. The teacher must be an impressive doctor to be able to teach someone like her." "Didn''t Rufus have a genius student in the past? He used to show her off to us whenever he could." ¡°Hey, Rufus. Don''t you love talented kids? Why are you so calm today?" Rufus snapped back to reality. "What were you all talking about?" "About geniuses. This youngdy is probably even more talented than that female student of yours, right?" After a moment of silence, Rufus said, "Yeah, she''s very talented." But he felt like Vanessa was Olivia. She called him her teacher when she got to the operating table. Rufus was silent while everyone else was talking about Olivia excitedly. Then, Rufus noticed Ethan walking over. He figured Ethan probably knew the truth. Ethan greeted the doctors and then went over tofort Tatiana. " Mrs. Heath, you''ve been waiting for so long. You should get some rest. We''ll watch over Mr. Heath.¡± Tatiana grabbed his hand and thanked him. "Ethan, it''s all thanks to you! You''re our benefactor!" Krystal also dropped her spoiled attitude. She didn''t mind thanking Ethan. "Thanks, Ethan." Yale remained silent, but there was a hint of viciousness in his eyes. "Mrs. Heath, I only did what I was supposed to do. Besides, I didn''t really do anything. "Vanessa is the one who saved Mr. Heath''s life. But she has already turned it in because of exhaustion. You can thank her next time.¡± "True. Krystal, you have to apologize to her properly, too." Krystal still didn''t like Olivia, but she didn''t say anything. "Brent, escort Mrs. Heath to her room. Mrs. Heath, don''t worry. I''ll let you know if anything changes.'' "I''m relieved that both you and Linus are here." Tatiana finally left. Yale quickly stood up to send her off. Chapter 1100 Chapter 1100 There were only three people left in the corridor. Linus sat with his back straight and his hands on his knees. The cold winter winds flowed into the corridor through the window. None of them moved. The atmosphere became even more chilling. Linus broke the silence. "This ambush. Someone from the inside leaked information." Ethan nodded. "I think so, too. Or else no one would be able to hurt Mr. Heath." Linus'' piercing gaze fell on both of them. "If I ever found out who the mole is, the person will die a very painful death." He was clearly warning Ethan and Yale. Ethan stood with his hands behind his back. He was frightened by Linus¡¯ suspicion. He met Linus'' gaze and said, "So, you think I did it?" Linus said meaningfully, "I''m not suspecting the two of you. Rather, everyone is a suspect right now. I truly hope it''s not either one of you." The struggle between Yale and Ethan had bepletely transparent. They were attacking each other in the open. And then something happened to Mason. Regr executives wouldn''t even know his schedule. So, it was perfectly reasonable for Linus to suspect the two of them. Ethan dered openly, "Where would I get the time to do sucha thing? I was recently gravely injured as well. "Besides, Mr. Heath is my mentor. I would never do anything to hurt him. "I wouldn''t even be able to bring Vanessa over if she wasn''t in the city helping me clear up the remaining toxins in my system. The question is, how did you find Dr. Gatsby, Yale." Yale frantically exined, "I owe my life to Mr. Heath. I would never betray him. As for how I found Dr. Gatsby, I met him at a conventionst month out of pure coincidence and found out where he lived. ¡°As soon as I received news that Mr. Heath was injured, so I went straight to look for him. I didn''t know he had a problem with his hands. "I need to be held responsible for the failed surgery. I''m willing to ept any punishment." "I won''ty me on anyone without proof. I won''t rest until I know who the culprit is. I''m just reminding the two of you. "] don''t care what you want to do between yourselves, but don''t harm my family. Or else 1 won''t show you any mercy." Linus put the two of them in their ce. Then, the three of them fell silent. Olivia slept for a few hours and woke up the following morning. She asked Colin about Jack''s condition. She was relieved to hear that Jack was no longer in critical condition. Then, she told Colin to bring Jack away. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Ethan had already found her home. Given his sharp senses, he probably sensed something wrong. It wasn''t safe for Jack to stay there anymore. As expected, Ethan was informed as soon as Colin brought Jack out of the vi. He went to a corner and picked up the call. "Yes?" "Mr. Miller, it''s as you expected. Some people came out of Mrs. Miller''s vi. One was heavily injured and was carried into a car." Ethan took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He hadn''t expected to find such a big fish like that. ¡°Remain cautious as you tail them. Do not alert them." "Understood." Last night, he could already guess that the person in Olivia''s house was heavily injured. If that person is Jack, how did he get injured? Things were getting interesting. "Mr. Heath is awake." Ethan snuffed out his cigarette and walked over slowly. Olivia was also informed and escorted over. Chapter 1101 Chapter 1101 She hadn''t even reached the ward yet, but Olivia was already surrounded by a group of old men. They were the pirs of the medical field. "Which school did you graduate from, youngdy?" "Who was your mentor?" "That operationst night was superb!" All of them were talking at once. It was very chaotic. They also had a gleam of joy and excitement in their eyes. Joel said with pride, ¡°I told you she could do it. What did all of you say?" "Joel, there''s no need to bring up the past. You made the right call. I was scared to deathst night. "Lionel would be finished if Mr. Heath died on the operating table." "Youngdy, you have great mental fortitude. You managed to keep your cool in such a stressful situation." Everyone was praising Olivia, but Rufus didn''t say anything. He didn''t care about all those things. He just wanted to know if Vanessa was actually Olivia. That was why he was hesitant to speak when he looked at her. Then, Olivia said, "My teacher once told me that the operating table is like a battlefield. Saving a life was like taking a life. You had to keep your hand steady." As soon as she said that, Rufus turned to look at her. Their eyes met, and they saw the understanding in each other''s eyes. That was something Rufus told Olivia before her first operation. Olivia was revealing her identity with that phrase. "You still remember that?" Rufus asked, looking straight at her. Olivia said seriously, "I would never dare forget the words of my teacher. He is one of the most important role models in my life. I''m very grateful to him. "But I did something that disappointed him a lot. I think he must have been devastated." "I''m sure he would be very proud of the woman you have be,¡¯ Rufus said excitedly. The young prodigy that he thought had gone down the wrong path was back on track. Everyone else hadn''t caught up yet. "Your teacher must be so happy to have a student like you. I wonder who he is. Do we know him?" Olivia smiled but didn''t reply. They would know who she was if she kept talking. "Alright, let''s not waste any more of her time. Mr. Heath is still waiting for her." Joel waved at Olivia and said, "Let''s go. I''ll take you to him. You''ve aplished something incredible this time. "You might even receive a medal of honor. Are you interested in joining our ranks since you''re such a skilled doctor?" Olivia was taken aback. "Are you saying I should be a government employee?" She was offered a governmental position out of nowhere. They arrived at the door as they finished talking. They were disinfected before Joel led her into the room. Ethan and Yale stood further away in the room while Krystal and Tatiana were by Mason''s side. Linus still wore a stern expression. He was like Ethan of the past. No one could tell what he was thinking. "Father, Vanessa is here. She was the one that turned the tides and saved your life." Mason''s gaze shifted toward Olivia. He waspletely differentpared to when he was unconscious and when he was on the news. He always had a smile on his face and looked kind when he was on the news. He waspletely different in person. He was still weakened, but his gaze was sharp. It was like he could peer into her soul. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He was indeed a man of authority. His presence was somanding that it made Olivia''s skin crawl. Olivia stood at the side and greeted him politely. "Mr. Heath." Mason beckoned to her and dispelled his intimidating demeanor. He said with a smile, "No need to stand at attention. The younger generation shows great promise. "I didn''t expect a youngdy to be the one to save me. Come, let me take a closer look at you." Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102 Olivia walked closer to Mason, who had a bright smile on his face. "I''ve heard about everything that happenedst night. You''re young, but you have such incredible courage. You''re a rare talent, indeed. "I won''t be able to recover too soon, but I heard Joel say you''re adept in herbal medicine. Would you be willing to stay as my chief physician and take care of me?" It was as Joel had said. Capable people are always going to be recruited by the government. Anyone else would be overjoyed by this offer. Olivia wasn''t interested in the slightest. She had her own path to walk. Before she could even respond, Krystal spoke up urgently." Dad, you don¡¯t even know her background. How could you allow her to take care of you?" Mason said kindly, "Krystal, if she really wanted to harm me, would she have tried so hard to save me last night?" "I''ve talked it through with Joel. Vanessa is the best person for the role. She is adept in both modern and herbal medicine." "I''m sorry, Mr. Heath. I don''t think I''m skilled enough for the job. You should pick someone else for it." Tatiana anxiously grabbed Olivia''s hand. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Who else would be more skilled than you? You''ve already proved your ability. We''ll try our best to satisfy any demands you might have." "I''m just a doctor from a tiny vige. I won''t be able to live up to your expectations. "Besides, I''m used to a life of freedom, and I won''t be able to get used to a life where I''m stuck somewhere on a daily basis. "But I can stick around for a few days until your condition is stabilized." "How dare you. Who do you think you are? How dare you turn my father down?" Krystal didn''t like Olivia much to begin with. Olivia''s rejection made her feel like she was too arrogant. The chance to work for Mason was an honor. She should ept with gratitude. "Krystal!" Linus yelled. Krystal saw that Linus was angry and was reminded of how he had beenst night. So, she didn''t dare to say another word. Olivia nodded at Mason. "I heard that you just underwent a medical examination. I''ll go take a look at the results. I''ll leave you with your family." Olivia exited the room after that. Linus spaced out while he watched her leave. Before she could walk away, Linus called out, "Please wait." Olivia stopped in her tracks. Truthfully, she didn''t like to be near Linus. He had a bloodlust to him because he was on the battlefield most of the time. "Is there anything else, Mr. Heath?" "You should give my father''s offer some consideration before turning him down." If it were in ancient times, Olivia would be marked for death if she turned down an offer from someone of Mr. Heath''s status. It was basically a blessing to receive such an offer. But it wasn''t the ancient times anymore. Olivia didn''t have to be afraid of any repercussions. "These are turbulent times. My father needs talented people like you by his side. If you have any reservations, you can bring them up." Olivia frowned. "If I insist on rejecting the offer, will you forcibly keep me around?" "If I wanted to, I could do that. But I wish you would stay willingly. With your skills, you''re a very precious talent for the country." Olivia sneered. "If I had known this is what you would do. I would never havee." "Please don''t misunderstand, Ms. Vanessa. I sincerely hope you can stay. If you agree to stay, you''ll get money, status, and anything else you might want. "If you are unwilling, I won''t force you either. After all, our family is indebted to you. That will never change. We are not a family of ingrates." Chapter 1103 Chapter 1103 Olivia still didn''t ept the offer. "Let me think about it." She was sure that Jack was the one that tried to kill Mason. But he didn''t deal the killing blow. Instead, he asked her to save Mason. Jack once said that he had a sworn enemy. Was it someone from the Heath family? If that were the case, Olivia would stand firmly on Jack''s side. Everything else could wait until she got to the bottom of that. Linus'' gaze softened when Olivia relented. "No matter what your decision may be, you still saved my father''s life. If there''s something you want, other than someone''s life, I can give it to you." What a generous promise. Anything except someone''s life. But people in his position would be able to get anything they wanted quite easily. Olivia didn''t provide an answer immediately. "I don''t need anything. Can I hold on to this promise for now? I''ll tell you if I ever need to cash in on that promise." Linus nodded. "Okay. This promise will always be effective." Then, he handed Olivia his card. "Call me if you need anything. Also, please don''t take my sister''s words to heart. She has been spoiled by us since she was a child." Olivia stared at him in silence. Linus was confused. "What''s wrong?" Olivia shook her head. "It''s nothing. I''m just envious of Ms. Heath." If she also had a brother, would that mean she would have someone who would always be on her side? "I''ll keep the promise in mind. I''ll take a look at the examination reports. Excuse me." Olivia turned and left. Where was her family? Did she have any siblings? The crisis finally passed. Although no one spread the word about Lionel''s failure at the operating table, he would never get the chance to go near another operation ever again. Yale was uneasy. He feared that he would be affected by Lionel''s failure. Ethan gained the trust of the Heath family because he was the one who brought Olivia. There was one thing that Ethan had on his mind. He quietly left while Olivia was still in the hospital. Brent led some men into a yard. Colin was caughtpletely off guard. Jack was too heavily injured to even move. Before Colin could draw his weapon, Ethan said, "Don''t move! I won''t hurt either of you." Olivia had just operated on Jack to save his life. If his stitches were torn, Olivia would surely hold them against Ethan. Ethan only managed to get a quick nce at Jack''s face a few years ago. He finally got a good look at him. He looked exactly like Kurt. Jack was heavily injured and couldn''t even sit up. He could onlyy in bed as he looked at Ethan with hatred in his eyes. As things were, he didn''t need to hide it anymore. Jack said coldly, "So what if I am?" "I''m sorry about what happened to your brother back then ..." Jack cut him off. "Will your apology bring my brother back to life?" Brent suddenly spoke up. "You should know that it was your brother''s duty. His life belonged to Mr. Miller." Jack looked up and sneered. Then he sighed. "Yeah. He deserves to live, while my brother deserved to die." "Your brother did it willingly." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Ethan raised his hand to stop Brent from talking. He looked at Jack and asked. "I have no excuses. I owe your brother my life. You''re his only brother. Let me know if there''s anything you want." Jack dropped the gentle demeanor he had when he was with Olivia. He red at Ethan and said vengefully, "What if I say I want your life?" Chapter 1104 Chapter 1104 Ethan replied directly, "I''m sorry, but I can''t do that. My life doesn''t just belong to me. Jack, I know you hate me and me me for what happened. "But, no matter what you do, Kurt will nevere back to life." "So why are you pretending to be the good guy? Kill me if you want to. I can''t get away anyway." Ethan shook his head. "You''re his brother. I won''t hurt you." Jack sneered. "Pretentious." "Jack, we''re cousins. We''re a family." "I only have one brother in my family." Jack closed his eyes after he said that. Ethan knew he would react this way, so he didn''t mind. "It''s not safe for you here. I''ll bring you somewhere else." "Don''t touch me!" "You were the one who tried to kill Mr. Heath. Do you think the Heath family would let you off the hook? "They will hunt you to the ends of the earth, and so will the Kingstons." After Ethan said that, Jack turned to look at him. "What do you know?" "I know more than you can imagine. Yale ordered you to assassinate Mr. Heath to give him an opportunity to impress the Heaths. "Now the Heath Family is outraged. They are looking into this incident. Do you think Yale would let you go? He would definitely kill you before the Heaths can find you." Ethan saw that Jack was silent, so he added, "You worked with Yale to kill me, right?" Jack had a defeated look on his face. "So what if I did? The enemy of my enemy is my friend." "Then why didn''t you make a move on Liv and the kids? They are the ones closest to me. I wouldn''t be on guard against them." "Do you think I don''t want to?" Jack snarled. That was the reason why he approached Olivia even after he learned her identity. He wasn''t just helping her out of kindness. He had hatched a perfect n. But when he took those two kids in, and they looked at him with those pure and innocent eyes, he couldn''t do it! Olivia also treated him like her family. If they went with their real identities, Olivia would be his sister-in- law. As he spent more time with them, his n for revenge drifted further away from him. He can''t bring himself to taint the innocence of the kids, nor could he bring himself to harm Olivia. That was why he could only work with Yale. The deal was he only had to shoot a bullet into Mason''s chest. He didn''t expect Yale to arrange for other assassins to silence him after he did his part. It took him a lot of effort to get to Olivia''s vi. Yale was, without a doubt, looking for him everywhere. Ethan raised his hand. There was a string of prayer beads on his wrist. "Kurt got these beads on an ind in the southern sea. He said he never believed in gods but had to believe in the divine because of a sickly little boy. "He was very sincere when he scaled the mountain due to a legend of it being more effective the more sincere he was. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "He went through great pains to get those prayer beads, but he had a bright smile when he got them." Ethan closed his eyes, and he could see Kurt''s smile. Kurt and Jack looked identical, but they were pr opposites when it came to their personalities. One was bright like the sun. The other was as gloomy as the night. Ethan slowly recounted what Kurt said. "He said he was so sincere that the gods would definitely have to watch over that sickly boy and let him live a long life, Tears rolled down Jack''s face. "He was stupid." "You''re not wrong." Ethan ced his fingers on Jack''s forehead and said gently, "You''re the person Kurt wanted to protect with all his might. I won''t let anything happen to you." Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105 In the next few days, Olivia became Mason''s designated doctor. The Heaths trusted her a lot. That was likely because Ethan was the one who rmended her. Joel and Rufus also sang her praises. The only thing she didn''t understand was that Mason would often space out while looking at her eyes. It was like he saw another person in her eyes. "Mr. Heath, it''s time to eat." Olivia walked in with a bowl of soup. Mason was handing out work-rted orders to someone. He told everyone else to leave the room. He always had a smile on his face when he was with Olivia, like he was a kindly old man from her neighborhood. Tatiana was his second wife. That was why Linus and Krystal were quite young. The story of how Mason came to power was interesting enough to be written into a book. Linus became more respectful to Olivia and treated her like an important guest as he saw his father getting better by the day. "Vanessa, it''s all thanks to you that my father is recovering so quickly." "You''re too kind, Mr. Heath." Olivia was feeding Mason, but she wasn''t doing it for nothing. There was something she wanted. She still didn''t have the time to visit Jack. She wanted to know what he actually wanted to do.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She was brought here by Ethan. If she wanted to kill anyone, she needed to put more effort and time into it so suspicion would fall on him. That was why she still appeared as if she was trying her best to take care of Mason. "Vanessa, Krystal told me that you already have a child?" "Yeah." Olivia didn''t try to hide it. "Who is the father? Why did you end up in that vige?" Mason continued to ask. The Heaths had sent some people to look into Olivia''s background, but she seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. No one could find any information on her. Olivia already thought up her story in advance. "Honestly, I don''t know either. I washed ashore near the vige, and the people there found me. I was already pregnant when they took me in. "I forgot a lot of things. I forgot about my family and my husband. But since my child has green eyes, her father must be someone from the western part of the world." "Haven''t you recovered your memories?" Olivia shook her head. "Not yet. There wasn''t any physical damage to my head, so I must have suffered from some massive shock. "That''s why I forgot everyone but still held on to the study of medicine. "So, I stayed in the vige and learned from Madam Wendy while I tried to uncover the truth. But I''ve been to many ces in the past few years and never found anything." "Poor girl. If you ever recall anything, you can tell Linus. He would be able to help you." "Sure. Thanks for your concern, Mr. Heath." Olivia was very courteous and modest. That was why she was very likable. Krystal and Ethan entered the room simultaneously. Olivia was still feeding Mason, so she didn''t move away. The Heaths would never talk about anything confidential while she was there anyway. She nodded at Ethan and Krystal as she greeted them. "Mr. Miller, Ms. Heath." Krystal turned her head and ignored Olivia. Ethan said with indifference, "Thanks for your hard work." No one would ever guess that they were sleeping together. "Dad, she''s very clumsy. Let me feed you," Krystal said as she grabbed the bowl from Olivia. Mason barked at her, "Why are you still so restless despite your age? You should learn from Vanessa. "She saved my life. You should show her some respect." Krystal stuck her tongue out and said, "Okay, Dad." "Ethan,e here. I have something to tell you." "What is it, Mr. Heath?" "This near-death experience has revealed to me that Krystal is the one that I''m the most worried about. "Ethan, you''re someone I''ve watched grow up and taught you personally. "I won''t be able to trust anyone else. Yourst rtionship ended a few years ago, and Krystal only has eyes for you. What do you think..." Chapter 1106 Chapter 1106 With Olivia gone, Mason had talked to Ethan about this matter several times in the past few years. Krystal had also been asking Mason to talk about this a lot. But Ethan was a pretty important person to Mason, and he had always respected Ethan''s wishes. So, this matter was just set aside indefinitely. Krystal had a shy expression on her face. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Mason continued, "You were unwilling in the past. I know you loved your ex-wife deeply and wanted to remarry her someday. "But she has been gone for four years. That''s a very long time. My daughter has liked you for so many years. "I wouldn''t mention it if you had someone you liked, but you''ve been single for so long. "I''ve always treated you like my son. Why don''t we make our bond even stronger?" Ethan had followed Mason for many years and resolved many troublesome matters for him. He knew that Mason really held him in high regard. Once someone got to a position of power, all he would think about was his authority. Mason had gradually forgotten how he got to where he was. As he grew older, he started to fear death and loss because he had too much to lose. Eventually, he started to fear Ethan. He felt like Ethan was far too capable. A sharp de would be good for cutting down the enemy. But if he couldn''t be controlled. He would be very dangerous. That was why Mason helped bring the Kingstons to a position of power. He created a rival for Ethan. The goal was to strip Ethan of some of the power he had and to keep him in check. Otherwise, Ethan would''ve been promoted long ago. He was urging Ethan to marry his daughter because he would only be able to truly trust Ethan if they were family. Linus said coldly, "My sister has waited so many years for you. As a man, you should be responsible for her, right?" Tatiana yed the role of a good cop. "Why are you two so stern? It looks like we''re forcing him to marry Krystal. "Ethan, you know I like you the most. I''ve treated you like my son, just as Mason has. You''ve been well- behaved since you were young. "I called you over to celebrate the festivities every year because I''ve never seen you as an outsider. I''ve always thought how great it would be if you were a Heath." She sighed, then added, "Back then, you were determined to get married. Mason and I were happy for you. But it didn¡¯tst. The rtionship ended on a sour note. "I felt bad for you and that Fordham woman. Neither of you were to me. You were from different worlds. You couldn''t possibly achieve true happiness. "You''re a smart man. You know what''s best for you. You and Krystal are meant for each other. "You are simr in social status, and Krystal is head over heels for you. She''s been waiting for you all these years. She''s even promised to treat your children well. "Tell me, what do you think about this? Do you have any reservations?" Olivia finally knew how cunning these people were. They utilized sympathy and intimidation. It was clear they wanted to put Ethan on the spot. If she were right, they would probably try to entrap him morally. Ethan discreetly took his hand out of Tatiana''s grasp and said, "I''m sorry, Mrs. Heath. My biggest reservation is that I see Krystal as a sister. I don''t have any romantic feelings for her." As soon as he said that, Krystal broke down into tears. Chapter 1107 Chapter 1107 Krystal rushed toward Ethan with tears in her eyes. She pounded his chest with all her might. "Ethan, why are you so heartless? I gave you my heart, and you brushed me aside. You had a viable reason to reject me in the past. "But Olivia has been gone for so many years. Do you really think she would return?" "Her return is one thing. Me epting another woman is another." Ethan walked around her and got to the side of the bed. He looked at Mason with determination in his eyes. "Mr. Heath, I''m very grateful for the teachings you and Mrs. Heath provided me. The two of you will always be very important people to me. "Our rtionship will never change even if I don''t marry Krystal now or in the future. I will take good care of you both. "I appreciate the gesture, but it''s like what I said six months ago. Krystal is getting to the age where she should start a family, but I''m not worthy of her." Ethan said humbly, "I''ve already been married, but it''s Krystal''s first. Also, I have someone else I love. This is unfair to her. "It would be better for me to make things clear right now than to have her spend her days in misery in the future. You should find someone more worthy of her than me." Tatiana and Mason exchanged nces. Then, Tatiana said," Yes, what you say is true, Ethan. But the problem is Krystal is a very strong-willed woman. She''s decided that she would marry you and no one else. "Do you really want to see her spending the rest of her days alone? Also, both of you share the same blood type, which is very rare. You can help and support each other if either of you gets hurt." Tatiana sighed. "Krystal has been raised in a very protected environment. She has never endured any hardships in her life. She would make a huge fuss even if she had a paper cut on her finger. "But she was willing to transfer so much blood to you. I couldn''t bear to see her in pain, but she insists on doing everything she can for you. "Your family has never been perfect, but Mason, Linus, and I have always treated you like one of our own. I think this marriage would be great. "I understand what you''re worried about. You''re looking out for Krystal but can''t just keep living in the past. Getting married to Krystal will help you get over it. We should always look to the future, right?" Tatiana had a way with words that was on Mason''s level. Olivia sat on the side and munched on some pistachios. The situation reminded her of a she read a couple of days ago. A poor man went to the city with money from his wife to make a name for himself. When he seeded, he caught the eye of the princess and was pressured into marrying her. His wife waited for him at home for him to bring her to the city, but all that came was a letter divorcing her. A simr situation was unfolding before her very eyes. It was not something she could see every day. As everyone was immersed in the conversation, a sudden crunching sound could be heard. Olivia identally let out a sound while munching on the pistachios. Everyone turned their gaze toward her, and she froze. She didn''t know what to do with the pistachio in her mouth. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She waved her hand awkwardly and said, "Well... why don''t you guys carry on?" Krystal finally realized there was an outsider here. "Why are you here? Who said you could stay here? Get out!" Olivia put down the pistachios. She knew she should''ve munched on something that wouldn''t make a noise. She would be missing out on the drama. "Then I won''t be a nuisance anymore." Olivia shrugged in resignation. It was a pity. The drama was so interesting, but she would never get to witness it anymore. Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108 Mason cut Krystal off coldly. "Krystal, I told you to show Vanessa some respect." Krystal had nowhere to vent the frustration of being rejected by Ethan. Olivia was the only outsider in the room. Naturally, she unloaded all her anger on her. Mason had always been gentle and loving toward her. So, she didn''t like his attitude toward her at the moment. "Dad, why are you also like this? I didn''t say anything wrong. We were discussing something here as a family. Who does she think she is, eavesdropping on us? She''s so rude." "Krystal, it seems like I''ve been too easy on you and spoiled you rotten. Is this how you should act?" Mason''s voice grew even colder. "It''s all your fault!" Krystal red at Olivia. Olivia set the pistachios in her hand down and patted her hands clean. "Yeah, yeah. It''s all my fault. I''ll just disappear then." Olivia went up to Mason and said, "Mr. Heath, I''m relieved to see your recovery has beening along well. You''re out of critical condition now. "You only need to have the other doctors nurse you back to health. There''s no need for me to stay any longer." Olivia had only said she would consider staying, but Krystal helped her make up her mind. The Heaths'' expressions changed when she said she was leaving. Tatiana left Ethan alone and rushed to Olivia. "Please don''t take Krystal''s words to heart. Don''t say you want to leave just because of that." "Mom, just let her leave. She''s just a doctor. We can get new ones anytime. Mr. Tucker and the others are fine, too." For some reason, Krystal hated Olivia as soon as she saw her in the vige. The fact that Willow tried to kill her only made matters worse. Her instincts told her to stay as far away from Olivia as possible. Linus pped her without another word. This time, he pped her harder than when he pped her before the operating room. There was blood on the corner of Krystal''s lips. "I''ve warned you to be more polite to our family''s benefactor. Did you already forget what I said?" "Linus, you pped me for this bitch again? What''s so great about her? All she did was perform a surgery. But you all are treating her like some big shot?" She was pped again. This time by Ethan instead of Linus. Everyone was shocked to see Ethan hit her. His p wasn''t just an attack on Krystal but also on the pride of the Heath Family. A hint of anger shed in Mason''s eyes when he did that. Ethan knew the consequences of his actions, but he stood straight with a resolute gaze. "Vanessa is my guest. I''ve told you to show her some respect repeatedly, but you never did. "This is the only thing I can do to make you remember." With a serious expression, Ethan said, "Mr. and Mrs. Heath, I am very sorry. I promised Vanessa I would protect her before I brought her here. "But Krystal would insult her every time they met. Vanessa didn''t do anything wrong. She doesn''t deserve to be treated like this." Olivia pursed her lips. She knew she couldn''t fool around anymore. Ethan was basically dancing with the devil here. She could feel her skin crawl. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Mason looked into his eyes for a few seconds. Then, he smiled. "You did good. I wanted to teach her a lesson, too. She''s been disrespectful and rude. As her father, I''m the one who should be apologizing." Then, Olivia could feel her hair stand on end. There was bloodlust in Mason¡¯s eyes. Chapter 1109 Chapter 1109 "Mr. Mason, there''s no need to discipline Ms. Heath. I''m not offended at all. Please don''t let my presence affect the harmony of your family. I''ll leave now.''; Ethan quickly said, ''Til go with you." As soon as the door closed, Krystal burst into tears. Mom and Dad, Linus pped me! Even Ethan pped me! It''s all because of that woman. I don''t want her here anymore." "Shut up." Mason''s voice was low but intimidating. He gazed at Tatiana and said, "This is the child you raised. It''s embarrassing." Tatiana hesitated for a while, then replied weakly, "It''s my fault. But Mason, Ethan has be very cocky. Not only did he reject the marriage, but he also hit Krystal in front of us." Mason grunted. "He did it intentionally. He wanted to show us that he would dare to hit her before us. If she gets married to him, he would probably do worse." "He wouldn''t dare! I''ll kill him!" Linus said coldly. That was just how people were. Families can scold or even hit one of their own, but an outsider is not allowed to do the same. "Linus ..." Krystal murmured while caressing her face. Linus grunted. "It''s all your fault. Are you happy now that you drove her away?" "I''m sure we can easily find a doctor to rece her!" Olivia followed Ethan to the car. As soon as the doors were closed, Ethan''s demeanor changed. He hugged Olivia. "Liv, I''ve missed you for the past few days. I''ve been seeing you but can''t even talk to you." Olivia pushed his head away with her finger. "Are you crazy? Do you know who she is? She''s basically a princess, and you struck her before the king. Do you have a death wish? Do you want to be annihted?" Ethan hugged her head and nestled against her shoulder." Liv, I got back at her for pping you." "Who asked you to do that? You did something outrageous." Ethan chuckled. "I did it on purpose. This way, they won''t force me to marry her anymore." Olivia flipped over and sat on hisp. She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "You don''t want to be the son-in-w to the Heaths? They were clearly trying to give you more power. "Once you marry Krystal, you will be one of them. Then, they will be able to let their guard down against you." Ethan ran his fingers over her brows. "But I only have eyes for you. Marrying someone from a powerful family isn''t as good as being with you." Olivia felt like she was about to lose herself in his smile. But then, he said, "Let me kiss you! I''ve missed you so much!" Original from N?velDrama.Org. She was at a loss for words. Brent was trying his best to stifle hisughs. If Kelvin were here, he would already beughing. Olivia pushed him and said, "Stop fooling around. We were talking about something serious. You rejected the Heaths. "That means you''re letting go of the power that they would''ve given you. Aren''t you afraid that they might support Yale instead?" "Mr. Heath helped Yale up to where he is in order to keep me in check. But do you think it''s so easy to keep me down?" Ethan smiled mysteriously. "I''ve been by his side for so many years. Naturally, I know how he operates. I''ve already prepared contingencies for when that dayes." Olivia blinked in surprise. Ethan leaned in next to her ear and whispered, "You don''t have to think about a thing. Leave it all to me. I told you I''ll never let you down again." Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110 Olivia had wanted to go home, but Ethan dragged her off to somewhere secluded. They even changed cars mid-way. Olivia looked at him in confusion. "What surprises do you have in store?" "You''ll find out when we get there." Ethan held her hand as they entered the manor. She quickly noticed that Colin was there. She was immediately on guard. She shook free of Ethan''s hand." What did you do to Jack?" Ethan felt pained when he saw her guarded expression." Why don''t you trust me?" "I knew I couldn''t hide anything from you." Olivia was sure he noticed something that night. He probably sent people to take Jack as soon as she was gone. He was a very cunning man, after all. Ethan held her hand again. ¡¯¡¯I know I did a lot of things in the past to lose your trust. I deserve this. But I said I will never hurt you again. Does he look like I did anything to him?" Olivia heard that and started observing Colin. She even pulled his hand to check if there were chips nted. "Olivia, he didn''ty a hand on me this time." Colin defended Ethan for once. "What about Jack?" "He''s fine, too. He''s resting in his room." Olivia went to find Jack and noticed that hisplexion looked better than before. Ethan actually got Chris toe and take care of Jack. Olivia didn''t know about the history between Jack and Ethan. She was just relieved to see he was fine. "How are you doing, Jack?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "I can get out of bed by myself now. Don''t worry. I''m doing fine." "How did he find you?" Jack didn''t tell her about what went on between them. He only glossed over the encounter. "He said it wasn''t safe there. So, he brought us here." Ethan walked into the room and exined. "Yale was looking for him everywhere. Hewould be dead if he stayed outside. "You were at the hospital for the past few days, where people might hear, so I didn''t tell you." Olivia blushed. "I''m sorry I wronged you." "Liv, they are people that have helped you a lot. I would never hurt them." Ethan smiled. "It''s gettingte. I''ve asked Sonia to cook. We''re all family here. Let''s all eat together." "You even brought Sonia here?" "Sonia is a good cook. He''s a patient. He needs proper nutrition and can''t just eat takeout every day." When he said that, Ethan shot Colin a nce. Colin suddenly looked uneasy. "I''m a bad cook. I don''t want to poison him with my cooking. I might as well order takeout. All of them sat at the table. Even Brent and Kelvin were there. It was a curious experience for all of them to be sitting at the same table. Colin didn''t touch his cutleries. Ethan looked at him and said, '' Are you afraid that I might poison you?" Ethan was a vengeful man. Colin set him up at the vige. Why would Ethan ever forgive him? "Don''t worry. Even if I want to kill you, I won''t do it while Liv is here." "Olivia, you heard him. If I ever end up dead. He would definitely be the culprit." Kelvin didn''t like how Colin was acting like a yful child. He said gloomily, "I might be the one to do it, too. I can slice you up with my knife." Olivia knew they didn''t really mean what they said. She picked up some sd and said, "Alright, stop fooling around. Let''s eat." Both Ethan and Olivia put some food on Jack''s te at the same time. They looked at each other. Olivia asked, "What¡¯s wrong with you today?" She didn''t know he was trying to make it up to Jack because he felt guilt toward Kurt. Chapter 1111 Chapter 1111 At the Kingston Residence, Yale was pushing over everything on the desk. "You all are a bunch of trash! How could you let him escape when you had him surrounded?" "He suffered several gunshot wounds, Mr. Kingston. Even if he got away, he wouldn''t survive for long. You don''t have to worry about him." "Dead? Then where''s the body? If he''s alive, I want him here, and if he''s dead, I want to see the body. Linus is already suspicious of me. If you don''t find him before the Heaths get to him, I will be doomed!" It didn''t matter if Linus or Ethan was suspicious of him. There wasn''t any evidence. The only witness was Jack. But his people looked all over Aldenvine and couldn''t find him. It made Yale uneasy. Mr. Kingston, there''s no use getting all worked up over this. Our people are looking for him right now. We''ll inform you as soon as we have any updates." Yale slumped into his chair and rubbed his temples. How did things turn out like that? "By the way, Mr. Kingston. I think the more important thing is that the Heaths are nning on having Ethan marry Ms. Heath." "They had brought that up several times in the past. That bitch Krystal only had eyes for Ethan no matter what I did for her." Yale waspletely different from Ethan. He was very clearheaded. He didn''t care about love or rtionships. He only cared about his personal interests and bringing glory to his family. He started pursuing Krystal a few years ago. He knew that Mason would only entrust him with more power if he married Krystal. If that happened, he would be able to reach new heights andpletely defeat Ethan. It was like Krystal was brainwashed. No matter how many times Ethan rejected her, she wouldn''t give up on him. "Mr. Heath was almost killed this time. If he stands his ground, Ethan might not be able to reject him again. It might be toote if we don''t make a move." Yale lit a cigarette. His expression turned mysterious as he said, "Let me think about it." It waste at night when Ethan and Olivia finished doing it. His chest was still heaving heavily. They have done it countless times, but he could never get tired of it. Instead, he grew even more obsessive over Olivia''s body. Especially when she just finished performing surgeries. She was practically glowing, so much so that he had the urge to hide her away. Oliviay in his embrace. "The Heaths will never forgive you for that. What do you n to do next?" Since Yale was just someone they brought into the fold to keep Ethan in check, it would mean Ethan was the man they wanted to marry Krystal. Yale was uneasy, but so were the Heaths. They just wanted things to blow over and convince Ethan to join their family. Even if Ethan rejected them this time, they would find another way to get him to say yes. "I''ll deal with whatever they throw at me. As long as you''re by my side, I do not fear anything." Olivia had changed her name and face. No one knew the rtionship between them. It meant they were safe. Now that they didn''t have a chink in their armor. Their enemies were the ones in danger. Olivia saw that Ethan was confident. So, she didn¡¯t probe further. The next morning, she went into Jack''s room and locked the door. "Jack, we need to talk." Jack set aside the bible he was reading and looked at Olivia. "I know what you want to ask." "Can you tell me?" Olivia took a stool and sat next to him. "Do you have time to listen to a story?" "Yes. Tell me." Jack began to tell her the story about his background and Kurt.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 1112 Chapter 1112 Olivia heard about Kurt''s story from Ethan before. But she didn''t expect there to be more to the story. It seemed like fate yed a trick on them for her to develop such a rtionship with Jack. "So, when you first approached me, you wanted to use me to kill Ethan? Then, the enemy you talked about is none other than Ethan?¡± "Yes. Do you regret knowing me now?" Jack asked calmly. Olivia sighed in relief. "Not at all. I have been feeling uneasy. Everything happens for a reason. No one would be good to you for no reason. "I''ve always thought you wanted something from me, but you treated my children like your own and treated me sincerely. "There''s no way I could think of you as a bad person. I had been worried about the future, but now that I know the reason behind it all, I don''t feel as nervous." "You don''t me me?" "Why would I me you? If you wanted to raise the kids to be your pawns, you would''ve tried to convince them that Ethan was the enemy. "But you didn''t do that. You raised them well. They were born prematurely. So, you probably spent a lot of time and effort caring forthem. "They are brave, but they held onto their childlike innocence. You taught them well. I''m really grateful to you for that. "As for me, you did everything you could to help in the past few years. I mean it when I say that I see you as my brother." Jack sighed. "I was reminded of my brother and me whenever I looked at the two of them. We were twins, too. "Everyone said I would never survive to adulthood, but he was the one who died instead." Tears welled up in Jack''s eyes. "I don''t want the children to follow in my footsteps. So, I didn''t teach them to hate. I let them grow up to be themselves." "That''s why I said you''re a good man. Why would I me you? What about now? Do you still want to kill him?" Jack looked into Olivia''s eyes. "I never told you about it because I didn''t want to put you on the spot. I know you''ve never forgotten about him all these years. "You still have feelings for him. What will you do if I really want to kill him?" "I won''t stop you, but I won''t help you either. I can''t say anything about the hatred you have for him. "I didn''t experience the hardships you''ve been through. So, I don''t have the right to tell you to let it go." "Olivia, you''re more clear-headed than before." "Jack, you don''t have to feel pressured. He is taking care of you because he wants to. We won''t stop you from doing whatever you want to do. "You were trapped for so many years. This is not the Stone Residence. No one would be afraid of you bringing bad luck to us. You just have to be yourself." Olivia hugged him. "Jack, you don''t have to get hung up over the past. You should look toward the future." She was very warm. It felt like the hugs that Kurt used to give him. Every time Kurt visited him at the church, he would tell him about the outside world. "Hey, Jack, when you get better, let''s travel and see the world together, okay? "Oh, and I have a very good friend. He''s kinda your cousin in a way. I''ve never seen anyone as impressive as him. "When you get better, I''ll bring you to visit him. He''ll surely be surprised to see that there are two of me. "Jack, that person is the same as you. He has been through a lot of hardships. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "He has no one that cares about him. He would always be at the forefront by himself, defending this nation. I want to protect him, too. "If I ever end up dead, you have to bury me under the tree at the church. That way, I''ll be able to protect you forever, okay? "I''m sorry. I haven''t been a good brother." Jack pressed his hand on his chest. He was very gravely injured. He should be dead. "Kurt, were you watching over me? If you knew I wanted to kill the person you cared about the most, would you feel sad?" Chapter 1113 Chapter 1113 Olivia was relieved since Ethan found somece safe for Jack. Ethan was very influential in Aldenvine, so Jack would be safe for the moment. Jack was too badly injured this time. It would take him several months to recover. It would do him good to get some rest. Besides, Olivia had a lot of things to do. She hadn''t seen Marina for a week. The Carltons did exactly as she said. They soaked Marina''s legs in hot water for a few hours every day. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Blisters form on her legs. They were punctured, and then the cream Olivia made would be applied to them. The cream was very effective. The blisters would be healed the next day. But the pain would start all over again. Marina lost quite some weight in the span of a week. Olivia feltplicated when she saw Marina. She didn''t expect Kurt to be in love with a woman like Marina. His dying wish caused her a lot of pain. Marina looked at Olivia with hate-filled eyes. She felt like Olivia put her through all that suffering intentionally. Otto and Fabian didn''t share her perspective. Otto heard from a friend that Olivia saved Mason''s life. That was why he weed her personally when she arrived at the Carlton Residence. The general public didn''t know, but everyone that was in the upper echelon of society heard about the assassination attempt on Mason. They also learned about the miracle doctor, Vanessa. "Pleasee in. Vanessa, I''ve been looking forward to your visit." Olivia''s lips twitched. She wanted toe over and prank Marina whenever she could, too. Marina looked at her with moreplicated feelings in her eyes this time. She was also more respectful. Although she didn''t know what Olivia aplished in the days she didn''t visit, she heard from Otto that Vanessa was a great doctor who would definitely be able to heal her legs. That was why Marina didn''t throw a fit anymore. She got used to the pain in the span of a week. At least she didn''t cry out in pain anymore. Every time they soaked her legs in hot water, she would bite a towel and endure the waves of pain that washed over her. Olivia looked at her without a shred of pity. This wasn''t even that much pain. Back when she was pregnant, she had to bite down on the nket to stop herself from crying in pain at night. She hoped Marina would enjoy the pain. Olivia started to perform acupuncture on Marina expressionlessly. The pain made her whole body shiver. As soon as she removed the needles, Olivia cleaned her fingers with a wet towel. Her actions caused Marina to feel displeased. "Vanessa, do you think I¡¯m dirty?" Olivia replied coldly. "You''re overthinking it. I just am a clean freak." That was the same thing. Marina gritted her teeth to stop herself from yelling at Olivia. She couldn''t wait until her legs were healed. Olivia quickly left after she was finished with the treatment. Warren asked her out two days ago, but she had been turning him down for the past few days. But Warren had be obsessed. Olivia was the one who contacted him in the past. He started to feel uneasy after she stopped. Did Ethan find her? Was she taken away by him again? He still felt worried even though Olivia told him she was safe. He demanded to see her. Olivia was only too happy to oblige. It seemed like she had him hooked. Coincidentally, Ethan had been very busy the past few days. So, he didn''t have time to be jealous. Warren and Olivia''s next meeting happened at a pub. Olivia wore a ck, revealing outfit. She had her hair up, and her makeup was pretty heavy. She attracted everyone''s attention when she sat down. Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114 Before he came, Olivia had already lit a cigarette. Even if she didn''t say a word, she still exuded charm from every pore of her body. Quite a few men had already tried to pick her up, but she rejected them with a smile. There was one drunkard who insisted she drink with him. Her rejections fell on deaf ears, so she pressed her cigarette on the back of his hand. "Are you too drunk to listen? Why don''t I sober you up?" Olivia smiled sweetly, which caused the drunkard to space out for an instant. Then, the pain from the back of his hand snapped him out of it. He quickly drew his hand back. "Bitch, how dare you do that? He raised his hand to p Olivia, but he was stopped before he could touch Olivia. Warren had arrived. He twisted the drunkard''s hand lightly and dislocated it. Warren looked at him coldly and said, "Scram!" The drunkard had a feeling that Warren wasn''t someone to be trifled with, so he scurried away while yelling, "This isn''t over!" Warren looked at the sses before Olivia and frowned." Why did you drink so much?" Olivia smiled. "Troubles of the heart. Can you drink? Drink with me if you can." Scientists First Thought They Were Statues Sponsored: Investing Magazine Read Next Story Warren could hold his liquor. But an assassin had to beposed at all times. He would never drink alcohol unless absolutely necessary. But Olivia''s smile was so charming that he got lost in it. He poured out a ss for himself in a daze. "Where have you been? Did he find you?" Olivia sighed. Her hesitant expression looked like it told a thousand stories. "Let''s not talk about it. Drink." When Olivia waved her hand, the bracelet on her wrist was revealed. Warren''s gaze would freeze for a moment whenever he saw it. It seemed like Mona was very important to her. Olivia downed ss after ss. Then, Warren ced his palm over her ss. "Stop drinking. You''re getting drunk." That would be great. I don''t want to think about the people or things that happened in the past. Warren, do you think I shouldn''t have been brought to this world? "I have never been able to protect anyone. I could only watch as they left me behind." She grabbed Warren''s sleeve with a pained expression. "I should be the one to die instead. Why am I still alive?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Warren reached out. He wanted to pat her on the head. But he didn''t have any experience dating women. He felt that it would be inappropriate, so he withdrew his hand. "It''s all in the past now. Don''t be sad." "In the past? But how do I get over them? These things are all piling up in my heart. I never get a good night''s sleep. I need to take all sorts of medication. "Do you know? I''ll see her dying before me whenever I close my eyes. She was still so young. "Why would the killer be so cruel as to harm a pure and innocent woman like her?" Olivia''s voice wasn''t loud, but her words were deafening. Warren felt unsettled. "Maybe the killer has some reason he had to do it." "So, killing is okay as long as he has his reasons to do so?" Warren changed the subject. "Did you find out who killed her?" Olivia shook her head. "I heard that the killer is from some international assassination organization. I don''t know anything about these things. "The world is so huge. Where am I supposed to look for him? Warren sighed in relief. Then, he heard a man''s voice. "It''s them! Guys, get them!" Warren saw that the drunkard that he had chased off had returned with a group of hooligans. It seemed like he wanted revenge. There was a hint of bloodlust in his eyes, which Olivia noticed. Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115 Warren picked up a beer bottle and smashed it on the drunkard''s head. The pub descended into chaos. Olivia, the one who caused the fight to happen, looked on calmly. If she didn''t do that, how would she give herself a legitimate reason to "fall in love" with Warren? The "knight in shining armor" trick would never go out of style. After he had beaten the drunkard up, Warren saw that themotion was getting out of hand. So, he grabbed Olivia and ran. People like him were most afraid of exposing themselves and crossing paths with the cops. The two of them ran along the alleyways in the dark of the night. Olivia broke free of his grasp and panted heavily. "I can''t run anymore." Warren sighed in relief when he saw that they had gotten away. "You shouldn''te to ces like this alone next time. Being too pretty isn''t a good thing. You''ll attract all sorts of attention." Olivia raised her head. She looked even more charming under the illumination of streetlights. "What about you?" "Me?" Olivia took a step toward him, which caused him to move back reflexively. With his back against the wall, Olivia caressed his face and said with a smile, "I was just curious to know if I managed to attract you." They were very close. Warren could smell the fragrance of flowers mixed with the smell of herbs on Olivia. It was a very special scent. Something he had never smelled on anyone else. Warren was unsettled. He couldn''t fend off Olivia''s advances when she was acting like this. But with his upation, he didn''t dare to get into a rtionship. Before he could reply, Olivia moved away. "I''m sorry, I was in a daze. I shouldn''t have said that." "Where do you live? I''ll escort you home." Olivia told him a location. Both of them felt a little awkward. Olivia drove to the pub, and since they drank alcohol, they could only hire a designated driver. They sat at the back of the car. Olivia fell asleep shortly after she got in the car. Warren snuck a look at her sleeping face. She looked harmless and delicate, like a little bunny. How could she be so defenseless before a man who once tried to kill her? They reached the vi. Warren paid the driver and asked him to leave while he stayed by Olivia''s side in the car. He was probably afraid that she would catch a cold. So, he took off his coat and draped it around her.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The snow was falling heavily, but he felt calm. After some time, Olivia opened her eyes. She said hoarsely." Where are we?" Looking at her innocent demeanor, Warren couldn''t help but ask, "How could you just fall asleep like that? Aren''t you afraid I might do something to you?" Olivia batted her eyshes. "Would you?" Warren shook his head. "I wouldn''t." "That settles it. Of course, I trust you. You''re Warren, after all. ¡¯ Olivia smiled. It was stunning. Immense guilt bubbled within Warren. "You''re too naive. Both my identity and my appearance are fake. Why do you have to be so trusting?" Warren thought. Looking at his spaced-out expression, Olivia knew that Warren had already fallen for her. He nervously said, "You''re already home. I won''t disturb your rest anymore. Send me a textter. The car I called is almost here." "Be careful. The roads are slippery." Warren walked into the snow. He didn''t dare to stay around, nor did he dare to bid her farewell. He got in the car and saw that Olivia was still waving at him by the road. Even when his car was about to turn a corner, he could still see her standing in the snow. "You''re too naive. Olivia. A man like me is not worthy of your concern. Let''s stop meeting each other from now," Warren thought. Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116 Olivia watched as Warren left until his car waspletely out of sight. Then, the smile on her face faded, reced with a cold, devilish expression. There was no way Warren could escape her grasp now. She quickly got out of the snow and entered the vi. As soon as she opened the door, the warm air from the house enveloped her. Ethan drew her into his arms and pressed her against his chest. "Liv, I leave you alone for one day, and you''re out seducing other men." Olivia chuckled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled. "The only one I want to seduce is you." "You rascal." Ethan pressed against her lips and rubbed on them. "Don¡¯t do it here. Let''s head to the bedroom," Olivia reminded. "Why not? There''s no one here." Ethan ced her on the couch. "I won''t let you rest tonight since you''re wearing such an outfit." He followed through with his words. Ethan ravaged Olivia relentlessly the entire night. Oliviay on his heaving chest. "I heard something. Warren had crossed paths with the person who tried to kill me." "You want to learn the truth from him?" "Yes. Warren is the only person who has been in contact with the killer. He might know who the killer is. The killer hid himself very well. "If he doesn''t expose himself, it would be hard for us to find him. I''ve been following this lead for over two years." Ethan sighed. "I know nothing would happen between the two of you. But I feel upset when I think about how you would be in close proximity to him and smile at him. "I even have the urge to tear him to pieces." "Don''t worry. I hate him, too. I would never have any feelings for him. He''s very paranoid. This is the only way." Ethan caressed her cheeks. "You have to be careful." "I know." By the way, Mr. Heath would be after you." Olivia blinked. "Why would he be after me? I wasn''t the one who hit his precious daughter." "What are you thinking? You''re too much of a talent to give up on. Did you think they would let you go? "Linus wille looking for you tomorrow at thetest. What do you think about that, Liv?" Olivia sighed. "I don''t have anything to say about that. I don''t have any grudges with them. "My willingness to help them depends on my mood. Do you want me to go?" No," Ethan said directly. "Why?" "It''s not a good idea to be involved in this situation because it is especially dangerous when you''re close to Mr. Heath. Liv, I don''t want you to be involved in this." Olivia stroked his fingers and said with a smile. "But I would get some benefits if I worked for him, right?" Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "What do you want?" Olivia chuckled. "Who knows? But it''s always good to have some security. Besides, I get to annoy Krystal by being there. "You want to do this because of Krystal?" Olivia touched her face. "Even if you''ve pped her back for me. No one would understand how I felt as I waited outside your ward that night." "You never nned to leave from the beginning?" "I''ve already cast the line. I want tond a big fish this time." "You knew Linus woulde looking for you?" "Those who know medicine might not be as good as me in terms of preparing nutritional meals. Even professional nutritionists might not be as good as me when ites to that. "I''ve already put so much effort into getting them ustomed to my services. They wouldn''t allow me to leave so easily. But this time, I will demand more for my payment." A hint of ingenuity shed in Olivia''s eyes. It was all within his calctions. Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117 Olivia wasn''t the naive young woman she used to be. The people in power had ess to more intelligence and resources than normal people. It would be dangerous if she was close to Mason, but she could also acquire a lot more in return. The most important thing is that she could also help Ethan discreetly. She could y a crucial role in helping him manipte the situation. Ethan was ready to get up before daybreak. Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist and nestled against his back. ¡°Are you leaving?" "Yeah. I''ve been busy recently." "Youe here to spend the night despite being so busy?" Olivia poked fun at him. Ethan turned around, drew her into his arms, and kissed her. "It''s because you''re too alluring. If I don''t keep an eye on you, I''m afraid someone might take you from me." The two of them shared a long and passionate kiss. They had been indulging in their lust a lot. Since they abandoned their responsibilities, they were able to enjoy themselves more. 1 Their lips parted after a long while. Ethan held her in his arms quietly for a few minutes. "Liv, I really just want to have you in my arms like this until the end of time." "That''s too heavy of a promise. I don''t want that. This will do. You should go." Ethan''s eyes darkened. He kissed her on the forehead. "Rest well. You can contact me if you need me." He got up to freshen himself up after he said that. He left before the sun was up. Olivia didn''t get much chance to enjoy some peace and quiet. So, she slept for a few more hours. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. It was already the middle of the day when she woke up. Her phone vibrated several times. It was Linus calling. When she called again, Olivia picked up with a tired voice. "Hello?" Linus was surprised. "You were still sleeping? I''m sorry. I didn''t know." "Mr. Heath, how can I help you?" "I''m at your door, Vanessa. I want to see you." "Please hold on for amoment." Olivia yawned and quickly made herself presentable. She changed her clothes before heading downstairs. There was a fleet of cars a short distance from the vi. The "001" te of the ck car in the front was very striking. Judging from the amount of snow that had gathered on top of the car, they had been waiting for quite some time. They didn''t barge into the vi because they wanted to show her some respect. Olivia walked out into the snow. Linus got out of his car when he saw her. He extinguished the cigarette in his hand. "Vanessa." "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Heath.¡± "It''s fine. Can we talk inside? If not, we can also talk in the car." "It''s okay. You cane in." Olivia led the way, and Linus followed her. The vi was immediately surrounded by people standing watch. It became stressful. "I''m sorry." "It''s okay. I understand." Olivia noticed that Linus was very sophisticated despite his position of power. He waspletely different from Krystal. He even took the trouble to put on galoshes when he entered the vi. "Coffee or tea?" "I''d like some tea, thanks." Olivia sat at the tea table and started to boil some water to brew the tea. ¡°Are you here for Mr. Heath?" Linus handed her a check. "This is the payment for treating my father." Olivia nced at the check. It was for two million dors. It wasn''t too high, but it wasn''t that low, either. He was very smart. He didn''t offer an obscene amount, so Olivia wouldn''t feel pressured when epting it. "T''ll happily ept this." After she epted it, Linus handed her a contract. "Vanessa, I sincerely hope you can be my father''s personal doctor. As for the terms, you can tell me whatever you want." ¡® Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118 Olivia said calmly, "Mr. Heath, I don''t want to seem rude, but Mr. Heath is no longer in a critical condition. He just needs some time and care. His body would eventually recover. "My presence wouldn''t be needed. Besides, your sister doesn''t want me around. I don''t want to be the source of strife in your family." Since Linus visited her in person, he probably didn''t just want her to treat Mason. He wanted a great doctor like her close by so she would be able to take care of any emergencies that might arise. A talent like her had to be kept close by. ¡°We''ve already been through that. My sister has been spoiled by our family. The things she said and did to you were very rude. "I apologize in her stead. I guarantee that it won''t happen again." "Since you said that, I can get on board. But I have a few conditions. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "The first one is that I have some patients in other ces, too. You can''t restrict my freedom." ¡°Naturally. But since you would be working for my father, you have to be aware of some things even if we don''t fully restrict your freedom. "Of course, that''s up for discussion. Is there anything else?" "I want to join the medical team and do research with them. Is that okay?" "That''s perfectly fine. It''s good that you have that drive to improve. "We''ll provide you with all the best resources to study medicine, but you need to acquire approval in advance if you want to leave the country." Olivia mentioned several more conditions, which Linus happily agreed to. ¡°Alright, I don''t have any other issues." Linus reached out. "Then, I hope we have a fruitful rtionship." They shook hands briefly. Linus'' hand had more calluses than Ethan''s. It was very rough. On the other hand, Linus didn''t expect Olivia''s hand to be so smooth, even though she was a doctor. Although their hands only touched for an instant, it was enough to surprise him. A person like him would shake hands with people, both men and women, quite frequently. It was the first time he touched such a soft and smooth palm. "If you''re okay with it, we should head back together. My father has gotten used to the herbal meals you made for him. ¡°He wasn''t able to get used to the food other people made even if they followed your recipe." ¡°Alright, let''s go." Olivia didn''t make a fuss. " But I haven''t had breakfast yet. Can you wait for 30 minutes?" "Go ahead." "Have you eaten?" "Thave-..." Before he could finish his reply, his stomach started to rumble. He scratched his head. "I haven''t eaten." Olivia smiled. "I knew it. Please wait for a moment. I''ll make two tes of pasta, and we can eat together." Linus was stunned. This face of Olivia looked very in normally. She could only be described as decent-looking at best. But when she smiled, it felt like a pretty flower had bloomed. Olivia put on her apron and went to the backyard to get some basil and kale. Then, she started cooking up a storm, making all sorts of noises while doing so. Two tes of pasta were quickly served. The ingredients were simple, but the food smelled amazing. Linus couldn''t help but sing her praises. "You''re such a great cook. No wonder my father misses her cooking." "I''ve heard that you''re stationed at the borders al] year long. The conditions are harsh there, and you don''t have many ingredients to cook. "That''s why you would feel like a simple te of pasta is delicious." ¡°That''s true. But a storm ising. I won''t be leaving in the foreseeable future." "Where is iting to?" Linus put down his cutleries and looked straight at her. "There are some things you''re better off not knowing." Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119 Olivia quickly replied, "I''m sorry. I was just making small talk." Linus regained hisposure. "I was being too sensitive. Forgive me." Then, both of them fell silent. Olivia followed behind him. This man was so dense, even more than Ethan when she just got married to him. He was also very stern, but he wasn''t a bad person. When they got out of the car, he even opened the door for her. "The roads are slippery. Watch your step." In his eyes, all women are frail. Olivia nodded. She remained polite and distant. Mason''s face lit up with joy when he saw that Olivia had returned. ¡°Vanessa, you''re finally back. You haven''t even made the angel food cake you promisedst time." Olivia smiled. "I''ll go make it now, then." ¡°There''s no rush. You just came back. Take a break. Make me some tea.¡± "Okay." Tatiana looked at Olivia. Mason had always been distant and cautious toward other people, but he treated her differently. At first, she was also grateful that Olivia had saved Mason''s life, but she started to feel like something was wrong. Mason and Linus were too lenient with this woman of unknown origins. Mason was even reliant on her. In the two days Olivia was gone, Mason''s appetite was visibly worse. He even said the food she personally made for him wasn''t the same as Olivia''s. How could a woman not overthink in such a situation? Especially since Linus was still single. She was worried that Mason would grow too fond of Olivia and decide to allow her to marry Linus. That would be a very bad joke. But Tatiana was more mature than Krystal. She wouldn''t directly express her love or hatred for someone on the surface. She was very weing when Olivia returned. ¡°Mason, you should let her rest a little since she just got back, but you are asking her to brew tea for you. I''ll brew the tea since I''m better at that." Olivia didn''t try to stop Tatiana. "Then I''ll go prepare the ingredients for tonight''s meal. I''ll also look at Mr. Heath''s medical reports. I''ll see if the medication needs to be changed based on his condition. "Alright, go ahead." Mason''s mood had clearly improved. After Olivia was out of the room, Tatiana put down her teapot. She gave Mason a look and said, "I think Krystal was right. She''s just a doctor, but you''re smiling so happily. It feels like you''re under a spell." Mason held her hand. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Honestly, the first time I saw her, I felt a sense of familiarity." Tatiana felt her heart skip a beat. "I think you''ve grown senile. Why would you feel a sense of familiarity toward a stranger?" ¡°Who knows? Maybe it''s just a gut feeling, just like how Krystal just hates her. There''s no reason for such feelings. Alright, since she''s back, you have to rein Krystal in. Don''t let her be so rude to Vanessa again." Tatiana said unhappily, "Is a doctor more important than your daughter? So what if Krystal yells at her a little?" "She did save my life. She has done our family a great service. Why are you as unreasonable as Krystal?" Tatiana''s expression changed. "I''m grateful to her, too. I just don''t want you to treat our daughter worse because of an outsider. Her marriage is not even settled yet. Get the doctor out of your head. Have you been thinking about how to get Ethan to marry Krystal?" Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120 Mason frowned. "Do you think marriage is so simple? You can''t just force him to marry Krystal when he doesn''t like her. Even if you do, she would be miserable in a loveless marriage. ¡°That was why I never forced him to marry her all these years. I thought he would be able to let go of the past as time went on, but now I think he''s too deeply in love." Tatiana sat on the bed with a bit of a temper. "Why won''t anything work? Our daughter has always been the apple of our eyes. "She''s led a good life since she was young, but now she can''t even marry the man she loves. What do we do?" ¡°There are so many good men out there. Does she have to marry a man who has been married before?" Mason was thinking further into the future. ¡°Who cares how many times he''s been married as long as Krystal likes him? If you don''t want to do anything about this, I''ll take matters into my own hands." Tatiana had made up her mind. Mason looked at her with a displeased expression. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?" "Why else? Your daughter is in her 20s. If this drags on, she would be aughingstock to others." Mason said irritably, "I''ll talk to him again." "Okay." Seeing Mason''s displeasure, Tatiana softened her attitude. "Mason, I''m doing this for our daughter. Do you want her to marry aman she doesn''t love? That would be the same as bing a widow. "Since she would be unhappy either way, why not let her marry the person she likes? She would at least be able to get some joy from looking at him. "Besides, people of the older generation often get married first and develop feelings for each other after." "There''s some truth to what you''re saying. Call Ethan over. I''ll talk to him." "Okay." Ethan knew something was wrong when he was invited over. They talked about some things before Mason brought it up. ¡°You''ve grown so much in the blink of an eye. I''ve always regretted not being able to attend your weddingst time. ¡°You''re someone I practically raised. I know your personality well. I''ll rest easy if my daughter is with you. ¡°Can you agree to my request for the sake of our rtionship as mentor and mentee?" "Mr. Heath, I can''t agree with this. I''ve already told you why." "] know you don''t have feelings for Krystal. If I had died this time, Krystal would be the one person I would be worried about. "She has been spoiled since she was young.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. She only has eyes for you, and I really like you, too. I think you two will really make a good couple. "You can develop feelings over time. Maybe you would even start to see her better qualities after you''re married and slowly fall in love with her." Ethan said calmly. "Mr. Heath, I''m not saying that Krystal isn''t good. "It''s just that my ex-wife would always be the best woman in my eyes. Even if an angel descended from heaven, I would still pick my ex-wife. ¡°Even in the next life, she would be the one for me. I can agree to anything except this." "what if .." Mason suddenly changed his tone. "This is an order? Orders are absolute in the army." 1 The gentle demeanor he had waspletely gone. He had turned into the man who stood at the top and had power over everyone. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Olivia''s gentle voice followed. "Mr. Heath, I made the angel food cake. Can Ie in?" Chapter 1121 Chapter 1121 Olivia''s voice was like a gentle breeze that swept all the tension away. Even the frown on Mason''s face faded. When Mason was angry, people who knew him would never approach him. Even Tatiana wouldn''t go to him when he was enraged. Ethan thought Mason would ask Olivia to go away. Instead, Mason said calmly, "Come in." Olivia opened the door and walked in. She pretended not to know Ethan. "You''re here, too, Mr. Miller. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. It''s a good thing I made plenty. Stay and try some." It was obvious to Ethan that Olivia had deliberatelye in at the nick of time to save him. Her acting had be very convincing. "I have something else I need to do. I won''t disturb Mr. Heath''s rest anymore." ¡°Alright. You can try some next time, then." Olivia put the cake on the table and went to the tea table. "What tea do you want to drink, Mr. Heath?" The fluidity of Olivia''s motions entranced Mason as she prepared the tea. Some long-forgotten memories emerged in his mind again. His expression grew moreplicated after he ate a piece of the angel food cake. Since she didn''t get a response, Olivia turned around to look at Mason and asked again, "Mr. Heath?" Mason snapped back to reality. "I''m sorry, I spaced out." Olivia had eyes that looked like a certain someone. Mason figured the reason why he lost hisposure was probably the cake. It tasted very familiar. It reminded him of an old acquaintance. "What about Darjeeling tea?" "Sure." Mason had already recovered to the point where he could take a couple of steps off the bed. Olivia wanted to help him up, but he waved her away. "No need. I can do this myself. I need the exercise, or else I might really be a cripple." "Sure. Although your recovery ising along well, you''re still at an advanced age. Your body is not what it used to be. You need to be careful." "Vanessa, do you have any family?" Olivia shook her head. "I don''t know, maybe. But I don''t know where they are." "Mr. Heath, are you not going to eat the cake? Does it taste bad?" This was a recipe that Penny taught her. Penny was rarely ever in her right mind. But when she was, she would tell Olivia about the past and about the stories of her and Ms. Nat. She told Olivia about the cherry tree next to the gate. She used to love making angel food cakes for Ms. Nat. This recipe was something she taught Olivia step by step. "No, it tastes very authentic. It''s just like the one I ate many years ago." Olivia didn''t think too much about it since she figured that the older generation shared a lot of simr tastes. "I''ve never seen you eat any cherries. If you don''t like them, I won''t cook with them anymore." "No, I like it." Mason''s expression darkened. It wasn''t that he didn''t like the cake. It was because he liked it too much, so much so that he didn''t even dare to recall memories of that person. Even after so many years, he still had a ce in his heart for that person that no one could take. ¡°What''s wrong, Mr. Heath?" "I''m fine. Since you made so much, you should eat some, too. You don''t have to be too uptight when you''re here. "I''m probably around the age of your grandfather. If you don''t mind, you can call me grandpa." Olivia was stunned. "How can that be? If anyone else heard it, they would think I was disrespectful to you." "It''s not the medieval times now, is it? It''s just that when I look at you, some memories of minee rushing back. If only ..." Chapter 1122 Chapter 1122 Olivia smelled a story. "What happened back then?" Mason shook his head. "Nothing. Let''s eat." Mason insisted that Olivia had to call him "Grandpa" at least once. Since there wasn''t anyone around, Olivia said softly, "Grandpa Heath." "Good. Good girl." Mason patted her on the head. No matter how you look at him at that moment, Mason looked like a kind old man. There wasn''t a trace of the powerful man that he was supposed to be. When she felt Mason''s hand on her head, Olivia had a weird feeling. It was because she hadn''t been with a family member for so long. She didn''t hate the feeling, Mason was discharged after a few days. Since Olivia was his personal doctor, she followed them back to the Heath Residence. The fleet of cars drove into a securepound in Aldenvine. There were guards everywhere. All of them were well-built soldiers. Olivia got out of the car and helped Mason out. Krystal and Tatiana were in another car. As soon as she got out, she muttered, "Why does a lowly doctor like her get to sit in the same car as Dad? What a joke." Linus red at her. Krystal no longer dared to be as arrogant as before, so she didn''t say anything else. Olivia didn''t want to make matters worse, so she pretended not to hear Krystal as she helped Mason into the house. As soon as she entered the yard, she noticed some cherry trees. It was already winter, so there weren''t any fruits. The branches were also covered in snow. The snow in the yard was swept clean. There was a mild fragrance of flowers. The Heath Residence was a traditional building. It retained the designs of the olden days. A gust of warm air enveloped them as soon as they entered the house. Mason took off his coat and handed it to Olivia. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Olivia was looking for a ce to hang it when the butler came over. "Just hand it over to me." She helped Mason sit down, and then Tatiana said, "Thisdy is here to take care of Mason. Edmund, show her around the kitchen." Olivia could feel that Tatiana''s attitude had grown more distant. Her introduction made it seem like Olivia was a housekeeper. Olivia didn''t say anything as she followed Edmund. She could hear Mason talking as she left. "T told you to let the maids prepare a room. Did you do it?" "Don''t worry, Mason. Why would I mess up such a small matter? I''ve ordered them to do it long ago. I won''t mistreat her.¡± After Olivia walked further away, Tatiana muttered, "She''s just a personal doctor. I''ve never seen you care about someone else." "It''s because she saved my life. What are you thinking about?" Mason rubbed his temples. "Since she''s a guest of mine, I expect all of you to treat her with some respect. If any of you bully her again, don''t me me if I be a little harsh." Olivia was following Edmund. He walked pretty quickly. It was clear he was a trained martial artist. Olivia was able to keep up without much trouble. Edmund showed her around the kitchen. "Miss, I''ll bring you to your room next." "Thanks." Olivia was still following him. Edmund brought her to a room; even the windows were of a traditional design. As soon as she entered the room, she caught a whiff of a musty smell, but the room was cleaned thoroughly. Edmund said, "Miss, we don''t usually get guests. When I asked the maids to clean the room today, we noticed that the heater had broken down. "I''ve already contacted someone to repair it, but you''ll have to tough it out today." The winter nights in Aldenvine were extremely cold, and he expected Olivia to tough it out without a heater. Chapter 1123 Chapter 1123 Olivia looked up at the butler, saying, ''''The Heath residence is quite huge, so it must have other guest rooms, right?" "The Heath family rarely receives guests, so the few guest rooms have always been like that. "The heating system broke down because ofck of use, and the other rooms are the same. "The night will pass soon enough. I''ll get someone to bring over a hot water bag or twoter. Original from N?velDrama.Org. You won''t feel cold with them." Olivia smiled at him. "That works, too." "T have something to attend to, so I won''t bother you anymore.¡± "It''s fine. I have something else to ask you about. Mr. Warner, where is your room?" "In the inner yard. What''s the matter?" "Why don''t we exchange rooms tonight? You can sleep here." Alfred''s expression shifted. "That won''t do. It''s too much trouble." ¡°Why would it be too much trouble? I''m not touching your stuff; I''m just going to sleep there. I don''t mind you at all. You can use the hot water bags, too. ¡°After all, you probably won''t feel too cold with them." Olivia returned to Alfred every single word he had said to her. "Well, I share a room with my wife, so it might be a little troublesome." ¡°Oh, no, that''s no trouble at all. Your wife and I are both women, after all. Sorry for making you go through this, Mr. Warner. I''ll pack up my things and move into your room." Alfred was stupefied. He thought that Olivia was an easy target to bully, but now, he realized that he had dug his own grave. Carrying her luggage, Olivia walked up to the door. Then, she paused in her tracks and suddenly said, "Mr. Warner, you look like a kind man to me. "I don''t suppose you were lying to me when you said that there are no empty rooms, right?" "O-Of course!" Olivia gave him a sweet smile. "If you dared to lie to me, Mr. Warner, I''ll tell Mr. Heath that you guys have horrible hospitality." The veins on the back of Alfred''s hands were bulging. Suppressing his rage, Alfred said, "Miss, you''re here to serve Mr. Heath. Did you seriously think that you''re a guest? "In the end, you''re not any different from us. You''re just a lowly servant who came to serve others." Olivia started, ''''I can see that youck a certain understanding of your identity, Mr. Warner." Olivia''s voice was cold. ¡°Firstly, I am the private physician who came here by Mr. Linus¡® invitation. 1 am only in charge of taking care of Mr. Heath''s health. "You said that I am here to serve, so by that logic, do the doctors serve you every time you get sick and go to the hospital? "Secondly, many people want me to treat them, and they will offer huge sums to that end. It''s all up to me whether I want to treat them or not. "Even billionaires are scared of offending me, let alone a minor butler like you. It doesn''t work the other way around. ¡°Lastly, the master of this house has thest name Heather. I wonder who it was who didn''t like me, you or your master? I can leave right now, but after I leave, don''t even think about asking me toe back." Olivia''s words were harsh. Alfred had been working in the Heath residence for decades. So, other than the master of the house, Alfred''s status was one of the most important ones in the house. Everyone would treat Alfred with due respect. But this woman from nowhere was bold enough to keep challenging him. "Girl, you don''t look that old. Who gave you the right to behave like this?" Olivia sneered. "Old man, you don''t look that young either. If you can''t even understand basic respect, how did you ever be a butler?" "Who raised you? What''s with that attitude?" "My family only taught me how to deal with people. Lowly tail- waggers like you are not worth my time." With that, Olivia turned around and started walking with her suitcase behind her. "Go and have fun. I''m not going to bother you anymore." Krystal had stopped causing trouble, but now, someone else was giving her trouble instead. Seeing that Olivia was about to leave, Alfred panicked. He hastily took a few steps forward. "Wait. I justmented on you a little. Where are you going?" Chapter 1124 Chapter 1124 "I''m going back where I came from." "Aren''t you worried about paying liquidated damages?" Alfred asked hastily. Olivia chuckled. "Don''t worry, I can still afford that tiny sum." "You can''t leave! You just want a room with heating, right? I can get that arranged for you. It''s no problem at all." Tatiana only asked that Olivia have an ufortable stay. She didn''t ask Alfred to drive Olivia out. If Olivia truly left, how was Alfred going to exin himself? Olivia was aware of Alfred''s thoughts. She hated people like him who overestimated their authority. Olivia crossed her arms as she looked at Alfred coldly. "What''s the matter? There weren''t any rooms before this, but now they appeared out of nowhere! "Mr. Warner, do you take me for a fool? Or do you think that you can bully me however you like?" Alfred said sullenly, "It''s just a room, so you''re causing too much of a fuss. Do you seriously think that you''re a rich youngdy or something? "You should be grateful that you have a ce to stay, but you''re being so picky¡ª" Before Alfred finished speaking, a figure strode up to them. Alfred hadn''t even greeted Linus before thetter stormed up to him. Raising his hand, Linus delivered a p right across Alfred''s face. "How dare you! Who do you think you are to talk to Vanessa like that?" Alfred was so startled that his face turned pale. He trembled violently. "M-Mr. Linus!" "What?" Linus was constantly on the battlefield, and he had the blood of many on his hands. As the murderous intent emanated from Linus, Alfred almost lost his bnce, and he was about to fall to his knees. Alfred hastily spoke up. "Mr. Linus, please lend us your insight. I arranged a room for thisdy, but she nitpicked the room. "I told her that I would change rooms for her, but she insulted me instead. "She said that even billionaires are scared of offending her, and the Heath family is nothing in comparison. "She said that she would stay here if she liked, but if she doesn''t like it, she''ll leave right away." When Olivia heard those words, she couldn''t help but smile in exasperation. She had never seen such a shameless person before. Spotting the smile on Olivia''s lips, Alfred continued exaggerating his testimony. "Look, Mr. Linus! She''s smiling even at times like this! She even said that I''m an old man who doesn''t deserve to bea butler. "I''ve been working in the Heath residence for so many years, so why is thisdy the only one nitpicking me? Despite everything, I''m still part of the Heath family. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "If she said something like that, she would be insulting the whole Heath family too." When Alfred finished saying those words, Linus raised his hand again and delivered a p to Alfred''s other cheek. "True, you are not worthy of being a butler." Alfred widened his eyes. He couldn''t believe that Linus had said those words. "Mr. Linus, I''ve been working hard for decades in the Heath family, and I never cked off. But today, I can''t believe you''re defending an outsider like her instead ..." Linus took out his phone. The screen showed that a call was ongoing, and the contact number wasbeled as none other than " Vanessa". Alfred''s expression shifted. In other words, Linus had heard everything he said, but he had even made false usations just now. Alfred thought, "That wench! I can''t believe how cunning she is! She tricked me!" "Mr. Warner, to be honest, I also thought that you were working hard and being sincere about it. But today, I finally realized that you were lying to everyone. "My father and I treated this guest with utmost respect, but look how you treated her! Ah, yes, what a good butler you are!" Alfred kneeled right away. "Mr. Linus, I can exin¡ª" "Exin? Hah ..." Linus lifted his leg and delivered a fierce kick to Alfred''s shoulder. Of course, Alfred couldn''t withstand that huge force. With a yelp, he toppled into the snow. Chapter 1125 Chapter 1125 "If T hadn''t heard you saying those words with my ears, I wouldn''t have known how good you are at making up stories." Alfred immediately got up. He kneeled as he began pping himself. "It''s all my fault. I''m sorry, miss, please forgive me. I should have known better. "Mr. Linus, please have mercy on me, even if it''s just because I''ve worked hard for the family for so many years. I''m getting too old." Linus replied, "Since you''re getting too old, you should let someone else be the butler. We didn''t pay you a high sry every day just to bully others at home.¡± When Alfred heard that he was getting fired, he sobbed even louder. He earned a lot as the butler of the Heath family, and he even had lots of ambiguous ie. He wouldn''t want to let go of a wonderful job like that. Tatiana''s voice rang out behind them. "What''s going on?" Tatiana looked at Olivia, faking a warm expression as she said, " Vanessa, you''re a guest in this house. If the household staff arecking in any aspect, just tell me. "But Alfred was just showing you your room. How did things turn out like this?" If Olivia was still the weak person she had been before, she would have felt that Tatiana was a gentle and kind woman. But judging from their recent interactions, Tatiana seemed to be on a level higher than Krystal. Perhaps Tatiana didn''t like how Olivia was the reason Krystal had to be pped, and now Mason was awake as well. Tatiana was the ssic ingrate. When she needed someone, she would beg them for help. But when she didn''t need someone anymore, she would just kick them aside. Sadly, Mason and Linus had high opinions of Olivia. Tatiana was smart in the sense that she wasn''t as brash as Krystal. She had instructed Alfred to secretly mistreat Olivia. Perhaps because Olivia was so submissive in front of Mason, Tatiana thought that Olivia was an easy target. She didn''t expect Olivia to cause such a huge ruckus that Alfred wouldn''t be able to get away unscathed. Olivia was quite curious to find out if Alfred would drag Tatiana down with him just to protect himself. It should be quite a sight to see dogs fighting each other. "Mrs. Heath, this is my first time here, but for some reason, I somehow offended this butler. He arranged a room without heating for me, and he even told me to just bear with it. "I''m just a feeble woman, and my body is weak enough already. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I can endure sleeping in a ce that''s like negative 70 degrees, but I fear that if I get sick, I won''t be able to take care of Mr. Heath anymore." Olivia had a pitiful look on her face. "I simply suggested that I swap rooms with him, but this butler began to mock me. He said that Ie here to serve people, not to be a rich youngdy. ¡°He said that I was causing too much of a fuss." Mason, who had just arrived in haste, overheard Olivia''s words. When he saw Olivia''s pitiful expression, he flew into a rage. He immediately strode over them, pping and then kicking Alfred. After all, Mason''s achievements were earned on the battlefield. He was still strong in his old age, and he was at least as powerful as Linus. In an instant, Alfred began to bleed from his nose and mouth! ¡°You bastard! I kept telling you that Vanessa is a guest I invited! Is this how you treat honored guests?" Alfred had no idea that he had made such a huge mistake. He kept bowing to Mason in apology, "I''m so sorry, Mr. Heath. 1 had no idea. It was Mrs. Heath¡ª" Tatiana nced coldly at Alfred. Then, she spoke up. ¡°Alfred, didn''t I tell you to take good care of Vanessa? She is a young woman, but you must not mistreat her regardless. "Is this how you carry out orders? I trusted you for so many years, and I even promoted you to the position of butler. You''ve greatly disappointed me!" Her short speech served as a warning to Alfred to remember her kindness to him. Of course, Alfred didn''t dare to push the me on Tatiana anymore. Chapter 1126 Chapter 1126 Alfred was aware that Tatiana was trying to sacrifice a pawn to secure the big picture. He had underestimated Olivia''s importance to Mason and Linus. If things went on like this, even Tatiana would get the me. Abandoning Alfred was a better choice than getting Tatiana dragged down with him. Alfred was at a loss. Tatiana was Mason''s wife, after all. Even if Mason was angry at her, they would reconcile soon enough. But if Alfred exposed Tatiana, he would be offending the entire Heath family. When that happened, he might be chased out. So, Alfred took all the me right away. ''''Yes, Mrs. Heath did remind me to do that. I was doing a good job at first, but the room didn''t have a heating system. "I contacted the repairman right away, but he wasn''t free toe over today. This is totally out of my control. My attitude wascking back then, and I should be punished for mistreating the youngdy. "Mr. Heath, Mr. Linus, please forgive me." As expected, after Alfred said that, Tatiana had a much better expression on her face. It was only then that she begged, "Alfred has been working with us for so many years, and he has always worked diligently. Hemitted a mistake today, but I''m sure he can learn from his mistakes. "It''s a good thing that nothing serious happened." Krystal muttered, "That''s right. It''s just ack of heating, right? It''s just a minor issue, so let''s not make mountains out of molehills. Mr. Warner has worked hard for us, and he''s like family to us. "Dad, Linus, you two were just too harsh. Now that you''ve beat him up and scolded him, are you going to fire him too?" "A minor issue?" Mason sneered. "Alright, then. Let''s turn off the heating system in Tatiana''s and Krystal''s rooms and see how they take it. If the heating system is broken, just change rooms. "Do we not even have a spare room in our house? Even if every unit was broken, what''s wrong with letting her stay with someone else? Does she even have to sleep in a cold room at all? ¡°This old man must have gone blind and started taking matters into his own hands. The incident that happened today can''t be the first, nor will it be thest. "Alfred, talk to the finance department and get your sry for this month sorted out. As for other matters,pensation will be made. My family refuses to hire you any longer." Alfred waspletely panicking now. Grabbing Tatiana''s leg, he begged, ''''Mrs. Heath, please put in a good word for me. I sincerely don''t want to leave the Heath residence!" Tatiana didn''t expect her single sentence to cause Alfred to lose his job. She hastily said, Mason, that''s too harsh a punishment. Alfred just made a small mistake, so it''s not worth the punishment. "I am responsible for this incident as well. I was the one who failed to handle it well, so please let Alfred off just this once." Krystal said, "That''s right, Dad. Look how you treated Mr. Warner just for the sake of an outsider! Your reputation will be tainted if word of this gets out." Mason treated his reputation quite seriously. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Taking a deep breath, Mason said, "Alright, since you want to stay in the Heath residence, you cannot be the butler anymore. ¡°From today onward, you''re demoted to janitor. You''re in charge of cleaning up, trimming the nts, and doing odd jobs." Of course, Alfred didn''t want to do that. But when he saw Tatiana giving him a look, he nodded. "Alright, understood." Mason looked at Linus. "Make arrangements for Vanessa." ¡°Understood, Father." "It''s cold out here. Mr. Heath, I''ll help you inside." Olivia hastily tried to please Mason. When Olivia and Mason had left, Krystal stomped her feet. Upset, she cursed, "That cunning vixen!" "Keep it down. Are you trying to cause even more trouble?" Krystal muttered, ''Why are Dad and Linus treating that wench so nicely? I''m even suspecting that she''s Dad''s illegitimate daughter now. "By the way, Mom, didn''t Dad have a wife before you?" Chapter 1127 Chapter 1127 Tatiana''s expression darkened at the mention of that matter. "Shut up. You knew very well that it''s taboo to talk about that around your dad." ¡°What sort of taboo is that? My dad must have abandoned his family for wealth and glory back then. ¡°After that, he slowly climbed up the ranks with you. To be honest, my dad is quite the jerk." "Nonsense. Who told you all that?" Krystal stuck out her tongue. "M-My grandma told me that." "Your grandma is spouting nonsense. Times are different now. Now, it''s the Benson family trying to gain your dad''s favor. You should be aware of your dad''s temper. "If you mention this matter in front of him, you''ll get pped for sure." Krystal said, ''I know. I''m just asking. That woman is so normal- looking, and she doesn''t look like my dad at all. Don''t take it to heart, Mom." "Yeah. You''ve seen how things turned out. Your dad and your brother were too good to that wench, and they would even fire Alfred without hesitation. "You''d better be careful around that woman, too. She''s very smart. You''re no match for her." Krystal snorted. ''''So what if she''s smart? She''s still an orphan without a family. She''s moner who can never catch up to me! ¡°Alright, enough of that. Just behave around your dad for the next few days, and don''t get into any conflict with that woman." ¡°Got it, Mom. About Mr. Warner ..." ¡°Your dad is still mad about it, so we can only let Alfred endure for a while longer. That woman will soon be forced off her high horse." A vicious look appeared in Tatiana''s eyes. Olivia brought Mason back to the living room. Mason looked at Olivia with a remorseful gaze, saying, "I''m sorry you had to be mistreated again, child." Mason knew very well who had brought about this incident, but Tatiana was his wife. He couldn''t just humiliate Tatiana in public, so he yed along and put all the me on Alfred instead. "It''s okay, I don''t mind it at all." "You''re just too soft." Olivia smiled. Letting go of the wheelchair, she began to make tea for him. "Mr. Heath, I''m not soft at all. If I were truly soft, I wouldn''t have gotten Mr. Linus toe over. "I didn''t mean to blow it out of proportion, but if I endured it today, I might have to endure even worse things in the Heath residence in the future. ¡°You and Mr. Linus are always very busy, so I can''t make you twoe over every day just to defend me. ¡°Moreover, if I don''t want to be at a disadvantage, leaving is the best option for me. But if 1 leave, Mr. Linus might have to go through the trouble of getting me back here. "If this goes on, we''ll only go back to square one. So, I''d rather make a huge fuss out of it. With this incident as an example, even if someone wants to bully me in the future, they won''t dare to." Mason smiledfortingly. Original from N?velDrama.Org. "You''re quite smart. It''s a pity that you''re a woman. If you''re a man..." "What happens if I''m aman?" "You''ll be able to achieve great things on the battlefield. But these days, women aren''t inferior to men in any way. There are quite a lot of female diplomats, too. "Child, do you have any needs in the future? You have great potential, and I don''t want you to waste that potential." Olivia shook her head. "I just want to be a casual doctor. I don''t have such great ambitions." "Alright, as you wish." Olivia looked at Mason. "Mr. Heath, why are you so nice to me? You didn''t have to go to such lengths for my sake in the incident just now." "] share the same opinions as you. I''d either refrain from fighting or beat them up so badly that they won''t be able to fight back. I don''t want them to be a bother in the future. "I think we''ll get along quite well, child." Chapter 1128 Chapter 1128 Mason looked gently at Olivia. "Your temperament matches mine quite well, and your eyes ..." "My eyes?" Olivia looked at Mason with a curious gaze. "Nothing. I hope you do a good job, child. I won''t mistreat you." In the end, Mason didn''t continue his sentence. Only her eyes looked like that person. Olivia Fordham should be the one who looked the most simr to that person. Back then, Ethan had gotten married on his own, and Mason had no idea who the bride was. Later on, when Ethan attended the award ceremony with Olivia, Mason was shocked to see Olivia''s face. Mason even asked someone to investigate in private. Olivia''s father was Jeff Fordham, and the Fordhams were Aldenvine locals. Mason was sure that they had nothing to do with that woman. Olivia felt that Mason had many things he didn''t mention. She wondered what it was that Mason chose not to say. It was snowing heavily outside. Olivia apanied Mason as she made nutritious food for him. She made tea and cakes for him as well. At first, she had approached Mason for Jack''s and Ethan''s sake. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. She was looking for a chance to finish him off. There was no better chance to do it than to stay by his side and do it without him realizing it. Butter on, she was sincerely taking care of him. Perhaps it was because she had only ever received love from Jeff in her youth; she was more caring toward old men. She felt some sort of natural intimacy between them. If not, she wouldn''t have stayed behind even after Krystal had challenged her time and again. At night, Linus prepared a room for Olivia in the inner yard. The room was quite close to both Linus'' and Mason''s rooms. It wasn''t just spacious, but it was also quite clean as well. Olivia was about to fall asleep when she heard Krystal making a fuss. "Dad, why did you get someone to turn off the heating in my room?" Olivia thought that Mason didn''t mean what he said just now, but unexpectedly, he did what he said he would do. Mason said with a cold voice, "Since you two think that turning off the heating system for a night is nothing, you two can experience it for yourselves. "What''s wrong? If other people are allowed to sleep without heating, why can''t you?" Krystal immediately retorted, ''''Who does she think she is? How can shepare to us?" "Krystal!" Mason''s voice grew even lower. It was obvious that he was truly mad now. Olivia closed the door. It no longer mattered to her whether Krystal managed to get the heating system running or not. Krystal should bear the consequences of her actions. Meanwhile, in Mason''s room, Tatiana patted Krystal on the shoulder. "Krystal, I''ll talk to him. You should go back to your room." Krystal turned around, wiping her tears as she left the room. When Tatiana closed the door, the gentle look on her face was gone. "Mason, are you seriously telling me to sleep in my daughter''s room? And you won''t allow them to turn on the heating?" "Yes. Do you seriously think that I can''t figure out who nned the incident today? ¡°Alfred has been working here for so long, so how would he dare to be so disrespectful to our guests? "Would you dare say that this has nothing to do with you? I''m being nice to you by not exposing you in front of other people, but who do you think you are? "If people hear that you''re causing trouble for a youngdy, what will they think of you?" Titans raised her voice. "Then tell me. She''s just a youngdy, so why are you being so nice to her? Don''t tell me you''re thinking of getting her to marry Linus!" Mason frowned. "Why would you think that?" "T can''t think of any position for her other than your daughter-in-w. She saved your life, after all. But I''m telling you, I only have those two children. "Their spouses will have to be the best people in the world, not some random woman who came from the wild! "My son is mander, so only the most noble woman in the world is worthy of him!" Chapter 1129 Chapter 1129 Mason was nice to Olivia, but he had never thought of letting her be his daughter-inw. He felt upset when he saw Tatiana being so against the idea. She was behaving as if Olivia were some sort of trash. "Vanessa is a famous miracle doctor. She''s not that bad." "Didn''t you hear what Krystal said? Vanessa already had a child, and the baby had green eyes. Her husband is probably from some other race. "My son wouldn''t fancy some secondhand trash whoes with a child." Mason mmed his fist on the table. "Tatiana, you''d better watch your mouth. I''ve never had such intentions. "I was just being kind to her since she has saved my life, and she doesn''t have a family of her own. Moreover, with her current fame, she doesn''tck any money. "She was right. No matter how rich someone is, they''ll still be afraid of getting sick. They don''t even dare to offend her lest she refuses to perform surgery on them! ¡°She didn''t have to come and treat me at all. Do you think that she''s dying to stay here or something?" Seeing that Mason was furious, Tatiana finally softened her voice. " Mason, I was just worried that you might have such thoughts. If you don''t, then that''s fine. ¡°Come on, don''t be mad. We''re a married couple, so do you still not know me well enough? Are you truly cruel enough to make me sleep in that cold room tonight?" Mason said, "If you don''t lead by example, your daughter won''t learn to respect others either. My decision is final. I will never take back my words." No matter what Tatiana said, she couldn''t get Mason to change his mind. In the end, she snorted. "Mason, you''re something! " She mmed her door on her way out. Krystal had truly taken after her mother in terms of temper. She pretended to be a gentle and gracious woman in front of others, but she was still an arrogant youngdy at the core. Mason let out a light sigh. He walked up to the study desk, retrieving a painting from a secretpartment in the desk. The painting depicted a person. Even though it was a monochrome painting, the person in the painting was very lifelike. In the painting, a young woman was sitting on a branch as she gazed up at the sky. She looked quite mischievous and adorable. Mason whispered, "Are you still alive, Nat? I didn''t mean to leave you behind back then. You must be so mad at me, right?" The paper was already yellowing. Reaching out, Mason kept stroking the woman''s face. His thoughts traveled back in time to that turbulent age. Olivia took a nice bath. She was drying her hair when she received a request to start a video call with Ethan. As soon as the call went through, Ethan noticed that Olivia was in the bathroom. He lowered his voice, saying, "Liv ..." He sounded as pitiful as he could get. "I can''t hold you tonight. Did you miss me?" Olivia leaned against the basin with her bathrobe casually hanging on her body. Arge portion of her chest was exposed. After giving birth thrice, her waist was still slender and smooth without any stretch marks. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. But her chest had gotten muchrger than before. So, she looked extra seductive with her chest half- covered. "Nope." "You''re so cruel." "Hah. Aren''t you quite busy these days?" Olivia peered at the background of Ethan''s screen. He was still in the brightly lit study. Olivia felt that it wasn''t a bad idea for her to be away. Ethan would then focus all his effort on work. "Yes, I''m quite busy, but I miss you even more." "It''s not safe for me outside. If Yale finds out my identity, I''ll be a burden to you." "You were never a burden to me." Ethan paused for a moment. "I have two more days to go before I can see you. How am I supposed to survive this?" Olivia chuckled. "Two days? How are you so sure?" ¡°The Heath family will be holding a small-scale banquet in two days. I''ll be attending it." Chapter 1130 Chapter 1130 "What banquet?" "I suppose it''s a banquet to find a wife for Linus." Ethan looked longingly at Olivia. "I can''t wait to see you again." Olivia ended the call. She was more curious about how Tatiana and Krystal were going to spend the night. She thought that Mason was only saying that on a whim, but unexpectedly, he meant what he said. Tatiana and Krsytal, who were forced to sleep in a room without heating, couldn''t quite take it anymore. Throwing a tantrum, Krystal said, "Is Dad crazy? He''s forcing us to live in the cold just because of that wench?" "T don''t know if he did it for that wench, but he doesn''t allow anyone to challenge his power. I was too careless about this matter. I didn''t expect that wench to be brave enough to cause such a ruckus." Tatiana clenched her fists tightly. She was just trying to inconvenience Olivia in secret. It was just a small matter, but Tatiana didn''t expect Olivia to report it straight to Mason. Anyone could see that Olivia wanted Mason to do something about it. As the head of the family, Mason would have to punish Tatiana and Krystal so that he could make it up to Olivia. "This wench is quite smart." ¡°Mom, ate you just going to let her lord it over us?" ¡°Hmph, we''ll have to endure it no matter what. Your dad and your brother think of her as a savior, so we shouldn''t get into a conflict with her for the moment. Ethan is the important one here, not her. ow Tatiana ced some hot water bags under the nket. Then, she maxed out the heating appliances near them. The room gradually turned warmer. Mason only said that the heating system shouldn''t be turned on. He didn''t say that they couldn''t get warmth from other sources. Holding the heating appliances, Tatiana put on a cold smile. "It''s about time you get married." "Mom, I do want to get married, but he doesn''t want to marry me. He even hit me on purpose. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. He just doesn''t want to marry me!" Ethan was the only one Krystal would submit to. "I can''t just grab him and lock him up, can I?" "Silly child. There''s a way to deal with disobedient men." "What is it?" Tatiana gestured for Krystal toe closer. Krystal moved her ear closer. "Mom, just hurry up and tell me." "Men, I tell you..." Tatiana whispered her ns into Krystal''s ear. Krystal blushed. " Does this work, Mom?" "If it doesn''t, where do you think Linus came from? Sometimes, women have to take the initiative to secure their happiness. Just leave it to me. I''ll make him marry you without anyints." Krystal nodded. "If I can get married to him, my life will be worth it!" "How useless." Tatiana scoffed. "You''re not that different from me, Mom. Dad was more than ten years older than you back then, but you still got married to him without any hesitation." ¡°You know nothing. Your dad was handsome andposed when he was younger. I fell in love with him at first sight. Older men are wonderful." ¡°You''re so shameless, Mom." Tatiana poked at Krystal''s head with a finger. "If you were half as smart as I am, you would''ve gotten him by now. You wouldn''t have to follow him around and try to please him like you''re doing now. "You can''t be too proud in front of men, and you have to show some weakness sometimes. Look at his ex-wife. She must be a feeble little wench. That''s how she managed to have a firm grip on his heart." Krystal said, "Got it, Mom. I''ll dress up properly starting tomorrow." "Just rx and wait for the day you get married to Ethan." Tatiana smiled coldly. As soon as she had locked onto a man, he would not be able to escape. It was the same with Mason, and it would be the same with Ethan as well. Chapter 1131 Chapter 1131 Olivia slept soundly that night. The view of the snowscape from her room was amazing. It had 270-degree panoramic floor-to- ceiling windows, and the motorized curtains would draw automatically. As Olivia gazed at the white snow outside falling onto the white walls and ck tiles, she felt like she was teleported back into ancient times. After a simple washing up, Olivia put on her mask again. Then, she opened the door, heading out to prepare breakfast for Mason. A chill quickly enveloped her when she stepped out of the room. She felt so cold that she sneezed. Original from N?velDrama.Org. The deeper it was in the winter months, the colder it would get. Olivia gazed in the distance, thinking about Connor. Ethan had told her that Connor was sent to an ind for training, so she couldn''t see him for now. When spring came around next year, Connor would have a month off. Connor must have gotten much taller. "Good morning." Linus was wearing thin short sleeves as he did aerobic exercises in the yard. The tight-fitting T-shirt outlined his perfect figure, and his handsome face was filled with sweat. "You''re up very early, Mr. Linus." "It''s a habit now." Olivia nodded and turned to head toward the kitchen, but Linus called out to her. "By the way, Vanessa, the Heath family is holding a banquet tomorrow night." Compared to Krystal, Linus was considerably older, so his marriage was more important than hers. Some youngdies from prestigious families were probably invited to the banquet tomorrow night so that Linus could go on blind dates with them. "Oh, shall I stay out of sight, then?" "you''re getting the wrong idea. Father was able to escape death all because of you. The banquet is also held to celebrate Father''s recovery. You must participate." "T''ll ept the invitation, then." Having learned their lesson, Krystal and Tatiana didn''t cause any trouble for Olivia in those two days. Olivia lived quitefortably. In the evening, Krystal was making preparations for the banquet at night. She not only focused her effort on skincare and beauty treatment, but she also hired someone to style her. "Hasn''t my evening gown arrived?" "It''s here, Ms. Heath." A maid handed her a white evening gown. The gown had a diagonal slit, so while it looked reserved, it still had some sexiness to it. "Hold on, what''s that in your hands?" "Mr. Linus has prepared this evening gown for Vanessa." Krystal snorted. "How is she worthy of a tailor-made gown?" Peering at it, she saw that it was a pretty gown with a pearly sheen. It was made of a different fabric from the one she was wearing. If Olivia wore that gown and stood under the lights, everyone''s gaze would be focused on her. Krystal was indignant. What right did that wench have to hog all the attention? "I want this one." "B-But I won''t be able to exin this to Vanessa. Please don''t make things difficult for me, Ms. Heath." Krystal randomly grabbed a ck dress from her wardrobe, which still had its tag attached. Then, she tossed it into the box. "Just give her this." Her skin was slightly off-color, so she didn''t look good in ck. Three years ago, when Krystal saw Olivia''s real face at the hospital, she was finally aware of the huge gap between them. After that, she asked Linus to transfer her to an office position. Then, she took great care of her body and lost quite some weight. Even though she didn''t have Olivia''s looks, her figure was more slender and gracefulpared to three years ago, and her skin had cleared up quite a bit. If she wore the shimmering beige gown, it wouldplement her already tall figure, especially when paired with the makeup done by a professional makeup artist. She wouldn''t look ethereal, but after some serious dressing up, Krystal would still look quite good. She twirled in front of the mirror, satisfied. Now, she could already wear high heels like it was nothing. Her movements had also gotten more feminine. She believed that this would be enough for her to charm Ethan! Tatiana dismissed the maids before taking Krystal''s hand and saying, ''With your reputation on the line, you have to seed tonight. There''s no room for failure!" Chapter 1132 Chapter 1132 As night fell and patrol cars cleared the way, the chefs for the banquet began making preparations. Olivia never thought that she would get an opportunity to taste the food served at a grand banquet again. Reaching out, she caught a snowke drifting down. She thought of herself seven years ago when she had just received news that she had cancer. She had thought that she wouldn''t be able to make it past that winter. As Olivia stood in the antique hall, gazing at the guests who were dressed in formal attire and carrying themselves politely, she felt like she was in a dream. She not only survived, but she also gained a few adorable and understanding children. Even though she wasn''t the star of the show today, when she made her appearance, everyone focused their attention on her. Krystal was dressed in a graceful and dignified manner. She wore lots of jewelry, and she finally looked the part of a youngdy from a distinguished family. In contrast, Olivia made her way to the hall from the corridor, emerging from the darkness into the light. She was wearing the ck dress Krystal had casually tossed to her. The fitted ck dress was quite unforgiving to the wearer''s figure. The highlight of the ck dress was the chest area, adorned by some small ck velvet threads. Olivia was wearing tassel earrings as well. She looked charming and gorgeous with every movement she made. Olivia drew everyone''s attention as soon as she appeared. The people who were gathering around Krystal immediately flocked around Olivia instead. "You''re Dr. Vanessa, right? I didn''t expect you to be so young." "vanessa, sorry for bothering you, but my grandpa has a severe health condition. I''ve been looking for you for a whole year, and I''ve finally met you here. Can you take a look at my grandpa?" "You''re the miraculous doctor, right? I''ve heard of your great name a long time ago. The doctors can''t do anything about my mother''s illness anymore. Can you please save her?" The people surrounding Olivia were there forpletely different reasons, but they were all asking her to treat the sick. Olivia was right; people had to suck up to her to get her help. Meanwhile, Krystal didn''t expect that ck dress to look so good on Olivia! Olivia''s skin was glowing, and her fair skin contrasted with the ck dress perfectly. She looked both seductive and cold, rousing the desire in men to get her. Those people were talking to Olivia because of her medical skills. Krystal was confused when she saw that. All of Krystal''s glory was given to her by the Heath family. Without the Heath family, she was nothing. But Olivia was different. Krystal looked down on Olivia''s background, but Olivia didn''t even have to do anything. She just stood there quietly and people were already paying attention to her! Olivia carried her own glory and fame. No wonder she was so bold and confident! Krystal was immensely jealous of Olivia. Just then, the male guests had arrived, so Krystal quickly put on a nicer expression. When Linus saw the dress Krystal was wearing, he suddenly frowned. He had picked out that dress for Vanessa, so why was Krystal wearing it instead? Then, Linus nced at Olivia. If Krystal was wearing Vanessa''s dress, then what was Vanessa wearing? Olivia leaned against a chair, her right arm casually draped over the back of the chair as her other hand held a ss of champagne. The curves on her body werepletely exposed as she confidently chatted with the others. She was quite a sight to behold. Nothing was hiding her wonderful figure, and she didn''t look like a mother who had given birth before. She looked more like a hot girl. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. But the air about her wasn''t tainted at all. The elements of purity and charm were perfectlybined in her. With just one nce at her, Linus found it hard to look away. Ethan was furious when he saw Olivia. He couldn''t believe that Olivia had decided to go with that outfit! Yale sensed that something was off. Both Ethan and Linus were eyeing the same woman. It was true that Vanessa was quite stunning at first nce, but when Yale saw that it was Vanessa, he looked away and moved toward Krystal instead. "You look quite pretty tonight, Krystal." Chapter 1133 Chapter 1133 When Yale talked to Krystal, it was just like how Krystal talked to Ethan. The one getting the attention never had much interest in the person giving them attention. Krystal nced at Yale indifferently before replying in a careless tone, "Thanks." With that, Krystal made her way to Ethan. Yale, who was ignored, clenched his fists in secret. Ethan was wearing a formal suit and leather shoes. Paired with his half mask, he looked not just handsome but full of mystery as well. A lot of women had their eyes on him. "Sova." Lifting the hem of her skirt, Krystal joyfully ran over to him. Olivia swirled the crystal ss in her hand, smiling as she watched the fairytale-like scene. Krystal was very tall, so she wore heels that were only two inches tall. When she ran toward Ethan, she identally slipped, and she looked like she was about to fall onto Ethan. Under such circumstances, if Krystal tripped and fell, she would make a fool of herself. No one would turn a blind eye to that, and Krystal had considered that as well. But she didn''t expect Ethan to push Kelvin, who was behind him, forward. Kelvin was extremely resistant to the idea. But now that he was put on the spot, he could only behave as he was expected to. Kelvin reached out both hands to stop Krystal. "Are you okay, Krystal?" With a reddened face, Krystal red coldly at Ethan. But since they were in public, she decided not to cause a fuss." I''m fine." "That''s good to know." Kelvin hastily let go of her. Meanwhile, Ethan walked away as if it wasn''t any of his business. Reaching out, Linus ced a hand on Krystal''s shoulder as he put on a concerned look. "Krystal, were you hurt?" Krystal shook her head. "I''m fine, Linus." Linus brought Krystal to a quiet corner. Then, he lowered his voice and asked, "What''s with the gown?" "Oh, this? Vanessa said that she didn''t like this color, so I exchanged mine with hers. Look how flirty she looks. She probably doesn''t like the one you picked out because it''s too simple for her." Linus reprimanded her in a low voice, "Shut up. Do you think I don''t know her personality well enough?" Throughout his interactions with Olivia, every time he tried to chat with her, she would leave early in the conversation. Even when they talked alone, she would keep her distance from him. Even Linus was confused. With his looks and status, many other women would try to get on his good side. Now that Krystal was iming that Olivia was being flirty, Linus knew straight away that she was lying. "I''m warning you, don''t cause any trouble during this event. If not, when Father gets mad, even I won''t be able to protect you!" Krystal stomped her feet, putting on an upset expression." Did she charm you guys or something? Why are you all speaking up for her?" "I''m not blind. If you can be as well-behaved as Vanessa, I won''t have to worry about you."Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. With that, Linus left coldly. Krystal was arrogant, but she wouldn''t cause a ruckus during important gatherings like this. When Linus came back, he saw Olivia surrounded by even more people. They were most probably asking for her help. Olivia''s hands were getting tired from epting all the name cards. Olivia sighed. Exasperated, she put a hand to her forehead. She felt like a celebrity at an autograph event. Linus strode over to her. Then, he behaved like a gentleman as he put a hand on her shoulder, clearing a path for her with his body. "Sorry, everyone. Vanessa won''t be having private discussions today. It''s about time, so please take your seats, rv Olivia knew that Linus was just helping her out, but when he put his hand on her shoulder, she still stiffened a little. To avoid trouble, Ethan was standing a distance away. But when he unexpectedly saw that scene, he held the ss in his hand so tightly that he almost broke it. ording to his knowledge of Linus, Linus most probably was interested in Olivia! This wasn''t a good sign. Chapter 1134 Chapter 1134 Linus could feel Olivia''s body turning stiff. He hastily took his hand away, saying, "Sorry, I just noticed that there were too many people gathering around you." Taking a step backward, Olivia put some distance between them. "It''s okay, I understand. You should go and greet the guests, Mr. Linus. You don''t have to worry about me." "Be careful, then. You can talk to me if anythinges up." Linus gave her a meaningful gaze before leaving. Lifting his hand, he rubbed his fingers as he recalled the sensation of her skin. Did all women have such smooth skin? An odd feeling rose in his heart. He felt like there was a fire in his heart. The guests all took their seats. About 30 guests had turned up today, and everyone was conversing in hushed tones. They were all quite courteous. Some of them greeted Mason before taking their seats. Taking Mason''s hand, Tatiana constantly kept a gentle smile on her face. She always looked so gentle and gracious around outsiders. If it weren''t for what happened with the butler, Olivia wouldn¡¯t have discovered Tatiana¡¯s true colors. Linus waved at Olivia, gesturing for her to sit at his table. ¡° Vanessa,e and sit here." Olivia was about to take a seat at the side, but she was forced to go over. Everyone instantly looked at Olivia. All the guests had prominent identities, so Olivia felt very pressured. "Mr. Heath, this is the miraculous doctor, Vanessa, right?" Smiling, Mason said, "Yes. She may look young, but her medical skills have gained the approval of even Mr. Moran and Mr. Crosby Senior." "I''ve only ever seen her name in articles, but I didn''t expect to finally see her in person today." "She has achieved so much even at her young age. That''s quite remarkable." Olivia said, "Everyone, you''re too kind. I was just lucky." "What a rare sight! Vanessa isn''t just skilled in medicine, but she''s so humble and keeps such a low profile as well." Everyone only knew that she had saved Mason, but they didn''t know about Mr. Gatsby. Even so, that was enough reason for them to admire her.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Krystal gritted her teeth in hatred. She was Mason''s biological daughter, but everyone was ttering Olivia instead! Tatiana patted Krystal''s hand, warning thetter against causing a ruckus during the event. They had a more important mission to carry out today. Tatiana was sitting on Mason''s right whereas Linus was sitting to the left of him. Olivia ended up sitting next to Linus. Even though Linus didn''t mean anything by his actions just now, Olivia felt a little awkward. She subconsciously moved away from him. A dark figure appeared. Then, Ethan boldly took his seat. Why was he here too? In an instant, Olivia was nked by Linus and Ethan on each side. She had a feeling that Ethan must have caught sight of Linus putting his hand on her shoulder just now. Ethan wouldn''t just leave it like that! Krystal stared at Ethan in disappointment. She had told him to sit with her, but Ethan walked straight up to that wench instead. Everyone knew that Krystal had been trying to court Ethan for years. So, they dared not take their seats recklessly. When Yale saw Ethan sitting down, he asked quietly," Krystal, can I sit next to you?" "Whatever." Krystal''s voice was cold. Of course, Yale was offended by how differently Krystal treated himpared to Ethan. But for the sake of his goals, he could only force a smile and endure it. Linus asked first, "Vanessa, do you like sweet or savory foods more?" Before Olivia could reply, Ethan spoke up. "She likes spicy food. The spicier the better." Linus looked at Ethan. "Ethan, you seem to know Vanessa quite well." Chapter 1135 Chapter 1135 Ethan smiled half-heartedly. "When Vanessa was treating me back then, we spent every waking hour together. I know a thing or two about her habits." Ethan''s reply waspletely fine. However, Linus wondered if he was hearing things, for he felt like Ethan had emphasized the words "spent every waking hour together". After Ethan said that, he looked away as if he had never said anything. In an attempt to avoid trouble, Olivia didn''t say anything more to him. She tried not to draw attention. After all, it was a banquet, not some outdoor restaurant. The dining atmosphere was very quiet, and only the sounds of the piano being yed live could be heard. Olivia looked at the dishes, presented like a masterpiece. Evenmon vegetables were carved into the shape of flowers. After the banquet, Mason excused himself. He said that he wanted the youngsters to mingle around. It was a clear sign that he had intended for this banquet to be a blind date of sorts. Tatiana was taking the opportunity to check out the potential candidates who could be Linus'' bride. The women who received the invitations all came from wealthy families. They were genuine rich youngdies, and every movement they made was elegant and graceful. Also, as expected, they all had high academic achievements.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. They excelled in terms of both family and academic background. In contrast, looks didn''t quite matter. Tatiana nudged Linus. "It''s a rare asion for you toe back and stay for so many days, so let''s get your marriage settled while you''re at it. Have a look at the women here." Linus held the unlit cigarette between his teeth, looking a little upset. "Mom, I don''t intend to get married yet." "You''re in your 30s, so you should start thinking about it. Look at Ethan. His son can even go on missions now, but you''re still single. No matter what, you have to try getting along with women." "Women are troublesome." "What''s so troublesome about them? Hurry and go ahead. The women who turned up tonight look quite decent to me. In terms of personality and academic achievements, all of them are worthy of you. "Remember, this is your dad¡¯s order too. No matter what, you''ll have to get a dance partnerter!" Linus tossed the cigarette away. "Ugh, you''re so annoying." He looked at the crowd. Most of them were familiar faces. Even though he didn''t have any private connections with them, they had grown up together. All the women Linus eyed felt their hearts racing. After all, no one would want to decline the position as his partner. But Linus wasn''t interested at all when he met the passionate gazes. When his gaze fell upon Olivia, who was sitting alone by the window and admiring the snow, he realized that he couldn''t look away anymore. Olivia''s features were quitemon, but at that moment, she exuded a sense of loneliness that closed her off from the world. For some reason, Linus had the urge to protect Olivia. Linus walked over to Olivia and then stopped beside her. "Vanessa, I-" Ethan''s voice interrupted him. "I''ve finally found you, Vanessa. Can you be my dance partner?" Olivia looked at Ethan. Then, she nodded. "Sure." Ethan turned to look at Linus. "What were you going to say?" Linus had to force back the words he was about to say." Nothing. I was just going to ask Vanessa if she needs anything." Smiling, Olivia said, "Thank you. It''s quite lively tonight, and I like it a lot. I don''t need anything." "If there''s anything Vanessa needs, I''ll help her with it. You should talk to the other guests," Ethan said sincerely. Linus had no choice but to change his mind. "Alright, please take good care of Vanessa." When Linus had turned around and left, the sincere look remained on Ethan''s face as he gently pinched Olivia''s waist. "You''re quite something. Even he-" "Is there anything wrong with Mr. Linus?" Ethan looked away. "It''s nothing." Chapter 1136 Chapter 1136 Olivia frowned as she looked at Ethan in dissatisfaction. She had no idea what he was getting at now. Ethan didn''t say anything as he took a seat next to her. Krystal walked over to Ethan, looking at him hopefully." Sova, can you be my dance partnerter?" "No, I''ve already found a dance partner." Ethan pointed at Olivia. Krystal''s expression instantly shifted. "Her?" "What about her?" Ethan turned to look at Olivia. "Vanessa, let''s go over there to dance." "Alright." Ethan got up. With one hand behind his back, he gestured an invitation toward Olivia with his other hand. He looked very gentlemanly indeed. Olivia ced her fingertips on Ethan''s palm. Ethan''srge hand gently closed around hers as if it were a flower. Under the mask, Olivia''s face was slightly tinted red. This seemed to be her first time dancing with Ethan. Ethan held Olivia''s waist boldly whereas she leaned against his chest. They were the parents of a few children by now, but at that moment, they behaved as if they had just fallen in love. Ethan''s palms were sweating a little. Now that Krystal''s ns to dance with Ethan had failed, Yale took the opportunity to approach Krystal. "Krystal, may I ask you to be my dance partner?" "No." Krystal had been spoiled since young, and she would get anything she wanted at all costs. She would never settle, for she only wanted the best! Even though Ethan was already dancing with Olivia, Krystal refused to settle for Yale. Linus shared the same opinion. He declined the invitations from a few women who asked him to be their dance partner. Then, he reached out toward Krystal. Krystal had a look of disdain on her face. "Linus, you''re not young anymore, but you can''t even get yourself a dance partner. How embarrassing!" Linus sneered. "You talk like you''ve already found a dance partner." "I just declined them. If I were willing, tons of men woulde over to me." Linus said coldly, "If you want no one but Ethan, I think you should give up instead. That man will never fall for you. While you have time, you''d better choose another target." "I swear I''ll get him to prove you wrong. What about you? Weren''t you going to ask Vanessa to dance just now?" Linus felt a little guilty. "Who told you that? I was just worried that she can''t get used to this ce all alone.¡± "Her? Have you ever seen those men looking away from her? Linus, don''t tell me you like the young wife type. No wonder you never found a wife. "I''m telling you, you can y with women like her, but don''t ever dream of marrying her. Do you know how old her daughter is?" Linus replied, "Nonsense. I don''t have those intentions." "It''s best if you don''t. I don''t like her at all. I can''t believe Sova chose to dance with a woman like her just to avoid me. How infuriating!" They both thought that Ethan did this to avoid Krystal. They never once wondered about the rtionship between Ethan and Olivia. As the lights dimmed, the atmosphere and music were perfect. Ethan whispered in Olivia''s ear, "Liv, I want to kiss you." Olivia pinched his arm lightly. "No way." He let out a deep and pleased chuckle. "What aboutter at night?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "We''re in the Heath residence. Do you dare act so recklessly?" Her body was flung out, and in the next second, he pulled her back. She leaned against his chest, listening to his low mutters. "As long as I want to, no one can stop me. Liv, I came just for you."Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1137 Chapter 1137 Watching her children dancing together, Tatiana was all fired up. The party was meant to be a blind date in disguise and yet her children didn''t give her peace of mind at all. It seemed like she could only depend on her own. When the song ended, Ethan could barely let Olivia go, but he did it anyway. Tatiana approached them. "Ethan, Vanessa, thank you so much for helping my husband. Cheers." "I simply did what I had to, Mrs. Heath. It¡¯s my job to share your burdens." "You''re too humble. Both of you have to drink this no matter what." Tatiana beckoned a waiter over. The waiter served them three sses of wine. She took one of them, and the couple took the remaining. "Here, Vanessa. I''m sorry for what happened between you and my daughter. It''s my fault for spoiling her too much. I hope you''ll look after my husband in the future." "Don''t be such a stranger, Mrs. Heath." Olivia didn''t think that Tatiana was being sincere with those words, but she had to keep it courteous. "Let''s put everything to an end here. Cheers." Olivia and Ethan exchanged nces before drinking. Krystal, who was standing afar, watched him drink the alcohol. A smile appeared on her face. "What is it that''s making you so happy, Krystal?" Yale squeezed his way to her. She lost her smile instantly. "Nothing. It''s none of your business." In fact, she wasn''t his type. But buttering her up was his only way to a wealthy life. Now that he was being turned down over and over again, his temper was getting the best of him. "Krystal, just why can''t you look at others? I''ve liked you for so many years. But you keep following him. No matter how far you follow him, he won''t look back at you once." "That''s none of your concern. I''m willing to do that. We can''t force our feelings on someone. I usually draw a clear line between the things I like and hate. Stop wasting your time on me. I''ll marry Sova." Yale sighed. "Fine. I know that you''ll never like me. I wish you happiness with him in advance, cheers. I''ll stay out of your sight in the future." "Really? You''ll stay out of my sight in the future after the toast?" "That''s for sure. I''m a man of my word." "Great. Cheers." Krystal took a ss of wine from the waiter and downed it all. Excitement bloomed in her chest at the thought of having her wish granted tonight. However, she didn¡¯t notice the meaningful glint in Yale''s eyes.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The party had yet to end, but Olivia decided to leave because she didn''t intend to stay any longer. "I''ll walk you back to your room. The road is slippery because of the weather." Linus came up to her. "It''s alright. You have to entertain the guests. I can return to my room myself," she rejected his offer. As soon as she left, Krystal stopped Ethan. "Sova, I feel dizzy. Can you take me back to my room?" He slightly frowned. "There are maids everywhere here. It won''t be good if the two of us spend time alone." "But I want you to be the one to take me back to my room. I have a secret present for you." "I''m not interested in that." "What if it''s about your ex-wife?" His brows creased deeper. "My ex-wife?" Judging from her response, Ethan knew that it was highly possible that it was a lie. She was setting up a trap for him. What a big idiot. Chapter 1138 Chapter 1138 Ethan knew what Krystal was up to very well. He had noticed it since Tatiana offered him the ss of wine. He deemed it disdainful. Although it was a simple yet effective method, he thought that it was humiliating for someone like Krystal to do that. She had her own calctions, and he had his own n. He stopped in his tracks after following her for a while. She looked at him. "What''s wrong?" "I think I left my phone on the couch. You should get back to your room. I''ll go look for youter." "What if you don''te?" Obviously, Krystal wasn''t willing to let that happen. Ethan questioned back, "Do you think that I won''t go look for you when you have clues about Liv? She''s everything to me." Even though it hurt her to hear him say that, Krystal was assured that he wouldeter. ''TH wait for you in the room, then." Ethan hummed in response and turned away to leave. Hisher regions were slightly burning, indicating that the drug was kicking in. He had drunk the alcohol without concern because he had a way to solve it. Excitement got the best of Krystal when she thought that Ethan was going toe in a while. She hurried back to her room to change into something sexy. However, she was afraid that she might scare him away. After contemtion, she turned off the lights. With the help of the darkness and the drug, she bet Ethan wouldn''t be able to rein in his urges, especially if he couldn''t see her face. When the morning sun rose, everything would be settled. The idea of that possibility elicited a smile on her face. This day had finallye! The vehement emotions almost brought her to tears of joy. Throughout her one-sided crush journey, she had been courting Ethan for years. It felt as though a flower was going to bloom from the mud. Krystal waited in silence. She even left the door ajar so that Ethan could enter the room easily. Slowly, she felt her body burning. She wondered, "What''s happening to me? Is it because I''m too excited?" Since she didn''t have that kind of experience, fear and excitement intertwined in her. Krystal heard iing footsteps and thought that Ethan wasing. Excited, she sprang up to wee him. The moment he entered the room and closed the door, she hugged him from behind. "Ethan, do you know how long I''ve been waiting for today?" The man didn''t say anything. Instead, he turned around and hugged her. She was so happy that her body was trembling. She thought, "Ethan is hugging me! Is this real?" Carefully, she caressed the man''s skin. When she touched his jawline, she was thrown onto the bed before the man''s lips touched hers. Things were going ording to her n. No words could describe how happy she was right now. Tears were pooling in Krystal''s eyes. Her long and earnest wish was finally granted today! She knew that her n would be sessful once he woke up tomorrow. Ethan would marry her! The journey had been tough, but it was worth it. She hugged the man and kept confessing in his ears, "Ethan, I love you." Unbeknownst to her, the silent man was smiling the whole time. It was an evil smile, mocking Krystal for her naivety and stupidity. In fact, he wished the next day toe more than she did. Things would be interesting.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 1139 Chapter 1139 Olivia returned to her room first. The moment she stepped through the door, she felt unwell. She felt a pulsing down there. She wondered, "Did someone drug me?" After contemtion, she reckoned that the wine from Tatiana was the only thing that was off. Olivia didn''t expect someone like Tatiana to stoop to such a lowly deed! It seemed like she didn''t care about her reputation as long as she could marry Krystal to Ethan. Olivia filled the bathtub with water and dipped herself in it, wanting to cool herself down. The longer she spent in the water, the hotter she felt. She wondered if it was because of the warm water. She stood up and put on a robe, figuring that she needed an injection. Olivia recalled the scene of taking the drink with Ethan. Tatiana''s ss of wine was surely untainted. In order to make sure that the n was a sess, both the other sses must have been drugged. As an afterthought, Olivia bet that Ethan was suffering as she was right now! Tatiana''s objective was to bring Ethan and Krystal together. They would think of something to bring him to her. Where was the man now? Just then, someone knocked on the door. "Who''s there?" Olivia asked, rmed. She thought, "Still, I''m a guest. Tatiana wouldn''t be so daring as to set me up, would she?" "It''s me." It was a familiar voice. Olivia wasn''t that surprised to hear his voice. She opened the door. "How did you-" Before she could finish, Ethan pinned her against the wall and closed the door. His breath brushed her neck. It was warmer than usual. Olivia guessed it right-he was drugged as well. "Liv, you smell so good." How could she not smell good when she spent so long in the bathtub? ''Are you okay?" "No."Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. His fingers found their way beneath her clothes, leaving coldness on her skin. She pushed him. "Stop it. This is the Heath residence." "Liv, I''m at my limits." He shut her with a kiss, drowning out her voice. She fought back for a while before caving in in the end. It had been days since shest had sex with him, so it took a single seductive move to make her knees go weak. At that moment, there was another knock on the door. As though someone poured cold water over her, Olivia pulled her senses back. "W-Who is it?" Her voice trembled uncontrobly. "Vanessa, are you feeling unwell? Is that why you left the party earlier?" It was Linus. Ethan bit the tip of her ear. "He cares for you so much." She quelled the urge to moan. She tried her best to sound calm and normal. "Thanks for the concern, Mr. Heath. I simply returned to my room because I was feeling tipsy." "How are you feeling right now? Do you need something to eat?" Olivia shrieked, then red at the naughty Ethan. "Vanessa, what''s wrong?" Linus sounded anxious. He almost barged into the room. She quickly answered, "I''m fine. I almost tripped and fell. That''s all. I didn''t drink much. I''m just tired. It''s gettingte. I''m going to bed soon." "Open the door. I''ll leave after making sure that you''re fine." She coldly refused, saying, "That won''t do. We''re grown-ups. What if someone sees us alone at thiste hour? Although I can''t remember who my husband is, I''m a married woman." Chapter 1140 Chapter 1140 There wasn¡¯t any change in Linus¡¯ tone. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, Mr. Heath. I know my condition very well. Thanks for the concern. It¡¯s getting cold. You should rest up.¡± The footsteps faded out, and Ethan buried his face in her neck. ¡°Linus has taken a liking to you.¡± Linus and Olivia had been getting along as friends, and he had been showing an interest in her. Although Olivia thought that it was not that likely, she could feel that he was paying a little too much attention to her. She couldn¡¯t distinguish the cause of such attention, whether it was due to love or gratitude. ¡°Don¡¯t take everything as a love matter.¡± Ethan bent over to carry her to the bed. ¡°You¡¯re still as naive as ever, Liv. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. There¡¯s no such thing as pure goodwill. When a man cares for a woman, it can¡¯t be anything else than love.¡± Her tressesy across the sheet. He held a strand of it to his nose to sniff it. ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯re mine and can only be mine.¡± The night was meant to be a crazy night. Tatiana brought over a basin of water to Mason¡¯s side. Tatiana had mixed Olivia¡¯s herbs in it so that he could have a foot spa. ¡°Mason, we¡¯ve known each other for decades. We¡¯ve been through thick and thin together. Now, we¡¯re already over 70 years old. Time really does fly.¡± He lifted her chin. ¡°You¡¯re still beautiful. I¡¯m the only one aging.¡± She was younger than him by over ten years. Long years of dedication to work had definitely taken a toll on his appearance, unlike her. Tatiana did facial care every day. Rather than a couple, they appeared more like a father and daughter. She held Mason¡¯s hand. Nonsense. Everyone grows old. Marrying you is the luckiest thing that ever happened to me. There¡¯s only one thing left on my mind, our children.¡± ¡°I know what you want to say, but Ethan ain¡¯t willing to marry her. I can¡¯t just force him with a knife over his neck, can I?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m just asking for your support if I have a better idea to make him marry her.¡± ¡°Are you thinking about those underhanded methods again? I¡¯m telling you, the situation now is totally different. My status back then was different from Ethan¡¯s.¡± Mason clearly had some bad experiences with that. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how we make it work. What matters is it works. I¡¯ve given you plenty of time. Since you can¡¯t deal with him, leave it to me.¡± He realized something. ¡°No wonder you insisted on me hosting this party. You told me that you wanted to look for someone suitable for Linus. But you¡¯re actually up to something else! ¡°Have you ever thought about your identity? Put the possibility of sess aside, even if the n is sessful, do you want Ethan to look down on us forever?¡± Tatiana¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°I only know that you taught me that there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do as long as I give my all in whatever I do.¡± Mason ced his hand over his chest. ¡°Did I say that so that you could do such shameless deeds? You¡¯re seriously going to give me a heart attack. Where are they? Stop them! Hurry!¡± She sneered. ¡°It¡¯s toote. The maid told me that she heard noisesing from the room. I¡¯m afraid Ethan is giving Krystal all his love, mistaking her for Olivia.¡± He pped her. ¡°Just what did you do!¡± Chapter 1141 Chapter 1141 Fortunately for Tatiana, the p didn''t sting that much because Mason hadn''t fully recovered. However, there was a red mark on her cheek. "You pped me! How could you p me! Who am I doing this for? It''s all for you!" she sobbed. She continued, "I know that you admire Ethan. Back then, you were afraid that it would be difficult for him to stand on his feet alone, so you pushed Yale up. You chose Yale because Linus was away from us. ¡°1 know how much you approve of Ethan all these years. If we can make him our son-inw, it can solve all of the problems. I''m not doing this for Krystal. I''m doing this for our family, for our families! I''m also thinking about our future generation!" "Still .. you shouldn''t have resorted to such underhanded means. What will he think of you in the future?" "What will he think of me? He''s a divorced man, but we''re marrying our daughter to him. He''s not in the position toin when even we''re not saying anything." Mason took a sip of tea to calm himself down. "You''re being ridiculous." "Mason, I know that you''re ming me because this is not an honest move. But what other ideas do we have? Things havee this far, and we don''t have any other choice. Mason, we''re on the same team now." She patted the back of his hand and added, "Mason, I''ll deal with the consequences for the deeds done. You don''t have to do anything. All you have to do is support me." "I will never acknowledge nor support such a n." He stood up and spared her a cold nce. "If Ethan were so easy to deal with, I wouldn''t have wasted so many years." "What do you mean?" "Nothing. Some things aren''t as simple as you think they are." He turned around and left. Tatiana and Mason had been sleeping in different rooms for a long time. All this time, she assumed that he was simply exhausted from work. But the truth was, he didn''t want to touch her at all. That year, she drugged him. Apart from hiscking status, another reason why he went along with it was because he needed the Benson family''s support. However, that didn''t mean that he could ept the incident. Even after all these years, it was a thorn in his flesh. Hence, they had been sleeping in separate rooms for over ten years already. When he no longer needed the Benson family to consolidate his position, he stopped touching her. This time, Tatiana used the same method on Ethan. Considering how much Ethan loved Olivia, Mason reckoned that Ethan wouldn''tmit such a mistake. Nevertheless, Tatiana didn''t agree with Mason. The maid clearly heard someone making love in the room. How could that be fake? Now, all Tatiana had to do was wait for the morning sun to rise. In fact, she was satisfied with the idea of Ethan bing her son- inw. Aside from the fact that he had an ex-wife and children, he was a nobleman. She thought, "It''s not like I can''t overlook that. Men need experience to learn how to love someone, don''t they?" She was more excited than Krystal, so she sleptte. In the end, she slept for only four hours. As soon as the sky brightened, the maid woke her up. She had an important mission to do teday¡ªto catch Ethan and Krystal together on the scene. Tatiana called for Mason and Linus early in the morning. Linus didn''t know what was going on at the moment. "Mom, I haven''t finished my morning exercise yet. Where are you taking me to?" ¡°Of course, it''s somewhere important." "Aren''t we heading to Krystal''s room? I bet she hasn''t woken up yet. Is there something you want to talk with her about?" She scoffed at her foolish son. "Just zip it and watch me." She motioned for the maid to open the door. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Thetter nodded and knocked on the door. Chapter 1142 Chapter 1142 Right after the maid knocked on the door, Krystal screamed inside the room, "Why are you here!" Tatiana, who thought that Krystal was putting on an act, barged into the room. "Krystal, are you alright?" Krystal covered her body with the nket when the door was opened. Teary-eyed, she pointed at the man who shouldn''t be there. Even her voice was trembling. "W-Why are you here?" Linus was the only person clueless about the n, so he didn''t know what was going on. Meanwhile, Mason''s expression was grim. He wasn''t surprised to see Yale instead of Ethan. It wouldn''t have been that interesting if Ethan was such an easy man to be taken down. Tatiana looked at Yale, whose torso was bare. Herplexion wasn''t any better than Krystal''s. ¡°You ... You..." Linus punched him in the face. "Why are you in Krystal''s room?" Yale wore an innocent expression. "Last night, Krystal asked me toe to her room to tell me something. So, I came! But the lights weren''t turned on when I entered the room. She threw herself at me and confessed her feelings. "T had drunk too much, and I was feeling dizzy. Besides, I''ve liked her for so many years. So, I ... I failed to hold myself back." "No, that''s not what happened!" Krystal cried. "I didn''t ask you toe. You entered the room yourself!" "Krystal, are you implying that I forced it on you? Mr. Heath, Mrs. Heath, this is your ce. How could I do such a thing? I wouldn''t have touched her without her consent." Krystal pped him without holding herself back. "Nonsense! You set me up!" Linus slowly regained hisposure. Staring at the scattering clothes, he could tell that the night had been a wild one. Yale was right about something. If it hadn''t been consensual, Krystal could''ve just screamed. This was the Heath residence. The maids would''ve entered the room to stop it the moment Krystal alerted them! Thus, it was obvious that she didn''t fight back. She even enjoyed it! There were love marks all over Yale''s exposed skin, including love bites and scratches. Although Linus didn''t know what happened, the clues so far were leading to one thing¡ªKrystal did it willingly. He slowly released his fists. At the same time, Tatiana could already figure out the consequences. They had been used. Still, Krystal couldn''t ept what had transpired. She threw a tantrum in the room. Olivia, who was in Ethan''s arms, opened her eyes groggily. " What''s going on?" ¡°Who knows?" said the man who was close to her lips. "It''s getting brighter soon. Stop! You should know where the line is." She shoved him away. The corner of his lips twitched. "Liv, you told me something differentst night. How irresponsible of you." She scoffed. "I''m going to watch the show.Original from N?velDrama.Org. You should leave in the meantime." Olivia could tell that it was Krystal''s voice. Considering that she was wailing so loudly early in the morning, something must''ve happened. She washed up for a while before heading to Krystal''s room. She clucked her tongue, thinking, "I''m d I didn''t miss it." Chapter 1143 Chapter 1143 Krystal bulldozed at Yale, hitting him while shouting, "This is a trap!" He let her be, showing no sign of fighting back. Tatiana pulled Krystal in an attempt to stop her. Mason''s expression was grim because he had guessed the consequences ahead. Original from N?velDrama.Org. He had figured that Ethan wouldn''t fall for the trap, but he didn''t expect Yale to be this daring to touch his daughter! However, it happened under Krystal''s consent. Thus, Yale appeared to be the passive party. ¡°Now that things have turned out this way, I''m willing to take responsibility for Krystal." Krystal charged at him like a mad woman upon hearing that. " What did you say? I don''t need that!" "I''m aman. I''m not that cruel, Krystal." Furious, she scratched his face. "Enough! Put on your clothes and leave the talking toter." Mason couldn''t stand it any longer. Tear-stricken, Krystal turned around, only to realize Olivia was watching the show. Krystal threw a pillow at Olivia in a fit of fury. ¡°What are you looking at, bitch? Leave!" Crossing her arms, Olivia moved her head sideway to dodge the attack. She stifled a smile and asked genuinely, "I heard you crying, Ms. Heath. What happened? Do you need my help?" Krystal would never buy that. She was certain that Olivia was here to watch a show. "Leave! We don''t need you here!" Linus quickly chastised her, "Shut up!" He then looked at Olivia apologetically. "Just some family matters. Sorry for the inconvenience." Olivia expressed indifferently, "Mr. Heath, you haven''t fully recovered. Please avoid as much emotional stress as possible." Mason was exasperated at this point, for such a humiliating thing had happened in the household. Yale hadpletely fooled the Heaths. The target Mason wanted to be closely acquainted with was the Millers, not the Kingstons. Yet, Yale and Krystal had had sex! Whether it was under Krystal''s consent or not, Mason had to acknowledge that matter nevertheless. It would seem like Yale was taking responsibility, but in fact, the Heaths would be giving him a title. While everyone was focused on Krystal, Olivia was the only person worrying about Mason''s health. He raised his hand, and Olivia walked up to him to support him to leave. "Mr. Heath, you should get some rest and clear up your mind a bit. " She walked him to the study. After lighting a scented candle, she brewed tea for him. "Are you feeling better, Grandpa Mason?" He nodded. "I''m embarrassed to have you see that." "Ms. Heath is a simple woman, so she''s easily deceived. She''s not the one to be med. She didn''t ask for that either." He was surprised by her reaction. "She keeps putting you ina difficult position, but you''re still putting in a good word for her? Sigh ..." Olivia crouched next to him with a smile. "Why should I fight with a spoiled kid? Since you have to deal with that matter as soon as possible, I shall make you some pasta real quick." "Anything will do." She went to the yard to pluck some herbs to be added. She also fried a piece of steak to add the finishing touch. It was simple, but it smelled good. ¡°Your cooking never fails to work up my appetite." It wasn''t plicated dish, but the home-cooked meal made him salivate. Mason stared at the mature Olivia, wondering how good it would be if she was his daughter. Chapter 1144 Chapter 1144 Olivia and Mason had pasta together. The meal definitely warmed them up. "Feeling better now? Otherwise, you can have another bow! of pasta." She smiled. He caressed her head. "Your way offorting is quite distinctive." 1 "Neither Ms Heath nor you wanted that to happen. Now that things turned out this way, there''s no use thinking about it anymore. Don''t let it take a toll on your health." He didn''t say a word about it, but she was clever enough to figure it out. "You''re not only good at treating people. Would you like to work for me?" Mason offered sincerely. Olivia shook her head. "I think there''s more freedom to move around ces. I might leave once you recover. I should prepare your medications. I bet Ms. Heath is ready too." Mason watched her leave. Her maturity rendered it difficult for him to let her go. She was a rare prodigy! A group of people entered Krystal''s room, where she was crying while more marks adorned Yale''s face. Tatiana and Linus wore long faces as they didn''t say a word. Linus didn''t like Yale to begin with. Besides, he had yet to get to the bottom of the assassination case. If the culprit was either Ethan or Yale, Linus'' guess was more inclined to Yale. Linus would never let Yale be his brother-inw, but Krystal''s deed might make that impossible. Linus, the solemn man, stared at the two wordlessly. Tatiana shared the same notion. She started thinking about her decision. She went out for wool and came home shorn, ending up marrying Krystal to another man. Mason set his teacup down. The silence was deafening. "Say, how are you guys going to handle this matter?" Yale stood up first with a sincere expression. "I''ve had feelings for Krystal since long ago. Regardless if it was an ident or not, it''s undeniable that it happened. I''ll take the responsibility. Mr. Heath, please entrust your daughter to me." "No! Why must I marry you?" Krystal cried. "I''d rather stay single forever!" "Stop spouting nonsense!" Tatiana chided. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Krystal threw herself into her arms. ''Mom, how did it turn out this way? I don''t wanna marry Yale. Not even in hell!" Forget about having sex with Yale, did she really have to marry him? Yale continued, ¡°Krystal, I genuinely like you. I promise that I''ll treat you well." ¡°Who''s asking you to do that? I¡ª" Before she finished, a maid rushed over and whispered in Mason''s ear, ¡°The Kingstons are here." It seemed like Yale had called over his family, worried that the Heath family might cover up the incident. Krystal mmed the table. "You called your family over? Just what are you up to?" His back was straight, and he wore a sincere expression. "I called my father as soon as the incident happened. We''ll take responsibility for it. I bet he''s here to propose a marriage." Tatiana''s expression was cold. "To propose a marriage? Or to force a marriage?" "IT don''t quite get that, Mrs. Heath. I shouldn''t keep quiet about it when Krystal has given her first to me, should I? I''m an honest man," he countered. Chapter 1145 Chapter 1145 Tatiana gritted her teeth, not expecting herself to be yed a fool by ayoungster. I There was no way out from this now. Yale was clearly feigning innocence after seizing the opening to take advantage of them. Meanwhile, there was nothing to say about Krystal, who merely cried and cried. Although Mason and Linus were aware that it was a trap, Yale didn''t give them the room to take back their words because the Kingstons were already here! If they objected to the marriage and word of it got out, Krystal''s reputation would be tarnished. Putting that aside, the Heath family''s name mattered more. They had no choice but to go along with Yale. ¡°Let''s go to the living. Don''t keep them waiting too long." Mason rose to his feet. 1 Yale hurriedly followed suit. Hugging Linus'' arm, Krystal pleaded, "Linus, please save me. I''m begging you. Please save me. You''re my only hope now!" "Save you? Exin. What happenedst night? Don''t you hate him? Why didn''t you scream for help?" That was the one thing he could never understand. They wouldn''t have to be this passive if they could prove that Krystal was forced. His question put her in a difficult position. "I ..." "How am I supposed to help you when you can''t tell me anything?" Krystal recounted the incident in an undertone. His expression changed after he heard that. "You had iting! How could you do that? What do you take Ethan for? Drugging someone is only useful when that person likes you. He''ll never touch you because he doesn''t like you." ¡°Linus, I know that I was wrong. But what''s done is done. What should I do?" He let out a sigh. "Since things have turned out this way, let''s see what Dad has to say. As you know, Yale is not a simple man. Now that he has seized the chance, we..." Even wars required battle ns. Yale came prepared, but Linus was at his wit''s ends. All Linus could do was take it step by step. Krystal watched Linus leave. At this point, there was only one person who could save her. She dialed Ethan''s number with trembling hands. "Ethan, please save me!" Ethan was still in Olivia''s room, with his arms wrapped around her waist. "Save you? Did something happen to you?" he asked on purpose. "S-Something happened between Yale and I, and he''s insisting on marrying me. His family is here too!" "How do you want me to save you?" he inquired as mockery tinged his tone. "If you steal me away from him, I won''t need to marry him." She sobbed. "I seriously don''t have another solution for this. Please help me, Ethan. Please! I don''t wanna marry him. I''d rather die." "Krystal, do you think that it''s possible? I don''t even love you, so why should I steal you away from him? Plus, I''m not acquainted with him. "Considering that his family is here, you''re trying to drive a wedge between us, aren''t you? Do you know what will happen thereafter? You''ll have to take the responsibility when the timees." A Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. lecture wasn''t what Krystal wanted to hear right now. Teary- eyed, she asked, "Why didn''t youe to my roomst night? I was waiting for you. You should be the one responsible for this!" "Why would I enter ady''s room at such ate hour? Don''t tell me that Yale entered your roomst night What did you guys do?" Olivia heard the conversation loud and clear. Ethan was indeed evil to rub salt on Krystal''s wound. Setting Ethan up was definitely Krystal''s worst decision. Chapter 1146 Chapter 1146 Krystal struggled to find the words to answer that. If she told Ethan what she had nned to do to himst night, he wouldn''t let her get away with it. He asked implicitly, "Did you guys perhaps ... do the deed?" "I-I didn''t know that it was him! I thought it was you!" She closed her eyes, confessing everything. "Tf I had gone overst night, would I be the one in Yale''s shoes right now?" Krystal didn''t know how to answer that. Her silence was the answer to everything. Ethan''s tone suddenly turned cold. "No wonder I felt unwellst night. To think that you lured me to your room with Liv''s whereabouts ... Did you add something to my drink?" ¡°Ethan, I did that because I love you so much. You keep turning down my feelings, so I didn''t have any other choice ..." "You had thising. Are you happy now?" Guilt crept upon her heart. "I know. It''s all my fault." "I bet Yale has already apologized to you. But did it even mean anything?" He sneered.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "If it did, you wouldn''t have called me, begging for me. "Krystal, there''s a saying that goes, ''Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'' When you set me up, did you never think how unfair it would be for me?" Krystal choked with tears. "I regret it so much, Ethan. Please ..." His icy voice rang into her ears. "Take responsibility for what you''ve done, Krystal. Besides, do you think I''m that crazy or foolish to help out a woman who has set me up? "I''ll bring a grand wedding gift for the both of you. Congrattions on your marriage in advance." The call terminated, leaving her wailing. "No!" She regretted her actions. But what was there that she could do? Olivia, who was wrapped tightly in Ethan''s arms, raised her eyebrow. "You knew that Yale was going to do something?" ¡°He''s just a rabbit I drove to the corner. His only way out is totch onto the Heath family. All these years, he has been doing things for Krystal. The fact that he looked for Mr. Gatsby has raised Mr. Heath''s suspicions. ¡°Yale heard that the Heaths wanted me to marry Krystal and grew anxious. He wouldn''t letst night''s opportunity slip through his fingers." "Does he love Krystal?" ¡°Love? A mercenary like him loves only his status and power. He has no thoughts about love." The glint in his eyes slowly darkened. "People like us are always entangled with strings." ¡°Aren''t you offbeat, then?" Ethan tapped the tip of her nose. "I have the power to do so. The Millers have umted so much wealth for centuries. Even if I don''t get involved in this business, I have nothing to worry about. But it''s different for the Kingstons." "Then what do you think Mr. Heath will do?" "He might agree to this marriage. Yale called the prominent figures in his family over just for that. Do you think that Mr. Heath will object to it? He needs to consider his reputation when his daughter has done such a thing." "So, I guess we can say that the Heaths will be backers for the Kingstons in the future?" "You can say that. Although Mr. Heath doesn''t like Yale, he has to ept reality because the families are on the same team now. What he''s epting isn''t Yale but the good he can gain from this situation. Liv, reality is crueler than you think it is." Olivia smiled faintly. "I learned it very well when my father was hospitalized. But, Ethan, don''t you regret not siding with the Heaths?" Chapter 1147 Chapter 1147 Ethan hugged Olivia, burying his face in her neck. "Liv, as I said, my family owns so much money that it''s enough to sustain us for a few lifetimes. As for power, there''s nothing I''m afraid of other than God. ¡°What Yale desires is something I don''t care about. Power is just a tool to protect my family and you. Even without Krystal, I have other ways to gain it. The most important person to me is you." He spoke into her ear softly, "Don''t drive me away, Liv. You''re my everything." She flicked his forehead. "Control yourself. This is the Heath residence. How are we going to exin if someone sees you in my room?" "If you drive me out right now, that''s no different from announcing that I spent the night here." Olivia went silent for amoment. ''So, what are we gonna do?" ¡°When the nightes, I''ll get out of here through the camera blind spots." "There are guards outside." "I have my ways." She was rendered speechless. ¡°But Liv, I''m starving." "What would you like to eat? I''ll make you something in the kitchen." The cheeky Ethan pinned her on the couch. "No need for the hassle. I can help myself." Back in the living room, the elderly people in the Kingston family were present. Yale''s call even managed to summon the 85-year-old Sherman Kingston. Yale''s uncles were here too. The majority of the household was involved in politics, especially Sherman, who was once Mason''s superior. Mason''s mood was terrible. He had never liked the feeling of conceding to someone. Still, he maintained a smile on his face. Sherman wanted to rise from his seat as soon as he saw Mason. " Mason." "Please be seated, Mr. Kingston Senior. Be careful not to fall." Mason motioned at Tatiana. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She quickly supported Sherman. "I can''t believe that Mr. Kingston Senior is here too. Yale, how unbing of you. It''s windy, and the road is slippery out there. Aren''t you afraid that he might catch acold? He''s an old man!" Sherman hurriedly said, "Don''t me him. I was there when he called his father. This brat was foolish enough to do such rude things to Ms. Heath. I thought I should pay you a visit in person to apologize." Yale''s father, Gordon Kingston, said instantly, ¡°Mr. Heath, Mrs. Heath, I raised my son wrong. I should send him to hell formitting such a sin." He then whipped Yale. "How could you do that, you brat! Get to your knees and apologize to Ms. Heath. Hurry!" The whipnded on Yale again and again. Mason knew that it was a nned show to elicit pity from them. Gordon didn''t hold himself back in order to make it seem real. Meanwhile, Yale knelt on the floor without groaning in pain. It was not until the fifth whip that Mason suddenly said, "Stop. This is not entirely Yale''s fault." ¡°Don''t stop me, Mr. Heath. I''ll punish him in front of you so that he''ll learn his learn. How dare youy a finger on Ms. Heath! Go to hell!" Adalia cried while tugging on Tatiana. "Mrs. Heath, I''m terribly sorry for not raising my son right. It''s all because he''s head over heels for Ms. Heath. He has loved her for so many years, and he was swept up in the moment. ¡°As his mother, I have nothing to say to cover up his mistake. Why don''t you punish me as well?" Today, Tatiana had met herpetitor in terms of shamelessness. Chapter 1148 Chapter 1148 Yale ruined her ns, and resentment took root deep in Tatiana. She hated it so much, but she had to go along with their performance. ¡°That''s an overstatement, Mrs. Kingston. This has nothing to do with you. It''s the youngsters¡¯ business. Let''s take a seat and think of something." "You''re right, Mrs. Heath. Hubby, stop it." Adalia stopped Gordon. She wiped her tears away while saying, "Dad, what should we do?" Now, it was time to take it seriously. Sherman looked at the kneeling Yale indifferently. "This brat hasmitted a grave sin. Since he did such a thing to the innocent Ms. Heath, I''m afraid there''s only one solution for this ¡ªYale has to marry her. "Mr. Heath, although my grandson has done no big aplishment, he''s mature and dependable. Please give hima chance to make up for his mistake. He''ll use the rest of his lifetime to make up for Ms. Heath." Mason gave Tatiana a nce that read, "You should be responsible for the grave you dug yourself". Biting the bullet, she feigned magnanimity.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Kingston Senior, please don''t me Yale. It''s partly Krystal''s fault too. She drank too muchst night, and that''s why it happened. I watched Yale grow up. He''s a nice kid." Adalia hurriedly said, "So ..." "I do adore Yale, but this is a different matter. It''s unconventional for the parents to have a say in this. Besides, Krystal has always been our pampered daughter. Her opinion matters the most to us." As the veteran, she was adept at pushing the responsibility to others. She beckoned a maid over. "Call Krystal over. This is about her future. We should discuss it together." Everyone didn''t look great. Obviously, it wouldn''t be easy to have the marriage happen. Krystal soon arrived. Her red eyes made her look pitiful. Perhaps the maid had secretly told her what to do. Instead of throwing a tantrum like usual, she sobbed out the words, "T hope all of you stop ming him. I''m partly to me for this. 1 was hammeredst night, so it happened without me realizing it." "Ms. Heath, do you mean that ..." "Mrs. Kingston, I don''t me him, and I don''t want to hold him responsible for it. Let''s put an end to this." ¡°How could we just let it be? Our son took advantage of you, so he must be held responsible for it. What happens if word gets out? What will people think of us?" Tatiana smiled. "Mr. Kingston, we''re the only ones aware of this incident. I believe that you won''t spread rumors about it, will you?" 1 "Mrs. Kingston, Mr. Yale is a nice person, but I don''t like him. It won''t be a happy marriage." Krystal suddenly acted demurely. "If we force the marriage to happen, it''ll only bring us trouble and probleMs. We''re both in the wrong for what happened. The me isn''t entirely on one party." Yale didn''t expect her to be this calm. She clearly didn''t want a marriage with him. Holding the armrest, Sherman looked at Mason. "Mason, I heard of this incident and came with a heart of sincerity. If Ms. Heath is willing to marry Yale, I''ll offer half of our assets for her wedding gift. I hope that Yale can have his wish granted too. ¡°After all, he has liked Ms. Heath for so many years. She has also been single for a long time. It''llbe great news for them to get married." Chapter 1149 Chapter 1149 Judging from how the Kingstons came in a group, they were clearly dogged to achieve their objectives at all costs. If the proposal was turned down, Krystal¡¯s and the Heaths* reputation would be ruined. On the other side of the coin, epting the proposal would mean a tiring future ahead of Krystal. She failed to win the heart of her loved one, and the person she didn¡¯t love did everything in his power to marry her. It was an ill fate. ¡°Mr. Kingston Senior, I¡¯m aware of your sincerity. Simr to my wife, I have nothing toin about Yale, but Krystal is my precious daughter. When ites to marriage, the opinion of the people involved matters more to us. ¡°That¡¯s how it works within my family. Now that things have turned out this way, I suggest putting the proposal aside first. Why don¡¯t we give both of them some time to spend together?¡± The smile on Tatiana¡¯s face beamed wider. Yale thought, ¡°This sly fox.¡± Still, he remained respectful on the outside. ¡¯Do you mean ¡­¡± ¡°They can get to know each other as a couple for three months. If a deeper rtionship is developed, it won¡¯t be toote to hold a marriage when the timees.¡± Mason looked at Sherman. ¡°Mr. Kingston Senior, I think this is the best for both of them. What do you think?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve put it that way, we agree to it too. You¡¯d better treat your future wife well, you brat,¡± Sherman reminded Yale. Yale nodded. ¡°I will, Grandpa. Guys, please be rest assured. I, Yale Kingston, swear by my name that I will treat Krystal well from now onward. If I happen to go against my word, I¡¯ll be punished severely.¡± Krystal rolled her eyes, unable to believe that someone was actually taking it the traditional way in this era. Mason let out a wry cough, reminding her not to ruin it.¡± Krystal, try to get along with Yale from now on. I know that you like someone else, but he hasn¡¯t reciprocated your feelings for so long. You should consider other options. ¡°Yale is a good man. I won¡¯t force you to get married today, but you have to promise me that you¡¯ll get over that person and try to ept others. Give others a chance, as well as yourself.¡± ¡°Got it, Dad.¡± Mason¡¯s action as of now was wless and reasonable. He wasn¡¯t a simple man to deal with. Who knew what would happen three months from now? After all, he held certain power, so the Kingstons didn¡¯t have the nerve to cross the line by threatening him. Mason¡¯s history of climbing up thedder of power was a legend. He had never been an easy opponent. Thus, Yale had to ept the situation regardless of his reluctance. Within three months, all he had to do was to impregnate Krystal. Then, the child could be used as leverage to make the marriage happen. Meanwhile, Krystal was thinking, ¡°It¡¯s just three months. When the timees, I¡¯ll say that I don¡¯t like him and get out of this.¡± The living room was filled to the brim with people bearing different thoughts in mind. Mason smiled. ¡°No objections? I guess this is it. Mr. Kingston Senior, it¡¯s been years since Ist met you. Let¡¯s y a few rounds of chess. Ladies and gentlemen, please stay and have a meal together. We might be a family in the future. It won¡¯t hurt to All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. get to know each other in advance.¡± Yale was impressed by Mason¡¯sposure. Thetter solved the problem, which Yale had schemed for a long time. Mason resolved it so readily, and the Kingstons couldn¡¯t find a fault with him. Mason stood up and patted his shoulder. ¡°Krystal¡¯s my only daughter. You¡¯d better treat her well.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Heath. I like her too much to hurt her.¡± Yale held Krystal¡¯s hand gently. ¡°Krystal, I¡¯ll make you ept my feelings one day.¡± A shudder of revolt made her skin crawl. Chapter 1150 Chapter 1150 The issue was finally resolved. Tatiana secretly dragged Krystal to an empty corner. Tatiana said in an undertone, ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Your father barely fought a chance for you to make up for your mistake. Don¡¯t ruin it. Just get along with Yale like you¡¯ve always done for the next three months. ¡°When the timees, you can separate ways with him by iming that your characters don¡¯t match. Remember, don¡¯t let the Kingstons catch on to you.¡± Krystal nodded. ¡°I got it, Mom.¡± ¡°Your temper worries me the most. Just stomach everything for the next three months. The show has to go on for the family¡¯s and your reputation.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Krystal clenched her fists. It broke Tatiana¡¯s heart to see her daughter like this. She caressed Krystal¡¯s head. ¡°Krystal, there¡¯s a long journey ahead of you. Ethan is an impossibility. Get over him. ¡°Open up your heart and try to ept others, but that doesn¡¯t include Yale. He¡¯s a scheming man. He¡¯s not a good husband material. You mustn¡¯t fall for him.¡± Tatiana had always had an eye for people. If they had another way out of this, she wouldn¡¯t have allowed Krystal to interact with him. The mention of Ethan being an impossibility evoked sadness in Krystal. Tears trickled down her cheeks, falling onto the snowfield. ¡°Is it¡­ really impossible?¡± ¡°ept reality, Krystal. Forget about now, he didn¡¯t even ept you when you were still a virgin. Nothing will happen between the two of you. I let you be in the past because he was still single. I thought that there was a chance. ¡°But now that I think about your age, it¡¯s time that you try epting others.¡± ¡°B-But I like him, Mom.¡± Tatiana hugged her. ¡°There are so many things that don¡¯t go ording to our ns, especially when it don¡¯t need that stuff.¡± Krystal sobbed like a little kid. Ethan had been the man of her dreams since she was young. She had pursued him for so many years. She served the army for him and slogged through difficult training, even going on missions with him in Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. the wild. Her sole wish was to stay closer to him so that he would look at her. Yet, he suddenly had a secret marriage that year. Krystal waited for a long time for him to divorce and for that woman to disappear. But why didn¡¯t it work out? ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Go get a bath. You have to have a meal with the Kingstonster. Krystal, it¡¯s time to grow up now. Your father is old, and your brother is shouldering heavy responsibility. ¡°You grew up under our wing with protection. Now, it¡¯s time for you to step up and share the burden with us instead of us cleaning up your mess. As a grown-up, you have no right to fool around anymore.¡± Krystal returned to her room alone. The maid had cleaned up the ce for her, clearing up Yale¡¯s traces. She was as disappointed today as much as she had anticipatedst night. Staring at her tear-stricken face in the mirror, she pped herself for opting for that route. If she didn¡¯t have distorted thoughts, Yale wouldn¡¯t have been able to seize the opening to take advantage of her. Ethan was right-she had iting. Krystal regretted it so much. But regret couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Grown-ups had to take responsibility for their mistakes. Crying or throwing a tantrum couldn¡¯t solve anything. At longst, she epted the reality that it was impossible for Ethan and her. Meanwhile, the man she desired was drenched in sweat. Olivia wrapped her arms around Ethan¡¯s waist. ¡°Ethan, are you mad?¡± ¡°Liv, let me die on you.¡± Chapter 1151 Chapter 1151 Despite being in Heath residence, Ethan reveled in the pleasure too much. Olivia was being devoured inside out. Forget about getting out of bed, she thought her bones were going to break from lifting her arm. ¡°Mr. Heath is going to keep the Kingstons entertained today. You can keep mepany.¡± Resting against his chest, Olivia huffed and puffed, trying to catch her breath. She hadn¡¯t returned to her senses from the intense wave of pleasure. ¡°If I remember correctly, you¡¯ve always kept yourself restrained in whatever you do. Why did you be so untrammeled?¡± At that time, he acted like a ruler in whatever he did. Even the gaze he gave her at home was cold. Now, everything was different. A nce from Olivia was enough to turn Ethan into a Golden Retriever that would pounce on her. His overloaded enthusiasm was hard for her to keep up with. ¡°I was too naive back then. I didn¡¯t realize how precious you were to me until I lost you.¡± His fingertips traced along her smooth cheek. ¡°Liv, after experiencing so many things, do you know how happy I am to be able to still hug you?¡± It took a lot of lessons for one to realize one¡¯s desires. There were a lot of things fettering Ethan¡¯s freedom during his younger days. When he lost the person he cherished, he regretted it from the bottom of his heart, day and night. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to discover that ray of hope to live again. No matter what it took, he was determined not to return to that slump of darkness. It was not until night that he left the room with a heavy heart. Now that the source of chaos had disappeared, Olivia was able to get a good night¡¯s rest. She was all spirited the next day. Today, she needed to perform acupuncture on Marina. Olivia specially made breakfast for Mason, who had a restless sleepst night. Tired, he rested his hand on his temple. ¡°Grandpa Mason, did you not sleepst night again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal for old people.¡± Olivia initially wanted to leave after serving breakfast. But the sight of his listless expression elicited a sigh from her.¡± Lie down. I¡¯ll give you a massage.¡± ¡°You know a lot.¡± ¡°I learned a lot of traditional medicine from my grandmother, n Mason closed his eyes. ¡°Do you miss your family?¡± ¡°So what if I miss them? I don¡¯t know where they are or who they are.¡± Helplessness seeped into her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be pressured by your kids¡¯ matters. It¡¯s their lives. Your injury is a serious one. The emotional stress from overthinking won¡¯t do you good. I can treat your body, but not your mental illness.¡± ¡°If only my daughter were as mature as you are, I¡¯d be able to get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Ms. Heath grew up pampered. It¡¯s not a bad thing for her to suffer a little. She¡¯ll grow up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed that you saw that.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be. Everyone drank a lot that night, and she¡¯s young. It¡¯s easy to cross the line considering the situation.¡± ¡°Thanks for the massage. I feel much better.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine for you. Ask someone to get the ingredients. When I return, I¡¯ll make a bag of herbs to aid your sleep. You can put it under your pillow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mason drifted into sleep during Olivia¡¯s massage. She realized that he depended on her very much. It would be easy for her to murder him right now, but she didn¡¯t have a reason to do so. She took a nket to drape it over him. When she walked out of the room, she informed the maids not to enter so as to not disturb him. After putting on a coat, she left the house in a hurry. A car was prepared for her. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Getting into the car, she met Linus¡¯ eyes. His expression was impassive as he wore a ck coat. ¡°I¡¯m heading somewhere. I can drop you off along the way.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Olivia stayed close to the car door, leaving a huge space in between. He asked, ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± ¡°No, what I have for you is respect,¡± she answered confidently. Her eyes were free from clouds of fear. Linus rested his hands on his knees. His posture was always upright wherever he was. ¡°I heard that the drink you had was drugged.¡± He suddenly leaned toward her, driving her to a corner. His glint was shrewd. ¡°How did you pull it through?¡± Chapter 1152 Chapter 1152 ¡°Yeah, I drank it.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was indifferent. Linus¡¯ eyes were fixated on her. ¡°How did you pull it through? II ¡°Have you forgotten that I¡¯m a doctor, Mr. Linus? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a terminal illness.¡± No one could find fault with her perfect answer. Looking outside the window, she sighed. ¡°It seems like the snow will be pouring for a few days. Please inform your father to stay warm. He¡¯s weak and can¡¯t catch a cold. I won¡¯t be around for two days. I¡¯ve handed the recipes to your mother.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Plus, keep him away from emotional stress. He has just undergone a heart surgery. Overworking is a no-no for him. Mood swings too. It¡¯s best to keep him light-hearted always, ¡± she reminded. ¡°I¡¯ll take note of that.¡± The car stopped at the Carlton residence. She gave him a nod. ¡°I should get going, then. The roads are slippery because of the weather. Drive safely.¡± Linus grabbed her hand unconsciously. Her eyes were directed at his hand, carrying a tint of aloofness. ¡°Is there anything else, Mr. Linus?¡± He quickly released her. ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to ask if you need a ride back the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°I can travel back by myself, thanks.¡± She pushed the car door open, embracing the cold wind. Linus suddenly asked, ¡°I heard that your daughter is going to turn three soon. You have lost your memories and been single for so many years. Have you never thought of finding a partner?¡± Hecked the experience of dating and chasing someone, hence the straightforward question. It reminded her of what Ethan had said. Before this, she merely shrugged it off as a mere coincidence. Now, the uneasiness in Linus¡¯ eyes had given her a certain answer¡ªhe liked her. ¡°I¡¯m happy with my life right now and have no ns of marriage. Bye.¡± She strode away without looking back. The Carltons, who had been waiting for her, weed her. Meanwhile, Linus watched her leave, deeply absorbed in his thoughts. Otto saw Olivia as a goddess upon learning that the Heaths showed her reverence. ¡°Vanessa, you¡¯re a miraculous doctor! You¡¯ve only given Marina acupuncture treatment a few times, but I already see impressive progress in her recovery. Of course, I also made sure she had a foot spa every day. Thank you so much, Vanessa!¡± Even Marina¡¯s impression of Olivia had changed. At first, she found the doctor quite weird due to the hostility. Her days were no less different than hell. She put up with it for two weeks, and now, she could slowly feel her legs and be in more control of them. Her respect for Olivia had grown. ¡°When will I be able to walk?¡± Olivia stared at the scars covering Marina¡¯s feet. It was the result of poking the blisters. It was easy to tell how much Marina suffered in the past weeks. Like a bird yearning to fly out of the cage, she desired freedom more than anything. Olivia thought, ¡°Soon, she¡¯ll know what awaits her outside the cage.¡± ¡°Two to three months, depending on your fitness,¡± she answered without lifting her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to walk again that soon?¡± Marina was touched to tears of joy. ¡°That is if everything goes well. Lie down. I¡¯m going to start the acupuncture treatment.¡± The next acupuncture treatment was always more painful than thest one. Although Marina dipped her feet in hot water every day, she couldn¡¯t get used to the pain. She clenched her teeth at the pain, showing full determination. It was as though something was on her mind. ¡°Grandpa, did you hearthat? I¡¯ll be able to walk again soon!¡± Otto caressed her head lovingly. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t expect that. I had thought it would¡¯ve been impossible.¡± Marina had high hopes. ¡°Say, do you think Ethan will consider me once I recover?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1153 Chapter 1153 Olivia¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop, and she didn¡¯t show hesitation when she inserted the needles into Marina. Olivia inwardly eximed, ¡°Ethan¡¯s a charming man, isn¡¯t he? There¡¯s Krystal, who can¡¯t forget about him, and there¡¯s Marina, who¡¯s willing to sacrifice anything to marry him.¡± Otto caressed Marina¡¯s head. ¡°We need the Millers¡¯ support. Marina, don¡¯t make him angry. Things are different from how they used to be.¡± Sorrow colored Marina¡¯s eyes for a moment as she was unwilling to give up. After all, she almost became Ethan¡¯s wife back then. How could she ept such a huge difference? Olivia was reading a book at the side after inserting the needles. The maid served desserts and snacks. Fabian stood next to Marina with a grim expression. It seemed like her words had offended him. Even after what had happened in the past, Marina hadn¡¯t be any wiser. Back then, her wayward actions drove her parents to death. Yet, she didn¡¯t learn her lesson. Fabian was the current head of the household, but she kept ticking him off instead of buttering him up. She was the same old idiotic Marina. When the acupuncture session ended, Olivia left immediately like always. The Carltons prepared a car to send her back. When she left the ce, she saw a rushing Fabian enter another car. Both the cars were driven off almost at the same time. They separated ways at a junction. It didn¡¯te across as anything to her until she saw a ck Bentley following behind Fabian¡¯s car. She didn¡¯t miss the license te during the brief nce. It was Yale¡¯s car. Was it a coincidence? Olivia stopped the driver. ¡°Please drop me off here. There¡¯s a sudden change to my schedule.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia watched the car drive away. It happened to be the red light, and she crossed the road. The two cars were pulled over on the next street. Fabian entered a private restaurant. Ten minutester, Yale showed up. As she had expected, a lot of things weren¡¯t coincidental in this world. It seemed like a prior appointment. However, to Olivia¡¯s dismay, the private restaurant ran solely on a reservation system. She couldn¡¯t enter without making a reservation. Otto had always been acquainted with Ethan all this time. Fabian, who was now the head of the household, had decided to form a connection with Yale. She had guessed right-Fabian was not a simple man. A huge change was bound to happen within Aldenvine. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Olivia sent the picture of the men entering the same restaurant to Ethan. Since she didn¡¯t want to join the fray, this was the only thing she could do for Ethan. She received a quick reply, ¡°Liv, are you worried about me?¡± She didn¡¯t reply to that, but the other party bombarded her with messages, ¡°I¡¯m so happy. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± A smile appeared across her lips as she thought, ¡°This might be an overkill. Ethan might¡¯ve already guessed what they¡¯re doing.¡± She deleted the chat history and looked at the pinned chat. She had been giving Warren the cold treatment these days. He was fazed after listening to what she had said, which wasn¡¯t to her surprise. He had been taking the initiative to text her these days. She finally had the time to send him a message today, ¡°Can we meet up?¡± She received a reply from Warren very quickly. It was quicker than before. She thought, ¡°Men are all the same.¡± He didn¡¯t care about Mona, who loved him so much. As the conventional man he was, he ended up falling in love with a pretty face. Chapter 1154 Chapter 1154 Olivia invited Warren to a music show. He liked that musician, and it was the bit of information she had jumped through hoops to discover. She had asked Ethan to buy her the tickets some time ago. She returned home to doll up for the asion. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. By the time Warren saw her, she was standing under a pine tree. She seemed to have been waiting for a while now. There was a pile of snow over her head. She raised her head with those crystal-clear eyes. She didn¡¯t even realize he was right next to her. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± She jumped like a surprised bunny. ¡°Warren, I saw a squirrel.¡± Warren had never met a woman with such clear eyes, holding innocence yet so seductive at times. ¡°Have you been waiting in the snow?¡± Olivia grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s rare to encounter such little animals in metropolitan areas?¡± ¡°It is. Let¡¯s go. The music show is starting soon.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She took the lead in front of him with a bright smile, maintaining a safe distance from him. Warren was socially recluse and used to solidarity. Despite knowing the considerable risk entailed every time he stepped out of the house, he couldn¡¯t resist her invitation. As if cast by a spell, he kept staring at their chat history nkly. In the past, the other party was merely a fictional existence to him. After learning that it was Olivia, his attitude shifted from wariness to eptance. He couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on his emotions right now either. Her words conjured images in his head. He could even picture her expressions whenever she said certain words. Warren was falling harder and harder for her without him realizing it. By the time he caught on to his feelings, he was far down the rabbit hole. ¡°Are you busy these days?¡± He also started trying to learn more about her. ¡°Yeah. I received the ownership of some stores when I divorced. Some management is needed here and there.¡± She didn¡¯t hide the fact that she was a divorced woman. Her confidence sent him to the throes of guilt instead. He was full of lies this whole time. Like a mouse in the gutter, he could only watch her in the dark. ¡°I¡­¡± Olivia began hesitantly. ¡°I was drunk and bbered something funny that night. You didn¡¯t take it to heart, did you?¡± Warren recalled the time when she pinned her against the wall, when her lips curled into a provocative smirk. The sheer thought of it tickled inside him. ¡°What if I say I did?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Her eyes widened like those of a flustered bunny. ¡°I- I was just spouting nonsense.¡± He shed her a smile. ¡°Rx, I was just kidding.¡± How could someone like him start dating? Not to mention dating Olivia. They found their seats, and silence sat in the air. He was a reticent man to begin with. When Olivia became quiet, he didn¡¯t know what to talk about anymore. The lights were turned off at the audience seats, leaving a ray of light illuminating the stage. Then, a soft female voice could be heard. ¡°Linus, here are our seats.¡± Olivia thought, ¡°Linus? It¡¯s a rare name in Aldenvine, though.¡± She cast a nce over her shoulder, only to see Linus over there. There happened to be two empty seats behind her. She thought, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s having a blind date here of all ces!¡± All these years, Linus rarely came to Aldenvine because he was busy at the border. Linus might know of the tragic love between Ethan and his ex-wife, but Olivia wasn¡¯t sure if he knew what she looked like or not. It would be awkward for him to find out that she was here. She wondered, ¡°Has he recognized me yet?¡± Chapter 1155 Chapter 1155 Rustling sounds came from behind, indicating that the two had imed the seats. Olivia¡¯s senses caught that intimidating gaze even without her looking back. As if someone had her at gunpoint, she didn¡¯t dare to act recklessly. Pins and needles of uneasiness poked her skin. It was fortunate that Warren was a quiet man. ¡°Linus, how long are you going to be in the city for?¡± asked the female voice, so soft that it could stimte one¡¯s sense of protectiveness. Linus replied impassively, ¡°Please remain silent when the show is ongoing.¡± Olivia was rendered speechless, thinking, ¡°Behold the most insensitive man in the world. No wonder he¡¯s still single in his 30s.¡± Her heart suddenly swelled in gratitude as she reflected on the past. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Although Ethan had a cold disposition at that time, he treated her gently and with care. He would never blurt such words to her either. Considering how difficult it was to enjoy a date with Linus, she wished Linus¡¯ date the best. As Olivia expected, the woman didn¡¯t speak further. Only music filled their ears. From the moment he entered the audience seats, Linus felt a gaze from the front focusing on him. But whenever he raised his eyes, that woman had cast her attention to the front. Sitting behind her, he could only see the back of her head and a pair of pearl earrings hanging from her ears. A faint scent wafted his nose seconds after he imed his seat and his eyes brightened. It smelled like herbs! It smelled like Vanessa¡¯s natural body scent! Wondering if she was here as well, he scrutinized the area. There were women around him, but none of them was her. Linus didn¡¯t know much about women. Could it be that it was a popr perfume brand among the Spending most of his time with men gave him the initial idea that it was a distinct natural scent of Vanessa¡¯s. After all, the women he interacted with before had the inclination to wear perfume. It smelled either graceful, strong, or fruity, but never like herbs. The only face he didn¡¯t check was the woman sitting right in front of him. An icy sensation traced down Olivia¡¯s spine, and her hair stood on end. She wondered if it was her mere delusion. ¡°Man, it¡¯s hard to ignore his presence,¡± she inwardly eximed. What would the Heaths do to her when they found out that she was Olivia Fordham? That she had been deceiving them with a fake identity? If she had known that today wasn¡¯t her lucky day, she wouldn¡¯t have asked Warren to meet up. She basically dug her own grave. When the music show ended, Olivia gracefully rose to her feet to blend in with the crowd. Despite her fast pace, Linus had zeroed in on her. ¡°Linus, wait up! Slow down!¡± His date lifted the hem of her dress, trying to catch up with him in her heels but to no avail. Olivia, acting as if nothing was wrong, said to Warren, ¡°Sorry, but I need to go to the washroom.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go start the car first. I¡¯ll wait for you by the road.¡± She then dashed to thedies¡¯, cooping herself inside for ten minutes. When she figured that Linus had left with his date, she strode out of the washroom gracefully. Right then, a shuffling sound could be heard. It belonged to the rolling of a lighter¡¯s sparkwheel! She looked across her shoulder instinctively and met a pair of cold eyes. It was Linus! His eyes caught every nuance of her expression. It was possible for him to recognize Ethan¡¯s ex-wife, but Olivia had never seen him with this face. The notion settled her nerves, and she attempted to shift her gaze calmly. ¡°Wait up,¡± he stopped her. Chapter 1156 Chapter 1156 Olivia halted and spun around to face Linus. Neither humbly nor arrogantly, she spoke in her own voice, ¡°Anything, Mister?¡± He marched forward, and she was on tenterhooks. If her identity was exposed, would it cause Ethan trouble? The Heaths might think that she came under Ethan¡¯s orders. To her bewilderment, Linus proffered a scarf. ¡°You dropped this.¡± She looked at the scarf, which was supposed to be tied to her bag. It had dropped without her realizing it. A weight lifted off her chest. ¡°Thanks.¡± Olivia headed to the roadside with hasty footsteps, where Warren was waiting for her. He caught on to her anxiety. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I met an old friend. Let¡¯s go.¡± No further questions were asked as he noticed that she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. He skirted to another topic. ¡¯ What would you like to have?¡± Absent-mindedly, she rested her cheek on her palm.¡± Anything¡¯s fine with me.¡± ¡®Til make the call, then.¡± He drove them to a couple¡¯s restaurant. He would nevere to such a ce in the past. But he began to grow attuned to the existence of such restaurants after meeting Olivia several times. Some restaurants were even listed in his memo. This couple¡¯s restaurant had the best reviews and environment out of all. The night sky in Aldenvine was breathtaking. The shade of snow adorned the whole city, turning it into a fairytale-like ce. Olivia saw a familiar figure as soon as she finished ordering the food. She wondered, ¡°Is luck totally not on my side today? It¡¯s Linus and his date again!¡± Fortunately, Linus seemed to not notice her presence. Olivia and Warren shared a few words until he received a phone call, which made his face fall. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She checked the time on her phone. It was time. As she expected, he stood up. ¡°Sorry, but I gotta go. Something happened to my family.¡± ¡°Calm down. What happened?¡± she inquired. ¡°My mom fell in the snow, and she¡¯s a heart attack patient. I have to take her to the hospital immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle with you. I¡¯m a doctor.¡± They left in a hurry. Meanwhile, Linus, enjoying his steak, suddenly popped a question, ¡°What dodies¡¯ perfume normally smell like?¡± Assuming that he wanted to buy her a gift, Julia ss answered, ¡°There are lots of types. They can be made of nts or animals. There are too many kinds.¡± ¡°Are there perfumes mainly made of herbs?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s none, but they¡¯re not that popr. Who doesn¡¯t want to smell nice? Herbal scents are too bitter. They don¡¯t smell that nice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this. Could you help me gather a list of herbal-scented perfumes?¡± ¡°Not a problem. Collecting perfumes is my hobby. I didn¡¯t expect you to like it too, Linus. Guess we¡¯ll have moremon topics to share in the future.¡± The car sped until it arrived on an ordinarymercial street. Olivia offered Warren someforting words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. ording to the symptoms the caretaker told you, your mother should be fine.¡± ¡°I hope so. It¡¯s fortunate you taught my neighbors first-aid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. I studied medicine at university. It¡¯s just some general knowledge.¡± She shed him a warm smile.¡± Don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Once again, he was smitten by her smile, which also steadied his pulse. He scurried to press the button for the elevator, failing to notice Olivia¡¯s cold gaze. She said aloud in her head, ¡°It¡¯s time you experience what I suffered in the past, Warren!¡± Chapter 1157 Chapter 1157 During Olivia''s first year of investigation, she found out about Warren''s true identity-he was an illegitimate child. The person he resented yet loved was his mother-Jenna. Back then, the young and pretty woman intended to be one of the Tovars by leveraging her pregnancy. Later on, Jenna Higgs ruined her face, and Warren was abandoned by the Tovars. The poor child grew up along with thebel of a mistress'' son. Jenna, who had always dreamed of being Mrs. Tovar, became mentally ill. Warren hired a caretaker to look after Jenna to ensure her well-being. Everytime he returned home, he would watch her from afar without evering close to her. He loved his mother but couldn''t ept her past. Olivia set up a n. Rain or shine, it was an evening routine for Jenna to buy two cups of coffee from a cafe. Thus, it was easy to make her fall. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Olivia bet Warren didn''t expect her to make him taste his own medicine when he took advantage of Mona to harm her. Judging from the huge house with luxurious interior design, Warren treated Jenna well. Miranda, the caretaker, rushed over. "Warren, I was cleaning the dishes and Mrs. Jenna went out to buy coffee like usual. She fell on her way home. I gave her first-aid as what your friend taught me. She feels better now." ''TH go check on her." Jenna was sitting on the bed in the master bedroom. The scar stretched across her right face seemed to be the trace left by Mrs. Tovar. "How are you feeling?" It had been years since Jenna saw Warren, so she didn''t notice that he had done something to his face. "Warren, you''re back. I thought I wouldn''t be able to see you again. This is..." "My friend." "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jenna. I learn medicine. Is it alright for me to examine you?" If it wasn''t anything life-threatening, Warren didn''t want to take Jenna to the hospital. It might expose his whereabouts. Olivia announced after examining Jenna, "Don''t worry, her pulse is normal. Her leg should be the most serious problem. Bring some ice packs for her. She needs to be bedridden for a month." Jenna asked, "You look young, Miss. Do you learn medicine?" Olivia nodded. "Yeah. My major is medicine." Jenna grabbed Olivia''s hand. "Is it possible to get rid of the scar on my face? I''ve used a lot of products, but nothing worked." "Those scar removal products on the market are mostly useless. Besides, it mainly depends on your repair tissues. I can tell that the scar has been there for many years. It won''t be easy to remove it." "I knew it..." Looking at her disappointed face, Olivia added, "I''ve been traveling the world the past few years, and I found a scar removal cream by chance. It''s not bad." "Really?" "Look at my hand." Olivia showed her wrist. "I was shot and had a big hole here. Can you see it?" It took Jenna a lot of effort to notice the faded scar, and she beamed into a grin. "Where is it?" "If you want it, I can bring it for you next time." "Okay. You''ve given me your word." Olivia observed the sky. "It''s gettingte. I should get going." "Warren, send your friend off." Warren escorted Olivia to the door and said, "Your mother must be shocked by the fall. Keep her Warren recalled the way she mentioned the shot so casually. "Your hand ..." "It happened, but it''s all recovered now. I''m fine. Get inside." ''TH walk you to the car." Chapter 1158 Chapter 1158 Warren insisted on walking Olivia to the roadside in the snow. She suddenly stopped in her tracks. ¡¯Til ask someone to bring the cream over. Varren ..." She looked up, wearing a hesitant expression. "Let''s not meet each other anymore." "Why?" His eyes were on her. Biting her lip, she seemed like she had been put in a difficult position. "I''m afraid..." "Of what?" He took a step forward to her. "I..." Her cheeks heated, telling so much although she didn''t blurt it out. The cab slowed, and she mustered every ounce of courage in her. "I''m afraid I''ll fall in love with you, so let''s put an end to this." Dust and snow swept up beneath her feet as she dashed into the car. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Once the door was closed, the driver stepped on the pedal, leaving Warren standing in the snow alone. His eyes followed the car while his mind went nk. He thought, "What did she just say? She likes me?" How was he worthy when he had ruined her family? Still, that didn''t stop his heart from racing. It was only when a pile of snownded on his head from the tree branches that he broke from his reverie. His legs took him back into the house of their own ord. A warm embrace weed Olivia as soon as she returned home. Ethan bit her ear. "Flirting with someone again?" She removed her earrings before hugging his neck and kissing him. "Are you angry?" "What do you think?" "I went to Warren''s ce to treat his mother. There''s one step left before he falls in love with me." Joy radiated off her. "Ethan, what kind of expression do you think he''ll wear when he finds out the truth? I''m itching to make him kneel before Mona''s grave." "Sinners never think that they''re wrong. He''ll only regret not going all-out." He slipped her coat off her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Liv, are you really happy with this kind of life?" She grinned from ear to ear. "Ethan, my hands have long turned filthy." Without his knowledge, she had turned into a killing machine in the past few years. People bullied the soft and kind-hearted Olivia in the past. Near-death experiences showed her the truth of humanity. "I will never let go of the people who have hurt me. Marina, Leia, Warren, and that goddamn mastermind. Ethan ..." She snapped upward with a faint smile. It was a smile that carried intense murderous intent. Her fingertips traced his face. "If you''re going to stop me, I''ll kill you as well." She was there smiling, but her words sent chills. The person standing in front of Ethan suddenly felt unfamiliar to him. She was like a soulless doll. And he was the person who turned her into that. His arms tightened around her. "I won''t stop you from doing anything you want, Liv. Do whatever you want. I''ll help you. I''m on your side. I will never hurt you again." Olivia returned the hug. "Hug me, Ethan." Like a siren, she was pulling him down to the sea of darkness. Right then, her phone vibrated. Her gaze swept across the caller''s name. It was Warren. "Wanna answer it?" Ethan asked. "Leave it." She turned her phone off and pressed Ethan onto the mat. The unanswered call stirred up the already jumbled feelings in Warren. Chapter 1159 Chapter 1159 Olivia would have two days off, so Ethan took a day¡¯s leave too. The couple slept without setting the rm. When Olivia opened her eyes, he was still beside her watching her gently. "Not busy today?" "I know you''re off today, so I made early arrangements. Up already?" "Yeah. Arrangements, you say?" "It''s a surprise." She didn¡¯t have a clue about his so-called arrangements. After washing up, she followed him to the helicopter. It was a two-hour journey to reach an ind. "Are you bringing me here for a trip?" "No." Ethan strode forward holding her hand, leading her to a watchtower. Gunshots could be heard from the woods while they were on their way. Soon, she realized his intentions when a kid ran out of the woods. It was Connor! Waves of emotions pounded in her the moment she saw data to: measurement, audience research and services development him. Tears ran down her cheeks. "It''s Connor." "His training ends today. I brought you here so that you don''t have to ask me questions about him. He scored with flying colors. He took first ce in jungle training. Remember to reward himter." Olivia could only make out his silhouette due to the far distance. He had grown a lot in the past three and a half years. His height seemed to have reached 5''5 even though he hadn''t turned nine. Olivia regrly dreamed of him. Every time she woke up from those dreams, she could picture him crying in the snow. It took a while for everyone to emerge from the woods. Olivia recognized them. They were the bullies who had picked on Connor in the past. To her surprise, they stayed by Connor''s side out of will even though it had been years. Ethan put on a mask over Olivia''s face. "Go on. Reward him." Her hands held a badge and a bouquet of flowers. Her son was just right before her, standing taller with tanner skin. He was more built than before too, having lost all baby fat on his cheeks. He was literally the young version of Ethan. Olivia bet Connor would melt the girls'' hearts in the future. And that kid was her son! A proud smile appeared across her lips. Her fingers pinned the badge around his chest before she gave him the flowers. He epted it with a brisk voice. "Thank you." Her arms spread as she wanted to hug him. Connor, who wasn''t used to a stranger''s physical touch, almost dodged her but Olivia managed to hug him with her fast moves. ording to Ethan, Connor was still thin and weak. But Connor no longer gave off the air of a little kid because of his built shoulders. Right when he tried to break free from the embrace, a familiar voice sounded. "Congrattions." His eyes widened. It was the voice he was hearing for the first time after more than three years. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. He thought, "I must''ve heard it wrongly. Why does this woman sound like Mom?" Olivia released Connor and noticed the blood trickling down his arm. "Are you hurt?" "It''s a minor injury. It''s fine." "Minor injuries can be infected and turn into something serious. Come here. Let me treat it." She dragged him to the infirmary without his consent. "Take off your clothes. Let me see if you''re hurt elsewhere." "I''m not hurt." He gripped the hem of his shirt, embarrassed. Olivia''s eyes scanned the area, and she was certain that they were alone. She smiled. "I¡¯ve seen your naked butt lots of times. What are you afraid of?" Connor''s body froze for a moment until he took off her mask. Emotions overflowed when he finally saw the person he had been missing all this time. "M-Mom ..." Chapter 1160 Chapter 1160 Connor threw himself into Olivia''s arms, tears flowing like a waterfall. The idea of it being a dream feared him. "Mom, is it really you?" Olivia failed to hold her tears back as she kept repeating," Yes, it''s me. Sorry foring to you sote." "I thought you didn''t want me, Mom. I waited here for years." Whenever the season for the cherry blossoms to bloom came, Connor woulde to the watchtower. However, even if he waited until the flowers withered, she never came. Ethan told Connor that he couldn''t locate Olivia either. Years and years passed, and he questioned himself if she didn''te because she disliked him. "It''s all my fault, son. I was wrong. I should''vee to you earlier. You''re my precious son. How could I not want you?" If he wasn''t the eldest son, Olivia would''ve brought him along to raise him herself. She wiped his tears away. "Don''t cry, I love you." He definitely grew up physically, but he was still that crying baby on the inside. "I can¡¯t believe my son is catching up with me in terms of height. Time surely flies.¡± "Dad told me that you were sick and needed to go somewhere far for treatment. Have you recovered, Mom?" She nodded. "I''m fit as a fiddle. Let me check your injuries." Since Connor was dilly-dallying due to shyness, she simply removed his top herself. Although there were some scars, the injuries were not fatal, fortunately. "Don''t worry, Mom. Dad didn''t send me to dangerous ces. He just wants me to train myself so that I can protect you when I grow up." He flexed his muscles. "Look! I''m a big boy now!" "You''re the best!" Olivia was happy to learn that he was growing up healthily. "Mom, I heard from Dad that I have a younger sister with green eyes!" Olivia scoured her album on her phone for Willow''s picture." This is Willow.¡± "Woah! She does have green eyes! That''s so cool! Why are mine ck, though?" He deted. "Besides, I don''t look like you." "Is it not nice to take after your father? A lot ofdies like him," she teased. "I don''t wanna take after him. I like you better." Connor turned into a mommy''s boy whenever she was around. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. And Olivia was happy to spoil him. When the day almost ended, Connor asked with a heavy heart, "Mom, are you leaving again?" "Yeah." "When can we reunite?" "Your younger siblings are studying abroad. When the new yeares, I''ll bring them back and we can have dinner together." "Promise?" His eyes were bright. "Promise." They made a pinky promise. Now that a promise was secured, Connor broke into a smile. Connor watched Olivia leave with the helicopter, but he wasn''t filled with sorrow this time. This wasn''t a farewell but the start of a reunion. Considering Olivia''s perky self, Connor believed that she had fully recovered. On the way home, Olivia asked, "Are you not going to talk to him?" "Men speak through eyes alone." She was rendered speechless. "Wow, funny." Chapter 1161 Chapter 1161 Olivia asked an errand boy to send the cream to Jenna first thing the next morning. She returned to the Heath residence, where it had been peaceful the past two days. Krystal was preupied because of Yale. Despite the resentment, she went along with him becauseshe had promised her parents. Thanks to her dates, the Heath residence was peaceful these two days. "You''re back. Come, take a look at this painting." Mason beckoned Olivia over. She stood next to him. "The colorsplement each other well. You can hang it in a museum." Mason chuckled. "Oh, stop that." "You look better." "And it''s all thanks to you. I think I can go to work starting tomorrow. Of course, you have toe alongjust in case. Is that fine with you?" "I''m fine with it. Mr. Linus mentioned it before. I won''t leave until you fully recover." "I''m d to hearthat. I missed you when you weren''t around these two days." A warm smile cracked on her face. "You''re simply used to me talking to you." "Yeah. A lot of people eye for a chance to butter me up because of my power. Not even my wife speaks to me often. You''re the only one I can talk to." Olivia stuck out a tongue. "Don''t tell me too much, though. I''m afraid I won''t be able to leave in the end." "Must you leave? If you wish to stay, I can satisfy any request of yours-no matter what it is." "Grandpa Mason, once you recover, I won''t have any reason to stay. I hope you''ll understand that." She continued yfully, "I''m still young. I don''t wanna be an office worker. The world is big, and I have to see it myself. But it''ll take one call for me to sprint all the way here. Frankly speaking, I think we click." "Fine. I won''t force you to stay. If you must leave, please make the departureter. How about after the new year?" "Okay." Olivia kept himpany the whole morning. "I''ll go make you lunch. Rest up." "Okay." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she was going to leave, Linus entered the room. Due to their previous encounter outside, guilt clenched her heart when she saw him. "Hi, Mr. Linus," she greeted as usual. He offered a nod of acknowledgment. "You''re back." "I''ll leave you guys alone." Wearing an aloof expression, he stopped her from closing the door. "Vanessa, I have something to talk to you aboutter." She masked her surprise. "Sure." Questions formed in her head the moment the door was closed. "Did he know? Should I run away?" Running away now was useless anyway. Since she was rmended by Ethan, he might get into trouble if she ran away. She wondered if she was being in her head. It could be an inquiry about Mason''s recovery. Those thoughts flying in her head distracted her when she was cutting the vegetables. The sharp edge of the knife cut her finger, and blood oozed out of the wound. She hissed in pain. A silhouette flew over in a heartbeat. "You alright?" He shoved her fingertip into his mouth, sucking the blood before she could respond to it. She had never been this intimate with another man aside from Ethan. His wet and soft tongue licked her fingertip. Before Olivia could withdraw her hand, a female voice shouted, "W-What are you guys doing!" Chapter 1162 Chapter 1162 The new arrival was Tatiana, who woulde over every time Olivia made meals for Mason. Tatiana was simply curious about how Olivia made those meals which he couldn''t stop praising. However, what Tatiana was witnessing right now was beyond her expectations. Olivia couldn''t stop Linus from doing that due to his fast moves. Krystal''s incident had put Tatiana on hot bricks. How could Tatiana possibly keep her cool at this? Almost immediately, she flung her hand at Olivia. Linus pulled Olivia behind him, taking the p for her.Mom, what are you doing?" "I''ve been wondering all along about why you and Mason care about an outsider so much? Thesedays, I''ve been arranging blind dates for you and you''re not interested in any of the dates. And now,this? Your sister almost gave me a stroke with her foolish deed. Are you going to give me a heart attack?" "This is a misunderstanding, Mom. There''s nothing going on between Vanessa and me." "Nothing? Do you think that I''m blind?" Tatiana yanked him away, shooting res at Olivia. "How dare you seduce my son! I knew that you were up to something from the beginning. It''s either you leave or I drive you out of the house!" Others might not know about this, but Tatiana watched Olivia take the drink that night. Tatiana didn''t bring it up in order not to expose herself as the culprit. The question was-who helped Olivia? Was it Linus? Tatiana mused, "Did they get together without my knowledge? It seems like we''ve lured a lion to our home." She tugged Olivia¡¯s hand. "Come with me. Exin this to Mason." Words failed Olivia. It was no wonder Krystal didn''t act like one of the Heaths to her. In hindsight, Linus took after Mason''s disposition while Krystal was simr to Tatiana. But Tatiana didn''t reveal her true colors thanks to her good acting. It wasn''t easy for Mason to finally take a rest and yet Tatiana kicked the door open. Feeling as if she had finally found fault in Olivia, Tatiana raised her voice. "What are you doing?" Mason kneaded his temple as he propped himself up. Tired, he looked at Tatiana. "What''s with the fuss? I could hear you from afar." Tatiana shoved Olivia forward. "Say it yourself. What did you do?" Feeling Mason''s gaze on her, Olivia spread her hands in a daze. "I identally cut my finger while cooking. Before I could do anything, Mr. Linus rushed to me and sucked the blood from my finger. And then Mrs. Heath dragged me over here." "Dad, I''m the problem. Vanessa has nothing to do with this." Tatiana''s palm swatted his back. "Why are you putting in good words for her?" "Mom, I admit that I like her, but this has nothing to do with her." Olivia didn''t expect herself to take the limelight. "Huh? What did you say?" "Stop ying dumb! I''ve long figured that something''s fishy about you. So you wereing after my son! I was right! Mason, what are you going to do about this?" Mason found it slightly ridiculous. "What do you think I should do?" "Are you going to let this calcting woman stay in our house? She''sing after your son!" Helplessness crossed Mason''s face. "I think it''s the other way round, though." "What?" All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Linus put weight in his words. "He''s right, Mom. I like Vanessa. But she didn''t know about my feelings before this. Don''t misunderstand her intentions. I sucked the blood from her wound voluntarily." Two words struck Olivia when she noticed the solemnity radiating off him. She thought, Tm doomed." Chapter 1163 Chapter 1163 Linus was not any ordinary person, and Olivia didn''t wish to interact with him in any way. If this continued, something beyond her ns might happen. As an afterthought, she waved her hand in denial. "Let''s straighten things out, Mrs. Heath. I''m not interested in Mr. Linus. I also have a child. I''m married." Linus didn''t act as his usual reticent self as he blurted," Haven''t you already forgotten him? What if you can''t remember him forever? I heard that you have a daughter. I don''t mind treating her as my own. I''m serious about you, Vanessa." Tatiana pped him without holding herself back." Ridiculous! What kind of nonsense is this? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I asked you to find yourself a wife, but you found a taken person! Someone with a daughter at that! Are you out of your mind?" "Mom, I''m an adult in my 30s. I know what I''m doing." Olivia raised her hand warily. "I ... Can I give my two cents? Mr. Heath, Mrs. Heath, I swear on my name that I didn''t seduce your son. If Mrs. Heath is feeling ufortable, I can leave the house instantly." The mention of her departure made Mason m the table." You promised me that you''d leave only after the new year. You''re not allowed to go anywhere without my permission." Tatiana''s expression turned grim at Mason¡¯s fury. "Just what is wrong with the two of you? Did she cast a spell or something?" Mason red at her. "Did youe here because of this matter? Did they do anything disgraceful? Linus is in his 30s for God''s sake. It''s normal for him to have feelings for a woman. Do you want him to bear feelings for a man instead? "But she-" "What''s wrong with her? She became a miracle doctor at a young age. Forget about your opinion of the rtionship, Vanessa doesn''t even reciprocate his feelings. Stop getting ahead of yourself." With a flop on the chair, she patted her chest to calm herself down. "How can you say that? Are you implying that Vanessa is out of his league?" "I didn''t say that. What I mean is, she doesn''t even like Linus. You don''t have to be all jumpy about it." Linus chimed in, "Mom, I hadn''t confessed my feelings to her. She didn''t know about it before this. It''s a one-sided crush." "Just send me to hell, will you!" Tatiana swept her arm in the air. "Krystal''s right. This woman is a vixen, a vixen that drives people crazy about her. If I don''t take any action, we''ll be doomed!" she said to herself in her head. Once she left, Linus showed an apologetic face. "Are you alright, Vanessa?" "I''m alright, Mr. Linus. In order to not have this happen again, please don''t cross the line." "Got it." The glint in his eyes lost its glow. When Mason and Olivia were left alone, Mason asked, "Is it true? That you don''t like my son." "Your son is an outstanding person, but he''s not my type," she answered straightforwardly. He chuckled. "Actually, you''re not bad. It wouldn''t be bad for you to marry my son." She patted her chest. "Forget about it. I''m afraid Mrs. Heath will beat me to a pulp. It shouldn''t even be in my wildest dreams." Mason could read her feelings easily. Only Tatiana was being overprotective of Linus. "Mr. Heath, I shall head back to the kitchen to make you a meal." Olivia wrapped a band-aid around her wound before continuing where she left off. None of the people in the Heath family were normal. Each one was weirder than the other.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1164 Chapter 1164 Two dayster, Julia light-heartedly called Linus to meet up. "Linus, here are the perfumes you told me to look for." "Give ''em." Lines of perfumes were arranged before her. She proffered them to him carefully. "Here. They''re herbal-scented perfumes. They''re that popr, and they might not smell that nice. Give them a try." "How bad could they be?" Olivia''s natural scent mesmerized him. Although it was the scent of herbs, it didn''t put him off. Instead, he found himself addicted to it. The moment he opened the lid of one, a pungent scent rushed to his head and he almost fainted. It indeed smelled bad. He opened over a hundred perfumes one by one. "Is there any that you like?" "It''s not right." "What is?" "It doesn''t smell like a certain herb but more like a bunch of them mixed together. I can''t tell what it is. Anyway, the fragrance I''m looking for isn''t strong. It''s mild and it smells nice." Julia deted. "There''s no such thing unless it''s the person''s natural scent. But who would naturally smell like herbs?" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Natural scent..." Linus muttered. Something crossed his mind, and he dialed a number. "I''m searching for a person. It''s the woman who sat in front of me in that music show." Disappointment descended upon her face. "Linus, do you have someone you like?" He hummed in response. "Sorry for the trouble I''ve caused. I''ll pay for these perfumes." He stood up because he had something else to attend to. There was a schedule to wee the envoys. Time was running out, and he needed to rush to the venue. It was Olivia''s first time attending such a grand party. Ethan mingled in the crowd with a mask on his face. As the doctor, she could only follow him from a distance so that she could react in time for emergency situations. Rufus was in herpany. While people''s attention was focused on those prominent figures, Rufus sneaked his way to Olivia. He lowered his voice. "How have you been these years, Olivia?" "I heard stories about you. Why didn''t you reach out to me when you were at a dead end?" "I had iting for giving up on my studies. It''d be shameless of me toe beg you. Don''t worry,difficult times are over. I''m doing great right now. I didn''t bring disgrace to your name. I remember your advice." His emotions remained uncated still. Her decision to relinquish everything and leave back then made him age overnight. Fortunately, she had set her mind to pick up medicine again. "As I''ve said, you''re born to be a skillful doctor. I''m proud of what you''ve achieved today." They shared a smile, for they had finally met each other at the top. Like those days in college, Rufus began instilling knowledge in her as she followed him. The meal was followed by a visit to the maritime museum, which was the next n on schedule. Olivia nced at her memo at times. The important figures'' medical histories were etched in her head. Even medicines were prepared in case of emergency. "You''re getting better," Rufus couldn¡¯t help but praise her." You''re no longer the inexperienced intern." "It''s all thanks to your good teaching, Mr. Moran." "You''re getting better at buttering people up too." It saddened him that people only grew up from hardships. Olivia suffered a lot toe this far and yet he didn''t know anything. Chapter 1165 Chapter 1165 The maritime museum collected all sorts of artifacts from different countries. It wasn''t usually open to the public, so it was Olivia''s first time visiting.She was stunned to see the stuff that was on disy.She fell behind the crowd as she was carefully observing each single item on disy. The one item she was most shocked by was a statue. It was pure white and looked very natural under the lighting.She was creeped out when she noticed the face on the statue because it resembled her own. But the statue was an antique from hundreds of years ago. It was probably a coincidence. Olivia turned around and realized that the crowd had already moved forward. She went and caught up to them. After all, she was paid to do her job. She had to focus on getting it done. Before she could take a few steps, she noticed a foreign reporter squeezing through the crowd to get to the front. It wasn''t even the time for interviews yet. Why was that person in a rush? Olivia was a very cautious person. That person had his sights set on Mason. There was ...killing intent in that person''s eyes. Surely no one would be stupid enough to do anything here, right? If anything went wrong, it would be an international incident. Olivia quickly sent Ethan a text. The person was already rushing forward when Ethan stopped to read the text. There wasn''t enough time! Olivia reacted quickly. She leaped toward Mason when she heard the gunshot. The bullet grazed her cheek, and she was able to push Mason into the water. There was a huge ssh. That person opened fire again but the bullet didn''t hit anyone. The next second, he was subdued by Ethan. Chaos ensued as the security team quickly came forward. Olivia was extremely calm. She stood in front of Mason the whole time. She only helped him out of the water after the danger had passed. She was soaked. A man''s coat was suddenly dropped on her head. It was Ethan. He couldn''t stay with her because of his duty, but he told two security guards to bring her somewhere to get changed. Things werepletely out of control. An assassination attempt happening here was a big deal. The news of this incident would have to be kept from the public. Olivia noticed that her mask had been torn. The bullet had grazed past it, and it was soaked. She touched the mask with her fingers. This type of mask couldn''t be soaked in water. It would lose its original shape when it came into contact with water. The mask was useless. She had no choice but to remove it. Luckily, she was just a doctor who wouldn''t stand out in a ce like this. Ethan could help cover for herter. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia heard the door unlock when she just finished texting. She figured it was Ethan who came. She touched her face andined to him. "It was so close.I was almost disfigured ..." She stopped talking abruptly. It wasn''t Ethan who came but Linus. She could feel her heart sink. Why was it him? It was the worst-case scenario. She regretted her decision to show off. She had exposed herself. Linus locked the door behind him. "Mr¡ª" Linus¡¯ phone vibrated. He took it out, and a voice could be heard clearly. "I''ve looked into the person you told me to.She''s the daughter of the Fordham family.She has another interesting identity.Her ex-husband is someone you know." "Tell me." Linus'' voice was very cold. The room was so quiet they would''ve been able to hear a needle falling. The voiceing from the phone was especially clear. The person slowly said, "Ethan." Linus hung up and stared daggers at Olivia. "Vanessa? Or should I call you Ms. Fordham?" Chapter 1166 Chapter 1166 Olivia didn¡¯t expect the cover she had been keeping up for so long to be blown at that moment. Linus slowly walked toward her. "Mr.Heath, I can exin." Linus mmed his fist on the dressing table, which caused Olivia to shudder. "So you never lost your memories?" Linus said through gritted teeth. Olivia knew there was no point in lying. So, she nodded. "Yes. "That child that Krystal saw was Ethan''s daughter?" "Yes." "You and Ethan..." Olivia licked her lips. "It''splicated between us." She didn''t even know how to describe their rtionship herself.She couldn''t just say he went from her ex-husband to her sex friend, right? It was pretty ridiculous. "So you ..." Olivia immediately said, "Mr.Heath, I''m indeed Ethan''s ex- wife.Vanessa is my codename.I didn''t create it to get closer to you or your family.I did it to keep myself safe." "Keep yourself safe?" "Some people have been after my life since a few years back.Even Ethan wasn''t able to find who wanted me dead.I had no choice but to go into hiding and live my life with another identity. "I actually hadn''t seen Ethan for over three years.We were only reunited when he came to the vige, and I helped him cure the poison he was afflicted with. "As for saving your father¡¯s life, I didn''t actually n for that.I can''t predict the future, and I didn''t really Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. want to be part of this mess." Olivia stared at him intensely. "I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not, but I never intended to hurt your father." "I believe you." Linus withdrew his hand. "Or else you wouldn''t have been the first one at his side, protecting him." "Mr.Heath, I had wanted to leave long ago.If you hadn''t tried to convince me to stay multiple times, I would''ve left after Ipleted the surgery. "Like this situation right now.Ethan wanted me to save your father without any malicious intent.But now, seeds of suspicion have been sowed.You''d think he sent me to your father''s side with some ulterior motive." That was exactly what Linus would''ve thought before. But Olivia had just risked her own life to save Mason, so he was already convinced otherwise. "Your feelings for him ..." "Mr.Heath, that''s personal.I''m sorry, but I won''t say anything about that.Do whatever you want to me." Linus stared at her face for a moment before saying, "I''ll keep your secret.I won''t tell my father or anyone else." "You ..." "You can stay.I trust you.If your face will bring you trouble, you can keep up your old appearance." Olivia sighed. "Thanks." "You''ve saved my father¡¯s life multiple times now.I should be the one to thank you.There are a lot of people out there right now.You can wait here for the moment.I''ll get someone to bring you out of here from the backdoorter." "Okay." Then, someone knocked on the door. Ethan hade. Since Linus already knew her secret, she had nothing to hide.She went to open the door. Ethan wrapped his arms around her as soon as he walked in. "Liv, are you okay? I was so afraid just now.It was so dangerous.You were too reckless.There were so many guards around.Why would you rush in before them? Let me check if you''re hurt." Ethan was about to undress Olivia. Then, Linus cleared his throat. Ethan finally noticed there was another person in the room. "Why are you here?" Chapter 1167 Chapter 1167 They used to be brother-in-arms. But time passed, and they spent many years apart. At the moment, the Heaths viewed Ethan as a major threat. So, they weren''t as close as they used to be. Ethan wrapped his arm around Olivia''s waist. "Since you already know, I don''t have anything to hide.Liv is my wife." Ethan''s childish attitude was amusing to Olivia. He was so clearly trying to make known the fact that Olivia was with him.He used to be a cold and domineering man, but he had be so childish. It was funny and frustrating at the same time. "Correction.She''s your ex-wife," Linus reminded. Olivia''s eyes widened. Ethan had be childish, but Linus wasn''t much better. What happened to these two? Ethan replied condescendingly, "Even if she''s my ex-wife, it means she used to be mine.Unlike a certain someone who never even got to be with her.Besides, we have a few adorable children together.Do you know how cute my daughter is?" Olivia was rendered speechless. Why was he suddenly showing off? Linus didn''t relent. "It''s pretty strange that the two of you have a green-eyed child together." Linus was implying that Olivia wasn''t faithful to him. Ethan''s expression changed. "What do you know? Liv''s life was hanging by a thread back then due to a malignant tumor.She had no choice but to go through a unique herbal procedure.That''s why the child she birthed is extraordinary." "I see ..." Linus finally understood why there was an inexplicable smell of herbs on Olivia. "All in all, there''s a deep bond between us.No one will be able toe between us." Linus snorted. "If that''s the case, why are you divorced?" Ethan was at a loss for words. It was something he had noeback to. "I heard that you even nned to marry Marina Carlton two years ago, right?" "That''s something I was forced into doing." "Seems like your so-called true love isn''t that impressive at all." Olivia raised her hand to stop them from escting their argument. "Alright.Stop this.I''m not hurt, but my mask is torn.I can''t show my face in public." "Liv, I''ll bring you out." "Shouldn''t you be protecting my father? I should be the one to bring her out." The two of them actually started to fight over that. Linus didn''t choose to abandon his feelings for Olivia even though he had discovered her true identity. Olivia tore out a piece of cloth to cover her face. "Enough.I''ll go out like this.Don''te with me, either of you." Then, she found a pair of sunsses which covered up her eyes. With her entire face now covered up, no one would be able to recognize her. Ethan called Brent over. "Send Mrs.Miller back." "Yes, Mr.Miller." "See that no harmes to her.No more slip-ups." "Understood." Brent felt like Ethan was acting weird. It was like he was putting emphasis on the word "Mrs.Miller¡¯. He didn''t know that Ethan was saying that for Linus to hear. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Olivia wasn''t in the mood for any more childish arguments. She quickly left the room with Brent. "Do we know who the assassin is?" "The person''s identity has yet to be confirmed.It could be some imposter from a foreign country." Olivia frowned. Who would be so bold as to make a move at this point in time? Was it to cause an uproar? There were already two assassination attempts on Mason in such a short period of time. It had be dangerous to Stay by his side. Especially when he would resume his duties as he would have to show up to these types of events. Even if it was unlikely, there was still a chance another assassination attempt could happen. Olivia wondered if she should still stay here. Chapter 1168 Chapter 1168 Olivia was sent back to the Heath Residence. Although Linus said that he trusted her, she felt like her future here was up in the air. Many people wanted to stay around the Heaths for the status and opportunities that came with being close to Mason. Besides, Mason had just experienced two assassination attempts. The Heaths wouldn''t just let her leave. Olivia waited in the tea room. It was still cold out. Brewing some tea and lighting a scented candle was very rxing for her. There weren''t any ssified documents in the tea room, just some good tea. Mason learned that she liked drinking tea. So, he told her that she could brew tea for herself. The teas that were stored in his tea room were all very high quality. They were some of the best that money could buy. She wasn''t bold enough to do it while Mason was present. But there wasn''t anyone there at the moment, so she was able to let herself go and taste the teas one by one. All of them were great. The teas in this room alone were worth several vis. Olivia noticed that the candle was about to burn out. So, she went to look for some more. She was curious to see what type of aromatic items Mason had in his collection. She opened one of the drawers and saw some scrolls. She identally dropped one. It was a drawer that stored pictures, not incense. She felt a little guilty as she had invaded Mason''s privacy. Olivia was about to pick it up, but the scroll was already unfurled. It was a ck-and-white picture of a woman. Could it be Mason''s first love? Olivia crouched down to pick it up. Suddenly, she felt like something was off. The woman was sitting on a cherry tree. The smiling face was identical to the one she saw in a photo! The scroll was yellow with age. It was clear that it wasn''t the product of this time. It should have been around for a few decades. The woman in the picture was Ms.Nat. Olivia suddenly recalled that Mason said that her eyes looked like someone else''s. Olivia looked like Ms. Nat, but her face was concealed under her mask. Only her eyes were exposed. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Olivia was flustered. Mason knew Ms.Nat. What was the story between them? Were they friends or foes? Mason was a man with an incredibly distinguished status. Olivia didn''t dare to reveal her identity to him before she knew the rtionship between them. She quickly picked up the scroll and put it back. Then, she lit a calming candle and brewed another pot of tea. She was able to collect herself after that. But her emotions were quickly stirred up again as she pieced together the information she had. If Mason really knew Ms.Nat, he might be able to provide some leads for her to find her parents. It seemed like she couldn''t afford to leave the Heaths yet. Mason returned at night in a bad mood. Tatiana was beside him, talking to him. Olivia knew it wasn''t the time to talk to him yet. Since he liked her angel food cake, Olivia figured it might help her with a breakthrough. So, she had someone prepare some cherries. A housekeeper quickly called her over. Mason set his teacup down when he saw Olivia. "Come here, Vanessa." Olivia set the angel food cake next to Mason. "Mr.Heath, I made some snacks for you.I figured you probably didn''t get to eat your fill at the banquet.You should eat some." Mason wasn''t thinking about the food at all. He held her hand and said, "Vanessa, I need to thank you for saving my life today." "No need.I just happened to notice that person looking very suspicious.That''s why I ran over.I didn''t actually know he was going to do anything to you.All that matters is that you''re okay.You should eat the cake while it''s fresh." Chapter 1169 Chapter 1169 Olivia shoved a piece of angel food cake into Mason''s mouth in a panic.She almost choked him. "Does it taste good?" "Yes, it''s tasty." Mason wanted to talk about what happened before, not the cake. Olivia added, "Last time I made this, you said it tasted familiar.Have you eaten this somewhere else?" Mason said nostalgically, "Nowadays, the desserts on the market are catered to the tastes of you young people.They''re all sweeter than before.Back in my day, it waspletely different.This is something I tasted a long time ago." "An olddy taught me this recipe.She said there was a cherry tree where she used to live.They would take the cherries and make angel food cakes every fall. "Life was tough back then.Children didn''t even have snacks they could eat.Most families could only hope for more fruits from the trees they had.But they wouldn''t let their children eat too much because they had to sell those fruits at the market. "By the way, Grandpa Mason, have you been to Seaburg City before?" "Of course, I''ve been there before." "Oh, what I mean is, have you been there around 50 years ago? There was a ce called Warlot Street.Do you have any memories of it?" "Warlot Street of Seaburg City?" Mason shook his head. "I don''t really remember.Those were turbulent times.Even the city names were changed repeatedly." Olivia''s eyes dimmed. Was she overthinking it? Had he never been to Warlot Street? But the woman in the picture was clearly Ms.Nat. "Vanessa, you''re acting weird today.You can ask me directly if you have any questions.You''ve saved my life twice.I''m indebted to you.I''ll tell you whatever you wish to know." Olivia made up her mind. Even if Ms.Nat was his enemy, it should be fine if she was just asking about her. It would be great for her if Mason actually knew Ms.Nat. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Grandpa Mason, the thing is, I happened to see a picture when I was drinking tea just now ..." Before she could finish her sentence, someone barged in. "Dad, are you okay? I heard there was another attempt on your life!"It was Krystal.She rushed in with a worried expression. "I''m fine.Vanessa saved me in the nick of time." "Her? There were so many people on the scene.Why was she the one who saved you?" Krystal asked. She felt like something was wrong. "Why are you so rude? She saved my life.Instead of thanking her, you''re suspecting her?" Noticing the anger in Mason''s tone, Krystal''s tone softened. "Dad, I''m just worried about you.If I knew this would happen, I would''ve gone with you." "It''s fine.I''m unharmed." Krystal muttered under her breath, "You''ve been having bad luck recently.Who are the ones trying to kill you? And she just happens to save his life both times too." Olivia''s expression changed. "Ms.Heath, what are you implying? Are you saying I''m rted to the assassinations? Please don''t make such bold assumptions without any proof. "I''m just saying.There''s no need to get so worked up.Are you actually feeling guilty?" "Enough! Get out if you don''t need anything.You''re giving me a headache." Mason felt annoyed at the sight of Krystal and Tatiana. Krystal stomped her foot and ran out with tears in her eyes.She ran into Tatiana, who was walking into the room. "What''s wrong? Why are you crying?" "Mom, I said that woman''s bad news, but Dad doesn''t believe me.I feel like something''s off about her." Tatiana pulled her away. "Don''t say these things to your father." After they got to Tatiana''s room, she said, "I feel like something''s off too.Look at this." She took out a picture.It was a photo of Brent escorting Olivia away from the scene.But it was a picture taken from behind.Her face couldn''t be seen. Chapter 1170 Chapter 1170 Krystal was confused. "Mom, what do you mean? What''s wrong with this picture?" Tatiana proceeded to show her the surveince footage. "Can you see where the shot went?" "It grazed her cheek." "I looked for many videos that were closer and clearer.I''m sure that the bullet touched her face.Even if it was a flesh wound, there should be some mark on her face.Did you see anything on her face just now?" Krystal finally understood what Tatiana was trying to say.She shook her head. "I didn''t pay much attention, but I don''t think there were any injuries on her face." "Look at this picture.Why did she cover up her face?" "I get it now! The problem lies with her face." "That''s right.How do you think she made the injury disappear?" "There aren''t any medications in the world that can heal an injury so quickly.Unless something blocked the damage for her.Since it''s her face ..I understand now.That''s not her real face!" "Yes.There have been a lot of advancements in facial molds.It''s not just used in the entertainment industry anymore.Some molds can be as thin as ayer of skin.Some of the best assassins use this to conceal their identity. "Mom, you''re scaring me.Are you saying she''s an assassin?" "I''m not sure.But she''s quite suspicious right now." "What should we do? Does she have some ulterior motives?" "I don''t know.If she wanted to kill your father, she wouldn''t have saved him twice.She must be after something else." "Then we have to expose her." Tatiana thought for a bit and replied, "Let me think about it.Your father trusts her a lot now.Don''t tell anyone about this yet." "Understood." Krystal was very worried.She turned around and told Yale about it almost immediately. "What if she''s really trying to do something to my Dad?" Yale finally had some dirt on Ethan. Olivia was rmended to the Heaths by Ethan. If something was wrong with her, it would mean something was wrong with him too. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Krystal, we''re on the same team.I''m definitely looking out for you.From what Mrs.Heath said, it''s very dangerous to keep that woman around. "It doesn''t matter why she chose to conceal her identity, but it can''t be for anything good.If she was a good person, she wouldn''t have to hide, right?" "You''re right." "So, leave it to me.We need to expose her in front of everyone." "Okay, I trust you." Yale whispered something in her ear. Krystal was still in doubt. "Will that really work?" "Just trust me.Don''t you hate that woman?" "That''s for sure.I''m curious to see what she''s hiding under that mask." Yale whispered a lot of sweet nothings into her ear. He knew that Mason intentionally set up the three-month deadline. It was to let him down more gently. He had to take this chance to get closer to Krystal. The best way to bond with a woman was to talk smack about another woman with her. It was a method that would work with most women. Both Yale and Krystal were looking forward to the day Olivia was exposed. Ethan had gotten one over him one too many times. He finally had a chance to retaliate. If he could find some evidence on the scene, Ethan would lose Mason''s trustpletely. He couldn''t wait for that moment toe. Chapter 1171 Chapter 1171 News of the assassination attempt on Mason was suppressed. No one except those on the scene when it happened knew about it. An attempt on his life happened as soon as he appeared in public. So, Mason wouldn''t be appearing in public anytime soon. He would even be working in the Heath Residence. Krystal clung to Mason. "Dad, I''m so scared.Someone tried to kill you twice." "Don''t worry.I''m fine." It was rare for Krystal to be so well-behaved. Mason reached out and patted her on the head. "You''ve really been spoiled rotten all these days.You''re an adult now.You should learn to be more like your brother." "To be as emotionless and dense as him?"Mason sighed. "You little brat.I mean you should learn to be more mature and sensible.Or else someone would take advantage of you." Simply put, Krystal was very dumb. Even if she weren''t spoiled, she wouldn''t really be a capable person. If someone were to take advantage of her, things would be different. The three-month deadline wasn''t a great n, but he didn''t have a choice under those circumstances. Krystal had to stand her ground theseing months to prevent herself from being corrupted by Yale. But it was clear that Krystal didn''t listen to a single word he said. "Dad, I know that.By the way, Vanessa saved your life twice.I would like to host a banquet to thank her." "I thought you hated her?" "These are two different things.She saved you.It''s only natural for me to show her some gratitude.We should invite Ethan, too, to show our appreciation for him." "Sure.Since you are so thoughtful for once, I''ll be content if you can get along with her in the future.I''ll leave the preparations to you." For a moment, Mason felt like his daughter had matured. She wasn''t as obstinate as she used to be. Krystal invited the Kingstons, Ethan, and some others. When Olivia caught wind of the banquet, her first reaction was that Krystal was up to something. Thest time she hosted a banquet, she drugged Olivia and Ethan. She couldn''t possibly pull the same trick again, right? Olivia couldn''t possibly believe that Krystal actually wanted to thank her. People never change. Krystal hated her. She was sure to try something during the banquet. Olivia had a feeling that Krystal was plotting something against her. But if she didn''t attend, she would seem suspicious. After giving it some thought, Olivia figured she just had to watch what she ate. Krystal wouldn''t actually poison her, right? Besides, she was already immune to most poisons. So, after thinking about it, she decided to attend. This banquet was a smaller one. Around 20 people would be attending. There were almost no outsiders. Most of them were people from the Benson and Kingston families. Ethan''s parents weren''t in the country, so Ethan was the only person from the Miller family to attend. When they noticed that Yale would also being, Olivia knew something was wrong. Krystal used to hate Yale. It would be impossible for her to suddenly fall in love with him. The only reason they suddenly became close could only be because they shared amon goal. And what goal would the two of them share? Ethan could already roughly guess what they were up to. Even Linus could feel that there was something weird about the banquet. "Vanessa, this is a toast in your honor.I apologize for being rude to you in the past.I also thank you for saving my father." Olivia raised her ss. "You''re too kind, Ms.Heath." "Other than showing my gratitude, I have something I wanted to ask you about."There it was! "Oh? What do you want to ask me about other than medical issues?" Olivia said calmly. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She waspletely unfazed. Chapter 1172 Chapter 1172 Krystal walked up to Olivia. "Come here.Let''s talk it out." Olivia was also curious to see what Krystal wanted to do. Mason''s expression darkened. "What are you trying to pull, Krystal?" Then, he looked at Tatiana because he thought it was her idea. Tatiana said resignedly, "Mason, I have nothing to do with this.I don''t know what she''s up to." It was the truth. She had been thinking of what she should do in the past couple of days. She would never make a move without being sure that she would seed. Seeing what was going on, Tatiana could guess what Krystal had done. She definitely told Yale, and it was all Yale''s idea. They wanted to expose Olivia before everyone. It would be great if everything went ording to n, but they didn''t have any proof that Olivia had any malicious intent. At least from the information that they had, they couldn''t really prove that Olivia bore any ill will toward Mason. The things they had done already disappointed Mason. If they messed up again, they would lose his trust. Tatiana quickly called Krystal over. "Krystal, what are you doing? Juste and enjoy the food.I''m sorry, everyone.My daughter was just trying to liven things up." "You''re right, Mrs.Heath." The Kingstons were quick to agree with her. There was no going back for her since she was already at this step of her n. She had to show Ethan that Olivia was a witch, like her daughter, who could control snakes.She nned to vent all the frustration she had pent up since their first encounter at the vige. "Calm down, everyone.I just have one question.Vanessa was the one who saved my father at the maritime museum.That''s a fact, right?" "Ms.Heath, we saw it with our eyes.This is definitely true." Ethan could already guess where she was going with that. "Enough of this!" "Why? Ethan, I just want to reveal her true colors to you.She''s not as good as you think she is." Olivia chuckled. "I wonder what kind of woman! am in your eyes, Ms.Heath." "You''re the same as your daughter.You''re both witches! Monsters!" "Enough, Krystal!" "Dad, Linus, have the two of you never questioned why her face is spotless even though the bullet grazed her cheek?" Linus already knew the truth, but Mason didn''t. Everything happened too quickly that day. Even he wasn''t sure if the bullet hit Olivia. "What are you trying to say?" "Dad, I checked a lot of high-definition videos in private.I can confirm that the bullet grazed her face.There can only be one reason why.That''s not her face.She was in a disguise!" Krystal stared at Olivia. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Olivia figured that Krystal was so confident because she already had proof.So, she didn''t try to talk her way out of it. "I don''t have anything to say." Krystal was delighted. She pped her hands and said, "Then let''s see who you really are." Two maids holding a bucket of water each poured the water on Olivia abruptly. Ethan saw that and rushed to pull Olivia into his arms. He blocked most of the water for her. "Ethan! What are you doing? The mask on her face will be warped when it touches water.I''m ..." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia pushed Ethan away lightly and looked at everyone calmly. "Do you really want to know who I am so badly?" Mason stood up. "Vanessa, What are you ..." "That''s right.This is not my true appearance.Ms.Heath, since you want to look, I have nothing to hide.I just hope you won''t regret your decision." Olivia raised her hand to remove her mask. Chapter 1173 Chapter 1173 Krystal started to feel uneasy when she saw that Olivia was so calm. She talked like they knew each other. She thought long and hard but didn¡¯t know who Olivia could possibly be. It was impossible. She was definitely bluffing. Krystal swore she wouldn¡¯t fall for it anymore. Tatiana and Mason looked at each other. Neither of them knew what was going to happen. Olivia touched the soaked edges of her mask and slowly removed it. It was because she had been wearing a mask for extended periods of time. The skin that was revealed was ashen. Olivia¡¯s chin was pointed. She didn¡¯t put anything on her lips, but they were naturally pink. Her nose was small and refined. It was the type of nose many people would want to get stic surgery to have. Her forehead was full and glowing. Her eyes were big and bright. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. When Krystal saw Olivia¡¯s face, she was reminded of the first time she saw Olivia three years ago. She was injured, and her hair was a mess. She stood in the corridor. Her slim frame looked beautiful with a hint of destion. As a woman, Krystal was jealous of Olivia. How could she be so stunning? A simple frown would make people feel bad for her. She finally understood why Ethan was willing to give up anything for her, even his life. That was the face of a vixen. Krystal felt jealous and angry. That was why she pped Olivia in public. Back then, Olivia couldn¡¯t do anything but look at Krystal. Krystal had wanted to show her the difference between their status. That was the only thing she had over Olivia. Several years had passed. Sheid eyes on Olivia¡¯s face yet again. The feeling of destion was gone. Olivia was like a radiant sun. She was cheerful and confident. Olivia stood at a height that even Krystal couldn¡¯t reach. She was a respected doctorthat even her father was in awe of. Krystal took a couple of steps back. This wasn¡¯t the result she had envisioned. So, she was in shock. She murmured, ¡°How could it be you?¡± Yale didn¡¯t expect the person he was plotting against to be Ethan¡¯s ex-wife, either. Mason¡¯s fork fell onto his te as he stared nkly at Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°You ¡­ You are ¡­¡± Tatiana had never seen Mason disy such an expression. A feeling of unease shed in her heart. ¡°Mason.¡± Mason ignored her as he broke free of her grasp and walked straight toward Olivia. His gaze never left her face, even for a moment. His eyes were filled with too manyplicated emotions. There was excitement, joy, and disbelief. He didn¡¯t even dare to blink. It was like he thought Olivia would vanish into thin air if he closed his eyes. Olivia could tell that he saw another person when looking at her. Who did he see? The short distance between them seemed very long to him. The woman¡¯s youthful appearance was all that was going through his mind. The young man grabbed her sleeve with a bright smile. ¡°Nat, I will never let you down. ¡°Nat, you¡¯re the most beautiful woman in the world. You¡¯re a goddess. ¡°Nat, don¡¯t treat me like a kid. ¡°Nat, I love you. I really love you. ¡°Nat, when I be rich, I will make you the most revered woman in the world. ¡°Nat, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Tears welled up in Mason¡¯s eyes. He slowly reached out and said sorrowfully, ¡°Is¡­ Is it you? You¡¯re back, right?¡± Chapter 1174 Chapter 1174 Even After Death by Lilting Champ Chapter 1174-Everyone could see that there was something wrong with Mason. Tatiana started to panic. She had never seen him in such an unsightly state in all the years she had been married to him. Who was this woman? Tatiana wasn¡¯t the only one who thought Mason was looking at Olivia with a weird expression. Everyone else thought the same. Naturally, Ethan felt that, too. He wrapped his arms around Olivia. Both of them were soaked and looked a little downtrodden, but his gaze was cold. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Heath, as you can see, she¡¯s Olivia, my ex- wife. She¡¯s not anyone suspicious. She just wants to keep a low profile and not stand out. ¡°She only came to perform the operation because I begged her to do so. I didn¡¯t expect her kindness to be repaid with such insults. ¡°Ms. Heath has tried to humiliate her repeatedly. We endured all of that because we cared about Mr. Heath¡¯s health. ¡°This time, she pulled yet another trick to humiliate Liv publicly. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t bear to see her being humiliated time and again. ¡°Since your recovery has beening along well, you should find yourself another doctor.¡± Olivia was only partially soaked, but Ethan waspletely drenched. He dragged Olivia away with a stormy expression. No one expected things to go down like that. Linus walked upto them. ¡°It¡¯s cold out. You should get changed, or you¡¯ll catch a cold. We can talk about other stuffter.¡± Ethan¡¯s temper red up. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± He ignored everyone as he took Olivia away. A gust of chilly wind sted toward them when he opened the door. Although Olivia was only partially soaked, she still felt chilly. But Ethan remained expressionless. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not. I have spare clothes in the car.¡± Kelvin already had the air-conditioner on and the clothes prepared in advance. Only Olivia¡¯s jacket was wet. So, she took it off and dried her hair. Ethan changed into a new set of clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Ethan was in a bad mood. He disrespected Linus in front of a crowd. That was how angry he was. Olivia held his hand and swayed it. ¡°Rx.¡± Ethan pulled her into his embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liv. I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here.¡± Olivia nestled against his chest. ¡°Maybe I should thank you.¡± The picture in the tea room and Mason¡¯s expression when he looked at her made Olivia sure that he knew Ms. Nat. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Mr. Heath knows Ms. Nat. I saw a picture in his tea room. It was the same as the old picture we saw. I have a feeling that we have a new lead,¡± Olivia whispered. Back in the Heath Residence, Mason didn¡¯t stop Ethan when he left with Olivia. Ethan was right. Olivia saved his life twice. They didn¡¯t owe the Heath Family anything. On the other hand, Krystal and Tatiana had been making Olivia¡¯s life difficult. Krystal even did something like that in public just a moment ago. It was an insult to both Ethan and Olivia. Mason was furious, but he had already suppressed all his emotions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone. Krystal has ruined this banquet. I¡¯m feeling unwell, so I will be heading home to rest. Linus, Yale, take care of the guests for me.¡± ¡°Alright, father.¡± Krystal was a disgrace, but they couldn¡¯t do the same. As for Yale, he felt extremely uneasy. He had wanted to put Ethan on the spot, but the miracle doctor turned out to be his ex-wife. Mason didn¡¯t say anything to him, but he would definitely remember this. He told them to tend to the guests, but what he really meant was for him to fix the mess. Chapter 1175 Chapter 1175 Krystal was dumbfounded. Why did things end up like that? Ethan would hate her even more after that. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Although Mason didn¡¯t reprimand her, she was scared by the look he gave her when he left. Mason had been very busy for as long as she could remember. She only got to see him a couple of times each year. Even if he weren¡¯t present, he would send all the nice things to her ce. She could also feel his fatherly love. She grew up in a happy environment. When Mason rose to prominence, she became like a princess. Everyone around her doted on her. But she messed up again and caused Mason to be disgusted at her. Tatiana went with Mason and tried to appease him. ¡°Mason, there¡¯s still some food in the kitchen. I¡¯ll get the housekeeper to get you some. You haven¡¯t completely recovered yet. You could use the nourishment.¡± Mason was holding a string of prayer beads in his hand. The beads looked well worn. He would hold these beads whenever he was feeling upset. It would calm him down. He was like a volcano that was about to erupt. All he needed was a final spark. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Get out.¡± He kept his emotions in check because he didn¡¯t want his family to be upset as well. He endured the negative emotions alone. But Tatiana had to bring it up. ¡°Ethan didn¡¯t have to do that. Tending to you isn¡¯t something shameful. He didn¡¯t have to hide her. ¡°Krystal was just afraid that she was someone with ulterior motives. She had good intentions ¡­¡± Her words only served to further anger Mason. He broke the porcin cup before him at the mention of Krystal¡¯s name. The cup was part of his favorite set, but it had been smashed to pieces. He lost thest shred of patience he had for Krystal. ¡°What do you mean good intentions? Do you really think she was trying to help? ¡°She made a fool of our family. I could forgive her past mistakes because she was young, but how many more mistakes is she going to make?¡± ¡°This thing today isn¡¯t something Krystal is capable of nning. It has to be Yale. It¡¯s his move against Ethan.¡± ¡°Would it have happened if she didn¡¯t agree to it? She¡¯s just dumb. She believed everything other people told her.¡± Mason sneered. ¡°My child couldn¡¯t possibly be so dumb. Since she likes to hang out with Yale, she can do that all she wants. ¡°I¡¯ll disown her. Didn¡¯t Yale say he liked her? Let¡¯s see how much he likes her when she¡¯s no longer a Heath.¡± ¡°Disown her? Are you crazy, Mason? What unforgivable crime did shemit?¡± Tatiana raised her voice. Then, she added, ¡°Or is it that you¡¯re interested in that Fordham woman? Anyone could tell you looked at her weirdly just now. ¡°You shameless geezer! Are you actually going to abandon your daughter for an outsider?¡± Krystal pushed the door open violently. She had intended to apologize, but she didn¡¯t expect to hear what her mother said. She blurted out, ¡°What? Dad, you¡¯re so old. How can you be interested in a woman in her 20s? Do you have no shame?¡± Mason mmed his hand on the table. The string of prayer beads snapped, and the beads were scattered all over the floor. ¡°Will you ever shut up?¡± Mason looked up at Krystal with a piercing and chilling gaze. Krystal felt a chill down her spine when she met his gaze. She would rather Mason scold her or punish her. Anything was better than those unfeeling eyes. It was like he was looking at aplete stranger. Her cocky attitude was gone in an instant. She whispered,¡± Dad ¡­¡± ¡°From this day on, you¡¯re no longer my daughter. Pack your things and leave my house.¡± ¡°What¡­ What are you saying, Dad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that I want to disown you.¡± Chapter 1176 Chapter 1176 Krystal was stunned. Her expression quickly changed. What was her father saying? She felt like she had to have heard wrongly. ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t that too much? You¡¯re cutting ties with me because I poured some water on her?¡± Mason sat in his chair with a stormy expression. He didn¡¯t shout, but he was still very intimidating. Krystal and Tatiana didn¡¯t even dare to look him in the eye. ¡°Back in the day, It was dangerous to be around me. I was afraid you might be harmed. So, I had your mother take you to the countryside. ¡°Then, I became really busy with work and didn¡¯t have time to educate you. I never expected you to be such a despicable person. ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know what you have done? Mason began to recount all the things she had done. ¡°You had terrible grades as a student. Then, you decided to enlist and told me you wanted to serve your country. ¡°I knew you made that decision because of your feelings for Ethan. ¡°I thought the military would toughen you up. But what did you do? You werezy and maniptive. ¡°You stole other people¡¯s achievements for yourself. No one dared to speak up because of your status. They even had to go along with whatever you said. ¡°Seven years ago, an entire special forces unit was annihted because of your stupidity. ¡°Do you know how much time is needed to train such a unit? Do you know how many families you ruined? It was all to protect a fool like you!¡± Mason really cared about talented people. He clutched his chest and said with a pained expression,¡± You treated others like trash. I didn¡¯t reprimand you too harshly because you were young. ¡°But after I transferred you back here, you forced a nurse tomit suicide because she made some small talk with Ethan while dressing his wounds. ¡°You¡¯re dumb and evil. Why do I have a daughter like you?¡± Mason listed all the things she had done over the years one by one. Tatiana and Krystal¡¯s faces both paled. They thought he was too busy to look into these things, but the fact was he knew more than Tatiana did. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Mason, don¡¯t be angry. You have to watch out for your health.¡± As soon as Tatiana spoke up, Mason turned his rage toward her. He pointed his finger in her face and said, ¡°You really did a good job educating her. ¡°You never reprimanded her when she did something wrong. You would clean up her mess without any comints. ¡°You always defended her fiercely when I tried to talk some sense into her. You¡¯re the one who made her the way she is today. ¡°I¡¯ve tolerated her mistakes repeatedly, but she never learned her lesson. She only became more unhinged due to her status. ¡°She attacks people verbally and physically as she pleases. ¡°I know what she did the day I underwent surgery. I would¡¯ve been dead if Olivia hadn¡¯t been so forgiving. ¡°She saved my life, but instead of showing appreciation toward her, the two of you tried to pull all these underhanded tricks. ¡°Since you think she¡¯s beneath you, then try to be better than her. All you have been doing is indulging in your desires because you¡¯re my daughter! I would like to see how arrogant you can be without your status.¡± Krystal waspletely dumbfounded. Tatiana nudged at her, beckoning for her to get on her knees and admit her mistakes. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve learned my lesson now. Please don¡¯t send me away.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve learned? How can you possibly learn with that empty head of yours? Do you know how much effort it took me to clean up the mess you made at the banquetst time? ¡°Krystal, I¡¯ve tried to lead you onto the straight and narrow, but I¡¯m all out of ideas since you never learn. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to get through to you. I¡¯m done. I¡¯m giving up on being your father. Chapter 1177 Chapter 1177 Krystal finally started to feel fear. Her father had always been strict. Back when the siblings were young, she saw Mason stripping Linus¡¯ top. Then, he had him kneel on the snow as he whipped him. Mason tolerated her behavior repeatedly because she was a woman and didn¡¯t get to grow up by his side. But the incident today was thest straw. Mason had enough. Linus rushed over after he sent the guests away. After all, no one would be in the mood for food after an incident like that. As soon as he stepped into the room, he heard Tatiana and Krystal crying. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Linus, you¡¯re here just in time. You¡¯ve always doted on me. Please talk to Dad. He wants to disown me!¡± Linus frowned. He was a little confused. ¡°Dad, Krystal may have been in the wrong today, but isn¡¯t this too harsh of a punishment? How would she survive on her own?¡± ¡°If she can¡¯t survive on her own, how was Olivia able to be a renowned doctor? Her family went bankrupt, and both her parents are dead.¡± As soon as he said that, Linus looked at him. ¡°Dad, how do you know all that?¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Linus¡¯ impression of Olivia was that she was the ex-wife that Ethan loved deeply. He had only learned about Olivia¡¯s background in the past couple of days and just found out how hard her life had been. But Mason was able to talk about her background so casually despite only knowing of her identity moments ago. Naturally, Linus didn¡¯t know that Mason saw Olivia¡¯s face the first time Ethan brought Olivia to the awards banquet. Mason saw her face on the news because it was reported on a national scale. So, he looked into Olivia in private. He only dropped it after confirming that Jeff couldn¡¯t possibly be rted to him. Then, Olivia disappeared for three years. She finally showed up before him at the banquet. In the past, he had only seen her on television. Seeing her in person caused him to lose hisposure because it felt like he was reunited with an old acquaintance. Everyone felt Mason¡¯s attitude toward Olivia was weird. ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin myself to you. Krystal, I¡¯ll give you one night to pack up. I don¡¯t want to see your dumb face in my house from tomorrow onward.¡± Tatiana wanted to try to talk Mason out of it. ¡°Mason, she¡¯s my daughter after all¡­¡± Before she could finish, Mason cut her off. ¡°Anyone who tries to persuade me to let her stay can pack up and go with her.¡± Tatiana fell silent immediately. There was no use talking to him while he was still in a bad mood. Mason looked at Linus and said, ¡°Get a car ready. I¡¯m heading out.¡± Linus wasn¡¯t weak or emotional like his sister. He quicklyposed himself. ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Where are you going, Mason?¡± Mason shook her arm away. ¡°None of your business.¡± He put on his coat and walked outside. Krystal grabbed Tatiana¡¯s arm with tears in her eyes and pleaded with her. ¡°What do I do, Mom? Dad is furious with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of all the things you¡¯ve done. I can¡¯t help you this time. Your Dad was already on the verge of losing itst time. You¡¯re really too stupid.¡± Tatiana didn¡¯t understand why her daughter could be so dumb. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do it either. It¡¯s all Yale¡¯s fault. He told me I could¡¯ve exposed that bitch. I didn¡¯t know she was Olivia.¡± ¡°Your Dad is actually seriously angry this time. Pack your stuff and go live with your grandma for a few days. ¡°Come back when your father¡¯s in a better mood. You can also go to the vi on the south side of the city. I¡¯ll send some maids to take care of you there.¡± Chapter 1178 Chapter 1178 y for him. He looked at Mason through the rearview mirror. Mason was looking out the window with a stern expression as if deep in thought. ¡°Dad, do you know Ms. Fordham?¡± Mason sighed softly but didn¡¯t respond. Linus¡¯ fingers tightened around the steering wheel. He had a feeling that something big was about to happen. Olivia went back to her room to change into some casual clothes. Ethan hugged her tightly as soon as they entered the room. He didn¡¯t want to let go of her. ¡°That¡¯s enough. We haven¡¯t even eaten yet. I¡¯ll cook something up. Let me go.¡± Ethan nestled against her neck like a puppy. ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia hadn¡¯t been staying here for some time. The vegetables in the fridge had already gone bad. She had no choice but to get some instant pasta from the fridge. She quickly finished cooking the pasta. She pushed a te toward Ethan. ¡°That¡¯s the best I can do with what we¡¯ve got.¡± The ferocity on Ethan¡¯s face had faded for some time. His hair had been drenched, but it was nearly dry. He didn¡¯t look as intense as he usually was. He had a tender expression on his face. ¡°Liv, this is the kind of life I want. No matter how hard things get outside, there will always be a light waiting for me.¡± He sped her hand and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t cherish you in the past. That was my fault. Give me another chance, Liv. I will give you a home.¡± He looked at her with a pleading expression. He had changed a lot in the days Olivia had been with him. He didn¡¯t even care if he offended the Heaths. He would stand up for her no matter what. Olivia could see her own reflection in his eyes. The doorbell rang before she could reply. She could see a fleet of ck cars parked outside from the doorbell camera. Olivia didn¡¯t expect the Heaths toe so soon. Just as she was thinking about how she would turn them away, she saw someone opening the door and slowly walking toward her door. Mason¡¯s face showed up on the camera. There was some snow on him. He looked at the camera with a kind expression. ¡°It¡¯s me, Vanessa.¡± Olivia was stunned. ¡°Mr. Heath is here in person!¡± Even Ethan didn¡¯t expect this. They weren¡¯t able to sit around and eat the pasta anymore. They got up and went to meet Mason at the door. The door was opened. Linus was holding an umbre for Mason. The lights at the entrance shone on them. Mason¡¯s white hair could be seen clearly. ¡°Mr. Heath, you didn¡¯t have toe in person,¡± Olivia said resignedly. But she still went over to him. It was very cold, and the roads were slippery. It would look bad for her if he slipped and fell here. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Mason grabbed her hand with a delighted expression. ¡°If I didn¡¯te, you might actually go away.¡± Ethan was still a little angry. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± He was trying to act like the man of the house. Linus had the urge to ask why he could be so shameless. He was clinging to Olivia despite the fact that they were divorced. But he wasn¡¯t Krystal. He suppressed that thought and walked into the house with them. As soon as they entered the house, Mason looked around. It was like he was trying to understand Olivia better. The smell of pasta lingered in the room. Mason spoke up. ¡°Vanessa, it¡¯s all Krystal¡¯s fault. Because of her, you two left before you were able to get a bite. I hope you two didn¡¯t catch a cold.¡± ¡® We¡¯re fine. You came over so quickly, Mr. Heath. You also haven¡¯t eaten yet, right?¡± Mason held her hand tightly. ¡°Vanessa, I like it better when you call me Grandpa Mason. What was the question you didn¡¯t get to ask that day at the tea room? Chapter 1179 Chapter 1179 ¡°There aren¡¯t any ingredients at home. This is all I can make for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nice to switch things up asionally.¡± Mason seemed to be very easygoing. There were no housekeepers in this house. Ethan took up the job of washing the dishes. He picked up the tes that the others used. Linus frowned. Although the two of them were divorced, it seemed like their rtionship didn¡¯t really change. Olivia brewed some tea for Mason and Linus. Then, she sat down and said, ¡°Since it¡¯s gettingte, I¡¯ll make it short. I happened to see a picture in your drawer. ¡°It was a picture of a woman. Is that woman called Natalie?¡± Mason¡¯s expression visibly changed after hearing that name. He grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm excitedly. ¡°Do you know her? How are you rted to her?¡± Was her spection wrong? Olivia shook her head. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know who she is.¡± ¡°But you¡­¡± ¡°A few years ago, I suddenly found out that I wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s biological daughter. I know nothing about my birth parents. ¡°Then, I met an olddy out of pure coincidence. She told me that I looked like someone she knew. She was the one who told me about Ms. Nat.¡± ¡°What happened next?¡± Mason grabbed her hand with an urgent expression. ¡°Where ¡­ Where is Natalie now?¡± ¡°That olddy was already very old. She was illiterate and wasn¡¯t always in her right mind. She wasn¡¯t able to provide much useful information. ¡®We found Warlot Street in Seaburg City. The house there had already been torn down. There was a nursing home in its ce. ¡°The only proof that she was telling the truth was the cherry tree at the gate. We don¡¯t know where Ms. Nat has gone.¡± Olivia sighed. ¡°As you know, those were turbulent times. The warlords ran rampant. ¡°A lot of data wasn¡¯t preserved. There also weren¡¯t any registrations. It¡¯s very hard to find a person. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where my birth parents are. Since I look like Ms. Nat, I wondered if we could be rted.¡± Olivia exined all she knew in a concise manner. Then, she shifted the subject to Mason. ¡°I saw the cherry tree when I arrived at the Heath Residence. Very few families grow cherry trees at home. ¡°You also felt like the angel food cake I made tasted familiar. Then, there¡¯s the picture in the tea room. I had to wonder if you knew Ms. Nat.¡± Olivia took the old picture out of her wallet. ¡°Please look at this.¡± Mason looked at the picture of an elegant woman sitting under the cherry tree. She had her head raised, looking at the young man picking cherries above her. He looked away from the woman with great effort. His gaze fell on the date. He looked at the young man on the tree. A thought formed in his head. Could it be¡­ Noticing that Mason was getting emotional, Olivia quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up, Mr. Heath. We can talk about it.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Mason didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he beckoned toward Linus. Seeing that Mason was so excited that his arms were shaking, Linus asked, ¡°How can I help, Dad?¡± Mason¡¯s lips were quivering. Olivia handed him a ss of water. He calmed down slightly. He grabbed Linus¡¯ arm. ¡°Linus, get a DNA test done quickly for Vanessa and me.¡± Linus started to feel uneasy. ¡°Why, Dad?¡± Chapter 1180 Chapter 1180 had only wanted to ask if he knew Ms. Nat. She didn¡¯t expect to get a DNA test. ¡°Mr. Heath, you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re my¡­¡± Olivia was starting to feel uneasy as well. Mason was afraid that he would be disappointed by the results. If he had known that Jeff wasn¡¯t Olivia¡¯s biological father, he would¡¯ve gotten this DNA test sooner. It was a pity that Chloe didn¡¯t reveal the truth before she died. Jeff also died very suddenly. That was why everyone else thought Olivia was their child. Mason grabbed her hand tightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to overthink it now. Just give a strand of your hair to Linus.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She was about to pluck her hair but remembered that she had dyed it. She was afraid the results might be inurate, so she provided some other DNA samples. Linus sent the samples to be tested personally. He did so with a heavy heart. All these years, Mason and Tatiana maintained a respectful rtionship. Mason was a good father. He was good to his wife, too. Although he was strict toward Linus, he never forgot to show him some love. Linus felt like Mason cared for Tatiana out of responsibility. In the times that they argued, Linus learned that his father once loved a woman deeply. That was all he knew. He didn¡¯t know the woman¡¯s whereabouts or her identity. Looking at the samples in his hand, he knew Mason¡¯s image in his heart would be shattered if Olivia was really rted to him. The wait was long. Mason didn¡¯t tell Olivia about Ms. Nat. Instead, he looked at her and Ethan. ¡°Are you two still together?¡± Ethan took off the apron. He looked like a loving husband.¡± The more urate description is that I¡¯m pursuing her.¡± He took the cup of warm water Olivia handed him and took a sip. Then, he sat down across Mason. ¡°I¡¯ve done many things that broke her heart in the past.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that.¡± Mason abruptlymented on their rtionship. ¡°You were a horrible man.¡± Ethan was at a loss for words. He suddenly felt like Mason¡¯s attitude toward him had changed. In the past, Mason was his mentor and superior and would treat him courteously. At that moment, it was like Mason had seen past their status and was reprimanding him like a family member. Ethan felt uneasy. If Olivia were really rted to Mason, then Mason would really be her grandfather. He would be doomed because of how Mason was fiercely protective of his own. Who would expect that Olivia would be connected to one of the most powerful men in the country? Olivia had been through a lot of ups and downs. She was the mostposed person in the room. She didn¡¯t mind if Mason was her rtive or not. ¡°Mr. Heath, it would take a few hours for the DNA test to be done. Will you be resting here or heading home? It is gettingte.¡± Mason wasn¡¯t in the mood to rest. All he could think about was the possibility that Olivia might be her granddaughter. Based on the date in the picture, the child on the tree should be his son. He didn¡¯t know that Natalie was pregnant when they parted ways. It was no wonder that she was apanied by an olddy without a man by her side. How did she survive while taking care of a child during those turbulent times? Mason closed his eyes as he recalled the promise made to Natalie. He wanted her to be the most revered woman in the world when he became someone important. He attained the status he wanted, but Natalie was nowhere to be seen. Chapter 1181 Chapter 1181 Mason shook his head. "I''m fine. I''ll wait here. Since we don''t have anything to do, let''s talk about you. "I know you didn''t intentionally hide your identity to get close to me. "You''ve been actively using this Vanessa identity for two years, after all. You couldn''t possibly know what would happen two years into the future." That was why people should learn to think on their feet. A lot of trouble could be avoided with some quick thinking. Only dumb people like Krystal would be manipted by someone else. Olivia told Mason about some of the things that happened to her. Even though she just glossed over the things that Ethan had done, Mason''s gaze still grew colder as he looked at Ethan. ¡°So you hid your true identity for self-preservation?" "Yes. We haven''t found the people that tried to kill me. I''ve been investigating in secret all these years. "But the person is a professional. There were scapegoats at every turn. I couldn''t get to the mastermind." Mason patted her on the head. "You''ve been through a lot." The hardships she endured in the 20-odd years of her life were more than Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. most people had to go through their entire lives. As time passed, the snow started to fall heavier. Linus came back through the snow, carrying a sealed envelope in his hand. ¡°Dad, the test results are here." "Have you taken a look?" Linus nced at Olivia withplicated emotions. "I haven''t." Mason took it with trembling hands. Olivia, who had been calm, started to feel nervous as well. Ethan wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "It''s going to be fine either way." Olivia subconsciously grabbed his sleeve. The usually stoic Mason had never been as nervous as he was at that very moment. His fingers slowly unraveled the white strings and took out the test results. The expression on his face became even moreplicated when he saw the words written on it. Olivia didn''t now what was going through his mind. "Mr. Heath, what''s the result..." Before she could finish her sentence, Mason drew her into his arms. Mason''s body was trembling. Olivia could feel some warm tears on her neck. She didn''t need to ask anymore. The results were clear. Mason''s voice was trembling with excitement. "My dear child, you''ve suffered too much. I''m sorry." So, that boy in the picture was her father. She found her grandfather before her parents. It had been so many years. She finally found her family. She asked cautiously, "Are... Are you really my grandfather?" ¡°without a doubt." She slowly wrapped her arms around Mason and patted him on the back. "Don''t get too excited." "I''m just overjoyed. Natalie actually gave birth to my son, and I have such an outstanding granddaughter." Mason didn''t even wipe the tears on his face. He pulled Olivia toward Linus and said, ¡°Come, greet your uncle." Linus stared at Olivia. He didn''t expect the first woman he ever fell for in over 30 years of his life to be his niece. It was like fate was ying atrick onhim. 1 Olivia also felt a little awkward. She knew Linus had feelings for her, yet he had be her uncle. She muttered, "Un¡ªUncle." Olivia suddenly remembered something. "Does this mean Ms. Heath is my aunt?" That was a mess. Mason shook his head. "She''s not. I disowned her before I came over." Chapter 1182 Chapter 1182 It was Olivia''s turn to be shocked. "Because of what happened tonight?" "It''s not just this incident. I''ve given her too many chances. Since you''re my granddaughter, I won''t allow you to drift aimlessly away from home. ¡°Come home and be part of the family, Olivia." "Grandpa, I... I don''t think I''m ready for that yet." "What''s there to think about? We''re rted by blood. I looked into the Fordham family a few years ago. But I thought you were Jeff''s biological father. That''s why I didn''t probe further. ¡°We''ve been separated for so many years. Please give me the chance to make it up to you, okay?" Mason pleaded with Olivia in a humble tone. "Don''t you want to know about your grandmother and me? Come back with me, and I''ll tell you everything." Mason didn''t give her any chance to turn him down. "If your grandma knew you''ve been wandering in the world alone, she would feel bad for you, too." Olivia had always yearned for family. She didn''t have any retorts to Mason''s words. ¡°Look, I''m not in the best of health. You''ve been telling me not to stay upte. It''s gettingte, and I haven''t taken my meds yet. I''ll just stay here with you and waste time ..." Olivia sighed. "Alright, you win, Grandpa." Mason held her hand. "Good girl. Come home with Grandpa." Olivia looked at their hands as tears welled up in her eyes. The man who always used to bring her home had already passed. If Jeff was watching over her from above, he would be happy to see that she had found her real family, right? Ethan quickly stood up when he saw that Olivia was leaving. Mason knew that a lot of Olivia''s suffering in the past was caused by Ethan. He red at Ethan. "I''m bringing my granddaughter home. You don''t have to follow along." Ethan was dumbfounded. Mason was acting like he didn''t want to keep up pretenses anymore. Linus blocked Ethan''s way. "This isn''t your home, right? Since you''re already divorced and have a ce of your own. You shouldn''t stay here so shamelessly." Ethan could only watch as Mason took Olivia away. He couldn''t do anything. Things would be very hard for him. He hadn''t even gotten back into a serious rtionship with Olivia yet. Now that Olivia had be a member of the Heath Family, there was no way that the over- protective Mason would allow them to get married again. Mason probably wouldn''t even allow him to get close to Olivia. Ethanmented his misfortune. Linus had it worse. He couldn''t do anything bute to terms with his lost love and get used to the reality that Olivia was T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. his niece. Mason was overjoyed. He lost a doctor but found his granddaughter. "Linus, go make arrangements for Olivia''s identity. Her being Vanessa has to be kept secret. You have to make sure Yale gets the memo." ¡°Father, I''ll get on it. I''ll take care of V¡ª Olivia''s matter." Linus was still not used to Olivia bing his niece. Mason held her hand tightly. "Olivia, I''ll be here for you from now on. I won''t allow anyone to bully you ever again!" His gaze grew cold. "I won''t forgive whoever is trying to kill you when I find them." Olivia stared at Mason''s face nkly. He looked rugged, but his eyes were filled with bloodlust. Was that how it felt to be protected by family? Chapter 1183 Chapter 1183 At that moment, Olivia remembered the arrogance that she had seen on Marina and Krystal''s faces. They were able to be so cocky because they had the love of their families supporting them. Their family would help them no matter what they did. Things had changed for her, too. She had family. She was no longer alone. It was gettingte. Linus brought her back to the guest room she used to stay in. He stood at the door hesitatingly, with snow still falling heavily outside. Olivia broke the silence. "Uncle Linus, is there anything else?" "I had feelings for you before." Olivia met his gaze and smiled. "Yeah, I know." It wasn''t something he could be proud of. It was going to be something embarrassing he would think back to for years toe. Olivia could imagine how awkward he was feeling. She said gently, "Maybe you felt close to me because we''re family. I can understand that. Just like how I felt inexplicably close to Mr. Heath." She was able to do away with the awkwardness with a single sentence. She possessed way more emotional intelligence than his dumb sister Krystal. "I know you lead a hard life before this. Since you''re part of the Heath Family now, no one will be able to bully you." That was Linus'' promise to her. Since they couldn''t be lovers, he would watch over her as her uncle. Olivia smiled. "Thanks, Uncle Linus." He patted her on the head. "Rest well." Olivia closed the door. Linus took a deep breath. Who could say for sure if his feelings for her were romantic or familial? But this was fine as well. At least he could watch over her forever as her uncle. It was good. It was a sleepless night for many people. Olivia tossed and turned in bed. Everything that happened that day felt like a dream. She had a grandfather and an uncle who was only slightly older than her. It was a very ridiculous turn of events. Who would''ve known her grandfather was someone so important? Ethan couldn''t sleep either. He smashed three ashtrays in the study. Kelvin carefully handed him the fourth. He rubbed his nose and said, "Mr. Miller, it''s a happy thing for Mrs. Miller to find her family. Why are you unhappy? "All these years, you''ve been fighting with Yale. Mr. Heath was forcing you to marry Krystal a while back. Now, you don''t have to do that anymore. Isn''t that great?" "What do you know? Have you forgotten that Mr. Heath is very protective of his own? I''ve done so much to hurt Olivia in the past. "He would probably be happy to see me dead. He wouldn''t let me off the hook." Kelvin thought about it for a moment. "Maybe even worse. He might get the Tiger Squad chop off your limbs and throw you into the ocean." The Tiger Squad was a covert special forces unit that was under Linus''mand. Not even Ethan had power over them. "It was already going to be hard to mend my rtionship with Liv. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Now, it seers like it would be impossible for me to marry her again." "There''s no use feeling sad, Mr. Miller. I think this is fine. Mrs. Miller has had a hard life. With Mr. Heath by her side, things will start to get better for her." Chapter 1184 Chapter 1184 Ethan''s gaze was deep. "We still can''t tell if it''s a good or bad thing yet. Glory and danger oftene hand in hand." No matter what would happen, Ethan would never hurt Olivia again. Tatiana was also having a sleepless night. She had a bad feeling the moment Mason left the house. Something big was about to happen in the Heath Family. She had been married to Mason for so many years. He had always treated her with respect, but only respect. He had never loved her. A few years back, she would still argue with her because she didn''t feel like it was fair for her. He looked at her coldly and said, "The moment you used drugs to get with me, you should''ve known that I would never love you. I can only give you power and status, but nothing else." She gradually got used to this life. Mason wouldn''t love her but wouldn''t love anyone else. Not many people could get everything they wanted in life. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She considered herself lucky that she was married to such an outstanding man. Tatiana knew that he had a woman in his heart. He called her name repeatedly when he lost consciousness. She had tried to look for this woman, but nothing turned up in decades. Perhaps the woman was already dead. Men were prone to remembering their first loves. Tatiana stopped caring after a while. But when she saw how Mason lost control at the banquet, she knew it was all over. But that woman appeared in these circumstances. Krystal didn''t even know what kind of danger was approaching them. Tatiana didn''t know who Krystal took after. Krystal packed her stuff and went to the vi that her mother arranged for her. She didn''t fee] happy even though the ce was very luxurious. She called Yale, and he came rushing over. As soon as he got there, Krystal threw her pillow at her. "It''s all your fault. Last time, the doctor you brought almost killed my father. This time, your plot caused me to make a fool of myself before my father. "He''s driven me out of the family now and wants to cut ties with me. Are you happy now?" "What? Cut ties?" Yale''s expression changed drastically. Did that mean his hard work all these years was wasted? He quickly changed his tone. "That''s just something Mr. Heath said in a fit of rage. He loves you so much. He would never actually cut ties with you. "This incident is my fault. I didn''t think things through. We were both deceived." ¡°What? How are we deceived?" "This is a trap that Ethan and Olivia set for us." Krystal was confused. She said irritably, "Why would he do that?" "Didn''t you want to marry him? He did this so he would never have to marry you. If Mr. Heath grows to hate you, he won''t need to marry you anymore." "That''s right. That bitch has always hated me!" Krystal thought about the p she gave Olivia a few years ago. No wonder Vanessa pped her when they met at the vige. So, this was the revenge that they had been plotting all this time. With tears flowing down her cheeks, Krystal said, "I don''t understand why Ethan would do this to me. I love him so much. I''ve helped him so much." "Some people are just heartless. Krystal, only my love for you is true. Ethan has always been a heartless man. "He was even able to do all those cruel things to his ex-wife. I could only imagine the things he would do to you. Everyone is a pawn to him." Chapter 1185 Chapter 1185 Yale hugged Krystal from behind. "Ethan only cares about his status and personal interests. He abandoned his wife and married Marina in order to get the Carltons on his side. He''s a despicable man." "That''s not right. If he only cares about his interests, why didn''t he try to get me on his side? Is the Heath Family not better than the Carltons?" Krystal suddenly found the fault in Yale''s logic. Ahint of somberness shed in Yale''s eyes. He quickly changed the subject. "Maybe the reason he didn''t try that is because he is plotting something else. Think about all he has done so far, Krystal. ¡°He''s an ingrate. He has been doing things that humiliated you. He even caused you to be driven from your home." As Krystal was crying, Yale reached out to wipe away her tears. He said affectionately, "Don''t be afraid. I''ll stand by your side no matter what happens. I''m the one who loves you the most, Krystal. Krystal raised her head to meet his tender gaze. There was a glow in her eyes as she asked, "Do you really love me?" ¡°Without a doubt. Krystal, don''t you feel my affection for you after all these years?" Yale sighed. ''It must be my fault. I must have failed to express my feelings properly. I will try to treat you better." Krystal had been chasing after Ethan for many years. She was starting to fall for Yale since he said such nice things when she had been abandoned by everyone else. Truthfully, Yale wasn''t as handsome as Ethan, but he was still charming. He was tall and elegant. She felt safe in his arms. At that moment, Krystal was starting to be moved by Yale''s confession. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. So, he took the opportunity to go on the offensive. "Krystal, you must be hungry since you haven''t eaten anything. I''ll make you some food." "You can cook?" "All good men can. I learned how to cook for you. Just wait." Yale let her go and went to open the fridge confidently. No one had lived in this vi for some time. Even if the housekeepers cleaned the ce, there wasn''t enough time for them to stock up the supplies. The fridge waspletely empty. ¡°There aren''t any ingredients. I can''t cook even if I want to." Yale took her hand. "Let''s go. I''ll take you out for a bite. What do you want to eat?" Krystal didn''t really have an appetite. She was humiliated because she had been driven out of her home. She wasn''t in the mood for food, but her stomach rumbled against her will. "If you don''t say anything, I''ll decide for you." Yale brought her out. She thought he would bring her to some high -end restaurant. Instead, he brought her to the night market. It was snowing. The lights shone brightly like stars. The night market was very lively. Many couples were hanging out there. That was something Krystal had never experienced throughout her entire life. She never knew that the street food she looked down on could taste so good. ¡°Are you cold?" A gust of cold wind blew on her neck. She nodded. Yale immediately wrapped a scarf around her neck and put a hat on her head. "This way, you won''t be cold anymore." Krystal raised her head to look at his handsome face. Her heartbeat suddenly quickened. It would only take one instant to fall in love. Yale gazed at her tenderly. "Krystal, look around you. Ethan isn''t the only man in the world. Take a look at me, too." Chapter 1186 Chapter 1186 Krystal blinked several times. Her heart was in turmoil. Yale slowly leaned over. She thought he wanted to kiss her. Her pupils were quivering. But he only hugged her. She could feel the warmth emanating from his body. He made her feel warm and shielded her from the snow. "This way, you won''t feel cold." Krystal didn''t know how she used to feel about Yale, but at that moment, she could feel herself falling for him. She hugged Yale back for the first time and buried her face in his embrace. She could hear his heart beating, and it made her feel safe. For the longest time, she had been chasing after Ethan. She was tired of it. As she started to let go of her feelings for Ethan and tried to ept another person, Krystal felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest. So, it wasn''t that hard to ept another person. Yale stayed that night. There wasn''t any alcohol or drugs. Everything happened naturally. This time, Krystal didn''t call out Ethan''s name. She was looking at Yale the whole time. "yale, will you really treat me well?" Yale wrapped his arm around her waist. He whispered, "It took me so much effort to pursue you. Why would I ever mistreat you?" Krystal was moved. She wanted to lean in and kiss him. Yale moved away and got up. "It''s gettingte. I have a lot of work today. I have to get up." This was the first time Krystal had ever felt like this. She wanted to cuddle with him for a little while more. ¡°Why are you so busy? Should I tell my father to lessen your workload? That way, you''ll be able to stay with me more." Yale chuckled as he tapped her nose lightly. "If I don''t work, I won''t be able to provide for you. I don''t want others to say I only achieved sess because of the Heath Family. "Krystal, I love you. That''s why I want to give you all the best things in the world. I''m a man. Do you understand?" Krystal nodded. "Alright,e back to me quickly after you''re finished with work." "Okay. tt Yale patted her on the head. "Remember to think about me." He went to freshen himself up after he said that. Krystal was still in bed looking at him. She was already missing him. "Krystal, I have to go." "IT don''t want you to." Krystal has been doted on since she was a child. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. She was a very childish person at her very core. She was like an open book." Yale smiled at her. "I''ll be back soon. By the way, Krystal, please don''t take any morning-after pills." "Why? I''m still so young myself. I''m not ready to be pregnant." Yale sat down and wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°There are two reasons. Firstly, I''m getting old. I want a child of my own. I would be delighted if you could give birth to my baby." ¡°What about the other reason?" ¡°Think about it. Mr. Heath is outraged because of that incident with Olivia. He even chased you out. He''s still very angry now. "If he finds out that you''re pregnant, would he still allow you to be out here on your own?" Krystal fell into deep thought. She knew that Mason preferred Ethan to be his son-inw. He didn''t want her to be with Yale. The three-month deadline was just an excuse. If he found out that she had epted Yale, wouldn''t he be even more angry? Much less getting pregnant with his child. Yale noticed her reluctance. He looked at her tenderly. "What''s wrong, Krystal? Don''t you want to bear my child?" Chapter 1187 Chapter 1187 Krystal knew that Yale was smitten with her. So, if she said such things at that moment, it would hurt him. "No, I''m just worried that my father would get mad. After all, I''ll be pregnant with your child even before we get married." "He may get angry, but all fathers love their children, right? He''ll only reprimand you at most, but he''s still worried that you can''t live ¡°When that happens, he''ll send someone to bring you home. "Moreover, old people love to have their grandchildren around. Linus still isn''t married even now, let alone have children. "If you have children as soon as possible, I trust that both Mr. and Mrs. Heath will be ted." Like the devil, Yale kept whispering in Krystal''s ear, tempting her. "Krystal, I love you so much. Please give birth to a child for me. Think about Olivia. She''s only in her twenties, but her children are growing up." At the mention of Olivia, a cold look shed across Krsytal''s face. Yes, even though Ethan always ignored Krystal, who would give him blood when he got hurt next time? Krystal even had half a mind to exact revenge on Ethan. She would tell Ethan that she wasn''t as wretched as he had imagined. It wasn''t like she couldn''t bear to be with someone other than him. She had her admirers, too. ¡°Alright, I won''t take the pill. As for whether I can get pregnant, we''ll leave it to fate." Yale smiled faintly. "I''m sure our child will be very pretty." ¡°We haven''t even done anything yet. Why are you so anxious about it?" "I''m just too happy, Krystal. It''s a great honor to have you get pregnant with my child." Compared to Ethan''s coldness, Yale''s gentleness and consideration slowly warmed her heart. Krystal even began to look forward to her future after Yale. Yale came from a wless background, and he was optimistic as well. He wasn''t too badpared to Ethan. Krystal realized that she had been blind all this while. She shouldn''t have abandoned the person who loved her and gone after Ethan instead. She thought, "Ethan, I''ll make you regret the decision you made today!" Unbeknownst to her, after Yale went out the door, the smile on his face immediately disappeared. Endless coldness took its ce. Before sunrise, Yale drove to Pear House. There were many pear trees in the yard. When spring came around, the pear blossoms would fill the whole yard. The scenery was extremely beautiful. Yale quietly opened the door to the bedroom. He thought that the person inside would still be sleeping, but then, he saw the lonely figure standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows. The woman was wearing a white cotton nightgown, and she stood barefooted on the floor. Yale hastily walked up to her. "Molly, why are you up so early?" The woman turned around, revealing her tear-streaked face. Her eyes were red, and she looked like a rabbit. "Yale, you didn''te backst night because you were with her, right?" Yale''s heart ached as he pulled the woman into his embrace. Unlike the mask he put on when he was around Krystal, his eyes were now filled withpassion and self-me. "I''m sorry, Molly. 1..." Molly Lawson met his gaze with her teary eyes. Then, she reached out and touched Yale''s face. "I''m okay, Yale. I just couldn''t fall asleep because I missed you too much. "I knew that you were with her, so I didn''t dare call you." Yale responded, "Sweetheart, you''re already in Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ill health. You shouldn''t stay up all night on top of that. Let''s sleep for a while longer." With that, he bent over and picked her up, cing her on therge bed. Taking off his clothes, hey down next to the woman. But Molly caught sight of the red marks near his corbones. Her eyes reddened even more. "Molly, I ... I''m sorry. I touched herst night." "T understand." Molly''s tears rolled down her cheeks inrge droplets. "I know that you''ll leave me someday. I''ve already made preparations for this day a long time ago." Leaning in, Yale kissed her lips. "Molly, I''ve never once wanted to leave you. You''re the only one I love. As soon as she gets pregnant with my child, my n will seed." Chapter 1188 Chapter 1188 Molly undid the buttons. When she saw the traces that woman had left on Yale''s body, it wasn''t hard to imagine the pain in her heart. "Molly, I''m dirty. Can you clean me, please?" Yale affectionately embraced Molly. When the wind and snow outside died down, Yale reluctantly got up so that Molly could rest for a while longer. But Molly insisted on getting up and preparing his clothes for him. Unlike with Krystal, where Yale never left any marks on her, Molly''s whole body was covered in red marks he had left behind. Even after the affair, Yale carried Molly and cleaned her up. He had no trace of falsehood toward Molly, only endless tenderness. "Molly, just wait for me a while longer, okay? When I''ve obtained everything, no one will be able to threaten me. When that happens, nothing wille between us anymore. I''ll marry you." Molly''s eyes glistened with tears. "Yale, can I truly live to see that day?" "You will I will never obey anyone''s orders. I will marry whoever I want to marry." Molly remained frowning.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "But I''m worried that if you stay with Ms. Heath every day, you may develop feelings for her." "Molly, you''re the only one I love. I won''t ever fall for a spoiled brat like Krystal. "I would never have done that if I wasn''t trying to get closer to the Heath family. Just give me some more time, alright?" "Okay, Yale. I always trust you. But won''t this be unfair to Ms. Heath?" Yale sneered. "No, she''s not a good person. You''re just too kind, and you take pity on everyone. But she''s not worthy." When he saw the fear in Molly''s eyes, he hastily put on a gentle expression. "Sorry, did I frighten you? Don''t be scared of me, Molly. You''re the person I treasure the most in this world. ¡°Even when I was on the bed with her, I could only continue when I''ve reced her with you in my mind. When she gets pregnant, I swear that I won''t ever touch her again." Molly parted her lips, but in the end, she never said anything. ¡°Alright, I''m going to work now. If you need anything, just tell my assistant, and he''ll arrange everything for you. Don''t think too much about it. I''ll always love you." Molly watched as Yale left, letting out a sigh. She touched her t belly. She wished that she could be pregnant with Yale''s child, but her body wouldn''t cooperate. As she thought that, she let out a dry heave. She wondered if she had truly gotten pregnant. How was that possible? Molly couldn''t be bothered to rest. After Yale left, she secretly went to the hospital. An unexpected guest had arrived at Krystal''s vi as well. It was Yale''s assistant. He was carrying lots of daily necessities, including Krystal''s favorite snacks. For the first time, Krystal experienced what it was like to be treasured by a man. "Ms. Heath, are you free today?" the assistant asked. "What''s the matter?" "Mr. Kingston asked me to take you to the hospital for a checkup." Krystal frowned deeply. "A checkup?" "Yes. Mr. Kingston wants to make preparations for the pregnancy." Krystal was so embarrassed that her face turned red. Yale was truly eager to have a child. Still, he was right. When she had gotten pregnant, Mason would have ceased his anger. "Alright. Give me a minute." Krystal was still dreaming of her happy life with Yale. She had no idea that things had changed in the Heath family. To prevent unnecessary idents, Mason only brought Olivia home, but he didn''t announce her identity. Meanwhile, Linus went to Olivia''s room early on. "Liv, Dad wants me to ask you what style you like. The Heath residence is big enough, and you shouldn''t keep staying in the guest room." Olivia waved her hands. "This ce is good enough. I''m not picky." "Liv, Dad sincerely wants you to have something nice. We''re going to be family from now on, and we''ll have to live together for a long time. 1 "You have a few children with you, too, right? ¡°Are you going to let them squeeze into this small room with you when theye back?" Chapter 1189 Chapter 1189 Olivia lowered her gaze, staying silent. Linus sighed. "I know that you don''t want to bother us, but it''s just a matter of giving orders. Our family doesn''tck money or people at all. ¡°You have always done things alone in the past, but it''s different now. You have a family. You have us, your rtives. So don''t be scared to trouble us. "T''m even worried that you won''t trouble us because that would mean that you didn''t treat us as family." Olivia felt her heart turning warm when she heard Linus'' words. This was a warmth she hadn''t felt in a long time, other than from Jeff. ¡°Uncle Linus, I''m sorry for not thinking things through earlier. I like warm and cozy rooms. I don''t have any other requirements." ¡°Alright. I''ll arrange a designer to work on that." "If possible, I hope that ... we can have some plum trees in the yard. There were plum trees in the Fordham residence in the past, and I liked them a lot." "Sure. Anything else?" Olivia shook her head. "No." "In the future, you shouldn''t be afraid when you''re around us. No matter what happens, you can talk it over with your family. "Father is already preparing to add you to the family tree, but he doesn''t want any unnecessary trouble to crop up, so your identity is still a secret for now. "He''ll announce it at the right time." Olivia never thought of announcing it, anyway. The arrangement made sense. ¡°Okay. What about your mother?" Linus fell silent for a moment. Then, he said, "Father is mainly trying to guard against her." Olivia was stunned. "Why?" "In reality, Dad doesn''t love her as much as we thought. I even have a feeling that he''s just taking responsibility for my mom." Linus smiled helplessly. "I''m a little ashamed to say this, but my mom is quite tricky to deal with. ¡°You probably already know that she drugged Ethan in private to make sure that Ethan and my sister got married. Father and I don''t like her tactics. "If she knows about your existence, I''m sure she will oppose my father with all her might. So, Father decided to proceed in secret. You''ll have to endure it for some time until he has prepared everything." Olivia frowned. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "T don''t care about fame or reputation. I''m d enough to know that you guys are nice to me. I don''t want the peace in your family to be disrupted because of me." "Come on, even if you don''t care, we do." Reaching up, Linus patted Olivia on the head. "You''re a member of the Heath family, and no one can change that fact. Don''t worry, I''m on Father''s side." Olivia was a little touched. "Uncle Linus ..." "Don''t be afraid, Liv. With Father and I around, no one will be able to bully you in the future." "I heard that Grandpa drove Ms. Heath out. She''s all alone out there, right? Is she alright?" "She was spoiled rotten. It''s not a bad thing for her to take some time to calm down out there." Olivia didn''t know what to say. She felt like a blessing was suddenly bestowed on her. In the hospital, Krystal went through a few tests. Thest test was an ultrasound imaging. She left the examination room, thinking that if she truly was pregnant, her father would bring her home as soon as possible. Then, she identally bumped into someone. "Sorry." The other person had a soft voice, and her figure was extremely slender. She looked like she could fall over if the wind was strong enough. Krystal red at the person in annoyance. "Watch where you''re going!" Her gaze fell upon the pale yet exquisite face. She hated every woman who was associated with Olivia. When Molly saw that it was none other than Krystal, she almost cried in terror. She kept apologizing. "S-Sorry, I didn''t mean it, I swear." Krystal caught sight of the marks on Molly''s neck She snorted, saying, How shameless." With that, she turned around and left. She even cursed, "Just my luck. I bumped into another vixen today." Chapter 1190 Chapter 1190 Krystal''s checkup report quickly made it into Yale''s hands. Yale''s assistant reminded him, "Mr. Kingston, the doctor said that Ms. Heath has a high chance of getting pregnant if she tries in these three days." "Alright." Yale rubbed between his eyebrows. He didn''t like Krystal at all. He not only didn''t like her, but Krystal was also the type he hated the most. But he didn''t have any better ideas to gain Mason''s trust. Krystal was Mason''s only daughter, and he had pampered her since she was young. If Krystal had a child, even if Mason didn''t like Yale, he''d still have to agree to this marriage. Linus held a powerful force, but he usually wouldn''t be in Aldenvine. Mason was getting old, and with the two consecutive assassination attempts, he urgently wanted to win Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. over someone close to him. It wasn''t a bad thing for Olivia''s identity to be exposed. It proved that she still couldn''t let Ethan go. Hence, it would cut off all possibilities of Krystal getting married to Ethan. Now, Yale only had to do one thing, which was to let Krystal have his child. Even if Mason was upset with him because of what happenedst night, Yale knew very well that as long as the child existed, he would be a true member of the Heath family. Once Yale became Mason''s son-inw, Mason would, of course, treat him with great importance. The only thing Yale didn''t know was the expression on Mason''s face when Mason saw Olivia''s real face. But it was just a minor issue. It was nothingpared to his ns, which were about to seed. Yale ced all his betting chips on Krystal''s belly. "Have you delivered the ice rose to Molly?" "It''s being set up right now. I''m sure Ms. Molly would love it." "Deliver the rest to Krystal. Tell her that I prepared them especially for her." ¡°Understood, Mr. Kingston." An interior designer arrived at the Heath residence today. Tatiana felt very uneasy about that. Last night, Mason personally brought Olivia back, and today, a designer was already making measurements in the backyard. What was Mason trying to do? Mason was still upset, so Tatiana didn''t dare to disturb him. So, she could only wait until Linus was free before pulling him to the side. "Linus, tell me. What is your dad trying to do exactly? Why did he hire a designer?" ¡°Mom, Krystal has been quite rude to Ms. Fordham. Do you think that an apology was enough to settle the matter?" Tatiana looked dissatisfied. ¡°Wait, but even if Krystal was the one at fault in this incident, think about the difference between Krystal''s identity and hers. ¡°She just had some water sshed on her, right? Why would we need to settle the matter?" Linus gave Tatiana a meaningful look. It was no wonder that Krystal turned out like this. She was affected by her mother. However, Linus was a person of integrity, and he would side with justice instead of his family. He had been looking down on Tatiana and Krystal ever since the drugging incident. Still, because they were family, Linus tried to be patient as he exined, "She had saved Father twice. That''s reason enough for us to treat her nicely." "You still like her, don''t you? Linus, you saw for yourself that she''s a flirt. She was seducing you while still getting involved with her ex -husband. Can''t you see what sort of person she is?" ¡°Mom, I don''t want to hear anything like that. I can make my judgment. Liv is a good person, and I do like her, but it has nothing to do with romance. "You are a woman too, so can you please respect others as well?" Tatiana said, "You and your dad are out of your minds. She did save your dad, but is she also nning to stay in the Heath residence for along time? "Didn''t we agree that she would only stay until the new year?" Linus said matter-of-factly, ''''We''ve already talked it outst night. She would be staying long-term in the Heath residence. If you can''t get used to it, you''d better start now." Chapter 1191 Chapter 1191 Tatiana was dumbfounded. "What? She''s staying in the Heath residence long-term?" "Yes. I have something to attend to, so I''m leaving now." Tatiana didn''t dare to question Mason either, so she could only take it one step at a time. In the next two days, whenever she met Olivia, she didn''t dare to go overboard, either. She maintained peace on the surface. But Olivia and Mason were getting even closer to each other! Other than sleeping, they were together all day. On many asions, when Tatiana went into the room, she would see Mason holding Olivia''s hand and smiling gently. Tatiana even suspected Olivia''s rtionship with Mason. The results of the investigation she asked someone to carry out was the same as Mason''s. Jeff couldn''t possibly be Mason''s son. The Fordhams had been in Aldenvine for many years, and the Heath family only came to Aldenvine to broaden their horizonster on. The two families couldn''t have been in contact. Was it true that Mason was just appreciating Olivia''s talent and her kindness for saving him? Tatiana was very anxious. It was quite rare that Krystal hadn''te to annoy her in the past few days, but she did appreciate the new quietness. Still, she had a feeling that something was off. This wasn''t like Krystal at all. Tatiana called Krystal up. Krystal''s voice was trembling a little as she said, "Mom." "What are you doing? Did you know that your dad brought Olivia home again?" Pushing Yale''s body away, Krystal calmed her voice down. "T knew that he would be worried about that wench! Come on, I''m scared that Dad is still mad at me." "Anyway, we can''t just wait for the end toe! I have a very bad feeling about this." Sweat rolled down Krystal''s cheeks. "Mom, I have a way to get back to the Heath residence." ¡°What is it?" Tatiana asked suspiciously. ¡°You''ll find out in a few days." Tatiana felt a little anxious. "Are you trying toe up with something unexpected again? I''m telling you¡ª" "Mom, don''t worry. After going through all these things, I''ve matured now. I won''t act as recklessly as I''ve done in the past. ¡°Rx. Dad will send someone to bring me home soon enough." Krystal''s voice was calm, and she sounded as if she had matured overnight. Tatiana sighed. Perhaps Mason had truly driven Krystal out just to let her grow up alittle. By the looks of it, it was a little effective, at least. "Take care when you''re alone out there. Call me if anythinges up. If not, I''ll go and check on you. If worsees to worst, you should just go back to work." "Mom, I''ve already quit that job. I don''t like that life at all. In the past, I did it so that I could get closer to Ethan. Now, I want to pursue my own life." "So you''ve truly let go of him?" Tatiana was shocked. After all, her daughter had always been a stubborn child, and she would try to get everything she wanted. "Yes, After trying to court him for so many years, I''ve gotten tired. I won''t be so stupid anymore. I''ve had enough of that man. I want to live my own life and make him regret it in the future!" It was only then that Tatiana sighed in relief. "I''m happy that you''ve thought things through now. If you want to give the business field a try, you can practice in the Benson family. "You''re a girl, after all. It was never necessary for you to go intobat." Krystal replied, "Yeah. I''m sorry for making you worry in the past, Mom. I''ll try to be a better person from now on." After chatting for a while, Tatiana stopped worrying. It wasn''t a bad thing that her daughter had finally grown up. Unbeknownst to her, Krystal immediately got entangled with Yale right after hanging up. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. For the past few days, the two rarely took a break. Krystal was once a clueless woman, but as Yale developed her, she gradually got hooked on these things. She clung onto his waist time and again, begging to sink into the pit with him. But she failed to notice the fleeting look of disgust in Yale''s eyes. Chapter 1192 Chapter 1192 As if she had sunken into the mud, Krystal willingly fell into degradation. She never once considered the future. She only knew that she was getting more and more dependent on Yale. Meanwhile, the renovation work at the Heath residence was already underway. After making some tea for Mason, Olivia entered his study. When Olivia saw Mason frowning deeply, she walked over to him and said in a gentle voice, "Grandpa, it''s gettingte. You should rest." A thick stack of documents in red was ced in front of Mason. He looked quite troubled. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Child, it''s not that I refuse to sleep. I simply cannot fall asleep." "Did something serious happen?" Olivia asked. ¡°Word of my injury still got out. In recent days, the countries near Andia are getting restless again. "Beloria has detained more than 50 fishermen from our country at Forge Isle. "In the western part of the country, someone caused trouble at the border, and there''s the eastern part and the north-western part too..." Mason was deeply troubled. Even though those weren''t major incidents, it was like a lion''s deep slumber being disturbed by afew mosquitoes buzzing around. It was very annoying. Having been united for decades, Andia saw rapid economic growth. Slowly, it became one of the three strongest countries in the world. But since ancient times, there was the naturalw of things separating after being united for too long, and vice versa. After the country was at peace for decades, someone tried to cause trouble again. "Those are just minor issues. Please don''t be too concerned about them, Grandpa. With the way things are now, no one will dare to wage war recklessly." Mason shook his head. "Child, the country next to ours, Carathia, has been developing quite well recently. They keep trying to overtake us. "If they weren''t secretly supporting smaller countries like Beloria, a minor country like Beloria wouldn''t dare take action." Olivia mused, "Carathia? I remember that they got a new leader five years ago. The leader who had taken over was the youngest in history." "He may look young, but he has quite the ambition." Olivia closed the documents. "No matter how great his ambition is, you have to go to sleep right now. You shouldn''t stay upte. Be good and listen to your doctor!" Mason smiled helplessly. "Alright, I''ll be good." Olivia helped him put on his coat. Then, she helped him back to his room. Even when he was washing up, Olivia kept himpany. She even concocted a special herb blend for Mason to soak his feet in. She massaged his legs as well, taking great care of him. She covered him with a nket. Under the dim lights, for some reason, Mason took Olivia''s hand and called out, "Nat." Olivia patted him on the shoulder. "Go to sleep, Grandpa." After Mason had fallen asleep, Olivia opened the door and went out. She retrieved a document with some information on it. The leader of Carathia was a man called Wayne Maxwell. He was 35 years old this year, and he was single. He had lived quite an interesting life so far. He went through lots of hardship to finally be where he was. He was a cruel and heartless man, and he was also very decisive and quick to act. In his five years of rule, he not only made lots of bold reforms, but he also strengthened the connections between Carathia and its neighboring countries. Olivia found it odd. The rtionship between neighbors couldn''t change overnight. Many of those countries maintained friendly rtions with Andia, and they behaved like vassal states to Andia. But before anyone could catch on, those countries slowly took Carathia''s side instead. During an international meeting, the countries surprisingly opposed Andia, and they looked like Carathia''sckeys. This had happened in a very short period, so, of course, something was off. Olivia gently tapped her fingers on the desk. Wayne was a handsome man. Even in photos, his eyes were filled with aggressiveness. It was no wonder that Olivia didn''t see Linus around today. He must be dealing with these things. Olivia guessed that Mason would be in even more trouble in the future. The assassination couldn''t have been the ending; it was just the beginning. Chapter 1193 Chapter 1193 In the next few days, Linus wasn''t the only one Olivia didn''t get to see. Even Ethan was busy at work. In the past, Ethan would send her messages every day, but now, he would only send her a "Are you asleep?" in the middle of the night. Most of the time, Olivia only saw the messages in the morning. She would send a reply, but she had no idea when he would have the time to respond. Olivia had more free time now. The designers of the Heath family kepting and going. Today, a designer came to tailor clothes for her. A jewelry designer would be paying a visit the next day. Other than the tailor-made stuff, haute couture and ready-made jewelry were delivered to the house every day. As Linus had said, he would make it up to her. Other than familial love, he was alsopensating her via material means. As Tatiana watched the piles of clothes getting carried into Olivia''s room, she began to panic again. After all, Mason had always been a frugal man. He would never allow people to waste money. But he had taken the lead and bought so many clothes for an outsider! This didn''t make sense at all. Tatiana had no idea what Krystal was doing, either. Thetter never requested toe back in the past two weeks. Tatiana had peeked at the renovations going on in the backyard before. Mason had asked someone to move his favorite orchids just to make more space. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Now, the site was beginning to take shape. The yard looked like a small yground now. There was a lot of equipment for children to y on. Lots of plum trees were moved into the yard, and even a whole story of rooms was cleared out. Even Tatiana and Mason''s master bedroom was smaller than a third of this ce. What exactly was Mason doing? Seeing that Mason was in a good mood recently, Tatiana tried to ask about it while she was carrying soup into his room. "Mason, our daughter has been away for almost 20 days. "Your anger must have died down quite a bit, too. We''re all family, anyway, so isn''t it about time for her toe back? "She has been a pampered child since she was young. I''m a little worried..." Mason mmed the pen he was holding onto the table. "She''s in her twenties, and she''s surrounded by maids who take care of her every day. What''s there to be worried about?" "Are you seriously disowning her?" Mason snorted. "To be honest, she doesn''t resemble me in both personality and looks. I''m beginning to suspect that she''s not my daughter at all." Tatiana''s expression shifted as she raised her hand to hit Mason. "I''ve painstakingly given birth to her, and now you''re saying something like that? Whose daughter can she be if not yours? "I can''t believe that you''re doubting me like this. Do I have to hang myself to prove my innocence?" ¡°Enough. I didn''t mean it." Mason rubbed his temples. He felt a headacheing on from all the noise. "Krystal has truly changed her ways. A few days ago, when I called her, she sounded like another person altogether. She became extra mature and collected. "By the looks of it, the punishment was quite useful to her. She''s your biological daughter, after all. Are you going to let her stay outside forever?" Mason had indeed calmed down. "Alright. Linus happens to being back tomorrow, so you should get her back as well. I have something to announce." Tatiana''s eyes lit up. "Sure. I''ll call her right away. We can have dinner together as a family tomorrow." After all the preparations Mason had made recently, he could announce Olivia''s identity. Olivia and Krystal were rtives, after all, so it wasn''t a good thing for them to constantly be at odds with each other. Mason wanted to take the opportunity to be the peacemaker so that Olivia and Krystal could reconcile. They were a family, and harmony was of utmost importance in the family. Since everything happened to being together, Mason decided that tomorrow would be the day. Chapter 1194 Chapter 1194 Tatiana joyously called Krystal. "Krystal, here''s some good news for you. Your dad asked you toe home for dinner tomorrow. "You have to grab the chance by then! Don''t provoke your dad anymore." Krystal touched her t belly. Three days ago, she found out that she was pregnant. At that moment, a sweet expression filled her face as she smiled faintly. "Got it, Mom. I have a surprise for you guys, too." ¡°A surprise? What surprise did you prepare this time?" Krystal wished that she could tell Tatiana the good news right now. But her sense of reason told her that the announcement of her breaking news had to be reserved for dinner tomorrow. "You''ll find out tomorrow! Mom, I''m sure you''ll be happy about it. Tatiana was a little suspicious. But Krystal truly had been quite well-behavedtely, and she didn''t seem to be causing trouble. Perhaps she truly had thought things through. Tatiana left a few reminders before ending the call. Krystal checked the time. Yale still hadn''t returned. So, she called Yale. Yale took a long time to pick up. "Sorry, Krystal, I''m working overtime today. Have you eaten? Please don''t starve yourself and the baby." Yale''s concerned voice rang out over the phone, chasing away the momentary displeasure in Krystal''s heart. "T just had dinner. When are youing back?" "I don''t think I can make it tonight. Something happened recently, and everyone is busy. Even Ethan was sent out to settle some matters. "] was thinking that you had just gotten pregnant, so I stayed behind just to keep youpany." Krystal was a little disappointed, but she expressed her understanding. "Alright, got it. My dad asked me to go home for dinner tomorrow." "This is good news, right? This means that Mr. Heath has finally calmed down." "Yes. Remember to go home with me when the timees. We''ll tell them the good news together." "Sure. Be good and go to sleep alone. If you get scared, just call me. I still have some matters to attend to, so I''m hanging up now." Ever since Krystal got pregnant, Yale no longer kept herpany. Still, Krystal knew that many things had happened recently. Her brother was sent to a faraway border, and Ethan was away from Aldenvine as well. She knew that she should be grateful that she could still see Yale. She touched her belly. There still weren''t any signs now. She had just gotten pregnant, so she didn''t experience much of a reaction. She just felt a little sleepier than usual. After washing up, Krystal went to sleep on her own. She thought that if Mason knew that she was pregnant, he would stop getting angry. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. He would have a grandchild soon, after all. After hanging up, Yale set his phone on silent and tossed it aside. He was bustling about in the kitchen. Molly wrapped her arms around his waist from the back. "Yale, you''re busy enough as it is, but you still cooked for me. Thank you." Turning off the stove, Yale turned around and embraced Molly. "There''s nothing wrong about cooking for my wife, is there? Come, the soup will be ready soon." Bending over, Yale picked her up and ced her on the soft couch. He then ced his fingers on her belly. "Your body is weak, and the doctor said that you have to be very careful in the first three months. ¡°We finally have a child now, so you should take care of yourself. Say, what would be a good name for our child?" A gentle smile appeared on Molly''s lips. "The child is still young. Ms. Heath has gotten pregnant, too. Is it okay for you to not visit her?" "Molly, I told you that she''s just a pawn of mine. Even the child in her belly is the same. ¡°Why would I waste my time on people I don''t like? You''re my true darling. "Come, let''s not talk about upsetting people like her." Yale pressed his ear against Molly''s belly. "Dear child, I''m going to seed tomorrow. Please grow up well." When Krystal''s pregnancy was announced tomorrow, he would officially be the son-inw of the Heath family. Then, Ethan wouldn''t ever be able topete with him! Chapter 1195 Chapter 1195 Olivia had just ended her video call with Zack when Ethan''s call came in. Olivia hadn''t contacted Ethan in weeks, but now, she could hear his voice. "Liv." He seemed to be in a spacious area, and she could hear the cold wind howling. "I''m here." Olivia wanted to ask where he was, but she thought that he might be carrying out some top- secret military mission, so she didn''t ask. "Did you miss me?" Ethan''s voice was a little hoarse. He must be somewhere extremely cold. Olivia had been there a few times before. Even a breath of the freezing air threatened to blow up her lungs. "It''s not that bad." "You''re not adorable at all, Liv. Unlike you, I missed you a lot." His hoarse voice had given him some extra manly charm instead. Olivia felt her heart shivering in a good way. In the past, she would think of Ethan every waking hour if she couldn''t see him. But now, she wouldn''t do that. She had a lot of her own business to attend to. Ethan used to be like indispensable air and water to her. But now, he was just a bottle of beverage. When she sometimes thought of him, she would want to have a taste of his sweetness. But even if she didn''t taste him, it wouldn''t affect her usual life. In contrast, Ethan''s mind was filled with thoughts of her these days. He seemed to have be obsessed with her. "I''ming back tomorrow." Olivia said softly, "Alright. Take care." "Goodnight." Ethan looked at his phone, which was disying the call Olivia had decisively ended. A bitter and exasperated smile appeared on his face. Even though Ethan and Olivia had gotten more physically intimate with each other, they couldn''t return to what they once were. A snowke drifted onto his open palm. It was just like his fragile rtionship with Olivia. Even so, he had to hold it firmly in his hands! He wouldn''t let her leave him ever again. He told himself that things would get better. With a bang, a bulletnded on a spot near his feet. "Mr. Miller, duck!" Brent''s urgent voice rang out. Many fighter jets suddenly appeared above their heads. ¡°Our location is exposed!" Ethan looked up. The hatch of the fighter jet circling above them opened. He saw a man in a lightweight ck outfit, and the cape the man was wearing pped in the wind. The man was holding a machine gun in his right hand. Ethan couldn''t see the man''s eyes, but he knew that the man was staring down at him with a deadly gaze! "Wayne! He''s here in person." In the next second, the man started shooting. "Run! Mr. Miller, hang in there for amoment longer. Reinforcements are on the way." Brent had just finished speaking when dozens of fighter jets appeared in the sky again. They were in an unfavorable situation just now, but the tables had turned. Wayne, whose face was hidden under the ck mask, clicked his tongue. "Let''s go." Seeing the opponent retreating, Ethan stood up while leaning onto a huge tree for support. "Wayne isn''t out of his mind, is he?" "He is quite crazy indeed. Why would a leader of a country personally fight on the front lines?" ¡°That bastard is doing it on T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. purpose." Ethan balled his hands into fists as he mmed them onto the ice. "T swear I''ll take his wretched life one day." The man who shot at him back then was none other than Wayne. If Kurt hadn''t taken the lethal bullet for Ethan, Ethan would be the one who ended up dead that day! The grudges between them had existed many years ago. The battle between them hadsted ten years and more, but it never stopped. ¡°Let''s head back, Mr. Miller. The mission is over. He has a different identity now. If we go after him, it''ll turn into an international issue." Thinking of Olivia''s face, Ethan turned around and left. He gave up on going after Wayne. Ethan swore that Wayne would die at his hand. He would cut Wayne''s head off and offer it as a sacrifice to Kurt so that Kurt could finally rest in peace. Chapter 1196 Chapter 1196 Ethan hurried back. Finally, at noon the next day, he arrived in Aldenvine. He didn''t even bother to go home and wash up. Instead, he headed toward the Heath residence right away. With the cold and bloody smell surrounding him, he appeared in Mason''s study. Olivia was making tea, whereas Mason was reading a book. Ethan strode in. When his gaze fell upon Olivia, some tenderness appeared in his cold eyes. "Mr. Heath, it''s fortunate that your orders were not disgraced. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. The mission was aplished." Mason closed his book. He had already received a detailed reportst night. He gave Ethan a look of approval. "You''ve done well. It''s gettingte, so feel free to stay behind for dinner." Perhaps because Olivia was around, he didn''t talk too much about work. If it were before, Ethan would decline without hesitation. If he stayed for dinner, Krystal would most probably be attending as well. But things were very different. Olivia was here, so he was ted. ¡°Pardon my intrusion, then." Ethan looked at Mason. "Mr. Heath, there''s something I''d like to talk to Liv about." Olivia ced the tea on Mason''s desk. Before Mason could say no, she said, "Grandpa, I happen to have some things I''d like to talk to him about as well." Mason waved his hand. "Go ahead. I have quite a headache right now, so remember to drop by and give me a massageter." He didn''t have a headache at all. He had simply found an excuse so that Olivia wouldn''t spend too much time with Ethan. In the past few days, Mason asked someone to investigate Olivia''s past again. He wanted to help her find the culprit. But unexpectedly, he found all the details of what Ethan had done to her instead. Ethan was a good subordinate, but Mason wouldn''t allow him to reconcile with Olivia. Mason didn''t have to voice his thoughts for Ethan to guess them. This was the mutual understanding between men. Ethan dragged Olivia back to her room. As soon as they entered the room, he eagerly pulled her into his embrace and kissed her deeply. "Darling, I missed you so much." Ethan''s kiss was fierce and aggressive. It was like a ck hole that threatened to suck her in. Olivia ced her fingers on his chest. She felt like he was going to swallow her up. The heating system in the room was working quite well. She felt a little dizzy from theck of air. "WoL Stop¡ª " Olivia wanted to push him away, but he pinned her onto the bed instead. Then, he lifted her hands above her head. "Don''t. We''re in the Heath residence¡ª" Ethan''s kisses were eager and hot. They rained down on her neck, covering every inch of her skin. His voice was anxious as he said, "Liv, my dear Liv..." Olivia blushed in embarrassment. "Damn it, don''t do it here." "I haven''t touched you for so long. Do you know that I''m going crazy?" He urgently tugged at his belt as he took off the thick and heavy winter gear. Olivia couldn''t say anything in return. In the past, when he came back after days outside, he would wash up and have a meal as always. Then, when it waste at night, he would carry her to bed and love her tenderly. He wouldn''t behave like he was now, going all feral without any care for the ce and time. Ethan had truly lost his mind. His fingers had already touched her straps, and when he was about to take one step further, a knock sounded on the door. "Miss, Mr. Heath wants you to massage his head." The maid''s voice interrupted the passionate affair between Ethan and Olivia. Ethan nced at his watch. Only 10 minutes had passed. Mason must be doing this on purpose! "Miss?" Olivia hastily spoke up in reply, ¡°Okay. Tell Mr. Heath that I''m heading there right away." Judging by how Ethan behaved, they would have to settle it no matter what. But the maid at the door didn''t intend to leave. "Mr. Heath wants me to go with you, miss. I''ll wait for you here." Chapter 1197 Chapter 1197 Mason had blocked off every path! Even Olivia''s fingers were already on Ethan''s zipper. She met Ethan''sining gaze. "Um... I''ll be heading there for now." Ethan grabbed her in a hug. ¡°How are you going to make it up to me?" "Just hang in there. We''ll find another chance." "Don''t you miss me at all? Not even one bit?" She didn''t have such high demands in this aspect. After he left, she indeed hadn''t missed him one bit. But as soon as he kissed her just now, she felt like she was a little affected. Olivia coughed lightly. "Well, a little." She took the initiative to nt a kiss on his cheek. "Be good. Go home for a shower." "T''lle over at night." Olivia bit her lip. "Sure." After she smoothed out her clothes, she left under Ethan''s pining gaze. As expected, the maid was dutifully waiting at the door. Olivia returned to Mason''s side. Mason nced at Olivia''s slightly welling lips. Even Olivia''s ears had reddened. She had given birth to a few children already, but in front of Mason, she felt like a junior high student caught in the act of her puppy love. She subconsciously found an excuse. "He hadn''t seen me in a long time, so he wanted to talk to me." Mason ced the lid on his teacup. "Are you two truly just talking? As an experienced person, Mason had already seen through her little T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. tricks. "My dear, tell me. What do you truly think of Ethan?" "Grandpa, I..." Olivia didn''t know how to describe her rtionship with Ethan. Theplexities of their rtionship couldn''t be summarized in a few sentences. "My dear, objectively speaking, he has a decent character. As his superior, I quite approve of him. But in this aspect, he doesn''t deserve to be a husband. "Just based on the things he did to you, he couldn''t even make it up to you by dying a hundred times over!" Olivia scratched her head. "That''s why he''s my ex-husband now." ¡°What I want to know is your feelings about him right now. Do you still love him?" "Grandpa, I don''t want to lie to you. Ethan and I fell for each other at first sight, and we were hopelessly in love. Later on, even after everything that happened, he still loves me, and I love him too. "I can''t deny that." Olivia continued, "As you''ve said, no matter what his reasons were, he had done too many things to hurt me. I couldn''t just pretend they never happened. ¡°But at the same time, he risked his life to save me countless times. I both love and hate him." Mason felt his head aching when he heard that. "So what do you think? Are you going to marry him again?" "I don''t intend to. There''s still one person standing between Ethan and me, and that person is his sister. If I get married to him and something happens again in the future, history will only repeat itself." Mason nodded. "It''s a good thing that you''re different from Krystal, whose brain was filled with nothing but love. You''re not without wits. I see what you mean now. I''m d that you think like that. "You''re still young, and you have a whole life ahead of you. You don''t have to hold so firmly onto Ethan. Just look around. You might meet someone who suits you even better. "Ethan hurt you so much; he deserves a lesson or two." As Olivia watched in shock, Mason continued, "There are many more men out there. You can look for a better man while you''re still with him. ¡°Then, you can kick him away when you''ve found a better option." Olivia said, ''''... Was this how you kicked my grandma away back then?" 1 Mason almost couldn''t catch his breath. He was exasperated as he shook his head, smiling. "It''s not that I don''t want your grandma. She was the one who didn''t want me. She let go first." Chapter 1198 Chapter 1198 Olivia had no idea what exactly happened back in their time. But every time she saw Mason gazing at the painting, or when she noticed Mason zoning out as he gazed at her face, she knew that Mason must have loved her grandmother dearly. As the sky darkened, Krystal arrived at the Heath residence. Tatiana frowned when she saw Krystal wearing more clothing than usual. "What''s with all the clothes?" "I didn''t want to catch a cold. Mom, I missed you so much." Krystal hugged Tatiana as she spoke in a spoiled manner. "Oh, you. Don''t do anything to make me sad anymore, alright? Do you know how worried I was about you?" ¡°Mom, I know. I mean it." Taking Krystal''s hand, Tatiana said, "By the way, you said that you''re giving me a surprise, right? Where is it?" Tatiana even looked behind Krystal, but she didn''t see anything Krystal might have brought back. ¡°You''ll know soon enough." Krystal had a mysterious look on her face. Tatiana kept reminding her, "Remember your lesson from before, and don''t target Olivia ever again. Your dad trusts her even more these days." ¡°Alright, got it," Krystal answered obediently. When Tatiana saw how huge the changes were in her daughter, for some reason, she felt uneasy instead. ¡°Aren''t you mad?" "Mom, I''ve thought things through. Why would Ipete with her? She''s an outsider, after all. She''s not going to stay in my home forever. She''ll have to leave sooner orter." There was an anxious look in Tatiana''s eyes. Krystal still wasn''t aware of what happened at home. Hearing the sounds of machinerying from the backyard, Krystal couldn''t help but ask, "Mom, are we renovating?" "Yes," Krystal walked to the backyard and took a look. There was a seesaw for children, a slide, a small merry-go-round, and various toys. Her eyes lit up. Could it be that her father had some telepathic connection with her? Why else was Mason preparing children''s things so soon? "Did Dad prepare these for me? He''s rushing too much. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. I haven''t even gotten married, and I might even move out in the future." "Listen, Krystal, this room¡ª" Krystal didn''t listen at all as she strode into the room. The walls separating the rooms were all cleared away, and it was then split into a suite apanied by a smaller suite. The main bedroom was mostly beige, whereas the smaller suite was decked out in four vibrant colors. It looked very lively indeed. "Mom, you didn''t even tell me about it. Why did you start the renovation already? Even if the room won''t be big enough when I get married to Yale, I don''t like this color!" Krystal hastily spoke up. "Stop, stop!" The renovation worker turned around to look at her, seemingly a little confused. "What''s the matter, miss?" "I don''t like the color of this paint. Give me the palette and repaint the room when I''ve chosen the colors. The striking colors are too much." The workers were puzzled. "But that''s how the designer designed it. Miss, if you have any objections, you should talk to the designer. "We''re just workers; we don''t have a right to change it." Krystal grew angry. "Those bastards! I only left the Heath residence for a few days, but they don''t care about me anymore. Who designed this? I''ll talk to them!" "Who are you going to talk to?" After a lengthy journey, Linus hurriedly made his way back. His face was pale. He had suffered an injury this time, and he didn''t look too good. ¡°You came just in time, Linus. Why didn''t you tell me that we''re renovating? You''re renovating this room to serve as my bridal room, right? "You should''ve told me beforehand. I don''t like this style at all." Linus asked slowly, "Who told you that this room is for you? Don''t you have a room already?" A look of disbelief appeared on Krystal''s face. "If it''s not for me, then who is it for?" Chapter 1199 Chapter 1199 Linus was about to reply when he saw Olivia walking over to them from far away. He waved at Olivia, saying, "Come here, Liv." Krystal muttered in suspicion, ''Mom, since when has my brother gotten so close to her?" She didn''t quite like that feeling. Linus had always been a cold man, and he especially avoided women. For the past few years, the person he was closest to was none other than Krystal herself. But Krystal noticed the gentle expression on Linus'' face when he talked to Olivia. She didn''t believe that Linus would be interested in Olivia after learning that Olivia was a divorcee. Olivia nodded politely at Tatiana. "Hi, Mrs. Heath, Ms. Heath." Tatiana didn''t dare to cause trouble in recent days, and she was She greeted indifferently, Hello, Ms. Fordham." Only Krystal snorted. She could only refrain from provoking Olivia, but she would never be nice to Olivia. Olivia''s identity wasn''t revealed yet. So, in front of other people, she addressed Linus the way she used to in the past. "Mr. Linus." ¡°Come here and take a look at the colors. If you don''t like it, I''ll have it repainted for you." Olivia hadn''t even expressed her thoughts when she heard Krystal screaming. "Why would you ask her? Don''t tell me that this room is prepared for her! She''s just an outsider. "What right does she have to hog such a huge room?" By the looks of it, the area of the renovation spanned almost 2000 square feet, and that was excluding the area in the yard. Krystal''s room was only about 500 square feet. Krystal couldn''t understand. "Even if she''s my father''s savior, she can''t just stay here forever, right? What was Dad thinking? Linus, why didn''t you stop Dad? He''s out of his mind!" Tatiana hastily said, "Krystal, stop spouting nonsense!" Krystal couldn''t back down just like that. Gripping Linus¡¯ shoulder, she said, "Linus, you¡ª" Linus frowned deeply. A pained expression flitted across his face just now, and Olivia noticed it. "Let go!" ¡°Who do you think you are? Don''t think that you''re all that just because you saved my dad. And you''re even trying to boss me around now¡ª" Olivia hastily interrupted, "Your brother is injured." She had noticed that Linus'' face was too pale just now. He wasn''t ill, so he most probably lost too much blood. She even caught a faint smell of blood, so she was even more convinced. ¡°What? Linus, were you hurt?" Tatiana shoved Krystal away. Krystal almost fell. ¡°Mom, what are you doing? Don''t you know that I¡ª" "Let me have a look at you, Linus." Olivia suggested, "Mrs. Heath, it''s cold out here. It''s better if we go back inside so that I can take a look at Mr. Linus." It was only at times like that when Tatiana appreciated Olivia. Tatiana nodded submissively. "Alright. I leave him in your hands, Ms. Fordham. You''re skilled in medicine, so please examine my son properly." The three hurried away, leaving Krystal alone. Krystal remained standing where she was. She had a feeling that some things had changed! She thought that if she revealed that she was pregnant, she would be able to win everything back But Olivia''s status had risen quite a lot, and Krystal was beginning to panic. She hastily called Yale. "Yale, are you here yet?" "I''lle over as soon as I''m done. You should rest at home for a while. Don''t tire yourself out." "You''re so good to me." It was only then that Krystal felt a little better. After Yale hung up, he removed the apron he was wearing. Then, he hugged Molly on the couch, spending some intimate moments with her. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Babe, the food is ready. Remember to eat properly. I''lle back to keep youpany at night." ¡°Alright. You should get going." Molly nted a kiss on his cheek. Yale arrived at the Heath residence in high spirits. He had just pulled up when he spotted Ethan''s car. He frowned. Why was Ethan here, too? Chapter 1200 Chapter 1200 Yale wondered if Olivia had married Ethan again. Even if they had reconciled, the dinner tonight was a family matter. Why would an outsider like Ethan be here? Perhaps Ethan had just returned and was reporting the results to Mason. It was the only reason Yale could think of. The two simultaneously opened their car doors and got out of their cars. They were both wearing long wool coats, and they were of simr height. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. But Ethan exuded a colder air than Yale. Without any outsiders around, the two didn''t even want to maintain peace on the surface. Their expressions were cold, and they looked down on each other. They strode into the Heath residence at once. The people following them felt that the two were even colder than the weather. "It''s a family dinner tonight. Don''t you think that your presence here is quite odd?" As Yale walked alongside Ethan, he attacked the Ethan sneered. "If you are aware that this is a family dinner, what right do you have to be here? Isn''t the incidentst time embarrassing enough for you?" Even though Krystal was the one who sshed water on Olivia, Yale must have egged her on. Yale didn''t directly do it, so after the incident, Mason only punished Krystal and drove her out of the Heath residence. Mason didn''t reprimand Yale at all. But everyone knew about Yale''s involvement. Mason must havemitted it to memory. Yale replied calmly, "Krystal did it all for Mr. Heath''s safety. But what about you? "You and Ms. Fordham keep trying to fool Mr. Heath behind the scenes. Mr. Heath should be well aware of what you did." Ethan snorted, but he didn''t humor Yale after that. After all, men couldn''t just start a catfight like women do. The two walked toward the dining hall together. When Yale appeared, Tatiana frowned. She didn''t invite him. As an elder, even though she was upset, she couldn''t just voice her dissatisfaction. She was already troubled enough by the injury on Linus'' arm. Krystal took the initiative to approach Yale. "Yale, you''re here." Her movement shocked everyone present. Everyone knew that the man Krystal loved the most was Ethan, whereas Yale was the man she hated the most. Back then, after the incident, she even cried and shouted that she didn''t want to get married to Yale. But in a mere 20 days or so, she seemed to havepletely changed her opinion of Yale. Mason and Tatiana could see the confusion in each other''s eyes. Tatiana gave Mason a look, indicating that she didn''t understand what was going on either. Just like Mason, she had only heard of this now. Uneasiness ballooned in her heart. Was Yale the surprise Krystal talked about? It would be terrible if that was the case. Mason had avoided it with great difficulty, painstakingly pulling Krystal out of the mud. But unexpectedly, she had taken the initiative to jump into the mud instead. There weren''t any emotions on Mason''s face. ''''Take a seat, everyone." Ethan wanted to sit next to Olivia, but Mason was sitting on Olivia''s left, and Linus was on her right. They were guarding against Ethan as if Ethan were a thief. He had resolved the burning desire he had that morning by taking ahot bath. Tonight, Olivia didn''t put on her mask. Instead, she attended the dinner with her original face. She had applied simple makeup on her face, and her hair was tied up into abun. When she lowered her head, her fair neck was exposed. Every move she made was tempting and seducing Ethan. Meanwhile, Yale took a seat next to Krystal. He identallyid his gaze upon Olivia. Was he seeing things? When Olivia lowered her gaze, he thought that he was looking at Molly. Krystal thought that Yale was seduced by Olivia as well. She pinched his thigh fiercely. Then, she took Yale''s arm. Smiling, she announced, "Dad, Mom, Linus, since you''re all here today, I''m announcing something. "Yale and I are officially dating now. I want to get married to him." Chapter 1201 Chapter 1201 The fork in Tatiana''s hand dropped onto the table with a thud. She had never imagined that Krystal would do something like this. Krystal wanted to be with Yale? Was she out of her mind? Tatiana''s expression turned foul. She even thought that she was hallucinating, and she must have misheard. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Unexpectedly, Krystal curved her lips into a faint smile. "Dad, Mom, I''ve finally realized who has been truly good to me. "In the past, I did so many things for a man who didn''t deserve my love, but I overlooked the man who truly loved me. I''m not a young child anymore. In the future, I just want to live happily with Yale." Tatiana felt like she was having a heart attack. Taking a deep breath, she drank some water to calm herself down. She was suppressing her urge to end Krystal''s life right then and there. When Krystal finished speaking, she noticed her mom''s foul expression. The others were eerily silent as well. There was no trace of dissatisfaction on Ethan''s face caused by her revenge. When Olivia saw Krystal looking at her, she awkwardly picked up a ss of water and drankit. 1 Linus'' expression was dark, and he was frowning deeply. Mason was probably the most indifferent person at the table. Krystal couldn''t see any emotions on his face. Mason slowly put down his ss as he looked at Krystal. "Have you seriously thought it through?" There was no trace of sorrow nor joy in his voice. His voice was entirely calm. It waspletely different from what Krystal had imagined. Why was her father looking at her as if she was a stranger? Mason''s reaction unsettled Krystal. She panicked a little. "Dad, Yale is very good to me. I have seriously thought it through. Please grant us your blessings." At that moment, Yale stood up and took Krystal''s hand. "Mr. and Mrs. Heath, you know I''ve always liked Krystal a lot. I promise that no matter what happens in the future, I''ll treat her well." Tatiana could already feel Mason''s fury. Not only was he furious, but he was also disappointed in Krystal. That was why he behaved so calmly. Hence, Tatiana hastily tried to make peace. "Krystal, I still think you should carefully consider something as important as marriage. It''s okay to date him, but you can''t fool around with marriage." Tatiana was showing Krystal a way out of this mess, but thetter remained stubborn. "Mom, I''ve already considered it as carefully as I can. Yale is a man I can entrust my life to. Linus, back me up. You''re the one who wants me to lead a happy life the most, right?" Krystal was putting her hope in Linus. Linus was a reserved man. Even though he couldn''t say anything decent, he was aware of Yale''s ambitions. Krystal could choose anyone at all, but the only family she must never choose was the Kingston family. "I think Mom''s right. You can date him, but you should give it some time before considering marriage." Krystal was immediately upset. "Yale isn''t some outsider. You have all watched him grow up, haven''t you? "You know his family very well, and in terms of background, our families are a good match for each other. Why won''t you guys agree?" Tatiana said, "Yale, don''t overthink what I''m about to say. It''s not that I don''t like you, but my daughter is a very straightforward person. "She might be up for it today but regret it tomorrow. I''m worried. Marriage isn''t a child''s y." Yale replied, "Ipletely understand how you feel, Mrs. Heath. But I''ve loved Krystal for along time. I''ll be sure to treat her well no matter what. She won''t regret it." Krystal decisively dropped the bomb. "Dad, Mom, I''ll be honest with you guys. There''s a reason why I have to get married to Yale." Mason looked at her. "I''d like to hear why you just have to get married to him." Caressing her t belly, Krystal said proudly, "Dad, I''m pregnant with Yale''s child." Chapter 1202 Chapter 1202 Mason''s gaze was cold as he tightened his grip on the ss cup. Olivia sensed that he was close to exploding, so she immediately patted the back of his hand. "Mr. Heath, please have some more water." At this moment, Mason was even tempted to fling the ss onto Krystal''s face! Suppressing the rage in his heart, he forced himself to say calmly, " So you think getting pregnant outside of marriage is something to be proud of?" "Mr. Heath, you can me me¡ª" Mason threw his ss at Yale''s feet. "She''s being immature, and now you too, Yale? Or are you two just trying to cause trouble for me? "If word of her pregnancy out of wedlock gets out, how will everyone look at our family?" Krystal argued, Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Dad, it''s about time you changed your old- fashioned mindset! Many women get pregnant out of wedlock and get married while they''re pregnant these days. "Yale and I are truly in love with each other. Also, haven''t you been urging Linus to get married and have kids? I have a child now, and you''ll have a grandchild soon. Isn''t this good news?" Mason sneered. "A month ago, you told me you refused to get married to anyone other than Ethan. ¡°But now, you''re saying that you are sincerely in love with Yale? Your sincerity couldn''t have been any cheaper." Krystal said, I was stupid in the past to have fallen for someone I shouldn''t." ¡°How are you so sure that you''re not stupid now?" Krystal couldn''t say anything to counter Mason''s words. So, she could only ce her hope on Tatiana. "Mom, help me out here. It''s not a bad thing that I got pregnant. Why is Dad so mad about it?" Tatiana wasn''t taking Krystal''s side today. With a cold look, she said, "I think you''re seriously out of your mind. You are aware of your father''s status as well as your own. "If word of this gets out, do you think your dad would be proud of it?" Krystal stuck out her tongue. "I''m not like thosemoners. No media will dare to spread rumors about me." Seeing Krystal''s defiant attitude, Tatiana felt her blood pressure rise from the rage. It was a surprise indeed. Tatiana was so surprised that she couldn''t even say a word. Even now, Krystal still failed to realize the severity of the situation. Tatiana thought that Krystal was truly well-behaved now, but unbeknownst to her, Krystal had done something stupid instead. "What do you want me to say? To wish you a happy marriage?" Tatiana was exasperated. "Mom, don''t you wish for my happiness at all?" "It''s not that I don''t want you to be happy, but marriage isn''t as simple as eating or sleeping. If you rush into marriage without any preparations, you''ll suffer in the end." As someone who had gone through the ordeal, Tatiana patiently gave Krystal advice. But of course, Krystal wouldn''t hear a word of it. She said innocently, "Yale loves me so much. He won''t be like that heartless man. I''m sure he''ll treat me well." Ethan didn''t say a word, but somehow he''d gotten involved in the conversation. Looking at her daughter''s innocent expression, Tatiana shook her head helplessly. Marriage wasn''t as simple as Krystal imagined. Mason spoke up again. "Alright, then. Young people these days like sh marriages, right? We old people can''t stop you. I wish you a happy marriage ahead of time." "Dad, you agreed for real?" Krystal''s eyes lit up. "Agree? You two are in love with each other, right? Why wouldn''t I agree?" Mason smiled as he spoke. "Dad, I''ll be sure to treat Krystal well in the future. Don''t worry," Yale hastily said. Mason raised his hand. "Please don''t call me ''Dad.''" "Dad, what do you mean? Haven''t you already agreed to the marriage?" Krystal looked at Mason, confused. ¡°That night, I made myself very clear. I have disowned you, so you''re no longer my daughter. You can get married to whoever you want." With that, he looked at Yale. "Since you truly love her, I''m sure you won''t mind her status, right?" Chapter 1203 Chapter 1203 Yale was stunned, but he quickly returned to his senses. That cunning Mason had struck the heart of the problem. Yale refused to believe that Mason would truly disown his daughter. Mason must be testing him. ¡°Of course. I love Krystal as a person, not her status." Krystal said angrily, "Dad, what do you mean by this? Didn''t you say those words out of anger, and you didn''t mean them at all? You''re my biological father. How could you abandon me?" Mason sneered. "Do you think I''m as childish as you are? Why would I say things like that out of anger? All these years, you have been doing whatever you like just because of your status. "So what happens now that you''ve lost that status?" Krystal''s expression stiffened. "Dad, haven''t you cooled off? If not, why would you ask me toe back for dinner?" "I called you back here to announce one thing. It was also to erase you from our family tree." Krsytal''s body swayed. "Dad, you must be joking." "Why would I joke about such things with you?" Mason''s expression was cold, and he looked at her like she was just a stranger. Krystal shook Tatiana''s arm. It was only at that moment that she felt true fear. "Mom, speak up for me." If Krystal hadn''t gotten pregnant, Tatiana would, of course, take Krystal''s side. But now, Tatiana was also devastated that Krystal had done something so shameless. She felt embarrassed to learn that the daughter she had raised as her own had turned into such an immoral woman. 1 "| have nothing to say." "Linus!" Krystal hastily went up to Linus and shook his arm. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Help me coax Dad." She had quite arge frame, so she identally bumped into Olivia. When their gazes met, Krystal vented all her anger on Olivia. Raising her hand, she struck Olivia''s face. "It''s you! It''s all because of you! You wench¡ª" Linus grabbed her hand. "Haven''t you had enough of fooling around?" "Me? Fool around? Don''t you all feel that something''s off? Ever since she came here, she has turned our family upside down." "Enough. Even now, you''re still trying to me someone else when it''s your fault." Linus pushed her hand away. Then, he looked worriedly at Olivia. "Are you okay, Liv?" "I''m fine. Don''t worry." Krystal took a few steps backward. She couldn''t believe that her brother, who used to pamper her, would treat her like that. He focused all his love and attention on Olivia instead. "Linus, are you guys out of your mind? Did this woman charm you or something? I am your biological sister! She''s just an outsider. Why are you so nice to her?" "An outsider?" Mason snorted. "Who said that she''s an outsider?" Tatiana looked at Mason. She suddenly realized something. Didn''t Mason just say that he was about to announce something? She thought of the changes in the home these days, and she realized that they were all rted to Olivia. Could it be? Gripping her clothes tightly, Tatiana looked at Mason. "Mason, what are you announcing? Does it have something to do with Ms. Fordham?" "Her? What does she have to do with our family?" Getting up, Mason waved Olivia over. "Child,e here." Olivia obediently walked over to him. Taking her hand, Mason said gently, ''''We have verified that Olivia is rted to me by blood. She is not an outsider. She''s my bona fide granddaughter." Krystal''s face turned pale. "Dad, what did you just say..." Chapter 1204 Chapter 1204 Early on, Tatiana had already guessed that something was off. When Mason revealed the answer, she felt her heart tremble violently. Tatiana said through shivering lips, "What''s going on, Mason?" Mason exined, "A long time ago, I told you I was ina rtionship before we got together. I didn''t betray you. The child existed before I met you. Liv is the granddaughter I had with her." "Dad, how can she be your granddaughter? She..." Krystal shook her head continuously, refusing to acknowledge it. But Mason just smiled coldly. "I had a DNA test with Liv in private, and it confirmed our blood rtionship. She''ll be a part of the Heath family in the future. As for you..." Mason''s tone turned heavy. "I''ve already said that you''re no longer my daughter. You''re on your own now." Only then did Krystal realize that an earth-shaking change had urred in the Heath family. However, she was kept in the dark and knew nothing about it. Now, she only had one card left. It was the child in her belly! "Dad, I''m pregnant. Look, this is the pregnancy test report. How can you drive me out?" "Yale is a responsible man, so I''m sure he''ll take responsibility until the end. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Moreover, isn''t this the marriage you want? Just marry him and live the life you''ve always wanted." Yale could barely keep his calm. After all, he had sacrificed alot for this day. He thought he would finally win against Ethan for once, but unexpectedly, things had turned out like this. How could Olivia be Mason''s biological granddaughter? Wasn''t she the daughter of the bankrupt Fordham family? Yale was furious, but it was exactly at times like this he had to keep calm. Reaching out, he held Krystal back. "Krystal, you''re pregnant. Calm down." "Calm down? How can I calm down? How can a wench like Olivia be worthy of ¡ª" Raising his hand, Mason pped Krystal across the face. "Shut up. What right do you have to insult her? You''re nothing without the Heath family. Get lost! I don''t want to see you ever again." Krystal''s eyes were red as she retorted, "Fine. Remember, you drove me out today. Don''t even think about asking me toe back in the future!" With that, she left in a rage. Yale cursed her stupidity, but he pretended to be considerate and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Heath, I''ll be taking my leave now. "It''s cold outside, and the roads are slippery. I worry that Krystal might be in danger. Krystal, wait for me!" Tatiana got up to go after Krystal. They were just going to have a meal, so how did it turn out like this? "If you dare follow, you''re leaving the Heath family with her!" Mason was truly furious today. He wouldn''t mind his precious daughter getting tricked once, but now, she had even gotten pregnant. It was too much. Tatiana paused in her tracks. Lifting his fork, Mason said with a dark expression, "Sit down!" Tatiana had no choice but to sit down obediently. She put a smile on her face as she looked at Olivia. "Come on, Mason, why didn''t you tell me earlier about your connection to Ms. Fordham? "It happened decades ago, and you didn''t even know me then. Do you think I''d still me you for that? ¡°Well, Liv, there had been some misunderstandings between us, but please don''t take Krystal''s words to heart. Mason didn''t tell me, so I didn''t manage to prepare a meeting gift for you." Tatiana looked at a middle- aged maid at the side. "Lisa, go to my jewelry box and bring me that pair of azure bracelets." Lisa Walker had been serving Tatiana before Tatiana even got married. She had served Tatiana for decades and had always been a woman of few words. She waspetent, and Tatiana trusted her very much. ¡°Understood, Mrs. Heath." Mason looked at Olivia and Ethan gently. "Ignore her. The food tonight is quite delicious. Feel free to have more." Chapter 1205 Chapter 1205 Ethan got to watch the drama unfold for free. He guessed that Yale would be immensely pissed off. His ns were foiled once again. So, he ate happily. He even went for seconds. The members of the Heath family had stern looks on their faces. The worst hade to pass, so Mason didn''t even have the mood to eat anymore. Olivia put some food on his te, shaking her head as she said, " Grandpa, please take care of yourself." Mason let out along sigh. How could he have such a terrible daughter? He couldn''t understand at all. He and Tatiana were both smart people, so who did Krystal take after? Even though they didn''t call off the meal, Krystal had ruined the good mood, so dinner ended quickly. Mason told Olivia, "You don''t need to massage my feet tonight. I have some things to discuss with your... grandma." Both Olivia and Tatiana felt speechless when they heard that. Tatiana was only in her 50s, but she had be a grandmother for some reason! ¡°Alright. Just please don''t get mad, Grandpa." No one had expected Krystal to get pregnant. They had no idea what tactics Yale had used just to marry her. He had crossed the line this time. Linus followed Mason as well. Ethan was ted. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "T''ll send you back, Liv." The lights were dim in the corridor outside. Under the streetlights, the white snow drifted like feathers. The scenery was beautiful. Reaching up, Ethan touched the back of Olivia''s hand. Olivia red at him. "What?" He decisively put her hand into the pocket of his coat. Olivia wanted to protest, but hisrge hand gripped hers tightly. "Liv, Lremember when we had just fallen in love." Ascene appeared in Olivia''s mind. Back then, Ethan had just returned from overseas, and the first thing he did was to show up at her school. ¡°Come down. I''m outside your dorm." Olivia looked down from the balcony to see the man leaning against his car. He was looking up at her. Like a joyful bird, she rushed downstairs and threw herself into his arms. The gates closed at 10:00 pm, so he could only apany her fora walk around the school field. She was in so much of a rush to go out that she only wore thin clothing. Ethan took off his coat and wrapped it around her. The coat was warm, and it even had his scent. They embraced each other under the streetlights of that snowy night. "Love is always wonderful when you''re a student. It doesn''t have anything else mixed in." Ethan held Olivia''s hand tightly. "Liv, we can go back to that time." Something hard was dropped into her palm. Olivia looked at it. It was the other ring. Ethan got down on one knee. Under the heavy snow, he said, "Liv, I love you, and this has never changed. Please give me another chance to love you." He looked up at her. From his angle, Olivia looked like a goddess to him. The streetlights cast a faint golden glow over her, outlining the shape of her body. Her face hadn''t changed too much. The only difference was she had lost her childish air ten years ago. Not only had she matured, but she was also even more radiant. He was hopelessly in love with her. Snowkes gently drifted down around them. Olivia quietly looked down at him. She would be excited and touched in the past. But now, those emotions were gone. "Let''s not." She stuffed the ring back into his hand. "If you fool around like that, it''ll be pointless." 3 With that, Olivia ignored Ethan. She turned and left. 1 The young woman ten years ago, who would throw herself into his arms without hesitation, had died in the heavy snow that day. Chapter 1206 Chapter 1206 Once back in her room, Olivia smiled bitterly. She thought to herself, if Ethan had known that this was going to happen, why did he do what he did back then? Now, she still didn''t have the resolve to prepare for a marriage, even if it was with her ex- husband. Ethan stood in the snow for a long time.It covered his whole body. Finally, he let out a long sigh.He then turned around and left.He would bear the consequences of his actions. In the study, Mason''s expression was cold as Tatiana stood next to him.She tried to persuade him.She made herself clear first. "Mason, I swear I didn''t know about this.Don''t look at me like that. "She kept saying that she had a surprise for me.I sincerely thought she had repented, but who knew it would turn out like this?" Linus was also exasperated. "She has gone too far this time.We all know that she hates Yale, so that was how Yale managed to sneak in. "I have no idea how she got pregnant in such a short time, and with Yale''s child too!" Tatiana said, "Indeed.That time, I watched as she took the pill, so she couldn''t possibly have gotten pregnant.Mason, what do we do now?" Mason snorted. ¡°What else? I''ve already said it before." "She''s your precious daughter, after all.Are you truly so cruel that you would disown her?" "She has chosen that path herself.No one forced her to do it, so how am I supposed to teach her? Even animals would learn their lesson after a few times, but her? "Yale managed to trick her with just a few words.She has lived such a pampered life since she was a child¡ªit''s about time she experienced some hardship." Mason''s decision was resolute. "That''s settled, then.She is no longer my daughter from now on.I''m warning you two, don''t do anything meaningless." "Got it, Dad." Tatiana hastily stopped Linus. "Linus, she''s your biological sister.Can you truly abandon her?" "Mom, Yale isn''t a decent man.He''s too ambitious.As soon as he bes a son-inw of the Heath family, he can benefit plenty from his position. "Countries are built on individual families, so Ipletely agree with Dad.Krystal is too stubborn.We''ve already advised her many times, but she refuses to listen." Tatiana slumped on the chair.She wanted to say something, but she couldn''t speak a word. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Alright, you can leave now.I''ll just pretend I never had a daughter.Linus, don''t go yet.I have something to discuss with you." In a daze, Tatiana left and closed the door on her way out.She had just gotten out when Lisa went up to her. "Mrs.Heath, what did Mr.Heath say?" "Please stop asking, Lisa." Tatiana almost lost her bnce. Lisa hastily supported her. "Careful." Tatiana sighed. "If she wasn''t pregnant, she might still have a chance.She''s dug her own grave." "Ms.Heath is a little too yful, but she''s just a child.He can just punish her.Is he truly going to disown her?" "She has always been single-minded.You''ve watched her grow up too.Do you think she''ll obediently get rid of the child and draw the line between her and Yale? "She had finally jumped out of the frying pan called Ethan, but now, she''s thrown herself into the fire.Ugh, I''m so mad at her!" Lisa helped Tatiana to her room and then poured her a ss of water. "Mrs.Heath, please calm down. "Perhaps in a few days, Ms.Heath will think things through and realize that you are the ones who truly care about her.You have to persuade Mr.Heath so he doesn''t actually abandon her. "She is his child, so she should be closer to him than some granddaughter." Tatiana mmed the ss on the table. "It''s all Olivia''s fault! That wench! If she never came to our home, all this wouldn''t have happened." "Look how much Mr.Heath dotes on her.She has just returned to the family, but he''s already pampering her to no end.And now, he has even driven Ms.Heath out. "In the future, will he give her Ms.Heath''s portion of the inheritance as well?" Chapter 1207 Chapter 1207 Tatiana was already mad enough before Lisa said that.She suddenly stood, mming her palm on the table. ¡°She''s not worthy! Who does she think she is? She''s nothing but a lowly bastard!" "You''re right, Mrs.Heath.No one knows who her parents are even now, so what is she but a bastard? Ms.Heath lost favor all because of her. "If it weren''t for her, Mr.Heath would''ve allowed Ms.Heath to return by now!" Tatiana looked at Lisa''s face, asking fiercely, "Why are you suddenly so invested in this matter?" Lisa hastily got on her knees. "Mrs.Heath, I have served you since you were young.Back then, I lost my child to an ident, and I''ve more or less raised Ms.Heath as my own. "She''s practically a daughter to me, so I am also heartbroken that she was driven out of the Heath family." Reaching out, Tatiana lifted her face and looked at the scar on her right cheek. Lisa lowered her head and pped herself. "It''s all my fault.I shouldn''t have said so much." "Get up," Tatiana said coldly, "This matter has nothing to do with you.You''re right.Olivia''s arrival is the reason why my daughter was mistreated like this.I won''t let her off the hook." "Mrs.Heath, I''ll ask around on Ms.Heath''s end to see if she can get rid of the child and break up with Yale." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Alright.You brought her up, so she''ll listen to you." Tatiana put a hand to her head, looking quite exhausted.She had suffered a lot these days thanks to Krystal. "Let me massage your head, Mrs.Heath." "Alright." Tatiana didn''t feel like sleeping at all. Krystal¡¯s matter wasn''t the only thing that saddened her tonight. Now, she was most worried about Olivia. When she got to know Mason, she knew his heart belonged to another. That was why she stopped at nothing to get married to him. He had confessed his love history to her before they got married.He told her that he was once deeply in love with another woman. That was during the war. He became separated from that woman and didn''t manage to find her even after so many years of searching. Tatiana said that she didn''t mind. Explosions were going off everywhere back then, so how could that woman have survived? In the few years after their marriage, she was worried that that woman might show up, but fortunately, it never happened. Still, she thought Mason would fall for her as time passed. After all these years, she still failed to win his heart. She assumed that this would just go on until they died. But now, Olivia had shown up, and they discovered that Mason had a child with that woman. What if that woman herself appeared someday? Back then, Mason had to depend on the Benson family. But now, the Benson family depended on him and his status. "Don''t overthink it, Mrs.Heath.Even if that woman appears, she should be in her 70s now.She can''t Thanks to Lisa''s reminder, Tatiana smiled. "You''re right.Even if she''s still alive, she''s just an old woman with silver hair.How can shepare to me?" "She might even have died a long time ago.People from that era usually don''t live long." Tatiana put a hand to her head. ¡°To be honest, I''m curious what that woman looks like.Mason has been thinking of her all his life, after all." "Mr.Heath''s eyes were bulging when he looked at that vixen.She must look a lot like her grandmother." Tatiana snorted. ¡°If she truly has a face like that, it''s no wonder she managed to seduce Mason for life." "Well, all men are like that.They find it hard to forget their first love and the women they couldn''t attain.It''s just how things are." "Let''s hope that''s how it is." Tatiana closed her eyes.She had a feeling that one day, she would meet the love rival she had never met before. Chapter 1208 Chapter 1208 After the ruckus caused by Krystal, the entire Heath residence was gloomy. Olivia took the chance to go out for some air. Last night, she parted ways with Ethan on bad terms. So, she didn''t go to him right away. Ethan insisted on marrying her, but she didn''t want to be burdened with chains again. So this time, she came out to check how her ns were turning out. Warren would send her messages every day. But she wasn''t very interested in replying. She had be much colder toward Warren these days. She bought some supplements and visited Jenna. When Jenna saw Olivia arrive, she was quite weing toward her. "Child, you''re finally here! Look, do you see any obvious changes on my face?" Her scar was still there, but the edges had blurred out a lotpared to before.It was a visible change. Smiling, Olivia said, ¡°Yes, you did get better.Here are some supplements I bought for you.When I checked on youst time, I noticed your body is slightly weak, so you need some nourishment." "You''re too kind." Although Jenna didn''t want to ept it initially, she immediately epted it when she heard it would improve her health. To Jenna, Olivia wasn''t any different from a miraculous doctor. She enthusiastically took Olivia''s hand, saying, "Thank you so much.Please, do stay for a meal today. "You''re a doctor, so you should know plenty about skincare, right?" Olivia replied, "I do know a thing or two." Jenna hastily pulled her into the house. Then, she gave Miranda a look. ¡°Go and purchase some good wine and dishes to serve Ms.Fordham with." "Understood." Miranda secretly contacted Warren. When Warren heard that Olivia was here, he drove over right away. Olivia noticed everything they did.However, she pretended not to know as she chatted with Jenna. "It just so happens that I''m going to check in on a friend today, so I brought some needles along.If you don''t mind, Aunt Jenna, I can perform acupuncture on you.It''ll help with your health a little." "Oh, no, I don''t mind at all.I''ll be very d if you can do that." "Alright.Aunt Jenna, please lie on the bed.I''ll start right now.When Warren barged in through the door, he spotted Olivia right away.He didn''t realize it, but his entire being was filled with thoughts of her after they parted waysst time.He arrived hastily, and he seemed to have rushed all the way here. Olivia could see that he was still trying to catch his breath.He was probably worried that she would escape again. Olivia had just brought out the needles, and she seemed a little startled when he showed up. "W-Why are you here?" It was only then that Warren calmed his breaths. "I came over to visit my mom.When I bumped into Miranda downstairs, she told me that you visited.Why didn''t you tell me you wereing?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Lowering her head, Olivia said, "I''m just here to visit Aunt Jenna." "What about me..." Warren''s voice was hoarse. ¡°Why didn''t you reply to my messages?" "Get lost and stop getting in the way here! There can''t be so many reasons¡ªI''m sure she just hates you," Jenna said in annoyance. Olivia smiled awkwardly. "I''m performing acupuncture on Aunt Jenna." Assured that Olivia wouldn''t run away, Warren finally calmed down. "We''ll talkter.I''ll wait for you outside." Reaching up, Olivia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.Her smile was gentle and elegant. "Alright." Warren was stunned right then and there. He lost himself in that smile. Like a stringed puppet, he left and closed the door in confusion. Jenna remarked, ¡°Ignore that silly son of mine. He has never had a girlfriend, so he doesn''t know how to talk to women." Olivia didn''t continue that conversation. "Aunt Jenna, take off your shirt." Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209 Warren was a little restless as he smoked cigarette after cigarette outside. Ever since that night Olivia left him those words, he had lost sleep every night. When he realized he might love Olivia, he was startled as well. He knew very well that Olivia was the least likely person he could fall for. He was the reason she gave birth prematurely, and he was also the murderer who killed Mona. He should stay far away from her, but he couldn''t control his heart. After Olivia ignored him, he felt like a tiny paw was wing at his insides. He constantly thought about her.He looked forward to their next meeting.He anxiously waited outside for Olivia. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. When the acupuncture wasplete, Jenna''s excited voice could be heard from within. "I feel much better now.Child, are you secretly a miraculous doctor?" Olivia smiled gently. "No, I''m not that amazing.I just know a little bit about medicine." When Warren opened the door, he saw Olivia putting away the needles.He could see the elegant and gentle smile on her profile. She was stunningly beautiful. Jenna had just put on her shirt. Looking slightly displeased, she said, "Look how anxious my son is.Ms.Fordham, why don''t you talk to him a little?" When Olivia picked up her medicine kit, Jenna and Warren were both nervous. "What''s the matter? Are you leaving?" "I came over today to check on the effects of the medicine.Also, when I gave you a checkupst time, I noticed that you had some health problems, so I performed a quick acupuncture on you. "Now that the treatment isplete, I should leave." Jenna said, "I''ve already asked Miranda to buy some food.Why don''t you leave after the meal?" "Aunt Jenna, I have other matters to attend to.Other people are waiting for me to perform acupuncture on them, too.I''ll be leaving now." Warren''s gaze darkened. "I''ll see you off." ¡°Alright." In the elevator, Olivia stood upright while Warren seemed a little troubled. The two silently walked out of the elevator. "I drove here myself, so you don''t have to see me off.You should head up and keep Aunt Jenna Seeing that Olivia was about to leave again, Warren grew so anxious that he gripped her wrist. "Wait.I have something to tell you." Suppressing the urge to snap his bones, Olivia mustered a bewildered expression as she looked at him. "What''s the matter?" "I...I''ve thought about the things you said before.Can we be together?" There was silence. Warren''s heart raced. Unlike the fake acts he had put on in the past, this was his first time sincerely confessing his feelings. "Ms.Fordham, I fell in love with you." Olivia stared at his flustered eyes.She only felt amused. Mona had treasured this man so much, but he had sumbed so soon. He was easier to deal with than Olivia thought.She wondered if Mona regretted getting killed by a man like this. Olivia didn''t reply, so Warren felt even more nervous. "You..." Olivia broke free from his grasp.She looked sorrowful as if she was about to tear up anytime soon. "Warren, we can''t be together." "Is it because of that man?" A cold look appeared in Warren''s eyes. If Ethan was the reason, he would stop at nothing to kill him, even if that was quite a challenge to achieve. Olivia shook her head. "I don''t have anything to do with him anymore.I''ve had children, and I''ve gone through a divorce before.I..." "I don''t mind." Licking his lips, Warren blurted out, "I know we can''t be together, but I can''t stop myself from wanting you.Ms.Fordham, I''m serious about you.I don''t mind your past.Can you be with me?¡± Chapter 1210 Chapter 1210 Olivia pretended to be conflicted as she pushed him away. "Please let me think about it." She got into the car, but Warren gripped the car door, refusing to let her leave. "Don''t go, please." "I have my concerns.If I knew that you''d be here, I wouldn''t havee over today.I can''t think straight right now.Can you let go and let me think about it for now?" "You have to stop ignoring my messages." ¡°Alright." It was only then that Warren let go of the car door. Before stepping on the gas pedal, Olivia even put on a hesitant look.She looked like she was about to cry. The best way to deal with people like Warren was to leave them hanging. She would let him think about it on his own, and he would constantly debunk and rebuild his theories. He would be conflicted, but she had to seem even more conflicted than him. In the next phase, he would think of her as a tragic person.He wouldn''t be able to break free from his feelings of pity toward her. Then, she could carry out her new n. Her best tactic was to affect his mind. Today, she had to perform acupuncture for Marina. To carry out the next treatment n, she asked Marina to get an X- ray at the hospital and go through some checkups. Olivia put on her mask in the car before hurrying to the hospital. She had just entered the lobby when a pale figure fainted in front of her. Fortunately, Olivia reacted quickly. She supported the person in time so the person wouldn''t fall. When she wrapped her arm around the person''s waist, she felt that this woman was quite skinny. Her waist was extremely slender. Had this woman lost too much weight because of extreme beauty standards? If not, then she probably had a severe illness. After all, Olivia was also very skinny back when she had chemo. A normal person didn''t have to lose as much weight as celebrities did just to make themselves look smaller on screen. As the woman leaned in Olivia''s arms, Olivia pushed the woman''s strands of hair away. She saw the woman''s pale skin and thin neck, and she could see every vein under the woman''s skin. What a frail person! That was Olivia''s first thought. Just when Olivia was about to examine the woman''s body, the woman opened her eyes and looked at Olivia. Olivia caught sight of a pair of clear and innocent eyes. Olivia was startled to see that this woman looked a little like her. But she quickly calmed down. She knew there would be those who looked exactly like her in the world, let alone resemble her.So, she All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. didn''t mind it. "Are you okay, miss?" "I''m fine.I didn''t have breakfast before getting a blood test this morning.For some reason, I suddenly felt dizzy, and my vision cked out just now. "It''s good that you helped me, or I wouldn''t know what would happen..." After listening to the woman''s exnation, Olivia said, "You probably have low blood sugar.You''ll be fine if you eat something.I''ll support you so you can stand for a bit before leaving." But when she saw the woman''s overly pale and weak body, she secretly ced her hand on the woman''s pulse. "Thank you." The woman seemed friendly as she thanked Olivia. Just then, a middle-aged woman hastily ran out with a test report.She looked anxious. ¡°Miss, I couldn''t find you anywhere.You gave me quite a fright." When she noticed Olivia ncing at the report in her hands, she subconsciously held it closer to stop Olivia from peeking. "Sorry, Florence.The smell inside was a little too much for me, so I wanted toe out to wait for you.I almost fainted just now, but thisdy fortunately helped me up." "Oh, you.You''re already in ill health, so you shouldn''t run around recklessly in the future.If you tripped and fell, what if The woman called Florence nced at Olivia.Then, she stopped halfway through her sentence. "Thank you very much." Olivia retracted her hands. "No problem.Her body is very weak, and she has low blood sugar.Do remember to eat breakfast." Molly wanted to say something else, but Florence dragged her away. Olivia watched as Molly left. Judging by her pulse, Olivia could see that the woman had been pregnant for a month or so.She must havee for a checkup today, and she had her blood drawn on an empty stomach, so she almost fainted.Still, there was something odd about that woman''s body. Chapter 1211 Chapter 1211 Although Olivia didn''t know the woman, she was a doctor.She was still concerned about her. After all, with the woman''s current physical condition, her body couldn''t nurture a child. If left unattended, only two endings awaited the woman. Either a miscarriage would ur when the child developed to a certain point, or both mother and child would die. The former was considered the best oue under those circumstances. As a fellow woman and mother, Olivia couldn''t ignore that. She hastily went after the woman. The woman was pregnant, so she walked very slowly. Hence, Olivia soon caught up to the woman. "Wait." Olivia stopped Molly in time. Florence stood in front of Olivia. There was a wary look on her face as she asked, "Do you have anything else to say?" She looked like she was guarding against a thief. Molly hastily pushed her away. "Florence, thisdy is a good person.It''s okay." Olivia felt that this woman was a kind person. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Her eyes were too pure, like untainted herbs picked from a snowy mountain. People would pity her. Olivia had always been very kind toward people like her. Taking two steps forward, Molly looked at Olivia with a gaze filled with gentleness. ¡°Is anything the matter, miss?" Olivia felt that Florence was too wary of her, and she felt that it was inappropriate to talk about the woman''s body straight out. So, she found an excuse and said, "There''s a breakfast restaurant next door.I''m worried that you might faint again, so allow me to lead you there." Molly did feel a little hungry. She looked at Florence as if asking for permission. "Florence, I..." "Miss, the food outside might be unclean.You can have breakfast after we go home." Olivia immediately said, ¡°Didn''t you know that pregnant women have to get their nourishment on time? If she faints again and affects the child in her belly, can you bear the responsibility?" Florence''s expression shifted. "How did you know that she''s pregnant?" Molly''s eyes lit up. She felt that Olivia was quite amazing. "She''s right.How did you know?" "When I held your wrist just now, I happened to touch your pulse." "You know medicine?" "A little.If not, I wouldn''t have run after you." "Florence, she''s amazing.She only held my wrist for a short time, but she could already tell that I was pregnant.She''s even more talented than those old doctors." Florence thought about the test report she was holding when she went over to them. She suspected that Olivia might have guessed it at a nce. So, she felt that Olivia was even more suspicious now. "Miss, there are scammers everywhere.Don''t forget what he said.We have to hurry back home as soon as the checkup is over." At the mention of "him", Molly became alert as well.She subconsciously touched her still-t belly.She had finally gotten pregnant, so she couldn''t afford to make any mistakes.So, she said politely to Olivia, "Thank you for your offer, but I can go home and get breakfast." With that, Molly prepared to leave, but Olivia added, "You''ve been pregnant for about six weeks, and you usually have a weaker body.You tend to lose sleep at night, and you dream a lot. "You''re prone to palpitations, and you''re also a little weak in the mental aspect." If Olivia had made a lucky guess before that Molly was pregnant, these words were enough to pause Molly in her tracks. Molly turned to look at her. "You''re a miraculous doctor!" Even Florence was in disbelief. After all, even Yale had no idea about those symptoms. An outsider couldn''t have known all those details. "So you truly know medicine?" "I wouldn''t have done this if you weren''t pregnant.Can we eat together now?" Molly grabbed her hand. ¡°Of course, Ms.Miraculous Doctor." Olivia nced at Molly''s skinny hands, which were colder than normal people''s. Molly was such a nicedy.Who could have harmed her? Chapter 1212 Chapter 1212 Olivia had always treated patients selectively. When faced with the old and sickly, she was always very patient and never acted patronizingly toward them. When encountering patients from a poor background, she would even treat them for free. She had always remembered her mentor''s words. A doctor would never treat the sick just to earn money. They would help everyone in the world. Florence didn''t know what Olivia was trying to do, but Olivia had certainly seen through Molly''s illness at a nce. After Florence made a call, a few bodyguards in ck soon appeared. Under the protection of the bodyguards, they went to the breakfast restaurant next door. "What exactly are you trying to say? I''m telling you, our youngdy isn''t amon person.Don''t even think of ying any tricks on her." Olivia couldn''t be bothered to respond to Florence. After ordering two oatmeals, she asked Molly to extend her hand. Olivia was in too much of a rush just now, so she feared that she had gotten the wrong reading. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Molly hastily reached out her hand. Olivia examined her pulse again. When Olivia moved her hand away, Florence hastily asked, "How is she?" "The baby is developing very well." Florence had already read that on the ultrasound report. "I already know that.I want to know whether she¡ª" Olivia could see that Florence was sincerely worried about Molly, so she decided not to dwell on Florence''s rudeness. "The child is fine, but they will never be born." "Hey, watch it! You must be a quack doctor who''s trying to cheat people of their money!" After all, some beggars and even fake fortune tellers would loiter outside the hospital. Those so-called fortune tellers would take advantage of people desperate for a cure and extort arge sum of money from them. Molly''s already fair face turned paler. "What do you mean?" Molly could see that even though Olivia didn''t have outstanding looks, she wore simple but branded clothing. The air about her was quite umon as well. "With your physical condition, it should be tough for you to get pregnant.You must have worked very hard to have this child." Molly widened her eyes. "How did you know that?" She didn''t know this person at all. From just examining her pulse, Olivia could glean so much information. Molly had been with Yale for several years. They started with birth control, but she stopped the contraceptives when she sincerely wanted to have his child. However, she still couldn''t get pregnant, so she had no choice but to ask doctors for help. Be it traditional treatment or modern ovtion induction, she had used every method avable. Then, after lots of hard work, she finally got pregnant. "You were exhausted even before you got pregnant.So even if you did get pregnant, your health is bad enough as it is.The child may be fine in the early stages, but they''ll need more nutrients as they grow. "Your body won''t be able to endure that on its own.In that case, there can only be one ending for the child.Miscarriage.Molly''s expression worsened.Her legs grew weak, and she almost fell from her seat. At the side, Florence hastily supported Molly. She was beginning to believe Olivia now. The oatmeal was served. Grabbing Olivia''s hand, Molly had a pleading look on her face as she said, "Ms.Miraculous Doctor, can you please save me?" "Let''s eat first." Olivia had especially ordered some superfood oatmeal for Molly. Molly didn''t have the appetite. Olivia took pity on Molly when she saw thetter''s already skinny body. "It''s usually okay if you don''t eat because youck appetite, but now, this concerns the child in your belly."Only after Olivia said those words did Molly begin to eat.She ate hurriedly, and Florence hastily scooped some of the oatmeal into a smaller bowl. "Miss, it''s very hot.Slow down." "Calm down.I called out to you because I want to save you." It was only then that Molly''s expression improved a little. After blowing on the oatmeal, she slowly finished half of the food. "Ms.Miraculous Doctor, please tell me.I''ve worked so hard to have this child, so how do I make sure they''ll be safe?" Chapter 1213 Chapter 1213 At that moment, Olivia still didn''t know about Molly''s family situation. She feared that she might be alerting the enemy by exposing it. "You need slow and proper treatment for your current physical condition.As you can see, I''m a doctor." Olivia showed Molly her acupuncture kit. "But I have to visit another patient today.Your physical condition is moreplicated, so I can''t exin it in a few words. "If you don''t mind, you can give me your address.After I''m done with my work, I''ll visit you and talk about it in detail." Florence had a slightly hesitant look in her eyes.She didn''t seem willing to tell Olivia their address. "Perhaps you can give us the address of the hospital you''re working at.I''ll take Ms.Molly there for treatment another day." "I don''t work at a hospital.If there''s nothing important to attend to, Ms.Molly shouldn''t walk around too much.Like I just said, she has a high risk of miscarriage. "She has to rest and recuperate for the first three months.So, the only option is for me to visit her." With that, Olivia nced at her watch. "It''s about time for my appointment.Remember, let Ms.Molly finish her food before leaving.She has low All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. blood sugar, so she has to eat breakfast every day. "This is my phone number.If you need anything, you can call me." Molly nced at the branded watch Olivia was wearing.It had to cost at least a million dors. As expected, Olivia didn''tck money. "Miss, we don''t know each other.Why would you help me?" Olivia smiled. "Because I''m a mother too.Like you, I almost lost my child before, so I understand how you feel." With that, she got up and paid the bill. She wrote her number on the receipt with a ck pen.She then left hastily.She had already given them an opportunity, so it was up to them to grab it or not. Molly looked at Florence with a pleading gaze. "Florence, she doesn''t look like a scammer to me." "Ms.Molly, scammers won''t explicitly show that they''re scammers." "But you''ve seen her.She doesn''t look like she needs money.Also, it''s true we don''t know each other. "Even Yale isn''t aware of all my health problems, but she saw through everything by examining my pulse.I..." Molly touched her belly even though she couldn''t sense the child''s existence at this stage. However, she knew that a tiny life had truly sprung within her. "I want to give it a shot and give birth to Yale''s child." "Ms.Molly, I think you should discuss this with Mr.Kingston first." "Alright." Olivia soon forgot about that incident. When she found Marina, thetter was sitting in the VIP room, waiting for her results. Back then, Ethan had forked out money to build this hospital. Olivia was the one who suggested this project in the first ce. After Marina returned to the country, she stepped in and forcefully named one of the hospital wings after her. Back then, Olivia was sad about it for a long while. Later, when Ethan got mad, he rented Collington Cove out and turned it into a high-end homestay. The hospital wing in Oand Hospital was also relieved of Marina''s name. Ethan had probably done it so that Olivia would change her mind sooner. Still, he didn''t cancel Marina''s shares, which meant Marina was still one of Oand Hospital''srgest shareholders. So, that was where her arrogance came from. In all these years, Olivia didn''t pay too much attention to the hospital. But judging by the busy crowds of people, she guessed that the hospital was run quite well. It was a private hospital that didn''t charge expensive hospital bills. Special funds were established, and the process the patients had to go through to see a doctor was simple. They hired many retired professors as their doctors, and some poor families even received free treatment. So, the hospital was well-received among the people. Olivia didn''t read the financial report, so she didn''t know if the hospital was earning money. At the very least, her wish back then hade true. Marina was sitting in a wheelchair. She held a ss of orange juice in her hands. When she looked at Olivia, she seemed a little happier. "You''re here." Chapter 1214 Chapter 1214 Marina no longer hated Olivia as she used to. Instead, she seemed to trust Olivia a lot. "I can feel my legs getting better. "Yesterday, I was able to stand for a few seconds with the help of a cane. When the results are outter, please help me take a look and see if my surgery can be scheduled earlier." Olivia said calmly, "We''re not rushing here.Lie down first, and I''ll perform acupuncture on you." "Alright." Marina wholly trusted Olivia.She only wished to get better as soon as possible, so she wasn''t even scared of pain now. "You look quite young, but you have decent medical skills." Marina was ina good mood, and she surprisingly started a conversation with Olivia. "I''m not that great." "You''re too humble.If you manage to cure me, I''ll thank you profusely." Enduring the pain, Marina asked, "How long do you think it''ll take to be able to stand on my legs?" "Soon." Olivia swiftly inserted the needle. Then, she turned to look at Marina. "Are you that eager to stand?" "Of course.It''s how the blind spend their whole lives pursuing the light.Who would want to be trapped in the small space of a wheelchair for the rest of their lives? "You''ve never gotten injured before, so you won''t understand how I feel." "Maybe the light outside isn''t as wonderful as you imagined, " Olivia said indifferently. Marina felt that Olivia was hinting at something, but she wasn''t sure what it was. Anyway, she would be happy as long as she was cured. Fabian brought in the report. Olivia knew that he was one of Yale''s men, so she had a more meaningful look in her eyes when she looked at him. Yale knew that she was Olivia, but she didn''t know if Yale would ry this information to Fabian. "Vanessa, this is Marina''s skeletal recovery report.Have a look." Fabian seemed normal. By the looks of it, Yale didn''t reveal her identity. Perhaps she wasn''t the subject of their discussions. Mason had given special instructions about this matter and forbade it from being exposed. For the moment, Yale still wanted to curry favor with the Heath family. He also feared Mason would be more prejudiced against him if he exposed the matter, so he didn''t do it. Olivia nced at the imaging films. "Ms.Carlton, your legs are recovering faster than I imagined.If that''s the case, we can carry out the surgery very soon." "Really?" Marina was ted. "When are we doing it?" "Let''s wait for a few more days.I''ll inform you beforehand." "How confident are you about the surgery?" Marina looked at Olivia expectantly. Olivia smiled. "A hundred percent." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "That means I can stand up for sure!" Fabian looked happy, but a trace of sorrow crossed his face. He didn''t seem to want Marina to stand up. After all, he could currently handle Marina with ease. When Marina could walk freely again, she would surely choose to escape. When a man became too twisted, he would harbor extreme thoughts. That was to bind a woman forever by his side. Olivia turned her face away, sneering. Marina couldugh all she wanted. The higher her hopes, the greater the disappointment when the time came. She couldn''t wait for the day when Marina realized that she was the one performing the surgery at the operating table. The expression on Marina''s face should be quite a sight. At the thought of regaining freedom soon, Marina could barely suppress the smile on her face. Even the pain in her legs seemed to have faded. In the past two months, she had spent every day in pain and suffering. She did it so that she could finally regain freedom. She was d that all her efforts weren''t in vain. The day woulde soon. She waspletely unaware of the great reveal Olivia had prepared for her. Olivia had just left the hospital when she received a call from Molly, asking her to visit and help provide treatment. Right, Olivia recalled that there was that pitiful woman too. Olivia drove to the vi where they had agreed to meet. Then, she pulled up.This was the ce. Chapter 1215 Chapter 1215 It was a vi. Despite the cold winter, it was well- maintained. Fresh flowers bloomed throughout the year. Florence''s guard was still up against Olivia. "You''re only in charge of Ms.Molly''s well-being.You''re refrained from looking around and asking questions you shouldn''t be asking." Olivia couldn''t help the chuckle. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Honestly speaking, a lot of people are seeking help from me.Ms.Molly isn''t the only one.If she wasn''t a Florence sneered. "How skillful can you be at such a young age? You don''t even work at a hospital.You''re here simply because Ms.Molly is naive." "Whatever." Olivia entered the room, where the warm wair wrapped around her. Molly rushed over to hold her hands. "You''re here! Sorry, I couldn''t wee you outside because my body is weak." "I understand." Olivia''s eyes of scrutiny surveyed the area. There were only a few maids around. No one else was there. "You live alone in this huge vi?" "I-" Before Molly could answer, Florence preempted. "Don''t ask unnecessary questions.Just take care of Ms.Molly." Olivia wished she could drive Florence away, but thetter was a hard nut to crack. Florence wouldn''t leave them alone! Left with no choice, Olivia quelled the urge to ask questions. "Doctor, can you tell me what I should do to be able to carry my baby?" There was not much that Olivia knew about Molly. Was Molly aware of her condition? What if it brought Olivia trouble because she told Molly about her condition? Olivia sniffed, catching the herbal smell in the air. "Are you taking medicine?" She changed the subject. "That''s observative of you! A traditional doctor gave me a prescription.I''ve just finished them.The maid disposed of the remnants a while ago." "Where are the remnants?" "In the trash bin outside.The trash will be cleared out tomorrow morning." "I''ll go check it out." Molly found Olivia''s reaction weird. It was simply herbal remnants. What was there to check out? Molly followed, and Florence hurriedly draped a thick coat on Molly''s shoulders. The trash was sorted, so the area wasn''t filthy. Olivia was able to find the herbal remnants in no time. Separating the ingredients ording to their kind, she pinched them and put them under her nose to distinguish them. Nothing suspicious. The ingredients were indeed meant for women after their delivery. While Olivia buried herself in the remnants, two cars pulled over nearby. Molly weed the iing people with light steps. Quickly, Yale got out of the car. It displeased him to see her standing in the snow. "Molly, what are you doing outside? It''s freezing." She reciprocated, "Yale, the miracle doctor I told you is here! She''s..." At the same time, Olivia heard the man¡¯s voice and found it familiar. Her head snapped upward amongst the trash bins. Their eyes met and they were equally stunned. Her gaze fixated on his hand, which was close to grabbing Molly. Meanwhile, Yale had never expected the miracle doctor to be Olivia! He had just confessed his feelings for Krystal in public not long ago, yet here was Olivia¡ªstanding right in his den. She was surely the bad omen of his. Only bad things happened to him whenever he met her.If the Heaths found out about his rtionship with Molly, they would put him in his grave! Yale was done for! Chapter 1216 Chapter 1216 Yale''s heart clenched tightly the instant he noticed Olivia''s presence, but he managed to recenter himself within seconds. It would draw suspicion if he withdrew his arm now. As an afterthought, he naturally ced his arm over Molly''s shoulders. "Molly, this is Vanessa.She''s young but a skillful doctor." Brightening up, Molly looked at Florence. "I told you! She''s a miracle doctor." He naturally introduced, "Vanessa, this is my sister, Molly.I didn''t expect the miracle doctor she mentioned to be you." Molly''s expression didn''t change because she knew their romantic rtionship should be kept a secret. Otherwise, Yale would be in trouble. "Yale, do you know her?" "Yeah." Olivia masked her surprise. "So you''re Ms.Kingston.What a fateful encounter this is." She hadn''t expected the woman she encountered in the hospital by chance to be Yale''s sister. Speaking of, the Kingstons did adopt a daughter. Her face remained unknown because she rarely left the house. Judging from Yale''s character, Olivia initially thought he had approached Molly with ulterior motives. "Vanessa, it''s cold outside.Let''s head inside and talk." "Okay." Pulling Olivia''s hand, Molly led her into the house. Due to her weak health, Molly''s body temperature was lower than the average person''s. Her hands were freezing from simply spending a few minutes outside. As a woman herself, Olivia pitied her. Olivia''s attitude toward Molly didn¡¯t change just because she was Yale''s sister. The enthusiastic Molly ordered Florence to prepare tea. She didn''t seem to know the bad blood between Olivia and Yale. As if they had agreed beforehand, the duo didn''t bring up the upsetting past. When they entered the room, Yale hung Molly''s coat onto the hanger and handed her a hotpack. He chastised, "It''s cold outside.Don''t go outdoors if possible." "Got it, Yale." She stuck her tongue out yfully. Olivia could tell that Yale was serious about Molly. They were a family, after all. If the same thing happened to her sister, Olivia would look after her more. At least for now, her instincts told her that Yale didn''t turn Molly this way. "Oh, is there any problem with the herbal remnants? Why did you wanna check them out?"asked Molly. Yale shifted his gaze onto Olivia, rmed. Olivia answered honestly, "It''s fine.It''s basic procedure to check the medicine you take." "So..." She faced him. "Mr.Yale, I''d like to know more about Ms.Molly''s condition." He yed with the ring around his finger while reclining on thefy couch.His sharp eyes stared at her as if he was trying to read her intentions. Why did Olivia approach Molly? "What would you like to know, Vanessa?" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Who does she live with?" inquired Olviia. "This is a huge ce, but I don''t think there are traces of other people living here." From the interior designs to decorations, everything was fit for the younger generation''s taste. When she passed through the door, none of the shoes were old-fashioned. Yale''s chest clenched. As he had expected, Olivia was suspecting his rtionship with Molly. She was trying to pry for more information by leveraging her identity as the doctor.Was Mason also suspicious? Despite Yale''s calm expression, his back was drenched in sweat. Chapter 1217 Chapter 1217 "Molly has a weak body.She loves quiet ces, so she''s taking a break here.The maids are mostly around.I visit asionally.I heard that a miracle doctor was going to treat her, so I dropped by to make sure it wasn''t a fraud," Yale exined. "I see." Olivia''s emotions remained undecipherable to him.Her poker face made it difficult to catch on the nuance of her expression. He was losing confidence.He even assumed that Olivia came under Mason''s orders. "What''s wrong? Does this have to do with Molly''s illness?" He was clearly mocking her for using her identity as the doctor as an excuse. "Yes." She didn''t hide the truth. "I''m curious what the people around her have to do with her pregnancy.Could you give me an answer?" Molly''s eyes widened as she sensed his hostility toward Olivia. But why? Olivia was a nice person. "Do you know how she got pregnant?" His fingers dug into his skin. He already guessed that Olivia knew Molly was pregnant. Still, he would never reveal the truth so readily. "I don''t think I have to give you a biology ss about pregnancy.Did your biology teacher not teach you this?" Things were heading into a weird direction for Olivia. Was Yale out of his mind? She didn''t mean it that way at all. "I''m not talking about the logic of pregnancy.I''m asking if you knew about her condition before she got pregnant." "Her body is weak." "I''m afraid her body is weaker than you think.Do you know that she''s barren?" A crease formed between his brows. "How would I know that?" She sighed. "Right, you''re her brother." Although it seemed like she did think that they were siblings, Yale couldn''t let his guard down. Because Olivia and Ethan were an evil couple! "Just what are you trying to say, Vanessa?" "I mean, it''s difficult for her to get pregnant given her body condition.She''s able to get pregnant because of medicine or other sorts of artificial methods.It isn''t natural." Yale averted his gaze onto Molly, who looked guilty. "What did you do?" Olivia simply took it as a question from a caring guardian.She didn''t take it the other way. "What she did doesn''t matter.What matters more is only the fittest survives.The weak ones don''t have long to live, let alone those who are pregnant.Keeping the baby is out of the question.I''ve told Ms.Molly this morning that she''ll suffer a miscarriage someday." Molly''s fingers balled into fists. "Are there no other solutions?" "As the baby grows in the belly, it''ll suck up a portion of nutrients from the mother.If it sucks up too much, the mother bes weak.Consequently, the self-defense mechanism will start, hence the miscarriage. "Even if the miscarriage doesn''t happen, the bigger the baby grows, the more nutrients it gets.Ultimately, the mother''s body won''t be able to take it and both will die." Surprised, Yale mmed the table and stood. "Stop spouting nonsense! Dr.Justine told me that all she has to do is to take medicines because she''s weak." "The medicine doesn''t cure the root of the problem.Have you never suspected why your sister''s body became weak?" "Some people are born with weak immune systems.How could we change it what''s gically Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. inherited?" Olivia shook her head. "No.There are gic factors and postnatal factors.In gic cases, the baby will take a hit from whatever happens during the pregnancy.On the other hand, there are many things to consider for postnatal factors.Your sister belongs to thetter." Chapter 1218 Chapter 1218 Yale slowly became serious. "What do you mean?" Olivia''s gaze swept across the surrounding maids. "Mr.Yale, can I have a moment with you?" "Come with me." Molly wanted to tag along, but he told her to rest downstairs.He wasn''t sure if Olivia was going to coerce him into something or not. Olivia followed him to the study.He locked the door. Now that they were alone, he showed his true colors. "Ms.Fordham, what are you up to? Why did you go through so much trouble to approach my sister? "Even if you hold grudges against me, juste at me.Molly is innocent.She doesn''t know how dark the world is out there.She has nothing to do with anything.If youy a finger on her, I..." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. A gun pointed at her head.His voice sent chills to the bone. "I will make you regret living." Surprisingly, she appeared calm. "If I were you, I wouldn''t have been this impulsive, Mr.Yale.I''ve never dragged Molly into the fray between you and Ethan.It''s my first time meeting her today.She almost fainted, and I caught her.I felt her pulse so I know her condition." He had faith in her medical skills. If it hadn''t been for her, Ethan and Linus would''ve died back then. "Are you kind enough to turn a blind eye and put our bad blood aside?" "I''m a doctor, as well as a mother.I hope others won''t go through what I experienced.I only found out that she''s your sister a moment ago." She eyed him coldly. "If I were you, I would put down the gun immediately.What do you think?" Withdrawing the gun, he apologized indifferently, "Sorry." "Honestly, I''m relieved that you''re doing this." "Just what are you up to?" Olivia leveled with him. "I''ll be honest with you about your sister''s condition.Her body''s weak because she has been poisoned." "Poisoned? How could this be?" "It''s a chronic poison.It doesn''t show symptoms, so it''s hard to tell." "A poison that doesn''t show symptoms? Why is the other party doing this?" She grinned. "Because this poison shortens the victims¡¯ lifespan.And it''s nearly impossible to tell how long one can live." His face fell. "What did you say!" "Rx.Molly''s body is clean.She was probably fed a small dose of it when she was young.It won''t cost her life instantly.But it''s different as time passes.She should''ve died when she was ten.Even ordinary forensics might overlook it." There was a pause before she continued, "She''s still alive because she stopped the intake midway.It''ll slowly take a toll on her growth and immune system.That''s why it''s hard to notice its presence. "People might merely think that her body is weak.I didn''t bring it up because I was afraid the culprit was around her.It''ll be troublesome if the culprit suddenly decides to finish her in one go." Olivia''s exnation slowly wore his guard down, but his expression remained stoic. "Based on what I observed, she''s important to you.That''s definitely not how the culprit would act.That''s why I''m being honest with you." Yale frowned. "Molly was adopted when she was seven.Someone saved her from the water.Her head hit a rock, so she couldn''t remember anything before she turned seven." "The clues are falling into ces.The culprit must''ve poisoned Molly before she turned seven.But luck''s on her side.I bet you''ve spent a lot of money on her, haven''t you? If you were a humble family, she would''ve long died." Chapter 1219 Chapter 1219 Yale''s hands balled into fists before he mmed the table.His expression was grim. "Just who is that evil person? How could he poison such a young child?" "It might have something to do with her true family.She''s lucky.If she was fed for another year and a half, she''d be gone by now." "She was always ill when we first adopted her.She was sent to the ICU several times.She was like a fragile doll." Those memories were painful for him to reminisce. "But she¡¯s a good girl.She neverins." Right then, he suddenly questioned why he was telling her all this.He almost exposed himself. Fortunately for him, Olivia didn''t think much about it. All her focus was on Molly. "You''re a good brother, though." He switched the topic. "If it is as you said, could you remove the poison?" She shook her head. "Her metabolism has broken down the poison.It''s like water dripping on a rock.Making a dent out of it can happen¡ªthough it''s time-consuming¡ªbut even if you stop the water from dripping, the dent will still be there." "Didn''t youe to save her? I believe that you have a solution for this." "I''m afraid we''ll have to recount the situation to your family.To save her, you cannot keep the baby.As you know, a diet is important for a pregnant woman.There are a lot of medicines that they can''t take.There''s a high chance the baby will be born disabled.It''s better to abort it sooner..." His heart wrenched at that. He was happier than anyone when he learned the news of her pregnancy. "The doctor said that it is difficult for her to get pregnant.If she aborts the baby, she might not be able to conceive another one in the future." "That is true based on her current condition.As I said, that baby shouldn''t have existed in the first ce.Her body is weak.She took medications she shouldn''t have to get pregnant. Consequently, her body is deteriorating. "You might not be able to see it now because you take good care of her, and the baby is still little.It doesn''t need that much nutrients for now.But when the timees, it''ll be tough for her to sustain even herself." She sighed. "If you don''t do something about it, there are only two oues.It''s either a miscarriage or¡ª" Yale clenched his fists.She noticed that his palms were red. "Is this not a lie, Ms.Fordham?" His eyes were slightly red. Olivia was rendered speechless. "Why should I do this to a pregnant woman with a weak body? I told you, I see my past self in her.I was in thete stage of cancer a few years ago, and I was pregnant.There was a risk of losing both myself and the baby.We''re women, so I simply wanted to help her." "What about you? How did you make a choice?" A helpless smile hung on her face. "The people around me acted the same as I am right now.They told me to opt for an abortion and that I could get pregnant in the future.But I couldn''t bring myself to do that.I took the risk and kept the baby." "Can Molly¡ª" "No.The treatment was hell.I paid the price by taking all sorts of medicines.Although there''s no big Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. issue with the kid, she can''t speak until today.And her eyes were different from others.Gamble with a person''s life? You might ruin his whole life. "And what if he turns into a monster? On top of that, there''s an important fact to consider¡ªI was healthy.I was just sick.But Molly is weak and easily broken." She sighed. "Just tell me who the father is.I have to discuss this with the baby''s parents.I''m a doctor.I can''t make decisions for them." Chapter 1220 Chapter 1220 That question put Yale in a difficult position. "That baby is an ident.The father is dead.I''ve been looking after Molly for years, so I think I can decide for her as her guardian." ording to the rumors, Molly hadn''t married yet. Yale could be thinking of her reputation, so he wasn''t willing to reveal much. As a woman herself, Olivia could understand.She had been through it and didn''t want others to suffer the same. Thus, she didn''t pry further into the matter. "Fine.I can see that Ms.Molly is a kind person.She seems to care a lot about the baby.I''ll leave the decision to you and her.If you''re up for the abortion, you can hit me up to look after her then.If she recovers well, there could be a chance for another pregnancy." "Really?" "I can''t guarantee that.I can only say that I''ll be in charge of the recovery treatment.As for how much she could recover from it, it depends on her body.The abortion shouldn''t be done when she''s more than week 12. "It''s best to do it between weeks four to eight."Olivia checked the time. "Help me convey the message to Ms.Molly.I should get going." "Go ahead." Yale feared she might find out about his romantic rtionship with Molly if she stayed longer.It was the crunch time. Olivia mustn''t get in his way with Krystal and the Heaths.It had been years since he waited for this moment. He held up so long for this! Olivia turned around to grab the door handle when Yale suddenly called, "Ms.Fordham." She paused. He said, "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." "Save it.I didn''t help you.Your grudge with Ethan is your business to deal with.This is simply an act of sympathy toward another woman." She opened the door and left. This fateful encounter with Molly was written in the stars. Saving Molly could be a message to Olivia from God. Indeed, Molly was a lucky person. Not only did she survive the poison and drowning, but she was also adopted by the Kingstons. An adoptive family with a decent ie wouldn''t have been able to pay her hospital bills. The Kingstons undeniably spent a lot of money and care into looking after Molly. However, everyone''s body was different. There was a limit to what Olivia could do. It was better than leaving Molly and her baby dead without anyone knowing the reason. As Olivia descended the stairs, her steps unsettled Molly. Thetter held Olivia''s hand. "Vanessa, what''s happening to my body?" Molly''s crystal-clear eyes reminded Olivia of her past self. Olivia, who couldn''t bring herself to hurt Molly, caressed her head. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Molly was skinny and shorter than Olivia. "Nothing.I''ve told everything to your brother.He''ll inform youter." "Why can''t you tell me directly?" "Because I have to leave now.Something urgent came up.He''ll do the deed for me." Anxiety showed its traces on Molly''s face. "Why are you leaving so soon? Eat before you go." "Molly, let her go." "Yale, I-" Yale walked to Molly''s side and held her hand. "Come upstairs with me, Molly.I''ll tell you about it." "But-" "Please." Olivia cast a backward nce before leaving. She happened to see him holding Molly''s hand.His gaze was deep with emotions. That gaze wasn''t that of a brother to a sister, but more like how Ethan always looked at Olivia. Chapter 1221 Chapter 1221 Olivia shook his head, shaking off those preposterous thoughts. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. There was nothing weird about that scene. Molly''s body was weaker than the average person''s, and Yale watched her grow up. It could be possible for him to see her as his own sister. It was the same with Jeff and Olivia. Although they didn''t share the same blood, they were close. How could she have such immoral thoughts about Yale and Molly? Olivia left the vi, her face cold from the breeze. She turned on the car engine so that the heater could clear the mist of the windows. Rubbing her hands, she took the wheel and stepped on the pedal. Perhaps Molly''s saddening story had weighed on her mood. Feeling down, Olivia took herself a drive around this familiar city. Her kids weren''t by her side, and Jeff had passed away. Not even her only best friend was there with her.The city gave her a sense of void. While she was waiting for the green light, memories flooded her head. She visited her college and quietly sat in her favorite store the entire afternoon. The cheerful students reminded her of her past self. It was not until the darkness colored the sky ck that she returned to her vi.She bought it with her money. It had nothing to do with Ethan. However, when she stepped into the ce she put in so much effort to decorate, she didn''t feel a tinge of warmth. Her heart was hollow and lonely. She thought of how Yale held Molly''s hand. No matter how huge the house was, it was empty without one''s family''spanion. Although there were Mason and Linus, she wasn''t closely acquainted with them. Their busy schedules didn''t help out either. They were far from being a normal family. The lights in the yard were on. Snowkes danced in the shade of yellow light, worsening her feeling of loneliness. She opened the door, ready to turn on the lights when Ethan hugged her from behind. His body was warm, melting the snow attached to her. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he said sorrowfully, "I''m sorry, Liv." That tone of grievance made him appear like a puppy asking for forgiveness. "I shouldn''t have broken the promise.If you don''t want to remarry, then forget about it.I won''t say those words again." His arms tightened around her. It was as though he wished to etch her in his bones. "Just don''t leave me." His pitiful voice kept ringing in her ears, slowly pulling her out of the cage of loneliness. "Did I keep you waiting?" Ethan didn''t expect that to be Olivia''s first question. "Not long.Just half a day." He could have been waiting since she went to the hospital. Like her past self, who didn''t know when he would return home. Waiting was all she knew what to do. The house was warm, but he didn''t turn on the lights. Her hand reached out for the switch, but he stopped her. "Hold on." "Hmm?" Holding her hand, he led her the way forward. Stars began reflecting in her eyes. The light of stars painted the floor. In addition to the night sky, it was like a reflection of a starry sky. Olivia smiled. "Do you think I''m 16 years old?" There had been no time for him to do such things in the past. Now, he wished he could make up for it. A bouquet of fresh flowers rested on the table. The petals were vibrant in color. "Liv, I''ve figured it out.If you don''t want to marry, it''s alright.As long as my feelings for you don''t change, I have my whole life to try to win your heart." His deep gaze earned a smile from her. "Fine, but..." Her hand reached out to yank him over by the tie bossily.He was baffled. "Liv?" Ethan filled the void in her. Standing on her toes, Olivia kissed him in the starry night. "Hug me, Ethan." Chapter 1222 Chapter 1222 Ethan wrapped Olivia tightly in his embrace, warming her up.She buried her face in his chest, circling her hands around his waist. "Don''t move.Let me hug you." Solitude had been her solepanion all these years, rain or shine. Like a bird flying restlessly, she now hoped for a ce to take a break. "Okay." He cooperated meekly, hugging her silently in the shade of stars. They knew each other long enough for him to know her like the back of his hand. His deep, masculine voice rang in her ears. "I''m here, Liv." She listened to his pounding heart and stayed that way for a while.It wasn''t until Olivia started sweating that she released Ethan. "Feeling better?"he asked. She was fully recharged. "Much better.I''m hungry.Anything to eat?" "Hold on."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He carried her to the couch.She didn''t switch the lights on. The starlight projector was enough to light up the whole house. The sound of sizzling came from the kitchen. Soon, Ethan served two tes of steak and took out a bottle of red wine. Olivia''s favorite desserts and mushroom soup were ready. "How romantic,"she praised. "I knew you would leave the Heath residence today, so I prepared beforehand.You went to Oand Hospital?"She nodded. "I can''t hide my whereabouts from you, can I? The patients showered you with praises about your foundations and the incentives for expensive medicines. "You sell the medicines at the lowest price, so people prefer visiting Oand Hospital.It''s cheap, and they can find a lot of specialists here." "All thanks to your marvelous ideal.I simply wanted to grant your wish." "It''s not a profitable institution, is it?" She could tell from the way the hospital operated. "Yeah.It loses up to millions each year,"he answered calmly. "I''m afraid you''re the only charitable hospital that doesn''t rake in profit." "It''s a charitable hospital, so why profit?" Olivia smiled. "If Marina had known you''d do this, she wouldn''t have made a fuss to be the shareholder.I bet Calvin and the others regretted it so much." He shook his head. "It''s not that bad.Calvin and the gang became shareholders by contributing their knowledge.They have additional cash benefits, so they don''t suffer any loss.They receive recognition instead. "As for Marina, she''s going to suffer losses every year.I bet she''ll want to sell her shares off.The Carlton family won''t let her be the cause of their huge loss." Olivia was happy to hear that. Marina had always been eager to be one step ahead of Olivia to steal everything from her. In the end, Marina''s ending turned out to be this. How hrious. "Let''s not talk about her.Dig in before the food gets cold." Olivia took a bite of the steak. He cooked it just right, and so the tender meat was chewy. It was her favorite ck pepper steak paired with vegetables as a side dish. It was delicious. Reminiscing the past, she didn''t think they had ever had such a romantic dinner in the past. After the meal, she nestled in Ethan''s embrace on the couch, watching an old movie. The snow danced in the air outside while it was warm inside the house. It was the ideal life she had once yearned for. A whileter, the naughty hands around her waist sneaked into her pajamas. His warm palms traced along her smooth skin, earning a moan from her. "What are you doing? Focus on the movie." "Not the movie, watch me,"he whispered in her ear. It was a low and deep sound. Chapter 1223 Chapter 1223 Ethan pestered Olivia until she muttered, "Stop." He lifted the hem of her pajamas and sneaked his head into her clothes. His voice sounded muffled through the garments. "You can continue the movie, don''t mind me." Words failed her. This bastard was a man of cold disposition in the past. Now, he was like a fireball burning in sexual desire. As her body slowly melted, there was no way for her to focus on the movie. The light from the screen illuminated the ce with a dim shade. Her neck craned upward, and Ethan ced a plushy under her waist. Her pajamas reached her chest, revealing her t tummy. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Liv..." he murmured subconsciously. It waste at night when it ended. The movie had finished before that. The exhausted Olivia rested against Ethan''s chest, not wanting to move. He nted a kiss on her forehead. "I''ll carry you to the room.The scattered clothes on the floor made her cheeks burn." ¡°Are you a hungry wolf?" It was the first time he had gone this far when it came to sex. He washed her up and applied cream for her. Oliviay face-down on the bed, enjoying the massage from Ethan. Exhaustion weighed on her eyelids, forcing them to close. A faint smile appeared across her lips as she recalled something. She began, "Do you know that Yale has a sister?" "Heard it in passing and that she''s weak.She never shows herself in public.Why? Trying to find an opening through her? " Ethan''s voice hinted disdain. "No need for that.I have ideas to fight him." "I met her today." "And?" "She''s pregnant but poisoned.It''s difficult for her to deliver the baby.I pitied her, so I offered to treat her in person.I didn''t expect to see Yale there." Yale''s gaze conjured in her head. "I don''t know why, but his confession for Krystal doesn''t seem sincere to me.Also, it''s different from the way he treats his sister.He appeared like a stranger to me." "Everyone has their weaknesses, like how you are to me.Perhaps the sister is his weakness.He''s a mercenary person.There''s a high chance he''s putting a show in front of Krystal.As for his sister, don''t intervene too much." She muttered, "I know.I didn''t know that she was one of the Kingstons in the first ce.I reminded her simply because she''s a woman.Now that Yale has found out about me, I don''t think he''lle to me again.I wish her the best." Ethan''s phone rang and interrupted him from saying something.He moved to answer the call only to have his frown deepen.His voice dipped to another degree. "Got it.I''ming." Olivia raised her head to look at him. "What''s the matter?" "Something urgent came up.I gotta go." He got out of the bed with hasty moves.It seemed like something big had happened. Within a minute, he was all dressed up and ready to hit the road.He looked at her with a heavy heart. "I''ll be back, Liv." "Will it take long?" "Not sure," he answered in a rush. She called after him. "Ethan." He stopped in his tracks, and she ran to her to hug him. "Be back home safely." It paused him for a moment before he kissed her hair. "Okay.Olivia watched him vanish in the darkness and sighed.As long as there were humans, they were bound to fight.It was inevitable.Someone had to make the sacrifice in return for others¡¯ happiness and peace. When she was going to rest up, the phone she rarely used rang. It was like a devil knocking on the door. Her heart raced, but she managed to keep calm. She answered the call. "Hello?" "There''s a mission for you." It was an indifferent voice on the other end. "Septem." Chapter 1224 Chapter 1224 There was dead silence in the room where Molly rested in Yale''s embrace. "Yale, what did Vanessa tell you? Can''t you tell me about it?" He gave her a light pat on the shoulder. "Nothing.Why didn''t you tell me how much you suffered before this?" If it hadn''t been for Olivia''s reminder, he wouldn''t have asked someone to look into what Molly did to get pregnant. Molly always brushed him off that she was taking supplements for her health. Little did he know, those casual words had hidden the hellish experience she went through.She smiled happily. "It''s already in the past.Look, I''m just fine.Besides, I just want to give birth to your baby." She nuzzled his chest like a kitten. "If I can bear your baby, I won''t have any regrets in this life.Don''t me me, Yale." "There''s just nothing I can do about you." He sighed helplessly. Molly pulled his hand to her belly. "It''s wondrous to think that our baby is right here.Are you happy?" "I am." "But the corner of your lips are drooping." Molly pushed the corner of his lips upward. Yale couldn''t mask the sorrow from his face at all. "Yale, did Vanessa tell you something about our baby? You don''t have to keep it from me.If it wasn''t about our baby, you would''ve told me about it.Yale, we promised.No secrets.No matter what happens, we have to be honest with each other.Are you trying to go against your words?" Despite her soft voice, her words caused him to falter bit by bit. It hadn''t been easy for them toe this far. That was why he cherished their days spent together. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. However, there was no way for him to keep her in the dark. Leaving with no choice, he sighed deeply and said, "Yes, we can''t keep the baby.Or both of you will die." "Why?" "It''s not as simple.Your body is weak.You got poisoned when you were young.The poison shortened your lifespan." Molly''s lips parted. "What? How could this be? Is it because of the poison that I can''t keep the baby?" "You were poisoned before you turned seven.The culprit didn''t want others to find out, so he fed you in small doses.And it took a toll on your body.But we looked after you well after you were adopted.Your metabolism broke it down, so there shouldn''t be a big problem." "Then¡ª" "Although your body is clean, we can''t deny that your body has worsened.It''s tough to stay alive yourself.When the baby grows and steals more nutrients from you, it might cause a miscarriage, or both of you might die. "Molly, I''m thinking about your safety.I can''t allow that possibility to stand.It is fate that we can''t be with this baby." Tears pooled in her eyes.She shook her head profusely. "No.No! It wasn''t easy for me to get pregnant.The doctor said there might not be a second chance for me anymore." "Calm down, Molly.If there''s progress in your recovery, there is still a second chance.Vanessa''s a great doctor.I''ve personally seen her save herself from a terminal disease." "But this is a life! I can''t gamble with the baby¡¯s life for something uncertain!" Yale hugged her as his heart throbbed. "I know.I''m also sad.You''re more important to mepared to the baby.Molly, could you listen to me? The thought of losing you frightens me! You''re my only salvation.Please.Have mercy on me.If you''re dead, what purpose do I still have in life?" Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225 Tears ran down Molly¡¯s cheeks. The first half of her life was lonely. Luck was on her side, and the Kingston family adopted her. Meeting Yale was the happiest thing that had happened to her. Her sole wish was to give birth to his baby. Why was God so cruel to her? He even tried to take away the baby she went through so much to conceive. Molly and Yale were each others¡¯ saviors. They couldn¡¯t lose each other. ¡°Yale, even if we choose abortion, could you let me keep the baby for some time? I¡­ I might be barren forever.¡± His fingers reached out to brush her tears off. ¡°Silly girl. It¡¯s better to end things quickly before we have lingering feelings. You¡¯ll grow more attached to the baby as time passes.¡± She sobbed so much that her breathing hitched. ¡°I just want to know how it feels to be a mother.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, stop crying. I¡¯ll listen to you. You only have until week 12. When the timees, you must abort the baby.¡± Teary-eyed, Molly mumbled, ¡°I know.¡± Yale¡¯s phone rang. He rejected the call three times, but the incessant ringing ticked him off. In the end, he answered the call. ¡°Yale, are you noting home today again?¡± It was Krystal. He had all the patience in his life before this. But it ended when Olivia was revealed to be Mason¡¯s granddaughter. Yale¡¯s only advantage to the situation was gone. Furthermore, Krystal happened to be a foolish and annoying person. Now that such things had happened to Molly, he wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk to Krystal. ¡°Yeah. Gotta handle something.¡± Krystal whined, ¡°I¡¯m been vomiting these two days. The symptoms are getting worse. I miss you.¡± Yale frowned. ¡°I¡¯lle over once I¡¯m free. I gotta go now.¡± When he saw Molly¡¯s tear-stricken face, his heart throbbed. ¡°Sorry, Molly. I shouldn¡¯t have touched her.¡± Unforeseen things always happened to distort their ns. If he had known the truth, he wouldn¡¯t have taken that step. ¡°Yale, you do know that I don¡¯t me you.¡± They drifted to sleep in each others¡¯ arms. After the call terminated, frustration bubbled in Krystal. Was she overthinking things? Ever since she got pregnant, Yale never spent the night with her. He couldn¡¯t leave her side for a moment before this. Did he find another woman to meet his sexual needs because she was pregnant? Such guesses were quelled within seconds. Indeed, many things had happened recently. It was normal for Yale to be busy. Besides, they were neither a married couple nor were they living together. Krystal was asking for too much. When a woman fell for a man-especially Krystal, who was blinded by love-she wished she could stay glued to Yale at every moment. Olivia returned to the Heath residence first thing in the morning. Buried in his work, Mason put down the documents upon her arrival. ¡°Liv, I¡¯ve picked a few names. What do you think?¡± She took a glimpse at the written names and shook her head. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m indebted to my adoptive father. I don¡¯t have ns to change names.¡± Disappointment colored his eyes, but he regained hisposure in no time. ¡°Never mind then. Just She interrupted. ¡°Grandpa, you can postpone the announcement of my identity. Something happened to my old patient. I have to go.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ask someone to send you there. It¡¯s nothing dangerous, is it?¡± ¡°Nope. It¡¯s just a simple examination. Be careful when I¡¯m gone, Grandpa. Many things are happening ¡°I know. When are you nning to leave?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Soon. I have the flight ticket. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep in touch.¡± Chapter 1226 Olivia dropped by for a moment before leaving. The Heaths¡¯ driver drove her to the airport. It was a flight to Orbit City. She deliberately let Mason know her schedule so as to not worry him. The Orbit City was near the borders. Lately, Andia and the neighboring country hadn''t been on friendly terms. So, it was dangerous to travel here at this time. The residents along the borderline had evacuated, yet Olivia disguised herself and got a ride from The ck Ravens. She was attempting to sneak out of the country. As an S-rank, she either had the luxury of time to spend or had an S Rank mission waiting for her. There was Olivia in the van. Unlike its dirty appearance, the cabin was heavily modified. There weren''t just weapons and fire ammunitions. Its tires were also bulletproof. Olivia wore a mask, bing another person. It was the identity she had been using for years. It was a fake identity that others could track down. In fact, the owner of the identity had long passed away. She opened aptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard. A pair of wireless earphones stuffed into her ears. After logging into her identity, she managed to enter The ck Ravens¡¯ system. A robot appeared on the screen. A robotic voice resounded in her ears. "Septem. Identity verified. Here''s your mission." The target''s details were enumerated across the monitor. She inhaled a sharp breath when she saw the man''s face. How could it be him? Leader of Carathia¡ªWayne Maxwell. The mission would not be an easy one, but Olivia didn''t expect it to be this difficult. Her gaze moved downward. Fortunately, it wasn''t an assassination. It was a mission to get his ring. That was the key to ess to a secret headquarters. Olivia scrolled downward. The first part of the document was his personal information, then the pictures of the ring. They were taken when he showed up in public ces. Based on that, it seemed he usually wouldn''t take it off. To steal his ring from him? That was no different from plucking a fur from a tiger''s butt! The more Olivia read his information, the more surprised she was. He had mood swings and was bloodlust. Killing innocents was his favorite pastime. How did someone like him get this far? Simple, he killed all of hispetitors. Olivia massaged her forehead. "This is tough.¡± The masked man on the passenger seat was her partner once, an S- rank member with the codename Undecim. ¡°I''l do my best to assist you." She sighed. "Why aren''t you in the frontline with me assisting you?" Undecim raised an eyebrow. "Because you''re a woman, one of the few S-ranks at that. You won''t draw suspicions." "I realize that you''re growing a lot in terms of being shameless.¡± "Thanks." ¡°That''s not apliment.¡± ¡°If it''s a mission sess, 10 percent of mymission is yours." Money was merely a number to Olivia. Aside from the money Ethan gave, she had earned a lot these years. There was no way to spend them. All of them!N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Joining The ck Ravens was solely because of one thing¡ªit was to approach the boss, the best hacker in the world. His identity was still unknown to this day. It was possible that he knew who the mastermind that hired those assassins was. However, she still hadn''t had the chance to meet him afterpleting big missions in the past two years. "Okay. Read more about Wayne Maxwell. Think of something. Get close to him and gain his trust. Right, we have more questions about him than all of the targets we hadbined. If he notices you have ulterior motives, we won''t be able toe back alive." Chapter 1227 The screen happened to scroll to the victims'' pictures. The crime scene was gory. Some of them were skinned, while some of them were dismembered. It was a bloodlust pervert who loved torturing massacres. It was so appalled that Olivia was questioning if she should approach this kind of person. In fact, she didn''t want to get close to a mentally ill person. He was an obssessive pervert. "Can I reject this mission?" "Do you wanna miss the chance to meet our boss?" Undecim gave her a backward nce. His mysterious gaze came with an ambiguous smile. "Aren''t you a hardcore fan of our boss? If this is a mission sess, we''ll be the best employee of the year. You know that he personally gives out the awards at the ceremony.¡± She massaged her forehead. She had almost forgotten about it. When she first joined The ck Ravens, she asked about the boss to figure out the mastermind. Someone caught on, so she made up a story that she had admired the boss for a long time. To make her story stand, she purposely showered the boss with praise in front of everyone all these years.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. It was a peculiar rule at The ck Ravens to hold a ceremony every three years. She worked hard to hold the best records because that was her only chance to meet the boss. During a mission she had with Undecim, he inquired about her reason for joining the organization. She answered it without much thought. Who knew that he would remember? Olivia let a sigh escape. "Do you think it''s that easy? How can I meet someone as legendary as the boss?" "Are you that desperate to meet him? He''s the boss of an assassin organization. No matter what you think of him, he''s still a bad guy.¡± "What do you even know? There are a lot of mercenary soldiers and assassin organizations in this world. How many of them can climb to the top? Don''t you think he''s cool? ¡°To think that he owns so many skillful assassins beneath him. He''s like the big devil in the movies. Cool!" Her hands sped together in admiration. Undecim gave her a long, serious stare. "That''s weird of you. You have a clean-cut MO and such naive thoughts at the same time." "Naive?" Olivia chuckled lightly and shifted her attention to the monitor. "Everyone has a dream. That''s all. My objective of joining The ck Ravens is to meet the boss. He''s the motivation that drives me forward and the light that guides me through the road.¡± "Enough. I''m gagging." Undecim covered his ears. But he stared at her solemn face from the corner of his eyes. "It''s still early. Get some sleep. I''ll be on guard.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I''m not sleepy. I''ll have to study him further to increase the chance of a sessful mission. After all, he''s the credit I need to meet the boss." "You''re a lost cause." The road became rougher as the night sky dawned. The shaky journey prompted her to stare at the moon. They reached the foot of the mountain soon. "We''ll get out of the borders after this mountain.¡± ¡°Let''s go." "Behind this mountain is a war-torn country. The situation is worse recently. Better keep your kindness to yourself. I don''t want a kid to join us again.¡± Olivia saved a kid along their way during theirst mission, and Undecim nagged her about it every single time. "Got it." The target this time round wasn''t any ordinary person. A single mistake was all it would take to cost her life. Chapter 1228 The arduous journeysted a day and a night long. Olivia took a break under a tree. In contrast to their prosperous country, it was deste behind the mountain. She had been to many ces and seen various sights. She had witnessed both happiness and encountered poor kids who lost their homes due to wars. She spent her free time helping out people in need. She donated goods to the disaster areas and schools for the poor kids. She established organizations to help pitiful women and cared for the homeless. It still pained her to see the deste scene. There was a limit to her helping all the needy people in the world all by herself. "You''re such a hard nut to crack. You''re an assassin yourself, yet you sympathize with those people.¡± A voice broke her reverie. Her head shot upward. Undecim, who was awake, handed her a bottle of water. "No mission failure. Only mission sess. Don''t you dare be the good guy and ruin our progress.¡± "Got it." She took a break before suggesting, ¡°Let''s go." Dexim City¡ªthe most dangerous city¡ªwas Olivia''s destination. Sothpia was a small country surrounded by big countries. In addition to itsck of international rtions, it exposed this weak country to danger and threats at any moment. Dexim City had a strategic location on the edge of Sothpia. Carathia had been eyeing it. The moment Dexim City was conquered, it posed a huge threat to Andia. That was why the war in Sothpia didn''t cease for months. The parties were vying over the natural gas and oil resources, including that strategic city.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. International wars didn''t bother The ck Ravens. It was an independent organization paid to carry out missions. It waste at night by the time Olivia and Undecim arrived in Dexim City. The smoke in the area alone was enough to tell that a fight had just ended. "Are you sure abouting to this kind of ce?" Her brows furrowed. If they entered the city at this time, a grenade could blow them away at any moment. ¡°This is our only chance to get close to Wayne. Once he returns to the country, there''s no way we can do so. The spies have confirmed his whereabouts. He''s bringing his men in for a life-or-death fight with the Andians." Olivia frowned. ¡°Is he out of his mind? He''s the boss, though. Why is he joining the battle himself?" "He''s an oddball. Who knows what he''s thinking? Are you ready?" "Yeah." Feelings stirred in Olivia when she heard the mention of her country. It was her home country, after all. Ethan and Linus have been busy recently, mainly because of the trouble Wayyne caused. If Olivia could Kill him in the meantime, would it help Mason and Ethan? She already had a vague n in her mind. They called a truce in the city, so they seized the chance to travel to a river in the western suburbs. Aircrafts cut through the air while they were on their way. Two of the aircraft whirred in the air. From their designs, one of them belonged to Andia while the other was Carathia''s. Olivia had questioned. "What are they doing? An aircraft battle?" ¡°Told you that Wayne has a few lost screws in his head. But why are Andians doing the same crazy thing? It''s not a battle, more like settling the scores of personal grudges.¡± As she stared at the Andian aircraft, mixed feelings churned in her stomach. No matter who it was in that aircraft, it was herpatriot. It was as though her friend flew in the sky as the thunderous sound cut through the air. Chills ran down her spine. The two aircraft flew farther, slowly vanishing from Olivia''s sight. Soon after, something exploded. They fell like two fireballs from the horizon. "Are you sure Wayne is in that aircraft?" Olivia turned to ask Undecim. "Yes. Who else would be as crazy as him? Don''t tell me he''s dead from ying his own games. Looks like luck''s on our side. If we''re the first to find him, we can take the ring away." Chapter 1229 Olivia felt slightly worried as she looked at that Andian ne. Even if she didn''t know anyone on the ne, she didn''t want to see other citizens of the same country suffer. Both nes had crashed. Olivia quickly ran in the direction of the ne crash. Undecim was in a good mood. "Say, do you think Wayne may be already dead? Maybe it''ll be a free bounty for us.¡± He noticed that Olivia was spacing out. "What are you thinking about?" "Nothing." Olivia didn''t dare hesitate. She ran with all her might. She soon spotted a parachute hanging on a tree. Who could it be? Was it Wayne or an Andian pilot? It didn''t matter who it was. She didn''t slow down even when she was drenched in sweat. The person probablynded a branch while the ne fell from the sky. But they were in a jungle, and it was dark out. So Olivia couldn''t tell who the person was at that moment. ¡°Let''s split up. You look for the other person. We have to find Wayne before their people get here." Olivia suggested. "Alright. Remember to keep in contact.¡± "Okay. I''ll go up the tree and take a look." The two of them went their separate ways. Olivia was very agile. She quickly got up the tree. As she approached the top of the tree, she saw a tall man in camouge attire. She found the person! Was it Wayne? Sheposed herself and began to move faster. She drew her weapon as she was about to reach the person. She would shoot on sight as soon as she could confirm that the person was Wayne. It was the best time to take his life. She swayed the branches a little. The person didn''t move. She figured he was either dead or heavily injured. That was perfect. Luck was on her side.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Olivia was relieved. She got closer to the man. As she was about to deal the killing blow, she saw an incredibly familiar mask. She panicked. Why was he the other maniac? Ethan was usually a veryposed person. Why would he choose to throw down with Wayne at a time like that? Was he out of his mind? Olivia cursed inwardly and scaled to the top. She was extremely anxious when she saw Ethan wasn''t moving at all. Her assessment was correct. He was either dead or heavily injured. Her heartbeat quickened. She realized her entire body was shaking as she reached out to him. What was wrong with Ethan? With shaking arms, she took off his mask. It was his face, indeed. She ced a finger under his nose and realized he was still breathing steadily. Olivia sighed in relief. She pulled Ethan onto the branch. He was in luck because the tree hended on was sturdy enough. Sheid him down and examined his body. She discovered that he was completely fine other than the minor injuries on his arms. Olivia dressed his wounds with some medication and bandages. She figured Ethan passed out from the shock of the crash. After she confirmed that he was fine, she looked for the tracker on him and contacted the others. She soon heard the sounds of people approaching. After giving him a quick kiss, she said, "You dummy. You''re lucky that I was the one who found you." Then, she quickly climbed down the tree and left. After a while, she could hear Kelvin''s anxious voice. ¡°Is Mr. Miller over here? Is he okay?" They didn''t hear Ethan''s voice on the way over, but he was the one who sent out his location. So Kelvin and the others were very nervous. "Do you think he got crippled by the crash? I should''ve stopped him. He was too rash. Kurt definitely wouldn''t have wanted him to avenge him like this." "Stop talking. Mr. Miller is on the tree." Chapter 1230 Olivia quickly left the scene when she saw that Kelvin and the others were climbing up the tree. She finally understood why Ethan lost his cool. It was because Kurt was involved. Kurt''s death was something that would haunt him for the rest of his days. Now that Olivia knew Wayne was the one who killed Kurt, her gaze grew cold. It was all the more reason to end his life. Undecim hadn''t contacted her yet. He probably hadn''t found Wayne yet. Olivia quickened her steps. There were people from two other countries after Wayne besides them. She analyzed the location of the two ne crashes. She was able to get a rough estimate of Wayne''s location based on where Ethan landed. He should be by the river! Olivia ran toward the river in the dark. She was able to find the man strapped to a parachute after traveling a short distance. He was also unconscious, like Ethan. The man was dressed in ck, and his figure was well-built. His height was simr to Ethan''s. His face looked especially pale under the moonlight. It was the perfect chance! She could stop this war if she took off his ring and killed him while he was still knocked out. She thought about the ring shown in the picture. It should be on the ring finger of his left hand. Olivia crouched next to him and reached for his left hand, but there was nothing on his left hand. The ring was nowhere to be found! That was impossible! That was such an important item that he always carried on his person. Why would it be gone? Olivia refused to ept that. She grabbed his right hand, but the ring wasn''t there either. At that moment, she received a message from Undecim. She responded resignedly, ¡°The good news is that I''ve found Wayne, who''s unconscious. The bad news is that he doesn''t have the ring on his finger." She sent her location to Undecim and started to undress Wayne. Since the ring wasn''t on his finger, he might have hidden it somewhere more discreet.¡± Time was short, and the mission was important. Olivia didn''t have the luxury to consider the differences between men and women. She reached out and pulled his clothes off. She was able to remove his bulletproof vest without much trouble. His muscr frame was revealed. His physique was simr to Ethan''s. There were also a lot of scars. Since the ring wasn''t on his upper body, it could only be on his lower body. She was relieved that she didn''t kill Wayne on sight. If she couldn''t find the ring, she could concoct some sort of poison to force him to tell her about the ring''s whereabouts. Before she could take his pants off, Wayne regained consciousness abruptly. His gaze turned vicious as soon as he opened his eyes. He immediately pounced at Olivia. He was able to pin her to the ground as she waspletely unprepared. He was like a beast that had just woken up. He was exuding bloodlust from every pore of his body. The moonlight shone from behind him. Olivia couldn''t see his eyes but could sense how terrifying they probably were. She felt her skin crawl. He pressed her back against the ground. Her tender skin was scraped, and she could feel a searing pain. That man didn''t treat her as gently as Ethan did. He wrapped his fingers around her neck. Olivia was able to gauge the difference between their abilities very clearly. She would probably be strangled to death before she could reach for her gun. The man hadrge hands, his palms full of calluses. It felt like a tiger had its teeth around her neck. He could probably snap her neck in an instant.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Damn it... You''re a woman?" Wayne did everything reflexively. He didn''t expect his assant to be a weak woman! The skin under his palm was soft and tender. They were so close that he could clearly smell the faint fragrance of herbs on her body. "Who are you? What were you doing to me?" Chapter 1231 That was precisely why S-rank female assassins were so coveted. A man''s neck would already be snapped in situations like this. A woman would at least be given a chance to talk her way out of it. Olivia took a deep breath. Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to put up a performance. ¡°I saw you passed out at the side of the river and was about to perform CPR..." ¡°Is that why you took off my shirt?" Wayne''s chest was still bare. Olivia sniffed. "Why else? Do you think I wanted to do it with you? You were unconscious. What could I possibly do?" Wayne observed her facial expression like he was trying to see if she was telling the truth. "Who are you? Why are you in a ce like this?" As he talked, the blood from the injury on his arm stained his shirt. It dripped from his skin onto Olivia''s face. ¡°I''m a doctor. I''m here to look for a herb that blooms at night. I didn''t expect to find someone unconscious here." Wayne sneered. "Do you think I''d believe that? No matter who you are, you''re dying here right now!" He began to tighten his fingers around her neck. Olivia''s brain went into overdrive as she tried to think of a way to deal with the situation at hand. She ultimately chose an extremely risky method. If she tried to fight him at that moment, it didn''t matter if she seeded or not. He would be alerted, and it would be impossible for her to get close to him in the future. Tears streamed down Olivia''s face. "I''m really a doctor. If you don''t believe me, I can prove it to you by examining your current condition.¡± Wayne sneered. "You''re going to die even if you are a doctor. I don''t take any chances.¡± He tightened his fingers yet again. Olivia was left with no other choice. Wayne was more violent than the data implied. That was why this was an S-rank mission. Olivia was prepared to fight to the death since she valued her life more than the sess of the mission. As she was about to fight back, Wayne suddenly clutched his head with both hands and screamed. He knelt on the floor like a maniac. His shirt was opened, revealing his muscr torso. But that wasn''t the time to focus on that. Olivia could finally breathe. Wayne almost strangled her! He seemed to be suffering from a massive headache right now. He held his head with one hand and reached out toward her with the other in an attempt to Kill her. If she wanted to strike while he was still weakened, she could just draw her gun and shoot him. But that would mean she would fail the mission. She decided to take a risk. Olivia stepped back and said gently, "Does your head hurt a lot? Lay down and I''ll examine you." "Shut up. I''ll kill you!" Wayne drew his gun and pointed it at her. It looked like he was about to fire. Olivia quickly dodged as the gunshot sounded. She picked up a rock and smashed it on his forehead. It started to bleed. ¡°You really are..." Before he could say anything else, Olivia pushed him to the ground. "Have you calmed down yet? I''m a doctor. Do as I say!" Under the gleam of the moonlight, Wayne met Olivia''s determined gaze. There was no fear in her eyes. Then, he felt her hand on his wrist. The headache made him feel irritated. It made him want to kill the unknown woman before him. Olivia quickly spoke up, "Don''t move. You''ll die if you kill me. Did you suffer a major head injury in the past? The headaches are caused by blood clots.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He stopped raising his gun. "You''re really a doctor?" Chapter 1232 Olivia became visibly more confident when it came to her profession. ¡°You won''t believe me even if I say so. Just stay still." Luckily, she had thought about all possible oues from the start. The identity she gave herself was that of a doctor. That was why her backpack was filled with medical supplies. She took out her equipment and turned on an emergencymp. Seeing the silver needles, Wayne asked coldly, "What are you doing?" ¡°I''m going to get rid of the clots and ease that headache of yours. Don''t worry. If I wanted to kill you, I would''ve done so when you were unconscious." Wayne knew there was truth in her words. After all, she had the time she needed to kill him if she had the time to take off his clothes. The pain made Wayne give in. He said coldly, ¡°You''d better be able to heal me. Or else, I''ll tear you to pieces!" Olivia ignored him. She started to perform acupuncture on his head under the illumination of themp. While she was doing that, shemented the ridiculousness of the situation. She didn''t find the ring and was providing Wayne with treatment. If Mason found out about this, he would not be happy. After the silver needles were in ce, she took out some disinfectant and bandages. "What are you doing now?" Olivia looked at him and barked, "Are you blind? Can''t you see that I''m disinfecting your wounds?" She took a pair of forceps and picked up a cotton ball. After soaking the cotton ball in some alcohol, she pushed it against his wounds roughly. He winced in pain, but he didn''t make a sound. He allowed her to clean up and dress his wounds. His gaze was still cautious. "Why did a woman like youe to a ce like this in the middle of the night? Aren''t you scared that you''ll get killed by a wolf?" ¡°You''re way scarier than wolves. You tried to kill me even though I saved your life." Wayne red at her, but she pretended not to notice. "Take off your shirt. I want to look at your hand." "Why are you treating my wounds? You don''t even know who I am." ¡°I don''t really want to either, but won''t you just kill me on the spot? Let''s make a deal. If I cure youpletely, let me leave. I have to look for herbs. It''ll be toote when those idiots decide to bombard this area.¡± This piece ofnd was untouched by war. There weren''t any people or buildings, so there was no need to bombard this area. For once, Wayne remained silent even though he was one of those idiots that Olivia was talking about. He followed her instructions and took off his shirt.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. He could tell that she was a medical practitioner based on how she dressed his wound, and she was an experienced one at that. Wayne''s arm was bleeding profusely. While she was trying to stop the bleeding, she yelled, "You''re bleeding so much, and you were still trying to kill me. Weren''t you afraid that you might bleed out?" ¡°I''ll die anyway,¡± Wayne said nonchntly. His headache had been alleviated. He didn''t feel any more pain. He was in a clearer state of mind. ¡°You''re pretty good at this.¡± Olivia intentionally applied some force to his wound. It was revenge for trying to strangle her. Wayne knew that. He thought that Olivia was a brave person with a fiery temper. She actually dared to take it out on him. After she finished dressing the wounds on his arm, Olivia removed the silver needles and wiped off the sweat on her forehead. "I saved you, so you''ll let me go. We''re square now." She put her stuff back into her backpack. Wayne''s shadow loomed over her. Olivia turned around and saw his devilish smile. "Who said we''re square?¡± Wayne grabbed her cor and said, "Woman, I still have use for you." Chapter 1233 Olivia pretended to be afraid. "What do you want to do? I saved you. Let me go. I need to go look for herbs." Wayne picked her up and threw her onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He didn''t treat her like a woman at all. He also took her backpack and slung it over his back. "Give up on trying to get away. I won''t let you leave before you completely heal me." Olivia smiled as she signaled to Undecim with her hands. She intentionally exposed her medical proficiency so that Wayne would think she was useful. She would be able to look for the ring in secret while she was providing treatment to Wayne. Maybe she could even help Mason and Ethan uncover more secrets. The silhouettes in the distance were getting closer. "Are you okay, sir?" "Sir, is this a prisoner from the enemy? Why is it a woman?" "Should we bury her alive?" "Why don''t we chop her up and feed her to the fishes?" These people were just like Wayne. They were all cruel. Wayne was topless. He didn''t look like the top brass of a country. He was like a bandit, one of the most unkempt people Olivia ever met. He red at the other men. "She''s a doctor. I need her alive to treat my headaches. I''ll kill all of you if she so much as loses a finger."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "A doctor? Why would there be a doctor in a ce like this? Don''t be fooled, sir. She might be a spy.¡± "That''s right. No doctor would appear in the middle of nowhere like this.¡± Wayne knew everything they said made sense. He didn''t believe Olivia initially, but his headaches had been troubling him for years. The doctors he had seen couldn''t help him. They said he had to wait for it to heal by itself. If he couldn''t take it, he could take pain meds. Olivia was able to alleviate the pain with some needles. She was much better than the mediocre doctors he had seen. "We''ll talk when we get back. Did you find that bastard? I told you he''d die before me." Wayne changed the subject. Bastard? Was he talking about Ethan? Olivia pinched his waist hard, but his body was like steel. He barely even felt it. "Mess around again and I''ll feed you to Ben," Wayne threatened her coldly. Although she didn''t know what Ben was, it didn''t sound like anything good. "Do we have a sack?" Wayne asked someone next to him. "No." "Bring me my clothes.¡± Wayne covered Olivia''s head with his jacket. Her eyes were shrouded in darkness, and her nostrils were filled with the smell of his scent and blood. This bastard was heartless. Olivia saved him, but he treated her so roughly. She was taken to a car. She even disyed some frightened reactions to sell the performance. The person beside her said with annoyance, "Shut up. Make one more sound and I''ll cut off your legs. I just need your arms, after all.¡± Olivia was at a loss for words. This man was such a tyrant! The car drove on an uneven road. Olivia didn''t dare to make a move. Wayne was a heartless man. He meant it when he said he would cut her legs off. The car hit another bump on the road, and Olivia was flung from her seat and fell to the floor. Olivia felt dizzy from the fall. Before she could get up, Wayne ced a foot on her. "Stay like this. I needed a footstool. This works." Olivia was taken aback. She almost lost her cool and cursed at him. ¡°You bastard, I saved your life. Is this how you treat your savior?" Chapter 1234 Olivia couldn''t see anything because of the jacket covering her face. Olivia could clearly feel Wayne leaning over above her. ¡°I''d stop yapping if I were you. You won''t be able to appeal to my better nature if I don''t have that." Olivia was speechless. She endured it. It was all for the ring. Sooner orter, she would end his life with her own two hands. After some time and several turns, the car finally stopped. It was just as Olivia was about to vomit. She was picked up again before she could catch her breath. Soon, she was thrown onto a cold, hard floor so roughly that she thought her bones would break. In a fit of rage, Olivia pulled off the jacket on her head and threw it away. She didn''t do it earlier because she was afraid she would see something she wasn''t meant to see and get killed. She stood up and pointed at Wayne. "What kind of depraved jerk are you? You''re a crook, an ouw, a criminal!" Wayne sat down on the couch and crossed his legs. He was topless, and his well-built figure waspletely exposed under the light. He had well-developed chest muscles, well-defined abs, and an Adonis belt that ran all the way down to his lower abdomen. His arms were still bandaged, but it didn''t take away from his extremely masculine appearance. Someone came in through the door. He shot Olivia a nce and then threw her bag on the floor. "Sir, we''ve checked her bag. There are only regr items and medicine. There''s nothing suspicious in it." Wayne''s gaze fell on Olivia again. "Strip, woman." Olivia almost thought she heard wrongly. "What did you say?" "I said, strip!" The man in ck standing at the side also felt like Wayne''s words were too provocative. Hence, he offered an exnation. "Miss, we just want to check if you''re carrying anything dangerous on you." Olivia crossed her arms. "Is he crazy? He''s the one who brought me here. And he''s the one suspicious of me now? How is that even logical?" "Sorry, but this is part of the procedure. If you''re unwilling to do it yourself, I''ll do it for you."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The man in ck started to walk toward her. Olivia raised a hand to stop him. "Wait! Even if you want to search me, you should get a woman to do it." "Sorry, there are no women here at the moment." "Anyone from the kitchen? A cleaner?¡± He shook his head. "None at all. There are only men here. So, you''ll have to put up with it." Wayne frowned. Then, he pulled Olivia over to him and threw her onto the couch. He reached out and grabbed her cor as he said impatiently, ¡°Women are so troublesome. We just need you to strip. We''re not gonna kill you. Why are you making so much of a fuss?" Dexim City was located in a tropical area. The weather was warm all year round. It didn''t get much colder at night either. Olivia was wearing a camisole underneath and a light blue baggy shirt on the outside. Wayne pulled at her roughly, which caused the buttons on her shirt to be ripped off. The white camisole inside was also pulled up. Her bare neck, corbone, and shoulders were exposed. Even parts of her bra and her cleavage could be seen. Olivia''s figure was superb, and her skin was wless. Even if she wasn''t fully exposed, it still made an emotionless man like Wayne freeze for a second and gulp. Even the man in ck was stunned. Olivia''s face looked in, but her figure was great. Chapter 1235 Although Olivia had been through some hard years in her life, she had never been humiliated like this. She didn''t care about Wayne''s status. She pped him resoundingly while he was still in a daze. The crisp sound of the p echoed in the room. Wayne came back to his senses and pinned her hands above her head. He was already topless to begin with, so their position looked quite indecent. The man in ck covered his mouth and cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment. ring at her, Wayne questioned angrily, "You dare hit me?" "Why not? You''re a punk. Let go of me, you pervert!" Olivia said as she sat up and headbutted Wayne despite the fact that her hands were restricted. Both of them were reeling from the impact. Wayne loosened his grip on Olivia after that blow and stared at her in disbelief. He had never seen such a bold woman in his life. Olivia had lost her cool. She jumped on him and scratched his chest repeatedly. She left several red marks on his chest. "You shameless bastard! You''re not showing any gratitude to me for saving you. And you even treat me so rudely. I''ll kill you!" The man in ck quickly came up to stop her. He dragged her away and said, "Calm down, Miss." Before Wayne could react, Olivia kicked him in the face while she was being dragged away. Wayne licked his lips and looked at the scratch marks on his chest. Then, he spat some blood out of his mouth. That woman was feisty! Wayne got up. His tall frame blocked the lights above, casting a long shadow over Olivia. "Do you think I won''t hit you because you''re a woman?" Olivia could tell that he would only kill people, but he didn¡¯t hit women. Or else, he would''ve retaliated the first time she struck him.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. That was why she beat him up fearlessly and even kicked him in the face. ¡°Let me go!" "Can''t do that.¡± Wayne grabbed Olivia''s cor. "Don¡¯t even think about leaving before I get better. Also, I''ll kill you if I ever find out you have ulterior motives!" He let go of Olivia after he said that, and she fell to the floor. "Sir, what do we do about this woman?" "She''s a good doctor. Let her stay and treat my headaches." "Alright, understood.¡± Wayne walked away quickly. The man in ck began to verify Olivia''s identity. Doctors were well-respected all around the world, so the man treated her with more respect. "My name is n Tanner. May I know your name, where you live, and why you showed up in a ce like this?" Olivia told him the answer she had already prepared in advance. She was a little nervous. n was clearly a trusted aide of Wayne. He would be hard to fool. After hearing her exnation, n said, "So you''re from Canwell City? I was there some years ago. The mutton there was so tasty. I still think about it now." Anyone else might be confused by his statement, but Olivia was a smart person. She also lived in Canwell City once. She exined, "You must''ve remembered wrongly. Canwell City is on a higher sea level with cold weather. People there rear goats instead of sheep.¡± Chapter 1236 After Olivia''s reminder, n said, "You''re right! I was wrong. It was goats. Also, there were those flowers that bloom during winter. What are those called again?" "Valerian. It has medicinal purposes. It helps with insomnia. Just ask if you have any other questions," Olivia replied calmly with a confident glow in her eyes. Noticing that Olivia had seen through his ploy, n rubbed his nose awkwardly. "I''ll get to the point. What herbs were you looking for?" "Moonflower. It''s a flower that only blooms when the moon is out. Its petals are bright and attract fireflies.¡± n asked some more questions after that, but he wasn''t able to find any holes in Olivia''s story. "I apologize for what happened before this, Dr. Ophelia. Mr. Maxwell is a little quick-tempered. You''ll be rewarded handsomely if you heal him." Olivia frowned. "I don''t care for any rewards. I just want to be set free. Who are you people?" "Don''t worry, Dr. Ophelia. We won''t hurt you as long as you cooperate. On the other hand, if you decide to do anything you shouldn''t, I can guarantee what will happen to you. Don''t ask any more questions. I''ll take you to where you''ll be living now." n led the way and brought her to a small room. ¡°I''m sorry, but our resources are limited here. This is all we can offer right now. You''ve had a good scare today. You should rest. Also, don''t even think about escaping. Mr. Maxwell gets very angry when people don''t obey him." n stood at the door with a chilling smile. "Sweet dreams, Dr. Ophelia.¡± His smile faded after he closed the door. He looked at the person next to him. "Go to this address and look into this person.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Tanner.¡± Olivia knew that they would have people look into her at Canwell City as soon as possible. The face she was wearing was that of a doctor. But the real person left home many years ago and died in an ident. Not even the person''s family members knew she was dead. There was no way these men would know. There wasn''t anything suspicious in Olivia''s bag, but there was a tracker in one of her teeth. She also carried a pistol and a dagger on her. As for her phone, she was afraid that they would find something suspicious on it since a lot of data could still be retrieved even if it were deleted. Hence, she threw her phone into the river before Wayne took her away. It had probably drifted further downstream. The first phase of the n was a sess. She only had to gain Wayne''s trust and get the ring as soon as possible. Then, she could work with Undecim and leave this ce. She didn''t get much sleep that night. She was on guard the whole time. n knocked on Wayne''s door in the morning. Wayne opened his eyeszily. "Did you finish looking into her?" "Yes. Please take a look, Mr. Maxwell." n handed him the information on the person known as Ophelia. He said, "She seems fine from what we found. Ophelia left Canwell City five years ago. There isn''t time to look any deeper, so we only found information about her from five years ago." Wayne nodded and threw the document back to n. "Bring that woman here to treat me."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Olivia was wide awake as soon as someone knocked on her door. "Who is it?" ¡°Don''t be afraid, Ms. Ophelia. It''s me." Olivia opened the door and looked at n cautiously. "You''re the reason I''m afraid. I didn''t get a wink of sleepst night." Chapter 1237 ¡°You don''t have to be so nervous, Ms. Ophelia. You just have to focus on providing treatment for Mr. Maxwell. He requested for you to go to him and administer treatment.¡± When Olivia got there, Wayne had just gotten out of the bathroom. He had a towel around his waist. His muscr torso and calves were exposed. The bandages she put on him yesterday were all wet. It looked like some blood was seeping from them. This man waspletely unhinged. Olivia had met plenty of men, but Wayne was the roughest of them all. He was aplete maniac. "Don''t you know you''re hurt?" Olivia asked as she pointed at his arm. Wayne dried his hair casually with a towel. He said nonchntly, "That''s why I asked you toe treat me. Do you have a problem with that?" What was he thinking? Wayne was testing the limits of her patience. Olivia red at him angrily and poked at his head. "Are you insane? Let me go if you n to die! I won''t be able to cure you no matter how good I am if you''re uncooperative." Wayne grabbed her finger and looked at her with anger in his eyes. "I can break this finger with a slight twist. Don''t get too cocky, woman." Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "Oh please, the domineering act is so out of style." She began to arrange her medical supplies. Wayne looked at n in confusion. "What is she talking about?" n cleared his throat. ¡°It seems she''s talking about a type of character in novels¡ªthe type of man that would treat women domineeringly. It seems to have gone out of style recently.¡± Wayne finally understood what he meant. "And what''s in style now?" "Mr. Maxwell, I wouldn''t know. I don''t read novels. How would I know what''s trending?" Wayne stroked his chin. "Do I speak very weirdly?" He didn''t think anything was wrong with how he spoke. That woman was probably just acting out. "Hey, you..." Olivia set aside the bandages and the medical supplies. She picked up a pair of scissors. "Ophelia. That''s my name." She proceeded to cut open the bandages on his arm after she said that. She saw the bleeding wound underneath and dabbed a cotton ball soaked in alcohol on it. ¡°If you want my treatment, you have to listen to what I say. Don''t let the wounds get soaked. It''ll be troublesome if you get an infection. If you want to die, you can always just stab yourself in the heart.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia continued to reprimand him with a stern expression, "You might think medical supplies aren''t that important. "But in a war-torn area like this, medical supplies are extremely precious to refugees because they can save lives. You shouldn''t waste them!" "Why are you concerned about the refugees?" "I''m human. I''m not heartless." Wayne scoffed. "You''re just pretending to be kind. I hate people like you who feign kindness." Olivia didn''t exin herself, but she meant what she said. People in war-torn areas lived really hard lives. They didn''t have resources, medical supplies, or rations. Many of them could only watch as their loved ones died before their very eyes. Olivia bandaged his wounds angrily. Her actions were rough. After she was done with that, Wayne tugged at her hand and said, "Do acupuncture now." Olivia picked up her silver needles. "If I were pretending to be nice, I''d just stab you to death with my needles.¡± Wayne smiled. "Why don''t you give it a try? You''ll find out if I can destroy a city with a singlemand.¡± Chapter 1238 Olivia knew his identity, but she was just one person. There was nothing she could do to change the situation. Even if she killed Wayne, Carathia''s assault wouldn''t stop. Andia was forced to respond in kind, but fighting violence with more violence wasn''t ideal. She didn''t know how Wayne could talk about something like that so casually. Sheposed herself and asked, "Who are you, really?" "You just need to provide treatment for me. You don''t have to concern yourself with anything else." Olivia looked troubled. She didn''t want to talk about it anymore. She said calmly, "I need to use the bathroom. Goy in bed. I''ll examine you properlyter. Your issue is not with your head alone.¡± Wayne raised his chin. Olivia locked the door as soon as she entered the bathroom. Since nothing happenedst night, it seemed like their suspicion of her had been dispelled. It was a great opportunity because Wayne had just showered. She noticed that he wasn''t wearing the ring on his fingers. It was possible that he left it in the bathroom. Olivia went through the clothes he took off carefully. She even checked his innerwear. Why wasn''t the ring here? Did he not bring it with him on this trip? Olivia frowned. Washing her hands, she exited the bathroom. Wayne was lying in bed as per her instructions. He had his limbs outstretched, and the towel was slightly parted. Olivia could see most of his thighs clearly. She quickly turned away. This man was incredibly crude. She sat down by the bed and ced a finger on his wrist to feel his pulse. If the ring wasn''t with him, she had to go back to Carathia with him. She would only get an opportunity to get the ring if he trusted herpletely. So, she examined him very carefully. She moved her finger away after a while.Contents belong "How''s Mr. Maxwell doing, Ms. Ophelia?" Olivia snorted. "The problem isn''t just in his head. There are dozens of different issues, including some heart problems." n didn''t believe it when Wayne said Olivia was a doctor. But he was convinced at that moment. "You''re right. Mr. Maxwell suffered a head injury in the past. Although he had surgery for it, the results weren''t really that good. The chances of another sess with cranial surgery are low. That''s why no doctors dare to try it. ¡°It''s also the cause of Mr. Maxwell''s headaches. The same goes for his heart. I''ve heard that Vanessa''s a great doctor, but we looked for a year and couldn''t find her. Can you fix him?"Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°I can''t say for sure, but I''ll try my best.¡± ¡°You''re third-rate," Wayne said snobbily. Olivia had the urge to sew his mouth up. "Don''t give me that look. Just be honest and give a straight answer. You''re just a third-rate doctor, aren''t you?" "Sure. I''ll say I can do the cranial surgery. Will you have the guts to get onto the operating table? I''ve got nothing to lose. If you die during the operation, just do better in your next life." "Mr. Maxwell, please stop aggravating her. I think Ms. Ophelia is actually quite skilled. Please treat Mr. Maxwell''s head, Ms. Ophelia." "No can do." "Alright." Wayne sat up and looked at n. "I remember that you captured some stinking rats a few days ago, right? Bring them here." Olivia felt a little uneasy. Then, she saw n bringing a few people over. Those people had tanned skin, round eyes, thick brows, and were wearing rags. They were clearly refugees from Dexim City. They looked like they had been starved for a few days. They looked weak, but one of them had some strength left in him and started cursing. He cursed in the localnguage, which Olivia only understood a little of. It was clear he was cursing up a storm from his outraged expression. "What are you nning to do?" Olivia asked. A dagger appeared in Wayne''s hands out of nowhere. He had a devilish smile on his face as he stuck that dagger into that man''s chest. Blood sttered everywhere, and some stained her blue shirt. The man fell to the ground with his eyes wide open, looking in Olivia''s direction. Blood quickly pooled on the floor. Chapter 1239 The man was weakened to begin with. That stab was enough to kill him instantly. Some of the blood stained the soles of Olivia''s shoes. She had killed some people over the years too. But she had a bottom line. She only killed people who deserved to die. Judging from these people''s attire, they were just citizens who loved their own country. The man''s expression looked a lot like Mona''s before he died. Both of them were innocent people who died because of her. No matter how much time passed, she still couldn''t get used to a situation like this. Olivia touched her own face subconsciously. For a moment, it was like she could feel the warmth and sensation of Mona''s blood on her face. Wayne was pleased by her shocked expression. He slowly walked next to the dead man, crouched down, and pulled that dagger out of his chest. He twirled the dagger in his hand. He was about to stick the dagger into another person''s chest. Olivia grabbed his hand. "Don''t do it!" The dagger in his raised hand still had the blood of the dead man on it. It flowed from the de and dripped onto Olivia''s face. "Can you treat me now?" Wayne asked in a whisper, like the murmurs of the devil. Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright, I''ll do it." Wayne pped his hands. n called some people over to drag the frightened refugees and the dead body away. If it weren''t for the blood on the floor, Olivia would''ve thought it was all a dream. She had read about Wayne''s savagery on his file. But the words weren''t as convincing as what she saw in person. Wayne took some tissues and cleaned the blood off his de. Then, he went back to the bed andy down. ¡°Let''s begin." Olivia picked up a silver needle and eyed his neck. Then, Wayne spoke up, "If anything happens to me, the entire city will die with you. Think about it before you stick that needle into me." What a cruel man! Olivia started to perform acupuncture, but she still felt very emotional. Other than his head, Olivia also stuck some needles all over his body. She didn''t speak another word throughout the whole treatment. The room was eerily quiet. There was only one thought in her mind¡ª she had to find that ring and get out of there! It wasn''t in the bathroom, could it be in this room?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The decor of the room wasn''tplicated. If she had the opportunity to search the room, it would only take her five minutes. After she removed thest needle, Wayne closed his eyes. His breathing was steady. It looked like he had fallen asleep. Wayne was a very paranoid person. It was highly possible that he was pretending to be asleep to catch her off guard, just like how he killed a man to make an example of him. No matter how anxious she was, she wouldn''t choose to do anything then and there. It was clear that Wayne had never fully trusted her to begin with. She put her needles away and left the room without hesitation. After she closed the door, Wayne slowly opened his eyes. He was like a leopard that had his eyes on his prey. It was in the middle of the night. Olivia had stayed in this ce for a day and a night. She had been shut in this room almost the whole time when she wasn''t providing Wayne with treatment. She opened the door sneakily after night had fallen. She had already nned out an escape route during the day. She only had to climb up the tree in the yard and jump onto the wall. She climbed up the tree nimbly and jumped to the wall carefully. After she jumped down from the wall, an amused voice rang out next to her. "Where do you think you''re going, Ophelia?" Wayne, who was dressed in ck, slowly walked toward her. "Didn''t I tell you to cure my headaches?" Chapter 1240 Olivia looked like a harmless little bunny before Wayne''s towering figure. Her body was trembling subconsciously as she moved backward with her hands propping her up on the ground. She looked absolutely terrified. That was precisely what she wanted him to see. It was only logical for a normal person to want to run away when they had just seen a man kill an innocent person in cold blood. It would be more suspicious if she werepletely docile. It was a psychological showdown between the two of them. Olivia said in a shaky voice, "I... I''m just out for some fresh air. I never thought about running away!" Wayne bent over slightly as he looked at her. With a devilish smile, he asked, "Is that so?" Olivia nodded her head frantically. ¡°That''s right. I''m just getting some fresh air. Please don''t kill anyone else.¡± "Since you''re not running away, why would I harm anyone needlessly? But it''s chaotic out here. I''m restricting your freedom for your own good. I hope this is thest time you try something like this.¡± After he said that, he approached her with the intent of carrying her away. As soon as he touched Olivia, he could feel her trembling violently. It was like she was faced with some terrible beast. "Are you really so afraid of me?" Olivia didn''t respond, but the fear in her eyes said it all. Wayne patted her on the shoulder. "Don''t worry. I won''t mistreat you if you''re obedient.¡± Then, he put her on his shoulder and carried her away. Olivia was reminded of workers at the dock carrying sacks full of stuff. Perhaps they were bandits who were carrying innocent women away. There was definitely something wrong with this man! ¡°Let go of me. I can walk." Olivia hated being in close contact with a stranger. Even if she wasn''t involved with this man romantically, she still couldn''t get used to it. After she struggled for a few seconds, Wayne pped her bottom. "Settle down!" Olivia was at a loss for words. That bastard! She would end him sooner orter! Ethan hurt her in the past, but it was all mental abuse. He would show her some care even when they were doing it. He had never treated Olivia so disrespectfully. Not even Jeff had smacked her on her bottom before. This man whom she had just metst night actually smacked her! It was so humiliating! Wayne did that reflexively. He spaced out for a second after he did that. Olivia was wearing a pair of jeans. They weren''t too thick, so he could feel how supple her bottom was. It was something he had never felt before. But he never cared much about these things, so he quickly put the thought behind him. He brought Oliva to the bed in his room. She looked at him guardedly. "W-What are you doing?" ¡°I just don''t want you hopping over the wall at night again. This way, I''ll be able to keep you safe,¡± Wayne said with a chilling smile. He was like a feral beast. This wasn''t protection. He was keeping her prisoner!T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Olivia thought it would take some more effort, but things were progressing faster than she expected. The good thing was that Wayne didn''t seem interested in women. There wasn''t information about any women he was close with in his file. He could''ve had his heart broken by someone in the past. Or else something was bound to happen when they were alone in his bedroom. It was easier for her to find the ring this way. Wayne got someone to bring two nkets, which he ced on the floor. After the door was closed, he said, "Go to sleep.¡± Olivia sat on the bed without moving a muscle. Wayne was very impatient. He kicked her off the bed. "I said, sleep!" Chapter 1241 Luckily, the two nkets were already on the floor. They cushioned Olivia''s fall, and it didn''t hurt that much. Olivia was fuming. Was Wayne even a man? He didn''t have a shred of chivalry in him! Wayne nced at Olivia, who was ring at him. He added, "Turn off the lights before you sleep.¡± His words only made her more angry. She couldn''t understand how he could be so unfeeling! Despite her anger, she still went and turned off the lights. In the darkness, Wayne said chillingly, ¡°I''m very sensitive to change, especially when I''m asleep. If I feel any danger at all, I won''t hesitate to snap the neck of whoever''s in front of me. I hope you''ll still be alive tomorrow.¡± Olivia replied mockingly, "You''re so awesome! Why don''t you sleep with your eyes open?¡± Wayne snorted. Shey down with her back facing him and covered herself with one of the nkets. Even though she had the urge to check around the room to see if the ring was here, she kept reminding herself to be patient. The time wasn''t right yet. Olivia stayed up the entire nightst night. She had also been on the road for the past couple of days. She fell asleep quickly because she was exhausted. Wayne wouldn''t hurt her yet. Or else, he wouldn''t even prepare the nkets for her. Wayne could hear her soft and steady breathing. He marveled at how carefree she was, being able to fall asleep so quickly. Through the dim lights shining through the window, he could see that Olivia had curled up into a ball like a hedgehog.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It was already daybreak when Olivia woke up. She was wide awake the moment Wayne got off the bed. He stood on her nkets as he was changing. She saw his legs the moment she opened her eyes. She also saw the hairs on his leg, the ck underwear he was wearing, and the outlines of a certain body part. Even a person as stoic as Olivia screamed, "Ah! Pervert!" Wayne waspletely oblivious as to how he should act around a woman. It was probably because of the environment he grew up in. He waspletely different from Ethan. Ethan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. On the other hand, Wayne was said to have grown up on a refugee ind. Even after Olivia married Ethan, he would act courteously other than the times when they were doing it. He would never stand before a woman he didn''t know in his underwear. Wayne looked down to see Olivia''s face when he heard her scream. "Have you never seen a man before? Why are you so surprised?" His words angered Olivia. If she didn''t already know what he was like in the past two days, she would really think he was a ruffian. ¡°I''ve never seen a man as shameless as you." "Well, there''s always a first." Wayne walked into the bathroom bare-footed. So, that was why he was almostpletely naked. As soon as he closed the door, Olivia became excited. Her opportunity hade! She carefully moved to the bathroom door. She could hear the sound of water running. Then, the sound of the water became irregr. He was probably already standing under the water. Olivia quickly raised the pillows. There wasn''t anything under them. Then, she checked the bedside drawers. Since it was a temporary amodation, the drawers were empty too. There wasn''t anything in the clothes and pants on the bed. Her gaze fell on the wardrobe, but it was too big of a target. Wayne coulde out at any time. Olivia didn''t take the risk. As expected, the bathroom door opened when she stopped. Wayne only took a simple shower. He came out wearing a towel around his waist. Olivia should feel fortunate that he didn''t exit the bathroompletely naked. Chapter 1242 The bedroom wasn''t that spacious, and the air was slightly moist. Olivia turned away. ¡°You brought me here by force. I''ve been wearing the same clothes for days. I want to take a shower.¡± ¡°Do it, then," Wayne said casually. Olivia frowned. "I need a change of clothes.¡± Wayne casually pulled open the wardrobe that Olivia wanted to check. There was only a suitcase inside that contained some of his clothes. Olivia found it hard to believe that he was actually the leader of a nation. Olivia thought about Mason, who was in a simr position. He ate the best food and drank the best alcohol. Even the teas in his possession were of the highest quality. Although the clothes he wore weren''t branded, they were designed and made for him by the best designers and tailors. Olivia nced at the clothes in Wayne''s suitcase. There were two jackets, some short-sleeved shirts, and pants. He picked out a wrinkly short-sleeved shirt and a pair of pants. Then, he threw them at her. "Make do with these for now." Olivia was on the verge of losing it. What was he doing here? Was he on vacation? Wasn''t he rumored to be a very capable person? Why did it feel like she had walked into the dorm room of a male college student? He was aplete mess.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "How can I wear your stuff?" Wayne put a shirt on. "Here, just like this." Olivia was at a loss for words. "The refugees have already been moved. There aren''t any operational stores. Just make do for now. If you really need clothes, I''ll get some people to take some female clothing from some people.¡± Olivia didn''t know what to say. She was starting to miss Ethan, the man who would take care of her down to the smallest details. Wayne looked like someone who was destined to spend the rest of his days alone. Olivia had no other options. She could only pick up his shirt and pants. It was better than nothing. The weather was good. Her clothes would dry pretty quickly. She went into the bathroom but stuck her head out after a while. "What about a towel?" "Isn''t there a towel inside?" "That''s the one you used." ¡°I don''t mind you using it, so just use it." Wayne put on some ck-colored cks and handed Olivia the towel that he had used a moment ago. "Take this." Thinking about how the towel had just been used, Olivia threw it away and mmed the door. "I''m out of here." Wayne''s expression fell. "Women are so troublesome.¡± Olivia felt much better after she took a shower. She dried herself with the clothes she took off. The thing she found uneptable was Wayne''s pants. That was why she only changed her top. She kept wearing her own pants. She could only wash them at night. She looked at the clouds as she was drying her clothes. She wondered how Ethan was doing. Ethan came to Dexim City personally. Those couple of days were the ceasefire period, so things were rtively peaceful. No one knew what would happen after this. Olivia knew that the innocent civilians who were outside this temporary shelter had it worse. She wanted to get the ring. She also wanted to end the war. The war was started by Wayne. He wanted to take over Dexim City, which was part of his n to fight against Andia. Olivia sighed. Was this what Ethan''s world looked like? She was as ignorant as everyone else in the past. She never knew what the world looked like beyond the ces she went to every day. She could only move freely in her room and the yard. Wayne was already nowhere to be seen. The next round of conflict was probably quickly approaching. Olivia decided that she needed to gain Wayne''s trust. Other than the ring, she also wanted to gather more information. She needed a chance topletely gain his trust. Chapter 1243 After a while, Wayne walked into the room briskly and beckoned her over. "Come. Begin treatment.¡± Olivia was very obedient this time. She had already prepared everything she needed for the treatment in advance. "Take off your clothes.¡± "You do it." "Why are you sozy?" Olivia grumbled as she pulled on the zipper of his jacket. She slowed down visibly when she was close to the wound on his arm. She tugged at the sleeve lightly with one hand and pressed on his arm lightly with the other. Wayne''s skin color was slightly tanned. The contrast was very obvious when Olivia''s fingers were on his skin. Did all women have such small hands? Were they all so pale? Olivia''s hand felt soft and tender on his arm. For some reason, Wayne thought about the time he pped her bottom. It was also very soft and supple. She didn''t know what was going through his mind. She was just changing his bandages for him. Before he could savor her touch more, she was already done with the bandaging. Hey in bed with his face down and allowed Olivia to stick needles into his head as she pleased. "My back is sore. Massage it for me when you''re done with the acupuncture. You practice medicine, so you should be more knowledgeable about the pressure points, right?" Olivia''s expression fell, but she convinced herself to put up with it to gain his trust. Even so, she couldn''t help but be a little rough. She hoped that he would at least feel some pain. "Did you not get to eat? Why are you so weak? Put your back into it." Olivia was rendered speechless. For a second, she felt like she had been sold to him as a ve. Did she have to do his bidding in the future? Wayne could feel the warmth of Olivia''s hands. The force she applied was perfect. She was very on point with the pressure points, and it felt very good. Her hands were smooth, unlike his own. He had taken a look at her hands when she was dressing his wounds. They were tender, soft, and pale. Wayne had previously suspected that she wasn''t who she said she was. But most people who used firearms would have calluses on their palms. Olivia didn''t have any. Her hands massaged him from his shoulders to his back. Finally, she reached his waist. ¡°I''m saying this now. This is as far down as I''m willing to massage. I have my pride,¡± Olivia said coldly. Wayne snickered and said disdainfully, "Pride is worthless. Both power and money are more important.¡± Olivia pinched his waist. "Those are not important to me." "Yeah, because you pretend to be a saint,¡± Wayne said disdainfully. Wayne felt like his body was in a better condition after the massage. He patted Olivia''s head and said, "Massage me every day from today onward.¡± "Dream on. That''s too much. It''s very tiring," Olivia replied as she moved her wrists. ¡°You don''t have to do it the day after tomorrow." "Why?" ¡°The war is starting.¡± It was as Olivia had predicted. The two countries were at a ceasefire for a couple of days so that the people in the city could get away or have a moment''s respite. It didn''t matter if Ethan wanted to do it or not. The battle between the two of them was inevitable. Both of them wanted Dexim City for themselves.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "How do you know that? Who are you?" Olivia had to feign ignorance. "Just do as you''re told. You don''t have to concern yourself with anything else!" She had one more day. She didn''t know what else she could do for Ethan. Olivia paced around the room for some time. She couldn''t think of a way to stop the war from happening. Both of them had to get what they wanted. As the sun set, Olivia took off her undergarments and cleaned them while Wayne was asleep. If the war didn''t stop, she wouldn''t even get a change of clothes. It was brutal. Wayne could hear her washing her undergarments in the bathroom. Then, she went back to her spot andy down. There was a bit of moisture in the air and a faint fragrance of herbs. Wayne liked that smell. He was able to sleep soundly. Chapter 1244 Wayne woke up before daybreak. Olivia thought about her clothes that she was hanging out to dry in the bathroom. She was about to rush into the bathroom to take them out, but she realized that he had already locked the door. She knew he would definitely have seen her undergarments. She didn''t expect him to wake up so early. Although she knew that he was a very dense person, she didn''t want him to see her undergarments if she could help it. Wayne saw the set of whitece undergarments when he closed the door. The smooth fabric andce design made it look very feminine.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It was the first time Wayne had ever seen a woman''s undergarments. They weren''t anything special, but he instantly imagined how they would look on Olivia. He recalled the night when he ripped open her shirt and revealed her camisole. Even if he only saw a small part of her cleavage, it was enough for his imagination to run wild. He started to feel his throat dry up. He gulped as he felt his body temperature rise. Then, he felt a certain body part rise up. He turned on the shower and used the cold water to cool himself down. For some reason, he started to think about the sensation of her hands when she was massaging him. If only she could massage lower. If she could grab his... Olivia noticed that Wayne was showering for longer than usual. When he exited the bathroom, she covered her body with the nket and only revealed her head. Wayne looked at Olivia''s face. He thought that her face was average. She was quite in and couldn''t really be described as pretty. Thinking about what had just happened in the bathroom, he couldn''t believe that his body reacted to the undergarments of such a woman. Olivia saw his darkened eyes. She had no idea what he was thinking about. So, she said, "I didn''t have anything to change into, so I hung them to dry in the bathroom.¡± The arms that were exposed under her white short-sleeved shirt were quite pale. Her skin color was very pale. Wayne could see the embarrassment she felt. He wasn''t someone who got hung up over such trivial matters. He took out his own clothes and started putting them on casually. Seeing that he was about to remove the towel around his waist, Olivia quickly covered her head with the nket. Wayne nced at her before he proceeded to dress himself. He even reminded her before he left, ¡°Things are about to get chaotic outside. Don''t go running around. I won''t be held responsible if you die out there." It felt like the calm before the storm. When Olivia heard the door close, she knew it was her chance. She could finallyy her hands on his suitcase! Through her observation for the past couple of days, Olivia concluded that the ring was most probably in the suitcase if he did bring it with him. The suitcase was ced on the upper side of the wardrobe. She had to tiptoe to reach it. She only needed one minute! Olivia''s heartbeat quickened. If Wayne found out what she was doing, she might get killed. That was the longest minute of her life. The suitcase wasn''t locked. Luck was on her side! Olivia was very excited. She steadied her hand as she opened the suitcase. The suitcase was opened in one swift motion. She was overjoyed. Her heart was beating quickly. She finally opened it! As she was about to reach out, she heard a huge crash as the door was kicked open. Olivia felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Was this a setup? Wayne stood at the door with a chilling expression. He asked coldly, "What are you doing?" Chapter 1245 Olivia felt as if the blood in her veins had frozen. She tried to think of anything she could do to defuse the situation. Did she stand a chance if they were to fight to the death? Even if she could defeat him, she could be riddled with bullets after she stepped out that door. She cursed herself inwardly for being too anxious. She desperately wanted to be done with everything and leave Wayne''s side to return to Ethan. What would happen to her now that she had been found out? She grabbed a shirt as she formted her sentences. Would he believe what she was about to say? Unbeknownst to her, Wayne saw her dressed in his shirt when he walked in. The loose shirt she wore was just long enough to barely cover herher regions. The legs that were usually covered by her jeans were exposed. They looked prettier than those of models. They were also unlike his own, which were covered in ck hair. Her skin, even her soles, were pale without a hint of impurity. He knew very well that Olivia wasn''t wearing anything under that shirt! He gulped slightly as his gaze deepened. The atmosphere felt electrifying. Olivia was terrified. The image of Wayne casually stabbing someone to death was still fresh in her mind. She forced herself to remain calm. ¡°My pants aren''t dry yet. Can I wear one of yours for now? You weren''t here. I couldn''t exactly walk out of the room, so I opened your suitcase without your permission.¡± The excuse was perfect. All that was left was for him to believe it. Wayne slowly walked over to her. She clenched her fists tighter. The fabric in her hands was all scrunched up. Her back was already covered in sweat. Wayne''s expression was stern. Every step he took pounded on her heart. Then, the man stood right before her. Hismanding presence made her feel so much pressure that she felt like she was suffocating. Suddenly, Wayne wrapped a hand around her waist and drew her closer. She was about to fight for her life and was thrown off by what he did. Her hands were pressed lightly against his chest, and she had a terrified expression on her face. Wayne suddenly said, "So that''s your fetish? You should''ve let me know. I wouldn''t have stopped you." Olivia was dumbfounded. What was he talking about? She followed Wayne''s gaze onto what she was holding. The article of clothing in her hand was a pair of gray boxers. So, he thought she was a pervert who tried to steal his underwear while he was gone? Damn it! Olivia felt mortified. "It''s not what you think. I can exin. This is an ident.¡± "No wonder you were so afraid when I walked it. It''s fine. You can wear it if you like. I''ve heard that some men have the habit of collecting women''s underwear. I didn''t expect there to be women who did it too." ¡°That''s not it. I was just..."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "What? Didn''t you say you were here to take a pair of pants?" But she didn''t mean underpants! Olivia left like she wouldn''t be able to change the image he had of her no matter what she said. Compared to stealing the ring, stealing boxers was a blow to her image. But at least she managed to survive. Olivia gave up and stopped exining herself, "It''s just an emergency. This is the first time I''ve done something like this." "Everyone has their fetishes. I understand.¡± The anger in Olivia''s eyes was seething. He understood nothing! He was never there to catch her in the act of stealing. She was wrong to think that she had been exposed. "Why did youe back?" Chapter 1246 Wayne looked at the woman in his arms. Her exquisite corbone was completely exposed. Even the shape of her cleavage could be seen clearly. Olivia noticed his gaze and pushed him away. She quickly jumped onto the bed, covering herself up with the nket. Wayne''s eyes darkened. He rubbed his thumb against his index finger. There was a sense of emptiness in his palms after she got away from him. An indescribable feeling arose again as he looked at her curled up in his bed. He looked away. "It''s nothing. Don''t touch my things without permission again. This is your final warning.¡± He quickly left after he said that. Olivia cursed inwardly.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She sighed in relief after confirming that he was really gone. Her tensed-up muscles rxed at that moment. She saw that she was still holding his boxers in her hand, so she threw it away. The wardrobe was still open. The suitcase too. He didn''t close it up. If the ring were really in there, he wouldn''t be so careless with it. He probably didn''t bring the ring with him here. Olivia put the boxers back and rummaged through the suitcase. As expected, there wasn''t anything important in it¡ªonly some personal belongings. She sighed. The mission wasn''t going to be easy. She tried to think about it. Since the ring was the key to a certain base and it wasn''t on him, could he have given it to someone he trusted before he left? She probably wouldn''t be able to get the ring while they were in this city. As the battle was about to start, Olivia wasn''t sure how much longer they would stay in the city. If she spent too much time here, Mason and Ethan would worry about her. It seemed like there was only one way to stop the war. It would be impossible to get Wayne to give up, given how headstrong he was. The only way was for her to work with Ethan and have him think of something. She had thrown her phone away. The only way for her to contact Ethan was to run away from this ce and find him. It was an impossible task, but she had to give it a shot. She needed Ethan''s help. Olivia ran away again. Thest time, she intentionally allowed Wayne to discover that she had escaped. This time, she left in secret. She avoided the cameras and escaped through the area where the security was weakest. It was the first time she had seen Dexim City in the daylight. The busy streets and buildings filled with people had be debris. Most of the people in the city had been moved. Other than the debris, there were also bodies everywhere. She felt horrible when she saw them. The sight steeled her resolve to stop the war. At that very moment, a group of people were discussing battle strategies. n was describing his n. He turned on the monitor. ¡°I''ve already found their shelter. We should just make a move now and catch them off guard. I know a path in Xander District... Is that Ms. Ophelia?" He dispatched drones to scout the terrain. He didn''t expect her to show up in the footage. Olivia didn''t expect drones to be operating during a ceasefire. She ran into an alley and hid. Wayne''s angry voice could be hearding from the drone. "You bitch, how did you get there? Did you try to run away again?" If he hadn''t seen her from the drone, he wouldn''t have noticed she had gotten away. She was almost out of the city too. Olivia was at a loss for words. She was too unlucky. She was discovered so quickly after she escaped. "Stand there and don''t move! Make another move and I''ll break your legs!" Chapter 1247 Since she had already been found out, Olivia could only pretend to be distant. "Please just let me go!" ¡°Idiot, do you have a death wish? You''ll be entering Andian territory if you go any farther.¡± The city had been divided up by the two forces. That was great. She would be able to meet with Ethan sooner. She made up her mind and picked up some stones on the ground. ¡°I''m sorry, I have to go." Then, she started throwing stones at the drone. The operator quickly moved the drone out of harm''s way. "Throw one more stone and I''ll chop your hands off!" Olivia threw a few more but didn''tnd a single hit. She only had one more stone. The first few throws were just feints. She put everything she had behind the final one. She weighed it in her hand before throwing it with all her might. She smiled coldly. "So long, pervert.¡± The drone fell to the ground with a loud crash. The screen went ck. "Mr. Maxwell, just let her go. I think she''s pretty suspicious, anyway. It''s best to be careful in times like these. What if she''s a spy..." "Will you be treating my headaches if we let her go?" Wayne stood up. "Get her. Bring her back no matter what.¡± "But..." Olivia knew that the next wave of drones would being to look for her. There were drones that could shoot or drop bombs. She had to make the most of the time she had. She quickened her steps. "Help!" A woman''s scream rang. Olivia froze in her tracks. It was perfectly normal for there to be some stragglers in this city during the evacuation. Undecim had told her before that she should give up that kindness of hers. She stopped moving again just after she took a few more steps. The woman sounded really weak. Olivia turned the corner and saw a pregnant woman who was dressed in expensive clothes sitting near a wall. It looked like she was about to go intobor. There was a pool of water on the ground. Her water probably broke. Even in such a situation, there was a man who was trying to take her gold bracelet from her. ¡°Let go of me! Don''t do this!" Olivia saw that the man was in camouge attire. Judging from the colors of his attire, he should be Carathian. It seemed like Wayne''s subordinates were just as bad as he was. Olivia didn''t give the man a chance to retaliate. She picked up a rock and hit him on the back of his head with it. The man fell to the ground. He felt his head and saw the blood on his hand. He immediately called for reinforcements. Olivia stomped on his communication device, breaking it. Then, she hit him on the head with a rock a few more times. She made quick work of the man. Olivia looked at the woman who had gotten very weak. "How are you feeling?" The pain from her contractions was so bad that the woman couldn''t speak. She grabbed Olivia''s hand and pointed at her own stomach. "The baby..."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Olivia revealed her own identity to her. "Don''t worry. I''m a doctor. I''ll help you." She asked the woman to spread her legs before taking off the woman''s pants. There was no time to care about their surroundings. She stuck a hand into the woman''sher region to perform a check. ¡°This won''t do. It''s only four fingers wide. It''s not enough forbor yet. It''s dangerous here. I''ll bring you somewhere safe.¡± The man called for reinforcements before he died. Those people would be arriving shortly. "Can you walk?" Olivia asked. The woman gritted her teeth as Olivia helped her up. Although every step she took was hard, she knew that she would only have the chance to give birth to her child if she got out of danger. Meanwhile, Ethan received some news. "What did you say? Princess Sadie is in Dexim City? Isn''t she about to go intobor? Why would shee to a ce like this?" Brent frowned. "She was taken by her enemies and dropped in Dexim City. If she gets hurt here and now, that maniac from Veutron will definitely hold us responsible. Wayne is enough trouble as it is." "Give the order. Tell the men to find her no matter what. We need to save Princess Sadie." Chapter 1248 Oliva helped the woman leave the area with great effort. There was water flowing from herher regions. She had contractions every few minutes. She was in so much pain her face was pale. As a woman herself, Olivia knew all too well what the woman was going through. The first two pregnancies she went through ended in premature birth. She went through a lot of pain despite her kidsing out earlier than expected. It was probably worse for this woman who was having a normal birth. The woman knew the situation at hand was bad. She was trying her best to walk away with Olivia. They arrived at a store that had been blown open. Anything of value there was already gone. Olivia found two pieces of rags and ced them under the woman.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Wait for me here. I''ll be back soon." Although there weren''t any resources, she could still find some water. There was still running water in the city. She took some water and boiled it. Then, she brought some clean pieces of clothes back. ¡°This is the best I can do. You have to pull through.¡± She tried her best to clean the woman with warm water and a piece of cloth in hopes that the child wouldn''t be infected with anything when it was born. Olivia even found a table and some stools to block the entrance. She washed a rag and ced it in the woman''s mouth. "Don''t scream, or it''ll attract people to us." The woman nodded. She was very weak but cooperative. Olivia would reach in at intervals and check the status of the cervix. The sound of footsteps came from outside. Olivia gave the woman a look, and she immediately held in her groans. The contractions were getting more frequent. The baby was ready to pass through the birth canal. "Push. Deep breaths." The woman waspletely soaked in sweat. Her face was pale, and her hair was stered to her face. The sight of her current state pained Olivia. Giving birth to a child isn''t an easy task. She grabbed the woman''s hand. "Don''t worry. I''ll keep you safe as long as I''m with you." The woman was in too much pain to speak. She bit down on the rag in her mouth with all her strength. She looked at Olivia with gratitude in her weary eyes. She was grabbing Oliva''s hand so tightly that it turned red. Olivia didn''t seem to feel any pain. She was stillforting the woman gently, "Don''t be afraid. You have to endure this. You can do it. You''ll be able to see your baby soon. Wayne led his men to the scene. They discovered that man around the corner of the street where Olivia destroyed the drone. He held on to his dying breath and exined the situation. That was how Wayne found out that Olivia had chosen to help a pregnant woman in the midst of running away. How foolish. Wayne smirked. He was nning to cut off her legs when he caught her. She wouldn''t be able to escape then. He went along the route with his men. Wayne realized something was wrong after they ran down a few streets. "She couldn''t have gotten far with a pregnant woman slowing her down. Turn back. She must be hiding somewhere to deliver the baby." ¡°That''s right. We''ll go back and look!" At that very moment, another group of people appeared. Brent didn''t expect to meet Wayne in a ce like this. He was angry when he saw that Wayne was basically unscathed. This scum of the earth was really hard to get rid of. Ethan had unleashed an intense round of attacks on Wayne''s ne before they crashed. He shouldn''t be alive after such an attack. But the fact was that Wayne was alive and looked like he didn''t sustain much damage. Both sides agreed to a three-day ceasefire. But since they ran into each other, a battle might start. Tension was in the air. Wayne, who was usually belligerent, was not in the mood for a fight this time. He retreated behind n. ¡°I''ll leave this to you. Leave no survivors." Chapter 1249 Brent looked at Kelvin. "Leave this to me. Go find her." "Be careful, Brent." Kelvin was worried, but they were there on an important mission. He quickly left after he said a few more words to Brent. Brent and n were especially hostile when they saw each other. Both of them drew their weapons. ¡°I won''t let you escape this time." "Took the words right out of my mouth." Ethan, Brent, and Kelvin were doing a detailed sweep of the city in different groups. If Sadie died in the city, it didn''t matter who did it¡ª Veutron wouldn''t let it go easily. The situation was already very chaotic. If things were to escte further, it would be a world war. Gunshots could be heard. Wayne retraced his steps. He suddenly thought of a minute detail. There had been a pool of water next to the man. Back when he was a kid in the slums, he saw that women would release amniotic fluid before giving birth. He would be able to find Olivia and the woman if he followed the trail of amniotic fluid. Damn it. How could he have failed to pick up on such an important detail? At the same time, Ethan also found that body and the pool of water next to it. He touched it and realized it wasn''t water. It was smooth like soap water. It could be amniotic fluid. He looked at the road and saw a trace of amniotic fluid. The intensity of his gaze softened. "Sadie is still alive. Let''s go." He didn''t know how a pregnant woman like Sadie managed to kill a burly man like that, but the fact was that the man was dead and she was still alive. That was definitely good news. Ethan moved quickly. The longer he was in the city, the more dangerous it would be. He followed the trail to a store. He looked at the table and stools behind the hole in the wall. It wouldn''t have juste to be like that. Someone had blockaded the store from within. If there were still people around, they wouldn''t choose to hide out so close to the streets. There was only one possibility¡ªSadie was in there. But it would be hard for a pregnant woman to move heavy things. There was someone else with her! The truth was out. The dead man had a pair of expensive earrings in his hand. That would mean that he was ambushed from behind when he was robbing Sadie. Someone saved Sadie, and both of them were in there. The birth was at a crucial moment. The head of the baby wasing out. Olivia heard the footsteps. She hoped that the person outside would just leave like the people before, but the footsteps stopped a short distance from them. Oliva had a feeling that the person was just standing outside the door. She couldn''t see anything because of the tables and stools.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Olivia whispered, ¡°I''ll be back soon. Do as I told you. Someone''s here." Sadie reached out and grabbed her with a worried expression. Olivia caressed her face gently. "Don''t worry. I promised I''d protect you. I''lle back safely." Sadie wanted to help her, but she was in a dangerous situation herself. She could only hope to give birth to her baby quickly. That would be the best way to help Olivia. Olivia drew her weapon and loaded it. She hid by the table. She would shoot the person in the head as soon as they walked in! Ethan could sense someone''s gaze at the door. He didn''t know how many people were inside. He didn''t know if they were men or women. He would be at a disadvantage if he walked in without any preparations. He would also risk hurting Sadie if he started attacking right away. However, if he waited any longer, Wayne would be an issue. He had no choice but to head in. Olivia heard the footsteps approaching. A hint of killing intent shed in her eyes as she held the gun tighter. Chapter 1250 Ethan tried to analyze the motive of the person with Sadie. If they wanted to kidnap Saide, they would''ve taken her away as soon as they got her. They wouldn''t bring her here to deliver the baby. It was clear that the person was trying to help Sadie, which meant they were on the same side. So, Ethan announced himself and called Sadie by her alias. "Brie, are you in there? Michelle ising over. I''m here to save you." Sadie was very excited, but Olivia was even more so. She didn''t expect the man she wanted to find to be right by her side. "Don''t worry, I pose no threat. I''m here to save you." After he spoke, the person seemed to have heard his words and began to move the table and stools away. It seemed like he made the right choice. As soon as he walked in, a woman jumped on him, removed his mask, and kissed him. Ethan was about to push her away when he smelled the scent he had been dreaming of. It wasn''t a dream! That night, while he was hanging on the tree, someone saved him and dressed his wounds. He smelled the fragrance of herbs then. He didn''t see Olivia when he came to. So, he convinced himself that Olivia was still in Aldenvine. Why would she show up in a ce like this? But this person biting on his lips was none other than Olivia. He pushed Olivia away. His joyful and surprised gaze turned into a questioning one. ¡°Liv! Why are you here?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Olivia pulled him into the store. "There''s no time to exin. Blockade the entrance. I''ll keep it short." Ethan blockaded the entrance while Olivia went back to delivering the baby. Sheforted Sadie, saying, "Don''t worry. He''s with me." Ethan went up to Olivia but turned around to give Sadie some privacy. "Liv, you''d better exin yourself." Olivia replied calmly, "I''m sorry, but I can''t tell you yet. I have a reason I must get closer to Wayne." Even just looking at Ethan''s back, she was able to tell how furious he was. "Are you insane? Do you know what kind of man he is ?" ¡°I know. He''s a crazed murderer, but I need to get his ring.¡± Ethan frowned. Clearly, he knew what that was. "That ring which is known as the key to the base? Liv, that''s very dangerous.¡± "Rx. I''m treating his headaches. As of now, he trusts my medical skills." ¡°That person that night was you?" "Yes." Ethan was even more frustrated. "So, your goal was to approach him. Saving me was just something you did on the side?" Thinking of that made him furious. Sadie was at a loss for words. Olivia and Ethan were talking in their native tongue. She didn''t understand what they were talking about, but she could tell that they were arguing based on their tone. It was clear that they were a couple since they had kissed just now. She was giving birth to a baby, yet the two of them were arguing while helping her deliver the baby. It was a very weird situation. ¡°I''m sorry, Ethan. There are things that I have to do. I promise to take care of myself. I''l leave when the going gets tough.¡± Ethan wasn''t satisfied with that answer. "So, you want me to watch as you go back to another man? Liv, why don''t you just kill me?" "Ethan, I''m not going there to date him. Also, I escaped to look for you." ¡°To look for me? Really?" Ethan replied sarcastically. It seemed like his view of her waspletely ruined. Olivia sighed. "Ethan, the ring isn''t on him. It might be in Carathia. Can you do something to make him go back and stop the war for now?" "So, you''re nning to go back to Carathia with him?" Ethanpletely lost his cool. Chapter 1251 Olivia felt a little helpless. Ethan''s focus was entirely on her and Wayne. He didn''t care about national pride or whatever ongoing conflict there was. The only thing going through his mind at that moment was Wayne and Olivia bing a couple! "That''s not the point, Ethan. Please help me, okay? I''lle back as soon as I get the ring. He won''t know who I am.¡± Ethan would have agreed to any other request when Olivia was pleading with him in such a soft tone. But Olivia''s actions were a provocation to his pride. "That''s impossible. I won''t let you get into more danger. Wayne is one of the most dangerous people around. You have toe with me. You shouldn''t be getting involved in this matter!" Olivia''s tone grew cold. "Okay, you won''t help me, will you? Since you can''t help me with my work, there''s no need for us to be together anymore..." Ethan smiled bitterly. "Liv, please don''t threaten me with this.¡± "Ethan, three years ago, you were sent to the emergency room and I was pped by Krystal while I was waiting for you in the cold and dark corridor. Do you know what went through my mind back then? "All of the medical staff looked down on me, but I couldn''t do anything about it. I could only watch as Krystal gave you her blood. "I heard them saying I was a jinx and a trophy wife. They wondered why you would marry someone as useless as I was. "While you were undergoing surgery, I was sitting outside of the operating room. The door was like an imprable barrier between us. We used to be so close, but we were from different worlds to begin with. ¡°I could only watch as you left to go on missions. Meanwhile, I was in the empty and lonely home all by myself, waiting for your return. ¡°I''ve had enough of that life. I want to be reborn. I want to be someone who serves our country and our people. I want to embrace freedom.¡± Sadie''s baby was born suddenly. Olivia quickly went over to tap the baby''s bottom. All of them sighed in relief when the baby started to cry. Olivia quickly picked him up and cleaned him in the basin of water she had prepared in advance. She wiped the baby down and took off her shirt to wrap the baby in it. She put the baby in Sadie''s arms. "It''s a healthy baby boy." Sadie was moved to tears. "Thank you so much!" Olivia only had a camisole left. She walked up to Ethan and leaned into his embrace. With her arms wrapped around his waist, she nestled her face on his chest. "Ethan, I''m no longer that crybaby you once knew. I''ve matured, really.¡± Ethan looked down to see Olivia with tears in her eyes. He sighed and hugged her back. He muttered in her ear, "Liv, what do you want from me?" She tiptoed and kissed him on the lips. "Ethan, don''t ever doubt my feelings for you. You''re the only one I love."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Ethan took off his jacket and put it on her. "Liv, oh Liv. Why can''t you be more obedient?" ¡°I want to help you, Grandpa, and the whole country. I''ll kill Wayne if I need to." They shared a long passionate kiss before Olivia broke free from his embrace. "He should be here soon. I need to leave.¡± ¡°Liv, no..." "I''l be back as soon as I can.¡± Olivia took off the jacket. "He''ll be suspicious of me. My current identity is Ophelia from Canwell City. The reason I ran out this time was to look for you. You have to remember what I said.¡± Ethan took a good look at her before making up his mind. He said hoarsely, "Okay, I got it. You have to take care of yourself." "Okay." Olivia talked to Sadie a little and rubbed Ethan''s cheek before she left. In the past, Olivia was the one watching when Ethan left for work. This time, Ethan had to watch as she walked away. He finally understood how she felt. He was already missing her before she even left his sight. Chapter 1252 The first thing Olivia did when she stepped outside was to cover up the traces of amniotic fluid on the ground with some dirt. She made it so that the trace of the fluid stopped at the intersection of the street. When Wayne got there by following the trail, he found that the trail ended. He wanted to look for other clues when he heard some rustling noises from an alleyway nearby. He drew his gun and approached the noise. Olivia was sitting behind a trash can with a nk look on her face. She screamed in fright when she realized someone was approaching her. "Don''t get any closer!" She threw a stone she was holding toward Wayne, who was able to dodge it with a simple side step. It was a clean and elegant dodge. Wayne looked at her condescendingly. ¡°I''ve found you atst!" Olivia''s vision came into focus. ¡°It''s... It''s you." She tried to run away reflexively, but Wayne was able to grab her by the neck. The next moment, he slung her on his shoulder. "You bastard, let me go! I don''t want to go back." ¡°Make another move and I''ll shoot you." Ethan gazed at Olivia, who was being carried away, from a distance. He clenched his fists, and his eyes became bloodshot. He had the urge to rush outside and save her. But she would hate him if he did that. He notified the others that he had found Sadie. A car soon arrived and transported her and her baby away. Ethan had no choice but to leave too. Olivia was carried back to the temporary base by Wayne. He then casually threw her to the ground. Olivia fell onto the dirt in the yard. Luckily, it wasn''t concrete, but the pain still made her frown.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Run away, why don''t you?" Wayne reached out, and someone handed him a baseball bat. He slung it over his shoulder like a ruffian. ¡°I''ll break your legs. Let''s see how you''ll run away, then!" Olivia shuffled backward in fright. ¡°No! Please don''t break my legs. I won''t run away again. I really won''t do it anymore!" Wayne smirked. "You''re full of lies, woman. I don''t believe a single word you say. I only believe in myself!" He slowly walked toward Olivia. Olivia was trembling in fear. She was wearing a camisole. There was some dirt and blood on her pale and smooth skin. Her slender and supple waist waspletely exposed. Her retreating movements were triggering him for some reason. Wayne felt his throat dry up. He felt it again. ¡°I promise I''ll properly provide you with treatment from now on. Don''t break my legs, please! It was so scary outside. I won''t try to run again,¡± Olivia pleaded. It seemed like she learned her lesson with this little tour of the city. "Where did the pregnant woman go?" Olivia replied shakily, ¡°I wanted to help her deliver the baby after I saved her. But then another group of people arrived at the scene. "I was afraid I''d attract trouble to her, so we split up. I was lucky I got away. I don''t know what happened to her." "Ever the saint, aren''t you?" Wayne threw the baseball bat next to her forcefully. "Remember this. I''ll break your legs if you try something like this again.¡± Olivia was locked up in a room. She wasn''t given any food for a day. Wayne wanted to make her more obedient with that. One day without food wasn''t much for Olivia. She looked at the setting sun outside the window. She could only put her faith in Ethan. Ethan didn''t disappoint. Her door was kicked open as soon as night fell. She was curled up in a ball. She looked at Wayne fearfully when he walked in. He picked her up and took her away. "Come with me!" "Where are we going? Put me down. I can walk by myself. I''m about to throw up!" Chapter 1253 Wayne was a very rough person. He carried Olivia all the way to the aircraft. Before she could scream, he threatened her coldly, "I''ll throw you off the ne if you say another word.¡± Olivia was rendered speechless. The ne took off. Olivia didn''t know what had happened yet, but she knew that Ethan had pulled it off. Wayne was furious. He was like a barrel of gunpowder, ready to explode with the tiniest bit of spark. Olivia figured it was best for her to stay away from him for now because she didn''t want to incur his wrath. She curled up into a ball and rested her chin on her knees. Then, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She was trying her best to be invisible. Wayne looked at Olivia, who was curled up. There were still some bruises and dirt on her skin. She looked worse for wear. Olivia felt a little chilly as the ne''s air conditioner blew on her. Wayne took off his jacket and draped it on her. She felt much better after that. When Olivia woke up, the ne was already about tond in Carathia''s capital city, Raka. The sunlight was shining on her. It was the reason she woke up. Looking at the unfamiliar view, Olivia asked, "Where are we?" "Raka." The rage on Wayne''s face dissipated over the night. He had regained hisposure. "Why did you bring me here?" ¡°This is my country.¡± Wayne stopped talking. There was a grand reception waiting for him outside the ne. Luckily, there weren''t any reporters. Wayne was in a hurry. Olivia''s face was mostly covered by Wayne''s jacket. She quickly followed him into his car. The car was driven back to the presidential pce. The ce was completely different from the ce they stayed in at Dexim City.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The presidential pce was an ancient castle. It was surrounded by all sorts of flowers. The temperature was warm, and there were some birds around theke. There were fountains spraying water onto the grassy fields. Olivia found it hard to imagine that a ruffian like Wayne lived in a ce like this. Wayne handed her off to some maids. He knew that she was a bit of a clean freak, so he told them, "Clean her up.¡± Then, he left without another word. The good news for Olivia was she could finally take a bath and wear clean clothes. She was the first woman Wayne had ever brought back to the presidential pce. The maids weren''t dumb. They treated her very politely. Olivia turned down their offer to bathe her. She felt much more rxed after enjoying a nice bath. It seemed like something major had happened in Carathia. Wayne wouldn''t have rushed back otherwise. He probably didn''t have time to bother Olivia at the moment. After the bath, she changed into thece dress the maids prepared for her. The dress was made with the best materials by the best tailors. It featured a low neckline and a cinched waist. It showcased Olivia''s ample chest and slender waist. Olivia braided her hair and secured the braid with ace tied into a bow. She looked sexy and elegant. She didn''t bother with asking about Wayne''s whereabouts. She asked the maids to get her some food and ate her fill. She only asked about what was going on in the evening. The maids looked at each other but didn''t dare to say too much to her. Olivia didn''t press them further. Since she was already in Carathia, she was one step closer to finding the ring. When Wayne returned in a state of exhaustion, he noticed Olivia, who was standing on the terrace. The dress she wore revealed how slender her figure was. She was resting her chin on her hand and looking at the moon like she was deep in thought. There was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "Hey, I''m back. Time for acupuncture.¡± Chapter 1254 Wayne''s annoying voice rang in Olivia''s ears. She didn''t even want to turn around to face him. It was apparent that she was unhappy that he forcefully brought her to another country.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Wayne grabbed her hand and dragged her away. "What are you doing? I can walk on my own." Wayne pulled her to the master bedroom. The room was around 2,000 square feet. It was very spacious. The floor was covered in a white fur carpet. The decor in the room was as grand as the rest of the presidential pce. There were quite a few famous paintings on the wall. It didn''t seem like Wayne was the one who decorated the room. His predecessor was probably the one who did it. He let go of Olivia''s hand. "My home is big, right? You can wear whatever you want and eat whatever you want. You can livefortably as long as you don''t try to escape and provide me with the treatment I need.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Olivia was actually acting docile for once. "Make your preparations while I take a shower." After that incident in Dexim City, Wayne had lowered his guard toward Olivia significantly. They were in his residence right now, so he was completely unguarded. Olivia didn''t know her surroundings that well yet, so she didn''t dare to make a move. She wasn''t sure if he had spy cameras in his bedroom. It was best if she erred on the side of caution. Jeff had sent her to a renowned teacher to learn how to paint at a young age. The famous paintings she had only seen in the pages of books were all in this bedroom. All of them were original too. Olivia was shocked. Wayne''s predecessor was a hardcore collector. Wayne walked out of the bathroom to see Olivia, who was filled with excitement. She looked at one painting after the other. She would sometimes go in for a closer look at the strokes, choice of colors, and how the strokes were initiated. "What''s so interesting about these paintings?" A sh of surprise appeared in Olivia''s eyes. "Of course, they''re interesting. These are all world-famous pieces of art!" ¡°You can have them if you like them.¡± Olivia pointed at her own nose. "You''re giving them to me? Do you even know how much these paintings are worth?" Wayne was topless, wearing ck casual pants that hung loosely on his waist. Arge swathe of his tanned skin was exposed. He exuded an incredible amount of masculine charm. "They might be priceless treasures to you, but they''re just trash to me. They won''t even make good bonfire material.¡± "What a waste!" Olivia eximed with a pained expression. ¡°If you can cure me, you can take these paintings with you." Then, he went to lie down on the bed. "Massage my head for me. You''re quite good at that, truth be told." Olivia brought a stool next to the bed and sat down. She used to massage Ethan''s head pretty often. Sensing her skilled movements, Wayne asked, "Have you massaged other people before?" "Of course." Olivia didn''t deny it. "Patients?" "No, my husband." Wayne opened his eyes to meet her gaze. "You''re married?" "Yeah. I have kids too." "Where are they?" "Do you think I''ll tell you so that you can round them up?" "You don''t look like someone who has given birth to children before.¡± Wayne thought about the married women he had met back when he was young. They had saggy bellies and chests after giving birth. They would also have stretch marks on the sides of their abdomens. Those looked terrifying to him. Olivia''s abdomen was tight and supple. There weren''t any stretch marks. Even her chest... Wayne gazed at her chest reflexively. Her chest was white as snow and very ample. He felt his desires spark to life as he looked at her chest. It was as if something was tickling his throat. Olivia''s chest moved with her actions. It was like the ripples on the surface of the ocean. For some reason, blood started to flow from Wayne''s nose. Olivia looked at him and met his gaze. She instantly understood what was going on. She pped him hard. "Where are you looking at, pervert?" Chapter 1255 Olivia had pped Wayne twice in the span of a few days. He sat up and stared at her coldly. "Do you have a death wish, Ophelia?" "You''re the one looking at ces you shouldn''t be looking at!" "You''re the one wearing that dress!" Olivia was furious. She picked up one of his shirts and wore it. She covered herself uppletely. Then, she smacked him on the head and said, "Lie down. I''ll start the acupuncture treatment. I''ll poke you to death if your eyes wander to ces they shouldn''t!¡± "Why don''t you give that a try? I''ll kill you first!" The atmosphere became awkward. Neither of them spoke. Wayne suddenly came to his senses. What was he doing? This woman was already married with kids. Why would he be interested in a married woman? Oliviapleted the treatment in silence. Wayne sat up with the support of one arm. He turned his neck slowly to make cracking sounds. "I used to have headaches every other day. I haven''t had a headache since you started your treatment. You''re quite skilled.¡± Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "I''ll give you a prescription tomorrow. Have your people get the listed medication for you. It''ll be able to sort out the internal damage you''ve suffered. ¡°It''ll take up to two months for that topletely heal you. I''ll leave when that''s done. You must not stop me from leaving then." "Sure. I''ll let you go when I''m cured,¡± Wayne replied readily. ¡°I''ll go back to my room," Olivia said as she walked away. Wayne tossed and turned in bed after she left. He had been going to sleep while smelling Olivia''s unique scent for the past few days. He wasn''t able to fall asleep without her scent. Olivia heard someone kick her door open just as she was about to fall asleep. It was in the middle of the night. It was obvious that Wayne was the only person who would do something like this. She was at a loss for words. Fortunately, she was well-prepared and hadn''t removed her mask. She rubbed her eyes and looked at him unhappily. "Why are you here?" Wayne was carrying a nket and a pillow. Hey down next to her bed. "Ignore me." She didn''t know what to say. Wayne was justpletely insane. She turned around and went back to sleep. Wayne was able to fall asleep very quickly when he smelled Olivia''s scent. Her scent was like the perfect sleeping drug. Wayne woke up before the break of dawn and was about to leave. Then, he noticed that Olivia was still sound asleep. All of a sudden, he felt upset. He was so busy every day, but she was able to sleep in. It was unfair. So, he decided to give her something to do. He tapped her on the face. Olivia actually woke up the moment he stood by her bed and looked at her. She opened her eyes unwillingly. ¡°Are you out of your mind, dude?" "Aren''t you the one who would know that? Get up and help me get dressed.¡± Anyone would have a bit of a temper if they were woken up so abruptly. Before Olivia couldsh out, he pulled her nket away. Fortunately, she was wearing long-sleeved pajamas that covered her up properly. But still, Wayne actually picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. ¡°Let me go, you bastard!" Wayne carried her back to his room. This time, he didn''t drop her on the floor. She red at him as she bounced on the bed. ¡°I''l be showering. Prepare my outfit for me." Olivia was about to deny his request. Then, she realized that it was a good chance for her to go through his wardrobe. "Okay." She opened the wardrobe. There were suits, casual attire, and even military attire sorted ordingly in it. Olivia''s gaze fell on the military uniform that was adorned with medals. She thought about Ethan. He would never wear something like that in front of her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. How handsome would he look if he wore that? Chapter 1256 Olivia spaced out looking at the military uniform. Her mind was filled with thoughts about Ethan. Wayne suddenly appeared behind her. "What? Do you like this type of attire?" Olivia turned around abruptly with shock in her eyes. Wayne lifted her face with his fingers and closed in on her. His masculine pheromones were on full st. ¡°Your face might look in, but your eyes are quite expressive.¡± The mask couldn''t alter her eyes. They were round and radiant; her lashes were thick and long. Her beautiful eyes elevated her in looks to another level. Olivia felt a little nervous in such close proximity to him. She wanted to shove him away. Her hands touched his bare chest. She could feel his well-defined muscles. Before she could push him away, Wayne suddenly held her waist and pressed her against the wardrobe. "What are you doing?" Olivia snapped as she looked at him angrily. He got a nosebleed from looking at herst night. What was he trying to do this time? Wayne snapped back to reality and loosened his grip on Olivia. He actually had the urge to kiss her for a second! Olivia pushed him away and suppressed her emotions. "Where are you going today? Do you need a suit or something else?" "A suit,¡± Wayne said hoarsely while staring at her back. Even if he needed a woman, he wouldn''t stoop so low as to long for a married woman, right? He backed away to a safe distance. Olivia was able to pick out a suit for him after a short while. ¡°I''l be heading back to my room." Wayne didn''t try to get her to stay. He med the weird emotions he had been feeling recently on the fact that he had been single for 30 years of his life.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Upon leaving his room, n came up to him. "Mr. Maxwell, my brother will be returning today." "Okay." "Andia sent over a ceasefire agreement. What are your thoughts on it?" n didn''t hear a reply. Then, he noticed that Wayne was spacing out for some reason. "Mr. Maxwell, did you hear me?" Wayne snapped back to reality. "What did you say?" "Did you not sleep wellst night? Why are you so out of it?" Wayne actually slept very well. He felt his throat dry up as he thought about Olivia''s long, shapely legs. "Yeah." "We don''t know how Andia managed to get Veutron on their side. Veutron dered that they''ll be joining the fray if we continue our assault on Dexim City. "If these two major powers join forces, we''ll be at a great disadvantage. Should we ept Andia¡¯s ceasefire agreement?" Wayne''s gaze grew cold. Veutron used to be neutral. They didn''t know why Veutron would suddenly side with Andia. At this point, Carathia couldn''t make any rash decisions. He just wanted to take thend of other countries. He didn''t want his own country to be a warzone. "We''ll run a military simtion when your brother is back." Dexim City was almost theirs, but they lost it at thest minute. If he had taken Dexim City, he could have set up military bases all around the city and posed a massive threat to Andia. Everything had been going ording to his n, but he didn''t expect a third party to kidnap Princess Sadie. He wanted to mount an offense, but Olivia just happened to save Sadie. Ethan brought Sadie and her son back, so he was able to form an alliance with Veutron. The situation was immediately flipped. Olivia probably didn''t know her act of kindness would set off such a huge chain of events. In a way, she had a hand in stopping the war happening in Dexim City. Chapter 1257 Wayne gathered all the military experts for an urgent meeting. The meetingsted for the entire day. No matter what calctions his think tank ran, there was only one result¡ªdefeat.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. They only had one option. That was to ept the ceasefire agreement and stop their assault on Dexim City. Otherwise, Andia and Veutron would join forces and invade Carathia. That was something Wayne didn''t want to see. In the next few days, Wayne was so busy he didn''t even return to the presidential pce. Olivia started to get anxious after waiting for a few days. The ces she could go to were limited. She couldn''t even get close to where Wayne worked. So, there was no way she was getting that ring. It was like Wayne hadpletely forgotten about her. She was left in the presidential pce with the maids taking care of her. Her mission wasn''t progressing at all. She didn''t want to sit around and wait. When she was climbing down from a pipe on the second floor, someone was alerted by the noise. Amanding male voice suddenly sounded. "Who''s there?" Olivia missed a step from shock and fell from seven feet up. Fortunately, it wasn''t too high up. She didn''t fall onto the ground. Instead, she fell into someone''s arms. It was Wayne who caught her. He looked a little fatigued after staying away for a few days. There was also a hint of anger in his eyes. "Were you nning to escape again?" ¡°I was justing out for some air,¡± Olivia exined anxiously. Then, she noticed they were surrounded by some men in formal wear. "Mr. President, you know this suspicious woman?" The man who spoke up was the one who yelled at her and caused her to fall. She looked at him and saw that he was a stranger. n said, "Ike, this is the miracle doctor I told you about.¡± "Miracle doctor? The situation is very dangerous right now. You shouldn''t keep a woman like this by your side, Mr. Maxwell." lke didn''t think Olivia looked like a doctor. "Everyone, disperse." Wayne didn''t offer an exnation. He just carried Olivia in his arms and went to his resting area. Olivia tried to break free from his embrace. Wayne seemed to be in a bad mood. He snapped, "Don''t move!" He exuded a gloomy demeanor. Olivia stopped moving and allowed him to carry her back into his room. ¡°I have a headache. Work your magic." Olivia brought her pack of needles over. "I told you that the treatment has to be done daily. Where have you been?" ¡°I was out on a business trip." Wayne''s head was pounding. He urged her, "Do it now!" He covered his eyes with his right hand. Olivia immediately noticed a ck ring on his hand. She finally found it! Olivia was very excited. She couldn''t stop her lips from curving into a smile. Wayne opened his eyes abruptly and saw the smile on her face. "Why are you so happy?" Olivia quickly changed the subject. "That''s not it. I just haven''t seen you for days. I''m just happy that you''re back.¡± Wayne was weirdly pleased by this statement. He had always been shunned by everyone around him since he was a kid. No one ever wanted to see him. But Olivia said she was happy to see him. He felt his heartbeat quicken. How could Olivia not be happy to see him? It had been ten days since she got here. She finally saw the ring. She was closer topleting her mission. In the following days, she only had to think about how she would gain Wayne''s trust. She removed the needles and asked seriously, "Have you been having any episodes in the past few days?" "No, it''s just some mild pain. It''s much better than before." "Did you take the meds I prescribed for you?" "I was too busy." "This won''t do. The acupuncture and the medication have to be done simultaneously. You can''t just stop taking the meds. ¡°You''ll be here for now, right? I''ll handle the preparation of the meds from now on." Chapter 1258 Olivia stood sternly as she lectured Wayne with an air of seriousness. Yet, deep down, she was plotting to get closer to him. She had not gotten into contact with any core information during these ten days. She knew she had to take the initiative or time would be wasted. ¡°If you''re worried about me, you can have someone watch over me," Olivia suggested. Wayne responded with indifference, "There''s nothing to worry about. If you wanted to kill me, aiming for my vitals would do. Let''s settle on that,¡± he said. He caught the smile on Olivia''s lips. "So, you''re eager to prepare medicine for me?" he asked. "Of course. You''re my patient. Healing you will mean you''ll let me go sooner.¡± Wayne felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. He had thought Olivia seemed more enthusiastic. However, he realized she was actually anxious to leave. ¡°Is it because you miss your man?" Wayne probed after sensing her urgency. Images of Ethan and their separation shed through Olivia''s mind. It hadn''t been that long, but the mention did stir feelings of longing.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, I miss him and our children,¡± she admitted. As she spoke, a gentle smile yed on Olivia''s lips. Her eyes shimmered with a hint of shyness. Wayne found her ordinary face extraordinarily vivid in that moment. It stirred an unexpected emotion within him. ¡°I''m curious, what''s your man like?" Wayne asked, his interest piqued. Olivia yed along, aiming to gain his trust. "He''s tall, well-built, and handsome," she described. Wayne scoffed. "He must be a pauper, then." Olivia noticed Wayne''s slight unease but didn''t reveal her true feelings. She yed along. "Yes, but we''re deeply in love and have four children.¡± "Does his family have a throne to inherit? What era are we in to have so many children?" Wayne dismissed the notion with a sneer. His gaze inadvertently drifted to Olivia''s slender waist. Since their misunderstanding that day, Olivia had dressed more conservatively. Today, she wore a sporty outfit. It was far from anything seductive. Wayne couldn''t help but wonder how a woman who had given birth to four children could maintain such firm skin. ¡°I love him and am willing to bear his children.¡± Oliviaughed. "That''s why I call you foolish," Wayne retorted. "And you? Do you have someone you love?" Olivia redirected the conversation toward him. "No one is worthy of my affection,¡± Wayne answered coldly. "Conceited much? I thought this ring was a token of love from your girlfriend," Olivia teased as she reached out for the ring. She felt like a fairy coveting a treasure and was almost drooling. Before she could touch the ring, Wayne pped her hand away sharply. "Ouch! And you''re saying it''s not from your girlfriend? You treasure it so much, you won''t even let others take a closer look," Oliviained. Wayne''s face darkened. "Have you forgotten my words? Look less, ask less, touch less. Otherwise, you''re dead.¡± Olivia touched her hand with a look of grievance on her face. "I was merely curious about the unique design of your ring. Did you really need to use so much force? Imagine if you incapacitated my hand, who would help you with acupuncture then?" ¡°I didn''t even use much force," Wayne replied lightly. She stretched her hand out to show him. The red mark on her fair skin was clearly visible and pronounced. "Women are such trouble," Wayne muttered under his breath. Olivia wanted to argue further, but he was clearly not interested in talking about the ring. Suddenly, Wayne mentioned, "In a few days, foreigners will arrive. Don''t wander around like today to avoid offending anyone.¡± During these days, Olivia hadn''t just been idling in her room. She had gathered the current situation from the maids. Andia and Veutron had formed an alliance, leading to a ceasefire agreement. Hence, a multi-national meeting was imminent. Could one of the visitors be Ethan? Chapter 1259 Wayne snapped his fingers in front of Olivia. "Snap out of it. What''s on your mind?" Olivia returned to reality and found an excuse as she looked at Wayne. "I was just marveling at how prestigious your identity is." ¡°You''ve found out?" Wayne inquired. ¡°I heard someone address you as the president. Your free ess to Dexim City, your private jet, and this pce¡ªI guessed as much quite some time ago," Olivia confessed. She''d be foolish to pretend any further. Seeing herposed expression, Wayne remarked, ¡°If you know who I am, aren''t you afraid of me? Others fear me to death." "I was scared at first. But if you really wanted to kill me, you wouldn''t have waited till now. So, I''m not afraid. Besides, didn''t you say you''d reward me once I''ve cured you?" Olivia reasoned. No wonder her attitude toward him had softened. It was all for money. Wayne huffed coldly. "So, you love money that much?" "I doubt there''s anyone in the world who doesn''t like money. Besides, with this money, I can provide afortable life for my children. Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of you," Olivia assured him, giving a noble reason for her change in attitude. In Wayne''s eyes, she was merely a fragile mother striving for her family''s livelihood.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "By the way, do you need a body massage? You must be exhausted these days," Olivia offered. Wayne nced at her. "That''s kind of you. Weren''t you indifferent toward me before?" Olivia rubbed her hands together. "Um, if I do a bit more, could you perhaps pay me a bit more?" "Money-grubber,"¡± Wayne muttered under his breath before he sat up. He then added, "That depends on your performance.¡± Olivia was fully focused on pleasing him. His arm wound had healed, so she had no reservations about removing his jacket. Hey in the middle of therge bed. To undress him better, Olivia removed her shoes, climbed onto the bed, and kneeled before him. Her fingers deftly unbuttoned his shirt. Wayne suddenly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Is this how you attend to your man?" Olivia paused for a moment before responding, "Yes." She removed his shirt, positioning him to lie down. Her strength and technique were just right, making Wayne envious of the man who enjoyed her daily service. Olivia''s hands glided from his shoulders down to his fingertips, massaging each one meticulously. When her fingers intertwined with his, Wayne''s heart skipped a beat. He observed their linked fingers, thinking of the phrase ¡°intertwined fingers". But soon, Olivia moved her hand away to massage his other arm. As before, Olivia naturally suggested, "You should take off the ring. It makes it difficult for me to massage properly." Though the man was captivated by the touch of her hands, his mind was still present. "No need to massage this hand," he stated. "Fine by me," Olivia quickly agreed, not giving herself away. Sure enough, Wayne treasured that ring immensely, giving her no opportunity to touch it. Olivia was determined in her heart. She didn''t believe Wayne would never take off the ring! She was sure to find an opportunity to take it. After afortable massage and removing all the silver needles, Olivia noticed he had fallen asleep. Wayne''s breathing was even. The dark circles under his eyes indicated how busy he had been these days. What were her chances if she were to slip off his ring now? Olivia deliberately dropped a needle near his hand. Just as she touched his little finger, Wayne woke up abruptly. He pulled her down and pinned her beneath him before gripping her neck with his hand. Chapter 1260 Chapter 1260 Wayne finally came to his senses but did not let go. His eyes were filled with a cold glint as he asked in a deep voice, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Olivia held the silver needle with a look of grievance and replied, ¡°The needle fell near your hand. I was just picking it up.¡± Wayne released his grip only then. ¡°Sorry, it was a reflex. Are you alright?¡± The distinct red mark on Olivia¡¯s neck hardly looked harmless. He felt even more remorseful. ¡°I never intended to harm you.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future. You should rest now. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer,¡± Olivia said. She put the silver needles back into the acupuncture kit and returned to her room. The moment she closed the door, she was drenched in sweat. She was terrified as she nearly met her end at that man¡¯s hands. His vignce over the ring was evident, but she wasn¡¯t out of options. Starting tomorrow, she would start preparing medicine for Wayne. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She nned to add a few sleep-inducing herbs at the right time, wait for him to fall into a deep sleep, and then make her move. Now, Olivia needed to figure out how to escape with the ring. People from Andia would arrive in a few days. Olivia was certain Ethan would be among them. A n began to form in her mind. As she slept fitfully, someone entered the room in the middle of the night. Without a doubt, it was Wayne. He once mentioned that her scent was soothing, helping him ovee his insomnia. So, she ignored his presence and heard him settle down to sleep on the floor by her feet. Wayne tossed and turned. He was unable to sleep for some reason. The room wasrge, diluting Olivia¡¯s scent and making it less pronounced. He had to strain to catch a faint trace of her scent, which felt like feathers tickling his heart. Olivia suddenly awoke. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wayne embraced her. ¡°Quiet, I can¡¯t sleep. Your scent helps me drift off.¡± ¡°Let me go. I have a husband and children. I only agreed to treat you, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Olivia protested. Wayne climbed on top of her and pinned her soft body beneath him. Her ears could feel the warmth of his breath. ¡°Shut up, or I can¡¯t guarantee what I¡¯ll do,¡± he whispered. Olivia¡¯s heart raced as the unfamiliar scent of the man surrounded her. She knew better than to anger or provoke him at such a moment. She had to cooperate with Wayne as much as possible. Despite everything, Wayne still respected her status as a married woman and didn¡¯t cross certain boundaries. He rolled over to lie beside her and treated her like arge pillow. He embraced her tightly with his chin resting on her shoulder and neck. He soon fell asleep. Olivia could clearly feel the ring on the finger resting on her waist. She wished she could take it from him right then. The night was torturous for her. She kept struggling between her desire for the ring and the need to remain alert in the arms of a stranger. Fortunately, Wayne was only seekingfort to sleep. He slept soundly until dawn. He woke up feeling as if there was a woman in his arms and instinctively pinched her. At the sound of Olivia¡¯s cry, a p followed immediately. Olivia kicked him onto the floor. ¡°Pervert, will you ever stop!¡± Wayne was finally fully awake. He looked down at his empty palm, realizing that the soft sensation he felt moments ago must have been her. His gaze then shifted to Olivia¡¯s chest, and he showed an expression that reflected his increasing desire. Chapter 1261 Chapter 1261 "What are you looking at!" Olivia fiercely smacked him on the head with a pillow. Wayne quickly averted his gaze. ¡°Sorry, I was groggy from sleep and forgot you were in my arms." He got up as the flush on his face quickly faded.He leaned on the edge of the bed and said, "I slept really wellst night. "Get out!" Olivia was furious, wishing to chop his fingers off and take the ring directly. Wayne was distracted all morning, asionally ncing at his fingers. "Mr.Maxwell, is there something on your hand? You''ve looked at it a hundred times," n asked as he was puzzled. Wayne dismissed his unrealistic thoughts and replied, "It''s nothing.Go find me some women." "Women? Mr.Maxwell, you''ve finallye around.A man should settle down and then focus on his career.Look at your age.Getting married and having children is the best thing you can do now." ¡°Who told you I''m getting married? I''m asking you to find women to satisfy my needs." "Huh?" n was confused. The man who previously avoided women like the gue was now actively seeking them out, which was odd. Still, he obediently arranged it. By nightfall, a group of elegantly dressed women was ushered into his bedroom. They were of various types¡ªinnocent, sexy, and seductive. When Wayne entered, each of them shyly nced at him. The women n had chosen were impable in terms of looks and figure. Wayne casually pointed at one, "You,e here and undress me." The woman he chose was dressed in white with a delicate face. She was overjoyed while the others looked on enviously. "Yes," she responded. Wayne sat on the couch, legs wide apart.He exuded a debauched vibe, yet his face remained strikingly handsome. The woman knelt between his legs. Just as she was about to touch his button, Wayne furrowed his brows. ¡°What''s that scent on you?" "Gardenia." "It''s disgusting.Get out." Wayne dismissed her and pointed at another woman with a curvaceous figure. "You,e here." "Yes." The woman walked toward Wayne with a seductive sway. He thought her figure resembled Olivia''s, and she looked like she would befortable to holdHe casually pulled the woman into his embrace. She cooed softly and wrapped her arms around Wayne''s neck. Wayne was unreserved. His hand was finding its way to her bosom. The woman blushed and cooed, but Wayne''s expression remained cold. The next second, he pushed her away. "Line up, one by one." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. n observed the women being sent out one after another.He was puzzled. "What''s going on with Mr.Maxwell? He wants women, but why is he sending them away?" n thought of the doctor Wayne had carried in his arms before and quickly understood the issue. ¡°Mr.Maxwell doesn''t just want any woman.He probably wants that particr woman without realizing it." "You mean Dr.Ophelia? But I heard she has children.Surely, Mr.Maxwell wouldn''t want her.Besides, she''s not that attractive..." "Have you ever seen Mr.Maxwell carry anyone else?" ¡°About that..." n replied sternly, "We only have information on that woman from five years ago.We know nothing about her whereabouts or activities before that.It''s best not to keep such a person close.It''s better to send her away sooner." "But her medical skills are indeed exceptional.Mr.Maxwell''s headaches haven''t recurredtely." ¡°The fear is that someone with intentions might deliberately get close to Mr.Maxwell.I heard she''s in charge of preparing his medicine today?" "Yes, but don''t worry.Mr.Tanner reviewed all the medicinal materials and dosages.The prescription is sound, and all materials arepliant." Chapter 1262 Chapter 1262 n''s expression was cold. ¡°Just don''t take it lightly." "I understand." n lit a cigarette and gazed at the stars. "Mr.Maxwell has been in a bad mood these days.Comfort him more so that he doesn''t have another episode." ¡°Alright." Before he even finished his cigarette, thest woman was sent out.n extinguished his cigarette and exchanged a nce with Wayne. "Is it over already?" He had someone escort the women away and then entered the room himself. Wayne''s cor was wide open, revealing several noticeable lipstick marks. Yet, his face was as stormy as a cloudy sky. "What kind of trash did you get for me?" he asked. Not only did he feel nothing, but he was also disgusted. "Mr.Maxwell, what kind of women do you like? Tell me clearly so that we can find someone suitable for you." "Someone married and with children!" n was speechless. "Does she also need to know medical techniques?" "That would be best." It was almost as if he was about to name Olivia directly. n sighed. "I''ll do my best." "And her?" "She''s been at the Royal Hospital all day.She''s probably still there." Wayne just left a remark, ¡°Call me when you find someone." The next moment, he walked away. Ike shrugged. "Don''t bother looking.Even if we bring him Miss Universe, she still won''t catch his eye." In all the years n and Ike had been working for Wayne, when had they seen him take a particr interest in a woman? This woman was the first. Given his obsessive nature, once he genuinely fell for someone, that person might not be able to escape. "But Ms.Ophelia is already married." "That''s why Mr.Maxwell is still rational enough to look for substitutes.But if the substitutes don''t satisfy him and he loses his rationality, do you think he''ll break his chains and im her for himself?" What was impossible for others didn''t mean it was impossible for Wayne. After all, he grew up in a harsh and dirty environment. Others might climb to their positions through family connections, wealth, and various support.He was different.He made it through sheer ruthlessness and resilience. Rules and morals didn''t matter as much as survival. To him, surviving was instinctual. Initially, it was about surviving. Then, it became about power. After achieving that, the next step would likely be to fulfill his desires. Wayne hurried to the Royal Hospital and saw Olivia surrounded by venerable figures. They were all significantly older than her. They made detailed notes while wearing reading sses and holding notebooks and pens. Grant politely raised his hand. "Ms.Ophelia, could you slowly exin why you''re adding this herb? Doesn''t it conflict with the others?" N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Olivia patiently exined the dean''s question, enlightening everyone. They looked at her with admiration. ¡°Ms.Ophelia, you''re still so young.Your future is boundless! May I ask who your mentors are?" Olivia replied, "I''ve had more than one teacher.I''m just a novice and dare not mention my esteemed mentors¡¯ names, for fear of disgracing them." "You''re being too modest, Ms.Ophelia." "Yes, indeed.Such a talented and humble junior is rare." After a round ofpliments, Olivia stood up and stated, "l need to prepare some meds, so I''m afraid I can''t continue." "The president''s illness is important.Please proceed." Olivia nodded and entered the pharmacy, which housed thousands of herbal medicines.It was pretty She murmured to herself, "Cassia seeds, Gastrodia, Notopterygium, Angelica..." She looked up at the drawer that stored Angelica above her head.She had to stand on tiptoes to open it. Suddenly, someone behind her effortlessly opened the drawer. Wayne''s tall figure loomed over her petite one. He grabbed a handful of Angelica, looked down, and asked her, "How much do you need?¡± Chapter 1263 Chapter 1263 Having experienced this morning''s events, Olivia instinctively jumped out of Wayne''s embrace.She made sure there was a distance between them. "Stay away from me." This move displeased Wayne.He asked, "What, do I have a contagious disease?" Olivia pinched her nose and made an excuse. "The smell of perfume on you is almost suffocating me." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Wayne nced down at the lipstick marks on his shirt. He forgot to change as he had rushed out. Olivia seemed rather pleased with this development. She thought Wayne wouldn''t bother her if his desires were satisfied elsewhere. She crossed her arms and advised, "It''s normal to release tension asionally, but don''t overindulge.Be careful.Too much can lead to kidney weakness and chronic prostatitis." Wayne gritted his teeth. ¡°How do you know if I''m overindulging?" "Look at the lipstick marks on you.They''re from three different brands, three shades.So, you''ve been with at least three women today.With those beauties in your arms, could you bear to stop at just one?" Wayne frowned at her boldness in discussing such matters. "How shameless." ¡°Wayne, I''m no innocent flower.My children are old enough to be independent.I''m a doctor too.I probably know more positions than you.Besides, it''s a normal physiological response.What''s there to hide about a man relieving himself?" Olivia continued to gather herbs. Her every pick was precise, almost always grabbing the exact amount needed. Suddenly, Wayne stood behind her and coolly asked, "And you? What positions do you like?" The conversation took a swift turn. Olivia paused before calmly responding, "The position doesn''t matter.It''s who you''re with that counts." After gathering thest herb, Olivia handed them over for a review before reminding Wayne, "Remember to soak the herbs in mountain spring water overnight." "Yes, Dr.Ophelia," Wayne replied. Olivia washed her hands and left. She was confident that thebination of medicine and acupuncture would significantly alleviate Wayne''s headaches. Once Ethan arrived, she nned to add a few herbs to Wayne''s medicine to knock him out. Then, she would be able to take his ring easily. The thought of going home filled Olivia with joy. Even the man she was providing treatment for noticed the difference in her. Wayne''s face seemed particrly gloomypared to hers that was filled with delight. "What has made you so happy?" Olivia''s smile widened slightly as she said, "You''re recovering faster than I expected.Continue with this treatment and the blood clots in your head should dissipate within a month.After that, stick to my prescription for three more months and you''ll be fine." "Are you so eager to leave?" "Yes, I''ve not seen my children in a long time." After this, she nned to find her children overseas. They must be missing her. Suddenly, Wayne sat up. "Give me a massage." ¡°Alright." Considering Wayne had already vented his frustrations earlier, Olivia assumed he wouldn''t misbehave. She began unbuttoning his shirt with practiced ease. She treated him solely as a patient without any other implications. After massaging his back and neck as usual, Wayne mentioned, "My hands too." Olivia retorted, "I thought you treasured your hands too much for me to touch them." "Massage them." "As you wish.Just remember, no ¡®reflex actions¡¯ter." Today was unusual. Not only did he allow her to massage his right hand, but he also let her massage his left hand for the first time as well. Their fingers inteced as her delicate hand met his rougher one. Suddenly, Wayne pulled her down onto him, firmly pinning Olivia''s hands above her head. Chapter 1264 Chapter 1264 Before Olivia could react, she was already lying beneath Wayne.His gaze was filled with intense desire. Olivia found his actions confusing, especially considering his earlier encounters.She tried to steady her voice and asked, "What are you doing?" Olivia attempted to free her hands, but Wayne''s grip only tightened. The edge of his ring pressed painfully against her delicate skin. Wayne proposed with a provocative edge, "What if I offered you a substantial amount for just one request from you? Would you ept?" "What request?" Olivia inquired as she sensed trouble brewing. "Spend one night with me," Wayne whispered. She felt his warm breath against her ear. ¡°Absolutely not!" Olivia retorted and aimed for a p. Wayne caught her wrist before it could reach his face.He secured both her hands above her head and left herpletely vulnerable. "I did seek thepany of women today," Wayne said sinisterly. "And how does that concern me?" "I felt nothing but disgust for them despite their efforts.Due to my childhood trauma, I''ve always avoided women, but you..." Wayne''s eyes darkened before he continued, ¡°You''re the first to elicit any response from me.As a doctor, you wouldn''t just stand by, would you?" His straightforwardness made Olivia feel unsettled. Her face under the mask was filled with anger as she responded, "No, that''s beyond my expertise.You need a professional." "In my eyes, you''re the most suited for this ¡®treatment¡¯," Wayne insisted, reflecting on his involuntary reactions to just the thought of her. Could indulging just once extinguish these desires? Olivia attempted to de-escte the situation and exined, "Your issue is psychological, not physical.I can''t assist with that.It''s best if you see a psychologist.Don''t dy any longer.The sooner, the better.Don''t waste your time on me." "Just one night.Give me one night and name your price," Wayne persisted. "Scum, what do you take me for? I''m a doctor, not a prostitute." "Doctor or prostitute, isn''t it about serving people? Am I not your patient? Shouldn''t you treat your patient?" As Wayne''s fixation deepened, he recalled how just the sight of her preparing his medicine had provoked a response. This led him to fantasize about her personal life. Olivia began to resist. She was wearing a casual hoodie in 86 -degree Fahrenheit weather to ward him off.She even zipped it up high to cover her neck, trying her best not to expose any skin. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. However, her efforts seemed in vain against his determination. Wayne unzipped her hoodie, unveiling her slender neck. Her white tank top modestly concealed her, hinting at the form beneath. Each inch of exposed skin captivated his gaze. Wayne was unable to restrain himself.He buried his head in Olivia''s neck and ced a kiss there. Chapter 1265 Chapter 1265 Olivia knew the situation was spiraling beyond her control. How could she tolerate such audacity from a man? The moment Wayne''s touch nearly grazed her skin, she kneed him fiercely in the abdomen.She took advantage of Wayne''s momentary pain and kicked him away.She scrambled off the bed, panicked, and quickly grabbed a bottle of red wine. Not caring about the vintage bottle, she smashed it against the table. Wine spilled everywhere. She pointed the jagged edge at her own neck and sternly warned, ¡°Don''te any closer!" All this happened in the blink of an eye. Wayne knew she had a fiery temper but had not anticipated her being this fierce. "Don''t be rash.I won''t touch you.Just put the bottle down." Olivia would not trust the words of a man inmed with desire.Her voice was cold. "I''m warning you, if youy a hand on me again, I''ll end my life right in front of you." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "You won''t do it.You have children.How could you bear to leave them?" Wayne challenged. "I might have vulnerabilities, but that doesn''t mean I''ll let you bully me.I have someone in my heart.Don''t force me into drastic actions," Olivia dered. With that, Olivia dashed out of his room.She ran straight into n. He noticed her haste and the broken wine bottle in her hand.He asked her respectfully. "Ms.Ophelia, what''s the matter? Is someone chasing you?" Olivia red at him fiercely and said, "Please control your boss!"Without looking back, she continued her escape. n was bewildered. ¡°Ike, what''s up with her?" Wayne appeared at the doorway, half-naked and still with acupuncture needles in his head. Ike''s mouth twitched as he said, "Looks like the strong-arming didn''t go as nned." "Wait, no way!" They couldn''t believe it, especially when they recalled how disheveled Olivia was when she left, which deepened their spection. "Mr.Maxwell, what did you do to her? She looked so angry like she''d kill anyone.I thought Ms.Ophelia would smash that wine bottle on me." Wayne returned to his room and slumped on the sofa, still with needles adorning his head.He sat with his arms crossed. The sight was asical as it was bizarre. Trying to suppress theirughter, Ike asked seriously, ¡°Mr.Maxwell, what kind of woman can''t you have? There''s no need to fixate on a married woman." Wayne spread his hands. ¡°I''ve tried others.I''m not interested. "Even so, Ms.Ophelia has a husband and children.You can''t just take her by force.She''s fierce by nature.If you push her too far and she kills herself, who''s going to treat your condition?" Wayne pondered the phrase ¡°take by force¡±. His gaze was intense and contemtive as he drifted into deep thought. Olivia hurried back to her room.She realized her n had to change. Her initial intention was to leave with Ethan when he arrived, but with a week to go, every passing day increased her risk. With Wayne''s unpredictable nature, she couldn''t just wait for him to cross her boundaries. She needed to make her escape while she could. Although she didn''t have any means ofmunication with her, Olivia knew Undecim had already infiltrated the ce. She saw a signal in the courtyard the day before. There was a flower petal arranged into the number ten beside a rockery. That was their code. She was seven, and Undecim was ten. In the next few days, Olivia mapped out the surveince coverage. She identified both monitored and blind spots. Undecim''s chosen spot was out of camera view. In that corner, Olivia arranged green leaves to form a zero. The hidden message was, ¡°Let''s meet tomorrow night at midnight." Chapter 1266 Chapter 1266 Perhaps due to her intense reactionst night, Wayne did not appear in front of Olivia all day. Olivia spent her day at the Royal Hospital teaching everyone the acupuncture technique. Just after dusk, Wayne awaited Olivia''s arrival so that she could administer acupuncture. He thought about various apology strategies.His heart raced involuntarily when he heard footsteps approaching.He stood with his back to the personing and adopted a harsh tone. "I was wrong aboutst night.Don''t get the wrong idea.It''s not that I like you.I just have a thing for married women!" he said. He was even prepared to tarnish his own image to reassure Olivia.His im of liking married women was merely an excuse. Wayne waited for Olivia''s response. His ears turned red as he continued gruffly, "So you can rest assured, I won''t make any moves on you.I keep the promises I make. ¡°Why are you silent? I''ve apologized.What more do you want?" he eximed angrily. He turned in anger, only to find himself face-to-face with Grant''s wrinkled visage.Grant''s trembling lips struggled to suppress a chuckle, embarrassing Wayne. "Why are you here?" Wayne asked. Grant came over leisurely. ¡°Ah, Mr.President, I''m old and have hearing difficulties.I didn''t catch what you said you liked?" he said. "What are you doing here?" Wayne asked him with a somber expression. Grant put down his tools. "I''m here to administer your acupuncture.Don''t worry, Ms.Ophelia has taught me everything," he assured Wayne. Wayne was furious.He didn''t expect Olivia to pull such a move. "Who wants your treatment, old man? Get out," he said. Grant had cared for Wayne for years.He even treated him like a grandson and so didn''t mind his temper. "Fine.Since Ms.Ophelia has taught all the doctors, I''ll get someone you like toe here," he said. Wayne had noeback. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He could only sit with his arms crossed.He let Grant work on him while he seethed angrily. n advised him after seeing his furious state, ¡°Mr.President, Ms.Ophelia is still angry.It''s best not to trouble her now.She might do something drastic if you push her too far." Wayne hummed in response but said nothing.He thought of Olivia''s fiery demeanor from the night before and ultimately held back. As night fell, Olivia timed her arrival perfectly. "Hoo-hoo?" She mimicked an owl, and a hand pulled her behind the rockery. "Did you get it?" Undecim asked in a low voice. "Not yet, but I''m about 90% sure I can get it soon." Undecim chuckled. "I knew no man could resist you." "Stop with the sarcasm.Once we have the ring, how do we escape? It has a tracking chip.Holding onto it is like holding a bomb." "They''re tightening security for the multinational conference these days.Escaping won''t be easy," "How did you get in?" Udecim raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to know?" His expression suggested an unconventional method. "It''s nothing major.I just hitched a ride under a car.But that won''t work with the current strict checks." "So, the only way to take the ring is to make him sleep through the night.We''ll have already escaped by the time he realizes the ring is missing." "Smart.What''s your n?" Undecim asked. Chapter 1267 Chapter 1267 Olivia had a n. "Wait for his insomnia to kick in, then give him the sedative." She calcted in her mind and continued, "You get ready.If I''m going to act in three days, I''ll ce a red anthurium here.If the mission is canceled, I''ll put a magnolia." "I''ll wait for your good news," Undecim responded. After their brief meeting, they parted ways. Olivia returned to her room to rest. Wayne did not visit her that night, and she wondered if he had slept. The next day, she went to the Royal Hospital as usual. Over the past few days, Olivia had gotten along well with everyone. They had elevated her from Ms.Ophelia to Dr.Ophelia in their address. Wayne had some time to visit the hospital.He saw Olivia turn sideways and exin medical knowledge to someone. She patientlypared two simr herbs, and the admiration was evident on the face of a young medical student who had just joined. Wayne pondered why he was drawn to a woman who wasn''t even strikingly beautiful. Perhaps it was her unique determination and enviable medical skills. Every time she administered acupuncture to him, Wayne felt an indescribable connection with her. Olivia sensed his gaze but pretended not to notice and turned away. Her intuition told her that Wayne''s interest in her was more than mere lust. He had feelings for her. If it were just lust, her struggles would be futile. He would have a hundred ways to get her into bed. But he had been quieter these past two days. It seemed he did not want to hurt her, which indicated genuine feelings. This was the worst-case scenario. Olivia wanted to avoid owing him anything. Emotions could make people obsessive. Taking the ring would be moreplicated if feelings were involved. Unexpectedly, people from Andia arrived early, causing a bustle even in the Royal Hospital as everyone prepared for sudden developments. When Olivia began adding sedatives to Wayne''s medication, Grant was puzzled. ¡°Why the sudden addition?" he asked. "I heard the president hasn''t been sleeping well these nights.I''m trying to add some sedatives to see if it helps.If not, we''ll adjust the dosage," Olivia exined. Such medication could be addictive if used in excess, so she started with a small dose. Grant agreed with her approach, unaware that this was bait. "What''s keeping everyone so busy these days?"Olivia inquired. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "It''s because the people from Andia arrived early, throwing us all into disarray," Grant exined. "Who from Andia came?" Olivia wanted to confirm if it was Ethan. Just then, hurried footsteps approached. "Mr.Tanner, something''s happened!" Grant set down his materials and turned around with a stern expression. "What''s all the fuss about?" "Someone fainted at the state banquet while the president was meeting with dignitaries from Andia.You need to check it out! If the problem is with the food, we might have no way to defend ourselves," the messenger warned. Grant''s expression changed drastically. This visit from Andia was meant to be a gesture of goodwill. Any conflict could potentially spark a global crisis. "I''ll be right there," Grant said. He then turned back and grabbed Olivia''s hand. ¡°Dr.Ophelia, you have excellent medical skills.Come with me!" "Me?" Olivia was taken aback. Before she could refuse, Grant dragged her along. The people of Carathia were treating her, a spy, as a savior. This wasn''t necessarily bad. She could confirm if Ethan had arrived. Finally, Olivia stepped out of the Royal Hospital. Without ncing at the castle, she followed Grant unobstructed into the banquet hall. Wayne was in formal attire that day and showed little reaction to her presence. The person lying on the floor was still surrounded by people, some of whom Olivia recognized. She couldn''t help the corner of her mouth from twitching. Grant moved to check on the person, but Olivia stepped forward first. "Let me do it, Mr.Tanner," she said as she crouched down. In an unseen corner, she stealthily scratched the man''s palm. Chapter 1268 Chapter 1268 Olivia wanted toe up with other reasons to find out Ethan''s whereabouts. To her surprise, he showed up himself. After spending time with Olivia, Grant discovered that her medical skills were better than his. Thus, he let her treat Ethan rest assuredly. After all, Ethan was a nobleman. Grant couldn''t afford to let mistakes happen. In a soft voice, he asked, "Dr.Ophelia, how is he?" Olivia let go of Ethan after checking his heart rate. With an indifferent expression, she answered, "He''s fine.He must have fainted suddenly because of exhaustion and low blood sugar." Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Ethan was an important figure in Andia. He always wore a mask and rarely showed himself to others. It would be bad if something happened to him. Olivia pulled out a few acupuncture needles and inserted them into Ethan''s skin to stimte strategic points throughout his body. Soon, he woke up and began to put on an act. ¡°What happened?" "Mr.Miller, you fainted just now.Luckily, this doctor saved you in time with her skills.She looks young, but her medical skills are superb..." Upon hearing Kelvin''s words, Olivia was confused. When did he be so good at talking? Holding back her smile, Olivia asked, "Did he skip meals?" "Yeah.He has been busy for the past two days and stayed up for several nights.He was on the ne for more than ten hours too.He hasn''t had breakfast today." "His sugar levels are low.Sir, remember to have breakfast next time.If you don''t have the time, at least keep some candy on you." Ethan was still in Olivia''s embrace. Pretending to be obedient, he responded, "Thank you, I''ll heed your advice." It was only then everyone let out a breath of relief. Thank god it was nothing serious. Then, Ethan said, "But my head hurts, and my heartbeat has been irregr recently.Can you help me take a lookter?" "Sure." Olivia asked someone to help Ethan get up before saying to Wayne, "It''s a mere ident.There''s no need to be anxious.When everything''s finished here, I''ll give him a thorough check-up." Wayne found the situation strange.He had been fighting against Ethan for a long time, so he knew that Ethan was like a beast. How could Ethan faint upon meeting him that day? Nevertheless, Olivia''s stern face didn''t express any emotions that she knew Ethan. No one knew that not only did the two know each other, but they also shared the same bed. "Alright." Wayne waved his hand and let the doctors leave. Before Olivia left, Ethan sneakily tickled her palm. Olivia felt a tickle in her heart. They hadn''t been separated for long. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. At most, it had only been half a month. However, Olivia''s mind was clouded with him¡ªhis voice, his breath, the warmth of his fingers, and his husky voice when embracing her... "Ms.Ophelia, what''s wrong? Is the food today not to your liking?" Marvin followed Olivia around as if he were her shadow.He wanted to learn about medical knowledge from her.He was a master¡¯s graduate of medicine.He had published many publications on modern medicine and was a famous specialist. Marvin had met herbal medicine doctors before, but he had never met a doctor who couldbine both modern and herbal medicine so ingeniously. Although Olivia was younger than him, he had to address her respectfully. Olivia was holding her tray and spacing out when Marvin came to her. "Ms.Ophelia, are you thinking about medicine again?" Olivia felt awkward. If Marvin found out she was thinking about a man, would his impression of her crumble? Clearing her throat, she responded, "Yeah, I''m thinking about something very important.¡± Chapter 1269 Chapter 1269 Marvin leaned closer to Olivia. Excitedly, he asked, "Ms.Ophelia, what topic are you thinking about? Can I join in the discussion? I''ve never heard of the Snowdrop you mentioned previously.You know so many herbs." Olivia felt even more awkward now. The topic she was thinking about was a bit explicit. After all, she couldn''t tell Marvin about how she was nning to tear open Ethan''s clothes and kiss him to relieve her lovesickness. "Let''s discuss this next time." After taking a few bites of her food, Olivia started preparing Wayne''s herbs. Fanning the fire, she waited patiently for Ethan. With his identity, he would definitely need to socialize with Wayne. Even though they despised each other to the point they wanted to stab one another, they had to have a meal together, chat, shake hands, and put on a fake smile. After eating, they had many more things to do. Ethan and Wayne were absent-minded. Wayne asked, "It must''ve been tough for you toe all the way here.Please forgive me for the poor hospitality." Ethan responded, "The pan-fried fish this afternoon was tasty.It reminds me of home." Wayne said, "If you like it, why don''t you stay for a few more days?" The two chatted for such a long time that the smiles on their faces had stiffened. When night came, Ethan requested for the doctor who treated him earlier in the day toe over. Without hesitation, the subordinates went to look for Olivia. "Ms.Ophelia, he¡¯s our country''s distinguished guest.Please take good care of him," instructed n. Olivia¡¯s hand had reddened from carrying the medical kit. "I got it.I''ve prepared Wayne''s medicine.I''ve also added some herbs to help him sleep better tonight.Please ask him to take it." ¡°Got it.Thank you, Ms.Ophelia.But..." n thought about how Wayne had be more irritable recently. When Wayne couldn''t sleep at night, he would ask n and Ike for a duel. He would only go to bed when he was extremely exhausted. If such situations continued, n and Ike would go insane! "Huh?" Olivia looked at n. Gritting his teeth, n asked without thinking things through, ¡°What''s your husband''s upation?" "How does it concern you?" "I''m just curious.Your medical skills are superb, and you''re brave enough to go to such ces to look for herbs.How amazing must your husband be to be worthy of you?" At that moment, Olivia thought about Ethan, who was waiting to meet her impatiently. "He''s just an ordinary person." ¡°What about his looks?" ¡°His only strength is his looks." Carefully, n said, ¡°Actually, Mr.Maxwell is handsome too.He sincerely likes you.Do you want to..." Stopping in her tracks, Olivia stared at n with wide eyes. "Are you here to y Cupid?" n was taken aback. He argued, "No, Ms.Ophelia.I mean...Irritatedly, Olivia interrupted him, "Do you know what people like you are called?" "What?" ¡°A nosy parker." n was at a loss for words. No wonder Wayne liked Olivia. She was cool! ¡°Is the distinguished guest staying here?" ¡°Yeah." Kelvin and Brent had alreadye out of the room to wee Olivia. "Are you Ms.Ophelia? Pleasee with us. n wanted to follow after them, but Brent stopped him. "We''re waiting for Ms.Ophelia." ¡°Don''t forget you''re in Raka right now!" Kelvin snorted. "Who cares? Don''t even think ofing in today." Olivia wanted to mediate between the two parties to calm the tense atmosphere. "Chief, I need to conduct a check-up on the guest.Don''t worry.We''re in Raka.They can''t do anything to me." n was speechless.He couldn''t believe Olivia would actually address him as ¡®Chief. Putting on an act, Olivia followed behind Brent and asked a few questions about Ethan''s condition. When the door was opened, a hand pulled Olivia into the room. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. With a thump, the door was closed. Ethan''s burning body pressed against Olivia''s. Then, his lipsnded on hers. Chapter 1270 Chapter 1270 Olivia didn''t pretend to be shy. Wrapping her arms around Ethan''s neck, she weed him. The kiss ended when she was almost out of breath. Out of energy, she remained in his embrace and listened to his strong heartbeat. ¡°Ethan, I missed you." Olivia smiled sweetly in Ethan''s embrace. Ethan, who was initially angry, finally calmed down. ¡°Do you know what you''re doing? I haven''t had a good night''s sleep for the past several days!" Like a cat, Olivia rubbed her face against his. "I''m sorry." ¡°When you rub your face against mine, I always feel like I''m having an affair." Ethan frowned. He didn''t like Olivia using someone else''s face to be intimate with him. Reaching out, he wanted to pull Olivia''s mask off her face, but she stopped him. "No.my appearance can''t be destroyed here.There aren''t any materials for me to restore it." Ethan pulled her to the couch to sit down. "Now can you tell me why you need his ring?" Olivia jumped onto him again. "We haven''t seen each other for a long time.Don''t you miss me?" ¡°Don''t change the topic, Liv." Ethan stared at Olivia as if he wanted to see through her. "Tell me." ¡°Ethan, didn''t we agree on this? It''s part of my job." ¡°If your job is putting you at risk, how can you rest assured?" Ethan hugged Olivia. ¡°Liv, I know I hurt you in the past.But I''ve changed.Do you know how my life was after you left? I was anxious every day.Even when I was asleep, I would have nightmares.If you hadn''t shown up today, do you know how worried I''d be?" Olivia hugged him back. "I know.I lived the same way in the past.After cutting off contact with you, I couldn''t do anything other than wait for you." The smile on Ethan''s face stiffened. "Liv, I..." He seemed to understand what she had gone through. Wasn''t his current situation the same as Olivia''s past situation? Back then, Olivia loved him humbly and was attentive to his actions. Straddling Ethan''s waist with her legs, Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "So, I don''t want marriage and restraints.Our current rtionship is the best.Ethan, don''t you want to hug me?" T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Liv, you asked for this." Ethan pressed Olivia on the couch so that her back was facing him. He didn''t want to have sex with her while seeing an unfamiliar face. Olivia didn¡¯t expose his true thoughts. Their fingers intertwined, and sweat dripped from their foreheads. Ethan''s voice was hoarse. "Did he hurt you?" Olivia remembered that things almost got out of hand a few times with Wayne, but she couldn''t tell Ethan about it. Otherwise, a war would break out. "Nope.I only treated his headache.Ethan, can you help me out with something?" "Huh?" "I haven''t gotten his ring, so I can''t leave.I want you to be my shield. Ethan bit Olivia''s earlobe from behind. ¡°You don''t want me to know what you''re doing, but you want to use me?" Olivia turned around and straddled his waist. "Are you going to help me or not?" Ethan sighed. "Liv, you''re taking advantage of my love for you." Upon hearing his helpless voice, sheughed. "But I loved you the same way in the past.You took advantage of my love for you to hurt me again and again." ¡°Everything''s my fault.Liv, I''ll give you everything you want.¡± Chapter 1271 Chapter 1271 Suddenly, Ethan realized his rtionship with Olivia had changed a lot. Although he liked her in the past, his feelings for her were more like doting on a pet. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. She could apany him and lift his mood. On the other hand, he was her shelter. He never thought about what she needed. After leaving Ethan, Olivia became more confident and free- spirited. She was outstanding. He had fallen even more in love with her, but at the same time, he felt afraid. In their rtionship, he had a low status. He knelt on one knee on the couch. His hands roamed from Olivia''s neck to her body. He mumbled, ¡°Liv, can you spare me more of your love?" Olivia was like his God. Holding his face, she said, "Be good." Many days had passed since theyst met. The two let themselves free and used their bodies to express their longing for each other. Right then, someone knocked on the door. Brent''s voice sounded. "Mr.Miller, Wayne is arriving soon." Ethan frowned. Squatting on the ground, he helped Olivia wear her shoes. He asked unhappily, ¡°Why is heing here? Liv, he..." Olivia didn''t hide the truth from him. "Ethan, I think he likes me." ¡°Liv." Noticing Ethan''s anger, Olivia lowered her head and kissed him. ¡°Ethan, you''re the only one in my heart.You know that." Both of their breathing were irregr. The lust in Ethan''s eyes deepened. ¡°Liv, you have me in a chokehold." ¡°Ethan, take me away from here." Olivia gazed at Ethan gently. Caressing her face, Ethan answered, ¡°Alright." Wayne was stopped froming in. With a cold expression, Kelvin said, "I''m sorry, Mr.Miller is undergoing treatment.He can''t meet outsiders." "Outsiders?" Wayne snorted. "You''re the outsiders here." Kelvin waved his hand. ¡°No, we''re distinguished guests.Don''t you have the most basic hospitality?" "I''m not in the mood to argue with you.Move out of the way!" Kelvin felt anxious. This was all he could do. If Wayne found out about Olivia and Ethan, he might kill Olivia. Nheless, he wondered why Wayne woulde in person when Olivia was just here to carry out treatment for Ethan as her doctor. Wayne quickened his pace and kicked the door open. Since there was no media here, he didn''t need to put on an act. When the door opened, a strong scent filled his nose. It was a herb called mugwort. Ethan was leaning on the couch with his eyes closed. His arms and the top of his head were filled with acupuncture needles. Some herbs were lit up next to him. Olivia didn''t look up to see who entered. She continued to insert the needles into Ethan''s skin. Ethan snorted. "Do you have nothing else to do? Why are you here to see me get poked by needles?" Wayne ignored him. Sitting opposite him, he ced his legs on the table. With his arms crossed before his chest, he looked like a scoundrel. ¡°I don''t think Dr.Ophelia should poke your head.She should sew your mouth shut.Is Andia so poor that you need toe all the way to Carathia to see a doctor?" Wayne and Ethan seemed to be at war. Brent and Kelvin stood behind Ethan, while n and Ike were behind Wayne. They were evenly matched. It was tiring to look at them. Olivia couldn''t bring herself to continue to insert the needles. ¡°Dr.Ophelia, I think you should check if he''s insane." Wayne smiled mockingly. With a snort, Ethan retorted, ¡°You''re no different.How dare you say that?" Olivia said, "All of you, shut up! If you''re going to continue to interfere with my work, get out of here." Chapter 1272 Chapter 1272 Ethan looked at Wayne to see his reaction. They had known each other for many years. He knew that thetter had a bad temperament. In the past, even when Wayne had nothing, he wouldn''t let anyone treat him that way, let alone now. The people who had reprimanded him before were already dead. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. However, after Olivia scolded him, he was not angry. n and Ike, who were behind him, remained the same expression. So, it wasn''t Olivia''s first time scolding him. It didn''t seem that Wayne only liked Olivia. Men would understand other men well. If Wayne didn''t like Olivia a lot, he wouldn''t let her step on him. Ethan curled the fingers that were on his pants. He needed to take Olivia away as soon as possible. Kelvin was astonished. Why would Wayne listen to Olivia''s words? It was too strange. In Kelvin''s opinion, Wayne was like a rebel in high school. He wouldn''t listen to any teacher. All of a sudden, he became obedient. It didn''t make sense. Brent''s gaze darted back and forth between Olivia and Wayne. He had a hunch. The situation was heading toward the worst oue. After Olivia shouted, the room fell silent. No one dared to speak. Wayne stared at Olivia''s wrists. They were thin and pale. She inserted the needles without hesitation. She looked cool. She had an ordinary face, so why was he attracted to her? For her, Wayne even hid his temper because he was afraid he would scare her away. ¡°Ahem.After you are finished with his acupuncture, help me with mine." For the past two days, Wayne dared not look for Olivia. So, the atmosphere between them was a bit dull. After he said that, he sensed Ethan''s aura getting colder. Ethan snorted. "You''re even snatching people from me now.Wayne, you''re amazing.Are the doctors in your country''s hospitals useless?" ¡°What''s wrong with my person giving me treatment? Who are you toin?" ¡°Your person? Why don''t you ask Dr.Ophelia who she belongs to?" The two began to argue again. Olivia was at a loss for words. She already had enough of Wayne. Now, there was Ethan. With the acupuncture needles in her hands, Olivia said, "If you two don''t shut your mouths, I won''t do acupuncture on any of you." At once, Wayne felt wronged. ¡°But it has been three days since youst did it for me, Dr.Ophelia." It was only then a lightbulb lit up in Kelvin''s mind. It turned out Wayne liked a hot doctor. When Ethan saw Wayne making eyes with Olivia, he felt furious. Squatting down next to his legs, Olivia poked Ethan''s arms. Then, she said, "It''s not good to be angry." After that, she said, "I''m not from Carathia.I''m only a doctor.He''s my patient right now.Aside from his head, I need to give him other treatmentter. ¡°It might take several hours.Mr.President, please go back.It''s best if you ask Mr.Tanner to do acupuncture for you." Wayne felt unhappy. Hitting the table, he stood up. "Who does he think he is? How could he let you treat him?" Ethan also stood up after hitting the table. "Who are you then? How dare you barge in and interfere with her work?" "You''re on my turf.I can kill you easily." Ethan pointed at his chest. ¡°Come on then!" ¡°Do you think I''m afraid to do it?" Kelvin and Brent held back Ethan. "Mr.Miller, please calm down." Meanwhile, n and Ike stopped Wayne. "If something happens here, an international war will break out.¡± Chapter 1273 Chapter 1273 Because of the tense atmosphere, Olivia almost couldn''t catch her breath.Her gaze was cold as she said, "Enough.Get out.Don''t get in my way of treating the patient." Wayne pointed at his own nose. "Me?" ¡°Who else? I don''t care if he''s an esteemed guest or anything.To me, he is my patient. ¡°If there are any grudges between you guys, deal with it after I''m done with my treatment.Now, get out!" Olivia pointed at the door. Wayne red at her. But still, he turned around and left without saying anything. Kelvin and the others were shocked when they saw that. ¡°Um...Dr.Ophelia, you''re not really a doctor but a beast tamer, right? I can''t believe that mad dog is so obedient to you! Amazing!" Olivia looked coldly at Kelvin. She said heartlessly, "You get out, too!" "Fine." Kelvin was dejected. Grabbing his arm, Brent promised Ethan, "Don''t worry, we''ll guard the door.Still, by the looks of it, Wayne will probably keep waiting. "Please don''t take too long, or he''ll suspect something." After the crowd left, Olivia and Ethan didn''t do anything. Olivia knew that his head was aching because of hisck of quality sleep, so she was earnestly trying to heal him. "I haven''t given you a massage in forever.I''ll give you a massage now." ¡°You''ve massaged him, too?" Gripping Olivia''s hand, Ethan asked with a cold gaze. ¡°Yes..." Olivia didn''t hide it. ¡°What did he do to you?" ¡°Nothing.Ethan, I won''t let anyone else touch me." Throwing herself into his embrace, she had a gentle look in her eyes as she said, "Please calm down, okay?" Ethan was weak to her pleas. So, he could only hold her tighter. "Liv, what am I going to do with you?" Olivia spent more than two hours with him. She massaged him and lit a calming candle for him. After that, she slowly left. Brent leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. When he saw Oliviaing out, he opened his eyes and straightened himself. "He has fallen asleep.Don''t wake him." Brent spoke up as well. "Hold on, Dr.Ophelia.I don''t know what you''re doing, but these days, Mr.Miller can''t eat or sleep well. ¡°For your sake, he even changed his schedule and came here ahead of time. ¡°I hope that you won''t give him trouble.If something happens to him, there will be severe consequences." Kelvin tugged at Brent''s hand. "Brent, don''t say that." "It''s okay, he¡¯s telling the truth.It''s my fault, so I''m sorry for that," Olivia apologized sincerely. "Dr.Ophelia, with your current identity, you don''tck anything at all.I don''t understand why you''d want to risk your life." ¡°I''m sorry for causing trouble for you guys."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. With that, Olivia turned around and left. When she rounded a corner nearby, she spotted the man sitting on the stairs. He was propping up his long legs as he held a cigarette in his hand. He didn''t look like the leader of a country at all. He looked more like the leader of a group of street thugs. The stars shone quite brightly that night. Above the castle, thousands of stars dotted the sky. The man, surrounded by white smoke, heard some footsteps. Panicking a little, he tossed the cigarette at his feet and stamped it out. He looked like a child caught in the act. That night, after Olivia left, he regretted it a lot. He shouldn''t have given in to his desires and done something so shameless. This was their first time meeting alone in private in the past few days. Wayne looked extremely uneasy. "...You''re done." "It''s gettingte.Why didn''t you go back to rest?" ¡°I was waiting for you." He didn''t want to see that almost disgusted look of Olivia''s again. So, he exined, "I''m sorry for what happened that night. ¡°I didn''t rest well in those days, so in my moment of hot- headedness, I did something unforgivable to you.Don''t worry, I won''t do it ever again." Wayne looked a little humble. Chapter 1274 Chapter 1274 It would have been fine if Wayne was as arrogant and domineering as always. If he behaved like this, Olivia would feel a little guilty instead. After all, she came here on a mission, and she would take away something very important to him. ¡°Why do you look like another person altogether?" ¡°I''ve thought about it a lot these days.You have amazing medical skills, and everyone in Royal Hospital has high opinions of you.If you''re interested, you can work at Royal Hospital. ¡°You can also get your husband and children to move here.Your children will receive the best education avable.I can also offer your husband a decent job." Wayne took a step backward, putting some distance between him and Olivia. "I won''t deny the fact that I have feelings for you, but I''ve thought things through. ¡°You''re a talented person, and I want you to stay.If you have any requests, feel free to tell me." ¡°I''ll think about it.It''s gettingte, so you should go back and rest." Olivia''s heart grew heavier. Why did Wayne suddenly have a change of heart? That night, Olivia had a fitful sleep. She kept having the same nightmare, and Wayne''s voice kept echoing in the nightmare, saying, "Why did you lie to me? Why?" As Olivia gazed at the sunrise, she knew what she should do now. The longer she dragged it out, the more troublesome it would be. As nned, Olivia ced the promised flower in that certain corner. They would continue with the mission. Wayne was very busy today. Ethan had arrived early, so the meeting between the countries was brought forward. Even Ethan couldn''t be found anywhere, let alone Wayne. ¡°Dr.Ophelia, why are you mixing different herbs in the container? What were you thinking?" Marvin leaned in. I in just a few days, he had be a loyal fan of Olivia''s. It was only then that Olivia came to her senses.She hastily yI separated the herbs. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.I''m just feeling a little homesick." "I heard that Mr.Maxwell forcefully brought you here, right? It''s only natural that you miss home.Mr.Maxwell may look evil, but he''s very nice to his people." Marvin handed Olivia a mug of coffee. Then, he sat next to her by the flower bed. Many herbs were nted in the yard. The temperature in the capital of Carathia was mild all year round, so it was especially suitable for herb nting. "Since Mr.Maxwell has allowed you to work here, it means that he doesn''t treat you like an outsider. ¡°I know that people out there have negative opinions of Mr.Maxwell, and they say that he''s cruel and heartless.But they don''t know that Mr. Maxwell had quite a tragic past. ¡°If he didn''t kill, he would be killed instead.That''s why he became so paranoid and irritable." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The people here cared about Wayne like a friend instead of admiring or fearing him. After chatting for a while, Olivia found out that most people here came from the same city as Wayne, which was theknown as the worst and dirtiest city in the world. Wayne had be their salvation and given them another chance at life. By the time Olivia had listened to the whole story, the coffee had already gone cold, just like her heart. The happy people in this world looked alike, but the unhappy people came from all sorts of backgrounds. ¡°Thank you." ¡°Dr.Ophelia, to be honest, we''re all looking forward to the day when you officially join us.I heard that you have children, too.I''m sure they''re very adorable." Everyone treated her kindly. Ever since she came here, they had considered her as their kin. ¡°They..." n strode over to them. "Dr.Ophelia, Mr.Maxwell wants me to take you somewhere." Olivia tensed up. "Where?" ¡°You''ll know when you arrive." Olivia found it odd. She heard from Grant that Wayne had taken the envoys from various countries to the famous cherry blossom hot springs. So, he should be at the hot springs at that moment. Why would he take her out?It just so happened that she had already decided to make her move tonight. She had no idea if there would be any idents. Taking her medicine kit with her, Olivia left with n. Chapter 1275 Chapter 1275 The sky gradually turned dark. By the time Olivia arrived, night had just fallen. The gentle fragrance of flowers drifted in the air. As expected, Olivia was brought to Avelia Hot Spring. A separate hot spring was arranged for Olivia. Could it be that Wayne had truly turned over a new leaf? Even though the scenery was beautiful, Olivia wasn''t in the mood to enjoy the hot springs at all. She looked at the guards nearby, who were keeping watch both inside and outside the area. She knew that Wayne must be entertaining the guests at the moment. Could she seed tonight? After an hour or so, she sat in the yard, looking up at the starry sky as the chirping of insects reached her ears. Beside her, cherry blossom petals fluttered downward. Many petals had fallen into the spring, and the ce looked especially beautiful. Someone knocked on the door from outside. "Dr.Ophelia, are you done with your bath?" Olivia returned to her senses.It was n. "Yes." Olivia opened the door. ¡°What''s the matter?" ¡°Come with me." He led Olivia to another path. Many trees were nted on both sides of the stone path, and they looked stunning under the dim lights. After walking for a few minutes, Olivia paused in her tracks. She had caught sight of arge field of beautiful Moonflowers. When the petals were closed, the flowers looked like lilies of the valley. The flowers would bloom on moonlit nights. When the flowers bloomed, their pale yellow petals looked like ady''s tiered skirt. Layers were draped uponyers, and the flowers looked exceptionally beautiful as theyplemented the moon in the sky. Olivia was amazed at therge field of Moonflowers. They looked extremely stunning under the glow of the lights and the moon. Olivia had a shocked look on her face. "This is¡ª" A familiar voice rang out behind her. "The Moonflower you''re looking for." Olivia turned around to look at the man walking toward her. Unlike before, he was wearing Carathia''s special clothing. The robe was loose-fitting, and only a length of rope tied it together at the waist. It had outlined the man¡¯s strong waist and the contours of his shoulder. His sharp features seemed to flicker among the trees. The darkness had covered him with a mysterious veil. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Is all this enough topensate you?" "Y-Yes." ¡°So, have you considered my suggestionst time?" Wayne asked. Olivia suddenly changed the topic. "Why don''t I perform acupuncture on you tonight? I''ll tell you when I''m done." Wayne was moved when he heard her taking the initiative to J ¡ª treat him. He was visibly happy about it. "Really?" I ¡°Yes. Can we do it now? I''ve brought the stuff to my room." "Sure." Wayne followed Olivia back to her room. When he saw Olivia fiddling with the spices, he couldn''t help but ask, ¡ã What''s this?" ¡°I heard that you have trouble sleepingtely.This is a sleep- inducing fragrance I''ve specially concocted to pair with your medicine. "If you keep at it for a while, your insomnia will be cured.Come, lie down." Wayne obedientlyy down. He examined Olivia, who was concocting the fragrance. Her neck was slender and fair, and it looked quite like a swan''s neck. Some indecent thoughts entered his mind again, so he hastily closed his eyes, not daring to take another look. Soon, there was an additional smell of spices in the room. With his eyes closed, Waynemented, ¡°It doesn''t smell as nice as the scent on you." Olivia sat on her knees behind him, looking at the man who withheld nothing from her. Was he truly the demonic man in the rumors? I Needle after silver needle pierced through Wayne''s skin. As Olivia inserted the needles, she said, ¡°If you regrly take medicine and get acupuncture, the blood clot in your brain will slowly disappear within a month. ¡°Your body is injured in various spots, so you need to take care of them by following the prescription I gave you. ¡°Also, take care of your stomach, too.You''ll get stomach cancer if this goes on." ¡°Why are you so talkative today?"Wayne asked. ¡°Nothing.I''m a doctor, and you''re my patient.This is my duty.Olivia said gently, "If you feel tired, you can nap for a while.It''s safe here." In the quiet surroundings, Wayne caught a whiff of the scent on Olivia''s body again. He had been tense and nervous for the past few days, but at that moment, he rxed. Soon, he fell asleep. Olivia sat next to him for a moment. After a sigh, she took his ring away in the end. This time, he didn''t react at all. This meant that he trusted herpletely, and he didn''t hide anything from her. Olivia nced at him onest time. Then, she silently left. Chapter 1276 Chapter 1276 Olivia calmly walked out of the room. In the corridor, she ran into Ike, who was closing his eyes and resting. When Ike noticed Oliviaing out, he opened his eyes. ¡°Dr.Ophelia." Ike was a careful man, and it was especially obvious in his cold and dark eyes. Olivia had a feeling that he had always been wary of her. She panicked inside. But on the surface, she maintained her calm as she took the initiative to greet him. ¡°He fell asleep.If possible, let him rest for a while longer." ¡°Alright.Dr.Ophelia, can you take a look at me? My lower back has been hurting for almost a whole day." Olivia didn''t bring any other doctors with her this time. So, even if she only wanted to leave at that moment, she couldn''t reject Ike''s request.She feared that he might notice something off. "Sure.Lift up your shirt so that I can take a good look at you." ¡°We can''t do it here.If the envoys from the other countries saw us, it might spell trouble.Come with me." Ike started walking away. Olivia didn''t want to follow him at all, for she still had to contact Undecim. She quickened her pace. She wanted to treat Ike as soon as possible so that she could leave. She had enhanced the medicinal effects so that normal people would sleep for a whole night, but Wayne''s willpower was extraordinary. She wasn''t sure how long the fragrance would keep him unconscious. Twisting and turning, Olivia followed Ike into a small room. The door closed behind her. Right as the door closed, Olivia keenly sensed that something was off. The room was deserted, but she could smell a sort of fragrance in the air. With just a quick whiff, she could easily identify the ingredients. The fragrance induced sleep and hallucinations. It was even more potent than the fragrance she had given Wayne. But because of the special herbal procedure she went through, the fragrance had no effect on her. She could sense murderous intenting from Ike, who had his back to her. ¡°Oh, right, I just remembered that I have something to deal with.I''ll treat you tomorrow, alright?" Olivia opened the door, trying to leave. A hand blocked her path. Ike had a tall build, and he had one hand against the door as cold air exuded from him. ¡°Dr.Ophelia, you haven''t treated me yet.Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" His tone was different from normal, and he had a gloomy air about him. ¡°What do you mean?" As Ike approached her, Olivia subconsciously backed away to put some distance between them. ¡°Dr.Ophelia, Mr.Maxwell likes you," Ike suddenly said out of the blue. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "I felt that." "In all these years, you''re the only woman he has ever fancied.Sadly, you already have a family.¡±Ike spoke a sentence with every step he took. His terrifying presence got ever closer to Olivia. Olivia had nowhere to run now. A little frustrated, she asked, ¡°What exactly are you trying to do?" "I just want to help you get out of here, Dr.Ophelia." Olivia''s eyes lit up. "Really? Can you really get me out of here?" "If you stay by Mr.Maxwell''s side, you''ll only be affecting his emotions.The best option is for you to leave before he gets too invested in it." Olivia didn''t want to get involved with Ike. But if he could get her out of there, it would be much better than her trying to escape this ce. ¡°That''s wonderful news.I don''t want to stay here for even a minute longer." ¡°Well, then, you''ll have to put up with this, Dr.Ophelia." Under the dim lights, Ike''s expression looked extra dark. ¡°I''ll personally see you off, Dr.Ophelia." When Ike said those words, Olivia felt a chill run down her spine. She had a feeling that Ike meant something else when he said that he would see her off. Ike handed her a pill. "To make sure that you cooperate, please swallow this pill.By the time you wake up, you''ll have left Carathia." Chapter 1277 Chapter 1277 Olivia didn''t take it. ¡°I''m a doctor.Do you think I''d recklessly swallow pills that someone gave me? I wanted to leave, anyway. "If you take me out of here, I won''t struggle; I''ll only feel grateful to you.It doesn''t matter much whether I take the pill or not." Ike''s expression darkened. "That''s not a decision for you to make." With that, he tried to force the pill into Olivia''s mouth. "I won''t have mercy on you just because you''re a woman. "Dr.Ophelia, if I were you, I''d behave and take the pill.At least I don''t have to feel the pain." He pinned Olivia down, cruelly strangling her. Of course, Olivia struggled with all her might. ¡°Ike, are you there?" n''s voice rang out at the door. Ike covered Olivia''s mouth, warning her not to make any noise. ¡°Yes.What''s the matter?" Olivia had brought weapons with her, but she wouldn''t use them unless she was forced to. So, she could only pretend to be a weak woman. If not, if she was found out, she wouldn''t be able to escape this ce for real. By the looks of it, n wasn''t aware of Ike''s n. Ike had intended to quietly kill Olivia. Of course, Olivia wouldn''t let go of this chance. She bit Ike''s finger right away. Ike was a firm man, so even when Olivia bit him so hard that his finger bled, he remained unaffected. ¡°I''m feeling a little tired today, so I''ll be resting for a while. Go and keep watch for me. There are so many important figures here; we can''t afford to make any mistakes." "I just wanted to ask you...Never mind.Rest well, then." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Seeing that n was about to leave, Olivia grew anxious. She kicked over the coffee table nearby, which also had some fruits on it. The fruits on the tter scattered and rolled across the floor. The mugs on the table were shattered as well. n, who had already taken a few steps away, suddenly turned around. "Ike, are you okay? What happened?" Ike red viciously at Olivia. He closed his fingers tightly around her throat, intending to strangle her to death right then and there. By the looks of it, Ike had never intended to let her leave this ce alive. The pill would kill her quietly, so even if Wayne wanted to hold someone responsible, he woulde up with other excuses. Then, no one would suspect him. Now that n was beginning to suspect something, he decisively changed his ns. He only wanted Olivia to die! As expected, he was cruel and heartless. ¡°I''m fine.I''m going to sleep now so you can leave." Because he was fighting Olivia, his voice sounded rougher than usual. n kicked open the door. He wasn''t a fool, either. The fact that Ike had left his post without permission was already suspicious enough. n never thought that after opening the door, he would see lke trying to strangle Olivia to death. He was shocked. "Ike, what are you doing? Let go!" Olivia grabbed the chance to run toward n. "Chief, help! Your brother went crazy, and he tried to kill me." When n saw the marks on her neck, he immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her. ¡°Ike, what exactly did Dr.Ophelia do? Why are you so intent on killing her?" "Her existence itself is a mistake.Because of her, Mr.Maxwell can''t even eat his meals properly." ¡°And so what? It''s Mr. Maxwell''s fault, so why would you me it on a woman? What did she do?" n supported Olivia, who was staggering. ¡°If you kill her, what will happen to her husband and four children? They''re all waiting for her to go home." "She may be kind, but we don''t know where she came from. I''ve been investigating her recently. In the past five years, she has rarely been sighted anywhere. "A year and a half ago, she had even gone missing. So, why did she suddenly appear by Mr. Maxwell''s side? "Also, it doesn''t matter whether her identity is suspicious or not. "She had such a huge influence on Mr.Maxwell that she would be his weakness someday.Step aside.I will personally get rid of her." Chapter 1278 Chapter 1278 n and Ike were like light and darkness. If n was sunshine, then Ike was the dark, endless night. Ike''s hands were tainted with filth, and he only appeared in the darkness of the night. Of course, n wouldn''t let Ike kill the innocent. ¡°Ike, you don''t have any evidence to prove that there''s something wrong with Dr.Ophelia. ¡°Tell me, which spy would be so skilled in medicine that even the hospital director would praise her? "Don''t forget, Mr.Maxwell had insisted on bringing her back. "She tried to escape a few times, but she was caught and brought back here. ¡°You''re trying to kill her because of vague charges.Don''t you know how mad Mr.Maxwell will be if he wakes up and finds out?" Ike replied, "I know that Mr.Maxwell will get mad, and he''ll even punish me.Even so, I won''t let any potential dangers off the hook. ¡°Other people may not know how the Moonflowers got here, but you are well aware of that." Olivia looked at n. "What''s with the Moonflowers?" ¡°The soil in our country isn''t suitable for Moonflowers to grow.Mr.Maxwell sent our people to dig out the Moonflowers in Dexim City so that they could be nted here. "He had spent a lot of manpower and resources on this project." Wayne had never spoken a word of this. That night, Olivia was so focused on stealing the ring that she didn''t think much of it. At that moment, when n mentioned it, Olivia finally realized what was going on. ¡°You must be so happy, right? Mr.Maxwell spent a lot of money just to move the Moonflowers for you." Olivia''s expression was cold. "I''m not happy at all. To me, his feelings for me are no more than burdens.I don''t like him, and I can''t reciprocate his feelings. "I just want to leave here as soon as possible.That''s all." Ike said, "Leave? Hah, do you think I have no idea what you women are nning? You''re ying hard- to-get, aren''t you? ¡°As long as you''re still alive, Mr.Maxwell will be able to find you." "That may not be the case.If I leave, you guys will never find me again. "Chief, please get me out of here.Your brother is crazy.I promise you guys, I will nevere back again!" n declined. "Sorry, Dr.Ophelia.I won''t let my brother kill you, but I won''t let you go so easily.Only Mr.Maxwell can decide if you leave or not." ¡°What if I say that I want her dead by today?" With a determined look on his face, n shielded Olivia. * Dr.Ophelia, please leave first.I''ll handle things here.Hurry and go to Mr.Maxwell." Olivia nced at n earnestly. "Mr.Tanner, I''ll remember the kindness you''ve shown me today." With that, she hastily ran away without looking back. She ran in the opposite direction, and when she passed by some rockery, her body was suddenly pulled to the side. ¡°It''s me," Undecim said in a low voice, "Did you get it?" Still feeling some lingering fear, Olivia said, ¡°Yes, but my identity is almost exposed. Ike wants to kill me. ¡°Take the ring, and we''ll go separate ways.There''s a positioning device on the ring." "Got it.Be careful." Undecim handed the changing equipment, which was prepared beforehand, to Olivia. "I''m leaving now.When we get themission, the same rules apply." "See you." After handing the ring over to Undecim, Olivia could finally sigh in relief. Throughout the process, Undecim never revealed himself. He had his own means of leaving. If he brought her with him, it would make things much more difficult for him. Also, if they were together, they wouldn''t be able to escape if they got caught. Going their separate ways was the most effective and also the safest option. After watching Undecim leave, Olivia slowly touched her thin mask. Then, she slowly peeled it from her face. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After that, she set it on fire with a lighter. Soon, the mask turned into a pile of ash. Her identity as Ophelia hadpletely disappeared from this world. Olivia put on the dress Undecim had prepared for her. She also sprayed a temporary dye on her hair, turning her dark hair into a chestnut color. Then, she hid the red marks on her neck with concealer. Sometimes, getting clear skin wasn''t a good thing. Just a slight mark on her skin would stand out a lot. When Olivia was hiding in a corner and putting on makeup, deafening thunder suddenly sounded above her head. It seemed to tear the sky apart. Olivia looked up at the sky, which had suddenly turned dark. ¡°What''s going on? Why is it suddenly going to rain?" She had a bad feeling in her heart. The sleeping man was woken up by the thunder, and he suddenly opened his eyes. Chapter 1279 Chapter 1279 Wayne, who hadn''tpletely woken up before this, was suddenly wide awake. His head still felt hazy and heavy. The needles on his head were already removed. The fragrance in the room had just run out, and there was a strong lingering smell in the air. He felt ufortable, so he got up unsteadily and opened the windows. He finally felt a little better after the fragrance had dissipated in the cold wind. However, he still felt some pressure in his head. He yawned, ncing around the room. Olivia was long gone. As expected, that woman had left again. Reaching up, Wayne pinched the bridge of his nose. When he lowered his gaze, he realized that the ring on his finger was missing. In an instant, his mind cleared. A slip of paper was ced on the table, and the elegant handwriting on it came into view. ¡°Mr.Maxwell, don''t trust women so easily in the future.I have taken my reward." When Wayne recalled everything that had happened recently, he could hardly believe that he was being lied to. He gripped the paper so hard that his joints turned white. There was a cold and gloomy look in his eyes. Then, n suddenly barged in. Noticing that there was something off about Wayne''s expression, he asked, "Mr.Maxwell, where''s Dr.Ophelia?" A piece of paper gently drifted down from Wayne''s hands. Wayne''s voice was unusually calm as he said, "She stole my ring." "What?" n was shocked. He had never seen anyone so bold before. It was like picking a fight with a lion! The rain pitter-pattered on the tree branches in the yard. Wayne felt as if there was a storm in his heart as well. "She hasn''t gone far.Seal off the whole area!" Ike''s voice rang out. As expected, his sixth sense was right. That woman was indeed suspicious. n recalled how he had fought his own brother for Olivia''s sake just a while ago. Olivia''s actions were like a p across his face. "Damn it, she tricked us!" Ike and n looked at Wayne with expressions of concern in their eyes. After all, this was Wayne''s first time falling for someone, but that person ended up being a scammer. ¡°I''ll locate her right away.I''ll also ignite the self-destruction program when necessary.She must never take that ring out of the country!" ¡°No!" Wayne suddenly spoke up. "Do not let it self-destruct." Ike grabbed his shoulders. "Are you still concerned about that woman at times like this? She tricked you!" Ike thought that he should have been more cruel just now so that all this wouldn''t have happened. Wayne was too attached to her. Wayne slowly raised his eyes, his pair of red eyes ncing at the two as if he were a demon from hell. ¡°I want to kill her myself!" This was the man Ike and n knew well. ¡°We have lots of guests today, so we must not let them know about the ring.Seal off all entrances right now. "Find an excuse for that, and don''t startle the guests." ¡°Understood." Soon, Ike sessfully activated the chip in the ring, which had been in sleep mode for a long time. Not long after that, the wearer''s physical attributes were sent from the ring. The wearer was a man of an unknown age. He was about 6 feet tall, and he weighed around 170 pounds. "I knew it.She approached you with ulterior motives! She already found an aplice long ago." ¡°The ring says that the person on the run is a man, and he''s alone.The woman is not with him.They have separated." Wayne had both hands on the table as a vicious smile appeared on his lips. "This means that the woman is still in Avelia Hot Spring right now! She won''t be able to escape so easily. ¡°I want her caught either dead or alive! Since she''s not with the ring, activate the self-destruction program right now." Olivia spent a lot of effort to hide the marks on her neck. It was too difficult topletely hide the marks from the naked eye. The rain grew heavier. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. She wondered if things were going smoothly on Undecim''s end. She headed toward the guest area, where Ethan was. That area was currently the least guarded part of the ce. Just then, a deafening explosion reached her ears. Chapter 1280 Chapter 1280 Olivia was hurrying to leave, but she suddenly paused in her tracks. As she listened to the exploding sound far away, she felt like her feet were frozen; she couldn''t move. It was the sound of a small bomb instead of a gunshot. Even if they had noticed Undecim, why would they attack him with bombs? There was only one answer: the chip in the ring had a self- destruction program. However, this information was not in the documents they received. Was Undecim killed by the explosion? Olivia turned around to go back. But then, she stopped in her tracks. If she went back, she would be willingly walking into a trap. If Wayne caught her, she would be dead for sure. So, she quickly made a decision. She ran toward the guest area. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The explosion alerted everyone at the scene. Some people poked their heads out of their rooms, trying to figure out what had happened. Olivia was stopped by someone as well. "Stop.Turn around." A stern voice rang out behind her. The person seemed to be Quentin Meyer, one of Wayne''s subordinates. They had already received orders to find Olivia at all costs. Olivia calmly turned around. Then, she spoke with an Andian ent. ¡°What''s the matter?" Quentin thought that he had caught the target, but the woman who had turned around had well-defined features. Her skin was pale as well, and she looked beautiful. Her chestnut-colored hair was tied up behind her head, and it was adorned with some hair essories. The woman was extremely beautiful, and she was multiple times better-looking than that doctor. Remembering Ike''s reminder, Quentin looked at Olivia''s neck. Olivia had spent a lot of time hiding the marks on her neck. Under those lights, the marks were basically invisible. ¡°Who are you? Why are you here?" Even though this wasn''t the woman he was looking for, Quentin continued interrogating her. Before Olivia coulde up with an excuse, Kelvin''s voice rang out. "So that''s where you are, Mrs.Miller.Mr.Miller has waited all day for you." As Kelvin spoke, he looked at Quentin with a cold expression. "She''s my boss''s wife.She arrived not long ago." Anyone could find out about Olivia and Ethan if they searched the inte. No one would link the culprit to them. Quentin bowed, allowing Olivia passage. "Sorry." Olivia touched her earrings, which glowed brilliantly under the light and enhanced the fairness of her skin. She was extremely captivating. When she spoke, she had the gentle entmonly found in Andian women. "I heard a loud explosion just now. Did something happen?" ¡°There was a minor problem, but it won''t affect anything.Go ahead, miss." Olivia sashayed away. She had even purposefully walked in a more charming gait. After searching the ce, Quentin didn''t find any other suspicious women. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that there was something off about this person. ¡°Mr.Maxwell, I didn''t find Dr.Ophelia, but I met an unfamiliar woman.Kelvin says that she''s the wife of their boss." ¡°What does the woman look like?" "She''s a hundred times more beautiful than Dr.Ophelia, and she doesn''t act like Dr.Ophelia at all. ¡°She only looked a little like Dr.Ophelia from the back, and they had simr height." Wayne asked his men to check the surveince records. They didn''t see that womaning in from the entrance. "Get going!" Wayne would rather kill the wrong targets than let any possibility pass him by. ¡°Please reconsider, Mr.Maxwell.Our rtionship with Andia is concerning enough as it is.If there''s a conflict at this moment¡ª" Before n could finish speaking, Wayne had already left. His mind was filled with just one thought. He wanted to catch that damned scammer. Because of her, he had suffered day and night. He kept trying to persuade himself, and he had even made preparations to take care of her family. If he had known that she was a scammer, he wouldn''t have been so gentle to her! He wanted to see what thisdy looked like exactly. Wayne aggressively barged in. Despite Kelvin''s and Brent''s attempts to stop him, he kicked the door open. A woman''s tender voice rang out. ¡°Ethan, it hurts.¡± Chapter 1281 Chapter 1281 The woman''s voice was so delicate that her short utterance sent shivers down Wayne''s spine. Wayne felt his body turning numb. Looking up, Wayne saw the faint steam hanging in the air around the hot springs. A man wearing a half mask on his face was pinning a woman under him. The woman''s floral dress had an open design, revealing her slender neck and shoulders, but it also managed to hide the important parts perfectly. Her long legs were wrapped around the man¡¯s waist, and the man had raised her hands above her head. Ethan''s lips were positioned at her neck. This was an extremely suggestive scene, no matter how Wayne looked at it. When the woman heard the sounds of the door getting kicked open, she was startled as she looked at the entrance. She looked like a frightened deer. Her beautiful dark eyes were filled with fear as she hid herself in Ethan''s embrace. Grabbing the clothes that were strewn about on the floor, Ethan put them over the woman''s body. It happened very quickly. But for an instant, Wayne saw the woman''s chestnut-colored hair falling onto her pretty shoulder bones. It was extremely seductive. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ethan''s neck. She looked like she was terribly frightened as she parted her red lips, saying, ¡°Ethan." ¡°It''s okay, darling." Ethan grabbed a towel and wrapped her body in it. The look in his eyes was extremely foul. With one hand, he pulled Olivia tightly into his embrace. Helping her up, he said in a cold voice, ¡°Wayne, I think you should exin yourself!" Wayne examined the barefooted woman. A portion of her slender legs was exposed. Her chestnut-colored hair was gently draped across her shoulders. Her makeup was exquisite, and her eyebrows were brown as well. Itplemented her fair skin perfectly. She looked just like a princess in a fairy tale, and she didn''t look like Ophelia at all. After all, every time Olivia talked to him, she treated him harshly. She had never been so gentle like this. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. "Sorry.Due to my carelessness, two thieves broke into the hot springs.I worry that they might have disturbed your enjoyment." Ethan kicked over the coffee table with fruits on it. "Do you think you can settle things with just an apology? ¡°You barged in with your men in the middle of the night.Is this how you Carathians treat your guests?" The war was about to break out, and Wayne was in the wrong this time. When he realized that the delicate woman in Ethan''s arms wasn''t Ophelia, he had mixed feelings in his heart. By the looks of it, Ethan didn''t intend to settle things peacefully. Olivia''s whole body was clinging to him, and she said in a gentle voice, ¡°Ethan, calm down.It''s probably just a misunderstanding.Just let them leave, okay? With me like this..." Her face was filled with embarrassment and awkwardness. Ethan held her even tighter as heforted her softly, * Alright, I''ll tell them to leave right away.Don''t be mad, Liv." With that, he red at Wayne. ¡°Heard that? Get lost!" Wayne didn''t want to give up, but he didn''t have a reason to stay. So, he could only leave with his men. After closing the door, he hastily walked away with a cold look on his face. His mind was filled with Olivia''s face, which didn''t look like Ophelia¡¯s at all. Her neck was clean, and it didn''t have the marks Ike mentioned. He could also vaguely see a tattoo of ared flower on her chest. Ophelia didn''t have any tattoos on that spot. All this was evidence that that woman wasn''t Ophelia, but he had a feeling that the woman was suspicious. ¡°I want all the information on this woman." ¡°Understood." "Don''t let down your guard.If it isn¡¯t her, then that woman must still be hiding in the hot springs.Get some women to search every room.I''ll find her eventually!" Wayne returned to his room. The piece of paper Olivia left behind was still on the floor. He sat down, his emotions in a mess, as he listened to the sounds of rain outside. "Mr.Maxwell, I got the information.Please have a look." n carefully stood beside him. Chapter 1282 Chapter 1282 The information on Olivia was easy to get. Soon, everything in her past was revealed to Wayne. She was the pampered youngdy of the Fordham family. She was a genius student, but she dropped out for the sake of a man. A few years into their secret marriage, the two constantly had disputes. In the end, they divorced. A few years ago, she found out that she had cancer. At her sickest moment, shepletely disappeared from Aldenvine. Some people said that she was dead a long time ago, but some also said that she had retreated into the mountains to await her death. In those three years or so, Ethan never gave up on looking for her. Wayne had heard about this as well. However, when Wayne saw Ethan''s ex-wife for the first time, she looked as pretty as a tender flower. And at first nce, he wanted to crush her mercilessly. Judging by the conflict between the two and Olivia''s history, Olivia couldn''t have been Ophelia. Wayne wondered if he had really gotten the wrong idea. Ophelia could have changed her hair color, and the marks on her neck could have been concealed. Even some assassins can disguise their faces exquisitely. After reading the information on Olivia, Wayne began to doubt himself. Ethan loved her to bits, so how could he allow her to do something so dangerous? What was she trying to get? If she wanted money, power, or status, she had already obtained them a long time ago. The ring was precious, but it wasn''t of any use to Andia. If the two countries seriously got into a war, Andia would use weapons to destroy the base instead of taking the risk to get the ring. The person who wanted the ring was trying to sneak into the base. It had nothing to do with Ethan. "Mr.Maxwell, it''s a good thing that Ike took the ring back and gave it some upgrades.Only we know that it has an extra self-destruction program.The information hasn''t leaked yet, so we haven''t lost anything. ¡°By the looks of it, the person who wants the ring is right beside us." They only had to make a new ring to rece the destroyed one. Indeed, their losses weren''t too great. But their enemy had sent a woman to infiltrate their ranks. This was an act that had cruelly destroyed Wayne''s pride, so Wayne refused to let them off the hook. Gazing at the documents in his hands, Wayne asked, "Did Ethan bring family members with him this N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. time?" ¡°I went to verify it just now.Even though his ex-wife hadn''t shown herself before, Ethan had indeed n added, "Everyone online says that his ex-wife hated him to the core.But now, that may not be the case.They seem to be quite in love with each other." ¡°Either way, just keep looking.You have to find that woman as soon as possible." ¡°Understood." Lightning streaked across the sky again, lighting up the whole night sky. Wayne''s pale face looked like a ghost. Meanwhile, in the hot springs, Olivia leaned against Ethan''s embrace like a well-behaved kitten. The ripples on the waler¡¯s surface had turned calm. Seeing that Ethan wasn''t speaking up, Olivia took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck, ¡°You''re still mad." Ethan''s well-defined features looked even colder under the dim lights. When he lowered his gaze to look at Olivia, the look in his eyes was cold as well. When he traced a finger across the temporary tattoo on Olivia''s chest, he said in a low voice, "liv, how far have you gone with him?" Faced with Ethan''s murderous gaze, Olivia only had to exin gently, ¡°The most revealing clothing I''ve worn around him is the suspenders.He never saw anything, I swear." Wayne had seen her in suspenders before, so he was very sure that there were no tattoos on her chest. That was exactly why she put on the temporary tattoo. She wanted to break Wayne''s impression. Olivia rubbed the tip of her nose against him. "You''ve examined me, haven''t you? Why do you still refuse to believe me?" She raised her fingers. ¡°If you don''t believe me, I swear to the heavens that Ethan is the only man I''ve ever had in my life.If I betray him, I''ll die¡ª" Ethan sealed her lips, deepening the kiss as he said, "Liv, I believe you." Chapter 1283 Chapter 1283 It rained heavily throughout the night. The sky was just beginning to turn bright when Ethan nced at the woman who was sound asleep in his arms. He gently pulled the nket away. Under the nket, the woman''s bare body was filled with marks he had left on her. When Ethan moved, Olivia woke up as well. She covered her chest with the nket as she gazed at the man smoking in the yard. There was a lonely air about him. Grabbing a bathrobe, she put it on before walking barefoot toward Ethan. She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. ¡°What''s the matter?" Ethan immediately put out his cigarette. Then, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her, mumbling, ¡°Liv..." He had finally experienced for himself how Olivia felt in the past. He was constantly wrought with worry, and he felt as if the person in front of him might disappear at any moment. His fingers traced downward from her eyebrows. He seemed intent on carving her face into the depths of his mind forever. ¡°Are you really Liv?" Ethan''s gaze was a little lost. "I''m hugging you right now, but you don''t feel real at all." Olivia guided his fingers, cing them on her chest so that he could feel her heartbeats. ¡°Is this still not real enough?" When Ethan looked at her, his gaze was akin to a foggy mountain in the rain.He had a faint sadness to him. Olivia had known Ethan for many years, but she had never seen him like this. ¡°Ethan, what exactly happened to you?" Ethan gazed at her meaningfully. In the end, he didn''t say anything. He just let out a soft sigh. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you want to go back to sleep? If you''re hungry, I''ll ask Brent to deliver breakfast." ¡°Do you have anything scheduled for today? When are we going back?" Now, Olivia just wanted to leave as soon as possible. She knew that Wayne must have set up an extensive trap outside. So, she wouldn''t be so foolish that she would try to make sure whether Undecim had died or not. She didn''t have too much to do with him, anyway. They just partnered up twice, and they weren''t even friends. Their mission had failed this time, so she only wanted to go home as soon as possible. It was only then that she could feel more grounded. ¡°There''s a meeting between the five countries for the whole day.Then, I''lle back at night to have dinner with you.We''ll go back tomorrow morning." Ethan told Olivia the schedule clearly, but a faint sorrow still lingered in his eyes. Olivia smiled at him. "I''ll prepare your outfit for you, alright?" "...Sure." As always, Olivia picked out his clothes for him and styled his hair. After that, she deftly tied his tie for him. Brent had also prepared for Olivia a white handmade dress of heavy work. It looked simple, but a closer look revealed theplicated patterns on the dress, which were purely embroidered by human hands. The dress took three months to make. Olivia wore a pair of medium-high heels to go with the dress. She also wore a pearl ne on her neck. She had applied light makeup on her face. After her night with Ethan, she looked even more charming than a flower. Remembering Ethan''s habit in the past, Olivia subconsciously drew boundaries with him. ¡°You guys should go first.Later on, ask Kelvin to¡ª¡¯ Ethan was standing at the staircase as he extended a hand to her. ¡°Liv, from today onward, be it filled with thorns or flowers, we''ll walk any path together." Olivia met his cold yet serious gaze. In the past, her greatest wish was to boldly stay by his side. She didn''t expect her wish to be fulfilled after their divorce. She hesitated for a moment. In the end, she ced her fingers on Ethan''s palm. As they held hands, he gently closed his fingers around her smaller hand. She angled her body to sneak a nce at Ethan, but he caught her in the act.She hastily looked away. ¡°I''m your man, so you can look at me all you like.Why are you hiding?" With that, he pulled her into his embrace.He then wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. A breeze blew past, scattering cherry blossom petals on them. Olivia felt a little embarrassed. Reaching out, she hit him lightly. ¡°Mind your image." As soon as she looked up, she saw the cold face of Wayne, who was walking toward them. Chapter 1284 Chapter 1284 Wayne spotted the woman in Ethan''s arms at a nce. The woman''s face was as exquisite as a doll''s, and it was tinted with an embarrassed blush at that moment. Her cheeks were slightly pink, just like peach blossoms. Her white dressplemented her well. She looked charming and gentle, and her fair neck looked extremely beautiful. When she met Wayne''s gaze, she looked even more embarrassed now. She muttered quietly, "I told you I don''t want to do it.Now look at you." Holding her hand to his lips, Ethan nted a kiss on her hand. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He didn''t hide the love he felt for her as he said, ¡°What''s wrong with kissing my own wife?" When he said that, he raised an eyebrow as he looked at Wayne. ¡°You won''t mind, will you, Mr.Maxwell?" Olivia was exasperated at Ethan''s pettiness. After learning that Wayne had feelings for her, Ethan never once let her gost night. Wayne recalled the information he read about Olivia, which stated that she once had a child, but she miscarried. After she divorced, she miscarried again. So, even today, the couple never had any children. It was different from Ophelia''s blissful description of her four children. Even though her figure looked a little like Ophelia''s, there was a world of difference between them in other aspects. Olivia was a woman who hadn''t even graduated from college and had be a housewife instead. How could she have such amazing medical skills? Wayne calmly looked away from her as he replied coldly, "! don''t mind it at all. "She has traveled far to get here, and I''ve specially prepared some programs for her aspensation. ¡°I''m truly sorry for what happenedst night." Olivia originally just wanted to spend the whole day in Ethan''s room, and then they would leave tomorrow.She didn''t want to get too involved with Wayne. But since Wayne had put it like that, she would look a little guilty if she declined. So, she leaned against Ethan as she smiled gently, saying, ¡° Won''t it be too much trouble for you, Mr.Maxwell?" Her voice was soft and tender, which waspletely different from Ophelia''s. Ophelia had a foul temper, and she would scream at Wayne and insult him without warning. ¡°Oh, of course not, ma''am. There were some unhappy dealings between us and Andia, and I want to take this opportunity to resolve our past grudges. ¡°I am the host, after all, so of course, I should give everyone the best treatment avable." Holding Olivia in his arms, Ethan said in a stern voice, "Liv is a reserved woman, and she rarely attends these events with me. ¡°Programs are fine, but don''t overdo it in case you startle her.She''s very timid." ¡°Understood.This way, please." Wayne watched the two get into the car. From the back, Olivia looked just like Ophelia in terms of figure and height. However, Ophelia had always walked boldly, whereas Olivia looked like a shy little rabbit. Almost the entirety of Olivia''s body was clinging to Ethan. Wayne wondered if he was overthinking it. Last night, he had searched the whole ce, but he never found Ophelia. That woman seemed to have disappeared into thin air. So, Wayne had no choice but to examine Olivia again. The two got into the car. The car windows were kept open to allow for venttion. Through the half-open window, Wayne could see the two, but he didn''t know what they were saying to each other. As if trying to please Ethan, Olivia nted a kiss on Ethan''s cheek. She looked verypliant, and she reminded Wayne of a kitten he had adopted in the past. The kitten was very soft, and it would ask for hugs all the time.When he picked it up, the kitten would rub against his chest. It was extremely friendly. If it were Ophelia... Wayne recalled his aggressive behavior that night when he smashed the beer bottle and wished that he could stab himself. Meanwhile, Ethan reached out and ced his hand on the back of Olivia''s head, kissing her. The car windows were raised at that moment, shielding the two from Wayne''s gaze. Chapter 1285 Chapter 1285 Ever since Olivia woke up in the morning, she could feel that something was weighing on Ethan''s mind. When they had just gotten into the car, she noticed the worried look on his face. So, she took the initiative to give him a peck on the cheek. "Why are you so upset?" Ethan hesitated to speak. "It''s nothing." ¡°If you don''t tell me, I''ll kiss you until you do." ¡°You''re so naughty." Ethan deepened the kiss. Things were almost going out of hand, so Olivia shoved Ethan away. She leaned her head against his shoulder, squeezing her fingers in between Ethan''s. She said, "We''re not bound by marriage, but after Dad died, you''re the person closest to me in this world other than the kids. ¡°Ethan, can you please tell me what you''re thinking about?" Ethan curled his fingers, tightly holding her hand in his. He stared straight at her as he said, ¡°You''re my Liv, and you''re also...Septem?" Olivia stiffened. "You knew?" "The newest S-ss mission from The ck Ravens was to obtain the ring. The person who epted the mission was Septem. ¡°To be honest, I''ve been investigating you a long time ago.You''re the one who dealt with Golden Shark, right?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. After he was poisoned, someone killed Golden Shark, who had run away. Also, with his method, they lopped off Golden Shark¡¯s head and posted it on the dark web. Olivia didn''t deny it. "It was me.I wanted to figure out who it was that tried to kill me back then.Even if I can''t get any clues, she mighte back when she hears that I''m still alive. ¡°It''s in ces like this that I can get information as soon as possible, and I can trace her too." Ethan said, "Liv, I told you that I''ll help you look into it.Why didn''t you believe me? Why would you rather risk your life to get to this point?" "I just didn''t want anything to affect our rtionship anymore. ¡°If this person is an important family member to you, just like Leia, then even if your heart aches for me, you''ll still point the gun at me at critical moments." Olivia''s exquisite face was calm. "I don''t want to go through that painful experience ever again.It''s not that I don''t believe you; I just want to trust myself instead of relying on others." Ethan let out a light sigh. In the end, it was all his fault. Putting an arm around Olivia''s shoulders, he apologized. ¡° Liv, no matter what happens in the future, I will never point a gun at you anymore.I was in the wrong in the past. ¡°Now, you''ve be so brilliant and outstanding.I''m worried that you''ll disappear from my world someday. ¡°I''m also worried that to you, I''m just a mission to be aplished, just like Wayne.There are no bonds between us.I fear that..." It was only then that Olivia understood what Ethan was troubled about. Lifting her head, she looked at Ethan, who was wearing the mask. Even though only his mouth was exposed, his jawline was perfect. Reaching out, she traced his face with the tips of her fingers. She ran her fingers along his tall nose and thin lips. ¡°Why do you think that there are no bonds between us? You''re the children''s father, and this fact will never change. No one can take your ce, either. "I''m not as reckless with my life as you''ve imagined.Look, I came to you when I was in trouble, right?" Olivia rubbed against his neck again.She was as docile as a kitten. "I need you so much; do you truly not feel that at all? Ethan..." Of course, Ethan couldn''t withstand her tender appeals.He pulled her into his embrace. "Oh, you...What do I do with you?" Olivia decisively stuck close to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. ¡°What do I have to do for you to believe that you have a ce in my heart?" "Liv, let''s get married again, okay?" Chapter 1286 Chapter 1286 Ethan used to be a cold and arrogant man. But at that moment, he was extremely humble. ¡°I may be a man, but I need a sense of security as well.Marriage is that sense of security I need." Olivia pouted, saying, "But marriage doesn''t give me a sense of security.It''s more like invisible chains to me." The car had already arrived at the destination. Reaching up, Olivia wiped away the lipstick smeared on his thin lips. Then, she smiled faintly. ¡°Life like this is enough for me." Then, she took a lipstick from her bag, stuffing it into his hand. ¡°Fix my makeup for me." The guests from other countries had already gotten out of their cars. As the host, Wayne chatted with the guests for a bit, but the couple still hadn''t gotten out of the car. Wayne asked Ike to lead the guests inside while he walked up to Ethan''s car. Brent and the other bodyguards stood beside the car, unmoving. Wayne couldn''t suppress his bad temper anymore. When he swung the car door open, he was greeted with quite the scene. Ethan, who had always been at odds with Wayne, was behavingpletely differently from Wayne right now. Ethan was holding Olivia''s chin with one hand while holding some lipstick with his other. He was earnestly tracing the shape of Olivia''s lips. His expression and movements were extremely reverent, as if Olivia was a goddess to him. Olivia pursed her lips and then smiled at him. ¡°How do I look, Ethan?" Wayne was deeply captivated by Olivia''s smile. He never knew that such a beautiful smile existed in this world. Her face was extremely charming, but her eyes were pure and clean like jewels. ¡°You always look amazing, Liv." It was only then that Olivia turned to look at Wayne. A distant and courteous look appeared in her eyes as she said, "Sorry, my lipstick was smudged just now.Did we dy your time?" Wayne looked away. ¡°No." For some reason, whenever he was faced with this woman, he could never quite maintain his temper. Ethan strode out of the car and then extended his arm toward Olivia. Then, Olivia got out of the car by holding onto his arm. The two were like a match made in heaven, and they stood out quite a lot. Wayne''s gaze fell upon Olivia''s face. "Ma''am, my subordinates will keep youpany today.See you at lunchter." ¡°Thank you for going through the trouble, Mr.Maxwell." Olivia behaved openly so that no one could see that she was pretending. Ethan smoothed her hair and then gently pinched her tender cheek. "Wait for me." ¡°Alright." Brent followed Olivia. His job was to protect her. n walked up to Olivia. "Ma''am, the carriage is ready.Let''s go." "May I know your name? How should I address you?" "My name is Tanner.n Tanner." ¡°I''ll be relying on you then, Mr.n." Olivia followed n into the carriage. It was only then that Olivia realized the huge size of the ce she had spent almost two weeks in. Also, in the past, she just went back and forth between Royal Hospital and her bedroom. So, the first time she got to sightsee in the castle was when she assumed the identity of Ethan''s wife. After getting into the carriage, n personally drove it for her. ¡°Ma¡¯¡®am, everyone says that you two are divorced, but I can see that you two get along quite well.Was it a fake divorce?" Olivia put on a gentle smile. "Yes, we filed a divorce in the past because of some upsetting things.After going through a lot, we''re back together now." "Your love story must be a happy one and totally different from Mr.Maxwell''s.It has been so long, but he This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. never got married.He finally found a woman he liked, and he sacrificed a lot for her. "But in the end, he found out that she''s just a scammer." After a pause, n continued, "Ma''am, what would you do if you were tricked?" Chapter 1287 Chapter 1287 Aware that n was testing the water, Olivia wore a bright smile. ¡°If I''m deceived, I''ll take it as a lesson.People wise up from experiences.I won''t easily trust others anymore." He couldn''t find anything off from her wless face. The series of questions stopped as he began giving her a proper tour of the royal castle. They headed closer to Royal Hospital, where a field of herbs was nted. Flowers bloomed into vibrant colors. ¡°Falham, our national flower.Those bright petals can be taken as medicine after drying them.The fruits and stems can be eaten too." She hummed in response. "I''ve heard that, 60 years ago, an invasion caused havoc in Carathia, and soldiers filled the streets. ¡°There was a drought, so the crops died.A lot of people went to the mountains to forage for vegetables. ¡°Falham has a tenacious vitality.It lives through four seasons, and from the petals to the stems, it can be eaten.It sustained a lot of people through that drought.After that, it was bestowed as the national flower." ¡°That''s right.You''re smart.Things are getting better now.We don''tck money or food.Many youngsters don''t know the history of it.¡¯ He switched the topic. ¡°Here''s Royal Hospital.I heard that you practiced medicine.Would you like to visit the ce? Various herbs are nted inside." Olivia had guessed that it wasing from him. If she turned down the offer, it might be too obvious. Left with no choice, she epted it, "I did practice medicine, trained to be a surgeon.But I quit school due to personal issues.I''m afraid I''m not that knowledgeable in traditional medicine." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t worry about it.There are a few traditional practitioners in the Royal Hospital.You can talk to them." ¡°Sure." She was curious about what else n had up his sleeves. There was no way they could still coax her into admitting that she was Ophelia, she believed. ¡°We made some pear-syrup candies today.It''s one of our local specialties.Would you like to give it a try?" "Yes." She halted in her tracks, waiting for him to lead the way. Obviously, it was a test by n. If it was Ophelia, she would''ve turned toward the restaurant''s direction instinctively. Unbeknownst to him, Olivia had managed to prevail over her reflex action with control. Aside from being a daring character, being meticulous was one of the criteria to be a S Rank assassin. ¡°This way, please,"he invited. After barely taking a few steps, someone called from behind. "Dr.Ophelia! Dr.Ophelia!" Olivia almost turned around in response. Calmly, she initiated a conversation with n. ¡°Are these herbs? If you hadn''t told me, I would''ve thought that they were ordinary nts.Look how pretty the flowers are! Can we grow it indoors?" The shouting of the name echoed louder until Marvin patted her shoulder. He ran to her front, huffing, "Dr.Ophelia, why did you ignore me? I was calling for you! You¡ªWho are you?" He stared at the gorgeous woman in a daze. n chided, "Dr.Dooley, what are you doing? This is the Andian admiral''s wife." "The admiral''s wife?" Marvin scratched his head, awkward. ¡°I''m sorry for mistaking you for the wrong person.Your back resembles a doctor from Royal Hospital." Olivia let out a warm smile. ¡°It''s fine.You were calling for me? I thought you were looking for someone else." Her pristine smile melted his heart, putting him in a trance. Chapter 1288 Chapter 1288 n gave Marvin a kick in the shin. "Stop disturbing her and leave." The pain woke Marvin from his trance. "Sorry! I shall get out of your hair right away! Oh, n, why hasn''t Dr.Ophelia clocked in for work yet?" No one in Royal Hospital knew what transpiredst night. It pricked Olivia''s guilty conscience because they truly saw her as a friend. ¡°Cut it out! Leave!" n urged. Once Marvin was far away from them, n turned to face Olivia. "Sorry about that." "It''s fine.It''s normal to take a person as someone else," she acknowledged and followed him. His brows furrowed. Despite the series of tests, Olivia didn''t give the game away. Not even a hint! A pungent perfume permeated the air, reminding him of the distinctive herbal scent Unfortunately, Olivia now gave off a floral scent. Perfume gained wide currency from women. Thus, he couldn''t jump to conclusions simply because of a scent. The hospital director, Grant Tanner, weed Olivia in person upon learning of her visit and decided to This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. give her a tour around the ce. While she enjoyed the pear-syrup candies, n pulled Grant to a corner. "Uncle Grant, did you smell that? What''s that scent from her?" ¡°A mixture of a few flowers and sandalwood.It''s strong and gives off a dominating vibe.I don''t know much about perfume, though." ¡°Do you smell anything herbal?" ¡°Nope." Grant wiggled his head. "By the way, where did Dr.Ophelia go? Look at the time.She hasn''te to work yet." n didn''t know where to start off with the scammer incident. He wore a deadpan face. "Stop asking about her.She''s a scammer.She won''t return anymore." ¡°Scammer? What did she scam?" Grant couldn''t follow. "I didn''t notice any ingredients gone missing.I''ll have Marvin check the inventory.See if the thousand- year-old ginseng was stolen or not." Words failed n. He watched Olivia through the ss door. Thetter took sips of a bowl of soup; her movements filled with elegance like that of a rich woman. Ophelia often ate her meal with Marvin, sitting on the flight of stairs. No one could lump her together with the formidable Mrs.Miller. Although n wished for Olivia to be Ophelia, the result of his testing told him otherwise. The meeting ended in the afternoon. n brought Olivia to a hearing regarding Carathia¡¯s history. Ethan walked out and happened to see her bending over to pluck some flowers. He scooped her by the waist, pulling her into his embrace and plucking a purple flower to tuck it behind her ear. Her arms naturally inteced with his. "Is the meeting over?" ¡°Yup.Did I keep you waiting?" "No.I just came back." Ethan loved it whenever she acted soft. His finger traced along the bridge of her nose. "Let''s go have lunch." Treating everyone else invisible, they left with his arm around her waist. The others almost had their jaws drop onto the ground. "Is that General Sova?" "When he came to visit two years ago, I specially gathered a few prettydies for him. ¡°But all of them were driven out of the room.Rumors had it that he likes men.I thought he was gay!" Another guest, who shared a simr experience, chimed in, "Don''t get me started.I found him a few men, from macho ones to gentle-looking ones. ¡°Every single one of them was scared away with swollen faces.It was brutal." "I didn''t expect the famous General Sova to be henpecked by his wife." Chapter 1289 Chapter 1289 Ethan could overhear the conversation. Olivia nudged him by the arm, whispering into his ear, "Henpecked by your wife, huh?" ¡°I dly take that as apliment." He pulled her into his embrace.His overt advances rendered her cheeks red while he was unbothered.His fingers pinched her cheek lightly. ¡°Why are you still so shy? You''re not a kid anymore." Olivia had always been shy when it came to this kind of thing. After all, they kept their rtionship under the radar when they first got together. It was never disclosed publicly, so she couldn''t get used to it in a short time. Wayne, who walked out of the room, watched the couple share sweet nothings. Ethan said something that made her blush. Wordlessly, Wayne withdrew himself from the crowd. n walked up to him and lowered his voice to report. "I tested her.She''s not Ophelia." Wayne bit a piece of cigarette, his eyes indecipherable. "Are you sure?" ¡°Yes.I tested her in many ways, but she didn''t show any reflex reaction." n sighed. ¡°I wish she was Ophelia, too.But too bad, she''s not her." A lighter clicked, burning the tip of Wayne''s cigarette.He inhaled the other tip before breathing out a circle of smoke.His voice was hoarse as a result of a white night spent. "Just where has she gone to?" As though she had never existed in the first ce, Ophelia disappeared in thin airst night. ¡°We''ll find her.I''ve asked someone to seal off the hot spring.Wayne discarded the cigarette and headed for the ballroom.There was a seat arranged for Olivia right next to Ethan''s.The guests were free to have lunch.Without the reporters around, the atmosphere was rather lighthearted than usual.Ethan gave everyone a cold disposition so others didn''t dare to talk to him.They knew his vile temper very well. He rarely showed up on such asions. Even if he attended, he would leave right after he did what he should. Now that a woman was sitting next to him, all eyes were on them. The supposed gay admiral was devouring shrimp, dipping them in sauce to feed the woman. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Her eyes narrowed at a single bite of it. Tears began swarming her eyes, and the tip of her nose was red. ¡°It''s spicy..." She looked at him with watery eyes. Hurriedly, he handed her a ss of orange juice, and she swigged it. ¡°It''s all your fault.Why did you dip them in so much spicy sauce?" "Sorry, my bad.Please forgive me,"he responded apologetically. The guests around them gushed. ¡°I''m blind.What about you?" ¡°Gosh, how I wish I could kick them out of here." Wayne initially thought that it was an act, but Ethan''s eyes held genuine affection. Besides, no one couldpel Ethan into putting up an act unless it was done out of will. ording to the information, Olivia was described as a bubbly woman. It wasn''t weird for her to act all cute in front of her lover. Wayne massaged his temple. Was he overthinking it? His watchful gaze didn''t go unnoticed by Olivia, who thought, "He should let go of those unhelpful thoughts by now." A sudden pinch by the waist pulled her back from her thoughts, and she met Ethan''s icy eyes. After the meal, he put off the following schedule. Since the agreement was clinched, he decided to spend the rest of the day with her. As soon as theyy foot into the room, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her aggressively. Chapter 1290 Chapter 1290 Ethan was so rough that he didn''t even close the window. Keen-eyed, Wayne could see how Olivia was pinned with her hands raised over her head by Ethan from the tower. Red crept up her cheeks, and she craned her neck, all heated by Ethan''s touch.He carried her to the bedroom. The night was still young for them. Wayne lit a cigarette. Ethan liked Olivia more than the rumors had it. Acting could be fake, but not the gaze. Ethan''s eyes were smitten with love. It was 3:00 pm by the time Olivia woke up. The ruined dress on the floor elicited a frown between her brows. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. "It was such a pretty dress." Ethan, who smelled like mint after a bath, nted a kiss beneath her ear. ¡°I''ll buy you another one.You can buy as many as you fancy." ¡°Really?" "From now onward, my time is yours.Let''s go.I''ll take you to the capital." They changed from their tailored outfits into matching couple sets. He removed his mask. Then, they explored the exotic ce with their hands intertwined. When they bypassed a tailored wedding dress shop, Olivia marveled at the wedding dress on disy for a moment. It was a regret buried in her heart, and he was very well aware of that¡ªhe owed her a wedding. ¡°Liv..." His voice pulled her mind back from wandering miles. "Don''t misunderstand me.I don''t want to get married.I was looking at thatdy." A newlywed couple could be seen through the floor-to- ceiling window. Thedy, d in a white wedding dress, held a bouquet of flowers while walking toward a man gracefully with a smile. What a perfect and lovely match. ¡°Envious?" Ethan wrapped her hand with his. "I can give you¡ª She shook her head, interrupting him, ¡°I''m never envious of someone wearing a wedding dress after the divorce.She''s all dolled up merely for the hell awaiting her." It broke his heart to hear that. His lips parted, but nothing came out of them. Olivia was right, and her words couldn''t describe the true agony of the experience. Those days weren''t only bitter and painful; it was pure hell. He hugged her gently, and the newlywed couple happened to be hugging each other too. Marriage was an inevitable stage in life for everyone. Ethan understood why she was reluctant to remarry him. He hurt her so deeply that she had lost faith in marriage itself. ¡°I''m sorry, Liv." Her heart sank into the pit of an abyss the moment that bullet hit her wrist. It broke the core of their marriage. The night dawned, and Wayne received a bunch of pictures. It was pictures of Ethan and Olivia hugging at the corner of a street, shopping, eating, and kissing like a couple madly in love. No signs of acting at all. Wayne couldn''t find anything off about it. ¡°Ethan and his wife are returning to their country tomorrow, Mr.Maxwell." "I know." But there was nothing that he could do about it. There were no signs of Ophelia and no evidence that proved Olivia was Ophelia. If this went on, once the ne took off, Wayne and the others wouldn''t be able to stop her from leaving anymore. However, evidence was needed to detain her. They were back to square one. Wayne shut his eyes, massaging his hurting head. Ike brought over the medicine. "Ophelia left you a prescription for the next three months before she left.Mr.Grant said that it is beneficial for you.Mr.Maxwell, you must look after yourself." Annoyed, Wayne flung the bowl onto the floor. Chapter 1291 Chapter 1291 Ophelia approached Wayne with ulterior motives, but she genuinely saw him as a patient.She even prepared his medicine for him before disappearing. If she were cruel enough to him, he wouldn''t have been this unresolved. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Ophelia¡¯s face. Just where on earth did she go? The solemn sky somehow made Olivia restless. She was afraid that something woulde up and they couldn''t leave Carathia tomorrow. Ethan read through her mind andforted her, "Don''t worry, Liv.I''ll take you out of here." It was a rare moment he didn''t act up with his naughty hands today.His arms cloaked her with warmth, and sleepiness found its way to her. She closed her eyes, drifting into dreand. Before the sky brightened, he pecked her cheek. "Liv, time to get up.Let''s go home." "Home?" Olivia''s eyes shot up as she sprang up from bed. Drowsiness vanished within seconds. ¡°Yup.We''re going home." He caressed her cheek. ¡°Don''t worry.I''m by your side.Brent has everything ready." She nodded and went for a quick bath before leaving alongside Ethan. When they left the ce, a palette of warm hues painted the sky into a breathtaking picture. Olivia rushed to the car, starting their journey to the airport.Her heart was racing, and she couldn''t stop the random thoughts in her mind.Her hand clutched Ethan''s sleeve out of anxiety. "Ethan, I''m scared." ¡°Rx.I''m here." He pulled her into his arms, warming her up. "As I said, no matter what happens, you can trust me.Get some eye shut.We should arrive at the airport when you wake up." Her eyes closed, and she could hear the deafening explosion ringing in her ears again. "I wonder how Undecim''s doing." "He''s alive.He lost the ring before the explosion.But he must be injured.We found blood but not his body," he blurted the truth that she wanted to hear. A sigh escaped her. ¡°Never mind if the mission is iplete.What matters more is that we''re alive." It wasn''tpletely their mistake this time around. The client didn''t provide sufficient information and almost troubled Undecim. ¡°He must''ve escaped out of there.There was amotion back then.Wayne''s men didn''t stop the chase." As long as Undecim managed to get out of Avelia Hot Spring, he would be fine. Taking over the mission at the finishing end was his job anyway. He would devise a few ns to ensure his safety while retreating. That was why the duo parted ways. The car pulled over at the airport. Ethan got out of the vehicle, holding Olivia''s hand. After taking the special passage, they headed for the designated ne. The flight of stairs wasid out right before their eyes! Her palms felt mmy. As long as they boarded the ne, the escape would be a sess! Ethan patted the back of her hand, This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. trying to calm her nerves. However, whatever she resisted persisted. Right when she was going to take the stairs, someone called from behind. "I''m afraid you can''t leave." Stillness struck her rivet on the spot. Coldness shrouded her from head to toe. Did Wayne find out something? Worrying that she might give it away, Ethan hugged her and turned around. The mask covered his eyes but revealed his thin lips. "Wayne Maxwell, what game are you trying to y again?" A troop of men lined up behind Wayne, and Brent led his men forward. Both parties were dressed in ck. The intensity swelled in the air, threatening to reach the boiling point. Wayne guffawed at Olivia. ¡°Your friend is still in my hand.Are you sure you want to leave?" Chapter 1292 Chapter 1292 Wayne dropped the bomb. Ethan could feel the swift change of emotion in Olivia as he squeezed her hand. "Friend? I don''t recall her having friends in Raka," Ethan replied calmly. She regained herposure. Even if Undecim was in Wayne''s hands, betraying the organization was a big taboo in the line. Low-rank assassins might blurt out information under the pressure of threats, but Undecim was an S- rank. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. There was no way he wouldn''t keep his lips tightly sealed. Well, she might''ve overestimated him, but he didn''t know her true identity this whole time. She was cautious. They were partners twice for missions. Friends? They didn''te as close as that. Thus, how would Undecim know her rtionship with Ethan? Olivia guessed that Wayne was ying a trick with her. In addition to Ophelia''s MIA, Olivia''s appearance alone was suspicious enough. As long as she boarded the ne, there was no second chance for Wayne to turn the table anymore. This was hisst-ditch effort. As an afterthought, she finally managed to hold her ground. "Mr.Maxwell, are you referring to n? This is my first visit to Raka.I am grateful that he kept me Wayne didn''t miss the nuance in her expression, but there was nothing out of particr. "No.I''m referring to an assassin with the codename Undecim," he coldly announced. ¡°He pointed you as his aplice." Ethan smirked. "Aplice? I wonder what my wife did that she suddenly became someone''s aplice. ¡°Wayne Maxwell, you better get your facts right.The truce agreement is signed, but we can breach it one-sidedly!" Their heights were simr, but Ethan now stood taller than Wayne because he was standing on a tform. Ethan definitely overthrew Wayne in terms of imposing aura. Meanwhile, Wayne didn''t expect Ethan to breach the agreement over a woman. ¡°Your wife is involved in a theft.She won''t be able to leave the country for the time being." "Funny.Are you saying that my wife flew all the way from Andia to Carathia to steal something? May I ask what she stole?" Ethan interrogated. ¡°A ring that carries national secrets." There was a transparent bag in Wayne''s hand. It contained the necessities¡ªlike towels and the toothbrush ¡ªOlivia used in Carathia. Uneasiness swept her up. She received a sudden invitation to Avelia Hot Spring that night. So, she changed her n at thest minute. Wayne stared right into her eyes. "A makeover can change your appearance, and a voice changeover can hide your true voice, but not DNA and fingerprints.Don''t you think so, Ms.Fordham?" His gaze could prate through her soul. Despite Olivia''s impressive acting, Ophelia was dead. She couldn''t find the second scapegoat for this. That was why he was tenacious in making her stay. She calmed herself down, and her smile gave way to solemnity. ¡°Mr.Maxwell, I''m sorry that such an incident is happening in your country.But you can''t just use me of being a thief. "Do you have evidence and witness? Where''s the person with the codename Undecim? And where''s the ring? ¡°I just don''t get it.Why would I steal a ring from you? Our countries just signed the truce agreement, didn''t we? Why would I provoke war again?" As Wayne had expected, she was not an easy target to be taken down. He retorted, "Here''s the evidence.Why? Are you afraid of proving your true identity?" Someone chimed in from behind. ¡°Proving her identity? This must be a joke.Why must we, the Heaths, prove ourselves to you?" Olivia''s body went stiff at that. Linus strode in his military uniform, giving off pressure to the others with his overpowering aura. Chapter 1293 Chapter 1293 Olivia and even Wayne were taken aback by Linus¡¯ appearance. What was he doing here? He stood as the pir of strength and a consoling figure in Andia. Why was he away from the country? Besides, Wayne couldn''t understand what Linus meant by that, as he thought that Olivia was one of the Fordhams. Even though she was Ethan''s ex-wife, the only powerful family she was acquainted with was the Miller family. Astonished, Olivia looked at Linus. "Mr.Linus, what brings you here?" He walked up to her and stroked her head. ¡°I had to handle something, so I stopped by to see you.If I hadn''te over, I wouldn''t have known that you were being bullied.Liv, is it this hard for you to mention that you''re one of us?" Wayne asked, ¡°She''s..." Linus and Ethan stood side-by-side, protecting Olivia behind them. ¡°She''s my niece.My father ns to make an announcement soon, but this brat prefers a low-profile life. ¡°Wayne Maxwell, do you think that my family would travel so far away just to steal a ring from you?" ¡°Uncle Linus..." She tugged at his sleeve, feeling uneasy. Would it bring the Heath family any harm for revealing her identity? Turning sideways, he caught the concern resting in her eyes. ¡°Don''t be afraid, Liv.You don''t have to steal rings from others.If you take a liking to a base, name it.I candropa bomb for you." Everyone drew in a sharp breath, shocked by her privilege from such a loving uncle. Fortunately, the reporters weren''t here to hear this. Otherwise, this remark would''ve be the headline for international news. Linus'' identity held more weight than Ethan''s. His im of bombing a ce couldn''t be taken lightly as a joke. After all, the national military authority was in his hands! Despite Wayne''s hostility toward Andia, he had no means to provoke the country directly. His n was to simply build up a few military bases around the country. If a war broke out, Carathia would be at a disadvantage, considering that the Andia and Veutron were on friendly terms. Completely stilled by the surprise, Olivia eximed at how nice it was to have power for the first time ever. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She put her life in danger just to steal that ring, and yet, the Heaths could bomb the enemy''s army base easily. Regardless, it felt nice to have someone worried about her. "Thank you, Uncle Linus." Linus red daggers at Wayne. "I don''t know what got you all suspicious about Liv stealing your ring, but how could you detain her simply with those towels and toothbrushes? It''s not strong evidence." Even without Linus¡¯ help, Olivia should be able to get away with this. The evidence Wayne had wasn''t sufficient enough for him to detain her. It was a mere mind game.He was ying tricks to make her stay. Now, she had Linus here, Mason¡¯s representative. So what if Wayne wouldn''t admit his defeat? All he could do was to release her. ¡°Sorry." Wayne made way for them. ¡°Sorry for my ipetence.I don''t even have enough evidence, and yet, I misunderstood Ms.Fordham." "You think an apology can make up for the harm done? Wayne Maxwell, you better give me a satisfactory exnation for this, or I will steer your army bases into an emptynd." Linus then wrapped his arm over Olivia''s shoulders. ¡°You must be scared back there, Liv.Don''t worry.As long as I''m here, no one will hurt you." They boarded the ne. This time around, it was a huge defeat for Wayne. His ego took a hit, and he had offended the Heaths at the same time. Watching the ne take off, n spoke up, ¡°Looks like our guess is wrong.How could Ms.Fordham be Septem? But why is she one of the Heaths?" Wayne sneered. "I think it is true that she''s one of the Heaths, but...if she wasn''t Septem, would Linus have shown up in person?" Chapter 1294 Chapter 1294 That remark brightened n up. "You''re right! Linus said he had something to handle here, but what is there in Carathia that needs his involvement? ¡°He''s obviously here to back Ms. Fordham up! If she''s really clean, why would she need such an influential figure to side with her? There''s something up with her. ¡°Too bad we have nothing to prove that she''s Septem.She won''t verify her identity out of will." His brows creased. Wayne watched the ne prate high up the air, his eyes deep. "Even if we discover that she''s Septem, do you think we can do anything to her?" It was undeniable that Olivia had stolen his ring, but he honestly thought that it wasn''t a huge casualty ¡ªaside from the fact that she yed with his feelings. The ring self-destructed, but it wasn''t difficult to make a new one anyway. Furthermore, his migraine got better, thanks to her. The good he gained outnumbered the losses! Even if Wayne proceeded with the investigation, there was no way he couldy a finger on her. Olivia was protected by the Heath family. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "What do you mean, Mr.Maxwell?" "If she''s Ophelia..." A sinister grin yed on his lips. "That''s for the best." Who would''ve known that such a gorgeous face was hidden under that mask? Not to mention, she was a skillful doctor. The only w was that she had gotten married. ¡°ording to the information, she didn''t get married to Ethan again after the divorce, did she?" ¡°That''s right. Ethan had been searching for her until this year. "Although they didn''t get married again, they seem to get along better than before.Mr.Maxwell, even if you like her, I don''t think you''ll have the chance." ¡°If they got along well, they wouldn''t have divorced.If you were a woman, would you turn a blind eye to betrayal and how a man had hurt you?" Based on the harm Ethan inflicted on her alone and her strong character, she would never give forgiveness that easily. "Mr.Maxwell, are you thinking of..." Wayne rested his hands behind his back.His expression remained undecipherable. "Didn''t Linus demand an exnation from me?" n and Ike exchanged looks, fearing what was running on Wayne''s mind. "Mr.Maxwell, please keep your cool." ¡°Rx.I''m more sober than ever right now.Let''s go.I have to take my medicine." After confirming Olivia to be Ophelia, the stifling weight finally wore off Wayne''s chest. ¡°We''ll wait and see, Olivia Fordham," he thought to himself. On the ne, Olivia sneezed. Ethan put down the files in his hands and gazed at her. ¡°Too cold?" ¡°No.Just my nose.It''s kinda ticklish." She rubbed her nose while sneaking peeks at Linus.She reckoned Mason was aware of the situation. Linus didn''t say anything about it, but his visit alone said it all. "Uncle Linus did Grandpa¡ª" ¡°We can talk about your matter at home." Reclining in his seat, Linus closed his eyes. He didn''t have a good night''s sleepst night. It hadn''t been long since they knew each other. She didn''t know him well enough to read his mind. Ethan lightly patted the back of her hand, whispering, "Don''t be afraid.I got your back." Those words willed the uneasiness in her away so readily. The few hours of flight took them from the warm Raka to the freezing cold Aldenvine. There was no snow, but the temperature dipped lower than 14 Fahrenheit. Before they disembarked the ne, the gentleman Ethan handed Olivia a thick coat. Linus remained quiet throughout the whole journey as she followed him back to the Heath residence. Back to that familiar ce, frantic, somehow caught her off guard. She always grew up to be a good girl from a young age, the daughter Jeff was proud of. While others got to their rebellious stage, she buried herself in her studies. Who would''ve expected rebellion to strike her thiste? Her hand tightened around Ethan''s hand. Like a child at fault, she was trying to look for a helper. Yet, to her dismay, Linus stopped Ethan before they entered the study. "My father wishes to speak to her alone.¡± Chapter 1295 Chapter 1295 Ethan''s brows pursed into a frown. "I went with Liv.If she''s done something wrong, we''re both held ountable for it." Linus leveled a cold look at him. "The both of you? Who are you to do that with her?" That remark alone reminded Ethan of his position. "Need a reminder that you guys divorced a long time ago?" Linus added, rubbing salt over Ethan''s wound. Ethan remained silent. No matter how much he regretted the divorce, nothing could be done to amend it. Without that marriage certificate, nothing bound him with Olivia.She could only bite the bullet and enter the study alone. Mason was painting.He cast her a nce without lifting his head. ¡°You''re back." Nothing had been said yet, but the pressure was already weighing on her. The hair on her skin stood. Was this the prestige of someone who wielded power? Her head dipped low instantly. "Sorry, Grandpa." As the good daughter she had always been, shecked the experience of asking for mercy. But an apology would definitely work. He wielded the final brush,pleting his work with one final touch. After cing the brush on the palette, Mason strode toward her and then stood right before her. His hands rested behind him as he watched the fearful woman. ¡°Sorry about what?" N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. His tone was stern. "I shouldn''t have lied to you and done dangerous things." ¡°Looks like you''re still sound.Lift your head." Olivia was the granddaughter he went through the mill looking for. How could he bring himself to punish her? He reached out his hand, and she ced her palm above his. The cold glint in Mason''s eyes slowly gave way to warmth. "Do you know how worried I was?" "Sorry, Grandpa." ¡°Why put yourself in danger?" Now that things hade to this point, she recounted the entirety of the story to him. It pained his heart to hear that.He caressed her head. "It''s all my fault.I should''ve gone for you sooner, and you wouldn''t have needed to suffer." Joining The ck Ravens happened before Olivia knew that Mason was her grandfather. She wasn''t a prophet who could foresee the future. Not to mention that her heart was already shattered into pieces back then, too.She had held on for a long time, all alone. Mason couldn''t me her for that. The only person he could me was himself for not knowing her existence this entire time. He med himself for making her suffer so much out there. "Did that brat, Wayne, hurt you? He''s infamous for his cruelty. Olivia shook her head. "I treated his migraine.He didn''t hurt me." On top of that, he even bore unbidden feelings for her. ¡°I''m d to hear that.I''ll look after you from now on.Don''t you ever put yourself in danger again, okay?" She nodded meekly. "Okay.Sorry for making you worried." When it came to admitting mistakes, Olivia''s attitude was the pr opposite of the stubborn Krystal. Even if Mason had the urge to scold Olivia, words stuck in his throat the moment he saw her docile expression. ¡°Nothing matters more than you." He pulled her to the side of the desk. Thereid a painting of a flock of doves. "Liv, peace is a blessing.I''ve lost your grandmother.I don''t want to lose you either." She gave him a nod. ¡°I know." ¡°Now that you''re back, get prepared for the family gathering.I''m going to announce your identity to the family." New Year''s was right around the corner. Olivia was going to spend the New Year''s with the Heath family. ¡°Okay." "If that person is still targeting you, she better dispatches those assassins over again." A strong, murderous aura overflowed from him. "I''ll make sure that''s thest day she sees the sun." Chapter 1296 Chapter 1296 Olivia met Mason''s eyes, concerned with her lips pursed.She said in an undertone, "Grandpa, Wayne might''ve known that I deceived him." ¡°So what if he knows? Didn''t you say that the ring self- destructed? Your mission has failed, but his migraine got better.What else is he asking for?" Olivia won the upper hand in this matter. Wayne didn''t have evidence, so he couldn''t punish her ording to thew even if he found out her true identity. Her concern was that he would never let this slide after getting tricked by her. When he did something bad to Andia, she would be the sinner. ¡°I''m afraid I''ll bring you trouble." "Silly you.I heard that you saved Princess Sadie in Dexim City.Do you know that your genuine act has saved several countries from war?" ¡°Princess? That pregnant woman is a princess?" Only then did Olivia learn the pregnant woman''s identity. No wonder that pregnant women wore so many essories. Olivia initially assumed that the escaped family abandoned her and left her jewelry, but it wasn''t. Ethan even came in person to look for Sadie. ¡°To be exact, she''s the wife of the eldest prince.He loves her deeply.During the coronation day, Princess Sadie was kidnapped, and he put off the coronation ceremony." Many things had happened out of Olivia''s knowledge as she didn''t have a phone to keep in touch with the outside world. "I see.Is she and her baby alright?" ¡°Yes.You did a good job during the delivery.The baby is safe from infection, and Ethan came just at the right time.The mother and the baby are both safe." ¡°I''m d." She had never been this proud of her decision to give up finance and take up medicine. It truly had changed her life. "I bet you didn''t eat well in Raka, did you? I asked the maids to prepare more dishes.You should eat more tonight." ¡°Thank you, Grandpa." She nuzzled over his shoulder. "You''re the best." "I''ve announced your identity.Everyone in the circle knows that I have another granddaughter. Bring the bodyguards with you whenever you''re out. ¡°I just wish she would show herself.If she dares toy a finger on you, I''ll make sure to dig up her information.Liv, you''re not alone anymore.You have a family." After Jeff''s death, all Olivia had was herself. Often, she imagined what it would be like if her family was still around. So, this was how it felt like to have a family. He stood in front of her with his back facing her. His rough yet warm hands made her eyes watery. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.I should get a shower and rest before the meal." ¡°Okay, go on." Unlike her glum expression when she first entered the room, she came out with light steps and a grin. At one nce, she could see the tall man waiting for her in the cold breeze. That silly man was waiting for her in the freezing cold weather. Was he trying to freeze himself to death in that thinyer of coat? Dashing toward him, she threw herself into his arms with a wide grin. ¡°Why didn''t you wait for me inside? Silly you." "I was afraid that he might punish you.He''s fierce." Ethan recalled his past. Whenever Ethan did something wrong, that man was strict. If she hade out crying, he would''ve barged into the ce without hesitation. ¡°Grandpa forgave me." He grumbled, ¡°Because he¡¯s your grandfather.Liv, if I were your husband, I wouldn''t have been driven out of the ce.See, about the remarriage¡ª" '' "Don''t you dare dream about a remarriage," Mason cut him off before Olivia could answer. Chapter 1297 Chapter 1297 Mason stood there with his hands behind him.He managed to recover quickly under Olivia''s care. Now, he appeared no less different from an ordinary person. White strands peeked out of his dyed hair, but it didn''t wither his imposing manner one bit. "Mr.Heath." Ethan straightened his back. He paid more reverence to Mason after learning that Mason was Olivia''s grandfather. ¡°Ethan, I had high hopes for you, but you shouldn''t have hurt Liv.You bullied her because she didn''t have anyone behind her back in the past; now, she''s out of your league." Solemnity was evident in Mason''s visage. ¡°As long as I''m still alive, I will never let you hurt her." Words stuck in Ethan''s throat. No one could ever forgive him for what he had done to Olivia. The harm was done due to the jumble of misunderstandings, but the harm was undeniably done. He couldn''t offer any exnations because they would only struck as excuses to others. ¡°I will never hurt Liv again, Mr.Heath.I swear." Mason stared at Ethan deeply before saying, "Don''t give me empty promises." Then, Mason held Olivia''s hand and turned to leave. Ethan''s hands balled into fists, and his knuckles turned white.His tall stature formed a long shadow, and loneliness shrouded him like an invisible cloak. Olivia didn''t stop in her tracks. Her love for him wasn''t enough for her to ignore the harm he caused. "Liv, no one can shake you up.If you don''t want to a remarriage, he won''t be able to force you with me around." ¡°Thank you, Grandpa." She returned to her room for a shower. Ethan''s lonely figure crossed her mind. Wasn''t she the same, chasing behind him in the past? The desire for revenge didn''t live in her, but she couldn''t forget the past. ¡°I''m happy enough with how things are right now." Those words yed a loop in her head. Marriage was a cage that cooped her up. Without the cage, she would have more freedom. There were only the four of them joining dinner. Krystal''s absence surprised Olivia. Olivia had been gone for almost 20 days, yet Krystal wasn''t home yet. Judging from Mason''s love for Krystal, he would never hold grudges against her. Moreover, she was already pregnant for two months! Tatiana appeared haggard while trying to maintain peace. ¡°Lisa made this chicken soup since morning.It must''ve been a rough journey for you, Liv.You should have more of it." She nodded. "Thank you, Mrs.Heath." ¡°What, Mrs.Heath? We''re a family.If you don''t mind it, you can call me Grandma." It put Olivia in an awkward position, but she addressed Tatiana that way out of courtesy, "Grandma." "There were so many misunderstandings between us.And my daughter has caused you much trouble.I hope you''ll look past them and won''t take them to heart.We''re a family from now." Tatiana knew what was the best for the bigger picture, better than Krystal. Olivia knew that Tatiana would never take a liking to her. However, no one could find fault in that facade. Olivia yed along with it. "Don''t be, Grandma.I never see Aunt Krystal in the bad way." She was different from Krystal, who''d never learned how to make peace with people. Tatiana filled Olivia''s te and kept talking to her warmly. The picture was so harmonious. Unfortunately, it was merely a show to earn brownie points from Mason. After the meal, Linus walked Olivia back to the room. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let''s leave the matters in Raka at it.Get it out of your head."She nodded. "Thank you, Uncle Linus.By the way, why is Krystal not back home yet?" Chapter 1298 Chapter 1298 It had been hectic for Linus. Although he didn''t know the details, he at least knew better than Olivia. ¡°It hasn''t been long since you came, but I bet you know your grandfather''s temper.It''s not about Krystal''s willingness, but if he wants her back or not." ¡°Is Grandpa serious about expelling her out of the family?"She was surprised. "She''s his daughter, though.I thought he was trying to straighten her attitude up." ¡°It was, at first.He thought that she would repent her mistakes, but she crossed the line again. "He reminded her to keep a distance from Yale, and yet, she didn''t listen.She even got pregnant with Yale''s baby.What else can Dad do about this?" He covered his hand over his forehead. "Krystal is spoiled.Yale is a bad guy.He''s willing to do anything to climb up thedder.If both families really be inws, we''ll either rise or me out with them." Olivia was aware that Yale was behind the incident on the ship. If he got married to Krystal when the truth was brought to light, the Heath family would take the fall together, too.No wonder Mason would relinquish Krystal rather than get involved with the Kingstons. ¡°How''s Krystal doing?" ¡°Mom and Ms.Walker took turns talking her out of it, but she seemed to have made up her mind.She wants to get married to Yale." "Ms.Walker?" Olivia repeated. "It''s Lisa, the maid who followed Mom all the way here when she got married.Ms.Walker has been looking after Mom for half of her lifetime. "She raised Krystal too.When Krystal was sent to the countryside, Ms.Walker took care of her.She''s not only a maid to Krystal but also a family." ¡°I see." Olivia nodded. "You should dissuade Krystal as soon as possible.Yale isn''t a nice guy.To a mercenary person, benefits "I know.But that brat is as stubborn as a bull.She just won''t listen.If this goes on, Dad might really remove her name from the family book." It pained Linus to think that. Despite Krystal''s ipetence, she was his sister, nevertheless. Linus walked Olivia to her room and patted her shoulder. It''s gettingte.Rest up.You can talk to me if something happens.We''re a family." Compared to the pretentious Tatiana, who had a way with words, Linus genuinely wished Olivia the best. Olivia knew that very well, hence the gratitude. That was why she didn''t want to drive Krystal to a dead end, even after what thetter had done to her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The key to answering whether Krystal could return to the Heath residence now depended on herself. Olivia wouldn''t do anything behind the scenes. "Good night, Uncle Linus." ¡°Night." Linus gradually got used to their rtionship as uncle and niece. Maybe he took a liking to her in the past because they were actually a family. Who knew? Olivia shut the door, preparing for a nice rest. Suddenly, someone pounced on her from behind. The familiar breath brushed her ear. "Liv..." Spinning around, she wrapped her arms around Ethan''s neck.He rested his forehead against hers. ¡°Liv, am I guilty forever? Is there no way for me to make up for it?" Remorse clouded his eyes. If he had known that he needed to rack his brain to sneak into a ce just to meet her, he would''ve pointed the gun at himself. Chapter 1299 Chapter 1299 Olivia buried her face in Ethan''s chest. ¡°Ethan, I do love you, but I can''t get over the past.Those days were too painful; so painful that it hurts." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. To realize herself ill and abandoned? She didn''t even have the courage to reminisce about those days. "Could you not force me? Please?" He sighed, his eyes darkened. Pushing her was never his intention. Wayne''s appearance actually posed a threat to Ethan. Although Ethan managed to take her back to the country safely, her identity was exposed. If she wasn''t Septem, Linus didn''t have to show up in person ¡ªWayne understood that very well. Based on Wayne''s character, Ethan reckoned the man wouldn''t let it slide that easily. To add on, Olivia was reluctant to get married again. Even though he was holding her right now, theck of sense of security still dug up a void in him. A long sigh escaped from him. ¡°Fine.I won''t." Nestling in his arms, she was wide awake. Her phone died a long time ago. Many people must have been looking for her while she was away for so long. The Carltons recently contacted her to inquire about the date for the surgery. Losing touch with her worried Warren so much that he also messaged her frequently. Besides that, there were a lot of missed calls from Molly, who must''ve called to ask about her baby. As a mother herself, Olivia could rte to Molly''s feelings. Still, it would be unbing of Olivia to call Molly back at thiste hour. Things could wait until tomorrow. Shey in Ethan''s arms. ¡°Not sleeping?" ¡°Can''t sleep." His eyes zeroed in on her. "I''m afraid you''ll vanish and run away again." A soft chuckle burst. "I won''t vanish, nor will I run away.Sleep.You''ll get busy at the end of the year." ¡°No matter how busy I am, nothing''s more important than keeping youpany." She nted a kiss on his lips. "After this, wanna take the kids back with me? It should be the school holidays by then." His eyes brightened. ¡°You''re finally letting me meet them?" Olivia covered the tracks of the kids¡¯ whereabouts very well all this time. He couldn''t find a shadow of them at all. ¡°You''re their father.Even though we''re divorced, you have the right to visit them." The mention of divorce made him frown. "Liv, I was wrong.I shouldn''t have proposed a divorce." She merely smiled at that. "Sleep.It''s veryte." No matter how much he regretted his decision, there was no turning back. All he could do was to cherish the present.He sneaked out of the Heath residence before even the sun rose.He somehow bought the guards off so that he could make use of the back door. Ethan couldn''t believe his life. They were the closest person to each other, and yet, they had to be all sneaky just to meet up. Olivia was used to Raka''s time zone, so she wasn''t feeling sleepy. After a shower, her phone, which was fully recharged, rang. It was Molly again. Olivia picked up the call. ¡°Hello?" "Ms.Miraculous Doctor, save me!" The uneasiness in Molly''s voice amplified. Hearing the choking voice, Olivia spat out the water gargling in her mouth. She wiped the bubble around her lips with a napkin. "What''s wrong? Talk to me.Don''t cry." ¡°Can we meet up? You gotta help me!" ¡°Is it about the baby?" ¡°Yes.Yale...He insists on the abortion, but I don''t want that! Could you help me?" Right when Olivia was going to refuse, she heard Yale speaking. ¡°Who are you talking to over the phone? And what are you doing outside? It''s cold." The call got disconnected. Chapter 1300 Chapter 1300 Olivia sighed at women''s fates, where they could never take full control of their lives. After putting on makeup and wearing a mask, she drove out, heading for the vi in the suburbs. Cautiously, she waited at the junction until Yale''s car was driven away before she entered the vi. "Ms.Molly, I''m outside your ce." The door opened to reveal Molly and her red eyes. Molly appeared skinnier than before. Olivia patted her shoulder. ¡°Let''s talk inside." ¡°Sure." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Molly held Olivia''s hand, leading her into the house. Florence''s eyes of hostility observed Olivia intensely. Olivia cleared her stance by pointing out, "Rx, I''m here tofort her.Get us a ss of warm water and a warm napkin." Florence actually nned to snitch on Olivia, but thetter appeared trustworthy for some reason. In the end, Florence went to fetch water and a napkin as told. Olivia wiped Molly''s face, especially her eyes, with the napkin. Then, she proffered the ss of water to Molly. "Have some water." ¡°Alright." Molly downed the ss of water. Following that, she pulled Olivia''s hand to tell her stories. But Olivia gestured. "Wait.I have the time of my life to listen to your stories.But first, close your eyes." Not knowing what Olivia was up to, Molly closed her eyes. Four fingers rested against Molly''s temples as Olivia began to massage her head.It felt nice. ¡°Calm down.Don''t make decisions in the heat of the moment.With a clearer mind, you''ll be able to make the right choice." Olivia''s fingers shifted from the temples along to the crown of Molly''s head. As though magic was cast upon Molly, she slowly put her guard down as her body rxed. Gradually, her breathing calmed. It was sofortable that she could fall asleep at the spot. Florence knew that Molly hadn''t been eating and sleeping welltely. No matter what method she came up with, it didn''t help Molly out. Yet, Olivia managed to make Molly listen like a breeze. Olivia mouthed something at Florence, who understood and covered a nket over Molly. Florence left the house to report the situation to Yale. ¡°Don''t worry, Mr.Yale.Ms.Molly fell asleep after having a massage from Vanessa." Yale, who almost went back home, sighed in relief and asked the driver to continue driving. "Keep an eye on her." "Got it." The dark circles beneath his eyes said it all. It wasn''t only Molly who didn''t have a good rest. It was the same case for him, too. The baby in Molly''s belly was his. How could he have not hesitated? However, Molly''s body came before the baby in terms of priority. He couldn''t sacrifice her for the baby. But Molly''s motherly instinct was strong. The longer the time she spent with the baby, the harder it was for her to let go. The baby was the most important person to her. Every single day, she pleaded for him to keep the baby. But what could he do? Despair settled in him. Yale resented Krystal so much, but he had to act the loving husband he was in front of her. One side of him assumed that Olivia wouldn''t hurt a pregnantdy, while the other side of him feared that she might find out his secret. He was overwhelmed with exhaustion, mentally and physically. He was also in a fight against Ethan, too. He massaged the area between his brows. "Mr.Yale, Ms.Heath called again.Her stomach hurts, and she''s asking you toe over." Unlike Molly, who was prone to a preterm delivery, Krystal was in good health. The baby in Krystal was healthy, too. She didn''t show strong symptoms like vomiting. Obviously, it was an excuse to make him visit her. Despite that, there was no other option for him. Tiredly, he responded, "To her ce.¡± Chapter 1301 Chapter 1301 Krystal''s belly was still t like Molly''s. However, Krystal''s sleeping hours and appetite increased tremendously. Ona side note, her metabolism rendered her the type to gain weight easily. Before this, she managed to stay fit because of regr exercise. Now, after over a month ofck of control in her diet, she had gained a lot of pounds. Fortunately, her tall statureplemented her size, and so she merely appeared fitter. She wasn''t that much of a beauty to begin with. Now that she had gained a few pounds, she became uglier. Although Yale didn''t care about looks that much, the more he looked at her face, the more repulsive it was to him. ¡°Yale, you''re finally here.It''s been days since youst came to visit me." Krystal stuck to Yale as soon as she saw him, giving him ayer of goosebumps. Holding in the urge to puke, he wore a smile. "I''m here now.I''m kinda busy these days.Behave and stay at home. ¡°Once I finish my work, I''ll take you to the hospital for a prenatal checkup." She hugged her belly, which appeared to be bigger from all the eating. "Look at my belly.Isn''t it bigger? Our son is healthy." At that time, her gestational sac stretched at only 0.5 inches, which wasn''t big enough to make her belly grow. It was merely her tummy, and the sheer sight of it made Yale lose his appetite. Even before this, when Krystal was in her prime, he could have sex with her without the lights on. The trick was to think of her as Molly. Krystal pulled his hand to her belly. Never once had he touched her since she got pregnant. Every time, he refused to touch her with the excuse of her pregnancy. Not only did theyck sex life, he didn''t even touch her. Uneasiness grew in her when Yale withdrew his hand. ¡°Krystal, I still have to leave for work.I''ll see you after work." She threw a tantrum, insisting on him having breakfast with her first before anything. Knowing her vile temper very well, he was left with no choice but to stay for breakfast with her. Little did he know, someone emerged after he left. It was Lisa who volunteered toe over and look after Krystal a few days ago. "Did you get it, Lisa?" "Got it." Lisa showed the memory card in her hand. It was from a dash cam. A few days ago, Lisa sensed something off about Yale. Krystal had also imed that he hadn''t touched her. A healthy man not having sex for over a month? That was odd. As someone who had been through something simr, Lisa told Krystal the cruel reality. Some men might behave in front of their wives, but they would look for another woman while the wives were pregnant. Yale''s recent change in attitude prompted Krystal to take Lisa''s piece of advice. Krystal had secretly checked Yale''s phone and found nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing left unchecked was the dash cam in his car, which shed light on Yale''s questionable T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. behavior; he stayed in a vi in the suburbs most of the time this month. It took at least an hour tomute from there. Why would the busy man choose such a far ce? ¡°Lisa, something''s off." ¡°Told you.Men are unreliable.His mistress could be there." Krystal threw the grapes in her hands away, on the verge of crying. ¡°No way.I don''t believe this.Yale chased me for a long time.He has liked me for years.Why would he betray me?" ¡°Sexual desire and love are two different matters to men, Ms.Heath.Otherwise, why would so many men be reluctant to divorce although they have a mistress?" Krystal grabbed Lisa''s hand. "Lisa, you watched me grow up.Tell me, what should I do?" ¡°Calm down.Let me call over more bodyguards.We''ll visit the ce and find out who that woman is." "Okay.I''ll do as you say." Lisa sold the idea of taking Krystal out for shopping to Yale¡¯s men. Then, the women rushed to the vi in the suburbs with two cars of bodyguards. Clutching her shirt, Krystal prayed. ¡°I''m sure there''s no woman in that house.Yale would never lie to me." Yet, the more she thought about it, the more nervous she became. The doorbell rang, and Florence''s voice could be heard. ¡°Who is it?" Chapter 1302 Chapter 1302 ¡°I came under Mr.Yale''s orders.I have something for you.Please open the door." Lisa was fully prepared. From the monitor, Florence could see a middle-aged woman ina neat maid uniform. The woman was carrying a lunchbox. Perhaps Yale had bought nice food for Molly, who hadn''t been eating well recently. Florence opened the door without a doubt. Lisa worked for the Heaths, so Florence didn''t know who she was. ¡°You can give it to me." "No, Mr.Yale told me to personally hand it to thedy.If I don''t follow his orders, would you be able to handle the consequences?" For long years of ministering, Tatiana taught Lisa how to deal with these kinds of people. A fierce attitude was enough to intimidate the other party. Although Florence didn''t know what Lisa had brought over, Lisa''s solemnity toward her task was This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. credible. "She''s resting.You can leave it here.I''ll hand it to her when she wakes up." "Didn''t you hear me? Mr.Yale specifically told me to give it to her." In the face of Lisa''s ferocious expression, Florence lost her stance and lost confidence. ¡°Give me a moment.I shall inform her about it." "Make it quick." Olivia, who had put Molly to sleep, heard the knocking on the door. Olivia opened the door, a finger ced before her lips. "Keep it down.Has Ms.Molly not been able to have a good night''s sleep recently?" ¡°Yes, but I have something urgent to tell her now." ¡°Can''t you tell her after she wakes up?" Olivia was aware that Molly had serious pregnancy symptoms. During the past month, it wasn''t only her mental health, but her body had suffered, too. Therefore, nothing mattered more than letting her sleep well for a recharge. But how could Florence, a mere subordinate, make a decision herself? On one hand, she was afraid of Yale; on the other hand, she feared the idea of Olivia finding out about Yale''s rtionship with Molly. "Just let me wake her up.We can talk after that." Florence attempted to squeeze into the room without exining the reason. Olivia stopped her immediately. ¡°She''s a pregnant woman, and she¡¯s having it rough these days.It ain''t easy for her to finally get some good sleep. "Just how urgent is it? Get out.Don¡¯t wake her up." Florence huffed. ¡°I don''t know where to start.If I don''t do as Mr.Yale says, I won''t be able to handle the consequences." A crease formed between Olivia''s brows. Yale, who cared a lot for Molly, shouldn''t do such things. While the dispute was going on, amotion could be heard from downstairs. "Who are you?¡¯ questioned the maids. "Get out of my way!" Making use of her built form, Lisa kicked a young maid onto the floor. One of the reasons Lisa was chosen to be Tatiana''s maid was her martial arts skills. Lisa had actually saved Tatiana a few times. ¡°What''s going on?" Florence rushed over upon hearing the noise. But she didn''t expect to receive a p right in the face as soon as she showed up. Lisa sent her staggering to the side so easily. "Get out of my way." Then, Olivia heard a familiar voice. ¡°Lisa, wait up." It was Krystal. What was she doing here? Raising her head, Krystal met eyes with Olivia, who stood beside the door. Everyone was stunned. Krystal''s eyes widened. "You? What are you doing here?" An idea fleeted her mind, and her face distorted in fury. * Bitch! Forget about Ethan; how dare you seduce Yale, too!" Olivia couldn''t follow at all. Since when did she seduce Yale? Chapter 1303 Chapter 1303 Krystal lost it the moment she saw Olivia. Resentment had taken root in Krystal when Olivia stole Ethan away from her. Now that she finally got together with Yale after those hardships, Olivia was getting in her way again. Without giving a fig about her image, Krystal swung her hand to p Olivia. But Olivia didn''t give Krystal the chance to do so as she grabbed Krystal''s wrist. "borate.What do you mean by me seducing Yale?" Meanwhile, Florence discreetly reported to Yale after realizing the solemnity of the situation. The sleeping Molly woke up due to the noise, and her eyes opened. "Ms.Miraculous Doctor, what''s going on?" The innocent woman walked out of the room. Upon Molly''s appearance, Krystal realized that she had mistaken the wrong person. The "mistress" was this innocent-looking woman! Krystal shoved Olivia away. "I''ll deal with youter." Leading a group of bodyguards, Krystal bulldozed her way to Molly. "So, you''re that bitch who seduced Yale?" Molly didn''t know much about the outside world, but she could recognize Krystal. It was over¡ªKrystal found out about her. Molly''s mind was a mess. Krystal, who towered over Molly so easily with her height, flung a p over Molly''s face. Olivia wanted to stop her, but she couldn''t barge through the bodyguards in time. A red mark covered Molly''s cheek, and Krystal didn''t stop right there. Krystal attempted to give Molly another p but was stopped by Olivia. ¡°Olivia Fordham, don''t stick your nose in this.Out of my way! Olivia grabbed Krystal''s arm forcefully. ¡°Are you a mad dog, Krystal Heath? Why bark when you see people? Is this how you greet others?" ¡°Olivia Fordham, don''t push your luck just because my father likes you. ¡°An illegitimate child like you has no right to interfere with what I do!" Krystal wielded her status to intimidate Olivia. Another p echoed against the walls. This time, it wasn''t Krystal pping but the other way around ¡ªOlivia hit her. ¡°Olivia Fordham! You fucking bitch! We''re family! How could you side with that fox instead of helping me? ¡°Wenches! Guys, don''t hold yourself back.Get ¡®em!" Krystal came fully prepared. She brought along eight bodyguards in case things got physical. These men were special agent retirees. Every single one of them was built at apletely different level from average bodyguards. Olivia stood on guard in front of Molly. ¡°You can try me.I''m calling Linus." The bodyguards might not know who Olivia was, but the way she addressed Linus by his name took them by surprise. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Their reactions irked Krystal so much. ¡°Fools! What is there to be afraid of? I''m right here.I''ll take the responsibility.Get ¡®em! Don''t pull your punches back!" Florence came with the security guards, and both parties surged into a fight. Lisa stared at Molly menacingly. Molly somehow looked familiar to her. Lisa then turned to a bodyguard next to her. "Go get that bitch!" Chapter 1304 Chapter 1304 Things got out of control. Olivia wondered what Molly did that had made Krystal so angry. Knowing from her experience, Olivia was aware of how crazy and stubborn Krystal was. Krystal wouldn''t care about the truth. All she cared about was herself. Considering how Molly was pregnant, something bad might happen if this continued. Hurriedly, Olivia shared their location with Linus so that he could send help. He should take care of the mess his sister caused. After all, it was already awkward enough between Olivia and Krystal due to their identity. Once she texted the SOS message, she realized a bodyguard was approaching Molly. Olivia attacked him from behind. "Do you take pleasure in bullying a weak woman? He turned. ¡°Leave if you don''t want to get hurt.Punches fly, and they aren''t picky.." Olivia began attacking without hesitation, and he dly took the challenge without holding himself back. His n was to take control of her by swinging her arms behind her back.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Despite her lean stature, she was fast. She seized the chance andnded a hard kick right at hisher region. That was every man''s weakness. If it had been for others, they would''ve been taken down. However, Krystal''s bodyguards were strong. The man reacted quickly. His arms warded off her kick, and he grabbed her by the ankle. Taking the chance, Olivia swiftly turned to send him flying to the floor, and she locked his neck between her legs. No one would back down in that battle. Now that no one was blocking Molly, Krystal strode toward her. Krystal was bornrger, so she hated people like Olivia and Molly, who had more feminine looks and bodies. Even if they did nothing, they could easily make men be protective of them. Krystal stared at Molly, suddenly blurting, "I remember.We met at the hospital." Both of them underwent an ultrasound checkup at the hospital on the same day. Molly walked past Krystal like a lifeless person. Krystal remembered because Molly was pretty. Taking that into ount, Krystal had reasons to believe that Molly was pregnant, too. Krystal''s gaze dropped onto Molly''s belly. Molly followed her motherly instinct, covering her belly. Her reaction said it all. Infuriated, Krystal said, "Are you pregnant, too, bitch? Is it Yale''s?" "N-No.You misunderstood, Ms.Heath." No matter how innocent Molly was, she knew that she couldn''t reveal the truth here. If her rtionship with Yale were exposed, his future would be over. "Hear me out.I''m actually¡ª" How would Krystal have the patience to hear Molly out when anger had prevailed over her rationality? Krystal grabbed Molly''s hair. "Bitch! How dare you seduce my man?" Molly could not fight for herself. She appeared like a weak duckling in front of Krystal. "Krystal, stop!" urged Olivia, who had a bad feeling about this. She wanted to go for Molly, but three bodyguards got in her way. Yale''s bodyguards were so weak that they were all taken down. It was difficult for Olivia to handle a few at the same time. Helplessly, she watched the crazy woman bang Molly''s head against the wall. The loud banging resonated throughout the four walls. Comment by samantha tay: imma censor this part yaah Olivia was stunned by Krystal''s crazy antics. How could she do this to a woman? ¡°Molly!¡± Chapter 1305 Chapter 1305 "Ms. Molly!" Florence shrieked at the top of her lungs. She wished she could bulldoze her way through the crowd to reach her. But those bodyguards wouldn''t let that happen. Lisa grabbed Florence with a sinister expression. "She had thating. She should''ve known what to do and what not to do. Her young age doesn''t justify her deeds." Then, Lisa pped Florence. Olivia called her out, "Enough, Ms. Walker! You''re bing an aplice!" As Tatiana''s maid, Lisa had always seemed to be good, and she was diligent with her work. Every time Olivia saw Lisa, thetter appeared honest and reliable. But today''s event served as an eye-opener for Olivia. Some people could be two-faced, after all. In fact, Lisa had always frowned upon Olivia. Now that the Heath family wasn''t around, Lisa didn''t care to mask her hostility. "Ms. Fordham, if I were you, I wouldn''t have stuck my nose into this. ¡°You''re one of the Heaths. You should respect your aunt, Ms. Heath. But you''re siding with an outsider instead of helping your family. Ridiculous!" Olivia coldly stated, "Ms. Walker, this is an intrusion. You can be charged for violence, too. "Have you never thought about the repercussions? If Molly sues all of you, you will be sent behind bars." "How naive of you, Ms. Fordham. What power does she have to sue us? The Heath family is above anyone," retorted Lisa haughtily. Meanwhile, Molly''s body slipped down the wall. Blood oozed from her forehead, and everything was ck before her. Fighting through the drowsiness sitting heavily on her, she exined, "Listen, I''m Yale''s sister." "Sister? Or do you mean secret lover? You disgust me." Krystal suddenly kicked Molly''s belly. Olivia pushed the bodyguards away. "Krystal! She''s pregnant! What are you¡ª" A gunshot resounded. The bullet flew past her ear. She froze at her spot. Who fired a gun? Unlike in Dexim City, firearms were prohibited in Andia. The person who opened fire was the bodyguard who fought with her. Clearly, he didn''t intend to hurt her. It served as a threat to stop her. "Sorry, but you cannot stop Ms. Heath. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee where the next bullet will hit." Olivia was still wearing the mask. The bodyguards were oblivious that she was Mason''s granddaughter. I changed the ''everyone'' to ''bodyguards'' because Krystal actually called Olivia by her true name in the previous chap. They still saw her as a mere doctor. Besides, Linus personally assigned them to Krystal so they would only listen to her. After confirming that Molly was pregnant, Krystal kept kicking Molly in the stomach. "Ms. Molly! Stop it, you guys!" Florence yelped. Olivia, who was stopped by the bodyguards, shouted until her voice turned hoarse. Molly was so weak that she couldn''t fight back. All she could do was stay low and protect her belly. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "Ms. Heath, I''m one of the Kingstons. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Please believe me. Don''t hurt my baby." She wailed in vain. No matter what Molly said, Krystal would twist her words into something else¡ªthat Molly was Mrs. Kingston, the woman Yale loved. Krystal exerted more strength on her foot. Her legs didn''t stop kicking for a second. A throbbing pain swirled in Molly''s stomach. She could feel blood flowing from her lower body. Blood. It was blood! ¡°Krystal, you crazy woman! She''s Yale''s sister!" Chapter 1306 Chapter 1306 Krystal sneered. "Olivia Fordham, you think I''ll buy that? Bitch. You''re an exception, but I can do anything I want to her. ¡°Watch me carefully. This is the punishment for stealing someone else''s man." At that point, Krystal vented the anger born from Olivia''s incident with Molly. Clutching Molly''s hair, Krystal dragged Molly down the stairs. Every time Olivia pushed a bodyguard out of her way, the others would build a human wall before her. Her finger pointed at Krystal. "Are you going to let her murder someone? Do you even call yourselves human? That woman is innocent!" "Sorry, but orderse before anything." They stood in front of her, unwavering. She couldn''t put up with this any longer. The urge to take that gun away from them was getting stronger. She might stand a chance against three of those bodyguards, but eight was impossible. All of these retirees from the special forces stood at least 6''2 tall. Confronting just one of them head-on wasn''t easy by itself. Considering Molly''s body condition, Olivia feared that this would end with a dead body. Meanwhile, Krystal tugged an unconscious Molly all the way to the yard and into the snow. The second round of torture began.To editor-san: I glossed it over. It''s already kinda geli for me ;-; if it can be tranted, feel free to pop a message to me! Will get it done This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. asap. The pain and coldness woke Molly up. All she cared about was the baby. She did everything in her power to persuade Yale so that she could keep the baby. However, she was sure the baby was gone by then. Her lower body hurt so much that it went numb. "How dare you seduce my man, bitch? Burn in hell!" Krystal yelled. On the other hand, a wave of anxiety overwhelmed Olivia, who was in the house. She didn''t bring along a gun today. The moment sheid eyes on a fruit knife atop the table, she hit the person close to her to grab it. A gun aimed right at her. She barked, "You can open fire at me! I''m Mason Heath''s granddaughter. Linus is my uncle. "T call the master you serve my aunt, too! Why don''t you kill me once and for all?" Her provocation managed to make the bodyguard withdraw the gun. ¡°Watch your words, Ms. Fordham. We have no intention to harm you. We just hope you won''t get in Ms. Heath''s way." ¡°But she''s killing someone!" Instead of taking the stairs, she jumped out of the window from the second floor. "Ms. Fordham!" The bodyguards feared that Olivia might hurt the pregnant Krystal with the knife, so they followed suit, jumping out of the window, too. They almost caught up with her. One of them was going to yank her back, but she gave him acut on the arm without a second thought. Blood sshed from the cut, and she made a dash in Krystal''s direction. At that moment, the sound of cars became louder. Some ck luxury cars intruded on the ce. Voices cut through the air at the same time. "Livl it) "Molly!" "Krystal Heath, what are you doing?" Olivia didn''t expect Linus to be here with Yale and Ethan. The men attended the same meeting. Olivia''s text and Florence''s SOS message gave Ethan a bad feeling, so he tagged along. Still, witnessing this brutal scene was beyond his expectations. The shade of snowkes couldn''t even cover the thick trace of blood on the ground. Molly, who was still in Krystal''s hands, was barefooted while lying in a pool of blood. Yale''s eyes reddened. Chapter 1307 Chapter 1307 Before the driver pulled the brakes, Yale already opened the door and jumped out of the car. The inertia almost threw him into the snow. He couldn''t care less about it as he sprinted toward Molly. Linus and Ethan stepped out of the car, too. Blood soiled Olivia''s face, and her hand held a knife as the robust men were hot on her heels. Ethan dashed in their direction, his punch flying at the closest bodyguard. Kelvin and Brent rarely saw Ethan putting himself in the game. The duo led their men to block the bodyguards. Linus scanned the scene, not knowing why Krystal went berserk all of a sudden. Still, even if the other party made her mad, she shouldn''t have gone this far. "Jasper!" Linus called. The man who suffered a hit from Ethan stood in military form. A streak of blood flowed from beneath his nose. "Yes, sir." "What''s happening?" asked Linus. Ethan rushed up to Olivia and wrapped his coat around the woman, who was dressed thinly. "Liv, what happened?" His rough fingertips caressed her face. Fortunately, it wasn''t her blood. She answered, "I''m fine, but Yale''s sister..." He was aware of the matter between her and Molly. Other women didn''t concern him as long as Olivia was safe and sound. Olivia headed in Molly''s direction. Including Krystal''s rtionship with Yale, both the Heaths and the Kingstons shared an ambiguous rtionship. After this eventful day, the bnce between the family would surely be broken. Olivia had no intention of meddling in their business. Her sole wish was to protect Molly. Yale ran toward Molly as Krystal grabbed the former''s hair,ughing crazily like a winner. "Yale Kingston, this is your retribution for betraying me." Molly regained consciousness due to the pain. She was barely holding on because of the huge blood loss. Crying, she stared at him. "T-the baby..." His eyes were red, and veins traced along his arms¡ªsigns of him on the verge of losing his sanity. He got to Krystal''s side in no time, and his whole body trembled. Imagine just how much he wished he could kill Krystal on the spot to avenge the woman he loved. But Molly''s condition rendered it impossible. His rationality was urging him to take her to the hospital at this instant. Wasting time on Krystal might dy Molly''s treatment, putting her in danger. "Krystal Heath, what did my sister do that you have to beat her into a pulp?" His voice sounded faint yet dangerous. The calmer he was, the scarier he was. Krystal had imagined many scenes but not acalm Yale. "What did you say? She''s your sister?" Yale spared her an indifferent nce. "She''s Molly Kingston." Krystal''s face paled at the drop of a hat. Now that she thought about it, the Kingstons did have a daughter who never left the house. ording to the rumors, her body had been weak since she was young, so she lived somewhere else. As time passed, people slowly forgot about her. That was why Krystal assumed that Molly was Yale''s secret lover, trying to get away with this by iming to be his sister. "Yale, I¡ªListen, I can exin." "It''s over between us, Krystal." Yale dropped the bombshell so calmly. Ignoring the flustered Krystal, he crouched to carry Molly. "Don''t be afraid, Molly. I''ll take you to the hospital. You''ll be fine." "Yale..." Molly fell unconscious. He swiftly turned to Olivia, who already got into a car. "Mr. Yale, hurry!" Molly had to be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. She lost too much blood. Olivia didn''t have the medical devices for it. Not even a saint could do anything when the necessary tools were not present. He hopped into the car with Molly in his arms. No one noticed that his palms were bleeding from clenching his fists too hard.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Chapter 1308 Chapter 1308 Yale''s arms around Molly were shaking as he couldn''t fight back his tears. Blood. There was a lot of blood! What could he do to save her? Frantic devoured the man. Like a helpless kid, he begged, "Ms. Fordham, you''re the miraculous doctor. Please save Molly. "Please, I''m begging you. Please save her." "Mr. Yale, I think the baby is already gone. "We have to get to the hospital as soon as possible so that they can perform D&C and blood transfusion for her. Do you know her blood type?" "y do." "It''s fine as long as it''s not a rare blood type. Calm down. Contact the hospital. "Tell them to make the necessary preparations. We do whatever we can now, and we''ll save her." A miscarriage usually wouldn''t cost a person''s life, but Molly was an exception because of her poor body condition. Not even Olivia could guarantee anything. "Okay. I''ll do as you say." Yale was shaking so much that his phone slipped through his bloodstained fingers. Ethan, in the passenger seat, wore a solemn expression. "I''ll do it." He put his grudges against Yale at the back of his head and told Chris to get everything ready as Olivia instructed. Back at the vi, Krystal was dumbstruck. She watched Linus approach her. Molly''s blood dirtied the white coat on Krystal. Her mind was still nk as she muttered, "Linus, I¡ªI didn''t know. I didn''t know she was Yale''s sister. I thought¡ª" A pnded on her cheek. Her legs staggered while trying to capture her bnce. He didn''t rein his strength in. If it were in the past, she would''ve cried out loud, throwing a fit about it. However, horror was written all over her face because she knew that it was her mistake. Yale''s soft words that carried so much weight kept ringing in her head. It pained Lisa to watch that. "Mr. Linus, how could you p her? It''s Mr. Yale''s fault. He neglected his pregnant girlfriend and kept spending the nights here. "That''s why Ms. Heath suspected that it was an affair, and so she¡ª w "Is this the reason for her to hurt someone?" Linus stared at Krystal, his eyes devoid of emotions. "You''re a pregnant woman, too. How could you hurt someone of your kind?" "Mr. Linus, she acted that way in the heat of the moment." He suddenly turned toward Lisa. "And what were you doing here, Ms. Walker?" Lisa exined, "Mrs. Heath asked me to look after Ms. Heath. It''s her first time getting pregnant. I''m more experienced." "And so this is how you do your job?" He knew his foolish sister very well. She had a vile temper but no brains. Perhaps someone had instigated her to get off the ground. His gaze moved onto the right bodyguards, whom he personally chose from the batch. Every single one of them was a top yer. On one hand, he was afraid that others might bully Krystal; on the other hand, it was to keep Yale from crossing the line. Yet, he didn''t expect the shield he made for her would turn into a weapon that put others in danger''s way.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Standing in front of the group, Jasper knelt. "We''ll dly ept any punishment, sir." ¡°Come with me. All of you shall be punished ording to the military rules." Linus was aware that soldiers obeyed orders before anything. Since he had assigned them to Krystal, her orders naturally became their rules. Although they were just doing their job, Linus couldn''t condone harming the innocent. He rested his hand behind his back. "As for you guys, return to the Heath residence. I don''t have the call for this matter." The color drained from Krystal''s face. In addition to Mason''s resentment toward her, this matter might be a lethal record for punishment to her. She pleaded, "Linus, could you please not tell Dad about this? He''s gonna kill me for sure!" Chapter 1309 Chapter 1309 Despite the solemnity of the situation, all she could think of was how to get out of this instead of apologizing or atoning for her sin. "Krystal, if the Kingstons sue you, no one''s going to protect you." Krystal''s legs went weak, staggering backward as Lisa held her. Now, she finally understood the meaning behind Yale''s words. It wasn''t as simple as a breakup; everything was truly over between them. He would never forgive her that easily. "Linus, I can''t go to prison." "Of course, you can''t. You''re pregnant," Linus calmly said. "But once things get out of hand, our family will lose its reputation nevertheless." In order to protect the family''s virtue, Mason might remove her name from the family once and for all. Mason had cut ties with her before, and this matter might just make him disown her. Krystal couldn''t regret her deeds more. Her hands didn''t let go of Linus'' arm as she pleaded. "Linus, I know I''m wrong. Please help me with this one. I swear that this will be thest time. I won''t do abominable things ever again." The blood on her hands reminded him of the pale-faced woman. Molly looked so weak. It was heart-wrenching to see that pool of blood beneath her. He just couldn''t get it. As a woman herself, how could Krystal bring herself to go that far? The reticent man kept that doubt to Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. himself. "Let''s leave the talking until after we get home." It all depended on Mason at this moment. It was inevitable for them to disown her this time. Molly was pushed to the operating room as soon as they arrived at the hospital. Yale''s clothes were drenched in her blood. The Kingston family showed up in a rush. Adalia asked, "What happened, Yale? Why is that brat hospitalized? Ti Olivia looked at Adalia, who was aware of her true identity. Adalia treated her with reverence as she questioned, "Ms. Fordham? Why are you here?" Olivia couldn''t bring herself to like Adalia due to her double standards. It was no wonder Molly lived in such a remote area. Olivia pitied Molly more now that she learned Molly must''ve had it rough in the Kingston family. "Hi, Mrs. Kingston," Olivia greeted indifferently. "I''ve examined Ms. Molly before." "It is her honor to have such a great doctor like you to examine her. w Even then, Adalia hadn''t shown a tinge of concern for Molly. It was repulsing that Adalia kept attempting to butter Olivia up. Gordon greeted Olivia before looking at Yale. "You,e with me." Yale was still worried about Molly, so Olivia reminded him, "I can stay until she Molly''s recovery. He looked at her meaningfully. "Thank you." He witnessed how she jumped out of the window from the second floor just to save Molly. Although he had the intention of hurting Olivia in the past, he only felt sincere gratitude for her this time. The men went to the empty emergency exit. Gordon frowned. "What happened exactly? I heard Ms. Heath is in this, too." Now that they were alone, Yale didn''t mind hiding his true colors. " Dad, I want her dead." "Nonsense! What are you thinking? We came this far, and you guys are getting married. Don''t make a scene right now!" "Do you know what she did to Molly? She killed your grandson." Chapter 1310 Chapter 1310 Not a hint of sorrow was evident on Gordon''s face. ¡°Molly''s just a kid. I told you that her body is weak. We don''t even know who her real family is. If you like her, fine. But don''t take it seriously." Yale''s fists tightened at that. "Don''t forget about our deal, Dad. I can sacrifice myself for the family, but you guys should never meddle with my rtionship with Molly." His eyes were red like that of a mad beast. He continued, " Everything I did all these years is for the family. "I''m just trying to protect the woman I love. I''ve done every filthy and disgusting deed that could ever possibly exist in this world. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. "Yet, this is what I get in return?" Noticing the unhinged tone in Yale''s voice, Gordon softened his own voice in an attempt to soothe his mood. "Yes, And this is all because of Krystal. Don''t make Molly''s sacrifice go to nothing. ¡°Take this chance to ask favors from the Heaths. Mr. Heath is very conscious of his reputation. He''ll surely¡ª" "Enough!" Yale interrupted icily. "I''m no longer your puppet. If Molly doesn''t survive this, I''m gonna let the whole Heath family pay back for what Krystal did!" He then turned and left. The Kingston family didn''t adopt Molly out of pure intentions. The youngest son of the family was always sick and needed a lot of money for an operation. Thus, they indulged in charity to boost their business. Adopting her was one of the long list of deeds done. In the end, they achieved their objective, and the boy recovered. No one among the Kingston ever paid attention to her; no one except Yale. He treated her genuinely. Back in the corridor, it took Olivia a while to tell what was happening within that family. Molly''s life and death didn''t matter to them at all. The door to the operating room opened, and Olivia asked, ¡°Doctor, how''s the patient doing?" ¡°She''s safe, but the child¡ª" Considering the severity of the situation, no one actually hoped for the baby to be saved miraculously. Yale went over with red eyes. The unconscious Molly had her head bandaged, looking pale. "Molly." He held her hand carefully. He wanted to touch her but feared that it might hurt her. Adaliamented indifferently, "This brat has always been like this since young. Whenever I think that she won''t make it, she survives like a miracle. ¡°Don''t worry, Ms. Fordham. She''s like a cat. She has nine lives or maybe more." Olivia gazed at her in disbelief. "Please watch yournguage, Mrs. Kingston. You didn''t witness how brutal the scene was yourself. Fate has been cruel to Ms. Kingston." Olivia''s expression showed displeasure, and Adalia hurriedly made up for it. "I''m doing this for Ms. Heath. I''m afraid that she won''t get over the guilt. 1 don''t want this brat to ruin Yale''s rtionship with Ms. Heath." Adalia assumed that Olivia would side with the Heaths because she was one of them. But Olivia didn''t think the same way. It didn''t matter if the same blood ran in Molly. As long as Molly was one of them, they should at least care for her, shouldn''t they? Yet, Adalia brushed off the harm inflicted upon Molly and treated her as a tool to gain favor from others. Olivia pitied Molly again. It was impossible to talk sense into Adalia, so Olivia ended the conversation and examined Molly''s condition. She would''ve died if Yale hadn''t taken good care of her during the past years. Adalia didn''t stop her rants, and Yale''s patience ran thin. "Mom, if you have nothing else to do, you might as well go toa beauty salon." ¡°How could you say that, son? I''m thinking of your sake. Don''t offend the Heaths for this unworthy brat. "She''s not dead yet. What else are you asking for?" "Leave!" Chapter 1311 Chapter 1311 Yale was close to a mental breakdown, and yet his parents kept provoking him. Once he and Olivia were the only ones in the room, he asked out of genuine concern, "Ms. Fordham, is Molly¡ª" "Don''t worry, there''s still hope. As long as she survives this, I have ways to make her recover. ¡°But as you know, her body is already weak. It might be difficult for her to conceive again." ¡°All I''m asking for is for her to stay alive. Nothing else matters." The telltale sincerity in his words showed how much he genuinely cared for Molly. At this point, Olivia couldn''t help her burning curiosity anymore. "Ms. Molly has lost the baby. Why isn''t her lover here?" Something unsettling fleeted in his eyes. "As I said, the pregnancy was an ident. She doesn''t have a boyfriend." Since he wasn''t willing to reveal much information, she read the room and stopped the topic. "Rx, Mr. Yale. It might be cruel to say this, but it''s nearly impossible for the baby to survive this event." She added, "Since I''ve decided to intervene in this, I won''t give up on Molly. I shall return home to make her a nutritious porridge. "She has to focus on her recovery starting today. I can''t guarantee anything about pregnancy, but she can at least live longer." ¡°Thank you." "But on one condition. Promise me that no one will hurt her again. Otherwise, the medicines wouldn''t work." "Understood." He murmured, "How could I bring myself to watch others hurt her? No way." Olivia spun and walked out of the room and the hospital. Ethan, who waited for her in the car, pulled her into his embrace when she opened the door. "What''s with the long face? Did something happen?" "No. Molly survived, but not the baby." "It is already a miracle that she survived this. Don''t be sad. It has nothing to do with you. You did your best." She massaged her temple. "I know, but it is still saddening. Didn''t you see how crazy Krystal was? Molly was so pitiful." It was as though she could see her past self in Molly. The only difference was that Molly was physically hurt while Olivia was mentally tortured until she was driven to a dead end. "Liv." His guilty expression appeared funny to her. "Let''s not bring up the past. Could you do something for me?" "What?" ¡°Look into Yale and Molly. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Something''s not right about them." It could be her overthinking, but the two appeared more like a couple than siblings. Molly didn''t interact with the outside world because of her weak body, so how did she get pregnant? Olivia brought up the same question twice, and Yale glossed it over every time. "Okay. it "Send me back to the Heath residence. Something big''s going to happen." Judging from how much Yale cared for Molly, no one could imagine how the score would be settled in the end. By the time she returned home, Krystal was kneeling in the living room. Olivia''s brows creased. Although she didn''t like Krystal, the woman was still pregnant. ¡°What are you doing? Do you have a death wish for you and your baby?" Krystal red back at Olivia. "Stop acting like the good guy here." Mason chided, "Don''t mind her, Liv. Even if she dies from this, she deserves it!" Olivia''s gaze shifted toward Mason, Tatiana, and the others. The moment her gaze fell upon Lisa, who was standing behind Tatiana, her brows furrowed. Chapter 1312 Chapter 1312 Olivia had witnessed how crazy and impulsive Krystal could be. As the wiser person and Tatiana''s maid, Lisa should''ve talked Krystal out of it. That was why Olivia found Lisa strange. It was as if she had turned into a stranger. She withdrew her gaze from Lisa and approached Mason, reminding him, "Grandpa. There''s still a baby in her belly. ¡°Don''t make her kneel. She''s not even on week 12 yet. It''s easy for a miscarriage to happen." No matter how evil Krystal was, the baby was innocent. It pained Olivia to recall how desperate Molly was to protect her baby. Having another innocent life sacrificed was thest thing Olivia wished for. "I said, stop acting like you''re the good guy!" Krystal shouted at her. Olivia helped Mason to his seat. The butler handed over a warm napkin for him to wipe his hands. Mason spoke up, "If you take pleasure in kneeling so much, be my guest. Once the baby is gone, we can take this to the court so you can throw as many antics you want in prison." Krystal sprang to her feet as soon as she heard prison, almost tripping. Fortunately, Lisa was quick enough to give her support by holding her. "Take it slow, Ms. Heath." Krystal pulled Tatiana''s sleeve. "Mom, help me! It wasn''t on purpose. I¡ª" With a swing of her arm, Tatiana broke a ss from the table. After what had happened to Krystal, grief had taken a toll on Tatiana. However, she couldn''t take it anymore. "It wasn''t on purpose? You intruded in someone''s ce and caused a miscarriage! Krystal Heath, who gave you the audacity to do such athing? "Tell me. What else could it be if it wasn''t done on purpose?" "How could you do this to me, too, Mom? It was a misunderstanding. I thought Molly was his secret lover." "So you know that it''s a misunderstanding. Why didn''t you get the facts right before acting?" "T couldn''t control myself! I¡ª" Tatiana could never understand how Krystal''s brain worked. How could someone be this foolish? If only she had a bit of Olivia''s intelligence, things wouldn''t have "I could protect you from anything, no matter what you did in the past, simply because I hoped you''d wake up one day. I waited for days and days. "In the end, you grew into a failure. I can''t save you from this, Krystal. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. You disappoint me." ¡°You can''t abandon me, Mom! What am I supposed to do without you?" Tears moistened Krystal''s cheeks. Mason drank his tea. "Here''s a reminder from me¡ªthe baby in you is your only leverage. Even if Yale sues you, you won''t be sent to prison because you''re pregnant." Krystal couldn''t believe how he could say that so nonchntly. " Dad, I''m your biological daughter! How could you not do anything when I''m in trouble?" "Biological daughter, you say? I''ve announced that we''ve cut ties with you in public. You''re no longer one of us." His gazested on her face for a fleeting second. Honestly speaking, you''ve been acting spoiled for quite some time. "Until today, I finally realized that this is not only about acting like a spoiled brat. Your stupidity and bad nature are some of the reasons, too. "You acted so confidently because of our family name. And what can you do once you''re no longer one of us? What will you be? w Mason didn''t appear as livid as he previously was. He was rather calm, like how Yale was when he blurted his final words to Krystal. He sounded so calm that it sent chills down her spine. She got on her knees again, kneeling next to him with her tear- stricken face. "Dad, I was wrong. I know I was wrong. Please help me out this one time. I will listen to you." "Toote, Krystal. We won''t side with you this time. You reap what you sow." Mason was utterly disappointed in her. The anger turned into waves of tranquility in the end. He had experienced all kinds of ups and downs to be able toe this far from a humble family. "I''ve done whatever I can for you. If you need legal help, you can seek Linus to get you an experiencedwyer. "He might be able to cut down your imprisonment by two years." Krystal shook her head profusely. "Dad, Yale wouldn''t sue me. He loves me! Offer him some benefits, and he''ll calm down. We can work this out!" Mason snorted coldly at her naivety or maybe stupidity. At that moment, a maid entered and reported, "Mr. Heath, Mr. Yale is here." Chapter 1313 Chapter 1313 Mason set down his teacup. "Speak of the devil. Let him in." Yale was wearing the same outfit. The ck coat managed to hide the blood stain with its color, but the red on his palms and his cor stood out. This time, the respectful and humble expression gave way to a cold one. Krystal ran toward him. ¡°Yale, listen, I..." He had watched the surveince footage while he was in the hospital. He usually monitored Molly''s condition through those surveince cameras. But now, it served as a tool that shed light on the truth. His world crumbled as he watched what Krystal did to Molly. His cold stare fixated on Krystal. The red-rimmed eyes carried a strong murderous intent. He didn''t say a word, but she let go of his hand. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Yale approached Mason to offer a greeting in a hoarse voice. Mason spoke up, "I''ve heard what happened to your sister. I''m sorry about the baby. "It was indeed Krystal''s fault. You may do anything you want. I have no opinion about it." He revealed his stance instantly, determined not to protect her. Yale was aware of Mason''s intention. Even if Mason had drawn the line explicitly, he still couldn''tpletely abandon her. It was a way to cate Yale, as well as a warning to Krystal. Without uttering a word, Yale knelt before Mason. Just a single nce at Yale''s face, Olivia understood something. "yale, what are you doing? Get up.¡± Tatiana held him. He dodged her hands and looked at Mason. "I''m grateful for your teaching and care all these years." Mason''s heart sank to the pit of his stomach, but he managed a concerned expression. "What do you mean by this, Yale?" "I bet my father and grandfather have talked to you over the phone. Yale could tell what Gordon''s n was without personally hearing it from him. Mason would never stay still and do nothing after such a serious matter happened. He definitely had contacted those men to express his pretentious concern. His true intention was to take care of the issue for Krystal. No one in the Kingston family cared about Molly''s life and death. A miscarriage in exchange for a favor from the Heath family? They''d deem it a steal. Benefits were all that mattered to the adults, and Yale was one of their chess pieces in the past. However, the moment Molly fell in his arms after a miscarriage, he realized that his belief turned out to be wrong this entire time. He shouldn''t have promised Gordon to be the chess piece. Ever since Gordon found out about their rtionship, he had been using Molly to threaten Yale. Yale boarded the train in order to protect Molly. In the end, the protection he asked for became the weapon that had hurt her the most. No one could imagine how much it hurt when Krystal kicked her in the stomach. Yale continued with reddened eyes, "I''d like to say that I don''t share the same notion as them." Mason narrowed his eyes before looking at the butler next to him. ¡°Pour him a ss of water. His throat is too dry for him to speak." "Yes, sir." The butler poured Yale a ss of water and urged him to take a seat. But Yale wasn''t buying it. He continued kneeling. Krystal stomped on her foot. What do you mean by that? So, what do you n to do?" "Before that, I have three requests." Words escaped through his gritted teeth. "Say it." Mason remained indifferent. "Firstly, I request for Krystal and I to break up." Chapter 1314 Chapter 1314 That wasn''t a surprise to Olivia. Yale had said something simr back at the vi. She actually looked down upon him for the way he could stoop so low to climb the socialdder. However, the man who coveted power so much was willing to give up on everything for his family. He yearned for that power more than anyone else, but he relinquished it. It changed her impression of him. He was a true man. Krystal was dumbfounded by Yale''s request. After all, everyone knew how much he "loved" and pursued her. Others said that she was the whole world to him. Hearing thating from Yale was so shocking that her mind went nk. "W¡ªWhat did you say?" She bent over. Her hands grabbed him by the cor. "You''re dumping me for that bitch?" Until now, she hadn''t realized her mistake and kept addressing Molly so rudely. Hands grasping the carpet tightly, Yale reined in the urge to kill her. "We''re notpatible, Ms. Heath." "You weren''t like this when you tried to woo me." He red at her. "I didn''t know you were this cruel back then." The way he put it couldn''t be more implicit. He was aware that his request would displease Mason and Tatiana, but he couldn''t give a fig about it anymore. Only then did Krystal realize how much he wished for them to break up. Easiness manifested in her. "Yale, I know that I acted on impulse. I was wrong. "Please forgive me for this one time. It''s just a baby. Your sister is still young. She can get pregnant again." Krystal kept making the wrong move, oblivious that Molly was his bottom line. "Besides, I didn''t hear anything about her marriage. She got pregnant before marriage! It seems like she messes around a lot. I wonder who the father is¡ª" "Enough!" Yale saw red like a beast. Veins drew green lines along his arms. Olivia was equally impressed by Krystal''s intelligence in bringing the most taboo possible thing into the discussion. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. How could she not read the room at this point? "Shut up, Krystal!" Mason chimed in as well. Krystal never thought before she spoke, and she knew that she had made a slip of the tongue this time. Still, she couldn''t put down her pride to beg for forgiveness. She muttered, "I''m having your baby, though. Are you going to let the baby be fatherless?" Yale closed his eyes, and Molly''s pale face came into his mind. Baby. They could never have babies ever again. ¡°Abortion is an option. I can pay for it," he calmly suggested. "Yale Kingston!" There was no longer the need to put on a show anymore because he had made up his mind. Looking right into Krystal''s eyes, he said seriously, "Since we''re going to break up, this baby is bound to have a sad life. Might as well let him go sooner." "How could you say that, Yale? This is a precious life. "I don''t care about the business between you youngsters, but I''m against the abortion," Mason gave his two cents. Yale knew what Mason was having in mind, but things were different than before¡ªthere was nothing Yale could lose right now. ¡°Right. Your blood does run in the baby. I don''t have the final call for it. If Ms. Heath insists on keeping the baby, I can take care of the alimony." This man was a total stranger to Krystal. He didn''t even spare a nce at her. His deadpan face looked so much like Ethan''s. She became more and more anxious as she repeated in her head, " No, no, no. This can''t be happening. Yale loves me. He will never hurt me." In the meantime, Yale blurted, "Second request: I would like to resign from my position. "T''ll ask my assistant to submit the resignation letterter." "What?" Mason was losing hisposure. Chapter 1315 Chapter 1315 No one else knew about Yale''s ambitions as well as Mason did. He was even prepared to negotiate with the Kingstons. Even if he was going to sever ties with Krystalpletely, this incident with Krystal still had to be settled. The Kingstons would not stand for this humiliation. But he didn''t expect Yale to say something like that. He wondered if Yale was just putting on a show. In the past, Olivia would think the same. But it was different this time. She knew Yale meant what he said. He didn''t want a future that was paid for by Molly''s sacrifice. Tatiana wasn''t able to keep up a friendly demeanor anymore. "yale, please don''t be rash. There''s no need to resign over something like this! Really, that''s too much." Mason stared at Yale intensely. "I need a reason." Yale had never felt as calm and unburdened as he did at that moment. "I''m tired of all the conflicts andpetitions." His attitude was like that of a young man who had just entered the workforce. He didn''t even try toe up with a grand-sounding excuse. "I thought I would be able to get what I wanted if I had more power. But in the end, I can''t even protect my own family." 2 The light in Yale''s eyes had been extinguished. He had lost his ambitions. Mason didn''t speak. He seemed to be thinking of a solution. Krystal started yelling, "Are you fucking insane? Are you just going to throw away everything you''ve worked for all these years?" Yale ignored her. "My third demand is that I will be hiring the bestwyers for thiswsuit. Krystal broke into my home and assaulted someone. I have witnesses and proof." Realization struck Mason. The two demands before were made to set the stage for this one. Yale rejected everything the Heath family could have given him so that he could make Krystal pay! Mason started to take him more seriously. He had thought that he knew Ethan and Yale very well. 2 Ethan refused his offers because of his ex-wife. Yale was clearly a greedy and ambitious man. He was actually giving up on everything he could''ve easily gotten to fight the Heath family. How dare he? "Yale, I know you didn''t mean that." Tatiana tried to put up an understanding demeanor again. ¡°We''ve known you and Ethan since you were kids. Both of you are like our sons. Didn''t you used to say you like Krystal? "How can you suddenly change your mind with the wedding far away from the Kingstons as possible. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. That was why they kept dying the wedding. But they didn''t have a choice but to bring that up to appease the Kingstons. This time, she hadpletely underestimated Yale''s determination. He would''ve been the one to bring up the wedding in the past. This time, he felt only anger and grief as he looked at Molly, who was covered in blood. "Mrs. Heath, I used to think that Krystal was pure and innocent. She might have some ws, but I could tolerate all of that. "But she attacked a pregnant woman in cold blood. I don''t know if you''ve seen the video of what happened. "If you did, I''m sure you''d understand my decision. "I would feel horrified if she did it to a stranger, much less my own sister." Linus camete, so he didn''t see what Krystal did. Lisa also described what happened to him with exaggeration and twisted the facts. Mason and Tatiana only knew the oue. They didn''t know what happened before that. "Mr. and Mrs. Heath, take a look at what your daughter has done." Mason nced at the butler, who then went to turn on the projector. Krystal went over and stopped him. "Don''t look at that!" Chapter 1316 Chapter 1316 Krystal attacked Molly in the bedroom. Why would anyone install cameras in their bedroom? That was the reason Lisa thought it would be fine for her to twist the facts in Krystal''s favor. She didn''t expect Yale to turn the tables on her! Mason called out. ¡°Pull her away. 1 want to see what heinous acts shemitted." Olivia witnessed the entire incident. Yale could''ve asked her to tell them what she saw. But Olivia was in an awkward position. She was also part of the Heath family now. Yale didn''t put her on the spot because she had protected Molly at the most crucial moment. As the projector whirred to life, Krystal covered her eyes. She knew she was done for. The video clearly showed that she was about to hit Olivia and was stopped. Then, she went on to hit Molly. A p wasn''t enough. She grabbed Molly''s head and mmed it against the wall. Molly''s body went limp as she dropped from the wall. The blood on her forehead looked horrifying. The Heaths thought that was the end of it, but the worst was yet toe. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Krystal kicked Molly''s stomach. And when Molly turned over, she stomped on her back. She didn''t stop even when blood started flowing from Molly''sher region. "You scoundrel!" Yale wasn''t the only one who was furious. Even Mason, who usually kept a straight face, picked up a porcin te and threw it at Krystal''s head. Krystal didn''t evade it in time, and her forehead started to bleed. Even Tatiana, who was usually quick to defend her, didn''t do anything to help her. Tatiana was a cunning woman. She did use some tricks to get with the man she loved, but she never did something so horrendous. Krystal hurt a baby and a pregnant woman. Even if that was her own daughter, Tatiana found it to be uneptable. She thought about the poor woman who was on the ground. She wondered if the woman was devastated to have lost her baby. Lisa took a towel and pressed it against the injury on Krystal''s forehead. She asked, concerned, "Are you okay, Ms. Heath?" Krystal was scared by Mason''s rage. She didn''t even dare to cry because the video wasn''t over yet. Footage from another camera was included in this video. Krystal dragged Molly from the stairs to the ice and mmed her against it. Mason''s eyes turned bloodshot from anger. ''''How did I raise such a monster?" Yale was right. No one should be treated this way, much less the adoptive daughter of the Kingstons. No one would tolerate such abuse befalling their daughter. Mason and Tatiana were parents, too. So, they also felt bad for Molly. It doesn''t matter if Yale was in a rtionship with Molly or not. That wasn''t enough to justify Krystal''s attack on her. Olivia tapped Mason''s hand. "Grandpa, calm down. I took a look at Ms. Molly''s condition. She''s no longer in critical condition. I came here to prepare some medicinal foods for her." Olivia didn''t want to take anyone''s side. She recounted her findings in a very neutral manner. "T examined Molly a month ago. She wasn''t in the best condition. This incident didn''t just cause her to lose her baby. She is lucky to be alive." Krystal red at Olivia. "You bitch! You''re a Heath, but you''re taking the side of an outsider!" Olivia replied in a clear tone, "Krystal, I''m a doctor, and Molly is my patient. Why would I show up here if she wasn''t unwell?" Chapter 1317 Chapter 1317 Everyone present knew about the grudges between Ethan and Yale. However, Olivia didn''t restore her marriage with Ethan. It was clear that they were close. She definitely didn''t show up to help Yale. She was the one person present that didn''t have any reason to lie. She didn''t speak ill of Krystal because of the grudge she had with her. Neither did she help her because Yale was Ethan''s biggest rival. She didn''t know what lies Krystal and Lisa fed Mason. Regardless, Molly shouldn''t be the sacrifice for the benefit of these two families. Lisa was visibly displeased when she heard what Olivia said. But she was just a maid and an outsider, so she had no right to speak up in such a sensitive situation. Linus nodded. He had been too busy before and didn''t have the time to ask Olivia. "So, that''s what happened. No wonder you''re here." Olivia had just returned from Carathia. She didn''t even get to rest before getting involved in something like this. She felt a little speechless. Yale nodded at her. "Thanks for your fair statement, Ms. Fordham." "You don''t have to thank me. I was just describing the truth I saw as an outsider." Krystal gritted her teeth in anger. From her perspective, it felt like Olivia was kicking her while she was down. "You''re all birds of the same feather. You just want to use this incident as an excuse to drive me out of the family. "Olivia Fordham! Even if I lose the Heath family''s protection, I''ll still have my brother. Why don''t you try and kick him out, too?" "Insolence!" Mason was so angry he started breathing heavily. "How dare you act so arrogantly? You did something so horrible, but you''re not reflecting on your actions. "Instead, you''re shifting the me to everyone and everything else. Have you ever thought about whose fault it is?¡± Yale looked at Krystal coldly. "It doesn''t matter whose fault it is. I''ve already stated all my demands. "Mr. Heath, if you still want to protect Krystal, I will fight against the Heath family with all I have. I need justice for my sister!" After saying that, he bowed deeply. "I''m very thankful for all that you''ve taught me, Mr. and Mrs. Heath. From now on, I''ll be going my separate ways with you. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "I won''t shirk from any responsibility that I need to shoulder, but I won''t hold back when ites to getting the justice I deserve either." Linus said calmly, "You should know that blowing this out of proportion would be detrimental to both our families. ¡°We''ll take responsibility for Krystal''s wrongdoing. We''ll try our best to make it up to you. "Why do you have to take this to court? It would only cause both our families shame." Yale smiled bitterly. "Yeah. Why?" Then, he suddenly turned around and pointed at Krystal. He suddenly raised his voice. "It''s because she''s the high and mighty daughter of the Heath family. This incident would be minimized until itpletely disappeared, just like all the things she had done in the past. "Stealing credit from others, forcing others over the edge, and doing whatever she wanted to. There will always be someone to clean up her mess no matter what she does." The Heaths were visibly upset. They didn''t expect Yale to bring up such embarrassing matters in that situation. Although Olivia didn''t know what happened exactly, she could guess that things weren''t as simple as they seemed. The Heaths had cleaned up a lot of the messes Krystal made in the past. She became so unhinged and arrogant because her family spoiled her. She would never think for her victims. All she would think about was how they deserved it and how she could get away with it. A person like Krystal wouldn''t be missed even if she died. But the child in her womb was unlucky. It was about to be dragged into its mother''s mess before it was fully formed. Chapter 1318 Chapter 1318 The Heaths didn''t expect Yale to be so determined. No one thought he was putting on an act anymore. Linus reminded, "If you really want to take this to court, we''ll also hire the bestwyers. "She''ll be charged with assault in the worst-case scenario. And since she''s pregnant, we''ll be able to apply for probation." Olivia had known that the Heaths were protective of their own. But seeing it in person still left a bad taste in her mouth. Even though Molly wasn''t anyone to her, she still clenched her fists when she recalled how Krystal beat up Molly. She knew that the strong ruled over the weak in this world. Even with her current position, not everything would go her way. There were still plenty of things she couldn''t do. She had no choice but to step away from this depressing situation. "Grandpa, I''ll go to the kitchen and prepare the medicinal foods." Mason nodded with relief. Do your best, Olivia." Olivia tried to hold her tongue, but she still said it. "Tam not doing this for the Heath family. I''m doing this for my patient." She walked away after she said that. She wouldn''t be of any use there. Power was everything. Olivia went to the backyard and saw Ethan standing under the plum tree. The snow was falling beside him. They made him seem like a handsome prince that came out of a painting. "Ethan." Olivia went over to him dejectedly. Ethan drew her into her embrace. "Did they pick on you?" Olivia shook her head. She said dispiritedly, No one in the Heath family would do that. I just... feel bad for Molly." She understood what Yale was going through all too well. It was just like how she tried to scrape together funds for Jeff''s surgery back then. Ethan could''ve helped her very easily, but he chose not to save Jeff because of how he was feeling back then. Yale was as helpless as she used to be. Both of them were powerless to fight back against the people with more authority than them. There was no way they could win against people who had so much power. Ethan patted her on the head. ¡°You don''t have to be so considerate of them. Everyone has their own way of life. Do not punish yourself for other people''s mistakes. iy ¡°Honestly, I used to hate Yale. But he has changed my perspective of him today. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. He stood up to the Heaths for his sister." Olivia sighed. "He knows that Krystal probably won''t be prosecuted even if he filed awsuit. But he chose to stick to his decision anyway. "Linus and Grandpa are taking Krystal''s side. He looked quite pitiable by himself." "Silly woman, it''s only natural for family to side with their own, just like when you were in Carathia. "T was afraid that Wayne would do something crazy if we forced his hand. ¡°We were in his country, after all. If he suddenly threw a fit and didn''t allow you to leave, I wouldn''t be able to do anything. "IT could only call Linus for help. He rushed to the scene for you, an S-ranked ck Raven assassin. That''s also him showing you favoritism. "T know. I just... think about Molly''s face when I close my eyes. "She had told me how badly she wanted to give birth to that child. She would protect that child with her life, but..." Olivia had be more hardened over the years, but she still couldn''t help but sob. "I''m a mother, too. I experienced an abortion before. I was also bullied to the point that J couldn''t fight back. "So, I understand what she''s going through. I want to do something for her, but I''m with the Heath family. Grandpa and Linus have been so good to me." Ethan kissed the tears away from the corner of her eyes. "You''ve never changed. You''re still as kind as ever. You can''t do anything. Neither of us can do anything about this. "If you really feel bad for her, you should nurse her back to health with your skills. That could be a way to atone for the sins of the Heath family." Chapter 1319 Chapter 1319 After Olivia left, Yale stood there with no one by his side. His height and build were simr to Ethan''s, but the main difference was he would try to appear more humble and polite. He would reflexively bend his back a little when facing people with seniority or authority over him. On the other hand, Ethan would keep his head held high no matter who he was with. Ethan was born the heir of the Miller family. The family had great expectations for him. He managed to make a great career for himself in the military. He was like a proud king. The Kingstons were a little bit moreplicated. Yale was forced to be better since he was born. He had to tread carefully with every step he took. He didn''t want to do what he had been doing, but the Kingston family threatened him with Molly. The illustrious Kingston family needed someone to bear the darkness of the family. Yale was the scapegoat of the family that handled all its dirty work. His younger brother was a good-for-nothing from a young age. All he ever did was have fun. Yale was the one that shouldered the burden of responsibility of the farnily. He didn''t love Krystal, but she was a stepping stone toward the Heath family. So, the Kingstons forced him to be with her. He did all the things he did for Molly''s sake. But Krystal hurt her very badly. The family''s honor, his own reputation, and his career were nothingpared to the baby that was in Molly''s womb and the pain she suffered that day. He knew what he wanted to do was very hard. He might not even have the chance to seed. It might all be futile in the end. But he had lived for the Kingston family for far too long. This time, he wanted to live for himself. "Yale, you''re a good kid. Please give Krystal a chance. She can''t be branded as a criminal." "Mrs. Heath, if I gave her a chance, who would give the baby that was dead before its time a chance? "She didn''t even know my sister, and yet she beat her up so badly. "I know some people are born with more privilege than others. Molly couldn''t choose the identity she was born with. "She couldn''t change her fate. But, as her brother, I can choose to help her." Mason didn''t say anything. He just looked at Yale calmly with a stern demeanor. "T talked with your grandfather on the phone a while ago. He had apletely different attitude. Are you nning to disobey him as well?" "This time, I''ll listen to my conscience. I won''t regret it, even if I have to sever ties with the Kingston family." Yale''s gaze was cold. "IT know the tricks that the Heath family uses. Even if I can''t win this case, I won''t let Krystal off so easily. "I''ve been in this position for many years. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. I have some tricks of my own as well." Yale had never been so defiant before. "I know that nothing good woulde out of crossing you. Even so, I need Krystal to pay for what she did. I''ll excuse myself." Yale left after he said that. His words were clearly a warning to the Heaths¡ªto tell them not to pull any tricks because he would have more tricks up his sleeve. Mason looked at Yale''s proud stance. He smiled mysteriously and said, "If he could have grown a backbone earlier, [ would''ve trusted him with responsibilities earlier." "What do you mean, Dad? Are you really going to sacrifice me?" Krystal asked nervously. Mason ignored her. Talking to a dumb person like her was a waste of his breath. He looked at Tatiana. "Go to the hospital with Oliviater." Tatiana immediately understood what Mason wanted. ¡°Alright. Since she was the one who started it, it''s only fair that it ends with her." Chapter 1320 Chapter 1320 Krytal was starting to panic. "What about me, Dad? You have to help me!" Mason looked at her coldly. "Get out of my sight." Lisa tugged on Krystal''s sleeve. She was afraid that Krystal would misread the situation and say something that would make Mason even angrier. "Ms. Heath, let''s get your injury fixed up. You''re still pregnant. This child is very important. You have to be very careful." If she didn''t have the baby, she would really have to go to jail! Mason nced at Linus. "Take this insufferable fool away and dress her wound. Butler, bring me more tea. As for you..." Mason turned to look at Lisa. Lisa felt her chest tighten and almost got on her knees instinctively. "Stay here, you. I have questions for you." "Yes, sir." After almost everyone had left the room, Lisa clutched her shirt tightly and asked uneasily, "Mr. Heath, what questions do you have for me?" Lisa felt very uneasy when Mason stared at her without talking. "I remember that when you got home, you said that Krystal only started hitting her because that woman and Olivia taunted her. "You also said that Olivia was the one who intentionally lured you there. That she did it to intensify the conflict between the Kingstons and us so that the Millers woulde out on top. "Why is the truthpletely different from what you told us?" Lisa had tried to lie and made the situation more favorable for Krystal as soon as they got back to the Heath Residence. She intentionally angered Tatiana so she would be on Krystal''s side. Olivia wasn''t there anyway, and Linus, who cameter, didn''t know what actually happened. But Lisa never expected there to be cameras. And the truth was out. It proved that everything she said was a lie. Her knees gave out, and she dropped to the ground. She said fearfully, "Mr. Heath, I know how you are. I know you wouldn''t let Ms. Heath off easily if you knew the truth. ¡°That was why I exaggerated the situation a little. I did it for Ms. Heath''s sake. "She''s still pregnant. She wouldn''t be able to endure any punishment you might put her through." "You were the one that raised Krystal. I never doubt the fact that you are looking out for her. So, that''s the reason you ndered Olivia?" Lisa started to p herself. "It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have lied. Please forgive me, Mr. Heath." Mason stared at her without saying anything. Lisa didn''t dare to stop. She continued to p herself repeatedly. The butler walked in and saw what was happening, but he didn''t dare to say a word. He ced the teacup on the table. Lisa pped herself dozens of times. Her cheeks were getting swollen. Mason finally relented. "Alright, you may go. Remember to do your job properly in the future, and never run your mouth again." "Yes, sir. Understood." After Lisa left, the butler, Lester Harris, spoke up. "Mr. Heath, what are you nning to do?" Lester used to be one of Mason''s personal assistants. He was transferred to the role of butler. The Heath family was back in Mason''s control. Things like Olivia being bullied when she just moved in would never happen again. Just as he got his family affairs in order, something else went wrong. ¡°There''s something fishy about this Lisa woman." There was a gleam in Mason''s eyes. He was experienced enough to see some things clearly with just a nce. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Investigate her. I feel like she''s hiding some secret." "Yes, Mr. Heath." In the past, he used to think that Lisa was an honest and efficient worker. But judging from how she beat Florence up in the video, she was a two-faced person who was full of lies! She even tried to drag Olivia into this. The things she did were more than what a maid would do for their employer. People always do things for a reason. The things she did for Krystal were too much. Chapter 1321 Chapter 1321 Olivia was cooking medicinal foods in the kitchen when Tatiana walked in. She even asked a maid to prepare a chicken and some nourishing ingredients. Olivia was surprised to see Tatiana put on an apron. The ingredients she asked for didn''t seem to be ingredients for a soup for Mason. They were more like ingredients for someone who had just had a miscarriage. "Grandma, are you cooking for Molly?" Tatiana used to look down on Olivia. She finally understood that Olivia was a doctor with morals when she saw her trying so hard to protect Molly in the camera footage. When she was operating on Mason, she wasn''t thinking about what she could gain from it. She was only thinking about Mason''s well-being. Or else, she wouldn''t have protected the sister of Ethan''s rival. But because of her preconception about Olivia, she had always thought Olivia was a very cunning woman. Tatiana sighed. "I''ll be honest with you. I''m not trying to appear nice to them. I really do want to atone for the crime that Krystal "I do also think that she was treated very unfairly and cruelly." For some reason, probably because Molly was beaten up so badly by Krystal, Tatiana felt her chest tighten when she thought about Molly. She really didn''t deserve what happened to her. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Meeting Olivia''s prying gaze, Tatiana smiled bitterly. "I know you must feel like Krystal is a bad-tempered and dumb person. "She wasn''t with us when she was young. She only came to live with us after she was grown up. "That was why we spoiled her rotten. No one expected her to be like this. "As her mother, I''m ashamed of her actions. I just want to do something within my power to make up for the harm she has caused. "Understood." Olivia didn''t say anything else. Both of them finished cooking at about the same time. They put the food into thermal containers. "Let''s go, Grandma." Yale''s subordinates were standing guard outside the ward, forbidding anyone from entering. They only allowed them to enter because they saw Olivia. In terms of medical prowess, Mason was the best testament to Olivia''s capabilities. Yale was counting on her to nurse Molly back to health. So, he was very courteous to her. Just as they got to the door, they heard a woman''s shrill voice. Mrs. Kingston put her hands on her hips and said, "Don''t forget that we are the ones who gave you everything you have. "So what if you had a miscarriage? You would have deserved it even if Ms. Heath beat you to death. "How dare you tell Yale to say all those disrespectful things to the Heaths? I knew I shouldn''t have adopted an ungrateful bitch like you.. "Mom, I didn''t do that. I just woke up. I don''t know what happened. I didn''t tell Yale to do anything. Please believe..." Mrs. Kingston gave Molly a resounding p. "Ms. Heath was right. You''re just a homewrecker. You..." Tatiana dropped her usually gentle demeanor and burst through the door. "How domineering of you, Mrs. Kingston." Adalia quickly changed her attitude when she saw Tatiana. She greeted Tatiana with a slight bow. "Why have youe, Mrs. Heath? This bitch is not worthy of your time." Olivia quickly went over to Molly''s side. She ced the food containers aside and asked gently, "Are you okay?" "I... I''m fine," Molly replied softly. Tatiana didn''t get a good look at Molly from the security footage. She finally got a good look at Molly, who was lying in bed. She was very slender. Her forehead was bandaged, and her face was swollen. One side was pped by Krystal. The other was just pped by Adalia. Her skin was very pale, so the slightest blemish was very obvious. Molly was trying her best to hold back the tears in her eyes. Olivia and Tatiana couldn''t help but feel bad for her. Chapter 1322 Tatiana snorted. "If I didn''te, how would I find out how you treat your own daughter, Mrs. Kingston." "She''s just a brat that we adopted. We provided for her out of kindness. But she actually dared to sow discord between Yale and Ms. Heath. She caused this marriage to crumble. ¡°I think Ms. Heath was right. She deserved that beating!" Olivia felt like Krystal was Adalia''s daughter instead. Both of them were extremely foul-mouthed. Tatiana was a mother who loved her children. Although Linus had a strict upbringing, she would slip him some knee pads she made herself when he was punished and had to kneel for long periods of time. That was also why she spoiled Krystal rotten. She would never allow anyone to harm her children. She ignored Adalia and went to Molly''s side. She asked gently, "How are you doing, child?" Molly looked at the pretty and elegant woman whom she didn''t know cautiously. ¡°I''m okay." "How are you? Look at how swollen your face is!" Adalia knew that Tatiana had toe over to attempt to make amends because Krystal was the perpetrator. She gave Molly a look. "This is Mrs. Heath. You should feel honored that she came in person to visit you." Molly took a good look at Tatiana. So, this was Krystal''s mother? They looked nothing like each other. Be it looks or temperament, they werepletely different. It made her feel closer to Tatiana. She quickly came back to her senses. She was just a nobody. She didn''t have the right to think of Tatiana like that. She lowered her head apologetically. ¡°Thanks, Mrs. Heath. I''m fine. Thanks foring to visit me." Olivia brought over some ointment for Molly''s swollen face. She walked in and saw how meek Molly was being. She was even trying to get off the bed. Olivia couldn''t help but feel bad for Molly. ¡°You just underwent dtion and curettage. Your stomach should still be hurting. You should just stay in bed. "Don''t get up. Mrs. Heath doesn''t care about such things." Tatiana helped Molly back into the bed. ¡°Lay down, and don''t move." Olivia was about to apply the ointment on Molly when Tatiana took it from her. "Let me do it." "Okay." Olivia saw that Adalia was about to talk again. She spoke up and told her to leave. "Mrs. Kingston, Molly needs to rest now. Why don''t you just go home for home." Adalia wasn''t about to give up on the chance to talk to Tatiana in private. ¡°I don''t have anything else to do. I came here specifically to take care of Molly." ¡°This is how you take care of your daughter?" Tatiana pointed at the swollen hand mark on Molly''s face. Her words made Adalia feel awkward. "l don''t know what came over me. I..." "She was just in surgery and is devastated that she lost her baby. She needs rest, not me or a scolding.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Mrs. Kingston, please leave. Olivia is a professional doctor. She''ll be able to provide Molly with the care she needs." Adalia was a little upset, but she didn''t dare to cross Olivia or Tatiana. So, she left after exchanging pleasantries for a little while longer. As soon as she left, it felt like the air in the room cleared up. The annoying voice was gone. Tatiana applied the ointment on Molly''s face gently. Molly was overwhelmed. She wanted to get off the bed again. "Mrs. Heath, you don''t have to do this for me. I''m just a worthless nobody. I won''t me Ms. Heath for this. "Please forgive my brother. If he said anything to offend you in a fit of rage, I apologize in his stead." Chapter 1323 Molly was naive, but she wasn''t dumb. She knew something happened because of what Adalia said. Yale loved her so much. She didn''t know what extreme measures he would take when he saw her in this state. Adalia couldn''t do anything about Yale. So, she came here to vent her frustration. Molly hated the fact that she was a burden to Yale. She was about to get on her knees on the bed to apologize to Tatiana. Seeing how scared and uneasy she was, Tatiana and Olivia helped her lay down properly on the bed again. Olivia snapped, "Don''t move! Do you want to bleed out and die?" Molly didn''t know anything about medicine. She only felt like there was some bleeding in herher region after she moved. This was a normal physiological phenomenon after dtion and curettage. But she froze when she thought about what Olivia said. She was scared of dying because Yale would lose his mind if she died. Tatiana sighed when she saw how docile Molly was. She was a very pitiable person. It might seem like she was just trying to make amends in Krystal''s stead, but Tatiana actually felt bad for Molly. She heard that Molly''s adoption was just a charity act for publicity. Judging from Adalia¡¯s attitude, Tatiana could guess how hard Molly''s life was in the Kingston household. She was the one who was beaten up, and yet she was the one who apologized. She really had it rough. "Alright, Molly, you have to rx. Don''t be so nervous." Tatiana continued to apply the ointment on Molly. ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere else?" Tatiana''s voice was very gentle. Molly, who had never experienced motherly love in her life, suddenly teared up. "Mrs. Heath, my... my stomach hurts." Olivia frowned. "Why didn''t you say so earlier? Aren''t you on patient- controlled analgesia?"Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. It was normal for a patient''s stomach to hurt after dtion and curettage. Molly was in such a bad state. Her pain would definitely be several times worse than a normal patient. "Maybe they forgot.¡± It could be understandable if normal families didn''t want to spend the money for patient-controlled analgesia, but the Kingstons could very well afford it. Besides, this was Chris¡¯ hospital. Ethan had told him to take good care of the patients. There was only one reason why patient-controlled analgesia wasn''t used. Adalia stopped the nurses from using it! She med Molly for all the things that Yale did. That was why she was making things difficult for Molly even when Molly was already in such a bad condition. Olivia and Tatiana looked at each other. Both of them had guessed why Molly wasn''t using any patient-controlled analgesia. They used to be at odds, but they were strangely in sync at that very moment. ¡°I''ll get a nurse to give you some right now." Olivia exited the room, went to look for Chris, and scolded him harshly. Chris asked a nurse to hook Molly up with some patient-controlled analgesia. Then, he said with an aggrieved expression, "Olivia, you didn''t see how vicious Mrs. Kingston was. She forbade us from providing Molly with patient-controlled analgesia. "That was her daughter, so we could only respect her wishes as the patient''s family member." Olivia was aware that Chris didn''t have a choice. The Kingstons were an influential family of politicians. He couldn''t afford to get on their bad side. ¡°I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have taken it out on you." Olivia was just frustrated to see Molly in such a horrible state. "Where did Yale go?" Olivia asked anxiously. "He was here the whole time. He only left after Molly''s surgery was finished. I think he went to get changed. He didn''t want to scare Molly with his bloodied clothes." So, that was why Adalia was able to get the chance to bully Molly. "Keep an eye out on her." Chris raised an eyebrow. "Have you forgotten that Yale tried to expose your ex-husband''s identity a few years ago? "He caused the two of you to be chased after by assassins, and the two of you almost died. "This is a great chance to get revenge on him. Why are you helping him so much?" "Molly should have to pay for what Yale did. We shouldn''t kick people when they''re already down. Besides, he already got what he deserved.¡± Chapter 1324 There were only two people left in the room. Molly was given patient-controlled analgesia, so she wasn''t in as much pain as before. Tatiana looked at her tenderly. "Do you feel better now?" Molly nodded. "I feel better. You don''t have to care about me, Mrs. Heath. I won''t hate Ms. Heath for this. ¡°I was in the wrong. It was all my fault. Please forgive Yale for his actions.¡± "The two of you are very close, aren''t you?" Tatiana sighed. Yale was willing to give everything up for Molly''s sake and ran into the Heath Residence alone. He was even prepared to cut ties with the Kingston family. On the other hand, Molly was badly beaten up, but the only thing on her mind was Yale. ¡°Don''t worry. I''m here to apologize for what Krystal did. It doesn''t matter if you''re angry at her or not. ¡°It''s a fact that she did something wrong. We won''t cover it up for her." Tatiana originally came here to do exactly that. She wanted Molly to talk Yale out of filing thatwsuit. But she couldn''t find it in her to speak when she saw how submissive Molly was, which was a stark contrast to how Krystal acted. ¡°You must be hungry. Olivia and I made some food. You don''t have to worry about anything else for now." Molly was in such a weakened state, but Adalia didn''t even bring her any food. She might not be her biological daughter, but it was still a very cruel way to treat her. Tatiana opened the container with chicken soup. "Have some soup. I made it with some free-range chicken. Try and see if it tastes good." "Mrs. Heath, I-I''m unworthy of eating your cooking. I''m just¡ª" Tatiana''s chest tightened when she saw Molly acting so fearfully and timidly. "Give it a try and see if it''s good. Don''t be afraid. It''s a little hot." After Molly took a few sips, Tatiana asked, "How is it? You''re still recovering, so I made it milder." Molly''s tears fell into the chicken soup and stirred up some ripples. ¡°It''s delicious. Thanks, Mrs. Heath." Molly wiped her tears hastily. "Mrs. Heath, I''m not crying on purpose.¡± The Kingstons would say she was trying to seduce men with her tears and yell profanities at her. She thought Tatiana would do the same. Unexpectedly, Tatiana just held her hand gently. "Don''t cry when you''re still recovering from a miscarriage. Crying is bad for your eyes." For some reason, Tatiana felt like someone held a tight grip on her heart when Molly cried. It pained her to see Molly cry. "Since I''m free, I''ll cook some chicken soup for you every day from now on." "You really don''t have to do that, Mrs. Heath. Are you here because Yale wants to sue Ms. Heath?T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "He is a very stubborn man. Don''t worry. I''ll definitely convince him to drop thiswsuit." Tatiana felt even more remorseful when she met Molly''s pure and innocent gaze. She changed her mind. She took Molly''s hand and said, "Krystal is the one in the wrong. Anything Yale does would be justified. I won''t try to talk him out of anything. ¡°I''m just here to check on you. Don''t be sad. You''re making me feel bad as well." Molly started to sip on the soup in silence. Tatiana looked at how well-mannered Molly was. She was the ideal daughter that Tatiana wanted. Linus didn''t look like her but was the spitting image of Mason. Krystal was just nothing like her. She had done nothing but cause trouble ever since she was brought back to the family. In the past, Tatiana just drew it up to Krystal being immature because she was still just a child. But Olivia, who was even younger than Krystal, and even Molly, were very well-behaved. So, Tatiana started to reflect on her past actions. They were wrong from the start. They kept cleaning up Krystal''s messes and caused her to grow into an entitled person. She would never think that she was in the wrong. This time, Tatiana didn''t want to clean up Krystal''s mess anymore. Chapter 1325 Chapter 1325 Tatiana took Molly''s hand. "Molly, I really feel bad for you. Mrs. Kingston mistreats you, doesn''t she?" Molly didn''t dare to speak ill of other people. So, she shook her head. "She... She just lost her temper today." "You must''ve had a sad childhood with a foster parent like her. If you are willing, why don''t you be my goddaughter? "You won''t be bullied anymore with the Heath family''s protection." Molly was stunned. She stammered, "I. I." She knew that Tatiana was just trying to talk her out of pressing charges. But she never intended to press charges against Krystal. The door was suddenly opened. It was Yale who had showered and changed into a new set of clothes. "Molly!" Yale looked anxious, but he was momentarily stunned when he saw Tatiana. Then he realized why Tatiana was there. His gaze quickly turned cautious. "Mrs. Heath." Tatiana thought about what Yale said back at the Heath Residence. She understood how he felt after she met Molly. So, she wasn''t angry. "I''m just here to check on Molly. I was just saying how we got along well, and I want her to be my goddaughter." Yale wasn''t happy at all. He smiled mockingly. "Mrs. Heath, you''re really pulling out all the stops just to help Krystal get off scot-free, aren''t you?" Tatiana was a little embarrassed. "Yes, that was what I wanted to do initially, but I changed my mind. I." Yale didn''t listen to a single word she said. He was destined to have to stand against everyone since he made the decision to stand with Molly. "Mrs. Heath, I''ve already cut ties with the Kingston family officially. I don''t care how the Kingstons try to suck up to the Heath family. "As Molly''s brother, I just want to get justice for my sister. "As for these tricks you''re trying to pull, I suggest you give up on them. I won''t give up on thiswsuit." Yale gestured for Tatiana to leave. "The hospital doesn''t suit you. I''ll take care of my own sister. Please leave." Tatiana opened her mouth, but she ended up not saying anything. Truth be told, nothing she could say would change Yale''s mind. She patted Molly on the shoulder. "Rest well. I really did cook this soup. Be sure to finish it. I''ll visit you again next time." Molly didn''t know what to say. She couldn''t reveal her rtionship with Yale to Tatiana. So, she bit her lip before saying, "Thanks foring to visit me." Yale escorted Tatiana to the door. "I still need to take care of her, so I won''t be seeing you off." As soon as Tatiana walked out the door, Yale mmed the door shut behind her. Olivia witnessed that as she returned to the room. She couldn''t help but smile at the irony. Yale used to be very subservient to the Heaths. It was theplete opposite this time. It was true that people would lose their fear when they didn''t have anything else to lose. "Grandma, did they drive you out?" Olivia actually joked with Tatiana. She realized that Tatiana wasn''t as bad as she thought she was when she saw Tatiana cook for Molly personally. The truly despicable ones were people like Krystal and Lisa. They were rotten to the core. Theyid their hands on a pregnant woman and her baby. Tatiana shrugged. "You saw everything, didn''t you?" "I''ll go downstairs with you." Olivia actually wanted to ask Tatiana some questions. "Grandma, has Lisa been working for you for a long time?" "Why are you bringing her up all of a sudden?" "She was the one who led the charge into the Kingston Residence. "When everyone was focused on Krystal beating Molly up, they neglected the fact that Lisa was attacking Molly''s maid. I''ve never seen a normal person attack others so viciously." Tatiana frowned as she started to think back to what was in the security footage. "What are you trying to say?" Olivia didn''t have any proof. She could only offer a warning.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1326 Chapter 1326 Tatiana thought about what Olivia said on the way home. Honestly, her attention waspletely on Krystal and Molly. She wasn''t in the mood to care about anyone else. Olivia''s words made her feel like something was wrong. Back when Krystal was driven out of the Heath family, Lisa was the one who said she wanted to talk some sense into Krystal. She went to where Krystal was and never returned. She gave Tatiana a call and told her that she wanted to stay there and take care of Krystal. Krystal didn''t have any experience taking care of babies. Lisa was a meticulous person and had been taking care of Krystal since she was a child. It was only natural that the two of them were close. She got back to the Heath Residence as she was spacing out and walked right into Mason. Mason looked at her. "What are you lost in thought about? Did you aplish what you went to do?" Tatiana snapped back to reality. "Do you have a copy of the video that Yale yed?" "Linus kept a copy. Why?" "I need to take a look at it." They turned on the video in the bedroom. This time, Tatiana''s attention was focused on Lisa. As expected, the entire incident was different when Lisa was at the center of attention, from her entering the Kingston Residence to her attacking Florence. If Krystal attacked Molly because of a misunderstanding, then why would Lisa have a grudge against a maid? Florence was pretty badly injured. Tatiana saw the arrogance and viciousness on Lisa''s face. It waspletely different from the usually hardworking and honest maid that she was. Instead, her expression seemed a little familiar. "Wait. Pause the video," Mason said. Tatiana did as he said. The video stopped at Krystal and Lisa having the same smug expression after having beaten up their respective victims. Tatiana grabbed Mason''s hand. "Mason, don''t you think the two of them look alike?" Mason remained silent with an upset expression, but he clearly had some ideas forming in his mind. Tatiana quickly dropped the unrealistic thought. "What nonsense am I spewing? Lisa raised Krystal since she was just a child. It''s probably just facial mimicry." "I seem to remember that Lisa also gave birth to a child, right?" "That''s right. We gave birth to our babies almost simultaneously. But she was unlucky. "Her baby died shortly after birth. That was why she offered to be Krystal''s nanny. "I figured that I knew her well, and it wouldn''t impact my body''s recovery. It would even help her get through the pain of losing her baby. So, I agreed." "Then, Krystal was sent to the countryside. Lisa also volunteered to tag along to care for Krystal." Tatiana tightened her grip on Mason''s hand. "What are you trying to say, Mason?" "Usually, Lisa''s a hardworking and efficient employee when she''s with us. She always seemed like an honest person. "But she was spinning all sorts of lies today and tried to twist the facts. "Do you think we would believe her or Yale if Yale didn''t have the security footage?" Lisa was Krystal''s trusted aide. Their first reaction would undoubtedly be to trust Lisa. But they ended up being fooled by her. "The footage and the information I gathered imply that Lisa isn''t really a good person." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Mason concluded, "This incident was single-handedly caused by her. From tricking Yale to take the memory card from the dashcam to bringing those people to Kingston Residence. They were all her ideas all along." "Why would she want to do that? Is she trying to set Krystal up?" Mason said coldly, "No, she wasn''t trying to harm Krystal. It''s theplete opposite. "She loves Krystal too much, so much so that she was willing to cover up Krystal''s wrongdoing like us. "She didn''t want any harm to befall Krystal." "Do you mean..." "Krystal ispletely unrted to her. Why would she care about Krystal to this degree?" Chapter 1327 Chapter 1327 Tatiana thought about what Olivia said on the way home. Honestly, her attention waspletely on Krystal and Molly. She wasn''t in the mood to care about anyone else. Olivia''s words made her feel like something was wrong. Back when Krystal was driven out of the Heath family, Lisa was the one who said she wanted to talk some sense into Krystal. She went to where Krystal was and never returned. She gave Tatiana a call and told her that she wanted to stay there and take care of Krystal. Krystal didn''t have any experience taking care of babies. Lisa was a meticulous person and had been taking care of Krystal since she was a child. It was only natural that the two of them were close. She got back to the Heath Residence as she was spacing out and walked right into Mason. Mason looked at her. "What are you lost in thought about? Did you aplish what you went to do?" Tatiana snapped back to reality. "Do you have a copy of the video that Yale yed?" "Linus kept a copy. Why?" "I need to take a look at it." They turned on the video in the bedroom. This time, Tatiana''s attention was focused on Lisa. As expected, the entire incident was different when Lisa was at the center of attention, from her entering the Kingston Residence to her attacking Florence. If Krystal attacked Molly because of a misunderstanding, then why would Lisa have a grudge against a maid? Florence was pretty badly injured. Tatiana saw the arrogance and viciousness on Lisa''s face. It waspletely different from the usually hardworking and honest maid that she was. Instead, her expression seemed a little familiar. "Wait. Pause the video," Mason said. Tatiana did as he said. The video stopped at Krystal and Lisa having the same smug expression after having beaten up their respective victims. Tatiana grabbed Mason''s hand. "Mason, don''t you think the two of them look alike?" Mason remained silent with an upset expression, but he clearly had some ideas forming in his mind. Tatiana quickly dropped the unrealistic thought. "What nonsense am I spewing? Lisa raised Krystal T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. since she was just a child. It''s probably just facial mimicry." "I seem to remember that Lisa also gave birth to a child, right?" "That''s right. We gave birth to our babies almost simultaneously. But she was unlucky. "Her baby died shortly after birth. That was why she offered to be Krystal''s nanny. "I figured that I knew her well, and it wouldn''t impact my body''s recovery. It would even help her get through the pain of losing her baby. So, I agreed." "Then, Krystal was sent to the countryside. Lisa also volunteered to tag along to care for Krystal." Tatiana tightened her grip on Mason''s hand. "What are you trying to say, Mason?" "Usually, Lisa''s a hardworking and efficient employee when she''s with us. She always seemed like an honest person. "But she was spinning all sorts of lies today and tried to twist the facts. "Do you think we would believe her or Yale if Yale didn''t have the security footage?" Lisa was Krystal''s trusted aide. Their first reaction would undoubtedly be to trust Lisa. But they ended up being fooled by her. "The footage and the information I gathered imply that Lisa isn''t really a good person." Mason concluded, "This incident was single-handedly caused by her. From tricking Yale to take the memory card from the dashcam to bringing those people to Kingston Residence. They were all her ideas all along." "Why would she want to do that? Is she trying to set Krystal up?" Mason said coldly, "No, she wasn''t trying to harm Krystal. It''s theplete opposite. "She loves Krystal too much, so much so that she was willing to cover up Krystal''s wrongdoing like us. "She didn''t want any harm to befall Krystal." "Do you mean..." "Krystal ispletely unrted to her. Why would she care about Krystal to this degree?" Chapter 1328 Chapter 1328 In the past, she thought she had found true love. But she finally understood that the love of a man was fleeting. The only people who truly loved her were her family. "Lisa, I finally understand that no matter what I do, my family might yell at me, but they will still clean up my mess. "Look at Mom. She said she didn''t want to do anything for me anymore, but she still cooked some soup and brought it to that bitch in person." Krystal said smugly, "My dad said he wanted to cut ties with me, but he didn''t mean it. He probably already came to an agreement with the Kingstons in private." The door opened right after she said that. Linus brought a doctor with him. "Linus, what''s the situation?" Linus didn''t say much. His tone was cold. "I just got someone to give you a checkup. You shouldn''t have done that when you''re pregnant." "Linus, you know that I''ve always been physically fit. It''s just beating someone up. That''s no problem for me. "The only issue is I got some stitches on my forehead. Is Dad still angry?" Linus felt a sense of disdain when he realized that Krystal waspletely unrepentant. He also thought about the woman she beat up for no reason. "Let''s do the checkup first."'' When Lisa noticed that they were about to take a blood sample, she stopped them nervously. "Mr. Heath, why is there a need for a blood sample? I thought it was a physical checkup?" Linus shot her a cold nce. "Do I need to exin myself to you?" "That... That''s not it. I just feel like there''s no need for that. Ms. Heath''s in good health, there is no need for this." "Lisa, Linus is just worried about me and the baby. He has always been cautious and meticulous." Krystal didn''t think too much about it as she rolled up her sleeve. "Take the sample." Lisa had a bad feeling about it when the needle was stuck into Krystal''s arm. Sheforted herself by telling herself that the Heaths wouldn''t find out about this so soon. But the look that Mason gave her just kept appearing in her mind. It made her anxious. After taking the blood sample, the doctor also performed a checkup. "Don''t worry, Mr. Heath. Ms. Heath is perfectly healthy. The baby is fine, too." "I told you so. Nothing would happen to me. It''s just a pity that I didn''t manage to kill that bitch. Yale actually went crazy for her." Linus waved his hand and gestured for the doctor to leave. Seeing that he was about to leave, Krystal grabbed Linus'' wrist. "Linus, did Yale relent?" Linus looked at his wrist and said in a heavy tone, "Other than that, don''t you have anything else you want to say about this mess you made?" Perhaps some expression of guilt or remorse would be nice. But neither of these emotions appeared in Krystal''s eyes. Instead, there was even more viciousness in her eyes. "Linus, I know I was wrong. I shouldn''t have angered Dad and got myself driven out. I wouldn''t have gotten pregnant otherwise." "What I meant was, you don''t have anything you want to say to Molly Kingston?" Krystal suddenly got angry at the mention of that name. "Linus, she''s just the adoptive daughter of the Kingstons. Do you think it''s possible that Yale likes her? "He is actually making a fuss because of a lowly peasant like her. Does he think she''s on my level?" Linus broke free of her grasp. "Krystal, you''re really repulsive." He turned and left after he said that. Krystal still didn''t understand what she did wrong. "How can you say that about me, Linus? Are you going to yell at me because of an outsider, too?" Linus didn''t have anything else to say to a person like her. He exited the room and said to the person outside the room, "Watch her closely." Then, the door was locked, and Lisa''s voice came from outside the room. Krystal realized that she had been ced under house arrest.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1329 Chapter 1329 "Mr. Heath, what are you doing? Ms. Heath is still pregnant," Lisa said nervously. "It''s because she''s still pregnant that I want her to stop doing anything stupid." "Even so, there''s no need to lock her up. Why don''t you let me in so I can take care of her? I''m worried about her being alone in there." Lisa knew Krystal very well. She had been spoiled rotten since she was young. She waspletely vulnerable to setbacks. Linus took a step closer to Lisa. His face, which looked a lot like Mason''s, exuded a lot of pressure. It made Lisa feel uneasy. "You seem especially concerned about my sister, Ms. Walker." Lisa clutched her sleeves tightly. "That''s true. My baby died shortly after its birth. I raised Ms. Heath. It''s only natural that I care about her." "No wonder. I feel like she is bing more like you in terms of her appearance and personality." His words sent shockwaves through Lisa''s mind. Krystal, who was still oblivious, said, "What are you saying, Linus? I''m the daughter of the Heath family. Why would I be like a lowly maid?" Lisa''s face paled, but she added, "Ms. Heath is right. Why would she be like me? I''ll head over to Mrs. Heath." Linus stood in her path abruptly. Lisa felt even more anxious. "What is the meaning of this, Mr. Heath?" "Ms. Walker, you beat someone up so badly. Even Krystal might go to jail. Do you really think you can get out of this unscathed?" Lisa raised her head abruptly. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Heath? Is the Heath family giving up on Ms. Heath?" "What else can we do? We''ve done everything in our power, and we don''t owe her anything. It''s her own fault for doing something so stupid. "Even now, she''spletely unrepentant. We won''t stop Yale from doing whatever he wants to. Be it imprisonment or a suspended sentence, we''ll leave it up to the judge." Lisa suddenly got on her knees and started to plead with Linus. "Mr. Heath, please help her. She''s just a little spoiled, but she''s still your sister. "You can''t just let her rot in jail. Besides, if this matter goes to court, it would be a bad look for the Heath family." "You shouldn''t concern yourself with that, Ms. Walker. You also need to pay for what you did." Then, Linus gave a signal, and a few men appeared. "Ms. Walker, you should stay here for now, too. After all, you almost killed someone." Not just injured but "almost killed". Her attacks on Florence wereparable to Krystal''s attacks on Molly. Lisa''s eyes dimmed. Why was this happening? Everything was getting worse than she expected. She had thought that this time would be the same as the countless times before, that no matter how big This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. the mess was, the Heath family would sort it out. If she had known that things would end up like this, she wouldn''t have been so reckless! "Mr. Heath, please help Ms. Heath. She''s your sister! What is she going to do if you don''t help her?" Linus looked at her and said coldly, "Take her away." Lisa yelled from a distance, "Ms. Heath, you have to take care of yourself! You''ll still have a chance as long as you have the baby." "Lisa! Linus, let me out!" Krystal yelled as she knocked on the door. "Watch her closely." "Yes, Mr. Heath." Linus went to the study. "Dad, you were right. Ms. Walker acted very suspiciously. She even got on her knees to plead with me for Krystal''s sake. Do you think she''s really..." Chapter 1330 Chapter 1330 Some memories were given new meaning when the possibilities came to light. "The results will be out soon. Don''t make any assumptions before that," Mason said. "Understood." The butler came over. "Mr. Heath, this is the information on the Walker family." Mason opened the document. He got visibly upset the more he read. "The Walkers used to be a family of fishermen in a fishing vige. They have been poor for generations, right until Lisa saved Mrs. Heath''s life when she was ten. "She started working for the Benson family and worked her way up until she worked for Mrs. Heath." It should''ve been an inspiring story, but the Walker family became local bullies due to their connection with Tatiana. They went from a family of fishermen to a group of gangsters. They worked as loan sharks and even opened up some shellpanies that were suspected of moneyundering. Mason threw the document to Tatiana. "Take a good look for yourself." Tatiana said anxiously, "Mason, I really didn''t know about this. When she asked me to help with the procedure, I thought it was for a regrpany." Mason mmed his palm on the table. "What a wicked woman. This is who Lisa is." "Calm down, Dad. It won''t be worth it if you fall sick over this." Mason could feel his head throbbing, and his heartbeat started to be irregr. "My meds." Tatiana quickly got him his meds. "The truth is almost out. You don''t have to get so worked up." A DNA test would take at least several hours. Every second of the wait was excruciating. Tatiana thought about Molly again. She wondered if Adalia would make things hard for Molly after she left. She was around the same age as Krystal, but she looked so malnourished. She looked like she was about to disappear as shey on the bed. "I''ll cook some fish stew for her. She''s had a hard life." "Mom, I thought you were doing it for Krystal''s sake." Tatiana shook her head. "That''s what I nned to do at first. But you''ll understand why I''m doing this now if you see her. She''s really a poor girl." Tatiana brought the fish stew she made to the hospital. Yale''s men stopped her at the door. Linus came with her this time. He frowned and said, "Ask Yale toe out here." Yale didn''t dare to keep them waiting. He quickly appeared at the door. "Mrs. Heath, I told you not to waste your time. I won''t change my mind no matter what you do." "Yale, I''m just here to visit her." Yale wasn''t happy about it, but since they were already there, he couldn''t just send them away. So, he moved and let them in. Olivia was performing acupuncture on Molly. She got up when she noticed the two of them approaching. "Grandma, Uncle Linus." "Thanks for the hard work, Olivia. How is she doing?" Tatiana''s concern seemed genuine. Olivia shook her head. "She was poisoned at birth, so her body is weak to begin with. The brutal beating she received and the miscarriage took a lot out of her. She''s barely hanging on." "How did things end up like this?" Linus felt bad for Molly. He didn''t expect her life to have been so rough. This realization caused him to hate Krystal even more. "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of her." Tatiana set down the food container and held Molly''s hand. "Does it still hurt?" Molly''s face was still a little swollen. It was still a little off from her usual appearance. She replied weakly, "Mrs. Heath, it doesn''t hurt anymore." "How could it not hurt? We''re both women. I understand how it feels." Tatiana put an opal ne on Molly. "What is this, Mrs. Heath?" Molly felt a cool sensation on her chest. "This is a lucky charm that will keep you safe." Tatiana was a mother, after all. She cared about her children. When she learned that Krystal was pregnant, she went to a famous church and acquired a lucky charm. She wanted to give it to Krystal, but Krystalmitted this horrendous act before she was able to give it to her. Tatiana was deeply disappointed in Krystal. She held Molly''s hand and said slowly, "Molly, things will change for the better. You''ll definitely recover."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1331 Chapter 1331 Molly felt moved when she looked at Tatiana''s concerned gaze. She had never felt motherly love before. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Tatiana, who was around her mother''s age. It didn''t matter if Tatiana''s feelings were genuine or just a show. At that very moment, she felt like someone actually cared about her. "Mrs. Heath, this is too valuable. I can''t possibly ept this." "Child, just take it. I''m not using it to make you change your mind. I really just want you to get well soon." Linus put down the fruits and flowers he was holding. "Ms. Kingston, it''s our fault this time. My mother and I are not here to convince you to change your mind. We sincerely hope you''ll recover soon." Yale looked at the two of them. Clearly, he didn''t believe that they were so kind-hearted. The truth was that it didn''t matter if the result of the DNA test was out or not. The Heaths nned to cut Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ties with Krystal either way. They would''ve helped her if she was even remotely remorseful. Krystal didn''t even think she was in the wrong at all. It was as if she thought the entire world was obligated to be good to her. The Heaths were done putting up with a cruel and ungrateful person like her. Tatiana caressed Molly''s swollen cheek. "Why is it still so swollen?" Olivia exined, "Molly''s body has been ravaged by the poison since she was young. "It lowered her immunity system and made her self-recovery slower than a regr person. A wound that would take us three days to heal would take her a week or more." "How sad." Tatiana poured the fish stew out. "I made this myself. Have a taste." Molly didn''t know what to do. So, she looked at Olivia. Olivia wanted no part of the conflict, so she only spoke from the perspective of a doctor. "You should drink it. You''re in a bad condition right now and need more nourishment. Grandma is a good cook. Even my grandpa loves her cooking." Olivia wasn''t lying. She even learned from Tatiana how to get Mason hooked on her cooking. Molly then turned her gaze toward Yale, who didn''t really want her to ept these gifts. But he couldn''t exactly say it out loud. After all, they meant well. "Drink it." Molly nodded. "I''ll do it myself." "Don''t move. I''ll feed you." Linus didn''t say anything else. He looked at Yale. "Why don''t we talk?" Yale trusted Olivia a lot. "I''ll leave my sister in your hands, Dr. Fordham." "Okay." Yale and Linus walked out of the room together. Tatiana smiled bitterly. "Molly, you might think I''m just putting on an act to gain your sympathy. But I really do feel bad for you. You don''t have to have any reservations. Just focus on resting and getting better." Molly said thankfully, "Thanks." "I heard that you were adopted by the Kingstons. Do you know where your biological parents are?" Judging by how badly Adalia treated her, Molly wouldn''t have a good life even if she got better. Tatiana wanted to help her out. After all, parents would only love the children that were of their own blood. Olivia exined, "Mr. Kingston told me that she was fished out of the water. She lost all the memories of her childhood." "That''s right. Yale tried to look for my parents for me, but there weren''t any leads." "It''s okay. I''ll help you find your parents no matter what happens." Chapter 1332 Chapter 1332 Molly''s pain subsided with Tatiana''sforting words. She quickly felt drowsy as she had eaten her fill. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Tatiana asked in a whisper, "How is she?" Olivia shook her head. "She''s safe now, but it''ll be very hard for her to get pregnant." "How... How could that be? She''s still so young..." Tatiana was a woman too. She knew how painful it was for a woman to lose the ability to conceive a child. "It has to do with the poison she was fed after she was born. The dosage was very small and wasn''t enough to kill her instantly. Instead, it affected her body gradually. "Then, she was washed away by the water unexpectedly. That was how she survived and wasn''t poisoned to death. "She crossed paths with the Kingstons after that. They spent quite a lot of money to nurse her back to health. She wouldn''t have lived so many years otherwise." Olivia sighed. "She had only begun to get slightly better. Her pregnancy took a lot out of her. It''s unfortunate that she had to lose her baby in such a violent way. She''s lucky to be alive. "Don''t worry, Grandma. I''ll try my best to treat her since she''s my patient. I''m not just doing this for the Heath family. I''m doing this because of my obligations as a doctor." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Thank you." Olivia looked at the time. "Aren''t you leaving, Grandma?" She had done all that she needed to do. She wanted to ask Tatiana to go home with her. Tatiana waved her hand. "You can head back first. I''ll stay for a while longer." Olivia was a little hesitant. She knew what kind of person Tatiana was. She might be a little maniptive at times, but she also had fierce maternal instincts, which was obvious from how she treated Krystal. Initially, she thought Tatiana was just putting up a show to protect Krystal, but she changed her mind. Molly was already asleep. Who would she put up a show for? "Alright, I''ll leave you to it." Olivia was quite tired. She had just returned from Carathia. She didn''t even have time to recover from her jetg before she was asked to treat Molly. She was tired and sleepy. Yale and Linus were in the corridor outside. Yale had a stern look on his face, and his back was straight. His usual subservient demeanor was Linus handed him a cigarette, but he didn''t take it. In the past, he would already be lighting Linus'' cigarette for him. This time, he had one of his hands in his pocket as he leaned on a pir. A hint of loneliness shed in his eyes. "I won''t change my mind no matter what you say." "No, you''re mistaken. I''m not here for Krysyal''s sake." Linus lit a cigarette, looked toward the sky, and exhaled the smoke. "It''s a fact that what Krystal did this time ispletely unforgivable. Even now, she''s unrepentant. My father and I are prepared to let her get whatever she deserves." Yale frowned as he looked at Linus'' expression. If it were anyone else, they could be lying, but not Linus. He would never lie. "Why? Isn''t she your sister? Will you really allow her to suffer? What about the reputation of the Heath family?" "None of that is more important than the baby that was in Ms. Molly''s womb. It doesn''t matter if you believe me or not. "It''s true that we''re trying to atone for Krystal''s sins. After all, Krystal is a part of the Heath household." Linus snuffed out the cigarette he was holding. "So, there''s no need for you to resign. You don''t have to punish yourself for someone else''s mistake." Olivia exited the room. "Molly is already asleep. You have to let her rest well for theing days. No cold water or chilly winds. Make sure to keep her warm. I''lle again tomorrow." "Thanks." Linus was waiting for Tatiana toe out. Olivia said, "Uncle Linus, Grandma wants to stay and watch over Molly. Let''s go." "Okay." Yale thought about what Linus had said. He opened the door and saw Tatiana leaning on the bed and looking at Molly gently. Was he seeing things? At that very moment, Tatiana looked a lot like Molly. The will be updated daily. Come back and continue re Chapter 1333 Olivia yawned when she got into the car. Linus patted her on the head. "Are you tired?" "A little. I was just used to Carathia''s hours. I''ll adjust in a couple of days." Olivia closed her eyes and was about to rest. Linus suddenly spoke up, "That person that you worked with is still alive." Olivia had been busy the entire day. She almost forgot about Undecim. "Really?" "Wayne didn''t catch him. He was only bluffing at the airport to get you to stay. I might have taken you away, but your identity has also been exposed. "Wayne has crossed swords with Ethan many times over the years. He''s a very troublesome enemy. He will try to achieve his goals no matter what he has to do.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Uncle Linus, I understand. But since I''m back at the Heath residence, he won''t be able to do anything to me, right?" Linus sighed. "You''re underestimating the persistence of a man. Especially a man who''s basically in heat.¡± Olivia blushed. It was a very apt description for Wayne. "Olivia, you stole his ring. But why didn''t it explode when you put it on? The ring would automatically detect its wearer''s vital signs. ¡°It''s because it was you. He didn''t want you to get hurt. So, he was never mad because you stole the ring. He was mad because you were leaving him." Olivia thought about what Wayne told her the night before she left. He was even willing to bring her husband and child over to settle down in Carathia. She had lied to him. He probably wouldn''t forgive her. ¡°I''m just reminding you not to put yourself in danger again. It''ll be nearly impossible for him to do anything to you now that you''re living in the Heath residence.¡± "l understand, Uncle Linus." As soon as they got home, they saw the butler running toward the house. "He has always been very level-headed. Why is he running all of a sudden?" "The result must be out." "Result? What result?" Linus suddenly grabbed Olivia''s arm. "Something big is about to happen in the Heath household.¡± He pulled Olivia all the way to the study. Mason was sitting uneasily in his chair with a stern expression. The stressful atmosphere made Olivia nervous. "Grandpa, what are you..." The butler ced a document on the desk politely. "Mr. Heath, I retrieved it personally. It''s guaranteed to be real.¡± Olivia kept her mouth shut. She instinctively knew that the document contained something very important. Mason looked behind them and didn''t see Tatiana. "Where''s your mother?" "She''s at the hospital taking care of Ms. Kingston." "Okay." Mason opened the document and took a look at the test result. Linus gulped. He walked to Mason''s side restlessly. "Dad, what''s the result?" "Take a look for yourself." Mason threw the report to the side and massaged his temples. Olivia''s curiosity was also piqued. What were they looking at? She leaned over and saw the words "absence of a biological rtionship detected". She inhaled sharply in surprise. "Grandpa, Krystal is..." Mason opened his eyes. He was visibly upset and had some fatigue on his face. "As you can see. She''s not my daughter.¡± Everyone fell silent. Thinking back to the things that Krystal had done in the past, and all the love he showered on her, yet she wasn''t his daughter. There was no way Mason wasn''t devastated. Mason mmed his palm on the table and stood up. "How dare Lisa do this?" His face was flushed, and veins popped on his forehead. He had a terrifying look on his face. "Calm down, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Dad, I''ll go interrogate her and find out where my sister is. Don''t worry. We''ll be able to find her quickly.¡± Chapter 1334 Mason raised a hand and silenced Linus.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "That woman had the audacity to try something like this. She must''ve made preparations for this. She might evenmit suicide if you try to force an answer out of her. We won''t be able to get any information if she dies." "Then, what do you suggest..." "Come up with more ns and we can divide and conquer.¡± Mason quickly realized something. "She gave birth to her child at the same time as your mother back then. So, the child she took away had to be your sister.¡± Linus gritted his teeth as he asked, "Her baby died. If it really was my sister, then..." "Then, we''ll make the entire Walker family pay!" Mason said angrily. Linus quickly left. Only Olivia and Mason were in the room. She comforted Mason softly, ¡°Grandpa, my aunt is definitely still alive. Don''t worry." Mason''s anger subsided. He slumped into his chair and smiled resignedly. "Olivia, that was an embarrassing revtion. The daughter we doted on for so many years turned out to be a fake. A mere maid yed all of us." If word got out, the entire Heath family would be aughingstock. Olivia knew that this incident was a great blow to Mason. She didn''t have any ideas on how to proceed. "Grandpa, there''s a silver lining in every cloud. You might''ve been fooled, but it''ll be a good thing once we get my aunt back.¡± Mason''s eyes were lifeless. "You saw how viciously Lisa beat Florence up. She''s a venomous woman. I''m afraid my daughter is already..." "You shouldn''t give up so quickly before the oue is confirmed, Grandpa. That''s your flesh and blood, after all. If I were Lisa, I wouldn''t dare to murder the baby outright. "If you trust me, allow me to investigate the truth of what happened back then with Uncle Linus." "Alright. I''ll leave it to you." Olivia looked at Mason and felt like he had suddenly gotten a few years older. She sighed in resignation. No one would be happy if something like this happened to them. Olivia went back to her room and fell asleep quickly. She was too tired to care about Wayne or Krystal or anything else. She felt the other side of the bed sink a little in the middle of the night. Someone then moved next to her. She snuggled into the man''s arms. "Don''t try anything. I''m really tired.¡± Ethan smiled as he looked at Olivia, who was nestled against his chest like a little kitten. She mumbled a little and went back to sleep. She was the most adorable in this state. She kissed her on the cheek. "Go to sleep. I won''t do anything." The butler was whispering to Mason in the study. "Mr. Miller went into Ms. Olivia''s room again." Mason frowned. Did he really think that the Heath residence was his home? How dare hee and go as he pleased? "Should I ask him to leave?" "Forget it. Olivia is very tired. Don''t wake her up. We''ll talk about this later.¡± There were more important things to tend to for the Heath family. Tatiana returned home veryte. She went to the kitchen to prepare some ingredients despite her fatigue. The men were waiting for her in the study, and she suddenly remembered something. "Oh, is the result out?" Linus noticed that she didn''t really care about that. She didn''t even call them to check the entire time. She waspletely focused on Molly. ¡°It''s out. Krystal is not a Heath." Tatiana washed her hands and wiped them with a hot towel. ¡°I knew it. Mason and I are quite smart. Why would we have such a foolish daughter?" Chapter 1335 Linus rubbed his temples. Tatiana''s logic was a little weird. Linus didn''t know that Tatiana thought about this every time she cleaned up the messes Krystal made. Krystal wouldn''t have done so many stupid things if she had inherited their intelligence. Luckily, Krystal wasn''t her daughter. Or else, it would be really humiliating. "Mom, Krystal is the least of our worries right now. Our top priority is finding my real sister." Tatiana snapped back to reality. She wanted to rush to Lisa and settle the score. "Lisa said her child died back then. Does that mean she..." "Mom, you have to calm down. Lisa is cunning. Going to question her now might have adverse effects. She might even retaliate if we force her hand." "Then, what should we do?" "We have to seize the initiative. Don''t worry, I''ve already sent some people to look into my sister''s whereabouts. What you have to do is not alert her. "You have to try to probe her for information while feigning ignorance and keep her oblivious to what we''re doing." Tatiana was visibly upset. She covered her face with her hands. ¡°I was so good to her. I treated her like my own sister. How could she do something like this?" "Human greed is bottomless. It never gets satisfied." Tatiana sighed. "My poor daughter. Where is she now?" Hints of worry and panic lined their faces. It had been so many years. They couldn''t be sure that she was still alive. They were afraid that they would only end up finding a corpse. Mason patted Tatiana on the shoulder. "Our daughter will be fine. Don''t worry." Everyone could tell that those were nothing but words offort. Tatiana nodded. "What are you nning to do with Krystal?" "She''s an important piece to finding our daughter. We can''t let her go yet." ¡°I''l pay Lisa a visit." Tatiana walked through the corridor to Lisa''s room despite her fatigue. This was the first time she was in Lisa''s room. The Heath family had plenty of assets. It was normal for the rooms of their maids to be decently decorated. But Tatiana couldn''t help but feel some difort when she noticed that Lisa was using the same rug as her. It was a very hard rug toe by due to the difficulty of its design and the procurement of the ingredients to make it. Only one tribe in the entire world made rugs like this. They only made ten of these each year. Lisa was just a maid, but she had one in her room. Lisa didn''t expect a woman as haughty as Tatiana toe to her room. She panicked when she saw the disdain in Tatiana''s eyes. She had been by her side for many years. She knew what Tatiana was thinking. She hated it when otherdies wore the same jewelry as her at banquets, let alone a maid like her using the same rug. "What brings you here, Mrs. Heath? This rug was the one that got dirty, and you asked me to throw it out. I thought it was a pity to throw out something so expensive. So, I kept it. I''ll throw it out right away." Lisa smiled subserviently.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. "No need. It''s just a rug.¡± Tatiana took a good look at Lisa. Why hadn''t she noticed that Krystal and Lisa looked alike before? She couldn''t help but feel angry and disgusted when she thought about the things that Lisa had done in the past. "Take a seat here, Mrs. Heath." Lisa pretended to pat the dust off the couch. The leather couch waspletely spotless. There wasn''t even a speck of dust on it. Even if there wasn''t a logo, Tatiana could tell that this couch was designed by her favorite designer. The leather used was the exact same one the couch in her room was made of. Chapter 1336 After Tatiana sat down, Lisa got on her knees and pleaded, "Mrs. Heath, I''m aware that it''s all my fault this time. "Ms. Heath told me about how Yale was cold to her and asked me to come up with a n. She was the child I raised, and I didn''t ask for permission beforehand because I was too anxious. "Then, I got into a fight with the maid. I''m too ashamed of my actions. I''m willing to bear all the consequences.¡± Lisa was very smart. She didn''t reveal her concern for Krystal while she said all those things. Anyone would just think she was a diligent and responsible maid. She was also trying to find out if Tatiana knew anything. Tatiana sighed. ¡°It would be great if that was an option. I wouldn''t have to worry so much. I brought Ms. Kingston some soup today, and I also talked to Yale. "He wouldn''t relent no matter what I said. He''s adamant about fighting us and getting justice.¡± "Then what about Ms. Heath?" ¡°I don''t think she can get away scot-free this time. Yale has all the proof he needs, as well as witnesses. He even has dirt on Krystal''s past deeds. "He might really bring up her past deeds if he gets desperate. If that happens, it won''t be a short sentence for her.¡± Lisa whispered, "Don''t worry, Mrs. Heath. I handled all those incidents in the past cleanly. He can''t possibly have any dirt on Ms. Heath." "Even if Krystal manages to get out of trouble, you probably won''t. But you''ve served me for so many years. If you have anything you need help with regarding your family, just let me know. I''ll help however I can." Lisa licked her lips. "Mrs. Heath, you''ve helped me out a lot already. I''m really grateful for everything you''ve done for me. "Everything''s fine with my family. I deserve everything that might happen to me. My husband and I are separated. My child is already dead. I don''t have anyone I might be worried about.¡± "If that baby hadn''t died, it would''ve been Krystal''s age by now. I''d be able to take care of her even if you go to jail. What a pity... By the way, how did the baby die?" Lisa''s heartbeat quickened. She suppressed the shock in her eyes. "The baby was already weak when it was born. It was just unlucky." Tatiana tried to probe Lisa for information for some time, but Lisa was incredibly tight-lipped. So, she gave up and left. "Mrs. Heath, can you please let me go home one time to talk to my family as a favor for serving you for so many years?" ¡°It''s not that I don''t want to, but these are special circumstances. Linus posted his men here to guard you. I can''t just let you leave. Don''t worry, I''ll have thewyers try their best to get you out of this.¡± Tatiana''s act was perfect. Lisa wasn''t able to tell if she knew the truth. Lisa felt extremely anxious being kept prisoner like this. Rather than the lawsuit, she was more worried that the truth of what happened back then might be exposed. Tatiana''s demeanor changed immediately when she got back to her room. ¡°Lisa is definitely suspicious. All the stuff in her room is of the same brand as mine." It was not just the rug or the couch. She had taken a look at the dressing table before she left. Even the skin care products were the same as hers. "Mason, do you think Lisa is trying to rece me?" She grabbed Mason''s cor. "Say, did she ever try to seduce you in the past?"Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Tatiana was disgusted that someone by her side was trying to imitate her to such a degree. Mason pped her hand away. "Are you out of your mind? Krystal''s DNA test was done with my DNA. Didn''t you see the result?" Tatiana grunted. "It''s because you didn''t see her room. It''s decorated in the exact same style as our master bedroom!" Chapter 1337 That night, other than Olivia, who slept soundly in Ethan''s arms, the others were burdened with worry. Ever since Lisa met Molly, she felt that Molly was quite familiar. After Tatiana came over, a thought crossed Lisa''s mind. Could it be her? As soon as the thought came to mind, Lisa denied it. Back then, Lisa had drugged that sickly person for seven years. Even if that person didn''t die in the flood, she couldn''t have survived. Moreover, a flood happened that year, and many lives were lost because of it. Many people went missing, let alone that sickly person who was as weak as a kitten. Even strong winds could easily topple her. That was what Lisa thought, but she still felt panicked for some reason. Lightning streaked across the sky apanied by thunder. Lisa''s face looked pale under the shing light. Tatiana already had trouble sleeping, so she suddenly woke up from her slumber. She had a dream just now. In the dream, she went back in time to the day she gave birth. She had aplicated delivery, and she was inbor for a whole day. After she gave birth to the child, she took a nce at the child before fainting from fatigue. Back then, Mason was on a business trip. She only had members of the Benson family with her. As soon as the child was born, it was ced inside an incubator. Tatiana felt like she saw someone exchanging the name tag on her child''s hand with another baby''s name tag. Children who were just born looked almost the same. They were wrinkly and looked a little yellow, so no one would have noticed even if the babies were switched. "My child..." Tatiana looked at the empty room. She and Mason had been sleeping in different rooms a long time ago. The heater was fully functioning, but Tatiana felt cold. Her mind was filled with images of the time back when she was giving birth.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Back then, it was extremely cold in winter. In the one hour she was giving birth to the child, it suddenly snowed. She gave her daughter the name Krystal, for she was reminded of the crystal-like snowkes. Tatiana couldn''t sleep at all. She kept thinking of Molly''s face. Before she left, Molly still seemed to be in ill health. Draping a shawl over her shoulders, Tatiana got up and went into the kitchen. She poured out the chowder in the pot. Then, while it was still dark, she went to the hospital again. Olivia had a nightmare. In the dream, gunshots sounded everywhere. Then, she saw a bullet heading toward Ethan. "No!" "What''s the matter, Liv?" Ethan patted her on the back. "Did you have a nightmare again?" Olivia traced his handsome face with her fingers. When she felt the warmth of his body, she finally felt a little more assured. ¡°I-It''s nothing." There were many people in Olivia''s dream. She saw Wayne aiming a gun at Ethan, and at the critical moment, Jack took the bullet in Ethan''s ce. Now that she thought about it, that man must have been Kurt. She had never seen it before, so why did she dream of that scene? ¡°Ethan.¡± Olivia leaned against his chest. "Please be safe." Ethan didn''t know why Olivia said that, but he could guess that she had a dream about him. Ethan smiled. "Okay." "By the way, how''s Jack?" "Don''t worry, he''s recovering quickly. He could get out of bed a long time ago." Ethan caressed her hair. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here. Go to sleep. It''s still dark outside." Olivia felt sleepy again. Nestling her head against Ethan''s shoulder, she fell asleep again. In another corner of the world, Wayne had a cold look in his eyes as he fiddled with the dart in his hand. The maic board in front of him was covered in information about a person. It was filled with the person''s background and preferences from a young age. The dart in Wayne''s handnded on one of the photos. In the photo, Olivia was ten, and she had just received an award in an international pianopetition. She was wearing a white chiffon dress, and she looked tender and innocent. Another dart sliced through the air,nding on a photo of Olivia when she ced second in a chesspetition. She was called a genius, and she was getting an interview in the photo. From a young age, Olivia was outstanding in every aspect because she was carefully nurtured by Jeff. The darts in Wayne''s handnded on separate targets. In the end, the last dart pierced the photo of Septem, who was also called the Deadly Bloom. She was wearing ck stealth attire in the photo. A malicious and crazed smile appeared on Wayne''s lips. "Septem, we''ll meet again soon." Chapter 1338 It was only 5:30 pm by the time Tatiana arrived at the hospital. Yale was a little surprised. He knew that Tatiana was very dedicated to Krystal. "Mrs. Heath, I''ve already told you that you don''t have to work so hard. No matter what you do, I won''t give up on suing Krystal.¡± "Yale, I''ve also told you many times that I''m not doing these things for Krystal''s sake. The weather is terrible tonight, and I can''t sleep. That''s why I came over to check on Molly. "Moreover, it''s easier for me to take care of her. You''re a man, after all." Tatiana stubbornly shoved Yale aside as she quietly entered the room. When she saw Molly, she felt reassured. She sat down next to Molly and covered her with a nket. The swelling on Molly''s face had receded a lot. Her eyebrows were tightly knitted together, and she seemed to be dreaming of something as she kept mumbling. "H-Help..." Molly woke up from her dream, startled. Her face was filled with terror as she looked around her fearfully. "Did you have a nightmare?" "Mrs. Heath? W-Why are you here?" Molly nced at the pitch-ck sky outside. She remembered that Tatiana had left a long time ago. Yale poured out a cup of warm water and held it to Molly''s lips. "Have some water. What did you dream of?" Molly put a hand to her head. Ever since Molly suffered Krystal''s forceful impact yesterday, she had been feeling heavy in the head. Then, she had a long dream. She saw a little girl being abused since young. The girl never had enough food, and she wore rags. She was also abused by her so- called grandmother. Curiously enough, she could only eat spoiled food every day, but the old woman would always give her a bottle of milk. When the little girl was seven, there was a great flood in the area. When her grandmother was evacuating with the rest of the family, she told the little girl that they had forgotten their documents in the house. When the little girl turned back, she was swept away by the water before she could reach the house. The murky water enveloped her on all sides. She thought that she would die in the flood, but fortunately, she survived. Molly was the little girl in the dream. From the scattered pieces of her past, she managed to find her memories. ¡°I... Ugh... It hurts." Molly put a hand on her forehead. A look of agony appeared on her face. "What''s going on with her?" Tatiana was extremely worried. "Should I get the doctor?"Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "When she was young, Molly hit her head against a rock while she was in the water. So, there''s a blood clot in her brain, and it caused her to lose her memories. ¡°Yesterday, she received another hit on her head. Dr. Vanessa has already given her acupuncture treatment. "Do you remember something?" Molly nodded. "I had a dream. I was being bullied in that dream." "Can you remember where your home was? What about the family members in the house?" ¡°I only remember that I lived in a rural vige. The person who took care of me was my grandmother. She was very fierce, and she rarely gave me food to eat. "She would hit me and shout at me for no reason.¡± Yale asked, "What''s your grandmother''s name?" "l don''t know." Yale frowned deeply. He couldn''t figure out the details of her background based on this information alone. "Who else was there in the home aside from your grandmother? What about your parents?" ¡°I''ve never met my parents. I heard that they went to work in the city, and they let my grandmother babysit me. Many children in the vige were like me. ¡°Their parents went to factories in the city by the sea to make machine parts. However, their parents woulde home during the holidays. My parents never showed up. "So, my grandmother hated me and would always shout at me." Tatiana''s heart ached when she heard that. Reaching out, she touched Molly''s face. "Poor child. Take your time and think about it. I''m sure we can figure it out.¡± ¡°I don''t know the name of the ce, but I can draw what it looks like. Yale, give me something to draw with." Chapter 1339 "For now, you need proper rest. You can look into your background anytime, so don''t overwork yourself." "My head is hurting a lot. I''m worried that I might forget it soon. Yale, please.¡± Soon, Yale asked someone to get Molly a sketchbook and some colored pencils. Molly was the most skilled with watercolor and oil paints. When Yale wasn''t with her, painting was the only thing that could heal her. She tirelessly immersed herself in painting, and because of that, she produced many amazing artworks. Unlike her appearance, her art style was quite rugged. When Tatiana saw the unique art style, a look of surprise appeared on her face. "Could it be that you''re Milly herself?" Milly was internationally famous. Eight years ago, her work "Against the Wind" stunned the crowd. Going against all odds, it won the Golden Painting Award.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. All the artwork Milly used to participate in artpetitions was sold in auctions at high prices. "Against the Wind" had the highest collectible value, and Tatiana had bought it at an auction for 30 million dors. It was quite a high price for a new painter who had just made an appearance. Tatiana didn''t onlye from a wealthy family, but her grandmother''s family was also a family of schrs. Tatiana''s mother was a famous modern painter as well. So, Tatiana was quite skilled in the arts from a young age. Usually, she spent her time listening to music or enjoying artwork at art exhibitions. Back then, when Tatiana was invited to be the award presenter for the Golden Painting Award, she was quite fond of Milly. She even wanted to get close to her idol, but Molly didn''t show up. Only her assistant was there to receive the award in her stead. Since then, Milly seemed to have disappeared. There were no longer any artworks from Milly. Tatiana always thought that it was a great pity that a new painter with such potential would disappear like that. Even today, the painting was still hanging in her room. It served as a constant reminder. Life was a constant struggle upward. Once you had stepped onto a path, there was no longer any chance for you to regret it. Molly''s face turned red. "Mrs. Heath, you know about the alias I use to enterpetitions?" "Not just that, I''ve even bought your artwork. It''s a small world, isn''t it? I even tried to ask around for information on you. I can''t believe I get to see you again so many yearster.¡± "Thank you for your approval, Mrs. Heath. I was just painting for fun." Molly was talking, but her hands never stopped moving. In just a few minutes, shepleted a sketch of a person''s face. The old woman in the sketch looked very rough, and she had a sinister look on her face. Even though it was only a sketch, she gave off a vicious air. "This is my grandmother.¡± Then, Molly sketched out more faces and a picture of the vige. Yale thought about it earnestly. "A small fishing vige by the sea. It''s quite difficult to look for the vige based on these clues alone. Molly, are there any more buildings?" "Yes. I''ll sketch them out for you, Yale." Molly sketched a reservoir. She was about to draw more, but she didn''t seem to be in great health. ¡°You should stop drawing and rest for a bit. I have some soup for you. I made it yesterday, and it''s chicken noodle soup. Try it." Tatiana found it to be a pity as she took the stationery from Molly''s hands. "Thank you, Mrs. Heath." "Come on, I said that you don''t have to be so polite around me. Child, I''m sincerely fond of you. If I had a daughter like you, I''d be so happy. "Would you like to be my goddaughter? I can take care of you in the future.¡± Molly was aware of Yale''s hatred toward the Heath family. So, even if she liked Tatiana a lot, she didn''t dare to say yes. "It''s okay, I won''t force you. You can take your time to think about it." Yale brought Molly''s sketches with him as he went to talk to his assistant. "It shouldn''t be hard to find fishing viges with a reservoir. Go and look into it right now.¡± As the sky gradually turned bright, the assistant came back with good news. "Mr. Kingston, we found it. It''s Mound Vige. The reservoir and many of its buildings match the ones in Ms. Molly''s sketches!" Chapter 1340 Chapter 1340 Olivia was woken up by Krystal''s voice. She muttered, "Ugh, how noisy." Ethan''s voice rang out in her ears. "Shall I cut off her tongue?" Olivia''s sleepiness was instantly gone. Opening her bleary eyes, Olivia said, "You''re getting more violent these days." Ethan gave her a peck on the lips. "Liv, to me, no amount of money can buy your happiness. To me, neither Krystal nor anyone else is as important as your happiness." With the ruckus Krystal was making, Olivia could only get out of bed. She had no idea what Krystal was making a fuss about either. After a quick washing up, Olivia left the room. She noticed a huge mess at the entrance of Krystal''s room. Krystal was even shouting, "You''re all useless trash! You can''t even make a proper breakfast for me. "What sort of maid treats her employer like this?" Olivia nced at the food strewn on the floor, then at the young woman whose body was scalded from the hot chowder Krystal had thrown at her. "What happened?" The maid was new here, so she had never experienced something like this before. Before this, she heard that Krystal was difficult to deal with, and the other cunning maids had shoved the responsibility onto her. She didn''t expect Krystal to behave so oddly. "Ms. Fordham, Ms. Heath asked for breakfast, but she doesn''t like anything that I serve her." "Why are you looking at her? I''m the real youngdy of the Heath family. You bunch of ingrates..." Olivia patted the young woman on the shoulder. "Go and apply some ointment on your burns. I''ll handle things here." "But." "No buts. Just go." The young woman nced at Olivia gratefully. But Krystal was incredibly upset when she saw that. "Get off your high horse, Olivia. "Don''t think that you can order me around just because Dad acknowledged you. I''m the real youngdy of the Heath family." The word "real" sounded extra ironic when she said that. Mason hadn''t said anything about it, and since Olivia wasn''t a talkative person, she didn''t expose Krystal. "No matter what identity you have, you shouldn''t insult people at will. The food you threw away without hesitation might be the meal of someone else''s dreams." Olivia had been to ces rife with war before. Some people were even willing tomit murder in exchange for a piece of bread. The children there were all skin and bones. They looked very pitiful, indeed. "Heh, what are you trying to be, a saint?" "What''s with the ruckus this early in the morning?" Linus slowly walked over to them with a cold look on his face. "Linus, she''s bullying me. She''s showing off in front of me just because Dad has been mad at me for the past few days. "Also, the wretched maid was bold enough to bully me, a pregnant woman! The food she made was disgusting. She clearly doesn''t respect me at all." On his way here, Linus had noticed the maid who got scalded. He knew then that Krystal was causing trouble again. Now that he didn''t think of Krystal as his biological sister anymore, his expression was filled with coldness. "If you can''t get used to the food, don''t. Alfred, give her some in pasta." "in pasta? Linus, are you out of your mind?" "Take it or leave it, Krystal. If you won''t eat it, no one will be delivering food to you today." Krystal was still mad. "Linus, even you don''t care about the child in my belly anymore?" Linus sneered. "The child isn''t mine. Why should I care about it?" With that, he walked away with Olivia. He didn''t say another word to Krystal. Left alone, Krystal could do nothing but wail and cry. Linus didn''t get much sleep, and he also had a headache. His expression was extremely dark. "She''s not my biological sister, but she was raised by the Heath family regardless. It''s so embarrassing that she turned out like this." "You shouldn''t concern yourself with that, Uncle Linus. Where are we going today?" T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "I found the homes of Lisa''s mother and mother-inw. First, we''ll go to..." A window of the car beside them was lowered, revealing Ethan''s handsome face. "We''re going to Mound Vige." Chapter 1341 Chapter 1341 Linus was furious as he raised an eyebrow. "You''re not even bothered to put on an act anymore?" Opening the car door, Ethan plucked Olivia off the snowy ground and pulled her into his embrace. "Since I can''t hide it anyway, why should I put on any acts?" If Ethan hadplete control over the Heath family, the whole world might as well be under his Mason didn''t mind him too much, so he behaved himself. "If Liv refuses to return to the Miller family with me, I don''t mind marrying into the Heath family." Linus stared at Ethan, who gave off the impression of arge and loving dog. Not long ago, the Heath family used every trick in the book to try and turn Ethan into their son-inw. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. But now, Ethan was even willing to marry into the family. Sometimes, life was just too crazy. Linusmented, "In your dreams. Our home isn''t a ce where you cane and go as you wish." "It doesn''t matter whether you allow it or not; I''ming in either way." Sensing the tension between the two, Olivia hastily interrupted, "You said just now that we''re going to Mound Vige, right? Why is that?" "Krystal''s paternal grandmother lives in the suburbs of Aldenvine, whereas her maternal grandmother lives in a rural fishing vige. If you want to hide the child, where would you ce them?" "Mound Vige?" "Bingo. Also, my men found out that she had raised a girl before." Even though Olivia didn''t ask for it, Ethan had helped her ask around in secret. He had fully appealed to Olivia. Linus snorted. "You''re just grandstanding." They hurried over to Mound Vige. The small vige was in a remote area, and there wasn''t much room for development. The tar road only reached the entrance of the vige. Inside the vige, rtively old buildings and bumpy roads could be seen. The ride was extremely bumpy, and Olivia''s body was raised off the seat on a few asions. Ethan tried his best to hold her down. Olivia almost threw up because of the bumpy ride, so she asked for the car to stop while she got out and walked. The small fishing vige looked quite deste in winter. Thick ice covered the roads, and the sea breeze carried the salty smell of the ocean with it. Olivia stopped in her tracks. Looking in the direction she was gazing, Ethan noticed some purple flowers blooming on a cliff by the sea. "What''s the matter, Liv?" Olivia shifted her gaze away from the flowers. "I''m just curious. I didn''t expect to see purple ivies in a ce like this." "True, they''re quite rare. Are they edible?" "The flowers and leaves can be turned into poison after they''re dried, but the vines are poisonous. "Purple ivies are quite picky about their environment, so for now, they still can''t be cultivated artificially. They only appear on cliffs." Ethan asked, "Do you want them?" Olivia shook her head. "No. Come on, we should be arriving soon." A car horn sounded in their ears. Turning around, they saw a Bentley behind them. They found it odd that an expensive car would appear in a ce like this. When they were looking at the license te number, a car window was lowered to reveal Yale''s handsome yet fatigued face. His gaze fell upon Olivia''s and Ethan''s faces. "What brings you here?" Ethan crossed his arms. "I should be the one asking you that. Aren''t you busy trying to sue Krystal? Why are you here?" Yale snorted. "Mind your business." With that, he closed the window and said coldly, "Speed up!" "But there''s a puddle in front of us." "Just go." When the car sped by, the water in the puddle was sshed onto Ethan''s body. Stretching out his arms, Ethan shielded Olivia by hugging her. After the car left, Ethan picked up a pebble and hurled it at Yale''s car. "Is he out of his mind?" Olivia was exasperated. "You''re not any better." Chapter 1342 Chapter 1342 The driver looked at the crack in the rear window. "Mr. Kingston, the car..." "Never mind that. Was the water sshed on him?" "Yes." "Good." The driver was speechless. It had always felt like Yale had been holding himself back. He would either explode in silence or do something twisted while still suppressing himself. Ever since Yale broke through the normal conventions and began to let loose, people rarely understood him. Olivia observed the buildings in the vige. "Ethan, was this ce eroded by natural disasters in the past?" "That''s right, youngdy. More than 20 years ago, there was a flood in our vige. That flood was quite something. "Our vige is poor, and no one could patch things up, so the buildings remain the same as they were 20 years ago." An old man walked over to them. "Are you here to invest in the vige?" Olivia and Ethan were dressedpletely differently from the other residents of the vige. They looked rich at first nce. Many viges were able to escape poverty and get rich, so the residents of this vige admired the others a lot. They wished that some rich man woulde over and invest in their vige too. Olivia''s expression shifted a little. "Did the flood wash a young girl away?" "A young girl? I can''t say for sure. Many people and houses were washed away back then." Ethan noticed the changes in Olivia''s expression. "Did you think of something?" "I''m not sure yet. Do you have cash on you?" Ethan shook his head. "Do checks work?" Olivia fished out an unopened box of cigarettes from Ethan''s pocket. Ethan turned red in the face. "Liv, I just. I smoke a little when I''m bored. I don''t have that much of an addiction." Olivia handed the cigarettes to the old man. "Sir, please help me. I''m looking for a young woman. She was about seven when the flood happened. "Her skin is very fair, and she hasrge eyes. She''s in ill health too." The old man said, "I can''t possibly remember something from so long ago. It''s not that I don''t want to help you, but I''m getting old." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Please try to remember, sir. The young girl lived with her grandmother, and there was no one else in that house. She has a sharp chin, and she''s very skinny." "Are you talking about that sickly child in the Wright family?" Olivia looked at Ethan. "The Wright family?" Ethan replied, "Wright is thest name of Krystal''s maternal grandfather. But this young girl you''re talking about¡ª" tion shed across Olivia''s eyes. "I should''ve thought of that sooner. I didn''t expect that such a coincidence would exist! "When the Kingston family took Molly in, she happened to be seven years old, and she was also washed away by the flood. "Also, remember the purple ivy I told you about? That''s the main ingredient for the poison Molly was given. That''s why I was wondering about the coincidence." "If Molly was that child, then she''s the Heath family''s..." Ethan and Olivia didn''t dare to waste more time. "Sir, where''s the Wright residence?" "It''s just ahead of us. You only have to round a bend to get there." "I know why Yale is here now. Yesterday, Molly received a shock after she hit her head. I performed an acupuncture treatment on her head, so she must have remembered something. "Come on! The truth must be in the Wright residence!" Olivia ran while dragging Ethan with her. Ethan assured her, "Slow down. The truth won''t be lies, nor will lies be the truth. The truth is there, and it won''t leave." Olivia''s eyes were filled with tears as she sincerely felt happy for Molly. "If my guess is correct, then Molly is my aunt. It''d be wonderful if it''s her. Ethan, you have no idea what she went through." Chapter 1343 Chapter 1343 Olivia had gone through simr pain before, so she wanted to help Molly out. "No one in this world has suffered as much as you have." Ethan caressed Olivia''s hair. Then, he ran to their destination while holding Olivia''s hand. 1 Linus and Yale had already bumped into each other. They found it weird to encounter each other at a ce like this. "Why are you here?" Yale looked at Linus coldly. "I can''t believe you''d do this for Krystal''s sake." Ever since he set boundaries at the Heath residence, Yale no longer treated Linus with respect. His expression was filled with impatience. Linus was slightly impressed by Yale''s behavior. "Don''t get me wrong. While it''s true that I came for Krystal, I''m not here to clear her name." Yale didn''t believe that at all. After all, the Heath family was known to defend their kin. They wouldn''t just sit by and watch their family get into trouble. "Then, what are you doing here?" "I can''t tell you that." The two wanted to go in together, but neither of them made way for the other. The atmosphere was extremely tense. Olivia''s voice rang out behind them. "Uncle Linus, Mr. Kingston, you two came here for the same goal, so stop fighting." The two exchanged nces. They were simultaneously thinking about Olivia''s words. How could their goals be the same? Olivia jogged up to them, panting a little. "Mr. Kingston, if my guess is correct, you came here to help Molly find her family, right? Yale''s gaze fell upon Ethan. He wondered what Ethan had done to eavesdrop on his conversations this time. "Why are you looking at me? I''m not interested in your love life anyway." When Ethan said that, it meant that he already knew about Yale and Molly''s rtionship. But things hade to this point, and Yale had already gone all out. He was even going to exact revenge on the Heath family. What else would he fear? Olivia guessed something from Ethan''s words as well. Only Linus was oblivious to their rtionship. The rtionship between the three was quite interesting. They were like countries at odds with each other. ¡°Come on, this isn''t the time to be talking about these things. Mr. Kingston, your sister was washed away by the flood in the past, right?" "Yes, ''" "There was a huge flood in this fishing vige more than 20 years ago. Also, I spotted a nt called purple ivy on the cliff by the sea. Purple ivy is the main ingredient in the poison your sister is afflicted with. ¡°Your sister has lived here before." Yale nodded. "I''m sure of that now. This morning, Molly remembered some things, and she gave me these clues." Linus'' expression shifted. "Liv, do you mean that his sister is..." Yale looked at Linus in confusion. "What does my sister have anything to do with you? What are you even doing here? "I''m warning you, even if I have to risk my life, I won''t let the Heath family hurt even a hair on her head!" Seeing that things were getting tense between the two again, Olivia hastily exined, ¡°You''re getting the wrong idea, Mr. Kingston. It''s along story. "Yesterday, Grandpa noticed that something was off about Krystal''s identity, so he carried out a DNA test in private." Yale didn''t expect that. "What did he find out?" "Krystal is not a daughter of the Heath family. She was switched out by the nanny as soon as she was born. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Starting from the nanny''s old home, we followed the clues, which led us here. "But just now, at the entrance of the vige, I could already guess the name of the girl who was switched." Yale recalled the fleeting thought in his mind yesterday. Molly did look a little like Tatiana. A thought appeared in his head. At the same time, Yale and Linus said, ¡°It''s Molly." Chapter 1344 Chapter 1344 "Yes. If my guess is correct, after switching the child back then, Lisa brought her back to her old home and asked her mother to raise the child. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "She also wanted the child to be fed poison every day so that it would look like the child had died because of ill health." Yale said, "No wonder Molly said that she never had enough to eat, but she would always be given a bottle of milk. By the looks of it, the poison was in the milk." He gripped his fists tightly. There was a flood back then. Her grandmother tricked her and told her to go back to the house and get some important documents. "That was why she was washed away by the flood and disappeared without a trace." When Linus heard how it all happened, his expression turned extremely cold. He couldn''t care less about anything else as he kicked the door open. But the yard had been empty for a long time. They didn''t find any signs of people living there. "It''s deserted." A woman passing by spoke up, "Are you looking for Madam Todd? She left a long time ago." "Ma''am, are you familiar with the Todd family?" Olivia didn''t have any cash on her. She took off her pearl earrings and stuffed them into the woman''s hands. The woman''s eyes lit up when she saw them. Judging by these people''s cars and clothes, she could tell that they were rich. They wouldn''t give her fake stuff. She immediately stuffed the earrings into her pocket. "Of course. We were neighbors for decades. I know tons of things about her family." "Ma''am, has Madam Todd ever taken care of a little girl?" "Oh, yes, that girl. She was a pitiful little girl. I heard that her mother worked as a maid for a richdy in the city, and that''s amazing. "Every time she came back to the vige, she wore expensive stuff. She looked like she had be a richdy herself. She also looked down on the rest of us, whom she grew up with." Olivia asked, "Were they nice to the little girl?" "No way. Lisa''s father passed away when she was young. Her mother brought her along when she got married to Mr. Wright. "Mr. Wright was an old codger, and he would do those sorts of things to Lisa since she was young. Later on, Lisa went to the city to look for work. ¡°After she made a name for herself, she never cared about her parents. "Still, Lisa wasn''t a decent person either. After she got rich, she didn''t bring her daughter with her to live a better life in the city. She even sent her daughter to Madam Todd, who hated her. "Madam Todd would hit and shout at the little girl from time to time. The little girl was small and skinny, and she never had enough to eat. I often brought her home to feed her." The woman sighed. "But that girl was unlucky. When she was seven, she was washed away by the flood." Everything matched up now. Yale and Linus listened as the woman rambled on about the past. Molly lived her earlier years wandering and suffering, while the fake youngdy lived a great life in her ce. In the hospital, Tatiana was keeping Mollypany. Molly''s eyes were red, and tears welled up in her eyes. "What''s wrong? Do you feel like crying again?" ¡°Mrs. Heath, other than Yale, no one has been this nice to me before." Tatiana pulled Molly into her embrace. She felt her nose being blocked as well. "Silly child, I told you that I''ll take good care of you in the future." The two found each other quite familiar. When the nurse came in and saw the scene, she thought that they were mother and daughter. After Tatiana''s exnation, the nurse apologized and left. "I''m sorry. You two look so much alike that I thought she was your daughter." Tatiana studied Molly in detail. Most of the swelling on Molly''s face had subsided, so her true appearance was revealed. Her eyebrows and eyes looked a lot like the members of the Benson family. What was going on? Was it a coincidence? Molly smiled self-mockingly. "Mrs. Heath, how could someone like me be worthy of resembling you? I¡ª" Linus'' call came in, and Tatiana answered the call. ¡°What did you say? Molly is¡ª" The phone in Tatiana''s hand fell to the floor. Tatiana was shocked. Molly looked at her, puzzled. "What''s the matter, Mrs. Heath?¡± Tatian pulled Molly into her embrace as tears streamed down her face. "Child, stop calling me Mrs. Heath. Call me Mom." Chapter 1345 Chapter 1345 Molly looked at Tatiana in disbelief. "Mrs. Heath, what was that you just said?" There were tears in Tatiana''s eyes. "It may sound ridiculous, but you''re most probably my daughter." She told Molly the whole incident. Then, she asked a doctor to conduct a DNA test for them. After everything was done, Molly still felt like she was dreaming. She felt quite dizzy. How did she suddenly be Tatiana''s daughter? Molly still didn''t dare to believe it as long as the results weren''t out yet. Tatiana was ted. Molly''s life was not in danger, so Tatiana insisted that Molly go back as soon as possible to recuperate. While Tatiana was telling Alfred to make the preparations, Adalia came over happily. ¡°You wench, you''re quite lucky to be alive, as expected. I can''t believe you didn''t die¡ª" Adalia spoke as she walked in, but she bumped into Tatiana, who was calling Alfred, the butler. When their eyes met, Adalia felt a chill run down her spine. In an instant, she felt as if a ferocious beast had its eyes on her. Tatiana''s smile froze on her lips as she coldly ended the call. "Yes, that''s all. I''ll leave it to you." "Mrs. Heath, this child is so lucky to have you visit her again today. ow "What did you just say?" Tatiana wouldn''t y along, of course. Her dark eyes were staring coldly at Adalia. Adalia could sense that Tatiana was upset, but she believed that pleasing Tatiana would always be the right choice. Believing that Tatiana was doing all this for Krystal, Adalia said pleasingly, "Don''t worry, Mrs. Heath. Our family won''t pursue this matter. "This child won''t kick the bucket so easily, and even if she really does die, it has nothing to do with Ms. Krystal¡ª" Lifting her hand, Tatiana pped Adalia across the face. The marks from Adalia''s p yesterday could still be faintly seen on Molly''s face. Now, Adalia was bold enough to behave like this in front of Tatiana. Tatiana couldn''t believe it. Covering her cheek, Adalia looked at Tatiana in disbelief. "Mrs. Heath, what are you¡ª" "I''m returning the p to you. In the future, if you dare touch even a hair on her head..." Adalia couldn''t fake it anymore. "Mrs. Heath, I respect you and even sincerely care about your daughter. What are you doing?" The results weren''t out yet, so Tatiana decided not to reveal Molly''s identity for T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. now. With a foul look on her face, Tatiana said, "There''s only one thing you need to know. "From now on, Molly is a part of the Heath family. I won''t allow anyone to mistreat her. Mrs. Kingston, she''s in ill health, so stop causing more trouble here. Please leave." Hence, Adalia was driven out. She scratched her head in confusion, thinking, "I''m Molly''s adoptive mother, right? What''s going on?" After Adalia left, Tatiana smiled gently. Don''t be scared, Molly. I''ll take you home. In the future, no one will dare to bully you." Molly wanted to acknowledge their bond, but she feared that there might be a misunderstanding. A nervous look shed across her face. "Mrs. Heath, w-what if I''m not your daughter at all?" ¡°Even so, I''ll make you my goddaughter." Olivia and the others hurried back to the hospital room as well. At that moment, the results were out, and Tatiana cried in joy as she held the test report in her hands. As soon as Linus came in, he saw Tatiana in emotional tears. "Mom. w With trembling lips, Tatiana said, Linus,e here. This is your sister." Linus nced at the DNA test report, and then at Molly, who looked extremely anxious. They didn''t grow up together, and he was also a strict brother. For a moment, he didn''t know what to do to express his overwhelming emotions. "M-y sister..." Meanwhile, Olivia walked up to Molly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Holding Molly''s fingers, she said gently, "Nice to meet you, Aunt Molly." Chapter 1346 Chapter 1346 Olivia was ted that Molly turned out to be her aunt. In the past, she couldn''t get along with Krystal at all, but she had to put up with the arrogant Krystal for Mason''s sake. If it were Molly, then her regret would be resolved. "D-Dr. Vanessa, your face..." Olivia didn''t change her appearance today, so she revealed her true face. When Molly saw Olivia''s almost wless face, she was so stunned that she became a little tongue-tied. "Sorry. For certain reasons, I had to change my identity. This is my real face. Aunt Molly, I''m sure Grandpa will be ted to see you." Tatiana held Olivia''s hands. "Because of Krystal, there were some grudges between you and me. "Liv, Molly has gone through a lot, so I hope that you won''t hold a grudge against her because of what happened in the past. I¡ª" Olivia assured her, saying, "Grandma, Ipletely understand. I had started thinking of her as my patient a long time ago. No matter who she is, I''ll do my best to heal her." Tatiana nodded. Then, she turned to look at Yale, who was standing at the entrance. "Yale, you yed a huge role in ensuring that Molly managed to survive thus far. "T''ll pretend that you never said those words at the Heath residence. Since you''ve treated my daughter so well, the Heath family will give you your due reward." When Yale thought about Tatiana, who was about to take Molly away, he felt both tragic and pathetic. 2 In the past, he tried so hard to get everything. Unexpectedly, when he decided to throw everything away, he actually got it without much effort. Sadly, after this whole incident with Molly, Yale had already made up his mind. He slowly walked toward Molly and stood in front of Tatiana. Lowering his head, he said earnestly, ¡°Mrs. Heath, I''m d that you and Molly have acknowledged each other and that Molly has found her family. ¡°But even if you''re her mother, you can''t take her away." Tatiana''s smile froze on her face. "What do you mean by that?" "In the past, I betrayed everything ¡ªincluding my soul¡ªfor the benefit of the Kingston family. But I have long gotten sick of that life. From today onward, I want to live for myself." Tatiana frowned. "What exactly are you trying to say? What does your life have to do with me taking my daughter home? It''s not like I''m forbidding you from seeing each other." Yale went on his knees. He knew that if they looked into it, they would eventually figure some things out. At this point, he no longer feared anything. Yale said slowly, ''''The person I truly love is Molly. The child she lost was also mine." In her joy, Tatiana didn''t expect to hear such rming news. To her, Yale was a caring brother, so how could a brother do sucha thing with his sister? Tatiana was so startled that she took a few steps backward. Olivia hastily supported her. Olivia wasn''t surprised at all. Yale was willing to do so much for Molly, so she wouldn''t believe it if they simply treated each other as siblings. Linus frowned deeply. He wanted to say something, but he suppressed it when he looked at Molly''s current condition. Besides, it was only his second time meeting her even though he was her real brother. He didn''t say a word. An extremely intimidating voice rang out at the door. "What did you say?" Molly looked at the entrance. Rows of bodyguards had stepped aside to give way to an old man in his 50s. The old man calmly and slowly walked forward. 5 It was a face Molly had only seen on the news before. It felt surreal to her. Molly was stunned. She couldn''t believe that the extremely noble man was her father.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 1347 Chapter 1347 Molly seemed to be panicking as she tried to get out of bed to wee Mason. Tatiana quickly held her down. ¡°Lie down and stay still." Yale was aware of the consequences if he told the truth, but he didn''t expect Mason toe to the hospital in person. When Mason appeared, his terrifying presence filled every corner of the room. Yale said in a low voice, ''''Mr. Heath." Mason didn''t even spare Yale a nce. Walking right past Yale, Mason went to Molly. At that moment, the red mark on Molly''s face had faded quite a lot. Mason could clearly see the simrities between Molly''s pale face and Tatiana''s contours. Her eyes were the same as Tatiana''s mothers! "So, you''re Molly?" "Yes, Mr. Heath. I''m¡ª" "Silly child. Why are you calling him Mr. Heath? He''s your father. Call him Dad," Tatiana reminded her. "D-Dad..." Molly looked at the man in front of her, stunned. He looked older than on TV, and there were wrinkles near the corners of his eyes and on his forehead. Silver hair was also peeking out near his temples. Mason examined Molly carefully. His gaze was filled with tenderness and love. "Molly, I''m sorry for beingte." Mason had a look of heartache on his face as he pulled her into his embrace. "Child, I''m sorry for taking so long to find you. You must''ve suffered a lot." Molly had also once imagined what her father would be like, but she never expected Mason to be her father. Molly felt suffocated and nervous with Mason hugging her like that. "It''s okay, I''m fine. I..." ¡°We''ve finally found you after such a long time. Are you willing toe home with us? We''ll make it up to you." A warm look shed across Mason''s eyes. Molly had always been a soft-hearted and kind person. She wasn''t good at saying no. She was about to nod, but out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Yale. He was standing upright. Seeing him, she collected her thoughts. She didn''t forget the person who had risked his life to protect her all this while. "Dad, I want to be with Yale." Molly lowered her head. "In the past, Yale did lots of bad things for power, but he did all that for me. For my sake, he has cut off ties with the Kingston family. If I leave him too, he''ll truly be all alone." Tatiana recalled what Yale said some time ago. She immediately felt as if her head was buzzing. Yale not only impregnated the faker, but he also caused Molly to lose her child. ¡°Yale, you damned jerk!" Tatiana was so mad that she gnashed her teeth. "Mrs. Heath, I know that no matter what I say, it won''t change the deeds that I''ve done. My life exists only for Molly. If you insist on taking her away, you might as well kill me." He was well aware that if Molly was taken away, it would be very difficult for him to meet her again. If that were the case, he would rather not have looked for Molly''s family. Molly anxiously tried to get out of bed. She felt bad for being stuck in the middle. On one hand, there was her family, whom she had been wishing for. On the other hand, there was the love of her life. Olivia suggested, "Setting aside Aunt Molly and Mr. Kingston''s rtionship, Aunt Molly''s health takes priority. ¡°Aunt Molly, if you can return to the Heath residence, it''ll be easier for Grandma to take care of you. "I can also help you recuperate. Of course, it''s easier for the body to recover at home instead of in the hospital." Mason hastily nodded. Olivia had just made a point when she continued, "However, I have also seen how sincerely Mr. Kingston treats Aunt Molly. ¡°For Aunt Molly''s sake, Mr. Kingston was willing to abandon glory and wealth¡ªeven his future¡ªby Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. cutting ties with the Kingston family. I can see that he''s serious about her. "He has taken care of Aunt Molly for so many years, and it wouldn''t be nice for us to take her away so suddenly. So, I think that Mr. Kingston should stay in the Heath residence for the moment. "As for the other matters, we can discuss them after Aunt Molly has recovered." "But..." Tatiana still couldn''te to terms with Yale''s deeds. Chapter 1348 Chapter 1348 Olivia added, "Aunt Molly loves Mr. Kingston. If we forcefully separate them, she''ll definitely be upset about it. It won''t be good for her recovery either." Olivia had voiced out Molly''s truest thoughts. Molly nodded excitedly. "Exactly!" Tatiana and Mason exchanged nces. They had finally found their precious daughter, and she also happened to be an extremely fragile girl. Of course, they couldn''t bring themselves to hurt her. ¡°Alright, we''ll do as Liv said." Mason looked at Yale. "You don''t have any objections, do you?" Yale''s expression was stern. "I''ll go wherever Molly goes." ¡°Alright then. We''ll take Molly home now." The Heath family had prepared thick sleeping bags early on. They used the sleeping bags to wrap Molly up securely. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. No one had expected things toe to this point. Molly''s rtionship with Yale was one of the surprises. Mason, Olivia, and Linus got in the same car. In the car, Mason put a hand to his temple as he frowned deeply. He looked extremely tired. "Liv, how exactly is Molly?" Olivia truthfully told Mason about Molly''s condition. "Back then, when I bumped into Molly at the hospital, I still had no idea that she was the adopted daughter of the Kingston family. "Because of her illness, I took an interest in her and got to know her. After the ruckus Krystal made, she almost lost her life. ¡°Even if Aunt Molly survives, she''ll have to rest and recuperate properly in the future." "Liv, I''ll leave Molly''s health in your hands." Mason sighed. "Don''t worry, Grandpa. It doesn''t matter whether we''re rted or not; I''ll take good care of Aunt Molly either way." Mason frowned deeply. He thought that Olivia was exaggerating it on purpose, but now, he realized that Molly''s body was even weaker than he had imagined. When they arrived at the Heath residence, the car slowly pulled up. Yale looked at the entrance. In the past, he dreamed of entering this ce. Now, he managed toe in thanks to Molly. He didn''t feel happy about it at all. After all, people had found out about Molly. She was no longer a precious treasure that belonged only to him. Huge changes had taken ce in the Heath family, but Krystal was still kept in the dark. She had no idea about it. After making a fuss in the morning, she was given some in pasta instead. Of course, she threw the food on the floor. Krystal had starved for an entire day, and no one responded to her cries. Now, she had finally felt fear. She knew that the Heath family was getting serious now. When Krystal heard the footsteps outside, she opened the window to see Tatiana hurrying past. ¡°Mom, where did you go? Please save me. They''re starving me to death." Now that Tatiana had found her biological daughter, she was mad at this faker. At that moment, she didn''t have time to care about Krystal at all. She was only concerned about helping Molly recuperate. She simply gave Krystal a cold nce. "Don''t call me Mom. I''m not your mother." The simple sentences expressed her disgust toward Krystal. Krystal could only watch as Tatiana left in a hurry. At that moment, she felt as if she had been abandoned. No, it couldn''t be. Tatiana loved her so much. How could Tatiana abandon her? Krystal believed that Tatiana was just mad at her because the incident this time was too tricky to deal with. After Tatiana had ceased her anger, she woulde over to coax Krystal again. Krystal frantically searched for excuses in her mind. Soon, she saw Tatianaing out with a bowl of chicken noodle soup. The fragrance of the chicken noodle soup wafted in along with the cold wind. Krystal had been starving for the whole day, and she only had the snacks in her room to ease her hunger. When she caught the scent of food, her stomach rumbled. She said joyfully, "Mom, I knew you were the best. I''m so hungry! I want to eat the chicken noodle soup you made." Tatiana didn''t even pause in her tracks as she replied coldly, " You''re not worthy!" Chapter 1349 Chapter 1349 Krystal could stille up with excuses for what Tatiana previously said, but at that moment, Tatiana looked at Krystal as if she was looking at a stranger. No, it was even worse. Tatiana seemed to think of Krystal as her enemy. Krystal couldn''t understand how her mother, who loved her so much, would look at her with such a cold gaze. Krystal asked in disbelief, "Mom, what did you just say?" Tatiana couldn''t be bothered with Krystal. She was about to leave, but when Krystal saw her leaving, Krystal hastily said, "Mom, I''m hungry." ¡°Evil people like you deserve to starve to death." Tatiana hurriedly left with the bowl of chicken noodle soup in her hands. She wasn''t returning to her room, nor was she going to Mason''s study. Who did she make the soup for? Krystal began to panic, and she insisted on going out. The people standing guard outside had quite a lot of reinforcements. With orders from Linus, they wouldn''t spoil Krystal like they used to. "Sorry, Ms. Heath, but you can''t leave now." As Krystal gazed at the snowy scene outside, she sensed that something was beginning to change. She panicked. Tatiana brought the steaming bowl of soup to Molly. "Eat it while it''s hot. From now on, I''ll be in charge of your meals. I''ll definitely feed you lots, so you have to get better soon too." Molly nodded. Linus went in and out of the room, arranging the ce as Olivia had instructed. Mason was also sitting at the side, watching Molly carefully. After all, he didn''t have experience in taking care of a daughter. By the time Krystal returned to him, she had already grown up. Later on, he expressed his fatherly love to Krystal by meeting all her needs. Molly waspletely different from Krystal. She had a careful and shy personality. He felt his heart ache when he saw her like that. He was also worried that he might identally hurt her. "If you need anything, just tell us. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. This is your home from now on, so you don''t have to hold back, alright?" Molly nodded. She nced around her, but she couldn''t see Yale anywhere. She felt a little worried. "Dad, where''s Yale?" Mason and Tatiana could see that she wasn''t used to it at all. To her, Yale was the only person she could depend on. She was already used to receiving protection from that man. ¡°He''s unpacking in the room next door. He''ll be here right away." It was only then that Molly rxed. Molly was like a flower. After she received attentive care from her family, color finally returned to her face. She didn''t look as pale as before. Yale never went anywhere. He stayed in the Heath residence and kept herpany. After being neglected for a few days, Krystal finally realized that something was off. One day, she grabbed a knife and fought her way through the guards. She managed to get downstairs. She wanted to find her family members and ask them what exactly happened, as well as why no one hade over to visit her in days. She also wanted to know what happened to that wench, Molly, and if Yale still wanted to sue her. Krystal heard Tatiana''s voiceing from the guest room on the first floor. Running over to the room, she kicked the door open. " Mom, you¡ª" She never expected to see the scene in front of her. Molly was leaning against the couch with a nket covering her legs. Yale was half-crouched next to her, and he was feeding her spoonfuls of freshly baked potatoes. Tatiana''s actions were even more unbelievable. She was knitting yarn with the knitting needles in her hands. "Molly, if you like cats, I can get Linus to bring a cat or two home for you. What breeds do you like?" They were smiling, and they looked like a family. Krystal looked like a stranger inparison. Because Krystal had kicked the door open, a strong cold breeze blew in. In an instant, the people in the room turned to look at her. Tatiana was upset. "What are you doing here?" Krystal saw Molly, who looked a little panicked, and also Yale, who was feeding Molly. The feeling of being stabbed in the back shed across her heart. ¡°Mom, why is she here?" Chapter 1350 Chapter 1350 Tatiana patted Molly''s hand to ease her nervousness. "Don''t be scared, Molly. This is your home." When Krystal heard that, she lost her mind. "Mom, what nonsense are you saying? How can my home be hers?" In the past few days, everyone had been taking care of Molly, so no one was bothered about Krystal. After being neglected for a few days, Krystal was already quite anxious. When she saw Molly in the Heath residence, the seed of unease grew deeper in her heart. "Your home?" Tatiana sneered. "Oh, right. We haven''t told you about your background." "My background?" Krystal was panicking even more now. "Mom, don''t joke about these things. It''s not funny at all." ¡°No one is joking here. Well, since you''re here, we''ll tell the whole truth." Tatiana looked at the bodyguards standing at the entrance. "Get Lisa here." Molly had gotten much better in the past days, so she could get revenge for what was done to her years ago. "Mom, don''t do this to me. This is a matter between us, so why are you asking for Lisa?" Krystal felt even less assured now. When Tatiana heard that, she sneered. "Lisa?" "Mom, what exactly happened to you?" Seeing that Tatiana was ignoring her, Krystal went up to Yale and flew into a rage. "Yale, I''m pregnant with your child, but instead of taking care of me and our child, you''re taking care of this wench instead. "What''s wrong with you?" When Krystal appeared, Yale was reminded of Krystal''s violent acts that day. If Krystal hadn''t been in the Heath residence for the past few days, she would have died a long time ago. Krystal wasn''t appreciative of that, and now, she was even bold enough to behave recklessly in front of Yale. Yale was half- crouching, so he suddenly leaped to his feet. His already tall figure looked even more intimidating as he reached out and strangled Krystal. He didn''t hide the murderous intent surrounding his whole body at all. He mmed Krystal''s body against the wall. Krystal was shocked. After all, Yale had always behaved like a simp toward her. Even after Krystal did those things to Molly that day, Yale merely shrugged it off. At that moment, as Yale closed his hands around her neck, Krystal almost couldn''t breathe. She pped Yale''s hands with all her might. "Yale, are you crazy? How dare you attack me in the Heath residence?" Yale slowly tightened his grip. He wished that he could strangle Krystal to death right now. "Mom, save me! Yale is out of his mind!" Tatiana didn''t pause her movements. She simply nced at them coldly and said, "Yale, don''t do it in the Heath residence." What did that mean? Was Yale allowed to do it once they were outside of the Heath residence? Yale red viciously at Krystal. He didn''t want to let go at all, but then Molly got up. The nket on her knees dropped to the floor. "Yale, don''t do this.¡± Yale and Tatiana moved simultaneously. Yale let go of Krystal whereas Tatiana tossed her knitting to the side. They rushed up to Molly at the same time. "Molly, you should sit down and rest." Krystal, who was cast aside, slid onto the floor. She looked at the woman who was being supported by Yale and Tatiana at the same time. A look of intense jealousy and dissatisfaction shed across her eyes. "Mom... I''m your real daughter. I was almost strangled to death just now." Dragging Lisa with him, Linus came in and gave a forceful shove. Krystal hastily ran up to him. ¡°Linus, do something. Yale was trying to strangle me to death." Linus coldly looked down at her. "Let her tell you whose daughter you truly are." ¡°Linus, what do you mean by this? I just hit her, nothing else. Why have you all changed?" Lisa barely managed to gain her bnce. When she saw Molly''s face, which was quite simr to Tatiana''s, she instantly realized what had T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. happened. She didn''t expect Molly to still be alive! Molly didn''t die from the poison, nor did she drown in the flood. She even arrived at the Heath residence in one piece. "Lisa, I know you care about me the most. What exactly is going on?" Krystal helplessly shook Lisa''s arm. Chapter 1351 Chapter 1351 Now that things hade to this point, Lisa knew that there was no use in debating it. Linus had probably investigated this matter thoroughly in the past few days. Lisa could only kneel before Tatiana. "Mrs. Heath, please have mercy on Ms. Heath, even if it''s just because I''ve served you faithfully for years. I wasn''t thinking straight when I did those things back then. "She''s just an innocent baby. She doesn''t know anything about the intentions of the adults." "Lisa, what do you mean by this? What are you guys talking about? What did you do? Who''s the baby?" Krystal was panicking. Judging by how the Heath family treated her, she knew that she was in serious trouble. Tatiana, who used to clean up after Krystal no matter what happened, didn''t even spare Krystal a nce now. Instead, she said in a cold voice, "Just because the baby was innocent didn''t mean that she could enjoy glory and wealth in my daughter''s ce. "It would''ve been fine if you had treated my daughter well, but what did you do? You fed her poison for an entire seven years! She was just a child. How could you do something so inhumane?" Krystal took a few steps backward, and she almost lost her bnce. She finally understood what Tatiana meant by "I''m not your mother". She felt like there was an avnche in her mind. Everything was nk, and she was stripped of her thoughts. "Mrs. Heath, I had my reasons. We country people can''tpare to prestigious people like you. My life was at a dead end, so back then, I sumbed to evil thoughts and switched my daughter..." With tears streaming down her face, Lisa tried to exin. "I didn''t mean to poison the child. "My mom didn''t want to take care of the child, so she poisoned the child and tricked the child into turning back during the flood. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. I only wanted the child''s way of life, not her life itself." Before Lisa could finish speaking, Yale kicked her in the chest. He clenched his fists so tightly that veins were bulging on the back of his hands. He had a furious look on his face. "How dare you make excuses even at this point?" Yale flung a stack of transaction records at her. "I looked into all the transaction records of your mother''s ount. In the seven years she brought up the child, you never gave her a penny. "She hated you for that, and she took it out on Molly. She abused Molly and humiliated her every day. "You were provoking her on purpose so that she would harbor hatred toward the child. You knew she would try to kill the child as soon as possible!" Lisa pleaded, "Mr. Kingston, you got the wrong idea. I didn''t have much money back then, and I was already married, so I had my own family to provide for. I didn''t have money to spare for my mother." "You didn''t have money to spare, so in those seven years, she never had new clothes or even powdered milk. However, she was given a bottle of milk every day." Lisa was about to keep arguing when Olivia''s voice rang out. "I didn''te toote, did I?" Ads by Pubfuture Gi?m 90% 1000 chi?c ?? ???c b¨¢n -Rolex b?n sao (m¨¢y c? Automatic) Gi?m 90% 1000 chi?c ?? ???c b¨¢n -Rolex b?n sao (m¨¢y c? Automatic) ad An old woman was with her. The woman was decked out in jewelry, and she even wore five rings on one hand alone. When Lisa saw the old woman, her face instantly turned ashen gray. Meanwhile, when Molly saw the old woman, her face was filled with fear. She subconsciously tried to escape. Yale hastily went to her side. "Don''t worry, Molly. With me around, no one will dare to bully you." As soon as Edna Todd saw them, she hastily went on her knees. When she opened her mouth to speak, she revealed her mouthful of gold teeth. "Please understand. "Back then, I really had no idea about the babies getting switched. I thought that the damned girl¡ª" Just then, everyone in the room red at her. Edna hastily corrected herself, "I thought that the girl was my granddaughter." "Madam Todd, just tell the truth." Lisa nced at Edna. "Mom, you should think before you speak." Chapter 1352 Chapter 1352 However, Lisa''s threats were useless. Edna was motivated by benefit, after all. She soon revealed everything about what happened back then. "I didn''t know that the milk was poisoned, and I even wanted to drink it myself. But after I drank it, I had to go to the hospital. After some tests, I found out that there was something wrong with the milk. "Then, I talked to Lisa about it, and that was how I found out about her ns. Later on, I stopped giving the milk to the girl." Edna used Lisa, saying, "She tricked me back then, so if you want someone to me, me her. If I hadn''t stopped the poisoning in time, the girl wouldn''t have survived." Olivia chuckled. "Madam Todd, you''re notpletely free from me either. You didn''t feed her the poison because you feared that someone might trace it to you. "So, you used a more direct method. You tricked her into turning back so that she would get washed away by the flood." The family was filled with evil, but Molly somehow managed to survive even under such circumstances. "Ms. Fordham, I had no other choice. I had two husbands, but they both passed away early on. I lived all alone in the countryside, and I had no source of ie. How could I raise a child? "She was supposed to go to school when she was seven, but my damned daughter refused to give me even a penny. "Instead of letting the girl live with a poor old woman like me, I thought it''d be better if she could rest in peace." No matter what Edna''s motives were back then, she had saved Molly''s life by stopping the poisoning. "Madam Todd, we called you here just to be a witness to what happened back then. You just have to cooperate with the police and tell them clearly about these things." Closing her eyes, Lisa seemed disheartened. "Mrs. Heath, I don''t mind dying, but I hope you can let Krystal off the hook. "You''ve put in effort to raise her, after all. She''s at least an adopted daughter to you. If she gets jailed, her whole life will be ruined!" While Lisa was begging Tatiana with all her might, Krystal finally came to her senses. "You mean... I''m not from the Heath family?" Lisa waved at her. "Krystal,e here. Beg Mrs. Heath and Mr. Linus for mercy with me so that they''ll let you off the hook." Krystal''s face turned pale, and her gaze was nk. This was the most shocking revtion to her. "Krystal..." Krystal pointed at Molly. "So, she''s the real daughter of the Heath family, and I''m just a daughter of a lowly maid?" Lisa had taken attentive care of Krystal. She had helped Krystal from dressing up to massaging her feet. So, when Krystal said those words, it was quite hurtful. Gi?m 90% 1000 chi?c ?? ???c b¨¢n -Rolex b?n sao (m¨¢y c? Automatic) Gi?m 90% 1000 chi?c ?? ???c b¨¢n -Rolex b?n sao (m¨¢y c? Automatic) ad Frowning, Linus exined, "She''s your mother." "My mother?" Krystal mumbled, "My mother is Tatiana, not this lowly maid!" "Why would you do this?" Krystal slowly walked toward Lisa. "I was doing just fine in the Heath family. Why would you do this to me?" "I''m sorry, Krystal. I did this just to give you a better life. I had no other choice." She had done all this for Krystal so that Krystal could enjoy a life of luxury. But in the end, Krystal didn''t feel bad for her at all. Instead, Krystal med her.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Lisa looked at Krystal with teary eyes. "Krystal, I''ll shoulder all the responsibility. Before I go to jail, can you please call me ''Mom'' onest time?" Krystal walked up to her with a cold expression. It was as if she was talking to a stranger. "Mom." Krystal spoke in a low voice, and Lisa replied joyfully, "Yes, dear." In the next moment, Lisa''s expression froze as she sensed immense paining from her stomach. Lowering her head, she realized that Krystal was holding a knife, which was now sticking out of her body. Blood traveled along the knife and dripped onto the soft rug. "You''re not worthy." Krystal grinned hysterically. "Krystal." Krystal''s eyes weren''t focused at all. She mumbled, "I''ve killed the lowly maid. She''s not my mom." Then, she slowly walked toward Tatiana. "Mom, I can only be your daughter." Chapter 1353 Chapter 1353 Krystal was still holding the knife in her hand, and the knife was still covered in her biological mother''s blood. However, she was walking toward Tatiana. The scene was filled with both irony and madness. Yale shielded Molly, fearing that Krystal might inflict harm on Molly. Meanwhile, Linus stood in front of Tatiana, who was greatly terrified. "Goodness! She just killed someone!" Edna screamed as she dodged to the side, fearing that the blood would get on her. Olivia simply watched the chaotic events unfold. This family was really something. Edna didn''t acknowledge Lisa as her daughter, and Lisa''s own daughter was trying to kill her. Lisa was an evil woman, and neither her mother nor her daughter felt bad for her at all. She deserved it. Tatiana hastily tried to stop Krystal. "Don''te here." "Mom, why did you abandon me? I''m Krystal. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I love you so much. You can''t disown me like this." Linus subdued Krystal easily. Krystal didn''t intend to hurt them either. She simply sobbed as she said, "Linus, you used to pamper me so much, didn''t you? How could you do this to me?" When Linus saw her tears, he only felt that they were fake. The behavior of this family today had truly opened his eyes. He never expected vileness to be a hereditary trait. Olivia stepped forward to check on Lisa''s injuries and then stopped the bleeding. The housecked medical equipment, so Olivia could only tell the bodyguards to send Lisa to the hospital as soon as possible. Lisa''s deeds were despicable, but if she died in the Heath residence, it would be a very troublesome matter for the Heath family. Krystal was once again brought back to her room, where she was kept under watch. Tatiana called for the rug to be changed. Yale apanied Molly as he carefullyforted her. "It''s okay." Molly was terribly shocked. After all, she had never experienced anything like this before. Yale had to reassure Molly for a long time before she went to sleep. At the door, Tatiana lowered her voice and asked, "How do you n to deal with this? Krystal is still pregnant with your child." Yale didn''t seem to pity Krystal at all. "If you''re willing to let me handle this, I''ll make it so that she wishes she were dead!" With that, he nced at Tatiana. "I just worry that you feel bad for her." Even though Krystal was a fake daughter, the love and support Tatiana had given her were real. Tatiana thought about how Krystal was capable of stabbing even her biological mother. Krystal was truly a terrible person from birth. Ki?m ti?n d? d¨¤ng nh?n t¨ªn hi?u ??u t? c¨´ng Mr.Pips Ki?m ti?n d? d¨¤ng nh?n t¨ªn hi?u ??u t? c¨´ng Mr.Pips ad "Why would I feel bad for her? When I think about all the years of pain and suffering Molly had to go through, I wish I could p myself for not discovering this secret earlier. Still... Krystal is pregnant." She couldn''t do this to a pregnant woman no matter how much she hated that woman. "What do you mean by this?" "You could get her to abort the child and then send her to jail, or you could deal with it after she has given birth to the child." Tatiana nced carefully at Yale. "I know that you''re devoted to Molly. Setting aside whether you two can still be together in the future, Molly may not be able to get pregnant anymore. "You could raise the child as your own after Krystal gives birth. You can treat it like¡ª" "Impossible!" Yale rejected that straight away. "I won''t let Krystal give birth to that child." "Yale, do you seriously want the Kingston family to go without an heir?" Yale sneered. "I''ve already cut off ties with the Kingston family, so what does that have to do with me? Moreover, they still have a flirty son, so I''m sure they''ll get an heir sooner orter. "My heart only belongs to Molly, so it doesn''t matter if you decide to give me her hand in marriage or not. I''ll never ept anyone else, nor will I ept a child someone else has given birth to. "Just from the things Krystal has done to Molly, Krystal deserves to die a thousand times over!" Chapter 1354 Chapter 1354 Molly didn''t fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she would see that vivid red color. Olivia gave her an acupuncture treatment as usual. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "I know you''re not sleeping." Opening her eyes, Molly looked a little lost. "Olivia, have I done something wrong?" "Yes." Olivia inserted the needles as she said calmly, "Your fault is in your meekness, and you''re also too kind." "Olivia..." Meeting her eyes, which were as pure as a child''s, Olivia sighed. "Back then, I decided to save you because of the look in your eyes. You remind me of my past self. "I used to think that I could be happy if I treated everyone kindly, but the world doesn''t work like that. Sometimes, the more you care about others, the more likely they''ll take advantage of you. "Your weakness will bring you trouble, and it''ll also bring misfortune to the people around you." When Olivia said that, she recalled Mona''s face when she died in front of her. If Olivia had been a little stronger back then, she wondered if she could have changed the ending. So many years had passed since then. Mona might have gotten married and had kids by now instead of losing everything and spending eternity in the grave. "Olivia, what should I do?" "Stop trying to help people and respect their fates. Don''t show them needlesspassion. Think of yourself and the child you had who never got to see the light of day. "You have to be a little cruel to protect yourself and your family, alright?" Olivia just didn''t want Molly to repeat the same mistakes. Her excessive kindness would only be used against her in the end. Molly touched her t belly. Just a few days ago, there was still a tiny life inside her, but now, that life was gone. She began to think about Olivia''s words. If she weren''t so weak, and if she were a little more assertive, would the child have survived? "Don''t think about things that have already happened. You should rest and recuperate. Your utmost priority is to recover." "Thank you, Olivia." Molly felt much better after listening to what Olivia said. Olivia opened the door and went out. She didn''t care what the Heath family and Yale would do to Krystal. She was just a doctor. She had nothing to do with non-medical matters. New Year''s wasing soon, so she only wanted to reunite with the children as soon as possible. Molly had reunited with her family, so, of course, Olivia missed her children too. Olivia took some time to go to the Carlton residence. Marina had been eagerly waiting for her every day. ad "Vanessa, you''re finally here!" Marina didn''t seem to hate Olivia so much now. Instead, she treated Olivia like a deity, and she thought of Olivia as her savior. "I''ve been following the prescription you gave me. Can you perform the surgery now?" Olivia met her enthusiastic gaze. "Do you want to stand up so badly?" Marina had been trapped in the Carlton residence for years. She had no idea what it was like now out there. Even if she made it outside, she would only be met with another catastrophe. "Yes. Every day, I hope that I can be free again." "Free?" Olivia chuckled. "It may be another chain that binds you." "What do you mean by that?" Olivia smiled. "Nothing. It''s exactly what it sounds like. Since you want surgery, I''ll make it happen." When Marina saw the smile on Olivia''s face, she felt panicked for some reason. "When can we have the surgery?" "You want to do it as soon as possible, right? We''ll have a detailed check-up. If it fulfills the requirements for surgery, we''ll do it tomorrow." Olivia could barely wait to see Marina''s expression when she saw Olivia''s real face at the operating table. Chapter 1355 Chapter 1355 Olivia would never forget nor forgive what Marina did. Setting aside the matters concerning Ethan, Marina had taken away Olivia''s parents¡ªespecially Jeff. Back then, Olivia had tried so hard to finally get Jeff to survive, but because of Marina, he passed away. Evil people like Marina didn''t deserve to stay alive. "Mom." A girl''s voice rang out in Olivia''s ears. Turning around, Olivia saw a girl who looked a lot like Marina. She was considerably shorter than Connor. The girl was Erina, the only surviving child Marina had with Kurt. Erina had probably just returned from school. She was still wearing the uniform of the private academy she was attending. If Olivia hadn''t suddenly seen Erina''s face, she would''ve forgotten that Erina existed. When Marina saw Erina, her eyes lit up. "My dear child,e here and let me have a look at you." Erina''s eyes were very much like Jack''s. Olivia could see shadows of Marina and Kurt in her. When Olivia thought about it, she realized that Erina''s and Connor''s birthday was around the corner. They would be nine years old this year. Because of Jack, Olivia didn''t harbor any ill intentions toward Erina. "Who is this?" Erina looked at Olivia. Marina sounded enthusiastic as she said, "Erina, this is the famous doctor Vanessa. My leg has gotten better these days, and it''s all because of her. "When she performs surgery on me, I''ll be able to stand again." Erina said, "Thank you, Ms. Vanessa. I want to learn medicine in the future. Can I learn from you?" Olivia remembered that when they were young, Erina and Connor lived together. Connor was an independent child, and he developed better than Erina. When Connor was able to run around, Erina still had to hold onto the couch for support to walk. Perhaps because of the blood rtions between Erina and Marina, Erina wasn''t too close to Olivia in the beginning. Erina was a quiet girl when she was young, and now, she was quite reserved as well. Her personality waspletely different from Marina''s arrogance. "Sure." Olivia''s mind was filled with thoughts of Jack. He still couldn''t get over Kurt''s death, and since Erina was Kurt''s only bloodline, Jack probably wanted to meet Erina. "Here''s my number. In the future, you can ask me about anything at all. At least in the path of medicine, I can provide some guidance." "Thank you, Ms. Vanessa." "Come, Erina. You just came back, so you must be hungry right now. What would you like to eat? I''ll get the chefs to prepare it for you." Fabian''s voice rang out behind them. When Marina and Erina saw him, they had the same expression on their faces. They seemed like they both feared and hated him. Erina subconsciously hid behind Olivia, saying, "Ms. Vanessa, I..." Olivia was aware of what happened between Marina and Fabian. By the looks of it, Erina knew as well, and that was why she was so wary of Fabian. "We haven''t met in so long. Erina doesn''t warm up to me anymore. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Hi, Erina, I''m your Uncle Fabian. Why don''t you say hi to me too?" When Fabian said the words "Uncle Fabian", Erina felt goosebumps all over her body. But then, she nced at her mother, who was still bound to the wheelchair. She could only open her mouth and say, "Hi, Uncle Fabian." "Good girl." Fabian then said to Olivia, "Oh, Vanessa, you''re here too. Why don''t you stay for dinner? You can discuss the details of the surgery tomorrow." "Sure." Seeing how fearful Erina was, Olivia wanted to stay to figure out the truth. After Fabian left, Erina spoke up, "Mom, I''ll call Dad." By the looks of it, Erina still hadn''t learned about her background. Back then, Ethan wanted to protect Kurt''s bloodline, and he didn''t want the child to be born fatherless. So, he never revealed the truth. Marina had a dark look on her face. "Go ahead. But I''m sure he won''te over." In recent years, Ethan had grown cold toward her. He didn''t even care if she was alive. The only connection they had between them was Erina. When the call went through, everyone in the room was silent. Erina set the call on hands-free mode so that Marina could hear Ethan''s voice as well. Ethan''s low voice was tinted with tenderness. "What''s the matter, Erina?" "Dad, I just came home. Can youe over to the Carlton residence for dinner? I miss you." Chapter 1356 Chapter 1356 Olivia was aware of why this came to be, but when she heard someone else''s daughter call Ethan "Dad", she still felt a little weird. That was why she couldn''tpletely ept Ethan. There were too many grudges between them. Even if those grudges were removed, many wounds would remain. Every single wound was a reminder of her tragic past. Other than Marina and Erina, there was also Leia to consider. Olivia and Ethan had been quite intimate with each other recently, and she felt a fire burning between them. However, when Erina called Ethan "Dad", Olivia suddenly felt like cold water was poured onto her. It cooled off her hot passion. "Well, I don''t think I cane today. I have something to attend to right now. I''ll pick you up when I have time. Where would you like to go for dinner? I''ll make a reservation," Ethan said calmly. Obviously, Ethan didn''t want to have anything to do with Marina. Even if he had to eat, he would dine alone with Erina.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Erina sounded a little pitiful. She knew that Marina was the person who truly wanted to see Ethan. "Ms. Vanessa said that Mom can have surgery tomorrow. We''re having a gathering tonight, so pleasee over, okay?" Ethan soon gave in. "Alright, I''lle over after work." Olivia knew very well why Ethan had given in. For the past few nights, Ethan had failed to get over the wall. Last night, Mason had personally brought some men along to block the entrance. They stood under the roof, watching the desperate Ethan get in by climbing over the wall. The person who had leaked the information to Ethan was stationed somewhere else. Ethan had done it out of desperation, and he was caught in the act. Mason was drinking some tea as he lookedzily at Ethan. "What are you doing sote at night? Physical training?" Ethan blushed despite himself. This incident would be quite humiliating if word of it got out. After being lectured by Mason, Ethan was escorted away. After Ethan went home, he made a video call to Olivia thatsted for two hours. The call went on until Olivia fell asleep and her phone ran out of battery and turned off. When Ethan learned that Olivia was here, he wouldn''t let this great chance slip by. "Mom, Dad agreed toe over." Erina smiled in excitement. Marina touched her face. "Oh no, I can''t see him like this." With that, Marina went about to dress herself up properly. Olivia wasn''t interested in that, so she went out the door. In the snowy scene, Fabian was holding a cigarette in his hand. He looked quite troubled. "Mr. Fabian," Olivia said calmly. Fabian looked at her. He hastily put out the cigarette as he walked toward her. "What are the chances of sess for the surgery tomorrow?" "Ms. Carlton has a strong will to survive. I thought that she wouldn''t be able to endure it, but now, I can see that she''s good at persisting. "Her leg is recovering well, so there''s a very low chance of failure," Olivia replied honestly. Fabian had a dazed look on his face. "Is that so...?" "What''s the matter, Mr. Fabian? Aren''t you happy that Ms. Carlton will be recovering as soon as possible?" Fabian suddenly took out a check and handed it to Olivia. The check already bore his signature and seal, but the amount was nk. "Vanessa, if you''re willing to make a deal with me, this check will be yours." "By the looks of it, you''re not trying to pay the medical bills ahead of time." Fabian lowered his voice. "Vanessa, if the surgery tomorrow ends in failure, this will be your consultation fee." Olivia was a little surprised. She didn''t expect to encounter so many weirdos this year. She had just met two of them at the Heath residence, but now, another one had appeared in the Carlton residence. By the looks of it, this man was truly fond of Marina. He liked Marina so much that he wanted to keep her trapped for life. Chapter 1357 Chapter 1357 Olivia held the check between her fingers. The look in her eyes was unfathomable. "Why?" "For personal reasons. I hope you can make it happen, Vanessa." "But I''ve already told your sister that the chances of sess are quite high." Fabian smiled. "An operation is like an exam. It''s normal for asional mistakes to ur, right?" "As you wish, then, Mr. Fabian." Olivia filled in the amount on the check. 99.99 million dors. "You''re okay with this, right, Mr. Fabian?" She was asking for a lot. Fabian only nced at it. "Sure. Whatever you wish." Olivia put the check away. "Well, then. Here''s to a great partnership." Fabian had heard of Vanessa''s fame a long time ago. She didn''t belong to any hospital, and even when she treated patients, she did it of her own will. He wasn''t sure if she would agree to this, but fortunately, she did. Marina had no idea that the person who loved her the most had joined hands with the person who hated her the most. Ethan didn''te too soon. Olivia was sitting in the living room, enjoying tea with Otto. Then, through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she saw Ethan striding over to them. He was even holding a transparent and exquisite box in his hand. Within it was a small snowman made of white and red roses. The Santa hat on it was a little lopsided, and it looked very adorable indeed. No wonder Ethan hade sote. He had bought a present. From a distance, Erina ran over to Ethan. Ethan handed the snowman to Erina, and Erina seemed delighted with it. She swayed Ethan''s hand as she talked to him. Reaching out, Ethan patted Erina on the head. From his moving lips, Olivia could see that Ethan was saying that Erina had gotten taller. Marina came out in her wheelchair. She had taken a long time to put on makeup. Normally speaking, she was much prettier than Krystal. She wasn''t too arrogant, and when she was in the wheelchair, she looked very pitiful. Olivia had decided that if Ethan behaved even a little sympathetically toward Marina, she would ban him from her bed for life. Marina had her back to Olivia, so Olivia didn''t know what Marina was saying. Throughout the process, Ethan had his gaze trained on Erina. After a few exchanges, Otto and Olivia got up as well. They were headed to the dining room for dinner. Fabian wasn''t around, so Olivia helped Otto get there in his wheelchair. She could see that Otto didn''t have much longer to live. He was involved in substance abuse back then. He felt great when he took the supplements Toxic Hive gave him, but in reality, his life was being spent. His lifespan had shortened.Olivia had her own principles. She would not attack old people, pregnant women, or little children. She would hold onto those principles even if she was faced with the executioner who killed Chloe.The cold wind was blowing outside when Erina''s clear voice rang out. "Dad, both Mom and I missed you a lot." Before Ethan replied, he happened to meet Olivia''s gaze. Olivia was standing behind Otto, and she looked at Ethan as if she was looking at a stranger. Olivia was skilled at hiding her emotions now. As long as she refused it, no one would be able to pry into her thoughts and emotions. "Long time no see, Mr. Carlton Senior. How are you?" Otto coughed. "Not too good these days. You should visit me more often." "I''m busy." Then, Ethan looked at Olivia. He said justifiably, "I see that Vanessa is here too." "Yes." Olivia looked away. She was leaving with Otto when Ethan hastily went after them. "Vanessa, allow me." When he reached out for the wheelchair, he identally brushed against Olivia''s T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. cold fingertips. Olivia didn''t even nce at him before walking away. "Sure." Now, Ethan was very sure that Olivia was furious! Chapter 1358 Chapter 1358 At the dining table, Otto took Ethan''s hand and said sincerely, "I don''t have much time left, Ethan. "Originally, the grandson-inw I was most keen on having was you, but in the end, things weren''t meant to be between you and Marina. Now that things havee to this point, I won''t ask for too much. "I just hope that you won''t attack the Carltons, even if it''s just because of the connection between our families. Please give us as much support as you can." When Otto said those words, Fabian gripped the wine ss tightly. But when Otto looked at him, he put on a fake friendly face. Olivia once saw Fabian meeting up with Yale, so he must be on the Yale family''s side. Hence, it made sense that he would be upset with what Otto said. "Fabian, you should learn from Ethan." Fabian held the wine ss, looking quite guilty indeed. "You''re right, Grandpa. Mr. Miller, I''m counting on your guidance." Ethan''s gaze swept over him. There was a deep knowing look in his eyes as he said, "I won''t say no to that." Marina raised her ss at him. "Ethan, I''ll be getting surgery tomorrow. Can youe?" Ethan had rejected her countless times, so she wasn''t sure what Ethan''s reply would be. Hence, there was a slight awkwardness in her voice and movements. Olivia was the one performing the surgery, and Ethan wanted to get closer to Olivia. He couldn''t enter the Heath residence as he wished anyway, so he said, "Sure." Marina was ted. "Ethan, I''ll be so reassured to know that you''re around." Fabian looked at Marina''s excited expression, feeling like a thousand gnats were gnawing at his heart. The jealousy almost consumed him. Olivia watched all this quietly. Fabian truly loved Marina to the core, but sadly, Marina only had eyes for Ethan. It was quite an interesting situation. Swirling the wine in the ss, Olivia took a sip of the wine. Ethan watched the movement on her neck as she swallowed, feeling a little hot inside. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. He hadn''t touched her in days. Olivia was like an addictive poison to him, and he was already deeply addicted to her. He couldn''t break free from her at all. "Erina, take me to the bathroom," Marina asked Erina in a small voice. "Okay." But Fabian stood up first. "Let me do it. The bathroom on the ground floor is under maintenance, so I''ll take you to the one outside." When Marina saw Fabian''s face, she was terrified. "I-It''s okay. I don''t really feel like going anyway.won''t trouble you." Chapter 1359 Chapter 1359 Olivia lowered her voice as she reached out to shove Ethan. "Stop fooling around." In the snowyndscape, Ethan''s drunken voice sounded extra suggestive. "Liv, I miss you. That old man won''t even let me in the house." When he was speaking, he sounded extra wounded. Even though Olivia wasn''t there at the scene, she felt amused when she pictured the situation. He was a powerful man, so he had never experienced such treatment before. Standing on her tiptoes, Olivia gave him a peck on the cheek. "Alright, stop fooling around. I''ll make it up to you at night." Unbeknownst to them, someone was standing nearby and had seen everything. Erina was worried that her mother would be bullied by that bad man again, so she came out to look for Marina. She didn''t expect to run into that sight. For as long as she could remember, Ethan had always been a very cold man. He was even colder when it came to Marina. She had never seen him smile at Marina before. In the past few years, he never even once cared about Marina. Erina thought that it was just his personality. But now, he was holding the doctor in his arms, and he was smiling with such affection. Even Erina herself had never received such a smile from him. Why? He could smile so much at other women, but he refused to even spare a nce at Marina. How could her father be someone like this? Erina had always fantasized that one day, her dad might turn back and love her mom again. But now, when she saw that scene, Erina realized that it was a dream that would nevere true. Olivia removed herself from Ethan''s embrace, and the two quietly walked away. When they went back to the dining room, they didn''t see Erina there. Otto told them, "Erina went to look for Marina. Didn''t you run into her?" Olivia''s gaze flickered, and she understood something. She had already decided that it would be fine even if her identity was exposed and known. Thinking that those two wouldn''t be done anytime soon, Olivia only took a few more bites before setting down her cutlery. She then found an excuse and left. A few minutes after Olivia left, Ethan was about to leave as well. However, Erina tugged at his sleeve. "Dad, we haven''t seen each other in so long. Why won''t you spend more time with me?" Ethan met the child''s expectant gaze. Erina''s face looked a lot like Marina''s, but her eyes werepletely identical to her father''s. When Ethan looked at Erina, he felt like he was looking at Kurt. There was a sudden fleeting pain in his Ki?m ti?n d? d¨¤ng nh?n t¨ªn hi?u ??u t? c¨´ng Mr.Pips Ki?m ti?n d? d¨¤ng nh?n t¨ªn hi?u ??u t? c¨´ng Mr.Pips ad heart. If Kurt were still alive, he would have loved Erina to bits. In the past, when Ethan and Kurt had time, they would fantasize about the future. Kurt wanted a daughter as pretty as Marina, and he said that he would pamper the child to no end. Back then, Ethan kept joking that Marina might not be willing to get married to him. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The things they talked about hade true. In the end, Marina didn''t get to marry Kurt, but she did give birth to a daughter who looked like her. In the past few years, because of Marina, Ethan became a little colder to Erina as well. The children shouldn''t be involved in the grudges between the adults. Ethan''s heart softened for an instant. "Alright, I''ll spend some time with you." "You''re so awesome, Dad." Erina immediately put on an overjoyed expression. Ethan felt his heart aching a little when he saw that. Erina had grown up in an environment thatcked fatherly love. Now, she had developed a shy and sensitive personality. Ethan sighed. In the end, he stayed behind. Even if he spent just an hour more with her, Erina would be ted. Olivia waited outside the door for ten minutes. She thought that Ethan would appear within five minutes. Then, she received a message on her phone. Ethan told her to leave first, for he would stay behind and spend some time with Erina. Without another word, Olivia tossed her phone away. Stepping on the gas pedal, she sped away. Chapter 1360 Chapter 1360 Connor was still receiving training out there, and Ethan was separated from his other three children. This was a decision Olivia had made back then to draw boundaries between herself and Ethan. To protect the children, she didn''t even tell Ethan where the children were studying. Even though Ethan had a reason, when Olivia thought about him going so far for someone else''s child, she still felt upset about it. Gripping the steering wheel, Olivia quietly told herself not to hold a grudge against a child. But she couldn''t stop her mind from thinking. She sped all the way back to the Heath residence. Meanwhile, in the Carlton residence, Marina''s body was pinned against the cold mirror as she endured Fabian''s outrage. About a dozen minutester, Fabian finally stopped in haste. Seeing that he didn''t take any preventive measures, Marina bit his shoulder viciously. "You jerk! How dare you do that!" Fabian had a crazed look on his face. "I want you to have my child!" "In your dreams!" Marina red at him in hatred. "I hate you to the core. I''d rather die than get pregnant with your child." Reaching out, Fabian pinched her chin as he said, "You can only be mine for the rest of your life! I won''t let you leave." Marina had no idea how she managed to encounter such a maniacal man. She had no one to help her either. She was a proud woman, so she didn''t dare to tell Otto about this. After all, Otto was already nearing the end of his life. If he learned of this incident, he might just drop dead. Marina had lost her parents, so Otto was the only elder in the family who loved her. She didn''t want to see her family leave her again. So, no matter how Fabian humiliated her, she could only endure it. The recovery of her leg became her only hope. She was enduring everything for the sake of tomorrow. As soon as she could walk, she couldpletely escape Fabian''s control. As Marina gazed at the dark night outside, she silently told herself to persevere a little longer. Dawn would be breaking soon. When she went back to the room, she saw Ethan ying with Erina. They were building a huge fox out of building blocks. Unlike her usual gloomy and low-profile behavior, Erina was now extra active and cheerful. Her face was filled with smiles. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "You''re amazing, Dad! Yes, put that block here." When Marina saw that scene, her eyes stung. If she hadn''t done what she did in the past, which pushed him further away from her, Ethan would have married her because of Kurt''s death. Now, she regretted it deeply. "Mom, Dad is amazing. He managed to build so many things in such a short time. Do you¡ª" Erina looked smilingly at Marina, but when she saw Fabian, who was behind the wheelchair, she stopped smiling. She had learned of Fabian''s deeds toward Marina a year ago. Back then, she had already had a vague grasp of what the two were doing. After that, she insisted on telling Otto about it, but Marina cried and told her not to do it. So, Erina could only hold it in. She was instinctively afraid of Fabian. Seeing that they were back, Ethan put down the blocks in his hands and got up. "It''s gettingte. I''ll be going back now." His gaze fell upon Marina''s slightly haggard face. Her eyes were a little red, so she must have cried just now. But what did that have to do with him? Kurt was already dead, and he couldn''t tell Marina to be a widow all her life. This time, Ethan didn''t listen to Erina as he strode away. Fabian had a gentle smile on his face as he said, "I won''t be seeing you off, Mr. Miller. The roads might be slippery in this cold weather, so take care." Ethan nced at him. He didn''t say anything in response as he turned around and left. In a way, Fabian looked very much like Yale in the past. They were skilled at masking themselves, and Ethan hated dealing with people like them. Seeing that Ethan was leaving, Fabian even added, "Don''t worry, Mr. Miller. I''ll take good care of Marina." "That''s good to hear." Ethan didn''t even look back. Chapter 1361 Chapter 1361 Olivia returned to the Heath residence gloomily. Molly still hadn''t gone to bed, and a warm light flickered in her room. Tatiana let Molly try on the scarf she had just knitted. "They fit just right. I''ll knit gloves and a hat for you tomorrow." "Thank you, Mom." In just a few days, Molly had gotten much better. Her cheeks had plumped up a little. "Come on, you don''t have to thank me. I''m your mom, after all. In the future, I''ll make it up to you even more, so please get well soon." Olivia knocked on the door and went in. Molly trusted Olivia very much, and her eyes lit up when she saw Olivia. "You''re back, Olivia. Where did you go?" "I checked in on a patient. Are you okay?" Olivia''s originally foul mood got better as soon as she saw Molly. "Yes, I''m alright. My stomach stopped aching, and my appetite has improved a lotpared to before. Your medicine is quite effective." Molly was like the sun. She was sad about losing her child, but she would force a smile in front of everyone else. She would pretend like nothing had happened, for she didn''t want them to be sad because of her. She was the total opposite of Krystal. One of them was extremely selfish, but the other was too considerate of others. The former kept hurting people, but thetter kept getting hurt. It would be better if Molly could be a little more selfish. Olivia stayed for a moment before returning to her room. Her phone kept vibrating on her bedside table, but she was taking a bath in the bathroom. Ethan had just arrived at the Heath residence when he was denied passage. "Sorry, Mr. Miller, but Mr. Heath said that if you don''t have official business here, you aren''t allowed to After Yale let himself loose, his personality changed a lot. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. If it were before and he saw Ethan being stopped at the entrance, he would pause and mock Ethan. But now, he was in a hurry. He didn''t even want to say anything unnecessary as he walked away. He treated Ethan like air. He didn''t have to fight Ethan anymore. He had let go of everything and lived only for that woman. His life had also be much simpler. He would ignore people he didn''t want to deal with, and he could skip the greetings he wanted to skip. Life wasn''t so hard, after all. Ethan pointed at Yale. "What right does he have to go in, then?" "These are Mr. Heath''s orders. Mr. Miller, please don''t make this hard for me." Ethan had no choice but to go back dejectedly. He sat in the car and lit a cigarette. In reality, Ethan knew why Yale coulde and go as he pleased. It was simply because Yale loved Molly, and Molly loved him too. With Molly''s acknowledgment, even if Mason wanted to separate the two, he couldn''t bring himself to hurt his daughter at times like this. So, he could only allow Yale to stay. The biggest difference between Ethan and Yale was that Olivia held the initiative. Olivia wasn''t willing to fully believe in Ethan. Of course, Ethan regretted what he did in the past. But no matter how hard he tried, his rtionship with Olivia seemed to be frozen in ce. He couldn''t get even a little bit closer to her. Half an hourter, Olivia sent a message in reply, "I''m tired. Let''s leave it at that. You should go to sleep too." From the trunk, Ethan retrieved the gift he had selected. There were tworge pink bunny plushies with four little bunny plushies standing in front of them. Each bunny had a pink rose in their paws. It was a very loving scene to behold. He didn''t mainly intend to buy a gift for Erina. Instead, he was actually picking out a gift for Olivia. After the gift was passed to the security guard, Olivia soon received the adorable gesture of goodwill. The room she was temporarily staying in was on the second floor, and she could see the main gate from there. Under the streetlights, the man was covered in snowkes. He seemed to have sensed her gaze, and he looked up. Their gazes met. Chapter 1362 Chapter 1362 Ethan seemed to have guessed that she would being over, so he stood under the streetlights. That way, she would be able to spot the white snow on his figure right away. If her heart ached for him, she woulde downstairs. Olivia was in her bathrobe, holding the gift he had sent her as she looked down at him. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Right after that, she lowered her head and typed something on her phone. Then, she raised her phone and waved it, gesturing for Ethan to check his phone. Ethan lowered his gaze, thinking that Olivia did indeed care about him. But when he unlocked his phone, the smile froze on his face. "Thanks for the gift. The roads might be slippery in this weather, so take care on your way home." Seeing that Ethan had checked his phone, Olivia turned around and went back to her room. She even drew the curtains, firmly blocking her figure from view. In his exasperation, Ethan smiled bitterly. He remembered when she was still in school and she came out in her pajamas despite the snow, she had thrown herself into his arms. They could never return to those days. His Liv had changed. He was no longer her priority. Of course, Olivia was aware of his thoughts. He was just trying to make himself look a little pitiful. She arranged the bunnies neatly on the bedside table. She had epted the gift, but she didn''t forgive him. Their current rtionship was probably the best for both of them. Olivia slept soundly through the night. When she woke up and drew the curtains, she saw the maids shoveling the snow in the yard. It had snowed heavily overnight. As Olivia opened the door, the cold air rushed up to her face. "Ms. Olivia." The maids along the way smiled as they greeted her. Many of them were holding string lights in their hands. New Year''s was just around the corner, so it was about time they set up the atmosphere. The festivities this year were sure to be bustling. Olivia was in a good mood when she thought about meeting her children soon. Taking out her car keys, she was about to get her car when she spotted the ck Bentley quietly parked at the side of the road. After an entire night, thick snow had piled up on the car. Olivia felt a little worried. Had that crazy Ethan been here all night? Wiping away the snow on the ss with her gloves, she saw the man in the driver''s seat. His eyes were tightly closed, and his thick eyshes had covered his profound eyes. "Ethan." She knocked on the ss of the car window. Fortunately, the man quickly opened his eyes. Opening the door, he swiftly pulled her into his embrace.He had moved the seat back, but it still felt quite squished with the two of them in one seat. Olivia supported her hands against his chest, barely maintaining her bnce as she frowned. "What are you doing? Do you think that I''ll give in if you suffer a little?" Reaching out, Ethan hugged her tighter. "I didn''t mean it like that, Liv. I just wanted to see you first thing in the morning." Olivia examined his expression. She had no idea if he meant it or not. "Liv, were you mad because I stood you upst night? I''m sorry. I was reminded of Erina''s father when I saw her. I''m indebted to Kurt." Olivia said calmly, "Your debt to Kurt is your business, and you can make it up to his family however you wish. Simrly, I have the right to make a choice. "I admit that even if she''s just a child, I''ll still be mad about it. Connor was separated from me right after he was born, and the other children were separated from you. "You feel bad for Erina because shecks a father''s love, but have you ever thought about our children? They''re also growing up without their parents around! "Ethan, it''s true that I love you, but I also hate you. I hate you for being cold and cruel in the past, and you''ve slowly turned our happy family into what it is now! "The love I have isn''t enough to erase the hatred I have toward you. Your tactics to woo me are despicable at best." With that, Olivia broke free from his embrace and mmed the door on her way out. Chapter 1363 Chapter 1363 Ethan looked at Olivia''s figure against the bleak snow. He felt like he had messed up again. Instead of plots and schemes, he was more intent on seeing her. With Mason between them and since Olivia had to take care of Molly as well, it had be quite a pipe dream for him to see Olivia. He knew that Olivia had surgery to perform today, so that was why he kept waiting here. He wanted to see her as soon as she got out of the Heath residence. He recalled back when he returned from his missions, she would always have some soup ready for him if he informed her beforehand. She would stand at the entrance in her apron, looking out for him. White snow drifted around her, covering her hair and clothes with ayer of white. She looked as pretty as a picture. He just terribly missed the past. Ethan sighed. He had somehow made Olivia mad again. Stepping on the gas pedal, he went after her. The surgery today would be performed in the basement of Olivia''s vi, which was equipped with the most advanced medical equipment. But it was still early when Olivia went back to her home. The cars, one ck and the other white, pulled up. Ethan hastily stepped forward, following Olivia. The door was then opened. The heater in the house wasn''t turned on yet, so it felt like they had walked into a fridge. Ignoring Ethan, Olivia changed her shoes and went to turn on the heater. When she felt someone tugging the corner of her coat, she turned around to see the tall man with his head lowered. His eyes were filled with apology toward her, and his voice was pitiful as he said, "I''m sorry, Liv." It was fine if he behaved arrogantly about it, but Olivia''s heart always softened when she saw people who showed weakness. When she saw him like that, her rage decreased a lot. "What are you sorry for?" "You''re right, I shouldn''t have involved you in my debts to Kurt. I should''ve drawn my boundaries." Pursing his lips, Ethan exined, "Back then, I thought that Erina was too young, so if I told her the truth, it might hurt her. Kurt saved my life, so I wanted to take care of his children in his stead. "But I was stubborn, and I never considered your feelings. "I felt terrible when I saw Zack and the others calling Jack their dad, so when I put myself in your shoes, I realized that your heart must''ve hurt terriblyst night." Olivia didn''t expect Ethan to urately identify his mistakes. "I know that I shouldn''t hold a grudge against a child, but I can''t control my feelings. "You''re indebted to Kurt, but if Erina and I were to get into danger at the same time, are you going to shove me away and choose her again just to repay his kindness? "Getting hit by a bullet once is once too many." Ethan pulled her into his embrace. "That won''t happen again. Liv, I''m sorry. I''ll exin the truth to Erina today, so please give me another chance, alright? "I was inconsiderate, but I swear I won''t do it again." Olivia raised her eyebrow. "Are you really willing to do it? Won''t you worry that she might get hurt?" "She can understand these things now. If she keeps getting the wrong idea about me and Marina, she''ll try to get us together. Instead of that happening, I would rather exin it to her right now. "I''ve been searching for you for the past few years, so I didn''t manage to see her. That''s why I forgot to exin it to her. "Yesterday, I gave in because I hadn''t seen her in forever. I shouldn''t have overlooked your feelings." Lowering his head, Ethan rubbed against her neck. "I wasn''t plotting anything by waiting outside the Heath residence this morning.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g I seriously just wanted to see you as soon as possible." He sounded extremely wounded. "Your grandpa won''t let me see you alone, and you''re busy taking care of Molly these days. "Liv, I know that you''re very busy and also very outstanding, so I won''t try to own all of you. But can you please reserve a small corner in your heart for me?" Chapter 1364 Chapter 1364 Ethan had always been a powerful man, but at that moment, he was extremely humble. "I was picking out the bunnies for youst night, and I decided to get something for Erina while I was at it. "Liv, I treasure you, and I care about our children as well. It''s almost New Year''s, so can you give me a chance to see the children?" He was especially concerned about the tender Willow. They had only spent a short time together in the vige before Olivia left with Willow. Olivia sighed. "Alright, just don''t do it again." He nodded in agreement. "I won''t." Olivia poked at the stubs on his chin. "Go upstairs and wash up." "Sure." Taking her fingertips, he nted a kiss on them. "Have you really calmed down?" "Yes, absolutely." It was only then that Ethan sighed in relief and went upstairs. Now, he felt like he was walking on thin ice around Olivia. He had finally contacted her again after a painstaking process, so he was sincerely worried that he Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g might lose Olivia again. Pride and favor were nothingpared to Olivia. As Ethan stood in the shower, he recalled the past. Ethan was very grateful to Kurt for sacrificing his life. But in the process of fulfilling Marina''s wishes back then, he had even ruined his own marriage. He should have repaid Kurt''s kindness in full a long time ago. From now on, he wanted to live purely for Olivia and their children. If the favor was a chain that bound him, he would break it with his own hands. Sadly, he realized all this only after he lost everything. If he hade to his senses earlier, he wouldn''t have wasted all those years away from his family. When he opened the door, he saw that Olivia had already prepared clothes for him. He had shamelessly ced some of his clothes here before. When he saw the clean clothes on the bed, a warm smile graced his lips. After dressing neatly, he noticed that Olivia had asked for some fresh ingredients to be delivered. She was wearing an apron as she cooked up a meal in the kitchen. Ethan hugged her from behind. Warm air filled the whole room, apanied by the fresh smell he had on him after washing up. "Liv, I''m so d you''re here." He was worried that when he went downstairs, a spacious yet cold living room would await him. Now, Olivia was quite capable. She could just turn around and leave if she got upset. She would find a ce to hide just like she had done before, and he wouldn''t ever be able to find her. "Breakfast will be ready soon." Olivia knew that Ethan didn''t eat muchst night, nor did he eat anything in the morning. She quickly made some chowder and some other foods to go along with it. She also toasted the bread she bought. Soon, steaming breakfast wasid out on the dining table. Ethan felt as if he was in another world. https://pubfuture/ In the past, he could witness this scene every day. But now, it was a luxury to him. "Liv, thank you." He held her hands. They had gone through so much together that only they could understand how difficult it was to have a routine life like this. Lowering her head, Olivia said in a low voice, "Actually, the children miss you too. Even though Willow has never met you as her father, she has always wanted to know the kind of man her father is. "In a few days, we''ll go and get the kids home so that we can spend New Year''s together." "Alright." Ethan instantly beamed. In the afternoon, the Carltons came knocking. When Marina came, Ethan had just woken up from his nap. He was sitting on the couch, reading. He was wearing a beige turtleneck cashmere sweater. His legs were crossed as he casually leaned against the couch. He was extremely rxed as if he were in his own home. He used to only wear dark clothes, but now, he was suddenly wearing a light-colored outfit. The coldness he exuded had decreased a lot, and he somehow even looked gentler. "You''re here." He looked up, behaving just like the man of the house. Chapter 1365 Chapter 1365 An ambiguous feeling swelled in Erina. It stifled her chest as she observed Ethan''s nonchnt visage. Were they living together? She didn''t tell Marina what she witnessedst night lest she upset Marina. Many things transpired within the household, so Erina was more maturepared to her peers. Not only was her EQ simr to that of a teenager, but she was also reticent and sensitive. She called softly, "Dad." Ethan closed the book and ced it atop the table. At that moment, Fabian pushed Marina over. He was slightly surprised by Ethan''s presence. "Mr. Miller, are you close with Vanessa?" "Yes. I''ll show you the way to the operating room." Ethan stood to lead the group to the basement. There were so many things Marina wanted to say, yet he didn''t give her the chance to do so. Soon, they reached the basement, where the door to the operating room was left ajar. Olivia waspletely ready in an operating suit as she had sanitized herself beforehand. Only the light in the middle of the room was turned on, leaving the corners dimly lit. All they could see was her silhouette. Ethan instructed, "ce Marina on the operating table and you guys can leave." Marina, who knew Ethan''s character very well, had a bad feeling upon hearing that ordering from him. Marina heard that he had been looking for Olivia all these years, indicating his lingering feelings for her. Why would he get acquainted with a doctor all of a sudden? Marina questioned, "Ethan, what''s your rtionship with Vanessa?" His voice sounded steely behind her. "It''s none of your business." Then, he left the operating room. He acted so coldly as though they were strangers. Bitterness imparted in Marina. Although they couldn''t get married, was it impossible for them to be friends? Fabian settled her on the operating table, his cold eyes staring at her. "Marina, I''ll be waiting for you outside." Erina patted the back of Marina''s hands. "Don''t be afraid, Mom. You''ll be fine. After that, the two left, and Ethan personally closed the door. Erina seated herself on a chair with a distressed expression. "Dad, will she be alright?" This was what Olivia wished for, and so Ethan didn''t question her actions Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. until the end. Not even Ethan knew what she was going to do. "Erina, I have something to tell you. Come with me upstairs." Erina''s hunch was telling her it had something to do with that woman. A lot of her ssmates came from a blended family. Chapter 1366 Chapter 1366 Erina''s fists rested beside her, and her cheeks were red. Ethan raised his gaze onto her and pulled her. "Not entirely. I have a story to tell you." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "What if I oppose your remarriage? It''s true that you haven''t been getting along with Mom all these years, but I heard that you''ve been alone the entire time. Can''t you stay as you are right now? "Are you this desperate to build a new family with another person? I don''t want that! I don''t want you to have kids with another person. You can only be my father. Mine only!" Ethan stared right into her eyes. It had been a long time since theyst met, but the obsession in her eyes was all too familiar. She took after Marina so much. Fortunately, he noticed it in time. It would''ve been a catastrophe if he had realized itter. "Erina, calm down." "No!" Erina threw herself into his arms. Her tears showed no sign of stopping. "Dad, Mom and I love you.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Don''t abandon us! Please! I know she''s done wrong things, but she has received her punishment. "Do you know how she put up with the past few years? She was a renowned dancer. Now, she can only stay in a wheelchair. "I bet you loved her in the past, didn''t you? We learned it in biology. That parents bear a new life with love. If you didn''t love her, how could I even exist?"Ethan sighed while wiping off her tears. Gently, he cooed, "Erina, it''s true that your father loved you and loved your mother very much. But I''m not your father." Erina''s eyes widened, radiating helplessness. "I don''t get what you mean, Dad. What do you mean that it''s not you?" He pulled her to his side so that she could take a seat beside him. "It''s a long story..." It was the story of Kurt, Ethan, Marina, and Olivia. Nevertheless, Ethan glossed over the awful deeds Marinamitted. He didn''t want Erina to know how evil her mother was. Erina gaped after hearing the story. It took her a while to find her voice. "So, you mean you''re looking after us on behalf of my biological father? Because he saved you?" "Yes." "You''ve never loved my mother? And it was her who ruined your marriage and drove you and your wife apart?" "Yes." "You''re not our father?" "Connor is Olivia''s and my child. Marina and Olivia had a preterm delivery back then. Marina had twins. Unfortunately, your brother was dead as soon as he was born. Then, I reced him with Connor due to some circumstances." Erina, who barely stopped crying, couldn''t fight back her tears again. "So, I''m not your daughter? Only me?" "Erina, listen, I owe your father a great favor. I''ll take care of you forever. You can live under this name or change it if you want. I''ll always see you as a god-daughter." "A god-daughter..." Erina stared at that handsome face. The father she had been proud of turned out to be a mere outsider. Everything was finally falling back into ce. Why had Ethan never looked at Marina? Why did he treat Erina well and yet never show up for her parent conferences? Why was he so strict on Connor yet pampered her with so much love at the same time? Those questions hanging in the air were finally answered¡ªit was all because of that favor! "Liar! You''re a liar!" shouted Erina, unable to ept reality. The powerful picture of a parental figure in her crumbled. She turned and ran out of the door. "Erina, wait!'' The tear-stricken girl stood in the heavy snow. "Why didn''t you just keep up with the lie forever? Why must you wake me up from my dream?" Chapter 1367 Chapter 1367 Ethan rushed to grab Erina. "Erina, you''re your father''s pride. If he were still alive, he''d surely love you." Erina wriggled so hard to break free from his grasp. Then, she pped him. "Bastard! You''re sorry to Mom, and you hurt your wife! I hate you, I hate you!" She ran away, and Brent followed. "Leave it to me, Mr. Miller." One of Ethan''s hands covered his cheek. It didn''t hurt, but he couldn''t help the overflowing sorrow. Before this, he desperately wished to protect Kurt''s family so much that he even brought his own family in harm''s way. In the end, Fabian repaid the favor the other way round and Marina lost everything. Even Olivia, whom he vowed to protect, was marred with scars. Gradually, his knees knelt to the ground. Just how much of a failure his life was to fail to protect no one? Kelvin patted Ethan''s shoulder. "It''s not your fault, Mr. Miller. There''s no win-win in life. No one can own everything. Actually, you''re doing the right thing." Sitting on the mat, he began analyzing seriously. "Think about it. Ms. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Erina is turning nine soon. She''s mature enough. If you don''t clear things up right now, the misunderstanding is bound to deepen as time passes. "You''ve protected her from those awful rumors and usations well enough. Although you could''ve lied to her forever, we know what''s best. You can''t sustain the fairy tale for her forever."You have children. What would they think when they see another kid call you ''Dad''? Telling Ms. Erina the whole truth is only a matter of time or it''ll only serve as a path to destruction to her. The same goes for your children. When that happens, you won''t be able to resolve either side." Kelvin voiced his opinion in the heat of the moment. Realizing Ethan''s gaze on him, Kelvin covered his mouth. Kelvin let out a wryugh. "Oops! A slip of the tongue. But I do have a point, don''t I? You shouldy out the truth when Ms. Erina is mature enough to take it. It''ll hurt at the moment, but that''s better than suffering for a lifetime. "If you didn''t do so, what will she think of you when she sees you with Mrs. Miller? Betrayer. A betrayer to his marriage and family. She''s too sensitive. That''ll take a toll on her mentality in the long term. "You''ve done everyone a favor by telling her the truth today. Mrs. Miller won''t get angry at you because of your hesitance anymore. And you''ll be able to return to your children with your head held high. "It''s inevitable for Ms. Erina to be sad for now, but she''ll understand your circumstances someday. Mr. Miller, do you know why things ended up that way for you and Mrs. Miller? "Most of the time, the problem was you. You could''ve done your part inmunication better. How would Mrs. Miller know when you said nothing at all? Women''s imaginations can be wild. "If you had exined your rtionship with Marina to Mrs. Miller from the start, things wouldn''t havee this far. Don''t you think so? "Honesty is the key to a longsting marriage. If you genuinely wish for Mrs. Miller to change her mind regarding the remarriage, stop acting on your own," Kelvin reasoned. Ethan raised his head, his gaze on Kelvin. Kelvin pped his hand over his mouth. "I... I was just spouting nonsense. Don''t mind me." "For the first time ever, you sound like a normal person." Kelvin''s head buzzed with confusion. Meanwhile, excitement and vehement emotions stirred in Marina. Her cheeks were red. She watched Olivia get busy with the medicines. She then approached Marina with her face against the lights. Suddenly, some of Marina''s emotions gave way to uneasiness. For a brief moment, she thought she saw that familiar face again. Impossible. Why would she show up here? Right then, the sound of metal clicking resounded. There were handcuffs around the operating table, and they secured her limbs! "Dr. Vanessa, what''s this for?" "To prevent you from moving around." It was Olivia''s original voice. Chapter 1368 Chapter 1368 Goosebumps prickled Marina''s arms as trepidation slowly ate her up. "I don''t quite get what you mean. Are you not going to give me an anesthetic shot?" Olivia smiled. "That''s right." Marina thought that she had yed it off as a joke, but Olivia took it seriously! Marina''s features were stiff. "T-This has to be a joke. It''s amputation! How could you not give me an anesthetic shot?" Obeying her instincts, she moved around but to no avail. Her wrists were tightly fettered. At the same time, Olivia had brought out the necessary tools. After the car crash, Marina was given an anesthetic shot for the surgery, so she didn''t know how the surgery was supposed to work. Olivia yed with a scalpel in her hand with clean moves. Instead of a doctor, she appeared more like a killer right now. "Who''s joking?" She chuckled in her original voice. Despite the long years of absence, her voice was etched in Marina''s head. "O-Olivia Fordham!" Marina shook her head in disbelief, convincing herself that she was hearing things. How could Vanessa be Olivia? Then, Olivia pulled her mask down to reveal a pristine smile. "Bingo! You''ve just gained a free suture as a reward." Marina yelled, "How could it be you? Where''s Dr. Vanessa? Where did you hide her?" To her dismay, the space was lined with thick soundproof material. Not even Fabian, who was just outside the room, could hear her. The scalpel in Olivia''s hand slowly reached Marina''s face before it traced downward. "Marina Carlton, you''ve grown naive the past few years. Don''t you know who I am at this point?" A possibility crossed Marian''s mind. Her eyes widened. "You''re Dr. Vanessa? No way! She''s a famous doctor worldwide. You didn''t even finish university. How..." Standing beside the operating table, Olivia stared at Marina. "Move on from the past, Marina Carlton. It''s been ten years since we first met. Do you think that men are all I think about? I''m different from you." Only then did Marina realize something¡ªbe it ten years ago or now, she had never once thought of working hard. She was born with a silver spoon in the Carlton family. Due to her love for dance from a young age, her family spent a lot of money to raise her as a famous dancer. After that, she got pregnant and received news of Kurt''s death. On the day Ethan visited her ce forpensation, her mind swirled in ecstasy. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. It took her less than a second to think ofpensation¡ªa marriage with Ethan.Ethan gave it a thought for a few days before agreeing to it. She almost lost it due to excitement. She quit her job and devoted her time to taking care of her health, looking forward to the day of the delivery. On the other hand, Olivia waspletely different. The moment she divorced Ethan, she realized how grave her past mistake was. Even if she was terminally ill, she didn''t give up on learning. To add on, she even asked for favors from Calvin, Keith, and others to gather medical records from worldwide for learning purposes. Once she recovered from cancer, she began to put her knowledge into practice. Later on, thanks to Wendy, she was able to expand her expertise to traditional medicine. Intelligent enough to assimte her knowledge in modern and traditional medicine, she performed a fewplicated surgeries and gained recognition worldwide. No one knew what the future held for her. Now, Marina''s and Olivia''s ces were reversed. Chapter 1369 Chapter 1369 Marina recalled something. When a hefty sum of money was needed for Jeff''s operation, a helpless Olivia had to pawn her wedding ring for the money. At that time, she happened to run into Marina, who was picking jewelry. Olivia crouched to pick the ring up while Marina watched the forlorn sight as though it was an entertaining show. In a blink of an eye, seven years had passed. Now, the person standing high up there was Olivia. "You''re Vanessa? Did you approach me for revenge?" Marina lost the glow in her eyes. She had yet to realize the gravity of the situation. "Correct," replied Olivia softly. "This is an osteotome. It''s specially structured for precise uracy and efficiency during bone-cutting. "This is a rongeur, to hold the bones in ce for the cutting. It helps with uracy and stability too. "And this is something you should know. A chainsaw." Like a saleswoman, Olivia introduced the tools to Marina professionally. "We''ll forgo the anesthesia. I''ll cut your skin open and then your bones." Marina broke in a cold sweat. "You can''t do this to me, Olivia Fordham!" "Why not? Why can''t I? I''m going to settle the score with you today once and for all." Olivia cut a line over Marina''s skin. Blood oozed out the trace left by the sharp edge of the scalpel. Marina yelped in pain. Olivia tilted her head. "Does it hurt? But I was hurt too when I saw you standing next to Ethan with a round belly. You stole my husband, my clothes, my house, and my hospital. Forget about that, how could you push me off the ship back then?" The operation was ongoing, and Olivia moved with quick movements. "My baby and I almost died in the sea. I was so sad for a long, long time." The excruciating pain was burning Marina. Due to her recuperation, she could feel her legs now. At that moment, she finally knew why Olivia would be so kind to treat her legs. Olivia had been waiting for this day toe! "S-Stop!" Blood stained all over Olivia''s gloves, so gory unlike her sweet smile. "Oh, and I did beg you to stop too." That snowy night reyed in Marina''s head. Olivia, who noticed Marina''s intention, hugged her belly and retreated backward. "S-Stay away from me." Yet, there was an obsessive smile on Marina''s face. "Give it a guess. If we jump into the sea at the same time, would Ethan save you or me?" "Stop ying childish games with me." Olivia simply wished to protect her baby. "Marina Carlton, stop right there! You''re pregnant too!" However, Marina didn''t give a fig about the lives in her belly because they were Kurt''s. She already had an abortion in mind. If she had not used them as leverage against Ethan, they would''ve been long gone. Marina had everything in n. Once she got married to Ethan, she would have as many kids as she wanted. Her future was bright, unlike Olivia''s. Marina''s higher chance of winning gave her the confidence to gamble on her kids'' lives. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The tear-stricken woman who once begged for mercy now stood before Marina but with a dazzling smile this time. "I told you to stop, but did you?" Olivia spread her hands. The blood dripped from the scalpel to the ground, and she didn''t lose her smile. "Wee to my world, Marina Carlton." Chapter 1370 Chapter 1370 On the chopping board, Marina couldn''t defend herself. Still, she was stubborn and insisted on surviving this. "Olivia Fordham, don''t you forget that Ethan still owes me. If you hurt me, he''s never gonna let you get away with it." Olivia let out a low chuckle. "If so, do you think he would''ve led you all the way here himself?" Marina was stunned. Ethan and Kurt grew up together. Could Ethan actually stay unbothered by Kurt''s death? "Bet you''re thinking about that man whom Ethan owes his life to. Yes, he is indebted to that person, but what does that have to do with you? You were merely that person''s crush. You weren''t even a couple. "Let''s say Ethan did give his word to look after you, did he not uphold his word well enough by sacrificing his marriage and family? "If I were you, I wouldn''t have poured everything into a rtionship for a man. It''s stupid. In the end, you gained nothing from it and his patience thinned. He resents you more than I do. "Why would he possibly protect you again? The only thing Kurt left behind was his daughter, Erina. Your well-being has nothing to do with Ethan. He went beyond the call of duty." Marina couldn''t care less about the pain and huffed. "What do you mean that Erina is the only thing Kurt left behind?" "Oh, you still don''t know the truth," mocked Olivia. "What are you implying?" Marina gritted her teeth. Olivia was aware that only cutting slowly would bring the greatest pain. "Marina, do you know why Connor wasn''t willing to call you Mom since he was young? Because when he could start remembering things, Ethan told him who his mother was. And that''s me." Marina''s expression lost color as she couldn''t believe her ears. "What did you just say..." "I''m saying, Connor is my son. We had preterm delivery that year. You had twins, but one of them passed away upon delivery. Ethan actually gave you my son due to some circumstances. The one who died was your son." A scream pervaded through the air. Marina couldn''t ept it. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "No, Connor is my son." "Have you never suspected it? He takes after Ethan, but he and Erina look nothing alike. How could he possibly be your son?" Marina cried. Of course, she did suspect it. However, considering that Ethan and Kurt were cousins, she assumed that it was usible for Connor to look like Ethan. Moreover, she never bore a shadow of doubt against Ethan. That was why she never thought about it. "Karma is always present. When you were hurting me, did you ever think about karma? I heard that your dead son weighed heavier than Erina. He grew so well¡ª" "Shut up, Olivia! Shut up!" yelled Marina at the top of her lungs. How could this be enough for Olivia? Back then, Marina kept harassing Olivia with text messages¡ª about Ethan having a meal at Marina''s ce, him brewing soup for her, and him spending the night there. Those texts and pictures had Olivia spend those nights in tears. While Olivia grieved over her baby, who was assumed dead, Marina and her children stood beside Ethan. Marina''s words hurt more than anything. "Does it hurt, Marina Carlton? This is nothingpared to what I''ve suffered!" Chapter 1371 Chapter 1371 Olivia started the surgery. The heartache overwhelmed Marina more than the physical pain did. Being both mentally and physically in pain, she thought that this was the end of her life. Olivia wasn''t going to let her off that easily. "You know how many years I''ve been waiting for today? My beloved mother left me when I was young. She treated you so well and yet you didn''t hesitate to hurt her and my father. "Do you even know what I did just to save him? In the end, you took his life with a lift of a finger. Do you know how painful life was to me?" The more she talked about it, the more strength she exerted in her moves. Marina yelled so much that her voice turned hoarse. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Olivia, it was an ident. He''s my father too. I didn''t know!" "You''re calling him your father? How dare you! Why aren''t you the one who died, Marina Carlton? Dad was so excited to wee my baby to the world. He made them toys, showing signs of being willing to live on! It''s all because of you. You!" "Calm down, Olivia!" "Calm down? Dad was such a nice guy, but he''s no longer here. How could you have the nerve to continue with life? Why aren''t you the one who''s dead?" God knew how crestfallen Olivia was back then. She was oblivious to Connor''s true identity, terminally ill, and losing her only family. On the other hand, Marina, the sinner, was still alive! Grief clouded Olivia''s features. Jeff''s death was something she could never get over. It''d be difficult for her to walk out of the shadow of the pain. Whenever one bottled one''s emotions for too long, one''s reaction would be more vehement when those emotions came to the surface. Cold sweat washed Marina from head to toe before she lost consciousness. But minutester, the pain pulled her back to consciousness again. She didn''t know what Olivia was up to. Was Olivia going to kill her? Or cripple her for life? All she knew was that she kept pacing back and forth through death''s door. It tasted like hell. Now, Marina simply wished she could die for once and for all. Seeing through Marina''s thoughts, Olivia coldly snorted. "Wanna die? It won''t be easy." "Olivia, I''m sorry for everything I''ve done to you. Just take my life. I''d rather choose death than get tortured." Olivia scoffed. "I won''t kill you. You''re Dad''s daughter, after all, thest of the bloodline. I''ll make sure you live a long life. I want you to live every single day in repentance!" "What are you trying to do, Olivia?" Horror devoured Marina whole. Olivia had gone nuts! "You''ll find out soon." Olivia''s gaze gave Marina dreadful chills, and Marina''s hunch whispered warnings of a bleak future ahead of her. "Olivia Fordham, if you do anything to me, Fabian will never let this slide that easily!" Despite her hatred for Fabian, he was the only person who could protect her. Olivia giggled. "I know. Because he loves you, to an obsessive extent." "How do you know that?" "When I first came to the Carlton residence to examine your legs, I could tell that he forced it on you. You should be grateful for your looks. They''re the reason you''re living a good life until now. First Kurt, and now Fabian," mocked Olivia. She continued, "But you''ve underestimated his love for you. He''s crazy about you. Why would he let you walk again?" "What do you mean?" "I forgot to tell you something. Yesterday, I made a deal with him. Fabian, he... wishes for this surgery to fail." Chapter 1372 Chapter 1372 That was thest straw for Marina. Her eyes lost focus. "It seems like he''s going to keep you for himself forever." Olivia clicked her tongue. "The high-and-mighty Marina is going to be someone''s toy forever, huh?" Those words hit home hard for Marina. "But you have nothing to worry about when I''m in the operating room holding a scalpel. Even though you''re my enemy, I uphold the oaths I took as a doctor." Marina couldn''t really tell what Olivia really wanted. It was a long surgery. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g No one knew how many times Marina lost her consciousness due to the excruciating pain. Her sweat dripped into her eyes. Every time she regained consciousness, she could hear noises. Olivia was busy the entire time. Sometimes, she would be holding a hammer; other times, she would be using a chainsaw. For the first time in forever, Marina realized how scary surgery could be and how it sounded when a machine was amputating a limb. In the end, she managed to slog through the six hours of surgery. She thought she would''ve died on the operating table. The pain from her lower body had numbed her senses. She didn''t know what Olivia had done to her. I didn''t write that she had lost her consciousness, because she saw Fabian baru lost consciousness The door was opened, and Fabian was the first to barge into the room. After a single nce at his anxious face, Marina lost consciousness. "Doctor, how did it go?" Still wearing a mask, Olivia replied calmly, "Everything went well." His expression changed, turning into a frosty one. "I think you should exin yourself." "No need to rush, Mr. Fabian." She disposed of the bloody gloves and pulled the nket to reveal Marina''s legs. Starting from the shins, they were reced by machinery legs. "Here''s the artificial limbs I put on for her. She can walk now. In order to level up your experience in bed, I specially left her thighs untouched. Just for you." Fabian glowered, radiating a strong murderous intent. Olivia responded, unfazed, "Do you take me as a fool? I saw the traces on her when I examined her. Who else in the family can touch her other than you? "Don''t worry, I''m not interested in this kind of juicy stuff. Here. This is for you." She tossed over a remote control. He arched an eyebrow. "What''s this?" "I inserted a microchip in her legs. From now on, no matter where she is, you''ll be able to find her. "There''s a lockup function, too. Go to the settings if you don''t want her to leave the house." The menacing expression gave way to a contented smile. "Worth the money. I expect nothing less from the miraculous doctor." "It''s a handsome pay. I should definitely do my part on it." He yed with the remote control in his hand. "I''m afraid that''s not all, isn''t it?" "What else do you wish it could do?" She yed dumb. "That''s a question for you, Ms. Fordham." Fabian pulled down her mask. "You''re here for revenge, aren''t you?" "As I thought, I couldn''t hide it from you. But I have no ns to keep you in the dark anyway. "Marina''s my father''s only daughter. No matter how much I wish for her death, I should spare her life. Instead, I hope we can work together, Mr. Fabian." "What do you mean?" "It''s difficult for her to get pregnant after the car ident. These days, I gave her foot spas, which are beneficial for her recovery. I''ll give you some prescriptions separately. "That way, she should be able to get pregnant within three months. I sincerely hope you''ll work hard so that she can mother a lot of children for the family." She shed a smile, continuing, "What is more painful than marrying someone you don''t love and being forced to give birth to his babies?" "Are you sure you want to go this far, Ms. Fordham?" "This is what she owes me. Your guess was right. The microchipes with a self-destructing function. If you''reing after me for revenge, I can turn on the switch any time." Olivia figured that she should take precautions after learning that Fabian was one of the Kingstons. "How cruel of you, Ms. Fordham." "It depends on how sincere you are. Friends or foes?" Chapter 1373 Chapter 1373 Olivia found out about Fabian''s acquaintance with Yale a while ago. When the culprit behind Mason''s assassination was yet to be known, there was a default risk regardless. Fabian''s stance didn''t matter. Fortunately, Fabian had feelings for Marina. After this surgery, not only could Marina kiss the wheelchair goodbye, but Marina and Fabian would also be bound to each other forever. When Fabianter wished to set up the Heath family, Olivia had the leverage over him to bargain. Marina couldn''t continue her antics even after her legs recovered too. The awful deeds Marina did could make a super long list. She almost killed Olivia and Olivia''s children, ruined Olivia''s marriage, and chose not to save Chloe. Marina''s and Chloe''s bone marrow were a match, but Marina let Chloe die for selfish reasons. Not to mention, Marina also used drugs to deteriorate Chloe''s condition. Jeff also died in Marina''s hands, although indirectly. For the past few years, Olivia had thought of many ways to take revenge. But the moment Jeff came to her mind, his love and upbringing, she couldn''t bring herself to take it to Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. the extreme. It softened her up. If he were still around, he wouldn''t have wanted Marina to die at such a young age. Olivia sighed as she figured that she couldn''t be a ruthless person after all. Although Marina need not depend on a wheelchair for her life thereafter, she would be bound with Fabian. Olivia hoped that Marina would turn over a new leaf and be a good person. Fabian wasn''t foolish enough not to see Olivia''s intention¡ªshe was trying to curry favor with him. "I expect nothing less from you, Ms. Fordham. You''re smart." "So, your choice?" "I think there will be a lot of opportunities for us to work together in the future." His answer elicited a smile from her. "d to hear that." Not many words were needed between smart people. They could understand each other immediately. When Fabian was about to take Marina away, Olivia called after him, "Marina is the only Fordham descendant left. Please take care of her." He paused. "As long as she doesn''t leave me, I''ll love her forever." "When she wakes up, tell her that everything''s over between us." "Sure." After Fabian left, Olivia received a phone call. "Yes, donate ten million dors under Marina Carlton''s name. Allocate the donation as you please. Just make sure to use it on needy people." To the rich, ten million dors was tantamount to a house, cruise ship, or a fireworks show. However, it was salvation for those suffering from natural disasters, mary issues, and gic illness who didn''t have the money for treatment. Since Olivia received the money because of Marina, she donated the money under Marina''s name. Perhaps the act could serve as an atonement for Marina''s sins. Olivia went back to the yard, watching the shade of snow cascading while taking in fresh air. She thought, "Did you see that, Dad? I treated Marina for you. Hope you''re d about it." Ethan hugged her from behind. "Cheer up, Liv. I''ll be by your side forever." Mixed feelings adorned her features. "I''m not sure if I''m doing the right thing." "That doesn''t matter. What matters more is your feelings. Does it put you at ease? "It must be tiring to perform that long surgery. Come, let''s head inside. I made you chicken soup. It''s cold outside." She looked across her shoulder. "What about Erina?" "I told her everything. I''ll help her out with anything materialistic, but I won''t be able to give her others. Paternal love, for example." He grabbed her hand. "Liv, I miss Zack, Alicia, and Willow already. Let''s take them home." Chapter 1374 Chapter 1374 Marina screamed and woke up from her dream¡ªno¡ªnightmare. She found herself back at the Carlton residence, not on that operating table. "You''re finally awake, Marina." Otto''s gaze on her was soft. "I''m alive?" She nced at her perfectly intact limbs. Those few hours were basically hell. She didn''t know what Olivia had done to her. "Silly you. Of course, you are. Why don''t you try walking around?" Her head felt dizzy from the confusion. Did Olivia treat her legs? Would Olivia be so kind as to do so? Lifting the nket, Marina noticed the machinery legs recing her shins. She drew a sharp breath in and slowly got out of bed. The solid touch, which had been absent for years, brought her to tears. "How do you feel? Good?" asked Otto. "These are artificial legs, but I heard that they are more advanced than anything you can find in the market. You can walk and jump and run as you like! "They function better than those of average people. If you''re bothered by the appearance, we can look for a professional molder to shape it so that it looks more real." Marina recalled Olivia''s words and questioned, "Where is she?" Fabian answered, "She said everything''s over between the two of you." She flopped onto the bed with mixed feelings. Tears couldn''t stop flowing down her cheeks, adorning that bitter smile of hers. "I don''t want her pity." Enemies. That was what they were supposed to be. However, Olivia managed to treat Marina''s legs¡ªsomething that not even the top orthopedists could do. "I know everything, Marina. Olivia''s a good person. She put an end to the past grudges, and you can walk like a normal person from now onward. "Now that you''re fine, I can leave with peace of mind." She quickly said, "No, Grandpa. I want you to live. I''ve lost my parents. I can''t lose you either. He sighed. "Death is inevitable. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But I promise you to lead a good life. Attending your wedding is on my bucket list, you know?" There was an unnatural shift on Fabian''s face when he heard that. If Otto found out what Fabian had done to Marina, he wouldn''t agree to their marriage. Although Fabian and Marina weren''t blood-rted, only a few knew that she was Jeff''s daughter. To the outsiders, she was still one of the Carltons. If she was in a rtionship with Fabian, Otto would be so riled up. Noticing the awkwardness lingering in the air, the butler reminded, "Ms. Carlton, Mr. Miller is here." Marina''s eyes brightened, for it had been years since hest visited her on his own ord. She ran out happily while Fabian watched her with darkened eyes. Her machinery legs were hidden beneath her pajamas and slippers. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Like a happy bunny, she sprinted to the guest room, where Ethan was waiting. He appeared colder than before. "Ethan, look! My legs are perfectly fine now." She beamed. He raised his gaze onto her. "I know. Liv never fails in her expertise." Her smile stiffened. Despite being the guest, the air around him made him more like the host. "Sit. I have something to talk to you about." "How have you been the past few years?" Not wanting to have a casual talk with her, he dived right into the topic. "I''d like to talk about Erina." Chapter 1375 Chapter 1375 "Erina? What about her?" Marina didn''t know what happened while she was unconscious. Brent sent Erina back to the Carlton residence. She was still in low spirits. As soon as they arrived home, she locked herself up in her room. "I''m sure Liv has told you about Connor''s true identity, that she is his mother. In the past, I made a foolish yet grave mistake. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Kurt entrusted you to me, so I listened to you every time and was lenient to you. And I hurt her in the end. I don''t want to upset her anymore." Marina''s countenance turned cold. "What do you mean?" "You gave Erina her name. At that time, I thought I would marry you to give her a perfect childhood. "Now, we have nothing to do with each other. I''ve exined everything that happened in the past as well. You can give her a new surname, Carlton or Fordham." Her heart throbbed at his words. In a trembling voice, she asked, "What about me? Do you not love me? Not even once?" "We have known each other since we were young. It''s been over 20 years. But have I said that I love you?" Ethan questioned back. No. Even if she did everything in her power to make him stay for the night that year, he simply sat on the couch the whole night. Marina coaxed him into marrying her by using Kurt''sst words. He could give her anything she wished, but he never touched her. He didn''t say a word of love to her before either. "But I love you deeply, Ethan Miller! Why can''t you give me a chance and love me?" "Marina Carlton, I''ve tolerated your antics more than enough. Changing Erina''s name or surname is your decision. "I''ll ask Brent toe over to help you with the procedures tomorrow." He rose from his seat. Marina reached out to pull the hem of his shirt, but he turned sideways, avoiding her hand. "Take care." "It''s just a name. Does it matter that much? Must I change it?" "Erina is at the age to understand how the world works. If we don''t clear things up, her misunderstanding will deepen. "Plus, my family will be bothered by this, too." "So, you came to cut ties with me? Completely?" Oh, how desperate she was to hear a negative answer from him. However, his cold voice said otherwise. "Yes. From today onward, your life or death has nothing to do with me anymore. Take care." He did not even nce at her. Marina intended to chase him, but Fabian, who appeared from the corner, grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going? How could you do this to me? Is Ethan the only man you see?" "Let go of me! Fabian, I can walk now. You can no longer control me. Even if there were no Ethan, you''d never be the one for me!" She flung his hand away and headed outside. Even if she could catch up with Ethan, she didn''t want to face that repulsive man ever again. Strange enough, Fabian merely watched her instead of following her. Her legs had yet to get used to the machinery connection. Marina should be resting in bed in the meantime, but everything in her was screaming to leave Fabian, even if that meant pulling the wounds. Yet, the moment she reached the gates, her legs couldn''t move as if cast by magic. She couldn''t take another step forward! Sweat covered her forehead. "W-What''s happening?" Before she knew it, he was standing behind her with his arms crossed triumphantly. "Marina, don''t you think that machines listen to orders better than humans?" Chapter 1376 Chapter 1376 Marina''s body was working fine bar one¡ªshe couldn''t control her legs. "What did you do to me?" "Try walking backward." They could move when she was retreating, but they stopped whenever she was heading for the gates. "I''ve set your mobility strictly within the Carlton residence. Ms. Fordham is a genius indeed. She resolved a big problem of mine." Although Marina had known that Olivia would never let her go that easily, she hadn''t expected Olivia to take it this far. Olivia gave Marina freedom yet caged her in the house at the same time. It waste at night by the time Olivia arrived at the Heath residence. She was tired from performing such a surgery¡ªwhich needed a few hands¡ªall alone. Not only did it take a toll on her body, but also on her mentality. In fact, attaching a prosthetic leg wasn''t her forte, so it was more tiring than usual surgeries. She fell into a deep sleep as soon as she flopped in bed. Since there were people taking care of Molly, there shouldn''t be any issue. On that snowy night, a lifeless Krystal sat by her bed, looking as haggard as a ghost. After she murdered Lisa, Krystal was confined in her room, and the Heaths never visited her. As though cast to oblivion, no one cared about her anymore. cancel Although the ingredients for her meals were fresh, they were simple, like noodles and bread. It was bearable, but it couldn''t bepared to her previousvish life. Dinner was served. The food had gone cold. The dim light reflected in the soup, and the night was solemn. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g In the past, her family would''ve been worried about her for staying up at this hour. Tatiana would share her articles about young girls dying early due tock of sleep. Linus would bber on and on, advising her not to burn the midnight oil, as well as checking if something was troubling her. Krystal was no longer family to them; they perceived her as an enemy. If she wasn''t pregnant, the Heaths might''ve started their vengeful act on her. Yale was once the reason for her happiness but became the cause of her undoing. Unlike before, throwing a tantrum wouldn''t draw other''s attention to help her clean her mess anymore. She crouched and dug in her cold meal. The baby had to live; only then would her sentence be alleviated. She''d rather die than go to prison. Halfway through her meal, her tears trickled down her cheeks before seeping into her food. As someone who once livedvishly, Krystal had never suffered this much, let alone eating cold food. Furious, Krystal threw the te onto the floor. The sight of the scattering rice pulled her senses back. She could handle the hunger, but not her baby. What if a miscarriage happened? cancel Kneeling, she shoved the rice into her mouth as she muttered, "Sorry, baby. I won''t get angry. You have to live. You must live!" Choking on her food, she fed herself some cold soup. To live meant there was hope. Krystal was determined to retrieve everything that once belonged to her. At midnight, someone knocked on the door. "Ms. Olivia." Drowsily, Olivia put on her cardigan and opened the door. It was the butler. "What is it?" "Something happened to Krystal. Please check on her upstairs as the doctor." "Right away," she responded promptly. It''d be troublesome if something happened to someone like Krystal. Chapter 1377 Chapter 1377 Olivia ran at full speed. By the time she reached the room, everyone was there except Molly and Yale. A pungent smell filled the room. The warm temperature made it so bad that Olivia felt sick to the stomach. Suppressing the nausea, she entered the room. Mason was standing by the window, frowning. Linus guarded the door to the toilet, where a crouching Krystal was throwing up as Tatiana patted her back. Despite the deep-seated resentment, Krystal was still the daughter she raised with devotion and love. "What happened to you?" Olivia walked into the toilet. Krystal grasped Olivia by the sleeve immediately. "Olivia, save me! I don''t want a miscarriage!" "What happened?" "My stomach hurt, and I kept throwing up. I know. It''s Yale. "I bet he wants me in prison. He added something to the food! He''s trying to kill my baby to avenge Molly!" Olivia didn''t jump to conclusions because, to her, Yale didn''t appear to be rash enough to do anything in the Heath residence. Furthermore, his anger was no longer at its peak. Molly was getting better. Plus, why would he choose to do it today? "Done throwing up? Get out of there. Let me examine your condition." Krystal''s legs turned to jelly, so Tatiana supported her. Olivia cast a nce at the rice scattered on the floor and the vomiting substance near the bed, then she checked Krystal''s pulse. "What did you eat?" "The maid brought me food." Horror clouded Krystal''s features. "I know you hate me, but please save my baby! Please, do it for the baby''s sake, at least!" Her baby was herst ray of hope. Withdrawing her hand, Oliviaprehended the entirety of the situation. "If it''s a miscarriage, your belly should be hurting, and you should be bleeding, not vomiting. Did you eat anything dirty or cold that''s bad for your stomach?" "So, you mean my baby is fine?" Olivia answered seriously, "It is, for now. There are three types of acute gastroenteritis¡ªbacterial, viral, and parasitic. "A blood test and stool test are needed to confirm which one it is. I can''t do them here. "Grandpa, I suggest sending her to the hospital immediately. If the vomiting or diarrhea keeps up, it''ll be bad for the baby." Tatiana muttered, "She has always grown up healthy. Why does she suddenly have gastroenteritis? Linus, take her to the hospital." Krystal lit up at that, looking at Tatiana with eyes teeming with anticipation. "Mom, I knew you''re still¡ª" Yet Tatiana''s words turn cold at the next second. "You can''t die in the Heath residence. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g How many times do I have to tell you that I''m not your mother? I don''t have a ruthless daughter like you. "I guess this is karma. Thank God you''re not my daughter. Who knows if you suddenly go berserk and want me dead, too?" The glint in Krystal''s eyes slowly lost its brilliance. "But we''ve lived together for so long..." "You better not bring that up in front of me. If it wasn''t for your mother, my biological daughter wouldn''t have needed to suffer so much out there! It was all your fault!" Tatiana sped her hand over her chest. "Linus, make some time to change her surname. I can''t bear the sight of her sharing the same surname as us." Krystal cried, "Mom, I have never thought of harming you! You''re always my mother to me." "Shut up! Do not wake Molly up, or you''ll get it from me! Linus, hurry, take her. Take her out of my sight." "Mom¡ª" "Zip it. Do you know why I gave my daughter the name Krystal? I wished for her to be a faithful follower of God and grow up to be a decent person, but you''re the pr opposite. "The total opposite! You don''t deserve to own this name. And you don''t deserve to call me Mom, either." Chapter 1378 Chapter 1378 As much as she had loved Krystal, Tatiana was brimming with resentment because Krystal was the cause of Molly''s near-death incident. To think that Krystal, the fake Ms. Heath, was dreaming to be the real one. Ridiculous. Even after Krystal was taken to the hospital, the sheer sight of the room infuriated Tatiana. "Clear out this room. Sell the jewelry and bags if possible and burn the others. They''re bad omen," she ordered the butler. "Yes, Mrs. Heath." "Olivia, I''m terribly sorry for waking you up at thiste hour." Tatiana had softened Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. her edges toward Olivia after the series of incidents. "Don''t mind it. This is my duty." Olivia rubbed her eyes, returning to her room to get back to sleep. Morning came. While thedies were having breakfast, they received a piece of news. Comment by samantha tay: RAW only stated Olivia and Molly, but there''s Tatiana in theter conversation. so I put dies''. "Mrs. Heath, something came up. Krystal escaped!" the bodyguard reported. "Howe?" Tatiana set her cutleries down. "She did undergo a few examinations. But there was an influx of patients in the ER because a bus toppled over at dawn. She seized the chance to run away during the chaos." Spection shed across Olivia''s mind. "I think I know what''s going on. Krystal stabbed Lisa on purpose." "What? Why would she do that?" "We''ve fallen for Lisa''s trap. She knew that nothing could be done to turn the tables. "The only thing she could do is to protect her daughter. That was why Krystal yed the victim and escaped. "Since Lisa was hurt, we couldn''t call the cops, and she managed to buy Krystal some time. If my guess is right, Lisa has escaped, too." Tatiana looked at the bodyguard. "Keep Lisa under strict surveince. If everything goes smoothly, we can proceed with the legal procedures right away." "Alright, Mrs. Heath." The bodyguard left in haste. But he returned within a few minutes. "Mrs. Heath, Lisa has vanished as well." It was as Olivia expected. "Darn it!" Tatiana mmed the table and stood. "How dare she set me up!" "Grandma, I''m afraid Lisa has long thought of a n B. She has worked at the Heath residence for many years. "There must be a few people on her side. It''s not that difficult to update her now and then. "Although Krystal didn''t know that Lisa was her biological mother back then, Krystal would do as she was told to free herself." Olivia continued, "But there''s nothing much to worry about. As long as we freeze their cards and seal the routes, they wouldn''t dare to leave through any means. "Unless they can live like the rodents in the gutter, where they can use the money they have. Lisa could do it, but maybe not Krystal." "You''re right. Krystal''s a spoiled child. Old habits die hard. It won''t be easy to live a frugal life after a luxurious one. Let''s see how long she can hide herself." Tatiana contacted Linus to freeze every ount the Walkers own. Meanwhile, Olivia reminded Molly, "Don''t leave the house for the time being, just in case. If I was Krystal, I would definitely put you as my first target. "She hates you for stealing everything away from her. Now that she''s run to a dead end, she''s going to drag you down for sure." Molly gave a meek nod. " Got it. I''ll stay here and not go anywhere." An easy mission for her, considering that she was used to a quiet life. "I''ve underestimated Lisa." "Grandma, she was the one who switched the babies. That''s not something any person could do. "Krystal is her biggest weakness. Once we freeze their ount and seal the routes, she''d show herself. "But you should definitely eliminate the moles under this roof. Otherwise, someone might reveal our moves to Lisa." Tatiana nodded. "I''m d you''re here, Olivia." Krystal was the reason why Tatiana hated Olivia in the beginning, but Olivia gradually impressed Tatiana with charm. As much as her faith grew in Olivia, Tatiana started to take a liking to Olivia. Chapter 1379 Chapter 1379 The Heaths'' investigation caused people to feel uneasy. Molly was a little worried about it. Yaleforted her gently. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "No one can hurt you if you stay in the Heath Residence." "Yale, I know you''ve already sent people to look for Krystal. What would you do to her when you find her?" Yale was overjoyed that Krystal lost the Heath family''s protection. Without that, she would be doomed when she fell into his hands. It had been so many days. And even though Molly''s baby had to be aborted, Yale would feel intense emotions, including remorse, anger, and bloodlust, in the middle of the night. Molly knew what he was going through. That was why she would always put up a brave front when there were people around her. She didn''t want him to worry. She was the victim but was trying her best to help everyone else feel better. Yale was consumed by darkness, and Molly was his only light. But her presence wasn''t enough to drive away all the darkness in his heart. His hatred was still festering. He couldn''t wait for Krystal to feel the pain he had been through. "Molly, just focus on recovering. Leave the rest to us." "Yale, you were the one that pursued Krystal. You also made her pregnant. I know she''s a bad person, but she is also a victim. At the very least... that baby is your blood, can you¡ª" "No." Yale knew what she wanted to say. He turned her down immediately. "That''s what she owes you." Molly reached out and wrapped an arm around Yale''s neck and sobbed. "What if I can''t get pregnant, and you don''t want to have a baby with someone else? Her baby will be your only heir. I think." "You don''t have to worry about that. I don''t care about these things. You know that. You''re all I care about. I just want us to be happy together." Yale patted her head tenderly. "Rest well." He left the Heath Residence in the middle of the night. Mollyy in bed and cried into her pillow. She didn''t know what she should do. She couldn''t do anything anyway and could only stay home and wait. At times like these, she felt jealous of Olivia, who was like a bird soaring freely in the sky. Olivia could rest in the Heath Residence when she was tired and spread her wings to go wherever she wanted when she craved freedom. Molly couldn''t even open the window for fresh air, as the cold winds would make her cough profusely. Olivia wasn''t staying at the Heath Residence that night, either. Ethan bought a lot of things. They sat side by side, preparing decorations and waiting for their children to return. As she watched Ethan prepare the decorations with a serious expression, Olivia felt like she was dreaming. They never did such things back when they were married. Ethan used to be very busy. He spent most of his time at work. Olivia asked softly, "How is Jack doing?" Jack was like a brother to her. Ethan wasn''t jealous. "He is strong, so he is recovering quickly. Don''t worry. My people are taking good care of him." "Have you gotten to the bottom of it? Who were the people that wanted to hurt Grandpa? Was it the Kingstons?" "Yale isn''t bold enough to try something like that. Some overseas organizations wanted to work with the Kingston family. "Yale caught news of it and wanted to take the opportunity to save Mr. Heath to gain his favor." Olivia frowned. "Overseas organizations? Could it be Wayne?" Chapter 1380 Chapter 1380 Wayne had been building military bases in areas surrounding Andia. It was obvious what he was up to. Ethan would never talk about ssified information like this with Olivia in the past. But things had changed. He was willing to talk to her as an equal on these matters at that point. "There are five superpowers in the world right now. Other than Andia, there''s Wayne''s Carathia and Veutron, where the princess you saved hailed from. "Two other countries have imed to remain neutral, but they have been making moves in secret. "Where there are people, there is conflict. Countries certainly are the same." "In terms of military might, Zelotria and Hucreyle are the strongest. Are they the ones?" "That''s right. There''s someone you know in Zelotria. Do you remember Avery Fordham? "The Fordham family is the most influential family in Zelotria. They are a force to be reckoned with, be it financially or politically." The mention of Avery sent Olivia down memoryne. It felt like herst meeting with Avery was decades ago. "I wonder if he got a new kidney." "I heard that he got a transnt three years ago. Although there hasn''t been much news about him recently, he should still be alive." "That''s good. Is Zelotria linked to Grandpa''s assassination?" "No. The current leads I have are linked to Hucreyle. But I only have leads, no proof." "Hucreyle? The Kingstons are colluding with them?" Ethan nodded. There wasn''t anyone else in the room, so he wasn''t afraid that the information might get leaked. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Do you know why Mr. Heath has been unwilling to associate with Yale and the Kingston family? Yale is just a pawn of the Heath family. "The illegal cruise ships weren''t the only things that they were doing in secret. Although everyone has skeletons in their closets, the Kingstons are really the worst. "If they were to join with the Heaths in marriage, even the Heaths would be affected when the situation goes south." "Then, why are the Kingstons still allowed to exist?" "You destroy them, and more will Besides, Mr. Kingston Senior used to be Mr. Heath''s superior. "They might have some dealings in secret, too." Olivia was a little overwhelmed with the information. "Does that mean Yale could never marry Molly?" "That should be the case. But... a miracle could always happen. The Kingston family won''t be able to change that fact, but Yale might be able to." Ethan raised his head to look at Olivia. "Yale might be living in the Heath Residence, but him marrying Molly would be harder than the two of us getting married again." Olivia rubbed her nose guiltily. "Why would you bring that up so suddenly?" Ethan understood that she didn''t want to talk about a remarriage, so he changed the subject. "Liv, is it okay if we get going the day after? I''ve already finished making arrangements for the tasks I have on hand." Olivia raised an eyebrow. "You used to be the busiest during the time before the new year. And now you''re saying we can leave in a couple of days?" "I''ve handed off some of my responsibilities to Yale and Linus." Ethan winked at her. "It''s thanks to you. Yale still needs your help to nurse Molly back to health. "So, we''ve temporarily set aside our differences. He''s also willing to listen to my demands." "Well, aren''t you acting smug about it?" Ethan stopped what he was doing and pulled Olivia into his arms. "I was ced into the military by my grandfather at a young age. So, I''ve been conditioned to sacrifice myself for the country. "I''ve been working hard for most of my life. In my remaining days, I just want to be with you and the kids. "Even if it''s just doing menial tasks like decorating the house. We haven''t seen them in so long. They must''ve grown a lot." The will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 1381 Chapter 1381 Olivia looked worried. "The day after tomorrow is fine. But... you have to go get the kids." "Why?" Olivia bit her lip. "There''s a troublesome patient." Ethan narrowed his eyes. "A man?" All of a sudden, Olivia felt a little guilty. She shifted her gaze and said, "I''ve performed so many surgeries on male and female patients alike." Ethan leaned in toward her. "But this man is different to you." "Yeah. He''s more troublesome than most other patients. That''s why I remember him vividly." "Liv, how many men have you messed around with?" Ethan instinctively felt like there was more to the man in question. Or else, Olivia wouldn''t look so wary. Olivia dove into Ethan''s embrace. "There has never been anyone else. It''s only ever been you." That night, she didn''t return to the Heath Residence. She shared a night of passion with Ethan. Back when they were newlyweds, Ethan doted on her, but their feelings were too simple and frail. It couldn''t weather the storm that was life. After all they had been through, their rtionship had transcended a normal rtionship. They were even morepatible in bed. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. In the past, Olivia was overly docile and subservient. He basically took the lead in bed. Olivia was a changed woman. She became more confident and optimistic. She understood that she needed to strive for what she wanted. That was why she would also provide Ethan with a lot of emotional support. Olivia was still asleep at daybreak. Ethan looked at her weary face and decided not to wake her up. He kissed her on the cheek and got out of bed. After freshening himself up, he prepared some breakfast for Olivia before leaving the vi. Olivia slept very well. She rubbed her eyes and felt the empty side of the bed, which had gone cold. It seemed like Ethan had already left for quite some time. The weather was nice, but the sunlight was a little too bright. The snow in Aldenvine had already melted. The weather had been good for some time. She went downstairs in her pajamas and smelled the food in the kitchen immediately. It was the breakfast that Ethan had prepared for her. Back when Ethan''s grandmother, Eugenia, was still alive, Olivia would frequently share a meal with her by the firece and chat. Eugenia was a friendly person. She treated Olivia very well. If she hadn''t passed away so suddenly, she could''ve met Olivia''s children. After having breakfast, Olivia went to buy some flowers before heading to the graveyard. The gravestone that had Leia''s name on it had been changed to Jodie. Olivia ced one of the bouquets she had brought by the grave. Jodie was a poor woman who was just dragged into a conflict she didn''t ask for. Then, she went to Eugenia''s grave. She set the flowers down and looked at the kind smile Eugenia had in the picture. She sat down and began talking to Eugenia. "Grandma, I''m a mother now. Although Ethan has done a lot of things that made me hate him, he is still the father of my children. I also can''t seem to forget about him." In the three years she went off the grid, she was trying to cut Ethan out of her lifepletely. Their reunion made it clear to her that she had never stopped loving him. Olivia left after talking to Eugenia for some time. She brought thest bouquet of flowers to Jeff''s grave. There was already a bouquet by his grave. The flowers were a little wilted. They seemed to have been there for a day or so. It was clearly left by Marina. Olivia also felt bad because Marina never got to reunite with Jeff as her real daughter. Chapter 1382 Chapter 1382 Jeff looked very dashing in the picture on his grave. It was a picture of him before everything that happened to the Fordham family. Olivia bowed slightly. "Dad, would you be angry if I told you that I got back with Ethan?" Although Marina was the one who indirectly caused Jeff''s death, Leia was the one who arranged his traffic ident. Ethan was the one who bankrupted the Fordham family. Olivia never forgot about what Millers had done. She knew she should stay away from Ethan, but she just couldn''t seem to sever ties with him. "Dad, you''re such a gentle person. I know you wouldn''t me me even if you were alive. You only ever wanted me to be happy. "But Dad, it has been so many years, and I still can''t let it go. You would''ve been able to witness the birth of my children if you had held on for a little longer. "By the way, you don''t know this yet, right? Connor, whom you have seen pictures of, is actually my son. I hope this will bring you some peace of mind. "Dad, how''s life in heaven treating you? Juste to me in my dreams and tell me if you need anything. I''m a great doctor now. Many peoplee to me to get treatment. "Also, I didn''t hurt Marina. I just made her suffer a little when I was treating her. I hope she can learn her lesson and be a better person." Olivia talked about everything that happened in recent years. There would be gusts of winds that blew at her asionally as if Jeff was responding to her. "Dad, I found my grandpa. If you''re watching over me from above, please help me find the rest of my family. I believe they are somewhere out there waiting for me." It was gettingte. Olivia dusted herself off and got up. A leaf fell on her shoulder, and a gust of wind blew it away for her. It was as if Jeff was patting her on the shoulder. Olivia turned around and smiled at Jeff''s picture. "Dad, I will live my life to the fullest. I''ll make a name for myself as a great doctor so you can proudly tell everyone in heaven that I''m your daughter." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She turned and left. When she was leaving the graveyard, someone stopped her. "I''m sorry, miss. We''re repairing this part of the path, so you can''t pass through here. Please take another route." Olivia looked at the pit, which was a short distance from her. It was true that she couldn''t pass through there. So, she turned back and walked toward the older section of the graveyard. Most of the people buried in this section passed away over ten years ago. It was already noon, so there wasn''t anyone there. It felt a little eerie, especially when the wind blew. It was like someone was breathing down her neck. The nights came quicker during winter. Olivia quickened her steps. As she was around halfway down the hill, she saw a group of bodyguards in sunsses and suits. With that kind of lineup, the person buried there had to be someone important. She got curious and instinctively walked toward the grave near where the men were standing. What she saw almost made her heart pop out of her chest. "What a coincidence, Ms. Fordham. I didn''t expect to see you here." The man who spoke up was Ike, who stood at the corner. Olivia felt her knees go weak. She didn''t forget how he had his hands around her neck back in Carathia. Ike wasn''t as easy to fool as n. But shouldn''t he be in Carathia? Why was he here? n and Ike were always together. Did that mane with them, too? Olivia scanned the group of men in ck suits. There was only one who had a white flower ced in his breast pocket. The usually wild and arrogant eyes were bloodshot. He met Olivia''s gaze. "How have you been, Ms. Fordham?" Chapter 1383 Chapter 1383 Wayne was apletely different person than when he was in Raka. Back then, he was arrogant and unhinged. He always had his cor unbuttoned and a cigarette in his mouth like a ruffian. At that moment, he wore a ck suit with a white flower in his breast pocket. His hair was carefully styled. He stood out even among a group of men in ck suits. His presence made the atmosphere feel more solemn. Judging from his bloodshot eyes, Wayne really cared about the person in the grave. Olivia was surprised. Intel on Wayne didn''t indicate that he was connected to anyone in Andia. And if this person meant so much to him, why would the person be buried in Aldenvine and not Raka? Olivia was nervous, but she managed to keep a straight face. "I didn''t expect to see you here, Mr. Maxwell. And the grave you''re visiting belongs to..." She was just making small talk so the atmosphere wouldn''t be so awkward. Unexpectedly, Wayne told his bodyguards to move aside. "If you''re so curious, why don''t youe and take a look for yourself, Ms. Fordham?" Olivia waved her hands frantically. "Honestly, I''m not that curious. Also, it''s getting dark out. I have to get home." "It''s okay. I have to go to the Heath residence in a bit. I can give you a ride." Olivia was rendered speechless. It seemed like Wayne came here in private. That was why the media didn''t talk about his arrival and why she didn''t know about it. She just didn''t understand why he would visit the Heath residence of his own ord. Was he here to talk to Mason about her because she stole his ring? But Olivia quickly dismissed that thought. They weren''t kids at a yground. Wayne probably had important business to discuss with Mason. The bodyguards moved to the side. Ike moved forward and blocked her path. Then, he gestured toward the grave. They were in the graveyard, but there were cameras everywhere. Also, they were in Aldenvine, her turf. She had nothing to fear. So, Olivia walked toward the grave. It would seem like this meeting was aplete coincidence. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. As she approached Wayne, the wind carried her scent toward him. The smell was the same that Ophelia had. He hadn''t smelled it for some time. He felt a little worked up upon smelling it. After Olivia left, he tried many different fragrances with herbal options, but none were the same. None were even remotely simr. Olivia''s scent, like her person, was one of a kind. She stood before the grave and looked at the picture. It was a handsome man in his 20s with a determined look on his face. Then, she saw the name¡ªLeroy Thompson. It was aplete stranger to her. She tried looking into her memory to confirm if she had seen the name before. It was as if Wayne could tell what she was thinking. He suddenly said, "He was with me since I was just a nobody. He didn''t always go by this name. We were as close as brothers." Olivia felt a little awkward. She thought it had nothing to do with her. Wayne didn''t have to provide her with the man''s backstory. "Mr. Maxwell, I really need to be going..." "Don''t you want to know how he died?" Olivia licked her parched lips. "Honestly, I''m not that interested in your past. Sorry." ¡°Maybe you know that I killed Ethan''s closest friend. But do you know that he killed my closest friend, too? 2 "Ms. Fordham, all lives are equal in this world." Chapter 1384 Chapter 1384 Linus was making a report back in the Heath Residence. ¡°Wayne and his men arrived at the airport at 3:00 pm." "That''s quite punctual of him. Hees to visit that grave this time of the year every year. But this time, he also asked to visit me. w Linus frowned. "Is it because Olivia stole his ring?" "He''s the leader of a nation. He won''t bring up something like that without concrete proof." Mason squeezed a stress ball and said, "But just to be safe, tell Olivia to stay away. It''s best if she doesn''t meet with him." "Olivia didn''te backst night. She should be at her own home. I''ll check." Linus called Ethan. "Is Olivia with you2" "She''s at home." "Ask her not toe to the Heath residence today. Wayne will being." "Understood." Ethan had been busy the entire day. He looked at the calendar. He had forgotten something. Olivia was still sleeping when he left in the morning. She had been exhausted recently, so he didn''t wake her. She said she would continue decorating the house the day before. Before he could call Olivia to confirm, he received a call. He hada bad feeling. It was a call from the base. Something happened to Jack! "What''s wrong?" "Bad news, Mr. Miller. Jack hijacked a military vehicle and ran through the gate. We didn''t dare to shoot at him because you told us not to hurt him." Ethan rubbed his temples. Jack had just barely recovered. He probably found out about Wayne visiting Leroy''s grave and wanted to avenge Kurt. Ethan would also love to end Wayne while he was in the country. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. But he came to Aldenvine with a whole security team on his tail. How would Andia answer to Carathia if something happened to him? So, Ethan couldn''t do anything to Wayne, nor did he want to. To him, the nation''s interest was more important than avenging Kurt. But to Jack, nothing was more important than family. ¡°Try your best to stop him without hurting him!" Ethan could feel his head throbbing. He hung up and said to Brent, "Find out where Wayne is." Brent looked at his watch. "Hended at 3:00 pm. It''s 4:30 pm now. He should''ve arrived at the graveyard." "Set up defensive perimeters around that location. Jack must be stopped!" "Understood." Ethan grabbed his jacket and called Olivia''s phone. The call went through, but no one answered. Did she leave her phone in the bedroom? A gust blew by and ruffled Olivia''s hair. Wayne looked at her silently. She was apletely different person than when she was by his side. The ck fur coat made her look elegant and dignified. The pearl earrings she wore glistened under the setting sun. That was her true appearance. It was the pr opposite of the persona she created. Ahint of surprise shed on Olivia''s face, but she quickly suppressed it. ¡°Like I said, I''m not interested in the grudge between the guys." Wayne took a good look at her. Then, he smiled. "On the contrary, I''m quite... interested in you, Ms. Fordham." He took a step forward while Olivia stepped back instinctively. But the grave was right behind her. She had nowhere to go. Wayne''s men surrounded them. She was like a helplessmb surrounded by a pack of wolves. 1 Wayne leaned in slightly. He whispered in her ear, "Or should I call you Septem? How have you been?" Chapter 1385 Chapter 1385 Olivia kept a straight face and didn''t respond to Wayne''s probing. Instead, she reminded him, "Mr. Maxwell, this is Aldenvine." Her expression was calm. She had cried a little when she was visiting Jeff''s grave. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Her eyes and nose were slightly reddened. Her eyes were also moist from the crying. She was like a cute little bunny. But Wayne knew full well that the woman standing before him wasn''t a harmless little bunny. She was the S-ranked assassin, Septem. Before he arrived in Andia, he had already looked through all the intel regarding Olivia. Although she was an assassin, she never killed innocent people. All the missions she took were of targets who werepletely evil ¡ªbullies that preyed on the weak. Olivia still had kindness in her heart. Or else, she could''ve killed him at any time while she was with him. Wayne smelled Olivia''s scent. "Why are you afraid, Ms. Fordham? I was just saying hello." Then, he took a couple of steps back. "Let''s go. I''ll escort Ms. Fordham." Olivia felt like she was a prisoner that was being moved. She walked in the front, but she could feel a piercing nce from behind her. It was obvious that Ike was the one who was staring daggers at her. He regretted not killing her back then. He allowed a threat like her to continue to disrupt Wayne''s life. They soon arrived at the bottom of the hill. Olivia took out her car keys. "Mr. Maxwell, let''s part ways here." Wayne pointed at his fleet of cars. "I need to talk to you, Ms. Fordham. If you please." "Sorry, we''re not that close." Olivia was about to get in her car. Both of them were probing the other. Wayne wouldn''t do anything rash so tantly because they were in Aldenvine, especially when he knew of her identity. She was still worried because Wayne was an unhinged man. He can''t be bound by meremon sense. That was why she remained cautious. "We''ve slept in the same bed. How can you say that?" 1 Olivia''s gaze intensified. That was true. There was one night when he said he had a headache and got into her bed. She didn''t dare to expose herself back then, so she could only endure his presence. There wasn''t any intimacy, but would anyone believe that? "T can tell that you are close with your ex- husband. What do you think would happen if I told him about that?" 2 "You''re despicable!" 1 Olivia raised her hand to p him, but Wayne didn''t let her this time. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the car door. Her ck coat formed a sharp contrast with the white car. "What? Are you dropping the act, Dr. Ophelia?" Wayne looked at her mockingly. ¡°Your current face is much better. You look pretty even when you''re angry. "If you had approached me with this face, 1 would''ve given you anything you wanted, even that ring." Olivia didn''t want to talk to him anymore. She aimed a kick at his abdomen, but he was already on guard against her. After a short bout, Olivia was firmly pressed against the car. "Nice moves, Dr. Ophelia." "Stop this insolence!" The bodyguards turned around in unison. They didn''t dare to look at what was happening. "As expected, I prefer the quick-witted Dr. Ophelia with a sharp tongue. Will you be getting into the car by yourself, or do I have to carry you inside?" Wayne said threateningly. Olivia was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. She couldn''t get in the car because things would definitely spiral out of control if she did so. But Wayne was a better fighter than her. She would need the help of some drugs or tricks to gain an upper hand. When he waspletely on guard, she was not his match. After all, she had only trained for a few years, while he had been put through tough situations since he was young. 1 Other than that, the difference in strength between a man anda woman was too great. She could never win. "Are you plotting something, Dr. Ophelia? Why don''t I make the call for you?" Wayne took the keys in her hand and threw it to Ike. "Drive this back for her." Chapter 1386 Chapter 1386 "Sure thing, Mr. Maxwell." Ike shot a nce at Olivia with aplicated expression. Wayne let go of Olivia. "If you please, Dr. Ophelia." Olivia looked at the bodyguarding surrounding them. She had no chance of escaping. Wayne didn''t give her an option. She was forced into the car. He also got in and sat beside her. Seeing her nervous expression, Wayne chuckled. "What? Are you afraid of me?" Olivia leaned on the door as much as possible as she tried to distance herself from him. But the car was only so big, there was nowhere for her to hide. She only brought her keys up the hill because her pockets were small. Her phone was in her car. She didn''t expect to meet Wayne, after all. Olivia reassured herself. She was Mason''s granddaughter, so Wayne wouldn''t dare to do anything to her while they were in Aldenvine. Even though that was what she thought, she couldn''t help but feel a little scared. She sat up straight and looked straight ahead. ¡°Of course that''s not the case." She didn''t expect Wayne to be so shameless. He didn''t care about chivalry or being a gentleman. It didn''t matter if she moved away. He just moved to the middle and closed the distance between them. "Since you like sitting there, I''ll help you with it." Olivia was at a loss for words. She was pressed against the door without any extra space. Their clothes were unavoidably snugly pressed against one another. Olivia was grateful for the cold weather in Aldenvine. If they were back in Raka, the heat would make things quite awkward. She just wanted to get back to the Heath Residence as soon as possible so this hellish encounter would end. "Dr. Ophelia, I know all about you and your ex-husband. I feel bad for you." Olivia gave him a cold smile. "Thank you." Wayne unbuttoned his sleeve and pulled it up to reveal the expensive watch he was wearing and the ck ring on his left hand. It was like he was mocking Olivia for trying so hard and aplishing nothing. "Do you like this ring, Dr. Ophelia?" Olivia shook her head. "No, I don''t." "Really? I thought this ring, for which you risked your life, would matter to you. That was why I got a new one made." He took another ring out of his pocket. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. It was smaller, clearly a woman''s ring. Wayne held the ring before Olivia''s face. "This ring has the same functions as the one I''m wearing." Olivia''s expression changed drastically. "What do you mean?" Wayne had a nonchnt smile on his face. "I told you I can give it to you if you want it." That was a key to his military base. Was he out of his mind? "Your mission won''t be considered a failure if you take this ring with you, right?" He was like the devil as he tried to tempt Olivia. "I''m sorry, Mr. Maxwell. I have no idea what you''re talking about." Olivia was prepared to feign ignorance to the end. The reason she epted that mission was to get closer to the boss behind the ck Ravens. It was so that she could get to the bottom of the assassination that happened to her back then. But she didn''t have to go through with it. She would rather conduct her own investigation than deal with Wayne any longer. Everything had a price. She would have to pay a great price if she wanted that ring. "Dr. Ophelia, it would be boring if you keep ying dumb." Wayne leaned toward her. Olivia frowned. "Mr. Maxwell, please watch yourself!" "Dr. Ophelia, do you know..." Before he could finish his sentence, a gunshot rang out. A bullet was shot at the window, right where Olivia''s head was. Chapter 1387 Chapter 1387 The three people in the car were shocked by this sudden development. Olivia would already be dead if the windows weren''t bulletproof. ¡°Watch out!" That bullet was an armor-piercing round. It wasn''t enough to punch through the window, but it was embedded into it. Cracked appeared all around the bullet. Then, a second bullet and a third one followed. The ss finally broke with a loud crash. Wayne reacted quickly. When the first shot was fired, he immediately pulled Olivia down to the floor of the car and pressed against her. The gunshots didn''t stoping. They broke through the left window and even shot through the one on the right. Even the doors were being riddled with bullets. It was total chaos. Ike steadied the car. "Be careful, Mr.Maxwell!" Wayne turned his gaze to look at Olivia, who was under him.He thought a woman would be nervous in such a situation. Unexpectedly, she looked angry. She yelled, ¡°I told you I didn''t want to get in your car!" Olivia was incredibly unlucky. Sometimes, she even thought she was cursed. There was also an assassination attempt that one time she was out with Ethan.She almost died that time, too. Another attempt on Mason''s life happened when she was present. At that very moment, there was yet again an assassination attempt while she was in Wayne''s car. Why was her life so hard? She had barely enjoyed a few days of peace. Wayne smiled as he looked at her troubled expression. "You''re truly a fascinating one." ¡°You''d better take care of yourself first." Wayne''s expression became tender all of a sudden. ¡°It would be great if we could die together, too." Olivia headbutted Wayne on the forehead. Both of their heads throbbed from the impact. "Stop that bullshit! I don''t want to die alongside you!" Olivia was rendered speechless. How could he joke at a time like this? The enemy was so vicious. It was clear they were determined to kill him. She was already in the car, and it was toote to get out. If the enemy were too violent, she would end up dead, too. She hadn''t even spoken to her children yet! Wayne wasn''t acting like a nation''s leader at all. He didn''t care if he lived or died. Instead, he was quite captivated by Olivia, who was in such close proximity. Her ck, glossy hair was spread out on the leather cushion, cascading beautifully all over. Olivia didn''t put on any makeup that day. Wayne could see how good her skin was as they were so close. He felt an urge to reach out and touch her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Wayne was the type of person who preferred to act before thinking. His finger was already poking Olivia''s pouting face when that thought popped up in his mind. Olivia grabbed his cor angrily. He was dressed so nicely, but he was still as unhinged as he always was. ¡°What are you doing?" Wayne also realized that this wasn''t the time to do something like that. ¡°Well, I just thought that your face looked like it was stic." Olivia bellowed, "Are you out of your mind?" "Don''t you already know the answer to that?" Wayne wasn''t in the mood for pretenses anymore as he smirked at her. ¡°Also, since you''re already divorced, why don''t you try it with me?" Olivia red at him. "Try what? Man, your brains are about to be blown off.What nonsense are you spewing now?" Wayne said seriously, "I mean it.You can try whatever you want.A marriage or a bed.I won''t lose to him.How many times can he do it a night? I can definitely do more..." '' Olivia covered his mouth. "Shut up, you pervert!" Chapter 1388 Chapter 1388 Olivia had a bad feeling when the gunshots stopped. The enemy was so determined. Surely, they knew the car had bulletproof windows.She thought about what she would do if she were in the enemy''s shoes. Olivia immediately understood when she looked at the gaping hole that used to be the window. ¡°Wayne, you have to cover up the window," Olivia reminded him with a frown. ¡°Don''t worry.My men aren''t worthless.If he wanted to go for a frontal assault, there shouldn''t be any snipers.He only has a window of several seconds if he wants to get in close and personal." Wayne had a triumphant smile on his face as he raised his head to look at the two bulletproof windows that were shattered. ¡°He already missed his chance to do that." The cars of Wayne''s bodyguards had already blocked off both sides of Wayne''s car before the enemy could throw any explosives into his car. As expected, there wasn''t any more gunfire. Olivia looked at Wayne, who was still on top of her. Then, she kicked him off. She was a little anxious. Who would be so bold as to try something like this? It was an effective method, but it was also the most risky. The reason Olivia was an S-ranked assassin wasn''t because she was a good fighter. She had only been training for a few years. She wouldn''t be able to match those who had been training all their lives. Olivia''s biggest advantage was her proficiency with disguises and poisons. Her skill with medicine was very versatile. She might not be the most physically gifted assassin, but she was definitely one of the most well-read. She was knowledgeable on many topics and was an excellent doctor. She could bring people back from the brink of death, but she could also kill people without raising suspicion. She would always choose the safest method to carry out her mission. She would always ensure that she had a way to get out, unlike those aggressive ones who only cared about efficiency. Those people often end up in tough situations. Everyone had their own styles, but an assassin that was so careless and aggressive was still very rare. Or maybe the person after them wasn''t nning on getting out of this alive. Maybe the person was on a suicide mission to kill Wayne. A face shed in Olivia''s mind¡ªJack! Olivia cursed inwardly. She quickly got up to see what was going on outside the car. They were on a fourne road, so four cars could drive side by side. There were cars protecting them from either side, but there was another car on the finalne. That was the assassin''s car. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Dozens of cars were converging behind them. There were Wayne''s men and the Andian forces. The three cars were keeping level as they drove. Then, the assassin''s car sped ahead. Olivia saw that the assant was wearing a mask. She couldn''t see the person''s face. So she couldn''t tell if it was Jack. The person was holding a grenade. Then, he yelled angrily, "Go to hell, Wayne Maxwell!" As he was about to throw the grenade, he noticed Olivia. She was looking at him anxiously, trying to figure out who he was. But at that very moment, she was able to confirm that the assant was indeed Jack. Assassins wouldn''t hesitate. The key to being an assassin was being decisive, but the man hesitated when he saw her. Olivia mouthed the words ¡°don''t do it" at him. If he threw that grenade and killed Wayne, he would be doomed, too. Not even Ethan would be able to save him. Ethan, who was in one of the cars behind them, also noticed Olivia. He didn''t have the time to think about why she was there. He yelled, "Don''t do it!¡± Chapter 1389 Chapter 1389 Jack had never felt so conflicted before. This was his best chance of killing Wayne. But if he threw the grenade, Olivia would die as well. The memories of his time with Olivia shed in his mind. She really thought of him as a brother. While he hesitated, Wayne''s bodyguards were able to catch up and line up a shot at him. Olivia could only watch as the bullet flew toward Jack. She screamed, "No!" But there was nothing she could''ve done as Jack got shot and fell over. Only the driver was left speeding away. The cold wind blew toward Olivia as tears streamed down her face. How could this happen? If she weren''t in the car, Jack would''ve killed Wayne. He wouldn''t have hesitated and gotten himself killed. 1 A few years ago, when she mentioned that she wanted to join the ck Ravens, Jack told her, "The biggest mistake an assassin can make is to be emotional. Only death awaits an assassin who lets his emotion dictate his actions." Even so, he still hesitated when he saw her. Wayne noticed that Olivia''s reaction was a little off. "What? Was that an ex-boyfriend of yours?" Olivia red at him fiercely. She pped him. The p was quick and hard. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Wayne didn''t manage to block it. "You fucker! It should''ve been you who died instead!" Olivia''s eyes were bloodshot. She had lost too much already, her family, friends, and her pet. Everyone that she met after that who treated her well was precious to her. Jack wasn''t rted to her by blood, but she saw him as her own brother, nevertheless. She swore she would never stand by and watch her loved ones die before her. She had matured. She could protect them. But in the end, Jack still died because of her. Her p was hard. Wayne was angered by it. But when he saw her eyes, all the anger faded. "Are you okay? Let''s be clear, I didn''t start anything. He was the one who tried to kill me. My people were just retaliating. He deserved it." 1 His words angered Olivia even more. She started raining blows on him. "How dare you say he deserved it? If you didn''t kill his brother, he wouldn''t havee for revenge. It''s your fault. It''s all your fault." Olivia was furious. "I don''t have much family left. He''s my brother! How can you kill him?" She scratched Wayne''s face and left a mark, but he didn''t care about that. He Inew how strong Olivia was. She didn''t even bat an eye when he wanted to kill her back then. But she was crying profusely, and he had neverforted a woman before. He instinctively drew Olivia into his arms. ¡°Alright, don''t cry. It''s all my fault. Don''t worry, I won''t hold it against him. Besides, he might still be alive." Olivia struggled to break free. "Let me go! We''re not that close.¡± "Settle down first. You can beat me up all you like after that." Ike, who was in the driver''s seat, noticed how soft Wayne had be. Olivia had him wrapped around her little finger. What would he do when they went back to Carathia? The bodyguards didn''t pursue Jack''s car any further due to Wayne''s orders. As soon as thenes were freed up, another car dashed right next to Wayne''s car. Ethan was extremely anxious. He turned and saw Wayne holding Olivia in his arms. Wayne met his gaze, gave him a peace sign, and smiled triumphantly. Chapter 1390 Chapter 1390 Ike stepped on the gas and shook Ethan''s car off. Olivia didn''t know that Ethan had seen Wayne hold her in his arms. She broke free from his grasp and pushed him away. Have some respect for yourself, Wayne Maxwell." Wayne grabbed her wrist. "Dr. Ophelia, you need to understand one thing. You were the one that came on to me before. Now, you want me to hold back? Toote!" 1 The wind blew at Olivia''s hair. Her dark, round eyes were still teary. She looked very endearing. Wayne slowly reached out to caress her face. 1 "Let her go!" Ethan stared right at him. "Ethan!" Wayne said annoyedly, "Shake him off!" Ethan also ordered, "Catch up to them!" It was as if Jack''s appearance was just an inconsequential encounter. Both Ethan and Wayne had their attention on Olivia at the moment. Ike and Brent were stepping on the gas as hard as they could. Both cars were speeding around in a high-speed case until they finally arrived outside the gates of the Heath Residence. Linus was at the entrance with some people ready to wee Wayne and his fleet of cars. The street had already been cleared out. The dozen or so cars came speeding down the street. The two cars in the front were especially fast. The two cars screeched to a halt almost simultaneously. The doors were also opened. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ethan and Olivia, who was in a panic, stepped out of the vehicles. Linus was confused. The assassin hadn''t been found yet. Why did Olivia step out of Wayne''s car? "Did he do anything to you, Liv?" Olivia was finally free from Wayne. She immediately leaped into Ethan''s arms. Then, she asked softly, "Jack is..." Ethan replied, "Don''t worry. Kelvin is on the way to him." Neither of them wanted anything to happen to Jack. Wayne stepped out from the other side of the car. His hair was a mess, and there were some scratch marks on his face and neck, which were clearly the handiwork of a woman. Even the usually calm and collected Linus couldn''t help but ask, " What happened?" Wayne didn''t care about the marks on his face. He looked at Olivia. ¡°Well, Ms. Olivia Heath here is a feisty one." His suggestive words gave Olivia the urge to throw her shoes at his face. That bastard! ¡°Olivia, why were you with Mr. Maxwell? Ethan''s gaze also fell on her. He couldn''t help but think about how Wayne had his arms around her. Olivia exined, "Uncle Linus, I went to visit the graves of my family members. I ran into him at the graveyard. He..." Wayne chimed in, "1 saw that it was gettingte and was worried that something might happen to her if she was alone. That''s why I gave her a ride. "The incident on the road waspletely unexpected. I''m sure Ms. Heath must have been so frightened." ¡°Are you really that nice? You''re the type that just does whatever you want, aren''t you?" Ethan could imagine what actually happened. Olivia would never get in his car willingly. In fact, she would''ve run if she could get away. Wayne didn''t show any embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, he smiled at Ethan. "It seems like you know me very well, Mr. Miller. Why don''t you guess what type of woman I prefer?" Ethan shot him a cold look. "We''re not friends. I''m not interested in doing that. Stop talking to me." Then, he left with Olivia in his arms while ignoring Wayne. He knew that Olivia was anxious. When they went somewhere with no one around, he quickly said, "Wayne''s men stopped their pursuit. Kelvin went after Jack. He should be able to find him soon. Don''t worry." He felt bad when he saw that there were still tears in Olivia''s eyes. "Did he do anything to you?" Chapter 1391 Chapter 1391 Olivia shook her head. "He wouldn''t dare to do anything while we''re in Aldenvine, but..." Olivia recalled how tolerant Wayne was toward her. In the past, he would''ve killed her for doing all those things to him. She pped him and scratched him. He even found out that the assassin after his life was rted to her, but he acted like nothing happened. It was too weird. That was very unlike Wayne to do so. Olivia bit her lip and said awkwardly, "I think he''s in love with me." In Raka, Wayne had already developed a small liking for her. However, it was during their car ride that she distinctly felt his affection deepen. Aman would only put up with a woman if he was interested in her. It was obvious that Wayne was being a little too tolerant. Ethan felt that a long time ago. If Wayne didn''t have feelings for Olivia, he wouldn''t wait until the ring was no longer in Olivia''s possession before detonating it. Olivia noticed that Ethan had a glum expression on his face. She took his hand and said tenderly, "You''re the one I care about." "If you care about me, you should..." ¡°Marry me again so that other men won''t look your way anymore! ¡° But Ethan couldn''t say this out loud. He knew that the time wasn''t right yet. Even if he killed Leia, it still wouldn''t change their current situation. The pain he caused her was still real. Those wouldn''t just go away with a few words. He clenched his fists as they stood under the plum tree. Olivia suddenly grabbed his tie, tiptoed, and kissed him on the lips. Ethan''s eyes widened in shock. He quickly snapped back to his senses. Linus led Wayne into the Heath Residence. As soon as they walked in, they saw Olivia grabbing Ethan''s tie with one hand, and the other was slung around his neck. The wind blew, and some leaves fell. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. It was a very beautiful picture. Linus cleared his throat. "Olivia, there are still people here." Olivia stuck her tongue out at Linus. "I''m sorry, Uncle Linus. I was in shock just now, and then I saw Ethan. I just..." She turned her gaze to Wayne and said slowly, "...couldn''t help myself." Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist. "I''ll take you back to your room." Linus didn''t know how to react to their antics, but he knew Olivia well. She would never act so disgracefully. She had to be doing that on purpose. He looked at the marks on Wayne''s face. "I''m sorry for that unsightly disy." "I don''t mind. Ms. Heath is a very passionate person, isn''t she?:" Ike couldn''t help but roll his eyes. He felt like Wayne was out of his mind. Had he never met a woman before? Why would he keep chasing after a divorced woman who was already involved with another man? It was clear that Olivia didn''t have feelings for him at all. Linus also added, "Olivia and Ethan have always been close. Sometimes, their emotions just get the better of them." Wayne chuckled. "Surely you jest, Mr. Heath. If they were really that close, they wouldn''t have gotten a divorce. Neither would he announce that he was marrying another woman. "From my perspective, this rtionship is extremely fragile. No one really needs to interfere. They''d probably ruin it themselves, given enough time." Wayne was talking quite loudly. It was like he wanted Ethan to hear him. "In my opinion, Ms. Heath is a pretty and talented woman. There''s no need for her to stick with that man. If she wanted to, she could take her pick from countless other men." Linus thought about how he used to feel about Olivia. He agreed with that sentiment. "Mr. Maxwell, you''re all beaten up. You should freshen up. I''ll have a doctor look at those marks on your face." Chapter 1392 Chapter 1392 When they got back to her room, Olivia was still thinking about Jack. But Ethan was clearly thinking about something else. "Is there no news about Jack yet?" Ethan snapped back to his senses. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "What did you say?" Olivia held his hand and dered, "I don''t like Wayne, not even a little." Looking at Olivia''s determined gaze, Ethan sighed. "I know. I''m just..." Ethan was just insecure. Since the day he met Olivia, he knew that she was a great and talented woman. She would be the center of attention no matter where she went. In the past, he tried to hide her at home so no one could see her. He made her light grow dim when he decided to make her his personal property. No one else saw how special she was after that. He was the one who lost her. When she returned to his world again, she began to shine even brighter than before, but their rtionship could never go back to what it used to be. Olivia knew that Ethan was a very possessive man. So, she tried to exin further. "T went to the graveyard to visit Madam Eugenia''s and my dad''s graves. I swear I didn''t know he would be there. If I knew, I wouldn''t have gone. He took my keys from me and forced me to get in his car." Ethan drew her into his arms and smiled in resignation. "Alright, Liv. I understand. Why wouldn''t I know how you would act? No one understands each other more than us." Olivia rubbed her face against his chest. "That''s right." She was a little distracted as well. "This is not the time to be talking about this. How is Jack? It''s been so long. There must be some news by now." Ehthan called Kelvin''s phone. "What''s the situation? Where is he?" "Mr. Miller, we followed him all the way, but he was intentionally hiding from us." "He''s still alive?" "Yes. He seems to be injured, but nothing life-threatening." Olivia and Ethan were both relieved. "Thank God he''s okay." ¡°Then he couldn''t have gone far. Find him quickly." "Yes, sir." Jack had been under Ethan''s care for some time, but Jack still held Ethan partially responsible for Kurt''s death. He could neverpletely forget that. That was why he took this chance to get away. "Ethan caressed Olivia''s face. "Does that put you at ease?" "Yeah." Olivia took off her coat. Wayne had been lying on top of her in the car. His scent was on her coat, and she didn''t like that. "T''ll take a shower." She patted him on the head. "Don''t worry. You''re the only one for me." Ethan heard the sounds of water flowing in the bathroom. Then, he exited the room glumly and lit a cigarette. When Olivia changed into a new set of clothes and exited the room, she saw Linus standing outside her door. "What''s wrong, Uncle Linus?" Olivia looked at him. She thought he would be entertaining the important guest in the house. Why would he be here? Linus felt a little awkward. "Wayne doesn''t want any other doctor to tend to his injuries. He said you''re the one who scratched his face. So, you should take responsibility for your actions." Olivia pursed her lips. "Do I have to go?" Wayne''s identity was too unique. She didn''t want to have anything to do with him. Linus remained calm. "Sure. You don''t have to go if you don''t want to. I''lle up with some excuse." "Uncle Linus, why did hee here?" "From what I heard, it seers like he wants to discuss an international business deal worth billions." Chapter 1393 Chapter 1393 A business deal worth billions would be very attractive for apany. But for a country, the most important thing would be the intent behind the deal. On the surface, the five superpowers maintained a bnce, but every one of them wanted to reign supreme. Andia never caused any trouble, but it wasn''t afraid of trouble either. But alliances were always going to be better than wars. Wayne used to be a pesky troublemaker. He would stir trouble all over the ce and cause unrest. Trade was amon tactic for the two countries to maintain good rtions. This meant that Wayne came with the intent to call for peace. If he stopped causing trouble, Linus wouldn''t have to stay at the country''s border all the time. He could return to Aldenvine and help Mason. Mason was getting older, and he felt even weaker after thest time he got hurt. "It''s fine. You don''t have to do anything you don''t want to. I''ll handle it for you." Linus smiled gently. His eyes were filled with understanding. After bing a member of the Heath family, Olivia was able to feel the advantages of the Heaths'' overprotectiveness of their own. She smiled. "Alright. I''ll go check on Molly." State affairs had nothing to do with her. Even if things took a turn for the worse, Mason and Linus were still there to handle it. Olivia had been a little busy for the past couple of days. Also, Jack was still missing, so she was still thinking about him. She couldn''t get through to Jack''s phone. So, she could only keep the phone he used to call and hoped that he would call her. She wanted to know where the bullet hit him. Molly''splexion had improved under Olivia''s care. She sincerely felt happy for Molly. "The recovery ising along nicely, but¡­" Oliva checked Molly''s pulse. "You''ve been worrying too much, and you''re showing signs of depression. This isn''t good for you in the long run. You''ve found your parents. Everyone cares about you. Why are you still unhappy?" The Heaths even set aside their differences with Yale and allowed him to stay in hopes of speeding up Molly''s recovery. Molly didn''t try to hide her worries. "Olivia, I''m just worried about Krystal." The Heaths had already sent people to investigate, but Lisa had prepared a lot of contingencies in the past. She had two phones. As soon as the situation went south, she immediately told her family to go into hiding. She even taught Krystal how to escape. The Walkers managed to earn a pretty buck with their association with the Heath family over the years. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. It would be very hard to find them. "Tell me how you feel about Krystal." If their roles were reversed, Krystal would definitely try to destroy Mollypletely. But Molly didn''t have the stomach for that. "She should be punished by thew and pay for the evil deeds she has done. But¡­" Olivia chimed in, "But she is carrying Yale''s baby. You''re worried about the baby because you think the baby is innocent, right?" Content of Dra§Þ??ovels She was the mother of four children. She understood that feeling very well. "Yes. I don''t know what to think. Yale would never keep that baby. I''m afraid that he would find Krystal, but I''m also afraid that he wouldn''t find her." Olivia caressed her face gently. "You''re just too kind-hearted." Chapter 1394 Chapter 1394 Olivia continued to provide Molly with some enlightenment. "As a mother, I shouldn''t say something like this. But from the perspective of a child, do you think the baby would want such a life? "The Walkers are all vicious criminals. Krystal has no love for the baby. Even his father, Yale, is determined to kill him. "If he were really brought into the world, his life would be miserable. Krystal might even use him as a pawn to get revenge against Yale and the Heath family. "Krystal''s around one month into her pregnancy. The baby hasn''t fully formed yet. Getting an abortion for it would be a good thing for the baby itself and everyone else." Molly lowered her head and touched her belly. "I''m just worried that I can''t get pregnant anymore. If that baby is born, I can¡­" "Don''t even think about that. You would just be making the same mistakes the previous generation did. "I have nothing against the baby, but gics is a very wondrous thing. I have four children, so I have some experience in the subject. "Boys mostly take after their mothers. If the baby is as vicious as Krystal and her family, you won''t be able to get the kid to truly love you no matter what you do." One example Olivia could think about was Marina. She was so bad that no matter how much kindness she was shown, she didn''t change. Chloe showered her with love for 20 years, but it only took a little bit of convincing for her to turn against Chloe. She hid the fact that she hadpatible bone marrow when Chloe''s life was hanging on a thread. She even fed Chloe poison to speed up her death. Even if she didn''t know that Chloe was her real mother, Chloe still treated her like a daughter for 20 years. Olivia said coldly, "Some people will never change. No matter how much love you give him, he might still bite the hand that fed him. Please dismiss these unrealistic thoughts." Molly bit her lip. "Is it really impossible?" "You''ve never really had much experience dealing with people. You don''t know how much darkness there is in this world. "Other than your family, everyone else would never be good to you for no reason, not to mention the fact that Krystal already hates you. "If you adopt her child, he might even me you for hurting his mother when he grows up. It will be bad for you and the Heath family." Molly seemed to be convinced. "I understand. Then, what should I do?" "It''s simple. Just rest and get well soon. Don''t feel bad for Krystal when she''s caught. Do what must be done. If you really want to bear a child for Yale, there''s still a way." "Olivia, is that true?" "My prescription can nurse you back to health, but it can''t mend all the damage you received. But there''s a medicinal spring in a ce that can help. "My arm was hit by a bullet in the past. I tried many ways but failed to fix it since nerve damage is irreversible. "Then, I met an olddy by coincidence. She taught me a lot of medical knowledge. She even brought me to the medicinal spring." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Molly''s eyes lit up. The hope gave her more reason to be alive. "So you have to get well soon. I''ll help you with the pregnancy part." "Thank you, Olivia. I don''t even know how to thank you," "Don''t be silly. You''re my family. Me taking care of you is like Uncle Linus taking care of me. We have to look out for each other." New ch§Ñpter av?ble on They looked at each other and smiled. Tatiana rushed into the room. "Olivia." "What''s wrong, Grandma?" Chapter 1395 Chapter 1395 Olivia was speechless. She even started to suspect that Wayne came all the way to Aldenvine for her. After sheforted Molly, she rolled up her sleeve and left. She was ready to teach him a lesson. Before she reached the living room, she heard a man yelling angrily. "Why is it you? Get out of here!" Ethan was holding a cotton ball with tweezers in one hand and a bottle of medical alcohol. He looked like he was about to pour that alcohol on Wayne and set him on fire. Ethan said gruffly, "Didn''t you refuse all the doctors? Well, I''m not a doctor. I''ll take good care of you. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Brent, hold him down." "Yes, Mr. Miller," Brent said as he came forward with several bodyguards. The voices made Olivia think about something. When the people in the vige wanted to butcher a pig, they would round up the strong and fit vigers and hold the pig down. The butcher would then kill the pig personally. Wayne was like that pig waiting to be butchered. Ike also came forward and stood in Brent''s way. Both sides were staring each other down. "Enough! Please stop this ridiculousness." Mason set his teacup down. He knew that Ethan and Wayne held a grudge against each other. Both of them lost an important subordinate to the other. So, they would get worked up whenever they saw each other. They had also beenpeting against each other over the years. This was the first time they brought their conflict to his doorstep. Although the living room was spacious, it still felt a little tight, with so many people having a standoff in the room. Wayne''s cor was buttoned, and he had a cold expression on his face. He wasn''t as nonchnt as he was when he was alone with Olivia. He finally looked like the leader of a country for once. "Mr. Heath, is this how you Andians treat your guests? My face was scratched, yet I didn''t even receive an apology. And you''re even sending a disgusting man like him to deal with me." Everyone knew what kind of man Wayne was. But he seemingly didn''t do anything to Olivia while she hit him and yelled at him. They were at fault here. Mason looked at the scratch marks on his face. It was something he never thought he would see. He suppressed his urge to smile and tried to keep a straight face. "ording to what I heard, you were the one who''d forced Olivia into your car. Then, the incident happened. It''s only natural that she freaked out and did something overly violent like that." He was implying that Wayne shouldn''t have forced Olivia into his car and that he deserved everything that happened to him. Wayne sneered. "I''ve heard that the Heaths are overprotective, but I''ve finally seen for myself. I gave Ms. Heath a ride out of the kindness of my heart because it was gettingte, and I feared for her safety." "Without your so-called kindness, she wouldn''t have been involved in that chaos. I think it was just karma getting back at you," Ethan chided. If that usation stuck, it would cause an international incident. Mason''s expression changed slightly. Then, Olivia spoke up. "Mr. Maxwell, I see you still love joking around." Updated at Dra§Þ??§àvels.c§àm None of that had to do with the Heath family. She didn''t want to cause trouble for Mason. She had showered and changed into a new set of clothes. Chapter 1396 Chapter 1396 "Pardon me, I do not get what you''re trying to say, Mr. Maxwell." "You don''t have to y dumb. It doesn''t suit you. My demand is simple, if you tend to my injuries, then all of that is just a joke. Or else¡­" He would im that it was an act of terrorism. Then, things would get blown out of proportion. Olivia slowly walked toward Ethan. "Let me do it, Ethan." "Liv¡­" Ethan knew what Wayne was after. He didn''t want Olivia to go through with it. She wouldn''t have to care about all this if she didn''t ept the Heaths as her family. But she was part of the family. So, she couldn''t stand by and do nothing. Linus personally flew all the way to Raka to save her. It was time for her to do something for the family. It was just tending to Wayne''s injuries. It wasn''t anything much. She patted his hand. "I''ll be done with it very quickly." Wayne was nothing more than a regr patient to her. Ethan frowned as he could only watch helplessly as she walked toward another man. She was just going to tend to some simple injuries, and yet Ethan felt like someone was stabbing aText ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. knife into his heart. He couldn''t imagine the pain Olivia felt when he walked toward Marina. At that moment, it was just karmaing back to bite him. It was his punishment. Wayne looked at Ethan with a smug expression. "If you please, Ms. Heath." Ethan''s arms hung at his sides as he clenched his fists. "You''re wee, Mr. Maxwell." Olivia took out a cotton ball, dabbed it with some alcohol, and pressed it against his face. Wayne winced and almost cried out in pain. But Olivia remained calm. "Mr. Maxwell, I said some nonsensical stuff in the car while I was in shock. I even scratched you. Can you please forgive me?" "Of¡­ Of course." Wayne winced, revealing his teeth. He was sure Olivia was doing it on purpose. "I''ll just have to trouble you to tend to all my injuries as I recover, Ms. Heath." Ike and n winced as they looked at how roughly Olivia was treating Wayne. They started to wonder if he was a masochist. Was one time not enough? Was he nning on getting injured by her again? Was he addicted to the pain? Ethan mmed his palm on the table and stood up. "Stop pushing your luck!" Olivia replied. "Sure. It''s the least I could do." Wayne said to Ethan smugly. "It seems like Ms. Heath is a very considerate person. Or should I say, that she enjoys tending to my wounds?" Ike was rendered speechless. In the past, Wayne had no interest in women at all. But he was strutting around like a peacock, trying to catch Olivia''s attention. The Tanner brothers got second-hand embarrassment from Wayne''s actions. They had the urge to stuff some cotton balls down his throat to stop him from talking. Olivia quickly smeared some ointment on Wayne''s face with a cotton swab. ''It''s done." "So quickly?" Olivia maintained a robotic smile. "It''s just some scratches, of course it was fast. How much longer did you want it to be?" Mason covered his mouth with a fist and cleared his throat. "Alright, Olivia. Stop threatening our guest. Come over here. Mr. Maxwell said the proposal he has concerns you. So, sit down and listen in." Olivia felt a chill down her spine. She had a feeling that nothing good was going toe out of Wayne''s mouth. But Mason had spoken. She had to stay. She sat down and acted obediently. "Can we start the meeting now, Mr. Maxwell?" Updated at Dr?manov§Öls.c§àm Wayne took a cup of tea that a maid handed her and took a sip. "Tell me more." Mason remained calm. "That''s new. Carathia and Andia have been at odds for decades. You''re trying to form an alliance now? Something smells fishy here." "No, it''s very simple. Our countries can be joined by marriage. I know you have a daughter, Mr. Heath. I''vee to ask for her hand in marriage." Chapter 1397 Chapter 1397 Wayne''s request was shocking but not unexpected. After all, the assassination was a major issue. For a person as vengeful as Wayne, it would have been impossible for him to let someone who tried to Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. kill him go. But he did exactly that and didn''t even get his people to investigate the incident. The only reason for this irregr reaction had to be because of Olivia''s words. The two of them were basically strangers to each other. Mason couldn''t think of any reason why Wayne would make such a proposal other than the fact that he liked Olivia. So, when Wayne said what he said, Mason wasn''t all that surprised. He replied calmly, "I have a daughter and a granddaughter. Which one of them do you want to marry?" Yale was called over here, but he didn''t think he would need to do anything. His resignation hadn''t been approved by Mason yet. He didn''t care about power as much as before. He was just doing his job. Mason''s words got him worked up. He knew that there was something Mason hated about Ethan and himself. Ethan hurt Olivia deeply before while he manipted Krystal for his pursuit of power. Mason hated that about them. It would be very hard for both of them to marry the woman they loved. Molly had already been taken into the Heath family. If Mason wanted to let her marry Wayne, it was definitely possible. A single sentence caused Ethan and Yale to tense up and re at Wayne. They would''ve annihted Wayne if looks could kill. Wayne had always been a shameless person. He didn''t care about their piercing stares. He looked at Olivia and said, "I fell in love with Ms. Heath at first sight. I hope you can grant me her hand in marriage." Mason raised an eyebrow and looked at Olivia. "Our family has always advocated for free love. Olivia, Mr. Maxwell has shown interest in you. Any thoughts?" Olivia said calmly, "Thanks for the kind words, Mr. Maxwell. I''ve been through a divorce already. Currently, I don''t have ns to get married again." "I don''t mind that." Wayne walked toward Olivia anxiously. "I know you were hurt by your previous marriage. I promise I will never hurt you if you marry me. I''m serious about this." Ike couldn''t bear to see how humble Wayne was acting. A man like him could get any woman he wanted. Why would he ever fall for a woman who had been divorced and given birth to multiple children? Olivia didn''t look at Ethan. She gazed at Wayne calmly. "Promise? How will you make good on that promise? Another man also made a lot of promises to me in the past. And that ended very badly for me. "I had just gotten out of such a torturous rtionship. Did you think I would do it all over again? I''m allergic to marriage now." Olivia didn''t care about Ethan''s feelings when she said that. She was just bluntly stating her opinion to these two men. She had no ns to get married to Wayne or Ethan. Dra§Þa?ov§Öls.c§à§Þ The first time she got married, she was still young. She waspletely unprepared to face what was to She had already learned her lesson. She wasn''t about to make the same mistake. Chapter 1398 Chapter 1398 Wayne frowned. He didn''t even have experience dating women, and he was trying to get married right away. It was only natural that he didn''t know theplications of that. "If you think the conditions I provided weren''t enough, feel free to make some requests. I''m willing to lower my bottom line for her." Olivia looked at his confused gaze. She smiled and shook her head. "The Heath family doesn''t need to sell out its daughters for profit. A marriage shouldn''t be treated as a transaction. "Mr. Maxwell, if you have no idea what marriage is about, you should date a woman and find out. Marriage is not fun and games. "If you really want to form an alliance with Andia, why don''t we set this marriage aside, and focus on the alliance? It would benefit the citizens of both countries." Wayne grunted. "If we''re not going to proceed with the marriage, why would I want to do anything to make the people happy? If I''m not getting what I want, no one''s going to get what they want." Olivia was rendered speechless. Ethan immediately went to Olivia''s side and mocked Wayne. "Who cares if you''re unhappy? What a joke! Do you really think we need that money of yours?" "I don''t know about that. But I''m sure the other superpowers would be happy to form an alliance with me. If I formed an alliance with Zelotria or Hucreyle, it would cause trouble for you, wouldn''t it? "Do you really think you''re so important? The world won''t stop moving forward without you. Go back to where you came from. We don''t need your money or your alliance!" "Ethan Miller, do you want to start a war?" "So what if I am? Come at me if you dare. I won''t ever back down from a challenge." Both of them were on the verge of losing their temperpletely. Olivia smirked. "You two are quite in sync. Why don''t you two get married instead?" Both of them turned around and red at Olivia. "No one''s marrying someone like him!" "That''s not funny at all!" Mason could feel his head throbbing from all the yelling. Yale rxed. He had the urge to get some popcorn. "Alright. We can talk about the alliance if you wish, but let''s forget about the marriage. It''s gettingte. Let''s head to the dining room for dinner." Ethan grabbed Olivia''s arm to assert dominance. "You must be hungry, Liv." Olivia nodded. "Yeah. I''m a little hungry." She was still wondering about what happened to Jack. She wasn''t really in the mood for food while Jack was still out there, much less put up with the arguments. Ethan knew what was on her mind. He squeezed her hand lightly. "Theck of news is the best news. Don''t worry." "Alright." A housekeeper was leading the way. Ike whispered in Wayne''s ear, "Mr. Maxwell, Dr. Ophelia isn''t a good mate for you. You should give up on her. Can''t you see she''s really close with Ethan Miller?" Wayne analyzed Olivia''s words closely. "So what?" "So I have a chance. Did you think I was unprepared? It would be suspicious if Mr. Heath agreed to the marriage when I brought it up." "A man like him could get any woman he wanted. Why would he put down his pride and ask to be with her again? Co?tent §àf "She''s definitely a very valuable person. It doesn''t matter how many times she was married. She is a very valuable talent." Wayne asked, "Has anyone been able to treat my headaches all these years?" "That''s¡­" Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "She''s one of a kind. She''s the best." Chapter 1399 Chapter 1399 Mason didn''t talk about business while they were at the dining table. He finally got Wayne to shut up. Ethan felt a sense of danger. He had been rivals with Wayne for many years. He knew how stubborn Wayne could be. He knew Wayne wouldn''t give up so easily. He was sure that Wayne had backup ns prepared. As expected, Wayne asked to talk to Mason in private. Mason had no reason to refuse. ¡­ Marina''s legs started to improve three hours ago following a few days of rest. Although they would still hurt from time to time, it wasn''t unbearable for her. Fabian felt bad for her. He was afraid that she might hurt her legs if she forced herself to walk. He wanted her to stay in her wheelchair and rest as often as possible. Fabian felt more at ease after the tracker was ced in her leg. She would never be able to escape from him. Marina had pretended to be obedient for the past couple of days. That was why Fabian allowed her to go out. Her maid pushed her wheelchair and apanied her while she went on a shopping spree. Marina asked her maid to receive a table at a restaurant. She even texted Fabian and told him to have dinner with her that night. Fabian was an obsessive man. He fell in love with Marina at a young age. He had done a lot of things in the past years so that Marina could be his. He had slept with Marina plenty of times in the past two years. This was the first time Marina asked him out. He was very excited. Perhaps Marina was willing to start over after all that had happened. Fabian was looking forward to this date. He even asked his assistant to prepare a new suit for him. He also got a haircut. He felt like a young man falling in love all over again. What he didn''t know was when Marina had made that call, she told her maid to wait at the restaurant while she went to the toilet. When the maid realized something was off, she only saw the wheelchair left in the toilet. Marina was nowhere to be seen. She had also turned off her phone. Fabian was still having the haircut when that happened. He became visibly upset when he got the call. "How dare you, Marina!" he yelled inwardly. He quickly checked Marina''s location, but he found out that the tracker was malfunctioning. Marina probably had someone prepare a signal jammer in advance! That would mean she didn''t actually want to go shopping. She had nned to escape from the start. No wonder she sent Erina away the day before. It was all part of her n! Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Fabian''s eyes gleamed angrily. What audacity she had to escape! "Look into it. She might be able to block the signal, but she won''t be able to block out the cameras." Marina had taken the stairs and went to the third basement level''s parking lot. Her heart was pounding as she walked in the empty parking lot. She was afraid, but nothing was scarier than Fabian! Even evil spirits would look cutepared to Fabian. She kicked something and almost fell over. She directed her shlight and saw a masked man with a bleeding arm. New chapter av§Ñble o? Dr§Ñm§Ñnovels The man''s chest was still moving. He was probably still alive. She wondered if he was a terrorist. She should''ve run, but for some reason, she crouched down and took off the man''s mask. Her scream echoed in the parking lot. Chapter 1400 Chapter 1400 Marina saw a face that looked exactly like Kurt''s. Even though she never saw Kurt''s body, she knew Ethan wouldn''t lie to her about that. Besides, if Kurt was alive, he wouldn''t have stayed away from her for so many years. Back then, Kurt was like herpdog. She never really cared about him. But she hated him after he took her virginity. She only had eyes for Ethan back then. She had the urge to get an abortion. When Kurt knew about that, he pleaded with her not to do it. He promised to take responsibility after his mission. When he left for the mission, Marina had just gotten pregnant. It wasn''t the best time to get an abortion. She didn''t expect him to die. Some nights, she would think about him. She would think about him when she looked at Erina, too. Seeing that face again, Marina couldn''t just leave him to die, no matter who he actually was. She carried Jack into her car with great effort. Then, she drove toward the hiding ce she had prepared in advance. She knew that Fabian would have his people guarding all the exits. It wasn''t time to leave the city yet. So, she found a ce on the outskirts of the city and went to stay there temporarily. The house was stocked with all the necessities she would need. The sun was setting. She didn''t dare to send Jack to the hospital. So, she asked someone to find a doctor to tend to his wound. The doctor was someone who had helped her a lot in the past. It was Tim ke, the man who handed Jeff the wedding invitation. He had received help from Marina when they were abroad. So, he was happy to help her out. In the past few years, when Marina was crippled, he had wanted to take her away. Marina didn''t want that, so he gave up on that idea. Two days ago, he received a mission from Marina, which hepleted marvelously. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Why would you bring trouble upon yourself, Ms. Carlton? We''ll be able to leave in a few days. This man might ruin our ns." Marina sighed. "I won''t leave him no matter who he is." Kurt was her first man, after all. She didn''t forget about him despite how she felt about him. She had many questions she wanted to ask Jack when he woke up. "Is the doctor you found trustworthy?" "Don''t worry, he''s a doctor working in a small town. I''ll give him some hush moneyter." "That''s good. Thank you." Tim was surprised. After all, Marina used to be very haughty and would never thank anyone. She used to take everything for granted. "Ms. Carlton, you''ve changed." Marina shook her head resignedly. "Of course, I would change after going through so much." "You must be hungry. I''ll cook something for you." "Sure." She was throwing a huge fit. He got down on one knee and tried to calm her down. "I have to go now. I swear I''ll take responsibility when Ie back. Wait for me." He knew Marina had always liked Ethan. That was why he used his death to force Ethan into taking care of her. That was the only thing he could do for the woman he loved. Content of Dra§Þ??ovels Kurt was so selfless that all he ever wanted was for Marina to live a happy life. Marina sighed deeply. "Kurt, would things be different if you were still alive?" Marina thought to herself. Chapter 1401 Chapter 1401 If Kurt hadn''t died, at least her daughter would still have a father. Perhaps things wouldn''t have turned out like this. The doctor dressed Jack''s wounds and exited the room. With an inquisitive look, he asked, "Miss, this man has a lot of scars on his body. Who is he?" Marina gave him a stack of cash. "Don''t ask anything you shouldn''t. This is your fee." The doctor''s eyes lit up at the sight of so much money. He understood that Marina had to be someone important, and he should just take the money and shut up. "Understood, miss. His condition is stable. He just needs to rest for a while." "Thanks." Marina called Tim over. "Send the doctor back." She went back to the bedroom. Jack was topless and lying in bed. She could see his bandaged arms while his torso was covered by a nket. The lighting in the basement was bad, so she hadn''t gotten a good look before. She finally had a chance to get a good look at Jack. He almost looked identical to Kurt. Marina couldn''t tell the difference between the two despite having known Kurt for many years and being quite familiar with him. She remembered from their night together that Kurt had a gunshot wound on the left side of his abdomen. Marina grabbed a corner of the nket, but Jack gripped her wrist tightly as she was about to pull at the nket. She cried out in pain. Jack had already opened his eyes. Marina was sure that the man before her wasn''t Kurt the moment he opened his eyes. Kurt would never look at her like that. His gaze was cold and distant. Then, realization struck. "It''s you." Jack''s voice was different from Kurt''s as well. Marina was disappointed when she realized he wasn''t Kurt. "You know me? Who are you? Jack knew about everyone Kurt was close with, as Kurt would tell him everything. He had already seen a photo of Marina the first time Kurt told him he had someone he liked. "I''ve fallen for a proud youngdy. She''s stunning when she dances. She''s like an elegant swan. "Here, take a look. I took this picture in secret. She gave me a good beating because of this." Jack remembered how excited Kurt was when he talked about Marina. "I''ll work hard so I can marry her. Why won''t she fall for me? "She turned me down again. She threw out the sand I brought back from the desert. She said she would ground my bones to dust if I ever brought her sand again." One day, he visited Jack with a big smile on his face. "You''ll have a nephew soon. After I return from this mission, I''ll visit the Carltons and ask for Marina''s hand in marriage. "Then, I''ll leave this life behind and start a business. I don''t want to risk my life anymore. "She said I wasn''t romantic. I heard that Ethan built a whole garden of white roses for Olivia, and she loved it. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "I''ll build Marina a garden of ck roses. I''ll propose to her when Ie back." In the end, Kurt never got the chance to propose. Jack knew all about what happened between Ethan and Marina. Honestly, he didn''t like this woman much. He would think she was disgusting and vile if not for Kurt. "Who is Kurt to you?" Marina met his cold and unfeeling gaze. She could clearly sense his animosity. Content of Dr§Ñm??ovels.c§àm "He''s my older brother. My name is Jack." Marina was stunned. "He never told me he had a brother." "Well, now you know. Did you save me?" Jack remained cold. Chapter 1402 Chapter 1402 Marina looked at Jack''s face. He looked exactly like Kurt, but his eyes scared her. "I''m not. I just¡­" "Marina, you''re disgusting. You forced Ethan to marry you while you were carrying Kurt''s baby. And there''s also all the despicable things you did to separate him from his wife." Jack struggled to get up and grabbed Marina''s arm. "What are you doing?" Marina asked as she tried to break free. "I want to bring you somewhere." Jack forced her into the car. Marina started to think that Jack was out of his mind. She was still on the run. "Where are you taking me?" Jack fell silent and didn''t speak another word to her. The car sped along the roads in the middle of the night until they arrived at a manor. There was a garden of ck roses. The roses stood out in the white nket of snow. "This is¡­" "Kurt had nned to propose to you here. He wanted to give you and the baby a home. But he didn''t get to live to see that day. Marina looked at the roses and thought about the one time she performed in "Swan Lake" as the ck Swan. Kurt told her with a smile that she was much prettier than the White Swan. She never understood his taste. "He was too na?ve." "That''s true. Even if he came back, you wouldn''t have married him, right?" Jack stared straight into her eyes. "To you, he was just a tool." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Marina had nevercked suitors. Even if Ethan ignored her, he never said anything that hurtful to her. Jack''s tone made her ufortable. "Don''t forget. I was the one who saved you. What are you trying to say?" "This is just Kurt''s dying wish. Other than this, I want to take someone away from you." "Who?" "Your daughter. I know all about it. Ethan wanted to change her name. She''s a member of the Stone family to begin with. "She should return to the Stone Residence with me." Jack had been keeping an eye on Erina all these years. He wouldn''t do this if Marina truly loved Erina. From his observations, he gathered that Marina was naturally selfish. She would only ever put herself first. In the past, the two kids were just her bargaining chips. Even after she was dropped as the heiress of the Carlton family, she didn''t treat her daughter any better. Erina would be destined for misfortune and misery if she stayed in a family like this. "Impossible. She''s my daughter. I won''t hand her over to you!" "All these years, have you ever cooked a meal for her or even gone shopping with her? She didn''t even get a taste of your breast milk since the moment she was born. "Then, you handed her over to a nanny. The Miller family and the Carlton family provided for her. How dare you im to be her mother? When Jack found out about Marina and Fabian, he knew that things would get worse for Erina once Marina married Fabian. He failed to kill Wayne this time. He probably wouldn''t get another chance to avenge Kurt. Marina slowly slumped to the ground and gazed at the night sky. "Did I really make the wrong choice?" She had been too greedy! She wanted things that didn''t belong to her. That was how she ended up where she was. Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt nearby. Someone ran over. Co?tent of Dr?§Þ??ov§Öls.c§àm "Jack!" Marina saw Olivia rushing over and jumping into Jack''s arms. She asked concernedly, "Jack, are you okay?" She was so anxious she had tears in her eyes. "I thought you were¡­" Jack, who waspletely indifferent to Marina, smiled when he looked at Olivia. Even his voice became gentle. "I''m fine." Chapter 1403 Chapter 1403 Fitness Fun in the Park 0.00 / 0.00 2 Olivia wiped away her tears frantically as she repeated, "I''m so d you''re okay. I''m so d you''re okay." Jack was with her during the hardest times in her life. He knew that she was afraid of death. She had already be traumatized. The reason Jack helped Olivia so much in the beginning was because he found out that she was Ethan''s wife. Her family was ruined because of Kurt''s dying wish. He was just trying to atone for the pain caused by Kurt and nothing else. Then, they went through a lot of hardships together. Both of them lost all of their loved ones. So, they treated each other as family. That was why he gave up on trying to kill Wayne immediately when he saw that Olivia was also in the car. "Don''t cry. You''re all grown up. There''s no need to act like a child." He didn''t want Olivia to worry. So, he contacted her as soon as he was able to. Their intimate interaction caused Ethan to feel a little jealous. But he knew that Olivia wouldn''t fall for Jack. If not, they would''ve gotten together when he wasn''t there in those three years. She only thought of Jack as a brother. Marina was angered by what she saw. The man who looked like Kurt was so gentle with Olivia. She couldn''t help but feel jealous. But she wasn''t as arrogant as she used to be. She learned to control her emotions. In the past, she would''ve rushed over and yelled at Olivia. Olivia turned around and saw the hint of animosity in Marina''s eyes. "Why is she here?" "This garden is a gift left to her by Kurt. I brought her here because Kurt would want me to do so." Olivia nced at Marina''s legs. She hadn''t contacted her since thest time they parted ways. One reason was because she had been very busy. The other reason was because she didn''t really care about Marina. Since they ran into each other, Olivia asked, "Have you been getting used to those legs? Have there been any problems?" Marina gritted her teeth. "Thanks to you, I can stand up again. But I''m destined to be under someone else''s control for the rest of my life." "Well, no one gets everything they want. Besides, I still need to use you as a countermeasure against Fabian." "You''re shameless!" "This is nothingpared to what you did to me in the past." Olivia said slowly, "You deserve this. You should be lucky that you''re part of the Fordham family. Or else, you might not even be able to stand here in one piece." Olivia had lost all herpassion for her enemies. She knew plenty of methods to torture her enemies. Marina was furious. She looked at Ethan and Jack. "Are you two going to let her talk to me like that? What would Kurt think¡ª" Jack cut her off. "If Kurt knew about all the things you have done, he would be horrified. "He was a very righteous man. He would never condone your actions." Ethan was protective, as always. But this time, he was protective of Olivia. "Marina, I could care less if Olivia killed you on the spot, let alone say some harsh words to you." "You¡­ You two¡­" He wore a humble smile on his face. "I''m sorry that my sister was a bother." Olivia waved her hand dismissively. "It''s fine. Take her home. Don''t let her cause any more trouble." Marina knew no one would help her. So, she didn''t struggle as she left with Fabian. Fabian stepped on the brake. "Marina, you¡­" Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Unexpectedly, Marina leaned in and kissed him. She sat on hisp and said seductively, "Fabian, I''m sorry. I''ll be good from now on. Please don''t punish me¡­" She unbuckled Fabian''s belt as she said that. He was stunned. What was wrong with Marina? As the sexual tension rose to its peak, Marina whispered, "Fabian, can you help me with something?" He wrapped his arms around her waist. "What do you want?" "I want you to kill Olivia for me. I''ll be your woman willingly if you kill her." Chapter 1404 Chapter 1404 Fabian froze as he came back to his senses. He knew Marina wouldn''t do it with him willingly without reason. "Are you crazy? Do you know who she is?" Marina had been stuck in the Carlton residence for quite some time and hadn''t heard anything about the outside world. "I don''t care who she is. She took everything from me. My parents, my child, my lover, even him¡­" Even though she had just met Jack, she felt frustrated when she thought about a man who looked like Kurt cozying up to another woman. She had been the center of attention since she was young. But since Olivia showed up, everything she had crumbled away. At the same time, Olivia''s life had improved immensely. Ethan was treating her way better than before. As a fellow woman, Marina couldn''t help but feel jealous. "Shut up. She''s not who she was before. You''re crazy if you think I would even try to hurt her." Marina was confused. Olivia had been looking for her parents for as long as she could remember. "What''s wrong?" "Let''s just say that her family stands at the top of Aldenvine. Do you know who Linus Heath is? That man is her uncle." Marina''s expression changed drastically. "What? How could she be rted to the Heaths?" The Heath family wasn''t as well-known as the Miller family, but they were the epitome of power in Aldenvine. Fabian sighed. "Sometimes I feel like you''re nothing without your looks. You''re hopelessly stupid. "Mason is her grandfather. Although this information isn''t publicly announced, everyone already knows about it. "Even the Millers are beneath her now, let alone our family. Also, the Heaths are known to be fiercely protective of their own. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "If anything happened to Olivia, our family would disappear from the face of the overnight." After hearing that, Marina got so angry she started shaking. Back when she had just returned from abroad, Olivia was just a broke woman who needed to pawn her wedding ring off for money. But she had suddenly be Mason''s granddaughter. Marina bellowed, "Why? Why is it always her?" Fabian looked at her coldly. "I''m not interested in the squabbles between women. Don''t take me for a fool. I''m not dumb enough to do something so suicidal." "Even you aren''t willing to help me. I lost everything because of her!" "Because of her? Did she force you to poison your mom? Did she force you to aggravate your dad? "Did she force you to push her into the ocean? Or to steal her husband? Her home? If I were her, you would already be dead." Fabian was very clear-headed. "It''s true that I like you, but I''m not going to let my feelings dictate my actions. "I''ve known what I wanted since I was a kid. You''re with me now. If you misbehave, I have plenty of methods to discipline you. "Marina, you''ll pay for trying to escape." She was thrown onto her bed when they got back home. "Don''t even think about going anywhere from now on." Then, he left the room to make a call. Olivia answered, "It''s me." Co?tent of Dr?§Þ??ov§Öls.c§àm "Don''t worry, Ms. Fordham. I''ll watch her closely. I won''t let her do anything stupid again." "The next time she crosses me, I won''t let it slide." Olivia lowered her voice. "Also, I need your help with something. Look into who tried to have my grandfather killed." Chapter 1405 Chapter 1405 Olivia tried asking Ethan about it, but he only told her parts of the story. It was understandable because of the nature of his job that he was required to keep some secrets. Mason and Linus were very important people, too. She couldn''t just ask them about ssified information. She was an adult and knew how to respect boundaries. The reason she wanted to get to the bottom of it was to prepare for the future. She was a member of the Heath family, after all. She wanted to be able to prevent getting dragged into troublesome matters. Fabian and the Kingston family should be able to dig something up. Fabian was able to beat the He should be quite capable. Olivia made a deal with Fabian with Marina as the prize. Fabian would be more than happy to do her bidding. She was able to keep Marina under control with the microchip. It would also prevent Marina from acting out again. That killed two birds with one stone. She was finally able to rx after she confirmed that Jack''s life was not in danger. Olivia felt some emotions bubbling from within her as she looked at the ck rose bushes. She had never met Kurt, but she went through a lot because of him. "I''m sorry. My brother caused you a lot of trouble." Jack could guess what Olivia was thinking about. "It''s fine. It''s all in the past now. Ethan would be dead without him, and I won''t be able to have the other kids. "I wouldn''t have met you. I guess this is what you call fate. Jack, what''s your n for the future?" Jack looked at Ethan and said, "I want to take Erina away. She won''t have a happy life living with Marina." "I don''t mind." Ethan knew that Jack would be a better parent for Erina than Marina. It would be better if she were with him instead. A child who had never felt love before needed to have a family by her side. Ethann wasn''t her father, after all. And he had a lot of history with Marina. It wouldn''t be respectful to Olivia if he took Erina. Jack was the best person for that job. "I''ll arrange for it. It''s about time she had her name changed." "Joy Stone. If Kurt was still alive, he would want his daughter to be a joyful little princess without any worries." "Okay." Olivia noticed that Jack had grown closer to Ethan. It seemed like Ethan had done some work. "Alright. It''s freezing out here. Let''s stop standing around. Jack, I bet you haven''t eaten yet, right? "Let''s find somewhere to sit down. You have to tell me why you did something so stupid!" Jack also put on a stern face. "Sure. Then, why don''t you tell me what''s going on with you and Wayne? I would''ve killed him already." Olivia patted herself on her chest. "You would''ve shot me in the head if not for the bulletproof window." Both of them were still alive. That was all they could''ve asked for. Olivia had found a restaurant and ordered a stew. She raised her ss for a toast. Ethan thought about what they used to do as a couple. "Here, Jack. Let''s drink and drop all the grudges. Please don''t try to exact revenge on Ethan anymore. Co?tent §àf "He''s with me. If he dies, my kids will be without a father." "I didn''t forget. I can''t forget the hate, but I can''t forget the love, either. Aren''t I worthless?" Olivia was a little drunk. Her face was flushed, and she was mumbling a little. Ethan hugged her from the side. "It won''t happen again. I won''t ever hurt you again." Chapter 1406 Chapter 1406 That night, the three of them spent a lot of time drinking. Ethan got drunk with the two of them. Olivia held his hand with her left hand and held Jack''s hand with her right. In her drunken state, she thought of them as her brothers. "Ethan, Jack, we''ll be siblings for life! We''ll always be together¡­" Ethan quickly covered her mouth before she could say anything more. After a night of discussion, Ethan and Jack managed to set their differences aside. Jack understood that he was the man that Kurt was willing to die for. Kurt would definitely not approve Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. of his actions if he had killed Ethan. But Jack had been consumed by hatred, and he med Ethan for Kurt''s death because he couldn''t ept the fact that Kurt was gone. The three of them went back to Olivia''s vi. Jack had his own room in the vi. Ethan carried Olivia back to her room. Although Jack was drunk, he was still conscious. "Treat her right. She really loves you a lot." Ethan stopped in his tracks. "If I hurt her again, feel free to kill me anytime." Then, he closed the door and ced Olivia on the bed. She had never drunk so much in a long time. In fact, she had never drank so much ever. This was the first time he had seen her so drunk. She bounced up from the bed and said, "Bro, where''s the alcohol? Bring it over! Let''s drink to our heart''s content!" Ethan''s lips twitch. What character was Olivia ying? "You''ve finished all the alcohol. We''ll get more tomorrow." "That won''t do. Bring me my steed. I shall ride out and get you some alcohol." Ethan was speechless. He could only y along. "Alright, the hour iste. Let''s turn in for the night." Olivia jumped off the bed. "I''m not tired. I''m an owl. Owls don''t sleep at night." She put her hands by her side and said, "I''ll watch over you. Sleep. I''ll go out and catch some rats and snakester." Ethan pulled her back into bed. "Oh, my dear woman, please just sleep." "No way! Sleeping at night is a travesty for owls." "I thought you were my brother." Olivia burst out inughter as she patted Ethan on the back. "Dude, I was just ying with you. See? You''ve finally admitted that I''m your brother." "Well, if you''re not sleeping, I''m sleeping without you." Drunken Olivia waspletely insane. She was apletely different person. "Bro, why don''t I tell you the secret to immortality? I''m actually a deity who knows the secrets of the universe." Ethan was amused. Olivia was absolutely adorable when she was acting like that. "Lancelot, did you see where Merlin went?" New ch§Ñpter av?ble on "I didn''t." Ethan was getting very tired. "Ah, you idiot! Merlin was captured by Morgana. Let''s go save him, or else he might be in danger!" Olivia gulped and took a ss of water from the nightstand. Ethan just couldn''t sleep. So, he asked, "Aren''t you going to save Merlin?" Olivia chuckled. "I have better things to do." Chapter 1407 Chapter 1407 Olivia messed around for the whole night. Then, she slept until noon. Ethan looked at the calls she was getting on her phone. Then, he turned it off. When Olivia woke up, he had already prepared lunch. It was some chicken soup and bread. He stood next to the stairs with a spoon in his hand. He said sternly, "No more drinking outside from now on." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Olivia didn''t remember anything that happened the night before. She just felt sore all over. It wasn''t the type of pain she felt after a rough night of passion with Ethan. It felt like she fell over. "By the way¡­ I have some bruises on my arms and legs. Did you hit me?" Ethan rubbed his temples. He handed her the phone. "See for yourself." He thought she was very adorablest night, so he filmed it all. After the "Knights of the Round Table" act, Olivia wrapped some sheets around her and leaped onto the table. She yelled, "Men, our enemies are upon us. Will you follow my lead and crush them with me?" She didn''t get a reply, so she looked at Ethan. "I''m talking to you. Will you follow my lead?" Since they were the only ones in the room, Ethan had to y along with her. She tripped and fell when she jumped off the table. Her legs hit the table. That was why she had bruises. "Are you alright, Your Majesty?" Ethan rushed over to check on her. When Olivia saw that, she was overwhelmed by embarrassment. Ethan smiled. "Toote. I''ve already saved it on the cloud. You were so cute. I have to watch it again in the future." Olivia blushed. She didn''t expect that she would act like that when she was drunk. She thought she had been drunk before, but that was clearly not the same. "Don''t be shy. You were very cute. I''ll keep this between us. You were up the whole night. You must be hungry. I''ve already helped you pack. You can go straight to the airport after you eat." Olivia realized that she had promised to go with Ethan to bring the children home. The whole incident with Wayne threw her off. "Alright." She could get away from Wayne with this trip. She had just turned him down. He wouldn''t just take that without doing anything. Wayne was indeed thinking about how he could get closer to Olivia when he got the news. "Mr. Maxwell, Dr. Ophelia just left with Ethan!" Where did they go?" He didn''t understand why Wayne would be so hung up on a divorced woman. More importantly, she didn''t even like him. "She''s pretty and has a nice figure. The only downside is that she has been married before." n retorted, "How many women have you seen that are prettier than her? With better medical skills than her? She''s also Mason Heath''s granddaughter." Re?d at Dr?m§Ñ?§àv§Öls "Enough! She won''t get away from me!" Wayne barked as he snuffed out the cigarette he was holding. "Mr. Maxwell, please don''t do anything rash. We''re in Andia right now." Wayne didn''t reply. Before he left, he said, "I''m visiting Mr. Heath." He was sure Mason would agree to the marriage if he just offered a better deal. Chapter 1408 Chapter 1408 Olivia and Ethan flew to the ind in the neighboring country. She hid her children well to prevent her enemies from finding them. The ind was in an excellent geological location. It had flight routes to a lot of different ces. That night, the two of them sipped on some champagne on the beach. They listened to the sound of the waves crashing into the rocks. "Wayne didn''t give up. He offered an even more lucrative deal." Ethan''s face was hidden by the shadows, and Olivia couldn''t see his emotions. She frowned. "What did Grandpa say?" Even though she hadn''t been with Mason or Linus for that long, both of them treated her really well. Olivia felt like Mason would never sell her out for profit, but one could never be too sure. "Don''t worry. Mr. Heath didn''t agree to it. He turned it down immediately. It''s a pity we didn''t get to see that in person." Ethan was a little happy when he said that. After all, he had beenpeting against Wayne most of his life. Mason helped him get back at Wayne this time. "Liv, just remember that no one can force you to do anything you don''t want to." Ethan feared nothing except Olivia leaving him. The sunrise on the ind was beautiful and amazing. Olivia woke up early in the morning, but she was inly dressed like she had no intention of leaving. On the other hand, Ethan was dressed in a suit and looked very handsome. He hadn''t seen his children for quite some time. He wanted them to have a good impression of him. He leaned over and kissed Olivia on the cheek. "Wait for me. I''ll be back soon." There was a fresh, minty smell on his breath. Olivia pulled him down by his tie and kissed him back. The sun was rising. The rays shone on them and gave Olivia''s face a warm glow. The kiss was quick. She replied, "Okay." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Ethan left the ind shortly after. It would only take a few hours to get to the town of Angus on a private jet. It meant that she would be able to meet her children in the evening. Olivia had some people buy her some ingredients. She was about to prepare a feast. Willow was the youngest. It was because she grew up in the vige and didn''t like eating meat. She preferred to eat fruits and vegetables. So, Olivia had her people prepare the best fruits and vegetables. Alicia was a lively one. She loved sweets. So, Olivia prepared some eggs and flour to bake a cake. Zack was already starting to feel like an elder brother. He was very stoic when he was with his sisters. He would only act a little cutely when he was alone with Olivia. He loved meat. He liked to eat all things with meat in it. Although he was prematurely born, he was still taller than most people his age. Olivia couldn''t help but smile when she thought about her children. They would be able to meet Connor shortly after they got back to Aldenvine. Her oldest son, whom she let down the most, had yet to meet with her other children. She couldn''t wait for all of them to meet each other. Olivia felt overjoyed by the thought of it. The afternoon sun shone through the windows. Olivia hadn''t been in such a good mood in a long time. She even started humming. She was like a princess in a fairytale working in a kitchen. The doorbell rang. The vi was one she rented in advance. She didn''t have any acquaintances on the ind. It was probably the butler service. Read at "Coming." She skipped to the door, but her smile faded when she opened the door. Olivia dropped the potato she was holding. Chapter 1409 Chapter 1409 Fitness Fun in the Park 0.00 / 0.00 1 The nended. Ethan arrived at Angus after a while. It was the middle of autumn. The town was at the base of a mountain and was covered in brown leaves. It looked beautiful when the wind blew them around. The people in the town were happy. They had smiles on their faces. It was a very happy ce. There was a very famous private school in town. It had extremely stringent admission criteria. The students would receive their education in a closed-off environment. The tuition fees were very expensive. Even the education style was very special. The students'' identities were also kept secret. A lot of students came from prominent backgrounds. So, no one knew anyone else''s identity. It was also very hard to graduate from this school. The students who graduated from the school were sure to make a name for themselves. The school was so secretive that Ethan didn''t know about it for quite some time. He looked at his watch. The kids were still in school. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. He didn''t even interact with Connor that much. This was the first time he was bringing the kids home. He was nervous and excited. He parted ways with Willow in a hurryst time. He had a lot of things he wanted to say to her. Willow couldn''t speak. He wondered if she would get bullied at school. Ethan revealed his identity and entered the school to look around. The kids in kindergarten already had lunch. They were having a break. When he saw Willow, he noticed that she was wearing the school''s uniform, which waspletely different from her attire in the vige. Her green eyes didn''t make her stand out among the blonde-haired kids. She wore two little bells tied with multi-colored threads on her wrists. She couldn''t talk, but she could express herself with the bells. She was sitting on the swing, and a group of kids surrounded her. That was because she could wag her finger, and the bird on the tree would fly toward her and perch on her arm. Everyone else was praising her. In the eyes of the innocent children, she was as great as a superhero because she couldmand animals. Willow had extraordinarily sharp senses. She abruptly turned around and looked toward Ethan''s direction. Her alert expression quickly turned into disbelief. She blinked her eyes several times as she thought she was dreaming. Usually, she could only see her father in her dreams. But he looked very real as he stood before her. Ethan shouted gently, "Willow!" Willow jumped down from the swing and dashed toward Ethan. She didn''t know what was going on. Olivia never allowed her to interact with Ethan that much. Why would he show up here? "I''ve missed you, dear." Willow rubbed Ethan''s face with some confusion in her eyes. Ethan exined, "Mom told me toe get you guys. She is waiting for us on the ind." Co?tent belo?gs to Dra§Þ?n§àv§Öls.c§àm Looking at her surprised expression, Ethan could guess what she was thinking. He smiled tenderly. "That''s right. We''re going home together. You heard that right." Willow blinked her eyes and made some hand signs. She was asking if they got back together. Although she didn''t know what happened, she was just happy that her parents were together. She smiled sweetly and kissed Ethan on the cheek. It was as if she was calling him Dad. Chapter 1410 Chapter 1410 The school was huge. It took a 20-minute walk from the kindergarten area to reach the primary school area. Ethan walked while holding Willow''s hand. After all, he didn''t get a lot of chances to take a walk with her. Before they arrived at their destination, they heard a childish voice saying, "Little ants, who do you think will being for us? I''m asking you a question. Why aren''t you answering?" A little girl was crouching under a tree and poking an ant''s nest with a stick. "Why don''t you get into formation? Come, on mymand. I''ll count to three, and all of you will march!" "Silly Alicia, you''re trying to imitate Willow again. Just forget it. We don''t have the power to control animals." Zack was sitting on a branch above her. He was chewing on a stick with his feet swaying in the air. He was very cute. Alicia put her hands on her hips. "Stupid Zack, you climbed so high up. I won''t be able to catch you if you fall." "I''m very nimble. I can even perform a handstand." Zack was putting on a show, but then he slipped and fell from the tree. "Zack!" Alicia yelled anxiously. "I''m dead meat." Zack closed his eyes in despair. He knew he shouldn''t have been so cocky. This fall would hurt a lot. As he braced for the pain, he fell into someone''s arms. Oh, why wasn''t there any pain? He opened his eyes and saw a man''s muscr chest. Before he could react, Alicia was already Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. shouting. "You! You are¡­" She opened her mouth but didn''t dare to utter that word. Tears were already streaming down her face. She had always wanted her parents to be together. She knew that there was some bad blood between Ethan and Olivia. If she could only choose either one of them, it would undoubtedly be Olivia. Both Alicia and Zack had seen how Olivia looked when she had terminal cancer. They thought they would never see her again. It was even more horrifying when Olivia was giving birth to Willow. The two of them couldn''t help with anything. They could only cry when they saw all the bloody water in buckets. When Olivia gradually recovered, they would also think about Ethan. Where was their father? What was he doing? Did he think about them? They also heard that they had an elder brother they had yet to meet. Did he look more like Dad or Mom? They would also look Ethan up on the inte asionally. But seeing him through a screen was never as good as seeing him in person. Zack''s jaw dropped in surprise as he blinked in bewilderment. He was afraid that he was dreaming and that Ethan would disappear when he woke up. He gradually built up his courage to go forward and pinch Ethan''s cheek. He didn''t crumble. It wasn''t a dream! But when he thought about the rtionship between Ethan and Olivia, he uttered, "Uncle Miller." Zack also realized that it was inappropriate. So, he changed it up. "Mr¡­ Mr. Miller." Re§Ñd at Ethan scratched Zack''s nose lightly. "What should you call me?" Zack scratched his head. He said tentatively, "Uncle Miller?" Chapter 1411 Chapter 1411 Ethan smiled in resignation. "My dear boy, you should call me Dad." Zack''s eyes widened in surprise. "Can I really? What if Mom finds out¡­" "Don''t worry. Your mother asked me to pick you up. She''s preparing a feast for us on the ind." Alicia tugged at his sleeve. "Dad." "Good girl." Tears welled up in Ethan''s eyes. Complicated emotions bubbled up within him as he looked at his children, who didn''t grow up by his side. He crouched down and picked Willow up. This was the daughter he felt most pained for. "We''ll be together as a family from now on. We''ll never be apart anymore." "That''s great!" Zack eximed as he skipped around. He was very cheerful and lively. He even introduced his school to Ethan like a little chatterbox. Ethan listened to him patiently and would provide him with feedback asionally. "Dad, I heard you were good with guns. When will you show me?" "I''ll take you to the shooting range when we''re back in Aldenvine. I''ll teach you whatever you wanna learn." Ethan was veryx with Zack. Connor was already the heir to the Miller household. The other kids would be free to do whatever they wanted. He wouldn''t interfere too much. "Oh, right, Dad. I heard we have an elder brother, right?" Alicia also had a lot of questions. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Even if they were apart most of the time, their father-daughter bond still drew them close to each other. "Yeah. It''s almost time for Connor''s nine-year-old birthday." "Connor must be a very mature and stoic person, unlike how goofy Zack is. He''s always making a fool of himself." Zack nudged Alicia lightly. "Hey, why aren''t you on my side? Twins should stand up for each other." Alicia stuck her tongue out at her. "Connor is the same as us. We all have the same parents. "He has it worse than us. At least we get to be with Mom. I heard that he has a lot of responsibilities." Zack and Alicia had been very lively since they were young. On the other hand, Willow had always been quiet. She hugged Ethan''s neck tightly while she listened to Alicia and Zack fooling around. She didn''t move when Ethan carried her into the car. Ethan didn''t let her go even when they were in the car. She just stayed in his arms quietly. Of all their children, Connor resembled Ethan the most, while Willow took after Olivia. Zack and Alicia were the opposite. Zack was like Olivia, while Alicia was like Ethan. All four of the children were special in their own way. None of them were the same. They were all very happy to be together. Zack suggested, "Why don''t we prepare a birthday surprise for Connor?" He felt terrible for Connor. Other than when he was very young, he had not celebrated Connor''s birthday for a long time. The two kids kept talking during the trip. They were filled with energy. Willow remained in Ethan''s arms and slept for a few hours. Content of Dra§Þ??ovels After a long while, they finally arrived at the ind. Zack and Alicia were running in the front. They were shouting, "Mom, we''re here!" They opened the door, but Olivia was nowhere to be seen. There was a nice smelling from the pot. The cake in the oven was also ready. There were still unpeeled potatoes and uncooked beef in the kitchen. "Dad, where is Mom?" Zack asked as he looked around the vi. Chapter 1412 Chapter 1412 Ethan put Willow down. "Is she not in the kitchen?" Olivia had been preparing for the feast since the night before. The children had differing taste buds. It would take some time to prepare different dishes. "She''s not there." Alicia came from upstairs. "She isn''t up there either." Willow peered through the window to look at the yard. Olivia wasn''t there, either. She gestured with her hands. Ethan thought it was weird. He went to check the kitchen. The oven''s timer was up. It was beeping repeatedly. He opened the oven to take the cake out. There was still an unbaked cake and some fruit and cream on the side. Olivia needed the whole day to finish cooking. It was obvious that she stopped halfway. This was the family''s reunion. She wouldn''t just give up for no reason. He took his phone out to give Olivia a call. Her phone rang, but it was on the kitchen table. Her phone was in the house, but she was gone. Willow picked up a potato by the door. It was only half peeled. She pointed at the ce where she picked it up. It was just a couple of steps from the door. It meant that someone came to the house after Ethan left. Olivia went to open the door with the potato in her hand. The visitor might''ve taken her away! The house was still tidy. There were no signs of a struggle. It was someone she knew. If she put up a fight, there would be signs unless she left willingly. Then, the question would be why she didn''t take her phone with her. She didn''t even leave Ethan a message. This trip was aplete secret. Ethan only brought Kelvin along, who went to pick up the kids with him. No one expected anything to happen during this trip. He quickly got someone to retrieve the security footage. Kelvin said, ashamed, "Mr. Miller, bad news! All the security cameras in the area were hacked. Mrs. Miller was probably kidnapped." Zack and Alicia started to panic. They missed Olivia so much and finally got the chance to meet her. How could this happen? "The cameras were hacked? Dad, I might be able to recover the footage," said Alicia. From a young age, she liked to mess around withputers. Then, Olivia hired a teacher to teach Alicia programming. She got into Angus Academy because of her programming skills. Simply put, everyone in the school had something they were good at. After the entrance exams, the teachers of the school would put the students into different sses based on their skills. The teacher she had in school was one of the best hackers in the world. Ethan was surprised. Alicia was still asking about what type of candy he liked a while ago, swaying her legs innocently. "Sure." Ethan didn''t doubt his daughter at all. Alicia took aptop out of her pink backpack. She began to type with incredible speed on the keyboard. The codes shing on the screen were veryplex. Kelvin was stunned to see what she was doing. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Ms. Alicia is so incredible!" The material looked like it was either bone or opal. It was slightly bigger than a whistle, but it was smaller than a regr flute. People who had seen her wouldn''t think she was just feeding the birds. After a while, Willow walked over and gestured to Ethan. She told him through hand signs that Olivia had been taken by a man. "What kind of man?" Willow pointed to the bird perched on the golden-colored road sign. Updated at Dr§Ñmanovels "Golden?" Alicia yelled, "Dad, I found the footage. Mr. Rivera took Mom!" The video was paused, showing a blonde-haired man. "Mr. Rivera? Is that one of Mom''s suitors?" Ethan couldn''t help but think about it that way when he saw how handsome Louis was. "A test subject¡­" A hint of unease shed in Ethan''s mind. Chapter 1413 Chapter 1413 Louis was one of the people who helped to cure Olivia. Back when she cut all ties and ran off, she was on the brink of death. It was then that Colin brought her to Louis. Louis was one of the best doctors in the world. He wasn''t just a medical researcher. He was a medical genius who pushed boundaries. He was a Mad Doctor. The only thing he cared about was the results, not the process. The reason Louis helped Olivia wasn''t because of how sad her life was. It was because she was his test subject. There was only one way Colin could have cured her, which was by giving her an abortion before the treatment. Louis was different. He was interested from the start. A treatment that didn''t affect the baby in the womb. Olivia was the first subject ever to have such conditions. Louis agreed to offer treatment right away. It was rare to get such a good test subject. It was his suggestion to turn Olivia into an herb-imbued person. The treatment also altered the baby in her womb. It was the best way to ensure the baby''s survival. But he couldn''t say for sure what would happen to the baby after the treatment. Back then, Olivia didn''t have a choice. She could only do as Louis said for her and Willow''s sake. She even had to eat herbs for all the meals of the day. Since she was a medical student, she also studied under Louis while receiving treatment. Naturally, she didn''t use her real name. She named herself Elise and wore a mask. Louis didn''t mind when he found out. He didn''t care about looks. All humans were equal to him. The so-called beauty and ugliness were just differences in bone structure. Everything was going well. He helped Olivia save the baby and cleared out the cancer cells in her. Then, she became his most sessful test subject. He wanted to give her upgrades and makeovers. When Olivia saw the ns he had in store, she ran away while she was still pregnant. She hid in the vige and never came back out. She didn''t expect him to find her again. "Elise, do you have any idea how long I looked for you?" Olivia smiled wryly. In order to find her, he even dug up her true identity. It seemed like he really liked her as a test subject. The enhancements she made to Marina''s legs were something she learned from Louis. But she only learned about the basics and was already regarded as a very good doctor. Louis would be furious if he found out. Those were just the bottom of the barrel. His biggest dream was to create a cyborg. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia was the only person who survived the treatment to be an herb-imbued person. Before meeting Olivia, Louis used a lot of death row inmates for his experiments. There were men and women of all ages. It was a risky treatment. Not everyone survived. Death was inevitable. The quickest died in seven days. The slowest took three months. She passed the first stage of Louis'' n. She became an herb-imbued person. Louis altered his own body for decades. He looked like he was in his 30s but was actually in his 60s. Updated at Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm He could only be an iplete cyborg because he wasn''t herb-imbued. It was a great regret of his. That was why he ced all his hopes in Olivia. That was also why Olivia didn''t try to escape when she saw him. He may look human, but he has machinery all over his body. There were over a dozen weapons in him. His defense system would immobilize her the moment she tried to resist. Olivia gulped. She said cautiously, "Mr¡­ Mr. Rivera." Chapter 1414 Chapter 1414 Compared to her reunion with Louis, Olivia was more curious about how he found her. She used an alias when they met. He only cared about his research and didn''t care about it even though he knew she was using a fake identity. If he wanted to, he would''ve found her long ago. He wouldn''t have taken so long to find her. There could only be one reason. She had just revealed her true identity not long ago, and he came knocking on her door. Her original n was to attract the person who tried to kill her years before toe out of hiding again. That way, she could get closer to finding out who the mastermind was. She didn''t expect Louis to show up at her door before the assassins. Someone had exposed her true identity to Louis. That would mean the person who wanted her dead would be rted to the Poison Hive! Olivia joined the Poison Hive because she wanted to find this person. But Louis scared her into hiding in the vige. She had no choice but to drop that n. Louis seemed happy. He didn''t seem to mind her escape. After all, he was just happy that his test subject was still alive and kicking. "Mr. Rivera, about what happened¡­" Louis replied, "I know you did it for the baby. I understand. I don''t me you." He glossed over it casually. Olivia was not going to believe he put it behind her. She knew how vicious Louis could be. His viciousness was different from the others. Some people would be vicious for power, some for status. Only he would do it for science. But he was too extreme. His research was more important than anything else. Money, life, or whatever, were less important than his research. Olivia had seen him do experiments before. His projects included pregnant women and children. She would feel devastated when she met the gaze of the test subjects. It was because she couldn''t save any of them. They all ingested the same prescription as she did. Unless they also managed to survive the process, only death awaited them. Louis wouldn''t even let the corpses go to waste. He would dissect them and make them into samples for analysis. In the initial stages of her pregnancy, Olivia was surrounded by these test subjects. She was his student and his assistant. The reason why she got so good at medicine, especially in the heart surgery field, was because she had the Mad Doctor as her mentor. She used her skills to save lives, while he used his for research. A simple show of her skills was enough to let her peers regard her as one of the best doctors ever. But Louis reigned supreme in the medical fields unknown to the world. He was the cyborg doctor that was better than any human doctor. His arms were already modified into mechanical ones. In his words, not even the best doctors could maintain peak conditions all the time. Emotions, age, sleep deprivation, and other external issues would be able to impact a doctor''s effectiveness. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Machines were different. As long as a machine was at the operating table, there would never be a mistake. Machines wouldn''t even tire after long hours of operation. A machine would be more efficient than a human at providing treatment. Co?tent of Dr§Ñm§Ñ?ovels.c§àm Olivia was impressed by his obsession with research, but she couldn''t condone his reckless disregard for human life. But at least their reunion wasn''t as violent as she had thought it would be. Chapter 1415 Chapter 1415 In Olivia''s eyes, Louis was just a purely insane researcher. He didn''t care for much else. That was why she was very straightforward with her questions. "Who? No one told me." "Then how did you find me?" "Someone sent me an anonymous email. They told me that you were Elise, so I came over." Olivia clenched her fists. It was as she thought! She knew the mastermind plotting her death wouldn''t let her go so easily. She didn''t expect the person to get Louis involved. That would mean that the person knew about Louis'' n, and she was Louis'' test subject. The person wanted to kill her with Louis'' hand. Olivia had seen too many of Louis'' articles and notes about his transformation experiments. If the chances of surviving the process of bing an herb-imbued person were one in ten thousand, the cyborg treatment would be countless times more risky. No one would risk their life on a procedure without any prior sess. Besides, Olivia wasn''t interested in such a crazy idea. In her opinion, weaknesses and emotions were precisely the things that set humans apart fromUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g machines. "Where are you bringing me, Mr. Rivera? Back to theb?" Olivia looked at the sky outside. The sun shone on the sea. It reflected off the waters and painted a pretty picture. It looked very peaceful. She wondered if Ethan had already met the children at school. She hadn''t seen her children in a long time. Did they grow taller? Were they happy to see the father they had been dreaming of? Even if she couldn''t see it, she could imagine what the reunion would look like. The beef and potato stew that Willow and Zack liked wasn''t finished yet. The cakes were also only halfway finished. The feast she had painstakingly nned for wasn''t finished yet. She even gave Zack a call the night before. He was probably upset that he didn''t get to eat the dinner she prepared. Ethan would probably be nervous, too. Louis didn''t notice the disappointment in Olivia''s eyes. He said happily, "My secondb has just been built. "Elise, you''re the most talented doctor I''ve ever met. You should just do research with me from now on. I''ll make you the best doctor in the world." Olivia could feel her head throbbing. She had met the best mentor she would ever find. The man was also willing to train her to be the best. But her heart wasn''t in it. She just wanted her life back. "But, Mr. Rivera. I¡­ don''t want to." She just wanted to go back to her children and do the things she liked. The only obsession she had was to get revenge. "You don''t want to?" Louis activated the self-driving mode and released the steering wheel. He looked at Olivia with a stern expression. "And why is that? Do you know what countless kings of old coveted? "How many people from the past to the present have been pursuing immortality? Content of Dr§Ñm??ovels.c§àm "I know you''re kind. You''ve donated to a lot of kids, helped refugees rebuild their homes, and treated patients for free. "If my vision is realized, you and I will be the kings of the world. Chapter 1416 This vision had been in Louis¡¯ head for decades. Olivia didn''t think she would be able to change his mind so easily. The truth was that everyone had their own dreams and their ways Of life.She wasn''t a judge.So, she didn''t have the right to decide if other people were making the right decisions. Besides, she was the one who betrayed Louis¡¯ trust and ran out on him first.She didn''t dare to anger him because he was too big of a threat.She could only go along with him and improvise. Louis was still very hopeful of her future. So, she could only soften her attitude. ¡°I know you mean well, Mr.Rivera.But your vision isn''t so easy to realize." ¡°Of course, I know that.Refining this cyborg technology would take decades.Creating a new world order would take hundreds of years. "I don''t have that long to live, but you''re different.You''ve already herb-imbued.You''ve seeded! You can realize my dream. "If I were to die, you have to continue my experiments.You need a lot of time and an invulnerable body.You have to be a cyborg." Olivia could only sigh when she met with his obsessive and stubborn gaze. Louis brought her to another ind. It was different from the one in the North Pole. The weather was always good here. And the location was nice. She would be in a good mood if not for what was about to happen. Louis didn''t stop talking for the entire journey to the ind. He talked about how much progress he made in the past three years. Louis was a man of few words. He was especially cold before strangers. But he was different with Olivia. He treated her like his prot¨¦g¨¦ and his muse. She was the person who knew him best. Olivia was distracted. She was only thinking about her children. The warm wind blew on her face and made her feel stuffy. ¡°I''ll perform a full physical checkup on youter.I need to know the current condition of your body." Olivia knew nothing would happen to her yet. Louis wouldn''t operate on her immediately.She was safe. But all she was thinking about was celebrating the New Year with her children. She finally got the chance to reunite with her children. Her sad sighs and sad demeanor were in stark contrast to how happy and cheerful Louis was. He was a man in his 60s but was as happy as a little boy on Christmas. ¡°Other than you, I''ve managed to create another herb- imbued person.He''s the one who has survived for the longest.Today is thest day of the six-month period." The other herb-imbued people other than Oliviasted three months at the most. Six months was a very long time inparison. ¡°And he''s the same as you.He also came to me voluntarily." Olivia didn''t understand.She didn''t have a choice back then. "Was he out of options, too?" ¡°I guess.I was the only one who could''ve saved him.He was on the verge of death." It seemed like there were always going to be people at the end of their rope. Even though she had spent hundreds of millions for charity, she couldn''t save everyone in the world. Olivia knew that half of Toxic Hive''s money went to Louis¡¯b. He had the most cutting-edge equipment here. Aspensation, he would give some of the trinkets that he invented. These trinkets involved drugs that weren''t circting on the market. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. The rich people would spend a lot of money to get them. These drugs were like the ones that Otto had taken before. It would quickly help its user recover, but their body would get worse if they stopped taking the drugs. The miracle drug that everyone coveted was just trash to Louis. It''s nothingpared to his n to transform people into cyborgs. Olivia was about to go for the checkup when she saw a familiar silhouette. "Mr.Rivera, is he the new herb-imbued person you were talking about?" Chapter 1417 Louis was an unfeeling man with lots of rules. Other than his assistant, almost no one could roam freely in hisb. So, Olivia guessed that the man was the herb-imbued person who underwent his procedure. That silhouette was very familiar to her. It was a person who had helped her in the past. She had not met him in years. He turned around, and a frail but handsome face appeared before Olivia. Avery also didn''t expect to meet Olivia again under these circumstances. He was sad for quite some time when he received news that Olivia was dead. He had only recently heard that Olivia was still alive, but he hadn''t expected to meet her again so soon. ¡°Why are you here, Olivia?" "It''s been a long time, Mr.Fordham." Olivia could guess why he was there.He had a kidney condition. She was prepared to give him her kidney eight years ago. Back then, Ethan stopped the surgery. She had heard news about him over the years. Ethan said Avery hadpleted the kidney transnt. Something had to have gone very wrong.He wouldn''t be here otherwise. ¡°It''s nice to see that you''re still alive and well." The indifference and viciousness in his eyes had faded. He looked very gentle. Olivia felt warm. "It''s nice to see you, too." Louis didn''t really care that they used to know each other. ¡°Elise, I''m ready to give you that checkup." ¡°Okay." She turned to look at Avery again. "Mr.Fordham, we''ll talk againter." Watching the two of them leave, Avery had already guessed that Olivia was the talented student Louis was talking about, his ultimate creation. Avery was different from Olivia. He only decided to be an herb-imbued person due to his condition. He learned bits and pieces of Louis¡¯ n from the six months of treatment. But he didn''t expect Elise, whom Louis was always talking about, to be Olivia. No one would go through with Louis¡¯ procedure to be a cyborg if they had a choice. That was probably why Olivia ran away. A hint of worry shed in Avery''s eyes when he saw that Olivia was back. Olivia cooperated with Louis¡¯ various examinations. She had a heavy heart as shey on the examination table. The first time she sought him out was because she wanted to live. But humans are greedy. Once her life was saved, she wanted her family and more. She had so many things she had yet to do. She didn''t want to be stuck in ab forever. Back then, she decided to practice medicine to save more lives. She didn''t want to dissect corpses and find out why she failed after experiments. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. But she didn''t have a choice. If she didn''t go through with Louis¡¯ treatment, she couldn''t have given birth to Willow at the vige. Louis was the one who saved her and Willow. Moreover, she made him a promise. The noises from the machines sounded in her ears. A detailed inspection from head to toe was performed. Some of her blood was taken for even more examinations. Louis nned to examine the results personally. Olivia exited the room, holding her arm. As soon as she got out, she was met with Avery''s concerned gaze. "Olivia, are you okay?" Olivia smiled. "It''s just an examination.I''m okay." ¡°Can we talk?" ¡°Sure." There weren''t any boats on the ind. Louis wasn''t afraid that she would escape. Besides, he had a lot of robots on hand. He could find her again anytime he wanted. Avery and Olivia sat on chairs on the beach. Olivia spoke up first. "Mr.Fordham, is your kidney okay?" Chapter 1418 Avery told Olivia all he had been through all these years. Back then, his kidney condition was already very serious, but he was unable to find a suitable donor. He was on the brink of death a few times. Then, he chanced upon a suitable kidney and had the transnt. But it didn''tst. His body started to reject the kidney.His life hadn''t been easy.He had been hanging by a thread and had no option but to seek out Louis.His rtionship with Louis was purely transactional.He wasn''t like Olivia, who was Louis¡¯ student. ¡°Mr.Fordham, can I take your pulse real quick?" "Sure, go ahead." Avery looked at Olivia''s steadfast gaze.She was no longer the sickly young woman of the past.She had already grown into a magnificent person.She must be very skilled to earn Louis¡¯ approval. He thought about how desperate she was back then. She told him she didn''t have a future anymore and wanted to give him her kidney. Avery asked her before what she wanted to do if she survived. She said she liked studying medicine but made the wrong choice. If she could, she wanted to join Peace''s Embrace. She had heard that there were a lot of exceptional doctors in the organization, and she wanted to learn from them. In the end, she didn''t get to join but still managed to be an incredible doctor. Olivia felt Avery''s pulse and frowned. Although he managed to survive six months, his limation to the procedure wasn''t as smooth as hers. That was why his condition wasn''t good. He was still barely hanging on. "Mr.Fordham...you..." Avery saw how hesitant she was. He smiled gently and patted her on the head. He was like a kind elder brother without a hint of lust in his eyes. ¡°I know how I am doing.I''m just happy to see you again.Also, I''m happy to see how much you''ve grown.You''re no longer the crybaby you used to be." The two of them didn''t really know each other that well, but the joy in his eyes was apparent. He was like an uncle that had seen her grow up. He looked genuinely proud of her. "l..." Olivia felt like there was a lump in her throat. She felt a little uneasy when she met his gaze. But she didn''t understand why she would have suchplicated emotions. Maybe it was just herpassion for a patient. He did help her out before. ¡°Don''t overthink it, Olivia.I just feel like you look a little like my sister.We even share the samest name.I feel like our meeting was fated." Avery had two sisters. One died overseas, and Olivia had the pleasure of meeting the other. She was an elegant youngdy. The two of them did share some simrities. ¡°Yeah, I know.I just feel guilty.If only I had given you my kidney, you would''ve..." ¡°Please don''t think of it like that.This is just how it''s meant to be." Avery withdrew his hand. He looked relieved. ¡°After being ravaged by an illness for so long, I''ve thought things through.I''m not ready to let go of life even though this world is imperfect. ¡°I still have my family.Even if I have to fight for every breath I take, I still want to live for one more day, one more hour, or even one more second. ¡°It''s a good thing you didn''t give me your kidney.Or else you wouldn''t have survived the procedure." Avery was such a nice person, but it seemed like misfortune loved thepany of those in distress. Olivia felt horrible. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Mr.Rivera is a very good doctor.You''ve alreadysted longer than anyone else.He might be able to save your life." Chapter 1419 Complicated feelings bubbled up within Olivia when she looked at Avery. She felt close to him since the first time they met. Back then, she had been ravaged by her illness, but she got better. Avery was still struggling with his illness. Olivia felt an inexplicable sadness for him. His illness can''t be cured with surgery. He also needed a new kidney. He had done surgery before, but the effects were underwhelming. Since even Olivia couldn''t cure him, Louis was his only hope. Avery was calm. He had alreadye to terms with his situation. ¡°I hope so." ¡°Mr.Fordham, do you have a phone on you? I left in a hurry and didn''t bring my phone.I want to call my family." Avery handed her his phone. "Here." ¡°Thanks." Meanwhile, Ethan had just realized that Olivia had been taken by Louis. He was looking everywhere for leads on him. Then, his phone rang. He was stunned when he looked at the caller ID. It was a call from Avery. The two of them barely knew each other and hadn''t been in contact for years. There weren''t any projects they were working on together. Why would he be calling? A familiar voice came from over the phone. ¡°It''s me." Ethan was finally able to calm down. ¡°Liv, is that you? Are you okay? Did Louis..." ¡°No.He''s my mentor.He wouldn''t hurt me." Olivia didn''t want him to worry. Nor did she want him to make Louis his enemy. Louis was unhinged, but he was a great medical genius. Other than his cyborg transformation n, he came up with many cures and saved many lives. If Ethan destroyed Louis and hisb, it would also destroy the hope of countless patients. Also, Louis was a master of machinery. There were a lot of robots in his base. Even if Ethan managed to save her, it would be at a hefty price. Olivia wanted to handle this situation herself, so she didn''t tell him the truth. ¡°Why did you leave without saying anything? Do you have any idea how worried I was?" "I''m sorry.Mr.Rivera had an urgent project he needed my help with." Olivia tried her best to sound natural. Ethan asked suspiciously, "Why would you be with Avery?" "He''s here for treatment.I just happened to meet him, so I used his phone to call you.I left in a hurry.Are the kids alright?" ¡°They''re fine, but they''re worried about you.When will you be back? Or should I go pick you up?" "No need.We''re preparing for an important project.It might take some time." ¡°Liv, you promised we''ll celebrate New Year together." Olivia felt her chest tighten.She wanted to do it, too. But things were already out of her control. "Yeah.I''ll try to get back as soon as possible.You should take the kids home first." Ethan felt like something was wrong, but from what he saw in the security footage, Olivia left of her own ord. Even as they were talking on the phone, he heard nothing wrong with her voice. Was he just overthinking it? ¡°Alright." ¡°Wait.Give the phone to the kids.I want to hear their voices." After a while, Zack said, "Mom, are you okay? I miss you." "I''m fine.I''m sorry, dear.The feast I promised you has to be dyed." Alicia spoke up, too. "Mom, when are youing back?" ¡°I''ll have to be away for some more time.You''ll have to live...with Dad for now.He''ll take good care of all of you." "But I miss you, Mom.I thought I would be able to see you when we got back." Alicia sounded disappointed. Olivia smiled in resignation. "I''m so sorry, dear.I''ll try to get back as soon as I can." "Okay.We''ll wait to celebrate the New Year with you." Then, the phone was put on speakerphone. A clear ringing sound came from the phone. Olivia knew that it came from Willow. "...Okay.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 1420 After hanging up, Olivia looked dejected.She didn''t know when she would be able to go back to her children.She handed the phone back to Avery. ¡°Thanks, Mr.Fordham." Avery saw the sadness in Olivia''s eyes. "Olivia, you..." He was about to ask a question when Louis yelled excitedly, ¡°Perfect! This is perfection!" There was a thick stack that was Olivia''s physical examination report. ¡°You''ve reached the optimal state.It has only been three years.You''ve recovered better than I expected.You''vepletely limated to all the herbs in your system." All of the herbs had different effects. A lot of the test subjects weren''t able tost a week while consuming herbs during their pregnancy. Olivia didn''t leave in good condition back then. At the moment, her body had already built up a resistance against most of the herbs. Olivia knew it was all because of the medicinal spring and Wendy. After the treatment and years of limation, she had be a true herb-imbued person. ¡°Elise, you''re the chosen one I have been looking for.I can''t wait to begin the transformation procedure." Louis¡¯ eyes were glowing when he looked at her. He was like a hyena that had eyes on its prey. ¡°Where should we start?" Louis looked at her from top to bottom. He was very satisfied with his creation. Olivia felt a chill from his gaze. She knew he wouldn''t take no for an answer. If she said anything to make him angry, he might decide to use more forceful methods.Then, it would be hard for her to leave." "Mr.Rivera, can we dy the procedure for a bit?" "Dy? Why would we need to dy?" Louis asked with a frown. Olivia said gently, "Because I haven''t done all the things I want to do.I haven''t found the people that tried to kill me.The procedures won''t end so quickly. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°If my enemy is an old person, they might die before I get to them.I''ll regret it for the rest of my life." Olivia knew Louis was still human despite his obsession. All humans had emotions. Besides, Olivia knew about his circumstances before he became who he was. He also had a lot of enemies.He would definitely understand how she felt. ¡°This..." There were up to a hundred projects included in his n. Rest is required after every few procedures. Then, there was the time needed to recover. The first phase alone would take a few months to a year. It''s not something that would be done in days. "Mr.Rivera.We don''t even know if I''m going to survive the procedure.Even if I survive and get a long life, I''m different from you. ¡°Revenge is very important to me.Without my enemy to exact revenge on, what is the point of living? I would rather die!" When Louis heard what Olivia said, he grabbed her hand anxiously. ¡°You can''t die.Who would realize my dream if you were dead? Please just tell me who your enemy is.I''ll kill him for you." Olivia rxed and sighed. She made the right call. Louis wasn''t the type of man she could just openly defy. ¡°I''m still investigating, but I have some leads now.Mr.Rivera, can you help me look into who sent you that email?" ¡°Alright.I''ll get someone to look into it.You have to be good.Don''t even think about dying." Louis ran away in a hurry. Avery witnessed everything. He nced around and whispered, "Olivia, you''re not here out of your own ord, are you?" "Mr.Rivera saved my life.He¡¯s very obsessive and a little unhinged.I have too many things I have to do. "I can''t be as focused as he is, but I can''t turn him down." After all, they signed a contract on the day when he saved her life. Then, Louis even taught her about medicine. Olivia was very grateful to him. It was a dead end.She could only dy the inevitable. Chapter 1421 Life was just like that. One could never get everything they wanted. The warm sea wind blew, and Avery coughed a few times. "Mr.Fordham, what agreement did you have with Mr.Rivera? Olivia didn''t want to talk about her problems anymore.So, she changed the subject. "He agreed to treat me when I offered him research funds and the rights to some of my medical products. ¡°As you know, research takes a lot of money.He''s a good researcher, but he¡¯s no businessman." "That''s true." ¡°The stuff he gave Toxic Hive allowed them to make a name for themselves.He would make a fortune if he applied for patents and released his products to the market. "What about you? What are you going to do?" "Drag it out for as long as possible.I don''t want to hurt Mr.Rivera''s feelings, but I don''t want to be a cyborg either." ¡°Have you gotten back with Ethan? I heard that you two had a very serious falling out back then." Olivia smiled bitterly. "That''s true.It''s just a rtionship I can''t get away from." ¡°Life is short.As long as you''re happy, nothing else really matters.It''s great that you''re still alive." "You''ve changed a lot, Mr.Fordham." ¡°You''ve changed a lot, too, Olivia.We''re acquaintances.If there''s anything I can help with, just let me know.Without your help back then, I would never have found my sister''s body.¡¯ ¡°That was just a simple favor." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia nodded. "Does your family know that you''re receiving treatment here, Mr.Fordham?" She knew how Louis was. Hisbs are more important than anything. He would never let any outsider know about them. Avery shook his head. ¡°No.I don''t want them to worry.But I''ve recovered a lot since I left home." Olivia looked at the clouds in the sky. "Things will get better." Louis quickly came back with the answer. He found the IP address of theputer the email was sent from. It was from an illegal inte cafe in a small country. There were no cameras there, so the identity of the sender couldn''t be confirmed. The mastermind was as cautious as ever and didn''t slip up. But Olivia''s mood improved. She had just recovered her identity, and the enemy came knocking on her door right away. It seemed like she wanted Olivia dead as soon as possible. If Olivia escaped from Louis¡¯b, the mastermind was sure to have other ns to get rid of her. Olivia wasn''t afraid of her. Rather, she was afraid that the mastermind wouldn''te out of hiding. Louis wasn''t happy with the results of the investigation. He broke the keyboard on the spot.He wanted to find the mastermind even more desperately than Olivia. If he managed to exact revenge for Olivia, she would be free to proceed with the modification n with him. "Mr.Rivera, calm down.We will definitely get to the bottom of this.You''re close with Ms.Rosa.right?" Helen had a hand in getting her and Marina swapped. She might even know who her parents were. She could also be linked to the people trying to kill her. If the mastermind wasn''t linked to the Toxic Hive, she wouldn''t know Olivia''s rtionship with Louis. The mastermind was obsessed with trying to kill her. Olivia couldn''t think of anyone who had such a massive grudge against her unless it was linked to her biological family. Olivia started to look into Helen. She saw Helen once when Chris died. Then, she vanished into thin air. Even Colin tried to contact Helen for Olivia but to no avail. ¡°You mean Helen?" "Yeah.You have a transactional rtionship with Toxic Hive.You should''ve seen her before, right?" Louis nodded. "I saw her many years ago.But recently, someone new came to visit me, not her." As expected, Helen stopped appearing after Chris died. This lead had gone cold. Other than Helen, it could only be the boss of the Toxic Hive. But even Colin hadn''t seen the boss of Toxic Hive before. He didn''t even know if the boss was a man or woman, nor the boss¡¯ age. ¡°By the way, it''s time to hand over some drugs.That woman wille tonight to pick them up.Is she your enemy?" ¡°No.But I''m curious.Who took over for Ms.Rosa?" Chapter 1422 Olivia acted as Louis'' assistant like before. She had been good at doing these things in the past. She familiarized herself with the tasks very quickly. Louis was very satisfied with her work. ¡°You''re so quick-witted, unlike the other fools." Olivia looked at the mechanical arms in a ss disy case. They were more advanced than the limbs she installed for Marina. Louis was so crazy that he even made the skin on these arms perfect. They were exactly the same as human skin and even looked smoother than most people''s skin. Louis was happy to see that she was staring at a mechanical arm. ¡°Look, this is the newly upgraded version.You can barely tell it''s a mechanical arm from the outside.The fingers are even more nimble than a human''s. "Don''t worry, Elise.I''ll use all the best parts for you." The mention of the modification made her heart sink. "Mr.Rivera, it''s not that I don''t trust you.I just want to wait for a little while longer.It would cause you trouble if the procedures don''t go well." ¡°Your worries are justified.Don''t worry.Someone has already tried it out for you two years ago. ¡°I''ve installed mechanical arms and legs for her.I''m still observing the stats." ¡°Arms and legs? Who was so bold?" "It''s the woman that''s going toe and pick up the drugs.You can see her tonight.Since you''re here, we can perform maintenance for her. ¡°The tendons on all her limbs were severed.Even the bones were broken.She begged me to help her out. "So, I tested out the parts on her for you.Thanks to her, I got a lot of new data.I was able to improve and upgrade the parts." Severed tendons? Olivia thought about someone. Could it be ¡°Mr.Rivera, when is the appointment?" "8:00 pm." Louis walked forward nonchntly. "Come here, Elise.Look at this leg.Your legs look nice.That''s why I made a lot of improvements. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°I wanted to make it the same as your legs.Touch it and tell me what you think." Olivia touched it, and it felt slightly cold. The life-like mechanical arms that Louis made were already very detailed. It wasn''t too hard. The truly difficult parts were the organs. There were a lot of nerves, organs, and muscles in the human body. They were like the intricate gears underneath the surface of a watch." Olivia saw a life-like mechanical heart that was beating quietly inside a container. Louis introduced it passionately, "Humans are too fragile. They are slower, weaker, and have plenty of weaknesses. ¡°Extreme blood loss, organ damage, and heart failure were all fatal weaknesses. ¡°This mechanical heart would be fine even if someone shot it.It is made with a special material that cannot be prated by a bullet. ¡°If we equip the weak human body from the inside to the outside, humans will be the most powerful beings on the! ¡°Not only will we have the best defense, best minds, and longevity.You''ll be the first person to achieve that greatness.Aren''t you excited?" Olivia didn''t know if a mechanical heart could learn to love again. She didn''t look happy at all. "Mr.Rivera, it''s gettingte.You must be hungry.Why don''t we get something to eat?" ¡°Why not? I''ll tell you more about my vision." The night fell. The ind looked gentle and romantic under the moonlight. The ground shone slightly under the moonlight. Olivia stood on the second floor of the castle to look at the boat docked near the coast. Her mask glimmered under the light. A person wearing a ck cloak walked up the steps in the night. She arrived. Olivia got permission from Louis to receive the guest personally. The castle''s doors were open. A woman stood there with a silver mask. The guest took off her hat. An unforgettable face appeared before Olivia. She clenched her fists. It was her! Leia Miller! Chapter 1423 Chapter 1423 Back then, after Olivia''s incident, Ethan broke his own sister''s limbs to avenge Olivia. He wanted to keep Leia trapped for life. After all, a person who had lost all four limbs wouldn''t be able to cause trouble. But Ethan seemed to have underestimated Leia''s determination. She had experienced inhumane torture since she was young, so she was mentally far stronger than the She had only lost her limbs, so of course, she wouldn''t give up. Ethan and Janice thought that Leia would turn over a new leaf, but they were unaware that she was gathering strength as she awaited the right time. Ethan had been too busy in the past few years, and Leia was overseas. So, if Janice had hidden and defended Leia on purpose, Ethan wouldn''t have noticed it. When Olivia saw Leia, she subconsciously touched her wrist. Back then, Ethan had injured her wrist because of Leia. Now, Olivia felt as if her wrist was still hurting even though her injuries had healed, and there weren''t even any scars in sight. Olivia knew that the bullet hadn''t only hit her wrist, but it had also gone straight through her heart. Even now, it was still embedded in her heart. "Who are you?" Leia''s voice was still rough. Olivia changed her voice and said, "I am Mr. Rivera''s assistant. He has been waiting for a long time." Leia wondered if she was seeing things, but she felt as if the masked woman in the white coat in front of her had a familiar silhouette. Reality had proven that regardless of love or hate, she would still be able to recognize that person in a dense crowd. But Leia soon dismissed that thought. How could Olivia have anything to do with Louis? Olivia couldn''t possibly be here. "Thank you." Leia quietly followed Olivia, unaware of Olivia''s raging hatred. Various past events came to Olivia''s mind. She thought of Ethan''s cruel gaze, the Fordham family going bankrupt, Jeff''s ident, Jodie''s death, her own kidnapping, and the time when Snowball fell off the roof and died right in front of her. Olivia had never forgotten any of those incidents, not even for a day. The culprit was right behind her, and she never once gave up on the idea of killing Leia. After so many years, she finally had this opportune chance. She wanted to kill Leia so badly! The thought screamed its presence in Olivia''s mind, and her blood was boiling. Louis'' voice rang out. "You''re here." It was only then that Olivia came to her senses. She shouldn''t do anything for now. At the very least, she couldn''t do it with Louis around. Leia was an important test subject of his, so if she died, he wouldn''t be able to collect data. Olivia knew that she couldn''t provoke Louis. "Mr. Rivera." Leia hastily stepped forward. "This is my assistant, Elise. You''ve probably met her already. From now on, she''ll be conducting your checkups." Louis had an indifferent look on his face as he spoke coldly. "I see." She looked down at Olivia''s hand, which was holding a notebook. Olivia''s wrist was smooth and fair, and there were no scars in sight. It was only then that Leia rxed. She was just overthinking it. This woman wasn''t Olivia. Olivia ordered coldly, "Lie down. I''m going to examine you." Leia was about to lie down when her phone rang. New ch?pter av?ble o? Dra§Þ§Ñn§àv§Öls.c§àm ncing at the phone number, Leia said, "Sorry, I have a call to answer." "Go ahead." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Her mind buzzed for a moment. Why was Avery here? Chapter 1424 Chapter 1424 When Leia spotted Avery, she subconsciously tried to escape, but Avery had already noticed her. "Begonia." The word drifted toward Leia in the night breeze. The woman''s voice on the other end of the line sounded a little panicky. "Did someone approach you? Who are you with right now?" "I''ll contact youter." Leia hung up and quickly ran away. She was given mechanical legs, so she ran faster than a normal human. Avery wasn''t feeling well, so he only ran after Leia for a little while before slumping onto the floor, panting. Unexpectedly, Leia turned back and ran back to him. She looked at him anxiously. "Are you okay?" She had noticed him leaning against the flowerbed, so she thought that something happened to him. Avery gripped her wrist. "Got you, Begonia." Begonia was Leia''s alias in Peace''s Embrace. Avery''s voice was as gentle as always, and Leia had mixed feelings about that. No one knew this, but Avery was the only salvation she had in her life. Back then, when she ran away from the poor and deste vige, she encountered Avery. He was the one who brought her back to Peace''s Embrace for proper education. He had allowed her to undergo surgery to recover, and he had taught her many things. Later on, she followed Toxic Hive as it broke away from Peace''s Embrace, but she had never forgotten him. He had given her a new life when she was at her worst moments. "What exactly are you trying to do?" Avery was gasping for breath, but the smile remained on his face. "Can we talk?" She couldn''t reject him. Avery held onto the flowerbed for support as he got up, but he never let go of Leia''s hand. He pulled Leia along with him as he walked toward his room. Under the glow of the streetlights, Leia looked down at their linked hands. In an instant, a blush tinted her cheeks, and her heart raced. She was holding Avery''s hand! This was the first time Avery had held her hand and also the first time she entered his personal space. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. The room was simple and brightly lit, and it resembled Avery''s gentle demeanor. After closing the door to make sure that Leia wouldn''t run away, Avery let go of her and apologized. Then, he asked Leia to take a seat. "Do you still drink strawberry milk?" Leia''s face turned redder. When he took her in back then, she had insisted on drinking strawberry milk every day. "You remembered." "Yes." Avery took a carton of strawberry yogurt from the fridge, shaking it. "I don''t have milk with me. Will yogurt do?" Leia epted it with both hands, and she felt her heart turning warm. "Thank you." "Since you liked it in the past, I got used to the strawberry vor as well. By the way, I forgot to ask, but have you been well these years?" Leia pursed her lips. "Actually, I''m not doing very well." If Avery kept an eye on her, he would have known that her biological brother had broken her limbs and grounded her. "I''ve heard some things about you. Begonia, you''re a good child. I don''t understand why you chose to follow Toxic Hive instead of staying in Peace''s Embrace." Leia looked at his handsome face. To her, he was like a deity. "I don''t want to talk about the past too much." She found an excuse to avoid the question. "Begonia, why did you do those things? Ethan is your brother, so why did you hurt your sister-inw?" Avery''s gaze was gentle as always, but there was a hint of judgment in it. Leia could remain indifferent when faced with anyone but Avery. She panicked, for she didn''t want to lie to him. New ch?pter av?ble o? "I''m jealous of her. She had taken away all my brother''s love." "That''s not it." Avery was sure of it. Leia suddenly remembered that the man in front of her wasn''t as gentle as he seemed. He was the head of his family, and he was also a shrewd businessman. He saw through her disguises at a nce. He sounded like he was pleading with her, and Leia felt even more conflicted. Chapter 1425 Chapter 1425 Avery approached Leia. "I still remember back when I just took you in. You were so skinny and small¡­" "Enough, Mr. Avery. This is a private matter, and I don''t want to talk about it. " "Was it because you didn''t want to talk about it, or you couldn''t? Begonia, someone is giving you orders, right? Tell me. Who is that person? "For whose sake can you go so far that you would even sacrifice your brother''s happiness and separate his family?" Leia kept backing away from Avery. His eyes seemed to peer into the depths of her heart. She shoved Avery away. Before leaving, she said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Avery. I''ll repay your kindness with my whole life, but I cannot tell you anything about this matter." Avery looked in the direction she left. His gentle gaze clouded over. When Leia came to a deserted ce, she dialed the number again. The woman''s anxious voice rang out. "Who was that man who talked to you just now?" "He''s Louis'' assistant." Leia didn''t tell the truth. "Just an assistant?" "Who else did you think he could be? By the way, what was it that you wanted me to do?" "Figure out if Olivia is with Louis. If so, kill her at all costs!" Leia repeated softly, "At all costs." "Yes! This is the best chance." While she was speaking, Olivia''s voice rang out in the distance. "Begonia, how much longer are you going to take?" Leia hung up again as she walked toward Olivia. She stood alone in the night, and the glow of themp illuminated her mask. Leia couldn''t see Olivia''s expression, but she was certain that Olivia was smiling. Olivia looked like a cunning fox as she stood there with a folder in her hands. Leia walked past Olivia, saying, "You''ve changed a lot." Of course, she had changed a lot. She no longer had fear or panic in her gaze, only determination for the future. Now that Leia had learned about Olivia''s identity, she wouldn''t let Olivia examine her. She didn''t forget that rainy night many years ago when she had almost injected Olivia with poison. "I''m sorry, Mr. Rivera. Something urgent cropped up, so let''s set the examination aside for now. We''ll proceed with the transaction." Louis didn''t beat around the bush. He was just a little upset. "Are you sure? My student rarelyes back." He had things to teach Olivia, after all. If the test subject wouldn''t cooperate, how was he supposed to teach her? Leia understood what he meant by that. She didn''t expect the woman she used to look down on had turned into Louis'' confidant. Louis rarely acknowledged people. In the past, he had a prized student who ended up on the wrong path, and that became a lifelong shame for him. Since then, he never took in any students. Even Leia had once tried to approach him with that intention. After she had spent an afternoon with him, he waved his hand and told her to go home. What did Olivia do to get that privilege? "Sorry, Mr. Rivera." "Alright, you cane back after you''ve settled it." "Then the medicine¡­" Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Louis tossed the keys to Olivia. "She''ll deal with you." Olivia wasn''t just good at medicine, but she was also quite smart, especially in terms of settling ounts. Louis had witnessed it before. Co?tent of Dr?manov§Öls Leia felt even more frustrated when she saw Louis handing over such an important thing to Olivia. "Your assistant looks quite young. Do you trust her so much, Mr. Rivera?" Leia was a little upset. Louis yawned. He had nned to go back and sleep. He didn''t expect to hear Leia''s words. Chapter 1426 Chapter 1426 Louis'' words were like a p to Leia''s face. She meant nothing to him, and she wasn''t even half as important as Olivia was. It was a huge shock to the arrogant Leia, but she didn''t dare to act on it. She had no choice but to keep it in. "I see." "Come with me." Olivia turned around and walked ahead. In the long underground tunnel, Olivia spoke up. "I know that you want to kill me." "I also know that you want to get revenge on me." They were well aware of each other''s intentions, and they both knew that they wouldn''t do anything on Louis'' territory. Toxic Hive still needed to depend on Louis, and Olivia was his favorite student. Leia wouldn''t be so foolish as to make enemies of Louis. Leia was Louis'' important source of data, so Olivia couldn''t do anything to her, either. After the transaction was done, Leia looked into Olivia''s eyes. "I didn''t expect you to actually be Louis'' student. He hasn''t had a student in years." There was a disdainful tone in Leia''s voice. Olivia sneered. "Neither did I expect you to stand up again after having your four limbs broken." "It''s all thanks to you. As long as you''re still alive, I will not let you off the hook." The two stood at the port. Olivia took off the mask she was wearing. Under the mask, her face was still beautiful as always. In the past, she had a delicate beauty, but now, her beauty had a stronger air to it. "I won''t let you off, Leia! Make sure you stay alive and wait for judgment!" Leia sneered. "As to you." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "To be honest, I''m quite curious. If the same thing happens again, will your brother choose me or you?" Olivia touched her wrist where it had been injured before. "I''d love to let you have a taste of the pain I experienced in the past." "We have all the time in the world." Turning around, Leia got onto the deck. The night breeze ruffled their long hair. They should have been a family. Olivia would take pity on Leia and treat her nicely, but Leia destroyed all that. Now, they could be nothing but mortal enemies. "Leia, have you regretted it before?" Regret? Ethan''s face popped up in Leia''s mind. He was her brother, who cared about her a lot. "Never." With her back to Olivia, Leia slowly walked forward. She never turned back. It was just like the path she had taken. She had lost the chance to turn back a long time ago. It didn''t matter what trials or perilsy before her; she had no choice but to go on. Olivia tucked away the strands of hair near her face. Soon, she would be able to conclude her conflict with Leia. In the next few days, Olivia was quite busy on the ind. Louis had given her almostplete control. The human modification ns were still being prepared, so Olivia had some time for a break. She would meet Avery every day, and most of the time, Avery would stare at her face with a dazed look on his face. When Olivia turned to look at him, he would avert his gaze. "Is something the matter, Mr. Avery?" "Did you figure out who killed her back then?" "That beast was arrested and received due punishment, but my dear sister is nevering back." Read at "Mr. Avery¡­" "Avery, where are you? I haven''t seen you in forever, and I''m worried about you. I want to meet you." "I just wanted to roam around and see more of the world while I''m still alive. "Don''t worry. People are fated to walk their separate paths. Life and death are part of nature, after all." "Avery, I miss you¡­" Chapter 1427 Chapter 1427 Avery spoke some words offort before ending the call. Olivia felt that something was off. "Mr. Avery, why didn''t you mention that you''re getting treatment?" Avery said slowly, "Someone wants to kill me." He spoke indifferently, but his words shocked Olivia. "You''re suspecting that the Fordhams are behind it?" "I don''t want to assume such things about my family, but there''s something odd about my illness." For years, he didn''t doubt his own family. At first, he only needed to find a suitable kidney to cure his illness. But oddly enough, he never managed to find one. Later on, he finally managed to find other sources via alternate routes. However, all of the donors would pass away in various idents, hence dying his surgery. If it only happened once or twice, it might have been a coincidence. Butter on, things had gotten so outrageous that Avery finally felt that something was off. He had carried out investigations in secret for a long time. His enemy hid their traces very well, and he Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. only managed to nab a few scapegoats. Avery was sure that the person must be hiding in the Fordham residence. Later on, he left his house on his own. He didn''t even tell his siblings about it. As expected, things had gotten much more peaceful for him in the past six months. Even though his kidney illness wouldn''t be cured too soon, it was at least much better than it had been six months ago. Avery didn''t know who it was who wanted to kill him. For the sake of himself and his family, he was very careful about it. From time to time, he would post photos of beautiful scenery around the world. He did it on purpose so that his enemy would think that he was still traveling around the globe. The enemy was probably waiting for him to meet his end. Olivia had identally learned of a huge secret, so she felt a little embarrassed. Avery smiled. "I trust that you''re not behind this. We have both suffered a lot. Sadly, I realized it toote. If not, Sean wouldn''t have gotten his legs broken." Olivia had heard before that Sean Fordham, the third child of the family, had gotten into an ident. Back then, the Fordham family was way above her, so she wasn''t too concerned about them. But now, she was no longer the helpless person she once was. "How are his legs now? I learned a lot from my teacher, and I may have a way to get him to walk again." Marina was the best example of her capabilities. "Really?" "Yes. You''ve seen how capable my teacher is; he could even heal someone who had all four limbs broken. The worst-case scenario would be getting prosthetics. "My teacher has already made the best prosthetics in the world, and no one can tell that they''re prosthetics at first nce." Avery had talked to Louis before, and he knew that Olivia wasn''t exaggerating. "Sean has been upset ever since the incident, and he had stopped smiling because of his legs. Olivia, if you can cure him, my family will be forever in your debt." Olivia nodded. "I''ll discuss this with Mr. Rivera. The human modification project won''t be starting for now. "I can go to Zelotria in person and have a look at Mr. Sean." "Olivia, I''m relieved to hear that." Now that her identity was exposed, it would be a piece of cake for Louis to locate her. In simpler terms, she wouldn''t be able to escape from him. But before the project, she was still a free person. This period also served as buffer time for Olivia. "What about you?" "Mr. Avery, I''m sure that you''ll recover." Content of Dra§Þ??ovels On the day of Olivia''s departure, Avery made sure to see her off. The ocean breeze blew past, and Avery coughed as he handed her a ring. The original intention of Peace''s Embrace was to ensure world peace, so it was in line with Olivia''s thoughts. She epted the ring. "Mr. Avery, I''ll do everything in my power to achieve your dreams." "Take care. If you need anything in the future, you can contact me." Chapter 1428 Chapter 1428 Olivia left on a ship. At the very least, she was calm at that moment. No one could say for sure what would happen in the future. She only had one thought in her mind. She was going home! Her children must have waited for her for a long time. It was snowing heavily in Aldenvine. Ethan had brought the children home. Out of his selfishness, Ethan didn''t bring them to the Heath residence to be acknowledged as part of the family. Judging by Mason''s personality, he would definitely get the children to stay. It was tough enough for Ethan not to see his wife; he didn''t want to be kept away from his kids, either. Ethan brought the children back to the house he and Olivia lived in when they were just married. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g It was a home that held many unhappy memories for Olivia, but it was also the ce where their dreams began. The wedding photo, which Olivia had cut into pieces back then, was hung back in its spot on the wall. Ethan especially took the day off and spent every day with the kids. He wanted to make up for theck of fatherly love in the past. The children were very independent, and there was almost nothing he could be too worried about. He would drive and take the children along for grocery shopping. When their family of four appeared in the supermarket, they always attracted attention. He was holding Willow in his arms while Alicia sat in the cart with Zack pushing the cart along. All four of them had amazing looks, especially Willow, whose emerald eyes made her look like an angel. "Daddy, I want chocte and chips!" Zack smiled sweetly. Alicia reminded him, "Mommy said that we shouldn''t eat junk food. She''s not around, so I''m in charge of keeping you in check." Ethan was used to the twins arguing with each other. He grabbed a bag of chips and ced it in the cart. "It''s okay if you eat some from time to time." "Daddy gave me permission." Zack looked gleeful. Ethan caressed Willow''s head gently. "What do you like to eat, Willow?" Willow pointed at the section where imported fruits were disyed. With Willow in his arms, Ethan walked over to the fruit section. "You like fruits, huh? No wonder you look so pretty." Soon, the cart was filled with items. Looking at the mountain of snacks, Zack stopped smiling. "I wish Mommy were back. I miss her." In the past few days, Olivia would asionally contact Ethan. She was in a safe ce, but she didn''t know when she could go home. Of course, Ethan missed her, too. "It''s okay, Mommy will be back soon. What would you guys like to eat? I''ll cook." "Mommy said that you make delicious chicken soup, Daddy." "I''ll make some soup, then." "I want fries." "I''ll make some too." "I also want¡­" "Sure, anything you want." Ethan had waited for this day for a whole decade! The days he and Olivia had missed out on werepensated for today. Kelvin and Brent once thought that if things never changed, Ethan would go crazy sooner orter. But the appearance of Olivia and the children was slowly healing him. It was almost evening, and snow danced about under the streetlights. New ch?pter av§Ñble o? Dr?§Þan§àv§Öls.c§àm A gentle voiceughed and said, "But of course. My darling son is the best." Ethan and the children froze. Olivia slowly walked out from behind the car. She had probably been standing there for a while now, for her hair and clothes were covered in snow. Her smile was warm as she extended her arms. "Darlings, I''m back." Chapter 1429 Chapter 1429 Ethan and the children were stunned when they saw Olivia appearing out of nowhere. There were no signs of her return at all, and even Ethan had no idea when she had entered the country. It wasn''t Olivia''s fault for hiding it on purpose. After all, Leia had already learned of her whereabouts. If she wasn''t careful, she might get intercepted. She kept her journey an absolute secret, and she hade back quietly. Zack and Alicia rushed up to her. "Mommy!" Olivia held the children in her embrace. She hadn''t seen them for a semester, and they had grown a lot taller. The sound of bells rang in Ethan''s ear as Willow struggled out of his arms. She ran straight to Olivia. She couldn''t speak, so she could only express her longing by ringing the bells. Ethan had dreamed of this scene many times. But now, with both the children and Olivia around, he felt that this reality was much more wonderful than any dream he could have had. "Liv." Ethan stood still in front of her, examining her in detail to see if she had lost weight. Olivia got up and hugged him. "I''m back." When she said that, it was as if she had returned to the family. It was a very touching scene to behold. "Oh, it''s so heartwarming." Kelvin wiped his tears. "Even now, I can remember when Mrs. Miller fell into the sea. It has been so many years since then." Brent sighed as well. He looked at the snowkes falling from the sky. "The snow was about as heavy as this back then." The family of four had finally reunited. On the way back home, the children skipped and jumped in excitement. They were as happy as ark. "Mommy, Daddy said that he''ll make soup for us tonight." "That''s great." Olivia was holding the twins'' hands while Ethan carried Willow in his arms. They formed quite a blissful scene. Many snowmen were sitting in the yard. There were tworger snowmen with four smaller ones around them. The tallest one was Connor, the eldest brother of the children. It was warm indoors, and the children yed with each other. Ethan took off his coat and unbuttoned his shirt cor. Then, he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up to his elbow. He grabbed an apron and put it on. After that, he went into the kitchen with the groceries. Olivia went in after him. Leaningzily against the doorframe, she said, "I heard that you''ve been keeping thempany for the past few days, and you personally made all their meals." "Yes. They missed you a lot." Ethan took the fish from the bag and washed it. He was just doing trivial stuff, but he looked extra charming when he did that. Olivia wrapped her arms around his broad waist from behind. Then, she leaned her face against his tense back. "What about you? Did you miss me?" "Liv, I miss you even in my dreams. What does that tell you?" Olivia rubbed against him gently. She could feel his warmth spreading to her face. "I met someone at Louis'' ce this time." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Avery?" When Ethan mentioned the name, he sounded a little upset. Olivia didn''t realize that Ethan was getting a little jealous. She just shook her head. "No. It was your dear sister, Leia." Dra§Þan§àv§Öls "What?" "That''s impossible. I''ve grounded her at the Miller residence." He didn''t seem to have faked it. By the looks of it, Leia had indeed snuck out. Olivia stopped him. "It''s not urgent. The children are hungry." Chapter 1430 Chapter 1430 Ethan noticed that Olivia had calmed down a lot. He would never forget the intense scene back then when Olivia wanted to perish together with Leia. "Alright." Now, he couldn''t quite understand Olivia. He didn''t know what she was thinking. Ethan skillfully cleaned the fish. He was thinking about the matter with Leia, so he was a little distracted. Hence, he identally poked his hand with a fish bone. He didn''t say anything. Instead, he frowned as he continued washing his hands. "Let me do it. You look quite distracted." Ethan hadn''t met his sister in a long time. In reality, even if he spent every day with Leia, there were too many grudges between them. They couldn''t return to what they once were in the past. No matter how he interrogated her, Leia never revealed anything useful. She was his sister, after all. He couldn''t possibly kill Leia for real. Janice felt guilty about her daughter, so she had been taking care of Leia all these years. If Janice had covered up for Leia on purpose, Leia could very well have hidden the truth. "Sorry." Ethan hastily left the kitchen and dialed that person''s number. Janice sounded a littlezy. "What is it?" Ever since she recovered her wits, she spent every day listlesslyzing about. She was no longer crazy about that man. "Where''s Leia?" "She went to sleep," Janice replied quickly. In the past, every time Ethan asked about Leia, Janice would immediately give him an answer. He should have suspected something earlier. "Mom, are you going to lie to me forever?" Janice straightened herself. She didn''t have to pretend anymore. "You knew?" Ethan had a dark look on his face. "Do you remember your promise to me?" "Ethan, she''s my daughter." He closed his eyes. "I''m your son, and Liv is your daughter-inw. Mom, how could you?" Ethan tasted something sour in his throat. In the past, he had forced Olivia on the path of no return because of his sister. After so many years, he had finally reaped the bitter fruit he sowed. "Do you know how long I had to take to win Liv''s trust again? Do you know how much effort I spent on it? What will she think of me? Why are you forcing your misfortune on us?" Janice sighed. "Ethan, my greatest wish right now is for you and Leia to be happy. You''re both dear to me. But I already owe her so much. I¡­" "So you''re selling off my happiness just to make up for your regrets?" After the call ended, Ethan leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The sky hadpletely turned dark by then. He had no idea what Olivia would think of him. He let out a misty breath, which floated in the cold air. He had painstakingly obtained this shard of happiness. Was it going to be ruined by someone else again? Dra§Þan§àv§Öls "It''s so cold outside. Why didn''t youe in?" Olivia''s gentle voice sounded. At a nce, she spotted the man who was leaning against the wall and smoking. There was ayer of snow covering him, and his face was surrounded by smoke. He looked extra sad and sullen. Ethan hastily put out the cigarette. "I¡ª" But Olivia simply took a step forward and embraced him. "I know what you''re thinking. I trust you." Chapter 1431 Chapter 1431 Ethan had always been clear with his feelings. Back then, when he hated Olivia, he was extremely cold to her. Now, he had sincerely repented, so he couldn''t have done something so hypocritical. At least, Olivia didn''t me him for this matter. "Liv..." Olivia took his hand and raised it. Then, she gently wiped away the blood on his hand and ced a band-aid on the wound. ¡°Come on, the children are still waiting for your food." Ethan lowered his head, meeting Olivia''s gentle gaze. His heart ached terribly, and he felt extremely remorseful toward her. He had treated Olivia cruelly back then, but she was still willing to stay by his side and let bygones be bygones. The two inteced their fingers in the snow as they walked back into the house. Ethan made the meal while the twins ran around outside. Willow was herb-imbued since birth, so she had an excellent physique. However, at that moment, she quietly stayed by Olivia''s side. Olivia yed chess with Willow. The room was so quiet that only the sounds of the chess pieces being ced on the board could be heard. Willow was thoughtful and smart, but she just couldn''t speak. In the past few years, Olivia had asked the best doctors to treat Willow. She had used every trick in the book. But in the end, she still couldn''t cure Willow. Olivia was always extra patient when spending time with Willow. She would y with the child andugh along with her. Willow was the youngest child, but she had the steadiest and most mature personality. Pointing at Ethan in the kitchen, Willow signed, "Mommy, have you made peace with him?" She remembered that back in the vige, Olivia was still very cold to Ethan. But this time, aftering back, the two seemed to be on much better terms with each other. Olivia returned the question, "Do you hope that I can make peace with him?" Willow ced herst piece. Even though she had lost, Olivia didn¡¯t gain any advantage. She pointed at the board. "Life is like chess." Losing was winning, and winning meant losing as well. Olivia knew what Willow meant. Even if she won, she would still suffer huge losses. Willow changed the cement of one chess piece. The losing situation turned into a draw. It was good news for both parties. ¡°Mommy, I hope that you can make peace with him," Willow signed. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Olivia looked at Ethan, who had his back to them as he bustled about. A gentle look appeared in her eyes. "I''ll think about it." But this was on the premise that the conflicts between her and Ethan would be resolved. If they got married again now, the situation would be the same as before. Ethan wouldn''t hesitate to choose his family over her, and he would hurt her. History would repeat itself. If the conflict between them couldn''t be resolved, it would forever be a thorn in Olivia''s flesh. Sometimes, it didn''t matter how nice his words sounded. It was only at critical moments that his true self was revealed. Olivia was indeed traumatized by the hurt. Every time she closed her eyes, she would think of her dark past. It was so painful that she didn''t dare to bet on anything anymore. ¡°Darling, it doesn''t matter whether I get married to him again or not.The bonds between us as a family will never change.Just enjoy the moment and don''t think about the future." Willow blinked with herrge eyes. She seemed to have understood. While they were talking, Ethan came out with a serving of fruit sd. It was made of Willow''s favorite fruits. Then, he ced the fried chicken and fries on the table. He stood at the entrance and called out to the twins, "Zack, Alicia, that''s enough.Wash your hands and get ready for dinner." ¡°Alright, Daddy." It was night, and it was snowing heavily outside. Still, the atmosphere in the house was extremely warm. Unlike his sternness when dealing with Connor, Ethan was like a loving father now. He pampered the children very much. Under the dim yellow lights, Ethan''s cold and handsome face looked extra gentle as well. Olivia had never seen Ethan like this before. It was the scene she had fantasized about when she had just gotten married. She didn¡¯t expect Ethan to be this gentle when he was ying the role of a father. He made meals for the children and yed with them. He would even tell Willow stories as he put the children to sleep. By the time Ethan returned to the master bedroom, Olivia had already finished washing up. She was wiping her face at the dressing table. Ethan hugged her from behind, saying intimately in her ear, ¡°Give me a moment.I''ll go shower." Chapter 1432 Chapter 1432 Olivia turned around, her fair arms wrapping around his neck as she moved her lips closer. "It''s okay." Ethan held her waist with one hand as he ced his other hand on the dressing table. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the contours of his firm forearms. Two buttons on his shirt cor were undone, so his tempting corbone could be spotted right away. His hair wasn''t brushed back. Instead, strands of his hair were drooping a little, and he looked extremely gentle. ¡°Liv, I just cooked.I have an odor on me¡ª" He had always been particr about cleanliness, but Olivia kissed him deeply. "Ethan, I missed you." In the room, their shadows gradually melded into one. The snow was silent, and it weighed heavily on the tree leaves. From time to time, the branches would bend and creak under the weight. The next morning, sunlight shone warmly upon the yard. Olivia was extremely tired from the ordeal thatsted until midnight. Before she knew it, chattering sounded in the room. "I think I heard a cat meowingst night, and it came from Mommy''s room.Mommy must be keeping a kitten," Alicia said sternly. ¡°It wasn''t a cat.I think it sounded like crying.Do you think Daddy hit Mommy?" When Olivia opened her eyes, she saw Zack''s interrogating expression. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Mommy, did Daddy bully you again?" Olivia blushed. The room was soundproofed very well, and the children had gone to sleep early on. She hadn''t done it with Ethan for a long time, so she let loose a bit too much. She didn''t expect the children to be woken up by the noise. She couldn''t bring herself to exin it to the kids. ¡°No." "But you sounded like you were crying, Mommy." ¡°I told you that Mommy didn''t cry.It was the sound of a kitten.Mommy, are you hiding a kitten in your room?" Right after that, a meow actually sounded from outside. "Meow..." Even Olivia was stunned. Where did the cate from? Also, there was more than one cat. A kitten sneaked in from under the door. Olivia felt that it looked quite familiar. Then, a bigger cat appeared, and Olivia recognized it right away. Back then, after her chemo, Ethan took on someone else''s identity and stayed by her side. To heal her grief over losing Snowball, Ethan looked for a cat that looked like Snowball and brought it to her. When he left, he took the cat with him. After so many years, the kitten had grown into an adult, and it had even given birth to its own kittens. Olivia wrapped herself in her loose robe as she got out of the bed. The cat still recognized her, so it leaped into her arms. ¡°You remember me?" A long time ago, she even suspected that it was Snowball who came back to life. It resembled Snowball not just in terms of looks but even in the way it looked at her. "Meow." It rubbed against Olivia''s face intimately. The children started to y with the kitten. ¡°I told you that a kitten was meowingst night, but you keep saying that Daddy was bullying Mommy.Daddy loves Mommy so much.Why would he bully her?" ¡°That''s right.I love your mommy so much.I won''t bully her." Ethan stood at the entrance, looking slyly at Olivia. Holding the cat in her arms, Olivia asked, "So you didn''t toss it away?" ¡°Why would I toss away things you like? It has been living here for the past few years.It was never sterilized, and this year, it somehow found another stray cat.It gave birth to a litter of kittens." Last night, Olivia noticed that there was an extra plum tree in their yard. Ethan said that he had moved it from the Fordham residence. Olivia looked down from the second floor to see the plum blossoms blooming in the white snow. The cat in her arms was taking a nap, and it looked just like Snowball. Olivia felt as if everything had returned to what it once was a decade ago. Chapter 1433 Chapter 1433 Olivia leaned in Ethan¡¯s embrace, feeling as if everything was like a dream. She had returned to this house which had brought her joy and endless pain. Undoubtedly, she had shared sweet moments with Ethan when they were just married. Back then, she would learn to cook various dishes at home while waiting for Ethan toe back. She would take care of the flowers and nts in the yard over and over again. She would also wash all the clothes Ethan took off, dry them, iron them, and then ce them back in the wardrobe. There would always be a bouquet of flowers on the table, which brought life to the house. After she lost her child, she wept every day. At that time, the house was like a cage that trapped her. She could no longer feel joy. It was especially so for the baby room she had decorated herself. After her incident of falling into the ocean, she would curl up on the small crib as she constantly thought about her premature son. Now, Olivia heard movementsing from that room. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It sounded like music yed by a toy. The children were all ying with the kittens in the master bedroom, so who could be in the baby room? Olivia opened the door to the room. When she left back then, she had destroyed all the decorations in this room. Unexpectedly, Ethan had restored the room to its original state. A tall child was standing beside the crib. It felt weird to call him a child, for he was very tall. But in reality, he was only nine years old this year. He was holding a small rattle in his hands, and the bells on the bed behind him swayed, making gentle sounds. When Connor heard the door being opened, he turned around. Olivia couldn''t hold back the tears anymore as she dashed up to him. ¡°Connor." ¡°Mommy." They hugged each other tightly. They had been waiting for this day for nine years, and they could finally reunite as mother and son. "Mommy, I missed you so much." In the past few years, Connor had many moments of sorrow. His greatest worry was that Olivia didn''t like him, and that was why she abandoned him. He was just a child. He missed his parents too. But then his father brought him to this room and told him that before he was even born, Olivia had personally decorated and furnished this room for him. There were lots of baby clothes and toys. She had very much looked forward to the birth of this child. His mother loved him more than anything else, so she couldn''t possibly have abandoned him. Connor held Olivia tightly, feeling Olivia''s tears dripping onto his neck. Those tears were burning. ¡°I''m so sorry, Connor." Olivia loved him a lot, but she didn''t know what to say. She could only repeat the same words. ¡°It''s my fault for not protecting you well enough." ¡°Mommy, I never med you." It wasn''t until he arrived at this room that Connor realized how much his mother loved him. She had poured all her love into this room. The sound of bells grew closer. The clear ringing of the bells sounded in Connor''s ears. Ethan had told him about his siblings before. When he heard that sound, he subconsciously thought of Willow. Connor''s first reaction was to turn around to dry his tears. Ethan had told him that men didn''t cry easily. He was also the eldest child, so he had to take care of his younger siblings in the future. He absolutely mustn''t reveal his weak side to them. The sound of bells grew even closer, and a child''s voice reached his ears. "Um...Were you crying?" "No." A small child appeared on his left. "But your shoulders are trembling." Another child appeared on his right. "There''s water on your face." Pulling on his sleeve, Willow urged him to bend over. Then, she gently wiped his cheek with her hand. Her green eyes seemed to be saying, "Don''t cry, Connor." Chapter 1434 Chapter 1434 Connor looked at the children around him.He quickly identified them. "You''re Zack?" "That''s right, Connor." Zack only reached Connor''s chest, so he was much shorter than Connor. He stared at Connor''s face curiously. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Of the three siblings, Zack was a boy as well, but he looked more like Olivia. Only Connor looked exactly like Ethan! He seemed to have taken after Ethanpletely. "Hi, Connor.I''m Alicia.You look a lot like Daddy." Connor looked even more like Ethan when he wasn''t smiling. With a stern expression on his face, he had an extremely cold look in his eyes. Despite his young age, he had quite a powerful air about him. Alicia looked like Ethan as well, but she was a girl, after all. The sharp features had turned a little gentler on her face. Bells rang out quietly. Connor crouched down and patted Willow''s head. "I know.You''re Willow, right?" Willow nodded. ¡°I''ll take good care of you in the future." Willow couldn''t speak, but instead of ignoring her, her family pampered her even more. Olivia bent over and hugged her four children of various ages. She felt like she was dreaming. After a decade, they had finally reunited. It even felt too wonderful to be true. Madam Burgess, who had gotten older, was the same as always. When she saw the family reuniting with each other, she couldn''t stop wiping her tears. Then, she remembered something as she said, "Mr.Miller, Mrs.Miller, a man with thest name Heath is waiting for you two downstairs.He said that he wanted to take Mrs.Miller home." Other than Linus, no one else could be so arrogant that they woulde to this house straight away. A look of dissatisfaction shed across Ethan''s face. How did Linus manage to track Olivia here? She had juste home yesterday. Olivia dried her tears as well. Carrying Willow in her arms, she said, "Come downstairs with me to meet the guest. He''s your Great-uncle Linus, one of the few rtives who treats me well." "Okay." Holding the twins¡¯ hands, Connor followed Olivia downstairs. Linus was drinking tea. He was examining the tea when he turned around to see the children following Olivia. He had heard from Olivia that she had children, and Krystal had also said that her child was an odd one who had green eyes. But he didn''t expect Olivia to have four children. Two of them were even twins! The four children looked exactly like the fusion of Olivia and Ethan. People could tell who their parents were with just a nce. The children had inherited the excellent genes of Olivia and Ethan. When the family walked down the stairs, they looked very brilliant. ¡°Olivia, they..." Linus was truly startled. He had no idea that she had four children! Connor was among them too. At first, Connor was introduced as Marina''s child, but by the looks of it now, that wasn''t true. ¡°Uncle Linus, I''ve been hiding the children in the past few years to protect them.They''re all my children.Come, say hi." Zack said obediently, "Hello, Great-uncle Linus." Linus felt as if he was dreaming. This was too outrageous! Olivia was only in her 20s, but she was already the mother of four children! Also, he was only in his 30s, but he was already a great- uncle! It was just too much. "Great-uncle Linus, you''re so young and handsome.I thought that you''d be an old man." Alicia blinked. ¡°Watch your manners," Olivia reprimanded Alicia in a low voice. Then, she put Willow down in front of Linus. "This is Willow.She can''t speak.I hope you don''t mind that, Uncle Linus." Linus was shocked, and he took a long while to recover himself. ¡°Of course, I won''t mind that.They''re all wonderful children. ¡°If Dad learns that he suddenly has so many descendants of the Heath family, he''ll be ted.¡± Chapter 1435 Chapter 1435 As it turned out, Mason was even happier than expected. He had two children, but Molly had only recently returned to the family. They didn''t even know if she could get pregnant in the future. Much less could be said of Linus. He had been single since birth, and he didn''t even have a woman he fancied, let alone any ns of expanding the family. Now, Olivia had returned with four children. Mason was so ted that he instantly seemed to have gotten a few years younger. He had a joyous expression on his face. ¡°Come, let me have a look at the children." He was so happy that he didn''t know what to say. The children ran up to him, saying, "Great-grandpa!" ¡°Hello, darlings." Mason was ted. He looked at each child in turn, and his eyes were filled with joy. As Tatiana didn''t like Olivia in the past, she definitely wouldn''t have liked Olivia''s children then either. Now that Tatiana had reconciled with Olivia, she was happy to see the children as well. "T''ve seen these wonderful children from a distance away, but I didn''t expect them to be the children you brought home, Olivia. These children look a lot like you and Ethan." After some time apart, Molly had recovered as well. Thanks to the attentive care she received, she looked much better now. Her cheeks were plumping up as well. "Olivia, are they all your children?" Molly could barely believe that Olivia, who was two years younger than her, had already given birth to so many children. And Connor was already nine years old! Olivia scratched her head. "Well, 1 got married early." In Andia, women could marry once they were 18. Olivia had also skipped grades to get into college, so she got pregnant early. Mason was ted. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He didn''t expect Olivia toe back with so many children. He loved every one of them. He brought the children to his study. He wanted to give the children all the nice things avable. Even Ethan, whom he didn''t care much about before, seemed more tolerable because of the children. When he passed by Ethan, he even patted Ethan on the shoulder. "You should stay for dinner." Ethan said, "Alright." He thought, "Just dinner? Still, it''s an improvement from back then, when they wouldn''t even let me into the house." The outdoor yground Linus had built for the children was finally put to use. Even in the snow, the children frolicked happily. Molly stood under the eaves, watching the children in admiration. Yale draped arge fur cloak over her to shield her from the wind and snow. "yale, I envy Olivia for having so many children." She subconsciously touched her belly. "If that child were still around..." Reaching out, Yale pulled her into his embrace. His gaze was filled withpassion. "Molly, you know that even if Krystal weren''t part of the picture, the child couldn''t have survived." ¡°But I still miss it." "It doesn''t matter whether we have children or not. I''ll be by your side for life. You have me." Yale lovingly took Molly''s hand. She had been exposed to the wind for just a moment, but her palms were already cold. "Yale, help me prepare some gifts for the children. I owe Olivia too much." Yale looked at Olivia''s figure in the distance, and a knowing look appeared in the depths of his gaze. "I''ll give her a huge present." Molly nced at him, unsure of what Yale''s huge present referred to. "Alright." While Ethan was keeping the childrenpany, Yale slowly walked up to Olivia. "Do you have time to talk?" Olivia could see that he had something to talk to her about, so she left with him. "What do you want to talk about?" ¡°Thank you for what you did for Molly." Yale was aware that Olivia was the reason Molly could recover so quickly, so he also wanted to apologize to her sincerely. He took out a folder. "This is your reward." Chapter 1436 Chapter 1436 Olivia felt the folder, noticing that it was a little thick. It must be some sort of information. "T''ll take it," Olivia said, recalling her deal with Fabian before. This might be the answer she was looking for. Yale turned around and left. Olivia found a deserted ce and opened the folder there. It wasn''t too different from her expectations. The information had something to do with Hucreyle. Back then, Hucreyle had sent someone to assassinate Mason. The Kingston family was connected to Hucreyle, so Yale had made preparations. Hucreyle was truly after Mason''s life, and Yale had made use of Jack for the sake of his own future. Ethan might have known the answer early on, but he didn''t want Olivia to get involved in this mess. The truth was like a huge tree. Now, Olivia could only see the leaves and branches above the ground, but she had no idea that the roots of the tree were already twisted in aplex maze. Olivia read the information in detail. She thought that all the information was rted to Hucreyle, but when she flipped to thest few pages, her expression shifted. These were records of assassination requests, and Olivia''s name was included. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g But this time, the enemy didn''t ask The ck Ravens for help. Instead, it was an international assassin organization that had be quite famous in recent years, The Shadow Network. The person was willing to fork out 30 million dors for her life! The request was sent two weeks ago. The Shadow Network didn''t ept this request. Aside from the list of missions, the buyer''s information was provided at the back as well. Olivia already knew that the Kingston family dealt in shady business, and the shady ship wasn''t their only deal. She didn''t expect The Shadow Network, which was quite famous, to be under the Kingston family as well. Yale had given her quite a huge present. She had been led by the nose by the mastermind all this while. But this time, at the very least, she had gained the upper hand. Even if the buyer was just a scapegoat the mastermind had ced, she might be able to find some clues before they were dealt with. That would be more than enough. She could see that Yale sincerely wanted to leave the Kingston family. She was a member of the Heath family now. Yale wouldn''te this far and put the Kingston family in more trouble if he had ulterior motives. No matter whose side Yale was on, he was still Molly''s lover. For now, Olivia wouldn''t make Yale pay for exposing her identity back then. The world wasn''t just ck and white¡ªthere was also a gray area. She burned all the information and dialed a number right away. " Jack, help me look into this person." The less people who knew about this, the better. She knew that the people around her would be monitored for sure, including Ethan. But it would be easier for Jack to stay hidden. After doing all this, Olivia returned to the children. A snowball was sent flying at her, and it almostnded on her face. "Liv, watch out." Ethan reached up and shielded her. The snowballnded on his ck coat. The snow scattered and melted into transparent ice on his arm. Alicia smiled gleefully. "See? I told you that Daddy would protect Mommy." Zack was about to argue, but another snowball It came from Willow, who was standing nearby. She was young, but she was quite skilled. She signed, "Don''t hurt Mommy, even if it''s just a joke!" Alicia made another snowball and threw it at the mischievous Zack. "Serves you right for throwing a snowball at Mommy! You viin!" Snowballs were thrown at him from all directions as Zack ran up to Connor. He kept shouting for help. "Connor, save me!" Standing in the distance, Olivia smiled. Ethan held her hand." Where did you go? Why are your hands so cold?" Chapter 1437 Chapter 1437 Olivia didn''t reveal the issue she had with Yale. Ethan had his own life, and his issue with Yale was his business to deal with. She didn''t want to join the fray. "Nothing. I went to the kitchen to check on today''s dinner." ¡°You''re meticulous as always." Ethan shoved her hands into his pockets to give her warmth. They were such a perfect match. Still, Ethan knew that that wasn''t the truth. He had clearly witnessed her leaving alongside Yale. He just knew that she didn''t want to bring it up. Despite what Leia had done, Olivia didn''t take her anger out on him. Ethan was aware that their rtionship could never return to the way it was. The wife who only had her eyes on him and waited for him at home every day was now gone. At present, Olivia possessed everything that she desired. Love was not her priority. He was one of her priorities, but not the one and only. The epiphany hit home to him, but he didn''t dare to show it. After all, he didn''t have the right to do so; he was the cause for her change. ¡°What happened to Wayne while I was away?" Olivia initiated a new topic. "Mr. Heath didn''t agree to his request. You''re not in Aldenvine, so he flew back on the third day." He stared at her and continued, "On top of a huge sum of money and a trade with Andia on the table, Wayne also proposed a military alliance with Mr. Heath just for you. He seems genuine. He failed this time, but I bet he won''t give up easily." He was simply recounting the situation, yet Olivia could hear him gritting his teeth. As their hands interlocked in the pockets, her finger brushed his palms lightly. "Jealous?" Ethan sighed. "I''m a little upset, but I had iting." He was the one who pushed her away. What could he do when others had their eyes on her? ¡°You''re the only one for me," she calmly confessed. "Ethan, don''t you want to ask about your sister?" Ethan had an inkling of the story. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. It was just that he didn''t want to mention someone who had hurt Olivia. "It was my mother. I''m sorry, Liv." "Mrs. Miller feels guilty for Leia. She''s a mother. It''s normal for her to protect her daughter. But something''s off about Leia. Previously, she imed that she plotted everything because she was jealous that you treated me well. ¡°Thinking back, I think someone''s using her. The one who wants me killed is not her. Besides, that person wants me dead at all costs! "T''ve had the same thought too, Liv. That year, when something happened to you, I interrogated Leia, but she was tight-lipped. Even if I know that someone else is behind her, there''s nothing that I can do." Punishments that happened in interrogation rooms were ruthless. Leia was his sister. How could he bring himself to use those methods on her? That was why no information was gained from her. "Ethan," Olivia suddenly called out. "If we turned back time again, who would you choose?" A voice in her head was telling her that the mastermind would use his family against him again and again. Her wrist was injured thest time, and now, they were aiming for her head! Ethan held her wrist, his fingers grazing the part that was injured before. "Liv, to me, no onees before you." Chapter 1438 Chapter 1438 Olivia brought the kids home, and Mason was happy about it. After facing problems in the household, the kids brought him hope. He was so happy that he had softened his edge toward Ethan. Indeed, Mason couldn''t forgive what Ethan had done in the past. However, the wholesome picture of Ethan and the kids together wavered Mason''s resolution. As an experienced man, Mason understood that harmony was important within a family. Fame was the goal during the younger days, but when one grew older, the focus would shift to happiness and one''s family. On the dining table, Mason didn''t only fill the kids¡¯ tes but Ethan''s too. Ethan was taken aback by the pleasant surprise considering how overt Mason''s hostility was before this. 1 Molly couldn''t shift her gaze away from the kids, her eyes teeming with envy and warmth. Yale knew that she was thinking about their baby again and filled her te with her favorite dishes. In the past, the Heath residence appeared to be the epitome of deste. With Linus residing at the borders while Krystal following Ethan everywhere, how could the house ever be lively? Mason and Tatiana only had each other. This year, it was different. Olivia, Ethan, Yale, and the four kids had joined the family. Mason was so happy that he looked a few years younger. New Year''s was just around the corner. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. People were traveling back to their hometowns. Mason made the men his beer buddies. They consumed a lot of alcohol. Even the ever-mature Linus was all red. Olivia helped Willow out with her shower before telling stories to Willow and Alicia. The girls sat by Olivia''s left and right. When the story reached its climax, someone flopped onto the bed. " And then? What next?" She closed the book and flicked Zack''s forehead. He was the most mischievous kid among the bunch. "Be careful, don''t fall. Why are you so naughty just like a monkey?" "IT won''t fall! I''m the best! Oh, where''s Connor?" During the renovation, Olivia made a special request to have a spacious room. That way, the kids could have bunk beds in the same room to get along. Connor seemed to have gone for a shower. The training had it drilled in him to eat and shower quickly, but he hadn''t shown up for a while. "¡°T''ll go check on him." Olivia rose. As she had expected, she found Connor in thepartment. He was already in his pajamas. There was a Wesnorian finance book in his hands. As he had inherited the best genes from his parents, he was smart and hard- working. He had it the toughest among the four. There weren''t many happy moments in his childhood. "Mom." As a sensitive kid, he couldn''t adapt as quickly as the others did. There was a fleeting uneasiness on his features. Olivia''s gazended on the finance book, which was held upside down. That alone was enough for her to understand something. Connor wished to get close to his siblings, but he felt that he should build up his reputation as the eldest. Thus, he figured that he should take more time. In fact, he probably wished to join the bedtime story session as well. She sat next to him. "Studying? It''s sote, though." "Yeah." When he was going to flip the pages, he realized that he had been holding the book upside down. He was red in the face. "Mom, I..." Giggling, she hugged him. "I know, Connor. There''s no need to rush. Take it easy." It had been eight years since he was this close to her. Thest time was when he was one year old, when they lived under the same roof. He raised his head gingerly, looking at her in the eye. "Mom, am I dreaming?" Chapter 1439 Chapter 1439 Connor took after Ethan the most. He was sensitive and gentle yet bashful. Olivia caressed the back of Connor''s head. "Baby, this is your home now. We''re your family. You can do anything you want. No one will me you." As soon as she said that, the insensible Zack breezed into the room and jumped onto the bed. "Connor, save me!" Huffing, Alicia grabbed Connor''s arm. "Connor, you gotta help me! Zack is the bad guy!" The kids messed around, and Connor gradually warmed up to them. At the end of the day, Zack and Alicia slept beside Connor-one on his left, one on his right. Connor was so tired from all the y. The sight of them sleeping together elicited a warm smile from Olivia. Shey next to Willow, who naturally curled into her embrace. The warmth in her arms filled her chest with bliss. Everything was perfect. Late at night, Olivia felt an arm sliding beneath her legs. The next second she knew it, she was lifted into someone else''s arms. The smell of alcohol alone was enough to tell her who it was. She nestled in Ethan''s embrace, allowing him to carry her wherever he was heading. "You drank until now?" He hummed in response. Since he had taken a bath, the smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of shampoo. It felt so intimate. He closed the door and ced her on the bed that was initially meant for Willow. "Liv..." Alcohol always got him horny, so she didn''t mind him waking her up. Gently, she cooed, "Looks like the talk with Grandpa went smoothly. He allowed you to stay." Not wanting her to get involved in the men''s business, he let his lips leave traces on her neck. Everything in him was screaming for her, and his muffled voice kept muttering something. When he was going to tear a condom open, Olivia pressed his hand. "Don''t use it." "Liv, I don''t want you to take the pills." Aside from the days they spent in the mountains, Ethan always made sure he prepared protection. Olivia lost a lot of blood during each delivery. Connor alone was enough of a gift and yet she had surprised him with another three children! He didn''t want her to go through the pain again, let alone suffer from the effect of taking pills. That was why he was strict with himself. No longer the innocentdy, Olivia had her demands when it came to this kind of matter. Besides, the other party was the man she had loved for so many years. 1 "I won''t be able to get pregnant even if I don''t take the pills," she blurted the truth. Ethan was momentarily stunned. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Although he didn''t intend to impregnate her, it pained him to hear that she was barren. "Is it because of me?" She chuckled lightly. "Everythinges with a cost. We have to pay the price to get what we want. It''s a miracle that I''m still alive." 1 Frowning, he nted a kiss on her lips. "I''m sorry. We already have four, and I''m happy with that." She let her head fall onto his shoulder. "Ethan, don''t disappoint me again." 1 The calm yet dangerous night outside the window caught her eyes. "No more. Never." Ethan wanted Olivia again and again while she hugged his waist. When she left that year, she no longer believed in love. However, this time, something warm began to seep into the long-dormant void in her. 2 "Ethan, I''d like to believe in you again." Chapter 1440 Chapter 1440 People were getting busy as New Year¡¯s was just around the corner, except Olivia. All she did was keep the kidspany. Thanks to Olivia, Molly showed much progress in her recovery. Now that the restriction was lifted, she could head outside. Olivia felt like she was nannying five kids. Molly followed by her side. "Olivia, this dress is perfect for Willow." Although Molly had it tough, the Kingstons weren''t that harsh to her when it came to materials. Yale had always been generous to her. When she returned to the Heath family, the elderly couple showered her with love and gave her a lot of money. Olivia''s gaze swept across the bags Kelvin and the bodyguards were carrying. "I think it''s enough. Even if I give birth to another ten kids, they won''t be able to wear them all." Molly chuckled. "You can give birth to another ten kids? How nice!" Molly''s obsession with kids had Olivia ce a hand over her forehead." Aunt Molly..." "I know what you''re going to say. I''m alright. It''s in the past. I¡¯m over it. Besides, I have a new direction in life." "What¡¯s that?" "I was in an ident, and Yale took me home before I could graduate from college. I never did anything at home. Now, I''ve reunited with my family, and Dad and Mom are supportive too. I like drawing, so I want to further my studies abroad." "What about Yale?" "He doesn''t know about it yet. It''s just a n. I still need to focus on my recovery for now." Molly looked at Olivia. "Olivia, I''m really envious of you. "I thought I''d spend the rest of my life in that same old ce, but you made me realize that there are a lot of possibilities in life. Women don''t have to be men''s possessions. Although Yale loves me, I''d like to do something for myself. I don''t want to weigh him down." Olivia didn''t know what had happened to Molly back in the Kingston residence. The only thing Olivia knew was that Gordon had used Molly to threaten Yale. "I''ve got your back. You''re still young. Your future is full of possibilities, but you have to focus on recovering." Olivia held Molly''s hand. "Don''t shop for the kids. Pick a few clothes for yourself." Shopping could lighten up a woman''s mood, but it had been a while since Mollyst shopped. Previously, the maids would deliver the uing seasonal collections to her room. Still, she rarely had the chance to wear those beautiful clothes because she spent almost every day at home. Casual clothes were what she generally wore. Inparison, Krystal''s life was much worse. Lisa had it all nned out, and they escaped to the mountains. Krystal couldn''t stomach the fact that she, the once-richdy, had be the daughter of a mere maid. Aldenvine was freezing cold during winter. The pile of snow in the mountain never melted. In the past years, Lisa managed to scoop up some money from the Heaths. Although Lisa tried her best to feed Krystal, it couldn''t bepared to life in the Heath residence. The fear of the Heaths and Yaleing after her still lingered in the beginning, so Krystal behaved. As time passed, her patience thinned. She kicked the chicken soup off the table. Lisa had made it for her. "You call this edible?" In fact, Lisa was still recovering from the stab. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Every day, she served Krystal as though she was serving God. Instead of seeing Lisa as her mother, Krystal treated her more like a maid. A chill loomed over Lisa as she stared at the chicken noodle soup she spent the entire afternoon making. The will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 1441 Chapter 1441 Lisa crouched, picking up the shattered pieces of what used to be a bowl. Krystal, yet to be appeased, gave Lisa a kick. ¡°I had enough of you! Do you know who I am? How could you make me this kind of trash?" Lisa''s eyes remained fixated on the mess. This wasn''t the first time. Krystal had been throwing tantrums these days, always getting angry all of a sudden. Lisa''s patience had reached its limit. "The food you call trash is the chicken that fed on grains and ran around the mountain all day long.It''s organic food.I specially used expensive morels to brew you chicken soup. "Our circumstances are nowhere near the Heaths, but you have better food and clothes than the average person.Just what is not enough?" ¡°It''s not only our circumstances.You''re nowhere as good as my mother''s toe.It''s all because of you, you witch! Why did you do that back then? My parents hate me now.They used to love me so much.Linus too.He..." Krystal rambled on and on.Her rant was on a loop every single day.She would go on and on about how good the Heath family was. Lisa had been putting up with it because she knew how awful a dramatic downfall in social status could be. ¡°Enough! As you said, they''re the Heaths, and you have nothing to do with them! Do I have to remind you of this again?" Lisa threw the shards in her hands away. She continued, "Yes, I did switch the babies that year.And why did I do that? It was so you could live a life of luxury. I did it for you! Yet, at the end of the day, you''re ming everything on me. ¡°If you had behaved, would you have ended up this way? If you hadn''t provoked Molly, the Heaths wouldn''t have found out about the truth.Why did things turn out this way? It seems like I''ve spoiled you too much all these years." Exposed, Krystal couldn''t manage her expression any longer. "Shut up! Who told you to switch us? If I had been born into a humble family, I wouldn''t have had to experience the dramatic difference.Since you bestowed me luxury, why couldn''t you make itst forever?" ¡°I had nned out everything for you and yet you''re ming me?" huffed Lisa. "Yes, you! You''re the one to be med! My mother is the graceful Mrs.Heath, not a maid like you.The sheer sight of you disgusts me!" Krystal then ran out. Lisa popped a vein as she smiled bitterly. "Karma, oh, karma.Back then, she risked her life to switch the babies.Lisa didn''t wish for Krystal to be grateful, yet this was how Krystal repaid for the luxury she enjoyed in the past.Karma indeed existed; her daughter treated her the same way she treated the child of another. Lisa''s husband, Alban Archer, was a nobody in the mountains. She was the one who paved a future for themselves. Now, even he had to hide deep in the mountains because of Lisa and Krystal. How could Lisa not be mad after the reputation she had built was tarnished? The ce was a mess, and her daughtercked affection for her. Frustrated, she kicked the shattered pieces on the floor. Alban pped Lisa. "You deserve it! It''s because of you that I have to live in this kind of ce in secrecy, you bitch! I can''t even use the money I have."Ire zed in her widened eyes. "You pped me?" Previously, Alban had always been at her beck and call. They didn''t meet up often, but he was a gentleman every time they met. It was as though he had turned into a new person. "Yeah.You think the Heath family is still around to protect you? You had their support in the past, but Material ? N?velDrama.Org. not anymore.You''re just a maid.Don''t get ahead of yourself." Chapter 1442 Chapter 1442 Lisa charged at Alban, and a fight broke out. She called for her brother, Angus Walker. Angus, who was in the next room, wanted to go out. His wife, who was doing her nails, pulled him back. "What are you going out for? Alban''s venting the emotions he''s been bottling up.You might be beaten up as well if you go out there." "She''s my sister.We''re able toe this far thanks to her.You couldn''t have worn expensive clothes if not her." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°What a joke.As you said, we were able toe this far thanks to her.Yes, life was good the past few years, but what about now? We have houses in the city and money, but we can''t use them at all. "How long do we have to hide here? Lisa has offended someone we shouldn''t mess with.If it wasn''t for her, although we might not be that well-off, we wouldn''t need to live this kind of life." Standing by the door, Lisa overheard everything Terra said. Who would''ve guessed that this was the very same person who always weed Lisa with a bright smile when she came home? Lisa booted the door open. ¡°So, this is how you think of me." Before this, it would take a single frown on Lisa''s face to make Terra nervous. But now, Terra appeared indifferent while painting her nails. "Alban should''ve gone all out." Hiram shot her a re. "Cut it out!" ¡°Did I say something wrong? We were doing so fine in Aldenvine.But we had toe all the way here because of her.You''re willing to tolerate it, but not me." ¡°If you can''t take it, you might as well leave.No one''s stopping you,"barked Lisa with a swollen and bleeding face. ¡°Leave? You''ve offended the Heaths.Where else can we go? " Terra kicked the stool next to her foot, giving Lisa a cold look. "How frustrating."Hiram sighed. "Don''t take it to heart, Lisa.You''re not to be med.If it wasn''t for you, we would''ve been fishermen in that vige." Instead of responding, Lisa muttered, "Is it really my fault?" Lisa''s sole wish was to pave a bright future for her daughter so that she wouldn''t be looked down on like Lisa was during her younger days. How did things turn out this way? Sitting by the door, Lisa stared nkly at the setting sunlight by the horizon. It had only been a month and they had had enough of the solitude. How could they embrace it for an eternity? An idea shed across her mind. Since she was the cause of it, how about going to the Heaths to beg for mercy for her family? She deemed that it was a good idea. The next day, she realized that Krystal and Alban were gone! Lisa was so angry that she stomped on her foot. Krystal couldn''t adapt to the mountains, so she wished to return to the city. She must have gone crazy. She wouldn''t be able to keep herself under the radar when identity verification was prevalent in conventional society. The years spent with the Heath family had formed a bond between them, so it was possible that they could ept her. The Heath family might let her off the hook, but what about Yale? Krystal held on to thest ray of hope ¡ªher baby. Yale might not do anything to her because of the baby. Her first destination after leaving the mountain was the mall.She was ready to buy a few clothes for herself. Surprisingly, she ran into Olivia and Molly there. Yale took the long way to pick Molly up, and she was nestled in his arms. They didn''t act like siblings at all. "Molly, you''re still recovering.Don''t tire yourself out." ¡°I''m fine, Yale.I feel much better.Aren''t you busy these days? Why did you take the long way just to pick me up? It''s a waste of time." ¡°Anythinges after you, Molly." Yale nted a kiss on Molly''s head. Krystal''s heart dipped to the pit of her stomach. Only then did Krystal realize that Yale had never regarded Molly as his sister! She had been deceived! The person Yale loved was Molly! That exined his reaction back then. What would that make Krystal, though? Her hand reached her slightly bulging belly as she stared at Molly menacingly. Why did she have to live like a rat in the gutter while Molly could enjoy the life and the man that once belonged to her? Chapter 1443 Chapter 1443 This side of Yale was foreign to Krystal. Even during the time he treated her well and smiled at her, it was different from the way he smiled at Molly. This was genuine love. Even from his eyes, she could tell that he was smitten. It was as though Molly was a fragile doll. He genuinely cared for her, afraid that she might slip or fall at any time. It waspletely different from the facade he showed Krystal. The cold revtion struck her, and a chill ran up to her from her feet. Her face was void of color. Even a fool knew what kind of person Yale was. It turned out he had never once loved her. His years of pursuit were simply a means to get acquainted with the Heath family. Linus and Mason had tried to talk sense into her, but her head was teeming with ideas to take revenge on Ethan. Their advice was like water off a duck¡¯s back. Finally, she realized how foolish she was. Considering how Yale was willing to relinquish everything he had in the Kingston family for Molly, she held a special ce in his heart. She was above everything and anything. Krystal stroked her belly, feeling her hope smothered. Actually, she came back to beg Yale to let her off the hook. By using their baby, she hoped they could live a good life together. That hope was now reced by a bitter taste. Fortunately, she had found out about the couple''s rtionship. Otherwise, approaching Yale so rashly would result in a death wish. Still, she could never tolerate how Molly had snatched her ce and man away. Krystal vowed to get back at Molly for this! Olivia stopped in her tracks and looked back. Molly noticed something was off and asked, "What''s the matter, Olivia?" Olivia scanned behind them. There was no one suspicious around, so she returned a smile. "I must be seeing things." A second ago, her senses caught an unfriendly gaze on her. But it seemed like she was imagining things. A while after the group left the mall, Krystal sneaked out of the basement parking lot. Her temporary stay was Alban''s old hideout¡ªa basement under a bar. It was a ce the sunlight couldn''t reach. The men turned it into a filthy ce with all the smoking and drugs. By the time Krystal returned, Alban was hovering over a youngdy of her age on the couch. The squeaky voice annoyed Krystal. Although Krystal was rebellious, she had never mingled with these kinds of people. They simply made her feel sick in the stomach. She almost threw up there. Her sophisticated upbringing was etched in her, making her the pr opposite of these barbarians. Now that she had to depend on them, she forced herself to tolerate the situation. ¡°Are you done yet? I have something to talk to you about." She overlooked the two on the couch. Alban retreated hastily,pletely unbothered by the fact that his daughter was right next to him. "Krystal, you''re looking for me? Are you out of money?" He shoved the youngdy away, who sized Krystal up before primping her skirt and lighting up a cigarette. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Don''t act like my father." Disgusted, she would never acknowledge someone like him as her father. ¡°Fine, fine, fine.I''m not your father." Alban put himself lower than her, not because he cared about her but because the baby in her belly belonged to the Kingstons. ¡°I need your help." "Fire away.I''ll give you whatever you want." ¡°I want Molly dead." Krystal sneered. After giving it a thought, she added, "And Olivia, that bitch, too!" Olivia was the cause of everything. If she had not returned, things wouldn''t have escted this far. She resented Molly, but she resented Olivia more. ¡°Olivia, Molly, see you guys in hell!" Chapter 1444 Chapter 1444 Olivia had brought her kids back, and the Heaths had managed to find their biological daughter. The two happy asions gave Mason the reason to organize a party for them to reveal that Molly was his daughter, not Krystal. The prominent figures in the circle received an invitation. At that moment, Olivia received a call from Warren. It had been a long time since shest contacted him. She vanished in thin air after bringing significant meaning to his world, leaving him lovesick. Even his mother kept reminding him how nice Olivia was, telling him not to miss his chance. Warren clearly knew the bloody grudges between them. If Olivia found out that he was the person who had killed Mona, she would be enraged. He understood that very well, but the moment he fell for her, there was no stopping him. He stared at their chat history, his mind reying the moments they spent together. He knew that he had fallen hard for her. Olivia had been aloof to Warren these days. That was what he had wished for. Yet, now, he realized how much he missed her. Today, there was a mission for him. It was as though heaven had bestowed him a reason for him to contact her. He mentioned that he had something important to talk to her about. He wished to meet up at a quiet private restaurant. Warren let his eyes take in Olivia''s beauty. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Her elegance couldn''t bepared to that of the past. He couldn''t look into her eyes. It was as if she were a shining pearl. Actually, he did suspect her reason for approaching him. However, when she stopped contacting him for a long time, he began missing her. "It''s been a while.How have you been?¡¯ He initiated a talk. She shook her head. "Not that great.There was an ident not long ago." Olivia tested the water, intending to see through his motive behind this meetup. ¡°ident? What ident?" he asked, a tinge of concern fleeting across his face. She let out a bitter smile. "It''s in the past.I was lucky to survive.How''s your mother doing?" "The cream you gave her works.She has always cared about her looks.She''s happy that the scar has faded a lot.Every single day, she keeps asking when you''ll visit her." Olivia shook her head again. "I don''t think that''s a good idea.It''s inconvenient." Almost instantly, Warren grabbed her hand. ¡°Why not? Didn''t you say you like me?" He was getting anxious. The two years of flirting were well-spent. Staring at his eyes, which were only on her this whole time, Olivia knew that he had taken the bait. ¡°We don''t have a future together." ¡°Is it because of your ex-husband?" Warren was aware of how possessive Ethan was. Even after the divorce, Ethan didn''t n to let Olivia off the hook. She wore a difficult expression. ¡°You''d better stop asking questions.I don''t want to drag you into this." "Olivia,e with me," his voice urged. Baffled, she questioned back. "Go with you? Where to?" ¡°To a safe ce, somewhere far from that monster." Olivia didn''t avoid his gaze. "Am I in danger here?" "Juste with me.Even if it''s safe now, it''ll be dangerous in the future." "Why? I don''t get it." ¡°Olivia, I won''t hurt you.Just leave Aldenvine immediately or you might get killed." She narrowed her eyes. "Why? Do you know something?¡± Chapter 1445 Something was holding Warren back from blurting the truth. Instead of forcing him to speak up, Olivia withdrew her hand from his. "If it puts you in a tough spot, you don''t have to say anything. Let''s dig in. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I gotta go soon." ¡°Olivia, I..." As if he had made an important decision to speak up, he paused momentarily. ¡°Olivia, a friend of mine works for a mysterious organization. He received a message just recently." "A mysterious organization? What''s that?" She feigned ignorance. "Some sort of a national assassination organization. They''ll do everything for money. Killing, for example." "Assassins?" Olivia''s expression changed tremendously as though she was reminded of something horrible. "Don''t be afraid." Warren knew that the night she had the preterm delivery gued her like a demon. "I won''t let anyone hurt you." "What kind of message was it?" ¡°He was ordered to kill someone." "And that''s me, isn''t it?" Olivia managed a helpless smile. "I''m used to this. This is not the first. 1 encountered a lot of assassins during those years. I bet this won''t be thest. Thanks for reminding me as a friend. Sorry, but I think I have to go now." She stood, ready to leave. However, Warren abruptly grabbed her hand. "Don''t go!" "I''m abad omen, Varren. I bring bad luck to the people around me. My family, my friends, and even my pets died because of me. You''ll be one of my victims too." "Olivia, I chose to tell you the truth because I want to help you." He licked his lip, evidently anxious. "The person targeting you ain''t a nobody. Come with me, Olivia. If you stay, it''s only a matter of time before you..." As Olivia had expected, the big fish would take the bait as long as she had the patience. The time she spent on him was worth it. ¡°varren, frankly speaking, someone has been trying to kill me at all costs since years ago. Until today, I still don''t know who she is. I''ve been living in secrecy all these years to avoid her. But I don''t want to run away anymore. I didn''t do anything wrong. Why should I be avoiding and hiding?" She caressed her belly. Her eyes were red. ''Do you know that there was a group of men hot on my heels when I was still pregnant? It was pouring heavily, and I bled. My friend even died right before my eyes." Guilt grew in Warren. "Olivia, there are a lot of things that are beyond our control..." "Varren, if you truly see me as a friend, can you help me out?" "Howe" "Does your friend have any information about the employer? As long as I can find and kill the employer, I''ll be free!" Warren was stunned, not expecting that from her. His expression had given it all¡ªhe knew something. Olivia continued, "Sorry. If it puts you in a tough spot, let''s pretend I didn''t say that. Nevertheless, I''m happy that you reminded me of this. I''ll be careful. Let''s not meet up anymore. I don''t want to bring you bad luck." "Olivia, I..." Warren''s lips parted as he struggled internally. She withdrew her hand and shed him a smile. "Goodbye. Thanks for keeping mepany for thest two years. The throes of illness were awful, but you were there to cheer me on. You gave me light." He watched her leave, recalling the woman who was buried under Mona that night. Olivia''s face covered in Mona''s blood shed before his eyes as her scream rang in his ears. Right before Olivia vanished from his view, he chased after her and blocked her way. "Olivia, I''ll help you." Chapter 1446 Olivia acted as though she couldn''t bring herself to push Warren into the fray. "Forget it, I don''t want to drag you into the mess. That person is ruthless. If I wasn''t lucky, I would''ve been long dead. You''re a normal person. I don''t want to drag you down." "Olivia, do you think that a normal person would be able to befriend such a man?" Warren figured that he had to show his sincerity if he wished to be with her. ¡°Varren, what¡ª" ¡°Olivia, I''ll tell you who I am one day, but before that, I''ll help you catch that person." Her eyelids fluttered profusely. ¡°You know who wants me dead?" "I don''t, but I can look into it. I have my sources. Olivia, just give me some time. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g And you have to promise me to be careful. If he can protect you, you... should go to him for safety." "Varren, I don''t want you to go. I don''t have many friends to begin with. I don''t want to lose you." Olivia wore a worried face. ¡°Rx. I''m the safest person here." He caressed her face. "Just hold on. Wait for my good news." He then left in haste, failing to notice the concern on her expression giving way to indifference the moment he left. Taking out a warm napkin, Olivia slowly wiped the part he touched. Even after her skin was red from all the wiping, she didn''t stop. Just how disgusting it was to be touched by this kind of person? Olivia simply hoped he wouldn''t let her down. Her fingers rubbed the bracelet as she muttered, "Hold on, Mona. Soon, I''ll send him to hell to atone for his sins." Things wereing to an end. With Jack and Warren''s double investigation, Olivia believed that she''d get to the bottom of it. No matter how insignificant the clue was, she would follow it until she managed to hunt down the enemy''s headquarters. Instead of hiding, she deliberately gave the game away to make the enemy impatient. She wanted to lure them into making the move. That way, she''d be able to dig up more clues. The enemy was impatient to have her dead. As long as she was alive, they wouldn''t get a good night''s sleep. The sheer thought of it put Olivia in a good mood as she had her meal. The night dawned. She footed the bill, ready to leave. Then, she unexpectedly bumped into two familiar faces. Ap resounded clearly in the air when Gordon pped Yale. Gordon lowered his voice. "How is it that a bad omen like you exists in the family?" Based on the only encounter she had with him, she knew him as a gentle and collected man. Yet, he was showing his fangs right now, with his hands grabbing Yale by the cor. "Have you fucking lost your mind? You spent so much effort trying to be one of the Heaths. None of us knew that Molly¡ªthat brat¡ªwas Ms. Heath! "Why are you cutting ties with us right now? This is the chance to climb thedder. Do you think Mason will trust you?" Yale had his back facing Olivia, so she couldn''t see his expression. She could only hear his gruff voice. "Mr. Kingston, it seems like you don''t get it yet. I''m doing this not to butter up the Heaths. My wish has never changed since the beginning. "My wish is to have Molly. Back then, you used her to threaten me. That''s why I sacrificed for you guys for so many years. I think I''ve done my duty enough as your son." Another pnded on his other cheek. "If it weren''t for us, you and your mother would''ve starved to death on the streets! You think you could''vee this far without me? I''m telling you for thest time¡ªas long as you take those words back, I''ll put the past to an end and you''ll still be my good son. 2 ¡°Your grandfather isn''t as forgiving as I am." Chapter 1447 Yale knelt. "I won''t change my mind, Dad. Whatever that has to do with your family doesn''t concern me. And I''ll return everything that belongs to you." "Fool! You think your grandfather will let you live? You''re jumping sides while knowing so many of our family secrets!" Yale chuckled meaningfully. "I don''t intend to fight with the Kingston family. I just want to protect the woman I love forever. If you and Grandpa want me dead, I''ll have no choice but to expose some of your secrets. "Don''t forget that I managed the household for many years. I know where the family''s biggest vulnerability is." Gordon beat Yale up to let his steam off. When he was done, he spat at Yale. "You''re exactly the same as your mother, useless!" Olivia hurriedly hid behind a nt. The furious Gordon didn''t notice her. Once Gordon left, Yale fished out a cigarette and a lighter with quivering hands. As a result of his dislocated arm, the lighter dropped to the ground next to Olivia''s foot. She crouched down to pick it up. The lighter clucked, a me at its tip. Yale was a mess. His nose and the corner of his mouth were bleeding. His ck cks were covered with ck footprints. Olivia''s appearance didn''t surprise him. Biting a cigarette, he smiled helplessly. "You''re wee for the show." First time witnessing such a forlorn Yale, Olivia couldn''t find the right words to say. "You..." He sat against the wall, breathing out a cloud of smoke that blurred his face. "He''s my father, but I''m an illegitimate child. My mother was a bar girl." He took the initiative to tell his story. She was slightly taken aback by his origin because not even Ethan knew of it. The Kingstons did a good job burying the story in the dark. It was no wonder the youngest son of the Kingston family was spoiled while Yale had to shoulder such a heavy burden. "But I have nothing to do with the Kingstons from today onward. Ms. Fordham, believe it or not, I didn''t do all this to earn favors from the Heath family. I just don''t want to put Molly in a tough spot." The Kingston family wasn''t honest, and Mason had been aware of it a long time ago. He hadn''t made any moves, but his silence didn''t mean that he wouldn''t do anything in the future. The Kingston family understood that as well. That was why they wanted to use Yale''s identity as an in-w to bring the two families together. Once both families were bound for profit, honor, and loss, the Heath family wouldn''t be able toy a finger on them. That exined why Yale had to simp for Krystal for years even though he didn''t love her-it was for the Kingston family. Then, karma did its job. When he finally got together with the true Ms. Heath, it was the time he left the Kingston family. "Aren''t you afraid of your grandfather?" "No. He can''t hurt Molly anymore. The only person he can hurt is me." Yale wiped the streak of blood off his mouth. "I''ve never felt so free before. It''s so nice to not have to sacrifice my life for the Kingstons." "Molly is lucky to have someone like you to love her." Olivia looked at the skinny man. Molly and Yale turned from strangers into each other''s salvation, bringing light into each other''s lives. Crouching down, Olivia fixed his dislocated arm. "Take care." That was the only thing she could do. She clearly knew that Mason wouldn''t ept Yale Kingston, who had the Kingstons'' support. But without the support from the Kingstons, the Heaths had lesser reason to ept him. Who would entrust their precious daughter to someone without a family background, let alone a man whose life was always in danger? Even though Yale was staying in the Heath residence at the moment, it was merely to look after Molly so that she could focus on her recovery without worries. The day she recovered would be the day they separated ways. Olivia walked into the snow, where Ethan had been waiting for her for a long time. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Spreading his arms, he hugged her to shield her from the snowy breeze. "I''ve been waiting for you for so long." "Sorry. Let''s go home." The sorrow in Olivia melted away. Chapter 1448 Unlike the Kingston residence, the Heath residence was filled with a lively ambiance. By the time Olivia returned home, the maids were cleaning thewn. They greeted her warmly when they saw her, ¡°You''re back, Ms. Olivia.¡± Tatiana had restructured the household management after Lisa''s departure. The maids left were kind. It was such a rare asion for the Heath residence to be so full of life. Mason had told the maids to clean up every nook and cranny of the house, ready to wee the new year. Molly called Olivia. The look of dilemma on Molly''s face had Olivia asking," Aunt Molly, what''s wrong?" A few tailored gowns varied in colors and designs were hung on the wall. Olivia assumed that Molly was having a hard time choosing one of them." Having a hard time picking one? Actually, you''re lean, so this silver and white¡ª" "That''s not it." Molly held Olivia''s hand, frowning. "I don''t want to attend tomorrow''s party." "Why not? You should know that we''ll be announcing you as one of the family members tomorrow. Grandpa''s going to tell everyone that you''re his daughter. How can you not attend?" Olivia thought that Molly''s overthinking and introverted side were giving her a hard time. She cooed, "Don''t worry. I''ll be by your side." "If I attend the party, I''ll be Ms. Heath." "That''s right. Are you not happy about that? Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle Linus are happy to have found you." Molly''s eyes glistened. "They treat me well, and they wish to make up for whatever happened in the past, but... Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. If I be Ms. Heath, there''s no future for me and Yale. I''ve lived with the Kingston family long enough to know what kind of family they are. Dad will never agree to our marriage." She failed to control her tears as she continued, "Olivia, you might think that I''m being silly, but without him, I would''ve died in their hands. I wouldn''t have been able toe this far to meet my parents. Yale is the nicest person to me in this world. I want to be with him..." "Don''t cry, Aunt Molly. There has to be a way." "There''s nothing that we can do." Olivia''s lips parted, but she didn''t know how tofort Molly. Her hands patted Molly''s shoulder in an attempt to givefort. Those glittering gowns were tantamount to Molly''s bright future ahead of her. "If I choose this route, Yale and I will have to separate ways. Dad might even arrange another marriage for me." Olivia sighed. "Don''t be so pessimistic, Aunt Molly. Grandpa will never use your marriage for a bargain. Otherwise, he would''ve epted Wayne''s offer. He wants me to be happy. And you''re more important because you''re his daughter. "He won''t arrange a marriage for you so randomly. As for you and Yale''s rtionship, he knows everything. He must have something in mind." Wayne was a good example. Molly''s tears dried up. "Is there a future for Yale and me?" "Have faith. This world is full of miracles. Believe in Yale too. No matter what happens in this world, he''ll never let you go." Yale was beaten up to a pulp, but he didn''t fight back at all. He also cut ties with the Kingston family for the sake of their future together. Olivia wiped the tears off Molly''s eyes. "Yale will be happy to see you dressed in a gown, standing in your rightful ce." "I... Can I really do it?" "Of course, you can." Olivia didn''t know what the Kingstons had done to Molly that she had grown up to be so timid. However, with the Heath family behind her back, Molly didn''t have to act like that again. Olivia reached for the silver gown. "This will do. It suits you. I bet you''ll draw everyone''s attention tomorrow night." Chapter 1449 It took a while before Olivia managed tofort Molly. Olivia headed to the study, which was unusually lively. Mason stood in his sses while Connor sat in his ce, his hand holding a paintbrush. The mischievous Zack was holding a paintbrush like a painter as well. How was he able to hold his energy back to sit down and paint? Olivia came closer to take a closer look at the weird creature on the painting. The upper body was drawn into a turtle, which was connected to a bee. "Mom, how¡¯s my turbee? Pretty?" She burst into a chuckle. "It is pretty. You sure have a wild imagination." "You''re being too generous with yourpliments, Mom. I can draw a book of such drawings," Alicia roasted without lifting her head. Olivia''s eyes followed Alicia, who had painted a breathtaking scenery. It was on apletely whole new levelpared to Zack''s. Unwilling to admit his shorings, Zack retorted back at Alicia. Olivia was so used to their little disputes. Meanwhile, Willow was teasing a parrot with a leaf instead of joining the painting journey. Olivia stroked her head and carried her before walking to Mason''s side. Mason''s eyes were on Connor. When Connor made the final stroke, Mason praised, "Nice! Very nice!" Connor put the paintbrush down. His features, which bore a striking resemnce to Ethan''s, were calm as always. "Mom." He came up to Olivia. Despite being at a young age, he had learned to be expressionless as taught by Ethan. Still, the youthful glint was still there in his eyes. Olivia settled Willow down and brushed the dust off his shoulder. Her gaze was soft. "What a beautiful painting." "Thanks, Mom.¡± The casualpliment made his ears go red. "This kid has a bright future ahead of him." Mason could envision Connor''s infinite potential despite the short interaction. Linus had yet to get a girlfriend as of today. Even if he got married and built a family right now, Ethan was already ahead of him by ten years. Therefore, Mason had put his hopes on Connor. He nned to cultivate the boy into someone capable. Olivia merely smiled. "His future depends on him. Connor, take your siblings back to the room. I have something to discuss with your greatgrandfather." "Okay, Mom." Connor led the others out of the study. His every movement spoke volumes of a well-raised young sir from a rich family. Mason couldn''t help but praise, "He''s a great talent. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. It''s a pity that he takes the surname Miller." Olivia grinned in return. "Are you trying to steal him from the Millers?" Mason scratched the tip of his nose, feeling slightly guilty. "What do you mean by steal? He''s your son, so he''s one of US too. How fortunate of Ethan." "Uncle Linus can grant your wish after he meets the woman of his life, Grandpa." "And I''ll have to wait for that day toe? When pigs fly, I guess." He seated himself, frustrated. "We all know how good Ethan is at seeing the bigger picture. He got married early and he now has kids. Why don''t you talk to him? Let''s see if he''ll agree to change Connor''s surname." "You''re putting me in a tough spot, Grandpa. If Connor''s out of the question, there''s Zack, no?" "That little ball of mischief doesn''t seem fit for our line of industry. He''s hyperactive.¡± Mason took in the details of Connor''s painting and couldn''t helpmenting that Connor was one of the Millers. "Oh, right. What is it that you want to talk about?" Chapter 1450 Olivia didn''t beat about the bush. "Grandpa, what are you going to do with Aunt Molly and Yale?" Mason gave her a fleeting nce. "Did youe as the middleman?" "I''m a woman, and I''ve gone through a lot. Yale has indeed been involved in many awful deeds, but he did all those for Aunt Molly. Her body is weak to begin with. If they break up, I''m afraid..." Grabbing a paintbrush, Mason continued painting. "Do you know what I told the two men that night?" "I can''t read your mind." "I have two conditions for Yale. First, it''s to cut ties with the Kingston family." "He has fulfilled that." A meaningful smile appeared across his lips. "How naive. To cut ties for real is easier said than done, other than the blood running in their veins, it takes many other factors into ount. Even if he wants to leave them for good, they won''t grant his wish." "What''s the second condition, then?" If the first was that difficult, the second one should be definitely on another level. "Molly can marry him only if he gives her the Kingstons'' fortune." Olivia''s eyes widened. Businessmen were nowhere near the politicians when it came to ying dirty games. If Mason wasn''t her grandfather, she would''ve burst into a string of curses. "Are you criticizing me inwardly?" Olivia shed a smile. "Not at all." "It''s not weird to criticize me forthat. I might appear cruel to you guys, but Olivia, the political world is scarier than you imagine. As long as the Kingstons aren''t eliminated, I won''t be able to have a good night''s sleep. "And Yale is the best candidate to do the job. Only he can root them out. I have faith in him." "Did he give his word?" "I didn''t receive a response. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. I reckon there''s a scale in his mind. He knows what''s the most important thing to him." How cruel. One option was his family while the other option was his lover. Which one would Yale choose? "What about Ethan? What kind of conditions did you give him?" If Mason didn''t hold himself back against Yale, Ethan wouldn''t have it easier either. "I want Connor," blurted Mason. "He didn''t agree to it." Olivia could guess the answer without asking further. "Yup. And the other condition is to have him be one of the Heaths." "And he didn''t agree to that either." "Yes, that brat." Unlike Yale, Ethan rejected the conditions on the spot. Olivia wore a wan smile. "Because he knows that you''re not the biggest hurdle in our rtionship-it''s our past. I still can''tpletely forgive him until today. Even if he agrees to your conditions, he can''t do anything without my forgiveness. "Besides, he''s the only son in his family. How could he agree to that?" "To agree or not is a different matter from wanting to agree or not. Olivia, Ethan has options, unlike Yale. That''s why Ethan has the power to not agree to my conditions, still, we can see that you''re not the most important existence to him." Mason''s expression turned stern as he continued, "I know that he chose his family instead of you back then without hesitation. Will he abandon you again in the future? You''re doing the right thing by not forgiving him." That remark rained on Olivia''s parade. She shook her head. "When there''s no expectations, there''s no disappointment. That is why I don''t dare to remarry him. I''m afraid too." "Ethan has choices, and so do you. Wayne''s feelings for you are genuine. Tell me, are you interested in him? He hasn''t been married, let alone have a woman. His status is as good as Ethan''s. If you want it, I can arrange a marriage between the two of you." Chapter 1451 Olivia opposed Mason''s suggestion without a second thought. "Grandpa, if I was interested in him, I wouldn''t have run away from him. I don''t n on getting married again." "Fine." His eyes lost their glint to disappointment, but he didn''t force her." Alright, I won''t force you. I just hope you can be happy every day. Don''t forget about the party tomorrow. Do you like the gown?" "Yes, it''s pretty. I have a request about this, Grandpa. I don''t wish for the kids to join." "You have a point. We have to protect the kids." "Grandpa, I don''t know if that person would choose to make a move tomorrow or not. She hates me with her guts. She''ll never miss the chance to kill me." Mason put his paintbrush down. "Don''t you worry, child. Her appearance is exactly what I''m asking for. If she has the nerve toe, I''ll make sure she won''t be able to return in one piece. I''ve told Linus to tighten the security." She sighed. "It''s highly possible that she''s rted to my real family. Grandpa, do you not know where Grandma is?" Could it have something to do with something that happened during her grandmother''s or her father''s generation? Finding her grandmother might shed light on the truth. "She left without saying goodbye that year. I hired a lot of men to search for her, but a tsunami separated US again. If I had held her hands tighter, she wouldn''t have left me." Until today, the sheer thought of the scene hit home so hard. Mason''s features contorted in grief, just like when Rose watched Jake sink into the deep sea in Titanic. It was undeniable that humans were nothingpared to nature. All Mason could do was to watch the wild waves devour the woman he loved. He was washed to another city. He searched for Natalie in many cities, but it was in vain. At an age where letters were the only means ofmunication, it was difficult to find someone who had gone missing. "It was all my fault. I let your grandmother down." No one knew if Natalie survived or not, and Mason eventually lost hope. In the end, he met Tatiana and became a matrilocal son-inw. The two then built a family together. Tatiana was aware that there was someone else that Mason held dearly in his heart, but it didn''t bother her since she assumed that Natalie was dead. Yet, who would''ve known that Natalie was still alive and even gave birth to Mason''s son? Recently, Mason kept thinking back about the times he spent with Natalie. He wondered how she got out of the sea and where she went thereafter. "Grandpa, I don''t know what happened to you guys that year, but everything is written in the stars. It''s been so long. You should get over it." "Your grandmother hates me. I''m sure of it. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have stayed hidden for so many years. There was no news about her at all." Olivia patted Mason''s shoulders. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Grandpa, I believe that we''ll be able to find her someday." Even if Natalie had married and built a family, Mason wished to see her one more time. "Olivia, it''s gettingte. Rest up. I''ll protect you." The next day, the kids were in high spirits even when the sky wasn''t bright yet. Even the quiet Willow was following Alicia around in the yard, watching Connor do his daily training. Olivia watched them from the second floor. Alicia greeted with crescent eyes, "Morning, Mom!" Supporting her chin with her palm, Olivia returned a sweet smile. "Morning, babies." Chapter 1452 Unlike Olivia, Molly wasn''t in a good mood. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Molly ran to Olivia. "Olivia, Yale didn''t returnst night. I don''t feel good about this." Olivia knew exactly why Yale didn''t return home. He didn''t want to worry Molly with his appearance after getting beaten up by Gordon. "New Year''sing soon. It''s not just Yale; Ethan is busy too. Don''t worry, Aunt Molly. Look at Uncle Linus. He works overtime every day, doesn''t he?" "But¡ª" "No buts. What you have to do now is get a good rest and get some skincare glow-up. Someone wille over at noon for your hairdo. You''re the main character today. You should be all dolled up." Molly was older than Olivia by a few years, but she appeared like the younger one in front of Olivia. Olivia had tofort her like the elder one. "The guests are prominent figures. How could we let them see a haggard Ms. Heath? Before this, Krystal always looked at others with her nose up high, so you have to show them what you got. From today onward, you''ll be Ms. Heath. Don''t worry about anything. Yale will surely show up tonight." Only then was Molly willing to calm down. Olivia couldn''t intervene too much in Molly''s business as her te was full. Everyone in this world had their own business to deal with. Speaking of, it had been a while since Olivia attended a party. Her marriage with Ethan was unknown to the public, and they went through many breakups after that. Her prime was before the Fordham family announced bankruptcy. Mason gifted Molly some gowns and prepared a few pieces for Olivia as well. His daughter and granddaughter were equally important to him. Olivia chose a nude gown that reached her shins. Aside from her exposed arms, it was quite a conservative dress. Her fashion taste had be more conservative after she became a mother. Still, her fair skinplemented the dress well. Even though it was the simplest design in the batch, it outlined her curves very well. She put on light makeup and pinned her hair up. Next, she wore a pearl ne, which was a present from Tatiana as a token of gratitude. The pearls willed away her cold demeanor, and she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her appearance drew the eyes of all men. Being rich wasn''t enough for one to be invited to the party. The attending guests wielded a certain extent of power and authority. The men here had all sorts of opportunities to see beautifuldies, but they couldn''t help but be attracted to Olivia. While Molly was as gentle and delicate as a daisy, Olivia was a rose that could never hide her sophisticated beauty. When the twodies showed up, the people couldn''t shift their eyes away from Olivia. Everyone began gushing, not understanding the Heaths'' intention. It was a party meant for Mason''s daughter, yet there was no sign of Krystal anywhere. In fact, news of Krystal''s incident was buried, so no one knew what had transpired within the household this entire time. Molly pulled Olivia''s hand. "Olivia, they''re looking at us. I''m nervous." During her days with the Kingston family, Molly had never attended such parties because her adoption was simply a charity act for publicity. She couldn''t get used to the attention at the moment. Many of the guests were the people she had seen on TV. They were graceful and well-mannered. "Rx. You''ll be attending such parties often in the future." Olivia patted Molly''s hand. "The reporters aren''t here today. This is just an internal party meant to announce your identity. You don''t have to hide anymore. Walk with your head high. Grandpa will announce your identity soon." Chapter 1453 Compared to Molly''s awkwardness, Olivia appeared rather rxed. There were some familiar faces among the well-dressed guests. They were Jeff''s old friends. The moment they saw Olivia, they were a tad puzzled. Although it had been years since theyst met, they could recognize her at one nce. "Olivia?" One of them approached her. Olivia had a deep impression of Tyrell Monroe. He had set up the Fordham family before. Jeff had invited Tyrell to his home for project discussions many times before, and they called themselves close friends. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. When the Fordham family was announced bankrupt, Olivia needed money to pay Jeff''s hospital bills. The helpless Olivia reached out to Jeff''s acquaintances one by one to borrow money. Forget about borrowing money, all of them rejected Olivia because they didn''t have the nerve to offend the Miller family. Jeff''s closest friend was Tyrell, so Olivia went to Tyrell''s ce with confidence, only to be shunned. Left with no choice, she knelt by the door in the hope of meeting Tyrell in person. It was pouring heavily that day. Although she knelt until she fainted, she didn''t have the opportunity to meet him at all. Who knew the next time they would meet was at the Heaths'' party? That was 11 years ago. Tyrell had long stepped down from his position. He was here to introduce his son, who became the vice mayor at a young age. His son had a bright future ahead, and Tyrell was determined to pave the path for his son. Olivia''s appearance took him by surprise. After all, the Fordham family had fallen a long time ago. There was a hearsay about the return of Fordham Group, but the owner was someone else. Jeff had already passed away. Simrly, Olivia didn''t expect to run into Tyrell here. Olivia hadn''t contacted Tyrell for a long time. "Long time no see, Mr. Tyrell," she greeted indifferently, no longer the same person who knelt by his doorstep that year. That day, he told the butler to inform her that he was out on a business trip. In actuality, he was in the house watching her. "It is you! You''ve gotten prettier. I''m d to see you all well. I''m sorry about what happened that year. I was on a business trip, and my subordinates were ipetent. How could they tell me that Jeff was hospitalized and needed money only when I returned? Jeez." Olivia was fully aware that this kind of person had a way with words and escaping me. If Tyrell had genuinely wished to help the Fordham family, she wouldn''t have needed to go looking for him in person. How pretentious. Now, she was no longer the cautious rabbit that had to walk on thin ice around everybody. Olivia smiled faintly. "Is that so? You gained so much benefit from my father in the past. Even one percent of it would''ve been enough to cover his medical bills back then, but you didn''t even want to see me. What''s the use of sugarcoating the matter? I''m 28 this year, not 18." Never in Tyrell''s wildest dream had he imagined Olivia to be this blunt. People usually put on a facade during parties like this. However, there was one thing he overlooked¡ªOlivia didn''t have to be a goody-two-shoes anymore. He didn''t respond to that. His wife, Millie, joined the conversation instead. "How could you say that, Ms. Fordham? We were sad that your family was in trouble. Tyrell was really on a business trip back then. "It seems like money wasn''t the only thing your family lost. You''ve also lost basic manners. Look at the way you''re acting. Lending a hand is not an obligation but an act of will. Are you trying to guilt-trip us?" "Sorry, Olivia. My wife is usually outspoken." The couple took up the roles of the bad guy and the good guy. "Tyrell, what''s going on?" Someone came up to him. This person was obviously trying to get in Tyrell''s good books. "Nothing, I just ran into an old friend. Remember the Fordham family? The one that went bankrupt 11 years ago?" Despite his gentle demeanor, his words were rubbing salt on Olivia''s wound. Chapter 1454 Back then, the Fordham family was quite well-known in Aldenvine. Many pitied them when they suddenly announced bankruptcy. After that, Olivia disappeared as well. If no one brought the family up, everyone might''ve soon forgotten about the Fordhams. That family was the water cooler talk for a long while. It was a mystery how Jeff offended Ethan, leading to the Fordhams'' downfall. It was a heart-wrenching story. People wouldn''t bring this up on this asion since they had to maintain their pride. However, Olivia''s remarks had raised Tyrell''s hackles. As someone who had retired from a high position, he was held with high regard everywhere he went. Now that Olivia had embarrassed him, he wished he could do something to regain his pride again. Considering how Jeff was someone beneath his station in the past, he perceived Olivia as a mere small fry. He simply assumed that she was all puffed up because of his initiative to approach her. The higher one climbed thedder, the lower their tolerance was. If they enjoyed high social status, they would bear no room for disobedience. They only served the people who were more powerful than them. Humans were born this way. It was pitiful yet pathetic. The bystanders were simply nobodies who wanted to make themselves shine in front of those stronger than them. "The Fordham family? I remember them. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I heard they went bankrupt because they offended that man from the Miller family." "They deserved it. I wonder how that small-time businessman managed to provoke that man, though." "Speaking of, the Fordham family is bankrupt. How did you enter the party, Ms. Fordham? We haven''t heard news about you for years. Did you..." Someone was misleading the crowd to take things the distorted way. "Jeez! Who brought her in? Can''t he be more sensible enough to know what kind of party this is? How could he bring such a disgrace to the party?" The discussion didn''t stop. It was free from filthy words, but their mockery stung all the same. How disgusting. Some of these people had asked for sexual favors from Olivia back then, clueless that she was Ethan''s wife. In the end, she was degraded and didn''t receive a single penny. Worse still, the men''s wives misunderstood the situation and hit Olivia before driving her out of their houses. 11 yearster, these families were all at the top of the pyramid. That was why they were invited to today''s party. They stood on the same side while hiding their true colors, pointing fingers and throwing shade at Olivia. Still, Olivia had experienced enough to stay unbothered. The more they acted up right now, the harder they would fall when the announcement was madeter. Instead of exining herself, she merely stayed quiet and watched. Her silence made Tyrell feel awkward. It was as though her faint smile was the best reply she could give. He coughed wryly. "Enough. Stop it, everyone. She''s just a youngdy. Let''s not make things difficult for her." His son, Neal Monroe, failed to take the cue and acted up. The fact that his family was rising by leaps and bounds fanned his ego. Neal couldn''t bear to see Tyrell losing respect in public, so he chimed in, "Ms. Fordham, my father is your senior. Shouldn''t you apologize for the way you spoke to him? If you apologize, we can dly put an end to the matter." "Apologize? Why should I? Did I lie about anything?" Olivia questioned back. Chapter 1455 In fact, Olivia would''ve forgotten about the issue if Tyrell hadn''t brought it up. It was already in the past. She could understand his stance. He was simply protecting himself, so she had never thought of revenge. However, the Monroes had life so easy these years that they had forgotten what kind of ce this was. Tyrell was now picking fault with her simply because she ignored his facade. Since he wasn''t giving in, Olivia figured that there was no need for her to back down. "Uncle Tyrell, you were a member of the Bureau of Land and Resources when you first met my father. "Back then, you tried to earn favors from him because you wanted to climb higher. It was thanks to my father that you were able to be the head of the Municipal nning Bureau. "I don''t wish for you to remember my father''s goodwill. When my family went bankrupt and he was in the hospital in need of money for surgery, I visited your ce. You were at home, but you chose to avoid me. "I can understand that you were trying to get out of trouble''s way. Still, I can''t tolerate how you want to brush everything off with mere pretentious words when you couldn''t be bothered to do anything back then. "I was stating the facts and yet I''m forced to apologize? This is ridiculous," she exposed Tyrell, humiliating him more. There was an old acquaintance of hers in the crowd as well. It was Calista, the one who told Marina something and indirectly killed Jeff. Later, Ethan set Calista''s family up and they went bankrupt. Calvin helped the maiden in despair and married her. They became parents of two children, and life made Calista a better person. As Ch worked for Ethan, Calvin now held a certain influence in Aldenvine. That was how Calista was able to attend today''s party. She didn''t imagine she would meet Olivia again here. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Jeff''s death was something Calista couldn''t get over. If she had not told Marina that just to butter Marina up, Jeff wouldn''t have died due to shock. All these years, Calista had been hoping for an opportunity to apologize to Olivia. "Calvin, look. Isn''t that Olivia?" Calvin turned his head after he was done talking with another person. His gazended on Olivia, who was the center of the gossip at the moment. Years had shed the youthful naivety off her, turning her into a blossoming flower. Not even the light makeup could cover her striking beauty. Calvin couldn''t help but admire her beauty at first nce. "Looks like she''s in trouble." Others might not be well aware, but he knew what had happened between Ethan and Olivia. Therefore, Calvin reckoned that she was here because of Ethan. The news regarding Ethan and Marina was exposed, but he managed to bury the news quickly. When Olivia lost her memories, Ethan even wiped out the history records of several people involved. Thus, not many people knew who Olivia was. When the couple approached the crowd, Neal rebutted, "How insolent! My father was simply concerned about your well-being. What''s wrong with that? "How did a disgraceful person like you manage to enter the party? Your appearance here alone is a humiliation." This was happening before the partymenced. At that moment, Mason, Ethan, and Linus were in a meeting while Tatiana was admiring the snowy trees behind the building with her friends. Their absence gave the Monroes more reason to wield their authority however they fancied. They thought that Olivia''s sugar daddy wasn''t showing up due to his cowardice. "Who says she''s a disgrace? Do you know who she is?" Olivia looked in the direction from where the voice resounded, only to be surprised. It was Calista! Chapter 1456 Calista had never liked Olivia during their school days. Calista would makeparisons in everything they did. After discovering that Calvin liked Olivia, Calista took it further by putting herself at odds with Olivia. Calista joined Marina''s side because she wanted to win Marina''s favor. Back then, Olivia was aware that Calista and Marina had put their feet in their mouths. Still, even if it wasn''t for Calista, someone else would''ve done it. Things would''ve ended up the same as long as Jeff learned about Chloe''s death. The news of Calista''s family''s bankruptcy didn''t make Olivia feel any better. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. But Olivia didn''t make it worse for Calista either. Oliviater learned of Calvin''s marriage, but she didn''t show up for safety reasons. Calista and Calvin strode over with interlocked arms. She didn''t wear the haughty expression she always did in the past. She looked more mature now. Neal''s eyes showed contempt. "Other than the daughter of the fallen Fordham family, who else could she be, I sure wonder?" He didn''t know much of the world yet. People like Tyrell would always hide his displeasure, but not his son. Neal wore his heart on his sleeves. It was understandable because the scions like him hadn''t suffered as much. They owned practically everything since day one. The sense of superiority was in their blood. Tyrell coughed, hinting at Neal to stay low-profile. Politicians and businessmen were different. Standing out too much might not be a good thing for them. "Enough, Neal. She''s ady. Don''t make things difficult for her." "You''re too forgiving, Dad. That''s why sometimes people are getting ahead of themselves." The number of people watching them was increasing. Almost all of them looked at Olivia, their gazes unfriendly. "Mrs. Atkins, why don''t you tell us who she is?" "Mr. Neal, do you not know that she''s Mr. Miller''s ex-wife?" Some of the bystanders recalled the fact. "Oh, right. I remember Mr. Miller attended an award ceremony with Ms. Fordham that year. They were holding hands too. I almost forgot about it. It''s been so many years." Neal panicked at the reminder. His sharp eyes scanned the area, but there was no sight of Ethan. Everyone was well aware of two facts. First, the Miller family was a family whose history went back a hundred years. Second, Ethan was an unpredictable man. No one would ever want to provoke that man. Neal grew more and more jittery as he zipped his lips. Meanwhile, Millie had her assumptions. Since they couldn''t see Ethan, she simply guessed that Olivia wasn''t here with Ethan. "Mrs. Atkins, as you said, she''s his ex-wife. If Mr. Miller truly cared about her, he wouldn''t have married another person. I remember that he was involved with Ms. Carlton for a while. "People said that he spent millions on a vi and named a famous hospital after Ms. Carlton just to make her happy. I think your husband knows this very well." Calista wasn''t going to back down. She wanted to say something, but Calvin patted the back of her hand. Calvin had received some updates on Ethan from Chris. Ethan''s feelings for Olivia had never changed. The person who should be teaching the Monroes a lesson was Ethan. Calvin need not upset others himself. After all, it wasn''t easy for his family toe this far. He didn''t want his efforts to go down the drain by making enemies. He nced at Calista before saying, "That''s true, but what you said happened a long time ago. We''re outsiders, so what do we know about the couple? We don''t have the right to judge them." It seemed like he was trying to be neutral, but in fact, he was reminding everyone that Ethan and Olivia were still husband and wife. Then, Calvin greeted Olivia, "Long time no see, Olivia." Chapter 1457 "It''s been a while." Olivia remembered the time Calvin helped her, hence the approachable attitude. Now that Olivia was soid-back talking to others while ignoring the Monroes, Millie spouted meanly, "You do know a lot of men, Ms. Fordham. I wonder who you came with today." Olivia faintly smiled in response. "Why must Ie with a man? Can''t Ie on my own? Are you perhaps self-projecting? You rely on man to climb higher and so you expect others to be the same." Millie noticed that Olivia came empty- handed. There wasn''t a bag, let alone an invitation. "Are you here to catfish others? Ms. Fordham, do you know what kind of party this is?" Thedies began whispering to each other. Although the men kept quiet, their eyes on Olivia weren''t friendly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Who said that she doesn''t have an invitation? She came with US. We were ssmates." Calista stood up for Olivia. Olivia was slightly surprised to see Calista defending her. Still, it was a feeble statement to sell to the bystanders because Calvin was able to attend the party thanks to Chris'' rtionship with Ethan. Ignoring others'' reactions, Olivia replied to Millie indifferently, "I got it." The way Olivia didn''t take Millie seriously angered Millie more. "If you get it, why are you still here? You-" Before she could finish, two steely voices chimed in at the same time. "Where is she supposed to be if not here?" "Why can''t she be here?" The iing people were Ethan and Linus. They made a grand appearance after their meeting. The crowd made way for them. As soon as Tyrell saw the men, he put Olivia at the back of his head and gave Neal a look. Tyrell approached the men. When he was about to say something, they walked past him in a hurry to reach Olivia. Ethan hugged her with a frown on his face. "Did someone bully you?" Was this an act between an ex-husband and his ex-wife? Ethan''s eyes only held affection and nothing else. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that they were a loving married couple. Millie had used Olivia of being a sugar baby just a moment ago, but it now appeared to others that Olivia hadn''t divorced Ethan. Millie finally understood the meaning behind Calvin''s words, but it was toote. It wasn''t only Ethan as even Linus was concerned about Olivia. "Liv, what happened?" The people could understand Ethan''s reaction but not Linus''. When they thought back about the purpose of the party, they had an inkling of the situation. This party was held to wee a new member to the Heath family. People were specting about an adoption. Could Olivia be the one adopted? The Monroes'' expressions were equally dreadful as they prayed for Olivia to have nothing to do with the Heath family. Right then, Molly and Tatiana showed up with interlocked arms. Instead of walking in front of them, Mason stood next to Molly like a fatherly figure. Noticing the crowd, he asked, "What''s this?" Everyone''s eyes were on Molly. Something was off. It was general knowledge that Tatiana was a fool for her daughter. Why wasn''t Krystal around? Why was a stranger holding Tatiana''s arm? Even though Mason showed up with a smile, solemnity sat in the air as everyone managed their expressions. They straightened their backs, unconsciously behaving with their utmost decorum. "Mr. Heath." Chapter 1458 Mason waved his hand nonchntly. "Rx, everyone. His gazended on Olivia, and he realized that she was the center of the limelight. "Did something happen?" Tyrell interrupted, saying, "It''s nothing big. It''s not worth bringing it up. Mr. Heath, don''t you have good news to share with US?" Ethan''s brows were slightly furrowed. When he came, he clearly saw some people pointing fingers at Olivia. However, he didn''t say anything since Mason, someone elderly, was around. Ethan was mature enough to know how to behave. Mason first observed the crowd. Considering how everyone had taken an interest in Molly, he took the liberty to answer Tyrell. He beckoned her over, "Molly,e here." It was quite nerve-wracking for her. She noticed the Kingstons in the bunch. Their eyes no longer held disgust. As for the rest, the majority were strangers to her. Under those watching eyes, she clutched her dress nervously. Mason took the initiative to hold her hand. "New Year''s ising. Other than an early New Year''s celebration, I''d like to announce a piece of good news to all my guests in attendance too. This is the daughter I''ve recently found, Molly." In that instant, everyone was full of questions. Was Molly Mason''s illegitimate child? Why wasn''t Krystal here? "Due to an ident, my biological daughter went missing, and we only found her just recently," Tatiana exined as though she could read everyone''s mind. Among the crowd, someone was watching them menacingly. Krystal managed to sneak into the party and mingle in the crowd without the bodyguards'' knowledge. Her eyes of greed witnessed how Molly stole the limelight. It was hard for Krystal to watch it happen because all the attention should''ve been hers! Only then did everyone understand the story. It was no wonder Krystal didn''t show up. Some of them paid their reverence while others showeredpliments. Now that no one was questioning what happened a while ago, the Monroes were relieved. Since Molly was Mason''s lost and found daughter, the matter had nothing to do with Olivia, then. Speaking of, Olivia was simply an orphan now. So what if she was Ethan''s ex-wife? Ethan was the one who made the Fordhams go bankrupt. If he truly loved her, she wouldn''t have stayed as an ex-wife. After receiving blessings from others, Mason put the focus on Olivia again. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "I think something happened before I showed up. What happened?" Although Tyrell was clueless as to why Mason was so stubborn about that incident, he tried to gloss it over. "I was catching up with an old friend." The less trouble he had, the better. "Why were so many people surrounding you, then? I''m curious." Mason wished to get to the bottom of it. Unlike theposed Tyrell, Millie pointed it out, ¡¯ Mr. Heath, you might find it ridiculous, but thisdy''s family announced bankruptcy back then and she''s now taking it out on my husband. "I don''t think she has to show her fangs at US. We didn''t make her go bankrupt. We didn''t want to cause a scene, but she was tenacious about it." Calista was furious. "You''re the one who caused a scene! You-" Calvin quickly pulled her back as it wasn''t a ce for her to speak up. Be it the Monroes or the Heaths, they weren''t people they should be messing with. Mason yed with the ring on his finger, his expression indecipherable." Don''t stop your wife, youngd. Let her speak. I''d like to know what happened." Chapter 1459 Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted from Olivia to Calista in a heartbeat. She gulped. Mason said gently, "It''s alright. Just tell US what you saw." Despite his high status, he was as gentle as an elderly man next door. She looked at Calvin, who was at his wit''s end. Chris gave Calvin the opportunity to attend today''s party, but it seemed like this could serve as hisst party too. epting his fate inwardly, Chris prompted, "Go ahead. Tell them the truth. If Calista recounted the entirety of the situation. Millie wasn''t happy about that. "Mr. Heath, thisdy was ssmates with Ms. Fordham. Her story could be biased." "Biased? Didn''t you insinuate that Olivia earned the right toe because of her sugar daddy? Everything you said hinted that this isn''t a ce for her. You''re relying on your influence to bully her." "Enough." Calvin quickly stopped Calista, his words carrying an undertone. "I''m sorry for disturbing your peace with this trivial matter, Mr. Heath. If I had known catching up with an old friend would cause such a scene, I wouldn''t have done it. It''s my fault, Ms. Fordham," responded Tyrell like a gentleman. He apologized to her, but the deliberate act was actually putting Olivia in her ce. However, there was an important message he overlooked. Mason didn''t chide Olivia for that. His expression even seemed disapproving. "A trivial matter? Are you saying that it''s a trivial matter when my family is bullied?" Tyrell''s smile stiffened. "Your family?" "Olivia,e here." Mason stretched out his arm at her. Completelyid-back, Olivia walked to his side and called gently, "Grandpa." The bombshell was dropped. It blew everyone''s mind. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. That was the cruelest reality check one could give to the people who had mocked Olivia. Calista felt so light all of a sudden. A real-life telenov was ying right in front of her eyes! Tyrell failed to manage his expression, and his face went pale. Ethan coldly said, "Sugar daddy? Liv is the woman I love with all my heart. I''m willing to remarry her as long as she gives me the green light." The revtion stunned everyone. There was a story behind the divorce-it wasn''t he who dumped her; she was the one who dumped him! Tyrell immediately knew that this was a game over. Now that he had offended both the Heaths and the Millers, forget about bringing Neal to further heights, his family was doomed. Tyrell intended to curry favor with Olivia, and she saw through his thoughts right away. "Uncle Tyrell, Aunt Millie, as I said, I came here on my own. If you hadn''t brought up the past, I would''ve gotten over it. I never med you for letting me kneel in the rain the whole night." Tyrell''s eyes widened. She kept silent before this because she had been waiting for this moment toe, to administer the coup de grace in front of everyone! Mason''s eyes narrowed. "What? You knelt in the rain?" She smiled faintly. "It''s all in the past, Grandpa. Today''s a happy day. Let''s not bring up upsetting stories anymore. Let me help you to the other side." The brief mention of the story was enough to pin the Monroes down in humiliation. The Monroe family was done for. Their faces were devoid of color, and Olivia didn''t even look back. She was no longer the naive youngdy anymore. Did they want to y mind games with her? She could be the good yer they asked for. The Fordham family was the cause of their prosperity, so the Fordhams might as well be the same reason for the Monroes'' downfall. That was how the world worked. Only the strongest survived. Chapter 1460 The Monroe family, which was once a renowned family, ruined their bright future due to their foolishness. Those who had put Olivia in a tough spot were on tenterhooks as well, fearing her revenge. The people''s envious eyes morphed into pitying gazes. So what if one could climb high up thedder in Aldenvine? Things changed and tables turned so fast here. Only one could perch at the top of the pyramid. Mason simply needed one reason to make the Monroes lose everything. Calista looked at Olivia''s back in disbelief. "Why is she suddenly one of the Heaths?" "This must be a family secret. We won''t be able to know. She reminds me of her past self in college-no- she''s shining brighter than she did back then." Calista pinched Calvin''s arm. "You still have feelings for her?" "No way. It''s been years. Besides, the feelings I had were simply an attraction to beautiful things. I''m happy to see how things turned out for her." Olivia had suffered a lot in life. She deserved to own everything she had today more than anyone. Now that Calista had epted reality, she finally realized how outstanding of a person Olivia was. She wasn''t in the position to be jealous of Olivia back then. Calista had epted reality, but not Krystal. Krystal learned about today''s party from her close friends. They didn''t know what had happened within the Heath family, so they talked to her about it. After debating with herself whether to show up or not, Krystal chose to attend the party. She had lived with the Heath family for many years. She wouldn''t believe that her parents, who had treated her so well, would ignore her. Even pets would build a bond with their owners over time. Right now, she was hiding in the crowd to look at those familiar faces. They introduced Molly and Olivia to the guests, but the mention of Krystal was brief. That fleeting mention of her simply ended their 20-year rtionship. Why did she deserve this kind of ending? She couldn''t understand. Krystal stared at the dazzling duo. Yale wasn''t standing next to Molly, but his eyes were smitten with love. She thought, "Don''t me me for doing this." Everyone was congratting Mason for getting such a wonderful granddaughter and reuniting with his daughter. Right then, a familiar yet menacing voice resounded. "What about me? She''s your daughter, but what about me? What about the time we spent together?" Even Olivia was slightly taken aback. After Krystal and Lisa ran away, the Heaths, and even Yale, searched for them. But their whole family had run away with the cat they reared. Lisa had been making preparations to be on the run at any moment, so no traces were left. Who would''ve known that Krystal would show up at the party herself! Mason''s eyes narrowed into a thin line. Krystal was stupid, but he didn''t expect her stupidity to lead her to her own grave. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Forget about the Heaths, Yale wouldn''t let her get away with it this easily! Molly was shocked to see Krystal here. She parted her lips. Given how much Yale loved Molly, he would never let Krystal off the hook so easily! Krystal''s appearance took this party full swing. Everyone knew how much the Heaths loved Krystal in the past. What was she doing here? Didn''t she feel embarrassed? "How did you get here?" Mason''s voice was steely, and he didn''t mask his disgust. Chapter 1461 The moment Krystal met Mason''s cold eyes, she knew that his paternal love for her was gone. She should''ve seen thising, but her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. After all, she was showered with love for so many years. "Dad." "Please mind your words. I''m no longer your father." Mason was being patient with her. He already did her a favor by not skinning her alive after what she had done to Molly. When Tatiana wanted to say something, Krystal knelt before Sherman. No one saw thating, but Olivia knew what Krystal was plotting right away. The foolish Krystal was finally using her brain for once. Initially, Olivia guessed Krystal''s family could be hiding deep in the mountains or had escaped Aldenvine secretly. However, thetter would''ve been difficult because the first thing the Heaths did was seal all routes. Even if Krystal''s family managed to escape out of luck, they wouldn''t be able to return to Aldenvine. How could they bring themselves to move away from their country where they had lived for generations? Hence, it was highly possible that they were hiding in the mountains. Olivia knew Krystal''s character very well. Could Krystal endure such a poor lifestyle after enjoying luxury for many years? No. Someone could track her down easily as soon as she made expenses in the city. Yale had been gearing up for this. Who knew that Krystal would take advantage of her baby for her sake? That was the Kingtons'' descendant. She chose to show up at the party because she had foreseen that Mason would never reveal such embarrassing news to the public. It was a gamble. Krystal was gambling that the Kingstons would protect her. "Grandpa, even though I''m no longer one of the Heaths, I''m still your granddaughter - inw. And I''m pregnant with Yale''s baby! Please take me with you. I have nowhere to go." Krystal had learned the essence of Tatiana''s teaching ¡ªwomen shouldn''t be too pushy; acting weak was their best weapon. Thinking about the sickly Molly, Krystal thought of using a simr tactic. She had a bargain that Sherman could never refuse¡ªthe baby. Things had been awkward between the Heath family and the Kingston family. At first, the Kingstons intended to marry Yale to the Heath family, who opposed the idea. Following that was the story of the babies getting switched at birth. That should''ve made it more convenient to make a marriage happen since the Kingstons had raised Molly, but unfortunately, they didn''t treat her nicely. Now that Yale had left his family, it was more difficult for the marriage to happen. As the illegitimate child, Yale was more of a chess piece. On the other hand, his spoiled younger brother grew up to have a delinquent character. He was involved in almost everything illicit. Not to mention the time he got too close to his aunt. Although he barely survived the beating, he couldn''t get it up again. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Thus, the Kingstons ced all their hope on Yale. The question of whether he could get together with Molly was not the main issue. The main issue was that she might not be able to get pregnant due to her weak body! To their dismay, Yale was head over heels for her. That was why Krystal''s baby was important to the Kingstons. While Krystal was away, Adalia and even Sherman often paid a visit to make sure Krystal would give birth to the child. Krystal knew what was going on within the Kingston household, hence her daring bet. As she had expected, Sherman''s expression changed slightly. He had never liked Krystal in the past, but her family background made up for it. Now that she was a nobody, his disgust toward her went through the roof. If it weren''t for the baby, he wouldn''t have spared her a nce at all. No matter how reluctant he was, he said, "You''re pregnant. Get up before you speak." Chapter 1462 Yale gritted his teeth the second Krystal showed up. He was exasperated. The way she treated Molly was still vivid in his head. Mason and Tatiana exchanged nces. They didn''t want people to learn of such an embarrassing history for the sake of their reputation. In case it became a topic for water cooler conversation, they kept quiet. Olivia snorted lightly. "She''s finally clever for once." Ethan stroked her head, saying, "It''s just a matter of time before this happens. It won''t make much of a difference." "You''re right." Olivia stood still and merely watched. She had no pity for Krystal after what Krystal had done. Not even Krystal''s death could atone for her sins. Since Krystal had yed her card, it all depended on how Sherman reacted. A tear-stricken Krystal moved to him while kneeling. "Grandpa, if you don''t want me either, I''ll have nowhere else to go. Please take pity on me. Take pity on your grandson. He''s three months old." Her plea was no different from putting Sherman on the chopping board. He didn''t want to offend Mason! But what other choice did Sherman have? Krystal was pregnant with his grandchild! Krystal yed her part shamelessly. She knew that someone as prideful as Sherman wouldn''t be able to do anything to her in the watchful eyes of the public. The Kingstons were in a tough spot. A million thoughts shed through Sherman''s mind before he made up his mind. "Mr. Heath, my family values the weight of a promise very much. Even though the marriage was called off, I shall bring her home to look after her." Watchful eyes alternated between the two families. The guests knew that something was going on without their knowledge. The glints in their eyes betrayed curiosity. There was no way Mason would expose Krystal''s true colors in front of everyone. To the rest, Krytal was stripped of her title as Ms. Heath out of will. Furthermore, she was a pregnantdy! If word got out of here, people might use the Heaths of mistreating a pregnantdy as they didn''t know what she had actually done. "Since you''ve given the word, I have no opinion. Besides, she''s no longer one of us. This is none of our business," he dered in a gentle tone. He publicly announced that the Heath family would cut ties with Krystal. She no longer had anything to do with the Heaths. Forget about the family bond that they once had, no one would take pity on her for old time''s sake. It pained Krystal so much to hear that. Deep down in her, there was actually a faint hope for Mason to at least show mercy due to the years they had spent together. Everyone heard him loud and clear. It seemed like things were bad between the family and Krystal. Otherwise, Mason wouldn''t have said such words in front of all of them. Sherman discerned the warning in that announcement. Even if he took Krystal under his wing, the Heaths wouldn''t acknowledge the baby in her belly. In other words, the baby had nothing to do with the Heaths. "That''s for sure," responded Sherman solemnly. "Follow me back to the Kingstons'' residenceter. We''ll make sure to treat you right." Krystal''s eyes lit up. She won the gamble! At least, she managed to stay with the Kingstons. How ironic. In the past, the Kingston family was the one currying favor with her; now, their roles had switched. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Yale, who was standing among the crowd, stared at Krystal wordlessly. His gaze alone was enough to tell everything. He resented Krystal to the bones. He thought, "You''ve dug your own grave, Krystal. Do you think running to the Kingston family will help?" He had tried to hunt her down for the longest time but to no avail, yet she walked into the lion''s den herself! What awaited Krystal wasn''t heaven but hell. An indifferent Olivia thought, "Krystal, oh, Krystal. You''re on your own now." Chapter 1463 There was no free lunch in this world. Krystal thought that the Kingstons would take care of both her and the baby, but it seemed like they would only take in the baby and drive her away. Yale simply hoped for Krystal and the baby to vanish in thin air. 1 Krystal had already found a way out. Olivia thought it was much better for her to give birth in the mountains than live in a lion''s den. Although Olivia was also the precious daughter Jeff adored, she had it rough when they were broke. Unlike Krystal, Olivia could adapt to it. Krystal was bound to meet her demise due to her greed. That was why she was never as smart as Lisa. Still, Lisa had a taste of karma when Krystal stabbed her without hesitation even though she had paved a bright future for Krystal. Olivia swirled her wine ss, her eyes void of emotions. "Long time no see, Olivia. I''m d to see you today." Calvin and Calista came upto her. Calista bit her lip in guilt when she met Olivia''s eyes. She stuttered, "Olivia, I''m sorry about what happened that year. I didn''t expect Uncle Jeff to show up at that moment. If I had known, I wouldn''t have-" "I know." Calista simply didn''t like Olivia back then. Calista didn''t bear any ill will to the extent of killing someone. Besides, even if not for Calista, Jeff would''ve found out the truth sooner orter. "It''s all in the past. I know you''ve received your punishment as well." Calista didn''t dare to look at Ethan. Even though she was alive, her family had fallen. Hanging her head low, she said in a low voice, "I deserved it. I''ve always wanted to apologize to you in person, and I finally did it tonight." Not wanting to bring up such a saddening story, Olivia offered a smile." Enough now. I heard you''ve gotten married to Calvin. Congrattions." "Since you''re back, we can hang out someday." Calvin was being gentle as always as though they were still in their college days. At least that was how it felt to Olivia. "It''s been a while since we heard of Everly. How is she?" Olivia remembered the time she met Everly a year ago. "Good. She has the money and time. She''s living her dream life." She had a kid too. 1 "We miss her. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It''s been a long time since west met her. About her rumors, some of our former ssmates-¡± "As you said, they''re rumors. She''s doing well." Olivia smiled. "HI be hosting a gathering soon, but I don''t have her contact number. Could you inform her about it?" "I don''t think so. I haven''t met her for a long time," Olivia put it implicitly. After all, the Synder family was different from the Miller family. The Synders would never allow Everly to be one of them. Once her kid was discovered, it would put her in danger. Olivia didn''t want to reveal Everly''s whereabouts either. The three separated ways after sharing a few words. The people who had once dragged Olivia down now came up to her to curry favor with her. That was a 180 change in their attitudespared to the past. "Ms. Fordham-oh, I mean Ms. Heath... I''m sorry about what happened that year. I hope you won''t take it to heart." "I wanted to help, but you know how it was back then." "My son was too full of himself. Please don''t bear him ill will, Ms. Heath." There were all kinds of ways to sugarcoat their past deeds. Now, no one would mistreat Olivia, who had be Ms. Heath. Chapter 1464 Olivia didn''t want to hear a single word of their ttery, and impatience was evident on her face. Noticing her mood, Ethan sat next to her to shield her from the unnecessary conversation. That was how humans worked. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. When one rose high, people would flock around one; when one became bankrupt, one would lose the friends one thought were close. Olivia thought that there was no need to form unnecessary rtionships. True power came from within oneself. She watched Krystal, who was just nearby. She was eating, all puffed up just like how she was in the past. Olivia smiled faintly. "You know, being shameless isn''t a bad thing sometimes. What matters is that you achieve your goals." Inparison, Molly behaved timidly due to the environment she grew up in. She suffered a lot with the Kingston family. Ethan took a slice of cake for Olivia. "The Kingston family isn''t all rainbows and unicorns as Krystal is imagining it to be. It''s a lion''s den. She''ll spend her days crying soon." After noticing Olivia''s gaze, Krystal had the nerve toe up to her. Feeling proud of herself, Krystal smiled triumphantly. "Look, I''m back because of the baby in my belly. What can you do to me? Yale is powerful, but is he as powerful as his grandfather? I''m born to be a princess." She then cast a nce at Molly. "I''m not like that bitch. She doesn''t look like a princess even if she dresses like one.'' Molly was prettier, but she was more of the girl-next-door type. Not even the expensive gown on her could mask her nervousness. Olivia was different. Jeff raised her to have the image of a richdy. This was a high-end party, yet she was here with peace of mind. She took a sip of milk and a bite of cake, the sweetness hitting the roof of her mouth. A smile adorned Olivia''s lips. "One''s image has something to do with the environment they grow up in. Changes can be made through practice. But when ites to looks, family background, and potential, they''re all set in stone. It''s useless no matter how much you dislike it. "If I were you, I would''ve found a good ce to stay until I went intobor instead of wandering around with my baby as my defense." That was an implicit way of calling Krystal ugly. Olivia had the looks to do so. Forget about Krystal, even celebrities paled inparison to Olivia. Krystal red at her. "People live to survive. Even if I''m ipetent, I should pave a route for my child. Don''t get ahead of yourself too soon, Olivia." "Am I?" Olivia tilted her head at Ethan. "I was stating the facts, though, wasn''t I?'' The way she tilted her head was adorable to him, so he caressed her head. "Reality is something hard to ept, so people tend to get angry." 1 Olivia chuckled. "Right. Thedy who was supposed to be a princess turned out to be a maid''s daughter. She was born ordinary. Now that the packaging is gone, how could she stomach it? If I were her, I would''ve found a ce to hide myself, not embarrass myself in public." The couple didn''t say much, but it hurt Krystal all the same. Fury had Krystal''s features contorted. Olivia continued, "Anger is bad for your health. Don''t let it take a toll on your baby. This is your only bargaining chip. If you lose the baby, what are you supposed to do? Will the Kingston family send you to prison?" Chapter 1465 Olivia wasn''t the type to kick someone when they were down, but Krystal was practically asking for it. In the end, Krystal left with her tail between her legs. Molly still had an inherent fear of Krystal when she saw her. Other than that, she also felt strong hatred. Krystal had caused her to lose her baby, the baby that she had never stopped dreaming about. Tatiana patted her hand. "Dont be afraid, Molly. You''re the heiress of the Heath family now. She can never hurt you again." Molly said softly, "Mom, Krsytal did so many bad things. Is there no way to punish her?" "This matter concerns the Kingston family. We can''t do anything too tantly. But..." A hint of cruelty shed in Tatiana''s eyes. "Since she has shown herself, she won''t be able to escape." The banquet ended, and Yale was called over to the car. Sherman held his walking stick with both his hands. The atmosphere in the car was extremely intense. "What are your thoughts on Krystal?" Yale replied without hesitation, "I want her dead." "I don''t mind. But the time isn''t right yet. I want her to give birth to the Kingston baby she¡¯s bearing. Then, I''ll hand her over to the Heaths. I don¡¯t care what they do to her, but in these few months..." "I won''t ept that. She killed Molly''s baby. I won''t allow her baby to live either!" Sherman gave Yale a resounding p. "I think you''ve really been charmed by that witch. I have noments about Krystal, but that baby in her womb is yours too. "You know your brother is impotent, and we don''t have a lot of children in our family. I need this baby to live. I''ll talk to Mr. Heath about it." Yale took the p without flinching. He still had a determined look in his eyes. "Grandpa, I wouldn''t have approached Krystal at all if you hadn''t threatened me with Molly''s life. I feel disgusted knowing that the baby in her is also mine. Rather than having the baby suffer a painful life, it''d be better to let it pass on before it''s born." It wasn''t that Yale was a cold-blooded man. He just knew that he wouldn''t have any love for the baby. 1 Krystal''s demise was set in stone. He would rather not have the baby rather than allow it to suffer for the rest of its life after it was born. Yale was an illegitimate child. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He lived in the slums with his mother when he was young. She was a bar girl then. He had always been shunned and never got to experience love from his parents. Then, he was taken from his mother by the Kingston family. His stepmother imed that she would take good care of him, but she actually tormented him in secret. He was just a tool for the Kingston family, a stepping stone for his younger brother. His likes and interests didn''t matter. His father and grandfather didn''t care about anything he did. Then, he met Molly. She was the first person who cared about him. She made him feel human again. She was the light that gave him a reason to live. In the past few years, Molly''s life was rough, but so was Yale''s. She was no longer a weakness of his, so he wouldn''t be pushed around by the Kingston family anymore. He didn''t want another baby to be born into a tragic life. 1 If there wasn''t any love, the baby shouldn''t be born. "I don''t even want to talk about all the things you''ve done in the past. I''ll tell you this much. I want this baby to be born no matter what. "Don''t even try anything. Or else, don¡¯t me me for being heartless when you don''t get a dime of the inheritance after I''m gone." Yale thought it wasughable. He had known about the Kingstons'' n for quite some time. Gordon had always seen him as the offspring of a bar girl and was ashamed of his existence. Gordon had already talked things through with Adalia. They nned to leave all their inheritance to Dale. "I don''t need you to tell me that. I¡¯ve never even dreamed of taking anything from the Kingston family. Grandpa, I don''t really want to be enemies with the Kingston family. "But... I''m no longer part of the family from today onward. I''ve already repaid my debt to the family for raising me." Yale got out of the car and walked away after he said that as Sherman cursed at him from behind. Chapter 1466 ¡°You''re an ingrate. You''re just like that cold-blooded mother of yours. We should''ve gotten rid of you! Do you think the Heath family would ept you, Yale? "Dream on! You''re nothing without the Kingston family. You''ve grown naive after spending so much time near that woman. People will only care about their personal interests. What value can you provide to the Heaths?" The swirling snow clouded Yale''s eyes. He was only wearing a shirt on him, and the weather was very cold. The snow kept falling heavily. There was a woman in a fur coat standing a small distance away from him. She was looking at him worriedly. "Vale..." Molly started to run toward him. Yale was worried that she might fall, so he quickened his steps and dashed forward to hug her. They shared a warm hug in the snow. "Yale, I''m sorry." "Molly, I''ve never been so happy before. I''m finally free from the Kingston family''s control. From now on, I want to live for myself." "Yale, you still have me." "Yeah." Olivia and Ethan looked at them from a distance. Ethan said, "Let''s head back. She''ll be fine since Yale''s with her." Ethan saw Olivia''s eyes glisten under the streemp. ¡°True love is always wonderful. Their love is so perfect that it makes me want to protect it. I''m just relieved that I stopped Molly at the hospital." Olivia thought about her horrible experiences. For Molly, at least she always had Yale''s unwavering love. That was very good. Ethan came from a better family and was more capable than Yale. But in terms of love, Yale was the winner. 1 "Let''s go." Olivia withdrew her gaze. Krystal had sealed her own fate. Everyone had choices in life. But once the decision was made, there were no do-overs. After going through so much, Olivia cherished the life she had even morte. She thought the person who wanted her dead would make a move that night. But maybe it was because the security was too tight, so nothing happened at the banquet. Unexpected guests showed up at the Heath residence. Tyrell''s family of three arrived but didn''t even manage to get into the door. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Mason wasn''t the kind of person who would be rude to guests. But the Heaths were protective of their own. Alfred stood at the door with a gloomy expression. He said, "I''m sorry. Mr. and Mrs. Heath went to sleep as soon as they got back. It''ste now, not a good time to visit. You should go home. Come back another time if you have business with Mr. Heath." ¡°I really have some important things I need to speak to Ms. Fordham about. Please let us in." "Ms. Fordham is asleep as well. It''s not a good time." After he said that, Alfred left them at the door. He didn''t show Tyrell any respect at all. It was the same scenario Olivia experienced back when she visited Tyrell. The door closed before the three of them. Neal said annoyedly, "Dad, let''s go home. Mr. Heath''s intentionally refusing to see us." "Go home? You''re an idiot!" Tyrell had already retired. He had everything he wanted. The reason he was visiting was to build some connections for Neal. But from the looks of it, that wasn''t going to happen. "Honey, what else can we do?" ¡°What can we do? We have to do what Olivia did back then. If we can''t appease their anger, not getting a promotion is the least of our problems. Our family might be done for!" ¡°What? You want me to get on my knees?" Tyrell got on his knees without another word. "Stop yapping and do it!" They were under surveince. Mason could see and hear them. The three of them kneeled at the entrance of the Heath residence, just like what Olivia did back then. The only difference was the weather. Olivia kneeled in the rain while the Monroes kneeled in the snow. Chapter 1467 Meanwhile, Olivia was performing acupuncture on Mason. He didn''t even open his eyes when he heard Alfred''s report. "Just leave them be." Alfred looked at the weather. "It''s below-freezing temperature tonight. If they stay out there for too long..." "I don''t care even if they die outside." Mason opened his eyes abruptly. He was furious when he thought about how Olivia had kneeled outside the Monroe residence the entire night before. Olivia was naive. She had thought she would be able to change Tyrell''s mind and have him help Jeff for old times'' sake. Saying that he didn''t dare to cross the Miller family was just an excuse. He just couldn''t be bothered to help. He had just been promoted and felt good about himself. He felt like there was no more benefit in him helping the Fordham family out. When his butler told him about Olivia, he had been sipping on some tea. He said casually, "Let her kneel all she wants. She''s still too naive. She''ll probably back off when she realizes her efforts are for naught." His indifference was a massive blow to Olivia, who became even more helpless. Mason, who was in a position of power, understood what went through Tyrell''s mind back then. He didn''t have to do anything but let them kneel at the door. No one would dare talk about it even if the Monroes died at the entrance of the Heath residence. Olivia finished the acupuncture session. Mason held her hand. "Olivia, you had a hard time before this. If only I had found you sooner, then you wouldn''t have gone through so many hardships." "It''s okay, Grandpa. It''s all in the past now. Jeff was actually very good to me. I had a good life up until the Fordham family went bankrupt. Aunt Molly is the one who had it worse." "You''re stronger than she is." Olivia was lively and dignified, while Molly was a little too timid. ¡°Aunt Molly is suffering mentally and physically. She needs some time to heal. You can''t rush it." ¡°Olivia, I''m so lucky to have a granddaughter like you." Mason looked at her smile and was reminded of Natalie in her youth. He wondered if he would ever get to meet her again. Olivia''s acupuncture treatmentsted for an hour. It was gettingte, so she headed back to her room. Alfred stopped her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Ms. Olivia, Tyrell requested a meeting with you." She thought about how she was in the rain for a whole night that time and had gotten very sick because of it. She had even waited at his office, wanting to see him. His secretary had told her, "Ms. Fordham, Mr. Monroe says he doesn''t know you that well." At this moment, Olivia shook her head. "Just tell him that I don''t know him that well." Then, she walked away without saying another word. The Monroes weren''t the only people in the world who needed help. Tyrell was only able to gain a foothold in the city with Jeff''s help. But he refused to help out when Jeff needed him the most. It was time for him to pay for what he did. The atmosphere in her room was very lively. The children were having a pillow fight. There were some white feathers on Ethan''s head. He was wearing a cashmere turtleneck and cks. His attire, paired with the feathers, made him look very gentle. 1 Zack was hanging on his arm like a monkey while Alicia was trying to climb on his back. The twins were very mischievous. Willow had a bright smile on her face as she sat by the side. She was silently expressing her joy. Even Connor had dropped his usually dignified mannerisms. This was the first time Olivia had seen him acting his age in a long time. The sight of her kids brought tears to her eyes. Her dream had be a reality. She felt very happy inside. Chapter 1468 The snow didn''t seem like it was going to let up anytime soon. It even started snowing heavier at midnight. The temperature quickly started dropping. Millie''s mink coat was already covered in snowkes. It had never crossed her mind that one day, she would be kneeling at a ce like this because of Tyrell. They kneeled for around two hours before she fainted. A guard came over and helped her into the car. Alfred also told them that everyone in the house was asleep and he wouldn''t be letting them in. Tyrell could only bring his wife and son back home with a heavy heart. Mason''s silence made it clear that there was no room for negotiations. Ethan looked on coldly as Tyrell got into his car. He said, ¡°Brent, the glory days of the Monroe family are over. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Go dig up some dirt on them." ¡°Yes, Mr. Miller." Just because Tyrell was a retired government official didn''t mean he didn''t have any skeletons in his closet. He was just lucky that he didn''t experience too many setbacks in his career. "Tyrell is a cunning one. You should look into Neal." "Understood." Neal had a dad who was in a position of power. Surely, he had done a lot of questionable things. The next morning, Ethan and Mason both received a ssified document. The contents of the document were very shocking. Mason became visibly upset when he read it. The Monroes were extremely vile! Tyrell''s crimes were mainly focused on epting and giving bribes. Neal was worse. He had ties to the underworld, participated in illegal gambling, and had a very colorful personal life. He was horrible to his wife, Stacy Burns. She was one of the prettiest women in her university, and he had tried to get with her for several years. Stacy was already engaged at that point in time, but Neal forced himself on her the night before her wedding day. Her fianc¨¦, Felix Marshall, wanted to file awsuit against him. However, Neal crippled Felix and forced Stacy to marry him. Then, he got tired of her after six months and started to find mistresses. He gambled away the money he received as bribes and even physically abused Stacy. Once, he beat her up so badly that she had a miscarriage. Mason threw the document down angrily. "He looks so dignified, but he''s such a piece of shit!" Olivia brought some snacks for him and saw him throwing a fit. "Grandpa, calm down." She picked up the document and nced at it. Her face quickly flushed in anger. ¡°This man is an absolute scum!" Ethan patted her on the back "Don''t worry, Liv. Neal is done for." Neal had a bright future ahead of him when he had a father who had his back. At the moment, however, the evidence against Neal was bulletproof. Mason didn''t even need to deal with him personally. The police soon received an anonymous report, which turned out to be from Felix. In the past, he had tried to lodge reports in the neighboring city multiple times but to no avail. This time, a squad from the police headquarters went to investigate the matter. Even the Department of Justice got involved and started looking into Tyrell''s and Neal''s questionable behaviors. Tyrell and his family had nned to sneak out of the country but were stopped at the harbor. They were arrested on the spot. Millie knew that they weren''t going to get out of this situation scot -free. They were doomed. Olivia didn''t think she would be able to visit the Monroe residence again. Tyrell never dared to live too luxuriously. So, he lived here with his family despite having a lot of other properties. The gate of the vi was rusty. She had knelt down at this very same spot back then. The door of the house was opened, and the maids were terrified. Felix, who was in a wheelchair, followed behind Olivia. "Ms. Fordham, Stacy''s parents haven''t seen her in six months. Thest time they saw her was at the hospital when she had the miscarriage. Is she already..." "Don''t say that. We''ll know when we go inside." A maid led them to the hidden basement. They opened the door, and a stench came out of the room. Chapter 1469 Luckily, it wasn''t the stench of a rotting corpse. It was just the smell of stale, humid air and rotten food. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. A woman who was extremely frail and unnaturally pale was locked down here with all four of her limbs chained. She sat on the bed, hugging her knees with a nk expression. "Stacy!" Felix quickly wheeled himself next to the bed. Even Olivia, who was a seasoned veteran, felt emotional when she saw the state Stacy was in. Neal was such a bastard. He ripped a couple apart, didn''t cherish the woman he snatched away, and even abused her so much. It was clear that Stacy had been imprisoned in the basement for quite some time. She was also in shock. She looked at the people who had just entered the room nkly without any reactions. Tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes. She asked someone to get a towel to cover up Stacy''s nearly naked body. 1 Felix felt terrible. He didn''t shy away from her. Instead, he hugged her tightly andforted her repeatedly. "Don''t worry, Stacy. I''m here now." Olivia sent the two of them to the hospital. She sighed deeply as she exited the hospital. She used to feel bad for herself. But she understood that she wasn''t the only one who had a hard life. Ethan tried to calm her nerves. "Don''t worry, I won''t let the Monroes off the hook." "If Dad update by novelebookdo knew the Monroe family who he helped out ended up hurting so many people, he would be so sad." "Liv, you need to know that the Monroes won''t be the only shady people in the world. There will always be people lurking in the darkness. Everyone has their own paths to walk." "That''s true. Let''s go home." Olivia cherished her current life even more after she witnessed what had happened to Stacy. Her special phone rang in the afternoon. She had already notified the organization that she wouldn''t be epting any more missions for some time after the failure of thest mission. So, she was quite surprised when the phone rang. Even so, she still picked up. "Hello?" "Septem." "I knew you were alive." Olivia had some people look into Undecim after the incident. He did a very good job of hiding. There were no traces of him to be found. "I was just lucky. If my gut hadn''t told me to throw away the ring, I would''ve been blown to pieces." Undecim''s voice was still as nonchnt as before. Olivia replied calmly, "Why the call?" She didn''t think they were on good enough terms that he would call her just to tell her he was safe. ¡°We might''ve failed the mission, but we''re still the top-ranked in the organization. The boss has invited some of the S-ranked and A- ranked members to a gathering." "Will the boss be present?" "Why are you so anxious? Are you plotting against the boss?" "TI told you, I''m just curious." Olivia joined the ck Ravens to uncover the truth of what happened. The boss had to know something. The only problem was that the boss of the ck Ravens was too elusive. It had been two years since Olivia joined the organization, but she didn''t manage to get any leads on the boss. "Where is it going to be? And for how long?" "The boss'' private ind. Three days. They''re calling it a gathering, but I heard some news that the boss might have a huge operation nned. That''s why he''s gathering us for a meeting." "I''m not interested," Olivia turned him down resolutely. "Why? Haven''t you always imed to be on the side of justice? Have you lost interest in protecting the world? It seems like the target of the operation is someone very important." "Who is it?" "How would I know? I''m not the boss. Get there before 4:00 pm tomorrow. Don''t bete. You''ll be able to meet your hero soon." Undecim hung up. It was almost New Year''s. Honestly, Olivia didn''t update by novelebookdo want to leave her family at that moment. It was the first New Year''s with her entire family present. But she couldn''t help but think about Undecim''s words¡ªan important person. 1 She thought about the multiple attempts on Mason''s life. Would this operation be rted to him? Chapter 1470 Olivia spaced out as she sat in the corridor. Why did this gathering have to happen at this very point in time? The ringing of bells sounded next to her. Willow hade to check on her. The child noticed that Olivia had a heavy expression on her face, so she rubbed her face against Olivia''s hands. Willow lived in the vige for a long time, and she was very close with all sorts of animals. She would sometimes act like one. Olivia ruffled her hair with a tender expression. "Why aren''t you ying with your brothers and sister?" Willow shook her head and made a hand sign. She was worried about Olivia. It was probably because she had heard a little of what the adults were talking about and thought Olivia was feeling sad for someone else. Willow was a very considerate child. She might not be able to speak, but she had a big heart. Olivia lifted her into her arms. "I''m fine. It''s just that the fates of others are already determined. I can''t save everyone. So, I''m trying my best to protect the people around me." Then, she changed the subject. She said hesitantly, "I might have to go somewhere for a few days. Is it okay if Dad takes care of you? I''ll be back very soon." Honestly, Willow didn''t want Olivia to leave. But she understood that Olivia had things she had to do. She made another series of hand signs, indicating that she would support Olivia no matter what. Olivia kissed her on the cheek. "Good girl." Willow was a child she went through a lot to give birth to, and the child was growing up well. Olivia smiled faintly. That night, Olivia told the three younger kids bedtime stories and lulled them to sleep. Then, she went to Connor''s room. He was reading. Olivia talked to him for some time and told him about her uing trip. Connor promised to take care of his siblings while she was away. Finally, she went back to her room. Ethan had been waiting for her for some time. He wore a white bathrobe and was talking on his phone by the window. He hung up after some time. Olivia hugged him from behind. "Tyrell will probably receive a 15- year sentence for his crimes. The best-case scenario is he''ll be almost 80 years old when he gets released. "As for Neal, he''ll definitely be spending his life in prison. I''ll have some people take real good care of him in prison. Liv, I''m sorry for what I did back then..." 1 He had already apologized so many times, but he didn''t know what else he could say. "It''s all in the past now. Ethan, I''ll be leaving for a few days." ¡°Where are you going?" Olivia told him about the ck Ravens gathering. Although they weren''t married, they were still partners. She wanted to inform him so that he wouldn''t worry. Ethan frowned slightly when he heard that. "Liv, I don''t think it''s the best time for you to leave." "I joined the ck Ravens to uncover the truth. Also, a big move by them will still shake the world no matter who their target is. "If I can find out more about the mission in advance, we''ll be able to make preparations. Besides, it''s only three days. I''ll still make it back in time for New Year''s. There''s still two weeks left." 1 Ethan sighed. "I can''t really say anything else since you''ve already made up your mind. But you have to keepmunications open so that I can rescue you at the first sign of danger.¡± "Okay." Olivia didn''t turn him down. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It was better for her to err on the side of caution. Since she was going to leave the next morning, Ethan did it with her until veryte at night. He left his mark on every inch of her body. Olivia woke up at the break of dawn. She noticed a ne around her neck. Ethan looked at her. "Even if you''re unwilling to ept a ring, a ne should be fine, right?" Chapter 1471 There weren''t anyplicated designs on the ne, just a very live - like fish. Olivia raised her head to kiss Ethan''s cheek. "I love it. Thanks." Time was running short. She quickly got out of bed and packed her stuff. Before leaving, she went to take a look at the kids. Ethan wanted to send her off, but she turned him down. She went to the harbor alone. She had to reach a transfer station before getting on a direct flight to the ind. Olivia changed her appearance on the boat. She took a deep breath and filled her lungs with the cold winter air. She reached her destination after some time. To her surprise, Undecim was already waiting for her there. Olivia smiled when she saw that Undecim was unscathed. "Were you waiting for me?" ¡°Of course. Only three S-ranked members areing this time." "Who else?" "You''ll know when we get there." 1 Olivia realized that Undecim seemed to be very familiar with the ck Ravens while they were talking. She couldn''t help but try to ask for information about the boss. ¡°why are you so concerned about the boss? Have you really fallen for him?" Olivia said with a glow in her eyes, "He founded the ck Ravens, and that makes him really awesome. I admire him." ¡°What if the boss is a woman?" Undecim asked meaningfully. Olivia was taken aback for a moment. "I''ll admire her all the same." She wanted to see if she could glean some information from Undecim''s expression. But he was also wearing a mask, so she couldn''t really see the emotions on his face. Olivia started to feel a little anxious. Was the boss of the ck Ravens also the person who was trying to have her killed? She quickly dismissed the idea. It shouldn''t be the case. The ck Ravens gave up on trying to assassinate her after that failed attempt. If the boss was intent on killing her, there was no way they would''ve stopped after one attempt. "The boss will show up for the gathering, right? We''ll be able to find out if it''s aman or a woman soon." The two of them reached the ind in the evening. It was a private ind in the south. Seagulls were circling in the sky, and the waters were sparkling. The bright golden sunlight shone down on the coconut trees. Olivia''s mood improved. She scanned her surroundings and didn''t see anyone else. The helicopter dropped them off on the ind before leaving. ¡°Where''s everyone else?" "They''re probably not here yet. Why don''t I take this chance to bring you to meet the boss? He has prepared a gift for you." 1 Olivia didn''t think things would go so smoothly. She asked about the boss again. ¡°So many questions. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. You''ll know when you see the boss." Undecim brought Olivia to the side of a pool. Afternoon tea was already prepared. Olivia could see a man with tanned skin and a muscr build swimming in the pool, but she couldn''t see his face. Was that the boss? Olivia was a little excited. The man slowly swam toward the edge of the pool. Then, his face came above the water. It wasn''t the face of a stranger. She knew this man very well! The man shook off the water droplets on his head. He was a very handsome man. It was Wayne! ¡°How could it be you?" Olivia never expected to meet him here. 1 She understood that she had been tricked. Wayne got out of the pool slowly, and his muscr body was revealed as water flowed down his abs. n handed him a towel, which he casually wrapped around his waist. Then, he started to walk toward Olivia. He looked down at her with an aggressive gaze. He smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth. "It''s been some time since we met, Dr. Ophelia." Chapter 1472 Olivia looked at Wayne cautiously as she moved away. A familiar voice said, ''Septim, you won''t be able to escape." It was Undecim! He was sitting on a beach chair with his legs crossed. His demeanor suddenly changed. Olivia could guess his identity. "You''re the boss of the ck Ravens." "That''s right. As you had wished, we met atst!" Olivia red at him. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "You betrayed me!" "Septim, there''s something I tell everyone that joins the ck Ravens. There are no friends in the organization. There are only transactions." She didn''t join the organization to make friends. She only ever wanted to get close to the boss of the organization. Never did it cross her mind that the boss was also an S-ranked assassin. He even went out on missions with him several times. "The ck Ravens are a group of mercenaries that ept all sorts of missions. Someone asked for you, and that''s the mission this time." Undecim said nonchntly, "Don''t me me. This transaction was too good not to ept." He finished his ss of orange juice and got up. "May the two of you have a wonderful evening. I''ll be taking my leave." Undecim had made such an borate n to get Olivia to this private ind. He won''t let her have the chance to escape. Everyone else left the vicinity to give Wayne and Olivia some space. Olivia sat on the chair next to her. The parasol next to the chair blocked out most of the sunlight as the winds blew at her hair. ¡°Wayne, you plotted so much to get me here. What do you want from me?" Wayne walked toward her. "Dr. Ophelia, I thought my motive was very clear. Since asking for your hand in marriage through official channels failed, I figured 1 would just do things my way." Olivia said coldly, "You''re the leader of a nation. How can you be so despicable?" ¡°Despicable is right. It''s my motto to take whatever I want, no matter what. I took this position I''m in by force, too." He ced his hands on the armrests of the chair and said domineeringly, "It''s your fault foring onto me! Dr. Ophelia, it''s toote to regret your actions now." ¡°Wayne, I''m a divorced woman with four kids! A man like you can get any woman you want. Why does it have to be me?¡± "You expect me to believe that you have kids?" Wayne narrowed his eyes dangerously. Olivia nodded frantically. "It''s true. I told you from the start that I was married and had four kids." He nced at her body. "You''re saying that you gave birth to four kids with that figure of yours? Why are you still trying to lie to me? ty Olivia brought out the pictures on her phone. "Look. These are my children." Wayne grabbed her phone and threw it in the pool. Olivia''s expression changed drastically. "Give it back to me!" "Dr. Ophelia, you''re too naive. ] don''t even care that you were married. Do you think that I would care if you gave birth before?" "You maniac, you''repletely insane!" Olivia pushed him aside and quickly jumped into the pool. She swam to the bottom and grabbed her phone nimbly. Then, she grabbed onto the railing and tried to get out of the pool. Wayne stood in her way, crouched down, and looked at her with a gloomy expression. "Dr. Ophelia, do you know what a male animal would do to force his mate to get into heat in the animal kingdom?" The droplets of water dripped from her face into the pool, causing ripples. There was some water on hershes, too. The water made her seem all the more pitiable. Wayne whispered in her ear, "It''s by killing her babies. The female would be in heat when that happens." 1 Chapter 1473 Olivia frowned as her expression grew cold. "Are you threatening me?" "No. I''m just stating a fact. I went from a nobody that anyone could bully to the position I''m in today. Do you know how much I sacrificed? "I would already be dead if I was a soft person. So, you better listen when I''m talking to you calmly. Or else, I can''t guarantee I won''t do something extreme." Her kids were her only weakness. She raised her hand and pped Wayne. "T''ll kill you if you darey a hand on my kids." Wayne grabbed her wrist tightly. "Dr. Ophelia, I just love this viciousness of yours." Then, he tore off Olivia''s mask. "I prefer looking at this face of yours." It was a perfect face, a wless work of art. Wayne didn''t understand how her abdomen could be so t without any b even though she had given birth to four children. Even her figure looked like that of a youthful woman. How did she pull it off? "You enjoy taking another man''s sloppy seconds so much? You don''t think I''m no longer pure?" Wayne pulled her out of the water and into his embrace. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Olivia''s clothes were wet, and they revealed the perfect curves of her body. Naturally, Wayne noticed the kiss marks on Olivia''s neck. Those were left by another man. They were doing itst night. Normally, he would never approach a woman like her. But he had already fallen for her. It was toote for him to change his mind. On the contrary, the kiss marks lit a fire in his heart. He wanted to make Olivia submit to him. Olivia struggled to break away from him. Then, she tried to throw him to the ground with a shoulder throw. Her movements were very smooth. Unfortunately, the man before her was someone who started training when he was a child. Her retaliation was nothing but child''s y to Wayne. He was able to subdue her easily. "Youngdy, do you even know what kind of ce I used to live in? "Back in my town, we learned how to kill at the age of four. Counterattacking is pure instinct now." Without these instincts, he would''ve been dead long ago. A pampered little princess like her update by novelebookdo would never understand how hard the life of a nobody was. ¡°Don''t make me use force." Wayne was smiling, but there was a hint of menace behind it. Olivia didn''t know what he had prepared on the ind, so she didn''t dare to make any hasty moves. She got her phone back, but it was submerged in water. So, she didn''t know if it was still functioning. "Are you nning on keeping me hidden forever? You know who I am. It wouldn''t end well for you if word of this ever gets out," Olivia retorted. ¡°Even if you manage to keep me hidden, Ethan would eventually find out. Do you think you could just hide me away forever?" ¡°Thanks for the reminder. But I''m going to give it a shot." Wayne brought her into the vi. "How do you know I can''t keep you hidden forever? This ind has a signal hammer, so no communication devices can transmit anything. "Also, Undecim has already moved the ck Ravens'' base. No one will be able to find you here." Olivia''s eyes glowed with anger. "Wayne Maxwell, you''re a bastard! ty 1 "Dr. Ophelia, you forced my hand. Since you don''t n on getting married to Ethan again, why don''t you just marry me instead? ¡°We could''ve improved the trade between our countries and shared our military resources. You ruined all of that. ¡°Don''t me me for what I''m doing. I just like you too much." Chapter 1474 Compared to Ethan, Wayne was way more of a ruffian. He didn''t adhere to rhyme or reason and only did things based on his mood. A person like him was way more dangerous because he couldn''t be tied down by morals or reason. He took Olivia to the bedroom. ¡°You should take a shower. There are clothes for you in the room." Although Wayne had feelings for Olivia, he wasn''t in a rush to do anything. Tricking her to get her to the ind was already uneptable for her. He wasn''t about to do anything more to her for the time being. Olivia scanned her surroundings. There were some windows and a balcony, but guards stood at their posts below every possible escape route. Even if she managed to knock out the guard and get to the shore, she wouldn''t be able tost too long in the ocean without a mode of transportation. Wayne had put a lot of effort into crafting this cage for her. 1 Olivia locked the door and went to the bathtub. She started to think about Stacy, whom she saw in the basement. Her limbs were chained, and she was trapped in that small room. She had no one to talk to, and all the food she ate was leftovers. The physical and mental stress put her in that state for six months. It would take her a long time to recover and go back to normal. Wayne was fundamentally the same as Neal. He wanted to imprison her, too. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The only difference was her cage was the entire ind, which was bigger than the one Stacy was in. 1 Olivia knew she couldn''t afford to defy or anger Wayne at the moment. She had to look for an opportunity to escape. What she didn''t know was that Wayne had arranged everything. The helicopter exploded in the air, and there were no survivors. The news quickly spread to Andia. Ethan was giving Willow a piano lesson. She had a talent for ying musical instruments. She was sitting on Ethan''sp as she listened to the music. Ethan was a little distracted and made a few mistakes while ying. Then, Kelvin rushed into the room with a gloomy expression. His face was pale. "Mr. Miller..." The kids looked at him when he started to speak. It caused him to swallow the words he was about to say. "There''s something I need to tell you." Ethan set Willow down. "Practice on your own for a bit. I''ll be back soon." Willow nodded obediently, but she started to feel uneasy. The twins greeted Kelvin before going back to ying. Both of them were very carefree. ¡°Not bad. This website you made looks pretty good," Zack praised. Alicia noticed that a lot of kids had been kidnapped and separated from their parents. So, she made a website for these parents to post information on their missing children. The children could also post information to look for their parents. The website had only been up for a month, and there were already people reunited with their families. "T''ll ask Grandpa to invest in your website. It''ll be able to help more people if it gets more traffic." Alicia set the mouse aside. ''We were separated from our parents once. So, I hope that children all over the world can be reunited with their parents." The two of them continued to talk. No one noticed that Willow was no longer ying the piano. Ethan went somewhere with no one else around. He asked, "What''s wrong?" "Mrs. Miller... Something terrible has happened to her!" Ethan''s expression turned severe. "Tell me right now. What happened to her?" ¡°The helicopter she was on exploded mid-air. It fell into the ocean. There were no survivors." Chapter 1475 Naturally, Ethan didn''t believe it was true. It was too much of a coincidence. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He calmed himself down. "That''s impossible!" Tears welled up in Kelvin''s eyes. "1 wish it was impossible as well. You were uneasy when Mrs. Miller left and had some men tail her. "They saw her getting on that helicopter. People from a passing ship recorded footage of the helicopter exploding." As he was talking, Kelvin yed the video of the explosion on his phone. No one was seen getting out of the helicopter from the explosion to the crash. Everything happened too suddenly. "I don''t believe she''s dead. Go look into it. Send people to check" Ethan wanted to call Olivia''s phone, but his fingers began to shake uncontrobly. He only managed to get his phone out after several tries. But then, he dropped it on the floor. Kelvin quickly helped him pick it up and handed it to him. "Here you go, Mr. Miller." Ethan reached out with shaking hands and slowly dialed the number he had memorized. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily out of service..." Oh, there was also the ne. He had prepared a ne for her before she left. There was a tracker embedded within it. 2 He went to look for the tracker''s signal as ast bit of hope. However, the tracker''s signal didn''t appear on the map. There was only one possibility. The tracker had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, so its signal couldn''t be received. That must be why it didn''t appear on the map. It was very possible that Olivia had sunken to the bottom of the ocean, No. Ethan wasn''t willing to believe that was true. There had to be some other reason. Ethanposed himself and called Brent over. "Start looking from where Olivia left. Look into the ck Ravens, too. Leave no stone unturned. I don''t believe she''s dead!" "Yes, Mr. Miller." ¡°Prepare an aircraft and bring me to where the explosion happened." Ethan was still worried. He had to visit the location in person. He turned around and saw Willow standing a short distance away and staring straight at him. "Did you hear everything, Willow?" Willow nodded with tears in her eyes. She walked over to Ethan and grabbed his trembling hands in an attempt tofort him. She used hand signs to tell Ethan that Olivia was okay. Ethan hugged her tightly. "I believe that, too." Then, she made another sign conveying her desire to go with him to look for Olivia. Ethan was about to turn her down when he thought about her special abilities. She might be able to help. So, he nodded and took Willow with him. Connor could sense that update by novelebookdo something was wrong, but Ethan had told him to take care of Alicia and Zack before he left. So, he could only nod his head. He grabbed Ethan''s sleeve and asked, "Did something happen to Mom?" Ethan wouldn''t have such an expression on his face if it was anything else. Ethan patted him on the head. "I''ll definitely bring her back." There was a snowstorm in Aldenvine, so he couldn''t get on a flight. He could only leave the city on a boat. In the darkness of the night, the twins watched as Ethan left. They also began to feel uneasy. "Connor, where is Dad taking Willow?" "He''s going to bring Mom home." They thought it was weird. Didn''t Olivia just leave this morning? Why would Ethan leave to bring her home? "Did something happen to Mom?" "It''s fine. Dad will bring her back soon." Connor was a terrible liar. "But why didn''t Dad bring us along to bring Mom home? Why did he only bring Willow? Something must''ve happened to Mom, right?" The twins were tearing up. "Connor, please tell us the truth. What happened to Mom?" Chapter 1476 Connor grew up alone. He had never been through something like this. The twins were bawling their eyes out next to him. They were inconsble. But he didn''t know what happened to Olivia either. Connor crouched down tofort the twins. "Dad didn''t tell me what happened. He just told me he would bring Mom back safely as soon as possible. We need to trust him." The twins didn''t know what to do after he said that. "I''ll go get Great-uncle Linus to help!" They were smart. They knew this was the best time to use their connection to the Heaths. Ethan wasn''t recognized by the Heaths, so he couldn''t ask them for help. The twins were different. They held Connor''s hand and ran to Mason''s study. Mason could hear their crying from a distance. "Oh dear, what happened? Did someone pick on my dear great-grandsons?" Mason quickly lifted the twins into his embrace. "Great-grandpa, please save Mom. Something happened to her!" "Don''t cry. Tell me what happened to Olivia quickly." Connor could only tell Mason everything he knew. Mason wasn''t in the mood to guess, so he contacted Ethan immediately to get more information. Ethan didn''t want to tell Mason at this point in time. It would only cause needless worry. Besides, Mason was very old, and it would be bad for his health. Nothing had been confirmed yet, but he could only tell Mason the truth since he asked. Mason said decisively, "I''ll get Linus to help you. Find Olivia as soon as possible." On the ind, Olivia looked at the gradually darkening sky. The stars were twinkling. It was very quiet on the ind. There were only sounds of the waves and some insects. There wasn''t the hustle and bustle of the city. Olivia wasn''t calm at all. She missed her children and Ethan. She knew he would be very worried about her since she hadn''t gotten in contact with him. "Why are you awake at this hour?" Wayne came over with two bottles of beer in his hands. "Do you want a drink?" Olivia gave him a quick nce, then looked away. "Do you have nothing better to do?" "I''ve worked hard for many years. It''s fine for me to ck off from time to time. Dr. Ophelia, I''m really not as bad as you think I am. "You''re already divorced. You should give yourself another chance. Give me another chance. "Why don''t you try and get to know me? Maybe I''m better than you think." Olivia said coldly, "You can try to win me over, but you shouldn''t have kidnapped me. I can''t condone your actions." "It''s just a means to an end, just like trying to win you over. I don''t mind as long as the results are the same. "Dr. Ophelia, that man hurt you deeply before. I won''t do that." He took a sip of the beer. There was a sincere look on his face. There wasn''t any doom and gloom to be seen. He wasn''t tied down by his status. "I''m different from Ethan. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had everything he ever wanted. "I lived in the slums. I need to fight tooth and nail to survive. "If I didn''t get stronger, I wouldn''t even be able to protect what was mine. So, I''ve never seen myself as a gentleman. "If using any and all methods to seed is despicable, I don''t mind being known as such." Olivia sighed. "Wayne, why does it have to be me? I have kids. Four of them." "I don''t mind. Really." Wayne said seriously, "Do you think I''ve never seen beautiful women before? Or capable women? There will always be plenty of pretty people in the world. "You''re different from all of them. You''re special. The only person I''ve ever fallen for. "You only have yourself to me for approaching me first."All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 1477 Both of them were calm and were trying to convince each other. But they were both very stubborn. Their discussion went in circles the entire night. "Dr. Ophelia, I don''t really understand what you''re waiting for. If you like him, then get married to him again. I won''t stoop to taking away the wife of another man. "You didn''t marry him again. It means you don''t really believe in him. You don''t want to make the same mistake. Why can''t you give me a chance?" "Wayne Maxwell, me not giving him another chance doesn''t mean I have to give you a chance. "Can''t I just enjoy being single? I''ve just escaped from a marriage. Why would I want to jump into another one?" "If that''s really the case, you wouldn''t be around him all the time. It means you still care about him. But how long do you think his love for you wouldst?" "I''m impressed by your persistence. Do you know how long I''ve known him? "I was gone for three years, but he never stopped looking for me. What is that if not love?" Wayne smiled mysteriously. "That''s because he knew you were still alive. What if he thought you were dead?" Olivia''s expression changed drastically. "What do you mean?" "Do you remember that you changed helicopters? The first one exploded mid-air. There were no survivors. Not even you." "Wayne, do you think that''s funny?" Olivia immediately tried to get up. "You know my grandpa is old. How can he take such a blow? My kids will also be crying. Let me go back to them." "Dr. Ophelia, this is the only way I could''ve gotten you here. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I just want you to see that men are forgetful creatures. "How long do you think he wouldst after receiving news of your demise? Six months? One year? Your bones are already crushed to dust. They wouldn''t be able to find your DNA." Olivia had the urge to hit him. "Are you a child? You made my entire family worry because of that ridiculous theory of yours? Wayne Maxwell, let me go home!" She grabbed Wayne''s cor. "I won''t forgive you if anything happens to my grandpa." Wayne gently broke free of her grasp. "Mason has weathered all sorts of storms to get to where he is. Dr. Ophelia, I won''ty a hand on you for now. Just be good and stay on the ind. "I won''t let you go, and you better not think about escaping by sea. This entire area is my personal property. "There''s also a military base nearby. I can do anything I want here with ease. "It''s gettingte. You should get some rest." Olivia was missing her kids. She wanted to go home very badly, but she was trapped. She was finally reunited with them, but then this happened. She was greatly saddened. "Wayne, at least do something for me." "What is it? Tell me." "Someone has been trying to kill me for a few years. She still hasn''t given up yet. Wayne was happy that Olivia was finally asking him for something. Chapter 1478 That night, Olivia tossed and turned in bed. She had been on the ind for five days and had already explored it thoroughly. She had left no stone unturned. Dozens of ns for escape appeared in her mind as she looked at the endless horizon. But none of them would actually work. Based on her calctions, she would survive around three to five days. The ocean was highly unpredictable. It could be clear skies one moment and a storm the next. Danger could spring up at any moment when out at sea. In her current situation, she could only build a raft and didn''t know if there were any other inds nearby. It would be dangerous for her to attempt an escape. Wayne put her on the ind. Naturally, he knew she was going to try to escape. It wouldn''t be so easy for her to seed. Since the only other option for her was to die out at sea, she decided to stay for the time being. But she didn''t know how long she would have to stay on the ind. What was Wayne plotting? Would he threaten Mason with her? Wayne left the ind on the third day. Only Olivia and some housekeepers were left on the ind, but they had orders from Wayne not to talk with her. Every time Olivia tried to approach anyone, they would run away before she could get close. People would drop off food from a helicopter every three days. The helicopters would nevernd to prevent her from escaping. Olivia propped her face up with both her hands as she sat by the beach and looked at the helicopter that wasing to drop off food. There was no way for her to get close to the helicopter. There was only one week left until New Year. She promised to spend the day with the kids. She had everything nned. They would bake cookies together and watch some movies at night. Then, she''ll give them some presents to make up for all the presents they missed out on. At the moment, it seemed like Wayne wouldn''t be giving her the opportunity to do so. The reason he dropped her at the ind and left her alone was to train her willpower. He also wanted to make her grow distant from her family. If she was alone for long enough, her mental state and rationality would change a lot. Wayne wanted her to put her past behind her with time. So, she would be a woman that would submit to him. But he had underestimated Olivia. She had fought against cancer for many years. It had trained her to have great mental fortitude. She was very disciplined. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Every day, she would go for a morning jog, work out, and arrange different tasks to keep herself upied. She would read, write, paint, and scavenge for herbs. Then, she would also go to the shooting range to practice every evening before heading back to her room to knit sweaters. Olivia started to calm down after five more days had passed. The kids were safe with Ethan and Mason. There was nothing she needed to worry about. She didn''t believe that Wayne could hold her here for too long. She was waiting it out, waiting for him to give up. The days passed quickly on the ind. She prepared these just in case she would need some medicine. She also brought back a lot of roses that she nned to use to make some tea the next day. Her every move was reported to Wayne, who was in Raka. "Busy? What is she busy with? Cursing me?" n muttered inwardly, "So, you do know how she feels about you." Chapter 1479 Naturally, n didn''t dare to say that out loud. Instead, he replied politely, "That''s not it. She was helping the turtles move their nests. She even saved an injured squirrel when she was in the mountains gathering herbs. "She also practices shooting at the gun range in the evening. I heard that she would knit a sweater before she went to bed, too." Wayne mmed the ssified document down angrily. "Does she really think she''s on vacation? Did she not try to escape?" "I don''t think she did. She walked around the beach several times a few days ago. She picked up some crabs and fished for a bit. She rarely went to the beach after that. "Her days are pretty routine. She wakes up at 6:00 am, goes for a morning jog, works out, and then a series of tasks she sets for herself. "She goes to bed at 10:00 pm sharp. She has a stricter routine than my grandma." "What about her food?" "She eats healthy. She doesn''t overeat, yet she also doesn''t skip her meals. Her meals are bnced. You, on the other hand..." n looked at the bags under Wayne''s eyes. "You''ve never had a good night''s sleep since you got back from the ind, right?" Wayne was acting like someone who had just acquired a precious treasure. He was very afraid of breaking the treasure himself, but he also didn''t want others to take it from him. He could only keep Olivia stowed away for the time being. But he couldn''t see her either. It made him miss her even more. He thought about her all the time. Olivia slept well and ate well. He had it worse than her. It seemed like she wasn''t the prisoner in this scenario. Olivia was physically imprisoned, but Wayne''s heart was held captive. Both of them were suffering. "Any updates about Aldenvine?" "Ethan''s still at Reich Ind. It''s the ce where Dr. Ophelia momentarily stopped. He sent out a lot of men to look for her out at sea. "He''s so dumb. She''s not dead. How could they find anything?" "They''ll probably give up if nothing turns up after a few days." n asked softly. "But what are you nning to do next, Mr. Maxwell? Are you really going to keep Dr. Ophelia on the ind forever?" "Of course not. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. I told her before I left. I''ll let her off the ind when she agrees to be with me." n thought about how stubborn both of them were. It would be very hard for him to convince Olivia to submit to him. The easiest type of woman to deceive were those with no experience at all. The tiniest gifts could be enough to make them fall in love. Olivia was different. She came from a prominent family and was once doted on by everyone. She used to be incredibly wealthy and had a turbulent past. Her experiences and mindset are even more enriched than those of the average woman. The only way to make her submit was to exploit her weakness¡ªher kids. Even if he managed to get her on the ind, she was still a thorny rose. It wasn''t going to be so easy to make her submit. Wayne could only leave her alone and iste her. It was apetition to see who had more determination. It was nighttime at Reich Ind. Olivia was in a rush when she boarded the helicopter. She didn''t stop at the ind for too long. Then, he received some bad news. The bad news was that the helicopter crash had been proven to be real. The good news was that nothing belonging to Olivia had been found. Not her human tissue. Not even a shred of her clothing. Chapter 1480 In the past few days, Ethan had only slept a few hours each day. He even went diving to search for Olivia. Brent had to stop him from going in again when he was exhausted. "Mr. Miller, you''ll kill yourself if this keeps up. You''ve been diving non-stop for an entire day." Ethan sat on the deck of the boat. He had gone into the water several times that day. His eyes had lost focus and were bloodshot, and his limbs were shaking. He was at his limit. "I can still go down." "Mr. Miller, remember the time Mrs. Miller faked her death? Maybe things aren''t as bad as we think they are." At that point in time, Brent didn''t have any proof that Olivia was still alive. But for Ethan''s sake, he could only try to provide him with some hope. Even a tiny spark of hope would be enough for Ethan to hold onto life. He quickly started to doubt again. "That person had wanted Liv dead for so long. She finally got a chance this time. She isn''t going to leave it up to chance." Ethan had never stopped trying to uncover the truth in the past few years. Even when he was looking for Olivia, he was looking for Helen at the same time. She was the only one who knew the truth of what happened. Ethan spent a lot of time tracking down Helen, and he finally found her two years ago. But she was already dead. She had killed herself next to Chris'' grave. The blood from her head colored the gravestone red, and her bodyy lifelessly next to it. It snowed heavily that day. She was found in the snow three days after her death. Her body was already frozen by then. The only lead they had was gone. As for Leia, Ethan tried a lot of methods to get her to talk, but she kept her mouth sealed. She even told Ethan that she would cut her own tongue off if he kept asking questions. He didn''t expect the person to be so persistent. She actually used the ck Ravens to deceive Olivia. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It seemed like her identity was exposed on thest mission when he went to bring her home with Linus. That was the reason she was in danger. Ethan wasn''t willing to believe that Olivia was already dead, but he was very scared. The person would never allow Olivia to survive. He grabbed Brent''s hand and said slowly, "Find the ck Ravens no matter what! I want them to pay for this! They have to have a base somewhere that we can track down." After a week of detailed search, they didn''t manage to find anything belonging to Olivia. Not a finger nor a piece of her clothes. "Mr. Miller, we''ve found body parts of all the crew members but none of Mrs. Miller''s." If Olivia was still alive, who took her? Why did they have to fake a helicopter crash? If she was still alive, was she being tormented? Ethan sat quietly on the beach. Willow patted him on the shoulder tofort him. She used hand signs to tell him that she believed Olivia was going to be fine. "I know. She''s definitely okay." Ethan patted her on the head. Chapter 1481 It had been so many days. If any proof could be found, Ethan would have given up. But nothing was found. He couldn''t even find the ne he had given her. Whoever took her didn''t leave any evidence behind. They were clearly well-prepared. But who could it be? He looked at the stars in the sky and muttered, "New Year''s is just around the corner." Willow had her arms by her side as she swayed her feet in mid-air. She nodded. They were supposed to celebrate New Year together. Where was Olivia? As the New Year drew closer, Olivia became busier. A few days ago, she asked for some ribbons. She started to prepare decorations. Then, she decorated the house. Even if she was alone, she wanted to create the atmosphere of a festival. Even the guards watching over her helped her hang the decorations all over the ind. It looked very beautiful. Wayne arrived at the ind on New Year''s Eve. He smelled something very nice when he arrived. He knew that Olivia nned to bake cookies for the night. Some of the ingredients were flown over, while others were grown in the yard. Although the housekeepers wouldn''t talk to her, they would still help out. Olivia made a lot of cookies. She made enough for everyone on the ind. After all, they were also stuck on the ind for New Year''s, and it was quite sad. There was some flour on Olivia''s face while she was baking in the kitchen. She got it on her face while she was preparing the dough. She had rolled up her sleeves as she worked quickly and nimbly. She didn''t look like a rich heiress at all. Wayne finally understood why Ethan liked her so much. She was a perfect woman who could do everything. She could pull off cold and elegant, but she could also be warm and gentle. The sight of her wearing an apron and working in the kitchen warmed Wayne''s heart. If she was his wife, he would never hurt her.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He would be willing to wait three years, or even ten years, for her. Olivia saw him at the door. She looked at him calmly and said, "Wash your hands. The cookies will be ready soon." n rarely had time to rx. He nudged Ike. "Ike, I think this is the first time we''re eating cookies for the New Year." There was a mix of several different races living in Raka, so they didn''t have the tradition of eating cookies during the New Year like Andia. Some people ate cookies, some drank wine, and some didn''t even celebrate New Year. Ike looked at him coldly. "Have you never eaten cookies before? Why are you acting like a hungry pig?" "Ike, I was just saying. You don''t have to be so rude." "Is she even that special? How is she able to charm Mr. Maxwell so much?" "Skilled doctors aren''t necessarily pretty. Pretty and skilled doctors might not know how to cook." Ike grunted. "That''s so shallow." "Then don''t eat any of the cookies!" "Ike, if you''re not having any, I''ll be eating them." "Pathetic!" Ike sneered. He was about to insult the cookies when one was stuffed into his mouth. "It''s not that good." He took a bite. "Give me another." Chapter 1482 Ethan was back at the Heath Residence with the kids. He was prepared to celebrate New Year with Olivia and the kids. But he didn''t expect Olivia to disappear so suddenly. The Heath Residence was fully decorated, but it was very quiet. There wasn''t a smile to be seen on Mason''s face, and even Tatiana was very gloomy. Molly was very distracted. She was praying for Olivia, hoping she could turn out fine ande back to them. There was a feast on the table, but no one was in the mood to eat. The atmosphere was very heavy. Mason sighed. "Let''s eat. Don''t starve yourselves." He started putting food on the kids'' tes. Connor thanked him politely, "Thanks, Great-grandpa." Tears were swirling in the twins'' eyes. They muttered, "Mom." Ethan ruffled their hair. "Let''s eat." In the span of two weeks'' time, Ethan slimmed down a lot. He looked like he was always exhausted. Although he had returned to Andia, the search was still going on. None of Olivia''s stuff had turned up since the search began. If she was still alive, was she doing good? It was New Year''s Eve, a time for families to be together. She had to be missing home, right? There were only sounds of spoons and forks around the table. No one spoke orughed. Mason prepared some gifts for all the younger ones. Linus said coolly, "Father, I''m over 30 years old. I don''t need a gift." "So, you do realize you''re over 30. Why haven''t you found a wife yet? Are you still trying to infuriate me? You''ll also be a kid to me if you''re not married." Molly smiled when she saw the troubled expression on Linus'' face. The atmosphere lightened a little. Mason handed her a gift. "I''m sorry, Molly. It''s all my fault for not finding you earlier. You suffered a lot because of that. "You''re all grown up now, but it''s the first time I''m giving you a New Year''s gift." Molly shook her head gently. "I''m already very happy that I got to meet you, Dad. I''ve never med you. We still have plenty of time ahead of us." Molly put a ne on for Molly. "This is a ne that Olivia and I got for you at a church. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "It''s a pity that Olivia is missing right now. You have to stay safe. Happy New Year, Molly." Mason proceeded to hand all the kids a gift. He even prepared one for Ethan. He handed two gifts to Ethan. "Even if you weren''t with Olivia, you''re still the boy that I watched grow up. If shees back safely, I won''t stand between the two of you anymore." Ethan would''ve been overjoyed to hear those words any other time. At that moment, he just nodded. "Thanks." Give it to her personally when she returns." "She''ll definitely return." But it didn''t happen. Mason shot him a quick nce and looked away. The night was still young. They went out and yed with some fireworks with the kids. Yale clenched his fists. Mason didn''t acknowledge him. Chapter 1483 The fireworks shot up into the sky and exploded into a dazzling disy of lights. The kids were holding sparklers, but they weren''t the least bit excited. "Dad, Mom wille back to us if she sees the lights in the sky, right?" Zack said as he sobbed. "She loves all of you very much. She''lle back soon. Don''t cry." Connor looked at the plum blossoms in the yard. He said calmly, "The cherry blossoms will bloom soon. "She promised me that she would meet me under the cherry blossom trees. She won''t break her promise." Ethan felt horrible as he looked at the faces of the kids. He wanted to find Olivia as soon as possible, but the kidnappers were well prepared. They didn''t leave any clues. He could only hope that Olivia was still alive. Back on the ind, Olivia had just finished eating some cookies. Her stomach was full, but her heart was empty. She had gazed at the night sky countless times. It was one of the few entertainments she had on the ind. It was New Year''s Eve. The kids had to be eating dinner at the Heath Residence, right? She thought about what that dinner would look like. "Do you want to leave?" Wayne''s voice rang from behind her. "Just give me your word that you''ll marry me. Then, I''ll let you leave." "And if I don''t agree to marry you, will you keep me here forever or force me to do whatever you want?" Olivia was immune to many poisons. Most drugs wouldn''t work on her. Besides, Wayne didn''t n to use such underhanded methods on her. He wanted her to ept him willingly. "I''ll wait for as long as I need to, Dr. Ophelia. There are plenty of chances for you to ept me in the future." Olivia got up. "Keep waiting, then." She set off some fireworks at the beach as a celebration of the New Year for herself. It was midnight. There was only the sound of waves on the ind. It''s not as noisy as the cities. She closed her eyes and chanted inwardly, "Happy New Year, everyone!" The next morning, Olivia heard the sound of a helicopter starting up. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Was Wayne leaving again?" She made herself presentable and exited her room. She saw Wayne leaning on a tree nonchntly. "Do you want to head out?" he asked. Olivia looked at him cautiously. "What do you mean?" "Nothing. It''s just that it would be sad to be on an ind on the first day of the new year. I''ll bring you somewhere else. If you''re willing, then put on this bracelet." "To prevent me from escaping?" "Yeah. The choice is yours." This was Olivia''s only chance to leave the ind. There was no way she was going to let it go. She would only have a chance to call for help if she was outside. So, she put on the bracelet. It couldn''t be removed without the password. "Let''s go." This was the first time Olivia had left the ind in two weeks. When Olivia woke up, she had arrived at an unfamiliar ce. "This is..." Judging from the architectural style of the city, she was probably in the Qurian region. "Why did you bring me here? To visit a church?" There were a lot of churches in the city. A lot of the passersby were wearing crosses. The skyscrapers disappeared and were reced by run-down houses and people dressed in rags. Olivia guessed it was where Wayne was born. At the same time, Olivia''s tracker showed up on Ethan''s men''s screens. "Mr. Miller, good news! Mrs. Miller is still alive." Chapter 1484 Those words sent a shockwave into the group. Ethan dropped whatever he was doing and raised his head abruptly. "What did you say? Where is Liv?" "Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller is currently in Kreene." Ethan immediately knew what happened. "Where Wayne was born? Damn it. So it really was him. I should''ve known." If the kidnapper were the person who was trying to kill Olivia, she would''ve ended up like the rest of the crew. Only Wayne would set up such a distraction. His confession was rejected. So, he faked Olivia''s death to hide her whereabouts. He didn''t expect Ethan to ce a tracker on Olivia. "Wayne is a ruthless man. He''d even resort to such methods. Mr. Miller, let''s go and bring Mrs. Miller back." Ethan raised his hand to stop him. "No. Wayne must be keeping tabs on us. If we make any sudden moves, we risk alerting him." "You''re right, Mr. Miller. Then, what should we do? We can''t just leave Mrs. Miller with him, right? He might move her to another location soon." "We have to make a move, but I can''t be the one doing it." Ethan had a grave expression on his face. "I have to pretend like I''m still searching the ocean to prevent raising his suspicion. It''s not only me. None of you can leave the country. "That''s his turf. He''ll find out as soon as we enter the borders." Kelvin frowned. "If none of us are going, who would you entrust this mission to?" "I have a n. I''m relieved to know that Liv is with Wayne. Judging by his personality, he''s probably going for the long game. He won''t do anything to Liv for now." "And Mr. Heath..." "Don''t tell him yet. I''m afraid that Wayne might have spies." "Yes, Mr. Miller. But why would Wayne bring Mrs. Miller to his hometown on the first day of the new year? That ce is known for its bad conditions." Ethan frowned. "He probably wants Liv to know more about him so she would ept him. He''s trying to be sincere." It would be fine if Wayne were just entranced by Olivia''s beauty. Such a shallow emotion would fade over time. But that wasn''t it. He was serious about Olivia. Ethan had treated Olivia horribly in the past. He was starting to feel threatened and anxious. So, he quickly went to another ce after giving some more orders to his men. Yale was holding a cigarette between his fingers. He looked dejected and pale. He cut ties with the Kingston family for Molly''s sake. Mason would never ept him. That made things awkward for him in the Heath Residence. His only purpose was tofort and apany Molly. He would be kicked out when Molly got better. The Kingstons were waiting to see how he would embarrass himself, and Mason had other ns. He was the most pitiful person in the Heath family. "Why have youe?" Yale snuffed out the cigarette. "We''ve fought for so many years. This time, I''m here to cut a deal with you." "A deal with me?" Yale found it hard to believe. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ethan was already better connected than he was. Yale saw that Ethan''s eyes weren''t as bloodshot as before. He could guess what the deal was about. "Is it rted to Olivia?" That suggestion was too tempting for Yale. Chapter 1485 Kreene was a city that Olivia had heard a lot of rumors about. She knew that this was Wayne''s hometown from the information she read about him. She only realized how segregated the city was when she saw it with her own eyes. The city was very prosperous. The roads led to all corners of the city, and the streets were busy. But there was such a rundown area in this city. It was like the difference between heaven and hell. Olivia had been to many cities. She had met many refugees as well. It was her first time seeing such a ce. It looked so prosperous, especially the airport. It was better than a lot of the cities in Andia. The refugees from other ces appeared because their entire city was destroyed. Olivia was shocked that there was such a slum in such a nice city. How poor were the people here? There were some people that lived under bridges in some other cities, but there were whole families living in graveyards in Kreene. The children''s faces were covered in dirt. They gazed at strangers cautiously. On a street not far away, there were some barefooted kids in rags. They were carrying a sack of stuff that they had just stolen. Some adults were chasing after them, yelling profanities. Before Olivia could react, a boy ran into her. The boy rubbed his hands together and apologized. "I''m sorry, miss. I didn''t mean to run into you." Olivia grabbed his hand. "Did you want to pick my pockets? Unfortunately, people rarely carry cash around these days. I''ll give you some advice." She pointed at Wayne and said, "He has more money. Go steal from him." The boy looked toward Wayne''s direction. Wayne didn''t say anything, but he had a scary expression on his face. It was like he saw himself apologizing. Wayne put his hand into his pocket. The boy immediately got on his knees. "I''m sorry. I was wrong. Please don''t kill me!" In this part of town, human life was the cheapest thing there was. Unexpectedly, Wayne pulled out a wad of cash. "I''m in a good mood today. This is for you." The boy stared at the money with a stunned expression. He was still in a daze even after Wayne and Olivia left. "Why did you give him the money?" Olivia looked at him from the side. Wayne raised his head and wore a proud expression. "Weren''t you the one who asked me to do it?" Olivia had no idea why he was acting proud. Olivia witnessed several robberies in less than ten minutes of arriving at the ce. "So, this is where you grew up in?" "Does it seem unbelievable to you?" "It is hard to believe. So, I think you''re actually quite incredible to have gotten to where you are today." Wayne was taken aback. He didn''t expect Olivia to say something like that. "You..." "What?" Olivia smiled at Wayne, who was stuttering. Olivia was rendered speechless. "You must''ve sacrificed a lot to get to where you are today. I''m impressed by your achievements.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "But I still think you''re despicable for kidnapping me. These two are separate things." "This is what I like about this straightforward personality of yours." Wayne grabbed her wrist. Olivia frowned. "Let me go." "A single woman like you would be targeted if you don''t have a man with you in a ce like this." Ike, who was following behind them, grunted. "How pitiful. Smiling despite getting scolded." Chapter 1486 n didn''t say anything as he stared at Ike. Ike red at him. "Why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong?" "Ike, didn''t you enjoy the cookies that Dr. Ophelia made? You shouldn''t be so rude to someone who offered you hospitality. "I feel like Mr. Maxwell is happier than before. There''s nothing bad about that." "You''re a fool. Don''t you know that a forced rtionship never ends well? "Besides, if Mr. Maxwell falls hopelessly in love, his enemies will tear him to pieces. A man like him can''t have any weaknesses." "Even if it isn''t Dr. Ophelia, he might fall for some other woman. You can''t just expect Mr. Maxwell to be single forever." Wayne led Olivia to a dpidated old building with ease. The house would be easily ttened by a typhoon if it was built near the ocean. There were no elevators in the building, and there were countless ads posted by the stairwell. There were all sorts of odors in the building. Wayne stopped before a wooden door. He took out a key from under a potted nt to open the door. Olivia thought he would bring her to where he used to live. She hadn''t expected to see such a homely ce when the door was opened. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The ce was quite small. There were neither floor tiles nor wooden floorboards on the ground, just bare concrete floors. The couch was covered with a hand-knitted towel. There were some cats in the house. They weren''t any famous breeds, but all of them looked well-fed. The gardenia flowers on the windowsill exuded a faint fragrance, and there was also a pot of sunflowers blooming in the direction of the sun. The house was very tidy. Even the ancient television was covered with a clean towel. It was clear that the owner of the house had very deft hands. Although the world was in shambles, there were always people who were willing to patch it back up. The owner was able to turn a normal housing unit into such a cozy home. "This is..." Olivia scanned the home. The owner of the house should be quite old. "I thought you were an orphan?" There were some old photos on the side. They were of a middle-aged woman and a young boy. The boy had Wayne''s eyes. He had a defiant gaze. As soon as she spoke, someone entered the house. A woman wearing a floral shirt paired with a green skirt walked in. She seemed to be around 60 years old, but her figure and demeanor resembled that of a young woman. She was holding a basket of vegetables as she rushed inside. "Wayne, you''re back!" "Godmother." Wayne went up to her and hugged Jade Dney, his godmother. "That''s my boy. Let me see if you''ve gotten thinner. Right, you told me you were bringing someone over. Is this youngdy your guest?" "Yeah, that''s right. Take a look at her. She''s my girlfriend. Isn''t she pretty? Dr. Ophelia, this is my godmother, Jade Dney." Olivia greeted Jade courteously. Olivia smiled. "He was just joking. We''re friends. I''m already married and have four kids." Jade raised her hand and pped Wayne on his shoulder. "You brat, how dare you lie to me like that. You even got a married woman to y along. What will you do if you ruin her reputation?" Chapter 1487 "Mom, she didn''t exin the whole picture. She was divorced a long time ago." Jade pulled Wayne''s ear. "Didn''t you notice that she doesn''t have any feelings for you? Whether she has children or if she is married or not, those are all excuses. "Be honest. Did you kidnap her?" Unable to hold it in anymore, Oliviaughed. She never expected Wayne, who didn''t seem to fear anything, to be scared of someone. "Mom, let go!¡± "Darling, tell me. Did he threaten you toe here? I''ll teach him a lesson." Olivia smiled. She knew that Wayne was only behaving respectfully toward Jade. Even if Jade knew the truth, she would only lecture Wayne a little. Also, judging by Wayne''s personality, if he listened to Jade, he wouldn''t have brought Olivia home without warning. This meant that they were in cahoots with each other, and Jade also wanted Wayne to get a wife. However, Jade was just secretly feeling d on the inside. She wouldn¡¯t actually help Wayne out. Olivia was nice enough to y along. She shook her head, saying, "Oh, no. Mr. Maxwell knows that I¡¯m skilled at medicine, so he asked me toe and give you a quick checkup." Wayne was shocked. He thought that Olivia would tell the truth right away. Olivia was indeed a smart woman, and Wayne was even more reluctant to let her go now. Her answer cleared up her connection to Wayne, but she also made sure that Wayne wasn''t embarrassed in the process. Jade was indeed ill. Aside from a simple visit, he had also brought her over to take a look at Jade. "Really? You don''t look that old, but you''re a doctor, too?" Jade let go of Wayne. Even though she didn''t have makeup on, she had aged gracefully. From her contours, Olivia could guess that she had been a beautiful woman when she was younger. Jade also seemed to be an impulsive and impatient person. Olivia nodded calmly. "Yes. From your face, I can see that both your liver and lungs aren''t in good condition. As for the details, I can check your pulse to get more information." "Wow, a miraculous doctor!" Jade hastily stepped forward and took Olivia''s hand. She handed the basket she was holding to Wayne and said, "You go cook. I want this woman to take a look at my illness." Olivia obediently sat down. If she wanted to save herself, she would have to grab any chance of survival she could find. Medicine was her most important means of livelihood. She checked Jade''s pulse carefully. "Madam Dney, do you smoke and drink often?" It wasn''t hard to figure out. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. When Jade came in just now, Olivia had caught the faint smell of smoke. Some older women liked to smoke, so it wasn''t unusual at all. Olivia didn''t have any prejudice toward women who smoked, either. Olivia put on a faint smile. "May I know how old you are, Madam Dney?" "Me? I''ll be 80 tomorrow." "80? Then you must have taken great care of yourself, Madam Dney. I thought you''re only in your 60s." "Haha, it''s easy for women to avoid aging. Just don''t get married and don''t have children. "I''ve lived a carefree life, much more than anyone else. I just age a little slower than my peers. "Will there be limitations to the medicine I can take if I''m too old?" "No wonder even that brat believes you. The things you say are much nicer than those quacks." "Those quacks?" Chapter 1488 Jade was quite straightforward in her speech as well. "I¡¯m talking about those doctors he called over in the past. They think they''re mothers or something; they nag so much. "It was so annoying! They kept telling me to quit smoking and drinking. Ugh, those annoying flies!" Olivia knew that. Even though Jade was quite old, other than her liver and lungs, her health waspletely fine. Olivia could tell that she took great care of her body. Even though Jade was living in a ce like this, it was quite peaceful in the area. There weren''t any thieves or robberies that happened as soon as she stepped into this ce. This meant that an even more powerful person was protecting this area. That was how Jade managed to live in safety. "Mr. Maxwell cares about you, so he''s worried about you. I won''t tell you to change your lifestyle. "But if you trust me, I''ll prescribe something for you to maintain your health. Jade nodded enthusiastically. "Good girl. I can see that you came from a good family. "What''s your name? You look familiar to me for some reason. I feel like I''ve met you before." Olivia said, "Madam Dney, my name is Olivia Fordham. I wonder if you know my grandpa. His name is Mason Heath." If anyone from that generation felt that she looked familiar, Olivia didn''t want to waste any chances. What if the person they knew turned out to be her grandmother? "Mason Heath? I feel like I''ve heard his name before. Oh, yes, he''s someone important from Andia, isn''t he? "Child, I can see that you have quite an extraordinary background." Olivia was a little disappointed. "I thought you were my grandpa''s old friend, Madam Dney, and that''s why you felt that I looked familiar." "I don''t know your grandpa. I just..." "Just what?" Olivia prodded. Jade put a hand to her head. "It''s probably because of my age, but I can''t quite remember what happened so long ago. "I just feel something familiar about you." Wayne had just washed the fruits. When he emerged from the kitchen, he overheard the conversation between the two. "Mom took a serious injury to the head when she was young. She was sold off, and she ended up here. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. So, she''s not from this ce. "You probably looked like someone she knew in the past." Olivia was sure that the person Jade knew might very well be Natalie. After all, Natalie would be in her 80s, so she would be quite simr to Jade in terms of age. Sadly, the people who knew Natalie were all quite old. At their age, they could easily get cerebral hemorrhage if they tripped and fell. If their minds get confused, they would forget even themselves, let alone others. Olivia sighed. That was one more clue that ended up in a dead end. "It''s okay, Madam Dney. Take your time to think about it. If you remember anything, you can tell me anytime. "Have some fruits for now." "Alright." "I''ll help Mr. Maxwell with the cooking." Olivia followed Wayne into the kitchen. "What''s the story behind this godmother of yours?" "To be honest, I don''t know. She was brought here in her teens. "It was a chaotic time, and women lived pitiful lives, especially those who had good looks. "She forgot everything that happened when she was young. And then..." "She was a pampered girl who had escaped the big city and ended up in the slums here. "She had helped me a lot back then, so I acknowledged her as my godmother. She lived a life full of suffering. Chapter 1489 Wayne peeled off the dirty skin on the onion. "IT don''t know. I was abandoned as soon as I was born because of my weak physique. Someone took me in because I was a boy. "But after the family had a son of their own, they sold me off. "After some twists and turns, I was abandoned here when I was three. From then on, this ce has be my home." He tossed the onion peel into the trash can. "The people here are like weeds in the soil. No matter how difficult their surroundings are, they will give it their all to emerge from the soil." He briefly recounted his tragic past. Olivia knew that it must have been very difficult for him to get to where he was right now. He didn''t have a prominent background, and he had to survive by stealing and robbing from young. His story was quite a legend. Olivia examined his face. If he wasn''t abandoned by his family, he might have been a child from a wealthy family. ¡°Anyway, you should get out of this kitchen. I''ve been cooking for myself for years, and I know this kitchen better than you do. "I''ll be very grateful to you even if you just keep Mompany." Olivia leaned against the stove. "If you''re grateful to me, can you take me home?¡± "No can do." "Then what sort of gratitude is that?" Olivia clicked her tongue. Then, she turned around and left. She knew that Wayne wouldn''t just take her home for no reason. Jade was knitting a hat for the kitten sitting on herp. Winters in Kariken were usually above 50 degrees, and it would usually be around 68 degrees. So, it was quite warm here. Comment by soonyoung gu: think author made a typo and it''s actually kreene??? since one is ka li ni and this ka li ken Jade had lived here for more than 60 years, but she still maintained her habits from before. She would knit something every time winter came around. Olivia scooted closer to Jade and overheard thetter''s murmurs. "Who does she look like? She feels so familiar. Why can''t I remember anything?" The kitten on herp raised its chubby face to stare at her. Reaching out, Jade caressed the cat''s face. "I''m not talking about you, Doughball." Olivia half-crouched next to her. Taking Jade''s hand, she said, " Madam Dney, if you can''t remember, just take your time with it. You don''t have to rush." Jade was old, but her eyes were clear. Her dark eyes were as bright as day. Reaching up, she touched Olivia''s face. She murmured, "You look so familiar. Who is it? Who could it be? I couldn''t possibly forget someone so important." The more she thought about it, the more her head hurt. She hissed in pain. Olivia noticed that things were getting worse, so she hastilyforted Jade. "Please stop thinking about it, Madam Dney. I''m Olivia Fordham and nobody else. Just close your eyes and rest for a while." Jade soon fell asleep on the rocking chair. Olivia ced a nket on Jade''sp. Then, she lit a calming candle for Jade. The kitten was ying with a furball while Wayne was whipping something up in the kitchen. Ethan often made meals for Olivia as well, but his every movement was noble and elegant. After all, he had lived in a strict family since young. Wayne''s movements were free and easy, and he looked more like a street food chef than anything. Noticing Olivia standing silently behind him, he raised an eyebrow at her. "What''s the matter? Were you charmed by me because you''ve never seen a man cooking before? You''re allowed to fall for me." Olivia crossed her arms, pointing at a bloody piece of meat at the side. "If it were Ethan, he would have cleaned that piece of meat more thoroughly." Wayne snorted. "He''s a spoiled kid from a rich family. I don''t believe that he can cook. He probably reached the prime of his cooking skills when he hunted hares and grilled some fish over the fire." Olivia chuckled. People had many misunderstandings about Ethan, just like how she was prejudiced about Wayne in the past. "That''s not true. He makes wonderful mushroom and chestnut soups, and his barbecue pork ribs are heavenly. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He controls the heat very well. When we were just married, he would cook for me whenever he had the time." Wayne sneered. "You said that it was only when you were just married. Soter on, he cooked for someone else, didn''t he?" Olivia fell silent. Chapter 1490 Olivia couldn''t deny it because it was the truth. While she was pregnant, Marina happened to return to the country. Marina was pregnant as well. She wanted proof that Ethan would treat her well, so she asked Ethan to cook for her, too. Back then, Ethan was filled with guilt toward Kurt, so he would fulfill any wish Marina had. "It''s kind of boring talking to you," Olivia grumbled. "T hit the nail on the head." Wayne flipped the food in the pan, sending sparks flying. "I won''t be like him. I''m like a wolf, you see. As soon as I lock onto a prey, I will never give up on it. I won''t be distracted. "I''ll admit that my background isn''t as good as Ethan''s. But with my position, I can give you things he won''t be able to. I am not inferior to him in this sense." Olivia scoffed. ¡°Men would make empty promises and whisper sweet nothings when they are trying to court women. "How would I know that you''re not another Ethan to me? Or do you think that I''m a pure 18-year-old, and I''ll fall for you because of some cheesy lines you said?" ¡°Alright, I won''t force you. Why don''t you tell me about you and him? How did you get to know each other?" Wayne felt that he should get to know his enemy better. It would increase his chances of winning. Since Wayne wanted to hear about it, Olivia would indulge him, of course. She softly recounted the story between her and Ethan. At the end of it, she looked at Wayne. "What do you think?" Wayne scoffed. "That''s corny. Even storytellers wouldn''t use clich¨¦s like that. Ethan only saved your life, and you''re already giving him your hand in marriage?" Olivia pouted. At that moment, he reminded her of a certain friend. She said earnestly, "I was so young back then, and the sea was like a monster with its huge jaws wide open. "There was thunder overhead, and the waves were roaring. When he jumped off a warship and took me out of the water, he was like an angel who had descended to save me!" Even though it happened more than a decade ago, every time Olivia recalled that scene, she still felt her heart racing. How could she not? His arms were so strong, and even though his voice was cold, itforted her nervous and fearful heart. "You''re so naive." Wayne snorted. He served the beef slices he had just fried. Then, he raised his head and nced at Olivia. "Hey, if I saved your life, would you marry me?" Olivia replied, "No." "Why not? How am I worse than him?" Olivia took the cutlery out, lowered her head, and said, ¡°Wayne, you don''t have topare yourself to anyone else. "You''re you, and there''s only one of you in the world. "Your background may not be as good as Ethan''s, but you''re the seed that will push through the soil even if it''s on a cliff. "You have strengths no one else possesses." Wayne started, "Then you¡ª" "I won''t marry you because I''m no longer a young woman in her teens. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°The woman you encountered is someone who has experienced the sweetness of love, and also its wilting, and the despair thates with it. "You''ve encountered a woman who survived against all odds. To the teenage me, love was a necessity. "But now, it''s not." Olivia said earnestly, "Do you understand now? It''s not your fault that I didn''t ept you; we just met each other at the wrong time. "We can''t be a couple, but we can be friends, right?" "Those are empty words." Carrying the te of beef, Wayne turned around and left. Olivia was too good at this. She was trying to bewitch him with just a few words. But fortunately, he was a determined man. Olivia watched as he walked away. Men were strange creatures. They were ted when she told them lies. But when she started telling the truth, they wouldn''t believe her. Chapter 1491 Noticing that the meal was ready, Olivia went to wake Jade. Jade had quite a restless sleep on the chair. She even mumbled, "The void holds no troubles..." Olivia gently woke Jade up. "Madam Dney, the meal is ready." Jade slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the beautiful face in front of her, she subconsciously called out, "Sister." Olivia froze. "What did you just call me?" It was only then that Jade came to her senses. "Did I say anything?" "Madam Dney, you just called me ''Sister.'' Did you remember something?" "]..." Jade put a hand on her head. She indeed had a dream, and she felt like she was dreaming about a woman. But after she woke up, the dream disappeared, and she couldn''t remember anything anymore. Olivia could see how troubled Jade was, and thetter didn''t seem to be faking it. By the looks of it, she had roused some of the memories in Jade''s subconscious mind. "Madam Dney, let''s eat." Olivia didn''t dare to shock Jade too much. After all, Olivia wasn''t quite skilled in neurology. Jade was ted during the meal. "I knew that you''d being over this year, too. You''ve been doing that for years, after all.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Still, I didn''t expect you to bring a friend this year." n filled their sses with wine. "Madam Dney, Mr. Maxwell will never forget about you no matter what. "Dr. Ophelia, let''s toast to Madam Dney and Mr. Maxwell. Let''s wish him a happy birthday." Olivia was stunned. "It''s his birthday today?" Smiling, Jade said, "My head was injured, so I couldn''t even remember who I was. Wayne was even more pitiful. "He was sold off repeatedly, and he doesn''t even know who his family members are. Of course, he doesn''t know when his birthday is, either. "we both suffered a lot. ¡°When I took him in, he was just a scrawny kid. So, wememorated the day of our encounter as our birthday. "We spend our birthday together every year." Jade sounded calm about it, but Olivia was a little more affected than before. Wayne''s past was even more pitiful than the short few sentences written in his documents. "I see." Olivia raised her ss. Madam Dney, here''s a toast to you. May you always be in good health and peace." ¡°Thank you." Olivia raised her ss again, but this time, she was facing Wayne. ¡°Wayne, happy birthday." Wayne snorted. "That''s it? You just don''t care, do you?" Even so, he gripped his ss tightly. There was slight joy in his gaze. Olivia continued, "I wish you peace and sess, and I hope you''ll find your significant other soon." "Oh,e on. You should''ve just kept your mouth shut, then." Wayne downed the wine. After the meal, Olivia asked Jade, "Madam Dney, seeing how powerful Mr. Maxwell is now, he could''ve let you live in a better ce. "Why did you insist on staying here? It''s not safe here, and many things arecking here." "My dear, humans can adapt to new situations, but trees can''t. ¡°Wayne is young, so he should go out there and explore so that he can have a better future. "But I''m different. I''m getting old, and I''m just like those old trees. "If I go with him, I''ll only be a burden. ¡°Moreover, I''ve lived here for so many years; I''ve already treated this ce as my home. "No matter how imperfect this ce is, no one wouldin about their home. I don''t have many years left ahead of me, so I''d rather live life to the fullest. ¡°Also, with his identity, if people learned that he has a godmother like me, what would they think of him?" Olivia understood, so she didn''t ask more about it. She just took Jade''s hand and said softly, "This is a good ce. Even vibrant flowers can bloom out of barren soil." Chapter 1492 Wayne could hold his liquor well. But today, he seemed to have gotten drunk. Olivia helped him onto the bed. He gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go. "Let go! I''m warning you, don''t do anything funny!" Olivia warned him sternly. Wayne''s cheeks were flushed, but he kept mumbling, "Dr. Ophelia, I really do like you. Can you give me a chance?" "Sorry." Olivia pried his fingers off of her. Then, she left the room expressionlessly. Compared to Wayne, Olivia was more concerned about Jade. Jade had drunk a few sses of wine. She was a good drinker, but still, she was quite old, so Olivia was a little worried about her. Jade was lying on the bed, murmuring, "Sis, don''t leave me. Sis..." 1 When Olivia came in, Jade gripped Olivia''s hands. "Oh, Nat! It''s me, Jade." "Jade, who am I?" "You''re Sis. You know, Nat." "What is my name?" Olivia continued asking. "You''re..." Before Jade finished speaking, she fell asleep. Olivia felt a little exasperated. Sometimes, it could be quite troublesome to have too much to drink. While the two were asleep, Olivia wanted to get a phone to contact Ethan with. Jade didn''t have a phone, and Olivia couldn''t unlock Wayne''s phone. People were keeping watch outside as well. Olivia sighed. She had no choice but to sleep on the couch. It was New Year''s Day, but instead of spending time with her children, she had to put up here. The next morning, Wayne groggily woke up. When he saw Olivia sleeping on the couch, he felt even more attracted to her. Walking in, n whispered something in his ear. When Olivia heard the voices, she opened her eyes and looked at Wayne. "Did I wake you?" Wayne lowered his voice on purpose. "IT heard you guys saying that you found something out." "Yes. Undecim released information that the person who''s trying to kill you is in Zelotria." "Who is ite" Olivia continued to ask. 1 Wayne shook his head. "We haven''t figured that out. Undecim was only sure of that part. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Do you have any enemies in Zelotria?" Olivia felt exasperated. "What if I told you I''ve never been to Zelotria?" If that were the case, then her real family might be in Zelotria! The range had narrowed down, so her trip here wasn''t meaningless after all. Wayne was on a tight schedule, but he still took a day off to show Olivia around. He showed her his "war records" in the past, and they also went to the busiest area. The poor people here were ves to the rich. Everywhere on the streets, they could see people with cors around their necks as they prostrated on all fours. In the Colosseum, ves belonging to different masters were fighting each other, and the audience was riled up. Things were even bloodier and more violent in the gambling house. It was very upsetting to watch. "T have to use the bathroom," Olivia said. "Go ahead." Wayne gave n a look. Someone followed Olivia right away. Unbeknownst to him, Olivia had already contacted someone among the crowd. In the bathroom, Yale''s figure suddenly appeared. "I''m alittle surprised that you, of all people, are here." "Molly owed you one, after all. Don''t let down your guard. This is his territory, and we won''t be able to escape so easily." Olivia was already happy enough to see someone familiar in a foreign country. She didn''t expect Ethan''s men to arrive so soon. ¡°Are my children alright?" ¡°They''re good children, and they''re very understanding too. They''re all waiting for you toe home. "Let''s skip the nonsense. We''re going up." Yale pointed at the vent on the ceiling. Chapter 1493 Olivia didn''tin. She stepped on Yale for momentum to climb up. The pipeline inside was wide enough to fit an adult man. But no one cleaned it, so it was filled with dust. Olivia couldn''t care about those things. She only had one thought in her mind: she had to escape. Her children were still waiting for her. Fortunately, the area was very chaotic, and there were quite a lot of gangs here. When Yale was working for the Kingstons in the past, he was involved in shady business like this. He teamed up with a prominent local leader, and that was how he managed to pave a path for Olivia. In an extremely short time, he managed to send Olivia out to sea. By the time Wayne noticed that something was off and came running, Olivia was nowhere to be found. He was furious. They had taken Olivia away from right under his nose! Ethan was truly a force to be reckoned with. Wayne didn''t give Olivia a chance to contact the outside world, so how did Ethan''s men manage to locate her? Wayne mocked Ethan because he was looking for a needle ina haystack, but he didn''t expect Ethan to make use of his schemes and trick him! "Give chase! Don''t let her escape!" Wayne knew that if he missed this chance, he wouldn''t have another one ever again. He mobilized all forces to look for Olivia. Yale knew that Ethan was working with people on the inside and also with those outside. So, vessels would be waiting at the boundary of the high seas. Wayne went after Olivia in a speedboat. Olivia was anxious. She had recalled her trauma back when Ethan chased and captured her. A distance away, Ethan was standing on a warship, awaiting Olivia''s arrival. Seagulls circled the air above, and the speedboat created waves as it sped along. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone''s heart was almost leaping out of their chest. Ethan had let down the ropedder, and the hair over his forehead danced in the wind. He extended his hand toward the person in the speedboat. ¡°Liv,e to me." After being apart from Ethan for two weeks, Olivia missed him dearly. She grabbed the ropedder and started to climb up the warship. Wayne''s voice came riding on the sea breeze. "Olivia, don''t leave!" He was like a furious beast roaring with all its might. His veins on his neck throbbed. "Olivia! Don''t leave, please!" He had to go faster. Just a little bit more, and he would be able to catch up to Olivia. But that woman didn''t turn back to him at all. Instead, she climbed even faster. When she ced her hand on Ethan''s palm, Wayne knew that he had lost. Olivia threw herself into Ethan''s arms. "Ethan..." Ethan tightly held the precious treasure he had lost and then found. His gaze was filled with love toward Olivia. "I''m sorry, Olivia. I camete." "No, you were really fast." She had only shown herself two days ago, but he had already gotten his men to rescue her. It was so fast that even Wayne didn''t have time to react. "Olivia!" Wayne stared at her. No matter how fast he gave chase, he was still toote. A bullet was fired on the surface of the sea in front of him. Ethan held Olivia with one hand as he fired shots with his other hand. His expression was extremely cold. ¡°Wayne, if youe any closer, you''ll be in Andian waters. If you want to die, I won''t stop you!" In reality, if there weren''t so many people here, Ethan wished he could have killed Wayne in one shot. That bastard had used such underhanded tricks to deceive Ethan so that he could get his hands on Olivia. Wayne''s gaze was filled with disappointment. He thought that he was getting along well with Olivia these days, for she didn''t seem resistant to him. But in the end, she still decisively threw herself in the arms of another man. "Olivia, don''t you even like me a little bit?" Comment by soonyoung gu: olivia: ion even like u a lil bit LMAOAOAOAO 1 Standing on the tall warship, Olivia looked down at the pained man. "Never." Chapter 1494 Wayne pushed himself against the warship, his face filled with a pained expression. The look on Olivia''s face was extremely cold, and she didn''t fake anything at all. Ethan fired more shots. The bullets rained down near Wayne''s speedboat, causing waves to ssh in Wayne''s face. "Wayne, I''ll make you pay dearly for kidnapping my wife!" With that, Ethan ordered his men to steer homeward. Looking at the hurt man, Ike sighed silently. "She''s already gone, Mr. Maxwell. Just give up. She doesn''t love you." The heart was the most important factor. Age and status didn''t matter at all. If she didn''t like him, then she didn''t. No matter who he was, he couldn''t do anything about it. "Why..." Wayne mumbled. After so many years, he finally met a woman like her, but the heavens refused to grant his wish. Olivia leaned in Ethan''s embrace. "I thought that I would never see you again." Back then, she seriously thought that Wayne would keep her trapped on the ind forever. "I''m sorry, Liv." Ethan had realized it toote, too. He hugged Olivia tightly. He was extremely worried when he heard the news that Olivia had died. A few days ago, when he couldn''t find any leads, he spent every second in anxiety. Fortunately, this was all in the past. Olivia''s arrival was like the parting of dark clouds. Even the winds and snow in Aldenvine had stopped. Her children bounded toward her. "Mom!" Gathering the children in her arms, Olivia teared up. "I''m sorry. You must have been so worried!" The adorable children seemed to have lost a lot of weight. Children had keen senses, after all. There were even tears welling up in Connor''s eyes. Mom, I''m d you''re fine." Oliviaforted each child in turn. Then, Linus and the others approached her. "Olivia, please be more careful in the future. You gave us quite a fright." Mason reached out and caressed her head. "I''m getting old. I can''t take too many frights, you know?" Olivia pulled Yale over. "Grandpa, this is all thanks to Yale. If not, I wouldn''t be able to escape so easily." 1 Yale didn''t say a word. Mason nodded. "Yes, we should thank him properly. Yale, thank you for the hard work. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Go and have some rest. w "Yes, sir." Yale exchanged nces with Ethan. As expected, Ethan was right. If Yale saved Olivia, Mason would more or less be grateful to him. Molly ran over to Yale from a distance. "Yale, are you okay? How is Olivia?" "I''m fine. Everything went as nned. It''s cold outside, and you have a weak body. Go back to your room and rest first." It was only then that Molly sighed in relief. I''m d she''s back in one piece." Reaching up, Yale scratched the tip of her nose. "I promised you that I''d bring her home safely, didn''t I?" That night, the Heath family was finally in a festive mood. They had maids cook Olivia''s favorite dishes to wee her home. Even though they had missed the New Year''s festivities, with her family around her, Olivia felt extremely blissful. In the big wide world, as long as their family was together, they had reason to celebrate every day. The ind was beautiful, but in the end, it wasn''t her home. Her family wasn''t there, either. After Olivia had a refreshing shower, she saw Ethan hugging the children as he told them stories. 1 He said in his deep and attractive voice, "After that, the princess and the prince got married. They had several adorable children, and they lived happily ever after." Chapter 1495 Olivia and the children returned to the initial ind. I After so many years of development, the ind was quite different now. There was a colorful road by the sea that ran around the whole ind. The cherry tree in front of Martha''s house back then was still there. Now, the cherry blossoms were blooming splendidly. Olivia stood under the huge cherry tree, listening as the wind chimes hanging on the tree rang melodiously in the sea breeze. When the lights on the cherry tree were turned on, Olivia looked majestic as she stood among the petals of the cherry blossoms drifting downward. Even women who had never given birth before might look dull inparison, let alone women who had four children. Willow sat in the cherry tree, the bells on her feet chiming. Under the tree, the twins were messing around. Connor touched the cherry tree, feeling amazed. He didn''t remember much of his childhood, but he had a deep impression of this cherry tree. Back then, he was still following Olivia everywhere in his diapers. Martha had passed away two years ago, but Olivia''s room was still preserved as is. Most of the inders didn''t leave the ce. They were d to see Olivia, and they said that she had made their lives much easier. Now, there was clean water and electricity on the ind, and the inders could even ess the inte. They could learn about the world without stepping outside of their homes. They weren''t as isted as they used to be. Bringing the children with them, Olivia and Ethan stayed on the ind for a week until anumber shed on Olivia''s phone screen. Olivia stopped ying with the children. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. With a stern look on her face, she stepped aside to answer the call. "Mr. Avery." Avery''s cough sounded over the phone. Olivia was a little worried about his health. "Are you okay?" "I''m alright. I''m sorry for disturbing you during your holiday. Olivia, do you remember the younger brother I mentioned who had his legs broken?" "Mr. Sean?" "Yes. Because of his legs, he had been in a bad mood for the past few years. He was diagnosed with depression, and he even had thoughts of ending his own life recently. Fortunately, the other family members noticed it. "He''ll need to solve the problem at its roots, so Olivia, can you please take a look at Sean''s legs? "If you can cure his legs, he should be released from his mental illness, too." She had already promised Avery to do it, but the person who wanted to kill her was in Zelotria. If she went over now, she would be walking right into mortal danger. Many years ago, Avery had done her a favor so Olivia couldn''t decline. ¡°Alright, but I have a request. I want to use my fake identity." 1 Avery knew about Olivia being targeted as well. "I understand. Don''t worry, I''ll make the arrangements." After a discussion with Avery, Olivia decided to head to Zelotria the next day. After all, a human life was at stake. When Ethan heard that she was leaving, he frowned deeply. "Liv, I don''t mean to stop you from working, but the incident with Wayne ended just a few days ago. Now that you''re leaving again, I''m really worried..." Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest as she said, "I know that you''re worried, but I owe Mr. Avery a lot. He had asked me for help because he had no other choice. 1 ¡°Ethan, I promise you that this will be thest time. After this, I won''t just up and leave anymore. Mr. Avery will arrange everything for me. He''ll take responsibility for my safety." "Liv, can I say no?" Ethan''s gaze was filled with worry. He had also found some leads pointing to Zalotria. The person who wanted to kill Olivia was there! How could he not be worried? 1 "No." Ethan let out a deep sigh. "Liv, what do I do with you?" Chapter 1496 Olivia rubbed against Ethan''s cor like a cat. "I don''t have anything to do with Avery''s family. There are no grudges between us. "Moreover, Avery had helped me out before, so the Fordham family is the safest ce there. Also, I won''t be going there with my original identity. "No one will know that it''s me." ¡°You always have your reasons." Ethan was helpless against her. "But this time, promise me that you''ll take Willow with you. Willow has an intuition with medicine, and she can tell the animals to protect you." "Sure." Even though Olivia didn''t sense anything dangerous about Avery''s family, it wasn''t a bad idea for Willow to go with her. Of all the children, Willow was the one who had the most interest in medicine. If Willow learned more from Olivia, she would be a wonderful doctor in the future. When the other children heard that Olivia would be leaving with Willow this time, they were both envious and sad. The twins held each of Olivia''s hands, saying, "Mom, can we go with you too? We won''t give you trouble." Olivia touched their small faces. She didn''t want to leave them, either. "I''m going there to treat someone, and I''ll be back very soon. Be good, alright?" "But school is starting soon. We rarely get a chance to be with you, Mom. You were just kidnapped by someone, too. We''re worried that " If it were possible, Olivia didn''t want to leave so soon, either. But a person''s life was at stake here. Depression was quite serious if it had been going on for years. The patient would keep thinking of ending their life. If Olivia hade even a dayter, Sean would have been in mortal danger. She had no choice. She tried her best tofort the children. "I''ll be fine. Be good, alright? After I''ve treated that person, I''lle back and spend some quality time with you." Even though the twins were reluctant, they obeyed in the end. " Take care, Mom." "T will.¡± Olivia hummed a luby as she gently coaxed the children to sleep. The lights were still on in the room outside. Olivia spotted Connor, who was still up. He was sitting at the window, dazed. She wondered what he was thinking about. "It''s gettingte. Why haven''t you gone to bed?" Olivia gently held Connor''s shoulder. He was the oldest of her children but also the most reserved. He wasn''t like his younger siblings, who would always express themselves honestly. Connor was hesitant to speak. His eyes, which looked very much like Ethan''s, were filled with longing. "You don''t want me to go to Zelotria?" "It''s not that. I''m just mad that I''m too young, so I can''t ensure your safety. "If I were better at this, I could''ve gotten rid of all the dangers for you. Then, you can go wherever you want." After Olivia listened to his words, she sighed lightly. "I''m happy enough that you have that intention, child. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself. "Even if the sky is falling, your dad will do something about it. I can protect myself, too, so don''t worry about me." "But you''re still ming Dad. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Even now, you refuse to get married to Dad again. That''s why you''re getting targeted." 1 Connor swayed her hand lightly. ¡°Mom, Dad really loves you. I know that he did lots of bad things in the past, but what''s important is that he changed his ways. "Mom, can you give Dad another chance?" Olivia caressed Connor''s face gently. "Oh, you. Are you advocating for your dad?" "I just don''t want you to fall for someone else. I don''t want to get married to someone else and have someone else''s children. "If that happens, then... I won''t have a mother anymore.¡± Olivia didn''t expect Connor to think like that. He was the oldest, and he also had the most thoughts. In all the days she hadn''t seen him, was he constantly in fear of losing her? "Silly child. I''ll never leave you." 1 Olivia said softly, "I''ll consider getting married to your dad again." Chapter 1497 Early the next morning, the children got up to see Olivia off. "Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll take good care of Zack and Alicia." "Good boy." Ethan walked up to Olivia. "Don''t lose the ne. No matter where you are, I''ll be able to find you." Olivia didn''t fault him for nting a tracker on her. If it weren''t for the ne he had given her beforehand, she wouldn''t be able to escape. "Yeah, I know. Take good care of the children. I''ll be back soon." "I''ve already made preparations in Zelotria. If any idents happen, you can contact our men anytime." ¡°Alright.¡± Standing on tiptoe, Olivia nted a kiss on Ethan''s cheek. She said in a low voice, "I''ve already promised Connor that I''ll consider getting married to you again." 1 Ethan''s eyes lit up in joy. He patted Willow on the head. "Darling, keep close to your mom, alright?" 1 Willow nodded obediently. She was ted to be able to keep Oliviapany. The two disguised themselves and changed their real appearances. To outsiders, they hadmon looks, and only Willow''s green eyes stood out. Still, only the Heaths and Ethan knew about Willow''s identity. No one knew that Olivia had a child like Willow. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After more than ten long hours on the ne, Olivia and Willow safelynded. Avery''s people were in charge of everything from the private jet to picking Olivia up at the airport. It was night when Olivia arrived at the capital of Zelotria. Zelotria was at a lowtitude, so the temperature was just nice. Spring was everywhere around them. Zelotria and Andia came from the same roots. They also celebrated the new year extensively, so the streets were adorned with colorful lights. As Willow gazed at the lights on the streets, her green eyes sparkled and shimmered. Olivia gently held Willow in her arms. Then, she reached up and caressed Willow''s face. "When things settle down, let''s set off fireworks together." Willow nodded. Reaching out, she hugged Olivia''s neck and kissed Olivia''s cheek. Olivia had heard about the Fordhams in Zelotria. They were one of the most prestigious century-old families in the country. In the past century, many great figures came from the Fordhams. There were officials in politics and also famous people in business, arts, entertainment, medicine, and various other fields. The Fordhams were thriving, but a huge change urred in the current generation. Avery''s kidney problem had gued him for years. Sean got into an ident, and Quinn died in a foreignnd. Even though the status of the Fordhams was still immovable, the Fordhams seemed to be shrouded in a dark cloud that refused to dissipate. Olivia changed her name to Susie Fordham, and she was introduced as a doctor Avery had especially asked for help from. Hence, she was greatly respected. On the way there, Olivia asked about Sean. The driver sighed. "Mr. Sean is a pitiful man indeed. He''s a gentleman, and he prioritized fairness. He treated us household staff very well. 1 "He was an excellent first officer, and he would be captain soon. "Unexpectedly, he was betrayed by his girlfriend, and he got into an ident which injured his legs. He wouldn''t be able to stand ever again. "He has been very depressed in thest few years. His mental state is in deep trouble." Olivia asked, "Did he consult a psychologist?" "Of course, he did. He talked to many doctors, both local and foreign. Still, the problem has to be solved at its roots. "He can''t stand on his feet, and nothing the doctors said could help. However, since Mr. Avery had especially invited you here, you may be able to cure Mr. Sean." "I''ll do my best." While they were speaking, the car drove into a vi with a view of the ocean. Arge field of green grass came into view, rustling in the sea breeze. At night, when the moon shone, the whole scene looked lonely and depressing. "This is..." "This is Mr. Sean''s private home." Chapter 1498 Olivia could imagine how beautiful and lonely this field would look when the wind rustled through the grass in the daytime. It was no wonder that Sean would get depressed. If Olivia lived in an environment like that for long periods, even she would have weeds growing all over her heart. The car pulled to a stop. The vi was quite minimalistic. The walls were painted either gray or white. The vi looked stagnant, and there wasn''t any liveliness to it at all. It was 11:00 pm by then, but the sound of an ocarina could be hearding from the vi. The piece being yed was the familiar "Celestial Castle". It started to drizzle outside. The rain pelted against the ss window, looking both beautiful and lonely. Olivia was going crazy. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Even she couldn''t stay more than a few minutes in this ce, let alone a depressed person. She felt like apanionless whale in the sea, as if she was the only person left in the whole world. She was devastated and deste. How could a depressed person not get even more depressed under such circumstances? "Mr. Sean is the one ying the ocarina. He has insomnia, and he has trouble falling asleep, especially at night." Olivia frowned. She felt that something was off. If Sean was depressed, why would they allow him to be in a ce like this? Under such circumstances, he wouldn''t recover at all. Instead, he would only get even more depressed. "Can I see Mr. Sean?" "I can''t say for sure. Mr. Sean isn''t mentally stable, and in the past few years, he hasn''t even wanted to see his own family, let alone an outsider. ¡°When they mentioned you to him, Mr. Sean seemed resistant to the idea." Even so, the driver was kind enough to knock on the door, signaling that a new doctor wanted to have a look at Sean. The reply came in the form of the sound of something crashing against the floor. By the looks of it, Sean didn''t want to see her, and he also harbored great enmity toward her. The driver was a little troubled. "I''m sorry, Dr. Fordham. It''s gettingte, and you must be tired from the journey. Why don''t you and your child rest up first? "Mr. Sean probably doesn''t want to see you, so perhaps you should wait for another day¡ª" Before he finished speaking, the sound of a flute rang out in their ears. The driver lowered his head, surprised to see that the green- eyed child was ying the flute. The child was quite young, but she was very skilled. Five minutester, the door opened. Aman in a wheelchair appeared by the doorframe. He had a pale face, and his contours were slightly simr to Avery''s. However, his facial features looked much gentler, and he had a thin frame. There were dark circles under the man''s eyes. It was obvious that he hadn''t had proper sleep in a long while. He was terrifyingly depressed. He stared at Willow, a hint of surprise appearing in his emotionless eyes. He probably didn''t expect such a young child to y the flute in a way that resonated with him so much. The driver was surprised. "Mr. Sean, this is the doctor Mr. Avery has invited over to treat you. Sean didn''t pay Olivia much attention. He stared unblinkingly at Willow. "She''s..." Perhaps because he hadn''t said a word in a long time, his voice sounded a little hoarse. It was quite an odd sound. "Oh, right, I forgot to make the introductions. She''s Dr. Fordham''s daughter." "Dr. Fordham?" Because of their identicalst names, Sean looked up at Olivia. Her face was quitemon-looking, and no one would spare her a second nce in a crowd. Olivia introduced herself. "Hello, Mr. Sean. My name is Susie Fordham. This is my daughter, Willow." "Wee... low?" Sean seemed to be more interested in Willow than Olivia. Even though Willow had her facial features altered, Olivia took special care to enhance Willow''s features so that she looked like she was of mixed blood. 1 When people looked at her, they would assume that her father was a foreigner. Willow walked slowly up to Sean''s wheelchair. Holding up his hand, she traced the spelling of her name on his palm. Chapter 1499 The willow was a tree that stretched to the heavens while staying rooted in ce, and its branches also connected the sky with the ground. Willow''s name was quite special, and it was quite rare these days. Olivia exined, "Willow is born mute." Perhaps because they were both physicallycking, with Sean''s failing legs and Willow unable to speak, Sean easily resonated with her. "She''s still so young.¡± Sean''s gaze was filled withpassion as he looked at Willow. After all, she was such a young child, but she had never spoken a word. Willow smiled at him. She couldn''t speak, but her gaze was radiant and gentle. She didn''t look miserable at all. She signed something. Sean couldn''t understand, so he looked at Olivia. Olivia exined, "Willow said that even though she can''t speak, she feels happy because she has her family who loves her." "Family..." Sean murmured as if he was thinking of something. Olivia took a step forward. ¡°You look very tired, Mr. Sean. You probably haven''t had proper sleep in a long while. It''s gettingte, so you should rest." ¡°Sleep? I won''t be able to." Sean shook his head. "Nights like this are the hardest to endure." Aside from taking injections and pills, he never had a night of decent sleep. If he took injections or pills over long periods, he would slowly rely on them. Sean didn''t want to be useless trash that only relied on medicine, so he forcefully stopped taking medicine. Since then, his sleep quality had taken a turn for the worse. He couldn''t sleep all night, and his mind was filled with countless thoughts. Just a while ago, he even tried to end his own life. Olivia said gently, "Don''t worry, Mr. Sean. I have some tricks to counter insomnia." "Can you? I heard from Avery that you''re here to cure my legs. I''ve talked to many doctors about my insomnia, but nothing worked. Are you sure you can do it?" Olivia nodded. "You can give it a try, Mr. Sean. The people I''ve treated before all sang praises of the effectiveness of my methods." The mother- daughter duo was quite unlike the other doctors. Olivia was here to cure Sean''s legs, but she never mentioned a word of it. Instead, she asked to treat his insomnia. What sort of doctor would bring their daughter over? Olivia didn''t look like a doctor at all. Instead, she looked like a rtive who hade to visit. The driver said, "Why don''t you let Dr. Fordham have a try, Mr. Sean? She must have been quite outstanding for Mr. Avery to ask for her help." ¡°Alright, let''s see what you can do. Many famous doctors have failed, so what can you do?" "May I know where your room is, Mr. Sean? Can you show me around? It''s vital to have afortable environment to sleep in." Sean gave Reginald Lind, his caregiver, a look. Reginald came over and took Sean to his room in his wheelchair. Because of his failing legs, Sean lived on the ground floor. As soon as Olivia walked into the room, she saw therge floor-to-ceiling windows. The field was right outside the windows. The ocean, with its raging waves,y in the distance. It was drizzling outside, and the raindrops pelted on the ss windows. The room was grayish-white as well. It looked as lonely as loneliness could be. Sean was like a wilted flower about to reach the end of its life. Olivia frowned deeper. "Show me what you can do, Dr. Fordham." Olivia retrieved a calming candle and silver needles from her bag. " Just lie down, Mr. Sean, and leave the rest to me." "No need for medicine?" "No. This''ll do." The scent of the candle wafted in the air, and it soon filled the whole room. As Olivia instructed, Seany on the bed. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Then, Olivia ced her fingers on his wrist. Sean was curious about this. "You know herbal medicine?" Chapter 1500 Olivia seemed quite young, so she must have been quite amazing to have achieved something in modern medicine. But surprisingly, she could check pulses for deeper signs, too. In a sense, with modern medicine making waves all over the world, the remaining reputable doctors in herbal medicine were on the older side. Sean rarely saw doctors as young as Olivia. Olivia calmly examined his pulse. Sean asked, "How is it?" "You should sleep first, Mr. Fordham. We''ll talk when you have woken up." With that, she took out the needles. "T''ll stimte your acupuncture points with the silver needles. Coupled with the calming candle, you''ll be able to sleep nicely." Sean assumed that Olivia didn''t figure anything out from the pulse. She was young, after all. Even internationally famous doctors couldn''t cure his insomnia. Sean chose not to expose Olivia. Instead, he allowed her to perform acupuncture on him. Oddly enough, Sean was doubtful at first. But half an hourter, he began to feel sleepy. Even before he could realize it, he fell asleep. Olivia gestured to Reginald. They quietly left the room. Reginald was emotional. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Dr. Fordham, at first, I felt that you''re quite young, so I was a little worried when you were performing acupuncture. "| didn''t expect you to be so skilled in medicine. You didn''t even tremble when you were inserting the needles, and you quickly put Mr. Sean to sleep. "He''s very reliant on medicine, so even after he takes his medicine, he''ll have to wait a long time before he falls asleep. "I didn''t think he would go to sleep so quickly after you performed acupuncture on him. As expected, herbal medicine is lit!" Olivia chuckled. Reginald was quite trendy. "It''s not difficult to put Mr. Sean to sleep. However, his illness is quite tricky." Reginald''s expression instantly clouded over. "Dr. Fordham, does Mr. Sean have illnesses other than his leg problem?" Olivia didn''t say it explicitly. "I''m talking about his mental illness. It''ll be quite a challenge to treat." She yawned, a tired look appearing on her face. "It''s gettingte, and you must be tired from your journey, Dr. Fordham. You and Ms. Willow should rest for now." ¡°Alright.¡± Olivia brought Willow to their room. Willow signed, "Mom, you knew what''s happening, right? Why didn''t you tell them?" Olivia nced around them, carefully checking the room for tapping devices and the like. Then, she lowered her voice and said, "Willow, this is a veryplicated matter. Don''t tell anyone about it for now. "I have my own ns. Alright, go to sleep now. I have something to attend to." Olivia helped Willow bathe. After that, she contacted Ethan to assure him that they were fine. Then, she asked Ethan to look into something for her. Ethan''s low voice rang out over the phone. "You suspect that Sean''s illness isn''t a coincidence and that someone is causing it on purpose?" "Yes, and that person may very well be someone close to him. I don''t know the details of the ident, so I won''tment on that. "But I suspect that someone is intentionally causing his depression. Someone is making him depressed, and I even suspect that he''s poisoned. "with how wealthy the Fordhams are, it''s impossible for these details to go unnoticed during checkups. ¡°This means that someone has bribed his doctor to produce a fake checkup report. This is to hide the fact that he was inflicted with slow-acting poison." Ethan frowned a little. "If someone close to him wants to harm him, you''re in a very dangerous situation now, Liv. You shouldn''t get involved in this anymore." "T''ll be careful, Ethan. For some reason, when I saw Sean''s weak face, I desperately wanted to cure him. "This is probably a doctor''spassion." Ethan still wasn''t assured. "Since you refuse to leave, I''ll send someone over tomorrow to protect you." ¡°Alright. I''ll be careful." Chapter 1501 No matter how Olivia thought about it, she felt that there was something off about the Fordhams. Quinn was dead, Sean had a broken leg, and Avery was on the verge of death as well. If the real culprit was in the Fordham family, everyone would be a suspect. Even Reginald, who seemed to be quite nice. Just then, Olivia received a call from Avery. She picked up. "Mr. Avery." "I heard that you''ve arrived, and you even managed to get Sean to fall asleep." The news had traveled fast. If even Avery knew about it, then the culprit must have heard as well. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. To Olivia, this wasn''t a good thing. Her voice turned a little gloomier. "Yes" Avery could hear the odd tone in her voice. He hastily asked, "Is it very difficult to cure my brother''s leg?" "Mr. Avery, it''s not about the leg anymore." "What do you mean?" "I suspect that there''s a problem in your family. Someone wants Mr. Sean dead, and this person must know every one of you very well. "Mr. Avery, please keep my identity a secret at all costs." In reality, Avery had already sensed that early on. Still, it pained him to hear an outsider speaking the truth. "Don''t worry, Liv. You can trust Reginald. My men are in charge of security, too. ¡°they''ll make sure that you''re safe. What else did you find out?" Olivia gazed at the rain on the other side of the window. She voiced her guess. "Mr. Sean is inflicted with slow-acting poison. Someone had purposely led him to depression. The ident was just a cover-up. "Didn''t you notice that the ce he lives in is filled with destion in every corner? Even a normal person living here for along time will get depressed, let alone someone who has a broken leg." Avery replied, "His house? I didn''t quite notice that. Ever since the ident, Sean''s personality has changed drastically. "His preferences are also totally different from before. Our family allowed him to just move out, too. "You said that he was poisoned, right? Is it very serious?" Olivia frowned. "If it''s just a few months, the poison won''t have much of an effect. But if it has been going on for years, the poison will affect the man''s sperm, and the victim will be infertile. "various organs will also slowly fail to function, and the worst thing is..." On the other end of the line, Avery was already holding his breath. "What is it?" "This poison is undetectable in a short period. The victim will, at most, look depressed. "By the time they notice that something is wrong with their body, their body is already ruined. "Mr. Sean didn''t live with your family. So, during the time you didn''t see him, you''d only think that he developed mental problems because of his ident. "You wouldn''t link it to poison. "The person who poisoned him is very cruel and quite patient as well. ¡°Mr. Avery, who did your family offend? This poison is called the Intoxicating Veil. It''s a type of toxin developed by the Toxic Hive." Avery gritted his teeth in anger. "The Toxic Hive again!" Olivia found it quite coincidental as well. After all, her background had something to do with the mastermind in Toxic Hive. The Fordhams were involved with the Toxic Hive, and even Ethan''s sister was involved as well. Could this all be part of someone''s n? "The poison is like alcohol. You don''t feel drunk at first, and it slowly seeps into your organs. "By the time you notice it, you''re already wasted, and it''ll be toote by then. "It''s not apparent on the surface, and there aren''t any symptoms. "But after so many years, Mr. Sean''s blood test reports should show that something is off. Someone is hiding the truth." Olivia went straight to the point. ¡°This person must be someone very close to you. Think about it. Who could it be?" Chapter 1502 Avery had a dark look on his face. He had already noticed the problem early on, but he never managed to figure out who the culprit was. In the past, he only suspected that someone had tampered with him. After all, he found many kidney sources via various methods at the start. However, the kidneys were either ipatible, or their owners couldn''t make it for various reasons. Avery didn''t expect that Sean would also be a victim of a scheme. He was extremely furious about that. He had secretly suspected some people, but he had ruled them out one by one. Who could it be? Who could be so vicious and so cunning at the same time? "Can you cure Sean''s poison?" Olivia said honestly, "Yes, but it''ll take some time. Mr. Avery, it''d be best if you don''t tell anyone that Mr. Sean was poisoned. "We don''t want to alert the enemy. We might also be able to identify that person in the meantime." "You mean..." ¡°The person who wants to hurt you guys must care a lot about Sean''s health. We just have to y along with their ns, and we might just nab the mastermind this time. "If the person knows that I have figured out that Mr. Sean was poisoned, they mighte up with more ways to cause him harm." "I see. You''re nning to treat Sean in secret and then find out the truth." "Yes," "T''ll do my best to cooperate, Liv. Thank you so much." "You were kind to me before, Mr. Avery, so I''m just repaying your kindness. Anyway, I''ll do everything in my power to heal Mr. Sean." Olivia left a few more instructions before falling asleep. She was in an unfamiliar ce, so even though she felt exhausted, she woke up before dawn. Willow was still sleeping soundly beside her. Olivia was wrought with troubles, and she couldn''t sleep at all. She gazed at the gradually brightening sky, her eyebrows furrowing deeply. Toxic Hive was involved in this matter. She had suffered greatly because of the Toxic Hive, too, so Olivia would always be more wary of them. Someone who had close rtions with the Toxic Hive might be hiding among the Fordhams. Olivia quietly got out of bed and washed up. She had already made ns in her mind. She was wondering how she could find clues leading to the Toxic Hive, so this case might be a great help. After learning that the vi wasn''t safe, Olivia didn''t dare to take even a step away from Willow. She waited until Willow woke up.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Then, they went downstairs together. Willow had an attention to detail, and she could alsomunicate with animals. So, Willow might be able to help Olivia. The two took a walk around the vi. When they came back, they heard a gentle voice speaking. "Sean, you look much better today. Did you change your medication recently?" "No. A new doctor came overst night, and 1 managed to fall asleep without taking medication. I slept like a babyst night." Sean''s voice sounded much gentler, and he didn''t sound as dejected as he didst night. "Oh? Who''s that amazing doctor? I hope they can cure youpletely, Sean." "She''s¡ª" Sean was about to say something when Olivia''s altered voice rang out. "Mr. Sean, you''re awake. Did you sleep wellst night?" When Sean looked at her, his gaze was no longer disdainful like it was last night. He hadn''t slept so soundly in a while. "Dr. Fordham, I''d like to apologize for the situationst night. You''re truly amazing. I slept very well." "Sean, is this the doctor who managed to put you to sleep?" Olivia examined the woman she had met on a few asions before. This woman was the sixth child of the Fordham family, Jacqueline Fordham. They didn''t meet often. Jacqueline looked elegant, and she even looked a little like Olivia. Unlike Olivia, Jacqueline was the pampered princess of the Fordham family. "Hello.My name is Susie Fordham." ¡°Hello, Dr. Fordham. Yourst name is Fordham, too? It''s quite an interesting coincidence, isn''t it?¡± Chapter 1503 Olivia didn''t expect Jacqueline to be the first Person to visit. From her deductions, the person who wanted to harm Sean the most would be the most concerned about him. Olivia and Avery had nned in advance that other than Avery, no one else would know that Olivia was treating Sean. Unless they were the mastermind who must have been keeping an eye on Sean, they would know that someone had arrived at Sean''s vi right away. Was it a coincidence that Jacqueline came here, or...? Even if Jacqueline was the sixth child of the family, Olivia wouldn''t let any possibility slip by. Olivia exined calmly, "Fordham is thest name of my teacher, who had taken me in. My realst name isn''t Fordham. And you are welt "Sorry, Dr. Fordham. I forgot to make the introductions. This is my sister, Jacquline." When Sean spoke, he seemed much gentler. Olivia could see that the siblings were very close to each other. Back then, when Olivia was with Avery, she had also heard Jacqueline calling him. If it were before, Olivia would never suspect Jacqueline. But now, Olivia couldn''t trust anyone. She looked calm update by novelebookdo, and there weren''t any expressions on her face. " Hello, Ms. Jacqueline." "I heard Sean calling you a doctor. May I know what your specialization is? Is it psychology? "Please have a good look at Sean. His mental health is getting worse recently, and he even had the tendency to end his life." Olivia studied Jacqueline''s gaze earnestly. She noticed that Jacqueline''s eyes were filled with worry. Did she overthink it? "Sorry, I don''t know psychology that well. I came over to treat Mr. Sean in my teacher''s ce." "May I know who your teacher is, Dr. Fordham?" ¡°He''s just a doctor in the countryside. He''s not very famous." Olivia glossed over her background, which also hinted that she wasn''t quite good at medicine. "You''re too humble, Dr. Fordham. After all, Sean has always had severe insomnia, and he can only go to sleep if he takes medicine. "But right after you arrived, you managed to put him to sleep. I can see that you have quite the talent. "I trust that you can easily heal Sean''s leg as well." "You''re too kind, Ms. Jacqueline. I''m just here to check in on Mr. Sean in my teacher''s stead. "As for his insomnia, I just happened to bring some scented candles along with me. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. I''m not good enough to heal his leg." Olivia belittled her medical skills on purpose so that she wouldn''t draw attention. ¡°How is Sean faring, then?" "To be honest, I haven''t examined Mr. Sean yet. I arrived tootest night." It was only then that Sean spoke up. "By the way, Dr. Fordham, you checked my pulsest night, right? How is my health?" Jacqueline looked at Olivia. Olivia said calmly, "Mr. Sean, you''ve been depressed for long periods of time, so your body is a little weak. "You need to solve the issues that are troubling you, and you also have to work out and eat a bnced diet." Olivia didn''t know if she was seeing things, but she felt as if she noticed a rxed look shing across Jacqueline''s face. "As for your leg, Mr. Sean, I''ll give it a thorough examination after breakfast." It was only then that Jacqueline noticed the child standing beside Olivia. "This child is..." "Oh, she''s my daughter. Sorry, she can''t speak, so she can''t say hi. Please forgive us." "It''s okay. She looks quite adorable, and she has green eyes, too. Is her father..." "He''s from another country." Sean interrupted the two. "Jacqueline, you seem quite interested in Dr. Fordham. Dr. Fordham, you haven''t had breakfast, right? ¡°The examination can wait. You should have breakfast first." "Alright." Holding Willow''s hand, Olivia walked away. Olivia could feel someone''s gaze trained on her from behind, and it stayed there for a long time. Chapter 1504 Willow followed Olivia obediently. When she walked, the sound of bells apanied her. Sean couldn''t help but pay attention to her. Jacqueline looked quite enthusiastic as well. The Fordhams were a huge family, and Jacqueline was a pampered child. However, she was especially gentle and generous, and she didn''t look like a haughtydy from a rich family at all. At the dining table, she was very considerate towards Olivia and Willow. She looked very polite, and people like her were usually well -liked. Olivia only had one thought in her mind: Jacqueline couldn''t possibly be the culprit. If it truly were someone like her, it would be too terrifying a thought. She would have to be an extremely cunning person, and her ability to keep things under wraps would be a talent in some ways. After breakfast, because of Jacqueline''s urging, Olivia finally started examining Sean''s leg. She felt Sean''s bone and then nced at the X-ray he had taken not long ago. "Dr. Fordham, how is Sean''s leg? He can definitely be cured, right? w Olivia frowned. "It''s tricky. The injury Mr. Sean sustained back then is too severe. He has had several operations, but they don''t seem to work very well. "Even if my teacher is here, he might not be able to cure Mr. Sean. Moreover, I''m too inexperienced..." Sean''s gaze darkened. He thought Olivia was amazing as she could cure his insomnia. So, he assumed that she definitely knew how to heal his leg, too. "It''s okay. Even the top doctors in the world have treated my leg, and they still can''t do anything about it. It''s not your fault that you can''t cure it.¡± Olivia said, "Don''t be so discouraged, Mr. Sean. Even though I can''t cure your leg, at least I can alleviate your insomnia. I didn''te in vain." "I didn''t expect you to be so talented at such a young age, Dr. Fordham. Sean loses sleep almost every night, and he can''t go to sleep without medications. "If you can cure him, our family will be greatly indebted to you!" ¡°You''re too kind, Ms. Jacqueline. Anyway, I''ll do what I can." Olivia curved her lips into a gentle smile. ¡°Perhaps modern medicine can''t do anything about it. But I know herbal medicine, so it might help." Sean nodded as well. "I''ll be eternally grateful to you if you can cure my insomnia." ¡°You''re too kind. Still, unlike modern medicine, herbal medicine won''t take effect right away. I hope that you''ll give me some time, Mr. Sean." "I''ve waited for so many years. I don''t mind waiting a little longer. w ¡°Alright. Mr. Sean, if you don''t mind, let''s proceed with acupuncture now." With that, Olivia brought Sean back to his room. Jacqueline wanted toe in as well, but Olivia made an excuse to keep her out. Willow stood by the balcony and yed her flute. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. The sound was melodious and pleasant. Olivia asked Sean to lie down. While she was inserting the needles, she asked casually, "Mr. Sean, you seem to be quite close to Ms. Jacqueline. "Logically speaking, with such a caring family, how could your mental illness have gotten so severe?" Sean sighed. "My siblings and I have been very united since young. It''s just a personal issue. It has nothing to do with them." ¡°That may not be true. You''re all family, so it''s only reasonable that you help each other out. With such care and concern froma wonderful sister like her, you''ll definitely recover soon." "Yes, Jacqueline has always been very gentle and kind. She''s very outstanding, too. "After I got into the ident, she spent a lot of effort taking care of me. She even hired someone to design this house for me." Olivia''s gaze turned cold. "What did you say? She was the one who hired someone to design this house?" 1 "Yes, Is there anything wrong with this house?" Chapter 1505 Olivia withheld her expression. She couldn''t be sure that Jacqueline was the culprit based on the house design alone. She managed to calm down as she said, "No, I just find the design unique." "It''s a recent trend that came from Rivoria. It makes the house look clean and simple. I never liked fancy decorations, anyway." Moreover, after he got ill back then, he focused all his attention on his injury. Of course, he didn''t care much about how the rooms were decorated. Olivia inserted the needle one by one. Back then, Marina had also gotten into an ident, and her condition was as bad as Sean''s. Since Olivia could cure Marina, she could cure Sean as well. She didn''t tell Sean about this secret. When Olivia was performing acupuncture on Sean, she casually mentioned Jacqueline so that she could get more information on this sister of his. Before she was done, a man''s voice came from outside the door. "I''m here to visit Sean." Jacqueline exined patiently, "Troy, the doctor is performing acupuncture on Sean right now. Don''t disturb her." "Acupuncture? Where did this doctore from? Sean is in a bad enough condition right now. "How can they just let a random doctor treat him? He might even get too worked up! How ridiculous!" With that, the visitor opened the door. Olivia knew this person, too. He was the famous designer Troy Fordham. However,pared to before, he had gotten much calmer. It was quite a huge change. It was quite lively today. Jacqueline was here, and Troy hade over as well. "Who are you?" Troy was obviously very cold to Olivia, and he was even hostile toward her. "You''re getting the wrong idea, Troy. Dr. Fordham has amazing medical skills. With her help, I finally managed to sleep soundlyst night." Troy examined Olivia from head to toe. She looked quitemon, and she didn''t seem like some sort of professional. "Really?" Troy looked at the man who was covered in needles. They weren''t too familiar with herbal medicine, so Troy obviously didn''t quite believe it. "Why would I lie to you? Other than with medications, I have never slept so well in such a long time. "Dr. Fordham is indeed quite capable. Don''t worry, Troy. I''ve personally witnessed Dr. Fordham''s skills. After hearing Sean''s words, Troy finally apologized to Olivia in a humble tone. "I''m sorry, Dr. Fordham. Sean''s circumstances are a little special right now. I''m very sorry for being so rude just now." Compared to Jacqueline''s gentleness, Olivia felt that Troy behaved more like a sibling who truly cared about Sean. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "It''s alright." Olivia continued the treatment. "By the way, Troy, you have a show to work on, right? Why did you suddenlye over to visit?" Troy exined patiently, "Jacqueline asked me if I had gotten a doctor for you, and that''s how I found out that you have a visitor. "We all love you very much, so please don''t do that again." "I won''t, Troy." . For example, Sean''s attempt to end his life wasn''t caused by his mental turmoil. Instead, he couldn''t sleep all night, and he grew aggressive because of it. After he stopped taking medications, his body was constantly in pain. In the end, after enduring it for a few days, he lost his mind and tried to end his life. Olivia remained silent nearby. After the acupuncture was done, she tactfully left the room. Ethan had sent her all the information on the Fordhams. Chapter 1506 Avery was the eldest child of the Fordhams. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He was wise and capable, and if it weren''t for his kidney disease, he was wless. Any woman would easily fall for him. Troy loved drawing and designing from a young age, and he left the family business early on to establish his own brand of fashion and jewelry designs. He was also very well-known internationally. Sean was an ace pilot. There were some highlights in the information Ethan had sent to Olivia. As it turned out, Zephyr Airways was part of the Fordhams'' property. Back then, Sean was only practicing flying with the airlinepany, and he would be taking over his family''s airlinepany the following year. It was then that the ident happened. Sean''s girlfriend was a flight attendant. She looked pretty and pure, and they were quite close to each other. They had also promised to get married within three years. On the night before Sean''s ident, his girlfriend suddenly broke up with him and went overseas. Sean chased after her, and he met with an ident on his way to the airport. Coincidentally, when his girlfriend heard that he got into an ident, she changed her mind. She rushed to the site of the ident, and she unfortunately got into another ident. However, she wasn''t as lucky as Sean was. She died on the spot. Since then, Sean has been extremely bothered by her death. It had also caused Sean''s depression. The most mysterious of the siblings was the fourth child of the Fordhams. He joined the army early on and held a very high position. Because of his special identity, he rarely went home. Next was the fifth child of the Fordhams, Quinn. If it weren''t for her failed rtionship, she would have be an outstanding doctor by now. Jacqueline was the sixth child. Her r¨¦sum¨¦ was perfect. She graduated from a famous university, and she was skilled in various arts. However, she couldn''t be as outstanding as her siblings were. Misfortune fell upon Jacqueline''s elder siblings one after the other. Their father, David Fordham, was still the one controlling most of the family''s economic lifelines. After all, the Fordhams'' property spanned the whole globe. The sons would help out in the past, but in recent years, Avery couldn''t overexert himself. Hence, in recent years, Jacqueline started to learn the ropes in the Fordham family business. She began training as an heir. If this went on, it would only be a matter of time before she took over the Fordham family. Other than information on the main family, there was also information on some important figures from branch families. Even Avery didn''t manage to identify the mastermind, so Ethan couldn''t possibly do it. He could only organize the connections within the Fordham family and then let Olivia make her own decision. Based on the information, Olivia singled out several people. When Olivia turned around, she saw Willow staring straight at Jacqueline, unmoving. At that moment, Jacqueline was standing behind the wheelchair as she leaned in and said something to Sean. There was a faint smile on her lips. They painted the perfect picture of siblings living in harmony with each other. "What''s the matter, Willow?" It was only then that Willow averted her gaze and signed something. . Olivia only learned medicine, not witchcraft. . Wendy once said that Willow had great potential. Even though Willow couldn''t speak, she was very gifted and had a strong connection with spirits. Olivia didn''t know about some things, but Willow knew a lot about them. "Can you figure out what sort of curse it is?" . Olivia gazed at the smiling person in the distance. Why would a youngdy of the Fordham family learn witchcraft? There wasn''t any mention of that in the information Ethan provided. Witchcraft originated from Andia, but not many locals knew about the practice, let alone someone in a foreign ce like Zelotria. Olivia wasn''t discriminating against the practice. There were good and bad spells, and some of them could be used to cure illnesses and locate things. But most of the spells were created to take lives and harm others. Doctors and witches were like night and day. Witches were a very fearsome existence indeed. Chapter 1507 Willow signed again, telling Olivia to stay away from Jacqueline, for there was something off about her. Olivia nodded. "You should be careful, too." Willow shook her head, signing, "Mom, I''m not scared." She used to follow Wendy everywhere, and Wendy cared about her a lot. Wendy had cast a protection spell on her so that curses wouldn''te near or touch her. But Olivia was different. Olivia was an herb-imbued person, and she was immune to many toxins. However, she wasn''t immune to curses and spells. These things were too dangerous. Olivia would fall victim to them if she let down her guard even a little. "I''ll be careful." Jacqueline seemed to have sensed Olivia''s gaze. She looked at Olivia and then smiled. The smile was warm and gentle, but Olivia felt a chill running down her spine. Jacqueline was wearing a tailored outfit, and she carried herself elegantly. However, she was also skilled in witchcraft. Olivia couldn''t help but think of the word "femme fatale". Jacqueline slowly approached Olivia. Willow stood next to Olivia, unmoving. "Dr. Fordham, how long will it take you to cure Sean''s insomnia?" Shaking off her thoughts, Olivia said calmly, "I''m not sure. Modern medicine is all about effectiveness, whereas herbal medicine aims to strengthen the body and proceed in small steps. "It''ll take a longer time." "Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Fordham," Jacqueline said kindly. "Since you''re going to stay here for a while, I''ll get a wider room prepared for you. You and your daughter can live morefortably there. "There''s an empty room on the first floor, and it''s quite close to Sean as well. It''ll be easier for you to take care of him if you stay there. "By the way, Dr. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Fordham, where are you from? I can give orders so that the maids will prepare the dishes you like for every meal." "It''s alright, Ms. Jacqueline. Willow and I aren''t picky. We''ll eat anything." "By the way, Dr. Fordham, you''re such a great doctor, but why have I never heard of your name before? How did Sean find you?" Olivia smiled calmly. "It''s just a coincidence. Compared to my teacher, I''m not that skilled in medicine at all. "I''m here today because my teacher wanted me to expand my horizons. I rarely go out, after all. How could an esteemed person like you know about me?" Jacqueline seemed interested in learning about Olivia''s background. But unfortunately, Olivia was tightlipped. Olivia misguided people into thinking that her medical skills weren''t that good at all. Avery had also called Sean and told thetter not to reveal anything and not to ask too much about Olivia''s origins. Jacqueline didn''t manage to get any information. Olivia didn''t say much. So, Jacqueline crouched down and lifted a hand, trying to touch Willow''s face. "You''re so adorable, little girl. How old are you?" Willow and Olivia were wearing masks. Willow was smart enough to hide behind Olivia, avoiding Jacqueline''s hand. Olivia exined, "Sorry, my daughter has always been quite shy." "It''s okay, I just find Willow adorable. Anyway, Dr. Fordham, just make yourself at home. If there''s anything you need, just tell me. "You don''t have to hold back, alright? I''m also counting on you to cure Sean as soon as possible." Olivia nodded. "I''ll do my best. Are you staying here, too, Ms. Jacqueline?" . Ms. Jacqueline, I do admire how close you and Mr. Sean are. You''re such wonderful siblings." Olivia sighed lightly. Jacqueline put on a gentle smile. . It must be such bliss to live in a family like that." Olivia meant what she said. From a young age, she also hoped that she would have siblings. After her mother left, she only had her father left. Every time she saw other people with their siblings, her eyes would be filled with envy. Chapter 1508 Jacqueline nced sideways at Olivia, asking, "Why? Dr. Fordham, are you an only child?" "I was abandoned by my parents as soon as I was born, and my teacher raised me. "He treated me very well, but I''m all alone at home, for I don''t have any siblings. It''s not as lively as your home, Ms. Jacqueline." Olivia patiently chatted with Jacqueline for a long while. Then, Jacqueline''s phone rang. It had something to do with work. So, Jacqueline had no choice but to leave in a hurry. Troy stayed behind instead. He seemed to be monitoring Olivia. Within half a day, Troy had gotten along very well with Willow. It all started when he was designing a dress, and he didn''t quite like how the embroidery sample looked. Olivia asked for some herbs to be prepared while Troy worked on his design nearby. Willow noticed that he seemed hung up about something for a long while, so she went over to take a look. She quickly understood what Troy was looking for. She picked up a piece of paper and a pencil. Then, she began drawing at the side. Troy nced at her from the corner of his eye. He just assumed that she was doodling stuff, so he didn''t pay her much attention. But then, half an hourter, when Willow presented her colored draft to Troy, Troy''s eyes lit up. He immediately recognized the gold embroidery on the pattern. He was immediately enlightened. "Why didn''t I think of using gold embroidery before? It''s both gorgeous and dignified. Yes, it''s perfect for the overall design of the outfit." Troy looked at Willow, his eyes lighting up a lot. "Kiddo, you know about gold embroidery? And you can even draw?" Willow had just stood at the side and looked for a moment, and she could already copy his embroidery sample with great ease. She was obviously very good at drawing. Willow signed something. Troy was puzzled because he couldn''t read signnguage. Olivia exined, "In the vige Willow lived in before, everyone knew gold embroidery. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "During festive seasons, the vigers will wear the dress clothes they embroidered themselves. So, she managed to pick up some knowledge." Troy didn''t withhold his praise. "Your daughter is really something. She''s still so young! Has she learned how to draw before?" "She didn''t take formal lessons. I just bought some art supplies for her when she was young, and I would let her doodle when she got bored." Olivia spoke like it was nothing. Of course, the outsiders wouldn''t know that she was very skilled at drawing. Willow was her youngest child. Even though Willow couldn''t speak, she had taken after all the best aspects of Olivia and Ethan. Willow was very talented in art, and Olivia had also given her drawing lessons back in the vige. She was young, but she was even more outstanding than many adults. So, Olivia wasn''t surprised that Willow could draw gold embroidery. . Olivia didn''t decline. Troy was a very skilled designer. Since Willow was gifted in this area, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to let her learn from him. "As long as you don''t take her out of the vi, and as long as she agrees, I won''t object to it. "I have to prepare the herbs in the next few days, anyway, so I won''t be able to take good care of her." . The ce was also very quiet, so he could have peace of mind as he prepared the clothes he had designed. Olivia was busy organizing herbs and performing acupuncture on Sean. Sean was a little surprised. "Didn''t you say that you can''t cure my leg?" "Even if I can''t, I''ll have to at least give it a try. What if we find hope after all?" . Chapter 1509 People with depression would usually look like they have dark clouds hanging over them at all times. The light would be gone from their eyes, and they would regard everything in a negative light. Compared to Sean''s leg, his heart was more important. Olivia had to help him open his heart somehow. As Olivia inserted the needles, she said in a gentle voice, "If you were troublesome, Mr. Troy wouldn''t have kept watch over you even when he''s working. "Our family is our refuge, and they can ept and understand you no matter what. "I heard that Ms. Quinn died in an ident. How did you feel back then? If you leave this world, your family will feel the same thing you felt back then. "This world may not be perfect, but as long as you''re alive, you''ll bring hope and happiness to the people around you. "You''re so young, and you''re not even afraid of death. Why would you be afraid to live?" Sean stared at the green waves of grass rolling outside. Only he was privy to his own thoughts as he mumbled, "Yes, I don''t even fear death, so what would I be scared of? I just..." He opened his palms, his gaze losing focus. "I just don''t know how I should live anymore. If I don''t take medications, I won''t be able to sleep for the whole night. "Dr. Fordham, do you know what it''s like to wait from dawn till dusk and then wait some more for the sunrise? "I don''t want to lose my will to medications. I won''t be able to survive even a second of that life." As expected, it was just as Olivia had guessed. Even though he was deeply disturbed by his girlfriend''s sudden passing, time would slowly heal his wounds. It would form a scar in his heart, and when he thought about it, sometimes, he would get emotional. But this scar wasn''t so powerful that he would seek his own death so many yearster. The thing that was truly torturing him was his insomnia. He didn''t want to take the medication every day, and that was how he ended up like this. Olivia wasn''t an expert in mental illnesses, but she also knew that some medicine could lead to dependency. Such medicine was very strictly regted, so even if doctors prescribed the medicine, they would do it in very controlled doses. They wouldn''t let patients take the medicine every day. There was a slow-acting poison in Sean''s body. Olivia had investigated for two days, but she couldn''t find the source of the poison anywhere in the vi. She couldn''t help but suspect that there was something wrong with the medicine Sean had taken before this. "Mr. Sean, do you still have the medicine you used to take? I''d like to check its ingredients." "I have half a bottle left." When Sean heard Olivia asking for the medicine, he immediately asked Reginald to return to his room and get the medicine from his bedside table. A few minutester, Reginald returned with nothing but a helpless look on his face. "Mr. Sean, I only found some vitamins in the drawer of the bedside table. I didn''t see any medicine. Did you toss it away a month ago?" Back then, after stopping the medication, Sean wasn''t in his right mind, and he had smashed and tossed away many things. "Understood." . However, after ending the call, Noah made another call. "Sean is asking me for the medicine. Miss, should I give it to him?" A woman''s cold voice rang out over the phone. "Go ahead. Give him the normal ones." "Understood." The woman coldly looked at her phone screen. A cold smile appeared on her lips. "That restless idiot is looking for death." . "It''s okay. It''s just a small bug digging her own grave. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. With just a flick of my finger, she''ll be gone from this world." Chapter 1510 The man leaned in and kissed the woman on her neck. Their intertwined bodies were clearly reflected in the full-length mirror. The woman in the man''s arms was none other than Jacqueline. The elegant look she put on for outsiders was gone. She didn''t have the passionate gaze of a lover, either. Instead, she just had an extremely cold expression on her face as she gazed at the man fiddling with her. Jacqueline''s mind was filled with Olivia''smon-looking face. That woman was just too suspicious. Firstly, Jacqueline couldn''t find out about her background at all. Secondly, even though humility was a great quality, she had belittled herself too much. In his current condition, how could Sean possibly get a doctor from nowhere? Who exactly had sent her? Jacqueline had chatted with her for a long time, but she couldn''t glean any useful information from thetter. This was obviously abnormal. Jacqueline sensed that someone in the Fordham family was already secretly looking into things. She felt pain in her earlobe. The man had bit her hard. "You''re still distracted even at times like this. Who are you thinking about?" Jacqueline shoved him away. Then, she picked up the coat the man had tossed onto the floor. She said with a cold face, "I''m not interested." The man refused to give in. He forcefully pulled her back into his embrace. "What exactly is the matter? You''ve been looking upset ever since you came back from your brother''s ce. Who bullied you?" Jacqueline sat in front of a dressing table at the side. She pulled the drawer open and retrieved a pack ofdies'' cigarettes from it before skilfully lighting one. Her figure was slender and tall, and when she was smoking, she would half-close her eyes. She looked cold and resolute, like a rose in the dark. She lookedpletely different from the adorable Ms. Jacqueline everyone knew. Jacqueline slowly breathed out some smoke. "Sean got a doctor." "It''s just a doctor. The Fordhams have been hiring countless doctors for him in the past few years. The man put on a vicious smile as he said nonchntly, "With that leg of his and the poison in his body, which has probably seeped into his organs, if everything goes well, he''ll die within three years at most. "What are you scared of? Our n will seed very soon." Jacqueline patted herself on the chest. "For some reason, I feel uneasy when I look at her." The feeling was the exact same one she felt when she suddenly faced Olivia back then. It was a fear that stemmed from the depths of her soul. "You''re just paranoid. Now, you''re the only one who can take over the Fordhams. Mr. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Fordham Senior has also said that he will give you the shares on your 28th birthday. "When that happens, you''ll be in control of the Fordham family." The man changed the subject. "If you''re so worried about this doctor, I''ll help you deal with her." Jacqueline raised her hand. "Stay put. I feel like Avery is starting to suspect something. "The only two people capable of getting a doctor for Sean are either Avery or Vox. "If she doesn''t die, what do we do if she figures out all those secrets?" Jacqueline''s long nails, which were painted in a nude color, tapped rhythmically against the table. "This doctor has suspicious origins, and she even hides her talent on purpose. The man scoffed. "No one is without weaknesses. If we can find a chance, we''ll¡ª" "Right, that child." Jacqueline''s eyes lit up. That child would be the perfect target. Chapter 1511 Before nightfall, Reginald delivered the medicine Sean used to take. "Dr. Fordham, Mr. Sean used to take these medications." Olivia checked the ingredients. They weremon antipsychotics. There wasn''t anything off about them. She nodded. "Thanks, Reginald." "Don''t mention it, Dr. Fordham. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. If you need anything, just tell me. As long as you can cure Mr. Sean, the Fordhams will be greatly indebted to you." "I''ll do my best." After Reginald left, Olivia waved, gesturing for two people in the distance toe over. Vance and Vanta were bodyguards Ethan had assigned to her. With just one gesture from her, the two obediently went up to her. "Dr. Fordham." Olivia handed the medicine to Vance. "Take this and get someone to conduct a chemical analysis on the ingredients." "Understood." When all that was done, Olivia finally walked into Troy''s temporary studio. It was as bright as day in the room. Models, drafts, palettes, sewing supplies, scissors, and various other stuff littered the room. A man and a little girl were crouching on the ground. Holding the embroidery sample he had justpleted, Troy asked, "What about this? Is this nicer?" Various samples were lying around them. By the looks of it, they had been quite busy that afternoon. Olivia looked at Troy''s earnest expression. She had read in the files that as soon as he started working, he would be so absorbed in it that he forgot about himself. He only had eyes for design, and by the looks of it, the rumors were true. He didn''t even notice that she had entered the room. For some reason, a thought urred to Olivia. Why did Avery, Sean, and even Quinn endure varying degrees of injury or death, but Troy was completely fine? Could it be because he didn''t care about the Fordhams'' property at all? Was that why he was lucky enough to escape? Aside from the aviation industry, the Fordhams were also unparalleled in medicine and insurance in all of Zelotria. If Quinn were still alive, she should have taken over the medicine and insurance parts of the Fordhams'' business. Sean had also met with an ident right before he was supposed to take over the aviationpany. As soon as the idea entered her mind, it seemed to have nted the seed of doubt in her heart. Olivia continued her deductions along that train of thought. If things truly were the way she had imagined them to be, now that Avery, Sean, and Quinn were down, who would benefit the most from this situation? It was quite obvious. Setting aside the fourth child of the family, who had never made his appearance, only one child was left. The sixth child, Jacqueline! When Olivia came to that conclusion, she felt a chill running down her spine. Jacqueline was pampered by her family from a young age. Why would she harm her siblings so cruelly? In just an instant, Olivia dismissed that idea. She wondered why she would have such evil thoughts. Why would Jacqueline do that? Olivia shook her head as she put on a self-mocking smile. That night, the results of the analysis were out. The medicine was fine, so how exactly did Sean get poisoned? It was a slow-acting poison, so it had to be hiding in items that he would be in contact with every day. Those things could either be objects or food. If the chef were to poison Sean''s food every day, how bold would they have to be to achieve that? It wasn''t quite possible. Olivia couldn''t figure anything out for now, so she could only send someone to sneak into the kitchen to investigate. Chapter 1512 Olivia did her best to treat Sean while she secretly looked for sources of the poison. When she woke up early in the morning, she noticed that Troy was still working. His fingers, with well-defined joints, were holding a pencil, which he used to sketch and scribble on the paper. From time to time, he would grab pieces of cloth to practice patterns on. "Mr. Troy, were you up for the whole night?" It was only then that Troy woke up from his stupor. He turned to look outside. The sun was beginning to rise just then. He had a shocked look on his face. "I can''t believe it''s already sunrise." When Troy started working, he just wouldn''t stop. Olivia could see her teacher''s shadow in him. Her teacher was devoted to medical research, whereas Troy was devoted to design. Olivia had suspected Troy before. After all, he was the only sibling who managed to escape misfortune. However, Troy was too pure, and he was passionate about design. Olivia didn''t think that he would have the thought or patience to harm his own siblings. Ruling out Avery, Troy, Sean, and Quinn, only two people were left on the list of suspects: the fourth child, Vox Fordham, and Jacqueline. However, Vox was too mysterious, and there were only a few meager lines of information on him. Members of the branch families might have motives, but judging by the conditions, it wouldn''t be that easy for them to spend so much effort on it. After all, they would be scheming against several people at the same time for years. Olivia felt like she was part of a suspense drama. "Mr. Troy, if you keep staying upte like this, it''ll cause great damage to your body over time." "I have no other choice. I''m running out of time for the show, and I can only stay upte to catch up on progress. "I''ll be submitting these outfits for apetition, so I can''t afford to be careless." He was a son of the Fordham family, and he owned countless riches since birth. However, instead of depending on the Fordhams, he depended on his seriousness toward work. Olivia was quite impressed by him. "I won''t bother you, then. Take care." Olivia went upstairs. Sean happened to be up as well. Smiling, Olivia asked him about his sleepst night. Sean looked slightly better than he did before she came. Sleep was indeed a great medicine that could cure all ailments. "Your candles are very effective. I''ve been sleeping well for the past few nights." Olivia nodded. "That''s good to hear. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. From today onward, other than acupuncture, you''ll be drinking herbal soup too." "Dr. Fordham, can you really cure me?" Sean asked in a small voice. Olivia had a determined look on her face. "It''s not up to me whether you can recover or not. It''s your call. The immune system of the human body is the strongest medicine. "If even you have given up on yourself, no one will be able to save you, no matter how powerful they are. Mr. Sean, you have to find a reason to keep living." "Alright, Dr. Fordham." Olivia made some herbal soup for him that day. Sean cooperated willingly, and he no longer looked down on her like he first did. . Vance approached her from behind. . Olivia returned to her senses. As expected, the mastermind had people doing their bidding in this vi. It was fine if they didn''t do anything, but as soon as they took action, she would be able to grab the chance. "Alright. Remember, don''t expose yourself. Look into the maid next and figure out who she is working for. "Since we have found one spy, there might be countless more. Stay vignt." "Understood." "Be careful when you dispose of the real herbs." "Alright." At that moment, the remnants of the herbs that were tossed away were sitting by Jacqueline''s hand. She held it to her nose and took a whiff. Chapter 1513 The results were right before Jacqueline''s eyes. Jacqueline didn''t find any suspicious herbs. As Olivia had said, she had indeed focused her treatments on Sean''s insomnia alone. However, Jacqueline still felt restless. "Have you figured out where Avery is?" "There''s still no news so far. He was at the Cape of Promisest time, and he soon went to Mozatia after that. He must be dying soon, and he wants to see as much of the world as he can before he dies." Jacqueline''s delicate eyebrows creased. "I feel like something''s off. If he''s really dying soon, he''ll stay home and deal with the handing over of his work and funds. Why would he travel all around the globe?" "What do you mean by this?" "Could it be that his travels were just for show, and he''s actually getting treatment right now?" The other person smiled. "You''ve learned medicine before, so you should know how his current condition is. He is beyond saving." "Even so, I feel quite anxioustely. I can''t sleep at night. I have to go on a business trip tomorrow, so keep an eye on Sean for me. We''ll make a decision after Ie back." She had nned all this for so many years, and she finally came to this point. She wouldn''t allow anyone to ruin her ns, let alone a minor doctor. A week after Olivia arrived, Sean had visibly gotten much better. "Dr. Fordham, you must be a miracle doctor. I always felt exhausted in the past, and I couldn''t sleep even if I wanted to. "But recently, I feel much more rxed. Your medicine worked very well." Olivia didn''t tell him that she was helping him get rid of his poison. In the past, he was exhausted because various organs in his body were slowly getting poisoned. It wasn''t lethal, but it would numb his organs bit by bit. It greatly increased his burdens, and he would feel that his body was just too tired. "You tter me, Mr. Sean. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. This is just the beginning. We have a few months'' worth of treatment ahead of us." With that, Olivia ced a basin filled with herbs at his feet. "As always, soak your feet first. I''ll give you acupunctureter." Sean looked at the dark concoction in the basin. He seemed to have found hope. "Can I really stand again?" "I''ve told you that it''s not up to me. It depends wholly on your determination." Sean met Olivia''s gaze. Her face was a verymon one, but her eyes sparkled like a starry sky. "Dr. Fordham, I won''t let your efforts go to waste." As the two chatted, Jacqueline''s voice rang out at the door. "Sean, look what I brought you!" While Jacqueline was speaking, she came in with an exquisite box in her hand. "Here''s some turkey for you. It''s your favorite, right? I put it in a thermal instion box for you, and as soon as I came back, I rushed here to deliver it to you." She spotted the basin. "This is..." Olivia exined, "Mr. Sean has been bound to the wheelchair for years, so his legs are beginning to weaken. "I used the herbs to nourish and massage his legs so that they wouldn''t weaken so fast." With that, Olivia changed the topic. "You''re so kind to Mr. Sean, Ms. Jacqueline." "But of course. We siblings have been quite close to each other since young, right, Sean?" She cocked her head to the side as she looked at Sean. She had an innocent look on her face, and she didn''t seem cunning at all. "Thank you, Jacqueline. You''re so busy, but you still care about me." Jacqueline ced her palm on the back of Sean''s hand. "Of course. I''ve never forgotten what happened back when I was a child. . . . "You guys were so worried about me, too. "But from now on, that won''t happen again. I''ll live my life to the fullest." Chapter 1514 When Jacqueline heard that, she was stunned for a moment. Olivia managed to catch sight of that. After the momentary bewilderment, Jacqueline smiled. "Sean, I''m so d that you''ve thought things through. Please don''t try to end your life anymore. I was so worriedst time." "Don''t worry, I know how precious life is now. I won''t do that again." "Dr. Fordham, I was right about you. You are indeed capable. In just one week, Sean seems to have gotten much better." "You tter me, Ms. Jacqueline. Mr. Sean has sorted out his mindset, all thanks to his family. I am nothing inparison." "You''re as humble as always, Dr. Fordham." Olivia wasn''t sure if she was seeing things, but she felt as if Jacqueline was looking at her with a meaningful gaze. When Jacqueline appeared, Willow stayed very close to Olivia. She stared at Jacqueline with her green eyes. She finally let her guard down after Jacqueline left. She stood on the balcony, watching as Jacqueline''s car went out of sight. It was the anniversary of Ginger''s death tomorrow. Sean didn''t have the appetite, so he set the turkey aside. "Dr. Fordham, I''d like to pause the treatment tomorrow. I want to visit the grave of someone I know." After some careful calctions, Olivia realized that tomorrow was the anniversary of Sean''s ident and also the day his girlfriend died due to failed resuscitation. Obviously, Sean was going to visit his girlfriend''s grave. But Olivia still hadn''t figured out who it was that was trying to kill him. She suggested, "It''s best that the treatment doesn''t get interrupted. If you don''t mind, I can go with you." Olivia imed that it was for the sake of the treatment. But in reality, she was worried that the mastermind would take the opportunity to attack him. She had asked Vance to look into the maidst time, and they found that the maid was sent by Vox. Olivia told Avery about this, but Avery insisted that it couldn''t have been Vox. If it weren''t Vox, then someone must be trying to get rid of Sean by Vox''s hand. Every day was a struggle for Olivia. She knew that the person was hiding in the shadows, but she couldn''t catch that person right away. She could only tread carefully for now. The next day, Sean surprisingly wore a white suit. He had also pinned a white rose on his breast pocket. After dressing up, he got into the car. In the car, he offered an exnation. "Gigi was buried in her hometown. It''s a vige near the city. Dr. Fordham, I''m sorry you have to travel so much with me." "It''s alright. The sea is pretty, but it gets boring if it''s all you ever see. I could use an outing." The drivested for more than five hours. After getting off the highway, the car turned onto a narrow countryne. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. It was quite a bumpy ride. The road was tough to drive on, but the yarrows were in full bloom at that moment. In the valleys, the peach and apricot blossoms bloomed vibrantly. The scene reminded Olivia of the day she saw Mona off. . . The bumpy ridested for another hour or so. Then, the car finally stopped. It was a quiet vige. By the time they had arrived, it was already afternoon. The sun was setting as Reginald brought Sean to the grave. Olivia and Willow stood far away and watched. Vance and Vanta examined the surroundings, looking out for any danger. Willow crouched under a peach tree, poking at some ck ants with a stick. Olivia saw tears streaming down his face. Even after so many years, he didn''t forget about his girlfriend. He was indeed a devoted man. Chapter 1515 The scarce number of visitors caught Olivia''s attention. Something felt off, so she asked, "Does Ms. Lovell have a family?" If someone was buried in their hometown, it should mean their family was around. However, there were no flowers on her gravestone on her death anniversary. Even though Sean didn''t end up bing their son-inw, he should''ve paid a visit to Ginger. It had been hours since he arrived at the vige. Considering how small the vige was, the vigers should''ve heard of his arrival by now. Reginald let out a heavy sigh. "Ms. Lovell had an ill-fated life. She barely got out of the mountains and had a bright future ahead, yet she passed away in an ident. "Her family, who were informed and rushed over to collect her body, ended up falling off the cliff, too. Because her younger brother was in distress and drove the car too fast." "The whole family passed away?" He nodded. "Yes, in that horrible fall. Ms. Lovell''s sister-inw was still alive because she was pregnant. "She stayed home, but the news of the tragedy caused too much shock that she had a pretermbor. "She was all alone at home, and her phone died. No one was there to help her. "By the time the vigers found her, she was dead. She had twins, by the way." What a tragedy. Listening to the story itself was heart-wrenching. But Olivia found it odd. Although there were no loopholes, there were too many coincidences. Ginger passed away in a car crash while she was on her way home after learning that Sean got into trouble. Then, her family, who came to collect her body, died in a fall. To add to the list of misfortune, her sisterinw was also found dead from pretermbor. Could someone have set them up? How evil! Olivia inquired, "Mr. Lind, I don''t understand. Mr. Sean and Ms. Lovell''s rtionship was at the stage of getting married. They were so deeply in love. "Why did she suddenly ask for a breakup and leave the country?" "Beats me. She''s an emotionally stable and hard-working person. His family was content with her as their future daughter-inw, too. "The couple got along well. They rarely fought. "The only time he got livid was when he told her to leave and not toe back anymore. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. And she really did. "But I actually saw her crying when she left that day." "Was he bullying her?" "Ms. Fordham, those rich guys might be reckless, but his family was different. His parents have been strict since he was young. They taught him not to y with a woman''s feelings. "That was why, as soon as Mr. Sean chose to be with Ms. Lovell, he treated her like a wife. "His family is a powerful existence, and he''s a nice guy. Why would he bully her?" Reginald sighed. He continued, "But they always reconciled in bed whenever they fought. Couple fights are not umon among youngsters. . "What can we do? It''s written in the stars." "True, but she was such a nice person." he eximed. Olivia''s eyes scrutinized the gravestones close by. Then, she walked to the apricot blossom tree to beckon for Vance. He quickly came up to her in response. . "Understood." Was it a mere coincidence? . The only thing that existed was a well-plotted scheme. Chapter 1516 Sean would visit Ginger''s gravestone on her death anniversary. His feelings for her never changed. "Gigi, this will be myst visit. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. I won''t dwell on the past anymore. If you''re somewhere up there, I''m sure you''d be happy to hear this¡ªI''ve gotten over it." His finger caressed the picture on the gravestone. Tears were pooling in his eyes. "I''m really sorry for what happened that year." Had it not been for him, the Lovell family wouldn''t have died. The yarrows danced, and the apricot blossom trees swayed along with the wind like dancers tuning in the beautiful nature. Olivia noticed an olddy working in the field. Standing in the sea of flowers, the olddy stared at Sean. She caught Olivia''s gaze and frantically shifted her eyes away to continue working. Olivia narrowed her eyes. She informed Willow of something before walking to the olddy. Olivia noticed that the olddy was tearing up. The olddy knew Sean. The whole Lovell family was dead, and none of their rtives were in the vige. Who could the olddy be? On top of that, it was weird how the olddy quickly moved her gaze when she noticed that she was being watched. Olivia climbed up the raised path through the field, realizing that it was a field of yarrows. Aside from some digging tools and holes of different sizes, there were barely any signs of someone taking care of the field. The olddy disappeared. Olivia strolled to the other side of the field, but the olddy was not there anymore. That was quick. The odd situation hardened Olivia''s suspicions¡ªsomething was up with that olddy. Olivia ordered the bodyguards to look into the olddy. It was time for Sean to return home. When Reginald was going to push the wheelchair, Olivia offered, "Let me do it, Mr. Lind. Your leg should be hurting because of the crampst night. "Gravity pulls stronger when we walk down a hill. We wouldn''t want to see Mr. Sean fall." Her reasoning made sense, but she didn''t have to do it herself when there was a group of bodyguards with them. Everyone was used to listening to her after having spent time together for a week, so no one doubted anything. While pushing Sean, Olivia opened a conversation and consulted him at times. In fact, he would always return home with a heavy heart every time he came for a visit. . "Dr. Fordham, it''s been a while since I saw such breathtaking scenery." . "Mr. Sean, although you can''t walk, there are so many other things that you can do. "Mr. Avery had it rough these years, and Mr. Troy isn''t interested in managing the household. . They stopped in their tracks, and Sean suddenly held her hand. "Thank you, Dr. Fordham. I don''t know why, but I feel like our encounter is destined." Olivia shared the same notion. The feeling had been swirling in her since the day she met him. She shed a smile. "Maybe it''s because we share the same surname. This is fate." Chapter 1517 Olivia was wearing a mask with an ordinary look. But when she smiled, the sunlight reflected brilliance through her eyes, adding luster to her face. The way they shared eye contact under the sun was a nice picture to take in. Suddenly, a menacing gaze caught Olivia''s attention. She looked back only to see that same olddy again. Thetter was staring at their holding hands expressionlessly. 1 Then, the olddy approached them. It was a surprise, considering how she ran away a while ago. "Mr. Sean, are you here to visit Ginger again this year?" Sean withdrew his hand. "Yes. Long time no see, Mrs. Powell." Reginald brought out some gifts from the car. It seemed like they were old acquaintances. ire Powell wiped her hands with her apron. "I''ve made something. The usual. It''s getting dark. It''s dangerous to travel right now. You can stop at my ce for the night and leave tomorrow." Sean turned toward Olivia. "What do you think, Dr. Fordham? It''s gettingte." Olivia looked at ire, who seemed suspicious to her for some reason. Since Olivia was nning to get to the bottom of the incident, she dly epted the suggestion. "Sure. Let''s do it that way." ire walked over and took over the duty of pushing the wheelchair so naturally. She began talking with Sean. "You look better than before, Mr. Sean. The incident happened many years ago. Now that you''ve gotten over it, Gigi will be able to rest in peace up there." Olivia followed along. Sean chuckled. "It''s all thanks to Dr. Fordham. She treated my insomnia and encouraged me to live on." "You''re capable despite your young age, Dr. Fordham.¡± Olivia kept sensing hostility from ire. She wondered if she was overthinking. She faintly smiled. "It''s because you were willing to cooperate. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Otherwise, the treatment could''ve been useless." ire paced up, and Olivia intentionally slowed down. Vance whispered to her, "Dr. Fordham, Mrs. Powell lived next to the Lovells. She lost her husband and son a long time ago, so she saw Ginger as her daughter. ¡°Every time Mr. Sean came for a visit, Mrs. Powell would let him stay for a night before he left." No wonder Sean prepared gifts. Olivia thought that they were meant for the Lovells. She asked Reginald, whose answers were simr to Vance''s findings. ire brought Sean to her ce. There was a huge peach tree in the yard. Although it was an old ce, the area was clean, which made it afortable amodation. ire didn''t have many rooms to offer, so the bodyguards had to spend the night in the cars. Olivia was here with Willow, so ire specially assigned her a small room. "Dr. Fordham, I didn''t know there would be so many peopleing this time. It''s been a while since someone stayed in this room. I hope you don''t mind it." "It''s nice with the greenery in the area and the crickets singing at night. I think it''s nice." While making the bed, ire asked, "You look young, but your daughter is grown up. Her eyes are pretty. "Her father must be good-looking. Is he okay with you bringing the child to such a secluded vige?" Olivia stroked Willow''s head. "I was divorced for quite some time now. My life has nothing to do with him." ire''s hands paused momentarily at that. ¡°Don''t you think of getting into anew rtionship?" Olivia stared at ire''s back, smiling. "Of course I do. My daughter is still young. There should be a man in the family. "My ex-husband was vile-tempered. I want to find myself a good- tempered man." She added, "I think someone like Mr. Sean fits the picture." The pillow cover slipped through ire''s fingers. Chapter 1518 Olivia''s eyes narrowed. "What''s wrong, Mrs. Powell?" ire picked up the pillow cover, flustered. "Just anormal day for an old granny." She quickly made the bed. "Here, Dr. Fordham. I''m cooking some meat, so I should get going." She left in haste. Olivia''s eyes didn''t leave her back. Right then, Ethan called Olivia. She scanned the area, making sure that there was no one else before answering the phone. "Liv, I found something. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The Lovells were dead a few years ago, but ...'''' he drawled as though there was a twist to the story. 2 "But what?" she urged. "There''s a loophole. When Sean was undergoing surgery in the hospital, it was a distant rtive who confirmed the Lovell''s bodies. ¡°That person vanished after the family was buried. "Ginger lived in Peach Vige. The vigers put a lot of importance on weddings and funerals. If someone gets in trouble, the whole vige will lend ahand. 1 "For burials, it can only be done after the head of the vige chooses a date for it. That''s their culture. "It usually takes about three to seven days before the burial is done. Sometimes, when there are no auspicious dates, the burial could be put off for a month. ¡°But the Lovells were buried the next day of the ident.¡± Frowning, Ethan continued, "People in poor areas tend to emphasize burial rituals, especially when the whole family died in a tragedy. "It is their tradition to make sure the deceased can go in peace before the burial. Things shouldn''t be done as easily as that. "To put it simply, the Lovells incident was weird. Give me some time. I''ll dig up more." Olivia nodded. "Thank you, Ethan." Her response displeased him. "Don''t be such a stranger, Liv. We''re a family. The story behind the Lovells is moreplicated than you think it is. Don''t stay there for too long." She caught on to the problem as well, and Sean and Avery crossed her mind. She kept feeling that there was an invisible string binding her with the Fordham family. Her hunch was telling her that she was close to the truth. If she had given up right now, when else would she ever find out? "I''ll be careful. Plus, I have your bodyguards with me." Ethan went silent for a moment before saying, "Liv, don''t stay in the same car with Sean. I have a bad feeling about this." This was the golden opportunity for the other party to take action. He couldn''t bring himself to gamble with her life. "Okay. I promise I won''t." The sun set beyond the horizon, and darkness loomed over the quiet vige like the beast of darkness. The light in the kitchen was dim. The firewood crackled as they burned. Some bacon was hung over the fire. Their surface was ck due to the long grilling. ire served local dishes on the table and wiped her hands with her apron. ¡°We can only do this much in the vige. Hope you don''t mind them. The ingredients are cleanerpared to the ones you can find out there. "I reared the chickens and ducks and grew organic vegetables myself." ¡°Thank you," said Olivia politely before sitting next to Sean. When ire was going to fill Sean''s te, Olivia had already given him a piece of bacon. Her intimate action appeared strange to Willow. 4 Considering how Olivia barely took the initiative to do anything other than perform treatment back at home, she was acting out of character. Chapter 1519 Olivia''s children had faith in her the most. Thus, Willow believed that Olivia had her reasons for acting so out of character. Sean was equally dubious as well, but he brushed it off since she always took care of him whenever they were out. He trusted her after spending time with her for a week. In addition to that, she had a daughter. Hence, he didn''t look too much into her actions. Still, it was undeniable that their actions appeared intimate to others. Olivia secretly observed ire, whose eyes shed with something evil. Their eyes met, and ire quickly shifted her gaze. As Olivia had expected, something was up with ire. After dinner, the sky darkened, and the vige became quiet. Crickets sang, and the dogs barked sometimes. After the meal, the bodyguards patrolled the area before getting into the cars for a break, leaving only two to watch the night. Olivia asked ire to prepare warm water so that Sean could have a foot spa as usual, but the usual acupuncture procedure was reced by a massage. ire entered the room right when Olivia and Sean were looking at each other like a lovely couple. Her hands beside her balled into fists. ¡°Anything, Mrs.Powell?" Olivia read ire''s eyes. ire responded, ¡°I received news that electricity in the vige will go out soon.It''s different from the cities. "I was worried that you might not get used to the darkness, so I came to remind you." "I see.Let''s call it a day then." Olivia withdrew her hands, wondering what ire was plotting. ire kindly walked Olivia back to her room. ¡°The nights in the mountains are not that peaceful, Dr.Fordham.Wild boars might go down the mountains to hunt for food. ¡°They''re dangerous.You have a kid, so it''s best not to step outside." ¡°Okay, thank you for the heads-up.Good night." Olivia closed the door.She realized that something was off. ire should be in her 50s. As someone who worked in the field, she should have a hunched back. She would slightly bend her back in front of people, but she walked fast like a youngster would whenever she was alone. Olivia took a closer look at ire''s skin. Although ire''s face and hand were covered with saggy wrinkles, her neck was smooth! Forget about the youngsters in the viges; the women in the cities might not be free from wrinkles around their necks despite their good skincare routine. The clues were hinting that the olddy wasn''t the true ire! There were traces of people living in this old house. Something crossed Olivia''s mind. Willow pulled Olivia''s hand before making a gesture. Olivia lowered her voice. "I know." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The food was drugged. As herb-imbued people, both of them were sensitive to drugs. Not even a poison of that little dosage could harm them. Let alone drugs. Nevertheless, she didn''t expose ire during the meal. Footsteps could be hearding from outside. They exchanged nces before closing their eyes, pretending to be asleep. The windows of the houses in a vige were structured simply. Olivia could hear the sound of ruffles and feel a gaze on her. The person closed the windows after making sure that Olivia and Willow were deep asleep. Once the person left the room, Olivia''s eyes shot open. Thus, the show began. Chapter 1520 Olivia waited for a few minutes and sneaked out of the room. Since Willow was wearing a bell, and they had no clue what was happening outside, Olivia let her stay in the room. Standing by the door, she could see the bodyguards on duty were sleeping. The same could be observed in the bodyguards in the cars. It was as though a witch had cast a spell to send everyone in this world to dreand. Olivia made sure that the bodyguards were safe before tiptoeing to Sean''s room. Whatever the fake ire wanted to do could be rted to him. Through the crevice by the rusted window, she could see ire facing her back at her. As Olivia had expected, ¡°ire" removed her mask to reveal the beautiful face hidden beneath. To Olivia''s surprise, it was Ginger! Ginger was still alive! Her tresses cascaded behind her white silk nightgown, which outlined her curves perfectly. Sean fell asleep due to the drug. She sat by the bed, her fingertips tracing his face while her eyes were teary. Obviously, she was still deeply in love with him. But why did she stage her death that year? Was her family still alive as well? When Ginger bent over to kiss him, Olivia figured that she should give them some space. Olivia headed elsewhere to wake Vance and Vanta up. They woke up, but their heads were foggy. "What''s going on, Dr.Fordham? Why did we fall asleep?" The special training built them differently from average people; they were more vignt. Yet, they failed to notice Olivia''s presence.She ced her finger before her lips. "It''s not your fault.You were drugged.Come with me.Keep the noises down." They looked at their sleeping colleagues, realizing that someone had set them up. Only Olivia and Willow were safe from it.She handed them hoes. "I need your help." "Say it." ¡°Help me dig up some coffins." "What?" The men exchanged nces. Although they were bold enough to climb out of a hill of dead people, they thought that it was unbing of them to do that. It was disrespectful to the dead. ¡°Who offended you, Dr.Fordham? Why do you want to dig up coffins? This is extreme!" She answered indifferently, "l don''t have much time to exin.Just do as I say.I''ll take the responsibility." They returned to the same cemetery. Olivia pointed at some gravestones. "Dig up from here." ¡°Yes, Dr.Fordham." They decided to bite the bullet. Disrespectful or not, her orders came before anything to them. Even though they were quick with their job, Olivia was in a hurry. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia had to return to the house to pretend to be asleep before Ginger was done with her business. Willow, who read through Olivia, blew a short flute. The whistling sound was soft but enough to draw the attention of the rodents in the vicinity. Soon, Vance and Vanta witnessed a flood of rodents rushing from the woods, fields, and caves all of a sudden. " Like a tsunami, the animals were heading toward them. The odd phenomena sent a chill down their spine as they grabbed the hoes tightly. Their expressions were solemn. ¡°This is not normal, Dr.Fordham.Get out of here first! Hurry!" They thought that it was their karma for digging the gravestones. They had to run away! Theid-back Olivia raised her hand to stop them. "Rx, they''re little helpers Willow called for you.Work with them.The more, the merrier." The men couldn''t follow at all. Chapter 1521 Vance and Vanta still couldn''t believe it in the beginning. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The rodents didn''t show any signs of intention to harm them and dug into the ground instead, flinging their ws. The men gaped. Vance wished he could take a picture of the unbelievable scene and share it on his social media. With the help of the rodents, they saw the coffin appearing soon after. The dark surroundings and the moonlight made it look eerie. The fearless Olivia pointed at it. "Open it." ¡°Okay." The men removed the nails to fling the cover open, mentally preparing themselves at the same time. They looked into the content. Instead of a human skeleton, they saw bones of wild cats and dogs! ¡°What the? Didn''t they say the Lovells were dead?" "Dr.Fordham, should we open the remaining coffin?" ¡°No.Bury it." Olivia took a video of it as evidence. Willow blew the flute again, and the rodents dispersed under her orders, more obedient than any domestic animals ever. While they were burying the coffin, Olivia shared the video with Avery. The trip was worth it. She didn''t expect herself to dig up something exclusive. Avery contacted her. "Olivia, what is this?" She recounted her findings to him. ¡°The real Ginger is still alive.She staged her death and made Mr.Sean live in guilt for years. ¡°Her whole family yed their roles in this as well.I think that person had taken action a long time ago. ¡°Ginger is just one of the chess pieces." Avery suppressed the fuming rage in him. "Why? Why didn''t she do it directly?" ¡°I reckon it''s because she didn''t want to draw attention.Killing someone is easy, but it''s easy to get suspicious and get to the bottom of it when ites to a tragic death. ¡°Incidents like this can be camouged as a pure ident.Your illness is one of the idents, too.I''m afraid Ms.Quinn was lured to go overseas and got shot." Loud noises could be heard from the other side of the line. He was exasperated. Before this, their guesses were simply suspicions; now, they could conclude that none of it was an ident¡ªsomeone was behind this! That mastermind spent over ten years just to take the Fordham family down. That was one evil yet patient hunter. The most dreadful point of all was the fact that the mastermind could be Avery''s family. That was the one thing he couldn''t ept. ¡°Are you okay, Mr.Avery?" The air went silent momentarily before Avery said, "I thought we were one, but to think that there¡¯s actually a mole in the family causing all this trouble... "Be careful, Olivia.I''ll send help.Take Ginger down and dig up some clues regarding the mastermind from her." "Sure." Olivia quickly descended the hill. Every year, Ginger could only spend one night with Sean, so she would surely cherish every second of it. Fortunately, the digging process took up little time. Olivia had time to spare, so she was rather rxed. She made her way to Sean''s room in the darkness, but there was no sign of Ginger. Not even Sean! It was a trap! Previously, Ginger simply wanted to spend time with Sean. But this time, Olivia had rmed her! Sean was in danger. Chapter 1522 ¡°Ginger noticed, Dr.Fordham.It''s not safe here.Let''s get out of here, fast!" Vance urged Olivia. She threw a bottle at him. "Here''s the antidote.Wake everyone up.There''s only one way out of the vige.They haven''t gone far.Protect Mr.Sean at all costs." Avery sent help. It would take at least 30 minutes before they arrived by helicopter. ¡°Understood." Vance and Vanta woke everyone up. Reginald shook his head, trying to shake off the dizziness. * Wasn''t I texting my wife? Why did I fall asleep? Oh, I feel dizzy." Before this, they would sleep through the night and wake up after the drug wore off. Thus, there was no abnormality. Now that someone woke them up by force, their body couldn''t get used to it. "Mr.Lind, Ginger took Mr.Sean away.We have to go after them." "Dr.Fordham, are you talking in your dream? Ginger''s been dead for many years.Only her bones are left in this world.She¡ª" "She and her family staged their deaths.While you were asleep, I dug up their coffins to make sure of it. "She disguised as Mrs.Powell to take Mr.Sean away.He could be in danger," she recounted. It was too much for him to take in, so he couldn''t react in time. She urged, "Okay, enough with the exnation.We don''t have time for this.Bring some men with you and go after them." Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°What about you?" ¡°I''ll take some men with me to check the vige.If she doesn''t have an aplice, it''ll be difficult for her to move a grown man, especially since she has a problem walking. ¡°They may be still hiding within the vige.I''ve told Mr.Avery about it.Help will arrive soon. "There''s no time to waste.Hurry up, get moving!" She shoved him into the car. Vance said anxiously, "Dr.Fordham, if she has an aplice, it''s too dangerous for you to look for her in the vige." ¡°If she has made early preparations, going after them isn''t safe as well.It''s highly likely to find her within the vige." Olivia looked at Willow, the trump card. Countless snakes, rodents, and insects lived in the mountains. If there was danger, Olivia could take the enemies by surprise with a counterattack. "Willow, could you track Mr.Sean''s whereabouts?" Willow made a gesture. ''Yes, but I will need his belongings.¡¯ ¡°That''s easy." Olivia scooped the jacket on the bed and cut out a few pieces of the inner fabric. Willow fished out her flute and blew it. The whistle rounded up the dogs within the vige. She ced the fabric on the ground so that the dogs could sniff it. The previous rodent tsunami had already blown Vance''s and Vanta''s minds away, but it paled in comparison with what they were witnessing right now. Willow was manipting the dogs to track down Sean! Not even the scriptwriters would write this kind of absurdity for telenovs! Then, the dogs ran away. Vance gulped. "Will this work?" ¡°Dogs have a better sense of smell than us.If Ginger is still in the vige, we''ll definitely find her.I have a hunch..." ¡°What is it?" ¡°Ginger took Sean away in the heat of the moment.It''s not in the mastermind''s n. "If she wanted to kill Sean, the best time to do it was a while ago.Why would she take a disabled person away?" ¡°That is true, but she staged her death that year.I can''t figure out what she''s thinking." ¡°Maybe she had no choice," said Olivia meaningfully. Ginger cried and bore hostility toward Olivia, indicating that she still loved Sean. This was the best Olivia could ask for.If she could catch Ginger, it would be easy to find out who the mastermind was. Chapter 1523 Olivia gave it a serious thought. If Ginger wanted to kill Sean, she had many opportunities to do so in the past few years. Sean would''ve been dead. However, she didn''t do anything. She didn''t want to hurt him. Olivia recalled the way Ginger looked at her and what Sean said at Ginger''s gravestone. He intended to get over the past to start a new life. That and Olivia''s intimate actions toward Sean made Ginger jealous. She couldn''t ept the fact that he was going to step back when she was still in love with him. Thus, the n to take him away was unnned. He should be safe at the moment. Still, no one knew what would happen after this. Olivia had to find them as soon as possible. Although the vige wasn''t a big ce, it wasn''t easy to finda person. This was a secluded vige. Unlike in the city, not every family here installed a surveince camera at home. Besides, the night limited their vision. The search wouldn''t be easy unless they had extra help. She put her hope on the dogs. Willow pulled Olivia''s hand, trying tofort her. Olivia did her best. Even if something happened to Sean, it had nothing to do with her. That was simply his fate. If a three-year-old could understand that, Olivia definitely could, too. Maybe Sean had such a saddening past that he earned pity from Olivia. She didn''t want him to get hurt. Fortunately, they found something in no time. They chased after the dogs. As Olivia had expected, Ginger and Sean were still at the neck of the woods. Some birds flew above them, and the calls of the owls gave them chills. Someone turned ona shlight, providing a source of light within the woods. Vance scanned to the left and right. "Are you mistaking something, Dr. Fordham? These dogs are not police dogs. They aren''t specially trained. "Look, this is an abandoned wood. Forget abouting here at night; no onees here during the day. There are only leaves scattered around. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. There are no signs of humans." The dogs kept sniffing the leaves. Olivia shook her head. ¡°These dogs often go hunting with their owners. Their survival ability in the wild is strong. "They still possess their inherent sense of smell. It''s not an exaggeration to call them hunting dogs. Mr. Sean has to be in these woods." Humans could lie, but not animals, especially dogs. If it wasn''t for their loyalty, they wouldn''t have been chosen to be trained by the humans. Olivia raised her head, looking at the branches. It reminded her of something. Previously, Jack built a secret base on the ind under the forest. Ginger might have had such intentions for a long time. She couldn''t change reality and couldn''t grow old with her loved man, so she wanted to take Sean away. ¡°They must be underground." The dogs started sniffing from all directions before gathering in one spot. Vance and Vanta exchanged looks. "Stay here, Dr. Fordham. We will go check to see if it''s safe." "Sure." They slowly walked to the center of the dogs. Vance managed to find a door handle among the dried leaves. They could pull the wooden door open! "You''re right, Dr. Fordham. We found it!" ¡é Chapter 1524 The dogs either sat at one side or circled Willow, wagging their tails as though they were trying to fish for praise. Olivia reminded, "She must''ve prepared something for defense. Be careful." Vance opened the wooden door to reveal the wooden stairs that led one to darkness. It seemed like a cer basement. The two men descended the stairs carefully. A whileter, they called, "Dr. Fordham, we found Mr. Sean. But we don''t see Ginger." Olivia took the stairs only to see Sean lying on a wooden bed. There was no sight of Ginger. Olivia''s guess was right. Taking Sean away waspletely unnned. Ginger didn''t expect Olivia to discover the truth so quickly. She couldn''t move Sean out of the vige alone, so she hid him there. Unfortunately for Ginger, Olivia found him almost immediately. "Mr. Sean is fine. He''ll wake up when the dayes." "What do we do now, Dr. Fordham? Should we return?" "There''s no need to rush. Bring the men to track Ginger down. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She should still be in the vige. ¡°We''ll stay here until Mr. Avery''s helpes. Don''t do anything reckless." After all, they were in the middle of the mountains. The night vision was a problem. If someone sneaked an attack, they might be wiped out. Staying still and doing nothing could work sometimes. Olivia and Willow guarded beside Sean. Ginger wasn''t found even after the sky lit up. Olivia saw thating. Considering Ginger''s identity, she wouldn''t show herself now that she had given the game away. Fortunately, Sean was safe and sound. Olivia was calm. Not long after, helicoptersnded in the vige. In case things went south, Olivia sent Sean away first. Some men were left behind in the vige to look for Ginger. By the time Sean woke up, he found himself in the vi. He propped himself up. His head felt heavy. He could barely lift it. "Mr. Lind." Reginald entered the room and handed clothes to Sean. "You''re finally awake, Mr. Sean." "when did wee back? What time is it? How did I get home?" "It''s along story. I shall let Dr. Fordham exin everything to you. She''s our savior, Mr. Sean. If it wasn''t for her, you could''ve..." Despite the grogginess, Sean could tell that something huge happened. He took a simple shower and headed outside in his wheelchair. It was the afternoon. Willow was drawing in the yard as though nothing bad happened. Olivia served a nutritious meal. "You''re up, Mr. Sean. You must be hungry. Dig in." She added the antidote to the food to stave off the drug. "Dr. Fordham, aboutst night¡ª" "Take one step at a time. Eat first. I''ll tell you everything after that. w Sean finished it in no time. ''You can tell me now, Dr. Fordham." She nodded and looked at Reginald. "Mr. Lind, Willow said she wanted to go to the beach to collect seashells. Could you take her there?" "Sure, Dr. Fordham," answered Reginald swiftly. His response appeared odd to him. Why was he so obedient to her? She didn''t give off an imposing air intentionally, but there was something in the air around her that made others listen to her. By the time he pulled his senses back, he already listened to her orders. Chapter 1525 Olivia asked the others to leave before starting the conversation. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "Mr. Sean, you knew that Mr. Avery assigned me to be your doctor, but there''s one thing that we kept away from you." Sean noticed something was off, and his expression turned serious. "What is it?" ¡°Many things have happened to your family in the past few years. "He thinks that this couldn''t be a coincidence, that someone was behind this. So, I took this opportunity to look into the truth." As the bright man he was, he understood what she meant right away. His hands gripped the armrest as he stared at Olivia. His eyes were cold. "You mean the car ident I was involved in was a setup?" "Yes, it''s not only that. Even your rtionship was one of the ns. "No way!" Sean got all agitated. If his legs were fine, he would''ve sprung up to his feet in response. His pale expression turned red. "How could it be a devised n? Gigi and I genuinely loved each other." "I believe in that. It is true that you genuinely loved each other, but it is also true that it was one of their ns." She took out her phone to show him the pictures she took at the cemetery. "Look at this." The familiar ce in the picture angered him. "What have you done? This is disrespectful to the dead! How could you¡ª" He stopped midway through his words as he could tell that the skeleton in the coffin was of small animals. The picture was in high resolution, so he could tell that at first nce. ¡°T-This..." "As you can see, there''s no human skeleton in their gravestones. Ginger is still alive," she exined patiently. "I saw it myselfst night." "You met Gigi?" He then muttered to himself, No way. She died in a car ident. How could she still be alive?" "Mr. Sean, the story doesn''t end here. Every year, she''d disguised herself as Mrs. Powell to cook you meals, drugged meals. "Once the bodyguards were deep asleep, she could spend time with you." "Gigi... Is she doing fine?" Obviously, Sean had noticed something off. On every visit, he and his bodyguards would fall into a deep sleep after eating at ire''s ce. But nothing happened. Finally, he knew what happened in between, thanks to Olivia''s discovery. "She looks good, but I''m not sure about her mentality. Instead of her well-being, you should be asking who''s the mastermind." She told him the entirety of the situation. Only then did he know that so many things happened while he was asleep. The moment he learned of the mastermind''s n, his expression changed. "How could he? He''s trying to eliminate all of us!" At this point, who would give a fig about their love? ¡°Avery still cares for me when he''s already ill. How irresponsible of me." "Calm down, Mr. Sean. You were drugged. Besides, you''re poisoned, so it''s best if you stay calm. Getting angry won''t do good to your health." "Okay. Tell me what to do, Dr. Fordham. I will do my best to resolve this issue!" ¡°Although Ginger had set you up, she fell hard for you, and she still loves you. I intentionally flirted with youst night, and she got jealous. ¡°Only you can lure her out. Then, we''ll be able to know who her master is." Chapter 1526 Olivia told Sean about her and Avery''s recent findings. Upon learning that, Sean began to regret wasting so many years dwelling on his grief. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Fordham. You risked your life to save me. I will surely repay the favor in the future." "You''re exaggerating, Mr. Sean. I became your doctor simply to repay Mr. Avery''s favor. ¡°He helped me a few years back then. Don''t worry. I will do everything in my power to help you. ¡°Cheer up! Don''t put yourself down like before. Don''t let Mr. Avery''s effort go down the drain." "TI understand." The glint in Sean''s eyes was different. Avery was terribly ill, but he had to sustain the whole family all alone. In the meantime, Sean didn''t do any of his duties under Avery''s wing and caused the family trouble instead, worrying Avery. This time, Sean could see reality very clearly. "Dr. Fordham, [ will do as you say. But I have one question. You said I''m poisoned. Is my life in danger?" ¡°That person gave you a chronic drug. Although it has started to affect your organs, it''s not like there''s no treatment for it. Not only can I remove the poison from your body, but I can also treat your legs." Olivia continued, "There''s a low chance of recovering them, but I can install prosthetics on you." "Prosthetics?" "Yes, to rece your bones. People won''t notice it from the outside. Plus, they''re stronger than human legs." Sean had heard of the newfound technology in passing. However, the woman in front of him was young. Not even the top orthopedists could do it. Could she make it work? Unbeknownst to him, Olivia''s skills improved after having Marina as her experiment. Sean''s eyes betrayed his hesitance. Olivia noticed that and exined, "I''m not lying. My mentor is a prominent doctor. He''s familiar with the new technologies in the world. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "I believe that we''re close enough. I wouldn''t have told you this treatment if I wasn''t confident." "I have faith in you, Dr. Fordham." He had faith in her medical skills after she managed to treat his insomnia. Although he didn''t have much confidence in that technology, he was willing to believe in Olivia. To put it more precisely, he believed in Avery. Avery would never put Sean in harm''s way. "Mr. Sean, the treatments and surgery will be done secretly. You have to promise me that you must keep this a secret. Not even Mr. Lind can know. ¡°Only Mr. Avery will know this. Even if you can walkter on, you mustn''t show that to others." ¡°Okay. When will the surgery be?" "It is plicated technology. I''ll stimte your shins for now. For the sake of your health and appearance, we''ll have to wait until your legs get better. "As long as you do as I say, we''ll be able to do the surgery soon. If an outsideres, you have to pretend that you''ve fallen in love with me." He nodded his head seriously. ¡°Okay, Dr. Fordham. Thank you in advance." Resting her hands behind her, she looked solemn. "We''ll find out who the mastermind is very soon." Chapter 1527 Olivia was preparing for the surgery as Sean''s condition improved, thanks to the treatments. Comment by soonyoung gu: the author keeps writing everything but ethan and olivia lol what happened to corpse bride :skull: He turned over a new leaf, no longer dwelling on the unfortunate past. His goal was aligned with Avery''s¡ªthey were striving to find out who the mastermind was. Sean''s improving condition put Troy at ease. Troy cleaned out his stuff and returned to his work. It was only Troy left that Olivia shifted her gaze from him. He''s crazy about drawings and handicrafts. Designing is his whole world. "Once, he flew to Andia just to learn double-sided embroidery in person. It took him six months. "He even spent a fortune on a gemstone to craft it himself. Spent a whole year on that. "I don''t think a workaholic and hobby fanatic like him would have the time to plot something like this. "Besides, our father intended to hand over thepany to him that year. It surprised him so much that he went to a small vige by the borders overnight to learn a unique stitching. "He calls himself a lost cause." Olivia frowned. "Is it possible that he''s doing this to mislead everyone? He spends time outdoors often. Who knows what he did out there?" If the mastermind were one of the Fordhams, Troy held the most suspicions. The professionals have been learningplicated embroidery since they were young. They practiced for almost ten years, but he''s talented enough to reach that level within a year and a half. "He wouldn''t have been able to do it without spending time learning it. Don''t forget that he has won a lot of big awards." "Since you''re certain that it isn''t Mr. Troy, the following suspects would be Mr. Vox and Ms. Jacqueline. Could it be one of them?" That was a hard question for Sean. "Vox almost died in a fire. The firemen risked their lives to rescue him. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Then, he aspired to contribute to the country when he grew up by protecting others. "He dreamt of being a hero. You can say that he''s the only righteous person among us. He doesn''t y tricks. "IT don''t think he''d set this up. Although he rarely shows up, he has made a lot of honorable achievements. It can''t be him." "That leaves only..." Jacqueline''s face conjured in their mind at the same time. Sean murmured, "Jacqueline... I don''t think she is the one either." Having said that, he lost the confidence he had while judging Troy and Vox. ¡°Why not?" "She was a premature baby because Mom got into trouble in another country. I heard that it was a very dangerous night. "She lost alot of blood, and we almost lost both of them. Dad even personally sought revenge for it. "When she recovered, she was barren. Otherwise, we''re sure we would''ve had more siblings. They loved each other a lot. "Since Jacqueline was a premature baby, she was born weak. She stayed in the incubator for two months before we could take her home. ¡°We care for her the most because her body is weak. She grew up with love. Why would she set this up?" Chapter 1528 ¡°Every murder has a motive. Jacqueline is our little princess. Why would she hurt her sibling? That doesn''t make sense." Sean shook his head. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "Besides, she has been obedient since she was young." "Just that? She sounds average to me compared to your other siblings." The Fordhams, including thete Quinn, were good at numbers. Troy could craft a dragon out of wood at the age of four, and Avery was a genius. Jacqueline was rtively ordinary under her siblings'' shadows. "I think it''s because she was a premature baby. She has been weak since she was young. She rarely joined cocurricr activities and indulged in hobbies. "She was ate bloomer, but she worked hard ever since the day she could remember things. Even though she wasn''t that bright, she put in effort. "For example, our family could memorize a poem after listening to it once. The average kid might need to listen to it five times, but she needs to listen to it about ten times. "Still, she neverins. She''d repeat it 20 times until it was etched in her head. She''s the most hard-working person." His staternent was aligned with the records. Jacqueline worked hard to enroll in a prestigious school overseas. She won many prizes. However,pared to her talented siblings, who could easily reach their goals, she had to sacrifice ten times more than they did. Someone like Jacqueline deserved respect. We''re proud of her, too. "Although she''s an ordinary person, she works hard to make up for herckings. "She managed to study in a top international school without our help. She does charity often and even travels far away to teach people. "She also established a studio to round up talents and forked up her own money to research complicated diseases. "She''s a strong and kind woman, helping many people out there. They called her an angel. I don''t think someone as kind as her would be the mastermind." Sean sighed. "Our parents loved each other very much, and we grew up in a loving environment. I don''t think it''s one of us. It could be our rtives." It wasn''t that the possibility didn''t ur to Avery and Olivia, but the family''s unity rendered it difficult for outsiders to intervene in their household matters. "So, things have been going well for Ms. Jacqueline. She didn''t get into any trouble. I asked Mr. Troy about it before he left. He got into trouble several times over the past few years. "For instance, while he was flying to a fashion show, a madman on the ne demanded a detour. "When theynded, the wings actually caught fire! If the ne had continued its journey, everyone on the ne would''ve been gone. "He also met with an ident when he was on his way to a meeting. "Had he not made a detour because he left a design draft, he would''ve been involved in a serious car crash. He would''ve been dead that day!" Sean became concerned. "Why didn''t I know that?¡± "It''s not only you. Not even Mr. Avery knew this. A lot of things happened under the roof. I heard that your mother is ill. "He didn''t want to worry everyone, so he kept it to himself. He brought it up because I asked. "If what he said was true, the only person safe from trouble was Ms. Jacqueline." ¡°Just because she hadn''t been hurt doesn''t mean that she''s the mastermind, though." Chapter 1529 Olivia nodded. "Yes. I don''t have any proof of this yet. But that person is too skilled. I just want to remind you to consider all Possibilities. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°All our problems can be solved as soon as we lure Ginger out." "Noted, Dr. Fordham." Sean looked at his leg. "When can I get surgery???" Olivia had been performing acupuncture and soaking his legs in herbal waters. He felt like he was beginning to smell of herbs. Olivia noticed his sense of urgency. "Well, I had wanted to wait until your body was at its peak condition before I performed the surgery. "Since you''re so anxious to get it done, I''ll do it sooner. You''ll be able to fend for yourself in the future if you run into any trouble." "Really, Dr. Fordham? I can have the surgery now?" "That''s right. I already asked Avery to prepare an operating room for us. We have to keep this operation a secret from everyone, even Mr. Lind." "Okay. I''ll do whatever you say. I''ll leave it up to you to make the arrangements." Olivia nned to take Sean away via private ne with the excuse of taking him on a short trip. It was already nighttime when Jacqueline heard the news. ¡°What? Sean is out ona trip?" The housekeeper stuttered, "Y-Yeah. I thought he was just going to the beach like he always does, but he hasn''t returned yet. "So, I went to ask Mr. Lind. He told me that Mr. Sean was in a bad mood and that he went on a trip with Dr. Fordham." "A trip? With Dr. Fordham?" Jacqueline rushed to the vi immediately. Reginald was about to turn in. He greeted her politely, "Ms. Jacqueline. Have youe to see Mr. Sean?" "Yeah. I have been too busy these days and haven''t been visiting him. So, I''vee to see him." "I''m sorry, but Mr. Sean isn''t home right now." "He''s not home. His legs are broken. Why aren''t you with him?" Reginald smiled and said, "It''s a long story. Ms. Jacqueline, Mr. Sean''s condition has improved a lot now that Dr. Fordham is taking care of him. "I think they are attracted to each other. Mr. Sean finally said he wanted to go out on a trip after so long. "Perhaps he might develop a rtionship with Dr. Fordham. So, I decided not to be a third wheel." Jacqueline''s jaw dropped when she heard such ridiculous reasoning. ¡°What? Sean and Dr. Fordham? How can they be together? Besides, she''s given birth before! How is she worthy of Sean? Are you crazy, Mr. Lind?" Other than that, Susie looked very in. Even if Sean''s legs were broken, he wouldn''t have lowered his standards so much. "In the past, I would''ve tried to talk Mr. Sean out of it. But you know how he''s been in the past few years, Ms. Jacqueline. "He tried to take his own life multiple times. He has nothing to live for anymore. "Dr. Fordham might not be a beautiful woman, but she''s helped to improve Mr. Sean''s condition significantly. "He even treats her daughter very well. They have been getting along very well." Then, Reginald whispered in Jacqueline''s ear, "I even asked a fortune teller to check. It seems like they are verypatible. Jacqueline stomped her leg in frustration. "Does that even matter?" ¡°Maybe I need to look into their star signs? That''s what the young ones are all talking about, isn''t it? I''ll ask her about that when shees back." Looking at Reginald''s happy expression, Jacqueline tried her best to suppress her anger. "Where did they go?" Chapter 1530 Reginald snapped back to reality. "I heard that they were going to look at some ice sculptures...." "Are they out of their minds? Sean''s unwell. How can she bring her somewhere so cold? Mr. Lind, you''ve been Working for Sean for a long time. "Back when he insisted on moving out, my parents told you toe with him. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. They wanted you to keep an eye on him. Look what you''ve done. You allowed him to leave with a stranger!" "Please calm down, Ms. Jacqueline. Mr. Sean isn''t a child anymore. It''s a good thing that he finally has the desire to live again. "He told me not to follow him. I can''t exactly defy his orders, can I? Besides, Dr. Fordham is..." "Shut up! You''ve failed to take care of Sean, and you''reing up with these excuses. Save them for when you talk to my parents!" Reginald looked at Jacqueline. She was normally gentle and kind, but it was like she was possessed at that moment. Her expression was cold. Reginald felt an inexplicable chill down his spine. His smile faded as he said with a straight face, "Ms. Jacqueline, I wasn''t trying to make excuses. Mr. Sean''s condition has been great recently. That''s why I..." Jacqueline stared at him. "Mr. Lind, I think you''ve gone senile. How can a lowly doctor like her be a match for Sean? Even if he''s crippled, he''s still too good for her." Then, she took out her phone to call Sean. Her anger grew even more when she realized the call didn''t go through. She proceeded to scold Reginald harshly. After she left, Reginald noticed that his knees were about to give. Jacqueline was really terrifying. He felt a little concerned after Jacqueline brought it up. Although Sean did bring bodyguards with him, he was not with him, after all. He couldn''t possibly answer to the Fordham family if something happened to Sean. Reginald received a call from Sean the next morning checking in with him. He sighed in relief. Then, he told Sean about what happened with Jacqueline the night before. "Mr. Sean, you wouldn''t believe how furious Ms. Jacqueline was. It was like she wanted to slit my throat. She waspletely different from how she usually was." Sean fell silent for a moment. "Jacqueline''s just concerned about me. Forgive her. I''ll be back in a few days." Reginald wanted to ask Sean where he was, but Sean had already hung up. He tried calling again, but Sean had already turned off his phone. After he hung up, Sean said to Olivia with a stern expression, "Dr. Fordham, you were right. Jacqueline came over again. She even threw a big fit at Mr. Lind." They left without telling anyone, but Jacqueline arrived at Sean''s home the same day. That was too much of a coincidence. It was likely she had spies in his house. Even though there wasn''t any concrete proof yet, Jacqueline was currently the main suspect. It was already too much for Sean to take. Olivia knew how he felt. She was about tofort him when a man in white called out from a distance, "Sean." Sean looked back and saw that it was Avery. He had been through so much. So, he felt very emotional when he saw Avery again. Tears welled up in his eyes when he thought about how Avery was the one who had been protecting everyone in the family in secret. Uy Avery! at Olivia wheeled Sean toward him. "It''s very nice to see you, Mr. Fordham." "Olivia, you''ve done great work. The Fordham family is in your debt!" He raised his hand to pat Olivia on the shoulder. Sean was confused. "What did you call Dr. Fordham, Avery?" "I forgot to tell you. You should remember her. She was the one who gave us information on Quinn''s whereabouts back then. Susie is just an alias. Her real name is Olivia Fordham." Chapter 1531 Sean found Olivia''s name to be familiar. When Quinn went missing, everyone in the family searched for along time. In the end, it was Avery who brought her body back. He also told them that Olivia was the one who helped him find her. Back then, he had only heard of Olivia''s name. He hadn''t seen her before. He had nned to express his gratitude to her, but then, he got news of her passing. He had no contact with her and had only heard about her from Avery. After that, he got into a traffic ident himself and didn''t have the energy to care about this matter anymore. Hearing that name again after so long stirred his emotions a little. "It''s you. You were the one who found Quinn and saved us a lot of trouble. We may never have found her without your help. You told me you were indebted to Avery, but it''s our family that''s indebted to you." "You''re too kind, Mr. Sean. I barely did anything." Olivia didn''t try to get acknowledgment for her efforts. "You should be tired after such a long trip, Mr. Sean. You can chat with Mr. Fordham for now. We''ll begin the operation tonight. We have to do it as soon as possible, lest an ident urs." "Okay." Olivia was here to look for Louis. She could perform the surgery herself, but Louis was way more skilled than her. The Fordhams weren''t the same as Marina. All Marina needed was the ability to walk again. It didn''t matter if she got lesser parts. Olivia had a soft spot for the Fordhams. She didn''t know if it was because they shared the samest name, but she wanted the best for Sean. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The best way to do that was to bring Sean to Louis and have Louis be the primary surgeon. She went to theb, but Louis was nowhere to be seen. Then, she noticed a robot approaching her. "Nine, where''s Mr. Rivera?" Louis'' robots were the most advanced in the world. They looked extremely life-like. The robot''s skin looked exactly like a real human''s. There were visible spots on the skin and faint dark circles under the eyes. The way it spoke was very natural. These seemingly normal humans werepletely harmless only when they were with Olivia. They would have shot at anyone else in an instant. "Ms. Fordham, the boss has gone into the mountain. We don''t have clearance to go there." "Thanks." Olivia rushed to the mountain. This was Louis'' new base of operations. Olivia used to think that his obsession came from within. But she didn''t actually know where the obsession came from. Thest time she was there, she had seen the robots guarding the mountain. But her time there was too short, so she didn''t get to take a look. Louis seemed to be doing some important research in the years she was gone. A group of robots approached her as she got closer to the mountain. Their eyes glowed red as they scanned her. "Intruder alert. Halt." "She''s boss'' student. Disengage weapons." Their eyes turned ck. Then, Olivia said, ''I want to go in and see Mr. Rivera." "Apologies. You do not have the clearance to enter." Olivia was taken aback. In the days she had spent around Louis, he had never hidden anything from her. She had always thought she was special. What secrets were there in the mountain? Why didn''t she have clearance to enter? She had questions, but she wasn''t dumb enough to attempt to rush inside. "Can you inform Mr. Rivera that I''m back and have something urgent to talk to him about?" Chapter 1532 Louis showed up after a short while. He seemed to be happy to see Olivia. "You''re back, Elise." He hugged her joyfully. He was like a kind uncle. "Mr. Rivera, you''ve built such a huge building on the mountain. What kind of research is going on in there?" "Dear child, you''ll find out when it''s time for your transformation. " Olivia''s intuition told her that Louis was hiding a huge secret. But she couldn''t force it out of him if he was unwilling to share. "Mr. Rivera, can you help a friend of mine with an operation?" Louis was a very important man. Even the richest men in the world had to wait in line for his services. He was also obsessed with research. So, he was rarely in the mood to treat patients. Even so, he needed a lot of money to fund his research, so he couldn''t turn down everyone who came to ask for treatment. Back then, his address got exposed, which caused people to line up at his door for treatment. That was why he built a new base that didn''t tell anyone about it.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Even Olivia didn''t know about it before he brought her to the base. He could focus on his research on this base, and he didn''t need to provide treatment for any patients. He would not entertain requests from anyone else, but Olivia was different. He agreed to her request immediately. "Sure, I don''t mind." He pinched her cheek. "This face doesn''t look good at all." Louis tore the mask off and revealed Olivia''s face. He stared at her face meaningfully. "That''s how it should be." Olivia didn''t know if she was seeing things, but he seemed to have a complicated look as he stared at her. But the emotions didn''t seem like that of a man toward a woman, but rather that of an older family member to a child. There was love and some other emotions. She thought about it and realized that Louis was very cold toward her at first. His attitude changed drastically after she became his student. To other people, he had a weird temper, was ruthless, and was known as the Mad Doctor. But he had never said no to Olivia. 1 She was his test subject, but he never locked up her. He wasn''t even angry when she escaped six months ago. She had heard rumors that he used to have another student. That person was twisted. Louis once said he would never ept another student, but he took her in. Olivia had always thought Louis had been giving her special treatment. "What are you thinking about?" "Nothing. It''s just that I feel like you''re..." Olivia didn''t know how to describe what she was feeling. In the past, she felt fear toward him. She was afraid he was going to make her a cyborg. When she told him about how she felt about the procedure, he didn''t get angry. Instead, he listened to what she said and didn''t force her into anything. She thought it would take some effort to convince him to operate on Sean, but he agreed without even asking a question. "What''s wrong? Did someone pick on you?" Louis was a little annoyed to see her being so hesitant. Olivia shook her head. "That''s not it. I just feel like you''re very good to me." Louisughed. "You''re so silly. You''re my student. Of course, I''m good to you." "Mr. Rivera, this friend is very important to me. Please do your best and lessen the side effects to a minimum." "No problem. Let me take a look at him." Sean told Avery about what had happened recently. "Avery, I''m sorry. I never knew you had been shouldering these burdens all these years. Olivia told me everything. You were under the influence of drugs. "I don''t me you. I just want you to get better. I''ve already lost Quinn. I can''t lose you again." Chapter 1533 Putting their status as scions of the Fordham family aside, the two brothers were still leaders in their fields. Looking at each other, one was crippled and stuck in the past while the other had been haunted by his kidney disease for years. Both of them were tormented by their circumstances. Avery hugged Sean. "It''s all my fault. None of you would''ve been dragged into this mess if I had realized something was wrong sooner." Everyone thought it was just an ident when Quinn went missing. None of them thought one of their own was responsible. "Avery, who do you think it could be? Troy, Vox, or Jacqueline?" "They''re our closest family, our kin. I don''t think they would be the ones. I''ve focused my attention on looking into our cousins, nephews, and other rtives. "They have a more usible motive. If something happens to us, they''ll have a chance to inherit our family''s fortune!" "Then, did you find anything?" "T have some leads, but I can''t risk alerting the enemy yet. Don''t worry. I''ll never let the people who hurt our family off the hook" "Avery, if Troy and the others aren''t suspects, won''t they be in danger? Shouldn''t we warn them? Especially Jacqueline, who''s about to be engaged. I really hope nothing happens to her." "We should warn them, but..." Avery was unwilling to believe that the culprit was among them, but he never found any definitive proof. That was why he didn''t want to alert anyone unnecessarily. "You don''t know for sure, do you, Avery?" Avery sighed. "Yeah. The culprit is very meticulous. The slightest bit of movement might cause suspicion. That''s why I''ve gone into hiding for the past six months. "It''s better if fewer people know about this. I''m afraid that the culprit might be alerted if we warn them. It would ruin our ns." "Don''t worry, Mr. Fordham. I already have a n. I''ll be able to capture Ginger soon." Olivia walked toward the Fordham brothers from a distance. This was the first time Sean had ever seen her real face. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was stunned. "Your... Your face..." "I''m sorry, Mr. Sean. I used a made-up identity to approach you because I had to keep myself hidden. This is my real face." Sean muttered, "You do look like Jacqueline." "Back then, I decided to help because you look like my sister and we share the samest name. If I wasn''t sure that my mother only gave birth to us, I''d think you were one of us." 2 Avery added, "I found it hard to believe that two people who looked so alike existed." Olivia scratched her head. "I was stunned when I saw Ms. Jacqueline too. We do look alike." "Maybe it was fate. I helped you because of your looks, and you helped me too. And now, you''re helping Sean. It''s such a magical thing. "Back then, I felt a sense of familiarity when I saw you. If you don''t mind, Olivia, the Fordham family would love to adopt you after this incident is over." 1 Olivia waved her hands frantically. "There''s no need for that. I''m unworthy..." "You don''t have to be so humble, Olivia. You''ve helped our family a lot. I''ll introduce you to the family when the timees. I''m sure they''ll like you a lot. "Even Troy, who''s usually very dense, sung praises of you and Willow multiple times. I''ve heard about what happened to your family. You don''t have any more rtives in Aldenvine, right? "If you don''t mind, we can be your family from now on." Avery had been on this ind for the past six months. He did not know about her rtionship with the Heaths yet. He thought Olivia was all alone after Jeff''s passing. Olivia could not refuse anymore, so she agreed, "Okay." She had wanted siblings for the longest time. "My dear sister, Olivia," Sean said. Chapter 1534 Olivia felt a little embarrassed. "It isn''t official yet." "It''s fine. You''ll be my sister sooner orter. I''m so happy to have another sister." Sean patted her on the head. Olivia was excited that she suddenly had two brothers. "Am I really good enough?" She knew how prestigious the Fordham family was in Zelotria. It felt surreal that she had be part of their family. The Fordham brothers smiled at her warmly. "we''re overjoyed to have a sister like you. The only thing is you''ll have to hold out until this matter is behind us. Then, we''ll officially ept you into the family." The three of them looked at one another and smiled. There was a very obvious dimple on Sean''s left cheek when he smiled. It reminded Olivia of the dimples on her children''s faces. 1 Maybe they were really meant to be a family. Sean was wheeled into the operating room by an assistant robot at night. He was stunned when he was told that these people were actually robots. He knew a little about robotics. He knew it was incredibly hard to get a robot to look so life-like. Olivia was also wearing scrubs. It was an honor for her to be able to observe Louis at work. "Don''t worry, Sean. Mr. Rivera is a great doctor." Sean smiled. "You''ve mentioned that your teacher is skilled. I never thought he would be the famed Louis Rivera." He was incredibly lucky to have Louis operate on him. It was almost a guaranteed sess. Sean was impressed by how great Louis was, especially after seeing those incredibly life-like robots. "Yeah, Mr. Rivera is the best," Olivia said with pride. Louis was wearing scrubs and a pair of sses. He looked even more handsome and elegant. "Mr. Rivera, I''m ready." "Okay, you can observe at the side. I''ll be using the most advanced metallic frame for him. It''s even harder than bones." "Your equipment is the best, Mr. Rivera." "I''ll use the best ones on you in the future." Olivia felt a chill down her spine. Louis was still obsessed with her. Sean was confused. "In the future? What will you do to Olivia in the future?" "Let''s begin, Mr. Rivera." "Very well." The operation they were about to perform was way harder than the one performed on Marina. Marina had her legs amputated, while Sean was going to keep his skin as his bones were swapped out. The results had to look good while not affecting practicality. It was very hard. This was a great opportunity for Olivia to learn since she wasn''t very knowledgeable about this field. The operation was a sess. Louis was a great teacher. He deliberately slowed down his pace to exin every step to Olivia. It was already midnight when Sean was wheeled out of the operating room. Avery went up to them hurriedly. "How''s Sean?" "Don''t worry, Avery. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The operation was a sess. He still needs some time to get used to his new legs. Also, he''ll need to go through three months of rehabilitation. His legs will be back to normal in six months at most. "That''s great! Olivia, thank you so much," Avery said excitedly. Then, he hugged Olivia in excitement. Sean''s legs had been troubling him for a long time. "It''s gettingte, Avery. You''re still unwell, so you shouldn''t stay up. Get some rest." Olivia was exhausted. She hadn''t been sleeping well recently because she had to watch out for the culprit''s schemes. She was finally able to rx on Louis'' ind. She had a dream¡ªa dream about someone so familiar but so distant. She only remembered that the woman in her dream was the deceased Quinn Fordham. She had never interacted with Quinn while she was alive, but the Quinn in her dream was smiling sweetly. She called out, "My dear sister, I''ve finally found you!" 1 Chapter 1535 Olivia''s back was soaked in sweat when she woke up. The dream was quite surreal. She felt the cold sweat on her forehead. She had only seen Quinn in photos and had never met her in person. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. But the dream she had seemed very realistic. Quinn''s smile was so gentle. She didn''t look like a dead person in the dream. She was like a kind older sister. Olivia sighed heavily. If Quinn were still alive, she would be 29 years old. It was so unfair. She was such a talented young woman, but she died such a gruesome death. 1 Then, she heard the melody of a flute. Olivia freshened up before she exited the room. Sean was holding a flute while he looked at Willow, who was ying her flute, with a tender expression. It was a very peaceful image, and Sean looked like his condition had improved too. Olivia asked gently, "Avery, how are you holding up?" "T lived through it. Louis said I''m the most sessful herb- imbued person after you." Olivia was overjoyed. "That means you''re saved!" "For the time being. It''s too early to be celebrating. If my recovery goes well, I''ll be able to get a transnt once we find a kidney." "That''s great!" Olivia was very happy for him. It was like how she was saved all those years ago. Sean saw that Olivia had arrived. He stopped ying his flute and greeted her, "Hi, Olivia.¡± "How are your legs, Sean?" "They still hurt a little, but the robot assistant checked them for me and told me they''re fine." "It''s normal to feel some pain for a week. The pain is a sign that the surgery is a sess. It would be bad if there were no pain. "But you still have to go through with rehabilitation. That will speed up your recovery. In the early stages, you shouldn''t remain standing for too long even if you can stand." "Thanks, Olivia." They had just acknowledged each other as family yesterday, but the familiarity they felt for each other was very natural. Sean rested on the ind for a week until the condition of his legs improved. He would do rehabilitation exercises every day. His previously shrunken calves were slowly recovering. He stood on the beach and looked into the distance. No one could understand the suffering he had gone through in the past few years. "we have to go back now, Avery." Avery handed Sean and Olivia a document. "I suspect that Garrett might be linked to this matter. I don''t have concrete proof yet, but you have to be careful. Don''t trust him." "Understood. Focus on getting better, Avery. I''ll take care of things at home. You don''t have to worry." After saying their goodbyes, Sean and Olivia set off to return to the Fordham residence. Looking at the ocean reminded her of Ethan, her home in Aldenvine, and the family waiting for her return. 1 She had a feeling that the truth would soon be revealed. Jacqueline rushed over to meet them as Olivia wheeled Sean toward the vi. She said anxiously, "Sean, where did you go? I couldn''t get through to your phone or track you down. Do you know how worried I was?" Sean smiled. "Sorry to worry you, Jacqueline. I was out on a trip with Susie." Jacqueline looked at Olivia with an awkward expression. "Susie?" "Right, I forgot to tell you. I''ve been getting along very well with Susie, and we''ve started dating. I''m sure you''re very happy for us, right, Jacqueline?" Chapter 1536 Jacqueline was stunned. She had thought it was ridiculous when Reginald told her about it. Sean had a prestigious background. He should have high standards. The woman before her had a decent figure and nice skin, but her facial features were in. The most important thing was that she had a child! Was Sean insane? Or did this woman somehow brainwash him? Jacqueline had thought that Olivia had some tricks up her sleeve. Things had already turned out like this before she could intervene. "Sean, are... are you joking?" Jacqueline smiled awkwardly. Olivia took Sean''s arm and said gently, "Ms. Jacqueline, we''re really in love with each other. He doesn''t mind that I was married before, and I don''t mind that his legs are crippled." "Besides, Willow is a very well-mannered child and has a talent for music. I think she''s a great kid." Sean patted Olivia''s arm with a smile. He looked at Jacqueline''s shocked expression and asked, "Is there something wrong, Jacqueline?" "T just feel like you''re moving too fast. You''ve only known each other for such a short time. Marriage is a very serious thing. You..." Sean smiled. "Jacqueline, don''t you want me to be happy? Dr. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Fordham was the one who helped me out of the slump I was in. Why are you unsatisfied?" "I''m happy that you''ve found someone. I just thought you were still in love with Ginger." "She has already passed on, but I''m still alive. It''s time for me to move on." Olivia nudged him. "Sean..." "T get it. It''s all in the past. I still have you guys." Sean turned around and looked at Jacqueline. "We''re tired from the trip. We''ll go up to our room to rest. Thanks foring to see me. Don''t worry, I won''t think about taking my own life ever again. "T''ll tell the others about me and Dr. Fordham too. I''ll bring Dr. Fordham and Willow to the Fordham residence in a couple of days." "Sean, aren''t you rushing things along too much? You..." "Jacqueline, I''m already 33 years old. I''m no longer young. I''ve wasted so many years of my life. From now on, I just want to take back what I''ve lost." "Sean, aren''t you worried that Ginger would be sad if she''s watching over us? She died because of you!" Sean shook his head. "You don''t know what happened back then. She was the one who wanted to break up with me and go overseas. If I hadn''t gone looking for her, I wouldn''t have gotten into a traffic ident. "She''s the one who owes me. Besides, it''s been so long since she passed. The living shouldn''t be bound by the dead. Alright, Jacqueline, I''m tired." Olivia spoke up, "Ms. Jacqueline, I''ll be turning in with Sean. Feel free to make yourself at home." Then, she wheeled Sean away. As soon as they entered the room, Sean clutched his chest. "Olivia, Jacqueline can''t possibly be the culprit. We don''t have to pretend in front of her, right?" "Sean, don''t forget that the culprit is sure to have spies in the vi. We have to keep it up no matter who we''re with." Olivia thought about how Jacqueline had a weird expression when she left. It didn''t look like she was actually happy for Sean. Instead, it seemed like she felt anxious because her ns were disrupted. "Maybe she might surprise us." Olivia wasn''t that familiar with the other people of the Fordham family. She didn''t have any bias toward them. Willow had told her that there was a curse on Jacqueline. It was better to err on the side of caution. "Howe" Olivia had a feeling that there was something wrong with Jacqueline, even if she wasn''t the culprit. It seemed like her n was a sess. Jacqueline was starting to panic. Chapter 1537 Olivia gave Sean a mysterious smile. "We''ll see." To make their act more convincing, Olivia stayed in Sean''s room while she was staying in the house. She and Willow took the bed while Sean stayed in the study connected to the room. Jacqueline was stunned to see them staying in the same room. Things were going too quickly. She returned to her vi angrily. As soon as she entered the vi, a man came up to her and gave her a big hug. "Why are you home sote? Do you only care about Sean? What about me?" She pushed the man away. Then, she lit a cigarette and said, "Get away from me. I''m not in the mood." "You''re so heartless. You''re so well-behaved when you''re with other people, but you''re so bad- tempered when you''re with me. Is it because you know | love you? "Did that Dr. Fordham anger you again? I told you to take her out, but you insisted on being needlessly compassionate." Jacqueline was also feeling regretful. Avery refused to tell her his location. She had a bad feeling about it. She felt Avery had already started his investigation. That was why she stayed her hand. She didn''t want to risk alerting everyone, but that one mistake only led to more mistakes. "I can''t believe Sean fell for that doctor." "Really? She''s very in-looking, isn''t she? Didn''t you say she has a kid? Has Sean lost his mind?" Jacqueline was at a loss for words. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. This development waspletely unexpected. "T think he didn''t just break his legs. His eyes went blind too." "You don''t have to be so worked up. Sean''s legs are crippled. So what if he falls for a woman? He''ll never be a threat. Also, the woman''s just a regr doctor. She''s not someone of equal status. She won''t be a threat to you either." "No. Sean haspletely changed since the trip. He''s no longer depressed and has be more assertive. "Don''t forget the fact that he''ll always be a scion of the Fordham family as long as he''s alive. This will never change." "Since you''re so concerned, I''ll get someone to get rid of that woman for you." Jacqueline grabbed his hand. "You can''t make a move on her. I''ve received news that Avery''s assistant has been investigating something in secret even though Avery is still away. We''re at a crucial point of the n. We have to be more cautious." "And just leave that woman be?" "No. There''s someone who hates her more than me. I have a n." The man shifted his gaze. "You mean Ginger?" "That''s right. She has always been in love with Sean. What will she do if she finds out he''s about to marry another woman?" Jacqueline''s gaze grew cold. "Sean, don''t me me for this. Why didn''t you adhere to my n and stay idle? Things are about to change in the Fordham family." "Don''t worry. We''ve been preparing for this for a very long time. We''ll seed." Jacqueline leaned into the man''s embrace and held onto his shirt tightly. "For some reason, I instinctively feel afraid when I see Dr. Fordham." 1 "Why? She''s just a woman. Even if Ginger fails, I''ll still be able to end her." The man patted her head gently. "No matter what happens, I''ll make your dreamse true. I love you, Jacqueline." His words offort didn''t make Jacqueline feel any better. Instead, her anxiety grew. She had never felt like this before. They had schemed for so many years, and she had already seized control of the family. No one in the family could pose a threat to her anymore. So why did she still feel so uneasy? It was like the primal fear of a cat for a mouse. The fear gripped her so tightly that she couldn''t shake it off. Chapter 1538 Sean told the rest of the family about Olivia the following morning. He was going to bring her back to the Fordham Residence. He called Olivia over and said, "The Fordham family is massive. We have a hand in multiple industries. The main family used to be quite lively and had been steadily growing. "Things started to go downhill after Avery was diagnosed with kidney disease. Troy is almost never home, and Vox is even more elusive. After Quinn''s death and my traffic ident, Jacqueline was the one keeping us afloat." "What about your parents?" "The family''s business is just too massive. My father is already very busy with managing our assets in other countries. "My mother sustained some injuries when she gave birth to Jacqueline. She''s been resting and barely ever goes out these days. I didn''t even tell her about my suicide attempts because I worry it might affect her health.¡± Sean sighed. "It''s just a family gathering today. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. There aren''t a lot of outsiders. You don''t have to be nervous." Olivia smiled. "Our goal is to draw the culprit out of hiding. I''m not actually meeting my inws. Of course, ] won''t be nervous." "That''s right. That slipped my mind. Reginald told my mother about you, and she was very happy." Olivia could guess how sad his mother would be since she had lost a child and had to see another one getting crippled. 1 She was sure to be happy if her son was able to break away from the past and move on. "Sean, other than going to the gathering to uncover the truth, I can also take a look at your mother''s condition." "That''s true. How could I have forgotten that you''re a great doctor? Olivia, I''ll leave my mother in your hands. She''ll be very happy to see you. Also, she''ll be your godmother from now on. So, she''s not just ''my mother''." Olivia had already seen how exceptional the children of the Fordham family were. She figured that their mother would also be a very outstanding individual. So, Olivia had prepared gifts for her in advance. As she was getting in the car with Willow, she reminded her, " From now on, we''ll be in a dangerous situation. You have to be careful, Willow." Willow patted Olivia''s hand and stared at her tenderly as if saying, " I''ll protect you, Mom." Olivia felt warm. She was the mother, and Willow was just a three- year-old child. Such a young child was telling her she would protect her. Every time she gave birth to one of her children, her life was at risk. But she took the risk and gave birth to her babies. She felt like that was her duty as a mother, and her efforts weren''t in vain. All of her children cared deeply for her. "Good girl," Olivia said as she held Willow tightly in her arms. Once again, she felt great relief that she didn''t give up on Willow because of her condition. "Olivia, you''re so close with your daughter," Sean said. Then, he added emotionally, "Many years ago, my mom showered her love on me like that too. We were a big family, but my parents were very loving. All the siblings got along well. "Those were the good times. If all of this never happened, Avery would be married, and I may even have a child or two already. Maybe even Quinn would be a mother by now. What a pity..." As he was talking, Sean''s fingers began to grab his pants tightly, so much so that his pants became wrinkled. "If I find the person behind it all, I''ll make him wish he was dead!" Chapter 1539 They drove to theke in the western suburban area. The gorgeous scenery was visible from quite some distance away. The gentle breeze blew on the fields as birds flew overhead ina flock. There were also lotuses on theke. The sky was clear, and the water was rippling gently. Some petals scattered by thekeside added a touch of elegance to the view. "This ce is so pretty." "Yeah. Mom''s very sickly, so she can only stay in quiet ces to rest. This is a nice ce, which helps improve her mood." Before they got out of the car, there was already a group of housekeepers in uniform waiting for them. When the car came to a stop, a middle-aged butler opened the door. He said politely, "You''re finally home, Mr. Sean." This pce wasn''t actually his home. The Fordham residence was in the middle of the city. It wasn''t the best ce for his mother to stay. The Fordham siblings weren''t that attached to this ce, but that wasn''t important. Their home was where their parents were. It was even more true for wealthy families like theirs. The parents were the foundation that held the family together. Wherever they were was where the family''s roots were. "Nice to see you, Ms. Patch." "I''m d you''re in high spirits, Mr. Sean." Nina Patch had been working for Shana for many years. She was a very considerate person. She was also someone who had been there since the siblings were just kids. They respected her a lot. The housekeepers took the wheelchair out as Olivia got out of the car with Willow. "Ms. Patch, this is Dr. Fordham and Willow." "heard about them on the phone. She''s done our family a great favor. Dr. Fordham, let''s talk when we''re inside.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Madam Fordham has been waiting for some time." "Sure." Olivia thought Nina would be bothered by her identity, but that wasn''t the case. She could only see gratitude in Nina''s eyes. This was how a person who truly cared about Sean would react, unlike Jacqueline. The more Olivia thought about Jacqueline, the more she found her to be suspicious. Although this was a ce for healing, it was clear a lot of effort was put into maintaining it. The ce was filled with all sorts of flowers. Olivia stood still as she noticed a blue flower in the yard. "This is a desert lily." 1 "That''s right." Olivia always had a keen eye for nts. "I seem to recall that these flowers are found in the desert and are known as the flowers of life. Water can be found wherever it blooms. A desert tribe even uses it as their emblem." "That''s right. It''s because this flower is a sign of good fortune. Jacqueline went through a lot of trouble to get the flower here." "This is Jacqueline''s doing too?" "Yeah. She cares about everyone in the family. Why?" Olivia swallowed the questions she wanted to ask. "Nothing. I just feel like she''s very considerate." The butler also sang Jacqueline''s praises, "Ms. Jacqueline is a very good daughter. The Fordham family has gone through turbulent times. Mr. Troy and Mr. Vox are usually very busy. She''s the only one who would visit Madam Fordham frequently." Everyone Olivia met praised Jacqueline. She was like a perfect angel sent from heaven. As they were talking, someone suddenly called out, "Sean, have youe home?" When he heard the voice, Sean quickly turned around. "Mom." The white sash of a nearby pavilion fluttered, and a woman appeared before them. As she was about to walk down the steps, Nina rushed toward her and held her steady. "Be careful, Madam Fordham." Only then did Sean notice something was wrong. He looked at Shana''s nk eyes. "Mother, what''s wrong with your eyes?" Olivia felt a weird emotion bubbling within her when she saw Shana. Chapter 1540 Olivia looked at the woman before her. Shana was wearing a in cotton dress, and her hair was in a ponytail. She didn''t have any makeup on, but she looked very young. She didn''t seem like a woman her age at all. Instead, she looked like she was in her mid-30s. Her eyes were clouded, like pearls that had been covered in dust. "Madam Fordham worries about you and your siblings every day. She shed many tears for you all, and eventually, her eyes became like this. Fortunately, you were able to ovee your depression, Mr. Sean. That''s good news for Madam Fordham." "Sean, let me take a look at you." "Mom, I''m here." Sean tugged at her dress. Shana bent down and caressed his face like she did when he was a child. "My dear Sean is all grown up now. It''s a pity that I can''t see you clearly anymore." She could only see the outline of his face. Everything else looked like a blur to her. "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" Sean asked emotionally as he grabbed her hand. "Madam Fordham knows you''ve been depressed. She didn''t want to trouble you any further, so she told me to keep it a secret. Ms. Jacqueline is the only one who knows." "Even Dad doesn''t know?" "That''s right. Mr. Fordham has been too busy in the past six months. He doesn''t even have time to visit Madam Fordham." "Alright. Let''s not talk about this anymore. Didn''t you say you brought a friend home today, Sean?" Shana turned her gaze toward Olivia''s direction. Olivia was deep in thought about what Nina said. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Jacqueline''s name was brought up again. No matter where Olivia was, she kept hearing Jacqueline''s name. When Shana mentioned her name, Olivia walked up to her and greeted her. "Nice to meet you, Madam Fordham." "Mom, this is Dr. Fordham. She''s the one who cured my insomnia and depression." "You''re such a wonderful doctor, Dr. Fordham. Doctors from all over the world have tried to treat Sean, but they only made it worse. So, you''re really a skilled doctor." "You''re too kind, Madam Fordham. It''s pure luck that I was able to cure Sean." Naturally, Shana noticed how Olivia addressed Sean. The rumors were true. He had fallen for Olivia. "T heard that you have a child, right?" Shana was very gentle and didn''t put on airs. She heard the sounds of bells getting closer before stopping before her. Then, the bells rang rhythmically. Olivia exined, "Madam Fordham, my daughter was born a mute. She''s greeting you. Sorry for the inconvenience." "Is that so?" Shana crouched down slowly. Then, she raised her hand and patted Willow on the head. "Hi, Willow." Olivia noticed a dimple on Shana''s left cheek when she smiled. It was in the same spot as Sean''s dimple. All of the siblings resembled her a little. Jacqueline was the exception. Maybe she looked more like her father. 3 "Alright, the drive over here must''ve been tiring. Let''s not stand around. Head inside and rest. I''ve asked the kitchen to prepare some snacks. I think Willow might like them." Shana reflexively took a step forward while she was talking. There were several steps of stairs before her. "Watch out, Madam Fordham." Olivia rushed forward and grabbed her. Shana held Olivia''s hand tightly. Olivia felt the warmth of her hand and felt an inexplicable sense of warmth in her heart. "Thanks. You''re really attentive and kind," Shana said gently. "You''re wee, Madam Fordham. I''m a doctor. If you don''t mind, I can take a look at your eyes for you. I might be able to cure you." "That''s right. She''s an incredible doctor, Mom. Let her take a look at you." Sean was a little anxious. "Why not do it now, Dr. Fordham? Please examine my mother." "Sure. I''ll be in your hands, Dr. Fordham." They sat down in the pavilion. Then, Olivia ced her fingers on Shana''s pulse. Chapter 1541 After a while, Olivia started to frown. "How is she?" Sean came forward and asked. Olivia withdrew her hand and said softly, "Madam Fordham is a little frail. It''s probably because she sustained some injuries during childbirth in the past. Her condition can be improved over time." "I know my condition won''t get any better. I''ll be content with however many days I have left." "Mom, please don''t say that!" Sean didn''t want his mother to be so pessimistic. "Alright. Let''s not talk about that anymore. I''m sure you''re all hungry. Let''s stop chatting here." Olivia held her hand. "Madam Fordham, this is such a beautiful ce, but isn''t it a little lonely if you''re here by yourself all year long?" "I''ve always preferred peace and quiet. I''ve never been fond of hustle and bustle. Our family is very united. The younger ones visit me frequently, so I''m never lonely." Oliva nodded. "That''s true. Sean has already recovered from his depression. He''ll be able to stay by your side from now on." Sean looked at Olivia in surprise. They had only nned toe over for a meal. They didn''t n to stay. After spending time with Olivia, he felt she was very reliable. She had to have a reason for making such a suggestion. So, he didn''t say anything. Shana smiled. "That''s wonderful. Sean was unwell for so many years. I''m still worried about him. I''ll be very content if I can see him every day. I''ll even be able to see you and your child." She ordered Nina to prepare the guest room. "Don''t worry, Madam Fordham. Sean''s legs can still be healed one day. Look at how sessful your children are. You have to get well soon so that they don''t have to worry about you." "Yeah, I know I should try my best to stay alive." "Watch out, Madam Fordham. There are some stairs here," Olivia reminded. Before they approached the steps, Olivia noticed a rope by the stairs with some bells attached. "How thoughtful. Ms. Jacqueline probably prepared it, right?" "This was made by Garrett. He knows my eyesight is bad, and he doesn''t want me to fall when I''m walking, so he put the bells by the stairs to remind me." Garrett Fordham was Sean''s cousin. Avery had also mentioned him before. Some of the leads they uncovered were linked to him. Sean felt even more guilty. "I''m a failure of a son. My cousin takes better care of my mother than me." "Silly boy, you know our family''s situation. Avery is haunted by his kidney illness, Troy is focused on his designs, Vox is never home, and you have been fighting your own demons. "Telling you all about my condition would only cause needless worry. Luckily, Jacqueline is a very good kid. She frequentlyes over to visit me with Garrett. "Besides, I have so many people tending to my needs. My life is already better than most people." It was clear that Shana was a very gentle and elegant person. She didn''t have the snobbishness of some rich people. That was why her children were all very outstanding. "Garrettes over very frequently, too?" Sean changed the subject. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "That''s right. He''s a very mild-mannered person. I took care of him for some time when he was young, so he''s very close to me. Your father has been very busy this year. Garrett knows I''m alone, so he visits me very often." 1 Olivia and Sean looked at each other. It was clear they were more suspicious of Garrett. "Mom, why don''t you invite Garrett over for dinner? I want to thank him in person." "T''ve already contacted him. He''lle over after work. Jacqueline will being over too. It''s a pity that I can''t get in contact with Vox, and Avery''s not in the country at the moment. It''d be great if we could have a reunion." "Don''t worry, Mom. We''ll have a reunion sooner orter. Avery will recover. When we get better, we''ll be able to lighten Dad''s load. Then, he''ll be able toe home to you when he''s no longer so busy." "That would be great." Chapter 1542 Shana was still very frail. She would sleep a lot every day. After she went to bed, Sean took Olivia somewhere safe and asked, "Olivia, please tell me straight up. Did you find anything when you examined my mom just now?" Olivia nodded. "There are signs that indicate she''s been poisoned. The damage to her eyes doesn''t seem to be from excessive crying. My current diagnosis is that the poison damaged her retinas." Sean was furious. "Who would dare to do such a thing! How dare they harm my mother?" "Sean, the truth might be ugly. Think about it. The health examination reports for you and Madam Fordham were faked. This person has a lot of power in the family." "What are you trying to say, Olivia?" "T suspect that the culprit is..." Before Olivia could finish her sentence, Nina rushed over and said, "Bad news, Mr. Sean! I received a call just now. Mr. Troy got ina traffic ident while on his way home. Ms. Jacqueline has been hospitalized." "What?" Sean was about to stand up reflexively, but Olivia noticed that and held him down. "Ms. Patch, what''s going on? Troy''s the one who got into an ident, so why is Jacqueline hospitalized?" "I didn''t make myself clear. Ms. Jacqueline met with Mr. Troy on his way back. So, she got in his car. Then, the ident happened." "How could this happen?" Sean had specifically warned Troy to be careful, but he still got in trouble. "I''ll go check on them at the hospital. Dr. Fordham, please watch over my mother. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I fear she might also..." "Hold on." Olivia grabbed Sean''s arm. "You have to keep your cool during times like this." "I know, but Troy and Jacqueline are hurt right now. Our family can''t afford to lose more people." It was very hard for people to remain rational when something horrible happened to their family. Even if Sean knew this ident could be another trap, he had no choice but to go. He couldn''t just leave his family members alone in the hospital. "Avery''s not here, and Vox is not even picking up calls. I''m the only one left in the family. They might need a family member to sign off on operations." "Then, I''ll go with..." "No. You should stay here and watch over my mother." Sean thought about Shana''s poor eyesight and was worried she might be in danger. "In that case, you have to take more bodyguards with you." Nina was confused. It was just a trip to the hospital. Did they need to n for it so seriously? "Don''t worry, Dr. Fordham. The hospital is just nearby. It''s also our family''s private hospital. Nothing will happen to Mr. Sean there." "Ms. Patch, my mom is very dispirited right now. Please don''t tell her about this. It might be too much for her to bear." "Understood, Mr. Sean. You should hurry to the hospital." Olivia watched as Sean was wheeled away. Before he left, she patted on his wheelchair and reminded him not to expose the fact that his legs were healed. This was a very important trump card for them. Olivia was still worried after Sean left, so she told Avery about this. She spaced out while she sat in the corridor. As she looked at the fish swimming in the water, she began to wonder if she was mistaken. Was Jacqueline not the culprit? She was caught in the ident too. Willow took some fish food and threw them into the pond. The fishes swam over and gobbled down the fish food. Olivia felt like she was no different from the fish in the pond. She was also at the mercy of the culprit. She had some leads, but all of them were dead ends. Aman suddenly said, "Youngdy, you can''t overfeed the fish." Chapter 1543 Aman was walking toward Olivia and Willow. He was wearing a white suit, looking very elegant and dignified. Olivia figured that he was probably Garrett Fordham. "If you feed them too much, it''ll give them upset stomachs. The fish food will also affect the water''s quality. Everything is better in moderation. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Doing too much would just cause more trouble." He seemed like he was talking about the fish, but he was actually warning Olivia to mind her own business. Olivia pulled Willow behind her and gave Garrett a polite smile. " Thanks for the reminder. She''s too yful and didn''t know about that. You are..." "I''m Garrett Fordham. I heard that Sean brought a doctor friend home today. So, you must be Dr. Fordham. You''re so young, but you were able to cure Sean. You''re such a skilled doctor." "You''re too kind, Mr. Fordham. Sean''s condition was caused by troubles of the heart. He was naturally able to fall asleep after those issues were resolved. It''s not because I''m a skilled doctor." Garrett took a good look at Olivia. "Doctors as young and humble as you are a rare breed. No wonder Sean treats you differently." Garrett noticed that the woman before him looked in, and nothing really caught his eye. But she had an elegant demeanor and was able to meet his gaze without faltering. Her eyes were pretty, too. "[ just did what I was supposed to do." Olivia didn''t want to talk about this subject that much. Garret scanned his surroundings. "Where''s Sean?" Olivia looked into his eyes. If he was involved in this incident, it would mean he was ying dumb. "Mr. Garrett, you might not know this yet, but Mr. Troy and Ms. Jacqueline got into a traffic ident on their way home. Mr. Sean has gone to the hospital. This is such an unfortunate turn of events. I don''t know how Mr. Troy and Ms. Jacqueline are doing now." "Really? How are Troy and Jacqueline?" "I don''t know the specifics. We have to wait for news from the hospital. I hope both of them are safe. By the way, Mr. Garrett, Madam Fordham''s condition has worsened. Her eyesight has gotten worse." Garrett asked with concern, "How could this be? Haven''t I been sending her eye drops? Hasn''t she been using them? "She has. You''re very kind for doing that. But Madam Fordham has been overwhelmed by worry. She often stays up at night and cries. "That''s why her eyesight is getting worse. We have to keep news of the ident from her ears. She can''t take another blow like this." "Understood. I''ll go talk to her now." "Sure." Olivia took Willow''s hand. "I''ll go with you." If Garrett was the culprit, then Shana would be in danger. At this very moment, none of her kids were with Shana, and most of the people here were housekeepers. The bodyguards were all away. Olivia felt uneasy. She had secretly ordered Vance and Vanta to look out for signs of danger and call the police as soon as they saw something was wrong. Willow noticed Olivia''s anxiousness. She squeezed Olivia''s hand lightly to reassure her. Shanna just woke up and was calling for Nina. "Nina, where are you?" Her vision was impaired, so she could only walk very slowly. "Be careful, Aunt Shana." Garrett rushed over and held Shana''s hand. "You''re here, Garrett." Shana smiled gently at him. "Yeah. I was held up at the office, so I waste. Are there still no signs of recovery for your eyes, Aunt Shana?" Chapter 1544 Shana patted Garrett''s arm. "Garrett, I know you''re concerned about me. You''ve gotten so many renowned doctors to look at me in the past six months. None of them were able to help much. My eyes are probably..." "Don''t be so pessimistic, Aunt Shana. You''ll definitely recover. Take a seat and drink some water." Shana took the ss of water. "Garrett, thanks for visiting me so often. I don''t know what I''d do to pass the time without you." "Aunt Shana, I''m honored to be able to do that. You don''t have to say that. I''m not worthy of such words." Olivia stood at the side as she observed their interaction. She wasn''t sure if she was seeing things. While Garrett''s words were a little suspicious, the emotions he disyed looked genuine. If he was pretending, then he was a great actor. After finishing her ss of water, Shana noticed the silhouettes of Olivia and Willow. She waved at Olivia and said, Come here, Dr. Fordham." "Madam Fordham." Olivia stood next to her politely. "Take a seat and make yourself at home. We had a good talk just now. By the way, where''s Sean?" Olivia didn''t have the heart to give her the news, so she thought of an excuse. "He''s resting in the room now. I''ll keep youpany." "That''s good. Come walk with me. Let''s wake him up when it''s time for dinner. Let him sleep for now." Shana radiated motherly love. But her face looked so young that Olivia felt a little awkward. She found it hard to see Shana as a mother figure because she looked more like an older sister. Olivia took a good look at Shana and realized she hadn''t undergone any cosmetic surgery. Some rich women would get cosmetic surgery done to remain pretty. That type of beauty would neverst. Olivia could spot signs of cosmetic surgery very easily. The Fordham family had gone through so much, and Shana was worried about her family every day. Skincare products wouldn''t be able to help her look young. She would only look older than the people her age and not the other way around. "Alright. It''s so pretty here. I''d like to take a look around." When she said that, Nina shot her a nce. She was clearly unhappy. Olivia wanted to hold Shana''s hand, but Nina stopped her and held Shana''s hand instead. "You don''t have to do that, Dr. Fordham. Allow me." Olivia felt a little awkward as she withdrew her hand. Shana couldn''t see the expressions on their faces. So, she just continued to walk as she told Olivia about their surroundings. Olivia asked, "Madam Fordham, your skin looks so smooth. How do you keep it in this condition?" Shana touched her own face. She hadn''t seen it for some time. " Just those basic anti-aging skincare products. But the products I use are custom-made by Garrett." "So, that''s why." Shana smiled. "You''ll have to talk to Garrett when ites to skincare. He has developed several skincare brands. I heard that all of them sell very well." "If you don''t mind, I can examine your skin for you, Dr. Fordham. Then, I can custom-make some products for you based on your condition." Garrett looked very mild- tempered and showed no signs of snobbishness despite his sess. Olivia noticed that he had his eyes on Shana the whole time. Every time Shana walked up or down some stairs, he would instinctively lean forward. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He seemed very concerned about Shana. Was she wrong again? Emotions could be faked, but those tiny reflexive details couldn''t. It was clear Garrett was worried about Shana. It seemed like the situation was moreplicated than Olivia had imagined. Chapter 1545 After a short stroll, Olivia gave an excuse to go to the toilet and called Sean. "What''s the situation, Sean?" Sean''s voice sounded anxious. "It''s bad. When I got here, I heard that Troy''s arms are seriously injured. As for Jacqueline, she''s unconscious and covered in blood. Olivia frowned. "His arm? But he''s a designer. He''ll lose his mind if his arms are disabled." Sean knew how it felt. His legs were crippled in the past, after all. "I''ve already asked someone to investigate the driver. It''s the same story as before. The driver was driving under the influence of drugs. He''s a single man who''s also an addict. "He overdosed before he started to drive, and he died at the police station after he was captured. There are no other leads. It''s a dead end." Olivia could feel the rage Sean was trying to suppress. "Calm down, Sean. Why don''t I go over and take a look? I might be able to save Troy''s arms." "That''s right. You''re a great doctor. But my mother..." Sean''s brows remained furrowed in worry. "Madam Fordham is safe. I''ll let my bodyguards and Willow stay with her." Sean didn''t understand why Olivia would mention Willow. He figured it was because Willow was still a child and she shouldn''t travel around too much. Although he didn''t really want Olivia to leave Shana, the situation was too dangerous. The culprit was still in the dark while they werepletely exposed. They were at the culprit''s mercy. Troy''s arms were seriously injured as well. There wasn''t any other choice. Olivia exined the situation to Willow after she hung up. Willow looked upset. She held Olivia''s arm tightly. She didn''t want to leave Olivia''s side.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "T''ll be careful, Willow. Follow Vance and he''ll keep you safe. I''ll be back soon." Before she left, Olivia talked to Vance for a little while longer. As she was about to tell Shana an excuse and leave, she overheard Nina talking to Shana. "Madam Fordham, I don''t think Dr. Fordham is a good person. She''s unworthy of Mr. Sean." "You''ve only met her for a short while. We shouldn''t judge someone by their looks. No one but her was able to cure Sean. I feel like she''s a very special person." "How special can she be? I think she''s like all those other women. She''s after the Fordham family''s money. Besides, she''s divorced and has a child. People will make fun of Mr. Sean if word gets out that he found such a woman to be his wife." Shana was still smiling gently. Everyone has a past, just like Sean. Dr. Fordham doesn''t care that his legs are crippled. As long as Sean''s happy and Dr. Fordham''s a good woman, I don''t mind if they get married." "Madam Fordham, you''re too kind. Everyone looks like a good person to you. You have to be careful. I feel like she''s a cunning person. That''s why she managed to get Mr. Sean to bring her home. " Willow was visibly upset when she heard all that. She was about to run out there, but Olivia held her hand and signaled for her to remain quiet. If that was the case, Olivia couldn''t afford to leave. She wasn''t sure if Nina was the culprit. What if something happened to Willow and Shana after she left? The situation was a mess. She couldn''t tell who the enemy truly was or what their next move was going to be. Willow was her daughter. Her safety was more important than anything else. Olivia told Sean what was going on. The sun was setting. They would be exposed if Sean didn''te home. Troy was still in the operating room, so Sean couldn''t leave. He could only ask Olivia to find a way to stall for time. After a while, Shana asked, "Where''s Sean? Is he still sleeping? Nina, go check on why Troy and Jacqueline aren''t home. Are they stuck in traffic?" Chapter 1546 "Madam Fordham, something went wrong at Mr. Troy''s art gallery. He called Ms. Jacqueline and Mr. Sean over for help." Shana was confused. "I''d understand if he called Jacqueline for help, but why would Sean go?" "Madam Fordham, it''s because Mr. Troy designed a set of premium jewelry for Sean. He wants Sean to show off the jewelry while sitting in his wheelchair. "He wants to prove to the world that even a cripple person can have a good life. He''s also trying to encourage Sean." "He''s so considerate. I know this is his dream. He wants all of us to go to one of his shows while wearing the jewelry he designed. It''s a pity that our family is currently in this broken state..." "Things will get better." Olivia patted Shana''s hand. "In that case, let''s wait for a while longer.¡± Nina was troubled. They were still at the hospital, and she didn''t know what condition they were in. Olivia said gently, "Madam Fordham, let''s not wait for them. Mr. Troy has high standards for his work. He might keep Sean with him for quite some time." "That''s true. You seem to know a lot about our family." Shana finally noticed that. How could Olivia not know about the Fordhams? She read the intel on them several times. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Olivia replied politely, "Yeah. I''ve been spending a lot of time with Seantely. He told me all about his family." Nina cleared her throat. "Dr. Fordham, your rtionship with Mr. Sean isn''t official yet. You seem to be very anxious. You''re not part of the family yet." 1 "Nina, that''s no way to talk to our guest!" "Madam Fordham, I''m just reminding her to know her ce and not to think about getting to the top so easily. She''s already acting like she''s part of the Fordham family." "Nina! I told you to stop talking like that." Shana was angry. "I''m sorry, Dr. Fordham. We didn''t mean that. Nina, tell the kitchen to serve the food. Dr. Fordham has done a lot for our family. You shouldn''t be rude to her." Nina red at Olivia, but Olivia ignored her. Perhaps Nina thought Olivia was a heartless woman because she was unfazed by Troy''s and Jacqueline''s injuries. She started to be biased toward Olivia from that moment on. "It''s fine, Madam Fordham. I don''t mind. It''s gettingte. The sun has already set. Let''s start eating first." Olivia knew Shana was really frail, so she was worried about her. "Alright. But please don''t be offended. Troy has always put his work above everything else. We''ll have a nice reunion dinner when his fatheres home." 1 Shana took Olivia''s hand and continued, "Don''t listen to others. I don''t mind your rtionship with Sean, especially since he was the one who brought you here. "Besides, I love children. My children used to be so much trouble. Although Willow can''t talk, I can sense that she''s a very obedient youngdy." "Madam Fordham..." Shana was really a very gentle soul. She made Olivia feel warm. Olivia was even more determined to take good care of her. But she was still worried because she wouldn''t be able to keep Troy''s and Jacqueline''s conditions from Shana much longer. Shana would find out eventually. It was gettingte. Olivia kept Shanapany the whole time because she didn''t want Shana''s mind to wander and think about horrible stuff. "Susie, for some reason, I feel like we''re fated to meet. Although I can''t see your face, I feel very close to you. It''s like we''ve known each other for ages." Olivia wasbing Shana''s hair. She noticed a few strands of white hair on Shana''s head. The two of them looked like a very loving pair of mother and daughter. Olivia even wondered if her mother would be as gentle as Shana if she were still alive. 5 Chapter 1547 Sean didn''te home. Instead, it was Avery who rushed home. He set everything aside and rushed home when he found out that his family was harmed. Shana, who was about to fall asleep, quickly got up when she heard that Avery had returned. "Avery is back!" "Slow down, Madam Fordham. Be careful not to fall over." Olivia quickly held Shana steady. As she said that, they heard Avery knocking on the door. "It''s me, Mom." "Come on in." Avery pushed open the door and exchanged nces with Olivia. She greeted him, "Mr. Avery." "You''re here too, Dr. Fordham." "That''s right. Dr. Fordham is a very nice person. She''s a friend that Sean brought home. I''m getting along very well with her. Shana slowly caressed Avery''s face. You''ve lost weight, Avery." Avery noticed something off. Shana was acting like she was blind. He took a look at her eyes and noticed that they looked empty. They didn''t look like normal eyes at all. "Mom, what''s wrong with your eyes?" "It''s nothing. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. It''s just that my eyesight is bad now. How have you been? Has your health improved?" Avery felt a stab of pain in his heart. He didn''t expect Shana''s condition to get worse when she was resting here. "I''m fine. I haven''te home in a long time, so I came to visit you. It''s gettingte. Get some rest, Mom." "Alright. I feel more at ease with you at home." "Madam Fordham, I won''t disturb the two of you any further." ¡°Avery, Dr. Fordham is an important guest of ours. See to it that she gets the best hospitality we can give." "Understood. Come with me, Dr. Fordham." Olivia followed Avery out the door. They went somewhere without anyone around. "What''s the situation now?" "Troy''s arms are irreversibly damaged." "What about Ms. Jacqueline?" "Troy shielded her when the ident happened. He blocked all of the damage and the ss shards for her. She only got some scrapes. But Troy..." Hearing that alone was enough for Olivia to know how terrible the ident was. The atmosphere was a little gloomy. Olivia didn''t know how tofort Avery. "Avery, that isn''t the worst news yet. You have to calm down. Sean isn''t the only one who was poisoned. Madam Fordham is also poisoned. Her eyesight didn''t deteriorate because of excessive crying. It''s because she''s been poisoned." Avery''s expression changed drastically. "Is it Garrett''s doing? Troy and Jacqueline are both hurt now, and he''s the only one who visits Mom regrly! He''s the most likely suspect." Olivia grabbed Avery, who was about to lose his cool completely. "I haven''t gotten to know him much. "Although I don''t know his personality, I don''t think he''d hurt Madam Fordham. He looked concerned every time he looked at Madam Fordham." Avery was dejected. He spent so much effort investigating, but he still failed to stop the enemy''s ploy. He sat on the stairs with a defeated expression. It was like the Fordham family was entangled in a web in the darkness. Avery med himself for realizing it toote. He thought everything was just an ident, so he let his guard down. He lost a sibling, and his mother even lost her eyesight. "Who is it? Who could it be?" Avery muttered dejectedly. "Avery, can you get me samples of the drugs that Madam Fordham takes on a daily basis? Oh, and samples of her skincare products as well. I want to find out how she was poisoned. "IT examined her today. Her eyes still react to light, so she''s notpletely blind yet. There''s still time to cure her. "But first, we have to ensure she doesn''t get poisoned anymore. I suspect that the culprit has control over the entire hospital. That''s why you''ve been getting forged results. "You need to get someone you trust to manage the hospital. Lastly, I can go to the hospital and check on Troy''s injury. I might be able to help him." Chapter 1548 Olivia was no longer the young woman who would panic during a crisis. She made ns very rationally. Since Avery was home, she could go to the hospital. Troy''s surgery had just finished in the hospital, and he was still unconscious. When Olivia arrived, Sean was still by his side, looking at him worriedly. If Troy found out that his arms werepletely ruined and he could no longer design jewelry, he would definitely be devastated. His arms were very important to him. "I''m sorry, Sean. It''s all my fault. This wouldn''t have happened if Troy hadn''t tried to save me..." Jacqueline was standing next to Sean. There were two tiny wounds on her face that were covered up by band -aids. She stood next to Sean with a sad expression. "It''s not your fault. I''m just d you''re fine. Our family can''t bear any more idents." "You''re here, Dr. Fordham." Olivia walked over with a grave expression. "Is Mr. Troy still unconscious?" "The doctor said he''ll regain consciousness soon." Sean sighed. Olivia looked at that pale face. She thought about the grand show Troy was about to have. His hands getting injured at this point in time meant all his hard work would go down the drain. After a while, Troy regained consciousness. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He thought he was still at the scene of the ident. So, he shouted, "Jacqueline, Jacquline! " Jacqueline rushed over with tears in her eyes. "I''m here, Troy. I''m here." Troy sighed in relief when he saw that Jacqueline was unharmed. " I''m so d you''re okay." He reflexively wanted to raise his hand to pat Jacqueline on the head but realized he could not move his hands. He strained himself so hard that he started to sweat, but nothing changed. He looked at his hands and muttered, "What happened... to my hands?" "I''m sorry, Troy. It''s all my fault. Your arms are seriously injured. You won''t be able to lift them up anymore." Jacqueline pped herself. "If you hadn''t protected me, your arms wouldn''t have been injured. 1 wish I could chop my hands off and give them to you." 2 Troy ignored her cries. He was still stunned by the fact that his arms were useless. He almost forgot to breathe. He turned stiffly to look at Sean. "Sean, tell me. What happened to my arms?" "Troy, get some rest. I''ll find the best doctors for you. Your arms will definitely get better." His legs were a prime example. There was still hope for Troy''s arms. "I''m disabled. I''m worthless now," Troy repeated over and over. His eyes were wide open with a terrifying expression. "Troy, modern medicine has advanced a lot. Don''t overthink it. Things will get better as long as you''re still alive. "Get better? Sean, your legs have been crippled for so long. Have you gotten better? Why did it have to be my arms? Why my arms?" Sean saw how much Troy was suffering and had the urge to tell him that his legs had recovered. Olivia pressed down on his shoulders to stop him from doing it. "Mr. Troy, this is just temporary. You have to have faith." Troy was staring at the ceiling nkly. After the extreme grief he felt, he went silent. He wasn''t calm. He had just lost all hope. He had seen how worked up Sean was when he was crippled. Then, he became depressed because there was nothing he could do. Back then, he could still offer words for Sean. But when the same thing happened to him, he understood how devastating it was. His gaze darkened. 1 "There''s no more future for me..." Chapter 1549 Olivia had said the exact same thing plenty of times before. Back then, her life was full of despair, and there didn''t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. She fought tooth and nail and was beaten and battered. Often, she felt like she didn''t have a future as well. But she didn''t want to give up. She didn''t want the same for her children. So, she toughed it out. She didn''t say anything as she went to the toilet to run a towel under the tap. When she came out of the toilet, she saw Troy looking at the ceiling and bawling his eyes out. He couldn''t even use his hands to hide his tears. "Don''t cry, Troy. Things will get better, really." "It''s all my fault, Troy. I''m the reason you can''tplete the piece you''ve been working on. I''m the reason your show will be canceled. " Olivia didn''t say anything as she ced the warm towel on Troy''s eyes. Troy wasn''t in the mood to listen to anyone. He just wanted to conceal his weakness. The tears made the towel wet, but they didn''t flow down his cheeks. The others couldn''t see how helpless he was. He said hoarsely, "Thanks." Olivia said, "It''s gettingte. Ms. Jacqueline was also in the ident, so she must still be in shock. I''ll stay here. Both of you get some rest." "How could we? You..." Olivia cut them off, "I''m a doctor. I can take better care of Mr. Troy than you two. Besides, he''s not in the mood to talk. Let him get some peace and quiet." Sean sighed. "Alright. Sorry for the trouble." Olivia closed the door. Then, she heard sobbing from the bed. "You should leave too. I just want to be alone." "Mr. Troy, I know how you feel. 1..." "I said the same things to Sean when he got into an ident. Only now do I know how stupid I was. No one can know how other people feel. "Dr. Fordham, thank you for your concern, but I''m really sad. I''m down in the dumps, and I''m afraid I''ll lose my cool if you stay here any longer." "what if I tell you I can heal you?" "Stop joking. If you could heal me, you would''ve already healed Sean''s legs. Don''t say...:" "He''s just fooling you all. When we left on the trip, I brought him to a ce for surgery. His legs aren''tpletely healed yet, but he can already walk without any issues." "What?" Olivia took the towel off his eyes. "Now can we talk?" Troy had a weird feeling as he met Olivia''s calm gaze. It was like he had seen her before. "Who are you?" "That''s not important right now. All you need to know is that I''m here to help you and the Fordham family. "IT have something I have to ask you, Mr. Troy. Tell me what happened during the ident, especially how Ms. Jacqueline reacted." Olivia wouldn''t be suspicious of Jacqueline if she was heavily injured as well. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. But Troy was bedridden, while Jacqueline only sustained minor injuries. What if the culprit was just working for her because she controlled everything? Maybe she was afraid that Avery''s investigation would be directed at her, so she pulled something like this. But she didn''t want to get hurt, so Troy was her scapegoat. This move would help remove any suspicion that was on her, and it could also hurt Troy. If she was really the one behind this, she would be a very vicious person. Chapter 1550 Chapter 1550 Troy didn''t understand why Olivia was asking about Jacqueline''s reaction, but he still recounted the events in detail. ¡°As you know, | couldn''t exactly leave Jacqueline to fend for herself in a situation like that. So, | shielded her. Is there any problem with that?" Olivia didn''t have the heart to tell him the cold, hard truth yet. She needed more evidence. After all, these Fordham brothers loved their sister a lot. They were naturally biased. "Of course not. You''re a good brother. | just want to know what happened. Anyway, you need to calm down. | healed Sean''s legs, so your arms are not a problem." "Really?" "Do you think I''d lie to you right now?" "But why didn''t Sean tell us his legs have recovered?" Olivia whispered, "It''s because there''s a person who''s trying to destroy the Fordham family." "You mean..." Then, Olivia told him the n. "I''m sorry, Mr. Troy. You were one of the suspects too. That''s why | didn''t tell you, and that''s probably why you got into such trouble.¡± Troy was stunned. It took him a lot of time to absorb the information Olivia was sharing with him. He waspletely dazed. He had been focused on his designs all the time. Even as hey on the bed, the thought of his family plotting against him never even crossed his mind. "No wonder Avery told me to bring more bodyguards when | go out. | thought he was just being paranoid. So, he was actually afraid that something would happen to me. "| finally understand now, but it''s toote. Dr. Fordham, who do you think the person behind all of this could be?" "T wasn''t sure before this, but this incident has given me some leads. Mr. Troy, | shared this secret with you so that you wouldn''t give up on hope. "The Fordham family is under siege. It''s not just you and your siblings. Even Madam Fordham is being dragged into this. Someone wants to destroy your family. You have to be on guard from now on. I''m guessing that whoever is behind this is nning to end things once and for all soon." Troy wasn''t dumb. He understood it wasn''t the time for tears. " Understood. Just tell me how | can help." "You don''t need to do anything yet. Just don''t expose yourself. The mastermind will show up soon." Oliviaforted him for a little while longer before she left. There was no longer any despair in Troy''s eyes. Instead, they were filled with hatred. Hatred was enough to keep him going. After she closed the door, Jacqueline approached her with a worried expression. "Dr.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Fordham, how''s Troy?" Olivia shook her head. ¡°He hurt his arms, which are extremely important to him. It won''t be easy for him to get over it. He''s very mentally weak right now. You and the rest of his family have to keep himpany." "Alright. Thanks, Dr. Fordham." "You don''t have to thank me. | didn''t do anything. I''ll go check on Sean. He was quite shaken too." "Sure. I''ll keep Troypany tonight." Olivia left. Sean was in a horrible state. He kept pping his face, but Olivia stopped him. "It''s not your fault. Don''t do this." Sean wanted to pan something, byt Oya gave hina SK QRit to read thetest Then, she took his hand and sald mM with co cer [Don''tbe ste ¡°She Ss Gd. isit to read thetest Then, she leaned into his ear and said, ¡®Somep ¡®syatchitig.us. She obhdedNHat ine she met Jacqueline. Sean immediately reacted and pulled Olivia into his embrace. The enemy was making their move! Chapter 1551 Olivia wrapped her arms around Sean''s neck and said slightly louder, "Don''t be sad, Sean. Troy will get better. You must stay strong.¡± Sean caressed Olivia''s face and said emotionally, "I''m so d I have you to keep mepany. Or else I wouldn''t know what I''d do. " Olivia buried her face in his chest. The two of them kept whispering to each other like a loving couple. After a while, Olivia said, "Alright, it''s gettingte. You haven''t eaten yet. I''ll go get some food for you. Don''t be too sad. Everything will be okay as long as he''s still alive." "Dr. Fordham, you should just let the bodyguards do that." "There''s nothing I can do to help in the hospital anyway. I know what you like to eat. I''ll do it." Olivia got up from hisp after she said that. She could clearly sense that someone was following her when she left the hospital. Sean''s expression changed too. He gave an order softly, "The fish has taken the bait. Go and protect Dr. Fordham." There were a lot of patients and family members in the hospital. It wasn''t the best ce to make a move. The bodyguards also went after Olivia. Olivia was acting as bait. She wanted to lure Ginger out into the open. Ginger had probably been going mad with jealousy in the past few days. She would definitely take this chance to get rid of Olivia. Olivia was nning to head to the street nearby. The traffic light turned green, and she was about to cross. Suddenly, a car, which was waiting at the red light, sped toward her. The headlights were off, and the driver didn''t sound his horn. He was trying to ambush her. The car had already gotten very close to Olivia when the people around her were yelling. Luckily, Olivia was on guard. She managed to step back before the car ran into her. The others around here weren''t as lucky. People on the sidewalk began to scream. Some people were fast enough to get out of the way, and some hadn''t started walking onto the street yet. A couple of pedestrians who had been looking at their phones were knocked over. Olivia knew the driver was aiming for her. She caused these innocent people to be injured. Hatred shed in her eyes. If she didn''t capture the person right there and then, more people would be hurt. The driver wanted to get away, but the crowd blocked his way. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Someone was calling the police, while others took whatever tools they could find to smash the windows of the car. Aman grabbed the driver''s hair and threatened to kill him. Olivia saw that the driver had been captured, so she went to check on the people who were injured. Fortunately, the car didn''t have much distance to speed up. The two people who were knocked over were mostly fine. Only their phones were knocked away from them. Olivia wouldn''t have been so lucky if she was hit. The driver new the speed wasn''t enough to kill. He probably nned to knock her down and run her over. That would guarantee her death. He slowed down when he saw that she had dodged out of the way. So, the pedestrians weren''t gravely injured. The crowd was getting restless. Olivia asked Vance to wait for the police to handle the situation while she crossed the road. She chose to walk through an alley to save time. There was only one streemp in the alley. Someone was standing below it with a lighter in hand. The lighter sparked to life with a click and illuminated the person''s face. It was a very unfamiliar face. "I''ve been waiting for you, Dr. Fordham." At the same time, some people walked into view behind Olivia. Olivia sneered. The woman had finally shown herself. Chapter 1552 Even without turning back, Olivia could feel the hostility in her gaze. "T''ve been waiting for you too." She suddenly turned around and looked at the woman who was slightly shorter than her. She was trying to conceal her identity, but Olivia recognized her right away. "Ginger." Ginger panicked when she heard Olivia calling out her name. "How did you..." A trap seemingly designed for Oliva had be a cage to capture her. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ginger sensed that something was wrong. She thought about her goal and was about to pull the trigger. A gunshot sounded. A bullet hit her on the wrist, and her gun fell to the ground. Well-trained people surrounded the alley. Ginger ignored her bleeding hand as she yelled, "Kill her!" The tide turned very abruptly. Before Ginger''s men could make a move, some people jumped down from the second floor and killed them. Someone tried to shoot Olivia in the chaos, but someone else put a bullet in his back. In the blink of an eye, all six of the men Ginger brought were put down. She looked at the person who opened fire in disbelief. The man standing at the entrance of the alley was very tall. The light was shining in from behind him, so his face was obscured. 1 Ginger could only feel the icy gaze he had trained on her. He walked toward her slowly and silently, but he exuded strength. Olivia''s heart skipped a bit when she saw the man. "Why are you here?" Ethan approached her and pulled her into his arms. He rushed over here without getting a wink of sleep the night before. His voice was a little hoarse. "God knows what else would''ve gone wrong if I didn''te?" Seeing how close the two of them were, Ginger yelled, "You bitch! How dare you cheat on Sean? I knew you were an evil woman! You''re just after the Fordham family''s prestige!" 2 As soon as she said that, someone pped her on the face. Kelvin said coldly, "Take her away. Watch her closely, and don''t let her kill herself." Ginger''s men were cleaned out very quickly. Olivia leaned in Ethan''s embrace. "You didn''t even tell me you wereing. You scared me." "This problem with the Fordham family keeps getting moreplicated. Liv, what would you do if I said I hope you can remove yourself from the situation?" Ethan had been keeping an eye on Zelotria''s news every day, and he was worried. Especially when he heard that Troy had also gotten into an ident. He could no longer sit around anymore. So, he came over. "That person has been plotting for over a decade. They''re clearly someone with a huge grudge against the Fordham family. Even if you''re indebted to Avery, you''ve done enough. I don''t want you to put yourself in any more danger, Liv." As soon as he arrived, Ethan saw the car that was about to run Olivia over. He almost had a heart attack. Olivia had nothing to do with the situation, after all. There was no need to put herself in danger. Olivia grabbed his hand and said softly, ¡°Ethan, I already have some leads. I''ll be able to get to the culprit really soon. Just give me some more time, okay?" "Liv, do you think one person can pull off a plot of such massive scale? You might have some leads, but that''s just the tip of the iceberg. There''s more darkness waiting for you." Ethan held her hand. "I know you won''t want to leave. So, this time, I''m here to bring you home¡ªno matter the cost." Chapter 1553 "Ethan, I can leave with you, but you need to give me more time. We can leave after we''ve dealt with Ginger''s matter, okay? "There''s also Madam Fordham''s eyes. I''ve promised to cure her. If it''s dragged out much longer, she''ll really be blind." "Liv, you might be a marvelous doctor, but you''re not the only doctor in the world. I''m just afraid that something might happen to you if you continue to help out the Fordhams... "This isn''t Aldenvine. I''m afraid I might not be able to keep you safe if things go south." Olivia sensed his determination. She pleaded, "Three days. Just give me three more days, okay?" Ethan sighed. "Alright. But you have to go home with me in three days." The two of them hadn''t seen each other for some time. They were yearning for each other, but Olivia had more important stuff to deal with. Ginger was an important part of her n to get to the mastermind. If she came clean, Olivia would be able to uncover the truth instantly. She told the Fordhams about this news. Even Avery was excited. "Did you really capture her? I''ll head over immediately. By the way, Olivia, I did what you said and sent samples of the medicine and skincare products my mom has been using for examination. We should get results very soon." "Alright." Then, Olivia told Sean the news and talked to him for a while. Sean was dazed. Everything seemed like a dream to him. He had been mourning Ginger for so many years. Even when Olivia guessed that Ginger was still alive and her motive for doing what she was doing, those were just hypotheticals. He had mixed feelings after learning that Ginger had been captured. He would be very happy if Ginger just came back to life without any other motive. But the evidence pointed to the fact that she was in on the n to destroy the Fordham family. This was a woman he loved and hated at the same time. He didn''t know how he would face her. Olivia noticed his hesitation. She told him, "Sean, the fate of the Fordham family lies in your hands. You have to get some answers from Ginger.¡± "I understand, Olivia." Sean thought about everything that had happened to his family in the past few years. Heposed himself and entered the room. The wound on Ginger''s hand had been dressed. There was still some blood on her. Her limbs were tied down firmly. Her mouth was even stuffed with a cloth to prevent her from killing herself by biting off her tongue. Sean closed the door and wheeled himself toward her. Ginger was still wearing a mask, but Sean could tell she was the woman he once loved from the eyes that were glistening with tears. Why had he never noticed that the fake ire looked at him differently? "Ginger, is that you?" Sean called out softly. Ginger''s tears began to flow when she heard him calling her name. Olivia left her mask on because she wanted Sean to take it off himself. This mask was proof that she had been hiding her identity all these years. From N?velDrama.Org. Sean peeled off the mask with shaky hands. Olivia had already told him about everything Ginger had done. But he had loved Ginger for so many years. So, he had some hope that she wasn''t as bad as Olivia said she was. He was willing to believe that the woman he loved was kind. She loved him so much and was so kind. How could she do all those things? When he took off the maskpletely, he saw the face that he remembered so well. Sean could no longer stop his tears from falling. He said shakily, " It''s really you, Ginger." All the hope and love he had for her waspletely shattered at that very moment. Chapter 1554 When Sean witnessed that in person, he was convinced that Olivia was right. From the beginning, Ginger had approached him with a motive. He removed the gag from Ginger''s mouth. Tears streamed down her face. Ginger said in a trembling voice, "I''m sorry. I lied to you." Sean hugged her. "Gigi, do you know how much I''ve missed you in the past few years? I''m so d that you''re still alive." Ginger thought that Sean would be mad after he found out the truth, but Sean held her tightly in his embrace. His hot tears sshed on her neck. "Sean, I lied to you. Aren''t you going to fault me for that?" "No, why would I? It''s nothingpared to the fact that you''re still alive right now. Did you know? In the past few years, I used to pray every day, wondering why I wasn''t the one who died instead of you. I would willingly go to hell if it meant that you''d still be alive." As Sean spoke, he started to untie her. Ginger still felt like she was dreaming. "Then what about you and Dr. Fordham¡ª" "Dr. Fordham told me the news some time ago after learning that you''re still alive. I was ted, and I wanted to see you again, but I didn''t have the chance to. That''s why I asked Dr. Fordham to y along with me. Gigi, ever since the beginning, you''re the only one I love. That has never changed." Ginger was freed from her bonds, and the two eagerly hugged each other. "I know. I know that you haven''t been well in the past few years. I''m sorry, Sean. I''ve hurt you." "Gigi, are you willing toe back to me? I can''t do without you." "1..." Ginger hesitated. She felt that Sean couldn''t possibly have forgiven her for all the terrible things she had done. "I see. My legs are broken, so you don''t want me anymore. Is that it?" "No, that''s not it." Ginger hastily gripped his sleeve. "I just..." She felt helpless. How could Sean ept her for real? Sean caressed her face gently. "Gigi, I know that you have your concerns. You lied to me back then, but you''ve never failed me, right? "In the past few years, every time I went to visit your grave, you''d disguise yourself as Ms. Powell and enthusiastically ask me to stay the night. You''d cook my favorite dishes, and you also... Every time that happened, I''d pretend that it was a nice dream. You do love me, right?" Ginger''s face turned red. Yes, that was her only chance to get close to Sean, so she would always make use of the medicinal effects to get close to him. "Yes, I do love you." "Then, that''s more than enough." Sean pulled Ginger into his embrace. "Gigi, how''s your family? Are they alright?" "They''ve already moved overseas, and they''re doing fine. I''m sorry. Back then, I..." Sean took her hand. "I know. You were forced to do it back then, right? Gigi, we truly love each other, so I won''t fault you anymore. I just want to marry you and to make up for all the time we''ve lost. Will you marry me?" 2 Ginger was flustered. "I do want to, but... but..." "Will you try to kill me again? You had countless chances to do it in the past few years, but you never did. I know that you love me too, so why can''t we be together?" 1 Sean whispered in her ear, tempting her, ''''We love each other. I shouldn''t die, nor should youpromise. Tell me, who''s the one orchestrating all this? If we get rid of the obstacles, we can be together for real."N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 1555 Ginger panicked even more. "No, that won''t work." ¡°Why not? If you have any concerns, just tell me.I''ll deal with them for you." Sean sighed. "If we weren''t separated back then, we might already have kids by now.I still remember you saying that you wanted to have a son and a daughter.Our daughter would look like me, and our son would look like you.Our family would live happily together. ¡°Gigi, are you going to keep dragging it out?" Ginger hesitated. She knew that she had broken the rules.She was just a pawn, and pawns shouldn''t have any feelings for their targets. However, she had lost herself in Sean''s tenderness. Back then, she had already hurt Sean once. Even after so many years, she had never forgiven herself.She couldn''t bring herself to stop loving Sean either. ¡°Don''t worry, Gigi.I don''t know who''s giving you orders, but I swear I''ll protect you." Tears streamed down Ginger''s face. "But my family is still in their hands.I can''t say it.If I do, my family will die.My nephew is starting grade school soon.His life is only beginning!" She covered her face and wept. "All these years, I could only watch over you in silence because I''m wary of them.If you can''t forgive me, just kill me.I can''t say it no matter what." "Gigi, you''ve already failed to assassinate Dr.Fordham, and they''ve probably heard the news that we''ve caught you.Do you think there''s a difference whether you say it or not?" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ginger widened her eyes.She seemed to have overlooked this aspect.She gripped Sean''s wrist tightly. "Sean, I..." ¡°The one thing you should do right now is trust me.Only I sincerely want to help you.If your only concern is about your family, don''t worry. "I figured out their whereabouts three days ago, and I''ve already sent men to protect them.No one will be able to hurt them.If you don''t believe me, you can call them right now." As expected, Ginger called her parents. ¡°Mom, is everyone okay?" ¡°Gigi, something serious happened.Half an hour ago, a group of armed men barged into our house. I was so terrified! "But don''t worry, just when we thought that we were going to die, another group of men appeared and saved us.Our house is destroyed, but fortunately, everyone is fine.Don''t worry, we''re all alive and well." It was only then that Ginger sighed in relief. She now knew for sure that Sean wasn''t lying to her. After hanging up, she held Sean''s hand. ¡°Thank you, Sean.You protected my family." ¡°Can you tell me the truth now? Who manipted everything behind the scenes back then?" "It''s Garrett!" Hatred burned in Ginger''s eyes. ¡°He began scheming against the Fordhams early on, and he also secretly raised many pawns.I''m just one of them. "You know that my family is very poor, and I finally managed to get into a college away from that ce.But things were so confusing in the city, and without a decent background, I couldn''t go very far. For the sake of my family, I had no choice but to agree to all his requests ¡°There are many other women like me, but perhaps because I''m more of your type, I was sent to approach you.Sean, even though I came to you with ulterior motives, I did fall in love with youter on.I didn''t want to put on that act back then, but for the sake of my family, I had no other choice." ¡°Then what about my brothers?" ¡°Different types of women have approached them too, but they didn''t seed." Ginger covered her face with her hands. ¡°For the past few years, I''ve been repenting every day.I know that I''ve done something unforgivable." "Gigi, do you know about my sister, Quinn? What was Garrett actually trying to do?" Ginger shook her head. "I only know that I''m part of his schemes, and for some reason, he harbors great enmity toward the Fordhams.I don''t know about his whole n.Sorry..." Chapter 1556 "Gigi, tell me everything you know," Sean prodded. Every word of Sean''s conversation with Ginger could be heard in another room. "Looks like Sean''s n is working." Avery mmed his palm on the table, enraged. "I knew it''d be him! That bastard!" Olivia felt a little disappointed. She thought that this incident would be rted to Jacqueline in some way or another, but in reality, that was not the case. Meanwhile, Bryce came over with the inspection report. "Dr.Fordham, we''ve analyzed Madam Fordham''s skincare products and medicines.We found an extra substance in the eye drops she uses daily.If it gets in contact with the eyes over long periods, it''ll cause vision decline that''ll eventually turn into blindness." ¡°That bastard!" Avery leaped to his feet in fury. "I''ve finally gotten hold of the evidence.Bryce, catch that kid right away.He has harmed my family too much.I''ll make him pay for it!" ¡°Understood." Grabbing Avery''s hand, Sean said, "Avery, calm down.It''s not worth ruining your health over these things.Since we''ve already caught the ck sheep, I''m not worried anymore." Olivia stood at the side, silent. ¡°Olivia, why do you still look so grave? Everything has happened ording to your ns.Is something off?" Olivia shook her head. "I''m concerned exactly because everything has happened the way I imagined it.It''s too perfect." ¡°What''s so bad about being perfect?" "I just feel a little uneasy.I must be overthinking it.Since we''ve already found the root of the problem, I can rest assured too.I''ll give Madam Fordham a proper check-up tomorrow.If she stops taking the medicine and rests well, she''ll be able to see again." ¡°Alright.I''ll tell Troy about the good news so that he can rest without worries." ¡°I''ll visit him too." Olivia nced at the sky, which was about to brighten. She thought that since this matter was dealt with, she would leave the rest to Avery. Unexpectedly, terrible news reached them at that moment. From N?velDrama.Org. Bryce hurried over to them. They didn''t manage to catch Garrett, and Shana had disappeared. "Disappeared? With all the household staff and surveince cameras at home, how could my mom disappear all of a sudden?" Bryce had a foul look on his face as he showed them the surveince footage. Not long after Avery went to the hospital, Garrett sneaked into Shana''s room. He carried Shana, who was in a deep sleep, in his arms. Then, he purposely stood for a while in front of the camera. He even looked up at the camera, curving his lips into a gleeful smile. He was doing it on purpose! Olivia thought that everything was going ording to n, but unbeknownst to her, Garrett had already made even better preparations. While everyone had their attention on Ginger, Garrett took Shana away with great ease. He had been visiting quite frequently for the past six months. He had already nned all this. "Go and look for them right now! Locate my mother! Leave no stone unturned!" They instantly panicked. What exactly was Garrett trying to do? ¡°Avery, what happened?" Jacqueline hurried over as well. ¡°Garrett took Mom away." ¡°Why would Garrett take Mom away?" Jacqueline looked puzzled. ¡°It''s a long story, Jacqueline.Either way, Garrett has foul intentions, and he''s the reason our family has been in misfortune for so many years.He might even have a backup n.Now, you''re the only one in our family who''s still unscathed.Be very careful.You''re our only hope now." "Okay, Avery.But..." Avery didn''t have time to talk to her. With his phone in hand, he hastily went out. ¡°Something has happened to Dad." Chapter 1557 The others didn''t notice the faint smile on Jacqueline''s face. Olivia was observing quietly at the side, so she caught sight of it. As if she had sensed Olivia, Jacqueline turned around and met Olivia''s gaze. Jacqueline put on her harmless expression again. "Dr. Fordham, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Olivia set her thoughts aside. "No, I just think that you''re very pretty, so I decided to take a longer look at you." "Dr. Fordham, you must be tired after staying up for so long. We''ll keep watch here, so you can rest in the room next door." Jacqueline came over and took Olivia''s hand. She seemed to be ncing at Olivia''s wrist. Olivia sensed Jacqueline''s gaze. That was the spot where Ethan had shot her before. However, thanks to the nourishment from the medicinal spring a few years ago, the wound was long gone. The scar was almost invisible now. "What are you looking at, Ms. Jacqueline?" "Dr. Fordham, your skin is fair and smooth. I envy that. How do you usually take care of your skin?" Olivia said indifferently, "Ms. Fordham, Madam Fordham was suddenly taken away, but you''re asking me about my skincare routine instead of worrying about her. You''ve always been quite loving toward your family, so what''s going on?" Olivia hit the nail on the head. Jacqueline hastily put on her pitiful look. "So many things have happened in our family in the past few days, so of course, I''m worried. But at times like this, there''s no use if I just panic. I can only help my brothers out by treating our guest well. Dr. Fordham, why did you suddenly ask me something like that?" They probed at each other several times. They felt that there was something off about each other, but they couldn''t figure out the other person''s weakness. Jacqueline suspected Olivia''s identity. She knew that Olivia had a wound on her wrist, but the woman in front of her had smooth and tender wrists. There weren''t any wounds or scars left by a bullet. Olivia felt that something was off about Jacqueline. All the evidence was pointing at Garrett, so logically, Jacqueline had nothing to do with it. It was just Olivia''s intuition. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Neither of them managed to get the upper hand. Later on, Olivia went to a secret house in private. This was Ethan''s temporary home. At that moment, he was watching over Willow and gently touching Willow''s face with his fingers. When he noticed that Olivia was here, he quietly left and closed the door. Pulling Olivia into his embrace, he said, "Liv, I miss you." Of course, Olivia missed him too. However, too many things had happened in the Fordham family recently, and she was exhausted. "Ethan, get someone to follow Jacqueline. I feel like something is very off about her!" "Liv, I''ve already told you early on that the Fordhams are a tricky mess to get involved in. Just stay away from them." Ethan heard about what happenedst night. The enemy had been nning this for more than a decade or even longer than that, just to ruin the FordhaMs. They obviously wanted the Fordhams to fall to absolute ruin. Now, even Shana was taken away. This meant that the enemy was about to make their final move. The closer the hour approached, the more dangerous it would be. "Ethan, I told you to give it three days. It''s not time yet. Please help me out, alright?" Ethan sighed. "Alright. I won''t ever say no to your requests." Olivia was indeed exhausted. She took a shower and sleptfortably. She didn''t know what would happen to the FordhaMs. She had an uneasy feeling about this. It was like an unknown terror before a storm. Jacqueline had also talked to someone in private. "Go and tail Susie. I think there''s something wrong with her." "She''s quite resourceful for a doctor." The man hugged Jacqueline. "Shall I kill her for you?" Chapter 1558 Shana was suddenly taken away, and everyone in the Fordham family was panicking. Even Troy, who was still sick in bed, struggled to get up. Avery visited his uncle''s family right away. Garrett could run, but he wouldn''t be able to hide. Unexpectedly, before Garrett could be arrested, the others received a shocking piece of news. Olivia was braiding Willow''s hair. Willow''s hair quality was great, and her hair was dark and shiny. Ethan was carrying a small storage case for them. The case was filled with hair ties and hair clips meant for little girls. He handed Olivia two green bow ties. "Put these on. Green looks good on her." Olivia took the bowties and put them in Willow''s hair. Then, she nted a kiss on Willow''s forehead. "You look so pretty." Smiles lit up Willow''s green eyes. She held onto Olivia with one hand and Ethan with the other. She was ted. Kelvin rushed over to them. "Bad news, Mrs. Miller." Olivia made a guess. "Garrett escaped?" This was within her expectations, so Olivia wasn''t surprised at all. Garrett had been plotting this for so long, so he wouldn''t let the Fordhams catch him so soon. He might be nning an even greater misfortune. "No, he''s dead." Olivia froze with theb still in her hand. "What did you just say? He died?" This was something Olivia never expected. It was just too surprising. "How can that be? Could there be someone else behind him?" Olivia recalled the person she had confronted. He looked so mysterious and powerful. He looked just like an evil mastermind. How could he die just like that? Brent stepped forward and said, "I''ll take over from here. Kelvin didn''t exin it enough. The person who''s dead is the real Garrett, and he has been dead for years." "''So, the Garrett we''ve been seeing is someone in disguise?" It was no wonder then that Olivia would find that person mysterious. "Yes. Today, Mr. Avery brought men with him to go to his uncle''s home. But that morning, the family was asked to go to the police station. "The police said that they found a corpse, and afterparing the DNA samples, they found that the corpse was Garrett. It was only then that everyone realized that someone had been disguising themselves as Garrett all these years." Ethan frowned a little. "Liv, what did I tell you? Stop interfering in the Fordhams'' matters." This was his third time advising Olivia. The enemy was just too vicious. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. If they had attacked Olivia yesterday, Olivia might have been involved. Olivia recalled what happened when Willow was feeding the fish. The man had meant to say the same thing too. He was telling her to keep her hands to herself. The Fordhams were already in a dire enough situation, but things were getting worse. "Alright, Ethan. Give me three days. After three days, I''ll go home with you, okay?" She thought that the incident was resolved and she could leave after she treated Shana''s eyes. She didn''t expect something like this to crop up. "Kelvin, look into the people who once admired Madam Fordham in the past. I feel like they didn''t mean to hurt her when they took her away. Instead, they might hold affection for her instead." "Understood, Mrs. Miller." Olivia recalled how careful that man was toward Shana. It looked like he was treating her like a precious treasure. Also, in the past few years, Shana had been using the skincare products he gave her. Shana had never undergone any cosmetic procedures before, but she looked even younger than her peers. Not many people could achieve this. Of all the people Olivia knew, only Louis was capable of that. Louis was an old man nearing his 70s, but he looked like a young man. It would be easier if she started her investigations in that direction. Chapter 1559 Fortunately, the times had changed. It wasn''t like 60 years ago when information was hard toe by. If Olivia wanted to, she would be able to find the information necessary. Shana came from the Johnson family, which was a rich and influential family. She had six older brothers, and she was the only daughter. So, she was pampered from a young age. She grew up in a loving family, and she was the apple of everyone''s eye in the truest sense. She wasn''t just pretty and friendly. Even before she was of age, she received many marriage proposals. Even nobles from other countries wanted to marry her. Of her numerous admirers, there was one very special man. After all, Shana''s admirers back then were from top families around the world. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. To stand out among them, money was no longer an important factor to consider. This man was called a genius inventor, and he also possessed unparalleled medical skills. He was quite a famous person too. His love could only be described as intense. To win Shana''s heart, he did lots of extreme things. Even though Shana liked David, he never gave up. Olivia wasn''t sure what David did, but one day, that man disappeared without a trace. After reading the description of this medical madman, Olivia frowned deeply. As expected, her senses were correct. This medical genius who inflicted countless pain was Louis'' first student and also the man who was driven away early on. He was also Olivia''s supposed senior. Olivia didn''t expect that man to have such a deep entanglement with Shana. It made sense now. Back then, Olivia only found him odd, but she didn''t notice anything suspicious about the condition of his skin. He would be about 50 years old now. He could wear a mask to cover his face, but he couldn''t cover up his body. Judging by his skin, he looked like he was in his 20s or 30s. That was why Olivia didn''t suspect that he wasn''t Garrett. Louis'' face hadn''t aged either. Olivia joinedte, so she didn''t know what exactly happened back then. She only knew that Louis and Brandon Simmons had worked together to develop the secret technique that kept the skin from sagging. Brandon probably didn''t want Shana to age, so he gave her the medicine. That way, Shana would always look youthful and pretty. But Olivia couldn''t understand why he would blind Shana''s eyes if he loved her so much. After Avery learned of Brandon''s identity, he mmed his palm on the table and got on his feet. He looked extremely angry. "I didn''t expect it to be him. After so many years, he still has fantasies about Mom." Indeed, it wasn''t a good thing to be liked by perverts. Shana had given birth to so many children, and she was in her 50s, but this man was still trying to get with her. "I didn''t expect our family to be ruined by a bastard like him. Poor Quinn, she wasn''t even 25 when she died. What did she do to deserve this, that she would be involved in the grudges of the older generation?" "Sean, I''m worried about Mom. Do you think that he''ll hurt Mom if his love turns into hate? Will he take Mom hostage and threaten Dad?" Jacqueline had a nervous look on her face as she gripped Sean''s sleeve. Worry was written all over her face. For some reason, even though the truth was revealed and Brandon''s motives were clear, Olivia couldn''t quite rest assured. She secretly observed Jacqueline. "Don''t worry, Jacqueline. Dad will be home soon. With him around, we''ll surelye up with ways to deal with that criminal." "But why do I still feel so uneasy?" Jacqueline bit her lip. As soon as she finished speaking, the butler ran into the room in a hurry. He even tripped and fell when he wasing in. "Bad news! Very bad news!" Chapter 1560 Those were the most unwee words to the Fordhams at that moment. They were startled when they heard that. "Mr. Zimmerman, you''re an old and respected man in this house. Why are you so flustered?" Olivia had a bad feeling in her heart. Back when she had juste over, she could sense that Morgan Zimmerman was a very calm and collected person judging by how he treated her. But that very same man had a panicked expression on his face now. He even tripped and fell when he came in through the door. It had to be a serious matter. "What exactly happened, Mr. Zimmerman?" Jacqueline hastily helped him up. In a trembling voice, Morgan said, "Mr. Fordham Senior was ina private jet. Midflight, the private jet caught fire and exploded!" 1 "W-What!" Jacqueline fainted on the spot. "Jacqueline!" Avery carried her in his arms. The Fordhams, who were already a mess, found themselves in an even worse situation. Olivia strode forward. After checking Jacqueline, she said, "Don''t worry, she just fainted from too much shock. Let her rest and she''ll wake up on her own." "I want someone to send Ms. Jacqueline to her room to rest." "Understood, Mr. Avery." The household staff sent Jacqueline back to her room. The people left in the room were in a disastrous state. Avery hadn''tpleted his treatment, so he looked unusually sickly. Troy had just gone through an operation, and he was bound toa wheelchair like Sean was. He couldn''t even take care of himself. Jacqueline had fainted due to shock. "Avery, Dad is..." Of them all, Troy had the strongest mentality, but his eyes were turning red at the moment. Avery was the one who felt the greatest grief. From N?velDrama.Org. As the oldest child in the family, he was the one with the most problems, but he had to pretend to be strong. "It''s okay. We only know that the ne was destroyed. Maybe... Maybe he''s alright!" Sean mmed his tightly clenched fists on his wheelchair. His eyes were red as well. "It must be the work of Brandon! His love has turned into hatred, and he plotted for decades just to snatch Mom away from Dad. Now that he has gotten his way, he knew that Dad would hurry back, so he ambushed Dad in advance and killed him. I swear I''ll kill him!" "Sean, calm down. Brandon has been plotting in the shadows for decades so that our family would be ruined. Now that our family is in dire straits, we have to handle this calmly." "Vox! We can only get Vox back here to take charge." At that moment, Sean hated the fact that he had wasted his time in the past few years. If he had sensed that something was off earlier, he wouldn''t have drowned himself in misery every day. In the end, he couldn''t protect his siblings or the Fordham family itself. Brandon had led them by the nose and turned the family into what it was right now. Avery sighed. "Did you think that I hadn''t thought of that? Vox was sent to deal with a secret mission. Even their men can''t contact him, let alone us." "Avery, what do we do now? What can we even do?" Tears streamed down Troy''s face. He didn''t even have the strength to wipe his tears. He was anxious, furious, and also mad at his incapability. Every one of them was responsible for the state the Fordhams were in right now. "It''s my fault. I always thought that with Avery around, the responsibility of the family would never fall on my shoulders. I selfishly pursued my dream and lost myself in those sewing projects. I''m the reason the Fordhams ended up like this." If he could move his hands, he would have pped himself. Just then, there was a loud pping sound. Everyone looked at Sean. Chapter 1561 Chapter 1561 Sean did what Troy wanted to do the most.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "I''m at fault too. | haven''t done my part in the past few years. | even dragged you guys down." "Enough!" Olivia mmed her palm on the table, attracting their attention. "This isn''t the time to be owning up to your mistakes. The more you do this, the happier Brandon will be. Mr. Fordham Senior''s ne has exploded, and we can''t be sure if he''s really dead for now. Don''t jump to conclusions." Olivia held her head high. She never thought that a day woulde when she would y such a crucial role in the Fordham family. "Of course, you have to be prepared for the worst. If Mr. Fordham Senior has truly passed away, as his sons, you should keep the family safe. Don''t hurt your family and do what your enemies would love to see. ¡°Our utmost priority is to locate Madam Fordham as soon as possible. Her eyes have to be treated urgently. If not, even if she''s foundter on, her eyes won''t be able to recover anymore. "Next, Mr. Fordham Senior has abandoned his business overseas toe back. Someone has to take over his work. Acountry can''t survive a day without its ruler, after all. If you don''t do something about it, the Fordhams will be ruined for real! "Also, Mr. Troy, you still have to rest and recuperate. Your most important job is to get well soon." Olivia soon stabilized the situation. She hadn''t been with them for long, and she was even younger than some of them, but her words were very convincing. "Yes, we shouldn''t lose our cool. We''re so d you''re here, Dr. Fordham." Olivia helped Avery to his seat. In reality, she was the most worried about Avery. Even though he was the second person to be sessfully herb- imbued after her, his kidney disease wasn''tpletely healed. He just had a slightly higher chance of survivalpared to before. He had to shoulder all the burdens and sorrows alone. Olivia feared that he wouldn''t be able to make it. "Just rest for now, Mr. Avery. I''ll prescribe some calming herbs for you. You''re the pir of the Fordhams now, so please don''t copse." Olivia wrote down a prescription and handed it to Vance so that he could get the herbs to make some herbal soup for Avery. "Yes, Avery. The Fordhams can''t do without you." Jacqueline came downstairs. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she had cried a lot. "You have to pull yourself together." Avery drank some tea, calming down. "I''m d that you''re fine, Jacqueline." "Avery, the Fordhams are in dire straits now, and you''re all injured. Now, it''s only me left. What can | do for you and the family?" Holding her hand tightly, Averyforted her in a gentle voice, " Now, you''re the only one in our family who''s unharmed. You have to protect yourself well." "Yes, | will. Still, I''m very anxious. We still don''t know if Dad''s okay." "Don''t worry, Dad will be alright. I''ve already asked my men to look into it. We''ll receive the news soon." Even though the Fordhamsayere C O mM caintorting ddch other, they felt like a heavy boulder was weighing on their hearts. They could barely breathe. Bryce walked into the room with heavy steps. ¡°How is it?" Bryce shook his head. "We''ve received verification that Mr. Fordham Seniondi¡é pond teat nd, andl €Ad/pfane crash is real. So uw Avery fell on the couch, mumbling, "How can this be?" "Avery, that means mls gore. Waeateiine thre@ne¨¦rSel into Avery''s arms, sobbing sorrowfully, " Avery, what should we do?" While she spoke, Morgan came in with a man. "Mr. Alexander is here." Olivia looked at the visitor. It was an unfamiliar face. The man had slightly feminine features, and his eyes were long and narrow. ¡°Avery, | heard that something happened to Mr. Fordham Senior, so | came over. How is he now?" When Jacqueline saw him, she got up and threw herself into his embrace. "My dad is dead." Chapter 1562 Olivia was puzzled by the neer. He was a stranger to her, but he seemed to be quite close to Jacqueline. Avery had probably noticed the confusion in Olivia''s eyes. He exined, "This is the son of the Procter family, Alexander Procter. He''s also Jacqueline''s fianc¨¦. They were betrothed even before birth." 2 The Procter family? Olivia suddenly felt like it was quite a small world. She felt like she was going back to where she started. Ethan''s mother, Janice, was part of the Procter family. Back then, she cut off ties with her family for Keh''s sake. Olivia didn''t expect Jacqueline''s fianc¨¦ to be from the Procter family. When Alexander heard their conversation, he looked at Olivia as well. "This is..." Wiping away her tears, Jacqueline made the introductions. "This is Dr. Fordham, the person I told you about. She has exceptional medical skills, and she''s also Sean''s sweetheart." Holding Alexander''s hand and pulling him with her, Jacqueline walked toward Olivia. ''Dr. Fordham, this is my fianc¨¦." "Hello, Mr. Procter," Olivia greeted differently. "Hello, Dr. Fordham. I didn''t expect such a young woman like you to be a skilled doctor. I''m impressed." Olivia nodded. She didn''t say too much. Alexander shifted his gaze away from her as well. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He looked at Avery in concern. "Mr. Fordham Senior is..." There was a wary look in Avery''s eyes. Jacqueline exined, " Sorry, Avery. I was the one who told him. He happened to call me, and he heard me crying. I couldn''t help but..." Avery didn''t want any outsiders to know about this, but what could he do? Jacqueline and Alexander had always been close to each other. The two families had nned to discuss Jacqueline and Alexander''s marriage this year, but now that this had happened to the Fordhams, the discussion had to be dyed. "It''s alright. Alexander is partly our family anyway." Alexander was already here, so Avery couldn''t just tell him to go home. Avery regained his calm, but his slightly trembling hands betrayed his emotions. "The ne my dad was in exploded, and unfortunately... he died in the explosion." "I''m sorry for your loss, Avery. Now, you''re the only one who can make the decisions in the Fordham family, so you mustn''t copse. I''m not very skilled, but if the Fordhams need any help, feel free to ask me." "Thank you." Wiping her tears, Jacqueline said, "Grandpa has been in ill health the past few years. If he hears about what happened to Dad and Mom, I''m worried that he''ll get too overwhelmed and then... Avery, what do we do now?" Avery closed his eyes. His vision went dark, just like the future of the Fordhams. He couldn''t see any light of hope at all. ¡°All these years, Dad had been managing the variouspanies under our family on his own. Now that he''s suddenly gone, I''m worried that his subordinates might take the chance to cause trouble. They might try to snatch all the shares and take his ce. Our family has to be prepared in advance." "Jacqueline, you''re right. Our family is powerful, and lots of trouble wille with that power. Now that Dad is gone, the forces under him have no one to lead them. They''ll definitely try some funny business," Troy agreed. Opening his eyes, Avery looked at Jacqueline. "Well, then, Jacqueline, what do you think we should do?" Jacqueline said earnestly, "Mom is missing, Dad is gone, Troy and Sean are hurt, and Vox is off the grid. Avery, you have to take charge of things at home, so I''m afraid I''ll have to take the trip. "I''ve been managing the branchpany Dad handed over to me quite decently, so I should be able to take over his work. Moreover, I have Alexander with me. I''m sure he''ll be of great help." 1 Troy nodded. "Avery, I think Jacqueline is right. Now, our family can only count on her." Chapter 1563 Avery agreed, "You''re right, Jacqueline. But now''s not the time." "why not?¡± "Our parents aren''t his only target. We''re involved in many idents, except you. He surely won''t let you get away from this. Bring the bodyguards along whenever you''re out. Check your car before driving. And stop all your participation in public events." Jacqueline frowned. "Avery, as long as it''s to protect our family, I''m not afraid. Our family holds a long tradition. Dad had sacrificed alot too. I don''t want to see his effort go down the drain. "Now, I''m the only person fit to manage thepany. I''m just afraid that things might go south if this takes up too much time." "T know you have good intentions, but things aren''t doing greattely. You''re our only hope. I won''t let you take the risk. Besides, Dad must''ve prepared something to buy us time before he passed on. Just stay at home for a few days and don''t go anywhere." He patted her shoulder. "Take care of yourself. I don''t want to lose you again." "Don''t worry, Avery. I won''t let anyone hurt her," Alexander spoke up. Humming as an acknowledgment, Avery turned to look at him. " Alexander, we found someone that has something to do with this. Is Brandon Procter your family?" Alexander wondered for a moment before saying, "Do you mean my grandfather''s illegitimate son? I heard something from Dad in the passing. My grandfather had an illegitimate son before the eldest son. He had the child with a bar girl. "It was disgraceful. Neither the bar girl nor the illegitimate son was acknowledged by our family. Forget about us, my dad isn''t in contact with the illegitimate son either." He continued with a shift in his tone, "If he has done something sinful, we won''t stand still and do nothing even if my grandfather is bedridden!" "He''s the mastermind who nned everything behind the scenes ¡ªying with the Fordham family, hurting my younger brothers, and killing my mother. I bet he has something to do with my father¡¯s ne crash too. If you can track him down and save my mother, I''ll be very thankful." "Don''t be such a stranger. Both our families have been friends for a long time. Jacqueline and I have been engaged since we were young. We''re a family. From N?velDrama.Org. I have no idea where that person is, but I''ll ask my family. It''s just that..." Alexander sighed. "As far as I know, he''s a genius¡ªan extreme genius at that. He sees us as enemies. He cut ties with us years ago, so I think it''ll be difficult to track him down. But I''ll do my best." "Thank you. I have to go to High Sea to settle Dad''s matter," said Avery tiredly. "Get some rest when you can," Jacqueline reminded him. "Your two brothers are injured, so you''re the only one I can count on, Jacqueline. Take care of the household." A sigh escaped from him. "Don''t worry, Avery. I''ll look after it well. Be careful. Dad''s gone and Mom''s missing. I''m afraid that you might be next." "It''s dangerous, but there''s nothing else that we can do. I have to take care of Dad''s funeral." He suddenly tumbled, but fortunately, Bryce managed to catch him. "Look at you, Avery. Don''t go. Just leave it to me," Jacqueline offered with concern. Avery stroked her head. "You''re all grown up, huh? But how can I expose you to danger? If... If something happens to me, please take care of the family for me." Chapter 1564 Jacqueline nodded. "I won''t let you down, Avery.Take care." ¡°Okay." Avery slowly rose to his feet. "I need to handle Dad''s funeral now.I''ll be counting on you, Jacqueline." ¡°Okay, don''t worry about it." Before he left, he reminded her, "Oh, Jacqueline.Dr.Fordham isn''t an outsider.You can tell her anything.She can help you out." "Got it." All meek and demure she was when Avery was around. However, the moment he left, her expression changed.She mmed the door shut, unable to control her rage. "That bitch! Who is she to manage the household with me?" Alexander held her hand. "There, there.We''re halfway through our n.The Fordham family is reaching its demise.They''re on the chopping block.They won''t be able to turn the tables anymore." "Jeez! It was supposed to be a good opportunity to take over the Fordham family." ¡°Avery''s doing this because he''s worried about you.He doesn''t want to drag you into the fray.Don''t be angry.We''ve already bided our time for years.This is nothing.We can wait." Jacqueline sat on the couch with her legs crossed. She fished out a cigarette, and he quickly lit it up for her. After exhaling a cloud of smoke, she finally regained herposure. "There aren''t many in the family who are functional at the moment.That''s their main problem.That old geezer is the only one left.Once he''s dead, the Fordham family will go downhill. ¡°Troy lost his arm and Sean can''t walk.They''re nothing.Keeping them under control will be easy-peasy." ¡°That old man isn''t an easy target, though." "No matter how capable he was, that''s all in the past.He''s old and ill now.This is our time.It''ll take a lift of a finger to eliminate him for good." ¡°What are you going to do?" ¡°Alexander, tell him about what''s happening to the Fordham family." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "We don''t have to do anything after that, huh? He''ll spend hisst breath learning the bombshell and die due to shock.Thest time I saw him, he was barely surviving.I''ll get it done immediately." Jacqueline stood before the window, watching the Fordham residence that was shrouded in darkness. It was almost as dark as the glint in her eyes. She murmured, ¡°Mom, the revenge is going to be sessful.The Fordham family is done for." The temperature dropped at night. Dark cloudsyered each other, threatening to rain. Olivia changed the medicine for Troy. It was heart- wrenching to watch the prodigy fall from grace. Willow drew a sunrise, the golden brilliance shining through the mist.He let out a bitter smile. "It''s beautiful.Unfortunately, I won''t be able to draw with you again."She signaled something in response. Although he didn''t know much about signnguage, his limited knowledge was enough for him to tell that she wasforting him. Olivia carried the tray of medicine to Sean''s room and locked it. He stood up from his wheelchair. "Olivia, how long are you going to make me wait? Look at our family.There has to be someone managing the household." ¡°Rx, Sean." "How can I be rxed? Someone turned our family upside down and we found out who the murderer is.How long must I keep up with this act?" "It''s true that Brandon is the murderer.But how can you be sure that he doesnt have an aplice? What if there are more of them?" Chapter 1565 Sean''s eyes widened when Olivia said that. "You''re saying that there''s a mole in our family." "Think about it.Garrett''s autopsy report is out.He died only in recent years.In other words, Brandon only used his identity for years, but the tragedies happening in the Fordham family aren''t something new. "You guys have been suffering for at least more than ten years.Do you think he could have had everything his way without a mole?" Sean finally got the whole picture. "Thank god you reminded me." "It''s not your fault.Way too many things have happened to the Fordham family.It''s normal for you to lose your reasoning.Outsiders always see the picture clearer than the people involved.Anyway, the other party spent more than ten years¡ªor maybe longer than that¡ªto set this up.Doing it all alone is impossible." "Does that mean Avery is in more danger?" Sean frowned, feeling concerned. Shana''s kidnapping wasn''t the end of it; it could be the start of something. "No, I can''t let anything happen to him.He''s basically sending himself to the lion''s den!" He grew anxious. "I have to tell him about this.Oh, it''s best to keep this a secret from Grandpa.His health has been deteriorating these years.If he knows what''s going on, I''m afraid that we''ll lose him too." Olivia sighed before offering a few words offort. Right then, someone knocked on the door. "Who''s that!" Sean was on the brink of losing his mind. The sheer sound of that made him feel uneasy. "Mr.Sean, this is bad!" It was Morgan. "What? Did something bad happen again?" Sean tensed. "Calm down.Let me go take a look." Olivia patted his shoulder to assure him before striding toward the door.She opened the door. "What happened?" Morgan''s eyes were red.His knees gave out, but she managed to catch him. "We received a call from Fordham residence.Someone made a slip of the tongue and Mr.Fordham Senior found out what''s going on.The shock was too much for him that he got a heart attack! Gosh, he''s not mentally stable to begin with..." "What happened to Grandpa!" Sean shouted. "He received a call after a bath and didn''t have his medicine with him.When he had a heart attack, he fell and...The family doctor rushed there as fast as he could.Unfortunately, Mr.Fordham Senior is too old and the doctor couldn''t save him in time." "W-What?" Sean''s body turned to jelly as soon as he heard that, slipping down from the wheelchair. "N-No way.Grandpa is a great existence.He was a prominent figure in the past.How could he be gone just like that? I don''t believe this.I don''t believe this!" "MrSean, calm down." Morgan went forward to help him up. But Sean kicked him away. "Grandpa is the greatest manin this world! He''ll never die! You''re lying to me! You''re lying!" "Sean, stop! Get a hold of yourself! You guys are the only ones left in the family." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sean was like a piece of paper crumpled up on the floor. "Dr.Fordham, Grandpa''s not dead. Tell me that he''s not dead, okay?" "ept reality, Sean.What''s done is done.We can''t change it." He flipped his wheelchair, which almost hit Olivia.It was a meltdown moment for him.His eyes were zed over as he kept yelling, "No! This can''t be happening! You guys are lying!" Chapter 1566 Jacqueline heard themotion and rushed to the room. "Sean, what''s going on?" Olivia kept a safe distance from Sean. "Ms. Jacqueline, stay away from him. He''s not mentally stable. He might hurt you." "Why is he acting this way?" "Ms. Jacqueline, I received news of Mr. Fordham Senior a while ago. I can''t contact Mr. Avery because he''s on the ne, and Mr. Troy has just finished his surgery. Mr. Sean is the only person who can make the final call in the family, s-so I told him." "Did something happen to Grandpa?" Jacqueline was shocked. "He found out what''s going on within the family and had a heart attack... He passed away on the spot." "Nonsense! He''s fine! I''m going to rip off that mouth of yours!" Sean grabbed a slipper nearby and hurled it at Morgan. rmed, Morgan pulled Jacqueline away. "This is bad! Mr. Sean has lost his mind!" "Leave us for a moment. I''ll look after him. This bombshell is too much of a shock for him. Let him calm down." "No, this is too dangerous, Dr. Fordham. What if he goes berserk and hurts you?" "It''s alright. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He can''t walk. He won''t be able to hurt me.¡± Olivia called Willow over before closing the door. The sound of a flute could be heard from beyond the door. Morgan was outside, getting all worried. "What should we do? Mr. Sean''s mental state hasn''t been stable. Look at him. He''s in too much shock. Oh my... What should we do with Mr. Fordham Senior? wu "We should return to the Fordham residence." It was Troy''s voice! The two looked back at the man in the wheelchair. He looked so pitiful with the bandages all over his body. Nevertheless, he seemed more serious than ever. "Troy." Jacqueline ran to him. "I''m so scared. Grandpa''s gone and Sean has gone crazy!" "Don''t be scared. I''m here. As long as I''m still alive, our family won''t fall. Let''s hurry back to the Fordham residence and proceed to arrange Grandpa''s funeral." Tears wouldn''t stop flowing down her cheeks. "Just what did we do wrong? Why are things turning out this way for us? Death and separation keep happening to us! Why!" "T''ll catch that mastermind one day!" He spat out the words through gritted teeth. "I''ll skin him alive and tear him into pieces!" Alexander sighed. "My condolences are with you, Troy." "Could you help us out, Alexander?" "What''s with that question? We''re a family. Of course, I''ll help out. I shall get a car ready." "Thanks." Meanwhile, Olivia wasforting Sean in the room, "Calm down, Sean. You''re the main pir holding up the family from now. Stay strong." He nodded. A group of people rushed to the Fordham residence. The air was solemn, and no one dared to utter a word. "You''re finally back. It was all my fault. I failed to look after Mr. Fordham Senior." Terry Max was very much in grief. As David''s right-arm man, he was once a formidable existence. Now, this strong man was bawling his eyes out. "Terry, Grandpa... He..." "Mr. Troy, Mr. Sean, please go see him for thest time.¡± Troy slid down from his wheelchair, kneeling next to the bed. The old man in bed had lost the solemnity they were so used to. 1 "Grandpa, we''re back." Chapter 1567 Jacqueline threw herself to the edge of the bed, her features distorted in sorrow. ¡°Grandpa, why didn''t you hold on a while longer? I could''ve been able to see you for the onest time." "Don''t be sad, Ms. Jacqueline. No one had foreseen this to happen. Everything happened so suddenly. He was so angry and had a heart attack..." Sean fought back his tears. "Terry, we made sure no word got out. How did he find out about it? Who called him?" "Tl looked into the contact number. It''s a fake number from another country. Forget about the dialer''s identity, we couldn''t even track down his IP address. The other party came fully prepared." Terry''s hands were tightly clenched into fists. The murderous intent in his eyes was ring sharp. "Once I find out who the dialer is, I''ll show him what hell feels like!" His temperament had grown mild after years,pletely different from 40 years ago when his way of doing things was infamously scary. He lived by the streets as a beggar when he was a kid, so there was nothing he wouldn''t do to live. David took him in because of his cruelty. Terry''s name alone was enough to scare people off. Imagine seeing his savior pass away in front of him. No one could imagine how painful it was. "Sean, Avery''s not here, so you''re the head of the family for now. What should we do with Grandpa''s funeral?" It took everything in Sean to announce his decision, "Arrange a burial. At least... he''s in one piece. Terry, prepare for the funeral." Terry took a moment before responding, "Yes, sir." Sean stared at David. "Grandpa, your wish is finally granted. You always said that you wanted to keep Grandmapany because she''s lonely up there. But I didn''t expect it to happen this way. I''m sorry for making you leave with regrets." "We know that you cared for us, but we rarely spent time with you these years. I''m so sorry." "Grandpa!" Jacqueline cried. Sean, Troy, and Jacqueline surrounded the bed to bid their final farewell. Olivia walked up to them and offered sce. "We should dress him up so that he can leave with dignity." Terry led a team of professional morticians into the room. The others were requested to leave the room for now. "I''m sorry, Dr. Fordham. Too many things are happening at the same time so suddenly," said Jacqueline. Olivia sighed. "It''s not like we could see iting. I''m sorry for your loss, Ms. Jacqueline. Your family is counting on you now." David''s sudden death was a bombshell to the business world. After all, his presence was the pir of the Fordham family. In addition to the recent idents within the family, his death basically sent the family into crisis. Before the day of the funeral, the family''s rtives began flying back from all over the world. The Fordham residence was crowded with people. Turning his head, Sean asked Jacqueline, "Jacqueline, did you manage to contact Avery? He should be at High Sea in the morning. wu She shook her head. "Not yet. I haven''t been able to contact him this entire time." "What about Bryce or the others on the team?" "No news from them yet. Don''t worry, Sean. I''ll inform you once I can reach Avery." The line of luxury cars didn''t stop flooding in the yard. Uneasiness inted in Sean. "Jacqueline, I''m afraid these people are up to no good." Although the Fordham family was harmonious, greed was one of human nature. David''s family possessed the majority of wealth and held a higher status. Now that something had happened to them, who wouldn''t seize the chance to gain something from this?N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 1568 Olivia didn''t see what she was getting herself into when she came to treat Sean''s legs at first. The Fordham family was in turmoil for real this time. Someone pinched her fingertips. She looked down to see Willow squeezing her fingertips tofort her. "Don''t worry, I''m fine.¡± David was an influential figure in Zelotria, so his funeral was packed with people. It had been almost a day and the visitorsing to offer their condolences hadn''t stopped. Olivia followed by Sean''s side. Due to her average looks, people simply thought that she was his maid. Many big shots attended the funeral too, but she didn''t expect to see Ethan and Janice here. He was dressed in a ck suit, and his tie was ck too. Standing next to him was Janice, who wore a cocktail hat with beads. Their appearance drew all attention. "Isn''t that the ipetent daughter of the Procter family? I heard that she insisted on marrying Mr. Miller instead of her childhood friend. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. In the end, her husband didn''t love her at all. She loved him to death but failed to win his heart back." "That man is a bastard. He loved his mistress more than his wife. Ms. Procter is a fool as well. Men were lining up for her, but she devoted her whole life to that one man." "I heard that the Procter family went to her when she attempted suicide. They wanted her to divorce Keh, but she wouldn''t leave the Miller family no matter what. In the end, her family cut ties with her." "How miserable. She didn''t manage to secure a footing in her in-ws'' ce and cut ties with her family. This is mere foolishness. Well, she might''vee back to her senses as she wised up with age." People beganmenting about Janice''s past, which was a piece of big news back then. The malicious words didn''t bother her. The veil covered her eyes, and no one could read her emotions. Ethan''s eyes swept across the crowd before he spotted Olivia next to Sean. Janice patted his hand. "What are you looking at? Come with me." Only then did he withdraw his gaze. They offered their prayers to David first. "Both our families are friends. Uncle David treated me well when I was young." Her eyes were teary. Her childhood was a happy one. Her family loved her and pampered her to no end. The person in the huge portrait in the middle of the room had lost his solemnity. His eyes were gentler than those of his younger days. She stood before the picture, murmuring softly, "I''m sorry foring sote, Uncle David." She was childhood friends with the second son of the Fordham family, so she often spent her time at their ce. David was close with her too. He liked her character, which he alwayspared with that of wild monkeys. He kept teasing her for how udylike she was, iming that she would stay single forever. Still, he would always call her over when he bought new dresses, essories, and food. He watched her grow up and saw her as his future daughter-inw since a long time ago. However, fate didn''t go ording to his wish. She ended up falling in love with Keh and broke off her engagement with Sawyer Fordham. Before she left Zelothria, she paid David a visit to ask for forgiveness. It was pouring heavily that night. He didn''t want to see her, so she knelt in the rain. In the end, he softened up and asked Terry to give her an umbre. She was also told that she could return at any time if the Millers didn''t treat her right. Before she left with the umbre, she saw David in the yard. Back then, she didn''t know that that would be thest time she saw him. Chapter 1569 Ethan ced a flower and remained quiet next to Janice. The Procters noticed her and were, in fact, more surprised than Olivia to see her here. Enna, Janice''s mother, had mixed feelings seeing her daughter here. Enna walked over, her body shaking. "What are you doing here, you ungrateful one?" Janice raised her head and took in Enna''s haggard face. Her chest tightened. She didn''t spend her time right all these years. Now, she finally realized how foolish she was for not being a filial daughter. "Mom," she called. "Don''t call me that. As I said that year, I''ll pretend that I don''t have a daughter like you." "Enough, Mom. Now that she''s here, I bet she knows that she was at fault. It''s been years. Are you still angry at her?" Derrick Procter tried to calm Enna down. Ryder Procter attempted to shift the topic. "This must be Ethan. I never had the chance to meet you since you''re mostly working in Andia. I''m your uncle." Derrick and Ryder were Janice''s brothers. The funeral became a family reunion all of a sudden. "Uncle Derrick, Uncle Ryder," greeted Ethan politely. Despite theck of enthusiasm in his greeting, his uncles liked him. "It''s nice to see youe back, Ethan. Your grandparents keep saying how much they miss you at home. We never had the chance to get close to each other because of your mother''s incident. But I think she has figured it out now. Your grandparents can finally have peace of mind." "Who says I''m forgiving this ungrateful child?" Enna''s expression remained stoic. "Don''t mind your grandmother. She''s soft on the inside. You should call her ''Grandma''."¡± Ethan, who grew up in a loveless environment, actually yearned for his family. Besides, Janice was the one who hurt the Procters. They didn''t hate him, and they barely interacted with each other. "Grandma," Ethan called gently. Enna''s frown lifted a fraction. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The glint in her eyes became gentle. She held his hands with teary eyes. "There, there. d to see you back. You''re much better than your mother." Next, she faced Janice. "How long are you nning to stand there?" Derrick and Ryder held Janice''s hands. "Mom has been waiting for you for years. She wouldn''t hold a grudge against you. She still loves you." One thing Janice learned from the three decades of suffering was how precious family was. "Where''s Wendell?" Wendell was her third eldest brother. "He''s helping the Fordhams. Bet you don''t know this yet, but his son is engaged to Ms. Jacqueline. He''s considered as one of them, I guess. Were it not for this, they would''ve discussed the wedding already. What a shame..." Mixed feelings churned in Janice. This marriage between the two families actually made up for the regret she left that year. The Procters were equally upset to learn how turbulence had caught up with the Fordhams. "Janice, you''re finally back!" It was a gentle male voice. Olivia looked back to see a middle-aged man in ck. "That''s..." her voice drawled. Sean whispered to her, "Mr. Wendell." In other words, that was Ethan''s uncle. Janice was the closest with Wendell when she was young. After years, they had all grown up. Light and fast steps carried her to him. "Wendell!" "Janice, you''re finally back! How could you bring yourself to do that back then? You abandoned all of us, even me!" "Wendell..." Tears welled up in Janice''s eyes. When Olivia finally saw his face, her mind went nk. He... Chapter 1570 A moment ago, Olivia felt that Derrick and Ryder looked familiar for some reason. When Wendell finally showed up, she knew why. Wayne resembled Wendell a lot. He looked somehow simr to Derrick and Ryder too. "What''s the matter?" "How many children does Mr. Wendell have?" "One. That''s Alexander, who''s engaged with Jacqueline. You saw him yesterday." "T see..." Many people looked simr, just like Olivia and Jacqueline, even though they weren''t blood-rted. Olivia overthought it because Wayne was consigned to a slum in Carathia when he was young. He didn''t know who his parents were. "I just think that Mr. Alexander doesn''t look like Mr. Wendell. He takes after his mother more." "Maybe. I can''t remember her face because she has passed on for many years. Mr. Wendell is a devoted man. He didn''t marry anyone else all these years." Olivia nodded and kept quiet, observing the scene. She understood Ethan more than anyone else. He should be very happy to be able to meet the Procters. Janice wiped her tears away and pulled Ethan to the front. "He''s your Uncle Wendell." Ethan was obviously stunned for a moment before he regained his composure. "Uncle Wendell." He wore a calm face to mask his surprise. Enna wiped at her eyes too. "You''re finally willing toe back. This will always be your home. Alright, now. We shouldn''t let the sun down on our anger. Let''s not bring up the past. It''s Mr. Fordham Senior''s funeral." "Yes, Mom." "Oh, lord." Enna couldn''t control her tears again when she heard Janice call her ''Mom''. "Ethan, you must be tired from traveling all the way here. You should get some rest in the backyard." "I''m fine. Considering how both families get along, I should help them out." "Oh, Ethan. I''m so d that you''re nothing like that heartless father of yours." Ethan''s uncles were sick of Keh''s character, but they treated Ethan well. They took him around to introduce him to the rest of the family. After the family reunion, the Procters led him to the elderly people of the Fordham family. Ethan walked toward the side of Sean, who was sitting in a wheelchair. Wendell introduced, "This is Sean, the third son of the Fordham family. Sean, this is my nephew, Ethan." Sean sized Ethan up. He had heard a lot about Ethan, especially about how he betrayed his wife for another woman. That exined why his attitude toward Ethan was cold. "Hello." Noticing the hostility, Ethan greeted simply before looking at Olivia. He stretched out his hand toward her. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "This is..." "Susie Fordham, my brother''s friend," Troy continued. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Fordham." Ethan offered her a handshake on purpose when he obviously showed no interest in other Fordhams. Olivia tried her best to keep her cool as she reciprocated the handshake, in which he squeezed her hand lightly. This man was doing this on purpose! She was sure of it! Fortunately, he released her very quickly. He didn''t cross the line when there were people around. She retreated to a corner. Jacqueline and Alexander came over. Wendell presented, " Jacqueline, Alexander, you came just in time. This is your cousin, Ethan." Alexander met Ethan''s eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through one''s soul. Alexander managed his expression. "Hi, Ethan." Chapter 1571 Ethan was taller than Alexander, who had a more feminine build. The contrast between the two of them was quite strong when they stood next to each other. Ethan was manly and domineering, while Alexander had a softer and more elegant appearance. They were two extremes. Ethan nced at Alexander calmly and nodded as a greeting. "Ethan, this is my fianc¨¦e, Jacqueline Fordham," Alexander introduced. "Hi." Ethan looked at Jacqueline''s face and noticed some simrities with Olivia. Ahint of nervousness shed in Jacqueline''s eyes. She replied quickly, "Your reputation precedes you." "Really? You know about me?" Ethan''s seemingly casual words carried the judgemental tone of a man in power. Especially since he was much taller than Jacqueline, his gazeing from above was incredibly intimidating. Jacquelineposed herself and replied, "Mr. Miller, your reputation in the business world has spread far and wide. I''ve heard of you even though I''m in Zelotria. "I''ve been hoping to meet you. I didn''t expect us to be connected this way. Honestly, we have much to learn from you when ites to managing a business. "We''re going to be a family from now on. Please show us the way and help us in our future endeavors." Jacqueline''s reply was bulletproof. There wasn''t anything suspicious about it. "We''ll see." Ethan shifted his gaze as he followed Wendell away to talk to some other rtives. Jacqueline was finally able to rx. She had just locked eyes with Ethan for a short while, and yet she felt like her back was already covered in sweat. Ethan''s gaze was terrifying. She felt like she would''ve suffocated if he had looked at her for any longer. He was more stern than she imagined, and his presence was verymanding. "Are you okay?" Alexander noticed that her expression was off. Jacqueline wiped the sweat off her forehead. "I''m fine. I''ll go help out. A lot more guests have arrived." "Don''t push yourself too hard." David''s funeral was very rushed, but with enough money spent, it still was very grand. A lot of the people who showed up at the funeral felt like David''s death came too suddenly. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. He was a prominent figure who could influence people on either side of thew. Yet he died such a pitiful death in hister years. It was quite undignified. Some people also said it was probably because he did too many evil deeds when he was younger. That was why he didn''t even have a son to see him off at his funeral. Most of his offspring were short-lived, too. People loved kicking others when they were down. Very few would actually help out others who were in need. These people were talking smack because they thought the Fordham family had lost their cornerstone. They wouldn''t have said such things in the past. Troy was catching his breath behind a tree when he heard these people talk about David. His eyes were filled with hatred. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had never experienced any bullying and had never been the target of gossip. Everyone around him had always sung his praises. He got everything he wanted and didn''t even experience any setbacks when he was pursuing his dream. Only at that very moment, when the Fordham family was in a crisis, did he experience how brutal reality was. Even though the people gossiping would stop talking if he walked out there, it was still pointless. Only someone with authority would be able to end the gossip for good, but he was just a crippled man. As the two people talked, they suddenly saw Troy''s face behind the tree. They looked at him awkwardly. "Mr. Fordham, you didn''t hear anything, did you?" "Did you guys say anything?" "Of course not. Our condolences, Mr. Fordham." The two gossipers scurried away. Troy gritted his teeth with all his might. Suddenly, a nonchnt voice rang out next to him. "Troy, it doesn''t feel good to be insulted by others, does it?" Chapter 1572 Troy turned around and saw his cousin, Graham Fordham. He hadn''t seen him for a few years, and Graham had grown from a young kid to a superstar in the entertainment industry. The two of them had some bad blood between them. Back in the day, Troy spent one whole year making a wood carving of the Mona Lisa. It was a great project that took great effort for him to aplish. Graham, who was ten years younger than him, destroyed a part of it when the housekeepers weren''t watching out of mischief. His actions caused Troy''s work to be iplete. Troy had nned to take that piece for apetition, so he reprimanded Graham harshly. They were family, but everyone had always felt that David doted on his eldest son the most. The others were less loved. David was angry when he found out about that. He caned Graham and locked him in the private chapel for three whole days. That incident sowed the seed of hatred in Graham. Even though Troyter apologized to him, Graham never epted it. David''s siblings, Henley and Emery, got along very well but weren''t close with David. The fourth sibling, Sawyer, had it the worst. He was Janice''s childhood friend but was abandoned by her in the end. The trauma from his unrealized love for her caused him to stay single since then. He never had any offspring. Troy met Graham''s gaze and saw the hint of joy in his eyes. "When Grandpa was still alive, he said that our family would only grow stronger if we stood united. If we were divided, we''d fall. Now, the family is in trouble, but you''re still able to smile?" Graham lowered his head and grabbed Troy''s cor. "Do you know? I''ve always hated your family. From N?velDrama.Org. You guys always have that holier-than-thou attitude. "I don''t know what lies you all fed Grandpa for him to treat you so well! We''re Fordhams too! It''s good that he''s dead now. The unfair treatment is finally behind us." Troy was furious when he heard what Graham said. "You bastard! He was your grandpa too! What the hell are you talking about?" Graham sneered. ''''He caned my hands so severely back then and even shut me in the chapel for three whole days. How old was I? I was only seven years old! How could he do that to me? "Since he never loved me as his grandson, why would I recognize him as my grandfather? Troy, are you angry? Do you want to hit me? "Unfortunately for you, karma hase back to bite you and crippled your hands. Didn''t Grandpa use to say that you had the hands of an artist? You had thising!" Troy knew that Graham didn''t like him, but he didn''t expect Graham to harbor such hatred for him and Dous. Weren''t they family? "I didn''t want to stay in the Fordham family because of you. I''d rather throw myself into the entertainment industry alone than look at your family''s disgusting faces." Graham patted Troy on the cheek. "My dear cousin, your family is doomed! We''ve prepared a nice present for you." Troy felt uneasy. What are you going to do?" "What am I going to do? Well, you''ll soon find out. Troy, this is what you owe me. It''s what your father owes the rest of the family! "Even if Grandpa is dead now, I want him to watch over us and see the price you''re going to pay for his unfair treatment." Troy started to feel afraid. The troubles within the Fordham family were moreplicated than he thought. Graham left with a smile on his face while Troy was gripped with unease and fear. ¡°What''s wrong, Mr. Troy?" Olivia went up to him and asked when she saw the mixed emotions on his face. "You were right, Dr. Fordham. Brandon Simmons isn''t the only suspicious person. There are probably quite a few traitors in the family! So many of our enemies are starting to show themselves after Grandpa''s death." Chapter 1573 Olivia handed Troy a ss of water to try and calm him down. "I don''t really understand what''s going on. Can you tell me about the traitors you mentioned?" "That guy who just walked away is Graham Fordham. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He''s working in the entertainment industry. He''s Uncle Henley''s youngest son. Garrett, who died a while back, is his brother. " Avery had never suspected anyone in the family for the longest time because he thought we were all bound by blood. "He thought it was only natural for all of us to work toward building the family up. Who in their right mind would bring ruin to their own family? I never expected them to harbor such malice toward us." Olivia was confused. "Why would Mr. David treat his children unfairly?" "It''s just how it is with the older generation. They just dote on the first son. Dad was Grandpa''s first child. That was why he loved Dad to the point of spoiling him. "His love even extended to Dad''s children. Every time our cousins tried topete for things with us, Grandpa would be more biased toward us. This bias caused hatred to fester in their hearts." Olivia looked at Troy''s saddened expression and said, "Maybe there are also grudges that we don''t know about. But I think Graham might not be the one plotting against the Fordham family. "Why?" "No actual bad guy would tell you that he''s a bad guy. Besides, the culprit has plotted for around two decades. They''re very patient and cunning. They''ve been destroying the Fordham family slowly but surely. The most vicious dogs are those that don''t bark." "That makes sense. Then..." Olivia gave him a mysterious look. "It doesn''t matter if we want to or not. We''re already pieces on the board. The game has already begun." Troy was able to calm down after talking to Olivia. "What do you and Avery have nned?" "You don''t need to do anything, Mr. Troy. Just stay on the sidelines and observe. The enemy should be revealing themselves soon." The sun had set, but the Fordham residence was still very lively. Everyone was curious to see who would take charge of the family after Dous'' passing. | The Fordhams had umted their wealth for over a century. It was avery massive fortune. Dous'' death was very sudden. He probably died before he had the chance to leave behind a will. Things were getting very interesting. Jacqueline spaced out as she looked at the moon. "Why are you hiding here? Everyone''s here at this hour. It''s your chance to show them what you''re capable of," Alexander said as he hugged her from behind. "He was actually quite good to me." Jacqueline muttered, "When I was young, he told me I was the princess of the Fordham family and that he would keep me safe for as long as he lived. He did exactly that, but..." "We''re already at this stage of the n. Are you regretting it now? Don''t forget about the suffering that Ms. Trudy went through." "T didn''t forget. I just..." Jacqueline lowered her voice. "I just got a little emotional. I stayed with the Fordham family for many years. Now that the end is approaching, I can''t help but feel a little sentimental." Alexander grabbed her shoulders and turned her around." Jacqueline, don''t be naive. Are you really regretting everything when we''re already at this stage? "Don''t forget the things you''ve done to them. If they ever find out, you''ll be doomed! Those brothers who love you so much won''t hesitate to kill you." "T know." "So, don''t feel any regret. Just move forward resolutely. We''re at a point of no return. We''ll be victorious when we reach the end of the road. We''re so close to victory." Jacqueline suppressed theplicated emotions she was feeling. " Let''s head back and finish this." Chapter 1574 There was a sending-off ceremony for family members of the deceased at night in Zelotria. Olivia hid in the crowd as she looked at the members of the Fordham family. Other than Dous'' offspring, there were also the offspring of his brothers and other branch families. The Fordhams were a huge family. The ceremony was about to begin. David was supposed to be the one to pay his respects first, but since he had already passed, Henley was the one to do it instead. Everyone else went to take a flower of their own. Troy and Sean were wheelchair-bound. So, Jacqueline suggested that she would get the flowers for them. Before she could reach out to get the flowers, someone grabbed her wrist. Graham said, "This ceremony is for family members only. I''m afraid you don''t have the right to participate." As soon as he said that, Troy snapped back, "Enough is enough, Graham! We''re mourning Grandpa right now. How dare you do this right before him? Do you really want to cause him more trouble even after he''s dead?" Troy didn''t mind the minor spats they had before. But there were a lot of outsiders present that night. That wasn''t the ce for Graham to be spewing nonsense. Sean had be calm. No matter how ignorant Graham was, he shouldn''t be causing a scene at a time like this. Moreover, Graham worked in the entertainment industry. He should know the gravity of such a situation. He had to be well- prepared if he was acting so arrogantly. Sean looked at Henley, who had just suffered the loss of a child. He looked a little frail. Garrett''s body had been dug out. His son had died for so long. How could he not be sad to send his son off? That was why he didn''t say anything to stop Graham. His eyes were soulless, and he waspletely spaced out. Instead, Henley''s wife, Aubrey Goode, took a step forward and said, "Please calm down, Troy. Besides, Graham isn''t wrong. It''s not only Jacqueline. You and Sean don''t have the right to pay respects to Dad either." Jacqueline had always been very docile when she was with her elders, but even her expression changed at this moment. "What are you saying, Aunt Aubrey? Even if my dad and Avery aren''t here, we''re still Grandpa''s family. Why don''t we have the right to pay our respects to him?" "why?" Graham sneered, the mockery in his expression was clear. "Are you acting dumb or do you really not know the truth? You''re all so shameless." "Graham, if you have an issue with me, we can talk it out in private. Do you have to cause a scene right here and now? Aunt Aubrey, he''s young and clueless, sure. But are you really so ignorant as well? "Why are you allowing him to run his mouth and bring shame to the family? Grandpa cared about the family the most when he was alive..." "Oh, wow. You keep talking about the family. How nice of you. But I''m going to talk about it right here and now. I want everyone to know how shameless the lot of you are. From N?velDrama.Org. You''ve lied to all of us for so many years." The crowd heard Graham''s words and knew that a massive secret was about to be revealed. Some of them had the urge to get some popcorn to watch whatever was about to happen. A prestigious family like the Fordhams usually kept their private matters to themselves. Now that they had decided to reveal their secrets, it was sure to be something big. Olivia didn''t see thising. She felt like whatever Graham was going to say wouldn''t be good. Someone in the crowd squeezed her hand. She looked and saw that Ethan had already appeared next to her. He felt the sweat on her palms. "Don''t worry." "For some reason, I feel like this is going to be something really big." She met Ethan''s gaze and saw that he looked like he knew what was going to happen. "Do you know something?" Before Ethan could speak, Graham had already started talking. 3 "T''ll tell everyone the reason why you don''t have the right to pay respects to Grandpa. It''s because you''re not actually Fordhams. Your father is not Grandpa''s son!" Chapter 1575 "What nonsense are you saying?" Troy''s face was flushed with rage. If his hands weren''t injured, he would''ve already pped Graham. Jacqueline and Alexander looked at each other. The two of them were also thrown for a loop. Olivia turned to look at Ethan. "What''s going on? Is he telling the truth?" Ethan said softly, "Olivia, I just got the news too. Look at who this is." Ethan showed her a photo on his phone. It was a photo of a woman with a great figure in her 30s. Olivia immediately knew who the woman was when she saw the mole under the corner of her eye. "Tt''s Natalie!" The photo was different from the ck and white photos she had seen before. It was a colored photo, and the image was very clear. Although it wasn''t as high definition as photos taken by modern devices, it was still better than the old photos. "That''s right." Olivia asked excitedly, "Have you found her?" Ethan gazed at the Fordhams and said, "Perhaps they''ll reveal the answer to your question." Graham''s words sent shockwaves into the crowd. "What''s going on? Is Mr. Graham joking about this?" "T don''t think so. No one would be stupid enough to joke about something like that in this situation. I think there are a lot of things we don''t yet know about the Fordham family." "Seems like things will be getting more interesting." Jacquelineposed herself and said, "Graham, I know there are some misunderstandings between you and Troy, but this is not the time for jokes. We should get on with Grandpa''s ceremony and stop wasting time." "Grandpa? Shut up! What right do you have to call him your grandpa?" "That''s enough, Graham! Don''t you think your joke has gone too far?" "You bastards are the ones who have gone too far!" Graham pped his hands. Someone had already prepared a projector in advance. "Everyone, I''m sorry I have to reveal this information under these circumstances. But I really want you all to be witnesses. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "The Fordham family will be weeding out the imposters so that certain people can no longer stay in the family shamelessly!" "Mr. Graham, what is the Fordham family hiding? Please tell us now." "Graham, you im that we''re not Fordhams. Do you have any proof?" Troy asked as he suppressed his anger. "Don''t worry. Naturally, I made these ims because I have proof." The photo of a woman appeared on the screen. The woman resembled Olivia a lot. Even if it was a blurry, old photo, it was still clear that the woman was very pretty. "This is my grandma, Natalia Bardanne." 2 It was rumored that Dous used to be a ruffian in the past and was very influential on both sides of thew. He was also a prominent figure in Zelotria who was feared by many. Suddenly, he changed his attitude and was no longer full of bloodlust. It was said that he became well-behaved because he had a wife, who had be his weakness. Many people wanted to know what kind of woman could tame a feral man like him. The woman had always been shrouded in mystery. The people only knew that Dous loved his wife a lot. How much did he love his wife? He didn''t let her show herself publicly. Other than the Fordhams, no one knew what Natalia looked like. Some people said Natalia was a witch who had charmed Dous. But it was clear from the photo that she wasn''t a witch but a gorgeous woman. "Why are you showing Grandma''s photo? You know that Grandpa didn''t like..." "Grandpa didn''t like it when other people saw Grandma. Do you know why? It was because she was married once before she became his wife. "She even had a child with her ex-husband. That''s right. Your father is that very child. He isn''t Grandpa''s son!" Chapter 1576 Sean and Troy looked at each other. The confusion was clear in their eyes. They didn''t know anything about this. Even Jacqueline thought it was an oundish tale. "Sean, Troy, did you know about this?" Both of them shook their heads. "I''ve never heard Dad talk about this before." Jacqueline''s n was at its final stage, but something like this had to happen today. She wasn''t about to let other people affect her n. "How can a photo prove anything? Both Dad and Grandpa have passed away. Dad died in a ne crash, and his remains are nowhere to be found. Without the possibility of a DNA test, what other proof can you provide?" "This is a blood test that Grandpa and Grandma did when they were alive. Both of them had type O blood. ording to Mendel''s gicw, two people with type O blood can only give birth toa baby with type O blood. Your father has type B blood. "The chances of a mutation happening are incredibly slim. Do you think your father would be the exception?" Graham showed a different photo on the screen. "Let''s set the issue of blood type aside for now. These are photos of Grandpa''s sons. "My dad, Uncle Emery, and Uncle Sawyer resemble Grandpa. Your father is the only person to not look like Grandpa at all." Olivia had never seen David in person before. She was dumbfounded when she saw his photo on the screen. She grabbed Ethan''s hand in excitement. "Doesn''t he look familiar? " "Familiar? It''s like they''re the same person." They were the only ones who knew what they were talking about. David looked a lot like Mason! Mason was quite old, but people close to him had seen photos of him when he was younger. David was like a carbon copy of him. "Could he be..." Tears welled up in Olivia''s eyes. The truth she had been searching for just appeared before her eyes. She was not prepared for it. Mason mentioned that Natalie was his one true love. The photo she found showed Natalie with a young boy. Calcting by their age, the boy was Mason''s son. ording to calctions, David''s age should be close to the boy''s. He was the son Mason had been searching for. That meant David was Olivia''s father while Shana was her mother! Olivia was so worked up that her entire body was trembling. Ethan could feel her excitement. He would have hugged her if they weren''t in public. Luckily, everyone''s attention was focused on the Fordhams. No one noticed Olivia''s abnormal reaction. Her heart was pounding really hard, like it was going to jump out of her chest at any moment. Fate had yed a cruel prank on her. No wonder she felt so drawn to Shana when they first met. It was no wonder that the dimple on Connor''s cheek was on the exact spot where Avery had his dimple. Why didn''t she notice such an obvious clue earlier? She had actually missed the chance to reunite with her mother! She went through so much to uncover the truth, but David had already passed away. Shana''s eyes were blinded with poison, and she had gone missing. Olivia could no longer stop her tears from flowing. Some of her siblings were dead, and others were severely injured. Even the grandmother she had always wanted to meet had already passed away. From N?velDrama.Org. Fate was so cruel to her! Ethan took her away when he noticed that she was about to break down emotionally. When they got to the yard where no one else was around, Olivia jumped into Ethan''s arms. Her tears stained his suit. "Why? Why did thingse to this..." "Don''t worry, Liv. You still have me and the kids." Chapter 1577 The huge secret that Graham revealed shocked the Fordhams, but it was also very devastating to Olivia. She had spent so much time looking for her family, but she found them at a time when she least expected it. In the past, shemented how hard the Fordhams'' situation was. When she realized that they were her family, she felt as if a knife had been stabbed into her chest. Olivia slowly slid out of Ethan''s embrace until she slumped to the ground, tears still flowing. "Dad, Mom, and my brothers..." Another hard pill for her to swallow was the fact that the body she had found was actually her sister! Quinn died such a horrible death, but she didn''t know about it. She didn''t even get to attend Quinn''s funeral. The shock was too great for her to bear. So, she passed out. "Livl w Ethan carried Olivia in his arms and left in a hurry. Ethan felt pained as he looked at Olivia, who was lying on the bed with her brows furrowed. She had already suffered a lot. He didn''t expect the family she was searching for to be in such a terrible state. Willow stayed by her side with a concerned expression. Ethan said gently, "Mom is fine. She''s just too tired. She fainted because of shock." The ridiculous farce back at the Fordham residence was still going on. The sending-off ceremony for Dous had be the stage for the Fordhams to argue with each other. Graham seemed to be at an advantage, but he was still causing the family''s reputation to take a hit. Jacqueline was panicking. She drove to an ancient vi before daybreak. There was a murder of crows perched on top of the vi. Their cawing made the dark atmosphere even creepier. There were some rose bushes growing on the dpidated walls, which brought some life to the seemingly deste ce. Dawn was approaching. The sunlight cut through the darkness and shed some light on the deste location. The sound of a lonely piano piece rang through the empty vi as Jacqueline rushed up the stairs with an anxious look on her face. She opened the door to the rooftop with a loud bang. A woman sat before the piano, her silhouette looking very lonely. The wind blew at Jacqueline''s hair. "Mom, some changes to the situation are affecting our ns." The woman yed the final note of the piece before turning around slowly, revealing her face that had been damaged by acid. Even though Jacqueline had seen the woman''s face countless times over the years, she still couldn''t get over how horrifying it looked. The woman could see the fear in Jacqueline''s eyes right away. She grunted and asked, ''''What happened?" "Everything was going ording to n. The Fordham family was in shambles. Some were dead while others were heavily injured. They were a mess. But I didn''t expect David not to be Dous'' biological son. "Now that Dous is dead, the others want to drive us out of the family. If this happens, our ns will bepletely ruined." Jacqueline had already plotted to destroy the Fordhams from within. That way, she would be the only person who could take control of the family. The family''s massive fortune would have been hers for the taking. But the revtion that David wasn''t Dous'' son came out of nowhere. If David weren''t Dous'' son, it would mean none of David''s offspring were actually Fordhams. How could shepete for the family''s fortune like that? The woman smashed her fist on the piano.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She narrowed her eyes. " It must be Brandon. That bastard put one over us!" "Mom, what do we do now? Those idiots won''t even let us go to Dous'' funeral. We definitely won''t get a cut of the family''s fortune. When thewyers get involved, we''ll lose all the assets we have now!" Chapter 1578 The woman rubbed her temples. "Go back first. I''ll think of something. Don''t draw any suspicion to yourself." "Alright." Jacqueline suddenly thought about something. "By the way, how''s Dad?" The woman''s expression changed drastically. She sneered. "He''s a stubborn man. I n to inflict the pain he caused me back to hima thousandfold!" 2 A pained expression shed on Jacqueline''s face. "Mom, why don''t we stop this? We''ve already ruined his family over the years. It should be enough." "Enough? In your dreams! He deserves this!" The woman grabbed Jacqueline''s cor. "I''m warning you, I''m your mother. I won''t forgive you if you dare change your mind about our ns." "Mom, I know that. I''m your daughter. I''ll definitely be on your side." Jacqueline broke free from the woman''s grasp and looked at her with some fear in her eyes. The woman had been emotionally unstable all these years. She could''ve gotten her face fixed, but her obsession ran too deep. She said she wanted to remember the pain it caused her, and she nned to pay it back a thousand times over. She had been plotting all her life. In Jacqueline''s opinion, the woman wouldn''t feel joy even if she managed to exact her revenge. The Fordham family was in turmoil, so Jacqueline headed home hastily. After she left, the woman got up and hobbled toward the basement. The door to the basement was tightly shut. She scanned her fingerprint, and the door slowly opened. Then, she slowly walked into the basement. There was a man with his limbs chained down in the dark and damp basement. His head was drooping, and it looked like he was already dead. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She approached him with a feverish obsession in her eyes. "David, do you know how long I''ve waited for this?" The man slowly raised his head when he heard her voice. He hadn''t gotten anything to drink for the past two days, so his lips were chapped. He looked like he was in his 40s or 50s. There were some wrinkles on his face. Time had left its mark on his face, but he didn''t look old or worn. Instead, there was a unique masculine charm to him. He gazed at the woman coldly with his dark pupils. "I should''ve known it was you, Deborah! I shouldn''t have listened to Shana and allowed you to live. You''ve ruined my family, you witch!" The woman, Deborah Johnson, tilted his chin and forced him to look at her. "What? Do you think I''m ugly now? I wouldn''t have ended up like this if not for you! Do you even know how I survived all these years?" "Even now, you''re stillpletely unrepentant. You were the one who caused all the harm to yourself. If you hadn''t tried to ssh acid on Shana''s face, you wouldn''t have burned your face like this. "So many years have passed, but you''re still the same as before. In fact, you might have gotten worse. You''re disgusting." Deborah gave him a resounding p. "Shut up! I was the one who met you first. Why didn''t you love me? Why did it have to be that bitch, Shana?" 2 Her face already looked terrifying with the acid burns, but it looked even scarier when contorted with anger. "So, you did all these atrocious things because I don''t love you? You''re my children''s aunt. How could you hurt them? My daughter wasn''t even 25 years old when she died. You''re ademon!""_ 1 David was ovee with sorrow when he said that. Deborah burst out inughter. Sheughed so hard that she started to tear up. "So what? I swore I would destroy your family back then and that you would spend the rest of your life in pain and regret. I''ll never forgive you! You''ll never be rid of me for the rest of your life!" 2 Chapter 1579 David looked at the crazed woman before him. "Deborah, it''s been so many years. Have you ever felt joy? What have you gotten from all this plotting? In the end, it''s a lose-lose situation." "You''re wrong. I was disfigured, disowned, and driven out of my family. I lost everything. Why should Shana have everything?" "She was just a country bumpkin. How could she take my ce? I might''ve lost, but you don''t get to celebrate my defeat. A lose-lose situation is a win in my books!" She looked down at David. "Look at you now. You''re beaten and battered. You look pitiful. I''ll have you know that this is just the beginning. Soon, the entire Fordham family will be destroyed. I will destroy you and the Fordham family!" "You really have lost your mind." "Yes, I''ve lost my mind. I lost my mind because of you. David, it''s time you experienced the pain I felt. Do you know that Shana, the woman you care so much about, has be Brandon''s woman now? "Does it hurt? Oh, right. You don''t know yet, right? That old geezer, Dous, is dead as well. Soon, you and your sons will follow suit!" "Deborah, you''re a heartless wretch!" Due to David''s excessive struggle, the iron chains nked incessantly. Deborah held his chin and smiled. "What? Don''t you want that? Why don''t you beg me for mercy? I might consider giving them a swift and painless end if you do so." "Dream on." David sneered. "I''d rather die than beg you for mercy." "Don''t worry. I won''t let you die. How would you witness the death of your loved ones if you''re dead? All of your children will die painful deaths. "As for the love of your life, she''s blind, and she''ll be another man''s ything for the rest of her life. She''ll never escape." The insanity in Deborah''s eyes grew as the smile on her face became wider. It was a very unsettling expression. Someone brought food over. Deborah tried to feed David, but he turned his head to the side. "Not eating, are you? Fine. Let''s see how long you canst." Deborah left after she said that. The basement was shrouded in darlmess again. It had been two days, but Troy still hadn''t found him. There was probably a signal jammer somewhere. He had to find a way to send a message out. In the afternoon, Deborah received news that something had happened to David. She rushed back to the basement and saw blood everywhere. David had smashed a bowl and used a broken piece to cut himself. Deborah tilted his chin and looked at his pale face. "Do you really want to die so badly? I won''t let you get what you want! Men, take him to dress his wounds." David lost a lot of blood, but he was still somewhat conscious. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He knew his chance hade. Sean would be able to find him once he left the basement. Bryce rushed over. "Mr. Fordham, we''ve tracked down Mr. David''s location." Sean had been keeping himself hidden. It was all just a show he and David had put up since the beginning. It was a desperate attempt to lure out the mastermind. But the incident during the ceremony was something he didn''t expect. The Fordham family was in turmoil. He couldn''t show himself yet. After all, his siblings were still in danger as long as the culprit wasn''t found. He could only stay put and hope that David was safe. "Where is he?" He was so excited that he stood up straight. "He''s in an abandoned vi in the suburban area.¡± Sean''s hands were trembling with excitement as he dialed Olivia''s number. 1 "Olivia, we''ve found him." Chapter 1580 Olivia revealed her and Avery''s n to Troy when he was involved in an ident tofort him. Avery and Troy acted together. Avery hid in the dark to not attract attention while Troy showed himself. David ran an investigation within a scope, and every clue led him to suspect Deborah. He volunteered to be the bait to lure her out. 1 Avery lost contact with David after the ne crash, after which he spent days worrying about David. Fortunately, Avery managed to track David''s whereabouts. Avery shared the news with Olivia immediately. 1 That was when Olivia knew her true identity. It was mind-blowing, and she had mixed feelings about it. Emotions churned in her, but she couldn''t say a word. "What''s wrong, Olivia?" asked Troy as he received zero response from her. "Did something happen?" She tried to hold herself together. "No, I''m just..." Her choking voice worried him more. "You don''t have to hide anything from me. We''re your godbrothers; we''re a family. Even if many things are happening to the family, I can still protect you." Thoseforting words warmed her heart. Although Troy was oblivious to her true identity, he treated her with kindness. Perhaps that was the inherent connection a family would have. However, everything transpired so suddenly. Olivia had one question left unanswered¡ªwhy did the Fordhams not know about her existence? ording to the information Olivia had, Shana''s health deteriorated due to blood loss after giving birth to the sixth child. At that time, the family still didn''t know that she was barren. Quinn passed away. Only Jacqueline''s birthday was close to Olivia''s, so Olivia could confirm that she was one of the Fordhams. In other words, Olivia was the sixth child, not Jacqueline! Before this, Olivia had given a thought regarding Jacqueline''s motive. Why would Jacqueline do this when the Fordhams treated her so well? At the end of the day, it turned out that Jacqueline wasn''t the sixth child of the family. She had a motive tomit all of these. However, others weren''t aware of this. The Fordham family was in total havoc, so Olivia didn''t tell them the truth. "Thank you, Troy." The idea of them being a family finally settled in Olivia. "I''m fine. Let''s proceed ording to the n. What should we do next?" "Avery brought his men over there. He asked me to tell you this so that you can be mentally prepared in case of emergencies. Wait for our good news." "Okay. Tell him to be careful. The enemy has nned this for a long time. They''re no ordinary people." She terminated the call. Her heart was racing as she recalled whatever that had happened to her. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Toxic Hive switched Olivia and Jacqueline. Jacqueline was the one who wanted Olivia dead this entire time! An iing call interrupted her train of thought. "Hey." It was an old acquaintance, Warren. "Olivia, you have to be careful. I found out who wants you dead. It''s Ms. Jacqueline Fordham." Chapter 1581 Still, Olivia was one step ahead of him in knowing the truth. "Where are you?" she asked. Was he involved in this? "Zelotria. Many things have happened to the Fordham familytely. It took me a while to find out who the mastermind was. Don''t worry, I''ll seize my chance to eliminate her amidst this mess. " A wave of relief washed over her. She thought he knew of her whereabouts and had seen through her n. Fortunately, it seemed like he didn''t know that she was in Zelotria. "Don''t kill her.¡± "Why not? She wants you dead. You''ll be in greater danger if she''s alive." Olivia made up an excuse. ''Ms. Jacqueline has tried to assassinate me several times. I met her before. We''re of the same age. We''re miles apart, and there''s no bad blood between us. Why would she want me dead? I think there''s someone else who wants me dead. "She''s just a chess piece. Killing her won''t solve the problem. We have to kill the actual mastermind..." Now, Olivia had be the maniptor instead of the passive party. "Okay, I understand. I''ll help you," Warren promised. "Is it very dangerous? If it''s too dangerous, just forget it. I don''t want you to get hurt." "Olivia, I''ll do it for you..." His voice diminished to a whisper. "...so that I can atone for my sin." The call ended. Olivia''splexion didn''t look well. Although she was getting closer to the truth, the danger was everywhere. The Fordham family was in chaos right now. It wasn''t good timing to reveal her true identity. Olivia had been worrying about Shana and David since she found out that they were her parents. "Rx. It''s not like Avery''s a useless person. He''ll do a good job with your father''s help. They''ll catch the mastermind," Ethan cooed. "But I''m worried about Avery''s health. He''s still recovering. There¡¯s still a chance that his body might reject the drugs administered to him. He should be focusing on his recovery right now, but he''s forced to travel here and there¡ª" Ethan sighed. "Liv." "Ethan, this has to do with Toxic Hive. We know where they are. Can you help me?" "I can send my men over there. But the person Avery is in contact with is Mr. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. David. No one else knows what''s going on. If we act rashly, we might provoke the enemy. It''ll be bad if they do something extreme to Mr. David." He had a point, and she knew that very well. Despite her distress, there was nothing she could do. All she could do was wait. "It''s not like we can''t do anything. Don''t forget about that fake princess. She''s still in the Fordham residence. She took your ce for so many years. She definitely knows a lot of secrets. She''s the key." Her eyes brightened at his reminder. "I got it." She regained herposure. Was this a mere war between the Fordhams and Deborah? No, it was a war between Olivia and Jacqueline too. Ever since Jacqueline tried to assassinate Olivia, only one of them was meant to live. After bing the target so many times, it was time for Olivia to put an end to it. Kelvin rushed over. "Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller, we discovered something. Something big." "What is it?" 1 He threw the stack of documents to the front of Olivia. "Here''s a record of stic surgeries. Jacqueline has undergone more than ten surgeries." Chapter 1582 Olivia was stunned. She looked at Kelvin and repeated, "She had stic surgeries?" "Yes, that''s right." Before this, Olivia wondered why Jacqueline looked simr to her. Did David have something to do with this? Now, Olivia finally knew why. She flipped through the records. Jacqueline had her first stic surgery at 13 years old. From N?velDrama.Org. Following that, she fixed her features once every year. Then, she began to maintain the results in her 20s. No wonder no one had suspected her. It all happened during her school days when she used to stay at the dorm. She returned home half a yearter, and everyone simply thought that she was blooming in age. They said she took after David more as she aged. Who would''ve known that it was the result of medical technology? Perhaps Olivia was still safe at that time because Jacqueline had to fix her face ording to Olivia''s. Once Olivia was deemed useless, the assassination began. Olivia smirked. "I''m going to skin her alive." "Mrs. Miller, if she''s the mastermind, she should have a bullet hole on her back. We went to their nest before, where she managed to escape in the end. But she took a shot." "Find out the truth." Olivia''s eyes were dark. Her past life had been hell. Although Ethan did hurt her, someone had been manipting the game behind the scenes, turning her life into a mess. Those days were painful. At the same time, Jacqueline took Olivia''s ce and received love from the Fordham family. Yet, in the end, Jacqueline hurt them. Rage rushed through Olivia''s being. "We''ll find out the truth, Mrs. Miller. Don''t worry." "Keep an eye on her. Everyone''s on the movetely, so she won''t just sit still and do nothing. It''s best not to rm her." "Okay." Olivia massaged her head due to a headache. "Liv, are you okay?" Ethan quickly helped her sit down. She shook her head. "I think it''s because I haven''t been taking a break these days." These days, she had been busy helping out the Fordhams. The truth was too much of a shock to her too. Looking at her reddened eyes, he sighed. "Get some rest. I''ll inform you once we discover anything." She interlocked his hand. "I''m worried about Avery. The enemy has nned this for a long time. It won''t be easy to take them down. Regardless, you mustn''t get involved in this." After all, that was the Fordhams'' territory. If they couldn''t put an end to it, that meant there was a limit to what Ethan could do. Even though he had the Procters as a backer, Brandon was one of the Procters. Ethan didn''t know if there was a mole within the family. If he revealed something and rmed the enemy, things would be bad. "All we can do now is wait." Olivia was tired but not sleepy. The moment she shut her eyes, she would think of the day Jeff passed away; the day she felt so helpless. Now that she finally found her biological father, she hoped he would be safe and sound. They hadn''t even met each other and she hadn''t called him "Dad" yet! Olivia didn''t want to leave any regrets. "Everything will be fine," Ethanforted. Avery was her only hope. She wished him the best. In a vi outside the city, David was saved in time. His life wasn''t in danger for now. Deborah studied the handsome man, her eyes smitten with obsessive affection. Despite his age, he didn''t have a beer belly. He was fit and tall. Maturity had added solemnity to his features too. The scarce wrinkles made him look wiser, and she loved him more than she ever had. "David, I won''t let you die." "Deborah, you''ve spent your whole life being obsessed with me. Isn''t it exhausting?" "Exhausting? Why would I when I''m watching your family fall from grace? David, I have a big present for you. It''ll surely bring you great suffering and grief!" Chapter 1583 At this point, the smile on Deborah¡¯s face was crazed with obsession. ¡°Stay alive. Make sure to witness it all.¡± She gave David a supplement injection as he shut his eyes, lying in bed. It took up all of his strength just to talk to her. Actually, his silence and sickly state weren¡¯t the picture she had in mind. This wasn¡¯t what she wanted. While setting this up behind the scenes, she imagined he would get on his knees to beg for mercy or get on her good side. Even though he was caught and his family was in trouble, unlike her expectations, he was reluctant to cave in. He even attempted suicide! So what if she spent so much time orchestrating the whole n? At the end of the day, she couldn¡¯t gain what she wanted. Despite her deep resentment for him and his sickly state, she didn¡¯t want him to die. Deep love would come with deep hatred sometimes. Why would she want him dead when he was the man she desperately yearned for? All she wished for was for him to beg her and return to her side. Deborah took a break in the evening when she heard the security rm go off. ¡°Intruders!¡± A mechanical voice jarred within the house. From N?velDrama.Org. Her eyes snapped open. Quickly, she grabbed the mask on the headboard to wear it. Underneath the mask hid a menacing smile. ¡°How bold of them to intrude into my ce.¡± She waved in the air, and the surveince footage was projected on the wall. Drones appeared in the vicinity of the mansion. With an order from her, the wall covered with flowers began shooting bullets, taking down the drones. It was basically apetition on who had the better technology. Avery received an update too. Holding aptop, Bryce reported, ¡°Mr. Avery, this looks like an old mansion with history, but it¡¯s been modified. Weapons are everywhere around it. The navigation insects we used for the first round were detected and wiped out. It won¡¯t be easy to get into that building. It¡¯s like a wall of steel.¡± ¡°ording to the navigation, my dad¡¯s in there. We have to think of a way.¡± ¡°We might¡¯ve already given the game away. The enemy is the head of Toxic Hive. Mr. David is in danger.¡± Things were looking bad. Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t barged into the ce yet. Considering how the enemy had spotted the drones, they were indeed exposed. However, the enemy wouldn¡¯t kill David that easily, so Avery still had a chance. Bryce watched him call someone. A woman¡¯s voice resounded, ¡°l-ls it you?¡± Her rough voice sounded uncertain. Avery said gently, ¡°It¡¯s me. Could you do me a favor?¡± Chapter 1584 Leia obviously sounded flustered as she stammered, "Please tell me what to do. You saved me. You basically own my life. I''m willing to die for you." Avery wasn''t surprised by her answer. Be it years ago or during their most recent reunion, she was careful around him. It was different from the way she usually acted around people. Despite his zero experience in dating, he had encountered all kinds of women in the business world. He could tell that, other than gratification, Leia had feelings for him. Deep feelings. Even though she was Ms. Miller, her self-esteem would drop every time she saw him. She couldn''t even face him properly. Avery roughly recounted the whole story. "You want me to save your dad?" "Yes, can you do that?" Avery lost his confidence after telling her the story because it was undeniably a difficult request. Surprisingly, she answered, "It''ll be kinda difficult, but I can do it." She was young but decisive. Her promiseforted him. "You can tell me if you need help. I''ll do everything in my power to help you." "You don''t have to do anything. I can do it alone. More people will only rm the enemy." Avery soon realized how scary Leia could be. She was rational yet evil. Hesitating was never her way of doing things. She''d make an intimidating enemy. After terminating the call, the crease on Avery''s forehead smoothened out. "How did it go?" Bryce asked. "Tell our guys to retreat." "Do you believe her just like that? You haven''t met each other in years, though." Avery stared at the leaves by the road. "Sometimes, an act of kindness is enough to have someone remember you forever. She hasn''t changed. Plus, we don''t have any other choice. This is our best bet." Bryce sighed. "It is." An aggressive attack wasn''t an option because the enemy had David. Anything could put his life in danger. Retreating was the wise choice. Leia was in the Procters'' residence. Janice had secretly taken her back home, back to her family. Leia was born with an absence of emotion, so she didn''t feel much about returning to her family. She didn''te here out of will. It was a helpless decision made after Janice tried to lure her with benefits and cried. The call from Avery was totally unexpected. Many years ago, Leia knew that Avery was the head of Peace''s Embrace. Unlike Toxic Hive, Peace''s Embrace invented medicines and saved homeless children. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The children were given the opportunity to study so that they could grow up to help more people. Leia had been secretly observing him the entire time, hoping to repay his kindness someday although the chance was close to nil considering his identity and status. That was why she didn''t hesitate to agree with Jacqueline when Jacqueline reached out to her. Although she was crippled by her biological brother, she didn''t expose Jacqueline. And this was all because Jacqueline was Avery''s sister. If Leia helped Jacqueline, that meant helping Avery''s family. Back then, her im that she was jealous of Ethan''s love for Olviia was fake. Why would she hate Olivia? It was all simply Jacqueline''s orders. Now that Avery had personally asked a favor from Leia, there was no reason for her to turn him down. After staying in Toxic Hive for many years, she knew how crazy Deborah was. This could be a suicide mission, but she was willing to do it for Avery. Just when she was about to open the door to leave the house, Janice showed up. "Where are you going?" Chapter 1585 Chapter 1585 Leia was still quite young, but she had been through a lot. So, she was able to hide her emotions very well. "This is my first time here. | couldn''t sleep, so | decided to walk around for a bit." Janice replied, "You know that Ethan''s here, too. If he sees you out there, he''ll definitely..." Leia cut her off immediately, "Do you think he doesn''t know that my limbs are healed? If he really wanted to kill me, he would''ve done it three years ago. In the end, he''s just like you¡ªdelusional about love and weak- minded." Back then, Ethan didn''t choose to kill her. He only severed her tendons. That was his way of avenging Olivia. Moreover, Olivia was still alive. Ethan probably wouldn''t hurt her anymore. 1 "You''re not like us at all, Leia." Leia smiled bitterly. "Who says I''m not like the two of you?" The delusional way of thinking seemed to run in the family. Her parents and Ethan were like that, and she was the same. She knew that her life belonged to Avery the moment he saved her life. ¡°Alright. Don''t wander too far, and don''t cause any trouble." "T won''t." Leia took a few more steps forward before freezing in her tracks and looking back to Janice. "Mom." Janice froze. She looked at Leia in disbelief. ¡°What did you call me?" She had been doting on Leia for the past few years. Leia had always been very gloomy and rarely spoke. She was also very cold to Janice. Janice understood that she had done a lot of terrible things to Leia in the past. So, she endured whatever attitude Leia gave her. She never expected Leia to do anything for her. She just wanted to spend the rest of her life making it up to Leia.From N?velDrama.Org. She swore she would give all the love she had to her two kids. So, it was a really big deal for her when Leia called her "Mom". Her eyes teared up immediately. She looked at Leia with disbelief again. ¡°What did you call me just now?" "Mom," Leia said it even louder this time. Janice rushed forward to wrap her arms around Leia. "Good... Good girl. I''ve been waiting for this for solong." 1 Leia hated Janice when she was younger. She med her for everything that happened to her. She had many extreme thoughts too. She thought she would never forgive Janice and wanted her to feel remorse for the rest of her life. Her mindset changed as she grew older. She started to understand the pain that Janice was going through. Janice was hurting a lot too. Chapter 1586 Chapter 1586 Leia smiled softly. "Yeah. I''m fine as long as | know that you love me." The two of them finally reconciled at that moment. Leia pushed Janice away to get a good look at her. It was probably because Janice was back at her home. She looked way better than when she was living in the Miller residence. "Mom, you have along road ahead of you. You should find a man who loves you and live out the rest of your life in happiness. Don''t waste anymore of your time on people who don''t matter." "Silly girl, why are you suddenly talking about that? My biggest joy is that you''re back by my side. My biggest wish will be to see you and Ethan living happy lives." Leia''s resolve was starting to crumble. She was afraid that she wouldn''t have it in herself to leave if they kept talking. "Mr. Fordham Senior''s death just made me a little emotional. Mom, you''re probably tired after the trip. You should get some rest. I''ll just be taking a stroll nearby." "Alright. Don''t stay out toote." Janice patted Leia on the shoulder before letting go with a gentle expression on her face. After Leia left in a hurry, Janice started to feel like Leia was acting very weirdly before. Although the two of them had not spent a lot of time together, Leia had mostly been silent in the past few years. Why would she suddenly say all those things? It also sounded like she was saying her final farewell. Janice wasn''t a naive woman. So, she called Ethan as a precautionary measure. Ethan turned a blind eye when Janice decided to bring Leia along. He knew she was here, but he didn''t talk about it. ¡°Ethan, | know you hate Leia, but she''s your sister, after all. She endured a lot of suffering in the past. I''m really afraid that she might do something rash." "Understood. I''ll keep an eye out." Ethan hung up soon after. Thinking about what had been happening to the Fordham family, he could guess what was going through Leia''s mind. Leia was definitely trying to help Avery. But that would put her in danger. "What''s wrong? Who was the call from?" Olivia asked as she came up behind him. Ethan looked at her fatigued expression. Even her eyes were slightly bloodshot. He knew very well how hard it had been for Olivia. But he was once again stuck between a rock and a hard ce. "Why are you making that face? Is something wrong?" Olivia grabbed his wrist and asked. She was very tightly strung at that point in time. Ethan knew she already had her te full with the Fordhams'' problems. If he acted immediately, he could definitely recapture Leia. But that would leave Avery helpless. If he had any other way, he would not allow Leia to go. Unfortunately, that was the only option. Olivia had just learned about her background. She hadn''t even had the chance to meet her father yet. If he stopped Leia from going, Davi could endur eos. neh K ¡é . tf Glehook to read thetest He had already hurt Olivia too many times. He didn''t want to do it again. But if he allowed things to y Leia mightbetthecte(? str life. it lovelebook to read the latest Leia had endured a lot of hardships in the past. She was finally home.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ethan was very conflicted. He lowered his gaze to look at Olivia''s wrist. There used to be a scar left b & m bullet he shqtzbu iCwas Gore. Visit Sfebook to read thetest Even so, the scar would always remain in his heart. After a while, he pulled Olivia into his embrace. "It''s nothing. Mom just called to talk to me fora bit." 17 Chapter 1587 Olivia had known Ethan for years. She knew when something was wrong with him. "Are you hiding something from me? Is it news about my dad?" Ethan ruffled her hair. "No. I''ll let you know as soon as I hear anything. You haven''t rested much in the past few days. You should take a break. I''ll monitor the situation for you." Olivia didn''t feel the urge to sleep at all, but her body had been showing signs of fatigue. She knew she should get some rest. She sighed. There was nothing she could do but go back to her room and rest as she waited for updates. She was very anxious. She wanted to do something for the Fordham family and David. The Fordham family was in a huge mess. She didn''t want to risk making a wrong move. Ethanforted her gently until she fell asleep. Then, he received a call from Brent. "Mr. Miller, the person who''s tailing Ms. Miller reported back. She''s in disguise and heading toward that vi in the suburbs." Ethan''s people knew that David was in that vi. That was a very dangerous ce. Leia knew that, but she decided to go anyway. Brent had to tell Ethan about such crucial information. "I know that already." "Should I stop her? It''s very dangerous there." Ethan looked up at the moon. It was a sight to behold. Everything looked especially forlorn under the moonlight. He paused for a second before he made his decision. "No need. She''s an adult. She knows what she''s doing, so she should be responsible for her actions." "But..." "We don''t need to intervene. Her fate is in her own hands now." "Understood." Brent also understood what Ethan was going through. Back then, Leia forced Ethan to make a choice between herself and Olivia. He chose her sister, and that decision caused him to feel pain and regret for many years. He had enough of that feeling. He wasn''t going to make the same mistake again. Besides, Olivia didn''t owe Leia anything. It was the Miller family that owed Olivia a lot. The two of them were already divorced, but Olivia would always be his wife to him. She was also her family. He wasn''t about to let his wife down another time¡ªeven if this decision meant he might lose Leia. Ethan lit up a cigarette under the moonlight. He looked lonely and helpless. Olivia stood behind him and watched silently. Avery had just revealed the entire n to her. She didn''t tell Ethan about it because she wanted to know the answer to that question. She had asked him a long time ago. From N?velDrama.Org. Who would he choose if he had to pick between Leia and her? Ethan gave her the perfect answer that night. He felt her gaze. So, he turned around to meet her gaze as he reflexively snuffed out the cigarette he was holding. "What woke you up? "T never fell asleep in the first ce," Olivia said. Ethan knew what she meant. "You heard everything?" "Yeah." Ethan sighed helplessly. "What would you do if I had chosen her instead?" Olivia walked toward him and dove into his arms. "I know you wouldn''t. You care about me." They hugged each other tightly. Ethan kissed her on the head. "I just want you and the kids to be happy." "Ethan, let''s get married again when we go back to Aldenvine." 2 "Okay." Chapter 1588 Leia was the reason Olivia decided to cut ties with Ethan back then. This time, he chose to give up on Leia. Olivia knew he was devastated despite appearing calm. She held his hand. "It hurts, right?" "It hurt more back then. I''m fine, Liv. We''re all adults. I can''t really stop her if she has already made up her mind. "Besides, she''s not nning to do anything evil this time. Liv, if she manages to save your father this time, can you please forgive her for everything she did to you?" Ethan felt bad because he was stuck in the middle. He had always felt remorse because the Miller family did Olivia dirty. He just wished he could put that behind them. Olivia had matured a lot since then. She understood that Leia''s chances of survival were very slim. "Alright. As long as she doesn''t cross me again." Ethan really felt helpless. If David wasn''t in the vi, he wouldn''t have to be so cautious and could just storm the vi. Even if he couldn''t capture anyone alive, he could still send everyone in there to hell and get rid of this threat once and for all. But David was there. Even Avery didn''t dare to act too rashly, let alone Ethan. Perhaps it was fate that Leia was the only one who could make a difference. The debt she owed Olivia was going to be repaid this way. Although both of them were exhausted, one of them was worried about her father while the other was worried about his sister. Neither of them could get a wink of sleep. Ethan held Olivia''s hand. "Let''s wait together." "Okay." Maybe things woulde to an end the next day. Avery was also extremely anxious. Even though Leia was a member of the Toxic Hive, it was still a huge risk at that very moment. If she failed, she would die, and Deborah would vent her frustration at David. It would be a very bad situation. The night was very dark that night. There were also a lot of crows perched on the trees because they were in the suburbs. The chilly winds would asionally blow. Paired with the cawing of the crows, it was very bone-chilling. Leia was able to enter the vi using the fingerprint scanner. "You''re finally here, Ms. Begonia. Ms. Johnson is having another episode." Leia was trained by Helen. She took over everything after Helen''s passing. But she didn''t show up much at Toxic Hive when her limbs were still undergoing treatment. But everyone in Toxic Hive knew how vicious she could be. That was why Deborah and Jacqueline trusted her. And that was also why she held a very important position in Toxic Hive. "Is it bad?" "Yeah. She''s very shaken. I don''t know what that man said to her. From N?velDrama.Org. There were also some intruders. Should we move Ms. Johnson to another location?" "We can''t do that. Our location is already exposed. It''s very dangerous out there. We''ll be sitting ducks if we go out. We should stand our ground instead. They wouldn''t dare toe in here anyway." "That''s true. What should we do now?" "I''ll go check on Ms. Johnson first." Leia walked toward the master bedroom calmly. She heard Deborah shouting when she got to the door. "Do you think I won''t kill you, David? Don''t force my hand!" As soon as Leia opened the door, a vase was thrown her way. Luckily, she was able to get out of its way. The vase broke to pieces on the door. One of the shards from the vase cut Leia''s face. It started to bleed, but she didn''t even wince. "Why are you here?" "Ms. Jacqueline is worried about you. She asked me to help you." Leia slowly approached Deborah. "Ms. Johnson, it''s time to take your meds." Chapter 1589 Chapter 1589 ¡°Meds? | don''t want any meds. I''m not sick!" For some reason, Deborah became very agitated and swung her arms frantically at Leia. "Ms. Johnson, calm down. It''s me.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I''m Begonia!" Deborah''s eyes refocused, and she regained herposure. " That''s right. You''re Begonia. I raised you. Why would you hurt me? w She swallowed the meds and drank a ss of water. "How''s the Fordham family faring?" "Things are still a huge mess. They''re fighting over the inheritance. Ms. Jacqueline has her hands full dealing with that. "As of now, the evidence is really disadvantageous for her. But the blood type inheritance theory has been disproven by some people recently. It''s not absolute. ¡°Now that Mr. Fordham isn''t around, they can''t do DNA tests. They can only do tests with Mr. Fordham''s brothers, but that isn''t entirely urate either. Since the same woman gave birth to all of them, they''re currently at an impasse." Deborah rubbed her temples. "That''s reallypletely unexpected." "Ms. Johnson, you look tired. Why don''t you rest for a while? I''ll handle things for you in the meantime." "No need. We had intruders. | have to keep a close eye on things. You should make preparations. We need to leave at amoment''s notice. It''s no longer safe here.¡± "Okay." Leia left the room politely. She had spiked the ss of water. After a few minutes, she prepared some fruits and went to check on Deborah to see if she had lost consciousness. When she got to the door, she heard Deborah talking on the phone. She had calmed down, but she wasn''tpletely in her right mind yet. She whispered, "You fool! Now''s the best time to do it. Just kill Sean and Troy. Then, pin the me on the other FordhaMs. They''re both crippled anyway. It''s the best time to do it. | want David to suffer for the rest of his life!" Leia was frozen in ce. She had heard about the traffic idents that Sean and Troy were in. She thought those were arranged by the other enemies of the FordhaMs. But it was actually Deborah who was behind everything. In the past, she thought Deborah bribed Jacqueline to exact her revenge. She didn''t expect Deborah to have gone this far. It was clear that she was on the phone with Jacqueline. If Deborah was behind everything, why would Jacqueline go through with it? Sean and Troy were her brothers! Once the seed of doubt was sowed, Leia started to feel uneasy. She would never help Deborah to hurt Avery''s family! The most important thing at hand was to rescue David and then investigate Jacqueline. Leiaposed herself before she knocked on the door. Chapter 1590 Leia paused for a moment before she replied obediently as before, " No problem." As soon as she replied, she noticed a minute change in Deborah''s expression. An outsider might not have noticed it, but Leia had worked for Deborah for many years. She could detect even the slightest change in Deborah''s expression. From N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Johnson, please get some rest. I''ll see myself out." "Go ahead." Leia sensed danger the moment she turned to leave. She quickly turned back and saw Deborah pointing a gun at her. A gunshot rang. Leia managed to dodge in time. If she hadn''t sensed that something was off, she would''ve died from Deborah''s shot. "Why, Ms. Johnson?" Leia looked at Deborah in confusion. Deborah pointed the gun at Leia''s torso. She figured that Leia couldn''t escape anyway, so she told her the truth, "Do you think I wouldn''t know that you''re in love with Avery Fordham? You love him way too much. You''d never try to kill him." "You were testing me?" Leia didn''t expect Deborah to not trust her at all, even after so many years. "Although you had helped me a lot in the past, you''re worthless to me now. Rest in peace." Before Deborah could pull the trigger, the vi''s rm started ring. "Intruder alert!" Her expression changed drastically. "What have you done?" Leia sneered. "Since you know I love him, what do you think I would do for him? He''s leading his men to rescue Mr. Fordham right now." "You traitorous snake!" Laia looked at Deborah coldly. "Ms. Johnson, you were the one who taught me that I have to be vicious to seed." "TL kill you!" Avery led his men into the vi. Its defenses werepletely disabled. "Dad is upstairs! Get a move on!" Leia had already sent David''s location to Avery. She even sent the guards away before he came in. Avery was able to find David very easily. He was extremely sad when he looked at the frail man on the bed. "Are you okay, Dad?" "You''re finally here. It''s Deborah. She''s supposed to be your aunt. It''s all my fault. I should''ve been more careful. I''m the reason our family is in shambles..." "Dad, I know everything now. Let''s get out of here first. We can talkter. Avery told Bryce, "By the way, find Ms. Miller and bring her to safety. She''s our family''s savior!" "Yes, sir." The group of people brought David to safety, but they couldn''t get in contact with Leia. Deborah was a devious person. She probably guessed that Leia had betrayed her. Leia was probably in danger. "T''ll go back and check." "Mr. Fordham, it''s time to leave. There are a lot of traps in this building. It''s dangerous to go back in.¡± Their goal was to rescue David. The next step was to destroy Deborahpletely. It would be dangerous and unwise for Avery to go back inside. The rm in the vi continued to sound. Armed men and even robots started to show up. "Target sighted. Proceeding to eliminate." "That''s not good. Those robots attack indiscriminately. Run!" The robots'' eyes glowed brightly. Bryce ordered some men to stay behind and provide cover while he took David and Avery away. "You shouldn''t hesitate anymore, Mr. Fordham. Your health has always been bad. Ms. Miller is a member of Toxic Hive. she''ll be fine!" As soon as he said that, a loud bang could be heard from the top floor. Chapter 1591 Avery heard the gunshot. It was clear that this had something to do with Leia. 5 Bryce was anxious. "Mr. Avery, the Fordham family is currently in chaos. If something were to happen to you, what would happen to your brothers? Madam Fordham is missing, and Mr. David is injured. Imagine what the rest of your family will be facing if you''re not here to take charge of the situation." Gritting his teeth, Avery turned around. "Let''s go!" Leia had created this opportunity for them at the cost of her own life. From N?velDrama.Org. But no matter what had happened to Leia, he couldn''t afford to stay back. He told himself to walk ahead and not look back. Above all else, rescuing David was what he should do. Before the sky turned bright, Avery brought David back to his own ce. He told nobody apart from Olivia about this incident. The moment Olivia heard that both Avery and David had returned home safely, she was relieved. Before she hung up, she asked, "Avery, what happened to Leia?" Avery was stunned for a moment. Then, he replied, "I heard a gunshot when I left. Things were so chaotic that I had no choice but to leave ahead with Dad. I sent a few men to wait for her at the junction. But she never came out even after they waited for along while. Perhaps she''s already..." "Alright, got it. I''lle over right now." Olivia told Ethan about what Avery said. After amoment of silence, Ethan answered, "Since your dad is safe, her sacrifice wasn''t in vain." Seeing his eyes growing red and watery, Olivia could understand how he was feeling at that moment. 2 "After everything Leia has done to me in the past, it''s not possible for me to apologize. Even though saying anything to you won''t help, I wish I couldfort you." Leia did sacrifice her life to save David, but it was just to repent her own sin. This wasn''t the only time she had made a mistake. Ethan pulled Olivia into his arms and hugged her tight. "I know. I know that too well. This is a choice that she made." "David didn''t see here out. Since she''s smart and resourceful, she might not have died.¡± "Yeah. Didn''t you want to see Dad? I''ll go with you." Olivia grinned. "I have to tell Grandpa and Uncle Henley about this news. They''ll be so happy once they hear this." 5 In the past two days, the Fordham family had been in chaos. Besides, nobody knew whether David was alive or dead. Not wanting to rm anyone, Olivia said nothing about this. 2 It was the best time to share the news now. It was daytime in Andia, so she wouldn''t be disturbing Harold from his sleep. 1 "You should go tell them now." With a gentle gaze, Ethan watched her leave. There was pain in his eyes. He dialed Brent''s number and told him what happened. "Dead or alive, you have to bring Leia back home." "Sure. Our men have been standing guard not far away from the scene. They''ll certainly bring Ms. Miller back home upon your order." Ethan hung up. He watched as the sky gradually turned bright. There were still a few stars in the dark. He sighed heavily. "You dummy. You just wouldn''t take the right path, huh?" He didn''t understand why Leia was so determined to hurt Olivia. No matter how he tried to force an answer out of her, she wouldn''t tell him the truth. He knew that everyone in the Miller family was stubborn. None of them would go this far if they weren''t trying to protect someone. She wouldn''t tell him the answer even when he threatened to kill her back then. That was why Ethan wanted her to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair as punishment for her sins. He didn''t expect that Leia wouldn''t ept her fate. After what happened this time, Ethan finally knew who was the person she cared about so much. It was Avery. A single call from Avery was all it took for Leia to sacrifice her life for him. When Leia had just left the mountain, her body was covered with burn marks. She had suffered so much. It was Avery who brought her back to Peace''s Embrace to settle down. He taught her everything and gave her a new lease on life. To Leia, perhaps that was the moment Avery became her savior. Chapter 1592 Once Ethan managed to get to the bottom of the situation, the rest of it came together like pieces of a puzzle. It all made sense from there. He just wished that Leia would still be alive to hear the truth. On the other hand, Olivia called Mason. The moment the call was picked up, his powerful voice rang out. "Olivia, it has been sucha long time since youst called me. I would''ve been worried about you if I didn''t know that Ethan had followed along." Under her care, it was evident that Mason was recovering better. His voice was strong and vibrant. Olivia was excited to hear her grandfather''s voice. "Grandpa, there''s something big that I want to tell you. You need to be mentally prepared for this." Mason''s tone changed. "Is it a good thing or a bad thing?" "It''s good news. I''ve found my real father!" Olivia heard something fall onto the floor from Mason''s end. Mason identally broke a cup! "Is that true?" "I should''ve told you about this earlier, Grandpa. But the situation over here wasplicated. Things are finally a little more stable now." Olivia told him everything about what happened. From N?velDrama.Org. Mason was exhrated. To him, this was the best news ever. But when he heard that they had managed to find his child who got seriously injured, he was very worried. He wished he coulde over right now to check on David. That was his and Natalie''s only child, after all! "How''s your father''s injury, my dear child?" "Grandpa, Avery has just rescued Dad. I''m heading over there right now. I think his injury isn''t fatal. Leave everything to me. I''ll handle it." Mason felt much better thinking that it was Olivia who had put in all her effort to save David''s life. "Alright, I have faith in your medical prowess. I''ll leave David in your care then." "I understand. I''ll inform you if there are any updates." "Okay, you should go and see him now." She could hear Mason''s voice choking up. He should be shedding tears of joy. After the call ended, Olivia immediately went to Avery''s ce. Avery had just opened the door when a woman leaped into his arms before he could even see her properly. At that moment, the Fordham family still didn''t know about Olivia''s true identity. Avery looked confused as well. Although they had epted Olivia as their godsister a while ago, Olivia had always maintained a distance and a sense of boundary with them. After all, she was not a child anymore. She was a woman. Olivia hugged him so tightly that he couldn''t just push her away. He had no choice but to look at Ethan. 2 Ethan was someone who would get jealous easily. All these years, he had been feeling jealous because he thought that Olivia''s rtionship with Avery was not normal. But right then, he merely stood at the side and watched them coldly. He showed no signs of stopping Olivia at all. Hugging Avery tightly, tears rolled down Olivia''s cheeks uncontrobly. She said, "I''ve finally found you guys, Avery." Her tears dampened Avery''s shirt. He patted her back like a gentleman. "Don''t cry. I''m safe now." Pulling his phone out, Ethan answered a call. "You''ve found her? Okay, bring her over here." "But Ms. Miller is injured." "Bring her over after bandaging her wounds, then. It''s time for her to know the truth.¡± Ethan hung up. He watched as Olivia and Avery hugged each other. The Fordham family should be able to unravel the mystery anytime now. At the same time, it was time for Leia to let go of her grudge. Even if this was a cruel way, he had to reveal the truth to her and shatter all her false perceptions. Chapter 1593 Olivia turned around and nced at Ethan. Ethan smiled at her. "I have to sort out something. I''ll be back soon." Since Olivia was in a hurry to see her father, she wasn''t bothered by it. She quickly followed Avery into the room. Troy and Sean were already by David''s side. When Olivia entered the room, their eyes were red and watery. They were grateful to have survived the ordeal, but perhaps they regretted whatever they did in the past too. They would''ve been able to avoid all those sufferings if they had found out about the truth sooner. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Olivia''s heart was beating rapidly. She finally saw David. He looked younger than how he seemed to be in the photos or videos back then, but much weaker as well. His face was as pale as a sheet. He was the father whom she had been looking for all these years. But when Olivia saw her father at this moment, she was dumbfounded as she stood rooted to the spot. Ever since she knew that Jeff was not her actual father, Olivia had imagined how her real parents and family would be countless times. Would they love her? "Olivia, what''s wrong?" Avery''s gentle voice pulled her back to reality. "Nothing. Is he Mr. Fordham?" The conversation between the two attracted the others'' attention. David nced in her direction. He was stunned the moment he saw her. Although Jacqueline had undergone stic surgery to look like Olivia, it was impossible for her to look exactly like Olivia. Olivia looked too much like David''s mother. It was a shame that his mother passed away many years ago. That was why his children didn''t have much memory of their grandmother. But how could he possibly forget about all the times he had spent together with his mother back then? "You, you''re..." David wanted to get up the moment he saw Olivia. Troy exined to him gently, "She''s Dr. Fordham, the one I told you about earlier. We''ve also epted her as our godsister. Olivia has helped us out a lot this time." "Is yourst name Fordham as well?" Olivia walked over to him with tears in her eyes. Perhaps it was because of their father- daughter bond that David felt restless. His heart was beating fast. "Yes, that''s myst name too." Olivia''s mouth was agape. However, she didn''t know where to start. It was such a long story to begin with. "Olivia, you have great medical expertise. Please check my dad''s condition now." "Oh, alright." Olivia hurriedly walked over to David. She first checked his pulse to examine his condition. From the moment she appeared, David''s eyes had been fixated on her. "She really does look a lot like her," he mumbled. "Dad, what are you talking about? Who does she look like?" "You guys probably can''t remember her anymore. Well, my mother had aged a lot by the time Avery was born. This youngdy looks very much like your grandma. If I wasn''t so sure that Shana and I only have one daughter, I''d even suspect her identity..." After Olivia was done checking his pulse, she first exined to them about his condition. Only then did she slowly speak up, "Well then, have you ever suspected that Jacqueline might not actually be your daughter, and perhaps thedy standing in front of you is your long-lost daughter?" Her tone was calm when she said all of that, but her words took everyone aback. Everyone was dumbfounded. They started to wonder if what Olivia said was possible. A woman''s hoarse voice rang out from behind them. "No, that''s impossible! How could you possibly be the daughter of the Fordham family?" Olivia turned around. She then happened to meet Leia''s eyes, which were filled with shock. Chapter 1594 Olivia didn''t know about the entanglement between Leia and Avery. Her appearance here took Olivia aback. Although Leia was not dead, Olivia was not disappointed. After all, Leia''s identity was different. From Olivia''s perspective, Leia would be better off dead. But Ethan would certainly be sad if Leia was dead. That was why Olivia''s attitude toward Leia was ratherplex now. Leia''s appearance added confusion to the messy situation among the Fordham family members. Everyone still hadn''t recovered from what Olivia had just said to them. Avery saw Leia at this moment. "Ms. Miller, are you alright?" Leia probably got injured and was bandaged up. Avery could smell the faint scent of blood. "I''m okay, Mr. Avery." "Dad, she''s the one who saved you. If it weren''t for Ms. Miller who helped us out financially, I would''ve still been helpless to deal with the situation." All of David''s attention was still on Olivia. But since Leia saved him, he had to say something in return. "Thank you, Ms. Miller. I''ll certainly repay your kindness." Leia seemed restless in front of the Fordham family. She waved him down. "You don''t have to." David''s eyes then rested on Olivia. "Dr. Fordham, is what you just said true?" After all, they had suspected Deborah and Brandon. But they never had any suspicions toward the woman whom they had been doting on so much all these years. Jacqueline had been putting on such an excellent act in front of them. Shooting a nce at Leia, Ethan strode over. "I''ll exin everything to you." He knew that Olivia was still emotionally agitated about this. He first asked Olivia to have a seat. When he walked past Leia, he even lowered his voice and said, "You''d better kneel and listen to this carefully!" 1 Leia was anxious. Although she had no idea what happened to the Fordham family back then, she could roughly guess the oue. That was why she didn''t fight back and merely knelt on the floor. Ethan then exined Leia''s strange and difficult upbringing to the others, especially the part where she was nearly murdered by someone in the country. He did so in a logical and clear way. Some of the bad things that had happened to Olivia were Leia''s doing. Apart from feeling ashamed, she was filled with regret and gratitude too. She was d that Olivia was still alive and well instead of being dead after everything she did to Olivia. Ethan finished the story about Olivia''s life since birth. Out of the blue, he knelt down beside Leia. "Mr. David, Leia and I have done many things to hurt Liv after being instigated by others. From N?velDrama.Org. The Miller family owes an apology to the Fordham family and Liv. I have no objections even if you want to kill or hurt me." Right after he said that, Sean got up from his wheelchair. With veins bulging on the back of his hand, he sent a punch across Ethan''s face. Ethan took his punch head-on. Blood trickled down the corner of his lips. "You bastard, you nearly killed Olivia!" Troy''s hand was injured, or he would''ve hit Ethan too. He red at Ethan. "Did you bully her because she had no family as her backer? I felt bad for her when I heard about her life story back then. I never thought that she was actually my own sister. "If my hands were still working, I''d kill you or even turn you to mincemeat!" Even Avery''s eyes turned cold. "If that''s the case, I should''ve brought Olivia along and left early on. You piece of trash!" "Yes, it''s all my fault. Mr. David, you..." "Don''t call me that." As David spoke, he tried to get up. "My dear daughter..." Olivia immediately went to the bedside. Watching David with teary eyes, Olivia choked out the word, "Dad." Tears flowed down David''s cheeks as he slowly pulled her into his arms. "My dear child, you''ve suffered so much pain all these years. " Chapter 1595 Olivia''s voice was trembling. "Dad, I''m just happy I got to see you guys again when I''m still alive." ¡°Olivia, I didn''t think that Jacqueline would be so evil.Not only did she repeatedly try to get you killed, but she even destroyed our family!" ¡°Olivia, you don''t me me for having prejudices against you a while ago, do you?" ¡°Even though I didn''t know your true identity, I had never med you for anything." The scene of the family union was touching enough. Only Leia had a look of shock and disbelief on her face. "How could this be? No way.She lied to me.How could she have lied to me?" Leia''s beliefs were instantly shattered.She could no longer hold herposure. Seeing that they were still on their knees, Avery asked them to get up. "Ms.Miller, are you alright?" Leia swatted his hand away as she dropped her knees in front of Olivia.She said, "I''m sorry, it''s my fault.It''s all my fault." She was someone who wasn''t scared of death. She didn''t even flinch when Ethan cut off the tendons on her limbs. But at this moment, she banged her head against the ground madly. It wasn''t to ask for Olivia''s forgiveness but to repent her wrongdoing. After just a few times of doing so, her forehead started bleeding profusely. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Everyone could hear the sound of her skull knocking hard against the floor each time. "Ms.Miller, please don''t do this.Get up and talk instead." Leia didn''t listen to Avery at all. She lunged over and grabbed Olivia''s wrist. Blood trickled down her face along with her tears. "I''m sorry, Olivia.I only did all those vicious things to you because I was fooled.I don''t expect you to forgive me.Kill me, just kill me!" She knew that it would be too shameless of her to continue being alive, so her mind was set on death. But Olivia didn''t fulfill her wish. She looked down at Leia''s face, which was full of regret. "You do deserve to be killed.But you saved my dad.You''re both my enemy and my savior. She hated Leia so much back then. But when Leia was finally at her disposal, she didn''t have the heart to do anything. There were tears in Leia''s eyes. ¡°I''m sorry for putting you in this position.I know what I should do." Before Olivia could react, Leia had let go of her wrist and dashed toward the balcony. When Olivia realized what Leia was trying to do, she quickly pulled Leia. ¡°You need to calm down." Blood had blurred her vision. Leia knew she must look really ugly now. She had imagined countless times how she''d look dazzling and well-dressed in front of the man she loved. But she couldn''t care less at this moment. "Mr.Avery, I''ve failed to live up to your expectations.I hurt your sister in the past, and I''m sorry for that." All this time, Jacqueline had used Avery as leverage against Leia, coercing Leia to hurt Olivia again and again in the name of repaying kindness. Leia pped her own face. ¡°I''m so stupid.They clearly look alike.I should''ve thought about it.I''m an idiot, and it''s all my fault.I deserve to be killed." All the children in the Miller family had inherited their mother''s psychotic illness. They would act in extreme ways in certain situations. Avery had no choice but to hug Leia tight. "Stop it, Leia." He entrapped Leia in his arms. Leia then gradually regained her rationality. She could smell nothing but the fresh and sunny scent of Avery. But it was all tainted by her blood. Frantically, she wiped away the blood stains on him. "I''m sorry for dirtying your shirt, Mr.Avery." Chapter 1596 Avery waved her down. ¡°It''s alright, just calm down." He looked at Ethan. "Leia is very agitated now.You should bring her somewhere else to get some rest." It was awkward enough for Ethan to stay in this room because of what he had done. It was as if all the men in the Fordham family wished they could kill Ethan right there. The only reason why Ethan was here was to let Leia hear the truth. After all, Leia was extremely stubborn and conservative. She would not believe in anything if she didn''t see it with her own eyes. "Mr.David, please rest well.I''ll visit you another time." Ethan greeted him politely. To his surprise, David threw a pillow right at him. "Get out!¡¯ David was so angry that his face was red. He couldn''t contain his anger the moment he thought about how his own daughter was bullied by others when she was living out there all alone. Olivia quickly went over tofort him, ¡°Dad, you shouldn''t get agitated.Your body is still weak." ¡°Is your name Olivia?" David looked at Olivia carefully. Although she looked a lot like her grandmother, her face still carried some resemnce to both himself and Shana. "That''s right." ¡°You''re a good child.You''ve been suffering so much pain all these years.Your stepfather raised you well.It''s a shame I won''t have a chance to visit him in person anymore." ¡°If my dad knew that I managed to find my family, he''d certainly be happy for me." Although Olivia was the youngest one here, she seemed to be the most emotionally stable out of everyone. There was only a moment when she couldn''t contain her excitement upon meeting her family. But she had returned to her normal self. ¡°Dad, I''ll give you a prescription for now.Take the pills and your body will recover in no time." As she scribbled something down, she asked, ¡°Right, how are you guys nning to deal with Jacqueline?" The question was asked in a nonchnt way. But the truth was that Jacqueline¡¯s existence had affected the Fordham family greatly. When Jacqueline was still in baby swaddles, someone had swapped her with Olivia. She became the only daughter of the Fordham family. Besides, Shana had lost a lot of blood when she gave birth to the baby. Hence, the baby was showered with love from everyone the moment she was born. I Jacqueline was adorable when she was really small. Even now, Avery could still remember how cute she was. But such an adorable girl had eventually turned into a greedy woman without anyone realizing it! It was no wonder that her personality changed when she was about eight years old. That was probably the time she found out about her true identity. Ignoring the fact that the Fordham family treated her so well, she tried to murder her brothers and sisters. Thinking about Quinn''s death, Avery''s face turned ice-cold. "I won''t let her off." Troy added, ¡°She must repent for all the sins she hasmitted.Killing her would just offer her freedom." Sean ruffled Olivia''s head. "Even if you weren''t my actual sister, she doesn''t deserve to be a part of the Fordham family after all the things she has done to you.I''ll avenge you for sure." Olivia finished writing the prescription and passed it to Avery. ¡°Avery, I have an idea." ¡°For now, only Deborah got exposed. Nobody has revealed that Leia is actually the one colluding with Deborah. She knows far more insider information than we do.Perhaps we can use her to catch Deborah." "Okay, I''ll do as you say." ¡°Now that we''re the ones in the shadows, we must make good use of our opportunity." C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Olivia stood with arms behind her back. There was a look of confidence on her face that didn''t quite match her age. "I''ll personally take revenge against her for what I had to endure.I''ll repay her with a thousandfold of the pain she inflicted on me.¡± Chapter 1597 Ethan led Leia out of the hospital, who was miserable. She only suffered from a minor injury as she was grazed bya bullet. But from the look on her face, it was as if she had been fatally wounded. Staring into the space, she sat in the back seat without a word. She looked like she was on the verge of falling apart. Hearing the truth had brought an overwhelming impact on her. At this moment, she felt nothing but guilt and conflict. Lifting her head, she stared at Ethan in a daze. ¡°Ethan, so this is the reason why you didn''t kill me.You knew that this oue would make me feel even worse than killing me." Leia covered her face. Tears slipped through the gaps between her fingers. "I didn''t want this to happen.I just wanted to help him, but what did I do? I nearly killed his own sister.Damn it!" Seeing how Leia was ming herself for everything, Ethan sighed. "I''m not a god, nor do I possess the skill of foreseeing the future.The reason why I didn''t kill you was that I was hoping you could turn over a new leaf and make amends for your past mistakes."He ced his hands on Leia¡¯s shoulders as he slowed down his voice. ¡°Leia, we were born into an extremely unhealthy family.Because of our parents, our mental condition isn''t the healthiest either.It''s easy for us to do something extreme. "I made many mistakes in the past too.I have to endure it no matter what kind of punishment Olivia inflicts on me.I deserve it.I''m only alive now to repent all my previous sins. ¡°A mistake is a mistake.I can''t help you get out of it.But if you''re too hung up on your past, why did Mr.Avery save you back then?" There was finally some hope in Leia''s eyes the moment she heard Avery''s name. "Don''t let his kindness go to waste.You must stay alive and look ahead.Even though the days back then were bad, you''ll still be able to see the blue sky and warm sunlight. ¡°Leia, just stay alive and live well." "You''re right, Ethan.I have to stay alive, only then can I repay my sins." Leia''s gaze terrified Ethan. "What do you want to do? Olivia has her own ns, so don''t do anything to Jacqueline.This is so that we won''t ruin her n." ¡°Oh, okay." Leia nodded obediently like a puppy. "I''ll listen to everything you say from now on." ¡°You should get some rest for now.It''ll be a brand new day tomorrow." After parting ways with Ethan, Leia stood up. She already had a n in mind. She thought, "Ethan, the first half of my life was dark. I did see some light back then, even if it was just for a short while. That ray of sunshine guided me to where I am today, so I should do something for him in return now." Leia had seen Avery undergoing treatment back on the ind. After asking around, she found out that there was something wrong with Avery''s kidneys. He had a serious kidney disease. Throughout the past few years, the transnt would always fail due to different reasons whenever they managed to find a matching kidney for him. He had been undergoing treatment for more than half a year. His body was much better than before. That was why his only wish now was to get a kidney transnt. Leia went to the hospital alone and had a medical check-up with a doctor. The results were out soon. Her kidney was very healthy and a perfect match to Avery''s. I Once the date and time of surgery were decided, Avery could get a kidney transnt.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Leia signed the organ donation agreement. With a smile, she watched as the sun rose up in the sky. The sunlight shone on her once again. ¡°Mr.Avery, it''s time for me to atone for my sins,"she thought. Chapter 1598 The Fordham family was in the throes of havoc, and Jacqueline was growing anxious. Although there was no definite evidence to prove David''s identity, the Fordhams were convinced that he wasn''t Dous¡¯ son. Many questions were raised regarding David''s side of the family. Jacqueline and Deborah''s initial n was to make this thest generation of the Fordham family. That way, they could inherit most of the family business, which was worth a lot of money! No matter how well the Fordhams treated Jacqueline, she was supposed to marry someone in the end. From there, all she would gain was wedding gifts, which she would bring to the Procter family anyway. Once she got married, she would be a man¡¯s belonging. Jacqueline didn''t do it solely to avenge Deborah. The main reason was for herself. Compared to Deborah, who was blinded by love, Jacqueline was way smarter. Jacqueline knew that love was the most unreliable thing in the world. Only materials could provide her with the sense of security she needed. Deborah imed that she was Jacqueline''s mother, but Jacqueline found out the truth about her identity a long time ago. How could Deborah ept another man when she was so helplessly in love with David? In truth, Jacqueline¡¯s biological parents were a pair of couple living deep in the mountains. They wanted to strangle her to death and bury her because the family had never liked having daughters. But they couldn''t bring themselves to do that, so they threw her into the mountains. She happened to be found by Deborah, who was on the run. That was when she started to form a revenge n. After finding out about her identity, Jacqueline became more hard-working. She felt grateful to Deborah for saving her out of the mountains. Although she was never bright, she could make up for it by putting in much more effort. The Fordham family possessed an abundance of resources, and Jacqueline was taught by the greatest teachers. She was able to spend her childhood peacefully. Then, worry caught up to her because she wasn''t very pretty. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She was afraid that someone might find out about her true identity because of her looks. Hence, she started getting fixes during her teen years, when she wasn''t fully mature yet. It was fine that she didn''t have a good figure. That could be ovee with regr exercise. In addition to her title as Ms.Fordham, her disciplined life shone through, and she became the epitome of excellence to others. She was aware that there was a big gap for her to fill in to be on par with the Fordhams. They were born talented, but it took her years to be on par with them. Jacqueline was able toe this far by putting in so much more effort than the people around her. Yet, fate fooled her right when she was one step closer to taking over the Fordham family. The anxiety was too much for her to take in that she couldn''t sleep. She also received news that the headquarters were under attack. Deborah was seriously injured and taken away. She hadn''t regained consciousness until now. "Ms.Jacqueline, you have to leave! The Fordham family is not safe anymore.It''s all Begonia''s fault! She betrayed us!" Leia? Jacqueline wasn''t the slightest bit surprised. She knew that Leia''s biggest weakness was Avery. Avery must''ve sought help from Leia. Fortunately, Jacqueline had a backup n. She didn''t tell Leia about the murders in the Fordham family and didn''t entrust the secret to Leia. All Leia knew was the grudge Jacqueline held against Olivia and not Olivia''s true identity. Jacqueline was going to make herst ditch effort before the truth came to light. She still couldn''t bring herself to give up on everything when she was only one step away from it! She had to take more shares with her before leaving. ¡°I know.I''ll be careful.Go into hiding and don''t get caught.I''ll meet you guys soon." Despite the promise, Jacqueline cut contact with them one-sidedly. Leia wasn''t aware of Jacqueline''s rtionship with Deborah because Jacqueline always disguised herself before going to Toxic Hive. As long as Olivia''s true identity wasn''t revealed, Jacqueline still had a chance. Jacqueline contacted Avery. "Avery, it''s me.¡± Chapter 1599 Avery was slightly taken aback. After all, Deborah was exposed and managed to escape. Why would Jacqueline not seize the chance to run away but call him instead? Olivia''s guess was right! Jacqueline wasn''t only evil; her ambition burned like a supernova. "Jacqueline, what''s wrong?" Avery acted. ¡°You''ve been out of touch.I was so worried.Are you okay?" ¡°I''m okay.I found out that Dad''s not dead yet.I''ve been trying to save him." "How is he doing? Is he safe now?" Anxiety seeped into her voice. Had Avery not known the truth, he wouldn''t have told her this.It was a bait to lure her out of the den. Jacqueline was one scary woman. Unlike her young age, she possessed an ambition and daringness that far exceeded that of ordinary people. Killing her would be too light of a punishment for her. Avery replied as Olivia had told him to beforehand. Jacqueline requested to meet David right away. "Okay, but it''s still not safe yet.Don''t rm others when youe.I''m afraid it''ll lead to unexpected problems." "Okay, Avery." After the call, Avery looked at others in the room. "Olivia, your guess was right.She didn''t run away and is nning to stay." ¡°She''s been plotting this for many years.We can see how calcting she is from how she attempted to murder me.She''ll never expose herself.If I hadn''t sensed something wrong about Grandma''s picture, we would''ve still been in the dark and wrapped around her finger." ¡°How despicable! Killing her would be too generous of us." Sean mmed the table and stood up. "I couldn''t walk and wasted those years because of her! And Quinn too! Killing Jacqueline will never be enough to appease me!" "Calm down, Sean.Quinn''s already passed on.There''s nothing we can do about it.But there''s still a chance for us to turn the table before it''s toote," said Olivia patiently. She continued, "I can treat you and Dad.Louis is helping Avery too.Once we can find him a suitable liver donor, he''ll be able to get back on his feet.The most important thing to do now is to hold our ground and find Mom." Despite being the youngest here, she had experienced the most here, making her wiser and more decisive than others. ¡°Avery, Jacqueline is doing all this to gain our family business.Before this, she once brought up about her wish to take over Dad''s job.Now, considering how she''s unwilling to leave even after Deborah is exposed, she''s definitely thinking of reaping big money before leaving. "It''ll be easy to kill her, but this won''t make up for what she has done to you guys." ¡°So, you mean..." She smirked. "Let''s make her return whatever she has taken.We''ll strip her of her titles and consign her back to her origin! "4 Jacqueline rushed to the mansion, where David was staying for recuperation. She burst into tears as soon as she entered the ce. ¡°Avery, I''m so d that you''re alright! I was so worried when I couldn''t contact you." Avery stared into her red-rimmed eyes. Her words sounded so genuine that she didn''t seem to be faking it. He even wondered if she had gone to an acting academy for training. Otherwise, how was she able to pull off a better act than those actors out there? ¡°Avery, why are you looking at me like that?" Her cheeks were wet. Only then did hee back to his senses. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Nothing.I''m just d that you''re alright." He patted her shoulder as usual. ¡°Let''s go see Dad.He''s seriously injured." Jacqueline hummed in response. When she reached the room, she realized that Troy and Sean were there too! She was surprised that she was thest to know the news. She felt that something was odd. Did they know something? Sean, still in his wheelchair, gave her a sorrowful look. "Jacqueline, you''re here." ¡°Troy, Sean." She rushed to the side of David''s bed, tears trickling down her cheeks again. "Dad!" Chapter 1600 David gazed at the youngdy.Her eyes were red from all the crying, and her voice was trembling.She used to be the child he loved so much. "Dad, I''m so d that you''re fine.You don''t know how worried I was these days!" Jacqueline cried next to the bed only to receive zero response. She felt weird. "Dad..." Tory suppressed the surging hatred in him. "Jacqueline, Dad is still feeling weak." That was the calmest possible voice he could make. "Get a good rest, Dad.Don''t worry about anything and focus on your recovery.You''ve got to look after the house," sheforted. ¡°Okay," responded David sinctly. The protruding veins on the back of his hand went unnoticed by her. He was gripping the bedsheet vehemently. It took everything in him to rein himself back from killing her. The sheer thought of her past deeds stirred a storm of emotions in him. All he could do was close his eyes and repeat to himself not to give the game away. He had to tolerate it for Olivia''s n. In fact, the Fordhams had been pampering Jacqueline so much all these years. She gained so much from them, and her personal assets were abundant. Yet, she was reluctant to give up when she already owned so much wealth, which any ordinary person couldn''t dream of having even with centuries of hard work. ¡°Avery, I have something to speak to you," said Jacqueline. ¡°I have something to tell you as well." They left the room together. Sitting on the couch in the living room, Avery wore a serious expression. ¡°Avery, a lot of things happened to our family while you were away." He nodded. "I heard it from Sean.Our rtives are bearing ill intentions toward us." ¡°Yes.Grandpa yed favoritism when he was still around, and they''ve been holding grudges against us over it fora long time.Now that Grandpa has passed away, they''re going to pounce on us." She sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, Dad is seriously injured as well.We need you to take control of the situation.Avery, I''m afraid that someone might take this chance to cause trouble to our business." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Although Dous practiced favoritism a lot, David''s mother raised him well. David had never thought of inheriting the family business. David''s assets were exactly Jacqueline''s target. ¡°You''re right.I''m worried too, but it''s difficult for me to handle so many things at once when something like this has happened to our family.I''m already sick." She grabbed his hand immediately. ¡°Avery, I can help.I''ve been working hard these years just to help you guys." "You''re going to get married.Will you even have the time to handle it?" ¡°My rtionship with Alexander is stable, Avery.We can put off the marriage for the moment.Our family is more important.I can take over Dad''s job temporarily to appease the employees." Finally, she revealed her true colors. He nodded. "You have a point, but my permission isn''t the problem here.Our rtives have been eyeing us for a long time.They''ll never miss this chance." ¡°Those people? What does it have to do with them? I thought thepany belonged to Dad." "Jacqueline, there''s something that you don''t know.Dad used the money from Grandpa when he first built up thepany.Grandpa owned 20% of the shares.There''s no way for us to retrieve the shares." ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chapter 1601 Avery added, trying to lure Jacqueline into the trap, ¡°We''re in hot waters. Mom is missing, and Henley''s family is watching us. They''ve never liked how Grandpa favored us. ¡°They consider Dad''spany one of Grandpa''s assets, so they began to purchase some shares here and there before Grandpa passed on.Before, we didn''t have anything to worry about.Those shares wouldn''t pose a threat, but Grandpa is dead now." Jacqueline¡¯s expression changed. "Is it bad?" "Yes, it''s bad.The shares they bought and Grandpa''s shares have surpassed the amount of shares Dad has." He sighed. "It''s because Dad loves us so much.He gave us a portion of the shares.No one expected Grandpa to pass away, and Henley''s family is causing trouble now. The amount of shares Dad has can''t bepared to them. ¡°They can be the rightful owner of thepany.Even if we take this to the court, we''re bound to lose the case." ¡°What should we do?"N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Jacqueline had long set her eyes on thispany. If she weren''t one step away from getting it, she would''ve escaped by now. There was no need to bear the risk of lying to Avery. ¡°We still have one way to stop them.That''s to return all our shares to Dad." In other words, Jacqueline had to return her 3% share to David. Despite the small percentage of shares, the annual dividend she earned could go up to millions. ¡°Will that do?" He answered, ¡°No.Henley''s family hase prepared.They won''t give us any time to spare. The number of shares they bought in secret is beyond our expectations. In addition to Grandpa''s 20% share, they''ll still be the rightful owner of thepany. ¡°The only way for us to take thepany back is to buy it.Troy, Sean, and I had a discussion.Other than Vox¡ªwho''s still out of touch¡ªwe''re nning to fork up all our savings to buy Uncle Reed''s shares." rmed, Jacqueline asked, "How much is he demanding?¡¯ ¡°Two billion dors. This is the amount he proposed after considering his rtionship with Dad. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have proposed such a low price. It shouldn''t be a big number for us, but Dad signed a few huge projects before all this happened. ¡°We invested in them with the money we had at our disposal.Now, our savings only total up to one billion dors.We still need another one billion dors..." Jacqueline could fork up that much, but that meant giving the entire savings she had. She saved it up from the benefit she gained from the Fordham family and the profit gained from Toxic Hive. Regardless, Toxic Hive was a mere research organization. It could bring in big profits, but the researches cost a lot. It wasn''t as profitable as the Fordhams'' family business. Also, there were pros and cons to owning such a huge business. Companies with a spected worth of billions of dors would usually be involved in huge projects that cost more than hundreds of millions of dors. A huge sum of initial investment was needed for this kind of project. That was why it was normal to not be able to cough up two billion dors in a short period of time. Jacqueline believed in Avery''s words without a shadow of a doubt. He sighed in defeat. ¡°I thought of many ways to gather one billion dors, but...Some of my friends know what''s happening to our family, so they''re reluctant to lend me money.Things were so different in the past.They simply don''t want to get themselves involved in trouble." He continued helplessly, ¡°I''ve done my best, Jacqueline.Considering how bad my health is, I know I don''t have much time left.Troy is seriously injured too.I can''t put my hopes on Sean and Vox either. "You''re the only one we can depend on in this family.You''re our only hope.I really wish to protect the company, even if it means to give you thepany.At least, Dad''s effort won''t go down the drain.But..." ¡°Don''t worry, Avery.I''ll think of something to get that one billion dors." Chapter 1602 One billion dors was equivalent to Jacqueline¡¯s entire savings. If she coughed it up to help the Fordhams and couldn''t take the money back in the end, her effort would all go down the drain. However, Avery clearly said that he would hand over thepany to her. In other words, she only had to spend one billion dors to gain thepany, which would bring her more profit in the future. It was a huge bet. To gamblers, the riskier the bet was, the more handsome and enticing the profit would be. The possibility of losing the bet did cross her mind, but she knew Avery''s character very well after having lived with the Fordhams for so long. He was a man of his word. After weighing the loss and the profit she could earn, thetter seemed more enticing to her. She had been plotting this for so many years. How could she give up on it so easily when the lion''s share was just right within her reach? Avery gave her a difficult look. "One billion dors is a huge sum of money, Jacqueline. It''s a burden to you, isn''t it? If only we hadn''t applied for a loan from the bank for one billion dors, I could''ve had another option." "Avery, you guys have been protecting me since I was young.Now that our family is in trouble, it''s my turn to do a favor.Don''t worry, I have some savings.I earned some money over the past few years.I can think of something to gather the money." "Jacqueline, it''s not that I want to rush you, but you have to be quick. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Henley''s family is still purchasing more shares because they''re afraid that we might turn the table." ¡°Leave it to me, Avery," she assured. "Okay.Once we ovee this difficulty and secure thepany, I''ll ask Dad to hand over thepany to you." ¡°I''m not wishing for something else in return.I just want to protect all of you." Jacqueline had a way with her words. Even Avery almost pped his hands for her entertaining acting. After the long discussion, she left in a hurry. Deborah was severely hurt by Leia. Although someone had taken Deborah away for safety, she was barely holding on to her life and hadn''t regained consciousness. People from Toxic Hive persuaded Jacqueline to leave and stay out of the game. Continue staying would be too dangerous for her. Yet, she wouldn''t listen because she hadn''t realized that the Fordhams had found out about her true colors. To her, they would''ve caught her once they found out the truth. How could they make such a promise? Believing that she was safe, she decided to bite the bullet once more. When thepany belonged to her, she would leave for good. This would be thest time! It was thest time where she would put everything she had at stake. As soon as she arrived home, Alexander showed up from the dark. "Let''s leave, Jacqueline.Let''s leave before our families find out about our identities." "Leave? Why? We''re staying for more money, no?" He looked into her eyes, which were zing with greed. "Jacqueline, what are you trying to do?" She touched his face. "Alexander, you''ll help me, won''t you? We''re the same. Now, there''s a chance right before us. We can change our lives. No more hiding ourselves in a corner for some sort of research." "Jacqueline, what are you trying to do?" "Give me all the money you have, Alexander." She then recounted the situation briefly to him. He frowned, worried. "I don''t think it''s as simple as it seems.It''s one billion dors.That''s our entire savings! It wasn''t easy to save up this much.If we lose the gamble, we''ll have nothing!" ¡°I won''t lose!¡± Chapter 1603 Alexander was a careful person who didn''t ask for much. His sole wish was to have a peaceful life. It wasn''t that he couldn''t bring himself to do as Jacqueline said, but she was basically nning to gamble all their savings for a future. A loss would mean losing everything! Simr to Jacqueline''s story, he struck gold and was able to be the son of a rich family by chance. He cherished his life dearly. Even if they decided to back out of the game right now, they had enough money to spend for the rest of their life. Greed was never rooted in him. To him, this moment was the peak of his life. Never once had he ever wished to be rich overnight. I Jacqueline obviously thought differently from him. Despite his effort to dissuade her from doing it, she didn''t budge an inch. She became livid instead. ¡°Alexander Procter, I''m just going to ask this one question¡ªare you going to help me or not?" "Why would I not help you, Jacqueline? I''m just¡ª" "Then enough of the nagging! Once I get Fordham Group, there are many benefits for you to enjoy as well." He sighed. ¡°Jacqueline, you know that I love you no matter what you are.As long as you want something, even if it''s the stars, I''ll get it for you." "Think of a way to gather one billion dors, then.I need it as soon as possible." She still possessed some long-term assets like properties,panies, and funds. These assets couldn''t be converted into cash that quickly, so she put her hope on Alexander. The helpless man epted her request. After all, he still had a family that loved him. Asking for one billion dors from a rich family like his wasn''t a difficult thing to do. At the same time, Avery had been watching the couple''s actions the entire time. Ethan nted a spy, whoter reported the situation to Olivia. "Jacqueline caught the bait.She should be able to gather the money soon." Olivia wasn''t surprised at all. "Sometimes, being too ambitious can be a bad thing.Jacqueline is too persistent, the typical kind of person to achieve her goals at all costs.Exterminating someone like her would be no different from doing her a favor.Oh, Ethan, I have a favor to ask of you." "What is it?" Ethan studied Olivia. Her eyes shone with determination under the light. Although she looked the same, the air around her was different from before. The past Olivia was too meek and receptive like a delicate flower. However, she became more gentle yet persevering after experiencing so many things. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. It was as if nothing could take her down. Whatever she did would be done in order. She was so dazzling that it made him fall for her harder. It had nothing to do with her looks. It was about her soul that made him love her more than he did. Olivia said something next to his ear. "You''re suspecting Alexander''s identity?" asked Ethan. ¡°Yes.It''s rted to your family, so it''ll be inconvenient for me to take action." ¡°I know what to do." Even though Ethan didn''t grow up with the Proter family, they treated him well. If there was a mole in his family, it was his duty to eliminate it. Worries sat upon her brows, and he caressed them as though trying to brush the worries away. "Everything will be fine.Don''t worry." ¡°I''m just regretting it.If I had known my identity sooner, I would''ve been able to protect Mom no matter what happened.We still haven''t detoxified the poison in her..." He shook his head. "Brandon loves her a lot.He''ll never hurt her.He wants her blind because he simply wants a chance to y by her side." ¡°Obsessive love is a cage." Olivia massaged her temples, tired. Her parents'' love story was more interesting than she thought. Ethan bent over, resting his forehead against hers. ¡°Liv, if it''s you, I''m willing to do anything too." Chapter 1604 Willow, who was sitting in the darkness, watched the hugging couple quietly. A light smile adorned her lips. She was holding a phone, broadcasting it live for her siblings. Zack''s excited voice rang out. "Closer, closer! I can''t see clearly!" Alicia pushed his head away. "Be quiet! Don''t disturb Mom and Dad.Move aside, big head.I can''t see!" ¡°Who are you calling big head? Connor, look at her! We''re twins.If I have a big head, she has a big head too." The twins always argued whenever they were in each other''s presence, the pr opposite of Connor and Willow. Although Willow couldn''t speak, she felt blessed. Her parents were hugging sweetly right in front of her, and her siblings were getting along so well. This was how a family should be. Olivia mentioned that she would remarry to Ethan after returning to Aldenvine. When that happened, they would be a real family. That day woulde very soon. From N?velDrama.Org. Olivia didn''t show up these two days. She had been taking care of her family in secret. David was in a good mood with her around. He always stared at his long-lost found daughter. He also kept reading information about her past again and again. He even wished to hear more about her stories from her. Olivia performed acupuncture on him while recounting her past, "I actually had a great life when I was young.My adoptive father loved me and gave me the best.He gave me all the love I needed." David stroked her head. "I can tell that he was a gentle person.He raised you well." "Yeah.If he were still alive, he''d surely be happy that I finally found my real family.Although my life was once mere darkness, he was the light that kept the darkness off the bay; the motivation to keep me moving forward.That''s how I was able toe to you guys." It was because she received love that she was able to grow up to be a gentle person. Even when things were rough, she could slog through it with sole perseverance. ¡°It must''ve been painful at that time." David recalled how her life was in danger several times. Olivia gently shook her head. ¡°It''s okay.It''s all in the past." She rested her forehead against his palm. "Life wasn''t that bad, actually.Although my adoptive mother didn''t love me, my adoptive father gave me his all.Then, I met Ethan. He loved me genuinely before, pampering me with all his love. ¡°Although my life once turned unfortunate, I was pregnant.My kids gave me hope, and I gritted my teeth through it.Look at me.People have tried to assassinate me many times, but I''m still able toe to you.I gained good from the bad." No ordinary person could be as mentally stable as Olivia was. Despite her young age, she was wise enough to see through a lot of things. "Sir." Ethan stood by the door, holding some presents. Unlike his usual rigid attitude, he appeared to be careful and approachable today. Olivia found it hrious. It had been a long time since she saw this side of him. She never thought of seeing such a timid Ethan in her life. What a rare find! ¡°What brings you here? Who let you in? Leave! Get out of here!" David was livid the moment he saw Ethan. His eyes red at Ethan as though he would skin Ethan alive the next second, unlike his gentle self when he spoke to Olivia. It was as though he had turned into apletely different person. Chapter 1605 Not even a book could enumerate the number of awful things Ethan had done to Olivia. It pained David so much to hear those stories happening to his daughter. It wasn''t something to be brushed off with one word. Just how did she get through those nights all alone? David couldn''t forgive Ethan. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The way David looked at Ethan was no different from looking at an enemy. "Calm down, Dad.You need rest," Olivia cooed. He patted his chest. "Olivia, no matter what happens to our family, I''ll never allow you to be with this man again." He red at Ethan. "What are you looking at? Get out! You''re not wee here! You bullied my daughter because she didn''t have a family, so stay away from her in the future! I''ll be d to look after her myself forever." "Sir, I know that everything was my fault.Nothing can be done to atone for my sin.Nothing.I just want to apologize and make up for what I did." "Save it.You shouldn''t have done it if you knew that it was wrong.I don''t care if you''re being genuine or fake, I don''t give a rat''s ass about your apology!" ¡°Sir." "Don''t call me.I don''t know you." "Mr.Fordham, Liv and I have four kids together¡ªtwo sons and two daughters.Even if it''s for their sake, please¡ª" The mention of the children angered David more. "Bastard! How could you choose to save someone else instead of your wife when she was pushed into the sea? She even had a preterm delivery! She barely survived it! And yet you passed the baby to someone else? "How could you sacrifice a mother''s love for a child just to repay your personal debt!" His voice broke, and he almost cried. "I''m a father myself too.I understand the pain very well when my daughter passed on." It felt no different from having his world crumbling. It was as if someone dug his heart out of his chest. The unfathomable pain was hell. If a father like him felt that way, it must''ve been worse for Olivia, who was a mother. It broke David''s heart to hear that. It wasn''t something that could be forgiven with an apology. If it weren''t for those children, David might''ve ughtered and chopped Ethan into pieces. Ethan ced the presents down before kneeling next to the bed. "Sir, I can''t kill myself and leave Liv and the kids behind.I know that I was wrong.You can punish me however you wish.I sincerely regret what I did." David wasn''t buying it. "If you want to kneel, do it somewhere else.Don''t be such an eyesore." "Yes, sir." Ethan headed outside. The yard was decorated with nts. There was also a pavement along the route. Bending his knees, he knelt there without hesitation. Olivia, who was standing nearby, sighed lightly. "Why are you torturing yourself?" ¡°Liv, were you hurt this much back then?" He gazed at her gently. When the Fordham family was announced bankrupt, she went on her knees to beg for his help. But how did he respond to that? She looked up at the moon. ¡°Yup, very much." It didn''t hurt physically, but her heart ached. Chapter 1606 Sometimes, one couldn''t sympathize with the pain unless one experienced it first-hand. Olivia had gotten over it. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It happened such a long time ago. She still loved Ethan, and they had four children together. Near-death experiences and the reunion with her true family taught her how valuable a family was. Instead of wasting time on revenge, she''d rather cherish the present. She cherished what she had right now more than anyone else. It wasn''t easy for her toe this far. However, the people around her didn''t think the same way. The Fordhams wouldn''t be able to forgive Ethan even if he were to kill himself multiple times over. Ethan knelt in the yard the whole night. When Olivia told him to stop, he merely said, "Liv, I want to marry you and give you a grand wedding.The marriage won''t be perfect without your parents¡¯ blessings.I''ll ask for your family''s forgiveness no matter what it takes." "Why?" She sighed. "I had thising.As long as you''re alive and youre still willing to ept me, it won''t hurt to do this much." Numbness had crawled up to his knees, but his back remained straight. His eyes spoke of determination too. "Besides, this is nothingpared to what you suffered." It poured heavily that night, but he didn''t move a muscle. If it were a woman, she wouldn''t fainted on the spot. However, he was strong enough to hold on. Olivia returned to the room. David seemed better than yesterday. He grinned the second he saw her. "Olivia, you''re here.Your medicine works wonders! I feel much better today." Hisplexion finally seemed better, but she was aware that he hadn''t had a good night''s sleep from all the worrying about his wife. The exhaustion was still evident on his face. She nced out the window, reminding him, "Dad, he¡¯s still kneeling out there.It''s been four hours." "So what?" He wasn''t bothered at all. "Think about the day you fell into the sea on that snowy day.Wasn''t it cold? Weren''t you afraid? Wasn''t it painful?" Sean brought over the medicine for David while agreeing, "Dad''s right.Olivia, don''t pity a man or you''ll be unfortunate.Think about the days you suffered.So what even if he has knelt for 24 hours? He should die there." Troy chimed in, "Although Sean has never dated, he knows that this kind of man must never be a husband. Olivia, you''ve made a mistake once. Don''t make the same mistake again. Ethan may be the father of the children forever, but you still can end things with him." Everyone in the Fordham family had a heart of steel. A sigh escaped from Olivia, and she went outside. Willow was struggling to hold an umbre for Ethan as she couldn''t even hold it properly. "Get up.They''re not buying this.If you die here, they''ll throw a party to celebrate your death.It''s meaningless." Ethan, who waspletely drenched, held Olivia''s hand tightly. "Liv, I know.I don''t want to make things difficult for you because of us.I understand where they''re coming from, and they have every right to do this." '' Well, it wasn''t like he could kill himself in front of everyone. A suicide would be truly meaningless. Even if it was torturing, at least some people took joy in his suffering. This was better than him doing nothing and trying to beg for forgiveness through mere words. ¡°If you really want to atone for your sins, look for my mother.That''s the best way." Olivia recalled how much skinnier David had be. "I can tell that he has a good rtionship with her.¡± Chapter 1607 Ethan knew what Olivia meant. "Don''t worry, Liv. I''ve asked someone to look into it. It''s just that it''s not going to be easy." After all, he was mainly influential and powerful in Andia. Wielding his authority here was quite difficult. Furthermore, Brandon had nned for this for many years. It wouldn''t be easy to track him down. That was why David couldn''t sleeptely. The men he dispatched would end up missing. There was no news as of today. Ethan ended up fainting after kneeling for two days straight, but the Fordhams stood firm with their stance. 1 Sean coldly said, ''He should''ve died there." Troy agreed, "Bad guys tend to live longer than the good guys." David hummed in response. "Throw him out. What an eyesore." Olivia shut her eyes, feeling helpless. It seemed like they wouldn''t ept him for the time being. 3 She told Kelvin to carry Ethan to the bed so that she could look after him. Avery, who didn''t hate Ethan that much, approached Olivia. " Jacqueline has the money ready." "Let the show begin." She smirked. Jacqueline traveled as quickly as possible overnight. Avery had put on makeup to look sickly. He coughed. "Jacqueline, you''re here." "Avery, it''s only been two days, but yourplexion looks bad. You must hold on." "Don''t worry, Jacqueline. It''s not like it''s my first day. It''s not a big deal. Did you manage to gather one billion dors?" "Yes. How are things goingtely?" "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, I''ll make sure to secure Dad''spany." He coughed again. "Jacqueline, I''ll be counting on you in the future." "You''ll be fine, Avery." Despite that, she wished for him to die sooner. Once he was dead, Fordham Group would belong to her! Jacqueline had to admit that Avery had held on for way too long considering his illness. When the issue of the shares was settled, it would be time for her to send Avery off. No matter how well she acted, Avery could notice the murderous intent in her eyes. Just why didn''t he catch on to it in the past? There was a shareholders'' meeting the next day. To be more precise, it was a war among the Fordham family members vying over the right to the company. David''s family, which used to be respected by all, now received rude treatment from others. Their rtives didn''t even try to be courteous. "Can''t believe that they have the guts toe." "We showed them respect and allowed them to wield so much power within the family. Who knew they''d turn out to be outsiders? "If I were you, I would''ve stayed at home. I wouldn''t have the courage toe here. Is it not enough to have taken advantage of us for so many years?" Avery finally knew what betrayal tasted like. These people used to treat him with respect just to gain more benefits from him. Their attitude had taken a 180 turn. Graham snorted. "Avery, how does it feel now? Can you get used to it after being the big shot for so many years? Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it soon. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. We''ll make sure to oust you guys out of thepany!" The calm Avery looked at Henley. "Uncle Henley, do you see us the same way too? We were once a happy family when Grandpa was still around. But you turned your back against us when it hasn''t been long since he''s dead. He could be watching up there." 1 After his son''s death, Henley was no longer as healthy as he seemed in the past. His eyes were dark. "Graham is right. Outsiders should leave this ce as soon as possible. And you should return the assets to us before leaving!" Chapter 1608 Henley and David were half-brothers, but Dous was stricter toward Henley. "Can''t you learn from David?" "David is smart, but why do I have a stupid son like you?" "Why can''t you understand such a simple report? If you were David Those were the words Henley heard the most. He was alwayspared with David because he was the second son. As the second son, Henley appeared so ordinary and was overshadowed by David. Henley worked hard, but there was a huge difference between effort and talent. David wasn''t only smart; he was also a hard-working man. In addition to his talent, he worked so hard that Henley could never surpass him forever. Hence, David became that pall of trauma clouding over Henley for eternity. Henley had been waiting his entire life for this day toe. This time, he could finally drive David''s family out of Fordham Group and retrieve what was rightfully his. "Avery, you''re smart, so I guess I can just go straight to the point. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Even if you''ve bought some shares, Dous¡¯ shares are with us. You''re bound to lose! So why make it more difficult for yourself? You''ll end up being theughing stock." 1 Jacqueline retorted, "That''s not right, Uncle Henley. Let''s not talk about whether my father is Grandpa''s biological son or not. We still share the same blood and the same grandmother. Grandma and Grandpa loved each other for many years. How could we not have inheritance rights? "Besides, Dad built up thispany single-handedly. Now that it''s a huge and profitablepany, you''re trying to gain benefits from this. There''s no free lunch in this world." Graham snorted coldly. "Let''s not waste our time talking with them, Dad." He pped, motioning for his legal team to enter the room. Avery''s legal team followed suit. Both teamsprised the topwyers in the whole world, possessing only a winning streak on their record. Thewyers split up to stand with the person they sided with. Tension inted in the air as though it was the period before the outbreak of war. Right then, alow yet solemn voice resounded. "Graham, I didn''t know you hated me so much." Everyone was surprised. That was David, who was announced dead due to a ne crash! Olivia, who was in disguise, helped David to the room. David was known to be protective of his people. In the Fordham residence, he could be a warm and gentle person who waspletely down-to-earth. He would even speak softly to people. However, his characterpletely changed when he was out there. He was that merciless big shot who pinned everyone in fear. The people who had had a taste of his tactics feared him even more. "David, y-you''re still alive!" Henley murmured. How scary could David be? No one knew that better than Henley. Despite David''s pale face and weak body, the air around him was formidable enough to turn everyone into a bundle of nerves. The moment he showed up, his hawk-like eyes scanned everyone. The people he looked at were equally scared out of their wits as they avoided his eyes instinctively. They either looked at the floor, ceiling, or the nts but never David. "How lively it is today," he stated indifferently, removing Olivia''s hand. Standing there, he coldly interrogated, "Were you trying to bully my son and grandchildren just because I wasn''t around?" Chapter 1609 David''s words sent a chill down everyone''s spine. Among the people present, many of them used to be on his side. However, they chose a new leader to follow after the news of the ne crash. Although they didn''t know what kind of illness Avery had, his health had been deteriorating as the years went by. It seemed serious. Avery''s brothers seemed unreliable, so they chose to side with Henley. Who would''ve known that David''s death was a feign? He even showed up at such a critical moment! Immediately, they began to curry favor with David. "Mr. David, I''m d to see you safe and sound. We''ve been praying for you, hoping for you too¡ª" David interrupted, Hoping for me to die tragically sounds more like it." The person chuckled wryly. "How humorous of you, Mr. David." "We''ve been hoping for you toe back sooner. Look, thepany was in huge trouble while you weren''t around. This way, Mr. David." One of the elderly people changed his mind the moment he saw David. He was on Henley''s side, scolding Avery just a moment ago! Oh, the irony! He also smacked Graham''s head. "This seat isn''t for an immature person like you. Get up! Mr. David should be sitting here." What a perfect enactment of the phrase "Only the strongest can survive." Everyone was aware of how thepany came this far. It was all thanks to David, the founder. They tried to steal thepany while he wasn''t around, but he showed up before they could achieve their objective! So meekly, they began to turn their back at Henley to side with David. Henley''s supporters changed their minds the moment David showed up. The turn of tables caused Henley to go frantic. The deep respect he had for David since young died hard. "Henley." David took the main seat. From N?velDrama.Org. Judging from his badplexion, it was obvious that he had yet to recover from his serious injuries. Yet, that didn''t will away the formidable coldness he had. Languidly, his gazended on Henley as he touched his wedding ring. His acquaintances gulped their saliva in fear at that. "We''re blood-rted. It doesn''t matter if I''m Dad''s biological son or not. I''m still your elder brother, am I not?" "Y-Yes," answered Henley cowardly. His confidence had clearly plummeted. Graham watched how cautious his father became. It was as if Henley was David''s subordinate! "Dad, why are you so afraid of him? Don''t forget that we''re Grandpa''s true family. He''s just an illegitimate child!" The glint in David''s eyes changed at the mention of him being an illegitimate child. Before David''s family countered back, a voice with a considerable weight of solemnity roared, "Who dares to call my elder brother an illegitimate child!" That voice... Could it be... Olivia looked at the door in disbelief. A familiar face showed up at the door! It was Linus! 2 The Heath family was here! 1 No words could adequately express the excitement soaring in her right now. It pained her to see how others told her father off for being an illegitimate child. She couldn''t even reveal herself right now. Linus wasn''t in his military uniform, but his long years of experience in the wild were evident from the murderous intent lingering around him. He showed up like a hero to save his people in distress! 2 "H-He''s..."" Someone clearly recognized Linus. Chapter 1610 Linus rushed over from overseas. Prior to this, he had a basic understanding of the Fordham family through videos and pictures. The way Linus thought was different from Henley''s family. Although Linus and David were half-brothers, Linus knew that Mason had a regret. Many years ago, Linus knew that Mason had loved a woman a lot. If that woman had given birth to Mason''s child, it might make up for Mason''s regret. Linus had been pampering Krystal for his whole life only to find out that she wasn''t his biological sister. If he actually had a business genius brother, that would be good news to Linus! Aside from being a family, they could join hands in both the political and business worlds to bring their family to higher heights. After Olivia told Mason about the matter, the Heath family had a discussion. Tatiana had no reason to throw a tantrum as David''s mother had passed on. After all, Mason loved David''s mother before Tatiana showed up. Furthermore, David was one capable man. Although his existence could pose a threat to Linus¡¯ inheritance, it could bring a lot of advantages to the family at the same time. After weighing the pros and cons, Tatiana figured it out. The most important thing to take note of was it wasn''t easy for Mason to find his son. Since she couldn''t stop it from happening, she thought that she might as well ept it. Mason couldn''t leave the country due to his special identity, so Linus came to see David as a representative. Linus'' confident strides carried him over. Despite the spacious room, his murderous intent swept everyone up. Even if some of them didn''t know who he was, they couldn''t help the fear they felt. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Many things had happened to the Fordham family recently. Olivia couldn''t find the right time to tell David about the Heath family. David was equally baffled. This clearly wasn''t in his n. Everyone began gushing. "Isn''t he the youngest general of Andia in history?" "Why is someone like him here?" "Wait, didn''t he say his elder brother? Who''s his elder brother?" Everyone was on tenterhooks. They had a bad feeling about this. Despite his young age, he had climbed so high up thedder. His rtionship with Mason didn''t contribute anything to his achievement. In fact, he was able toe this far mainly because of the life-staking risk he took on battlefields. That was why everyone was weighed down by the pressure he exuded the second he showed up. When were they acquainted with such a prominent figure from another country? Like a scared rodent, Henley''s family hushed in silence while watching David. Their gaze was prompting him to stand up for them. David mustered every strength in him to stand up. "May I know your reason for visiting, Mr. Heath?" At such a crucial moment, he was the only person able to keep the situation under control. Avery took an instinctive step forward to protect David. Linus hurried over to hold David. "You don''t have to be this courteous. We''re brothers." "Brothers?" David''s eyes widened. Soon, he caught on to something. "They''re brothers?" everyone blurted simultaneously. Henley''s family was nning to eliminate David''s line out of the family. Yet, another huge hurdle had presented itself. It turned out that David''s biological father was Mason, that prominent figure from Andia! Henley''s expression turned dreadful. How could this be? Chapter 1611 Henley paled inparison to David in every aspect since they were young. He had been living under David''s shadow since the day he was born. The resentment he bore toward David wasn''t something new. Often, he wondered if the title of "business genius" would be his own once David was exterminated. If it weren''t for Dous, David wouldn''t have been able toe this far. Henley was on cloud nine when he found out that David wasn''t Dous'' biological son. He thought, "Even if I can''t perform better than him, my status is higher than him!" However, his expression fell when Linus showed up. Because even the status Henley was proud of was nothing in Linus'' presence! At that moment, everyone''s attention was on Linus and David. No one cared about Graham and Henley. Instead of revealing Olivia''s matter, Linus took another approach. " Nice to meet you, David. I''m Linus Heath, your half-brother. Dad can''te to see you due to his special identity, so I''vee in his stead." "D-Dad..." David''s eyes reddened. In fact, David knew everything all along. Ever since he could remember, he had been living with his mother. He asked her who his father was before. Every time, she would caress his head and give him a warm smile. When they met Dous, she told David that that man was his father. Dous treated David well like his biological son. However, David clearly knew that Dous wasn''t his biological father. Considering how his mother wasn''t willing to tell him the truth, David figured that she had her reasons. Hence, he no longer asked the question when he grew up. Furthermore, Dous treated him well. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. David thought that such a life wasn''t bad. He had never dreamed about meeting his true family at all. He didn''t only have the Fordham family; he also had another family! Noticing his vehement expression, Linus held his hand. "Dad was happy when he heard about you. No matter where you are, there''s always a ce for you at home." Those words were for David, but they also served as a warning to the Fordhams. No matter who David was, he would forever be one of the Heaths. The Heath family would protect him. The Fordhams weren''t powerful enough to go against the Heaths. Who were the Heaths? They were the head of a country. Money and connections could be wielded as weapons in the most intense, but were they enough to confront the head of a country? Would one''s intelligence be enough for such a battle? No, because one would need munitions. It would take a single order from the Heath family to oust all of the Fordhams. Linus, representing the Heath family, was here to support David. Having been in the industry for so many years, David knew the meaning behind Linus'' words. David was indebted to Dous and took Dous as his biological father. Every decision he made was actually for the Fordham family. Even though he was aware of Henley''s hatred, it didn''t bother him because he was the elder brother. Indecisive; stubborn; petty; and stubborn¡ªthat was Henley. There was something he had wished to achieve since he was young ¡ªto surpass David. In order to prove his capability, he also built apany himself a long time ago. However, given his character, it was easy for him to offend others. His incapability made it worse, so David always had to clean up his mess. David helped Henley out in secret because he knew how egoistic Henley was. In the end, Henley thought that his luck yed a role whenever a crisis was averted, believing that God was on his side. He was confident that he could one day surpass David and prove to everyone how capable he was. Chapter 1612 Henley grew up thinking that way. It even rubbed off on Graham, and he thought the same as well. Graham would get jealous of his brothers who performed better than him. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. That was why he chose to enter showbiz. Bing a celebrity meant standing in the spotlight. Yet, little did he know that David had been helping out behind the scenes so that he could hit it big. Back then, Graham intentionally hid his identity as he wished to gain sess himself. However, it wasn''t that easy to stand out in showbiz without connections. It was David who secretly hired an excellent manager to approach Graham. David also protected Graham from those illicit affairs in showbiz. Even though Graham''s vile temper had offended many people, David was there to clean the mess. Not only did David ask someone to concoct a n for Graham to be a huge star, but he also personally chose decent scripts for Graham. As time went by, Graham became famous with zero scandals. His poprity never failed to top the list every year. Henley and Graham were able to be sessful because David was there to shore them up behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Emery''s family had always been into art, hence their apathy toward Dous'' assets. As for Sawyer, he left the family to overseas to focus on his recuperation after his engagement with Janice was annulled. Had it not been for David, the Fordham family would''ve fallen a long time ago. This was also one of the reasons why Dous favored David more. Compared to his other wayward sons, David was the suitable heir. Unfortunately, no one knew how much David sacrificed for the Fordham family. When David was in hot water, Henley intended to make things difficult for Avery and tried to steal David''s position instead of helping them! Simr to Henley, Linus was David''s half-brother, but he was different. Linus hadn''t even lived under the same roof as David before. Linus only found out about David''s existence not long ago. Yet, he was willing to travel so far just to support David! Oh, the irony! Henley, whom David did everything in his power to protect, gave him the coup de grace in the end. David never expected his true family to show up. The warmth of gratitude blossomed in him. The silent Jacqueline was flustered as well, unsure if Olivia''s identity had already been revealed or not. Things were getting out of her control. Feeling overwhelmed, David didn''t know what to say. Avery said, ''It must''ve been tiring to travel this far, Mr. Heath. Come, take a seat. I hope you don''t mind giving us some time to take care of our family matter.¡± Linus gave him an appraising look. "I think you should call me '' Uncle¡¯ instead of that." That alone brought them closer. Avery addressed Linus ordingly, "Uncle Linus." Sean and Troy followed suit, making Linus break into a gentle smile. "You have an aunt as well. I''ll introduce her to you guys someday." The better Linus treated David''s family, the more dreadful it was to Henley''s family. It was as if they weren''t part of the family. This was supposed to be the Fordhams'' family matter; outsiders weren''t supposed to join in. However, Linus was another case simply due to his identity. The bodyguards he brought along were robust and fierce-looking. The murderous intent was overflowing from them. Just one look at them was enough to tell that they had been through special training. Each one of them could easily go against a hundred people. No one dared to drive Linus away. "Don''t mind me. Go on." Linus took a chair for himself. His expression was rigid, putting pressure on others. Chapter 1613 David waved, motioning for his assistant to pour Linus tea. David had finally regained hisposure from the surprise. The two brothers were next to each other. They looked so much alike. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Although one was involved in business while the other was in the military, the vibe they gave off was the same. Olivia couldn''t help but inwardly exim the wonders of genes. After all, David and Linus didn''t share the same mother, and they hadn''t lived together at all. But when they sat together, they gave off the same air to others. Meanwhile, Henley, who was also David''s brother, began to panic the moment David showed up. Linus'' appearance made his stomach churn more. Henley was a bundle of nerves right now. One could clearly tell how flustered he was. He had lost his cool. How could David hand over Fordham Group to someone like Henley with peace of mind? David looked at Henley. "Henley, are you sure you want topete for thepany with me? I''m giving you one more chance. If you give up right now, I can pretend that none of this happened." Henley would always be David''s younger brother. As the elder brother, he felt the responsibility of protecting his younger siblings. Dous once said, "David, Henley''s foolish and prideful; Emery is uninterested in family business; and Sawyer is blinded by love.You''re the only one we can count on in the family.There''s more responsibilities for you to take upon in the future." David''ste mother also said, "You''re the elder brother.They''re your younger siblings.You should be more understanding." Even if they hadn''t said such things, David would''ve protected the Fordham family because that was what he had promised to himself. David felt grateful to Dous, who pulled both David and his mother out of their homeless life. During that turmoil, having a safe ce to stay was something to be grateful for. Having nice clothes to wear and delicious food to eat was a luxury. Not only did Dous provide the materials David and his mother needed, but Dous also spent his time cultivating David. Dous perceived David as one of the family. The fact that Dous raised David gave him enough reason to protect the Fordham family. When David found out how much Henley disliked him, he was worried that his true identity might bring the family and his mother trouble if it was exposed. While looking after the Fordham family, he built up his own business, intending to separate his assets from the Fordham family. He did his everything to fulfill his duty as a son and the elder brother. Yet, Henley just wouldn''t show mercy. Honestly, David was disappointed. At the same time, Henley couldn''t read the emotions in David''s eyes. They were soplicated and deep. Henley couldn''t read through David''s emotions and was quite worried. Graham nudged him. "Don''t forget how much we sacrificed for today, Dad.How could you give up at this moment? Linus has nothing to do with our family.He''s from the Heath family.Grandpa''s dead, and there''s no one Uncle David can depend on.So what if it''s the Heath family? This is our family matter!" When Graham pointed out that there was no one David could depend on, David felt bitter. In the end, he failed to protect anything. He had also let Dous down. Anything could happen in life. David was just a mere human. Perfection had always been out of the question. He could never satisfy all sides. David quietly waited until Henley made up his mind. "David, I still want to retrieve whatever that''s rightfully mine.Mom and Dad aren''t with us anymore.How could you still stay in Fordham Group so shamelessly?" David shook his head, sighing. "You disappoint me, Henley Fordham.Fine, have it your way.I hope you don''t regret it." Chapter 1614 Henley gulped upon hearing that. He nced at his scarce supporters. He had nned this for so many years for this day toe. How could he give up right now? "IT won''t," said Henley. "Alright, let''s begin." The shareholders¡¯ meeting started. Jacqueline wasn''t in the state of mind to think about Olivia''s matter. Now that she had bet her everything in the game, she couldn''t lose! There had been a huge change in the distribution of sharestely, so everyone wasn''t confident about their win. All Henley''s family took over was the 20% share from Dous. The assets weren''t properly distributed due to his sudden passing. Henley had been raking his brain to prove that David wasn''t Dous'' biological son so that David would lose his inheritance right. David pped his hands to call thewyer in. Thewyer was holding a sealed document. To Henley''s surprise, it contained Dous¡¯ will, including a share transfer contract. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The family assets and properties were distributed clearly! ording to the document, the 20% share belonged to David. Henley shook his head vigorously. ''"T-That''s impossible! Dad passed away due to aheart attack! He didn''t leave anything before his death! This will must be fake!" David appeared calm. "This is the will Dad wrote half a year ago. If you don''t believe it, you can ask yourwyer to verify it. Aside from the documents, we have his video, voice messages, and signature as proof." Not buying that, Henley gave hiswyer a look The leadingwyer came over to verify the will. Thewyer frowned. "It''s real, Mr. Henley. This is the will Mr. Dous wrote when he was still around." Henley''s shoulders drooped. He was Dous'' biological son! Why didn''t Dous bestow anything to him? Henley didn''t know anything about the will either! At the same time, Dous gave his patience and love to an outsider! Since the 20% share was transferred to David, there was no point in continuing the battle. Henley lost. Despite winning, Jacqueline didn''t feel happy at all. David could''ve won without her shares. Why did Avery tell her those things? Something felt off. Linus'' appearance gave her more reason to be anxious. David indifferently said, "Okay, we now know what''s going to happen to Fordham Group. Now, let''s talk about our family matter. Outsiders, please step out of the room." David was obviously intending to settle the score. Other shareholders had no reason to join the fray. They hurriedly left the scene. Bryce was thest person to leave. He even closed the door considerately. "Dad, you must have a lot to say to Uncle Henley. I shall step away for amoment," Jacqueline excused herself. As soon as she finished, she felt someone staring at her from the opposite. Linus'' eyes fixated on her, his gaze so cold that it could seemingly prate through her. "It''s alright. You''re one of the family. You can stay," responded David gently yet imperatively. "Okay." She grew anxious. She felt that Linus kept looking at her. Was she overthinking? Henley mmed the table. "You''ve won. Are you going to show off too?" "Rx. I''ve asked someone to call Emery and Sawyer over. Some things are best said when everyone in the family is around." Chapter 1615 Although it was supposed to be their family matter, Jacqueline didn''t know why she felt anxious as the clock ticked by. Henley didn''t have an inkling of her thought. The sense of defeat was wearing him down. He lost. The meticulous n he devised failed in the end. To Henley, David only seemed to be wielding his power in front of him like a winner. Emery and Sawyer came to the scene not long after. They were rtively calm as they didn''t share the same notion as Henley. Even though they didn''t share the same mother, David was still their half-brother! There was no reason for them to go against David. "David, are you alright?" said Emery. "I''m d you''re alright, David," Sawyer greeted. After small talk, they finally noticed Linus, who hadn''t left the room. "Isn''t he..." "This is Mr. Heath. I''ll exin to you about himter. I gathered everyone here because of a family matter." Even though the two brothers were curious about the reason for Linus'' visit, David was able to keep the situation under control. He was the leader, after all. It was nothing to be surprised by. Emery and Sawyer took a seat. Judging from David''s serious expression, it had to be something important. "Many things have happened to our familytely. I''ve heard what happened to Garrett. I was saddened by the news." Henley coldly snorted. "Save the acting, please." His eyes reddened at the mention of Garrett. "Henley, David has nothing to do with what happened to Garrett. Why must you do this?" "Oh, shut up, both of you. Stop calling him so endearingly. Don''t forget that he''s not one of us. Look, even the Heath family hase to find him." Emery and Sawyer finallyprehended the situation-David had something to do with the Heath family. "Don''t put it that way, Henley. At the very least, we share the same mother. He''s our eldest brother." Henley was going to rebut that, but David raised his hand to stop the fight. "I know that you''ve never liked me. I''ve tried my best to be a good brother all these years. But I''m afraid things aren''t going ording to my wish. "You did so much just to drive me out of the family. Forget it. You guys should distribute Dad''s assets while everyone is around." "Us? What do you mean, David?" Emery asked dubiously. "To be honest, I was there when he wrote the will. The will was confirmed upon my agreement." Henley turned sour. "Trying to brag again? How I wish I had your skills to fool Dad around. In the end, he bestowed his assets to an outsider." "Take a look at it yourselves first." David didn''t exin himself. Henley didn''t want to waste his time reading the document. He assumed that David had hogged the good things for himself. Emery and Sawyer eximed, "Henley, look! Something doesn''t look right." "What is it? Did David take everything for himself? David Fordham, I''m warning you, if you¡ª" "Dad!" Graham interrupted. "I think you should take a look at it first."From N?velDrama.Org. The assets were distributed clearly as stated. The valuable assets like houses were equally distributed into three portions. As for the remaining assets, the ratio was quite different. For instance, Henley received more luxury cars; Emery received more antiques; and Sawyer received more properties aside from the equally distributed ones. David''s name wasn''t written there. "How could this be..." Even Graham would be receiving something from the will! But nothing was bestowed on David''s family! Simr to Henley''s family, Jacqueline was curious how much assets Dous would give her. After acting as a filial granddaughter, she assumed she would receive more. However, nothing was left for David. Let alone for her! Chapter 1616 The Fordhams were stunned. How could this be? Dous favored David so much! "Why didn''t Grandpa leave anything for you? How could you agree to this? This has to be fake!" David exined indifferently, "He wanted to, but I rejected. I''ve been amassing money myself for the past few years. I''ve never thought of getting anything from the family." He remembered something and took over a signed check. "Oh right, here''s one billion dors. Take it as Dad''s 20% share. Although it''s not tantamount to the market share price right now, it''s a few times the fold of the 200 thousand dors he first invested. "Take it as a token of appreciation for looking after my family." The check served as a reality check to Henley. Emery and Sawyer quickly rejected it. "David, we can''t take this money. We know that you''ve been the one supporting the family. If Dad were still alive, he wouldn''t want it." "He''s right. You''re Mom''s son, which means you also have the right to inherit part of the assets. Besides, Dad loved you the most. Why are you giving his money to us without taking a single penny for yourself?" Dous wouldn''t have epted that check if he were still alive. epting it would indicate that David would cut ties with the Fordham family. David smiled faintly. "I don''t mean anything. I''ve always seen you guys as my younger brothers, but whatever I do, I can''t seem to make everyone happy. This happened just to have my family driven out of thepany. "Well, I figured that I might as well leave for the sake of your family''s peace. Other than distributing the assets, there''s another reason why I gathered all of you here. I have to tell you guys something." "David, don''t do this. We''ve never seen you as an outsider. You can''t leave." "Yes! Henley did cross the line. Henley, apologize to him. Hurry!" Things were escting in the way Henley didn''t expect it to be. He couldn''t understand why all of this was happening. He had yet to recover from the shock. Emery nudged at him, and he finally came back to his senses. Henley blurted out, "What did you say? You want me to apologize to him?" Henley had always been a prideful man. If he apologized, that meant admitting whatever he had worked for all these years was wrong! "I didn''t do anything wrong. Why must I apologize?" Emery and Sawyer wanted to persuade Henley further, but David raised his hand, stopping them. "At this point, you don''t have to say anything more. To him, my existence is mere torture. I don''t want to be the reason for the Fordham family''s disharmony. It''ll be a joke in the town. Let''se clean right now." Henley looked at him worriedly. "What are you nning to do?" "There will be professionalwyers distributing the assets ording to the details on the will. Let''s cut ties from now on. Take this one billion dors in exchange. "T''ll bring along my family and gain our footing ourselves. We won''t take advantage of your family''s name for our benefit.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I''ll hand over the Fordham family business to you too." "David, you''ve been handling the business well. Why are you giving it to us?" David smiled. "I did all I could, but I never gained what I wanted. I should leave it to you guys. Plus, I''m not young anymore. I should do the things I should do now." Then, he looked at Graham. "You''ve won a lot of awards in showbiz. If you want to prove your worth, please manage Star Records Entertainment well." Graham''s expression changed. "D-Do you own it?" Chapter 1617 ¡°To be exact, it''s one of the Fordham family''s secret business." That statement alone was enough for Graham to understand everything. He thought his smooth sailing career in showbiz was owed to his capability, thinking that his encounter with an excellent manager wasn''t just pure luck. The first drama he starred in was of top quality as well. How could there be so many coincidences? Someone was there to help behind the scenes. "It was you." Graham didn''t expect that his father wasn''t the one protecting him this entire time but the uncle he looked down on! Graham shut his eyes. "So you''re the actual owner of Star Records Entertainment. I didn''t know that." ¡°As a veteran, you know the rules in showbiz.So, you''re the most dependable person I can entrust Star Records Entertainment to.Your grandfather and I talked about it too." Graham tightly clenched the hem of his shirt as his emotions churned in him.He didn''t know how to express his feelings at the moment. Simr to Henley, Graham couldn''t believe what was transpiring right now. This wasn''t what they were expecting! Graham had always seen David as an autocratic, prideful, and power -abusing man. To think that the same man had actually been protecting him in secret? Unbelievable! Instead of exining it further, David looked at Henley. "Terrence has been working for me for many years.I personally trained him.You can ask him anything about the Fordham family business. "I''ve handed over the official seal, the key to the drawer of important documents, and the safe password.Dad adopted him.You can trust him." "You..." Henley parted his lips, but nothing came out of him. Something invisible was sitting on his chest. "You and Graham are the same.You''re too straightforward and will never back down.It''s easy to offend people in the business world like this.Now that I won''t be cleaning up your mess anymore, think before you do anything from now onward. ¡°Emery, you and your wife are into arts.Once I''m gone, you and Sawyer have to stay in the Fordham residence.The Fordham family is running too many businesses at once.You guys should manage the household and family business together to prosper." Emery, who had always been an emotional person, grabbed David''s hand with reddened eyes. "I was wrong, David.I know Henley has always disliked you, but I thought you''d surely take care of everything because you''re that good.If I had known this day woulde, I would''ve stopped him from doing that." ¡°David, don''t go! We can''t do it without you! Henley, say something! This is all your fault! Are you not happy enough? Do you really want to force him to go?" Henley was equally flustered.He didn''t mean anything bad.He was merely dispirited after living in David''s shadow all these years.His sole wish was to prove that he was as good as David. That was why he did everything he could to drive David''s family out of the family. Yet, David had always been thinking for the Fordhams. He even gave up on his inheritance right after knowing Henley''s intention. David looked at the bigger picture and, inparison, Henley appeared like a clown. "I...I was just..." Henley was trying to find the words to exin himself, but nothing could be done to change David''s decision. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. David had made up his mind. He said, "Enough.It''s not entirely his fault.I''ve always been intending to step down from this position.The responsibility is too huge, and I''m really exhausted. "The family will be counting on you in the future, Henley.Take this one billion dors.I''ll have nothing to do with the Fordham family anymore." Chapter 1618 "David, no matter what happens, you''ll always be our brother. Nothing can change this." "I know our sister-inw is in trouble. If you need anything, just tell us." David waved his hand. "1 appreciate it. You may take your leave first. I have something personal to take care of." Emery and Sawyer glimpsed at Linus before leaving. Henley''s family didn''t budge at all. Shock riveted them at the spot. "You guys should leave too." Henley had mixed feelings about this. He seemed to have lost the battle as he couldn''t gain ownership of David''spany. But he became the head of the family instead! To say that he had won, he didn''t feel happy in the slightest. Things shouldn''t have turned out this way. He didn''t want any of this to happen! Driving David''s family out of the family had always been his wish. He spent his whole life trying to achieve it. In the end, his attacks turned out to be nothing. "David Fordham, don''t expect me to be grateful for you, I..." He didn''t intend to say that, but the words twisted when they reached his mouth. "Dad, stop." Graham nudged him. David advised seriously, "Graham, help your father when I''m no longer around. Your grandfather spent his whole life building up everything. From N?velDrama.Org. Don''t let him down." "Uncle David..." Graham muttered. All those times he averted the crisis in his career were thanks to David''s support. He couldn''t possibly regret it more than he was now. "I''m sorry." David sighed. "You may leave." He didn''t want to say much about it. Just like that, Graham pulled David away. 1 The moment the door was closed, the noise was shut out beyond the door. David''s family was the only people left in the room. No matter how foolish Jacqueline could be, she could tell that it was a trap. If David could casually give Henley''s family one billion dors, how could he not have the money to buy the shares? He even made ns to cut ties with the Fordham family! Yet, he lied to her and said that he would let her be the head of the house! Silence filled the air as most of them gazed at Jacqueline. Now, she finally realized that her identity was exposed a long time ago. Run? She was already in the trap, though. Sitting there, she fished out a packet of cigarettes. There was no point acting at this point. After lighting the tip of a cigarette, she inhaled it and breathed out acloud of smoke. "Is it fun ying a fool with a youngdy like me?" Herposure impressed Olivia. It was no wonder Jacqueline could attempt so many assassinations on her without leaving a trace. Unable to take it anymore, Sean mmed the table. You were the one ying a fool of us!" Jacqueline continued smoking. "When did you guys know?" "If you didn''t want anyone to find out about it, you shouldn''t have even started it." The person speaking was the woman standing behind David. Her ordinary face would make it easy for her to mingle around with acrowd. However, her voice sounded the same as Olivia''s. Jacqueline''s eyes widened. "You..." Olivia walked over while tearing the mask off her face to reveal the same face Jacqueline had. "Jacqueline Fordham, what does it feel like to use my face?" Olivia coldly asked. Chapter 1619 Jacqueline was slightly surprised as she thought that she had hidden the truth well. But Olivia had long known of the truth, including Jacqueline''s face. Olivia tossed a stack of documents about Jacqueline''s stic surgery records. "You''re a dedicated one, aren''t you? You underwent so many stic surgeries since you were young until your face finally looks like mine. "But the fake can never be real. No matter how many times you fix your face, you can never be the real me. The same goes for your identity. Regardless of how hard you work for it, it''s fake." "Since when did you find out?" "I don''t mind telling you this. If it weren''t for the chaos in the Fordham family and the revtion that Dad''s not Mr. Dous'' biological son, I would never have known. You almost deceived me. "Jacqueline Fordham, have you never regretted the things you did to them?" Olivia slowly marched toward Jacqueline, getting closer and closer. "You tried to kill me again and again. And you killed my closest people. I barely saved my babies when I was pregnant!" Troy shouted, "What about my hands, Sean''s legs, and Quinn! How are you going to atone for your sins?" Sean was so upset. "Jacqueline Fordham, even though you''re not our biological sister, we treated you like family since you were young. We gave you everything you wanted. We grew up together, but how could you do this? Did you kill Quinn?" Jacqueline discarded the cigarette and let out a bitter smile. " What''s the use of saying all this? The winner ascends to the throne while the loser must be ousted. I''ve lost." "You have to tell us what happened to Quinn! We don''t know a thing about her death. Were you involved in it?" "T was. If you want to me someone, me her for being too kind. She trusted people way too easily. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She was definitely the type to be blinded by love. Who else should I deceive if not her? She chose to elope with him, and I simply gave her a n. "IT didn''t expect her to be that stupid. She abandoned her family just for aman. Someone as stupid as her had iting." Sean pped her right in the face without holding himself back. " You witch!" Looking at his healed legs, Jacqueline beamed. "Don''t think so highly of yourself. You lied to me too. Your legs recovered a long time ago. I was just one step behind¡ªno¡ªGod chose not to be on my side! I nned this for so many years, and I was almost there!" This time, it was David who pped her. "You haven''t repented, huh? You''re not one of the family, but ask yourself, have we ever treated you wrongly all these years? "Our family business is massive. As long as you didn''t hurt anyone, we could''ve epted you. But you chose to hurt us and me others. How preposterous!" "Dad, do you think I had other options? She brainwashed me ever since I could remember. If I didn''t do as she said, I would''ve died!" Jacqueline barked. She stood up and pointed at Olivia''s nose. "You''re Ms. Fordham and what am I? I''m someone who should''ve died in the mountains for being born as a girl! "I might''ve taken your ce for many years, but Jeff gave you all his love. You''re still that loved Ms. Fordham! You even met a man who loves you. But what about me? What do I have? 1 "Deborah is a psychopath. She''s obsessive. I was just a child. What choice did I have? You guys are so self-conceited! Have you ever tried to understand my pain?" Chapter 1620 Jacqueline thought that she had enough reasons to justify her decisions. She was even crying! "I''m not like you.I wasn''t born to be a loved princess.Women from rural areas like me have to work our asses off unless we want to live in hell. ¡°Many of them were sold off to single old men by their parents before they turned adults.They became a tool to give birth to babies. Deborah gave me a new life, and I followed her orders. That was the only way for me to survive! ¡°On the other hand, you guys were born to be the winners in life.You don''t have to lift a finger to own everything.But me? What can Ido?" Olivia growled, "You''re still making excuses to clean your name.So calctive and pretentious despite your young age.How ridiculous.The family you''re born into shouldn''t be the reason to justify your actions.You can''t gloss over all the things you did to me in the past!" Two years ago, Olivia found out why she was at thest stage of cancer at such a young age. Cancer cells couldn''t be formed overnight. They also needed a certain environment to be formed. Since young, Jeff had pampered her with love and care. After their family announced bankruptcy, she worked hard. It was a rough patch, but her condition shouldn''t have deteriorated that quickly in such a short period. That left her with one answer. She was drugged with carcinogenic drugs a long time ago. The change in her marriage life was merely the fuse to the turn in her life. If she had gone for a check-up sooner, she would''ve been able to notice it earlier on. However, Olivia''s family happened to fall from grace at that time. Jeff''s medical bills alone were enough to have her busy with work. There was no time for her to go for a medical check-up. Jacqueline thought that Olivia would die quietly due to cancer. That was the best way to kill someone. No one would smell the rat. Even Olivia herself didn''t think that it was a conspiracy. She simply assumed that it was her bad luck or Ethan''s fault. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Yet, Jacqueline was surprised to know how lucky Olivia was. Olivia was clearly on the brink of death, but she didn''t die! 2 That was when Jacqueline orchestrated the following events, including the assassination attempts. However, Lady Luck smiled upon Olivia. She was able to live until today, and her condition was getting better! Jacqueline regretted it.She red at Olivia. "This is so unfair.You were so close to death! Looks like I don''t have the chance to be a winner in life.Just kill me.Everything was written in the stars.If Jacqueline hadn''t done so many things, Olivia might''ve not looked into her true identity. ¡°Kill you? No way." Jacqueline''s hands were stained with blood. It would be doing her a favor to exterminate her. ¡°I''m going to return the favor many times fold.My adoptive father, Mona... Do you know how painful it was to live with cancer? The thought of Jeff, Mona, and her painful past suffocated Olivia. Noticing that Olivia was shaking in anger, Linus quickly stepped forward to hold her shoulders. "Calm down, Olivia.It''s in the past." Only then did she withdraw herself from her painful memories. "Uncle Linus," she murmured in a hoarse voice. He hugged her. "It''s alright.Everything''s in the past now." Her body was trembling uncontrobly. She finally found the mastermind! "I''m going to shred her into pieces, but that would be too lenient for her." Not even death could atone for Jacqueline''s sins. Chapter 1621 The Fordhams surrounded Jacqueline like menacing tigers. The briddling resentment in them was screaming to kill her. David took a deep breath, suppressing the murderous intent in him. ¡°Jacqueline, I want you to tell us Toxic Hive''s hiding spot and what Deborah has done all these years. I want you to lure her out too." That was the only reason they let her live. Jacqueline sneered. "You tried so hard to take away all my savings. I have nothing now, so what''s the point of telling you that? It''s just a matter of time before I die." She was trying to guess what they plotting. "I do have all the documents and data from Toxic Hive. Unless you spare my life, I''ll kill myself." Aclever person would always fight for a way to survive during hardships. Like a seed on a cliff, she was determined to grow higher and higher no matter how bad the environment was. It was unfortunate that she stooped so low just for her benefit. She forsook morality and lost her conscience. She was inhumane, a mere monster driven by desire. Sean pped her again. "In your dreams! You''ve hurt so many people all these years and yet you''re asking us to spare your life? Not achance! It''s best youe clean with us. Don''t force us to take legal action on you." Astreak of blood adorned the corner of her lips. Unlike before, she no longer whined at her brothers. That was an act to maintain her image; a necessary act to gain some benefit. Since whining would no longer put her in favor, she wouldn''t do it again. A grin stered on her face instead. She seemed calm. From N?velDrama.Org. "Can''t believe you call yourselves righteous when all of you are bullying a woman. Do you even call yourselves a man? No wonder your family is dysfunctional." Sean''s chest heaved up and down due to anger. "Jacqueline Fordham, do you think that we won''t hurt you?" The biggest difference between humans and beasts was human nature, but not everyone had that. Jacqueline was one of them. At that moment, the door opened to reveal a man and a woman. The handsome man stood tall, but his expression was rigid. The woman next to him appeared delicate, but her expression expressed the same old numbness. "Let me do it," Leia suggested. Jacqueline could be said to be a viiness, but Leia was as bad as she was. Jacqueline''s expression changed when she saw Leia. Her first victims were here, and she knew how crazy Leia was. Back when the Fordham family members were the only ones who knew Avery''s illness, Jacqueline drugged him without Leia''s knowledge. Avery was the world to Leia. In addition to that, Jacqueline had lied to Leia, and that ruined Ethan''s family. With all the resentment piled up, Leia would never let Jacqueline off the hook. Leia stood in front of the Fordham family, announcing seriously, " Mr. David, she lied to me so that I would do all those bad things. I''ve realized my mistakes and would like to make up for them. "You might take pity on her since you raised her, so why not hand her over to me? I''ll gain the information you want from her." Chapter 1622 An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; a ruthless person should be handled by another ruthless person. From N?velDrama.Org. Jacqueline couldn''t believe her ears when Leia requested to have her handed over. Even if the Fordhams resented her to the bones, they upheld morality. But Leia was different. She was the most cruel person among the researchers in Toxic Hive. To make things worse, Jacqueline had a record of harming Avery and lying to her. Leia would never let Jacqueline off the hook that easily. On top of that, Leia wouldn''t show mercy when it came to the interrogation. Jacqueline was dead meat. "No, Dad! Guys, don''t hand me over to her for old times'' sake. She''s a monster!" The Fordhams, who were hesitant at first, made up their mind when they noticed how much Leia feared Jacqueline. 2 Wearing a lifeless expression, Leia slowly walked up to Jacqueline. Jacqueline attempted to escape, but Linus was quick enough to yank her back. The murderous intent loomed over her. His towering stature and strong presence overwhelmed her. With a single swing from him, her body hit the table, causing the documents to scatter on the floor. Men were born physically stronger than women Her back hurt so much that she couldn''t speak. Linus looked down at her. "Where are you trying to go?" "I... 1..." She couldn''t say anything. Suddenly, her arm stung. Leia had injected a syringe into her! By the time Jacqueline realized what was going on, the liquid was injected into her body. "Leia Miller, what was that!" Leia smirked coldly. "Something that''ll make you confess everything that you''ve done." Although Leia held a high position in Toxic Hive, Deborah and Jacqueline put their guard up because of her identity. Aside from some research and work, Leia couldn''t ess the core secrets of the organization. Jacqueline couldn''t die here. The Fordhams needed a lot of information from her. There was no way Brandon was unrted to Deborah''s and Jacqueline''s long-year n. He was missing, and no one could find him. Linus gave the two bodyguards a look, hinting at them to follow Leia. It would be easier to gain information from Jacqueline if they employed Toxic Hive''s method. Jacqueline was taken away with her face covered. The Fordham family issue had also finallye to a temporary conclusion. The family members were the only ones left in the meeting room. David stretched out his arm toward Olivia, and she took his hand. " Dad." "Sorry for letting someone else take your ce for so many years." She shook her head as she didn''t mind it. David passed a stack of documents to her. These shares were supposed to belong to Jacqueline. They include part of my and your brothers'' shares. I''ve drafted a share transfer agreement. When the agreement bes effective, Fordham Group will belong to you." Jaw going ck, she waved her hands. "Dad, I''ve never thought of taking over thepany. Plus, I don''t know much about it either. I _W "Avery owns a lot ofpanies. He''s in a bad state too. He needs rest. And you know Troy''s condition. Sean has always disliked this kind of thing. This is not only to make up for you, but it''s also rightfully yours. You''re my daughter." Then, David nced at Ethan. "My daughter doesn''t have to walk on eggshells for anyone. From now onward, you''ll be the heir of Fordham Group. You can do whatever you want. No one can bully you." Chapter 1623 Olivia''s sole wish was to reunite with her real family, nothing more. She didn''t expect David to prepare such a huge gift! She hade so close to death several times in life until this day came, the day she found her real family. Money and assets didn''t appear to be that importantpared to family. Avery stroked her head. "Don''t see it as a burden. We weren''t by your side during your hardest time. We weren''t part of your life journey." Sean hugged her too. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "It won''t be that way anymore. You have us now, your family." That was the word she wanted to hear the most¡ªfamily. Olivia hugged them back and couldn''t fight back her tears anymore. She had grown stronger, but she couldn''t seem to control her emotions these days. Things were not as bad as they seemed. Quietly, Linus watched the family reunion. He was genuinely happy for Olivia. Although she had reunited with the Heath family back in Aldenvine, Linus could tell that she held a regret that couldn''t seem to go away. Now, it seemed like the regret wouldn''t weigh her down as much as before. David''s decision to cut ties with the Fordham family was out of everyone''s expectations. Although things, including Linus'' arrival, were going ording to his n, he didn''t expect his wife to be dragged into this. David used every connection of his to look for her. However, Brandon had been using a fake identity the entire time and had left no trace behind. So there was no clue to lead them to him. Their only hope was Jacqueline. How much did she know? She was locked up in an abandoned mansion. The Fordhams stil] had to clean up Henley''s mess, so Olivia left thepany first. In the car, she was unusually quiet. After officially reuniting with her family, her emotions returned to tranquility. There was even a tinge of sorrow. Someone held her hand. "Something on your mind?" asked Ethan with Willow on hisp. Olivia watched the fleeting scenery outside the window, muttering, "In the past, I thought that my life would beplete as long as I could survive. When I survived and met the Heath family, I wanted more. "I wanted to find my real family. And I''ve found them. They treat me well, but I don''t feel as happy as I should be." "Are you afraid?" Ethan was the person who knew her the most. She nodded. "I thought rainbows woulde after the rain and I could reach the top of the mountain as long as I put in effort. But there are higher mountains after this one. The future is bing unsettling to me." Ethan pulled her into his arms. "It is scary that we don''t knowa thing about the future, but that''s the same reason to be hopeful. It''s those mountains that force us to move forward and be stronger. By the time you look back at the past, you''ll realize that you''ve surmounted them. "Don''t be afraid, Liv. You won''t be alone in the future anymore. You have me, the kids, and your family by your side." Olivia inteced her fingers with his and hummed in response. Willow ced her hand on theirs. Her determined eyes were assuring Olivia that she would be by her side too. Olivia, who was at a loss in the face of the future, grew confident as she looked at them. "I''ll find Mom," she swore. "Don''t worry. Brandon loves her to the bones. She''s safe for now. We still have time," Ethan assured. "Before this, I have to settle the score with Jacqueline." Chapter 1624 Dark cloudsyered even before the night dawned. It was going to rain soon. Olivia rushed to the mansion in the suburbs. Before she arrived, she could already see men guarding the area. Other than men from the Fordham family, some bodyguards worked for the Miller and Heath families. It was Jacqueline''s "honor." Men from three families watched the vicinity. Not even a rat could sneak into the building. Kelvin opened the car door. Ethan got out of the car with Willow in his arms. She was an independent child, but he was used to carrying her around. "Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller, Ms. Willow." It warmed Kelvin''s heart to see them together. Everyone knew what kind of hardships they had gone through toe this far. Finally, there was a rainbow after the rain. "How''s Jacqueline doing?" "Ms. Leia is inside. She doesn''t allow us to enter, but..." Kelvin paused momentarily. "I don''t think Jacqueline''s doing fine. We can hear her screaming from the outside. Ms. Leia is one cruel woman." Olivia had experienced Leia''s mercilessness firsthand. If Leia interrogated Jacqueline using the same method she used on Olivia, would Jacqueline be able to handle it? 1 Olivia wondered how Jacqueline would feel. She looked at Willow. "Willow, I still have something to do. Could you wait for me with your father here?" Willow was born different, but she was a child to Olivia regardless. Olivia couldn''t bring herself to let Willowe anywhere close to the dark side of the world. Shaking her head, Willow freed herself from Ethan to gesture a response. "Jacqueline has been cursed with a spell." Willow had reminded Olivia about it before. Olivia didn''t know spells that well, but Willow did. "We''ll keep youpany," Ethan assured. "Okay. Take care of her. Don''t let her see anything too gory." "Got it." Ethan held Willow''s hand. "Let''s keep your motherpany." In the past, Olivia took a dark and dangerous route all by herself. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. But she wasn''t going to make the same mistake again. She had more and more people by her side; she was no longer alone. There were only two functional lights along the corridor in the run -down mansion. They found the ce at the veryst minute. A faint musty smell filled the building. Spider webs were hanging below the staircase in the corner. A moth was trapped in the middle of the web, struggling vigorously to free itself. However, its instinctive action only made the web coil more around it. The spider web was shaking due to the vigorous movement of the moth. At the edge of it stood a huge ck spider staring at the moth quietly as if it was gloating at the moth''s actions. Ascream filled the air, adding spookiness to the old mansion. Olivia opened the door and blocked Willow''s view by standing in front of her. The room was dark as the lights weren''t turned on. Only a ray of sunlight shone into the room from the window. There were two people in the room. One of them was kneeling while the other was standing. The person standing was Leia. Olivia could only see her back, not her expression. Jacqueline was on her knees. Red liquid painted the floor beneath her. The room reeked of the smell of blood. Iron chains fettered her limbs. She slowly lifted her head at the sound of the door opening. Her cascading hair covered her face, revealing only a pair of eyes. They seemed lifeless. A streak of blood adorned the corner of her lips, and she looked feeble. "You''vee." 2 Chapter 1625 Olivia walked toward Jacqueline. Awkwardness and guilt filled Leia when she noticed Olivia''s presence. Olivia was her sister-inw, but she drove the couple to a divorce with her bare hands. She even almost killed Olivia! Biting her lip, she didn''t know how to face Olivia. Leia didn''t have the courage to look Olivia in the eye. Silently, she stood in a corner while feeling uneasy. Olivia already did Leia a favor by sparing her life. Naturally, she wouldn''t greet Leia. Ignorance¡ªthat was Olivia''s choice. She bypassed Leia toe to Jacqueline. There were no obtrusive wounds on her. Olivia fixed her gaze on Jacqueline''s fingertips, which were bleeding. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Blood dripped onto the wooden floor, sttering into a striking red flower. "What lowly methods.If you want to kill me, do it properly." Olivia lowered her gaze expressionlessly. She kept staring at Jacqueline, and she did it so calmly that Jacqueline was spooked by that gaze. "What are you looking at me for? Stop pretending.Don''t you want to kill me? You hate me to the bones." "I was just thinking about the day I first met you.You were so bright and elegant," reminisced Olivia. The first time she met Jacqueline, other than that familiar face, Jacqueline''s self-confidence drew her in. "How could such a lively personmit to such cruel deeds?" Olivia''s tranquility looked so out of the picture as Jacquline seemed so worn out from the suffering. Jacqueline had lived half of her life with pride. She''d feel better if Olivia opted for a direct confrontation for revenge. Yet, Olivia seemed surprisingly calm. She was so calm that it agitated Jacqueline. Jacqueline learned mannerisms from a young age. Although her identity was fake, it was a fact that she attended those systematic mannerism lessons. Now that Olivia was standing before her, her true nature came to the surface. Olivia looked at her. It was as if their identities had never switched since the beginning. One was a talented woman who lived with dignity; one was a woman who came from a humble family with a low status. The inherent inferiority and self-doubt were in Jacqueline''s blood despite the years of luxurious life she had. She smirked. "That was the first time you met me.You didn''t know that I met you along time ago." That year, after finding out about her true identity, she begged Deborah to tell her where the real Ms.Fordham was. She traveled to Aldenvine and met the little girl whose fate was switched with hers. Olivia was ying the piano in public. The silver sequined dressplemented her beautiful features as her fingers ran across the piano keys with confidence. Even though Jacqueline had learned how to y the piano, she couldn''t help but admit that the girl in the spotlight was born to be the main character on stage. Jacqueline, who had stolen that spotlight from Olivia, hid in a dark corner and watched Olivia quietly. After reading Olivia''s personal information, Jacqueline realized that Jeff''s family wasn''t that rich. But he raised her like a princess. Olivia had everything she needed and wanted. At first, Jaquelineforted herself that this should be for the best. The fact that Olivia didn''t suffer gave sce to her guilt. However, she frequented Aldenvine as though magic was cast on her. Olivia won a lot of awards. As the biological daughter of the Fordham family, she was no different from her talented brothers. Olivia was so dazzling that she became an eyesore to Jacqueline. Jacqueline began topare herself to Olivia. Those awards might seem hard-won to her, but Olivia could win them so easily. Life could be unfair sometimes. One percent of talent could beat 99 percent of effort. Jacqueline watched Olivia grow up and watched how she grew more and more like David. That was when the unforbidden notion sprouted in her¡ªkill Olivia. Chapter 1626 Jacqueline licked her chapped lips. "You know something? I felt sorry for you at first. I even had the urge to do something to make up for it. But I realized that you were living a good life in Aldenvine. Smart and pretty, you inherited the genes from the Fordham family perfectly. You made me seem like a fool. "I felt angry and secretlypared myself to you. I wanted to win you in everything, but you were beyond my reach. Even if it was just hobbies, you became the top in the field so easily. My effort seemed to be nothing inparison. "Your father and the people around you loved you. You skipped grades and made a breakthrough. People called you the talented doctor. There was also a man like Ethan who loved you. Even though our identities were switched, luck was always on your side. You have the best in everything in life." Olivia gave her an indifferent gaze, finding that hrious. "So you think that I should apologize to you?" "That gaze again? Olivia Fordham, do you know that I hate this gaze of yours the most? It''s absolutely infuriating that you can maintain that superior attitude no matter what happens. Do you know how difficult it was for me to live with your family? "IT was born ordinary. I had to spend days and months and years learning the things that they could pick up so easily. I spent a lot of my time learning." "Wow, should I award you a Model Award?" Olivia gripped Jacqueline''s neck tightly. She even lifted the woman. "You took away my ce, stole my family''s love, ruined my marriage, made me fall terminally ill, made me give birth to my children before it was time, almost killed my children, and murdered Mona and Snowball. You ruined my life! "Do you know how painful chemotherapy is? Do you know how much I suffered from gastric pain and hemorrhage? Do you know the torture I felt when J almost chose to abort my child just to survive? "Your greed turned everything into a mess and drove me to throes of excruciating pain. And you''re trying to act pitiful after all that? How shameless!" Olivia''s pent-up emotions exploded as she red at Jacqueline. She continued, "Why did you have such an evil heart at such a young age? Mona was killed by the mercenaries you hired. She died trying to protect me! "Do you know how she was at that time? She wasn''t even 23! She hadn''t even dated or gotten married to the man she loved. She wasn''t even a mother. Her life was just about to start. "But you ended her life so soon. Everything in me is screaming to skin you alive, Jacqueline Fordham. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. These grudges suffocate me so much that I can''t get a good night''s sleep. I''ve been waiting for this day toe for so long." Olivia''s fingers slowly tightened around Jacqueline''s neck, depriving her of oxygen. Right then, Ethan reminded her, "Don''t fall for her trap, Liv! There are many ways to torture her, but killing her isn''t one of them. Killing her would be doing her a favor." His voice pulled Olivia back from the storm of resentment. She released Jacqueline, causing her body to m onto the floor. Jacqueline red at Ethan as if ming him for ruining her n. " You''re just a pitiful dog, Ethan Miller! Do you think she''ll forgive you after what you did? I''m telling you ¡ªin your dreams! Many people died because of the two of you. There''s no way things can return to how they used to be." Ethan kicked her in the chest, sending her flying and mming against the wall. 1 Chapter 1627 Ethan might be an indifferent man, but he was a gentleman who never hurt women. Judging from how he broke his principles and kicked Jacqueline, it seemed like his patience had reached rock bottom. He didn''t hold himself back during the kick. Jacqueline''s back mmed against the wall so hard that it made a heavy thud and was apanied by the shrill sound of the iron chains. From the wall, she rolled on the ground and coughed blood. Putting up with the pain, she slowly raised her head. Her pale lips looked more appalling due to the blood over them. She smirked, the pain electrifying her body not bothering her. "Did I say something wrong? I know what you did. I know everything. "Do you know what kind of people the Fordhams are? They''re very protective of their family. Just with the things you''ve done alone, they''ll never forgive you. Are you hoping for a remarriage? In your dreams! "You were a fool not to believe your wife and letting yourself fooled by outsiders. This is the consequences ungrateful men like you should have!" Olivia stood in front of Ethan. "Don''t listen to her. She''s just trying to make us mad." "I know." Ethan wasn''t that stupid to kill Jacqueline with one kick. He looked at Leia. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Did she say anything?" She shook her head. "She''s tight-lipped. She hadn''t said anything yet for now." "Leave it to me. You guys may leave," Olivia instructed indifferently. Leia was reluctant, but Ethan gave her a look. "Let''s go." Before leaving, he exchanged gazes with Willow. She was young, but she had a way to deal with spells. If Willow was with Olivia, Ethan wouldn''t have much to worry about. The door closed, leaving only three of them in the room. Willow stood in acorner unobtrusively. No one paid attention to her. Jacqueline wiped the blood off the corner of her lips, grinning crazily. ¡°Olivia Fordham, don''t think that it''s your win already. At the end of the day, it''s just death. "Those dead people can nevere back to life. Nothing can be done to revoke the damage done. I killed so many people all by myself. It''s my win, you fools!" "But I won''t let you die." Olivia approached her. "Don''t wanna say it? Fine. I might as well spend more time with you. I''l] find out where my mom is. No matter what happens, your fate is sealed." Olivia suddenly took out a syringe. Jacqueline''s eyes widened in fear. "What is that..." "Something nice. You fed me cancerous drug that year, didn''t you? I did some innovations on it. Your drug needs a year or more to be effective, but mine doesn''t." 1 Olivia pushed the syringe, and a drop of liquid spilled out of the tip of it. She added calmly, "There''s a huge amount of carcinogens in it. It''ll take only seven days to activate the cancerous cells in you.¡± There were cancerous cells in the human body. They just needed something to activate them. It could happen because of bad habits or the rapid growth of a sudden mutation in the body. Jacqueline knew that Olivia was going to torture her, but not this way! "I won''t tell you anything, Olivia Fordham!" "It doesn''t matter anymore. I just want to torture you and make you feel sick all day. Have a taste of your own medicine, Jacqueline. " As Olivia came closer to her, Jacqueline subconsciously retreated backward. "S-Stay away from me!" Chapter 1628 Olivia looked at Jacqueline with a disdainful smile. "Scared? I thought you didn''t feel fear. 1 won''t kill you, Jacqueline Fordham. I''ll make you watch your hard-won prizes vanish from your sight. You should know how it feels like to be at your wit''s end." "You can''t do this to me, Olivia! This is torture! This is against humanity!" "Humanity? Why should I treat you like a human?" Olivia yanked Jacqueline over by the wrist. Jacquline couldn''t break free due to the chains, and she was barely breathing from Leia''s torture before Olivia''s arrival. All she could do was to watch Olivia inject the cold liquid into her arm. The syringe soon emptied. "I wanted to kill you even before I found out that you were my enemy." Olivia flung away Jacqueline''s arm. Olivia pinched Jacqueline''s chin. "I know you''re smart. Family is not the thing you care about the most. Love is not it either. It''s an abundance of wealth and power. You worked so hard just to escape from poverty, that poor ce you were born in. "It surely wasn''t easy to afford all those expensive clothes, was it? Well, I''ll strip them off you one by one. Let''s start with your face." Olivia''s fingers traced along Jacqueline''s cheek. "Have you forgotten what your face looked like? You''ve used my face for so long. It''s alright. I''ll help you remember." "You don''t know what I looked like in the past!" Jacqueline barked. "Oh really?" Olivia took her phone out. "Let me show you something interesting.¡± They were photos of the young Jacqueline. However, thest few photos were that of the face of a stranger. At first nce, those were Jacqueline''s biological parents from the mountains! There were photos of her two younger brothers and elder sister too! Jacqueline recognized them at a single nce. "They live in a rural area. How did you find them?" She was dubious. "There are no secrets in this world. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. You''re so cruel, Jacqueline. You could''ve let them live a good life, but you didn''t. Your younger brothers have never seen the world outside those mountains. They''re so poor that they can''t find themselves a wife." Jacqueline scowled. "You want me to feed them? No way. Those two old fogeys almost strangled me to death because I was born a girl! Since they wanted a son that much, I wanted to see how my brothers could make a footing in society. I''m not as generous as you are." "I''m d to hear that." Olivia showed thest photo. "This photo is Al- generated with the photos of your younger self and your family. I''ll contact the best stic surgeon for you. You should look like yourself for once and for all." 1 Compared to getting killed, seeing her old photos was more torturing to Jacqueline. "Please don''t do this to me. Don''t you want to know where Deborah is? I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you everything!" To deal with someone like Jacqueline, stripping her mask off worked better than physical torture. "Great. Other than that, I want to know about Brandon. Where did he hide my mother?" As soon as she said that, Olivia heard themotion outside. "What''s happening out there?" Willow pointed at the sky through the window. A swarm of bugs flew at full pelt, forming a ck moving cloud in the sky. Due to the distance and the small size of the bugs, Olivia couldn''t discern what kind of bugs they were. Jacqueline smirked creepily. "All of you are going to die here today, Olivia." Chapter 1629 Olivia recalled Willow''s words about the spell on Jacqueline. Strangely enough, Jacqueline was all tied up. She couldn''t do anything to manipte the bugs. "No. She''s not a witch. It''s because of the spell!" Olivia figured it out. Willow nodded in agreement. "Hurry! Tell those people toe inside" Jacqueline didn''t pose that much threat, but the spell on her could work as a tracker. The witch could track down her whereabouts urately. Those densely packed bugs surely weren''t a good sign. The other party might intend to exterminate all of them. Once the guards were killed, the other party could take away Jacqueline easily. In the past, Olivia might have thought such tales were a myth and wondered how scary a bunch of bugs could be. However, her experience told her otherwise. The vige where she and Willow once stayed was an isted residence of the minoritymunity that had remained hidden from the world for a thousand years. The vigers were most skilled in spells. Willow was born after a difficultbor, in which Olivia nearly lost her life due to severe bleeding. In addition to Willow''s green eyes, the vigers believed that she was a divine gift. When Willow was born, the vigers cast a banned spell to protect her. That was why poison and spells would never fear her. Furthermore, they would teach Willow spells during their free time as the vige was located in nature. Olivia tried to learn, but she didn''t have the talent for it. Although she couldn''t learn it, she had witnessed how powerful a spell could be. A simple spell could basically manipte a human. The legendary killer that topped the killer charts was said to be invisible. Even without the use of weapons, he never left a trace whenever he murdered someone. Olivia had enough reasons to believe that he could cast spells too, but he was mysterious. His origin was a mystery, and he rarely epted missions. Although it had been years since hest epted missions, stories of him spread like legend within the circle. 1 After knowing all this, Olivia would never underestimate a puny bug anymore. It was no wonder Jacqueline was fearless. She knew that someone woulde to save her! "How about I impart some knowledge, Olivia? Those bugs are cultivated to kill people. They''ve been fed with a thousand kinds of poisons since they were young. Every part of them is poisonous. Once they enter a human''s body, the person will instantly die of poisoning. "Hiding in a building won''t help. As long as I''m here, they''ll finda way to intrude on the building no matter how small the crevice is. 1 wonder how many crevices we can find in this run-down mansion? She caught a breath before continuing, "They''re not only very poisonous, but they''re intrusive too. They''ll squeeze their way into every hole they see. From the nose, ears, and mouth, they''ll find their way to get to the human brain and heart. "Have you seen anyone having their heart eaten up? I''ll show you how it works today." Olivia rushed out of the room. Willow could cast spells, but she didn''t bring any cursed items along with her. Olivia shouted, ''''Get inside the building! Don''t touch the bugs! You''ll die!" None of the people outside retreated. Ethan had realized the problem earlier on. His back remained straight despite the urgency of the situation. "Ethan, do you hear me? Those are trained cursed bugs! Just one of them is enough to kill you! Tell your men to retreat!" she urged.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. He shed her a gentle smile instead. "My men don''t have that option, Liv." At the same time, a line of people saluted professionally. "We''re ready, sir." Olivia noticed that many of them were geared with methrowers. With a single order from Ethan, the methrowers projected streams of me into the air, reaching those bugs in the air. Those bugs were burned and fell onto the ground. Olivia pointed at the ground of toasted bugs. "I think... your trump card is gone." Chapter 1630 Things became awkward. Now, Jacqueline felt as humiliated as she felt confident a while ago. Simr to Olivia, Deborah and Jacqueline had never gotten involved in the army, hence their fixed mindset to fight spells with spells. Little did they know, methrowers could put an end to those bugs. The whole process took less than a minute. It was so quick that Jacquline was left dumbfounded. She had personally witnessed how powerful those bugs could be. Yet, it didn''t take long and much to exterminate them! Jacqueline became agitated. "You''re going to get it from me, Olivia! uw Olivia was unbothered. "Enough. Your reinforcements have beenpletely annihted. You''d better be honest with me or I''ll put you on the operating table." Feeling defeated, Jacqueline leaned against the wall. After contemtion, she slowly said, "Fine. There''s not much I can tell you about Brandon. He''s a mystery. He works with us simply to achieve his temporary objectives. "It was kinda funny. Before he kidnapped Mom, I had always thought that he had the same objectives as us¡ªto take over Fordham Group." Olivia growled, "Don''t call her ''Mom''! She treated you so well all these years! As long as you give us more clues, the higher chance there is for us to save her." Jacqueline added, "He''s a genius doctor. He worked with Toxic Hive to invent antiviral drugs. They''re effective but at the cost of serious side effects. People can grow dependent on them, so those drugs were banned. "At the end of the day, it turned out that he was skillful in making poisons! His body is filled with all types of poison. Every time I meet him, I tend to avoid him as much as possible. "Okay, I''ve already told you everything that I know. If you want to capture Deborah, there''s more reason for you to keep me alive. You need me to stay in touch with her and catch them all." "Are you serious about this? She''s your adoptive mother." Olivia doubted. Jacqueline coldly said, "All I know is every human is selfish. She only sees me as a chess piece and nothing more. I think the same of her too. If I help you, could you spare my life? Deborah and Brandon have something going on between them. I bet she knows something that I don''t. "Olivia, I know I was ruthless toward you guys in the past. But put yourself in my shoes. I think you''d make the same decision I did. If I hadn''t helped Deborah, [I wouldn''t have be a subject of her experiment. I didn''t have a choice." "If you help us big time, I won''t let you die that tragically. Tell me, where is she?" Olivia responded. "Before Deborah left, she told me toe along. But I didn''t because I couldn''t bring myself to give up on everything I barely earned after so many years. I cut contact with them one-sidedly, so I don''t know their whereabouts for now. But I can contact the people around her. That''s how we''ll track her down." Noticing Olivia''s hesitation, Jacqueline added, "I''m not trying to trick you. I don''t have a choice here. I want to live, and I know that you''re a kind person. Please, I don''t have anything anymore. Trust me just this one time." "Fine. Last question, who''s the one practicing witchcraft?" "It''s my friend. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He''s good at using spells. He gave me one billion dors on that all-or-nothing bet. I had a n B. If I don''t return in time, he''lle look for me." "So, there''ll be a second wave?" "Yes, but I don''t think it''ll be those bugs again." Chapter 1631 A shrill howl interrupted the conversation from outside. Olivia heard the bells ringing, and Willow ran outside. Some of the bodyguards suddenly sprawled onto the ground. Ethan carried Willow. "Run!" She gestured, assuring him that she wasn''t afraid of this. She freed herself from his embrace. Leia didn''t know much about spells. However, the fact that those people copsed out of the blue surely had something to do with spells. In fact, those bugs were just a feint. Other cursed bugs were used while Olivia''s party was distracted. Ethan was used to using military force in confrontation. However, their radar could only detect drones, not bugs. Some bugs were so tiny that they could enter ahuman body and end someone''s life without them knowing. It might sound like a myth, but those who had experienced it before knew how scary cursed bugs could be. Willow hurriedly rushed to those who had fainted. They all showed simr symptoms¡ªfoam around their mouths, eyes that had rolled back, twitching bodies, and green lips. She slit her palm without hesitation, feeding the affected her blood. Her blood could neutralize many kinds of poisons. She saved Ethan with that before. Leia was dumbstruck. Could a four-year-old child really do that? Willow''s execution was neat, and she did not show a sign of panic. She didn''t lose her cool at all. "Watch out!" Ethan suddenly pushed Leia away. A little green bug was flying in her direction, but his efforts were in vain. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. When it fell to the ground, its color matched with that of the ground. "Better watch out, guys! These bugs can camouge! Don''t let it bite you!" These men had been following Ethan through thick and thin. They had slogged through the most dangerous artillery field; hiked through thick woods; and fought against the strongest mercenaries in the world. But none of ther had ever dealt with bugs! On top of that, they couldn''t detect the bugs with the radars. Those bugs might bite them the moment they put their guard down. Willow was the only person who knew how to curse bugs, but she was busy saving those who had been bitten. It was apetition against death. The medicines wouldn''t work if they were dyed any longer. By the time Olivia noticed that something wasn''t right, it was already toote. There was no point running outside. Jacqueline let out an ominous smile. It was a trick! Jacqueline was simply trying to buy some time by promising that she would confess everything. Like those cursed bugs, it was a mere distraction! Perhaps the deadliest bug had already entered the room. Humans were born with a sixth sense. The more dangerous the situation was, the more heightened their sixth sense would be. Olivia sensed that something was watching her in the dark, something extremely dangerous. Its sheer stare gave her goosebumps! A chill ran down her spine. She didn''t dare to budge an inch. She didn''t know what the thing was, but it put her in a fight or flight mode. Jacqueline was cursed. As long as the curse wasn''t lifted, the enemy would be able to send over waves of cursed bugs again and again. That would not be good for Olivia. Jacqueline, whose hands were still chained, grinned at Olivia. " Olivia, I win." "Not so fast." "Still trying to deny reality? No one can save you today. There''s a Deathsting Bug behind you. We cultivated it with hundreds of poisons for more than ten years. It knows how to read people too." Chapter 1632 Despite her frail state, Jacqueline was over the moon at the thought that the person she hated the most was going to die. Ever since their lives were switched, peace could never settle between them. Only one out of two could survive. Jacqueline knew how heavy the consequences were considering what she had done. The worst case possible would be her dying a tragic death. Either way, it wouldn''t make much difference. It would just be death. Even if she beat Olivia, she would have to deal with the Fordhams, the Heaths, and the Millers. There was nowhere else she could escape to. Everything was going as she had nned. She intentionally promised Olivia to confess everything to buy some time. Meanwhile, Olivia didn''t dare to act recklessly. She focused intently. There were many types of spells, and different people could cultivate different species of poisonous bugs. Still, regardless of the species, the murder could bemitted only if the bug touched human skin. As long as she could dodge before the bug touched her skin, she would be fine. Olivia was in full defense mode. Her face, arms, and neck were exposed to the air. "Oh really?" She remained calm, staring into Jacqueline''s eyes. Suddenly, Olivia sprinted forward. Now, her only and the best shield was Jacqueline! Before the bug flew toward her, she quickly grabbed Jacqueline to block the bug''s way. Right then, Olivia finally had a glimpse of Deathsting Bug''s appearance. It was a bug with an appearance of beyond scientific knowledge. Its body was built of six wings eight legs and two antennae. Two fangs were hanging from its big mouth, and its head was the size of a baby''s fist. That pair of fly-like eyes shone in a glossy green color. Olivia had never seen such a creature before. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The mere sight of it was gross. As the Deathsting Bug bumped into Jacqueline''s stomach, Olivia quickly grabbed a torture tool prepared by Leia and flung it in the bug''s direction. The bug hit the ground. When it was going to fly up again, she stomped it without holding back. Green liquid sttered across the floor, and the room began to reek of rotten smell. It was repulsive. Olivia almost fainted because of the smell. She wondered if the enemy had fed it with hundreds of stink bugs. The foul smell was way too intense! The sound of the bell rang again. Willow and Ethan rushed into the room hurriedly. "Liv, are you alright?" Olivia lifted her foot. The bug''s blood was glued to her shoe. Even though it didn''t touch her skin, she felt awful. "I''m fine. I just took care of a big bug," she cooed. Ethan sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. You got me there." Willow came up to her, gesturing, "Don''t move. It''s poisonous." Common poison wouldn''t scare Olivia, but it could be rare poison. It was best to be cautious. "Okay, got it." Olivia was being very careful. After making sure that it wouldn''te into contact with her skin, she let her foot down. Ethan called someone over to fetch a full set of clothing and shoes for her. That kind of bug was definitely fatally poisonous. Just a single touch might expose one to danger. Before he came closer to her, he noticed that she had slowly lost her smile. Her expression seemed solemn. He had a bad feeling about it. "Liv, what''s wrong?" Herplexion looked bad. She could feel it. There was something else on her neck! She didn''t know what bug it was and didn''t dare to remove it. She stammered, "I..." Before she could finish, her neck stung, and she lost consciousness. " Liv! w Chapter 1633 Chapter 1633 Olivia fainted so suddenly that Ethan couldn''t register the situation yet. All he could do was to make assumptions. She had been the enemy''s target since the beginning. Willow ran toward Olivia''s side. The intense ringing bell gave away how anxious she was. Ethan darted to reach Olivia. He didn''t know spells, so he didn''t know what to do at this time. All he could do was stand right there. He tried to touch her with his hands, but he soon withdrew them. "Willow, w-what happened to your mother?" His voice trembled in concern. A pale-faced Oliviay on the floor as though she was sleeping. While Willow was still checking on Olivia, Jacqueline suddenly blurted from behind, "Stop wasting your time. Olivia''s gonna be gone for good!" She could''ve just stayed silent. Now that she had spoken up, Ethan turned his head and red at her. Before she could react, he grabbed her neck and pinned her against the wall. The iron chains rattled as the back of her head hit the wall. Her head began spinning. The world was turning upside down before her as well. She opened her eyes. The moment she saw Ethan''s eyes, which were brimming with resentment, Jacqueline knew that she was dead meat unless she spilled the beans. "Ethan Miller, if you kill me, don''t think of saving Olivia anymore. She and I are under the same curse¡ªthe Lifebond Curse. There''s only one person who can lift it in this world." When she said that, she could feel him rxing his hand around her neck a little. She licked her blood-stained lips before exining, "There''s another name to it, Love Curse. It was used during the old times. It was formted for women to punish their partner who betrayed them. "But the curse was modified. When it''s cast on two people, their fates are bound to each other. If one dies, the other one dies too. If you kill me, Olivia will die too. Do you know what will happen then?" "What?" Ethan demanded an answer.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "The poison will be reactive and ruin her organs. Everything in her will dissolve likeva. Nothing will be able to save her!" The sheer exnation was disgusting and infuriating. Ethan, who was all riled up, pped her. "You''re the one who should be dead!" Fresh blood trickled down from the corner of her lips, but she smiled nevertheless. "So what? It wasn''t easy for me to escape that mountain. I''ll do whatever it means to stay alive! "Isn''t Olivia the genius? Let''s see if you guys can bring yourselves to let her die with me. Olivia and I will live or die together!" Jacqueline had lost her sanity. Ethan was not far from losing his sanity either. It wasn''t easy for him and Olivia toe this far together. After what she had suffered in the past, she was supposed to be enjoying her life by now. But why was everything going at odds against her and bringing her to death''s door again? Ethan''s eyes lost his focus. There was a voice screaming the same thing in his head¡ªkill Jacqueline. Jacqueline was the cause of everything. She ruined everything! Sheughed. "Well, well, well. I never knew that you''d end up like this, Olivia. I''m going to bring you down to hell together. I like the idea. Let''s die together!" A gun suddenly clicked at her forehead. Herughter stopped. "Go to hell, then." Chapter 1634 Leia grabbed Ethan''s hand. "Calm down, Ethan.We don''t know what''s happening to Olivia.You have to keep Jacqueline alive." He gazed at Olivia, who was lying on the floor. He was so furious that his nerves were protruding at the back of his hand, which was holding the gun tightly. No one knew how much he wished he could shoot that crazy woman at this moment. Seeing his hand slowly drooping, Jacqueline knew that she had won the bet. Olivia was the key for her to escape from here. No one dared to hurt the beloved Olivia; everyone adored her. No matter how much Ethan resented Jacqueline, his best bet was to keep her alive. There was nothing he could do right now. All he could do was to watch Willow check on Olivia. Olivia gestured, "Mom''s safe for now." "Do you know if Jacqueline''s telling the truth?" he asked. She shook her head. "I can''t find out what kind of curse it is just by looking at Mom. But I''m sure that she''s safe for now." Still, concern sat upon her brows. Simr to normal bugs, there were many kinds of cursed bugs. Each kind had different behaviors. Regardless, they needed time to hatch. Willow said, "Let''s head back to Alora Vige." The only person who could save Olivia was Wendy, the olddy who lived in that isted little vige. "Okay.I''ll ask someone to prepare the helicopter." "Bring her with us." Willow pointed at Jacqueline. Although Jacqueline couldn''t understand hand signs, she could roughly tell what Willow was talking about. As Ethan came closer to Jacqueline, she became afraid. "Where are you bringing me to? Ethan Miller, it''s best you listen to me right now.Release me and you can save Olivia.Otherwise, she''ll¡ª" Leia shoved a piece of cloth into Jacqueline''s mouth. It stunk so badly. No one knew what it was used for before this. Jacqueline, who was raised in a rich family, almost threw up right then and there. "Willow, are there cursed bugs around here?" Willow shook her head. "The cursed bugs won''t dare to do anything as long as I''m here." She regretted so much for leaving Oliva''s side. If she had stayed, Olivia wouldn''t have been attacked. It broke Ethan''s heart to see that the little girl was ming herself. He carried her. "It''s not your fault.Don''t me yourself.Mom will be fine." Only then did Jacqueline realize Willow''s true identity. By calcting Willow''s age, she realized that Willow was the baby Olivia gave birth to while suffering from cancer! Jacqueline couldn''t believe it. Olivia was mad! However, she couldn''t exim her thoughts because her mouth was stuffed with acloth. Someone casually tossed her into the helicopter. They didn''t even give her a proper seat. She was lying on the floor like a punching bag. They didn''t care about her dignity. No one expected Olivia to be under attack. What would the cursed bug do to her? Things might go south if they dragged any longer, so they departed instantly. They weren''t in the right state of mind to care about the Fordhams. However, they had to cross the sea to fly to another country. They had to make a prior report to travel to some areas by air. Even though Ethan had sped up the procedures as much as possible, it took them more than 20 hours to arrive at Alora Vige. Willow kept Oliviapany the whole time. The wound on her palm was bandaged, but she hadn''t eaten much. She stayed by Olivia''s side, constantly worried. When she finally saw the familiar ce¡ªthe woods covered in fog ¡ªWillow took out some leaves, which she prepared beforehand. She told them to ce it under their nose, and they entered the ce without trouble. From N?velDrama.Org. As Willow blew her flute, a huge silhouette appeared among the trees. Chapter 1635 The familiar sound called upon Scarlet, who glided its way toward them quickly. Although Kelvin and Brent had met this snake before, its presence never failed to scare them. Its size was that of a small hill. The fact that it was alive and extending its fork tongue still made it hard for them to believe that it was real. When Kelvin met its piercing eyes, he thought he was going to faint. Meanwhile, it was Leia''s first time meeting such a humongous snake, and it was a venomous snake at that. To her surprise, the others didn''t show any intention of dodging it. Willow even tooka few steps forward! "Watch out!" Leia instinctively reached out for Willow. Surprisingly, the snake lowered its head meekly. The huge creature was behaving meekly in front of such a young child! Willow stroked its scale as a sign of greeting. "Long time no see." Leia had experienced many kinds of things in life, but this was by far the most absurd situation she had ever encountered. She couldn''t believe her eyes. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Willow rode it and beckoned at them to follow her. "Let''s go." They had no time to waste. They had to detoxify Olivia. Jacqueline was tired and hungry, but there was nothing that she could do. She couldn''t speak, and her hands were tied. Feeling helpless, she followed them into the woods. Unlike the fast-paced society in the city, Alora Vige never changed. It would remain the same even if it were five or ten yearster. Wendy was drying herbs in the yard. Willow scurried to her. Wendy ced her things down at the familiar sound of the bell. "Willow! Gosh, I knew that you''d visit me during the holidays. I missed you!" Wendy lifted Willow up. Despite her old age, she was as fit as a fiddle. However, now wasn''t the time to talk about this. Willow quickly signed that Olivia was in trouble. "What happened to Olivia?" Wendy''s expression fell. Given Olivia''s medical skills, she should be able to manage her injuries if anything happened. Judging from how they traveled all the way here to treat Olivia, she had to be in critical condition. Ethan said, "Olivia''s cursed." He looked at his watch. "It''s been almost 24 hours since she''s cursed. Madam Wendy, please check on her. Someone said that it''s the Lifebond Curse." The mention of the curse made Wendy frown. "Really? That''s bad." "We''re not sure. We need your help to confirm what type of curse it is." Wendy prompted, "Carry her to the room. I''ll treat her right now." Ethan hurriedly carried her into the room. Wendy instructed, "Willow can stay. Others, please leave the room. No one''s allowed to enter without my permission." "Yes, Madam Wendy." Ethan could only do as she said no matter how much he was worried about Olivia. He stood guard at the door. Leia, Kelvin, and the others were watching Jacqueline. Jacqueline didn''t seem to be doing well, so Kelvin removed the cloth in her mouth. Jacqueline retched and said saplessly, ''''Water. Give me water." It had been almost a day since shest had a sip of water. The sheer sight of Jacqueline angered Kelvin. It wasn''t easy for Ethan to win Olivia''s heart back again. Yet, this woman just had to put Olivia''s life in danger again! Kelvin fetched a bucket of water and sshed it on her face. "Have as much as you want." Choking on water, Jacqueline broke into a fit of coughs, but it wasn''t enough to let his steam off. He did it again. "Is this enough? wu 1 "Stop!" Chapter 1636 Leia stopped Kelvin. "We need her alive. If she''s telling the truth, Olivia''s life is bound with hers. Both of them will die together." He threw the bucket away and flopped on the staircase. "Just what is all this, Ms. Miller? Mr. Miller has had it tough winning Mrs. Miller''s heart back. Don''t make me bring up those years she went missing. "Every single day felt so long for him. They love each other so much, but everything keeps getting in their way. And the bad guys are free out there." "I know. I understand. I know more than you do how much Ethan loves Olivia. I''m the reason they ended up this way. I want Jacqueline dead more than you do. She lied to me for so long, making me hurt Olivia. But what''s done is done. We can''t do anything. All we can do is to keep Jacqueline alive and wait." Kelvin''s eyes were red. Thest time he was this upset was the time Ethan was poisoned. No doctors could save him, and death was waiting ahead of him. Ethan managed to survive it, but now, it was Olivia''s turn. It hadn''t even been a year! He looked at Ethan, who was standing by the door. Wordlessly, Ethan was paying attention to every noise from inside the room. His face was solemn. That jittery and careful side of him felt so foreign. The past Ethan had never been like this. Just why couldn''t things work out for this couple? Brent quietly smoked a piece of cigarette in a corner. He broke the suffocating silence, saying, "Make something for Jacqueline. Ms. Miller is right. We need her alive." Jacqueline was injured beforeing here. The arduous journey to the vigested for a day and a night, and Pshe was now barely hanging on to herst breath. Despite the reluctance, Kelvin did as he was told. When the door was finally opened, Ethan rushed into the room. "Madam Wendy, how''s Liv doing?" Wendy''s forehead was drenched with sweat. No one knew what she had done, but she seemed exhausted. "She didn''t lie. It is the Lifebond Curse." From N?velDrama.Org. His feet staggered backward. "This means Liv''s life is bound with Jacqueline''s? If Jacqueline''s dead..." "That''s right." Wendy sympathized. "Why did you offend such a powerful witch? This curse is normally used on a partner to ensure their loyalty to the rtionship, but that witch has restructured the form of the curse. This curse is stronger." "It''s a long story. I''ll keep you in the loopter, Madam Wendy. Is there any other way to lift the curse off Liv? Since Jacqueline is here, can''t we lift it off them together?" She let out a helpless smile. "It doesn''t think a that way. What do you think a curse is? It''s more "What if we break it by force?" "The poison will be reactive and ruin her organs." "So, the only way to save Olivia is to find the witch?" Chapter 1637 Wendy nodded. "That is the principle. But considering how life- threatening this curse is, I bet the crafter is one dangerous witch. Olivia''s life is in their hands. It''s going to be hard to find out what their weakness is." "What should we do?" "An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth. Since that witch has cursed Olivia, we''ll curse Jacqueline. We can at least have a n B when that witch decides to go back on their word." Ethan''s eyes lit up in hope. "I don''t know anything about curses. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Please help us, Madam Wendy." He then bowed to her. "Please save my wife, Madam Wendy. I''ll grant any wish you ask for." Wendy sighed at his genuine request. "I just don''t understand why things have to turn out this way for both of you. Get up. I know Olivia loves you too. Olivia and I have lived together for some time. And I''ve grown fond of her. There''s no way I''ll turn a blind eye to this." She patted his shoulder. Her expression remained solemn. "Only powerful witches can cast this kind of curse. I don''t know much about the other party. You have to tell me how Olivia became their target." "Okay." Wendy told Willow something, and Willow left. Ethan overheard something about a cursed item. Since he didn''t know much about curses, he asked, "Madam Wendy, what is that for?" "People in our circle know how powerful a curse can be. I can''t lift the curse off Olivia, but I can do everything in my power to protect her. " "What are you going to do?" he was dubious. "It''s called the Purify Curse. If the poison bes reactive, it''ll be purified immediately." Ethan was amazed to hear that. "Does that mean we can break the curse on Jacqueline by force?" "If only it''s that easy. Nothing is definite when ites to curses. If the poison in Olivia isn''tpletely purified, a single drop of it is enough to kill her. I can''t gamble with her life. The Purify Curse can only serve as an alternative. It''s not our ultimate card." "Got it. I''ll listen to your orders," said Ethan. "Tell me what happenedtely, then," she prompted. Ethan recounted Olivia''s secret while witnessing how the Purify Curse was cast upon her. A doll was used as a cursed item. Wendy made it with her hair strands. The whole process was so fascinating that he couldn''t keep his eyes away. "So, that woman outside is the one who has been taking Olivia''s ce this entire time?" asked Wendy. "Yes, and she has done way more than that. Every one of us wants her dead, but we can''ty a finger on her right now," he huffed. "IT understand. That means I don''t have to hold myself back against her, do I? I just have to make sure that she stays alive." "That''s right." Wendy nodded and stood up to reach the cupboard. She carried a big candle out of it and proffered it to Willow. "You''re the chosen one, a talented witch. You''re better than average witches out there." 1 Willow took the candle without hesitation, determined to avenge her mother. Chapter 1638 Brent concocted something simple for Jacqueline. She tooka spoonful of it and suddenly swept the bowl off the table. "What the hell is this? Is this even edible?" Leia pped her. "You should be grateful that you have something to eat. You''re not in the position to be picky." Jacqueline growled, "Leia Miller, I''m warning you, Olivia''s life is in my hands now. If you don''t treat me well, I''ll kill her!" That was her only yet useful bargaining chip. Brent, who didn''t know much about curses, reined in his anger. "Ms. Fordham, as you can see, this vige is isted. The vigers have never interacted with the outside world. This is what they eat every day.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The rice you looked down on is the corps they cultivated with their sweat. "There are no snacks or gourmet food here. Even if you ask for something better, the best cook here won''t be able to make it." Jacqueline had observed how backward the vige was and knew that he had a point. She suppressed her fury. "Fine. Make me fried eggs. They should at least have eggs, don''t they?" "Ts this a restaurant to you? Do you think you''re the youngdy of the Fordham family?" Kelvin was losing it. Brent pulled him. "Don''t provoke her. Find some eggs and ask someone to make them." Kelvin was livid, but he couldn''t do anything. He had to put up with Jacqueline''s tantrum for Olivia''s sake. Jacqueline looked at Brent. After spending some time with them, she knew their character enough. Brent was clearly the most mature one out of the bunch. She requested, "Untie me. Tying me up is bad for blood cirction. I wonder if it''ll affect Olivia if my hands are disabled. Don''t me me if something happens to her because of this. My life is worthless, but she''s different. "She''s Mason''s granddaughter, the precious youngdy of the Fordham family, and Ethan''s wife. Though it''s a win to sacrifice my life to im hers." The triggered Leia raised her hand, wanting to p Jacqueline again. Jacqueline was the most shameless person she had ever met. She orchestrated everything to ruin someone else''s family, but she didn''t feel guilty about it! She was even proud of her achievement! How disgusting! "Calm down, Ms. Miller," Brent cooed. Leia shut her eyes and put her hand down. "She''s a calcting one. Don''t untie her. If she escapes, things won''t look good for us." "We shall think about itter." He couldn''t decide on this. They had to wait for Ethan. Willow walked out of the room. Brent gazed at her. The girl had grown taller. The only thing that didn''t change was that pair of green eyes. They were void of emotions. She came up to Jacqueline, who was sizing her up. Knowing that Willow was Olivia''s daughter, Jacqueline snorted. "Monster! You can''t speak, and your eyes are green. Are your genes mutated?" Leia couldn''t help it anymore. "Are you out of your mind? She''s just a four-year-old! Be nice!" She started to bulldoze her way toward Jacqueline. Willow gestured for Leia to calm down, and Brent stopped Leia as well. Jacqueline was acting weird. It seemed like she was trying to provoke them. But why? 1 "What are you looking at, you mon-" Before Jacqueline could finish her words, Willow suddenly pinched her mouth to open it wide. Something went into her mouth before Jacqueline realized it. 4 Chapter 1639 Most of the women in the world were afraid of mollusks. If one fell from the tree andnded on their hand by chance, they would scream at the top of their lungs. Still, the young Willow had just thrown a cursed worm into Jacqueline. Jacqueline clearly felt something squishy in her mouth. It was wriggling too! She yelled in disgust. "Shut up." Leia shoved a piece of cloth into Jacqueline''s mouth. Jacqueline was so caught off-guard that she swallowed the worm. She wasn''t sure if she was overthinking it, but she could feel it sliding through her esophagus. It was so disgusting that it gave her goosebumps. Willow made sure Jacqueline had swallowed the cursed worm before removing the cloth. Like a madwoman, Jacqueline got on her knees and tried to vomit to remove the worm from her. However, no matter what she did, the only thing that came out of her was bile because she hadn''t eaten anything for more than 20 hours. She red at Willow. "What did you feed me?" Willow gestured in reply. Leia couldn''t understand because she didn''t know anything about cursed items. But she could tell that it wasn''t something good. At that moment, Ethan came out of the room. The murderous intent around him was almost tangible.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "It''s a Heart-Devouring Worm." His voice was as cold as his eyes. Jacqueline stopped gagging. She could tell that it wasn''t something good from his eyes alone. "How dare you! Are you trying to kill Olivia!" she barked. Wendy''s hoarse yet strong voice resounded. "Don''t worry, you''re still safe for now. It''ll only send you to throes of pain during the full moon. If you want the antidote, you''d better lift the curse on Olivia." Jacqueline red at Wendy. "Threats don''t work on me." It wasn''t easy for her to gain the upper hand in the situation. There was no way she would cave in that easily. Olivia was the best possible hostage she could have; she needed to gain much as as she could from this. t belongs to in "You can try if you don''t believe in us. Olivia''s life is bound to yours anyway. It''s the full moon tonight." Wendy prompted, " Untie her. Herplexion looks bad. Let''s not torture her for Olivia''s sake. What if she suddenly dies because of her weak body? No one can save Olivia then." Brent looked at who agreed, "Do as she says, Only then did Brent untie Jacqueline. After getting tied up for a day, she could barely feel her hands. The deep chain marks around her wrists were appalling. Trying to warm up her limbs, she pointed at her drenched clothes. "I want a bath and dry clothes." "Get them ready for her," ordered Ethan coldly. It would be easy to catch a cold wet clothes, and a cold e fatal when the person frail state. Now that Olivia''s life was in Jacqueline''s hands, Ethan had to be careful. He couldn''t gamble with Olivia''s life. Jacqueline pointed at Leia. "My hands hurt. Let her wash me up." "You!" Leia''s eyes red in fury. Jacqueline cocked a brow. "What''s wrong? You don''t want to?" Thinking about the unconscious Olivia, Leia gave in. "Fine. I''ll do it. "There was no showerhead here, only a wooden bucket. The twodies were alone in the bathroom. Jacqueline spread her arms. "What are you standing there for? Take my clothes off." Leia obeyed. Jacqueline sneered, "As I said, you''re still that lowly woman even if you are Ms. Miller." Chapter 1640 Leia''s face remained expressionless as she didn''t stop removing Jacqueline''s clothes.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "You must be desperate to kill me, huh? I yed you guys like a toy. But you can''t kill me. And you have to serve me too." Abruptly, Leia dunked Jacqueline''s head into the water. Jacqueline held the rim of the bathtub, wriggling to break free from the coercion. But Leia wasn''t going to give her the chance to do so. As the typical cruel woman, Leia waited for a while before yanking Jacqueline''s hair upward. After Jacqueline barely caught a few breaths, Leia dipped her head into the water again. The torture repeated a few times. In the end, Leia grabbed Jacqueline''s hair tightly. "I can''t kill you, but I''m strong and have many ways to torture you. You can try me." Jacqueline''s upper body was drenched. She thought her hair was going to fall off her head. The torture went on for a while, but Jacqueline let out an ambiguous smile. On the other hand, Olivia, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened her eyes. Ethan came up to her vehemently. "Liv, are you alright? You-" Olivia grabbed the side of the bed and began gagging, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her hands wrapped around her neck. She seemed to be in torture! "Madam Wendy, pleasee over. Something''s wrong with Liv!" Ethan shouted. He could only watch her suffer. He didn''t know what to do because he didn''t know anything about curses. Wendy entered the room and stopped Ethan. "What did you do to her?" "T didn''t do anything. She began acting this way as soon as she opened her eyes." "Something''s off. If it''s not Olivia, it''s Jacqueline," Wendy informed sternly. Keep an eye on Olivia. Don''t make her do anything s "Got it. want one knew how I to bring Olivia into arms. swnohet It was room temperature, but she wased in cold sweat as up from the water though she had just been A whileter, she slowly calmed down. Finally, he walked closer to her gingerly. SW? "Liv, are you okay?" Olivia grabbed his hand. Her palms were mmy, but it didn''t bother him. He grabbed her hands tightly to warm her up. It took her some time to catch her breath. "I thought I had fallen into the water. It was so weird. It''s dry, but it felt so real. I couldn''t breathe." Her voice was sandpaper rough. "Water? There''s no water though. Was it a dream?" Noticing that she was feeling better, he sat by the bed and hugged her gently. The distress hadn''t left her yet. She waved her hand. "No, that''s not it. It felt so much like the time I fell into the sea back then and was drowning. Water was flowing into my eyes, nose, and ears. Wait. The water felt warm. "I think someone dunked my head into the water. It was so real like I experienced it first-hand." Terror shrouded her. "What''s happening to me, Ethan? What''s going on? Why am I Alora Vige?" Ethan felt something was off toet Could it be rted to Jacqueline, who was having a shower? "You''ve been cursed, Liv." 1 Chapter 1641 The memories before she lost consciousness flooded Olivia. She could only remember the sudden pain in her neck before she fell into a swoon. When she finally regained herposure, she realized that the room seemed familiar. "This is..." She didn''t feel well as she had just woken up, especially her head. It felt heavy, clouded by a weight of grogginess. "We''re at Alora Vige. You''ve been cursed, so I was wondering if Madam Wendy could help us out." Ethan hugged her gently. She nestled her head in his arms. "Is it a powerful curse, Ethan? Can she lift it?" Near-death experiences were not new to her, hence her rtively calm voice.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "It''s a troublesome one, Liv. Your life and Jacqueline''s are bound together. It''s either you live or die together. Madam Wendy is at her wit''s end. Only the witch that cast the curse knows what can be done." "I see. Did something happen to Jacqueline? I felt like I was suffocating." "I think so." He then cooed, "Don''t worry, Liv. Jacqueline is just trying to have room for negotiation by holding you hostage. The other party cast a curse on you for her. As long as we do as they say, you''ll be fine." "What if they want us to let her go?" Olivia asked. "Liv, as long as it means you''ll be fine, I''ll do whatever they say," Ethan said firmly. "But..." She lifted her head in his arms. "You know that she''s the cause of my misery. My family was hurt because of her too. If we let her go, we might not be able to find her anymore." "None of us wants her to stay alive. All we wish is for her to die. But Liv, she''s nothing when ites to you. I don''t want anything else other than keeping you alive." Silence dawned upon Olivia. Ethan patted her back lightly. "No more overthinking. If you don''t feel well, how about getting some rest? Are you hungry?" "No. Take me for a walk." "Sure." Ethan could never leave her side after what had happened. There wasn''t a moment when he let go of her hand. When they reached the middle of the yard, Olivia pointed at one of the rooms. "That was the room you stayed in back then." Although his vision was impaired, those days were his happiest moments. "It''s fortunate that I had you. In all these years, those days were my happiest." If only Olivia weren''t under a curse, Ethan would''ve been able to have peace of mind. Kelvin and the others were guarding. outside the room while Wendy inside. It wasn''t the time for Ethos be inside, so he stayed with the group. "Call me if you need anything," said Ethan. "Okay." Olivia entered the room. Jacqueline seemed miserable, but she wasn''t surprised to see Olivia awake. "You''re awake. It seems like the curse has settled itself in your body." Leia looked at Olivia. "A-Are you okay?" Leia sounded awkward, but the concern was evident in her eyes. Olivia shook her head. "No. When I woke up, I felt like I was drowning in water." "That''s right! You''re going to share the pain I feel from now onward, Olivia Fordham!" Jacqueline dementedly. She gave the others a triumphant gaze. "Any other creative ways to torture me? Bring it on! Whether it''s fatabor just painful, Olivia''s going to experience the same thing do!" Leia recalled what she had done to Jacqueline. Did Olivia feel suffocated because of that? Ridiculous! It was just a curse. How could it affect Olivia that much? Wendy said solemnly, "She''s right." Chapter 1642 Olivia looked at Wendy. "What happened?" "Jacqueline asked someone to cast a Lifebond Curse on you. The curse settled in you within 24 hours, and now, your life is bound with hers. From now onward, you''ll share the pain. But I didn''t know that you''d feel the pain so vividly. The witch is powerful," Wendy recounted. At this moment, Wendy thought it was so fortunate that she didn''t get ahead of herself by breaking the curse for Olivia. This wasn''t any ordinary curse; it was a refined one. Just like how science would improve every day, the abandoned minority curses had been cast to oblivion. Only a few people still sustained the practice-the powerful witches. Jacqueline rested against the rim of the bathtub with an expression of a winner. "I''m d you know. It''s not only our lives; she can feel anything that I do. If you want her to suffer with me, you''re wee to torture me." Olivia did feel unwell when she woke up. She brushed it off as soreness from the long hours of sleep. It turned out that the reason was Jacqueline. Thinking back, the dull sense of pain Olivia felt all over her body was probably due to Jacuqeline''s old injuries. Leia, who thought that Jacqueline was acting weird, finally wrapped her head around the situation. Guilt gripped Leia''s heart when she thought of her actions that had hurt Olivia. "I''m sorry." She had already owed Olivia way too much to begin with. The reason Leia didn''t opt for suicide was because she wanted to atone for her sins. Although it was unintentional, the guilt was stifling. Leia had done so many cruel things to Olivia. They weren''t on good terms, and Olivia didn''t have a reason to forgive her. In the end, Olivia chose to ignore Leia''s apology. Olivia looked at Jacqueline. "Let''s talk after you shower." Jacqueline met Olivia''s eyes, expecting to see nervousness and fear in them. However, to her surprise, Olivia appeared calm even after learning the truth. It was that pair of eyes that had witnessed many things in life. "You''ve changed a lot," Jacqueline blurted out. She had watched Olivia grow. Olivia had started to watch Olivia even before Ethan knew Olivia, so it wouldn''t be far-fetched to say that Jacqueline was the person who understood Olivia the most Jacqueline was the reader of Olivia''s life chapters from when Olivia was an innocent woman until today. Steel of heart, that was what Olivia had since a long time ago. "I''ll be waiting outside." Olivia didn''t respond to that. Having not consumed anything for 24 hours, Olivia was hungry. By the time she came out of the room, Ethan had already asked someone to make pasta for her. "It''s nothing much, but I hope you''ll make do with it." She shed him a smile. "Well, this is considered a luxury here." She took her time savoring the pasta at the dining table. Instead of a cursed victim, she appeared more like a tourist on a trip. When Jacqueline left the room, Ethan was sitting next to OliviaProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. peeling oranges for her while Olivia was still having the pasta. was with them too. No one said a word, but the silence painted a wholesome picture. Chapter 1643 Olivia looked at Jacqueline. "Grab something to eat first." Now, it wasn''t only Olivia''s and Jacqueline''s lives that were bound together; the same went for their body condition. Despite their deep-rooted resentment, everyone had to treat Jacqueline well for Olivia''s sake. Nevertheless, Olivia''s eyes carried tranquility. She acted so differently from others, who were grappling with hatred. She even told Ethan to ask someone to tend to Jacqueline. "Okay." He didn''t have any opinion about it. With one look from Ethan, Brent began treating Jacqueline''s wound. After finishing her meal, Olivia even instructed him to treat the wound and tie the bandage more neatly. Fury was boiling within Kelvin. "Mrs. Miller, why are you being so nice to her? She has caused you so much harm! If it were me, I''d want to tie that bandage as tightly as possible." Olivia studied Kelvin for a while before smiling. "It''s been so many years, and you haven''t changed one bit. Still jumpy as before." "Yeah, I''m not like you, Mrs. Miller." Olivia tucked her hair behind her ear, and a light smile stered across her lips. "I''m cursed, but I''m lucky to still be breathing. Instead of wasting time thinking about the unfortunate, why don''t we think of how to deal with the problem we have at the moment?" Olivia had so much time to kill. Her hand reached for the disinfectant to disinfect Jacqueline''s wound. Mixed feelings churned in Jacqueline. In the past, when Olivia was oblivious to Jacqueline''s existence, Jacqueline had always seen Olivia as an enemy.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The worse Olivia''s life was, the happier Jacqueline would be; the angrier Olivia became, the better Jacqueline''s mood would be. The picture Jacqueline had in her mind was Olivia getting angry or pleading with her after gaining consciousness. But Olivia''s reaction was infuriating. "Stop pretending. You must hate me to the bones right now." Jacqueline gritted her teeth. Olivia calmly responded. "I do hate you. I''m treating your wounds because i don''t want them to be infected. Don''t get me wrong. fjust don''t want to suffer the pain I''m not that magnanimous." The glint in her eyes was as tranquil as her tone, void of vehement emotions. Jacqueline didn''t know that Olivia''s intense emotions were exhausted in those years: Having risen from the ashes, it wasn''t easy for Olivia to gain anew life. Naturally, she wouldn''t lose her cool over small matters like before. Jacqueline couldn''t ept such a reaction from Olivia. It was supposed to be her win! That was what Jacqueline thought, yet Olivia didn''t plead with her. Olivia finished bandaging Jacqueline''s wound. "Done. Let''s talk about your condition." "I want two billion dors in a foreign ount," demanded Jacqueline as though she had regained dominance in the room. She was nning to recover everything that she had lost. Since her identity was exposed, this was her only way to get easy money. Even if she chose to do nothing to earn a living in the future, that money would be enough for her to spend for the rest of her life. "Okay, no problem." The generous Ethan was thinking of using his own money. Jacqueline added, "Secondly, I want the antidote for the cancerous serum Olivia injected in me." She didn''t want to die at a young age. She needed the antidote while there was still time to keep the cancerous cells under control. Olivia coolly agreed, "Alright. Anything else?" "Yes. I want her to kneel before me!" Jacqueline pointed right at Leia''s nose. Chapter 1644 Leia had tortured Jacqueline so cruelly and almost drowned her just a while ago. Jacqueline and Leia were the same kind of people-cruelty ran in their blood. This was a chance for Jacqueline to avenge herself. As Olivia''s enemy, Leia knew that this wasn''t a difficult condition for Olivia. Leia meant nothing to Olivia. The glint in Leia''s eyes turned cold when she heard that condition. But she could only rein her anger in for Olivia''s sake. After all, she owed it to Olivia. Clenching her fists, Leia tried to keep her cool. Ethan frowned upon hearing that. But Ethan shared the same notion as Leia-they owed Olivia. That was why he stayed silent, agreeing to the condition alongside Leia. "No," Olivia rejected, and everyone looked at her. No one saw iting. "Why? Think about what she did to you. Are you feeling sorry for her?" "This is a different matter. Settle your scores with Leia yourself. This is between you and me. I don''t have the right to drag someone else into this." Jacqueline coldly snorted. "Do you know what I hate about you the most? The fact that you always put yourself above everyone and sympathize with others. Women can never keep their positions without cruelty. You''ll lose your footing one day because of your generosity." "If money is the only thing you want, you can contact that person behind you. We''ll give you money, and you''ll lift the curse on me." Jacqueline was also cursed. Both the women needed to get rid of it as soon as possible. "Other than two billion dors, I need a hostage to guarantee my safety." "Hostage? In your dreams," Olivia refused without a second thought. Jacqueline red. "Olivia, you''re powerful. After I lift the curse and run away, I''m sure I''ll be caught in no time. What else do I need a hostage for? Don''t worry, I''ll take the money and live in a ce where people don''t know me. If you let me go, I''ll let the hostage go as wellTM "I can be the hostage," Ethan offered. Olivia subconsciously grabbed his hand. How could she let him be the hostage when Jacqueline was such a calcting fox? "What do you take me for, Mr. Miller? An idiot? With you as my hostage, I might die before I realize it. I want her to be my hostage." Jacqueline pointed at Willow. "Your daughter. She''s young and doesn''t pose a threat to me. She''s the best candidate." "No way I''m going to agree to that!" Olivia cared about her children more than anything in this world. She risked her life giving birth to them. How could she put Willow ina dangerous situation? S The sound of the bell ringing resounded. Willow came up to them and gestured at Olivia, "I can do it, Mom." She was willing to do anything as long as she could save her mother. Despite their young age, Olivia''s children knew how rough she had. If Olivia hadn''t put up with the hardships, she would''ve pasvera long ago. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Although she couldn''t speak, Willow was content to be with her family. "Mom, let me be the hostage." Chapter 1645 Olivia hugged Willow. "Willow, I know you''re doing this for me. But I''ll never put you in danger no matter what happens." Jacqueline''s record was far off the scale of cruelty. Plus, she hated Olivia the most in the world. How could Olivia let her daughter be the hostage with peace of mind? Willow shook her head, trying her best to convince Olivia. "I''m not afraid, Mom." Olivia tightened her arms gently around her. "But I''m scared, Willow. I risked my life to bring you to this world, baby. You''re my precious daughter. Since I''ve brought you to this world, I should be responsible for you. No matter what the future holds, I''ll never let you face the consequences." Ethan finally knew the reason behind his children''s bright personalities. It was because Olivia would never give up on them. She was determined to protect them, and they grew up loving her. Love should never be a one-sided thing. Oliviaforted Willow before looking at Jacqueline. "No one can be your hostage. I can only offer you the freedom to decide the venue of the deal. That''s my limit. Don''t forget that you have a Lifebond Curse on you too." "What are you gloating about, Olivia? I''m suffering from the curse, and so are you. I''ll make sure you feel the same pain that I do." "Do you think that scares me? I''ve been suffering for half of my life." Olivia snorted coldly. Jacqueline had never seen Olivia acting so firm before. Olivia continued, "Get back to your senses, Jacqueline. Look who''s the one controlling the situation right now. You can''t do whatever you want. You want to negotiate? I can offer you a chance. If you don''t want to take it, be prepared for what''sing for you." Then, Olivia left with Willow without sparing a nce at Jacqueline. Just because Jacqueline had the Lifebond curse, everyone was being careful around her for fear that they might indirectly hurt Olivia. Their blood was boiling from fury, but none of them dared to let off steam. In the end, Olivia was the one who stepped up to teach Jacqueline a lesson. Ethan ordered, "Give her a room and keep an eye on her. We''ll let her out whenever she''s ready to talk." "Yes, sir." It had been a long time since Oliviast visited Alora Vige. She and Willow wandered around the vige, acting as if Olivia wasn''t a victim of the curse. Olivia had helped out the vigers a lot during those years, so they adored her. For instance, the water conservancy project resolved the water shortage. The only thing was that only a few of them knew her face. Now that they had seen her face, they understood why Willow could be so pretty. Olivia led Ethan back to the cave, where they first reconciled. Exotic floras filled the cave as their scent lingered in the air. "I didn''t know that it was so pretty." There weren''t only butterflies dancing around. A few fawns were ying by theke too. Olivia took her dress off to take a dip in the water. Tranquility settled in her features. She showed no signs of fear toward the curse. The sun cast a sheen of light on her, and she seemed to glow. A whileter, she opened her eyes and met Ethan''s. "Why are you looking at me like that?" "You''ve changed, Liv." Ethan was at a loss for words to describe Olivia. No longer the innocent woman she was, she had be mature and sophisticated. Yet, she was so different from others. She hooked her finger at him, and he bent over.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Pulling him by the necktie, she kissed his lips. "Wind down when you have the time. The small things that bring joy are the way to the truth in life. Stop worrying about the future and enjoy the present Life isn''t that hard, actually." S Chapter 1646 Olivia lured Ethan into the water. Some shbacks came to his mind. It was the time when he was visually impaired and Olivia kept by his side to treat him. Now that they were back at the same ce, it felt different and special. The water rippled as Olivia began removing his clothes. Her hands rested on his body. She whispered into his ear softly, "Rx, Ethan." Olivia could tell that everyone was on edge ever since she was cursed, especially Ethan. Perhaps it didn''t affect her that much due to her past near-death experiences. She should''ve died three years ago, but she managed to survive such a mble! Every day thereafter felt like a steal to her. Furthermore, she was able to find her true family. She didn''t have any regrets in life anymore. The future no longer concerned her. All she wanted to do was to enjoy the present. The long-lost joy kept Ethan''s worries and anxiety at bay. He tightly hugged Olivia''s body as if trying to be one with her. The deeply rooted fear in him felt real. It wasn''t easy to find the love of his life, but she might leave his side again. Even when the surface of the water slowly smoothed from the ripples, Ethan didn''t let her go. "You have to stay alive, Liv." Olivia gently looked into his worried gaze. Her fingertips traced his brows. "Okay." "I want to return to Aldenvine," said Ethan softly. Although their families weren''t in Aldenvine, it was the ce the two lived together. To Ethan, Aldenvine was their home. "I''ll ask someone to redecorate our marital house. Let''s put up our family picture when we return home. Even if your father is going to kill me, I don''t want to be separated from you again." She chuckled at his childish tone. "Sure." Hugging the woman of his love, Ethan rested his chin on her head. It had been a while since they shared such an intimate moment. The time they spent together felt great, but the joy heightened especially after they had been separated for so long. Separation had been the run-of-the-mill for them; peace hardly came to them. "Liv, I still remember you lying in my arms so tenderly when you were pregnant. It felt like it just happened yesterday." Yet, in a blink of an eye, they were parents of four. Even Connor had grown so much. Time flew so fast. "I know, right? I really wanted twins back then. The boy would look like you, and the girl would look like me. But unfortunately..." Ethan grabbed her hand. "I''m sorry." "It''s in the past now," she cooed. Her life was tragic those years, but she glossed it over with five words. Who else in the world could move on so coolly like she did? The night came, and her fair skin made her glow in the dark. Although her skin wasn''t as soft as when she was younger, she was still ¦«¦¯¦© breathtaking. Ethan couldn''t help but nt another kiss on her forehead. Suddenly, she frowned and pressed her chest. "It hurts..." "Liv! It''s the curse again!" It took Ethan seconds to realize what was going on. When Wendy said that the twoProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. women''s lives were bound together, he thought of using the curse to control Jacqueline. However the curse was way too strong. S Other than their lives, they would also share the pain. On the other hand, Jacqueline fell off the bed. "Ouch!" Chapter 1647 Olivia could feel the pain, but it wasn''t a ten out of ten. Still, the pain was unbearable. No one knew how painful it was for Jacqueline. The excruciating pain reached every part of Jacqueline''s body. Like a pair of invisible hands, something was tearing her heart. "Save me! Help me!" She rolled on the floor while scratching the uneven surface. The fact that her nicely manicured nails were ruined didn''t bother her because it didn''t hurt as much as the turmoil in her body. Meanwhile, Leia was watching the scene by the side. Her eyes held no emotions. She neither added fuel to the fire nor helped Jacqueline. Jacqueline mustered every strength in her to crawl toward Leia. "Leia Miller, save me! It hurts so much!" Leia crouched before her, grabbing her chin. "You had thising, Jacqueline. We gave you a chance, but you didn''t take it." "That old hag has the antidote, doesn''t she? Tell her to give it to me! Olivia won''t have it better anyway." Jacqueline mentioned Olivia, trying to take advantage of their rtionship with Olivia. "Unfortunately for you, Olivia told us not to give you the antidote no matter what happens. Take your time to feel the pain, Jacqueline." Pain distorted Jacqueline''s features, slowly driving her to insanity. She even began hitting her head against the surface. "Kill me! Just end my life for good!" Leia was slightly surprised because she didn''t know the curse was this strong. She motioned for the bodyguards to tie Jacqueline onto a chair to prevent further suicide attempts. Tears were brimming in Jacqueline''s bloodshot eyes. Although she was bound and gagged, her body was writhing in pure agony. The brighter the moonlight shone, the redder her eyes became. Her body was drenched in sweat, and her face was distorted due to the pain. A muffled sound came out of her mouth, which had been stuffed with a sock. Meanwhile, Ethan was hugging Olivia tightly. "I''ll go talk to Madam Wendy There has to be a way!df we lift the curse off Jacqueline, you won''t have to suffer anymore." Olivia grabbed his sleeve. "No." Soaked in sweat, she was barely hanging onto her life. "I don''t feel the pain on a full scale. Only a part of it She''s having it worse than me. This is our only bargain to negotiate with her. Are you really going to make Willow a hostage?" "But you..."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She managed a faint smile. "I''m fine. I managed to survive that painful illness, didn''t I? This is nothing. Jacqueline''s different. She was raised in a rich family. She can never put up with this kind of pain. We just need one night. Trust me. She''ll change her mind tomorrow." Her voice was shaking. Ethan wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Why do you have to put yourself in pain, Liv?" "This is my only way out, Ethan. It''s only for a night. My past experiences were way worse than this, but I got through them." Unable to help her, Ethan hugged her. She grabbed his hand. The red scratches on his arm didn''t bother her. "I''ll be by your side always, Liv. You won''t be alone again." That night, Jacqueline thought she had been to hell several times. Pain constantly knocked her out and woke her up from unconsciousness. Instead of a night, it felt like eons. When the sky finally brightened, the throbbing sensation in her chest finally subsided. Someone removed the sock from her mouth. "I want to see Olivia." That was the first thing Jacqueline said. Chapter 1648 Compared to Jacqueline, who was in agony, Olivia appeared to be fine. Her face was even glowing. Jaqueline couldn''t believe her eyes. "How are you fine? We share our senses. If I''m in pain, you should be too." "Sorry to disappoint you, but it''s not that painful for me. I heard that you had it roughst night. You almost broke," Olivia retorted. Jacqueline wasn''t buying it. That person clearly told her that he spent years inventing the curse just for Olivia. This was her trump card. If her identity was exposed, she could take advantage of the curse that bound her with Olivia. However, it seemed like Olivia wasn''t affected by the curse one bit. Jacqueline was losing confidence. Olivia continued, "From now onward, you''ll be experiencing the same pain on every full moon. And it''ll hurt more every time it gets you. I don''t mind. I can y along with you for the rest of my life. Let''s see how far you can go." Jacqueline dreaded the thought of going through the same experience again. She looked skinnier after these two days. If she was going to suffer from the same torture every full moon, she''d rather die. "No. Let''s talk," Jacqueline quickly said. "That''s more like it. You''d better show your sincerity. If you''re trying to y tricks again, I won''t mind joining the game with you," Olivia warned. People like Jacqueline feared death more than Olivia did. After all, someone brought Jacqueline out of the impoverished mountain, and she led a good life thereafter. She had good food to eat and nice clothes to wear every single day. Why would she choose death when she had such a great life? It took one night to make her change her mind. Ethan hurriedly made the necessary arrangements. He brought thedies to a small town so that Jacqueline could contact the person. She hid in a corner to recount everything that had happened to the other party. The phone callsted for about ten minutes. "He can lift the curse, but you have to go to an ind we choose. Only three of you can go." "Three? No way. Who knows if it''s a trap? If we can''t guarantee our safety, we don''t mind wasting time with you," Ethan refused without a second thought. Three people. That meant only Olivia, a witch, and someone else who could act as a bodyguard could go. Jacqueline stomped her foot. "Why would I trick you when I''ll be in hell on every full moon?" "That ind is your territory. Who knows what would happen? We can go to my ind." "Well, that''s your territory. Even if the curse is lifted, I won''t know if I''m going to be alive or not," she barked. They began disputing over the venue. In the end, Ethan compromised, "Since we don''t trust each other, let''s meet up on an ind of another country tonight." There''s no point dragging this any longer. After that, we''ll leave it to fate if you''re caught or not." art "No. If you want to catch me, start the pursuit three dayster. If I''m going to get caught right after the curse is lifted, what''s the point of me going through all this?" S Jacqueline then red at Olivia. "Didn''t you say you want to know your mother''s whereabouts? If you promise me this and the money, tell you where she is three dayster She treated me well all these years. I don''t want her to die either." "Okay. Where should we meet?" Olivia asked. "Saiya Ind. It belongs to Carathia, an enemy of Andia." Wayne''s territory? Jacqueline sure had a stroke of luck with her pick. "Fine by me," Olivia agreed.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1649 That wasn''t it. Jacqueline added another condition, "You have to transfer two billion dors to a certain foreign ount within two hours. It''s only considered done after we confirm the money is there." Ethan coolly epted the condition, "Deal. On it." After he left, Jacqueline said to Olivia, "Don''t me me. We did switch ces, but many people love you. You have children too! Once the curse is lifted, you''ll be Ms. Fordham. They''ll make up for everything that you''ve missed out on in the past." Her understatement made it seem like Olivia was the one who took advantage of her. As of today, Olivia had been through many near-death experiences. Even Olivia''s closest acquaintances passed on because of Jacqueline. Yet, Jacqueline didn''t mention them. "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong? I didn''t kill your adoptive father. He died because he was unlucky-" Olivia, who was having tea, mmed the teacup on the table. Before Jacqueline knew it, she was grabbed by the cor and pped on the cheek. "Olivia Fordham, how dare you!" she growled. But Olivia didn''t stop there. She didn''t hold herself back, and her eyes were ring in rage. "I never once forgot what you''ve done to me, Jacqueline. If you don''t want your rotten life anymore, I can grant your wish anytime you want. You''re thest person who can say anything about my life." "Let me go!" Jacqueline was surprised by Olivia''s sudden violence. "It took so much of me to get out of hell. Death doesn''t fear me! Unlike you, my life was a mess. Threatening me with my life is useless!" Olivia blurted, "Frankly speaking, I have wanted to chop you into pieces since long ago." Then, she flung a punch at Jacqueline without bothering about Jacqueline''s desperate screams. Having been through special training, Qlivia knew which body part would hurt the most. Even if she would need to experience the pain, she had to let the steam off this time. Jacqueline hid her fangs, trying to catch her breath. "Stop! Stop it!" Olivia looked at Jacqueline, who had curled up into a ball on the floor. "This isn''t the end between us, Jacqueline. Three dayster, I''ll find you wherever you are at all costs. The next time we meet will be your D-Day, you filthy rodent." When Ethan returned to the room, Jacqueline was still on the floor. She expected him to stop Olivia because of the curse. But his response was out of expectation. "Does it hurt?" He was worried about Olivia''s hand. Olivia reciprocated a smile, "A little, but I do feel better. Let''s go meet up the witch. I''m curious about this master witch." Ethan hummed, and they left while holding hands. When they went outside, he dialed a number. "I''ll take this call as a deration of war, man." The other party sounded like he had just woken up.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "I need your help." The person scoffed. "Are you asking a favor or threatening me? Show your sincerity. Beg me." Ethan lit a cigarette under a tree. His voice was sandpaper rough. "What if I say Liv''s life is on it? She''s cursed. It''s a Lifebond Curse. If we don''t lift it off her, she''ll die when the bound person dies." "How useless! You can''t even protect a woman." There was a change of tone in his voice. "How can I help?" Chapter 1650 Olivia and her family flew to Saiya Ind with Jacqueline. To Jaqueline''s surprise, Olivia brought Willow along instead of a bodyguard. "I''m warning you, don''t y tricks with me unless you don''t want to know where your mother is. We agreed only three people. Nothing more than that." "Don''t worry. My daughter knows to cast some curses. She can lift the Heart Devour Curse off you." Jacqueline frowned while sizing up Willow, obviously looking down upon the child. "She knows how to use curses? Do you take me as a three-year-old? You should switch her with someone else." Olivia and Ethan had grown up in a rich family. How would they know curses? Jacqueline reminded them, "Keep in mind that you have to lift the Heart Devour Curse off me first or I won''t ask them to lift the curse off you. You''ll gain nothing from trying to fool me with a kid." Olivia smiled, not replying to that. It wasn''t only curses that Willow knew, but Olivia wouldn''t reveal everything about Willow. That was their trump card; Willow was their best yer. The flightsted for a few hours. They arrived at Saiya Ind before sunset. It was unpopted. Most of the indigenous people had gone many years ago. The number of soldiers was more than that of indigenous people because it was a strategic ce for military purposes. That was the reason why Jacqueline chose this ce. The hostility between Andia and Carathia wasn''t something new. This would put Ethan and Olivia at a disadvantage. Olivia got off the ne smoothly and warmed up her limbs. The breeze caressed her cheeks as she looked at the coconut trees that filled the ce. Someone was selling coconut drinks nearby. Ethan bought two, one for Olivia and one for Willow. Willow smiled at him, showing gratitude. He stroked her head in response. "Drink it. It must''ve been a tiring journey for you."Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Buy me one, Ethan. I''m thirsty," Jacqueline requested. "Put up with it," replied Ethan without looking back at her. "You-" tantrum, Before she could throw he suddenly looked back at her menacingly. "Everything in me is screaming to drain every drop of blood out of you. Wanna try a bloody coconut drink?" "You''re insane!" Although her hands were tied, her legs weren''t. She walked up to Olivia. "No wonder you wanted a divor He''s a madman. Does he abuse his family?" Receiving zero response, Jacqueline was frustrated. She followed the couple as Willow walked side by side with her. Jacqueline teased, "You''re her only child who can''t speak. I''m sure they''ll abandon you someday." This kind of joke had always worked for young kids. She wanted Willow to cry. However, Willow rolled her eyes at Jacqueline instead. It was as if she was watching a clown. At that moment, Jacqueline thought that she was acting like a child. "How could you be this rude, kid? No wonder you''re dumb¡ª" Before she could finish, Olivia dful of sand into her "You might as well sheet you''re just full of idiotic words." up if Jacqueline coughed, trying to spit out the salty substance in her mouth. "Olivia Fordham, you idiot¡ª" "Jacqueline!" someone called her. It was a familiar voice. Chapter 1651 Olivia slowly turned around to see a man under a coconut tree. She knew who that was-Alexander, Jacqueline''s fianc¨¦. Olivia obviously didn''t see thising. It looked like Jacqueline and Alexander were in true love. Considering how he knew Jacqueline''s identity from the start, he might''ve yed a role in her n too. Wendell''s and Wayne''s faces conjured in her mind, and she formed a guess. As soon as he saw Jacqueline, Alexander ran over. "Jacqueline, are you alright?" Jacqueline looked awful after those rounds of beating. Even after applying medicine, her face was still swollen. Her forlorn state broke his heart. "Are you hurt?" Judging from her limping, he was sure that she had it rough. He shielded her with his back as murderous intent overflowed around him. Once he showed up, the seemingly innocuous and unobtrusive Willow stood before Olivia. Since she couldn''t speak, Willow had a more sensitive sense of her surroundings, be it people or objects. Olivia could tell what was going on from Willow''s gaze. Based on the documents and her past interaction with Alexander, he seemed like a shy gentleman, the pr opposite of Ethan. No matter where Ethan was, he would stand out among the crowd. But Alexander had more demure features, which could be easily overlooked by the mass of people. People like Alexander were the most dangerous kind. Silent people would be scary when they were livid. The fact that Jacqueline chose him as her partner meant that he wasn''t any ordinary person. rmed, Olivia secretly pulled Ethan''s hand to write something on his palm-"Careful". Ethan''s eyes turned icy. "What did you do to her?" Alexander called out, not caring that Ethan was his elder cousin. "Her death will never be able to atone for her sins," replied Ethan, who was taller and more built than Alexander. Alexander wanted to say something, but the irritated Jacqueline nudged him to a side. "Cut out the nonsense. I''m exhausted and thirsty." Alexander shot Olivia a re, ming her for mistreating Jacqueline. Then, he crouched down. "Get on. I''ll carry you. I''ve prepared food for you." Jacqueline dly took the offer as shey over his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. "How have you been the past two days?" he asked. "Don''t make me bring it up. It was the worst. I want good food," she huffed.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Of course." They walked under the coconut trees like an ordinary couple. It was so heartwarming. If only Jacqueline hadn''tmitted those things, Olivia would''ve loved what she was watching. She exchanged nces with Ethan They didn''t know what kind of danger was ahead of them. yel.ne Alexander arrived before they did, so he might have plotted something. Jacqueline wouldn''t let this slide that easily. Willow gestured something important, "Mom, he''s the witch." Chapter 1652 Olivia''s eyes widened. One should never judge a book by its cover. She didn''t expect Alexander to be that witch. They hadn''t eaten anything, so they went to a restaurant for dinner. They were supposed to be enemies, but they got along pretty well. The atmosphere was harmonious like the calm before the storm. Ethan was worried that Alexander might cast another curse again, so he personally made them a meal. By the time Ethan was done making a simple dish, Jacqueline was already feasting on the local specialties. Willow had been keeping an eye on Alexander, worrying that he might cast a curse on them. Before Ethan and Olivia came here, they imagined the witch to be someone wicked and malicious. But the revtion proved them wrong. Olivia''s knowledge of curses was limited to what she learned from Alora Vige. The vigers were behind the society, but they inherited these special skills from generation to generation. Alexander looked like a gentleman, totally not the image one would have of a witch. Like right now, he was picking out the onions from the food. Jacqueline was still grumbling, "Did you do this on purpose? You know that I hate onions the most." "I''m sorry. I told the chef about it. He must''ve forgotten about it. Have more. Have some soup." "I want fried rice with shrimp. Pick out the onions for me." "Okay. Have some soup first. It''s good for you." Olivia rested her chin on her palm, wondering if Jacqueline was the real witch who cast a spell on him. Jacqueline was dominating while Alexander was submissive. They were still having a tiff as the sun slowly set. Ethan waved his hand before Olivia. "What are you looking at?"Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "The sunset is gorgeous today," she eximed. "I know." A She wondered if she would be able to see such a beautiful sunset tomorrow. Jacqueline definitely had a n B. As long as she hada chance, she would surely kill Olivia. "Have more. You''ve be thinner recently." Olivia could barely have a good night''s sleep ever since her mother went missing. "Okay," she responded. She picked a shrimp and peeled it for Willow. The girl gave her a sweet smile. Watching them, Jacqueline wondered, "Did Ethan reallye unprepared?" Alexander noticed Jacqueline''s worry. He lowered his voice. "Don''t worry. I came way before you guys did. They came here alone." This ind was far from the maind and was unpopr among tourists. Thus, it was easy to identify who were the locals. Jacqueline frowned. "We''d better be careful." She had received the money, but first, she had to live to spend it. The sun set, and the sky darkened. Pain began to assault Jacqueline as she screamed in agony. Alexander became frantic. "Jacqueline, what''s wrong? What did you guys do to her?" Ethan said, "She has the Heart Devour Curse. She''ll be in pain on every full moon. It''s hell for her." "Bastards! How could you do this to her?" "Bastards? We''re nothingpared to you. eliver faixander, lift the curse me and I''ll do the same for her It''s a fair deal," urged Olivia calmly. It didn''t hurt that much since it was just the beginning, so Olivia wasn''t affected much. Chapter 1653 "Impossible!"Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Alexander seemed like a different person. The gentle side of him had given way to a murderous temperament. Olivia noticed vague ck smoke smoldering between his brows. She thought she was seeing things, but now, the fact that he was a witch finally registered in her. "If you don''t agree to lift the Lifebond Curse first, I have the rest of my life to y with your games. But do keep in mind that Jacqueline will suffer from the Heart Devour Curse on every full moon. Her body won''t be able to take it one day. Are you sure she can put up with it?" Olivia reminded him. Convulsing in the throes of pain, Jacqueline grabbed his arm. "It hurts! I can''t hold on any longer!" Alexander hugged her. "It''s not that I don''t want to, but we need a quiet ce to lift the Lifebond Curse. The hosts also have to be free from pain or injury to make it work. Now that Jacqueline is in pain, I can''t do anything about it. If her life is in danger, the curse might kill her right away too." Frowning, Olivia looked at Willow to seek confirmation. The girl gestured, ''It''s possible.'' Curses weren''t machines; they could be controlled. Unforeseen idents could happen. Ethan grew worried at that. He would never allow anything or anyone to hurt Olivia. "Fine. We''ll lift the Heart Devour Curse for her first." Olivia shot him a disapproving look for his impulsive decision. He held her hand. "It''s okay, Liv. Your life matters the most here. Any objections, Willow?" Willow shook her head, indicating that she agreed with his idea. "Alright, can you lift the Lifebond Curse off after we break the Heart Devour Curse?" "It depends on their conditions. When we''re trying to lift a curse off, the hosts have to stay calm and healthy." Noticing Ethan''s furrowing brows, Alexander added, "We''re on the same page here. You don''t want anything to happen to Olivia; I dont want anything to happen to Jacqueline either. I cast a curse on her to save her. This curse is like a ticking time bomb. I''m worried that she might get hurt." Finally convinced, Ethan nodded. "Fine. We''ll do as you say." Willow approached Jacqueline, and Alexander stared at her warily. "What is she trying to do?" "She''ll break the curse on Jacqueline. Find a safe ce." "She? Is she even five? Can she do it?" Alexander couldn''t believe his ears. "You''ll find out soon. Let''s go." Alexander quickly carried Jacqueline on his back,forting her, "Hold on, Jacqueline. You''ll feel better soon." The pain eras too much for her to utter a Cut Word. All she could do w clutch his clothes tightly. They went to the best hotel on the ind. On the other hand, n entered a room in the army base located on the ind. There was another man pacing back and forth in the room. "All done, Mr. Maxwell. Ethan has brought Ms. Fordham to the hotel," reported n. "Okay. Is everything prepared?" "Yes, but our enemy is a witch. It''ll take a single mistake to give the game away, so our men don''t dare to approach. We''re waiting for Ethan''s orders." "That idiot! Why must I listen to someone who can''t even protect a woman? Once the curse is lifted, I''m gonna chop his head off." n gingerly reminded, "Mr. Maxwell... they already have kids. Why not look for another woman?" Wayne stroked his chin, thinking about his chances. "Instead of that, what are the chances of her children calling me ''Dad''?" Chapter 1654 "Zero," Ike replied without hesitation. Wayne shot daggers at him with his eyes. "Do you have to tamper my confidence like this? I''m your boss." "Ike doesn''t mean it that way, Mr. Maxwell. ording to our sources, Ms. Fordham brought along her youngest daughter, Willow. She hasn''t been able to speak ever since she was born. How could she call you ''Dad''?" n hurriedly spoke for his brother because he knew Wayne was going to hold a grudge again otherwise. Ike once tried to murder Olivia in the country before this, and he was severely punished when Wayne found out. Wayne tipped his cigarette. Despite his tall stature, he looked lonely in the cloud of smoke. "It hasn''t been that long since Ist met her. Why do I miss her so much?" n facepalmed upon hearing the muttering. Just what kind of spell did Olivia cast on Wayne that he was so hopelessly in love with her? On the other hand, Willow was preparing to lift the curse off Jacqueline. Ethan had never witnessed such a thing. The scene was unpleasant even for a man like him, who had been to death''s doorstep. Willow was holding a peculiar bell-the Cursed Bell. As Willow lightly shook it, Jacqueline opened her mouth. A worm soon squirmed out of her mouth. Before Ethan could get a good glimpse of it, Willow pinched and kept it in a magical bottle, which was a present from Wendy. Jacqueline''s heart didn''t hurt anymore, but she couldn''t help gagging. It was disgusting! "Jacqueline, how do you feel? Better?" Alexander asked worriedly. "I feel like throwing up. It''s disgusting." No one could ever stand the fact that a fat worm had just crawled out of their mouth. Olivia assured, "She should feel better after a thirty-minute break. Now, it''s your turn." "I can''t break the curse right now." His brows furrowed. "Jacqueline''s not doing well. It''s risky. Lifebond Curse is a dangerous curse to begin with. It''s the most reactive curse too. She needs to rest for two days. Then, I can do it." Olivia''s eyes turned cold. "Are you kidding me?" "As I said, want to lift the curse off her more than you do. If it wasn''t to save her, I wouldn''t have cast the curse on you. Don''t forget that your lives are bound together. If you die, she dies. I''ll never let that happen." Ethan coldly stated, "Let''s stay here for another two days. I wonder what kind of tricks you''re hiding up your sleeves." "Whatever I do is to protect Jacqueline. That''s it," Alexander said helplessly. Ethan led Olivia and Willow out of the room. Olivia was annoyed. She knew it. It wouldn''t be that easy to lift the Lifebond Curse. "Liv, Madam Wendy has confirmed that both are you are bound by the curse. He has a point. Besides, there''s no way he can escape from here." Ethan''s confident tone indicated that he had made the necessary arrangements. Olivia knew that. Willow waved her hand, and a seagull flew toward her. Taking her flute out, she began blowing an ordinary melody. Despite that, Olivia knew how special her daughter was. Jacqueline covered her ears with a pillow. "What''s that? Stop the noise!" "That little girl is blowing a flute." "Is she calling upon some cursed worms too?" Alexander grazed her nose tip. "Silly you. It''s just a simple piece. There are only a few cursed worms that can be manipted by a melodret Even if it works, the cursed worms should be in a host. It''s for ov maniption use. How are you feeling right now?" "Good." "Which means she doesn''t pose a threat. You''re in a bad shape. Get some rest for the next two days. Don''t think of anything. Just leave it to me." "Okay." The next day, before the sky brightened, Willow was outside the hotel ying with a ball under a coconut tree. However, her eyes didn''t leave Alexander''s room. The ball rolled along the field until it bumped into someone''s foot. It was a tall man. His shadow was like a mountain to her. He picked up the ball and gave it to her. "Hey girl, is this yours?"Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He showed his pristine smile even though his face was smeared in ck. Willow thought, "A gori?" Wayne thought, "Is she enchanted by my good looks?" Chapter 1655 Willow nodded obediently, but her wary eyes stared at the man as he approached her. She heard the local had tanned skin from sunbathing, but this man looked weird. As it was his first time dealing with a kid, Wayne took out a candy. "Here, for you." He had prepared it beforehand. To his dismay, Willow had already categorized him as a kidnapper. Abandoning her ball, she turned around to leave. "Hey, kid! Why are you running away? I don''t bite. You don''t like strawberry vor?" Wayne grabbed her wrist. Due to his towering stature, even a grown woman looked petite next to him, let alone Willow. He scooped her up with one arm as if she were a doll. His frantic hands fished out a bunch of lollipops. "I have more vors-watermelon, mango, orange. Here, they''re all yours." n, who was watching them from afar, went speechless. "Mr. Maxwell is a total novice in babysitting. If a freak came up to me when I was a kid, I would''ve been scared. Can''t he see that the girl is freaked out? She must be thinking that he''s a kidnapper." "I just don''t know what''s good about that woman. Why can''t he get over her? It''s been so long." Ike had never liked Olivia. Forget about having a good impression of her, he now bore a lot of opinions against her. n thought differently. He rested his cheek on his palm. "Speaking of, Willow does look pretty. She''s basically the younger version of Ms. Fordham. Look at those eyes. They''re so special. And she seems like a child who behaves. People can''t help but to pamper her. "Mr. Maxwell has always been deeply in love with Ms. Fordham, and the girl looks like Ms. Fordham. I bet he wishes he could reach the stars just for her." Ike snorted, annoyed. In fact, he didn''t hate Olivia. Fairly speaking, she was undoubtedly a capable person.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. However, she was married to Ethan! In that sense, Ike figured that Wayne was out of her league. However, Wayne sprang from a humble origin. He jumped through hoops toe this far. He didn''t mind all that. Willow was frightened. She shook her head profusely and gestured that she didn''t like sweets. Yet, Wayne didn''t stop there. Not only did he take out more candies, he attempted to feed her forcefully! "Try ''em. They''re sweet. Kids love ''em..." She guessed that he had done something to the candies and that she would faint after eating them. Then, he would take her away! She thought, "Kidnappers these days are getting bolder! How could they kidnap someone in broad daylight?" Hence, she no longer held herself back. She grabbed his arm and bit him aggressively. Despite her self-assumingly aggressive attack, her little bite didn''t do a thing to his muscr arm. He lifted her by the back of her cor with one hand. "Don''t break your teeth, kid." Frus she began moving her limbs a cute little lobster. sw at her while smiling. So like your mother." He said that softly, so soft that only both of them could hear that. Willow''s eyes widened as she was shocked that he knew Olivia. At that moment, a cold voice cut through the air. "Let go of my daughter." Wayne turned around. Although he had put on makeup, Olivia could recognize him right away. Who else could this tall man be? How could she not tell from his awkward attempt to please a little girl? Wayne gazed at her deeply. Her hair was tied up, and she was d in local clothes. A white flower was on her ear. It had been a long time since hest heard of her. It wasn''t easy to meet her. Chapter 1656 Wayne tried to exin himself, saying, "I just wanted to give her some candies because she looks cute." Knowing that he wasn''t a lowly man who would hurt her daughter, Olivia was certain that he was the backup Ethan called over. But Wayne was as reckless as usual. He almost ruined her n! If Jacqueline and Alexander had found out about his presence, things would''ve gone south. That was why Olivia gave him the cold treatment. She looked at him like he was a stranger. "No need for that, thanks." She carried Willow and strode away. "Stay away from strangers. They kidnap kids," she warned intentionally for Wayne to catch on the situation. He was rendered speechless. Although he was aware of her intention, he couldn''t help the disappointment. Only he knew that he couldn''t sleep the previous night thinking about their reunion. n put down the binocrs. "He''s gonna cry. Look at him. He looks lonely." "Serves him right. Why is he so concerned about someone else''s wife and child?" Ike bit a piece of grass. n red at him. "You''re never gonna find yourself a wife with that sharp tongue and heart of steel." "The divorce rate is high these days. Even if I found one, she could be someone else''s wife in the future. I might as well save myself from the hassle."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. n was at a loss for words. Jacqueline woke up on the balcony, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She was able to have a good night''s sleep by Alexander''s side. "What are you looking at?" He withdrew his gaze from Olivia and Willow. "Nothing." Perhaps he was overthinking it. It seemed like the man wanted to y with Willow because she looked cute. "Feeling better?" Jacqueline shook her head. "Everywhere hurts." "Just hold on. I''ll skin those bastards alive. None of them can get away from this after hurting you." He caressed her brows affectionately. "I''ll avenge you, Jacqueline." "Ethan isn''t an easy opponent. He and Olivia brought along their child, so I''m worried that he''s hiding. something up his sleeves. Once we lift the curse, we should run away. Revenge can wait," she suggested. "Don''t worry. I have everything nned. But you''re out of shape. You need rest." Jacqueline enjoyed sunbathing for the next few days on the ind. Her wounds were recovering under Alexander''s meticulous ministration. Ethan found it weird. "Considering her severe injuries, she''s recovering too quickly." Olivia fanned herselfnguidly. "Alexander''s & witch. Of course, he knows some ck magic to help her recover. It''s good news for us, don''t you think? The faster she recovers, the sooner I can be freed from the curse. You''d better watch out. He''s not that simple." "Okay." "I''ll go check on Willow." She got up from the leaning chair. Opposite them was Alexander giving Jacqueline a massage session like a loving partner. Only two people had shown up so far, but Olivia''s hunch was telling her that someone was approaching Alexander secretly. Willow was on a mission to track that person down. Olivia strolled along the corridor when someone suddenly appeared at the corner. She didn''t have time to hide! The person grabbed her waist, bringing her to the room next to them. Before she could react, the door was already locked! "I''ve been looking for you, Dr. Fordham." The man''s breath touched her ear. Chapter 1657 Olivia felt like there was a voracious tiger behind her. It would take one reckless move from her for it to tear her neck off her. "Wayne Maxwell!" Olivia didn''t know what Wayne was trying to do. All she could was stay still. When she looked back at the past, she did deceive him. Ethan and Wayne were at odds, and Wayne even kidnapped her! Wayne had always been the man of revenge, so she didn''t dare to provoke him. She struck a topic instead. "Does your head still hurt these days?" As she had expected, his eyes brightened at that question. "Are you worried about me?" He was such an easy man to please. Noticing that he was still that same old person, she nodded. "Yeah. You''re my patient, after all. I left you a prescription before I left, but I don''t know if it worked because I wasn''t the one to treat you." Wayne bent over, and his lips reached her ear. "Liar. If you were worried about me, you wouldn''t have run away. Do you think I''d buy that again?" Left with no choice, she insisted, "It''s not like that. You can choose not to believe me, but you must have faith in my professionalism. I''m a doctor with virtue." As soon as she finished, he turned her over so that she would face him. The back of her head rested against the wall. The tall man lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Look into my eyes and say that again." Olivia gulped. "I-I''m a doctor with virtue." Wayne''s rough fingertip caressed her soft cheek as he smiled me "You''re such a beauty Look at those eyes. They''re like the stars. But with those same eyes, you lied to me twice." He gritted his teeth. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. wn His initial n was to give her a chance to get used to him, but she lied to him. "You and Ethan had divorced for so many years. I don''t mind that you have children. I can be their father=" "In your dreams!" she barked. "I gave birth to them after ten months of pregnancy. And I barely survived the delivery. Who gave you the confidence and rights to be their father?" He hissed Do you know how much I want to eat you up? I''ve put myself so low, but why can''t you spare me a nce?" He was pleading while putting on such a fierce expression. The contrast was so hrious that Olivia couldn''t help bursting intoughter. "Oh, Wayne. You''re so..." Her grin pacified his anger, and warmth seeped into his chest. "What about me?" "You''re so cute." This was the first time he had ever heard apliment from Olivia. Although it wasn''t that he was handsome, it was still apliment. He rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Do you think so?" She nodded and teased, "But that doesn''t mean I like you." She couldn''t help it when he looked so innocent right now. "How dare you. Olivia Fordham, do you think that I won''t hurt you?" The glint in his eyes changed to a dangerous one. "Do you think I won''t keep you on the bed all day long?" Chapter 1658 Olivia''s brows furrowed. Although she was aware that Wayne was a rough man by nature, she couldn''t ept hearing that from men other than Ethan. After all, Ethan was raised in a rich family. Even during the worst time of their rtionship, he never said such words to her. "You''d better watch yournguage," she told Wayne off. If he wanted to touch her, he could''ve done it two days ago. However, he was waiting, waiting for Alexander to lift the curse off her. Thus, she knew that she was safe, at least for now. Noticing that his threat didn''t scare her, he let her go. He was discouraged. "Why are you so smart? This is so unfair." Olivia stared at him warily. "Why did you bring me here? I''m looking for my daughter." The next thing that happened was beyond her expectations. He kicked a screen in the room to reveal Willow sitting there, eating fruit yogurt. "I made that myself. I wanted to speak to you, but I couldn''t find the chance to do so. So, I asked for her help to lure you here." Wayne stood there like a lost puppy. It was his first time putting himself lower just to make a woman happy. Olivia was at her wit''s ends. She came up to Willow. "How did he buy you off?" Willow gestured, ''He said he''ll protect you.'' Olivia stroked her head. "Alright." Wayne pointed at another bowl. "Have some too. I specially made you fruit yogurt. It''s refreshing in hot weather. They said that women love it." Yet, Olivia didn''t move. "I didn''t poison it. If you don''t believe me, I can show you." He became agitated to eat it to prove that it was safe. Olivia sighed. Considering that they were in Wayne''s territory, she was certain that Ethan and Wayne had reached apromise. "Wayne, why are you doing this? I said I''ll never like you." "My feelings for you are my business." He looked at Willow. "Maybe your kids want to have a new father. Don''t you think so, kid?" Willow choked on her food upon hearing that. Wayne quickly patted Willow''s back. "Take it slow. It''s okay." He wasn''t that gentle, and she was literally rolling her eyes. Olivia hurriedly carried Willow away from him "Wayne Maxwell, if you have nothing better to do, you can find a woman and have a kid with her Experience what it''s like to be a father. Stop wasting your time on me." ? "I just don''t get it. What''s so good about Ethan? Can''t you consider me? How about giving me a chance?" Olivia rejected him coldly, "Not a chance. I''m thinking of remarrying him. Just give up." "Remarry?" Wayne heard her saying that loud and clear. " In the past, Olivia wasn''t thinking of remarrying Ethan, so Wayne had always thought he had a chance. Now that she said it herself, he could tell that she was serious about it. With Willow in her hands, Olivia got up. "I''m grateful for the affirmative feelings you have for me, but I can''t reciprocate your feelings. But since you''ve helped me once, I''d like to return the favor. Haven''t you always wanted to know your true identity?" "You know the truth?" "Nothing''s sure, but if you give me your hair or blood, the truth mighte to light soon." "Who are my family? Where are they?" he asked vehemently. Olivia said seriously, "They didn''t abandon you. You were switched et Someone else has been taking your ce for many years. If my guess is right, your father is Wendell Procter." "The Procters?" Olivia had always been full of surprises to him. Now, she hadrevealed another mind-blogging truth.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Yes. You and Ethan are cousins. His mother is your aunt." Chapter 1659 Wayne''s expression fell as if he had heard a joke. "Dr. Fordham, are you kidding me?" Olivia appeared serious. "Do you think I''d joke about something serious?" She wasn''t that kind of person. However, Wayne couldn''t fully trust her. She had lied to him twice! "Once my curse is lifted, we can figure this out. Take a DNA test, and we''ll know the truth." Olivia walked away with Willow in her arms. Wayne was left all alone in confusion. Olivia''s words kept ringing in his ears. "You and Ethan are cousins." He couldn''t believe it. Wayne and Ethan had been fighting with each other for half of their lives. They had even nearly killed each other. Not once, but several times! Now, Olivia was telling him that he had been trying to murder his family. When n and Ike showed up, they saw Wayne''s nk face. His eyes were widened as he stood still at the same spot. n nudged at his brother. "Is he caught off-guard by the rejection or what?" "How many times do I have to tell you that it''s useless? Even though she''s divorced, look at how many kids she has. She even had them after the divorce. Who would have kids with their ex-husband if they''ve fallen out of love? Not to mention that she has four! "She has never once gotten over Ethan. What does this make Mr. Maxwell?" Ike had always been blunt with his words. He crossed his arms and continued, "A peacock that got ahead of itself. And he made fruit yogurt? Wow, this has to be the joke of the universe!" n red at him. "Hush it, Ike! No wonder you''ve been single for years. No one will ever fall for you because of your sharp tongue." Ike snorted. "So what if you know how to sweet talk? You''re single too. Stop saying like you''re any different." Feeling helpless, n decided not to fight with his brother. He would never win verbally. He came up to Wayne. "Mr. Maxwell, what are you standing there for? Did Dr. Fordham reject you?" n''s voice finally pulled Wayne''s soul askinow would you feel if your Wayne looked at n et family?" ne enemy one day bes your "This is turns falling for a woman who o be a man inne This a soap drama. This swhoveish " Wayne''s expression held solemnity. "She must be lying." Still, she didn''t have to make up a man''s name like that. It bothered him so much. "Look into Wendell." "Wendell? Which Wendell?" Wayne added coldly, "Wendell Procter from Zelotria." "Yes, sir." n epted the order although he didn''t what triggered Wayne.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. By the time n looked into it, he was surprised. "Ike, this is bad. This is bad!" "What? Did Mr. Maxwelle up with some bizarre ideas to win Dr. Fordham''s heart?" n shook his head. "I don''t think he needs to do that anymore." Wayne marched over in huge strides. "Found something? Give it to me." He grabbed the tablet from n''s hand. The first picture was Wendell''s picture. n eximed, "I-Is he your long-lost father? This face, those eyes... You guys look the exact same!" Their features were simr, but Wendell had a darker temperament, unlike Wayne. Wayne read through the information. Wendell''s wife passed away a lone?? time ago, and Wendell only had one son-Alexander. If the daughter of the Fordham family was switched, what about the son of the Procter family? Chapter 1660 Ethan was looking around for Olivia. When he found her and Willow unscathed, a wave of relief washed over him. "Where have you been?" Olivia cast a nce at Jacqueline, who was just nearby, and made up an excuse. "I was spending time with Willow." "Alexander said that Jacqueline can do the ritual tonight." "Finally," she eximed. She crouched down and whispered to Willow, "Better be careful tonight. They''re bad guys. We never know what they have up their sleeves." Willow nodded. The night sky dawned, andyers of grey clouds covered the moon with the stars hiding behind them. Most of the locals went to bed quite early. ces that were still lit up were business operations and army bases. Dim lights brightened the port, adding a luster to the mood. That night, Olivia and Jacqueline sat by the beach. There was a speedboat nearby. Jacqueline reminded sternly, "You can onlye after me after three days as promised." "Yes." After what Jacqueline had done to the Fordham family, Olivia shouldn''t be letting her go that easily, but the three-day graceful period was the promise. Alexander gazed at Olivia warily. "You''d better keep your promise." "Let''s begin," Olivia prompted. The Lifebond Curse had tortured her long enough. Now, it was time to lift it off. Alexander informed them about the precautions. This was a dangerous curse. There was a possibility of backfiring during the process of lifting it off the host, so there should never be an interruption. Ethan had dispersed the crowd in advance so that no one would interrupt them. Willow stood by the shore watching them. Alexander held a handful of spice and a small drum. He lit up the spice. Olivia, who was knowledgeable in herbal medicine, could discern the smell of each herb. Most of the time, she could tell what the herb was with a sniff of it. However, this time, the smell was strange. It wasn''t any kind of smell she knew of. She figured that it was a mixture of herbs she didn''t know of. It was no wonder Wendy wouldn''t take the risk to lift the curse off. These were the herbs Alexander used to cast the curse at the beginning. In other words, if different herbs were used, it would be highly possible to kill the hosts during the procedure. As Alexander yed the drum, the spices began to crackle in the mes. It was simple, but it looked like he was orchestrating an ancient ritual. Olivia suddenly felt a prick in her arm. She was going to raise her arm on reflex, but Alexander quickly stopped her. "Don''t move." After witnessing how the cursed bug came out of Jacqueline''s mouth, Olivia assumed that she would go through the same thing. But it was different this time.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She stared at her right hand which had a wriggling swell. Something was trying to protrude out of it. The same thing was happening to Jacqueline''s left hand. It was horrifying. The adults hushed their breath, not making a sound. Alexander hit the drum more enthusiastically. The beat picked up its pace as though urging something to elerate. The thing under her skin was trying to prate through it, hurting so much that it made Olivia frown. She never expected the procedure to be this simple yet painful. Yet, there was nothing that she could do. She couldn''t even scream! Jacqueline was equally in pain. No matter how much it hurt, the two could only put up with it. As their skin continued to swell, the intensity of the pain grew stronger. Then, their skins were torn apart, and dark blood oozed out of them. Wayne, who was watching from afar through a drone, sighed in relief. "Finally." Chapter 1661 As the dark blood oozed out of Olivia and Jacqueline, the excruciating pain zapped through their bodies. Olivia was on the brink of losing herself, and Jacqueline was no less better. Jacqueline had always been arrogant her whole life, but now, she struggled to quell the urge to scream. All she could do was watch the filthy blood flowing out of her. The pain was too much to hold in, causing Olivia to shake. She tightly clutched the hem of her shirt, trying not to break the ritual. ording to their n, the bleeding was supposed to stop after a certain period. Jacqueline''s bleeding showed an indication of stopping, but not Olivia''s. Olivia lost more blood than Jacqueline did. She was basically sitting in a pool of dark blood! It was as though something was sucking her blood dry out of her. Olivia noticed the situation and started panicking. But she didn''t dare to do anything because she wasn''t the witch. Plus, she hadn''t dealt with curses. What if she interrupted the ritual and ended up dying instead? Ethan shared the same thought. He wasn''t a witch and knew nothing about curses. There was nothing that he could do for her either. He shifted his gaze to Alexander. The witch who cast the curse on them should know a way. Yet, Alexander had no intention of helping Olivia! He chanted a spell, trying to break Jacqueline free from the curse. And he seeded! He sneered, "I promised to lift the curse, but I didn''t specify whose. Whatever happens to Olivia has nothing to do with me." "You!" Ethan gnawed his jaw. Alexander retreated while carrying Jacqueline. "You''d better not do anything reckless. It took me ten years to reformte this curse. Don''t touch the dark blood either. Others will die from touching it. You''re useless now, Olivia Fordham. Go to hell!" He clearly knew a way to break the curse, but he didn''t do it for Olivia. He wanted her dead. Olivia bit her lip until it bled, trying to put up with the pain. When Ethan was to break down, the sound of the flute resounded. Olivia''s bleeding promptly stopped. Alexander looked at the girl in the corner. He had watched her blow a flute before, but she wasn''t using the same instrument then! He had simply assumed that she was ying music to kill time, but she turned out to be a witch like him too! The flute she was using right now seemed to be made from animal bones. As the melodious rhythm stopped the bleeding, Olivia could finally the catch a breath after experience excruciating pain. "Kill her. Hurry!" Jacqueline growled, annoyed that Olivia was still alive. "We should go. I have a bad feeling about this." Alexander pulled Jacqueline to the boat. Right then, a long hoot whistled. It was an owl. Willow blew her instrument again.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Olivia gritted her teeth while covering her wound. "You''re never gonna escape from here!" Chapter 1662 Things turned odd in a blink of an eye. Birds began pping their wings in the woods, reptiles and insects suddenly showed up, and there were even things squirming out of the sea! Worm eels! They were a poisonous species! Jacqueline was dumbfounded by the turn of events. She had never seen something like this before! Even Alexander, a witch who was good with curses, had always thought that beast tamers were merely legends. Who knew that a little girl like Willow would be one? Compared to curses, taming beasts was a whole new level of difficulty. Alexander learned how to cast curses since young. It was a skill that took time and effort to learn. However, the Beast Tamer n had always been a reclusive tribe that lived deep in the mountains. They were particrly strict in appointing their sessors. With the founding of the nation, they left the mountains and mingled with the people. They had long digressed into ordinary people. Never in his wildest dreams did Alexander expect to see a beast tamer of this age. Willow''s quiet demeanor rendered her presence unobtrusive. She was no better than an invisible person, which was why Alexander had let his guard down. He thought she was a mere kid who couldn''t speak! Yet, the child under the moonlight appeared to be so sacred at this moment. Her hair fluttered along with the light breeze, her green eyes void of emotions. Alexander thought, "She''s the chosen one!" That contemptuous gaze seemed to hold the power to annihte the whole world. At that moment, he knew that he stood no chance against her. He yelled, "Hurry! Let''s go!" Murderous intent was brimming in Willow''s eyes. She would never give Jacqueline the chance to hurt Olivia. With a shift of the rhythm, the call turned into an invisible power that broke the curse forcefully. It was like a war broke out, and only a bloodbath awaited them. Although Jacqueline was aProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. viiness, she had only used modern methods for maniption. She had never seen anything like this before. It didn''t feel real to her! It was more appalling than in the movies The deluge of looming reptiles was giving her goosebumps. She looked at Olivia. "Don''t you want to know where your mother is? Three days was what we promised. Are you going to go back on your word?" Olivia red back. "That should be my line." Ethan asked someone to bring over a medical kit and stepped forward. "I''m not going to let you escape this ind alive!" No one knew what Jacqueline could do as long as she was alive. She had to die! Both parties no longer cared about the promise. Right now, all they wanted was each other''s lives. Alexander managed to drag Jacqueline to the yacht, but the reptiles were catching up to them quickly. Right then, Jacqueline shrieked in surprise as an owl perched on her shoulder. Its ws sunk deep into her flesh, and it was aiming its beak at her eyes! Alexander quickly urged the skipper to maneuver the yacht. Although the reptiles were one step behind them, the owl was attacking her like a crazy bird. She screamed nonstop due to fear getting the best of her. Alexander was doing his best to shoo it away. Wayne and his men, who had been biding their time, were astonished by Willow''s capability. She broke the curse! "Is this a dream?" muttered n. Wayne smacked the back of n''s head. "What are you staring at? Get them! Don''t let them get away!" "Yes, sir!" Only then did ne back to his senses. He couldn''t help it. It was so surreal that he couldn''t believe his eyes! Ike dispatched a troop to go after the yacht, and Wayne hurriedly rushed to Olivia. n was left all alone. "This has to be a dream. Where did those reptilese from? This is way more ridiculous than the movies!" Chapter 1663 Wayne''s eyes frantically scanned over Olivia. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine. Just some scratches. Jacqueline mustn''t get away!" "Don''t worry, I have people ready in the vicinity." Jacqueline was a sly fox with Alexander on her side. Olivia vowed to herself that she would capture Jacqueline even if Shana''s life was in danger. Forget about knowing Shana''s whereabouts. If Jacqueline knew that information, that would mean she and Brandon were plotting something together! If Jacqueline escaped, it was impossible for her to tell Olivia Shana''s whereabouts. The promise was a way to buy herself some time. Both parties had something plotted right from the beginning. They wanted each other dead! Now that things had turned out this way, someone had to die, and it was either Olivia or Jacqueline. Unfortunately for Jacqueline, she was wrong about someone-Wayne. Wayne was Ethan''s enemy, so Jacqueline initially thought that luring Olivia to Wayne''s territory might give her the upper hand, but it backfired. She had dug her own grave. The owl left a few scratches on her face and almost tore down her scalp until she finally broke free from it. Furious, she broke into strings of vulgar words, no longer the gentle and obedient woman. "That motherfucker! Olivia''s daughter must be a witch! It hurts so much..." Alexander checked on her wounds before sighing in relief. "Thank god it''s nothing serious." "Nothing serious? Do you know how many times I''ve fixed my face to look like Olivia?" Jacqueline cared about her face the most. Previously, even a zit could easily tick her off. She had always been putting on a show in front of the Fordham family. She might appear gentle and mild in front of them, but she drank alcohol and smoked behind their backs. Her temper was the worst. She was good at hiding her true colors. She could only be herself in front of Alexander. He was the person Jacqueline trusted yet hated the most at the same time. Since they shared a simr past, he was the only one who had seen her disgraceful side. That was why she was a fussy woman whenever he was around. "It''s okay, I''ve credited the two billion. dors. Once we get out of here, we can enjoy our lives to the fullest. You have all the time in the world to fix your face." Alexander hugged her,forting her gently as he always did. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "I hope so. I want Olivia''s face ruined too." "Stop getting in her way, Jacqueline. With her status and the power she has right now, we''ll lose for sure. Besides, her daughter is a genius witch and a beast tamer! I won''t be able to win against her the next time. at We can''t get close to all," he tried to talk some sense Jacqueline. "You useless man!" she barked. "The ship ising soon. We''ll be fine when ites," he reassured. As soon as he said that, the sound of propellers whirling resounded. It was a military helicopter! There was an army base on the ind, so it made sense. Alexander looked up at the helicopter, wondering if it was their enemy. Then, he let out a self-mocking smile. They had nothing to do with each other, why would the army dispatch a helicopter to catch nobodies like them? He thought he was overthinking it, so he just ordered the skipper to speed up. Suddenly, the water rose in ripples and then in waves. Now, it wasn''t only the helicopter. Numerous yachts were speeding over to them! Jacqueline grabbed Alexander''s shirt. "I''m scared." "Rx. I''m here. Look, there''s a helicopter. The army must be on a mission. It has nothing to do with us." Chapter 1664 After saying that, Alexander began to sense that something wasn''t right. Those yachts and that helicopter were reallying after them! "No, this can''t be! This is the army base of a different country. Just who is Olivia? How could she demand their military chopper?" Jacqueline had racked her brain thinking of a ce, and she ended up choosing this ind. But it seemed like it was a bad decision. "Don''t worry. The ship that''s supposed to being for us is on its way." Alexander tried his best to calm her down, but his voice was shaking from nervousness. He didn''t have the time and tools to cast a curse to help themselves in this situation. Now, he was weaker than an ordinary person. When they finally saw the ship, the helicopter above them released fire at it. Its body was on fire, and the crew jumped off it to save themselves. The fire slowly burned the couple''s hope into ashes. They were surrounded with no way out. "Olivia Fordham, that bitch!" All Jacqueline could do was vent her anger with words. Alexander sighed. "It''s all my fault, Jacqueline. I didn''te up with a perfect n. I didn''t know that they had connections to the army. Now, we only have two choices either we give up or jump into the sea." Wayne''s ship was closing nearer and nearer to them. Jacqueline didn''t have a choice. Jumping into the sea was no less different from signing a death certificate, but if she fell under Olivia''s hands, Jacqueline would be tortured for life. Not only Olivia, but the Fordham family, Ethan, and Leia would also want to see her die miserably. "Am I going to die like this?" Jacqueline, who was drenched in blood, stared at the cloudy sky. It was no wonder that people said things would fall back in their rightful ce. What was once stolen would be returned to the rightful owners in the end. Jacqueline had to repay the price after owing Olivia so much. "It''s all my fault, Jacqueline." Alexander dipped his head. "I''m so useless. I couldn''t help you." She looked at the man who was deeply in love with her. After so many years; he was the only one who had stayed by her side through thick and thin. "Alexander, you''re a wonderful person. You would''ve led a better life if you hadn''t met me." She watched the approaching ship. There was also a helicopter above them. She knew that there was no escape this time. "Sorry, but I''ve never loved you even once. If we ever meet again, I shall repay whatever I''ve done to you." Next, she jumped into the sea without a second thought. She didn''t even spare him a nce before doing that. From the beginning until the end, she remained a selfish person who only thought of herself. Gone was any romance. The reluctance to admit defeat was strong in her. She had spent her whole life on this, but it ended up in a fiasco. Jacqueline thought, "Olivia Fordham, I will never return whatever I owe you. This life can only be mine." Alexander cried, "Jacqueline!"Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He jumped off the yacht without hesitation either. News soon reached Wayne''s ears. He looked at Olivia, who was receiving treatment. "They jumped into the sea. What should we do?" She stared at the sea coldly. "If we can''t catch them alive, we should at least have their bodies." The couple was a ticking timebomb. They couldn''t be left alive. Although killing Jacqueline this way punishment for her, was a be punishment for her, i was better than having her alive. and bing a potential threat. Nothing could be done to amend what Jacqueline had done. "You deserve this, Jacqueline," Olivia thought. Chapter 1665 Before the medic could bandage Olivia''s hand, another thunderous explosion could be heard from the sea. She had always known how vile-tempered and straightforward Wayne was. She bet that he opted to kill Jacqueline in the most convenient way possible. Staring at the mes that were soaring to the sky, Olivia had mixed feelings. Jacqueline had done so many cruel things. Killing her this way was simply an act of benevolence. Reflecting on the hardships she had endured thus far, Olivia figured that Jacqueline shouldn''t have died this easily. Jacqueline was a calcting witch! Olivia nearly died so many times because of her! However, it seemed that Olivia''s party didn''t have a better option. Wayne''s tall figure cast a shadow. "Don''t worry. The chances of her surviving the sea is nil." Olivia hummed in response. Although the curse was lifted, she didn''t feel happy. She still didn''t know where Shana was. How were they supposed to look for her? The only good news was that Wendell managed to rush to the ind the next morning. Ethan had informed the Procter family prior to this. Wendell was a loving man. He didn''t meet other women after his wife''s demise. That was also the reason that led him to excessively indulge in Alexander. Now, he finally learned the truth-his real son was swapped and had been lost for many years. When he met the tall and built man before him, he couldn''t believe that it was his son. Wayne took after him, but his eyes were simr to his wife''s proud and rebellious. "You..." They didn''t need a DNA test. Wendell could tell that Wayne was his son. Wayne sized Wendell up as well. "I heard that you''re my father. You look like you could be carried away by the wind." Raised without parents, Wayne had grown up with a wild personality The belief to fight back when opposed was in his blood. This hadn''t changed even after he acquired a higher position in society. Wendell was so overwhelmed with joy that he didn''t mind Wayne''s rude remarks. He slowly strode up to Wayne. "I guess so." "Come with me. A DNA test will shed light on the truth." With a hand in his pocket, Wayne appeared carefree and unrestrained. He believed that a DNA test had to be done to be certain. Staring at the man walking toward the army base, Wendell repeated the question in his head, "Is he really my son do notice the familiar reckless spirit in him. He''s so much like her." en.swhovels Wendell followed Wayne. The DNA test results came out to be a 99.9% match. Overflowed with excitement and joy, Wendell rushed toward Wayne. "Son, I''ve finally found you! I''m so sorry for what happened all these years. You must''ve had it rough. It''s all my fault. I failed to protect you." Wayne clearly wasn''t buying that. After all, he had long passed the age of longing for a paternal figure. He grew up facing life all alone, so he didn''t care much about having parents. "It''s alright. I''ve been doing fine on my own. So, I''m your son?" Wendell nodded. "Yes." "I heard that the Procter family has a marriage arrangement with the Fordham family. Am I right?" "That''s correct. It was supposed to happen between that impostor and Ms. Jacqueline. What''s wrong?" Wayne rubbed his chin, a mischievous smile ying on his lips. "So now, as your biological son, I should be the one fulfilling the marriage arrangement, shouldn''t I?" "I..." Wendell couldn''t follow. "You just have to tell me yes or no." "I suppose so." Wayne, with a triumphant smile, grabbed Wendell''s cor. "Dad, please offer a preposition in my stead. I want to get married!"Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1666 Wendell had been frail all his life. He never imagined that his biological son would have been missing for so many years. What surprised him more was that Wayne had grown up well despite hardships. Still, there seemed to be something off about this son of his. They were father and son who had been separated for years. Now that the truth was revealed, shouldn''t they be hugging each other in tears of joy? Why did Wayne show no joy in reuniting with his father but seemed interested in his identity as the son of the Procter family-or more precisely, the marriage arrangement between the Procter family and the Fordham family?" "Son, things are a bitplicated right now. We need to take our time to discuss this thoroughly-" "Am I not your son?" Wayne''s restless temperament was exactly the same as his mother''s. There was no chance of dissuading him. There was only one thing in his head. He felt fortunate that he had run a background check on the ties between both families. Otherwise, he would''ve not known the existence of this marriage arrangement. "Of course, you are, as the test results have shown us. The Fordham family is going through something. For now-" "I don''t care what it is. Does Olivia belong to that Fordham family we''re talking about?" "Yes." "Did the elders of both families decide the marriage arrangement?" "Indeed." "That''s settled, then. Prepare the proposal. I can''t wait any longer," Wayne urged. Wendell could tell that Wayne was beyond impatient. If this were the Olympics, Wayne would''ve jumped the gun at the starting line. Every part of his body was screaming to set the n into action. "Putting that aside, aren''t you curious about me? We''ve not seen each other for so many years. Don''t you want to know how I''vee this far?" asked Wendell. Wayne responded indifferently, "Nope. What''s there to be curious about a man who''s going to pass away soon? Haven''t you heard that only the opposite sexes attract each other?" That didn''t seem to be an appropriate phrase for this situation, but now wasn''t the time to quibble over it. Wendell gave another attempt to talk some sense in Wayne. "But I''m curious about your life. How have you managed all these years? It must''ve been quite a task. Are you-" Annoyed, Waned huffed, "I have 800 people serving me every day. If I don''t like someone, I can bomb their house and wipe out their entire. existence as well as their family. Who out there could make me suffer?" Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. In spite of his carefree attitude, he didn''t bring up his tragic past. Toz him, life was made up of the past and the future. Since the past was over, there was no need to dwell on it. He focused on the future. After so many years, he had finally found a woman he was interested in. He would do anything to have her. Wendell said, "You might not know much about Ms. Fordham. As far as I know, she''s married and has children." "Yup, but she got a divorce. She''s single now. What''s wrong with me wanting to give her a home?" Wayne filled in the missing information. Wendell could already picture the handful of quarrels over this topic. Just how did Waynee this far with that brain? "This marriage isn''t only about you. It involves both families. Ms. Fordham should at least agree to this. If she agrees, I won''t oppose it. But if she doesn''t..." Wayne gritted his teeth. "Then, we''ll think of something to make her agree. Isn''t that how it works for your generation? Parents'' orders are the rules. She''s bound to this marriage arrangement! "If you want me to return to the Procter family, I will only do so under the condition that Olivia bes my wife. Otherwise, forget it." Chapter 1667 ?Chapter 1667 Wendell felt helpless. He was seriously down on luck. Instead of his son, he thought that he had found himself a bossy superior. It was a heartfelt reunion after 30 years of separation, and yet the first thing Wayne talked about was an announcement about his marriage rather than expressing words of concern for his family. If it were any ordinary woman, Wendell wouldn''t have minded it. But the person he insisted on marrying was none other than Olivia! She was a divorced woman with four kids! On top of that, Olivia''s ex-husband was Wendell''s nephew! The divorced couple was somewhat entangled with each other too. Ethan and Wayne were both dear to him. What should he do? Wendell was at his wit''s end. Ignoring Wendell''s dilemma, Wayne handed him a cigarette. But Wendell refused, "I quit it." Wayne lit a cigarette and squatted on the ground. Instead of a ruler of and, he appeared more like a construction worker. Wendell massaged his forehead at that. How had his son grown up to be like this? Wayne blew out a puff of smoke. "Yes or no? Give me a definite answer." Cautiously, Wendell said, "I must say that it is quite a task. It won''t be easy. It''s not about matching social status. Even if you like a beggar, I can arrange a marriage for you right away. But she''s from the Fordham family. "You might not be aware of this, but they have some issues recently. Olivia''s family doesn''t share the same blood as the Fordhams. Besides, it''s quite a mess over there. The marriage is unlikely to happen." Wendell discarded his cigarette. "So, it''s a no? Geez, I shouldn''t have called you Dad." He walked away, leaving Wendell stunned. Had Wayne always been this carefree? Instead of reuniting with his family, he seemed more like he came to get himself a wife.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. And when he failed to do so, he abandoned his father! n exined, "Please don''t take it to the heart, Mr. Procter. He has always been like this." "Has he been doing well?" Wendell came here in a rush, so he didn''t know a thing about Wayne''s past. n shook his head. "Honestly, no. He managed toe this far without any background, connections, or resources. He relied solely on his fists and wits. If he weren''t lucky, he would''ve died hundreds of times. "And please don''t let his aloof attitude get to you. He grew up in a slum, where all kinds of people lived. He had to deceive to survive. It would be unfair topare him to those well-raised rich men or even ordinary people." Wendell felt terrible to learn how much Wayne had suffered. In contrast, Alexander grew up leading a luxurious life. Yet, Wendell''s very own biological son ended up like this. "Does he not have adoptive parents?" n chuckled. "I think you''ve had life too easy that you don''t know how our kind lives. We grew up with whoever was kind enough to take us in. His life was tragic. "He might''ve yearned for parental love when he was four, but he had to slog through those hardships on his own. You can''t expect him to be a kid anymore. He''s already in his 30s." "Does he genuinely like Olivia?" asked Wendell. "Having worked with him for so many years, we''ve never seen him bing interested in a woman. She''s an exception, the only exception. Making the marriage happen will be difficult, and we know that." "Don''t me yourself because of this. He has always been a single-minded man. People like us never really own anything anyways, so we don''t feel the pain of loss." Chapter 1668 n brushed it over, but it was enough to leave Wendell in shock. Wendell imagined what kind of life Wayne had led before this. Growing up in a slum where all kinds of people lived¡­ People like them had never really owned anything anyway, so they wouldn''t feel the pain of loss¡­ Ever since his wife passed away, Wendell didn''t really care much about Alexander''s upbringing. Wendell was merely generous when it came to spending money on Alexander. But once he reunited with his son, he realized how much it could hurt to be a parent. If that marriage arrangement was Wayne''s wish, Wendell was hell-bent on making it happen. ¡­ Olivia was watching the sunset painting colors to the horizon by the seashore. Although Jacqueline was dead, Olivia didn''t feel happy, not even one bit. So what if the mastermind was dead? The Fordham family was still in disarray, and no one knew where Shana was. Olivia sighed softly. "You''re too young to be sighing like that." Wayne suddenly appeared next to her. He sat next to her carefreely,pletely unbothered by the sand.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He patted his side. "Have a seat. I won''t do anything to you. I just want to have a chat with you." Olivia nced at him. She subconsciously retreated backward before taking a seat. "Hey, it''s the 20th century. Stop being old-fashioned, will you?" He really disliked how she was avoiding him like the gue. She shook her head. "Wayne, we can be friends. I can''t promise you anything beyond that." Then, he suddenly leaned in closer. His presence was overwhelming. "Dr. Fordham, if you didn''t want my attention, you shouldn''t have given me hope in the beginning." "Sorry, Wayne." If Olivia had known that that mission would pique his interest in her, she wouldn''t have epted it. "Not even a chance? We can try." Wayne put himself low at this point. Olivia stared at his pleading eyes. Lovesick had never been an illness that she could heal. Ethan roared, "In your dreams! Liv has agreed to marry me." The men red at each other the second they met each other. The tension thickened in the air. Wayne threatened, "Got a death wish? Don''t forget whose territory you''re on right now." "It doesn''t matter whose territory it is. I can beat you into a pulp." "You''re asking for it!" Like a leopard, Wayne pounced on Ethan almost instantly, aiming a punch at Ethan''s face. Ethan managed to block it, and the two got into a fight. Olivia silently gave them some space, not even trying to stop them. She even asked someone to bring her a coconut so that she could enjoy watching them fight while drinking in the lounge. Kelvin was worried. "Mrs. Miller, are you not going to stop them?" "Why should I? A men''s fight has nothing to do with women," she stated casually. Willow came running bare-footed. The bells around her ankle rang briskly. When she reached the men covered in sand, they finally stopped. Ethan cooed, "Alright, Willow. Don''t worry. I''ll stop." Wayne chimed in, "Willow, look at me. I''m your stepfather." She dug out a little crab, sparing them an indifferent nce before leaving. It was as if she were looking at idiots. Wayne watched her back. "Is that your daughter?" Ethan''s fist was flying at Wayne again. "Stepfather? Not a chance!" Olivia put down the coconut to wave at Willow. "Willow, we''re going to go home soon." Yes, she was going to leave the men resolving their personal grudges with their fists. Chapter 1669 Olivia and her group returned to the Fordham family. Under the management of the eldest brother, the Fordham family was functioning normally. The third brother¡¯s legs had also recovered significantly. He no longer had to pretend to be disabled and could walk freely like a normal person. Her second brother¡¯s health couldn¡¯t recover quickly in a short period, but he looked much better. David¡¯s condition had also improved significantlypared to before Olivia left.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Jacqueline had almost wiped out the entire Fordham family. Seeing Olivia return, David looked concerned, ¡°Olivia, I heard from your elder brother that you were poisoned. How are you now?¡± ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine now. Jacqueline must have died in the sea.¡± David hugged Olivia and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I just want you to be fine.¡± Olivia felt particrly distressed when she saw that David had aged several years in such a short time. David asked, ¡°Has there been any news about Mom? Your eldest brother has found some information and is still tracking it. The Heath family asked us to return to the country to meet him.¡± These days, Mason¡¯s identity has prevented him from showing up in public, so the Fordham family had to return home. Olivia also missed her other children. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I believe the children will be very happy to know they have a grandfather and uncles.¡± Therefore, the family returned home on a special ne. It was early spring in the country. After the cold winter, the earth was full of spring. New buds had sprouted on the branches, and it was the season for cherry blossoms to bloom. Olivia changed into a spring outfit, and Willow wore a light green dress and followed Olivia. Ethan was not wearing a suit for a rare asion. Instead, he wore parent-child outfits like the mother and daughter, a light green striped shirt with white pants. He opened the car door and took Willow out. The three of them were very eye-catching as soon as they appeared. The convoy stretched from the airport to the Heath family¡¯s house, with a total of more than ten cars, and it looked extremely impressive. As soon as they got out of the car, they heard a clear voice: ¡°Mom!¡± Connor came from afar, just like his name, like a little sun. ¡°Brother, slow down, wait for me.¡± Alicia chased after Connor relentlessly. When Connor passed by Alicia, he picked her up. The family of five was finally reunited. Olivia held one in each hand, and Zack rubbed Olivia¡¯s face yfully. As for the oldest one, Connor, who was between a child and a teenager, he wanted to be close to his parents but felt embarrassed. Olivia took the initiative to hug Connor and said, ¡°Thank you for taking such good care of your brothers and sisters.¡± A light blush appeared on Connor¡¯s face. ¡°No, it¡¯s all what I should do.¡± ¡°Come and meet them. This is your uncle and grandpa.¡± As soon as the Fordham family appeared, they became very close to the children. Linus said hurriedly, ¡°Father is already waiting inside, let¡¯s go in and talk about the past.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Molly had been waiting for a long time. She said, ¡°Olivia, you are finally back.¡± ¡°Aunt,¡± Olivia called out, ¡°You look much better.¡± Molly said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of your good medicine. I heard you suffered a lot on this trip.¡± Olivia said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t really hard work. At least I found my family, which is the biggest reward.¡± ¡°Dad is very happy. He was so excited that he didn¡¯t sleep all nightst night. He has been looking forward to your return home since early this morning.¡± Mason was wearing formal clothes today, and his hair wasbed meticulously. The moment he saw David, the calmness on his face could no longer be maintained. Mason: ¡°You¡­ you are David?¡± David looked at Mason from a distance and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Mason: ¡°Your mother¡­¡± ¡°She has passed away. Don¡¯t worry. She never med you in her life. My father treated her very well and never let her suffer any injustice.¡± These words were like a p in Mason¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t know she was pregnant at that time, I¡­¡± There was an indescribable panic on Mason¡¯s old face. He wanted to exin but didn¡¯t know where to start. When his eyes fell on the other children, except for the eldest one and the fourth one, everyone else was there. ¡°Kids, I¡¯m sorry to have wronged you.¡± Chapter 1670 That day, Mason and David talked alone for a long time, and no one knew what they discussed. In fact, it didn¡¯t matter. For the Fordham family, it was just one more rtive. Molly was a little nervous. After all, there were suddenly so many descendants of the Heath family. If they were all incorporated into the Heath family, wouldn¡¯t the property belonging to her son and daughter be much less? Everyone is selfish. When it reallyes to this moment, who would not consider their own interests? But the result of the discussion between David and Mason was unexpected. Even if the Fordham family did not recognize his identity, he had no intention of changing his surname to Heath. His mother married Mr. Fordham, so they would be members of the Fordham family for life and could maintain a kinship rtionship with the Heath family. Although Mason felt regretful, thinking about how well Mr. Fordham treated his descendants, he had to agree and begged them to stay with the Heath family for a while to recuperate. The day after Olivia returned, she took the children to the cemetery and visited her grandmother and Jeff with Ethan. The cemetery was built in the mountains. Some peach and pear trees on the mountain were in bloom, with branches full of fresh green. There was more moss in front of Jeff¡¯s grave. Olivia put down the bouquet of flowers, knelt in front of the grave, and chatted for a long time. She wanted to tell Jeff that she had finally found her family and identified the mastermind behind the incident. ¡°Dad, my only regret is that I can¡¯t see her and bring her here to kowtow and apologize in front of your tombstone.¡± ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, your daughter has grown up, and I can protect others too.¡± Ethan knelt beside her, lit a cigarette for Jeff, and ced it on the tombstone. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry for failing to live up to your expectations. From now on, I swear to God that I will never hurt Liv again.¡± The other children also came over to talk to Jeff. Zack was holding a wooden sword in his hand. ¡°Grandpa, I received the gift you gave me. I like it very much. There are also many handmade toys that my mother has collected for me. Whenever I see them, I will think that they were made by you.¡± Alicia also said obediently, ¡°Mom said that grandpa¡¯s biggest regret is that he didn¡¯t see us being born. Now we have grown up. Grandpa, do you see us in heaven?¡± A flute sounded in the distance.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Willow stood on the hillside, ying the flute towards the distance, using the sound of the flute to express her grief. At this time, Olivia received a call. It was an exhibition invitation! He had promised to help her eliminate the threat, and it took Warren a long time to find Deborah¡¯sir. This was a pleasant surprise for Olivia! There had been no news about Deborah since she escaped, and it was very likely that she was with Brandon. Maybe she could find her mother¡¯s whereabouts through this clue. Olivia immediately asked about the situation over there. To her surprise, Deborah had escaped to an ind very close to Louis¡¯ base. Was this a coincidence or an ident? After Warren confirmed it, it was just as Olivia expected. Deborah and Brandon were together, and there was also a blind woman who looked a bit like Olivia. Olivia quickly calmed Warren down and asked him to provide precise coordinates and not to act rashly. She woulde over immediately. If the Heath and Fordham families knew about this, neither would sit idly by. David even dragged his sick body to save his wife. Brandon was originally Louis¡¯ most proud disciple, so Olivia was still a little afraid of him. ¡°We split up into two groups. I have to go find Master first.¡± Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you win every battle. Chapter 1671 Olivia arrived at the ind, sensing a subtle change in its atmosphere. Though the scenery remained the same, the robots that once popted the ind were conspicuously absent. Normally, upon leaving the ind, one would encounter some robot spies. Near the ind, numerous ships were anchored, many belonging to foreign private armed organizations and mercenaries. This indicated that a significant number of people hadnded on the ind. What had happened? ¡°Ethan, is there something wrong?¡± Olivia wondered. Despite Louis¡¯s intention to perform body modifications on him, she still hoped he could survive. A great scientist, a leader in every field, his death would be an immense loss. ¡°Liv, don¡¯t worry,¡± Ethan quickly reassured her. ¡°Although there are people on the ind, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a major problem at the moment.¡± The presence of so many ships implied they had brought heavy weapons, yet the ind¡¯s flowers, nts, and buildings remained intact. ¡°No, there aren¡¯t that many people on this ind. Most of them are robots. By the way, where¡¯s big brother?¡± Olivia suddenly remembered that her elder brother hade to the ind a few days ago for treatment. Unable to contain her anxiety any longer, she ran off. On her way, she encountered a robot barely clinging to life, its internal electricity crackling. Olivia quickly asked, ¡°Where is Louis?¡± The robot, unable to speak, disyed two words on its electronic screen: Back Mountain. The back mountain was the only ce Olivia was forbidden to approach, as Louis had not granted her permission. There must be a huge secret hidden there! Olivia dashed frantically towards the back mountain, passing numerous fallen robots and humans along the way. The mechanical door at the entrance had been forcibly destroyed. Olivia was stunned. Was Louis alright? Despite his many robots, the intruders had brought so many people. Her heart raced with worry. She still had feelings for her master, who had cured her cancerpletely. The thought of losing the great scientist, the old man singrly devoted to research and invention, was unbearable. As Olivia quickened her pace, she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Grandfather!¡± Was that her eldest brother¡¯s voice? But who was he calling? Logically, their real grandfather was with the Heath family and couldn¡¯t be here. The only other possibility was Mr. Fordham. Hadn¡¯t he been buried recently? What was going on? ¡°Be careful, Liv,¡± Ethan warned, standing protectively in front of her. But Olivia no longer cared about the risks and rushed through the passage. What she saw left her speechless. A woman, sleeping quietly in an electronic transparent container made of unknown material, bore a 70% resemnce to Olivia, with a mole at the corner of her eye. She looked slightly more mature than in old photos, yet her face was unlined. It was her dear grandmother, Ms. Nat. Hadn¡¯t she died long ago? Why was she here? Unease gripped Olivia. Her master had spoken of a n to transform humans, and she was the target of this n. Could it be that he wanted to resurrect her grandmother? More rming was the sight of Mr. Fordham, who, though long buried, appeared healthy and vigorous. How could he look so well after years of illness?Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. What grand scheme were these old men concealing from the world? Clearly, it involved her deceased grandmother. Robots and mercenariesy scattered on the ground, and Louis¡¯s simted robotic arm was broken, leaking electricity. Chapter 1672 ¡°Brother, what happened?¡± Olivia asked, her voice filled with concern as she hesitated to approach Louis. The only person she feltfortable with in the vicinity was Avery. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯te any closer. It¡¯s too dangerous here,¡± Avery warned, looking worried. Louis nced at Olivia and said, ¡°Old man, my experiment is about to seed. She is Ms. Nat¡¯s descendant, and her blood is the same as Ms. Nat¡¯s¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s face changed. No wonder she always felt that Louis took special care of her. She had thought it was because of her physical condition and talent, but now she realized that Louis had known her true identity from the beginning. The so-called living human transformation n was actually to resurrect her grandmother! This man was terrifying. He had gone to such lengths to resurrect her grandmother, and she had almost been deceived into believing he was only interested in the transformation n. Although Old Mr. Fordham had white hair, his eyes were sharp. ¡°Louis, let go. Ms. Nat has been dead for many years. Her soul may have already entered reincarnation. Rebirth? Resurrection? This is against thew of nature. You have conducted so many experiments and killed so many people. Isn¡¯t it enough? I reviewed your previous experimental data. You failed in all of them, didn¡¯t you? The reason you didn¡¯t harm her¡­¡± Old Mr. Fordham pointed at Olivia¡¯s face and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she is Ms. Nat¡¯s bloodline and looks like Ms. Nat that you are reluctant to let her go? You are also afraid of failure, aren¡¯t you?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Olivia finally understood. She had her grandmother to thank for her life. If not for her, she might have died years ago. Louis still looked at her, refusing to give up, ¡°You are my best test subject. Hurry up and help me.¡± Avery and Ethan stepped in to protect Olivia, ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± It turned out that the Fordham family had orchestrated this entire scenario. Old Mr. Fordham had pretended to be dead to infiltrate Louis¡¯ base today. ¡°Louis, it¡¯s time to end this obsession. Ms. Nat saved you because she hoped you could contribute to mankind, but you have be consumed by your inner demons. How many wrongs have youmitted just to revive her? I shouldn¡¯t have spared your life in the first ce.¡± As he spoke, Old Mr. Fordham pointed his gun at Louis¡¯ heart. There was a loud ¡°bang¡± and blood sttered everywhere. His heart couldn¡¯t be transformed; he was human. Before he died, Louis crawled towards his grandmother¡¯s body, repeatedly calling her name: ¡°Ms. Nat, I¡¯m here. You must be getting impatient waiting for me¡­¡± With hisst breath, he leaned over the ice coffin container. The blood in his body seeped out bit by bit, and then he closed his eyes forever. Old Mr. Fordham looked at his grandmother, who still appeared very young, with gentle eyes, ¡°Ms. Nat, I¡¯m here to take you home¡­¡± Olivia was very curious about Ms. Nat, a woman who had captivated so many outstanding men. She must have had a remarkable personality. Olivia shared her findings with Avery. Avery patted her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we already know. Father is on his way. Olivia, this was originally their matter from their previous lives. I¡¯m really sorry for involving you.¡± It seemed the Fordham family had not always been manipted. They had yed along to lower people¡¯s guard and then lure out the mastermind behind the scenes. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It should be about time.¡± Olivia was taken to a neighboring ind, where a fierce fight broke out between David and Brandon. The ind was surrounded by heavy troops. Whether flying in the sky or on ships in the water, the Heath family mobilized overseas forces to carry out military missions. Brandon, despite his monstrous abilities, would inevitably be overwhelmed. David and his mother embraced for a long time. Deborah, lying on the ground, had an ugly expression. She never expected that after half a lifetime of scheming, she would end up inplete defeat. In the crowd, Olivia found Jacqueline, who was barely alive. She wasn¡¯t dead! Alexander had protected her at thest moment, and Warren had taken advantage of the chaos to seize control. Chapter 1673 But Warren, blinded by love, had no idea that all of this was a trap set by Olivia over the past two years. When he saw Olivia nestled in Ethan¡¯s arms, he realized he had been exposed from the very beginning. It was time for this to end¡­ Although the Fordham family had won, they had still suffered heavy losses due to the joint attacks by Brandon, Deborah, and Jacqueline over the years. Many people were injured or had died. The fifth sister had ultimately be a victim, dying at a young age. Olivia lit incense at her grave and said, ¡°Fifth sister, in your next life, keep your eyes open. Don¡¯t worry, I will take good care of our family.¡± A gentle breeze blew, carrying a leaf thatnded on Olivia¡¯s shoulder, as if responding to her. Old Mr. Fordham returned with the Fordham family, and Ms. Nat was finallyid to rest in peace. No one was informed about her funeral, but Mason attended privately. Mason and Old Mr. Fordham exchanged nces. These two men, who had once been the most important to Ms. Nat, met only after her death. Mason¡¯s eyes were red. He picked the tenderest peach blossom from a branch in the early morning and ced it on the tombstone. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯mte¡­¡± At that moment, Olivia saw not an old man but a handsome young man who had finally found his true love in the dim morning light. Although her mother¡¯s eyes had been poisoned, they could recover with gradual treatment. Olivia brought Warren and Jacqueline back overseas. Spring hade, and the mountains were covered in blooming flowers. Mona¡¯s grave was adorned with small, colorful flowers. The dying Jacqueline was forced to kneel in front of the tombstone. Warren looked at the name on the tombstone and a bitter smile appeared on his face. ¡°In fact, I knew this day woulde, Miss Fordham. You and I spent over two years for her.¡± Warren gazed at Olivia¡¯s pretty face with a mix of longing and resignation. He knew she had used him, but he still found it difficult to let go, even at the risk of his own life. This was likely the retribution of reincarnation. Mona had died by his hand, but he fell in love with Olivia, who had been his target back then. Olivia threw a bracelet to Warren, the one he had bought to make Mona happy.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Warren didn¡¯t clearly remember what Mona looked like, only recalling the little girl¡¯s happy smile when she received the bracelet. ¡°Warren, go to the afterlife and apologize to Mona.¡± Olivia handed him a gun and said, ¡°Use her blood to atone for Mona.¡± Jacqueline, barely clinging to life, her reconstructed face now stripped away, begged for mercy, ¡°Olivia, I, I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± Olivia looked down at Jacqueline, ¡°Mona didn¡¯t want to die either, but she shielded my stomach on that rainy night and took the bullet for me. She was still so young when she died. Why do you think you deserve to live?¡± Warren seemed to remember some details. At that time, his focus had been on killing Olivia, ignoring the little girl who had been a mere tool to him. Before she died, she had looked at him and softly asked, ¡°Warren, have you ever loved¡­¡± A gunshot rang out, and Warren shot Jacqueline cleanly and neatly, blood sttering everywhere. Jacqueline, with eyes wide open, fell into the mud bit by bit. Warren looked at Olivia, ¡°What about my mother¡¯s side¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t involve innocent people. This is what you owe Mona. Once you repay her, everything will be settled.¡± Chapter 1674 Warren¡¯s face showed a trace of desire, ¡°Olivia, during the more than two years we were together, did you ever love me for a moment?¡± Olivia stared at him, her eyes cold and filled with disgust. ¡°No, I wished for your death every moment.¡± Warren smiled destely, ¡°I see.¡± Thew of nature is reincarnation, and everything is retribution. ¡°Bang!¡± Birds flew across the sky as blood spilled on the ground. Warren looked at the cold photo on the tombstone and said, ¡°Mona, I will repay everything I owe you¡­¡± Olivia watched as people died one after another, her heart aching uncontrobly, and tears slowly flowed down. ¡°Mona, I have avenged you. You can rest in peace now.¡± She had waited too long for this day. After taking her revenge, Olivia felt only emptiness inside. The rapeseed flowers were in full bloom. In the gentle breeze, Willow chased after the sundial, the bells on her body jingling. Zack teased, ¡°Come and catch me!¡± In the distance, Alicia made a wreath and called to Connor, ¡°Brother, bend down.¡± Connor cooperated, letting Alicia ce the wreath on his head. ¡°It looks so beautiful. Big brother is the one who looks most like dad.¡± Olivia watched tenderly, seeing the young Ethan in him. ¡°Liv,¡± a man¡¯s voice called out. Olivia turned to see Ethan kneeling in front of her, holding a diamond ring, ¡°Marry me again, okay?¡± The children cheered, ¡°Marry him, marry him!¡± Olivia¡¯s cheeks blushed. This person¡­ Ethan solemnly ced the ring on her finger, ¡°Liv, I swear I will never let you get hurt again.¡± Alicia draped wreaths around their necks, and they embraced tightly in the rapeseed field. The little witch yed a cheerful tune. After returning overseas, Ethan arranged a grand wedding for Olivia. This time, Olivia was not hidden but stood proudly by his side. The Fordham family, the Miller family, the Procter family, and the Heath family¡ªthergest families both domestically and abroad¡ªall attended. Though they hosted only a hundred tables, the guest list was filled with world-ss dignitaries. Among them was the princess whom Olivia had once saved, and Wayne stood in the crowd, appearing ready to whisk her away at any moment.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Keith, seated at the front with his wife and children, also shared in Olivia¡¯s happiness. Children in white skirts and dresses followed behind the couple, scattering flower petals and presenting rings to them. Under the loving gaze of their elders, the two exchanged rings and kissed passionately. ¡°Liv, I love you.¡± ¡°Ethan, I love you too.¡± ~END~ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!